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Two of the biggest names in energy in Africa are in a stand-off over a coal contract in these difficult days of COVID-19. Eskom has issued a force majeure notice against Exxaro and the more than 25 tons it was to supply the national power generator from its Grootgeluck mine in Limpopo. Exxaro says it will dispute the notice, but was unavailable for comment when contacted by CNBC Africa. But its seems its not only Exxaro that has the notice – it seems like the entire coal industry has been served by Eskom. Eskom Spokesperson, Sikonathi Mantshansha shares more details.

COVID-19: Eskom declares force majeure on all its coal contractors

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CNBC Africa is joined by a woman who worked in Sierra Leona during the Ebola outbreak in Africa, Katie Waller a Director of Strategic Partnerships at Concern Worldwide and a public health practitioner has sited her concern for Africa’s preparedness to deal with the COVID-19 outbreak.

Is Africa prepared to deal with COVID-19?

Zimbabwe turned 40 on April 18. Amid the economic struggles of this week there was talk of the country phasing out the US dollar – a move denied by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe on its website.



CNBC Africa asked John Robertson, an independent economist based in Harare who has spent more than half a century studying the economy, for some background on currency issues in Zimbabwe. We also asked him was the old Zimbabwe dollar really stronger than the US dollar at independence in 1980? These were his thoughts:



“The value of every currency in the world is supported by, and dependent on, the productive capacity of the country in relation to the productive capacity of its trading partners. The capacity measurement has to properly take into account the volume and quality of the goods and services produced as well as their cost competitiveness. In Zimbabwe, in those first years after 1980, we used to produce commodities efficiently enough to make profits from their sale abroad, even though the revenue we could get for them was set by international market price mechanisms. For our consumer goods exports, such as clothing, footwear, a wide range of processed foods, transistor radios, school textbooks and dozens of other things, we successfully competed for sales on foreign markets. We also exported processed raw materials, such as steel sections, cotton yarn, shredded and blended tobacco, roasted coffee beans, sawn timber, dimension stone, irrigation pipes and couplings, plus lots of other components, all in competition with other suppliers.



However, government interference caused lots of cost increases. Minimum wages were doubled and frequently adjusted, devaluations were necessary to permit the Zimbabwe dollar earnings to continue covering rising costs, license fees were charged and project approvals were needed for any company wanting to make a change to its mix of products. Import licenses were confiscated and given to emergent business people, who re-sold them to the companies from which they had been taken, adding to costs. The whole investment climate became difficult. The IMF tried to intervene with its Structural Adjustment Programme, but that supported retailers much more than manufacturers as, after ESAP, whatever anyone wanted could be imported?



Then we had Land Reform. The collateral value of farmland was reduced from billions of dollars to zero. Skilled farmers were dispossessed, small-scale farmers were given the land free, but land with no market value, over which the farmers had no security of tenure, was of no value as collateral for bank loans. The small-scale farmers were occasionally lucky enough to feed their families and have small surpluses for sale, but they never grew enough the feed the country. We have had to meet a big bill for imported food every year since Land Reform.



&nbsp;Even now, nothing has been proposed that offers the slightest improvement to our shocking investment climate. Government vigorously protests that it is making major policy changes, but they absolutely refuse to accept that it has brought productive capacity to its knees and has destroyed the country’s relationships with the rest of the world. We cannot pay our debts, cannot attract investment and can now meet very few of our own needs.



&nbsp;Government wants to be completely in charge of all investment decisions and seems to believe that it can direct business sectors to simply produce more. As a result, we now have an economy that cannot support a currency, the value of which is stable and worthy of respect. The black-market rate for the US dollar is now Z$49 to one, the inter-bank market rate is Z$25:US$1. It seems that the currency deals carried out are to externalise US$, not place orders for imports that might be impossible to sell. March inflation has just been published &#8211; the annual rate is 676,4% and prices went up 26,6% in one month. We need dramatic changes to restore confidence, but ZanuPF has no intention of changing anything.



