Skip to content Skip to left sidebar Skip to footer

Author: Marlene Nqumse

Media Statement: CIPC Certification process for essential service businesses during extended lockdown

MEDIA STATEMENT

16 April 2020

Companies, which are registered through the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission’s (CIPC) BizPortal to perform essential services during the lockdown period, will be required to have a new certificate from the BizPortal website for the extended period, which begins tomorrow 17 April 2020.

The certificate will be sent via email using the details provided at the time of registration, and will also be available for download from today. Companies will receive the certificates from today and the full list of registered companies will have received their certificates by the weekend.

The new certificate will clearly state that it is for the extended lockdown period, beginning 17 April 2020, and South African Police Service officials will be told which certificates to look for.

Certificates issued before today will no longer be valid and must be disposed of. To provide time for businesses to adjust to the new requirements, the new certificates will be available to be displayed from start of business on Monday, 20 April 2020.

The department reminds the public that possession of the CIPC certificate is still subject to the company fully complying with the applicable Lockdown Regulations and is a record of the company’s details, and does not in itself constitute the right to continue operating during the period.

Only businesses which provide essential services in terms of the Lockdown Regulations, as amended, issued by the Minister for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs may continue their operations during the COVID-19 lockdown.

The CIPC certificate is a reference to the legal registration of the company in terms of the Companies Act, 2008 (Act No. 71 of 2008) and a record of registration to the CIPC. It does not give a firm or individual a right to trade if that company does not fall into an Essential Service as defined in the Lockdown Regulations.

The Department clarifies that the registration portal is only for companies registered in terms of the Companies Act. Other essential service providers, like healthcare professionals registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa, sole proprietors who provide essential goods and services (like small business owners and spaza shops), and small-scale farmers will not register through the Bizportal. These businesses will not have a CIPC certificate, but must still comply with the provisions of the lockdown regulations.

Where the CIPC finds that certificates have been issued to companies which do not meet the definitions of an essential service, such certificate will be revoked, and the company will be referred to the South African Police Services. False declaration by the company is a criminal offence and will result in prosecution, in terms of Lockdown Regulations.

The regulations for the extended lockdown have also clarified that the transportation of liquor is prohibited, except where alcohol is required for industries producing hand sanitizers, disinfectants, soap, alcohol for industrial use and household cleaning products.

To confirm if your business complies, please consult the necessary regulation at https://www.gov.za/documents/disaster-management-act-regulations-address-prevent-and-combat-spread-coronavirus-covid-19.

Enquiries:
Sidwell Medupe-Departmental Spokesperson
Tel: (012) 394 1650
Mobile: 079 492 1774
E-mail: MSMedupe@thedti.gov.za
Issued by: The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition
Follow us on Twitter: @the_dti

Media Release: Update on the coronavirus by Premier Alan Winde

16 April 2020

Today would have marked the final day of the original lockdown period and I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to those residents who have taken it seriously, who have abided by the rules and have helped us to stop the spread.

We understand that this is hard- we have never faced a situation of this nature in this country before. But every single person who has complied has played a very important role in ensuring that we are able to reduce the number of infections, protect vulnerable groups and ultimately, to save lives.

The next two weeks of lockdown are an opportunity for us to do even more to stop the spread. The more we do now, the more time we have to prepare ourselves and all of our systems, and the more lives we will be able to save.

Situational update:

As of 00h01 on 16 April, the Western Cape has recorded 702 confirmed cases of COVID-19 infection.

Total confirmed COVID-19 cases 702
Total recoveries 205
Total confirmed deaths 7
Total active cases (currently infected patients) 490
Patients in hospital 35 of which 16 are in ICU
Unallocated 4

Sub Districts Cape Town Metro:

Sub-district Cases
Western 209
Southern 150
Northern 34
Tygerberg 66
Eastern 48
Klipfontein 39
Mitchells Plain 20
Khayelitsha 25
Total 591

Sub Districts Non-Metro:

District  Sub-district Cases
Garden Route Bitou 5
Garden Route Knysna 13
Garden Route George 13
Garden Route Hessequa 5
Garden Route Mossel Bay 17
Garden Route Oudtshoorn 2
Cape Winelands Stellenbosch 14
Cape Winelands Drakenstein 7
Cape Winelands Breede Valley 9
Cape Winelands Langeberg 1
Cape Winelands Witzenberg 3
Overberg Overstrand 10
Overberg Theewaterskloof 1
West Coast Saldanha Bay Municipality 4
West Coast Matzikama 1
West Coast Swartland 2

* Due to updates to address data, two cases from Stellenbosch have been re-assigned to a different sub-district.

