News24.com | LIVE | Contact police if you are being forced to work under coronavirus lockdown, says Nxesi
2020-03-31 06:00
Stay up to date with the latest news, views and analysis as the number of coronavirus cases in SA increases.
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Pandor says the department will continue to render consular services in the context of restrictions countries have introduced.
If you can afford to return at your own cost, please do so, says Pandor.
Some are students have been moved out of residents and now have nowhere to go; some people have arranged private charter flights.
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All of us are impacted by Covid-19, says Pandor and adds that many countries have lockdowns similar to SA.
People movement has been limited to prevent transmission of the coronavirus.
Says many people have been stranded both in SA and in other parts of the world. We are trying to assist them as much as possible with the ambit of the regulations.
Pandor says repatriation of South Africans is a priority: 723 are students, 204 are workers, 224 are tourists, 320 have not revealed status, says Pandor
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We are complying with what the department of health wants us to do in order to contain the coronavirus, says Mbalula.
Regulations will be gazetted on Wednesday.
Medical emergency flights, technical landings, overflights are allowed.
Safety related operations are allowed to land at South African airports.
Air cargo will be permitted, says Mbalula
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South Africans were stranded in foreign countries when the lockdown was declared, and they will be allowed to come home.
“We cater for South Africans who want to come back home,” says Mbalula.
No airlines coming from outside SA, whether they come from risk countries or not, he says.
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Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula says his department has had a meeting with the taxi industry and discusses aviation.
All international and domestic passenger flights are prohibited, except flight especially authorised by the ministry for the evacuation of nationals from foreign countries.
Crew of chartered flights cannot disembark in SA and South African citizens in foreign countries can return provide they have a return flight and agree to be checked for coronavirus
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The department is facilitating access to cash so that spaza shops can buy stock as well as tools for compliance for environment and business management.
Licencing of owner-operated spaza shops will also be facilitated in compliance with the law.
Registration with SARS doesn’t mean you have to pay SARS, but you have to file returns to SARS, says Ntshavheni
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Small Business Development Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni briefs on small business development plans during lockdown.
Forms for small business relief can be downloaded from the website, but appeals to SMMEs not to clog the system with multiple applications.
By tomorrow, (Wednesday) reference numbers will be issued for fund allocations.
Loan re-scheduling will be finalised on Friday
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March salaries should have been paid, says Nxesi and thanks employers who paid workers the full March salaries.
Slams employers who do not provide essential services who are forcing their employees to work.
“This is a criminal offence,” he says
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There has been some resistance from some employers on UIF funds.
“These are public funds and they must be ordered,” says Nxesi.
Call the hotline number on 012 337 1997 from 08:00 to 20:00, Monday to Friday
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Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi talks to leave arrangements.
Says the department is receiving concerns that employers are shifting burden of the lockdown on to workers.
Some workers have to take unpaid leave during the lockdown.
“This is a unique situation that requires all of us to act in a manner that promotes social solidarity,” says Nxesi.
The UIF cannot deal with the millions of individual claims.
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Zulu says improvements were discussed.
Cash management confirms there will be enough cash in ATMs to meet supply, says Zulu.
Some NGOs were of assistance as well as crowd management was better today (Tuesday) than yesterday (Monday).
The number of chairs was increased to ensure that people could sit comfortably, says Zulu.
Additional Sassa staff deployed at pay-points and SAPO has ordered more cash for beneficiaries.
Some beneficiaries died just after receiving Sassa grants as well as those who died before receiving the grant.
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Zulu says there are discussions under way to limit queues for the collection of social grants.
Overcrowding and queues were key challenges faced.
Social distancing compliance and application of hygiene guidance was lacking yesterday, says Zulu.
She also complains that money was not available and money ran out
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Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu thanks communities who assisted on the first day of Sassa grant payments.
Thanks community workers who “came out in their numbers” and assisted the elderly.
“Yesterday we started quite well,” says Zulu on paying of social grants.
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Indonesia declares state of emergency as virus toll jumps
Indonesian leader Joko Widodo declared a state of emergency on Tuesday as coronavirus deaths in the world’s fourth most populous country jumped again, but he resisted calls for a nationwide lockdown.
Widodo’s administration has been heavily criticised for not imposing lockdowns in major cities, including the capital Jakarta, a vast megalopolis home to about 30 million people where most of the country’s virus deaths have been reported.
– AFP
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Spain sees record death toll with 849 fatalities in 24 hours, says government
Once again, Spain hit a new record with 849 people dying of Covid-19 in 24 hours, hiking the overall death toll to 8 189, the government said on Tuesday.
The increase came after a day in which the number of deaths had fallen slightly, raising hopes the epidemic could be reaching a peak in Spain, which has logged the world’s second-highest number of deaths from the virus, after Italy.
Another 9 222 people tested positive for the virus over the past 24 hours, raising the total number of confirmed cases to 94 417.
– AFP
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Iran reports 141 new virus deaths, raising total to 2 898
Iran said on Tuesday 141 more people have died from the novel coronavirus, raising the official toll in one of the world’s worst-affected countries to 2 898.
Health ministry spokesperson Kianoush Jahanpour said 3 111 new infections have been confirmed over the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 44 606.
He said 3 703 of those hospitalised are in a critical condition and 14 656 have recovered.
– AFP
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12-year-old infected with coronavirus dies in Belgium
A 12-year-old girl confirmed infected with Covid-19 has died in Belgium, health officials said on Tuesday.
The young age of the fatality “is a very rare occurrence”, said a government spokesperson, Dr Emmanuel Andre, adding that her death “shook us”.
It was the first death of a child in the coronavirus crisis gripping Belgium, which has now recorded a total 705 deaths from the disease it causes, according to the latest official toll.
– AFP
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Europe sends medical gear to Iran in first sanction-bypass deal
European nations have delivered medical goods to Iran in the first transaction under the Instex mechanism set up to evade American sanctions on Tehran, the German foreign ministry said on Tuesday.
“France, Germany and the United Kingdom confirm that Instex has successfully concluded its first transaction, facilitating the export of medical goods from Europe to Iran. These goods are now in Iran,” the ministry said in a statement.
– AFP
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Tanzania records its first death from coronavirus
Tanzania on Tuesday recorded its first death from coronavirus, a 49-year-old man who had underlying health issues, the health ministry said.
The East African nation has reported cases since 16 March, including foreign travellers and those with whom they have had contacts. One person has so far recovered.
– AFP
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Austria flies in care workers to prevent coronavirus gaps
Chartered flights brought more than 200 workers to Austria on Monday to ensure that the provision of care to the elderly and vulnerable was not disrupted by coronavirus-related travel restrictions, a regional official said.
– AFP
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Russians face up to five years’ jail for spreading false coronavirus news
Russian lawmakers were set on Tuesday to consider legislation imposing severe punishment – including up to five years in prison – for people convicted of spreading false information about the coronavirus.
If a person were to be found guilty of inadvertantly causing a person’s death or other grave consequences by spreading “intentionally false” information about life-threatening circumstances, he would face a fine of up to 2 million rubles ($25 000) or up to five years in prison.
– AFP
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