&nbsp;On your last question, the value of a Zimbabwe dollar in 1980, it is true that you needed US$1,60 to buy one Zimbabwe dollar. That exchange rate is often misinterpreted as evidence that the Zimbabwe dollar was stronger than the US dollar. That is not true. The size of a unit of measurement does not indicate strength or weakness. An inch is not stronger than a centimetre, a metre is not stronger than a yard. When Rhodesia was in the Sterling Area, the Rhodesian pound was worth the same as a British pound. The pound weakened during some difficult years for the UK in the 1970s, and Rhodesia was overcoming sanctions so well that the Rhodesian dollar, which started off as equal to ten shillings, appeared to be strengthening against a weakening pound. So relative values come into it. The pound soon recovered under Margaret Thatcher and at that time, you needed US$2,40 to buy one pound. Today you can buy a pound for US$1.24.



&nbsp;The question of how practical it is to put our faith in our own currency calls for recognition of all these points. What we have done, and the policies are still being vigorously defended, has destroyed any chance of getting the confidence and investment inflows needed to rebuild productive capacity, so a currency based on such a weakened economy will remain weak as well. And a weak currency will simply keep falling in value. Now that the whole world is in trouble and many other poor countries deserve help much more than we do, Zimbabwe is going to have to wake up to the need for self-help and self-sufficiency very quickly. If we don’t, we will soon be in much more trouble than ever before!” &nbsp;&nbsp;

Zimbabwe tightens coronavirus lockdown in capital Harare as cases hit 203

The birth of Zimbabwe 40 years ago-the days when the Zimbabwe dollar cost $1.60 US Dollars

South Africa’s Competition Commission has warned members of the public about a circulating fake price list that claims to be price guidelines for hygiene and healthcare products issued by the Commission.



The body has also warned against criminals pretending to be investigators from the Commission, who have been approaching businesses attempting to solicit bribes.



Read the full statement below:



BEWARE OF A CIRCULATING FAKE PRICE LIST ON ESSENTIAL ITEMS



The Competition Commission would like to warn members of the public about a circulating fake price list that purports to be price guidelines for hygiene and healthcare products issued by the Commission.



The Commission has not issued price guidelines for any items and therefore the price list guideline. We are, however, investigating unreasonable price increases on essential items in line with the regulations issued by the Minister of Trade and Industry, Ebrahim Patel.



We urge members of the public to ignore this fake list and discourage anyone from circulating it. Anyone who continues to distribute the list must be urgently reported to 084 743 0000.



It has also come to the attention of the Commission that there are criminal elements purporting to be our investigators who are interacting with businesses with the intention of soliciting bribes.



It is important to note that all our telephonic investigations are accompanied by written correspondence, either before or after a telephone call from an investigator. Further, our investigators can be verified by either calling 0123943378 or sending an email to <a href="mailto:Ccsa@compcom.co.za">Ccsa@compcom.co.za</a>.



The Commission has brought the activities of the bogus investigators to the attention of law enforcement agencies.



For more coverage on COVID-19 visit: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/covid-19/">https://www.cnbcafrica.com/covid-19/</a>

ArcelorMittal South Africa fined R3.64 million over hydrogen sulfide emissions

South Africa’s Competition Commission warns of bribes, fake prices for essentials

Companies, which are registered through the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission&#8217;s (CIPC) BizPortal to perform essential services during <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/videos/2020/04/09/the-economic-cost-of-covid-19-on-south-africa/">South Africa’s COVID-19 lockdown</a> period, are required to have a new certificate from the BizPortal website for the extended period, which begins on 17 April 2020.



For more details, read the statement below:



CIPC CERTIFICATION PROCESS FOR ESSENTIAL SERVICE BUSINESSES DURING EXTENDED LOCKDOWN



Companies, which are registered through the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission&#8217;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.&nbsp;



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.&nbsp;



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.&nbsp;



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.&nbsp;



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 <a href="https://www.gov.za/documents/disaster-management-act-regulations-address-prevent-and-combat-spread-coronavirus-covid-19">https://www.gov.za/documents/disaster-management-act-regulations-address-prevent-and-combat-spread-coronavirus-covid-19</a>.



