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

Making headlines: DA says relaxed Covid regulations continue to harm economy, Dirco preparing to fight its case in court after R50m Cuban aid interdicted and one death and 912 new Covid cases reported in South Africa

DA says relaxed Covid regulations continue to harm economy

Democratic Alliance Shadow Minister of Health and party spokesperson Siviwe Gwarube said that the changes to the State of Disaster regulations announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa continue to hold the country back from a full recovery.

On Tuesday evening Ramaphosa announced the relaxation of lockdown regulations, following a meeting with premiers and mayors from all provinces. 

Among the new regulations announced, the Covid-19 requirement of wearing face masks outdoors has been lifted, however, they must still be worn in indoor spaces.

Indoor and outdoor venues can take up to 50% of their capacity and proof of vaccination must be enforced or else only 1 000 people and 2 000 people will be allowed indoors and outdoors respectively.

The DA warned that it would take necessary action to ensure that every last restriction of the State of Disaster was overturned.

Dirco preparing to fight its case in court after R50m Cuban aid interdicted

Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Naledi Pandor, and her department are preparing to "return to court" after the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria interdicted government's planned R50-million donation to Cuba.

On Tuesday, Judge Brenda Neukircher granted the urgent interdict, pending the final outcome of an application to be instituted by AfriForum to review and set aside the decision to donate an amount of R50-million to the Cuban government.

The ministry, as well as the Department of International Relations and Cooperation are studying the judgment and are consulting its  legal representatives and preparing the arguments.

One death and 912 new Covid cases reported in South Africa

South Africa has recorded 912 new Covid-19 cases, representing a 4.7% positivity rate.

Most new cases were recorded in Gauteng, accounting for 33% of infections.

According to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, the total number of laboratory-confirmed cases recorded in South Africa to date is over 3.7-million.

One Covid-19-related death has been reported in the last 24 to 48 hours, increasing the death toll to 99 893.

There was an increase of 34 hospital admissions in the past 24 hours.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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