South Africa has been ranked first alongside New Zealand, out of 117 countries in the 2019 Open Budget Index (OBI) Survey.



According to the National Treasury, the global results reflect a modest improvement in budget transparency, reversing the decline seen in 2017 results and restoring the upward trend shown since the inception of the survey.



Read the full statement below:



SA TAKES FIRST PLACE IN THE 2019 OPEN BUDGET INDEX SURVEY



South Africa has once again come joint first with New Zealand in the 2019 Open Budget Index (OBI) conducted by the International Budget Partnership (IBP) through an Open Budget Survey. The win is in recognition of the country’s commitment to a transparent budget process. This is a repeat of the result from the 2017 OBI.



Over the years, South Africa has consistently entrenched its reputation as a global leader in budget transparency. This is evidenced in the expansive budget information that is published for public analysis and scrutiny.



Past survey results have been used to identify gaps in budget transparency and informed measures and mechanisms adopted to address those gaps. The reforms implemented between 2017 and 2019 include, among others:



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Launch of the online budget portal vulekamali.gov.za</li></ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Introduction of a Central Supplier Database and other procurement reforms undertaken by the Office of the Chief Procurement Officer to enhance transparency in bidding for government contracts</li></ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Annual budget outreach at institutions of higher learning</li></ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Enhanced commitment of the South African Government to engage with civil society organizations to ensure increased participation in the budget process.</li></ul>



SA ranked first out of 117 countries. The global results reflect a modest improvement in budget transparency, reversing the decline seen in 2017 results and restoring the upward trend shown since the inception of the survey. The global average transparency score is 45 out of 100 and South Africa scored 87 out of 100, a score all South Africans should be proud of.



The global average public participation score is 14 out of 100. While South Africa scored 24 out of 100 in this category, it is needless to say that this is a score that requires innovation to improve. In an effort to improve on this score, South Africa in partnership with International Budget Partnership (IBP) and Global Initiative for Fiscal Transparency (GIFT) are embarking on a 3-year pilot project to work on mechanisms to include public participation in the budget process with the assistance of civil society.



The final category is oversight. Out of the 117 countries surveyed, only 34 had adequate oversight from legislature, while 71 had adequate oversight from audit institutions. South Africa scored 75 out of 100 on legislative oversight and 100 on audit institution.



It is clear that achieving first place cannot be a victory for the finance ministry alone but all the institutions that demonstrate commitment to transparency as entrenched in our Constitution.



South Africa remains committed to constantly improving the budget process in order to maintain its international reputation as a global leader in budget transparency even during the global pandemic of Covid-19.



The OBI survey provides a comprehensive review of South Africa’s budget process. Citizens are encouraged to use information published in budget documents for effective analysis and research internationalbudget.org/open-budget-survey.



Issued by National Treasury



Date: 04 May 2020

COVID-19: Investing for Roubini’s Greater Depression

SA takes first place in 2019 Open Budget Index Survey

By Chris Bishop



Fellow prisoners of the late struggle hero Denis Goldberg have told how he worked selflessly to brighten the lives and ease the pain of incarceration for his fellow inmates. Also how he nursed the lawyer Bram Fischer, who saved the Rivonia accused including Nelson Mandela from the noose, through his last painful days.



Goldberg died this week, aged 87, after a life in politics fighting for the betterment of others. It was a long and tireless career that saw him turn his engineering skills into making bombs for the military wing of the African National Congress. Twenty-two of those years of activism were spent in prison in Pretoria serving a life sentence for sabotage handed down at the Rivonia trial.



Sean Hosey, one of the so-called London recruits who helped the South African liberation struggle, spent five years in the same cell block as Goldberg in Pretoria in the late 1970s. He recalls how Goldberg fought a campaign for the prisoners to get newspapers.



“One of the cruellest apartheid prison policies was to deprive prisoners of all current news. No newspapers, news magazines, radio, or any source of current news. Family letters and visits were heavily censored, and not infrequently stopped. Prisoners had to cope with this for many years, with lasting psychological damage, which even now is not fully understood,” recalls Hosey.



“For a period of about 18 months, in 1976-77, Dennis masterminded a campaign to get this information into the public domain and to try to launch a legal challenge in the South African courts. He battled relentlessly to brief a lawyer on the matter, despite harassment, delaying tactics, and threats from the prison authorities. For a variety of reasons, it didn’t get to court, but it did lead to a considerable easement in news deprivation from about 1978. Many ‘politicals’ would be thankful for that.”



Former Pretoria political prisoners also recalled how Goldberg cared tirelessly for the man who had saved his neck in the Rivonia trial – lead counsel Bram Fischer. The authorities, many of whom saw the Afrikaner as a traitor for his part in defending Mandela and his comrades, treated Fischer harshly, even after he was diagnosed with cancer in 1974. Fischer was sentenced to life imprisonment, in 1966, on charges of furthering communism and attempting to overthrow the government. In prison the warders did him few favours.



“In the years I spent there, Bram Fischer was with us until one day he slipped and fell, fracturing the collar of his femur. He was left without treatment for fourteen days,” says former activist &nbsp;Alex Moumbaris, who spent over seven years in Pretoria prison.



Hosey recalled how Goldberg nursed Fischer through his final, painful, days. &nbsp;



“Denis and Bram had adjacent cells in Pretoria Central. Bram developed cancer during 1974. Eventually, he was given treatment, which apparently included radiation therapy. On a number of occasions, he was brought back to his cell in a dazed and confused state and left to his own devices under lock and key, with heavy consequences for his wellbeing,” says Hosey.



“Denis vociferously and consistently raised this with the senior prison officers and complained about Bram’s treatment. After weeks and months of this, Denis was allowed to help Bram overnight, after these treatments, which I know was a comfort to him. Although the vicious regime kept Bram in that cell until days before his death, I believe that Denis’s actions, in the face of threats to himself, helped Bram in his last days.”



On a lighter note, Hosey recalled how Goldberg, who was far from religious, used to see a Rabbi six times a year for what he called philosophical debates.



“However, a bonus to the visits was one of the rare treats that was permitted us – the annual ‘Passover Parcel’. This was a food hamper of appropriate Passover foodstuffs, all of it a delightful delicacy compared to our prison diet,” says Hosey. “Excitement would build for weeks with anticipation, because Denis shared everything the Rabbi brought with the rest of us. I never suggested to him that his ‘philosophical debates’ might have had an ulterior motive! But that was Denis, generous and always supportive of his comrades.”