Issued by the GCIS on behalf of The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition



16 April 2020



For more coverage on COVID-19 visit: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/covid-19/">https://www.cnbcafrica.com/covid-19/</a>

Here’s how to apply for SA’s COVID-19 loan guarantee scheme

Essential services require new CIPC certificate during South Africa’s extended COVID-19 lockdown

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) &#8211; South Africa’s High Court has dismissed a case from insurer Discovery against rival Liberty, who it had argued was infringing on their trademarks and competing unlawfully, Liberty said on Thursday.



Discovery launched its case last year over Liberty’s use of data from its Vitality programme, which offers users discounts on premiums and other rewards for good behaviour, such as buying healthy food and exercising.



Liberty has developed its own wellness programme that rewards customers for healthy behaviour, including by allowing them to contribute data from recognised external programmes, such as Vitality, to generate a score with Liberty. This then helps determine the price of the customer’s policy.



Liberty said the court concluded that customers’ data from Vitality belongs to them and they are free to use it how they wish.



“This judgement is a great victory for our customers as they can derive significant benefits from using their own wellness data,” Liberty executive David Jewell said in a statement.



Discovery did not immediately respond to a request for comment.



The Vitality programme has helped make Discovery one of South Africa’s most popular insurers, and many rivals, including banks trying to push into insurance, have created similar offerings to try to compete.



(Reporting by Emma Rumney; editing by Jason Neely)



This article was first published on Reuters Africa <a href="https://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFKCN21Y0UQ-OZATP">https://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFKCN21Y0UQ-OZATP</a> and is republished with its permission.

South African court rules in favour of insurer Liberty in row with Discovery

South African court rules in favour of insurer Liberty in row with Discovery. shutterstock_140867215

By Chris Bishop.



Billionaire Jonathan Oppenheimer told CNBC Africa how he and his father Nicky dialled up R40 million over Easter to help small businesses survive the COVID-19 nightmare.



The Oppenheimer family gave a billion Rand to the South African Future Trust on the cusp of the country’s COVID-19 lockdown. A string of banks has laborious task of sifting thousands of applications from Small and Medium Sized Enterprises who fear going to the wall in the lockdown. The family says R330 million in interest free loans will go to small businesses to pay 30,000 workers R740-a-week and keep doors open and food on the table in these uncertain days. Oppenheimer – whose family made a multi-billion dollar fortune in South Africa from mining – believed it was not enough and picked the telephone to phone contacts as far afield as San Francisco.



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“My father and I along with my colleagues started to reach out to people that we know that have South Africa’s best interests at heart. Over the Easter weekend we spent a lot of time on the phone and we contacted many people and so far some R40 million in additional donations – that will support another 4,000 people – has been promised to the South Africa Future Trust on the same basis as our gift. That is, money into the trust never to come back,” he told CNBC Africa.



Oppenheimer admitted that his family’s money – which has been followed by donations by many other wealthy South Africans and businesses – is far from enough. &nbsp;



“You are entirely right, it is not enough. We are simply able to support; on the basis of R750- a-week, we can support 90,000 people. The reality is the SMME sector has at least a million to a million and-a-half employees and the majority of those will need some sort of support, so any additional funding is absolutely necessary.”



Oppenheimer dismissed criticism in the press by politicians who slated the loans, accusing them of locking struggling companies into debt that they can’t repay. One opposition politicians likened it to loan sharking.&nbsp;



“Interest free doesn’t sound like loan sharking to me,” says Oppenheimer. &nbsp;&nbsp;



Yet scion of the Oppenheimer family, which has been doing business in Africa for more than a century, does fear for the South African economy in these tough times.



“I think it is a very difficult situation right now. Clearly the lockdown is the right decision and clearly, and everyone accepts this, it is doing exceptional harm to the economy. The challenge is how you navigate that very careful balance .On the one hand limiting the rate at which the virus spreads and thereby giving our health system the ability to cope, and finding a way to get the South African economy, which is idling at the side of the road right now, driving away,” says Oppenheimer. 



