Radio 2000 Mixes

INTERVIEW: President Cyril Ramaphosa has moved to calm fears about the economic impact of the pending national lockdown saying those whose livelihoods will be impacted by the lockdown will be assisted through a series of measures including the use of a temporary Employee Relief Scheme. The lockdown will start at midnight on Thursday and will remain in effect until April 16.

Minister of Employment and Labour, Thulas Nxesi says workers can apply for leave using the Basic Conditions of Employment Act. Nxesi says they are negotiating for special leave conditions for those who fall ill during work......

Minister of Tourism, Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane says tourists who entered the country since the 09th of March have been place under quarantine for 14 days...

Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, Thoko Didiza says the department has set aside 1.2 billion to address the effects of the corona virus, post the pandemic. Didiza says the country has sufficient food supply- hence there is no need to panic buy.....

Trade and Industry minister, Ebrahim Patel has highlighted various financial relief plans to assist South African citizens and business owners during this time. Patel says the Competition Commission is investigating eleven companies for allegedly hiking the prices of products - such as face masks, gloves and hand sanitizes - amid the corona virus outbreak. Patel says those who take advantage of the public by raising the prices of items will be issued fines, penalties and even jail time. The National Consumer Commission has also established a toll free hotline ( 0800 014 880 ) for consumers to continue reporting unjustified price increases for basic goods.

Health Minister Zweli Mkhize says South Africa is learning from countries such as China in dealing with the virus. He also says many people may be tempted to travel home to rural areas in the next 24 hours before the lock-down, but he is confident that many South Africans will adhere to the lock-down regulations....

Health Minister Zweli Mkhize has announced that the number of corona virus cases in South Africa has risen to 554. President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced a three week national lock-down, starting at midnight on Thursday, to help stem the spread of the corona virus. There are over 370-thousand confirmed Covid 19 cases across the globe - with over 16-thousand deaths linked to the virus. Addressing the media in Pretoria, Mkhize says the number of infections are expected to rise in the country...

AVIATION UPDATE: We’re joined on the line by aviation expert Phuthego Mojapele to give us an update on the impact of the corona virus on the aviation industry.

INTERVIEW: The Cultural and Creative Industries Federation of SA is feeling aggrieved by cancellation of Macufe Cultural festival. The organisation says they find it reckless for the Free State to take money from the arts and redirect it to drilling of boreholes and buying sanitisers. We’ll speak to the federation and the Free State Government.

As churches scale down services due to the corona virus, some are taking advantage of technology to reach their members. Government has issued guidelines prohibiting public gatherings of more than 100 people at a time. Tshepo Phagane visited Soweto to check how churches are dealing with the new regulations, what measures they've put in place to deal with the virus, and how they ensure they keep worshiping with the cancellation of some services. Vice-president of the National Funeral Directors' Association, Lawrence Konyana says they are treating each body as a potential case of COVID19. Konyana says they are also trying to discourage families from coming into the funeral parlous to wash the body of the deceased person as is common practice in most traditions and cultures.