DSC_1387

How kind struggle hero Denis Goldberg lit up dark days behind bars with the help of a Rabbi

<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Livestream will start at 14:00 CAT on 5th May 2020</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Africa Business News - Live" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ID7AXpGHWIo?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div><figcaption>COVID-19 and lockdown have dealt a severe blow to many of South Africa&#8217;s over five million micro and small businesses. But as the country moves to phase 4 of lockdown what measures and funding are in place to help them survive? Is it enough? Find out on this riveting Zoom #BusinessTomorrow panel discussion.</figcaption></figure>



SPEAKERS



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1110" height="581" src="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Business-Tomorrow_Speakers_Facebook-and-LinkedIn_x4-1110x581.png" alt="" class="wp-image-369928" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Business-Tomorrow_Speakers_Facebook-and-LinkedIn_x4-1110x581.png 1110w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Business-Tomorrow_Speakers_Facebook-and-LinkedIn_x4-300x157.png 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Business-Tomorrow_Speakers_Facebook-and-LinkedIn_x4-768x402.png 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Business-Tomorrow_Speakers_Facebook-and-LinkedIn_x4-696x364.png 696w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Business-Tomorrow_Speakers_Facebook-and-LinkedIn_x4-1068x559.png 1068w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Business-Tomorrow_Speakers_Facebook-and-LinkedIn_x4.png 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1110px) 100vw, 1110px" /></figure>



TOPICS COVERED



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Funding options for small businesses during times of lockdown and COVID-19</li><li>How to access the funding</li><li>Is it enough?</li><li>What measures are in place to help small businesses survive?</li><li>Rebuilding your business for tomorrow </li></ul>

Business-Tomorrow_Speakers_Instagram_x4

Live Now: Reviving your small business

As 1.5 million people prepare to return to work tomorrow as part of South Africa&#8217;s gradual easing of lockdown restrictions aimed at limiting the spread of COVID-19, below is a statement by the Minister of Employment and Labour Thulas Nxesi on what workplaces will be required to supply staff with&#8230; An update was also provided on the Unemployment Insurance Fund.



Media Briefing on Stage Four Direction on Health and Safety Regulations, 03.05.2020



TW Nxesi MP, Minister of Employment and Labour



I. Direction for Stage 4



My main task today is to provide information on the preparations for the move to stage 4 of the lockdown and the partial return to workplaces tomorrow. This is the focus of today. However, the Deputy Minister will also provide additional information regarding the Department’s other services.



READ: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Risk-Adjusted-Strategy-Regulations-29-April-2020.pdf">These are the sectors that have been gazetted to operate in phase 4 of lockdown</a>



Government has said that the easing of the lockdown will be a carefully phased process based on a risk assessment and the necessary levels of preparation. Therefore, in returning to work it cannot be business as usual.



READ: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/coronavirus/2020/05/01/covid-19-how-one-off-movements-will-work-in-phase-4-of-sas-lockdown/">COVID-19: How one-off movements will work in phase 4 of SA’s lockdown</a>



With this in mind, as the Minister of Employment and Labour, I issued a Direction &#8211; in terms of Regulation 10 (8) of the Regulations issued by the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs in terms of Section 27 (2) of the Disaster Management Act, 2002 (Act No. 57 of 2002). The Direction sets out the measures that employers are required to take to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 in workplaces.



READ: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/coronavirus/2020/05/01/sas-economy-can-move-rapidly-to-level-3-lockdown-if-no-sharp-increase-in-infections-minister-ebrahim-patel/">SA’s economy can move rapidly to level 3 lockdown if no sharp increase in infections: Minister Ebrahim Patel</a>



The Department is working closely with the Department of Health in creating an environment to support employers in combatting the disease. It should also be flagged that the inspectorate conducts inspections at all workplaces including health care facilities in terms of the Regulations for Hazardous Biological Agents to ensure safe and hygienic conditions.



The Direction seeks to ensure that the measures taken by employers under the Occupational Health and Safety Act are consistent with the overall national strategies and policies to minimise the spread of COVID-19. The Direction reflects all that we have learnt about the virus and how to combat it over the period of the lockdown, and from international best practice.



The Direction contains the basic measures that employers must take to prevent the transmission of the corona virus in the workplace. Businesses that are reopening must put these measures in place before restarting work. A risk assessment or risk assessment review must be undertaken to adapt the provisions of the Direction to the specific requirements of individual workplaces. The Direction in no way reduces the existing obligations on employers in terms of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, 1993.



The Direction is based on infection transmission prevention and specific occupational hygiene practices that focus on the need for employers to implement measures to mitigate or eliminate the transmission of the virus in the workplace.



Employers must take measures to protect the health and safety of everyone in their workplace. This includes employees of contractors, self-employed persons and volunteers. The process starts with a risk assessment in the workplace and a clear plan to implement the measures contained in the Direction.



Every employer must: • Notify workers of the contents of the Direction and how it will be implemented. • They must inform employees that if they have COVID-19 symptoms they must not be at work and grant paid sick leave or apply for COVID-19 TERS benefits. • The employer must appoint a manager (from within the existing structure) to address the concerns of employees and workplace representatives. • They must take measures to minimise the contact between workers and between workers and the public to prevent transmission. • They must minimise the number of workers in the workplace at any time through shift or working arrangements to achieve social distancing. • The employer must provide employees with information concerning COVID19 and how to prevent its transmission. • They must report any diagnosis of COVID-19 at work to the Department of Health and the Department of Employment and Labour, investigate the cause, and take appropriate measures. It is a contravention not to do so as an employer. • They must support any contact tracing measures initiated by the Department of Health.



With regard to social distancing, workplaces must be arranged to ensure a minimum of 1½ meters between workers. If this is not practicable, physical barriers must be erected and workers must be supplied free of charge with appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).



Social distancing must be implemented in all common areas in and around the workplace to prevent crowding (including working spaces, canteens, meeting rooms etc.).



In relation to screening &#8211; Employers must screen workers for symptoms of COVID-19 at the time that they report for work, namely: fever, cough, sore throat, redness of eyes or shortness of breath (or difficulty in breathing); body aches, loss of smell or loss of taste, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, fatigue, weakness or tiredness. Workers should immediately inform the employer if they experience any symptoms while at work. Not doing so is a contravention of the Occupational Health and Safety Act by the worker. More importantly, the worker puts themselves – and their co-workers – at risk. Workers with symptoms must be placed in isolation and arrangements made for their safe transport for a medical examination or for self-isolation. Shops (and other workplaces to which the public have access) must screen all persons entering the workplace for symptoms. Employees who recover from COVID-19 may return to work after a medical evaluation and subject to ongoing monitoring, in line with instructions of the Department of Health.



