TimesLIVE - In The News

All you need to know about Ramaphosa's Economic Recovery Plan

President Cyril Ramaphosa outlined the government's plan to boost the economy, create jobs and extend the Covid-19 relief grant in his economic recovery plan delivered to a joint sitting of parliament on Thursday. In his address, the president unveiled an unemployment stimulus package which will be implemented immediately. He commended…

16 Oct 2020 8AM 10 min

Mental Health Awareness Month amid Covid-19

According to the department of international relations & co-operation, October has been declared Mental Health Awareness month. The objective is to educate the public about mental health and educe the stigma and discrimination people with mental illnesses are often subjected to. The South African mental health fact sheet states that…

15 Oct 2020 8AM 10 min

"It's very personal - I was two exams away from graduating"

Expelled Rhodes University former student Yolanda Dyantyi has been granted leave to appeal a high court judgment refusing to set aside the disciplinary conviction that led to her expulsion. Dyantyi was rusticated in 2017 after being found guilty in a disciplinary hearing of kidnapping, assault, insubordination and defamation during the…

13 Oct 2020 8AM 14 min

Trial delay in Julius Malema, Mbuyiseni Ndlozi assault case

The case against EFF leader Julius Malema and MP Mbuyiseni Ndlozi has been postponed. Malema and Ndlozi appeared at the Randburg magistrate's court on Tuesday, each facing a charge of common assault. Their case was postponed for trial on October 28 and 29. Court proceedings were delayed to allow the…

13 Oct 2020 7AM 3 min

The 'hijacking' of the #FeesMustFall movement: Fasiha Hassan's story

“Let me tell you about the story of my life. My mother was a kitchen girl, my father was a garden boy, that’s why I am a freedom fighter.” These are the words to 'Nobody Wants To See Us Together', the SA struggle song that became synonymous with the #FeesMustFall…

9 Oct 2020 8AM 28 min

Eskom chief executive Andre de Ruyter expresses strong support for IPP's

Eskom chief executive Andre de Ruyter, in sharp contrast to the previous regime at the utility, has expressed his strong support for independent power producers, saying the best way to increase SA’s energy security is to bring more private producers onto the national grid. De Ruyter was interviewed on Business…

7 Oct 2020 11AM 19 min

Are the 700,0000ha of land set aside for land reform really vacant?

Agriculture, land reform and rural development minister Thoko Didiza announced last Thursday that close to 900 farms, comprising 700,000ha of underutilised and vacant state land, will be made available as part of the government’s contribution to land reform in SA. However, Prof Ruth Hall at the Institute for Poverty, Land…

6 Oct 2020 8AM 9 min

Driver killed, commuters injured after gang opens fire, sets bus alight in Lawley

A bus driver was killed and commuters were seriously injured after an armed gang opened fire and set the bus alight in Lawley, south of Lenasia, on Tuesday morning. Police spokesperson Brig Mathapelo Peters said the incident happened at around 5am near the Lawley railway station in Lenasia. "Preliminary investigations…

6 Oct 2020 6AM 1 min

SA's new travel regulations explained

On Wednesday the government outlined regulations in line with the easing of restrictions on international travel, making mention of high-risk countries to and from which leisure travel is not permitted. Elaborating on the regulations referred to by President Cyril Ramaphosa during his announcement on the commencement of lockdown level 1,…

2 Oct 2020 9AM 5 min

Process to rename William Nicol Drive after Winnie Madikizela-Mandela has begun

Following a recent announcement made by City of Johannesburg mayor Geoff Makhubo, the public participation process to rename William Nicol Drive has begun. "We thought as the City of Johannesburg to come and pay our respects and officially launch the start of the public participation process to rename William Nicol…

1 Oct 2020 11AM 4 min

Six months on: some lives will never be the same

On March 23, President Cyril Ramaphosa ushered in a different way of life for all South Africans. Most thought that once the initial 21 days of lockdown was over, life would go back to normal. But now, six months after the lockdown, life has changed for many. Some have experienced…

1 Oct 2020 8AM 5 min

Rapid Covid-19 testing kits to be provided to 20 African countries

A global partnership between the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and test manufacturers Abbott and SD Biosensor will make available innovative Covid-19 tests priced at a maximum of $5 (about R84) for low- and middle-income countries, including South Africa.  The partnership will make available 120 million affordable, quality rapid test…

30 Sep 2020 8AM 3 min

What the octopus learnt

Jonathan Ancer's Sunday Times 'interview' with the eight-legged co-star of My Octopus Teacher imagines what the famous octopus might say about the human who kept disturbing it. In the real world, here are some glimpses into what went on behind the scenes in the making of this globally acclaimed film.

23 Sep 2020 9AM 3 min

Cele sets a target on GBV in SA’s hotspots

Speaking at a briefing on Tuesday afternoon, Cele described GBV as a second pandemic that had reached crisis levels in the country. He identified 30 hotspots for gender-based violence in SA that would get special attention. Cele also revealed that since the start of lockdown in March, 310,494 people have…

23 Sep 2020 7AM 4 min

Architects fight to save heritage gem

A group of Durban architects are fighting to save an architectural gem from being turned into a medical health facility. But the owner of the property says while he is not opposed to preserving heritage sites, he is not prepared to pay for it.

18 Sep 2020 9AM 5 min

Teacher convicted of kidnapping 6-year-old outside Vanderbijlpark school

The four kidnappers of a six-year-old pupil from Vanderbijlpark a year ago were sentenced to lengthy jail terms on Thursday. Ringleader Tharina Human, a 28-year-old grade RR teacher, and accomplices Laetitia Nel, 41, Pieter van Zyl, 51 and Bafokeng Molemohi, 24, were sentenced in the Gauteng high court, sitting in…

18 Sep 2020 5AM 4 min

What you need to know about SA's lockdown level 1

International travel restrictions will be lifted from 1 October, he said. People arriving from countries permitted into SA will have to produce a negative test result taken no more than 72 hours before travel, which will grant them access without having to quarantine first. Ramaphosa said South Africa has succeeded…

17 Sep 2020 5AM 3 min

FULL ADDRESS | SA to move to Covid-19 alert level 1

President Cyril Ramaphosa on Wednesday evening said SA had weathered Covid-19's “fierce and destructive storm”, announcing a move to alert level one. "With the further progress we have made as infections have come down, we are now ready for a new phase in our response to the pandemic," said Ramaphosa…

16 Sep 2020 1PM 36 min

Covid-19 infections decline, but Prof Madhi warns the decline requires context

Here Prof Shabir Madhi explains the downward trajectory patterns in Covid-19 infections across the provinces, which represents the gains we stand to lose if we do not stay vigilant over the festive season in December.

11 Sep 2020 8AM 1 min

National Book Week celebrated under theme 'Passport to tomorrow'

September 7-13 marks the annual National Book Week headed by the South African Book Development Council in partnership with the department of sport, arts & culture, which are working to raise reading awareness under this year's theme “Passport to tomorrow”. According to the council, this theme has been described as…

10 Sep 2020 9AM 3 min