Five Nedbank employees are in 14-day quarantine after testing positive for Covid-19.

The bank confirmed this to News24 after an employee, who asked to remain anonymous, complained that staff at its offices in Meadowdale, Johannesburg, had been being forced to work despite colleagues testing positive."Of the five active cases at work, one of them is in hospital.

A few weeks ago when they cases started emerging we were told to leave because we were filled with anxiety.

In commemoration of Freedom Charter, Ramaphosa calls on private sector's assistance

President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on the private sector to display a spirit of social solidarity by making available facilities to assist the country in the battle against the Covid-19 pandemic.

He said the reality in South Africa was that people living in densely populated informal areas would find it either difficult or impossible to self-isolate or quarantine.

Tshwane bus services suspended, depots closed after positive case

The City of Tshwane had to temporarily suspend its bus operations and close its depots on Friday following a positive Covid-19 case.

In a statement, the City said affected depots and the buses would be disinfected and that the suspension of operations was needed to lower the risk of the virus spreading further.

Holidays still banned: South Africans only allowed to take day trips

Government has decided not to relax travel rules in South Africa – no leisure travel will be allowed under “advanced” lockdown Level 3.

Only business travellers can stay over in accommodation like hotels and guest houses, as has been the case for some time now.You are still only allowed “self-drive” day trips, and these may be only within your province of residence.

Travel over provincial borders is only allowed under certain strict conditions, for example for work, medical procedures, funerals or university.

Western Cape High Court rules that lockdown regulations are justified, dismisses application

An application to have the lockdown regulations declared invalid, and the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) declared inconsistent with the Constitution and the Disaster Management Act, was dismissed in the Western Cape High Court in Cape Town on Friday.

Last month, Mpiyakhe Dlamini, Duwayne Esau, Tami Jackson, Lindo Khuzwayo, Mikhail Manuel, Neo Mkwane, Scott Roberts and Riaan Salie brought the application.

R200 million in relief fund is not enough and "that's why we've been appealing" to reopen the industry, says Kubayi-Ngubane.

Leisure activities aren't allowed, only business or permitted activities.

Self driving is allowed (depending on hotspots) within a province but accommodation is not allowed.

Alcohol regulations fall under the Trade and Industry department.

Current regulations state that alcohol should be consumed off site and that has not changed, says Kubayi-Ngubane.

2540 businesses have been paid through the relief fund, a total of R127 million.

Restaurants, casinos, coffee shops should provide regular training for staff - for the use, reuse and wearing masks

- basic hygiene pratice

-package handling

-handling of customers

The number of people entering casinos should not be more than 50% of the gambling floor space.

The must be record keeping of employees, delivering staff and those entering the casino.

Guests can be denied access if they do not comply with screening and sanitation.

Guests should be isolated if applicable.

Sanitising of microphones and podiums should happen after every new use by a delegate.

Number of conferences and meeting venues should not exceed 50 people and social distancing should be adhered to.

Records of all attendees should be kept.

Screening stations should be set up at all entrances.

Where possible, delegates should be taken to an isolation room.

No buffets should offered.

Menus should be offered as none touch options or it should be sanitised after every use.

Screening questionnaires should be taken of customers and not allow customers without protective gear.

Masks are only allowed to be off when customers are eating.

Markings should be clear where distance is observed.

Staff should move in clear maked paths and keep social distance and not pass each other at a close distance.

Customers should wear masks.

Restaurants, fast food outlets and coffee shops should keep records of staff, delivery personnel.

Screening should take place and ensure that staff wear masks.

Delivered products should be santintised.

Kubayi-Ngubane visited accommodation places and restaurants.

She says the decision to permit tourism services are welcomed.

Government's relief not enough - Eastern Cape MEC

Government's Covid-19 relief grants have made very little impact to cushion the economic blows South Africa's youth face.

This is according to Eastern Cape Social Development MEC Siphokazi Lusithi who addressed the Youth Parliament sitting in the National Assembly on Friday.

FITA's court bid to have cigarette ban overturned dismissed with costs

The High Court in Pretoria has dismissed with costs an application by the Fair Trade Independent Tobacco Association to have government's ban on the sale of tobacco products overturned.

FITA argued that cigarettes should be viewed as essential on the basis that tobacco is addictive, among other things.

Over 1 000 pupils and teachers test positive for Covid-19 in Western and Eastern Cape

- More than 550 pupils, teachers and support staff have tested positive for Covid-19 in the Eastern Cape, while 154 provincial schools have been temporarily closed, the education department said on Friday. 

