Author: Marlene Nqumse
3 August 2020 Update on the coronavirus by Premier Alan Winde
As of 1 pm on 3 August, the Western Cape has 10 955 active cases of Covid-19, with a total of 95 407 confirmed cases and 81 309 recoveries.
| Total confirmed Covid-19 cases | 95 407 |
| Total recoveries | 81 309 |
| Total deaths | 3 143 |
| Total active cases (currently infected patients) | 10 955 |
| Total number of tests | 423 234 |
| Hospital admissions | 1 387 of which 295 are in ICU or high care |
Data note: It is not always possible to check and verify that the address data supplied for each new recorded case is correct, within the time frames required to provide regular and timely updates. This means that in some instances, cases could be allocated to the wrong sub-districts. We are working with the sub-districts to clean and verify the data and where errors are picked up locally, cases will be re-allocated to the correct areas.
More data is available here: https://coronavirus.westerncape.gov.za/covid-19-dashboard
The Western Cape has recorded an additional 38 deaths, bringing the total number of COVID-19 related deaths in the province to 3105. We send our condolences to their family and friends at this time.
Message to healthcare workers:
It has been almost five months since the first case of COVID-19 was detected in the Western Cape. Over this period of time, thousands of healthcare workers have gone to work on the frontline every day, in service of the people of this country. This service was often at great personal risk to themselves and we acknowledge and pay tribute to all of those who have lost their lives in this fight.
I would like to convey a special thank you to the doctors, nurses, porters, cleaners, technicians, administrative staff and all of those people who work in our healthcare system. For many patients, contracting COVID-19 is scary, and having the expertise, support and guidance of this province’s healthcare workers, has helped thousands of people recover.
Whether it’s the people doing the testing in our testing and triage centres, or the ICU nurses who see to the most vulnerable, we thank you for the hard work, the long hours, and the courage and commitment you have shown during this time.
Over the past few weeks, we have seen a flattening in some of our key indicators of infections: case positivity rates, healthcare worker infections, hospitalisations and deaths which indicate that we have reached a plateau in new infections- with indications of a decline in certain areas. We owe a debt of gratitude to the healthcare workers who have helped us reach this point.
We all need to take personal responsibility now to ensure that we are able to maintain this, to reduce the number of new infections and ensure that we can continue to save lives and to protect our frontline workers.
PPE procurement transparency:
We welcome the fact that members of the public have been engaging with the PPE procurement disclosure report, released by the Western Cape Government last week. The ultimate goal of releasing these details was to ensure full transparency and accountability in our procurement processes. We also note the call by national Finance Minister Tito Mboweni for provinces to make this information available following the publication of this report. This report is not a once-off, and we have committed to regularly publishing these details.
Anyone seeking to study the report can do so here: https://www.westerncape.gov.za/provincial-treasury/procurement-disclosure-report
Members of the public are also welcome to share suggestions on improvements, or raise concerns about the information presented in the report by emailing
For further information, to share suggestions on improvements, or to raise concerns with regards to the information presented in the report, you send an email to our supplier helpdesk at SupplyChainManagement.HDMFMA@westerncape.gov.za
3 August 2020 Arrest leaders of land invasions
JOINT STATEMENT BY TERTUIS SIMMERS
WESTERN CAPE MINISTER OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS, ALBERT FRITZ
WESTERN CAPE MINISTER OF COMMUNITY SAFETY &
ANTON BREDELL
WESTERN CAPE MINISTER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT & ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING
ARREST LEADERS OF LAND INVASIONS
3 August 2020
The South African Police Services (SAPS), with the assistance of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and all relevant Law Enforcement Agencies should immediately arrest all those who are leading the illegal land grabs that we’re currently seeing across the Western Cape.
Minister Simmers said: “It has become clear that those who are complicit and involved in these illegal events only have criminal intentions. This past weekend’s illegal invasion and subsequent damage caused at the Kraaifontein racing track is an example of this.
Between April and July this year, the City of Cape Town’s Law Enforcement had to respond to 260 incidents of illegal land invasions.
I’ve already engaged my cabinet colleagues, particularly the Ministers of Community Safety and Local Government, Albert Fritz and Anton Bredell, respectively, about what is currently plaguing the province, and more so the City of Cape Town.
