Restaurants want an hour extra before curfew, two drinks per meal – and to pay 5% less VAT

Two separate groups of restauranteurs have begged President Cyril Ramaphosa to allow them to sell alcohol – in restricted fashion – to save their businesses.

'We are providing leadership' - Eastern Cape premier happy with Covid-19 response

The Eastern Cape provincial government has been "proactive" in its response to Covid-19, Premier Oscar Mabuyane said in giving his administration the thumbs up on Tuesday. 

Mabuyane was speaking at a media briefing to give an update on the province's response.

Covid-19: Intermittent closure of buildings unsustainable, says Limpopo health dept

The Limpopo Department of Health has advised against the temporary closure of government buildings, schools and institutions each time a Covid-19 case is detected.

This after the Provincial Command Council on Covid-19 raised concern the practice was unsustainable and urged health authorities to advice accordingly. 

Coronavirus vaccine key for Olympics go-ahead in 2021: Tokyo chief

The development of a coronavirus vaccine or treatment will be key to allowing the postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games to open in a year's time, organising committee president Yoshiro Mori said on Wednesday.

'Whoever takes over has big boots to fill' - Cape Malay Choir Board president succumbs to Covid-19

Shafick April was selected to be president of the Cape Malay Choir Board in the 1980s, and kept on being re-elected every five years until he was in his 80s, his nephew said on Tuesday. 

"He was a legend in our sport. Administrative wise, he was excellent," Riedewaan Kamish said. 

Coronavirus morning update: Samples missing after hijacking, and cigarette market 'in disarray'

Bio-hazard warning after a truck carrying Covid-19 samples was hijacked in Port Elizabeth; and cigarette prices continue to spike on the black market.

8 170 new coronavirus cases have been recorded, bringing the total number of infections to 381 798.

With 195 new deaths, the tally is now at 5 368.

The number of recoveries currently stands at 208 144 which translates to a recovery rate of 54%

Here are our top stories:

Bio-hazard warning after truck carrying Covid-19 samples hijacked in Port Elizabeth

A courier truck carrying Covid-19 specimens was hijacked in Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape on Monday - and the samples are missing.

The National Health Laboratory Services has warned the robbers and the public not to touch the samples, saying they may be highly infectious.

93-year-old among latest to recover from Covid-19 in Western Cape as active cases reach 12 254

A 93-year-old from Cape Town is among the latest people to recover from Covid-19 in the Western Cape, Premier Alan Winde has announced.

Katharine Newman, a resident at Claremont Old Aged Home, was one of many inspiring stories of recoveries in the province, he said. 

Newman developed a cough in early June and tested for the virus. She was later hospitalised at Groote Schuur before being moved to the CTICC Hospital of Hope after having breathing difficulties. 

Mabuyane pushes on with controversial medical scooter project in the Eastern Cape

Two sub-districts in Johannesburg have recorded over 10 000 Covid-19 cases each

KZN dept squanders nearly R30m irregularly on protective gear, blankets

KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala revealed there had been irregular expenditure amounting to nearly R30 million for personal protective equipment (PPE) and blankets by the province's social development department.

Speaking to journalists at the eThekwini Disaster Management Centre, Zikalala said there was R13 630 229.50 in irregular expenditure for PPE and an "approximate financial loss to the department as a result of the misrepresentations amount to R15 808 000" for the blankets.

Cigarette market 'in disarray', price war looms, and more people share smokes - study

The ongoing cigarette ban has resulted in prices continuing to spike on the black market, while any benefits of the ban were mostly achieved under lockdown alert level 5, according to a recent study.

Moreover, the study found, brands associated with the Fair Trade Tobacco Association – which went to court to have the tobacco overturned – are proving big sellers under the ban.

Two sub-districts in Johannesburg have recorded over 10 000 Covid-19 cases each

Two sub-districts that fall within the City of Johannesburg have recorded over 10 000 cases of Covid-19 each.