- More than 700 teachers and school staff and 88 pupils have tested positive for Covid-19 in the Western Cape to date according to this week's provisional stats, Education MEC Debbie Schäfer has said.

Tourism Minister, Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane, will host a virtual media briefing at 17:00 today to outline the amendment to regulations for the advanced Covid-19 Alert Level 3 which impacts on the tourism sector. 

The Minister will also utilise the briefing to provide an update on the intervention to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on the tourism sector.  

Follow it live on News24.

Govt lawyers in sudden about-turn, get court to delay cigarette case until August

British American Tobacco South Africa's case challenging the tobacco ban was due to be heard next week. Now it has been postponed for more than a full month until early August.

BATSA says the "shock news will... cost South Africa more than R1.4 billion and thousands of jobs as justice is delayed by almost six weeks."

Covid-19 wrap: One-day record as cases surge in US, while Mexico tops 25 000 deaths and 200 000 cases

The governor of Texas temporarily halted the state's reopening as Covid-19 infections and hospitalisations surged and the US set a new record for a one-day increase in cases.

WATCH | Covid-19: 'We didn't know who was going to be next' - EC hospital worker's fear

A staffer at the Wilhelm Stahl Hospital in the Eastern Cape has detailed the fear of watching other colleagues fall ill with Covid-19.

The hospital was forced to close down earlier this month for three days after 30 staff members were infected. 

Nurses and cleaning staff at the hospital, nestled in the small rural town of Middelburg, downed tools after the 30 were infected.

The Level 3 rules have just changed - what you need to know

New regulations have been published, which will open cinemas, museums and restaurants (for sit-down meals) - but not just yet. You can now exercise with three more people - but gyms must remained closed. 

Families forced to postpone funerals after 9 bodies stored in morgue with body of Covid-19 patient

The families of nine people, who died in Mpumalanga, have to wait before they can bury their loved ones after the body of a person who had died of Covid-19 was mistakenly stored in the same mortuary at KwaMhlanga Hospital. 

FEEL GOOD | Cape Town domestic worker runs food aid programme for neighbours in her free time

Worried about her hungry neighbours suffering during the Covid-19 lockdown and job wipe-outs, Cape Town domestic worker Lauren Juries has started a soup kitchen in her flat in Ottery.

Covid-19 stigma: Woman forced to flee home after family rejects her

A Middelburg woman left home in fear of being victimised after testing positive for Covid-19.

A local councillor says stigma around Covid-19 is getting worse in the area, and people are demanding the government tell them on which street infected community members live.

Coronavirus morning update: Date set for cigarette sales ban challenge to be heard in court

Your latest coronavirus news: British American Tobacco South Africa and Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma are set to face off in court next week over the cigarette sales ban.

Restaurants, cinemas and casinos are now unbanned – but must wait for more rules before opening

A number of leisure activities were technically unbanned under Alert Level 3 of SA's lockdown late on Thursday night – but in a way that still makes it illegal for establishments to actually open their doors.

SA recorded it's highest number of coronavirus infections - 6 579 - in 24 hours bringing the number of infections to 118 375.

The total number of deaths is 2 292 - 2 from Gauteng, 15 from KwaZulu Natal, 17 from Eastern Cape from 53 Western Cape.

The number of recoveries is 59 974 which translates to a recovery rate of 50,7% health minister Zweli Mkhize said in a statement.

Here's some of our top stories:

EXPLAINER | Level 3: What we know about restaurants reopening

Eight days since President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that restaurants, hair salons and nail salons would be allowed to reopen for sitdowns under Level 3 of the lockdown, restaurants are still waiting on the government to publish regulations.

In a televised address, Ramaphosa said there was a limit to how long businesses such as restaurants could remain closed during a lockdown, and that government support was not enough to keep them open.

'There isn’t much merit from a scientific perspective in banning smoking' - top scientist

Top scientist Professor Shabir Madhi says that, from a scientific perspective, there isn't much merit in preventing the sale of cigarettes but allowing people to buy alcohol.

Madhi, the professor of vaccinology at the University of the Witwatersrand and the director of the Medical Research Council's respiratory and meningeal pathogens research unit, was responding to a question on the "cigarette debate" on a MyHealthTV.com webinar on Wednesday.

Western Cape building a 'mass-fatality facility' for Covid-19 corpses

Cape Town will soon have a "Mass-Fatality Temporary Facility" to refrigerate and store hundreds of patients who succumb to Covid-19.

This was announced on Thursday by the Western Cape provincial government, which is building the site in partnership with the City of Cape Town.