Health systems response:

As the national government’s modeling has indicated, the lockdown has delayed the curve of the Coronavirus pandemic, buying us time to prepare our healthcare systems to properly cater to the need that will arise at this time.

Yesterday, the we opened the temporary testing and triage unit at Mitchells Plain hospital. This is one of 17 such planned units, which help to alleviate the pressure on our emergency centres and allow us to screen, test and assist patients separately from the hospital’s other services.

This is just one aspect of our planning. We have also identified various sites to be used as temporary hospital facilities.

These plans include three additional temporary acute treatment facilities where patients will be admitted and receive supportive treatment. We are planning two such facilities in the metro region, and a third in one of our non-metro areas. Each site will provide us with an additional 300-650 beds.

We are in the advanced stages of planning and negotiation on some of these sites and will make announcements in this regard shortly.

As community screening and testing continues to reach more people, the need for isolation and quarantine facilities will increase. This enables us to place people, who may not be able to isolate or quarantine in their homes, into safe facilities. We already have a number of sites available to us which have been in use up until now.

The Western Cape Government does not reveal the location of these sites in order to protect patient privacy.

Volunteers:

The Western Cape launched its recruitment drive for volunteers with medical experience, on 3 April. Since then, we have received 854 responses to the call, which we are currently reviewing. We thank all of these people for offering to step up to the frontline to assist the thousands of Western Cape Government healthcare workers who have already been activated, or who stand ready to respond to increased admissions as a result of COVID-19.

Those still wishing to volunteer can fill out the form available at: https://www.westerncape.gov.za/department-of-health/volunteer-recruitment-questionnaire

Community screening and testing update:

Since community screening started on 4 April, we have screened 28 718 people and tested 2102 people.

In total, the province has conducted 12 785 tests for COVID-19.

We have had an overwhelmingly positive response to community testing, which was drastically scaled up this week. Testing has been targeted at areas where community transmissions have occurred and in high density areas where the risk of further infection, or infection of vulnerable groups, is higher.

The screening is designed to be agile and to react quickly to new pockets of infection.

This has been especially important as over the past week we have registered a number of cases linked to supermarkets. Supermarkets are one of the few spaces during a lockdown where members of the public interface, and it is therefore crucial that those who shop take excellent hygiene and social distancing precautions, including hand sanitizing, coughing or sneezing into a tissue or the crook of the elbow and ensuring that there is physical distancing of at least 1.5 metres. We also encourage the use of clean, cloth masks.

We have worked with these supermarkets to screen, test and isolate cases and to ensure close contacts quarantine themselves.

Stores have also been closed to allow for deep cleaning so as to ensure they are safe for customers.

We have also as a result, pro-actively developed protocols to be used in the retail sector, and will be meeting with supermarket representatives soon in order to discuss these.

The public is urged to only leave the home when absolutely necessary. Where possible, shopping should only be done by one family member, and by the healthiest person in the home.

Those who feel ill must stay at home. Anyone experiencing symptoms can call the national or provincial hotline numbers in order to be advised of the best course of action.

Repatriation efforts:

Our provincial JOC, together with the South African Police Services have been hard at work planning and executing several repatriation operations.

In total 5276 people have been repatriated to Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, France, the USA, Belgium, Canada, Brazil and Switzerland.

Some of these operations have been logistically complex-with several flights taking off on the same day. We thank all of those involved in helping to ensure that these operations have been done with the highest regard for the safety of all of those involved.

The extension of the lockdown period has seen increased demand among foreign visitors wanting to return home. We will continue to work closely with the various embassies and consulates in order to accommodate their requests. Those wishing to return home must liaise with their various embassies or consulates in order to arrange this.

Media Release: Update by Premier Alan Winde on the coronavirus

15 April 2020

As of 00h01 on 15 April, the Western Cape has recorded 676 confirmed cases of COVID-19 infection.

Total confirmed COVID-19 cases 676
Total recoveries 192
Total deaths 7
Total active cases (total cases-recoveries-deaths) 477

Sub Districts Cape Town Metro:

Sub-district Cases
Western 206
Southern 150
Northern 34
Tygerberg 62
Eastern 43
Klipfontein 37
Mitchells Plain 18
Khayelitsha 21
Total 571

Sub Districts Non-Metro:

District  Sub-district Cases
Garden Route Bitou 5
Garden Route Knysna 13
Garden Route George 13
Garden Route Hessequa 5
Garden Route Mossel Bay 17
Garden Route Oudtshoorn 2
Cape Winelands Stellenbosch 16
Cape Winelands Drakenstein 6
Cape Winelands Breede Valley 7
Cape Winelands Langeberg 1
Cape Winelands Witzenberg 1
Overberg Overstrand 10
Overberg Theewaterskloof 1
West Coast Saldanha Bay Municipality 3
West Coast Swartland 2

Unallocated: 3

There are currently 37 Covid-19 positive people being treated in hospitals in the province, with 18 of these in intensive care.

