Day: December 31, 2022

Pretoria: The National Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS) General Fannie Masemola has commended a joint intelligence driven operation for the swift arrest of three men following the murder of a police sergeant on Christmas Day.
The suspects aged 30, 25 and 22 years of age were arrested during a raid on three identified premises in Kliptown on Friday, 30 December 2022.
A preliminary investigation into the incident indicates that 41-year-old Sergeant Phillip Mathlaela was shot and killed while parked on a bridge in Kliptown. His body was then dumped into a river.
The motive of the attack and killing of the off-duty police officer is under investigation. The police officer’s belongings including two cellphones, his vehicle and its key were found on the scene ruling out robbery as a motive for the attack.
The National Commissioner of the SAPS, General Fannie Masemola has condemned the attack and killing of members both on and off duty and says police will continue to bring to book those behind the heinous attacks and killing of police officers.
The three men will be charged with murder and for being in possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition. The trio will appear before the Kliptown Magistrates’ court on Tuesday, 02 January 2022.

Source: South African Police Service

The City of Cape Town has reminded residents and visitors that Milnerton Lagoon, Milnerton Estuary Mouth and Lagoon Beach remain closed for swimming due to pollution in the Diep River.

“There has been ongoing pollution within the Diep River that has been well publicised. The Diep River discharges at the estuary mouth at Lagoon Beach. As a result, Lagoon Beach is also affected by pollution in the Diep River,” the City said.

With the peak season and hot summer temperatures, the City has been made aware that people are swimming in the estuary mouth, in Milnerton Lagoon and at Lagoon Beach.

“The City would like to remind both residents and visitors that these areas are polluted, and the Milnerton Lagoon, Milnerton Estuary Mouth and Lagoon Beach remain closed for swimming, playing and recreational use.

“Pollution warning signs remain in place. We appreciate the public’s cooperation during this time,” the City said.

Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK

The number of deaths due to the gas tanker explosion has tripled since the incident happened on Christmas Eve.

Families and friends of victims of a gas tanker explosion in Johannesburg on Christmas Eve gathered on Friday morning for a memorial service, even as the death toll increased to 34 from an earlier estimate of 27, the provincial health department said.

Health Minister Joe Phaahla joined relatives of the victims to pay their respects by lighting candles at the Boksburg Civic Centre.

The blast tore the roof off the emergency department at the Tambo Memorial hospital in the city’s Boksburg suburb on Saturday. Many bystanders were also injured, while it destroyed houses and several cars.

The latest casualty numbers were announced in a statement on Friday by a spokesperson for the Gauteng Department of Health.

“The Department of Health can confirm that the death toll from the Boksburg Explosion incident has risen to 34 as of Friday, 30 December 2022,” it said.

The victims included 11 health workers and 23 members of the public, the spokesperson said, adding that the numbers were constantly being updated. The severe nature of the burns inflicted by the blast was expected to result in an increase in the number of deaths, authorities had earlier said.

The victims included children as young as nine, according to a message shared by the health department on social media commemorating a memorial for the victims.

Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa promised relief to the victims and said authorities were investigating the incident.

Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK

South Africa has recorded 12 979 new COVID-19 cases bringing the total number of laboratory confirmed cases to 3 446 532.

This increase represents a 28.1% positivity rate.

“As per the National Department of Health, a further 126 COVID-19 related deaths have been reported, bringing total fatalities to 91 061 to date,” the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) said on Thursday.

The majority of new cases are from KwaZulu-Natal (27%), followed by Western Cape (26%).

Gauteng accounted for 17%; Eastern Cape accounted for 12%; Free State accounted for 5%; North West accounted for 4%; while Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and Northern Cape each accounted for 3% respectively of the new cases.

“The proportion of positive new cases/total new tested today is 28.1% which is higher than yesterday (26.0%). The 7-day average is 26.0% today, which is lower than yesterday (26.1%). The 7-day moving average daily number of cases has decreased,” the NICD said.

There has been an increase of 472 hospital admissions in the past 24 hours.

A total of 21 187 864 tests have been conducted in both public and private sectors.

To date South Africa has administered 27 955 112 vaccines, with 38 880 vaccines being administered in the last 24 hours.

Source: South African Government News Agency

“We welcome the end of the curfew, but President Ramaphosa needs to go a step further and end the National State of Disaster”

I welcome the announcement by the National Government yesterday evening that the curfew will be terminated ahead of New Year’s Eve.

I had argued that this move was critical if we are to get the balance right in saving both lives and jobs, by allowing the tourism and hospitality sector to operate fully from today.

It will also prevent a diversion of policing resources province-wide from crime hotpots in order to try and enforce this measure which is not necessary.

However, it is the position of the Western Cape Government that the President needs to go a step further by ending the National State of Disaster entirely.

Throughout this pandemic, we have based our position on data, and it is clear from our fourth wave health platform data that we have the capacity to manage the COVID-19 pandemic without this very extreme measure.

While the Western Cape’s case numbers and test positivity rate during the fourth wave have exceeded previous waves, admissions are below the peak of both the second and the third wave and deaths remain extremely low (on average 2 a day) in line with previous interwave periods. There is therefore a widening gap between these metrics, pointing to less severe disease during the fourth wave.

Overall, according to our data, the risk of admission is 30% lower in the fourth wave when compared to the third wave, and the risk of admission for severe disease is 60% less during the fourth wave than during the third wave. Our data is also showing that vaccines are highly effective in preventing death.

The Western Cape Health Platform, which is closely monitored through our Bed Bureau Management System, continues to be able to provide care to those who need it, when they need it.

