South Africa: Today’s latest news and headlines, Monday 1 February

We have all the latest news in South Africa right here as the COVID-19 vaccine finally lands in South Africa on Monday 1 February. We’ll keep you updated throughout the day as the vaccine rollout strategy gets underway, with plenty more – including some spicy State Capture Inquiry testimony – to look out for.

TODAY’S LATEST NEWS IN SOUTH AFRICA, Monday 1 February  

COVID-19 latest   

With the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) having confirmed that the first shipment of COVID-19 vaccines are en route to South Africa from India (just in time for the promised 1 February date that was promised by National Government), SA’s vaccine rollout strategy seems finally to be set in motion.

“The first shipment of one million doses of the Oxford University-AstraZeneca vaccine from the Serum Institute of India (SII) left the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai on 31 January 2021,” the department said in a statement on Sunday.

Health Minister Zweli Mkhize announced the latest COVID-19 figures on Sunday 31 January, saying that across the country, cases have increased by 4 525 in the last 24-hours, meaning that the total number of infections that have been accumulatively reported since March 2020 has risen to 1 453 761. 

Sadly, over the last 24-hours alone, a further 231 people have died from COVID-19, meaning that a total of 44 164 people have succumbed to the virus since the first death in March 2020. 

He also reported that there have been a total of 1 299 620 recoveries, leaving SA’s recovery rate at 89%, with a cumulative total of 8 279 200 tests having been conducted since the process began. 

Beach protest drama continues  

Dramatic scenes unfolded on Western Cape beahes over the weekend, with protests having taken place at Muizenberg beach on Saturday, and a second beach protest flaring up on Sunday in Langebaan. The latter coastal town – a tourist favourite for Capetonians that has seen its local ecnomy battered by lockdown restrictions – saw COGTA Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma made the target of several protesters.

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) accused the South African Police Service (SAPS) of applying a more lenient law enforcement approach to the Muizenberg protests (which they allege was mainly attended by white protesters) than has previously been seen applied to protests they spearheaded in Brackenfell and across the county’s Clicks stores in 2020. This is potentially another flash point that may be exploited for the sake of political gain, and is worth keeping an eye on…

State Capture inquiry continues

After a week of sustained intrigue and drama at the State Capture Commission – in which allegations of serious impropriety at the State Security Agency (SSA) came to the fore and the Supreme Court of Appeals ruled to demand that former President Jacob zuma answer to the commission without delay or avoidance – more key witnesses are set to answer to allegations of the widespread looting of state funds.

The Commission will hear Parliamentary oversight related evidence from the former Chairperson of Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) Thumb Godi, with former member of the Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises, Natasha Mazzone and former chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises Zukiswa Rantho also being placed under the microscope on Monday.  

Pirates look ahead after victory over Kaizer Chiefs

Orlando Pirates head coach Josef Zinnbauer heaped praised on two of his players after the Soweto derby victory over Kaizer Chiefs on Saturday 30 January, in which Lorch and Siphesihle Ndlovu got on the scoresheet, earning the Buccaneers outfit their claim to Soweto Derby bragging rights. 

Next up for Orlando Pirates is a tricky trip to Durban to face in-form Golden Arrows, with Abafana Bes’thende just three points off Pirates with two games in hand having lost just once in the 2020/21 DStv Premiership. That trip is followed up by another match-up with a KwaZulu-Natal outfit as they stage a Nedbank Cup Round of 32 match against National First Division side Uthongathi FC.

LATEST WEATHER FORECAST, Monday 1 February 

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

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Horoscope today

Free daily horoscope, celeb gossip and lucky numbers for Monday 1 February .