Premier Alan Winde on a visit to the newly opened testing and triage centre at the Mitchells Plain Hospital.

Mitchells Plain testing and triage centre:

Today, we opened the new testing and triage centre at the Mitchells Plain hospital. This is one of 17 such facilities planned for the province. These centres help to take the pressure off of emergency centres and allow a dedicated space for patients who are symptomatic, or believe they require testing, to be triaged, screened and tested.

Similar facilities are already operational at Tygerberg and Paarl hospitals. Testing and triage centres are also planned for Khayelitsha and the Garden Route.

The facilities have been designed with social distancing in mind and have been set up so that symptomatic and asymptomatic patients are seated in separate areas.

They can also be easily converted, should the need arise, to create additional bed space.

This is just one aspect of our medical response to the coronavirus-aimed at ensuring our facilities are geared to provide the appropriate care and to stop the spread. We are currently exploring the use of sites across the province where temporary care, quarantine or isolation facilities can be created, should the need arise.

Community testing update:

A total of 17 275 people were screened in the province in the first week of testing (4-10 April). Of these, a total of 1220 people have been tested as part of this initiative. We thank those communities where people have come out in their numbers to be screened and tested. This helps us to identify possible pockets of infection, and move swiftly to start contact tracing, isolating and quarantining.

Screening will be conducted in the following places tomorrow:

Metro:

Northern Tygerberg Subdistrict: Kraaifontein (Ward 6), Belhar

Southern Western Subdistrict: Imizamo Yethu, Du Noon

Klipfontein Mitchells Plain Subdistrict: Gugulethu, Nyanga, Silvertown, Heinz Park, Manenberg

Khayelitsha Eastern Subdistrict: Mfuleni, Macassar, Site C (Khayelitsha)

Non-metro:

Cape Winelands: Mbekweni, Drommedaris

Garden Route: Asla Park, Notina Street Block, Zoar, Amalienstein, Vanwyksdorp, Calitzdorp, Ladismith.

Third Thursday reminder:

Due to the phenomenal public response to our First Thursday radio show, I will be hosting a Third Thursday show Question and Answer show between 6pm and 7pm tomorrow. This will be an hour long show which will be facilitated at Bush Radio and simulcast across several stations across the province. Listeners will be able to call in on 021 448 6266, WhatsApp on 061 862 1065 or SMS keyword Covid-19 to 32158 followed by their question, name and area. Each SMS costs R1.00

Media Release: Update by Premier Alan Winde on the coronavirus

14 April 2020

As of 00h01 on 14 April, the Western Cape has recorded 657 confirmed cases of COVID-19 infection.

Sub Districts Cape Town Metro:

Sub-district Cases
Western 202
Southern 141
Northern 32
Tygerberg 61
Eastern 42
Klipfontein 35
Mitchells Plain 16
Khayelitsha 19
Total 548


Sub Districts Non-Metro:

District  Sub-district Cases
Garden Route Bitou 5
Garden Route Knysna 13
Garden Route George 13
Garden Route Hessequa 5
Garden Route Mossel Bay 17
Garden Route Oudtshoorn 2
Cape Winelands Stellenbosch 16
Cape Winelands Drakenstein 6
Cape Winelands Breede Valley 6
Cape Winelands Langeberg 1
Cape Winelands Witzenberg 1
Overberg Overstrand 9
Overberg Theewaterskloof 1
West Coast Saldanha Bay Municipality 3
West Coast Swartland 2

Unallocated: 9

A total of 184 recoveries have been recorded (in line with NICD guidelines on recoveries) in the province.

  • A note on today’s statistics: A case allocated to Bitou yesterday has been re-assigned to Witzenberg after address details were updated. We apologise for the inconvenience. The laboratories sometimes use patient addresses already on file at the time of testing, which are then corrected during the follow-up and contact tracing processes.

There are currently 35 Covid-19 positive people being treated in hospitals in the province, with 18 of these in intensive care.

Premier Alan Winde has his temperature read before entering the premises at the KWay factory in Ottery.

Cloth masks:

Today I had the opportunity to visit two clothing manufacturers who have repurposed their factories in order to make cloth masks. The KWay factory in Ottery and the Reliance Clothing factory in Observatory have both recently repurposed their production lines in order to make cloth masks. The Western Cape Government has advised residents to wear cloth masks when going out into public places like grocery shops, pharmacies and to medical facilities.

