For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Thabi Madiba.

Making headlines: Deputy president says negotiations over Sputnik and Sinovac vaccines at an advanced stage; Gauteng suspends visiting hours at all public health facilities; And, Dlamini-Zuma says government can't have special Covid-19 dispensation for faith-based organisations

Deputy president says negotiations over Sputnik and Sinovac vaccines at an advanced stage

Deputy President David Mabuza has said negotiations with the manufacturers of the Sputnik and Sinovac Covid-19 vaccines are at an advanced stage.

Mabuza is overseeing the mass vaccination programme, which he described as a "major response area" in saving lives and achieving population health.

Initially, there was a slow uptake to vaccinations due to limited supply of vaccines as a result of global demand for vaccination, as well as pessimism towards their use.

He said this has been addressed by concluding negotiations with manufacturers and upscaling government risk communications.

Gauteng suspends visiting hours at all public health facilities

The Gauteng Department of Health has temporarily suspended visiting hours at its healthcare facilities following a growing numbers of Covid-19 cases.

The department made the announcement in light of the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Gauteng continues to lead the pack, with the highest number of new cases, recording 7 502 in the last 24 hours.

In exceptional cases, only one visitor will be allowed in to visit and will only be permitted to stay a maximum of 15 minutes with a patient.

And, Dlamini-Zuma says government can't have special Covid-19 dispensation for faith-based organisations

Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has said it is not possible for government to have a different disaster management dispensation for faith-based organisations, especially during the third wave of Covid-19 infections.

On Tuesday, several religious leaders complained to the Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs about government's Covid-19 lockdown regulations. Some claimed the religious sector had been singled out.

Dlamini-Zuma said the Disaster Management Act stated that the national executive was primarily responsible for managing the natural disaster, irrespective of whether a national disaster had been declared.

She said the decisions were not necessarily taken by the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs.

Cogta was only implementing Cabinet decisions. Furthermore, provinces, the South African Local Government Association and traditional leaders would also have been consulted.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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