For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Sane Dhlamini.

Making headlines: Icasa to urgently, responsibly release emergency spectrum, Alibaba founder Jack Ma donates more medical supplies to Africa and, Lindiwe Sisulu says this is not the time to punish people for not paying water bills

Icasa to urgently, responsibly release emergency spectrum

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa is planning to temporarily release the high-demand International Mobile Telecommunications spectrum as telecommunications demand surges amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

The move aims to ease the burden of regulatory compliance for the sector during the national state of disaster and enable the sector to meet increased demand for information and communications technology services.

In line with this, Icasa published a Government Gazette containing regulations that prescribe minimum standards that licensees must adhere to for the entire period of the national state of disaster.

Alibaba founder Jack Ma donates more medical supplies to Africa

Alibaba founder Jack Ma has announced the donation of another batch of medical supplies to each of the 54 African countries, through the Jack Ma Foundation.

The latest donation includes 500 ventilators, 200 000 suits and face shields, 2 000 thermometers, 1-million swabs and extraction kits, and 500 000 gloves.   

Moreover, the Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Foundation are aiming to connect African medical professionals with doctors from China and around the world to collaborate online and exchange lessons learnt in the treatment and prevention of Covid-19.

Lindiwe Sisulu says this is not the time to punish people for not paying water bills

Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation Lindiwe Sisulu appealed to municipalities to refrain from abruptly cutting water supply to residents as it hinders the government's effort to fight Covid-19.

Sisulu said the government has embarked on a national drive to encourage all South Africans to wash their hands with soap and water regularly to stem the tide of the coronavirus.

She added that her department's call centre had fielded thousands of calls with complaints about municipalities cutting the water supply of people who were in arrears or, at times, for "no apparent reason".

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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