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

Making headlines: Ramaphosa to address South Africans on Covid-19 strategy next week; Basic Education says students with Covid-19 will be allowed to write exams; And, Zuma faces ConCourt threat over Zondo Commission appearance

 

Ramaphosa to address South Africans on Covid-19 strategy next week

President Cyril Ramaphosa will next week update South Africans on the government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, Minister in the Presidency Jackson Mthembu said on Thursday.

Mthembu told a post-Cabinet media briefing Ramaphosa’s address would be preceded by a meeting of the National Coronavirus Command Council, followed by another Cabinet meeting.

He said it was premature to speculate whether Ramaphosa would announce new measures to contain transmission of the virus.

The president would be guided by the advice of experts conveyed to the command council.

South Africa currently remains at the lowest alert level of the country’s lockdown.

 

Basic Education says students with Covid-19 will be allowed to write exams

South Africa’s basic education department has concluded an agreement with that of the health department to ensure students who test positive for Covid-19 are still allowed to write their final high school examinations.

Learners in South Africa’s government schools were due to write the first paper in the exams on Thursday, after a school calendar heavily disrupted by the pandemic, with all learning institutions halting physical classes for several months from March when the government enforced a nationwide lockdown.

Initially, the education department had said students with the coronavirus could not write their exams this year, but would instead be given another chance in 2021.

It however caved after receiving numerous requests from parents and learners alike for the government to review the rule.

Candidates who test positive for the virus but are deemed fit to write the examination, will now be allowed to do so at a separate venue.

 

And, Zuma faces ConCourt threat over Zondo Commission appearance

The Commission of Inquiry into State Capture may approach the Constitutional Court to get former president Jacob Zuma to answer questions in the forum, according to a letter his lawyer said he received.

Zuma is scheduled to appear before the commission between 16 and 20 November.

He appeared in July last year, and subsequent attempts at scheduling his return have been stymied by illness or a prior engagement.

Zuma's lawyer, Eric Mabuza, said he had received a letter from the commission as to whether Zuma would attend or not.

A summons for Zuma to return to the commission was issued in October, in terms of the commission's rules.

 

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

Don’t forget to download the Polity apps for iPhone and android devices