In relation to sanitisers and disinfectants, employers must: • provide sufficient quantities of hand sanitiser with at least 70% alcohol content; • ensure that work surfaces, equipment and common areas such as toilets, door handles and shared equipment are regularly cleaned and disinfected; and • provide adequate facilities for hand washing with soap and clean water and sufficient paper towels.



Masks &#8211; Workers must wear masks at work. Employers must also require members of the public entering a workplace to wear masks. Employers must provide each employee, free of charge, with at least two cloth masks to wear while at work or commuting. There must be suitable arrangements for washing and drying masks. Ultimately, the employer remains responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of PPEs. Where a risk assessment indicates, workers must be provided with alternative appropriate PPE (eg N95 or N97 masks) to provide a greater level of protection.



Every workplace must be well ventilated to reduce the viral load.



In relation to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), employers must keep up to date with recommendations from agencies such as the National Institute for Communicable Diseases and the National Institute for Occupational Health on the appropriate steps to take to prevent transmission in their workplaces and for the provision of PPE.



In relation to enforcement, Labour Inspectors are empowered to promote, monitor and enforce compliance with the Direction. An employer who does not comply with the Direction may be ordered to close their business. In addition, as the failure to comply fully with the OHSA (Occupational Health and Safety Act) is a criminal offence, failure to take the necessary measures to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 may result in criminal prosecution.



Investigation and Enforcement Services



Those are the regulations … but I also need to update you on the state of readiness, inspection and enforcement of the regulations. • The Labour Inspectors have carried out some 2,226 inspections during the lockdown. This includes public sector premises and 86 health facilities. The rate of compliance by employers has increased from 50% to over 60% over the period of the lockdown. The Inspectors inform me that basic hygiene measures and PPEs are increasingly evident in most workplaces. Where this was not the case, on average of 9 Prohibition Orders were issued per day – leading to total or partial shutdown. • Currently there are 170 Inspectors in the field (out of a total of 200). I need to mention that these include highly experienced and qualified inspectors, used to working with hazardous materials. • In the 2019 budget, provision was made to employ an additional 500 Inspectors. This process is now being expedited to meet the demands of the pandemic. The Department is also looking at using accredited, registered inspection bodies to increase its reach. • It would be impossible to inspect every one of the 1.8 million businesses. Therefore, Inspectors rely upon the support of individual workers, unions and socially responsible employers in providing vital information – which in turn allows the Inspectors to focus on hotspots and to make an example of particular offenders. In turn, this leads to greater self-regulation and compliance. I need to make the point, that whilst we depend on the good will of responsible employers, workers also have a responsibility here: to wash or sanitise their hands, to wear the PPEs provided, to keep their workstations clean, and to follow directives in relation to health and safety. This is in everyone’s interests – so that everyone remains safe and we curb the spread of the coronavirus.



We need to also stress the role of stakeholders in the workplace – the safety reps and Health and Safety Committees – which have come into their own during the present pandemic. It is vital that we get buy in from the workers in the implementation of this Direction, and we draw on the expertise that exists on the shop floor.



In addition, at national level, at Nedlac, we are discussing a framework to allow union leadership to move around to address disputes in individual workplaces. It is important that we acknowledge the role of the social partners and Nedlac in the development of the Direction. We are also mindful that the Direction imposes a number of additional burdens upon the employers, and we will monitor this situation closely.



The COVID-19 crisis has highlighted a number of gaps in our social provision. In relation to the UIF, there are important groups that are not covered – the informal sector, non-standard and freelance workers. These issues have been raised by the ILO (International labour Organisation) in relation to the Future of Work – where a growing number of persons do not fit into the traditional employer-employee relationship. This matter is firmly on the agenda. At this point, the responsibility remains within the realm of Social Development and the President’s undertaking to expand the social security safety net.



Thank you. Let me hand over to the Chief Inspector, who will address:



• The development of sector guidelines; and • Technical aspects of the Direction.



II. Chief Inspector to present



III. DM: UPDATE ON OTHER SERVICES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT AND LABOUR



UIF One of our major tasks as the Department of Employment and Labour during the lockdown has been to repurpose the UIF (Unemployment Insurance Fund) to facilitate the flow of benefit payments to mitigate the effects of lay-offs. The introduction of the COVID-19 TERS Benefit Scheme and the attendant massive increase in claims required that we completely redesign the architecture and supporting systems of the UIF claims process:



• Shifting from individual walk-in claims to mass distribution hubs through online applications supported by the Call Centre for enquiries; • this required engagement with the social partners – labour and businesses – at Nedlac &#8211; and signing Memoranda of Agreements with all the employers and bargaining councils.



This meant initial delays – which are still reflected in sectors of the media, even today &#8211; but I can now report the following progress: • Bulk disbursements of COVID19 TERS benefits of R5.3 billion through bargaining councils and employers &#8211; reaching 98 thousand employers and 1.1 million workers. • A further R2.4 billion in COVID-19 TERS benefits has been cleared for payment on Monday morning to 29 thousand employers. • There are still a number of outstanding claims which are still to be processed – from 74 thousand employers, representing 481 thousand workers and an amount of R1.9 billion in benefits. SARS has already validated 87% of these claims and these shall be paid next week. • Let me emphasise: it would not have been possible to shift to a system of mass distribution hubs without the active support of business. • Ordinary UIF claims have continued uninterrupted during the lockdown – with some R 1 billion disbursed to 65 thousand claimants. • Remember, also, that each recipient is probably supporting a family and dependents – greatly multiplying the reach of UIF benefits. • To give assurance that, despite these large disbursements, the Fund is able to meet its obligations, some R13.8 billion of investments has been freed up to strengthen the liquidity of the Fund. • In addition to the systems assistance we have already received from SARS and the private sector, the company – Interfile – has offered to run the UIF SMS service at no cost. This is an important part of our service particularly to those working in isolated environments – such as domestic and farm labour. • Challenges remain, particularly where employers are not assisting their employees to claim.



Compensation Fund • In response to the declaration of a pandemic, the CF has established its Crisis Management Committee and developed a COVID-19 Response Plan to focus on COID Services (Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases), Medical Benefits, Rehabilitation and Account Payable. • Dedicated National and Provincial Response Teams have been established, comprising medical professionals and claim processors, to manage COVID-19 claims. • Like the UIF, the Compensation Fund has opted for online applications, backed by a Call Centre, for the protection of claimants and staff, and to streamline processing and payment. • Few claims have been registered as yet. This will change as COVID-19 contracted in the workplace will be compensated as an occupational disease.



