
The President of the SA Rugby Union (SARU) Mark Alexander again urged the government to immediately reinstate the 100% capacity at the country’s rugby stadiums.
Alexander says the sport is currently under heavy financial pressure, due to the two years of lockdown restrictions, and the 50% limit at major sporting events.
He says rugby tournaments can generate up to R18.6-billion this year if fully attended.
Alexander urges the government to lift the attendance restrictions before July when the Springboks play their first Test for 2022.
Alexander says it’s unfair that shopping malls are allowed to receive large numbers of people on a daily basis, while sporting events have to be content with half-empty stadiums.
He says it is extremely important for the sport if it wants to survive this financial year, that more people should be allowed at stadiums.
Get the latest SARU updates here and here.
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🇿🇦 Hospitality tickets have gone on sale for @RugbyWorldCup Sevens in Cape Town
🔗 More here: https://t.co/YFZwQM2CZ9#RWC7s #AllRoadsLeadToCapeTown pic.twitter.com/ynghjemfD1— Springboks (@Springboks) May 4, 2022
The World Is Coming To Cape Town from 9 – 11 September for the ultimate feast of Rugby Sevens World Cup action! 🏆
🎟 Friday tickets still available: https://t.co/arMMx4jcv3 #RWC7s #TheWordIsComingToCapeTown https://t.co/vmDuCXD7pr pic.twitter.com/0p5ZSVFQfr
— Springboks (@Springboks) May 6, 2022

Local virology-expert, Professor Barry Schoub says it is still advisable that South Africans continue wearing a face mask to help protect themselves from contracting Covid-19.
This, after many residents hoped the adjusted health- and safety regulations, published this week, came with the ditching of the masking rule.
Schoub says with the uptick in infections, it is best to, especially when indoors and around others, to continue masking up.
He says there is enough evidence that points to the efficacy of masks.
Follow the latest Department of Health updates here.
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The Minister of Health Dr Joe Phaahla has extended the period for public comments on health regulations by three months with effect from Thursday, 5 May 2022.The new closing date for submission of comments is 5th of July 2022 https://t.co/A8lTwvdQ6E
— Department of Health (@HealthZA) May 5, 2022

The Dubai-based airline, Emirates says it has, since the easing of the Covid-19 travel restrictions, seen a dramatic increase in the demand for flights to and from South Africa.
Before the pandemic, the airline had 49 weekly flights to and from SA.
Emirates Regional Manager for Southern Africa, Afzal Parambil says, over the past few weeks, the airline managed to reinstate 26 flights to South Africa.
Parambil says they are struggling to keep up with demand.
The airline will also boost its cooperation with SA Airlink to offer visitors access to more South African destinations, from June this year.
Parambil says the airline says it has managed to reinstate almost 70% of its flights to South Africa already.
He says the airline anticipates having 80% of flight capacity on offer by the middle of 2022.
Find the latest flight updates from Emirates here.
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Eid Mubarak from all of us at Emirates. pic.twitter.com/pv1oaQ601f
— Emirates Airline (@emirates) May 1, 2022

He spoke to ENCA and says all systems are in place to deal with the expected 5th wave.
Cloete says the sudden increase in Covid-19 infections, recorded in the past few days, should not be a cause for alarm.
This past weekend, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases said the country’s test-positivity rate reached the 22% mark, with Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Western Cape recording the majority of new infections.
Cloete says newer versions of the Omicron variant are responsible for this surge in new infections.
Read more here.
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1/4 The @WesternCapeGov has submitted its comments on the four sets of Draft Regulations to the National Department of Health. The WC Cabinet accordingly agreed that the Draft Health Regulations as published are NOT supported
Read the full statement here: https://t.co/YvL0up6Us9 pic.twitter.com/sWyPefhBMq
— Premier Alan Winde (@alanwinde) April 14, 2022
I welcome the announcement by the President that the National Disaster will finally end. This is a long-overdue announcement which will help us in the fight against the 2nd pandemic of joblessness.
Read more here 👉https://t.co/bmdrgfnYnU pic.twitter.com/y5WlDQI5kj
— Premier Alan Winde (@alanwinde) April 4, 2022

Duby says it also led to higher levels of anxiety and depression among participants.
She says there was however a silver lining to be found in all the devastation.
Read more here.
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We're partnering with @wellcometrust to deliver the Data Prize in Mental Health, supporting collaborative approaches to research into #anxiety and #depression in young people.
Join us on 7 April for our launch webinar.https://t.co/cRsRPTqhni#MentalHealthMatters @Mental_Elf pic.twitter.com/D7Y04H1MlE
— Social Finance UK (@socfinuk) March 23, 2022