Worn correctly, clean cloth masks, in conjunction with hand washing, social distancing and other hygiene measures, are a tool to help stop the spread.

At the same time, these companies have been able to bring back some of their production staff to perform this essential service, and provide work to home-based CMTs, who would otherwise have no other source of income during this period.

While visiting the workspaces, I was pleased to see various measures in place to ensure the safety of their staff, including reduced numbers of people to ensure social distancing, and strict hygiene measures. All staff were also wearing their own cloth masks.

As we prepare to transition out of the lockdown phase in a few weeks, we must prepare individuals, workplaces and businesses for the “new normal”. This will mean taking extra precautions to prevent further infections while we ramp up economic activity again.

We encourage those who can do so, to make their own masks, and also to make for or donate to less fortunate communities.

Community screening and testing:

Community testing and screening will be conducted in the following areas tomorrow:

Metro:

Northern Tygerberg Subdistrict: Kraaifontein (Ward 6), Delft, Belhar

Southern Western Subdistrict: Imizamo Yethu, Du Noon, Lotus River, Grassy Park

Klipfontein Mitchells Plain Subdistrict: Gugulethu, Nyanga, Silvertown, Hanover Park, Manenberg

Khayelitsha Eastern Subdistrict: Mfuleni, Macassar, Site C (Khayelitsha)

Non-metro:

Cape Winelands: Mbekweni, White City

Garden Route: Asla Park, Fikile Street Block, Zoar, Amalienstein, Vanwyksdorp, Calitzdorp, Ladismith

West Coast: Vredendal Noord, Mangaung, Piketberg, Old Asla Houses, Riverview South Citrusdal, Clanwilliam (Khayelitsha), Malmesbury (Ilingilethu), Saldanha Town (Marikanna, Middel pos)

Screening sites may be changed at short notice.

Lockdown humanitarian aid:

The Coronavirus has resulted in widespread economic hardship for many South Africans and we are extremely worried that many vulnerable communities no longer have the means to put food on the table.

In order to respond to this major challenge, during the lockdown, the Western Cape Government has assigned R53 million in additional funding which will be used for emergency school feeding, to bolster the Department of Social Development’s feeding programmes and for the once-off creation and distribution of 50 000 food parcels.

Earlier today, community unrest broke out in Mitchells Plain around the distribution of food parcels. We also saw looting in certain areas. This demonstrates the serious humanitarian challenge facing communities across our country, and the need for increased support from SASSA and national government in addition to our emergency measures. We urge all residents to abide by the law and looting cannot be tolerated.

We are pleased that SASSA has started distributing food relief. As the lead agency charged with social support to the poor in terms of the Social Assistance Act, they have an important role to play in helping communities through this tremendously difficult time. We hope that they continue to do more to help vulnerable communities – in line with their mandate, and we urge the national minister to reconsider her directive closing all of SASSA’s local offices during the lockdown period. We also look forward to working with National Government on their humanitarian relief programmes, and we hope to see these details soon.

With respect to the Western Cape Government’s emergency additional funding which was approved as a result of the lockdown: each individual request will be assessed by departmental officials based on the criteria set out below.

DSD social workers complete the screening and assessments of all beneficiaries, to ensure that those individuals who are the most vulnerable, benefit from the limited food parcels that are available.

The food parcels will support an average household for one month and will be based on the following qualifying criteria:

  • Households affected by COVID-19 infections in the following instances:

–   A member/s of the family who tested positive for the virus and are in quarantine in their homes.

–   A household where a member of the family who tested positive for the virus and who have insufficient means to sustain themselves during the lockdown period.

  • A person who is on medication or who suffers from a chronic illness and have insufficient means to sustain themselves, and was assessed and referred by a local clinic or registered health practitioner.
  • A person and their household who have insufficient means to sustain themselves during the lockdown period who was referred by a registered humanitarian relief agency, registered NPO or a municipal manager, and assessed by DSD. In this instance, persons not yet in receipt of SASSA grants, including the elderly, child headed houses, grant awaiting beneficiaries will be prioritised.

The current situation we find ourselves in is unprecedented and as the lockdown is set to continue until the end of the month, affecting the ability to earn a living across our province, we are likely to see more people needing assistance. This is something that is going to take effort from all levels of government and of society to solve. Now is the time for kindness, empathy and generosity. We know that this is a difficult time for many, but we call on those individuals, businesses and NGOs who are able to assist, to do so. To find out more about how to assist, visit the How You Can Help page at www.westerncape.gov.za/coronavirus. We thank all of those organisations and people who have stepped up to help their fellow citizens.

