Government

South Africa has temporarily suspended the rollout of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine after new studies released last week showed that it is less effective against the mutated SARS-CoV-2 501Y.V2 variant, which is common in South Africa. On 1 February, the country received its first shipment of one million Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine doses out of the 1.5 million procured from the Serum Institute of India (SII). Last night, Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize and a panel of experts hosted a media … [Read more...] about SA puts AstraZeneca rollout on hold

EDITOR: Judging by the crush of people on our beaches yesterday - MOST of them not wearing masks - we could take the TOP SPOT soon! SA records 3 754 COVID-19 cases, 261 deaths The COVID-19 second wave is showing signs of slowing down in South Africa, with 3 754 new cases recorded in the last 24 hours. A reported 261 people succumbed to the respiratory disease, official data showed on Thursday. Of the recent deaths, 56 were reported in KwaZulu-Natal, 53 in Gauteng, 44 in the Eastern … [Read more...] about EC back up to Third

EDITOR: The Statement from our NMB Municipality below refers. I fear for the credibility of our municipality in issuing such words when Eskom can cut us off at any stage. Remember Loadshedding? ELECTRICITY INTERRUPTIONS IN KWANOBUHLE AND UITENHAGE INDUSTRIAL AREA WILL SOON BE A THING OF THE PAST The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has committed itself to improve the stability of electricity distribution in the industrial town of Uitenhage by committing more than R5.6 million to upgrade the … [Read more...] about Never Say Things Like This Unless you Control the Entire Supply Chain…

SA COVID-19 death toll exceeds 45 000 The novel Coronavirus has claimed more than 45 000 lives since the first case was reported in March last year. This is after 398 more COVID-19 related deaths were reported on Wednesday, pushing the death toll to 45 344. Of the latest fatalities, 138 are from KwaZulu-Natal, 97 in Gauteng, 67 in the Western Cape, 46 in the Eastern Cape, 21 in Mpumalanga and 12 in Free State. Two provinces recorded single-digit deaths -- nine in the Northern Cape … [Read more...] about EC Now 3rd From the Back

DBE resolving teacher assistant payment challenges The Department of Basic Education has reiterated its commitment to finding a lasting solution to the challenge of non-payment of some general and education assistants employed amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The group are part of the Basic Education Employment Initiative (BEEI), aimed at addressing deficiencies in the basic education programme as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative formed part of the President Cyril … [Read more...] about Money at the end of the tunnel for teacher assistants

SA COVID-19 death toll edges towards 45 000 According to the Health Department, 547 people passed away due to COVID-19 on Tuesday, which brings the death toll to 44 946 since the outbreak. Of the additional fatalities, 143 occurred in KwaZulu-Natal, 134 in Limpopo, 91 in Gauteng, 69 in the Western Cape, 68 in the Eastern Cape and 30 in Free State. “In Limpopo, the province captured deaths from retrospective audits between 6 September and 29 January 2020,” Health Minister, Dr Zweli … [Read more...] about EC Plummets to Second Last

Clinicians can now self-register to get their COVID-19 inoculation, as government prepares for its historic vaccination rollout in the next coming weeks. Launching the Electronic Vaccine Data System (EVDS) on Wednesday, Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, said more than 34 000 frontline workers have already registered. Healthcare workers can register on http://vaccine.enroll.health.gov.za. In line with the phased approach of the vaccine rollout plan, the Minister is calling on all health … [Read more...] about COVID-19 online vaccination registration now open for registered Health Care Workers ONLY

EDITOR: I read this release over and over again and could not see any mention of the Red Location Museum - maybe YOU can see it and prove me to be a bit of a nincompoop! The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has spent more than R1-million fixing and maintaining recreational facilities which were vandalised by vagrants and thugs during the harder National Lockdown. The City used the temporary closure of beaches with officials working around the clock to fix the damage caused, which included … [Read more...] about City pumps more than R1-million into fixing damaged recreational facilities

Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Executive Mayor, Cllr Nqaba Bhanga has heaped praise on health-care workers at the Transet Phelophepha Healthcare train, describing them as heroes and heroines who have served communities with dedication amid the COVID-19 pandemic. During his visit to the train in Swartkops on Tuesday, 2 February 2021, the Mayor thanked the frontline workers for their bravely and being at the forefront of not only in the fight against COVID-19, but delivering other primary … [Read more...] about Mayor Bhanga hails heroic health workers at the Phelophepa Healthcare Train

The chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation, Tandi Mahambehlala, says the arrival of the first batch of COVID-19 vaccines from India signifies the success of South Africa’s approach to bilateral and multilateral relations. “We congratulate the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, through its missions abroad, for their candid vaccine diplomacy. This has been demonstrated through its successful initiation of negotiations, which secured … [Read more...] about Vaccine arrival testament to “good international relations”

SA records 2 548 new COVID-19 cases South Africa has recorded a total 1 456 309 COVID-19 cases, with 2 548 new cases identified on Monday evening. Minister of Health, Dr Zweli Mkhize, said the cumulative total of tests conducted to date is 8 300 749 with 21 549 new tests recorded since the last report. “Regrettably, 235 deaths have been reported: Eastern Cape 59, Free State 16 , Gauteng 51, KwaZulu-Natal 10, North West 33, Northern Cape 2 and Western Cape 64 which brings the total to 44 … [Read more...] about EC Still on Top

The water supply to Lorraine (Macon Rd Zone 1 - Lorraine Manor) will be temporarily shut off on Thursday 4 February 2021 between 09:00 and 14:00 within the area bordered in black on the map below. The reason for the shutdown is to perform maintenance on the inlet supply valve supplying the Lorraine Area. Routine maintenance on bulk water infrastructure allows the NMBM to reduce the probability of unforeseen shut-offs due to the lack of maintenance. This work is being done at a time during … [Read more...] about Lorraine Water Shut Off

The water supply to Weybridge Park will be temporarily shut off on Wednesday 3 February 2021 between 09:00 and 14:00 within the area bordered in black on the map below. The reason for the shutdown is to perform maintenance on the inlet supply valve supplying the Weybridge Park Area. Routine maintenance on bulk water infrastructure allows the NMBM to reduce the probability of unforeseen shut-offs due to the lack of maintenance. This work is being done at a time during the day when as few … [Read more...] about Weybridge Park Water Shut Off

On Friday, 29 January 2021, Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Executive Mayor, Cllr Nqaba Bhanga visited New Brighton to zoom into some of the grievances raised by residents about the state of affairs in the township. During the visit, Mayor Bhanga was accompanied by Member of the Mayoral Committee, Cllr Lance Grootboom, who heads up Public Health and while on the ground directed a rapid response to some of the urgent service delivery challenges. At the top of the grievances was the … [Read more...] about Mayor sets the ball rolling on New Brighton clean-up

South Africa has officially received its first shipment of one million Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines. The Emirates cargo carrying the first batch of the lifesaving jabs from India touched down at OR Tambo International Airport on Monday afternoon. President Cyril Ramaphosa, together with his Deputy David Mabuza, who chairs the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Vaccines, witnessed the momentous occasion. Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, flanked the two leaders. Plastic-wrapped … [Read more...] about First 1 million COVID-19 vaccines arrive in SA