Daily news update: Sona debate chaos, Johnson & Johnson vaccine and electricity price hike
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President Cyril Ramaphosa delivers the 2021 State of the Nation address on 11 February. Picture: GCIS
Here’s your morning news update: Click on the links below for the full story or visit our home page for the latest news.
Daily Covid-19 update: 1,210 new cases in SA as 108 million vaccinated worldwide
Health workers are seen at the Nasrec Field Hospital for Covid-19, 25 January 2021. Picture: Michel Bega
As of Tuesday, 16 February 2021, the cumulative number of detected Covid-19 cases is 1,494,119 with 1,210 new cases identified, Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize has confirmed.
219 more Covid-19 related deaths were reported. This brings the total number of Covid-19 related deaths to 48,313.
Recoveries now stand at 1,396,951 representing a recovery rate of 93,5%.
Chaos erupts in Parliament as Malema lashes Ramaphosa’s Sona
Proceedings in Parliament during the 2021 State of the Nation Address by President Cyril Ramaphosa. Picture: GCIS
Chaos erupted in the joint sitting of Parliament on Tuesday during the debate on President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State Of the Nation Address (Sona).
Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader seemed to have gone over his allocated response time, however, National Council of Provinces chairperson Amos Masondo was not aware that the EFF was to use its time on the programme only for Malema. MPs started howling at each other, with the EFF demanding that Malema be allowed to use up his time.
Eskom set to increase electricity prices by 15,63% on 1 April
An Eskom sign at the entrance of the power utility’s Megawatt Park offices in Sunninghill on 25 August 2020. Picture: Michel Bega
South Africa’s electricity tariff will see an increase starting on 1 April 2021, power utility Eskom confirmed on Tuesday evening.
In a judgment delivered on Monday, the North Gauteng High Court’s Justice Joseph Raulinga ruled that R10 billion was to be added to Eskom’s allowable revenue in the same financial year.
Raulinga also ordered an 5.44c/kWh increase, which will see Eskom customers pay 134.30c/kWh as the standard tariff.
Zuma’s justification for defying ConCourt is ‘legally absurd’, says expert
Former SA president Jacob Zuma arrives at the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture in Johannesburg on 16 November 2020. Picture: Guillem Sartorio/AFP
Former president Jacob Zuma’s justification for defying a Constitutional Court (ConCourt) order compelling him to appear at the State Capture Commission of Inquiry is “self-serving and legally absurd”.
That is the view of constitutional law expert Pierre de Vos, who said Zuma’s “lawless behaviour” places him in the same category as “deadbeat dads who fail to pay maintenance and the spendthrift grafters who refuse to repay their creditors, despite being ordered to do so by a court of law”.
ANC to investigate ‘missing’ clause on internal campaign funds
ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa. Picture: ANC/Twitter
The ANC is set to probe the mysterious disappearance of a clause from the party’s constitution after its 2012 national conference in Mangaung, under which President Cyril Ramaphosa could have been charged for raising private funds for his campaigns.
Health Minister Zweli Mkhize chairs the party committee charged with the responsibility to probe the matter.
Ramaphosa made no mention of the national executive committee’s (NEC) concern in the text of his closing address to the committee.
‘Paralysed’ Ramaphosa incapable of making obvious choices – John Steenhuisen
DA leader John Steenhuisen files papers in court over Covid-19 vaccine rollout plan. Picture: Twitter / @Our_DA
DA leader John Steenhuisen on Tuesday laid into President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address (Sona), saying the speech was filled with massive contradictions between “noble-sounding pledges” and the reality of the ANC government’s actions.
Speaking in the National Assembly during a debate on the president’s speech from last Thursday, Steenhuisen said the once “lustrous cloak of the new dawn” from three years ago had turned out to be nothing but “a cheap imitation”.
No beef between Ramaphosa and Mkhize, says health department
President Cyril Ramaphosa and Minister of Health Dr Zweli Mkhize. Picture: Jacques Nelles
The Department of Health has denied allegations of a tussle between President Cyril Ramaphosa and other members of Cabinet, involving the Covid-19 vaccine acquisition.
On Tuesday morning, Lwazi Manzi, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health, said the ministry was concerned about an article entitled “Ramaphosa, Mkhize tussle over vaccines” published in the Sunday Independent on 14 February 2021.
“The article is both malicious and factually incorrect, further making unfitting conclusions about the relationship between President Cyril Ramaphosa and Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize with the aid of unnamed sources quoted therein,” Manzi said in a press release.
SA healthcare workers in the dark about impending J&J vaccine rollout
A nurse exits the change room before entering the red zone at the Nasrec quarantine/isolation site in Nasrec, 3 July 2020. Picture: Neil McCartney
Healthcare workers were scratching their heads about reports that the department plans to begin vaccinating 1.2 million of them starting on Wednesday.
This as trade unions were still waiting for confirmation of a start date for the vaccine rollout and several key details they feel they should have been known by now.
On Tuesday morning, the South African Medical Association (SAMA) said it expected the rollout of Johnson & Johnson (J&J) to begin on Wednesday following government receiving its first batch of 80,000 vaccines.
MK National Council calls on ANC NEC to discipline Zuma
MKMVA Chairperson, Kebby Maphatsoe and South African President, Jacob Zuma during the uMkhonto WeSizwe Military Veterans Association (MKMVA) 5th National Conference held at the Birchwood conference center in Boksburg, 9 June 2017. Picture: Neil McCartney
Members of the Umkhonto Wesizwe National Council (MKNC) have called on the ANC’s national executive committee (NEC) to discipline former president Jacob Zuma for defying the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) and the Commission of Inquiry Into Allegations of State Capture.