“I think President Cyril Ramaphosa has done a very good job to date, but it is far from over and he will have many, many, difficult conversations to have and many, many, difficult decisions to make.”

_BBP7566

COVID-19: How an African billionaire dialled up R40 million over the weekend

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) &#8211; South Africa’s MTN Group said on Wednesday its chairman, chief executive, chief financial officer and directors have pledged 30% of their board fees and salaries for the next three months towards a 40 million rand ($2.15 million) emergency fund for its staff.



The contributions are part of its 250 million rand relief package to <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/videos/2020/04/02/mtn-on-covid-19-lockdowns-in-sa-nigeria/">tackle the coronavirus outbreak</a> across its 21 markets.



The mobile network operator will also contribute 10 million rand to a support fund set up by government and 150 million rand will be invested in the <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/videos/2020/03/20/how-mtn-plans-to-cushion-its-customers-from-covid-19/">Y’ello Hope Package for its customers</a>, that includes <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/news/2020/03/20/mtn-drops-prices-on-monthly-data-bundles/">free SMS services and discounted calling</a> during off-peak periods.



($1 = 18.5946 rand)



(Reporting by Nqobile Dludla; editing by Olivia Kumwenda-Mtambo)



This article was first published on Reuters Africa <a href="https://af.reuters.com/article/investingNews/idAFKCN21X1HM-OZABS">https://af.reuters.com/article/investingNews/idAFKCN21X1HM-OZABS</a> and is republished with its permission.



For more coverage on COVID-19 visit: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/covid-19/">https://www.cnbcafrica.com/covid-19/</a>

MTN bosses donate portion of salaries towards COVID-19 relief package for staff

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The African Union says it is deeply concerned about the alleged discrimination of Africans in China. This follows reports and videos of Africans being kicked out of hotels, being blocked from restaurants and being forced into self-quarantine following a second wave of the coronavirus in the country. So what is China doing about this? Lin Nan, Charge d’affaires of Embassy of the People’s Republic of China spoke to CNBC Africa for more.

COVID-19: Is China discriminating against Africans?

The South African rand fell on Wednesday after a <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/videos/2020/04/14/sarb-cuts-rates-by-100-basis-points-to-record-low/">surprise repo rate cut</a> by the South African Reserve Bank, while broader emerging market risk assets retreated amid continued focus on the <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/coronavirus/2020/04/14/covid-19-sa-will-leave-no-stone-unturned-in-obtaining-funding-from-multilateral-institutions-to-assist-its-economy-finmin-mboweni/">coronavirus outbreak</a>.



The following statement is on behalf of Peregrine Treasury Solutions:



By Bianca Botes, Executive Director at Peregrine Treasury Solutions



15 April 2020: The rand is falling prey to a risk-off environment due to the dire outlook for the South African economy and has lost a massive 2.5% today.



The situation has been exacerbated by US President Donald Trump’s withdrawal of funding from the World Health Organization (WHO) in the middle of a global pandemic.



The uncertainty regarding how long global lockdowns will endure is also adding fuel to the uncertainty in markets. On 13 April, for example, France extended its lockdown from 15 April to 11 May, on 14 April, India’s lockdown was extended to 3 May and there is widespread belief that the US will not be able to open its economy on 1 May, despite Trump’s claims that he can.



For more coverage on COVID-19 visit: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/covid-19/">https://www.cnbcafrica.com/covid-19/</a>

South African rand plummets after surprise rate cut, market uncertainty

The South African Wealth Report for 2020, compiled using research obtained by the New World Wealth, provides a statistical summary and analysis of South Africa’s current position in the wealth market.



The report shows that performance in the growth of wealth over the past decade has been poor, with total private wealth held in the country declining by 6% from US$677 billion in 2009 to US$636 billion in 2019.



Wealth forecasts for the years 2020 and 2021 are poor due to the <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/coronavirus/2020/04/09/why-business-should-not-throw-in-the-towel-in-the-face-of-covid-19/">anticipated impact of the coronavirus</a> on stock markets, the Rand, salaries and general business opportunities in South Africa.