We’ll have further discussions this week with the rest of the cabinet and the City of Cape Town, as it is critical that measures be found that will assist to swiftly address these issues.
In the meanwhile, SAPS must demonstrate to this province’s citizens that they will not allow these illegal acts to continue. They have a duty and more so now under the current regulations to uphold and enforce the laws of the country.
I trust our courts will take swift action against those charged. Our Courts are critical in this pipeline, as there’s an unfortunate perception that those involved in these illegal land grabs and destruction of property tends to only get a slap on the wrist, after appearing in Court.”
Minister Fritz said, “The Department of Community Safety will provide the necessary facilitation and coordination between SAPS in the Western Cape and the City of Cape Town’s law enforcement and Metro Police to address the spate of land invasions taking place in the province. The land invasions taking placing are highly coordinated and sophisticated in their execution, having already occupied large plots of land in areas such as Wallacedene, Bloekombos and Khayelitsha. In many cases the land being occupied is already designated for services aimed at developing the communities and therefore undermines the community in which it takes place.”
Minister Fritz continued, “I condemn the violent protest action surrounding many of the land invasions in the strongest terms. It is completely unacceptable that infrastructure such as roads and arterials are being damaged by tire burning and that the safety and wellbeing of residents is further being infringed on by the stone throwing, petrol bombs and other violent and dangerous behaviour. Tomorrow, I will be meeting with National Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Khehla Sitole on the spate of land invasion and violent protest action in the Western Cape.”
Minister Anton Bredell said: “Various municipal areas across the province, in particular the City of Cape Town, are currently under huge strain from repeated attempts to invade land earmarked for housing projects, community basic services, nature conservation land or play parks for communities. This is impacting ongoing projects, service delivery and existing community facilities to the detriment of the existing communities.
In the City of Cape Town alone, more than R1,3 billion of housing projects are currently under threat from land invasions. Law enforcement actions to prevent the illegal occupations have been met in some areas with extreme violence and destruction of property and the breaking down of community facilities.
Our communities deserve to be protected and these illegal actions cannot be tolerated. The rule of law needs to be respected and enforced and the South African Police Services must step up and apply the law to serve their communities.”
Simmers added: “I urge all communities to also take a stand against these lawless activities and assist the law enforcement agencies by reporting all those and particularly the leaders who are involved in these incidents.
As the Western Cape Government, we remain committed to accelerating human settlement delivery, while promoting social inclusion through the development of integrated, resilient, safe and sustainable human settlements in an open opportunity society.”
Media Enquiries:
Marcellino Martin
Spokesperson for Minister Tertuis Simmers
Marcellino.martin@westerncape.gov.za
021 483 3397 (o) / 082 721 3362 (m),
Nathan Adriaanse
Director Communication & Stakeholder Relations
Tell: 021 483 2868 / Mobile: 083 2631720
Email: Nathan.Adriaanse@westerncape.gov.za
Cayla Ann Tomás Murray
Spokesperson for Minister Albert Fritz
Tel: 021 483 9217 / Cell: 064 121 7959 / Email: Cayla.murray@westerncape.gov.za
3 August 2020 Message from Councillor Liza Stroebel
Topic: Gender Mainstreaming
1 August 2020 Update on the coronavirus by Premier Alan Winde
As of 1pm on 1 August, the Western Cape has 10 377 active cases of COVID-19, with a total of 94 197 confirmed cases and 80 750 recoveries.
| Total confirmed COVID-19 cases | 94 197 |
| Total recoveries | 80 750 |
| Total deaths | 3 070 |
| Total active cases (currently infected patients) | 10 377 |
| Tests conducted | 418 585 |
| Hospitalisations | 1 311 with 279 in ICU or high care |
01 August 2020: Message from Alderlady Rosina Ruiters, Deputy Executive Mayor
Women in construction and in a male-dominated profession
31 July 2020 Media Release: Update on the coronavirus by Premier Alan Winde
31 July 2020
As of 1 pm on 31 July, the Western Cape has 10 532 active cases of COVID-19, with a total of 93 413 confirmed cases and 79 841 recoveries.
