South Africa: Today’s latest news and headlines, Saturday 11 December 2021
We’ve got the latest news stories and headlines in South Africa on Saturday 24 July 2021.
Brace yourselves: If what Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla has said is anything to go by, South Africa could be in for a festive season under much tighter lockdown restrictions.
Phaahla was speaking during a media briefing on Friday, 10 December 2021, giving an update on government’s coronavirus response and vaccination plan. It’s certainly crunch time, particularly as South Africa battles a fourth wave of COVID-19 infections believed to be driven by the Omicron variant.
President Cyril Ramaphosa is yet to meet with the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC), which governs the lockdown, to discuss a way forward.
South Africa recorded 19,018 new cases on Friday, which represents a 22.8% positivity rate.
TODAY’S LATEST NEWS IN SOUTH AFRICA, Saturday 11 December
Harder lockdown? Recommendations to be made to NCCC NEXT WEEK
Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla has revealed that they intend making some recommendations to the NCCC when it meets next week. As to what specific lockdown restrictions they reckon need to be amended this time around, Phaahla says it remains to be seen.
“The NCCC will be meeting next week, sometime during the course of next week, either Tuesday or Wednesday, and we will make a recommendations based on what we are reporting, even today here. We will also depend on recommendations from our Ministerial Advisory Committee”
Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla
South Africa is currently under level 1 of the lockdown, but that could all change very soon. The implementation of the lockdown restrictions has been the biggest bone of contention for government as it has to strike a balance between alleviating the spread of COVID-19 and saving the economy.
Similarly on Thursday, Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele said as government, their main concern is saving livelihoods and helping the economy survive the pandemic.
“The attitude the government is adopting is finding the best way to ensure livelihoods are preserved and the economy moves. No recommendations on mandatory vaccines were tabled. It’s clear to a number of us that you need a policy that encourages vaccination and discourages vaccine cynicism,” Gungubele said.
COVID-19: SA records more than 19 000 cases
South Africa recorded just over 19 000 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, 10 December, according to the Department of Health.
The 19 018 new COVID-19 cases detected in South Africa on Friday brings the total number of active cases in the country to 143 063. Unfortunately, 20 more people died of COVID-19-related complications, according to the NICD, bringing the death toll to 90 080.
Video: Huge ANC convoy gifting Zuma bull at Nkandla draws crowd
Jacob Zuma is a guaranteed show stopper and a recent ANC visit to his Nkandla homestead was no exception. eThekwini ANC councillors converged to hand over a bull as a sign of their appreciation for the ex-president.
Over 40 vehicles formed a convoy to carry the prized bull meant to show Msholozhi their respect. In fact, the moment was quite the spectacle and videos of the occasion quickly went viral.
SowetanLIVE reports that many feel the gesture is a show of gratitude for Zuma’s hand in ensuring that eThekwini remained an ANC stronghold in the local government elections. In other words, Zuma is credited as the hand that turned the tide in favour of the ruling party.
Say what?! Two arrested with a lion’s head in their possession
Two people were arrested with a lion’s head in their possession on Thursday afternoon in Zeerust.
According to the Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Philani Nkwalase, the two, aged 62 and 54, were arrested yesterday afternoon in Zeerust for possession of a lion’s head in contravention of the National Environmental Management Biodiversity Act 10 of 2004 (NEMBA).
“They were arrested by the Mahikeng based Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation team together with Leruhutshe K9, Zeerust Stock Theft Unit as well as members from the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment during a sting operation in response to the intelligence information received,” he said.
Philani said a preliminary investigation by the Hawks revealed that the two were traveling from Thembisa in Johannesburg looking for a traditional healer to sell the lion’s head for R350 000.
Trucker burnt to death after tanker collision on N1 near Kroonstad [watch]
Free State SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Motantsi Makhele said motorists are advised to take alternative routes after the accident that took place at the Koppies off-ramp on the N1 at approximately 6:00 on Friday.
“The road is totally closed and traffic heading North is diverted at Kroonstad at the off ramp towards Heilbron Koppies road. Traffic heading to South is diverted before Vaal Toll Plaza via Vredefort,” said Makhele.
The trucks reportedly collided head-on and burst into flames. One truck driver burnt to death and another was taken to a Kroonstad hospital.
Watch: An eight-meter Humpback whale washed up in Sea Point
An eight-meter Humpback whale washed up on the rocks in Sea Point on Thursday.
The City of Cape Town said the cause of death is unknown.
“The City can confirm that a whale carcass washed up on a rock this morning, Thursday, 9 December 2021.
“The City’s Coastal Management Department has confirmed that this is not an unusual occurrence as there are currently many humpback whales along the coastline and when there are this many, it is common for one or two dead carcasses to wash ashore,” it said in a statement.
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HOROSCOPE TODAY
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