According to the report’s in-house prime property indices, South Africa’s residential property market performed poorly over the review period (2009 to 2019) with average prices declining by around 36% in US$ terms. The significant depreciation of the Rand during this period contributed to the decline.



Click on the PDF link below to view the full 2020 SA Wealth Report:



<a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/South-Africa-2020-1.pdf">https://www.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/South-Africa-2020-1.pdf</a>



For more coverage on COVID-19 visit: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/covid-19/">https://www.cnbcafrica.com/covid-19/</a>

Op-Ed: Supporting the ICT sector in Africa as a cure for the economic crisis

Poor wealth forecasts for South Africa due to COVID-19: SA Wealth Report

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) &#8211; South African lender Capitec said on Tuesday it would not pay a dividend for its full year, although profits rose by 19%, in line with guidance from the country’s central bank to <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/southern-africa/2020/04/07/sarb-guides-banks-to-put-dividends-bonuses-on-hold/">scrap payouts amid the coronavirus outbreak</a>.



The <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/news/2020/04/14/south-african-reserve-bank-cuts-repo-rate-by-another-100-basis-points/">South African Reserve Bank (SARB)</a> asked lenders to skip dividends for 2020 earlier in April to preserve capital for lending. Capitec was one of only a few lenders to not have already declared a dividend at this time.



“After extensive deliberation, the board decided to support the guidance of the Reserve Bank and decided against the declaration of the final ordinary dividend,” Capitec, which normally pays out 40% of profits to shareholders, said in its results statement.



The banks’ main rivals &#8211; South Africa’s big four lenders including FirstRand and Absa &#8211; all reported their results and declared dividends in March. The SARB has said dividends already announced can be paid.



Capitec reported a full-year profit rise of 19%, at the bottom end of a forecast range of 18% to 21% it outlined in a trading statement last month. [L8N2BC6T4]



Its headline earnings per share &#8211; the main profit measure in South Africa &#8211; stood at 5,428 cents ($3.02), verses 4,557 cents a year earlier.



The lender grew to become South Africa’s sixth largest bank by assets via a strategy focused on unsecured lending to lower-income consumers, and is generally perceived to be more exposed to any economic downturn as a result. Unsecured lending relies solely on consumers’ promises to repay.



A fear of a spike in bad debts following the <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/east-africa/2020/04/08/how-african-economies-can-survive-the-covid-19-crisis/">outbreak of the coronavirus and a prolonged lockdown</a> to stem its spread have pummelled bank shares, with Capitec in particular suffering.



Its credit impairment charge rose by 14% over the year to February, in line with other banks which also saw impairments spike as the South African economy deteriorated.



($1 = 17.9976 rand)



(Reporting by Emma Rumney, Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)



This article was first published on Reuters Africa <a href="https://af.reuters.com/article/investingNews/idAFKCN21W0P2-OZABS">https://af.reuters.com/article/investingNews/idAFKCN21W0P2-OZABS</a> and is republished with its permission.



For more coverage on COVID-19 visit: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/covid-19/">https://www.cnbcafrica.com/covid-19/</a>

COVID-19: South Africa eases lockdown to revive battered economy

South Africa’s Capitec says full-year profits rise by 19%, skips dividend

The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/southern-africa/2020/04/07/sarb-guides-banks-to-put-dividends-bonuses-on-hold/">South African Reserve Bank (SARB)</a> has cut the country’s interest rate by another 100 basis points, taking the repo rate to 4.25% per annum.



The following is a statement on behalf of the MPC of SARB:



The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the South African Reserve Bank decided to cut the repo rate by 100 basis points. This takes the repo rate to 4.25% per annum.



The May 2020 meeting of the MPC was been moved earlier and took place today.



The MPC will host a media briefing today Tuesday 14 April 2020 at 11.30.



The conference will be hosted virtually on Zoom (details will be shared upon confirmation) and streamed live on the South African Reserve Bank’s (SARB) <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SaReserveBank/posts/2707685859357379">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://youtu.be/y6j7m9896Jk">YouTube</a> accounts. Questions will be submitted during the conference and will be responded to thereafter.

