There are now 12 739 cases of the coronavirus, up by 665 with 238 deaths, an increase of 19.

The country has 5676 recoveries.

The number of tests done in the past 24 hours is 16 666 bringing the total number of tests to 403 018.

Ramaphosa: 'I have meetings 18, 20 hours a day'

President Cyril Ramaphosa says the government's response to Covid-19 has destroyed silos in the state and allowed it to function more effectively.

The president was speaking during his visit to Nelson Mandela Bay on Thursday, where he assessed the Eastern Cape provincial government's response to the coronavirus.

1 in 5 informal settlement residents has no access to water, study reveals

A study conducted by #Asivikelane, a basic service delivery monitoring tool, has shone the spotlight on the daunting state of access to water and sanitation in informal settlements across the country, finding that one out of every five informal settlement residents does not have consistent access to water.

The study also found that only one out of every 10 residents receive soap or sanitiser from the government in Johannesburg and Mossel Bay.

The horses will come out for 2020 Durban July - behind closed doors

South Africa's premier horse racing and lifestyle event is planned to go ahead, but only behind closed doors, its host Gold Circle says.

With Covid-19 infections and deaths continuing to climb in South Africa, Gold Circle said in a statement: "Horse racing fans can take heart that the 2020 Vodacom Durban July will take place this year, but as a broadcast-only event behind closed doors."

Virtual Parliament not a shambles - ANC defends digital legislature against DA criticism

The virtual Parliament isn't a shambles, albeit that there are some glitches, the governing party said as it defended the legislature against the DA's criticism. 

During Thursday's meeting of the National Assembly Planning Committee, DA chief whip Natasha Mazzone said the virtual committee meetings have been "rather shambolic in nature".

2 veteran officers die of Covid-19, while police confirm 370 are positive

Two seasoned police officers have died of the coronavirus, national police management confirmed on Thursday.

The deaths come at a time when over 370 officers have tested positive for the virus, with the majority of cases being in the Western Cape.

Cape Town police station closed... again, after another coronavirus case

The police station where the first officer in the Western Cape to contract the coronavirus was stationed has been closed again after another tested positive, provincial police said on Thursday.

Athlone police station was expected to reopen on Thursday after another Covid-19 case, spokesperson Brigadier Novella Potelwa told News24.

All online shopping now allowed

As of Thursday South African online stores may sell any product other than booze and cigarettes under Alert Level 4.

According to new regulations published on Thursday afternoon, e-commerce sites are no longer limited to the small range of items that physical stores may sell – though they (and customers receiving packages) must comply with new requirements to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Govt has changed the rules about moving house

New regulations have just been released for those who need to move house across provincial, metropolitan or district boundaries during Level 4. 

Previously, government said that people can move to new homes on a once-off basis - until June 7.

There are clear signs of emerging hotspots in the townships - Makhura

The premier of Gauteng says there are clear signs of emerging Covid-19 hotspots in the township, adding that the geography of the virus in the province has begun to change.

WATCH | Mbalula happy with Rea Vaya scanners that sanitise and check commuters’ temperature

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula on Thursday visited Soweto to inspect safety measures aimed at preventing the spread of the coronavirus on Rea Vaya buses and stations. Here they demonstrated scanners that will not only give a full-body sanitisation but also a temperature scan.

Covid-19 | 'Slippery slope' - DA takes govt to court over lockdown regulations

The DA is taking the government to court in two separate matters which challenge the validity of some aspects of the national lockdown, including the military-enforced night curfew, the ban on e-commerce and the restriction on exercise hours

Premier David Makhura briefing summary:  

Premier Makhura has highlighted the increasing number of cases in vulnerable areas and insisted that his government was intent on conducting tracking tracing and testing programmes to limit the infection rate.  

Poverty and food security has been a key focus of the provincial strategy which seeks to protect vulnerable communities who live below the poverty line.  

Malls have been identified as key high risk areas and officials will be conducting unannounced visits to ensure compliance with regulations and standards.  

Makhura also highlighted retailers who sell expired food, arguing that the crisis has revealed that some government officials have not been doing their jobs.  

MEC Panyaza Lesufi says that 3.2 million people applied for the special relief grant, the majority of which come from Gauteng.  

He insisted that the government would not stop NGOs from distributing food and called on NGOs to co-ordinate with government in terms of food distribution.  

- Compiled by Duncan Alfreds

South African Thoracic Society supports govt ban on sale of tobacco products

The executive committee of the South African Thoracic Society (SATS) has thrown its weight behind the government's ban on the sale of tobacco products during the Covid-19 lockdown.

e.tv Cape Town office closed for a deep clean, over 70 staffers in self-isolation

The Cape Town building of eMedia Investments, housing e.tv News and eNCA, abruptly shut on Wednesday following the news that one of the media house's camerapersons Lungile Tom had died after contracting Covid-19.

Covid-19 wrap: Vaccine may be ready in a year, new Russia cases drop below 10 000 and Finland reopens schools

Keeping you up to date on the latest novel coronavirus (Covid-19) news from around the world.

WATCH | CT hotel turned into a quarantine zone for repatriated South Africans

The Park Inn in Newlands, Cape Town, pivoted their business offering to keep their doors open during lockdown. They provide a quarantine zone for repatriated South Africans, mainly those who have been working on vessels in the marine industry, returning to home soil.

Healthcare trains converted into mobile Covid-19 testing units for KZN, Eastern Cape

The Covid-19 testing capacity in some under-serviced areas in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal will receive a boost from two Transnet healthcare trains, which have been converted into mobile Covid-19 testing stations.

Covid-19: Survivors in SA donating blood for treatment study

A number of South African Covid-19 survivors have registered to donate their blood to South Africa’s National Blood Service to be used to see if their plasma can help treat patients who have moderate to severe Covid-19.

Comrades Marathon cancelled due to Covid-19

Following discussions between the Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) Board and KwaZulu-Natal Athletics (KZNA), Athletics South Africa (ASA) has announced the cancellation of the 2020 Comrades Marathon.

General view of activities during the Coca-Cola On-Route Activation at the 94th Comrades Marathon on 9 June 2019 in Durban. (Howard Cleland, Gallo Images)

72 South Africans volunteer for Wits Covid-19 rapid test study, but more needed

Seventy-two South Africans have volunteered to participate in the University of Witwatersrand's Covid-19 rapid test study, but the institution says it needs more volunteers.

OPINION | Why choosing our well-being over tobacco profits and the tyranny of the markets matter

The South African government’s declaration of the state of disaster presents the country with an unprecedented opportunity for all of us to re-imagine the social, economic, cultural and political dimensions of our society as a whole, writes Mukovhe Morris Masutha.

WATCH | Wuhan city residents react to plan to test entire population for coronavirus

The Chinese city of Wuhan, the original epicentre of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, plans to conduct tests on its entire population of 11 million people after new cases emerged for the first time in weeks. Watch as the city's residents react.

There's time to prepare for local government elections - Municipal Demarcation Board

The Municipal Demarcation Board (MDB) believes the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) will have enough time to prepare for next year's local government elections, despite delays in preparations caused by the Covid-19 lockdown.

MTN sees surge in data revenue under lockdown as more employees work from home

Africa's largest mobile operator MTN says data was one of its main drivers of revenue growth in the first financial quarter, as the country was placed under lockdown to curb the growth of the coronavirus pandemic.