The MKNC said it was concerned about Zuma’s deliberate failure to appear before the commission and for defying the ConCourt. The MKNC represents high-profile MK cadres from various exile-era military detachments, such as General Siphiwe Nyanda, Ike Moroe, Marion Sparg, Thabang Makwetla, Gregory Nthatisi and others, and is not aligned to any ANC faction.
ANC’s ‘step-aside’ guidelines are a pipe dream, says political analyst
ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule. Picture: Gallo Images/Sunday Times/Alon Skuy
The ANC’s “step-aside” resolution on members facing serious criminal allegations may never be implemented
That’s the prediction of political analyst Ralph Mathekga after the party released its outcomes of the weekend’s national executive committee (NEC) meeting on Tuesday.
Travellers urged to comply as land borders reopen
Home Affairs Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi briefs media on department of Home Affairs services under lockdown alert level 2, 28 August 2020. Picture: GCIS
Travellers must be in possession of all necessary documents, including a valid Covid-19 clearance certificate, before arriving at any border post in the country. This is a warning from Department of Home Affairs Minister, Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi following the reopening of 20 land ports of entry on Monday.
“Any person presenting themselves at any of the borders with fake Covid-19 certificates will be denied entry and barred from visiting South Africa for a period of at least five years,” said Dr. Motsoaledi.
Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine to arrive in SA on Tuesday
Picture: iStock
The South African Medical Association (SAMA) has confirmed that the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccine will arrive in the country on Tuesday.
SAMA chairperson Dr Angelique Coetzee confirmed to The Citizen on Tuesday morning that should nothing go wrong with the first batches of 80,000 J&J vaccines, inoculation of healthcare workers could begin on Wednesday. She said SAMA, the Department of Health, and the SA Medical Research Council (MRC) would coordinate the rollout of the vaccines.
‘My memory was blurred’ – Jacques Pauw apologises for accusing cops of theft
Jacques Pauw talks at Brooklyn Mall during the launch of his book, ‘The President’s Keepers’, in Pretoria in November. Picture: Jacques Nelles
Investigative journalist and author Jacques Pauw has apologised for accusing police officers of stealing his R1000 after his arrest on 6 February.
Pauw wrote an opinion piece in which he detailed his unlawful arrest and false theft charges at a restaurant at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town.
According to his piece, things went south after his R1,600 food bill was brought to him and his bank card declined to pay.
SA asks Serum Institute of India to take back AstraZeneca vaccine doses – report
South Africa received its first batch of one million doses of Covid-19 vaccine from India last Monday. Picture: GCIS
South Africa has reportedly asked the Serum Institute of India (SII) to take back the consignment of one million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine that arrived in the country earlier this month, according to The Economic Times.
This after the government said it was temporarily halting the rollout of AstraZeneca’s vaccine to healthcare workers after preliminary data from a clinical trial found it gave minimal protection against mild-to-moderate infection caused by the dominant 501Y.V2 variant discovered in South Africa.
Ingonyama Trust salaries rise by 45% in just two years
King Goodwill Zwelithini addresses thousands of his subjects at an imbizo in Ulundi, 4 July 2018. The king called the imbizo to address the issue of communal land held under the Ingonyama Trust. Picture: ANA
The Ingonyama Trust, which administers tribal land under communal tenure in KwaZulu-Natal, has been slapped with an adverse audit opinion by the office of Auditor-General (AG) of South Africa.
Parliament’s portfolio committee on agriculture, rural development and land affairs dealt with the trust’s annual report for the 2019/20 financial year – a report which proves that one of South Africa’s most infamously managed public entities has not moved into calmer waters at all.
SAA gets another R5 billion from government
The Airbus A340 aircraft was and is not popular. It was designed as a long-range intercontinental airliner, starting production in the early 1990s. Image: iStock
South African Airways (SAA) has received a further R5 billion from the Department of Public Enterprises to pay for voluntary severance packages (VSPs) to staff, as part of its business rescue plan.
In a statement on Tuesday, the airline’s business rescue practitioners (BRPs) said cabin crew and ground staff employees who took the VSPs at the end of August 2020 were paid part one of their packages on Friday.
Kaizer Chiefs receive new Champions League date, say they can’t make it
Lebogang Manyama of Kaizer Chiefs during the DStv Premiership 2020/21 match between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs on the 30 January 2020 at Orlando Stadium, Soweto Pic Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix
Kaizer Chiefs have admitted to have received communication from Caf letting them know that their postponed Champions League fixture has been rescheduled for Friday in Cairo Egypt.
Amakhosi were supposed to play Wydad Athletic of Morocco last Saturday but were denied visas last week and couldn’t travel to the north African country, forcing a postponement and rescheduling of the Group C fixture.
The Naturena has however announced that they are unable to travel to Egypt at such short notice, citing logistical issues as their stunning block.
Proteas contracts are up for grabs, says Smith, as focus turns to domestic game
Graeme Smith, CSA’s director of cricket, says the new 12 or 14-team model is set to be implemented next season. Picture: Getty Images
Because of the uncertain global stage at the moment, director of cricket Graeme Smith on Monday announced a new drive by Cricket South Africa to uplift the domestic game.
The T20 Challenge will start on Friday and is being played in a bio-bubble in Durban, with all the Proteas being obliged to play. National captain Quinton de Kock has been allowed to skip the competition, as he’s taking a “mental health” break.
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