As of Tuesday, 21 July, the total confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Gauteng are 136 789, of which 59 374 are in Johannesburg.

Bio-hazard warning after truck carrying Covid-19 samples hijacked in Port Elizabeth

A courier truck carrying Covid-19 specimens was hijacked in Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape on Monday - and the samples are missing.

The National Health Laboratory Services has warned the robbers and the public not to touch the samples, saying they may be highly infectious.

Gauteng's Department of Transport has launched a new mobile app that will monitor and prevent the spread of Covid-19 in taxis and at taxi ranks.

The mobile application known as Cmore App will not be accessed by passengers but by taxi rank marshals and mangers.

Mokgoro showing no Covid-19 symptoms as he completes last day of self-quarantine

North West Premier Job Mokgoro is completing his final day of self-quarantine at home on Tuesday and is showing no symptoms of Covid-19, according to his spokesperson Vuyisile Ngesi.

"Today is the premier's last day of the 14-day quarantine period. He currently has no symptoms of Covid-19 and is in good health," Ngesi said.

Less restrictive measures existed to manage Covid-19, says LFN in court papers

Less restrictive mechanisms which uphold human rights exist to deal with Covid-19, instead of the national state of disaster, the Liberty Fighters Network (LFN) and Reyno de Beer have argued in court papers.

On Monday, the two parties approached the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) to file an application for leave to cross-appeal a high court judgment in their battle with the minister of cooperative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta) and the president.

UIF Covid-19 payouts have been extended into August

Workers who are put on leave, have been laid off temporarily, or whose employers can’t afford to pay their full salaries due to the coronavirus crisis were entitled to payouts in April, May and June. Previously the UIF and government confirmed that the scheme would end after the June payments were made. 

UK budget deficit swells to record on coronavirus stimulus

The UK government borrowed over twice as much last quarter than it did in the whole of the previous fiscal year, amid the towering cost of supporting the economy through the coronavirus crisis.

The budget deficit stood at £35.5 billion in June, taking borrowing in the first three months of the fiscal year to a record £127.9 billion, the Office for National Statistics said on Tuesday. Debt climbed to 99.6% of GDP - the highest since 1961.

Covid-19 wrap | Coronavirus vaccine possible, India, Philippines, Indonesia infections

The University of Oxford's possible Covid-19 vaccine could be rolled out by the end of the year but there is no certainty that will happen, the lead developer of the vaccine said on Tuesday.

The experimental vaccine, which has been licensed to AstraZeneca, produced an immune response in early-stage clinical trials, data showed on Monday, preserving hopes it could be in use by the end of the year.

Minister Nxesi hospitalised after testing positive for Covid-19

Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi was hospitalised on Monday evening due to Covid-19 symptoms, Minister in the Presidency Jackson Mthembu announced on Tuesday.

Nxesi tested positive for the coronavirus almost a week ago. Mthembu said Nxesi had, until last night, been in self-quarantine at home.

What the latest positive news on a leading Covid-19 vaccine candidate means

The early results from a Covid-19 vaccine trial are promising, so what next? The next phase of the trial is already under way, and supply deals have already been made.

German scientists are hosting a concert for 4,000 people to study how Covid-19 spreads in big groups

German scientists are throwing a concert - using fog machines, fluorescent hand sanitiser, and contact tracer devices - to work out if it's possible to hold large indoor events during the pandemic without spreading the coronavirus.

Brazil set to test Chinese coronavirus vaccine

Brazil will begin advanced clinical testing of a Chinese-made vaccine against the new coronavirus on Tuesday, issuing the first doses to around 900 volunteers, officials said.

The coronavirus vaccine, developed by private Chinese pharmaceutical firm Sinovac, is the third in the world to enter Phase 3 trials, or large-scale testing on humans - the last step before regulatory approval.

Voting in a pandemic: Political parties will have to decide way forward

For the first time since the dawn of democracy, South Africans face the prospect of having to go to the polls in circumstances vastly different to previous elections.

