South Africa: Today’s latest news and headlines, Monday 18 May

Stay up to date with the latest news in South Africa by reviewing our wrap of headlines on Monday 18 May. We’ve got a big announcement from the Education Department to look forward to later in the day, and we also have the major stories you may have missed this weekend.

TODAY’S LATEST NEWS IN SOUTH AFRICA, MONDAY 18 MAY

Latest coronavirus numbers in South Africa

The Health Ministry on Sunday 17 May, announced that the confirmed COVID-19 cases in South Africa have now risen to 15 515. This is an increase of 1 160 as the total number of confirmed cases stood at 14 355 on Saturday.  Mkhize also announced the latest death toll of 264 which is an increase of three coronavirus-related deaths.

Angie Motshekga set to discuss ‘a return to school’

The back to school plan is set to be rolled out by the Department of Education on Monday and, according to numerous sources, the way pupils return to education could be decided by their locations. But parents and Grade 12 students could find themselves preparing for ‘special learning camps’ away from home.

Although further elaboration is needed on this, we expect Education Minister Angie Motshekga to outline on Monday how exactly it would work in the middle of a pandemic. The logistics of what is allegedly being considered are huge.

The transport of children, guaranteeing them a safe learning environment, and even the possibility of them having to leave their homes for overnight stays are all issues firmly on the table. It remains a waiting game until tomorrow, but we understand the Motshekga will lift the lid on these discussions during the planned media briefing.

Nigerian man ‘falls into sea’ in Camps Bay

A man, believed to be a Nigerian national living in Johannesburg, has gone missing after slipping on rocks and falling into the sea at Bakoven on Cape Town’s Atlantic seaboard, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) said on Sunday.   

NSRI Bakoven duty crew were alerted at 4.12pm on Sunday afternoon to an unconfirmed report of a suspected drowning in progress near to Beta Beach, Bakoven, NSRI Bakoven station commander Luke van Riet said.

A law enforcement officer responded to the scene to investigate, while NSRI Bakoven duty crew responded to the Bakoven sea rescue base to prepare to launch a sea rescue craft, he said.

Plan to launch transport service for health employees

Western Cape Transport and Public Works MEC Bonginkosi Madikizela will launch the Red Dot service that will be providing two new services to support the provincial Department of Health’s fight against COVID-19. Under the Alert Level 4 regulations of the National State of Disaster, public transport must stop operating at 19:00 and may only resume at 05:00 the next morning.

This is problematic for many public health employees because their shifts end at 19:00. Red Dot Lite will provide a chartered transport service for those employees who need to travel home from work after 19:00. A related service, Red Dot, will also transport people to and from public quarantine and isolation facilities from 1 June. 

KZN ‘primed and prepared’ for Level 3 lockdown

KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala is positive that the entire province will move to lockdown level 3. Zikalala was pleased with the province’s response to the national lockdown despite feeling the need to tighten controls in eThekwini metro just last month.

‘Death comes to us all’ – unwise words from the Western Cape

DA Western Cape leader Bongikosi Madikizela has set out to ruffle a few feathers on Sunday morning, after listing his reasons for advancing the province into a lighter level of lockdown.

Madikizela didn’t ease off in his reasoning, either. Brazenly, the Western Cape figure stated that ‘death comes to us all’, and therefore, South Africans must ‘avoid living in fear’.

Cyril’s socially non-distant selfie

Cyril Ramaphosa has received international praise for ‘leading by example’ during this coronavirus crisis – but the president probably won’t want to see the general public do what he did in Rosebank.

While out on a morning walk, Ramaphosa was approached by two women in face masks. The pair greeted the president with their elbows, as is the new custom in a COVID-19 world. However, the group seemed to get a little too close for comfort when they asked to get a photo with the president.

There may have been very little physical contact or touching, but the exchange has raised an eyebrow or two with the online community. Ramaphosa’s administration has previously asked South Africans to ‘avoid contact with other people‘ outside of their homes. And we doubt the president has moved in with these two ladies…

LATEST WEATHER FORECAST, MONDAY 18 MAY

Take a look at weather forecasts for all nine provinces here.

LIVE TRAFFIC UPDATES FOR CAPE TOWN, JOHANNESBURG AND DURBAN

Stay one step ahead of the traffic by viewing our live traffic updates here.

HOROSCOPE TODAY

Free daily horoscope, celeb gossip and lucky numbers for Monday 18 May