Supported Employment Enterprises • These factories have been repurposed to supply PPEs (masks and gowns) as well as hospital linen • They are already supplying PPEs to municipalities and provinces, • And are in talks to supply the Department of Health – particularly to equip the field hospitals which are underway.

This is what SA’s workplaces are required to provide staff with in #lockdownlevel4

By Chris Bishop



This week, on May 5 at 1400 CAT to be precise, CNBC Africa will be stepping into a new era by hosting its first ever virtual panel discussion that will not only be beamed live to 16 million households across Africa, but also will be on zoom.



It will be called Business Tomorrow and will focus on the revival of business in Africa whenever the COVID-19 pandemic lifts and allows commerce to breathe. Predictions are grim – more than a million jobs are expected to be lost and tens of thousands of companies are likely to go to the wall.



So, when we discussed in the newsroom this week the first topic for the first discussion it a no brainer – small business. These foot soldiers of the economy are likely to bear the brunt of the hard times – many were struggling long before the pandemic and the downgrade to junk status by the rating agencies.



Into this discussion will be throwing one word that is my pet topic – industrialization. I think this is a good way to create wealth on the way out of a desperate spot by making goods and parts and pieces that the world needs and can be exported to earn hard currency.



Now politicians throw the word industrialization around all the time, after all, it sounds good in speeches – I often wonder whether policy is as good.



A new generation of industrialists is scarce, but more scarce is the investment and backing from the banks to make it happen and maybe also the will among entrepreneurs to get their hands dirty.



I have been interviewing and studying entrepreneurs in Africa for more than a quarter of a century and I have often wondered whether is the lack of will on the side of many entrepreneurs to get down into the grimy world of industry. After all, it is not as sexy as IT, or the digital world, and it is less likely to get you into the glossy magazines on TV chat shows.



But it is rewarding and long term and people will always need fashioned metal until the day you can email a machine to a factory or 3D print it.



A distant part of my family is a testament to this and has been fashioning metal profitably for the nearly 200 years.



My great-great-great grandfather Stephen Grainger started out, with virtually nothing, in his poor back yard in a place called Dudley in the Black Country in the English midlands – so called because, even when I was a child, most of the buildings were blackened with industrial smoke. It was a hive of steam, tapping and welding and out of the Black Country came the world’s machines, tools, grinders, smelters, guns, cars and motorcycles



Stephen Grainger had little education, but a burning desire to make it as an industrialist and started out by dragooning his family into swinging hammers all day to make nails in the back yard. The family worked hard to build the wealth down the generations. My great-grandfather William worked as a striker – the skilled man who swings the sledgehammer for the blacksmith – in the Grainger factory.



All along the profits were invested to build small factories – one of which is working away as I write this in the Black Country nearly 200 years after the family made its first nail.



I went to see the family factory about 25 years ago and my relatives showed me proudly the many boxes full of little metal clips for shop shelves everywhere from Hong Kong to Sydney. It lacks glory, maybe, the family is never likely to make the cover of a glossy magazine, but they’re always likely to make money. The industrial enterprise has fed thousands of people in the last two centuries. Maybe many entrepreneurs and families in Africa can turn the same humble beginnings into a solid industrial base that is probably needed more now than ever.

Chris-Bishop1-e1386950379894[1]

Opinion : Could Industrialists lead the way up and out of COVID-19?

&nbsp;By Peter Burdin



Fake news and scams have risen dramatically since the outbreak of the Coronavirus. As the number of Coronavirus deaths increases every day around the world – so has the number of conspiracy theorists and hoaxers seeking to use social media to exploit or profit from this terrible crisis.



Populations desperate for news and potential vaccines have clicked their way into a minefield of lies, false information and deliberately malicious posts designed to undermine society’s best efforts for whatever reason.



This deepening addiction to “hearsay” or “gists”, as Nigerians would say, has been mounting rapidly in Africa in recent years as the power of social media grows. And these weeks of lock down and national emergencies have created an eager audience keen to share the latest rumours.



In many ways we’re facing a fake news pandemic which festers alongside the global health pandemic and feeds off it.&nbsp; And it’s also costing thousands of lives.



Now so much fake news activity has switched onto WhatsApp it’s increasingly easy to share and difficult to track or pin down the source of this misinformation. To make matters worse, it is often deliberately undermining government actions for political gain, or for profit by spreading fear and trashing commercial rivals.



According to Kroll’s annual fraud report some 84% of businesses feel threatened by fake news about their products. It’s particularly worrying for African businesses where the practice of targeted misinformation designed to harm a company’s reputation has been more acutely weaponised than on any other continent.



In South Africa, fake news went viral that a company’s covid-19 testing swabs were infected and were being used to spread the virus. That was quickly debunked by the Eastern Cape Health Department but how much damage had already been done to that company’s reputation. And how many people will believe it and refuse to be tested in the future?



There are also widely-shared posts claiming that African people are being used as guinea pigs to test a new Coronavirus vaccine. Such claims are false – there is no vaccine for Covid-19 and only a few tests are taking place, and none of them in Africa.



The danger is sometimes people want to believe this kind of misinformation and it goes viral – and without proper counter measures the damage is lasting. Bad reputations are easy to get but hard to shake off – and in the corporate world that can be the difference between prospering and bankruptcy.



The global pandemic has presented opportunities for criminals. A group of scammers in Nigeria have tried to profit from the desperate shortage of protective face-masks. They’ve been exposed for trying to sell hundreds of thousands of them online – the only problem is they don’t actually have any masks, they only want to take your money and run. Apparently people have lost millions already to these online tricksters.



Corporate entities across the world are familiar with the impact of fake news, with many firms being damaged by misinformation.&nbsp; A prominent case in Nigeria was an attempt to hit the Nigerian Immigration Service and Contec Global, a multi-sector technology and sustainability firm which assists the Nigerian government to deliver its resident permits and process fees. Fake News was spread that the fees for the permits were to be increased without approval, almost certainly generated by individuals or companies who felt they would be disadvantaged by any increase.



Facebook has attempted to tackle such attacks by going local in their fact checking efforts. Their third party fact-checking program in partnership with Africa Check, an independent fact-checking organisation has expanded into Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa in Nigeria, Afrikaans, isiZulu, Setswana, Sotho, Northern Sotho and Southern Ndebele in South Africa, Swahili in Kenya and Wolof in Senegal. It is technology firms like Contec Global and Facebook that are well placed to provide successful solutions for turning the tide against this flood of fake news.