14 April 2020 Media Release: Statement by the Garden Route District Executive Mayor – Cllr Memory Booysen

Media Release: Statement by the Garden Route District Executive Mayor – Cllr Memory Booysen

For Immediate Release
14 April 2020

As the Executive Mayor of the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM), I want to assure residents of the Garden Route district that even though the world has temporarily turned upside down because of the current COVID-19 pandemic, we are hard at work to ensure that our economy thrives again.

As a district, we know that the nation-wide lockdown of 35 days has hit several industries and businesses very hard; hence we want to reassure businesses in our District that we are working closely with other key collaborative partners, to provide clarity and credible information to them.

These collaborative partners include:

  • The Western Cape Departments of Economic Development and Tourism
  • Department of Agriculture
  • WESGRO
  • Department of Unemployment and Labour
  • local municipalities
  • South Cape Economic Partnership (SCEP)
  • Business Chambers and -forums
  • Afrikaanse Handels Instituut Wes-kaap (AHI WC)
  • Small Business Forum
  • SEDA
  • business partners

We have established a Garden Route COVID-19 Economy Cluster which aims to assist businesses to navigate through opportunities for business assistance, funding, payment relief, etc.  Three (3) workstreams feed into this cluster namely, Business Continuity, Municipal Local Economic Development and Tourism.

To ensure that we fully understand what issues businesses face during these trying times, we and many others (SEDA, Business Partners, Sake Liga and the George Business Chamber) have initiated surveys to gain a clear picture of how COVID-19 has impacted them. All the data will be used to gain insights that will assist planning for the immediate, and medium to long term takes place, which include:

  • Business Continuity – through this period for the next year while the effects of the virus still have an influence (more so for the Tourism and Hospitality industry);
  • Business Revival / Rebuild – how to look internally at new business ideas to rebuild the local economies as we knew it; and
  • Business Innovation – what is the new normal and what can be done to implement totally new ideas that weren’t there before.

These are only a few of the aspects of our crisis response.

Last week, the Western Cape Government have launched an online tool which businesses can use to find and access appropriate government assistance. This tool can be accessed at https://www.supportbusiness.co.za/covid-19-support-finder/. Businesses can now access the Fund Finder facility through this website, to assess and determine exactly which financial or other assistance their businesses qualify for, be it government or private sector assistance.

We are hopeful that these efforts, structures and processes will help ensure the continuity and resilience of business operations during these turbulent economic times and post the national lockdown period, and in  doing so, minimize the number of job losses resulting from this pandemic.

We want to encourage residents in the district to stay calm, adhere to the lockdown regulations, practice personal hygiene and maintain social distance.  Together we can stop the spread.

Media Release: App launched to support entrepreneurs in the Western Cape

Media Release: App launched to support entrepreneurs in the Western Cape

For Immediate Release
14 April 2020

On Tuesday, 6 April 2020 a new mobile application (app) called JUMP for Entrepreneurs Smartphone app was launched by the Western Cape Government, which guarantees trusted information, access to business networks, tools and advice to business owners in the Western Cape.

The app was develop by the Western Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism and is designed to be an innovative one-stop-shop of support for existing and potential businesses, with all the resources needed to start, scale and grow a business.  The app will be updated with the latest information on the coronavirus relevant to businesses.

According to the Western Cape Government the app will also offer advice on industry sector experts on regulations, and guidelines to support businesses and their staff at this time, but will also be an invaluable resource into the future.

The Jump for entrepreneurs app is available and free to download on the App Store and Google Play and ‘’offer entrepreneurs a range of fantastic features including a map-driven database of more than 4 000 small businesses and service providers spread across the Western Cape’’.  In other word, an entrepreneur will be able to list his/her business, find other businesses to network with, and support in their area.

Other features available in the app include:

How To – for guidance on starting and running your business

Biz Assist – to find local organisations and businesses to network with

JumpCast – for inspiring talks from experts and other entrepreneurs

JumpStart – a business health check that highlights new opportunities and ideas.

For new information on the JUMP app for entrepreneurs visit www.bizjump.co.za.

Media Release: Update on the coronavirus-community screening to resume tomorrow

13 April 2020

As of 00h01 on 13 April, the Western Cape has recorded 628 confirmed cases of COVID-19 infection.

