A 150-million rand large-scale clinical trial for a COVID19 vaccine begins in South Africa on today. This has been announced at a virtual media conference hosted by the University of the Witwatersrand. The trial titled "South African Ox1Cov-19 Vaccine VIDA-Trial" is sponsored by the University of Oxford and the Jenner Institute and funded by the South African Medical Research Council and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The vaccine is made from a weakened version of a common cold virus.

Transport Minister, Fikile Mbalula, says now is the time to restructure and formalise the taxi industry. Today, he will continue talks between government and the taxi industry regarding taxis carrying their full capacity of passengers, and the re-opening of long distance routes. YESTERDAY Mbalula visited Soshanguve where police had to fire teargas and rubber bullets to disperse crowds during the taxi shutdown

President Cyril Ramaphosa has made a passionate plea for men to respect and love women. He was speaking during an alliance virtual dialogue on gender based violence in Johannesburg last night. The dialogue took place under the theme - Men and Boys Fighting Gender Based Violence. It follows the recent wave of attacks and killing of women in the country. Other participants included ANC Women's League President Bathabile Dlamini and the SACP's First Deputy General Secretary, Solly Mapaila.

Former president Jacob Zuma and his co-accused -- French arms company -- Thales* -- are due back in court today for pre-trial proceedings. The case was initially set down for May, but it was postponed after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. A stayed warrant of arrest still hangs over Zuma's head after he failed to appear in court in February due to ill-health.

Taxi commuters could be left stranded this morning following a total shutdown by SA National Taxi Council in GAUTENG. This is in protest against a relief package announced by Transport Minister, Fikile Mbalula on Friday. Mbalula says government has allocated more than one billion Rand to the taxi industry as a relief fund during the COVID-19 pandemic

Residents of Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape, who have fully recovered from COVID-19, say they are being unfairly targeted for having contracted the virus. The Nelson Mandela Bay metro has been declared a hotspot. And, recovered patients allege their lives are made difficult by the ignorance of some people

Men should be taught to use their strength for the protection of women and children instead of harming them. This is the message that emerged from the Father's Day Virtual National Men's Dialogue hosted by parliament to mark Father's Day. Speakers from a broad spectrum of organisations said men need to step up and lead the fight against the scourge of Gender-based violence.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has faced pressing questions ranging from his decision to ease the lockdown regulations, to the ailing economy and why a lockdown was necessary. Ramaphosa was addressing a hybrid sitting of the National Assembly during his first virtual oral reply session

Fear grips many women across the country, as they ask themselves if they too will become a statistic of gender based violence. This comes as a suspect in the murder of Tshegofatso Pule was arrested and appeared in court on Wednesday. Tshegofatso Pule - who was 8 months pregnant - was found hanging from a tree - with stab wounds - in Roodepoort west of Johannesburg, early this month. She is just one of a number of women that have been brutally murdered, recently.

The Department of Correctional Services has described as 'thuggery and hooliganism' a video of 34 awaiting trial inmates brandishing manacing weapons inside a prison cell at Butterworth Correctional Centre in the Eastern Cape. The prisoners can been heard demanding to have their day in court as their cases have been further delayed by the covid-19 pandemic. This comes as over a 1 500 positive COVID-19 cases have been reported at correctional facilities across the country.