South Africa: Today’s latest news and headlines, Friday 10 July

Stay informed and up to date with the latest news in South Africa by reviewing the day’s major headlines on Friday 10 July.

As South Africa braces for a vicious cold front, the ‘coronavirus storm’, as described by Health Minister Zweli Mkhize, sows confusion among local leaders and communities. Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosais expected to announce the outcomes of a high-level meeting with the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC).

TODAY’S LATEST NEWS IN SOUTH AFRICA, Friday 10 JULY

Cold front blankets South Africa, bringing snow and flooding

A strong cold front, which made landfall in the Western Cape on Thursday morning, is expected to spread throughout most of South Africa, bringing with it freezing temperatures, localised flooding and snowfall in high-lying areas. The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has warned of a wet weekend ahead, with heavy rains and gale force winds battering the Western and Eastern Cape.

SAWS also noted that the western and southern high ground of the Northern Cape could expect disruptive snowfall over the weekend.

Adverse weather conditions are expected to spread northwards during the latter half of the weekend, with another cold front approaching the Cape on Monday.

While most Capetonians will be raring to go show-chasing, the Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Anton Bredell, has urged residents to stay indoors. Farmers have also been warned to take extra care of livestock which may be exposed to the elements.

Ramaphosa’s meeting with NCCC

South Africans await an update from President Ramaphosa on the outcomes of a meeting held on Thursday afternoon. It’s been almost three weeks since the president last addressed the nation and, during that time, the COVID-19 outbreak has become more threatening.

On Thursday, Ramaphosa chaired a virtual meeting of the President’s Coordinating Council (PCC). The meeting was expected to deliberate on recommendations emanating from the NCCC. The Council, responsible for drafting and implementing lockdown regulations within the Disaster Management Act, has been the subject of fierce public criticism and is currently engaged in numerous legal challenges.

Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, in her executive role within the NCCC, is currently battling to overturn a damning legal verdict which deemed certain Level 3 and 4 regulations invalid and unconstitutional.

Grave miscommunication leaves SA in a panic

Gauteng Health MEC Bandile Masuku is under fire for revealing that ‘1.5 million grave sites’ were being prepared in the province. Masuku, who made the revelations while at a dig site in Tshwane, was forced to clarify his comments following criticism from the public and Minister Dlamini-Zuma. Reports of the mass grave sites sent shivers through the South African public, who argued that, with a global death toll of 550 000, Masuku’s grave-digging programme was miscalculated and only sought to spread further panic.

Masuku later backtracked and said that the millions of graves mentioned only reflected the potential municipal capacity. This contradiction hasn’t gone down well with the public, who have sought more clarity from government.

Masuku’s statements come as Gauteng’s caseload experiences a strong surge, reclaiming the title of national epicentre.

Amid vandalism and unit failures, Eskom struggles to keep the lights on

The country’s embattled power utility, Eskom, is being hit from all sides; with power generating units breaking down, vandalism destroying infrastructure, municipal non-payment and storm damage delaying repairs. These catastrophes — which were limited during the hard lockdown period — have pushed Eskom to the brink, with an overwhelmed grid, and the potential for load shedding, persisting throughout the weekend.

Eskom confirmed, that as a result of high-demand and the loss of units at Tutuka, Duvha and Kendal, South Africa’s power grid remained under severe pressure and that the potential for load shedding was high.

Eskom, which projected only three days of load shedding during the winter season,  urged all consumers to reduce their electricity usage in order to stave off rolling blackouts.

Recourse for declined special COVID-19 grant applicants

The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) in Mpumalanga has assured those, whose R350 relief grant applications were declined, that they are working around the clock to remedy the situation.

The agency is implementing a recourse and reconsideration process for declined applicants of the Special COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress grant.  A dedicated email address has been set-up with dedicated staff to respond to these queries on covid19srdappeals@sassa.gov.za.

The R350 relief grant is targeted at the unemployed. Applicants are verified through the Unemployment Insurance Fund, Government Employees Pension Fund, National Student Financial Aid Scheme, Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act, Home Affairs and South African Revenue Service to ascertain their status of no income or no assistance from government.

If they are found to be otherwise employed, their application will not be approved.

SASSA said when applicants need clarity, they must utilise SASSA official communication platforms to avoid scams that are circulating on social media, and to get accurate information.

They can use the toll free number 0800 60 10 11 or 013 754 9439/9428/9454 from 08:00 – 16:00 during weekdays.

The grant will run until October 2020 and SASSA is still receiving applications.

It has successfully paid 256 660 applicants, which amounts to just over R89 million from June to 3 July, while 324 765 applicants have been approved to be paid. (Source: SAnews)

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HOROSCOPE TODAY

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