| Total confirmed COVID-19 cases | 93 413 |
| Total recoveries | 79841 |
| Total deaths | 3040 |
| Total active cases (currently infected patients) | 10532 |
| Tests conducted | 414 304 |
| Hospitalisations | 1433 with 281 in ICU or high care |
Cape Metro Sub-districts:
| Sub-district | Cases | Recoveries | |
| Western | 7832 | 6826 | |
| Southern | 8107 | 7047 | |
| Northern | 5357 | 4836 | |
| Tygerberg | 11451 | 10101 | |
| Eastern | 8375 | 7417 | |
| Klipfontein | 8174 | 7189 | |
| Mitchells Plain | 7318 | 6369 | |
| Khayelitsha | 7709 | 7026 | |
| Total | 64323 | 56811 |
Sub-districts:
| District | Sub-district | Cases | Recoveries |
| Garden Route | Bitou | 385 | 280 |
| Garden Route | Knysna | 964 | 647 |
| Garden Route | George | 2430 | 1785 |
| Garden Route | Hessequa | 140 | 87 |
| Garden Route | Kannaland | 49 | 43 |
| Garden Route | Mossel Bay | 1293 | 852 |
| Garden Route | Oudsthoorn | 475 | 281 |
| Cape Winelands | Stellenbosch | 1748 | 1538 |
| Cape Winelands | Drakenstein | 3779 | 3358 |
| Cape Winelands | Breede Valley | 2727 | 2370 |
| Cape Winelands | Langeberg | 959 | 814 |
| Cape Winelands | Witzenberg | 1261 | 998 |
| Overberg | Overstrand | 1338 | 1178 |
| Overberg | Cape Agulhas | 191 | 144 |
| Overberg | Swellendam | 238 | 203 |
| Overberg | Theewaterskloof | 945 | 794 |
| West Coast | Bergrivier | 346 | 268 |
| West Coast | Cederberg | 110 | 75 |
| West Coast | Matzikama | 223 | 151 |
| West Coast | Saldanha Bay Municipality | 1135 | 963 |
| West Coast | Swartland | 1116 | 929 |
| Central Karoo | Beaufort West | 242 | 116 |
| Central Karoo | Laingsburg | 25 | 18 |
| Central Karoo | Prince Albert | 2 | 1 |
Unallocated: 6969 (5137 recovered)
Data note: It is not always possible to check and verify that the address data supplied for each new recorded case is correct, within the time frames required to provide regular and timely updates. This means that in some instances, cases could be allocated to the wrong sub-districts. We are working with the sub-districts to clean and verify the data and where errors are picked up locally, cases will be re-allocated to the correct areas.
More data is available here: https://coronavirus.westerncape.gov.za/covid-19-dashboard
The Western Cape has recorded an additional 31 deaths, bringing the total number of COVID-19 related deaths in the province to 3040. We send our condolences to their family and friends at this time.
Safety in the “new normal”:
The Western Cape has started to see a stabilisation in the number of COVID-19 infections, hosptalisations and deaths in certain parts of the province. I would like to thank all of our residents who have played their part in making this happen by staying at home as much as possible, wearing their masks and practicing social distancing when they go out, and keeping up with hygiene protocols like hand washing, keeping surfaces clean and coughing and sneezing into an arm or an elbow. These are small things that we can all do, which have a collective impact. We must continue these behaviours, especially now that the numbers have started to stabilise in order to ensure that we don’t see second waves of infections forming.
COVID-19 will be around for many more months to come, and adapting how we live now, will not only help us avoid becoming sick or infecting our loved ones, but will also allow more businesses to start to operate fully again, and save thousands of jobs which currently hang in the balance.
We expect that the new tourism regulations will be gazetted in the next few days, which will allow intra-provincial tourism accommodation establishments to begin operating. The tourism sector is one of the biggest job creators in the Western Cape, especially in our small towns and rural areas and we are pleased that these establishments will be able to allowed to open for business.
We still intend to engage with the national government on ways that we can support other businesses in the province that are being negatively impacted by the alert level 3 regulations.
We must put all of our energy into averting the second pandemic of unemployment. I therefore call on all of these businesses to be responsible when you re-open and ensure that you are following all of the rules and guidelines set out for safe operations. We do not want businesses to become sites of infection, putting their staff and clients at risk, and which will ultimately only further negatively impact the sector.
For those residents who will be booking trips and stays once business has re-opened, we thank you for supporting this sector at this time but urge you to travel responsibly, and to continue taking the same precautions you would at home, while on your holidays and weekends away.