At this time of this global pandemic, it’s understandable that people are desperate for news, however, it’s important that people learn to distinguish between what is true and what is an attempt to deceive, frighten or profit from their anguish. Frankly it’s not always easy to tell the difference.



We need more honest journalism in Africa that audiences can trust to help create a healthier media environment and provide concrete tools to identify fakery and demand greater transparency.



We can all start by remembering the proverb: “If it sounds too good to be true – it probably is.” &nbsp;



Peter Burdin, is a former BBC Africa Bureau Chief

Clarification on COVID-19 “hotspots” as SA moves to level 3 lockdown

COVID-19: Opinion – Fear the fake news that spreads like wildfire and hurts us all

By John Kufuor*



Africa entered this century with great expectations.&nbsp;Its entrepreneurial and political ambitions were growing.&nbsp; The international community was coalescing behind a new agenda of cooperation crystallised in the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Climate Agreement.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



Unfortunately, with its profound health and economic challenges, the COVID-19 pandemic has created an immense barricade to these ambitions. Fulfilling Africa&#8217;s future agenda will require us to change the values our societies place on knowledge and expertise and the way we communicate and interact with one another.



<a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.imperial.ac.uk_mrc-2Dglobal-2Dinfectious-2Ddisease-2Danalysis_covid-2D19_report-2D12-2Dglobal-2Dimpact-2Dcovid-2D19_&amp;d=DwMGaQ&amp;c=Ftw_YSVcGmqQBvrGwAZugGylNRkk-uER0-5bY94tjsc&amp;r=nx5b5kQLh41L8aL5r707mggTtSJQGyFCjkhVHxltaQg&amp;m=rmVUgP3ixI1b2SPHflH64bR6d_tJYgnPDXKIBjb5Fw4&amp;s=jRGVcKA_rJSs1bixVgpr_pnye5BjhwlugV9uKH0rEx8&amp;e=">Imperial College UK</a> analysis suggests there could be 40 million deaths worldwide from COVID-19 without mitigation and suppression measures. It predicts that some of the worst consequences of COVID-19 will be felt in lower-income countries.   Neither cure nor vaccine currently exist.  Protecting both life and livelihood will depend on how societies adapt and change.  Akinwumi Adesina, the President of the <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.afdb.org_en_news-2Dand-2Devents_opinion-2Dpandemic-2Dno-2Dtime-2Dfiscal-2Ddistancing-2D35086&amp;d=DwMGaQ&amp;c=Ftw_YSVcGmqQBvrGwAZugGylNRkk-uER0-5bY94tjsc&amp;r=nx5b5kQLh41L8aL5r707mggTtSJQGyFCjkhVHxltaQg&amp;m=rmVUgP3ixI1b2SPHflH64bR6d_tJYgnPDXKIBjb5Fw4&amp;s=Ep6ZEm0f4-4md5XOXn4XHW8tQzCZ7B4o9WfzMRH8jZM&amp;e=">African Development Bank</a> estimates the virus could cost the continent a GDP loss of between US$22 billion and US$88 billion. 



The ability to avert the total collapse of Africa’s already fragile economies in the coming months will require intensive social distancing measures. However, we will only achieve the necessary behavioural change if people can trust the information they have access to.&nbsp; Our governments need to invest in trustworthy information and communication systems.&nbsp; This will not be easy, given the absence of a dynamic public interest media ecosystem which African citizens can turn to for trustworthy information.&nbsp;



By 2008, Ghana was home to an increasingly profitable private-sector driven media and communication sector. Liberalising media freedom and the opening up of the economy are among the proudest achievements of my eight-year presidency from 2001 to January 2009. Elsewhere across much of the continent, with the rise of promising economic development and an emergent independent media and telecommunication ecosystem, many African nations also began to embrace a new era of transparent and accountable governance.&nbsp;&nbsp;



However, of late regressive politics has taken hold of some countries, with ever more <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.mfwa.org_publication_freedom-2Dof-2Dexpression-2Dmonitor-2Dapril-2Djune-2D2019_&amp;d=DwMGaQ&amp;c=Ftw_YSVcGmqQBvrGwAZugGylNRkk-uER0-5bY94tjsc&amp;r=nx5b5kQLh41L8aL5r707mggTtSJQGyFCjkhVHxltaQg&amp;m=rmVUgP3ixI1b2SPHflH64bR6d_tJYgnPDXKIBjb5Fw4&amp;s=RZUU9stMX8V-_fvTZGfApUvgnveELyk465G7dpDGWaE&amp;e=">grim statistics</a> of journalists being killed or attacked. Independent media have been taken over by governments or factional actors. Altogether, we have made very little progress as a continent in reforming our state broadcasters into the kind of independent public service broadcasters that have been playing such a central role in informing people about the pandemic in countries, <a href="https://pressgazette.co.uk/coronavirus-leads-to-staggering-demand-for-trusted-tv-news/">such as the UK</a>.  



Across most of Africa, advertising has migrated wholesale from traditional broadcasters to new internet platforms and has undermined the financial viability of independent journalism.&nbsp; By comparison, online digital revenues across Africa are negligible, unlike old-fashioned media in industrialised countries where profitable digital operations are rapidly emerging.&nbsp;



These challenges were already serious; with the current crisis they have become existential. The <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk_risj-2Dreview_what-2Dwill-2Dcoronavirus-2Dpandemic-2Dmean-2Dbusiness-2Dnews&amp;d=DwMGaQ&amp;c=Ftw_YSVcGmqQBvrGwAZugGylNRkk-uER0-5bY94tjsc&amp;r=nx5b5kQLh41L8aL5r707mggTtSJQGyFCjkhVHxltaQg&amp;m=rmVUgP3ixI1b2SPHflH64bR6d_tJYgnPDXKIBjb5Fw4&amp;s=F3F0f3xznWDSjeJFzksFY2QqS7rAenlnlHJ5HZgcMWw&amp;e=">Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism</a> estimates that news organisations worldwide could lose more than US$20 billion through the decline in revenues brought about by the COVID-19 crisis.&nbsp; Throughout Africa, there are burgeoning reports from independent media organisations of revenues in precipitous decline.



COVID-19 is, as Dr Ghebreyesus, Director General of the World Health Organization, terms it, an “infodemic,” characterised by misinformation that can cripple the public response.&nbsp; But just as public demand and the need for trustworthy information is skyrocketing, the capacity to supply that information has never been more endangered.&nbsp;&nbsp;Moreover, the role of the media in a crisis like this is not just to inform; but hold governments to account for the effectiveness of their responses.



