RESOURCES
01 June 21:59
The Covid-19 death toll has risen to 705, while the number of cases has hit 34 357. The number of recoveries are 17 291.
Here are the top stories of the day
Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga says that many schools were not ready to reopen, with more than 3 000 schools still needing water to be supplied and many still have not received protective gear for staff. Motshekga laid out what still needs to be done before schools open.
Meanwhile, the Western Cape defied the rest of the country and decided to go ahead with reopening schools. Schools were seen to be welcoming pupils back in a controlled manner, and one school, teachers dressed as superheroes.
President Cyril Ramaphosa spoke of the schools issue in his weekly newsletter, saying that schools that are not yet ready must not open. He called on schools to be transparent about their levels of readiness.
The Treasury has now estimated that as many as 1.8 million jobs could be lost during the coronavirus pandemic. It was previously estimated that about 670 000 jobs could be lost. Sectors that will be most affected are manufacturing, construction, trade, catering and accommodation and financial and business services.
As people queued outside liquor stores after the alcohol ban was lifted, the government published a draft Bill which envisioned a stronger clamp down on drunk driving. If the Bill is passed, the drunk-driving limit will be zero, and so anyone driving despite having any discernible level of alcohol in their system could be charged.
Meanwhile, in scenes that would not look out of place in a movie, thieves made off with R300 000 worth of alochol after burrowing into the store through a tunnel.
International news
As the UK has reported the lowest coronavirus death toll since the start of the national lockdown in late March. And Spain has recorded new deaths every day since 3 March, though the first death there from the virus in fact dates back to 13 February. Italy has posted a series of encouraging figures in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic on Monday, including the smallest daily number of new cases since 26 February.
Top scientists, health officials and the WHO on Monday rushed to counter claims made by a leading Italian doctor who said the new coronavirus "no longer exists" in the country.
Several countries began reopening parts of their economies on Monday. The UK began allowing young children to return to school, while Rome's famed Colosseum reopened after a three-month coronavirus lockdown. Amsterdam's Van Gogh museum has also reopened. Greece has reopened its hotels for bookings, while Mexico has begun gradually reopening its economy. Bars in Norway and Finland have been reopened. Turkey's iconic Grand Bazaar has reopened. Cameroon's schools and universities reopened.
Stay informed with News24
Level 3 | Here’s what is and what is not allowed
Alcohol is back | Get the lowdown
Domestic workers can return to work | But they will have to abide by conditions
FAQs | News24 answers all your questions
Checklist | These are the first symptoms
Rolling coverage | All the latest Covid-19 news in one place
- Compiled by Kerushun Pillay
01 June 21:30
As the UK began to stir back to life and eased lockdowns, including allowing children to return to school, the government reported the lowest coronavirus death toll since the start of the national lockdown in late March.
And Spain has recorded new deaths every day since 3 March, though the first death there from the virus in fact dates back to 13 February.
Italy has posted a series of encouraging figures in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic on Monday, including the smallest daily number of new cases since 26 February.
The World Health Organisation says it wanted to keep working with the US despite President Donald Trump's decision to cut ties with the UN health agency.
01 June 21:17
Top scientists, health officials and the WHO on Monday rushed to counter claims made by a leading Italian doctor who said the new coronavirus "no longer exists" in the country.
The row came as Italy prepared the next stage of its gradual easing of a national lockdown imposed three months ago to fight the spread of the deadly virus.
"In reality, the virus clinically no longer exists in Italy," said Alberto Zangrillo, head of the San Raffaele Hospital in Milan.
Pictured: Alberto Zangrillo. (Getty Images)
01 June 20:58
Another 33 coronavirus deaths have been recorded in the Western Cape, bringing the total fatalities in the province to 521, Premier Alan Winde said.
A total of 22 087 confirmed cases are now recorded, up by 984 from the day before.
While 10 135 were currently infected, 11 431 have recovered, the numbers show.
01 June 20:30
Government has pleaded for "patience and tolerance" in its efforts to reintroduce sport - professional and amateur - in South Africa.
This follows the confirmation on Saturday that all professional non-contact and contact sports teams and athletes in South Africa would be allowed to return to training from Level 3, provided they were doing so outside of a hotspot area and that they had received official permission from government.
Non-contact sports, meanwhile, would be allowed to resume matches on a professional level.
01 June 19:28
Younger children went back to schools in England on Monday and the UK parliament geared up to resume normal service, as the world's second-worst-hit country in the coronavirus outbreak took its biggest step yet out of a lockdown that police warned was becoming difficult to enforce.
Meanwhile, Rome's famed Colosseum reopened Monday after a three-month coronavirus lockdown but only a few hundred people were expected at Italy's top tourism site. Amsterdam's Van Gogh museum has also reopened. Greece has reopened its hotels for bookings, while Mexico has begun gradually reopening its economy. Bars in Norway and Finland have been reopened. Turkey's iconic Grand Bazaar has reopened.
Cameroon's schools and universities reopened on Monday as the government was criticised over weak measures to combat the spread of coronavirus in one of the worst-affected countries in sub-Saharan Africa.
Wajid Khan, one of the top composers of Bollywood dance songs, has died at the age of 42 after contracting coronavirus.
And finally, dozens of fireworks displays erupted simultaneously across Japan on Monday to cheer up the public, urge the gods to end the coronavirus pandemic and provide practice for struggling pyrotechnic artisans.