Sub Districts Cape Town Metro:
Western 192
Southern 139
Northern 30
Tygerberg 49
Eastern 39
Klipfontein 34
Mitchells Plain 15
Khayelitsha 14
Total 512

Sub Districts Non-Metro:
Garden Route Bitou 6
Garden Route Knysna 13
Garden Route George 13
Garden Route Hessequa 5
Garden Route Mossel Bay 17
Garden Route Oudtshoorn 2
Cape Winelands Stellenbosch 16
Cape Winelands Drakenstein 6
Cape Winelands Breede Valley 6
Cape Winelands Langeberg 1
Overberg Overstrand  9
Overberg Theewaterskloof 1
West Coast Saldanha Bay Municipality 3
West Coast Swartland 2

Unallocated: 16

*A note on today’s data: Due to updates in address data, two cases which appeared in yesterday’s update for Mossel Bay have been re-allocated to the metro region. Mossel Bay therefore currently stands at 17 cases.

There are currently 29 Covid-19 positive people being treated in hospitals in the province, with 15 of these in intensive care.

Community screening and testing:
Community screening and testing will resume in areas across the province tomorrow. We encourage those in communities where testing is occurring to make use of the opportunity. Screening and testing help us to identify pockets of infection, and allow our contact tracing teams to get to work quickly and work to stop the spread.

Tomorrow’s testing will be conducted in the following areas:
Cape Winelands: Mbekweni, Oliver Tambo
Garden Route: Asla Park, Mzathi Street Blocks
Metro: Bloekombos, Kraaifontein (ward 6), Delft, Bo-Kaap, Imizamo Yethu, Lotus River, Grassy Park, Gugulethu, Nyanga and Kleinvlei.

Screening sites may change at short notice in order to respond to needs as they arise.

Screening and testing is especially important in communities which are densely populated and in those with high numbers of vulnerable populations, such as the elderly, or people with underlying medical conditions.

As a province, we have seen an uptick in the number of community transmissions, especially in the metro area. We therefore call on all of our residents to take precautions to keep themselves and their families safe. Residents are reminded that they should only leave their homes to purchase food, collect a social grant, go to the pharmacy, seek medical attention, or if they are employed to do an essential service.

When leaving home for these activities, it is vital that people practice social distancing, including leaving sufficient space in queues, and in other places like taxi ranks and bus stops. Make sure you wash your hands frequently, avoid touching your face, and if you are able to, wear a clean, cloth mask. Cloth masks must always be used in conjunction with other hygiene methods and must be carefully put on and taken off, using only the ties or strings. They should be washed and ironed after every use.

We also call on those businesses which are open at this time, to take hygiene seriously in order to protect their staff and their customers.

Third Thursday:
Due to the phenomenal public response to our First Thursday radio show, we will be hosting a Third Thursday show Question and Answer show between 6 and 7 pm this week. This will be an hour long show which will be facilitated at Bush Radio and simulcast across several stations across the province. Listeners will be able to call in on 021 448 6266, WhatsApp on 061 862 1065 or SMS keyword Covid-19 to 32158 followed by their question, name and area. Each SMS costs R1.00

Media release: Adhere to rental regulations during lockdown period


8 April 2020

Due to the national lockdown as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, there is much confusion in the rental property market and a tenant’s obligation to pay rent.

The Western Cape Rental Housing tribunal would like to take this opportunity to remind landlords and tenants of the following:

In terms of section 26 of the Constitution: “No one may be evicted from their home or have their home demolished without an order of court made after considering all the relevant circumstances. No legislation may permit arbitrary evictions.”

A tenant may not be evicted without a court order even if the tenant is in breach of the rental agreement e.g. non-payment of rent.

National Government has issued a moratorium on all evictions for the lockdown period.
Minister Simmers said: “I call on owners and tenants where there might be disputes to duly attempt to find each other during this challenging period. It is also critical that no attempt be made, by either party, to manipulate the current situation and rather act in good faith.

All of our efforts should at this stage go into adhering to all the lockdown prescripts, whether this relates to rental regulations, remaining at home, keeping our social distance or maintaining good and effective hygiene practices.”
The tribunal would like to make it clear to all citizens that National Government has not issued any regulations granting tenants a rental payment holiday for the lockdown period.

During this lockdown period, it stands to reason that some tenants might experience some difficult in meeting their monthly obligations in terms of rent.
Should a tenant be unable to pay rent due to loss of income as a direct result of the coronavirus pandemic, the parties are advised to discuss the matter and attempt to come to an amicable solution.

A landlord should be considerate and understanding. Tenants must also bear in mind that landlords also have financial obligations. If parties are able to reach an agreement, the agreement should be put in writing. Each situation will have its own unique circumstances and therefore solutions to each situation should be considered accordingly.