Well before COVID-19, I was arguing that Africa needs a clear, determined strategy to support public interest media.&nbsp; The pandemic illustrates the need more than ever.&nbsp; Thankfully, work is well under way on two potential solutions.



The first is the <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__luminategroup.com_ifpim&amp;d=DwMGaQ&amp;c=Ftw_YSVcGmqQBvrGwAZugGylNRkk-uER0-5bY94tjsc&amp;r=nx5b5kQLh41L8aL5r707mggTtSJQGyFCjkhVHxltaQg&amp;m=rmVUgP3ixI1b2SPHflH64bR6d_tJYgnPDXKIBjb5Fw4&amp;s=pdBWzIaUglefKH4XQchCuTzNnrkaLnK7hn8NnptQsyE&amp;e=">International Fund for Public Interest Media</a>, designed to channel international development and other philanthropic resources to independent media in resource-poor settings. An in-depth feasibility study detailing how the fund would work has been developed by <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.bbcmediaaction.org&amp;d=DwMGaQ&amp;c=Ftw_YSVcGmqQBvrGwAZugGylNRkk-uER0-5bY94tjsc&amp;r=nx5b5kQLh41L8aL5r707mggTtSJQGyFCjkhVHxltaQg&amp;m=rmVUgP3ixI1b2SPHflH64bR6d_tJYgnPDXKIBjb5Fw4&amp;s=G8Td7BBlr37YJFkkCpePBkaCYp3hwRpwVuCQvmT7dks&amp;e=">BBC Media Action</a>, the BBC’s media support charity with the backing of the <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.luminategroup.com&amp;d=DwMGaQ&amp;c=Ftw_YSVcGmqQBvrGwAZugGylNRkk-uER0-5bY94tjsc&amp;r=nx5b5kQLh41L8aL5r707mggTtSJQGyFCjkhVHxltaQg&amp;m=rmVUgP3ixI1b2SPHflH64bR6d_tJYgnPDXKIBjb5Fw4&amp;s=nlkaQDSqbCfby8JyfaT9RJDs4KeY_pcnB534gwh15iY&amp;e=">Luminate Group</a>.



The second initiative is a new African Public Interest Media Initiative which is developing a scalable, digital business model that incentivises African-generated public interest entertainment content.



The drivers of the two initiatives are helping to coordinate an emergency response to mitigate the immediate impact of the COVID-19 crisis on an already struggling free media sector. I urge Africa’s political leadership to give credible backing to both initiatives in partnership with OECD nations and other philanthropic entities.



*John A. Kufuor, the President of Ghana between 2001 and 2009, is focused on advancing leadership, governance and development across Africa through the John A. Kufuor Foundation.

John Kufuor

Op-Ed – John Kufuor: Africa faces the triple jeopardy of health, economic and informational crises

South Africa on Friday entered <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Risk-Adjusted-Strategy-Regulations-29-April-2020.pdf">phase 4 of lockdown</a>, after being in phase 5 for 35 days. As part of phase 4, 1.5 million people will be allowed to return to work and there will be a one-off movement of people. Below is a statement from the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs on how this process will work&#8230;



The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, has in terms of section 27(2)(f) of the Disaster Management Act, 2002 (Act No. 57 of 2002) and after consultation with relevant Cabinet members, issued directions in the schedule relating to the once off movement of persons in line with Regulation 16 (5), which provides that:



a) Any person who was not at their place of residence, or work before the lockdown period and who could not travel between provinces, metropolitan and district areas during the lockdown, will be permitted, on a once-off basis, to return to their places of residence or work and will be required to stay in such place until the end to the Alert Level 4”.



FOR MORE ON COVID-19 VISIT: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/covid-19/">https://www.cnbcafrica.com/covid-19/</a> 



The purpose of these directions is to regulate the once-off movement of persons who were not at their place of residence or work before the lockdown period and who could not travel between provinces, metropolitan and district areas during the lockdown, and are permitted in terms of regulation 16(5), on a once-off basis, to return to their places of residence or work.



READ: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Risk-Adjusted-Strategy-Regulations-29-April-2020.pdf">This is how phase 4 will work in SA</a>



People who wish to make use of the provision in terms of regulation are permitted to do so during the period 1 May 2020 to 7 May 2020.



For this purpose, there will be no need for people to obtain and produce a permit in order to cross provincial, metropolitan or district boundaries.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The security structures will however put measures in place to ensure those who make use of the window will do so once-off, and one-way only.



Minister urges all South Africans to recognise the unprecedented crisis facing the country due to COVID-19 and to use the opportunity provided for once off travel responsibly by still adhering to the lockdown regulations.



The Minister has also urges South Africans to unite and work together to defeat this pandemic.



Link to the Directions: <a href="https://bit.ly/2ycONXW">https://bit.ly/2ycONXW</a>

SA’s auto industry ambitions threatened by COVID-19

COVID-19: How one-off movements will work in phase 4 of SA’s lockdown

South Africa&#8217;s Minister of Economic Development Ebrahim Patel said that the country could rapidly move to phase 3 of lockdown should it avoid a sharp increase in levels of infections as 1.5 million people prepare to return to work as the country <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Risk-Adjusted-Strategy-Regulations-29-April-2020.pdf">enters phase 4</a>. See the full statement below&#8230;



