Eskom and the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) have issued summonses to recover close to 4-billion rand from former Eskom executives, board members, the Gupta brothers and their business associates. The matter relates to the acquisition of Optimum Coal Holdings - a mine which supplied coal to Eskom through the Guptas.

The General Secretary of the SACP, Blade Nzimande, has called for an end to what he calls the 'tenderisation of the state', in order to fight the continuing corruption in South Africa. He says following the reports of alleged corruption by ANC and government officials involving funds meant to be used in the fight against the spread of Covid-19 - the state must review the process of doing business. He was addressing the virtual 99th anniversary of the SACP yesterday.

Opposition parties have called for an investigation into the COVID-19 contracts awarded in the Free State. This comes after revelations that the sons of ANC secretary general, Ace Magashule, received COVID-19 contracts worth more than two-point-seven million rand. Both Motheko Projects and Marvel Deeds appear on the list of companies that secured contracts, and Magashule`s sons are listed as directors.

Tourism Minister, Mamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane has announced that restaurants will be allowed to operate until 10 pm -- extending the lockdown curfew by an hour. This -- to enable restaurants to maximise their peak customer serving time. Kubayi-Ngubane was briefing the media on tourism-related activities and regulations under COVID-19 Risk Adjusted Level 3. Intra-provincial travel for leisure will also be permitted.

Gauteng Premier David Makhura has appointed Roads and Transport MEC, Jacob Mamabolo, as acting Health MEC. The Premier has placed Health MEC Bandile Masuku on a leave of absence over his alleged involvement in a controversial tender to supply personal protective equipment to the department during the coronavirus pandemic. Masuku has been accused of influencing the processes that led to the 125-million rand tender being awarded to Royal Bhaca -- a company owned by Presidential spokesperson Khusela Diko's husband -- amaBhaca chief Thandisizwe Diko. Masuku has denied the allegation. As Wisani Makhubele reports, Makhura says the allegations are too serious to ignore.

Efforts to end violence against women and gender inequality are expected to be the focus of this year's women's month programme. Under the theme - "Generation Equality: Realising Women's Rights for an Equal Future" - the 2020 Women's Month - which takes place amid the COVID-19 global pandemic - was launched in Pretoria on yesterday.

South Africa has been grappling with the deadly coronavirus, Covid-19, since it made its untimely appearance on the world stage earlier this year. Covid-19 has highlighted and indeed reinforced the existing serious fault lines in South African society - from record levels of unemployment and a depleted fiscus to ever-deepening poverty and inequality. But what should South Africa be doing to prepare for the 'new normal' after Covid-19? That is the overarching question that a new book Recession, Recovery and Reform: South Africa after Covid-19, seeks to tackle.

The controversial anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine is back in the headlines after a Cameroonian-born Houston-Texas-based doctor promoted unproven claims about the drug as an effective cure for COVID-19. In the video, Dr Stella Immanuel appears on the steps of the Supreme Court in Washington to push the drug despite mounting scientific evidence from multiple clinical trials showing the drug as ineffective in treating COVID-19. The viral video which was tweeted and retweeted by both President Donald Trump and his son has since been removed by social media companies - but only after it had generated millions of views.

There has been a marked increase in the demand for training material on how to manufacture coffins and caskets since the lockdown. That's according to Peter Louw, of the SA Coffin Training School, based in Boksburg on Gauteng's East Rand. Louw says the increased number of deaths due to the Covid-19 pandemic has also led to a high demand for funeral services, as well as burial space.

Political parties have given mixed reactions to the International Monetary Fund - IMF's - multi-billion rand loan to South Africa. The Executive Board of the IMF has approved the country's request for a 70-billion rand loan to help bolster its response to the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. But with rampant corruption in the country, some parties are sceptical the money will reach its intended beneficiaries