First Take SA

After days of peaceful protests across the United States following the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis earlier this week, nights of rage followed in America this past weekend. Chaos ensued in several cities from the East Coast through the Midwest to the West Coast of the country as tens of thousands clashed with law enforcement officers to express their anger, leaving destruction in their wake. Mayors in two-dozen cities imposed curfews - the first time so many locations issued similar order since 1968 in the aftermath of Martin Luther King's assassination. Around 1500 arrests have taken place across the country.

The Restaurant Association of South Africa - RASA - has warned that massive job losses can be expected within the industry as the serving of sit-down tables remain prohibited under level 3 of the covid-19 lockdown. From Monday, the approximately 13-thousand sit-down establishments nationally, which employ around 500-thousand employees, can conduct their business for deliveries and collections only. Under level 3 regulations restaurants and taverns will now be allowed to also sell food and alcohol but only for consumers to take home. RASA CEO, Wendy Alberts says their recommendation to government for the full re-opening of restaurants has fallen on deaf-ears.

The Vaal Dam has dipped below the 50% mark for the first time in a year. The department of water and sanitation says Gauteng residents need to limit water use. The department says other dams that form part of the Integrated Vaal River System have also taken a knock.

President Cyril Ramaphosa says churches found violating the lockdown regulations under the alert Level Three will be closed down. All places of worship will be allowed to operate from the 1st of June subject to restrictions in accordance with alert Level Three of the national lockdown. They are expected among others NOT to allow more than 50 congregants. Speaking in an exclusive interview with the SABC at his Hyde Park home in Johannesburg, the president also said they are having discussions with owners of hotels and restaurants as they also want permission to operate.

The Gauteng Legislature's Portfolio Committee on Roads and Transport has expressed concern that thousands of train commuters in the province may be left stranded on Monday. Large numbers of people are expected to return to work when level three of the national COVID-19 lockdown comes into effect. The Committee says it was not satisfied with passenger rail agency PRASA's operational plans presented to it recently, indicating that Metrorail services would only cover parts of the City of Tshwane.

Whilst many religious groups are applauding government's decision to re-open places of worship from next week, the Jesuit Institute of South Africa is not impressed at all. The Institute says places of worship are not immune to the corona virus and churches do not need to open in order to practice their faith. Spokesperson of the Jesuit Institute South Africa, Father Anthony Egan says in the midst of the covid-19 pandemic,.. prayer, acts of kindness and service of neighbour can continue without gathering

The North Gauteng High Court has declared former South African Airways (SAA) chair Dudu Myeni a delinquent director for life. The application was brought to court in 2017 by Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse and the SAA Pilots Association, to declare Myeni a delinquent director in terms of the Companies Act. The organisations accuse Myeni of plunging the national carrier into financial chaos while she was chairperson.

Former DA Youth Leader and member of the KwaZulu-Natal legislature, Mbali Ntuli has questioned the credibility and fairness of the DA holding its October elective congress virtually. Ntuli, is vying for the position of party leader, alongside Gauteng's provincial leader, John Moodey and the party's interim leader, John Steenhuisen. The DA's Federal council decided to move the elective congress to October due to the uncertainty surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic. Ntuli however says a climate of fear and intimidation in the party does not make it conducive to hold the elective congress on virtual platforms.

South Africa has implemented diesel stock rationing following the easing of Covid-19 lockdown restrictions from alert level 5 to level 4. That's according to the South African Petroleum Industry Association (SAPIA). The organisation says the diesel shortage is attributed to the re-opening of the economy, which has resulted in a more rapid recovery than expected.

The African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) says religious institutions will take all necessary precautions to limit the spread of the coronavirus. This after President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that all places of worship will be allowed to operate from the 1st of June - subject to tough restrictions in accordance with alert Level three of the national lockdown. The decision followed a meeting with leaders of the religious sector. South Africa has 24-thousand-264 confirmed coronavirus cases and 524 Covid19-related deaths. ACDP leader, Reverend Kenneth Meshoe, has highlighted the importance of functioning places of worship.