Parliament, Friday, 1 May 2020 – The Portfolio Committee on Trade, Industry and Competition, together with the Select Committee on Trade and Industry, Economic Development, Small Business, Tourism, Employment and Labour today heard that should the country avoid a sharp increase in the levels of infections with the return to work of large numbers of workers and expanded testing and healthcare facilities, the economy could shift to level 3 as soon as possible. Minister Ebrahim Patel told the committees that the country does not need to stay at level 4, which commenced today, for a specific number of weeks but can move rapidly to a lower level should risks be mitigated. The committees heard that the initial return to work will be based on the national level, but will progressively be expanded to provincial and district level, enabling workplaces to adapt to the level of infections and healthcare readiness in localities. He emphasised that the Covid-19 pandemic will impact the South African economy in deep ways due to the closure of many companies during level 5. “Work is still underway to establish the extent of the impact. We are keen to restart as many economic areas as possible.” The committees heard that the department is taking responsible steps to deliberately reopen the economy in phases, with the safety of the South African people at the forefront of how that is done, in ways that allow livelihoods to be preserved – and protecting the productive assets of the nation and sustaining as much of the economy as it can, while protecting lives. The estimated impact on the economy varies at the moment, and will be driven by the trajectory of the virus both in South Africa and globally. The International Monetary Fund estimates that the gross domestic product (GDP) will fall by 5.8% in 2020. The South African Reserve Bank estimates that the GDP will fall by 6.1% in 2020. The Industrial Development Corporation estimates that the GDP will fall by 6.3% in 2020 The committees were informed that the Competition Commission received about 1 000 concerns and complaints. Many have already achieved closure on some cases where penalties were imposed or remedial action was taken. Some prosecutions are also pending. Furthermore, about 1 700 complaints were raised with the National Consumer Commission. The Minister said the department is trying to find a balance between due process and the right of the public to be heard. The committee heard that the R500 billion Covid-19 stimulus package that was announced by the President is not an elitist package as it includes the Unemployment Insurance Fund, which is an “absolute lifesaver” for low-level paid workers. The Committee Chairperson, Mr Duma Nkosi, said the committee commends the responsible and decisive manner in which the government is dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic. “We know that the lives of our people come first, and we will be guided by this principle. At the same time, we recognise the difficulty in the balancing act of keeping our people safe and reopening the economy, as these are interlinked.” ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND INDUSTRY, MR DUMA NKOSI.

Pen,goldshutterstock_118536571(800-600)

SA’s economy can move rapidly to level 3 lockdown if no sharp increase in infections: Minister Ebrahim Patel

Rwanda will reopen part of its economy from Monday, after being in lockdown to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic since <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/article/2020/03/21/covid-19-rwanda-on-lockdown/">Saturday, March 21</a>. Below is the full statement&#8230;



Nigeria on Monday <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/coronavirus/2020/04/27/nigeria-to-phase-out-lockdown-in-abuja-lagos-ogun-states-these-are-the-details/">announced plans to partially reopen</a> its economy while South Africa <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/coronavirus/2020/04/23/sa-to-phase-out-lockdown-these-are-the-details/">started its gradual reopening</a> today, May 1. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="575" height="689" src="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Rwanda-1-2-e1588332339150.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-369817" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Rwanda-1-2-e1588332339150.jpg 575w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Rwanda-1-2-e1588332339150-250x300.jpg 250w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 575px) 100vw, 575px" /></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="737" height="1024" src="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Rwanda-2-737x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-369818"/></figure>

Rwanda extends COVID-19 lockdown until 30 April

Rwanda extends COVID-19 lockdown until 30 April. shutterstock_520198060

Rwanda to phase out lockdown, these are the details…

By Chris Bishop



I once asked Denis Goldberg what he thought of one of his high ranking former comrades taking R500, 000 in bribes from a crook.



“What a cheapskate!” came back the reply faster than a gunslinger’s bullet. I expected more pious reply, not with Denis.



“He has sold out his job, his country, his beliefs, his politics and his morals – for half a million bucks?”



Denis said it with that dead pan look on his face. Believe me, he was deadly serious and angry, but his expression dissolved into that famous smile of his that made you think we frail human beings all make mistakes.



That was Denis and his attitude in a nutshell – he was principled and far from enamoured, in later years, with all that was going in the government that he fought to put in power and was never afraid to say so; and yet, he never forgot that we are all human and vulnerable, something that fuelled his tireless charity work.



I first met Denis at his home near the crashing waves of Hout Bay, near Cape Town, the city where he was born and should have lived out his days as a comfortable engineer in the suburbs. Instead he spent years training revolutionaries in the art of warfare and making bombs.



&nbsp;We got to know each other during the making of a three-hour documentary Liliesleaf – the Untold Story for CNBC Africa on the Rivonia trial, in 1963, where he faced the death penalty with Nelson Mandela. We kept in touch down the years with lunch, a phone call and the odd laugh about the absurdity of politics.



I shall never forget the warm, human, story he told on that summer day back in 2009 about how he sneaked small squares of chocolate to a chained and emaciated Mandela, in short trousers, whom police had dragged from prison to face sabotage charges.



“You don’t get sweeteners in prison,” said Goldberg with a smile.



Alongside Mandela, on that day, were the leading lights of the liberation movement: Walter Sisulu; Govan Mbeki; Ray Mhlaba; Andrew Mlangeni and Ahmed Kathrada. Only Mlangeni, who will be 95 in June, survives. &nbsp;



The authorities hoped would put them away forever. They nearly succeeded and certainly set back the liberation of South Africa by decades by incarcerating the leaders of the movement for life.



“’There was Mandela standing in the dock defiantly and forcing the judge to look him in the eye,” Goldberg said as if the hearing were yesterday at the Palace of Justice in Pretoria.



For some reason, Denis and I got on like a house on fire. He reminded me of my grandfathers – a hard man ready to fight for what was right, yet humane and compassionate with it.



The tough side of him came out in that interview. He told how the special branch officers used to taunt him across the courtroom, as the evidence was presented, by running their forefingers across their throats with a grin of death.



“I had to think about how to respond and in the end I did this back…” says Denis giving it the middle finger. Anyone who can give the finger to their captors in the shadow of death is tough enough.



Then, when he was relating the harrowing tale of his fractured relationship with his daughter, Hilary came out the old soldier hide of granite.



It was a sorrowful tale. Denis’s daughter worshipped him from afar as a latter day Robin Hood in the 20 years he was in prison. When he was released in 1984 they were reunited in Israel. A few months later the two fell out. It started when Hilary filtered the pile of hate mail from his daily post.



“I told her, Hilary, Hilly, you are trying to control me like they did in prison,” he said.&nbsp;



It all blew up. An angry Hilary told her father he had never been around and was always away fighting the struggle, you could see the pain Denis’s face.



“It took five years and a lot of counselling, but we reconciled. Unfortunately shortly after that she died.”



By this time both the young cameraman and myself, I am not ashamed to say this, had cast off our professional masks and had tears rolling down our cheeks.



“What’s the matter with you guys?” shot back Goldberg in mock outrage.



“I thought journalists were supposed to tough. I don’t know, the journalists of today!”



Then we all laughed, once again Denis had made people feel they would see the sun tomorrow.



His humour was legendary, as was his compassion. He once told me that he was handed three life sentences but was given a bulk discount and only served one. On the other side of the coin, he told me of the horror of lying in his cell listening to condemned men screaming as warders dragged them to the gallows. It was pure Denis that he learned the guitar so he could play a heartfelt musical tribute to the condemned.



Only Denis could have led the laughter in court when he and his comrades slipped the noose.



