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The focus for many Sub- Saharan African countries is the re-opening of economies following strict lock-downs that were implemented in March due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Joining CNBC Africa to unpack more on the re-opening of African economies is Ridle Markus, Africa Strategist at Absa Corporate and Investment Banking.

COVID-19 lockdowns: When is the right time to reopen economies?

COVID-19 lockdowns: When is the right time to reopen African economies?

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There will be a glimmer of hope in the fight against COVID-19 emanating from the southernmost tip of Africa. The Stellenbosch medical school campus based in Tygerberg Hospital in Cape Town began trials for a booster that could help many people fight disease. Around 500 people are taking part in the trials and if more funding can be found up to 3,000 people could be involved. One of the people behind the trials is Professor Andreas Diacon and joins CNBC Africa for more.

Could the TB vaccine alleviate COVID-19 symptoms and infections?

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More than 30 companies have been approved by the Rwanda Food and Drug Authority to turn their facilities into production of personal protective equipment after thorough assessment. CNBC Africa&#8217;s Fiona Muthoni had a conversation with Alex Gisagara, Head of Food and Drugs Inspection and Safety Monitoring Department at the Food and Drug Authority on standards and pricing policy.

Rwandan companies turn to production of PPEs amid COVID-19 crisis

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Small and medium enterprises’ workers in the informal sector are some of those that have been affected the most by COVID-19 but to what extent has this impact been felt, Minister of Trade and Industry, Soraya Hakuziyaremye spoke to CNBC Africa for more.

Minister Hakuziyaremye on COVID-19 impact on trade & industry in Rwanda

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



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</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="(max-width: 1110px) 100vw, 1110px" /></figure>



TOPICS COVERED



<ul><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.

COVID-19: Investing for Roubini’s Greater Depression

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?

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="(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…

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The JSE has rebounded by around 30 per cent from the March lows when Covid-19 panic selling triggered a flight from risky assets. Naturally, exchange traded funds were also hit, with the market value locally ending 9 per cent lower after peaking at R100 billion last year. Mike Brown, Managing Director of etfSA joins CNBC Africa for more.

The state of SA’s ETF industry in a COVID-19 world

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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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Statistics indicate that African venture investments registered a record $1.340 billion in investments through more than 400 deals in equity and debt financing in 2019. Experts had predicted a robust venture capital market this year but the COVID-19 pandemic is shattering hopes. CNBC Africa is joined by EFI Hub CEO, Anu Shah.

The impact of COVID-19 on African venture investments

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Nigerian tier-1 lender, Zenith Bank recorded a 0.6 per cent rise in first quarter profit-after-tax to 50.5 billion naira. Group Managing Director and CEO of Zenith Bank, Ebenezer Onyeagwu joined CNBC Africa’s Kenneth Igbomor to breakdown the numbers.

Zenith Bank CEO on Q1 earnings & COVID-19 impact on business

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The International Energy Agency says the global oil demand declined by 5 per cent in the first quarter of the year. The IEA also says it expects global oil demand to drop by 9 per cent or 9 million barrels per day on average across this year. Uchenna Minnis, Managing Partner at BluFX joins CNBC Africa to discuss this and more.

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covid-19

COVID-19 lockdowns: When is the right time to reopen African economies?

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Minister Hakuziyaremye on COVID-19 impact on trade & industry in Rwanda

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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…

The state of SA’s ETF industry in a COVID-19 world

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The impact of COVID-19 on African venture investments

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