Photo: Gallo Images / Phill Magakoe

South Africa: Today’s latest news and headlines, Monday 13 September 2021

In the latest news in South Africa on Monday 13 September 2021, Cyril Ramaphosa moved the country to Alert Level 2, extending the curfew and the sale of alcohol.

by Adrian Ephraim

13-09-2021 06:00

in News

Photo: Gallo Images / Phill Magakoe

A lot can change overnight, or over the course of one weekend, but we’ll keep you in the know with the latest news stories and headlines in South Africa on Monday 13 September 2021.

We’re back to Level 2. President Cyril Ramaphosa confirmed what we already suspected, that based on the country’s rate of infection and hospitalisations, the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) and Cabinet agreed that South Africa can now function at Alert Level 2. This decision will be reviewed after two weeks, when further changes may be announced.

TODAY’S LATEST NEWS IN SOUTH AFRICA, Monday 13 September

Level 2 CONFIRMED: Ramaphosa eases SA lockdown restrictions

It’s official – having spent the better part of three months languishing under Level 3 lockdown restrictions as the country battled the third wave of COVID-19 infections, President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced that the decline in cases warrants a shift to Level 2, meaning a host of restrictions are set to be eased or done away with entirely.

With the country now bound to the relaxed regulations stipulated under Level 2 lockdown, here’s what the public can expect to change when the shift comes into effect at midnight tonight

During his address to the nation on Sunday evening, Ramaphosa said that the decision to move the country to Level 2 follows meetings held between members of the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC), as well as cabinet. The committee resolved that the decline in daily infection rates allows for the easing of restrictions.

“When I last addressed the nation, we were heading towards the peak of the third wave of infections, headed by the Delta variant. We said then that the third wave would be more severe and last longer than the previous two waves, and that has been proven to be correct,” he said.

Vaccine passport: Ramaphosa says SA looking at ways to implement

A vaccine passport may soon be a reality for South Africans. President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Sunday that the government is looking at ways to implement a vaccine passport to open up travel and allow people to attend sports and religious gatherings. He said various methods could be considered including digital devices.

Ramaphosa addressed the nation on Sunday night to announce Cabinet’s decision to move the country back to Lockdown Level 2. He announced that 14.6 million vaccine doses had been administered to date. He reiterated that as many as one million does are administered every 4 to 5 days.

“We will also be providing further information on an approach to ‘vaccine passports’, which can be used as evidence of vaccination for various purposes and events.”

Ramaphosa calls on South African men to step up to the plate

During his address to the nation on Sunday, President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed his concerns about the recent brutal attacks and murders of women during Women’s Month, saying SA men should step up to the plate.

“We have just finished Women’s Month, where we planned to celebrate the success of women in many fields.

“Instead, our country bore witness to several brutal attacks by men against women.

“This month alone, there have been a number of terrible crimes committed against women and girls.”

RAMAPHOSA LISTED SOME OF THE INCIDENTS:

Fort Hare law student, Nosicelo Mtebeni, who was murdered and dismembered in East London;
The Grade One pupil from Khensani Primary School in Soshanguve, who was raped in the school’s toilets;
Palesa Maruping, who was found hanging from the ceiling of a house in Khuma Location in the North West;
Pheliswa Sawutana, who was strangled to deathMin Kosovo informal settlement in Cape Town.

Eastern Cape woman brutally beaten to death with a hammer

An Eastern Cape woman was beaten to death with a hammer in Gqeberha on Saturday.

Police spokesperson Captain Sandra Janse van Rensburg said it is alleged that at approximately 19:00, in Mpongololo Street, Joe Slovo, the woman, and a man had an argument.

“During the argument, the man attacked her with a hammer. The woman sustained serious facial injuries and died on the scene.”

Van Rensburg said after the attack, it is further alleged that the man hanged himself.

KZN killing spree: Six people – including three children – gunned down

Heinous scenes unfolded on Saturday, with a man embarking on a brutal killing spree in which he carried out the murders of six people – including three children – in a host of locations in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) before being fatally wounded during a dramatic shootout with police officers.

The killer – a security guard who worked at New Formosa in Estcourt – began his murderous endeavour by shooting his colleague before proceeding to the homes of his ex-girlfriend and her relatives, with police ultimately shooting and killing him in Kraansdorp.

Mayor Pieter De Villiers? Good Party nominate former Springbok coach

Former Springbok coach Peter De Villiers has hung up his whistle for the time being and has been announced as the Good Party’s candidate for the role of Mayor of Drakenstein in the Western Cape.

The Good Party made the announcement along with their candidates for other wards and municipalities ahead of upcoming Local Government Elections set to kick off later this year, and said that De Villiers has all the right qualities to ensure that he is successful as Mayor.

In their statement, the Good Party said that Peter de Villiers has been a leader all his life, and his career at the highest level of rugby has prepared him for the challenges he would face in a political environment.

“He knows the pressures of expectation, and the powers of teamwork. How to manage and motivate people into giving their best. How to break through false ceilings and scale global heights,” they said.