Despite being near our peak:

• The Metro hospitals have an average Bed Occupancy Rate of 85%; George drainage area hospitals at 61%; Paarl drainage area hospitals at 59% & Worcester drainage area hospitals at 65%.

• Critical care Bed Occupancy Rate for designated COVID-19 beds for the province is at 42%.

• COVID-19 & PUI cases currently make up 16% of all available acute general hospital capacity in both Metro and Rural Regional Hospital drainage areas.

• The Brackengate Hospital of Hope currently has 170 patients (50% of total capacity), Sonstraal currently has 0 patients; Freesia & Ward 99 have 0 patients. Mitchells Plain Hospital of Hope has 0 patients.

• The Metro mass fatality centre remains closed as deaths remain low.

A key marker for our health platform trigger system remains oxygen usage. Our increase in oxygen consumption remains below 50%, meaning that the Western Cape remains on the lowest level of our “trigger” system.

That is why the Western Cape Government has tabled a five-point plan, that would normalise the COVID-19 response in South Africa. The reality is that we have to learn to live with the virus, without imposing measures that will exacerbate the second pandemic of unemployment and hunger, which also costs lives.

1. We must end the National State of Disaster to grow the economy and create jobs.

2. We must enable Provincial and Local Government responses through an established traffic-light warning system, based on pre-determined measures of the health platform capacity. This will enable provincial, differentiated approaches in the future based on a provincial government’s capacity to respond to increased pressures.

3. We must maintain healthcare capacity by increasing budget allocations to Provincial Governments. This will enable maintenance of standby field hospital capacity, healthcare worker capacity and oxygen capacity should it be required in the future.

4. We must empower people by continuing with behaviour change campaigns that provide knowledge on non-pharmaceutical safety practices. Residents must be given the agency to protect themselves and others.

5. We must increase vaccinations through more pop-up and satellite vaccination sites, which work better by improving convenience and access.

While the removal of the curfew is very welcomed news, it means an even greater responsibility on residents to ensure that we protect those at risk, and to prevent trauma this weekend.

The number of trauma cases over the weekend, especially at month end, remains extremely high and this places a great burden on our emergency rooms.

It is therefore important that we celebrate safely and responsibly. How can you help over New Year’s Eve?

• Gather outdoors, wherever possible. The fresher the better.

• Ensure good ventilation, if you are meeting indoors.

• Wear a mask when gathering with others.

• Vaccinate, and get a booster when it is your turn.

• Avoid crowded places.

• Protect those at risk in your families and friendship circles.

• Stay home if you feel sick.

• Drink responsibly.

• Do not drink and drive or drink and walk. Please find alternative ways to get home if you have been drinking. Pedestrian deaths account for a high number of road accidents.

2021 has been a difficult year, and we are all excited to usher in a new year. I share this excitement. But let this be a time of celebration and not of grief, by being safe and responsible.

Source: Government of South Africa

A special Cabinet meeting has approved several changes to the Adjusted Alert Level 1 COVID-19 regulations.

This follows meetings of the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) and the President’s Coordinating Council (PCC), which received updates on the management of the current fourth wave of COVID-19 in South Africa, which is mainly driven by the Omicron variant.

In a statement on Thursday, Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele said all indicators suggest the country may have passed the peak of the fourth wave at a national level.

“The information gathered through the system used by the Department of Health has reported a 29.7% decrease in the number of new cases detected in the week ending 25 December 2021 (89,781), compared to the number of new cases detected in the previous week (127,753).

“Cases declined in all provinces except the Western Cape and Eastern Cape, which recorded increases of 14% and 18%, respectively. There has been a decline in hospital admissions in all provinces except the Western Cape,” the Minister said.

While the Omicron variant is highly transmissible, there has been lower rates of hospitalisation than in previous waves.

“This means that the country has a spare capacity for admission of patients even for routine health services. There is a marginal increase in the number of deaths in all the provinces,” Gungubele said.

Based on the trajectory of the pandemic, the levels of vaccination in the country and the available capacity within the health sector, Cabinet has decided to make the following changes to Adjusted Alert Level 1 with immediate effect:

• The curfew will be lifted. There will therefore be no restrictions on the hours of movement of people.

• Gatherings are restricted to no more than 1 000 people indoors and no more than 2 000 people outdoors. Where the venue is too small to accommodate these numbers with appropriate social distancing, then no more than 50 per cent of the capacity of the venue may be used. All other restrictions remain in place.

With the risk of increase in infections still high given the high transmissibility of the Omicron variant, Government has called on all organisers of these gatherings to ensure that all health protocols are observed at all times and that all attendees are encouraged to be vaccinated.

In addition, alcohol establishments that have licences to operate beyond 11pm will revert back to full licence conditions.

“The NCCC will continue to closely monitor the situation and will make further adjustments as necessary, particularly if pressure on health facilities increases.

“The wearing of masks in public places is still mandatory, and failure to wear a mask when required remains a criminal offence,” the Minister said.

South Africans are urged to continue observing basic health protocols to prevent the transmission of the virus.

“Vaccination remains the best defence against severe illness, hospitalisation and death from COVID-19. All people in South Africa who have not yet done so are encouraged to vaccinated as soon as possible. This includes people who are eligible for booster shots.

“Parents are reminded to support their children aged 12 years and older to use this opportunity to vaccinate before schools open. This will avoid learners losing school time as a result of testing positive or as a result of contact with people infected with COVID-19,” the Minister said.

Government has commended all South Africans who have observed the health regulations and protocols over the festive season.

“Government urges everyone to continue to act cautiously and responsibly over the New Year and for the remainder of the holiday season,” the Minister said.

Source: South African Government News Agency