5 important things happening in South Africa today

South Africa won praise for its response to the coronavirus outbreak, including curfews and an alcohol ban. But when it comes to minibus taxis, the unregulated vehicles shuttling people from home to workplace, economic and political realities mean it's better to fill seats and hope for the best. When a lockdown began in March, many of the Toyota Quantums flouted an initial instruction to run at 70% capacity. Now, even as South Africans are banned from visiting family and social distancing is enforced in restaurants, taxis are allowed to be crammed full as long as they keep their windows partially open. The change shows the influence of an industry that 40% of South Africans rely on each day. Before the capacity ruling was relaxed, taxi associations rejected government aid as insufficient and threatened to almost triple prices in Gauteng, the country's commercial hub. On June 22, drivers struck, blockading roads. Coronavirus: Global Covid-19 infections have hit 95 million confirmed, with the death toll reaching 2.03 million. In South Africa, there have been 12,267 new cases, taking the total reported to 1,337,926. Deaths have reached 37,105 (a daily increase of 254), while recoveries have climbed to 1,098,441, leaving the country with a balance of 202,380 active cases. Load shedding: Stage 2 load shedding resumes on Monday from 05h00, with no indication of an end time. Expunged: Government plans to put a process in place to expunge criminal records as a result of breaking South Africa’s Covid-19 laws – but it has no intention to do it any time soon, and especially not during the current second wave. The justice department said that South Africans need a proper deterrent to convince them to obey the laws, and just paying a fine isn’t going to cut it. Criminal records attained from breaking lockdown laws persist for 10 years, and prevent you from getting a job and travelling to some countries Bad banks: Evidence has been submitted in an ongoing court battle against major SA banks, showing how they auction off repossessed properties for a fraction of their market values. A sample of 12,000 properties sold at auction revealed that most were sold at between 50%-60% of their market value, while in the worst cases, some were sold at 17% of their value. Some sold for just 1%. The class action suit is seeking to recoup billions of rands lost to this practice. The banks have yet to file a response.

The Road Project to Be Completed In Duduza

The Road Project in Duduza Masechaba view will soon be completed after a long term process due to the Covid-19 delay the project to be Completed earlier last year

Young Thug Wants to Face Off Against Lil Wayne in 'Verzuz' Battle

Young Thug and Lil Wayne's past feud is water under the bridge, and now Thugger is challenging his former rival to a Verzuz battle. While chatting with hosts Gillie Da King and Wallo267 on their “Million Dollaz Worth of Game” podcast, the rapper revealed that Weezy is his dream opponent for Timbaland and Swizz Beatz's popular streaming series, as they are comparable in cultural influence. “It would probably have to be like [Lil Wayne],” he shared. “Because you got to think—we got to talk about influence. We got to talk about everything. We got to talk about everything. It’s not just about no rap.” “You got to understand, as rapper, as hip-hop artists, you can only go so far,” he added. “I always just focused on the next level.”

The duo's beef stems back to when they first met. "The first day he didn’t dap me up,” Thug shared of their first encounter. “Tried me. Now my feet hurt and I’ma real stepper. Left the pimpin’ hanging. He prolly had them chrome hearts on.” "I’m like, ‘Hey listen bruh, I’m never touching your hand again. Just off of that. I’m a player, I’m a real player and I don’t give no f---. Nothing about me is a groupie, no nothing! You inspired me," he continued.

