South Africa: Today’s latest news and headlines, Monday 6 December 2021
A lot can change over the course of one weekend, but we’ll keep you in the know with the latest news stories and headlines in South Africa on Monday, 6 December 2021.
Police confirmed on Sunday that twelve truck drivers were arrested and charged after the N3 toll route between Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal was blocked for the entire Friday due to a massive truck blockade. This caused severe traffic delays in both directions.
While President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for calm amid the rising number of COVID-19 cases exacerbated by the Omicron variant, he has reportedly called ANOTHER meeting of the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC). This meeting is set to take place as soon as he returns from West Africa on Wednesday.
KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng are now the only two provinces that have officially entered into the fourth wave of COVID-19.
Meanwhile, a vaccination team was robbed at gunpoint in Soshanguve, Tshwane. This is the second attack on a vaccination team in the past week in Gauteng.
TODAY’S LATEST NEWS IN SOUTH AFRICA, Monday 6 DECEMBER
COVID-19 latest: SA reports 11 125 new confirmed cases
South Africa recorded 11 125 new cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) has said on Sunday.
This brings the total number of laboratory-confirmed cases to 3 031 694.
The increase of 11 125 new COVID-19 cases represents a 23.8 % positivity rate.
A further one COVID-19 related death has been reported, bringing total fatalities to 89 966 to date.
“The cumulative number of recoveries is 2 858 144.”
Omicron latest: Is another ‘family meeting’ on the cards SOON?
Should we be bracing for another so-called “family meeting” sometime soon?
President Cyril Ramaphosa has reportedly called ANOTHER meeting of the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC), which is set to take place as soon as he returns from West Africa on Wednesday.
The trip occurs in the midst of rising COVID-19 infections here in South Africa and stubborn nations forging ahead with their travel bans, despite them recording much higher infections. While the trips to Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Senegal, which is his last stop, are meant to strengthen partnerships directed at African development and cooperation in multilateral forums, the emergence of the Omicron variant seemed to be the elephant in the room.
Gauteng: Vaccination teams ATTACKED in JHB and TSHWANE
The Gauteng Health Department has confirmed two incidents of vaccination teams being attacked in both Tshwane and Johannesburg. The latest ambush occurred in the capital on Saturday, 4 December 2021 in Soshanguvhe, which is North of Pretoria.
“Five armed men who were in a white Toyota Quantum at Wonder City Taxi Rank in Soshanguve robbed the vaccination team at gunpoint. The perpetrators fled with vaccination programme gadgets which consist of three tablets, one smart phone and six cellphones belonging to the team,” says Gauteng Health spokesperson Kwara Kekana.
COVID-19: KZN OFFICIALLY enters fourth wave, says Zikalala
KwaZulu-Natal has officially entered the fourth wave of COVID-19 infections after the province saw a massive spike in daily cases, Premier Sihle Zikalala has said.
Zikalala gave an update on the province’s handling of the respiratory illness on Sunday afternoon, 5 December 2021. He says KZN has also seen an increase in the number of COVID-19 hospitalisations.
“Two weeks ago, the province had a test positivity rate of 0.7% but as of today (Sunday), the test positivity rate has jumped to 12.7%. The province started receiving more than 100 positive cases a day from 26 November,” he said.
Malema returns to court for assault at Winnie Mandela’s funeral
The EFF has confirmed Malema will be taking the stand on Monday 6 December. He and Ndlozi are accused of man-handling the South African Police Service’s (SAPS) Jacobus Venter.
The victim, Venter, had claimed that Malema and Ndlozi were not part of a convoy that was allowed into the cemetery where Madikizela-Mandela was laid to rest.
Venter opened a case after the duo physically pushed him while trying a forced entry at the Fourways cemetery.
“Whilst I was standing in front of the vehicle, I was then pushed from the right-hand side. I cannot say who had pushed me,” Venter said.
Twelve truck drivers arrested and charged after N3 blockade
The N3 toll route between Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal was blocked for the entire Friday due to a massive truck blockade. Drivers were diverted to alternative routes.
According to police spokesperson Brigadier Jay Naicker the drivers then alighted from their vehicles, causing traffic to a standstill for the entire day.
“The drivers had taken the keys of some of the trucks rendering them immovable for a long period of time.
“Members of the SAPS as well as N3TC and RTI responded and began the process of moving the vehicles that were blocking the N3 freeway,” Naicker said.
Mother and son found brutally murdered in their Nelspruit home
Police spokesperson Brigadier Selvy Mohlala said two bodies were discovered on Sunday morning, at Mataffin outside of Nelspruit.
“At around 08:35, police attended a scene after being informed of a bad smell coming from a certain house.
“When police arrived at the said house, they found the door of the house closed but unlocked. They discovered a body of a 44-year-old-woman on the ground with a bed on top of her,” Mohlala said.
He said the mother’s head was covered with a plastic bag, and she had a visible wound on her shoulder. The body of a 28-year-old man believed to be the woman’s son was found in the garage with stab wounds.
LATEST NEWS: WEATHER FORECAST, Monday, 6 DECEMBER
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LIVE TRAFFIC UPDATES FOR CAPE TOWN, JOHANNESBURG AND DURBAN
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HOROSCOPE TODAY
Free daily horoscope, celeb gossip, and lucky numbers for Monday 6 December.
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