Pictured: A woman stands inside the Colosseum in Rome. It had been closed for three months because of the Covid-19 pandemic. (Getty Images)
01 June 19:19
The government’s eleventh hour decision on Sunday afternoon not to reopen schools as was planned was met with confusion and criticism. Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga broke the department’s silence on the matter this morning, and has admitted that thousands of schools are not ready to take on the task of welcoming pupils under the current conditions.
The new reopening date is 8 June.
Here is a recap of the latest
Motshekga said in a briefing this morning that many schools were not ready to reopen, with more than 3 000 schools still needing water to be supplied and many still have not received protective gear for staff. Motshekga laid out what still needs to be done before schools open.
Meanwhile, the Western Cape defied the rest of the country and decided to go ahead with reopening schools. Schools were seen to be welcoming pupils back in a controlled manner, and one school, teachers dressed as superheroes. Independent school group Crawford have also opened for grades 7 and 12.
Teacher unions heavily criticised the department’s last-minute postponement of reopening schools. In a joint statement, five unions claimed Motshekga did not honour a promise to respond to unions’ concerns by 31 May. They also claimed they were never informed of the new reopening date of 8 June.
President Cyril Ramaphosa spoke of the schools issue in his weekly newsletter, saying that schools that are not yet ready must not open. He called on schools to be transparent about their levels of readiness.
Pictured: Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga. (Getty Images)
01 June 19:03
The DA on Monday asked the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria to declare it impermissible and unlawful for government to use BBBEE status, race, gender, age or disability as criteria for funding during the pandemic.
01 June 18:58
School for grades 7 and 12 were meant to start on Monday, but the department backtracked at the eleventh hour after confusing and conflicting messages, saying pupils should return to school on 8 June.
Nonetheless, the Western Cape Education Department in its own statement said provincial schools were by-and-large ready and would be welcoming pupils on Monday.
01 June 18:21
The National Road Traffic Amendment Bill was approved by Cabinet for submission to Parliament in March this year, with a promise that it would take a tough line on driving under the influence.
01 June 17:40
01 June 17:39
Long queues snaked outside Soweto liquor outlets as the sale of alcohol is allowed on Level 3 of the lockdown.
Some in the queue expressed excitement and even applauded government for allowing the resale of alcohol.
01 June 17:22
Many shoppers at the Makro Liquor Store in Silverlakes, Pretoria endured long queues on Monday to purchase booze, anticipating that government may change the regulations and reintroduce the ban on the sale of alcohol.
01 June 17:19
01 June 17:19
The South African government - more specifically the Department of Sport and Recreation - appears disturbingly out of touch with the rest of the world regarding the reintroduction of sport in the current grim coronavirus era.
01 June 17:07
01 June 17:06
The hospital will, however, not be fully shut down, as was also the case at other facilities recently. Instead, Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu said the part of the hospital with infections will be cleaned and investigated.
01 June 16:45
01 June 16:44
Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga says reports given to her department indicate that schools across the country are on different levels of readiness, leading to her decision to postpone the return of pupils to schools until next week.
01 June 16:06
01 June 16:06
The novel coronavirus has killed at least 372 047 people since the outbreak first emerged in China last December, according to a tally from official sources compiled by AFP at 11:00 (GMT) on Monday.
01 June 15:41
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01 June 14:43
The industry has been hard hit during the lockdown after taxis were forced to carry a limited number of passengers due to Covid-19.
Taxi operators at the Bara Taxi Rank in Soweto say the move towards Level 3 of the lockdown will mean more money in their pockets.
01 June 14:34
Initially, in a presentation circulated among members of the Standing Committee on Finance on 30 April, Treasury indicated that between three million and seven million job losses were expected, which would have seen unemployment levels balloon to nearly 50%.
01 June 14:33
Keeping you up to date on the latest novel coronavirus (Covid-19) news from around the world.
01 June 14:32
01 June 14:28
01 June 14:28
01 June 14:26
The manager of the the store discovered the theft – and a large hole in the ground – when she entered the store on Friday. She was returning to prepare for the store's reopening on Monday under the easing of lockdown regulations to Level 3.
01 June 14:04
01 June 13:57
RUNDOWN | Education department urges schools to use this week to 'mop up', confident of 8 June reopening
Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga says by the end of last week, she had seen that some schools would not be ready to open on Monday.
Addressing a media briefing in the North West, Motshekga listed all manner of reasons why some schools weren't ready with reasons ranging from the non-delivery of PPEs to anxious teachers who were readying themselves to teach in this new environment.
"We were not all at the same level [of readiness]," Motshekga said.
The education sector was meant to welcome grade 7 and 12 pupils back to school on Monday.
How the provinces fared
Provinces identified as ready were Gauteng and the Western Cape. Provinces with medium rating of readiness were the Northern Cape, Free State, North West and the Eastern Cape. Provinces rated high risk/low readiness are Limpopo, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal.
Schools which have not taken all necessary steps [to ensure safety of all who enter schools] should use this week to 'mop up' and get ready for 8 June.
Parents who choose not send children to school
"A parent, who chooses not to send a learner to school, must apply to the head of the provincial education department, who in the terms of the South African Schools Act, can exempt a learner entirely, partially or conditionally from the compulsory school attendance, if such an exemption is in the best interest of the learner.
"A parent who chooses not to send a learner to school, is obliged to apply for Home Education, in terms of the relevant section of the South African Schools Act," said Motshekga.
Rand Water's importance
The briefing also heard from Rand Water's Teboho Joala. The water utility is tasked with ensuring that schools have sufficient water supply during this time as they prepare to reopen.
Some 3 126 schools need to be attended to for water supply, Joala said, assuring all and sundry that by this weekend, this part of the state of readiness will be complete.
Motshekga said schools should be ready by next week.
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