J. COLE LAYS OUT HIS RELEASE SCHEDULE & THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF MUSIC BEFORE 'THE FALL OFF'

J. Cole hasn’t dropped a full-length solo album since 2018’s KOD, but it looks like the highly anticipated follow-up The Fall Off, its precursor The Off Season and another mixtape called It’s A Boy could be arriving in the near future. On Tuesday (December 29), the elusive MC popped up to share a rare Instagram post that featured an outline for either his year-end goals or an upcoming hiatus — at least that’s how it’s being interpreted by his fans. He wrote in the caption, “I still got some goals I gotta check off for’ I scram…” The post included a photo of a notebook with “The Fall Off Era” written across the top. Below the header, he wrote “Features,” “ROTD3” — which are both crossed out — “The Off Season,” “It’s A Boy” and “The Fall Off.”https://www.instagram.com/p/CJZtGT-FK4c/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_mid=C1891563-1E1B-462E-BF03-345A0A77CB85

LIL WAYNE QUESTIONS BEING LEFT OUT OF THE GRAMMY AWARDS ON TWITTER

When the GRAMMY Award nominations dropped at the top of the month many artists expressed their issues with the list. A bit tardy to the party but still a big voice to the issue is Lil Wayne who wonders why his name is left out. Weezy hit Twitter on Sunday and posed a question to why he was not nominated for the release of his Funeral album or why is he not invited at all. “As an artist, when I see da Grammys coming up & I’m not involved nor invited; I wonder. Is it me, my musik, or just another technicality?” Wayne wrote. “I look around w respect & wonder competitively am I not worthy?! Then I look around & see 5 Grammys looking bak at me & I go to the studio.” Wayne ran u phis Grammy wins during Tha Carter III era and also snagged on alongside Chance the Rapper and 2 Chainz for “No Problem” in 2016. Does he have a point? Should Wayne have been nominated. Check out the tweet below. Lil Wayne WEEZY F @LilTunechi As an artist, when I see da Grammys coming up & I’m not involved nor invited; I wonder. Is it me , my musik, or just another technicality? I look around w respect & wonder competitively am I not worthy?! Then I look around & see 5 Grammys looking bak at me & I go to the studio. 1:47 AM · Dec 21, 2020 40.3K 6.3K are Tweeting about

What's happening in South Africa

South Africa's chief justice has said he "doesn't care" about the backlash over his prayer against a Covid-19 vaccine "that was of the devil". He was filmed last week praying fervently against vaccines "meant to corrupt [people's] DNA", drawing public criticism in a country with the highest recorded number of coronavirus cases in Africa. But Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng over the weekend said he was not a scientist but a "prayer warrior" who was concerned about the safety of vaccines. He said people must be free to express themselves regardless of the position they hold in society. "I don't care about the consequences. We've been quiet for far too long, toeing the line," he said . "You can't impose a vaccine on people. Why should you?" Last week, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said teenage clubbing and parties were driving the country's second wave of infections. South Africa has so far confirmed 860,964 cases and 23,276 deaths. Recoveries stand at over 750,000.

Covid 19 updates in South African

South African scientists said they are working with the World Health Organization to investigate a new variant of coronavirus, currently surging in many parts of the country. The new variant known as 501.V2 was identified by a genomics team led by the KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform. It was discovered earlier this month, when scientists noticed a number of mutations during routine surveillance of the virus. Local scientists say that South Africa’s new variant appears to be unrelated to the one found in the UK. But it does share one important mutation. The shared mutation affects the way the virus attaches to human cells – and scientists speculate that is what is behind the faster transmission of this virus. Researchers in the UK say the mutated virus there is 70% more transmissible. But experts in South Africa say they are still gathering data on this, but expect this may be the case here too. In South Africa the new variant was first found in the Eastern Cape province and has since spread to the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. The country recently entered a second wave of infections, which has led to new regulations to try to slow the spread of the disease, including the closure of some of the major beaches. Mutations in viruses are not uncommon, experts say. It is not clear at this stage whether the new variants are more deadly. Scientists say more research is needed on this, and also on whether the mutations could lessen the effectiveness of vaccines. Health officials have reiterated calls for people to keep following the same Covid-prevention protocols until more is known about the new variants. Some countries have now banned flights from South Africa and the UK including Germany and Switzerland. While El Salvador has banned any travellers who were in the UK and South Africa in the last 30 days.