Administrators propose sales plan for SA retailer Edcon, see potential job cuts

South African Reserve Bank cuts repo rate by another 100 basis points

By Chris Bishop.



President Cyril Ramaphosa urged South Africa business not to throw in the towel in the face of COVID-19 for fear that it could many other send companies under.



Several times in his speech, President Ramaphosa referred to the damage COVID-19 is doing to an economy already reeling from a down grade to junk by Moody’s last week. This week, the South African Reserve Bank warned that the lockdown could cause 370,000 people to lose their jobs and force 1,600 businesses to go under.



“I would like to appeal to all&nbsp; large businesses not to resort to &nbsp;force majeure and stop paying their suppliers and rental commitments , as such practice has a domino effect on all other businesses dependent on that chain,” says President Ramaphosa in a broadcast to the nation.



President Ramaphosa said cabinet would be working towards a comprehensive support plan for the economy during the lockdown that has been extended to the end of April.



For now, the government is trying to pour tranches of cash into the economy to try to keep money in workers’ pockets and food on the table.



President Ramaphosa applauded employers who continued to pay salaries during the lockdown and said R40 billion was in the UIF – unemployment insurance fund – to help workers who had lost income. He said R356 million had been paid out since the lockdown.



Small businesses could claim from a R500 million relief fund and R1.2 billion would be put up to help small scale farmers survive the lockdown, in which the food supply is a huge concern.



The Solidarity Fund – set up at the lockdown by the President – gathered R500 million in its first week and has now raised R2.2 billion. &nbsp;It has spent a billion Rand on gloves, test kits and will set aside R400 million to help poor households.



On top of this, Vodacom has given 20,000 cell phones to health workers to help them use an app in the fight against COVID-19. The Industrial Development Corporation has set aside R3 billion to buy essential medical supplies. &nbsp;



President Ramaphosa also pledged that his deputy, ministers and their deputies, plus the provincial premiers, would all give a third of their salary for the next three months to the Solidarity Fund.



“We shall recover. We shall overcome. May God bless South Africa and protect her people,” concluded Ramaphosa as he concluded his speech announcing the two week extension to the lockdown. &nbsp;



Certainly, South African business is likely to welcome all the help it can get.

Why business should not throw in the towel in the face of COVID-19

By Chris Bishop



In the eye of the COVID-19 pandemic The African regional director for the World Health Organisation Matshidiso Moeti admitted that any hold on US money would hamper efforts to protect the health of Africans in these difficult times, but hopes common sense will prevail.



President Trump said he would put a hold on US funding of the WHO in apparent retaliation for what he implied was poor advice from the organisation over COVID-19.



&#8220;They called it wrong,&#8221; he said, adding: &#8220;They really, they missed the call. Fortunately, I rejected their advice on keeping our borders open to China early on. Why did they give us such a faulty recommendation?&#8221;



On US financial contributions to the WHO, he said: &#8220;We&#8217;re going to put a hold on money spent&#8230; we&#8217;re going to put a very powerful hold on it and we&#8217;re going to see.&#8221;



In its weekly briefing on Africa, journalists asked how it could affect operations in Africa.



“The USA is among the top five financial donors to WHO, so they play a very important role and they enable us to do our work. If that decision is made it would severely impact our work here in Africa,” says Moeti.



“I can only emphasise what has been said already. It is a question of international solidarity, this virus impacts on people around the world. We hope we can carry on with our work.”



So who does pay the bills for WHO?



According to the website Reality Check, run by BBC News: “The WHO relies on funding from both government and private sources. Its funding is also split into mandatory and voluntary contributions, with the last one becoming increasingly important over the years.



In the last financial year, more than 80% of WHO funds came from voluntary contributions made by governments, private organisations like charities, and other UN agencies as well as multilateral bodies like the EU.



The US government is the largest of these voluntary contributors, accounting for just under 15% of WHO funding in 2019. But the next biggest was the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, making up nearly 10% of funding.



