South Africa: Today’s latest news and headlines, Monday 25 May

Stay up to date with the latest news in South Africa by looking into what’s making headlines on Monday 25 May.

The government’s blueprint for the countrywide move to Level 3 of lockdown on 1 June, signalled an end to the long wait for those who have been craving something stronger to calm the nerves, but left smokers fuming as tobacco sales will remain prohibited.

Today’s latest news in South Africa, Monday 25 May

Country set to open doors again for business

In what President Cyril Ramaphosa dubbed as the “next phase of our struggle against the coronavirus”, Level 3 of South Africa’s nationwide lockdown will kick into action on 1 June with the reopening of the economy at large.

Citing the dire socioeconomic situation facing South Africa and “those least able to bear the lockdown burden”, the president, in his address, said:

“Now it is time for most of us to return to work and to resume parts of our lives that have been on hold since the lockdown began.”

In a nutshell, the “next phase” will entail most businesses reopening their doors; no time restrictions on exercise; no night-time curfew on movement, as well as domestic flights for business travel being permitted. Borders, however, will remain closed except for transportation of goods and repatriation of citizens.

All retail operations, including the sale of alcohol on specified days and conditions, will be permitted under the strict observation of health protocols.

The National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) has, however, listed industries which remain high-risk zones and will not reopen under lockdown Level 3. These include restaurants, taverns, shebeens, hairdressing salons, gyms, hotels, lodges, theatres and cinemas.

See the full list of excluded sectors here.

Ban on tobacco sales to remain in place

The sale of cigarettes will remain a hazy dream under Level 3. This follows a lockdown of controversy regarding the ban on tobacco products. Millions of smokers in South Africa had high hopes of being able to puff away at leisure once Level 3 dawns upon the nation.

Their hopes have been stubbed once again on Sunday evening although it should not come as much of a surprise.

Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has put up no smokescreen about her thoughts on the matter. A few days after the announcement of Level 4 of lockdown, NDZ contradicted Ramaphosa who said the ban would be “lifted within days”.

The minister claimed that 2 000 submissions which rallied against the sale of cigarettes, influenced her decision to keep the ban in place during Level 4.

The public outcry, coupled with that of tobacco companies and the booming illicit cigarette trade, has prompted legal action from the Fair-Trade Independent Tobacco Association (Fita) who will face off against government on Tuesday in court about the matter.

COVID-19 hotspots identified

Ramaphosa identified 12 “coronavirus hotspots” in the country during his address. These areas are differentiated by the rapid increase of infections and the sword of a return to Level 4 or even Level 5 will be hanging over their heads.

According to the president, a hotspot is defined as an area that has more than five infected people per every 100 000 people, or where new infections are increasing at a rapid pace.

The identified hotspots, are:

• Tshwane
• Johannesburg;
• Ekurhuleni;
• eThekwini;
• Nelson Mandela Bay;
• Buffalo City;
• Cape Town;
• West Coast;
• Overberg;
• Cape Winelands;
• Chris Hani District (Eastern Cape); and
• iLembe (KwaZulu-Natal).

 These regions will be subject to the following interventions:

• Specialist teams who assess the hotspots. This will include epidemiologists, family practitioners, nurses, community and Cuban health workers; and
• Each hotspot will be linked to testing services, isolation and quarantine facilities, treatment, hospital beds and contact tracing.

Latest COVID-19 cases in South Africa

South Africa has recorded 1 240 new COVID-19 cases with the total number of confirmed cases at 22 583 as of Sunday.

The country has also reported 22 new deaths since Saturday 23 May, with the death toll climbing to 429.

“There are now just over 11 000 active coronavirus cases in the country. Of these, 842 have been hospitalised with 128 in intensive care,” Ramaphosa revealed in his address.

“The number of infected people could have been much higher had we not acted when we did to impose drastic containment measures. We are consequently in a much better position than many other countries were at this stage in the progression of the disease.”

However, he warned that modelling done shows that the infection rate will get much worse before it gets better and that the duration, scale and impact of the pandemic will depend on our behaviour as a society.

Latest weather forecast, Monday 25 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 25 May