For more information on the above, the Tribunal is available to offer advice to citizens via email (see attached) or on the following email address Nkosana.Vaveki@westerncape.gov.za
Media Enquiries:
Marcellino Martin
Spokesperson for Minister Tertuis Simmers
Tel: 021 483 3397
Mobile: 082 721 3362
Email: Marcellino.martin@westerncape.gov.za
or
Nathan Adriaanse
Director Communication & Stakeholder Relations
Tell: 021 483 2868
Mobile: 083 2631720
Email: Nathan.Adriaanse@westerncape.gov.za

Media Release: Update by Premier Alan Winde on the coronavirus-food relief rolling out to hundreds of thousands across the province

9 April 2020

As of 00h01 on 8 April, we have a total of 522 confirmed cases of COVID-19 infection in the province.

We also currently have 32 people in hospital, with 10 being cared for in ICU.

We have recorded 162 recoveries from COVID-19. Recovery refers to a person who has completed 14 days of isolation from the date of first symptoms, and who is now symptom free. This is the standard practice recommended by the NICD.

Sub Districts Cape Town Metro:

Sub-district Cases
Western 168
Southern 130
Northern 26
Tygerberg 36
Eastern 23
Klipfontein 24
Mitchells Plain 8
Khayelitsha 6
Total 421

Sub Districts Non-Metro:

District  Sub-district Cases
Garden Route Bitou 5
Garden Route Knysna 13
Garden Route George 14
Garden Route Hessequa 5
Garden Route Mossel Bay 16
Garden Route Oudtshoorn 2
Cape Winelands Stellenbosch 16
Cape Winelands Drakenstein 6
Cape Winelands Breede Valley 6
Cape Winelands Langeberg 1
Overberg Overstrand 9
Overberg Theewaterskloof 1
West Coast Saldanha Bay Municipality 3
West Coast Swartland 2

Unallocated: 2

Community screening update: 

This week, we started the roll out of community screening and testing, which will help us to identify areas of community transmission and to put in place measures to prevent further infections. These screenings and tests are an important tool in the fight against COVID-19.

Since screening started on Saturday, we have screened approximately 8215 people and referred 449 for testing.

From Tuesday, screening will be significantly stepped up in line with the laboratories’ ability to process tests.

Health Minister Nomafrench Mbombo said: “We committed to intensifying screening and testing to proactively reach communities where positive patients and contacts are located. Testing sites were set up in the province to scale up efforts to find new COVID-19 infections in people who did not present to our health facilities. This has been a huge success and we are planning to expand this to include more areas in rural and urban areas. Once again, I would like to reiterate that people should stay at home to stop the spread of coronavirus. Together we can stop the spread.”

The Department of Health’s technical team has been busy identifying appropriate sites, determining the logistics associated with referring patients to these sites and training people working at these sites.

The health workstream and the transport and logistics workstream are also at an advanced stage of work being done to identify sites across the province that can be used as temporary hospital facilities should the need for these arise.

In the last week, the call for medical volunteers has also gone live as part of our preparedness planning.

Humanitarian assistance:

COVID-19 has generated economic shocks, both in South Africa as well as the rest of the world.  The lockdown has already had a significant impact, hitting many households hard.

We anticipate that the lockdown will have a significant impact on poor people and those already reliant on government for nutrition support.

The Western Cape Provincial Treasury approved R53 million in funding in order to provide food and nutritional support across the province.

This is to be spent as follows:

  • –R20 million to distribute 50 000 food parcels. The food parcels will feed a family of four for approximately one month, thereby reaching an additional 200 000 people who meet the criteria. These include households affected by COVID-19 infections in the following instances:
  • A member/s of the family who tested positive for the virus and are in isolation in their homes.
  • A household where a member of the family who tested positive for the virus and who have insufficient means to sustain themselves during the lockdown period.
  • A person who is on medication or who suffers from a chronic illness and has insufficient means to sustain themselves, and has been assessed and referred by a local clinic or registered health practitioner.
  • A person and their household who have insufficient means to sustain themselves during the lockdown period who was referred by a registered humanitarian relief agency, registered NPO or a local municipality, and assessed by DSD. In this instance, persons not yet in receipt of SASSA grants, including the elderly, child headed houses, grant awaiting beneficiaries will be prioritised.

The provincial call centre number (0860 142 142 or 0800 220 250) or a please call me line (079 769 1207) have been publicized for people to call in and request assistance for themselves or for others in need of help. The calls are routed to a team which has been set up at DSD to take down all of their details, including addresses. This information is added to a central database and is routed based on the address to the nearest DSD local offices for telephonic assessment by one of our social workers, and screening of the person’s ID against SASSA’s database to check whether the person is an existing grant or food recipient from SASSA. Once a prospective beneficiary is confirmed as meeting the criteria, their details are sent to the NGO covering the area and the NGO delivers the parcel to the home.

