Early Breakfast with Africa Melane

A lot of people have reported that their temperature reading taken when arriving at work or going to a store does not seem accurate.  Professors in the field of physiology, Andrea Fuller and Duncan Mitchell, have written an article on why fever screening is unlikely to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. Their arguments are based on an understanding of the physiology of fever, body temperature measurement, and fever prevalence in people who transmit COVID-19. According to the professors, measuring core body temperature has always been difficult for clinicians and sites such as the mouth and rectum are used. They add that the best way to measure core body temperature would be to measure a person's central blood temperature.

Topic: How reliable is a thermometer?

Guest: Dr Jody  Boffa, Research Fellow  at Centre for Rural Health, University of KwaZulu-Natal 

Host: Africa Melane, Early Breakfast

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Topics:From the Continent: Balloon-powered Internet in Africa

Guest: Sokhu Sibiya, Editor - Africa.com

The drivers claim that South African companies choose to employ foreign drivers over citizens and say they make up about 90% of the workforce.  South African truck drivers said that they’d heeded a nationwide call to stop trucks from operating around the country to protest the employment of foreign drivers.  They claim that South African companies choose to employ foreign drivers over citizens and say they make up about 90% of the workforce.  There are reports of some roads being blocked around the country because of the protest. The Gauteng High Court has issued an interdict against truck drivers holding a mass protest on Tuesday 7 July. Despite the interdict, there have been some instances of a revolt.

Guest: Ngcebo Ndlovu, National Spokesperson at All Truck Drivers Foundation

Topic: SA truck drivers strike against hiring foreign nationals

Host: Africa Melane, Early Breakfast

The Covid-19 debt repayment holiday that most banks offered expired at the end of June.

A survey by the TransUnion credit bureau indicates that nine out of 10 respondents worry they won’t be able to repay their debt when it becomes due in less than two weeks’ time.

The TransUnion survey found that 16% of those surveyed lost their jobs since the start of the lockdown.  Some banks had plans in place to avoid defaults when the debt holiday expires such as consolidating clients’ debt into their home loans or using other investments as collateral.

Guest: Sylvia Walker, Financial Advisor

Topic: The payment holiday is over, now what?

Host: Africa Melane, Early Breakfast

Topics:From the Continent: Webinar: Digital Consumer trends

Guest: Sokhu Sibiya, Editor - Africa.com

Judge Hans Fabricius on Monday ordered that all private preschool institutions offering early childhood development services (Grade R and lower) are entitled to reopen immediately. Fabricius declared a decision by the Department of Social Development that private nursery schools remain closed under Level 3 of the coronavirus lockdown unlawful and unconstitutional.

He ordered Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu, the first respondent, to pay the costs of all the applicants. 

Guest: Anton Van Der Merwe, Chairperson at South African Childcare Association 

Topics: All private preschools may open immediately

Host: Africa Melane, Early Breakfast

Since the first of June, business travel has resumed from airports in Port Elizabeth, Upington, Bloemfontein, OR Tambo International, Cape Town International and King Shaka International. Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) has put several measures in place to ensure safe travels. One of the rules is that passengers must, on arrival at the airport, use the drop-and-go facilities or public transport as no-one will be allowed inside the terminals to see them off or welcome them back.  

Guest: Refentse Shinners, Group Executive - Corporate Affairs at Acsa 

Topics: Airports ready for business travel

Host: Africa Melane, Early Breakfast

Topics:From the Continent: Finding ways to curb the flow of Zombie Appliances to Africa

Guest: Sokhu Sibiya, Editor - Africa.com

The Gauteng government will lobby the national government to allow it to introduce an "intermittent" hard lockdown with a predictable schedule in an attempt to counter rapidly rising Covid-19 infections, a Sunday report says.  Gauteng Health MEC Bandile Masuku said the province needed the measures to contain the rampant spread of the virus threatening to overwhelm the system and cripple its ability to save lives, the Sunday Times reported. The proposal suggests the economic hub shuts down for up to two weeks at a time, then reopens for a time, before closing again in a scheduled manner.  

Guest: Prof Wolfgang Preiser, Head of the division of medical virology at the Department of Pathology at the University of Stellenbosch

Topic: Gauteng to lobby national government for 'intermittent' hard lockdown

Host: Africa Melane, Early Breakfast

Having gone virtual for the first time in its 46 year lifespan, the (virtual) National Arts Festival presents its eight day of 11, boasting over 270 shows in newly digitised offering. Viewers are able to access the festival by buying a R600 festival pass for the entire duration of the festival, or buying tickets for select events.  Running completely virtual for the first time in the festival's 46 year history, the festival will be presenting work that speaks to these unique times, and will feature the results of many new collaborations, experimental forms and new ways to engage with the arts and audiences.  

Guest: Monica Newton, CEO at National Arts Festival 

Topic: Virtual National Arts Festival

Host: Africa Melane, Early Breakfast