First Take SA

The Department of Basic Education is set to meet with teacher unions today to discuss its readiness for the re-opening of schools. Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga announced on the 30th of last month that Management Teams across the country should report for duty today to start preparations for the re-opening of schools in a phased-approach. However, some provincial departments have advised their School Management Teams not to report for duty tomorrow, saying they are not ready as the national department is yet to meet a number of strict COVID-19 related conditions and protocols.

Health Minister Zweli Mkhize says cluster outbreaks of COVID 19 is one of the reasons for the increase in the infection rate of the Coronavirus in the Western Cape. He was briefing the media following a meeting with the Western Cape Premier, Medical experts and the MEC for Health Nomafrench Mbombo on Saturday.

The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa or Prasa has reported an estimated total revenue loss of over seven-hundred-and-fifty-million-rand for the year as a result of the national lockdown. Prasa has indicated that almost two-hundred-million-rand in revenue was lost in one month from April to May 2020. Prasa's Administrator Bongisizwe Mpondo was presenting the company's financial statement in a virtual media briefing.

Africa's economy could only start recovering from the impact of the Coronavirus in 2022. This is according to Amit Thakker - Chairman of Africa Health Business. Speaking at a joint briefing by the World Economic Forum and the World Health Organisation - Thakker says the next two years will see economies shrink due to decreased production and activity. He says strong leadership will be needed to pull countries out of negative territories.

Are the conversations between Former President Jacob Zuma and his son Duduzane a political strategy to elicit public sympathy or simply an opportunity to tell their story as they see it? These are the questions that have been asked on social media following the dialogue between the two men on a new youtube channel titled Zooming with the Zumas. The conversations between father and son earlier this month cover a range of topics including the passing of Duduzane's mother, Kate and the former President's son, Nhlakanipo as well as the poisoning of Zuma and then-Mpumalanga Premier David Mabuza.

Over a hundred South Africans stuck in Vietnam say they are losing hope of ever being repatriated back to South Africa. One of these is Marc Dumont who remains stuck in Hanoi together with his partner. He says that they are running out of money for food and medical supplies while the cost of extending their visas is also becoming unbearable.

Health Minister Zweli Mkhize says his department will introduce systems that will separate patients with respiratory symptoms from those with non-respiratory symptoms. He was speaking during a media briefing at the Job Shimankane Tabane Hospital in Rustenburg in the North West. Mkhize says the introduction of the systems will be in preparation for the expected increase of cases of Corona virus as of July this year.

The Traditional Healers Organisation says it's currently working on finding a possible cure for the corona virus, with the help of several local universities. The organisation is not pleased with the World Health Organisation's position on traditional medicine, accusing it of sending out confusing messages. This after the WHO warned against the use of Madagascar's untested medicine, which the country's president Andry Rajoelina has touted as a cure for the novel corona virus.

Home Affairs Minister, Aaron Motsoaledi has warned of consequences for security company Enviromongz after thirty seven undocumented migrants escaped from the Lindela Repatriation Centre outside Krugersdorp on Gauteng's West rand. Motsoaledi says the escape, which happened on Sunday, was an inside job allegedly by security personnel. He says those who escaped were waiting to be repatriated to their home countries.

The South African Revenue Service has warned that revenue collection will continue its downward trajectory because of the COVID-19 pandemic. SARS commissioner Edward Kieswetter has warned that revenue performance will be lower than the February budget announcements, by between 15 and 20 percent. This means there will be a revenue collection shortfall of 285 billion Rands this year. The Commissioner also anticipates the number of companies that will apply for business rescue will continue to increase.