The surge was expected - Gauteng health MEC as positive cases rise to 26 156

Gauteng Health MEC Dr Bandile Masuku says the surge of cases in the province was expected after it recorded the second highest number of Covid-19 positive cases in the country.

As of 25 June, the province had recorded 26 156 positive cases, with 6 627 recoveries and 147 deaths.

Can we drink, smoke or have sex in quarantine? - Capetonians ask govt

Many people are refusing to be quarantined and isolated in the Western Cape.

Among the concerns are not being able to drink, smoke or have sex. Others are worried about their homes and Covid-19 stigma if word gets out they have the virus.

EXPLAINER | Level 3: What we know about restaurants reopening

Eight days since President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that restaurants, hair salons and nail salons would be allowed to reopen for sitdowns under Level 3 of the lockdown, restaurants are still waiting on the government to publish regulations.

In a televised address, Ramaphosa said there was a limit to how long businesses such as restaurants could remain closed during a lockdown, and that government support was not enough to keep them open.

Motshekga: 98% of pupils back at school

Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga justified the decision to reopen schools amid the Covid-19 pandemic, saying 98% of pupils have returned to schools.

"The response confirms the correctness of our decision," she told the National Council of Provinces on Thursday."

#WesternCapeCovidUpdate

A new "Mass Fatality" facility is being built in Cape Town to deal with mass-deaths.

At Tygerberg Hospital.

Including "12 refrigerated containers" for COVID-19 corpses.@News24 @TeamNews24 pic.twitter.com/sSXM9BM0tE

— MURRAY WILLIAMS (@MurrayRSA) June 25, 2020

Gauteng Health MEC Dr Bandile Masuku says the surge of cases in the province was expected after it recorded the second highest number of Covid-19 positive cases in the country.

As of 25 June, the province had recorded 26 156 positive cases, with 6 627 recoveries and 147 deaths.

"Gauteng is the highest in terms of active cases. We are worried about this as our recoveries are slowing down. They are only the 10% of the country," Masuku said at a virtual briefing on Thursday.

If one subtracts the recoveries, this means the province has 19 529 active cases.

"The surge was expected, especially with the changing levels of lockdown. The virus will spread with increased activity - therefore as a society we need to limit unnecessary activity.

"We see people organising parties and gatherings. That is something we discourage as that is how the spread can continue," he added.

The stats were presented by the provincial government during a command council update meeting with the media.

The presentation showed that during Level 4 (1 to 31 May), cases recorded were 2 557, with 1 166 recoveries and 22 deaths but during the period of 1 June until present (Level 3 lockdown), 22 123 cases were recorded, with 4 513 recoveries and 114 deaths.

Two nurses died of Covid-19 at Groote Schuur Hospital, the Western Cape Department of Health said on Thursday.

Sister Eva Isaacs had worked at Groote Schuur Hospital for 20 years. Sister Patricia Coetzee had worked for 34 years, including in the intensive care unit.

"We express our sincere condolences to their family, friends and colleagues. They were both well respected members of the nursing team. 

"Their hard work and commitment will always be remembered and missed by their colleagues."

Two Groote Schuur Hospital nurses with 54 years of years of experience between them, have died of Covid-19. The hospital said they were both well-respected members of the nursing team | @itchybyte https://t.co/zRLssXccpN

— News24 (@News24) June 25, 2020

58 learners, 188 educators tested positive for Covid-19 in Gauteng

176 schools in Gauteng have been affected by Covid-19 in the province, MEC Panyaza Lesufi revealed during the weekly Provincial Command Council update on Thursday.

"Of those schools, 58 learners and 188 educators tested positive.

"We are working very hard to ensure that the affected schools are reopened," Lesufi said.

Lesufi was providing an update on the status of schools since they opened their doors to Grade 7 and 12 pupils on 8 June under Level 3 of the lockdown.

In addition, 95% of the schools in the province remain operational, with 2 045 out of the 2 161 reopening.

The department has received close to 1 000 applications from teachers who claim to be living with co-morbidities asking to be able to teach from home. The majority of these emanated from Ekurhuleni South. Close to 500 pupils living with co-morbodities have also made applications. The majority of these also came from Ekurhuleni South.

SA’s biggest cigarette maker is now accepting orders – and some stores hope for 1 July delivery

British American Tobacco has confirmed it is accepting "holding orders" from customers, so cigarettes can get to stores quickly once the ban on their sale is lifted.

It did not comment on when that may be.

Some stores are betting on the tobacco prohibition being lifted on 1 July, and are preparing for a rush when it does.