Other countries which made significant voluntary contributions in 2019 include the UK (7.8%) and Germany (5.7%). It is worth adding that the US also owes the WHO most in terms of mandatory contributions. Figures for March 2020 show that the US still had more than $99m (£80m) in outstanding payments, much more than anyone else.

Dr Matshidiso Moeti – WHO Regional Director for Africa

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By Chris Bishop



As the COVID-19 spreads across Africa there have been 10,000 cases – with South Africa suffering the most &#8211; killing 500 people with a 9.4 per cent recovery rate.



The figures are likely to be even higher, in reality, as the World Health Organization admits that it is struggling to test outside African capitals because of a lack of resources, equipment and planes.



“We now have 44 African countries in the WHO region, sub-Saharan Africa, including Algeria, who are testing. In most of these countries there is urgent need to move testing beyond capital cities. We are also facing very much challenge of procurement and supply of equipment,” says Matshidiso Meoti, the director for Africa for the WHO.



“There is a shortage on a global level this is a huge concern for WHO as we work to procure testing kits. Some philanthropists are procuring and providing. There is availability on international markets and transportation but there is a lack of availability of flight in countries. We are working on how can kits can be moved and it is one of the most acute issues we are working on at this time.”



When asked about certain countries in different continents restricting the export of COVID-19 testing and protective equipment Michel Yao, a WHO representative to the Central African Republic, said: “ We are in talks with manufacturers, we need solidarity with countries , who can produce, to have a global approach in this outbreak The outbreak needs to be addressed everywhere at one time if we continue to have outbreaks in Africa, it will continue to affect everyone else.”



A lack of mobility was also causing problems for Africa’s migrants. The lockdown in many countries had seen people stranded up at borders, from Djibouti to the border between Burundi and Tanzania, according to Nairobi-based Mohammeed Abdiker a regional director for the International Organization for Migration. He also warned governments to be careful with refugees.



“Governments should think hard about deporting refugees at this time. If we look at cross border movements, just by deporting two or three thousand people across a border we are increasing the risk of pandemic,”



On the movement front, Ethiopian Airlines told CNBC Africa that, despite losing $550 million dollars through the pandemic, it was prepared to fly equipment to every country in Africa. The airline said billionaire philanthropist Jack Ma had cooperated with the government of Ethiopia to supply equipment for mercy flights across Africa.

COVID-19 kills 500 Africans says WHO – and why it could be a lot worse than we know.

By Louw Nel – Political Analyst



Islamist extremist militants have carried out a spate of attacks targeting villages in the northern Cabo Delgado province on April 6 and 7.



According to reports, armed groups attacked the villages of Bilibiza, Meangalewa, Miengueleua, Muatide, Mueda, Muidumbe, and Ntchinga over two days, burning churches and buildings and abducting people in different locations. No one is believed to have been killed in the attacks.



This follows two incidents on March 23 and 25, in which militants launched brazen attacks and briefly occupied the towns of Mocímboa da Praia and Quissanga.



The first of those attacks was claimed by the Islamic State Central African Province (ISCAP) militant group, but groups active in the province since 2017 have also been referred to as Al-Shabab and Ansar al-Sunna, among others.



There are no conclusive links between the Mozambican jihadists and foreign-based Islamist extremist groups, and their motives and leadership structure remain unclear.



Mozambican authorities, alarmed by the attacks on Mocímboa da Praia and Quissanga and the threat they represented to the development of offshore natural gas finds, responded by saying that reinforcements were being deployed to Cabo Delgado.



This has clearly not succeeded in containing the threat posed by militants; however, the most recent attacks are more consistent with the groups’ modus operandi. Indeed, the attacks in March represented a significant escalation due to the size of the towns attacked and the fact that security forces had been stationed in both locations.



The more recent attacks targeted more familiar undefended, civilian locations, although Bilibiza is only 34km from Quissanga.



The escalation in Islamist militant activity in Cabo Delgado, along with depressed natural gas prices and concerns over the global coronavirus pandemic, will threaten proposed LNG projects.



Should the deteriorating security environment in the region result in the postponement or even reversal of investment decisions, Mozambique’s medium-term growth prospects will be seriously undermined.

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