“Life and life is wonderful,” he called out when someone asked the verdict of the dock.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Amid all the laughter, sound and fury of the life of Denis Goldberg there is one cool winter’s afternoon that I will always remember him by. It was at Liliesleaf , in 2013, at the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the raid on Rivonia that led him to spending 20 years in prison.



It was a draining day for an 80-year-old. There were journalists asking questions and taking pictures everywhere. Denis was patient and explained his story to those too young and green to know, but as the day wore on I could see he was getting tired. It was a Rivonia reunion with lawyers Joel Joffe, who became an insurance tycoon in Britain, and George Bizos, still fighting the good fight, there to reminisce with the men they saved from the noose.



On top of that, Denis had to settle a 50-year-old grudge with the late Bob Hepple, a former comrade who was up to his neck in the sabotage trial. He had negotiated his way out of police cells with a decision to turn state witness that led to him skipping the country to a knighthood and a comfortable life as a professor at Cambridge University.



“At the time, I told him you do this and people will cross the street to avoid you,” Denis told me.



To rub salt in the wound, Hepple sent Denis, insensitively,&nbsp; a Christmas card in prison in his first year of incarceration. Fifty years later Denis shook hands with Hepple and buried the grudge with good humour.



My abiding memory of Denis came later on that day as the sunlight dimmed along with his fading energy.&nbsp; A young schoolgirl, in uniform, who must have been about 13, approached him as he was heading for the car to take him to the hotel.



“Excuse me Mr Goldberg I am doing my school project on the Rivonia trial can I talk to you?” she says. Even I thought an exhausted Denis he was going to decline politely, but he sat down and smiled.



More than an hour later I saw Denis sitting at the table telling patiently his story to the school girl making copious notes. Maybe she will fight for freedom one day too.



I smiled and walked away. That was Denis and I was proud to have known him.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Farewell one of the last survivors of Mandela’s band of brothers: Denis Goldberg – the gentle lion of the struggle.

Why SA’s exclusion from the WGBI may be a non-event

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S&#038;P Global’s decision to downgrade South Africa further into junk status, following concerns of what Covid-19 would do it the country’s growth and debt profile as been met with disappointment from government. National Treasury said it not happy that the downgrade has come when South Africa is facing one of its most challenging times. Ravi Bhatia, Director Sovereign &#038; IPF Ratings at S&#038;P Global Ratings joins CNBC Africa for more.

Why S&P downgraded SA ahead of schedule

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After several episodes of low uptake, local online businesses are drawing up strategies that will help them sustain the momentum, as they make record sales in the midst of the lock-down. Andrew Gatera, Managing Director, Umujyi.com joins CNBC Africa for more.

E-commerce platforms in Rwanda reshaping their strategy amid COVID-19

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Moody’s says Nigerian banks’ exposure to the oil and gas industry is substantial, at around 27 percent of total loans as at the end of 2019. Moody’s also stressed that the quality of banks&#8217; oil and gas loan portfolios will further deteriorate as a majority of these loans were extended to the upstream and service segments, where borrowers are more sensitive to oil price movements than downstream. Bongo Adi, Senior Lecturer at the Lagos Business School joins CNBC Africa to discuss the impact of the lower oil prices on Nigeria’s oil industry and the banking sector.

COVID-19: How exposed are Nigerian banks to the oil sector?

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The COVID-19 pandemic is changing the way in which the world does business and this means a change in the way that business is governed and functions. According to data from a Refinitiv report on Governance and Sustainability, sustainability has been at the forefront of businesses so far as an increase in corporate accountability to all stakeholders, greater corporate governance and gender equality in the workplace has proved king. But will this all change as COVID-19 disrupts business. Joining CNBC Africa to unpack this report is Elena Philipova, Global Head of ESG Proposition at Refinitiv.

Refinitiv on governance trends & how COVID-19 will change this

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African countries have been praised for their response to the COVID-19 pandemic but there are still concerns for the more fragile economies and development markets such as the commodity based economy of Zimbabwe. Joining CNBC Africa to unpack more on the economic and social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Zimbabwe is Batanai Matsika, Head of Research at Morgan &#038; Co.

Newsletter

SA takes first place in 2019 Open Budget Index Survey

How kind struggle hero Denis Goldberg lit up dark days behind bars with the help of a Rabbi

Live Now: Reviving your small business

This is what SA’s workplaces are required to provide staff with in #lockdownlevel4

Opinion : Could Industrialists lead the way up and out of COVID-19?

COVID-19: Opinion – Fear the fake news that spreads like wildfire and hurts us all

Op-Ed – John Kufuor: Africa faces the triple jeopardy of health, economic and informational crises

COVID-19: How one-off movements will work in phase 4 of SA’s lockdown

SA’s economy can move rapidly to level 3 lockdown if no sharp increase in infections: Minister Ebrahim Patel

Rwanda to phase out lockdown, these are the details…

Farewell one of the last survivors of Mandela’s band of brothers: Denis Goldberg – the gentle lion of the struggle.

Why SA’s exclusion from the WGBI may be a non-event

Why S&P downgraded SA ahead of schedule

E-commerce platforms in Rwanda reshaping their strategy amid COVID-19

COVID-19: How exposed are Nigerian banks to the oil sector?

Refinitiv on governance trends & how COVID-19 will change this

Morgan & Co on COVID-19 & its impact on Zimbabwe’s economy

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Newsletter

SA takes first place in 2019 Open Budget Index Survey

How kind struggle hero Denis Goldberg lit up dark days behind bars with the help of a Rabbi

Live Now: Reviving your small business

This is what SA’s workplaces are required to provide staff with in #lockdownlevel4

Opinion : Could Industrialists lead the way up and out of COVID-19?

COVID-19: Opinion – Fear the fake news that spreads like wildfire and hurts us all

Op-Ed – John Kufuor: Africa faces the triple jeopardy of health, economic and informational crises

COVID-19: How one-off movements will work in phase 4 of SA’s lockdown

SA’s economy can move rapidly to level 3 lockdown if no sharp increase in infections: Minister Ebrahim Patel

Rwanda to phase out lockdown, these are the details…

Farewell one of the last survivors of Mandela’s band of brothers: Denis Goldberg – the gentle lion of the struggle.

Why SA’s exclusion from the WGBI may be a non-event

Why S&P downgraded SA ahead of schedule

E-commerce platforms in Rwanda reshaping their strategy amid COVID-19

COVID-19: How exposed are Nigerian banks to the oil sector?

Refinitiv on governance trends & how COVID-19 will change this

Morgan & Co on COVID-19 & its impact on Zimbabwe’s economy

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