The 2021 local government elections (LGE) is set to take place between August and November and while electoral bosses are preparing for the polls "as usual", there remains the possibility that Covid-19 could severely impact voting day.

The Minister of Employment and Labour, Mr Thembelani ‘Thulas’ Nxesi has been admitted to hospital due to Covid-19, says Cabinet Spokesperson Phumla Williams.

The Minister tested positive for the coronavirus almost a week ago and has, until last night, been in self-quarantine at home. 

His admission to hospital comes on the advice of his medical doctors, in order for him to have access to better medical attention and proper monitoring. 

Minister Nxesi is the second member of Cabinet to be admitted to hospital after Minister Gwede Mantashe. 

Covid-19: Situation in SA 'a warning' for the rest of the continent - WHO

The World Health Organisation (WHO) voiced alarm on Monday at the spread of Covid-19 in Africa, warning that South Africa's surging numbers could be a "precursor" for outbreaks across the continent.

"I am very concerned right now that we are beginning to see an acceleration of disease in Africa," WHO's emergencies chief told a virtual press conference.

As of today, a cumulative total of 373 628 confirmed Covid-19 cases in South Africa have been recorded.

There have been 140 new Covd-19 related deaths. This brings the cumulative number of deaths to 5 173.

The number of recoveries currently stands at 194 865 which translates to a recovery rate of 52%.

The total number of tests conducted to date is 2 505 646 with 33 899 new tests conducted since the last report.

Here are some of our top stories:

First human trial of leading vaccine candidate shows promise

AstraZeneca's experimental Covid-19 vaccine was safe and produced an immune response in early-stage clinical trials in healthy volunteers, data showed on Monday.

Cyril Ramaphosa | There is a silver lining in the Covid-19 crisis

Cyril Ramaphosa has welcomed the ingenuity shown by young South Africans in setting up businesses and says more of this is needed as the economy takes a downturn due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

WATCH | Explainer: When will the lockdown end in SA?

Durban woman contracts Covid-19 twice within three months, NICD keeps watch on patient's case

Gwede Mantashe hospitalised after testing positive for Covid-19

Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe has been hospitalised on Monday, government has confirmed. 

Emergency Covid-19 hospital accepts first 10 patients in Cape Town's e-commerce district

The emergency field hospital built in a high-tech e-commerce precinct in the Western Cape, has admitted its first 10 Covid-19 patients.

Emergency Covid-19 hospital accepts first 10 patients in Cape Town's e-commerce district

The emergency field hospital built in a high-tech e-commerce precinct in the Western Cape, has admitted its first 10 Covid-19 patients.

Brackengate lies just off the R300 highway in Cape Town, amid ultra-modern distribution centres for some of the retail sector's biggest names.

Over R300 million lost every day alcohol was first prohibited

South Africa's liquor industry lost R20 billion in sales in the first nine weeks of the national lockdown, according to data analytics company Nielsen. 

Nielsen said that according to its research, the industry lost about R304 million every day during the first round of prohibition. It is set to lose around R10 billion for every month the ban continues.

The Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal education departments have suspended the return of Grade 3 and Grade 10 pupils to school.

The grades had been due to to return on Monday, along with several grades from schools for pupils with severe intellectual disabilities and those with autistic pupils.

Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga had specified that these grades be phased in, in directions published in the Government Gazette amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

A Durban doctor has reported having a Covid-19 patient who has been re-infected three months after her initial infection.

Dr Yuvan Maharaj, who runs a practice in Prospection, said the patient had initially received her positive results on 9 March, a negative test two weeks later, and then a positive result on 14 July.

Covid-19 forces ICC to postpone T20 World Cup in Australia

The T20 World Cup due to take place in Australia from 18 October has been postponed due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the International Cricket Council announced Monday.

Officials said they now hoped to stage the tournament from October to November 2021.

ICC Chief Executive Manu Sawhney said: "We have undertaken a comprehensive and complex contingency planning exercise and through this process, our number one priority has been to protect the health and safety of everyone involved in the sport.