Author: Partner Content

The Daily Maverick decried Justice Hans Fabricius’s 6 July ruling with the headline, ‘Early Childhood Development court order will exacerbate gross inequalities in SA’. The Pretoria High Court had ruled that private preschool establishments could open immediately subject to “prescribed safety measures being in place”. This is an oversimplification, as many ECD centres are private across all socio-economic spectra. Furthermore, the Department of Social Development (DSD) has welcomed the judgment, stating that it is more or less in line with their plans at any rate, as it is gearing up to assess the readiness of centres ahead of opening. In…

To date the Covid-19 pandemic appears not to have been accompanied, in South Africa, by environmental attrition at a scale drastically in excess of that which routinely prevails in the country. For this, officials who have been deemed under the Disaster Management Regulations to be essential personnel, and in particular environmental law enforcement personnel actively functioning on a “business as usual” basis, deserve considerable credit. That said, certain critical role-players have contentiously not been categorized as essential workers, giving rise to predictable legislative violations in association with corresponding reductions in deterrence. Mercifully though we have been spared sweeping environmental law…

Countries around the globe are observing Endangered Species Month, and taking stock of the successes achieved and work left to be done in the fight to protect endangered, threatened and at-risk species. “The global fight against the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is ushering in a new era of cooperation among nations. Hopefully, this collaborative spirit also spreads to other areas requiring a concerted worldwide effort to battle wildlife trafficking, poaching, and the destruction of the habitat of at-risk species, which all emanate in the decimation of wildlife populations globally,” said Matt Robertson, Veterinarian at Orijen South Africa, which sponsors dog food…

The national lockdown because of the Covid-19 pandemic means that Walter Sisulu University will, for the first time in its history, conduct a virtual graduation ceremony scheduled to transmit on the institution’s official Facebook page on Friday 22 May. Set to be officiated by WSU Vice-Chancellor and Principal Professor Rob Midgley, the short ceremony will witness the overall acknowledgement of the approximately 6 147 deserving certificate, diploma and degree recipients. “Given the restrictions imposed on gatherings, the university will hold an online graduation ceremony to recognise the achievements of the graduating class of 2020. Even when the lockdown is lifted, it…

Walter Sisulu University’s second-year Fashion Design students have stepped up during the Covid-19 pandemic to help produce two thousand face masks for university staff. The five-day mass production project is manned by 13 students and their lecturer, Nomonde Peter, who commended the students’ dedication to their craft. “We initially had in excess of 20 students to assist with the production of personal protexctive equipment (PPE) but due to fear of infection we found ourselves working with these 13 brave and passionate designers,” Peter said. Second-year student, Siyasanga Cwala, said she could not refuse the opportunity to gain first-hand manufacturing experience.…

Eastern Cape Premier, Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane welcomed 20 Cuban doctors deployed to fight Covid19 in the Eastern Cape earlier this month. In a speech peppered with Spanish phrases, the Premier welcomed the “army of white coats” from Cuba and referred to South Africa’s long shared history with that country. “You have come to lend a helping hand in what is one of the biggest fights of our lives since the Spanish Flu, a fight against an invisible enemy that is threatening to wipe the world out,” he told them. Mabuyane said the Eastern Cape’s approach to Covid-19 was four pronged…

The Basic Education Department (DBE) has postponed a briefing that was set to outline the phased approach to the reopening of schools amid the COVID-19 lockdown. The briefing, which was expected to outline proposed dates for the reopening of schools, was scheduled to take place today, 14 May 2020. The briefing, has been moved to Monday, said the department in a statement. According to the DBE, the postponement is to allow for further consultation with stakeholders in the education sector. This comes as President Cyril Ramaphosa on Wednesday announced that government is considering a proposal to move the country to…

The government is considering moving the country to level 3 of the national COVID-19 lockdown by the end of May, President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Wednesday. Addressing the nation on Wednesday night, Ramaphosa said the government was preparing for a further easing of the lockdown and a gradual opening of the economy, from the current level 4 lockdown. “We will immediately begin a process of consultation with relevant stakeholders on a proposal that by the end of May, most of the country be placed on alert level 3, but that those parts of the country with the highest rates of…

The Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation, Lindiwe Sisulu has appointed advocate Terry Motau to lead a team of lawyers to review all fraud, corruption and irregular expenditure reports at the Department of Water and Sanitation and to ensure that all the recommendations are fully implemented. The Minister said there was a lack of consequence management in the Department of Water and Sanitation, and as a result many officials implicated in fraud and corruption remained at work or were suspended with pay. “I have directed Advocate Motau and a team that he is going to be working with that…

While Makhanda’s streets been decidedly quieter as far as vehicle and pedestrian traffic is concerned during lockdown levels five and four, petty crime has soared. Lockdown was imposed on the entire population of South Africa as a measure to contain the Covid-19 pandemic. Hi-Tec Security co-owner and manager Andre Wille said the six weeks of lockdown so far have been very busy for his company’s armed response units and guarding division. In addition, said Wille, Hi-Tec Security guards have also been on front-of-house duty at several local stores and businesses, sanitising customers’ and clients’ hands, monitoring the number of customers…