First Take SA

Former Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba says he will be launching his new political party in August. Mashaba made the announcement during a Zoom press conference yesterday. He said the party which will contest next year's local government elections in Gauteng province's three strategic metros - Joburg, Ekurhuleni and Tshwane. Mashaba said the formation of the party follows engagements of 'The People's Dialogue' he established in December last year, following his departure from the DA.

President Cyril Ramaphosa says by end of May most of the country may be placed on alert Level Three pending consultations. But he said some parts of the country with the highest infection rates will remain under strict regulations at Level Four. The president made this announcement during his address to the nations at the Union Buildings in Pretoria last night

As Coronavirus deaths in the United States topped 80-thousand, President Donald Trump declared that the nation had prevailed over the novel Coronavirus while predicting a strong economy by late 2020 into 2021. And while the numbers of new cases have flattened, the country added over 18-thousand in the last 24 hours with more than 1000 dead. The Coronavirus Task Force also announced that the federal government would be giving 11 billion dollars to states to expand their testing capacity, as states look to re-open safely.

Health Minister - Doctor Zweli Mkhize - has dedicated International Nurses Day to the healthcare workers fighting COVID-19 and the nurses in South Africa who have paid the ultimate price. Mkhize was leading a virtual commemoration from the King Edward Hospital in Durban. Nurses' selfless work has been honoured across the country with candle lighting ceremonies

UNICEF has warned that an additional six-thousand children globally under the age of 5 years could die daily from preventable causes, due to a diversion of resources to the covid-19 pandemic. The agency, which is tasked with saving children's lives and protecting their rights, says countries which already have fragile health systems may see disruptions in medical supply chains as financial and human resources remain stretched. UNICEF's Southern Africa Chief of Communications, James Elder says these deaths are an addition to the 2.5 Million children who already die before their 5th birthday every six months.

Seven lions that escaped from a private farm in Alladays, outside Louis Trichardt have been recaptured. which include two lionesses, The lions escaped on Monday night as they were last spotted by community members roaming the surroundings of Alldays policing area on Tuesday morning. The police, together with the farm owner and Limpopo's Tourism department have dispatched teams to locate the pride.

Unemployed South Africans can now apply for the South African Social Security Agency's (SASSA) special Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress grant. The application for the 350 rand grant is open to unemployed South Africans over the age of 18. Eligible applicants will receive the money from May until October. The grant is part of the 500 billion rand COVID-19 relief package announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa last month. SASSA and the Social Development Department briefed the media in Pretoria.

President Cyril Ramaphosa says South Africans must be prepared for a new reality in which the fight against COVID-19 becomes part of citizens' daily existence, for the coming year or more. In his weekly letter to the nation, Ramaphosa says with many more people gradually going back to work during Level 4, there will be an inevitable increase in infection numbers as well as demands on the health care sector. However, pressure is mounting for him to re-open the country's economy and help save jobs.

Industry experts have warned thousands of Small and Medium Sized (SMEs) enterprises will go into liquidation after COVID-19 lockdown because they cannot afford the cost of a Business Rescue Practitioner. Prof Markus Pretorius a business recue analyst says the fees to hire a rescue practitioner can go up to 150-thousand Rands. He has also warned that 95 percent of businesses that will apply for Business Recue will not survive. Last week, SARS commissioner Edward Kieswetter said they had seen an increase in companies applying for Business Recue.

The South African Democratic Teachers' Union (SADTU) says the Department of Basic Education is not ready to re-open schools. The union says the department has failed to meet the minimum requirements to prevent the spread of Covid-19.