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National Lockdown

latest news & developments

How the misuse of science compounded South Africa’s Covid crisis

Repeated claims that the country was “following the science” really meant it was following a particular science followed by some Western scientists

Local residents wearing protective face masks wait at a bus stop in the Imizamo Yethu township area of Hout Bay, in Cape Town, South Africa, on Friday, July 24, 2020. South Africas surging coronavirus infections and the resumption of rolling blackouts are clouding the outlook for the economy. Photographer: Dwayne Senior/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Restrictions eased as South Africa moves to lockdown level 2

As national lockdown regulations ease, President Cyril Ramaphosa urges South Africans to vaccinate

Shitting pretty: Day 455 into lockdown, and people who stocked up on toilet paper in March last year showed more savvy than the rest of us gave them credit for at the time. Photo: Delwyn Verasamy

Missing: 10 babies, 1 iPad, and my jab

The decuplets were a fiction, and Ramaphosa’s iPad wasn’t stolen after all. Paddy Harper’s vaccine, however, is still MIA, but he’s feeling hopeful he’ll get one soon

As South Africa’s Covid infections surge, the number of jabs can’t increase, yet

Hospitals are under strain, nurses are burning out and infections are on the rise, but there are limited Covid-19 vaccine doses available

Carefully now: President Cyril Ramaphosa has his temperature taken. (ER Lombard/Gallo Images)

Hospitals near capacity: What the new Covid-19 restrictions mean for you

After a dramatic surge in Covid-19 infections, President Ramaphosa has brought the country back to level three restrictions

Covid kills a decade of employment growth in SA

The self-employed were nearly three times less likely to work during the hard lockdown, economists found

Top South African cyclist is on a winning track, virtually

Virtual racing is revolutionising cycling, and South Africa’s own Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio is leading the way

The World Health Organisation lists air pollution as one of the biggest burdens on the health of children. (James Oatway)

Load-shedding’s silver lining: Lower levels of sulphur dioxide air pollution

Analysis of Nasa data shows that although SO₂ emissions around the world have fallen by about 6%, the levels are high enough to harm the health of billions of people.

Awaiting punters: Although there was some narrowing of the gap between men and women between April and June, women have still experienced greater job losses during the pandemic. The gender pay gap among the poor also widened during this period. (Michele Spatari/AFP)

Covid-19 jobs unlikely to bounce back

Evidence suggests that job losses triggered by the lockdown may be long lasting

Analyses of racialised disparities in both labour and product markets illustrate the need for strengthened economic redress. Photo: Delwyn Verasamy/M&G

‘Lockdown quarter’ sees jobs bloodbath

The decline in employment has been accompanied by a larger increase in economic inactivity, resulting in a 42% expanded unemployment rate

Fair trade: There are so many Zuma T-shirts in circulation, our columnist wonders if they can be used as currency. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)

Dancing on the grave of Covid?

Lay low for now as lockdown lifts to level one and let’s Jerusalema when the long arm of the law reaches Luthuli House

President Cyril Ramaphosa . (GCIS)
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South Africa goes to Covid-19 level 2 on Monday

President Ramaphosa drops most of the restrictions that have been in place for the last five months, citing ‘signs of hope’

We should strive for a more inclusive education system. Photo: Madelene Cronjé

‘I will have to repeat grade 8’

Schools have been closed again. After months of doing schoolwork at home, not all parents think their children are ready to move to the next grade

Amendments to the Extension of Security of Tenure Act enable the formation of a land rights management board and land rights management committees to address tenure security, evictions, land rights disputes and land acquisition for settlement. Photo: File

Prohibition threatens wine industry’s survival

According to Wosa, the South African wine industry contributes more than R40-billion to the South African economy catering for almost 300 000 jobs.

Disadvantaged: Students who live in rural areas with inadequate or no network coverage will struggle to keep up. (Graphic: John McCann/M&G)

Students ‘dreams are crumbling’

Those at historically disadvantaged universities feel abandoned while their peers at richer institutions continue with their studies