We are working with four established NGOs, with extensive logistical networks. They are: The Red Cross, Mustadifin, Islamic Relief and SANZAF. They are able to buy food at low rates, package and deliver the food. They will need to provide evidence of delivery and later in the year, after finalizing the project, must submit audited financial statements to ensure that the funds have been correctly spent.

Funds were transferred on Monday and we expect to see the first rollout of food parcels to take place this weekend.

–R 5million for the Department of Social Development to deliver an additional 10 000 cooked meals every day for one month at its various soup kitchens and feeding sites. These sites currently deliver about 10 000 meals daily, and by next week, will be providing 20 000 meals.

–R18 million to the Department of Education to initiate a special school feeding program from 8 April until 20 April. School feeding got underway in the province yesterday, and initial reports indicate that nearly 100 000 learners, who would not otherwise have had a meal, were fed at 380 sites, despite not all the schools having received all their supplies. We expect this number to climb considerably next week, as 485 000 children receive meals at over 1000 schools during normal term time. The feeding is conducted under strict guidelines which include hygiene and social distancing protocols to keep our learners safe. SAPS has also partnered with us to ensure that areas where feeding is occurring are patrolled.

R10 million will be used to scale up the number of beneficiaries at existing DSD feeding schemes to 6520 people.

Donations:

We are partnering with the Red Cross to distribute essential goods to those in need during the lockdown. Red Cross has placed donation trolleys at many local grocery stores and we request that those who want to make a donation, place these in the trolleys while out shopping for their essential goods. The Red Cross will collect and deliver these to their network of NGOs.

Non-perishable food items like bread and cake flour, long-life milk, maize meal, oats, mixed fruit jam, pasta, tea, coffee, sugar, tinned food and rice are welcome. Onions, carrots, potatoes and baby food are also required. Non-food items like soap, sanitary pads, toothpaste, household disinfectants, nappies, and toilet paper can also be donated.

A full list of items and other ways to assist can be found under the “how you can help” tab at www.westerncape.gov.za/coronavirus.

We call on individuals and businesses, who are able to assist with donations of food or cash, to help us through this pandemic.

Repatriation flights:

Our JOC, working with national and local government, SAPS and various embassies and consulates have repatriated nine flights so far, with another two taking place today.

In total, there are approximately 6000 people looking to be repatriated back to their home countries.

The process of repatriation has been carefully coordinated in order to reduce risk to everyone involved.

Only foreign nationals who have made the necessary arrangements with their consulates or embassies, and who have the necessary paperwork including a flight ticket, have been permitted to depart.

This is an unprecedented time globally, and we hope that those visitors who have had their visits to the Western Cape impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, will have the opportunity to return in the future to experience the full extent of our tourism and hospitality offerings.

We wish them well on their journey home and thank everyone involved in securing their safe return.

Economy:

The Economic workstream continues to help provide clarity and certainty to businesses in the province. This week, they launched an online tool which businesses can use to find and access appropriate government assistance. The tool can be accessed at https://www.supportbusiness.co.za/covid-19-support-finder/

The Department of Economic Development and Tourism also rolled out the Jump mobile app. This app, designed to be a one-stop-shop of support available to businesses, will be updated with the latest information on the coronavirus which is relevant to business. It will also offer advice on industry sector experts on regulations, and guidelines to support businesses and their staff at this time.

The workstream is also working closely with businesses regarding the manufacture of masks, including cloth masks in line with the Western Cape Government’s mask policy- with discussions also including corporate donations for poorer communities.

The economic workstream has held successful engagements with the national government around allowing fishermen to access and use accommodation while on fishing trips.

The workstream also met with SA Tourism to discuss support for certain businesses once they are able to operate again.

Media Alert: Premier Winde to provide update on Western Cape response to Coronavirus in digital press conference.

9 April 2020

Premier Alan Winde , together with Education Minister Debbie Schäfer and representatives from the Departments of Social Development and Health, will today hold a digicon to brief the media on the Western Cape’s response to Coronavirus, and the province’s humanitarian response to the pandemic.

IMPORTANT DETAILS FOR MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA:

In order to play our part in reducing contact and limiting the spread of the virus, the press briefing will be held online, live on Premier Winde’s Facebook page.

Members of the media wishing to ask questions will be required to send them to a Whatsapp group which will be created specifically for this purpose. To be added to the group, you must RSVP and send your number to Bianca Capazorio on this email address before noon.

Questions can be sent before or during the briefing.

NB: Those who were added to the group for previous digicons need not resubmit their numbers.

Facebook Live details:

Premier Winde will go live at 2.30pm. His Facebook page can be found at at https://www.facebook.com/windealan/