Here’s what is happening in and affecting South Africa today:
Coronavirus: Global Covid-19 infections have hit 172.9 million confirmed, with the death toll reaching 3.72 million. In South Africa, there have been 5,361 new cases, taking the total reported to 1,680,373. Deaths have reached 56,765 (+54), while recoveries have climbed to 1,567,635, leaving the country with a balance of 55,973 active cases. The total number of vaccines administered is 1,193,352 (+75,783).
- Mkhize: President Cyril Ramaphosa insists that the Digital Vibes/Mkhize scandal will not get swept under the rug, and that decisive action will be taken – but he says he wants to the investigation to proceed and any decisions to be based on that outcome. The Mail & Guardian reports, meanwhile, that minister Zweli Mkhize is preparing to resign from his position over the scandal. Ramaphosa has been criticised for not suspending Mkhize as soon as it came to light that close associates of his had scored a R150 million contract at the department, which was found to be irregular. Other reports point to Mkhize and his family benefiting directly from the company. [TimesLive, Mail & Guardian]
- Results: The results of the Sisonke study have been published – tracking the vaccination of healthcare workers in South Africa and the various side effects they experienced as a result of the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine. According to the results, most of the 290,000 subjects of the study experienced mild to moderate side effects, which were the expected effects of taking a vaccine. Fifty people experienced serious side-effects, such as allergic reactions or other complications from already having the virus or tuberculosis. Medical professionals recommend that those who are prone to allergic reactions make their doctor aware of this before receiving a jab. [NEJM]
- Mixed view: South Africa’s economic recovery is surprising on the upside – but the slow rollout of vaccines, and the glacial pace that government is moving at to implement needed economic reforms, means that the country will remain middling and slow to make progress, according to ratings firm, S&P Global. The group has presented its rating review for the country, saying that the local economy has been boosted by global demand for commodities and the general uplift from Covid-19 recoveries in big trade nations. As a producer of precious metals like platinum, copper and cold, SA rode the wave. But looking internally, domestic issues are weighing down progress. [Reuters]
- Guptas: The National Prosecuting Authority has made a request to Interpol for assistance in extraditing the Guptas, their wives, and businesses associates to face corruption charges in South Africa. The charges relate to fraud and money laundering around Free State projects. The Free State government paid R25 million to a Gupta-linked company to conduct a feasibility study for the Estina dairy project in the province. After receiving the money, R1.5 million was spent getting an external auditor to conduct the study, while the rest of the money was laundered through several accounts before ending up in the account of another Gupta company. [ENCA]
- Markets: The South African rand weakened on Wednesday, pressured by a first-quarter increase in unemployment and concerns over how long easy financing conditions would last globally. The dollar was up as a pick up in US manufacturing kept bets alive for a quicker normalisation of US Federal Reserve policy. Mixed local economic data, together with the fresh concerns about higher lending rates in the United States, kept the rand bulls at bay. South Africas unemployment rate rose slightly in the first quarter to a record high of 32.6%, from 32.5% in the fourth quarter of 2020. On Friday the rand was at R13.63/$, R16.51/ and R19.21/£. [Reuters]