April 19, 2022 – South Africa News Gazette

April 19, 2022

Interest in Business Schools Survives Cost Perception and “Great Resignation”

Global survey defines pandemic-induced shifts in MBA and Business Master’s degrees

RESTON, Va., April 19, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), a global association of leading graduate business schools, today released its GMAC Prospective Students Survey – 2022 Summary Report, which explores how candidate preferences have shifted during the COVID-19 pandemic. The report was based on survey responses from more than 6,500 individuals worldwide who expressed interest in graduate business education in 2021. While cost remains a primary concern in today’s dynamic economy with brisk job market and rising inflation, candidates from around the globe continue to perceive graduate management education as a tried-and-true pathway to advance professionally and position themselves to achieve their goals, consistent with pre-pandemic levels. Globally, 4 out of 5 candidates stated that a graduate business degree allows them to stand out at work. Similarly, the full-time MBA program continues to be the most popular program option, with 1 out of 4 of all candidates preferring the two-year full-time format and another 1 in 5 preferring the one-year full time format.

“While the pandemic has altered aspects of the graduate management education landscape, the fundamental perceptions of the value of graduate management education generally and the MBA specifically continue to stay strong,” said Sangeet Chowfla, president and CEO of GMAC. “While there continue to be evolutions in candidates’ preferred study destinations, delivery formats, career paths and perceptions of admissions testing policies, if there were ever any concerns that the pandemic and its effects would diminish business school aspirants’ perceptions of the value of a degree, the latest GMAC findings of the Prospective Students Survey should help put them to rest.”

Other Key Findings

More candidates prefer to study closer to home while the U.S. and Europe intensify their competition for international candidates

More candidates from traditionally mobile markets are opting to study closer to home than they did before the pandemic. For example, among Central and South Asian candidates, the percentage who prefer to study internationally declined from 89 to 73 percent between 2019 and 2021. Among East and Southeast Asian candidates, preference to study internationally also declined from 92 to 87 percent between 2020 and 2021, a possible indication that studying abroad was limited due to the pandemic-fueled travel restrictions.

Among international candidates—candidates whose preferred study destination differs from their country of citizenship—virtually the same proportion said in 2021 that the United States and Western Europe is their preferred destination (39%, respectively). Among international MBA candidates specifically, the U.S. is the preferred destination of half (50%), expanding its lead over second place Western Europe (28%) between 2019 and 2021. In the meantime, Western Europe remains the preferred destination of more than half of international business master’s candidates.

Belief in the value of fully online education remains low while acceptance of hybrid formats increases

Candidates see higher value in the in-person business school experience compared with online as the share of surveyed candidates who prefer fully online programs stays flat. Among global prospective students surveyed in 2021, most disagree that online degree programs offer the same value as on-campus programs (73%). Nearly 4 in 5 disagree that the networking opportunities are equivalent, and 2 in 3 disagree that the career opportunities are the same. However, these negative views softened slightly between 2020 and 2021.

At the same time, preference for hybrid models has gone up significantly across candidate types, especially those who prefer Executive, Part-time, and Flexible MBA programs (44%, from 30% in 2019), but also those who want to study full-time to earn a business master’s (20%, from 13% in 2019) or MBA (13%, from 7% in 2019). Globally, 20 percent of candidates surveyed in 2021 prefer hybrid program delivery, up from 14 percent pre-pandemic. U.S. underrepresented minority candidates (28%) also express interest in hybrid programs, up significantly from the pre-pandemic level.

Consulting continues to top prospective student interests, but tech is still on the rise

Among candidates in the United States, where “the Great Resignation” has shaken up the job market, 42 percent identify themselves as “career switchers” ─ whose goal is to either change industries or job functions by pursuing a business degree ─ significantly higher than global levels at 32 percent. As it was pre-pandemic, consulting continues to be the top industry and job function both men and women candidates aspire to. But there is growing interest in the technology industry, especially among the career switchers (50%) and non-business undergraduate majors (49%). Furthermore, between 2019 and 2021, interest in tech also increased with women (29% to 34%).

“As people perceive work differently after the pandemic, many become more open-minded to the variety of possible career paths they could pursue. It is encouraging to see that more women are pursuing a business degree as a way to build careers in the tech industry,” said Joy Jones, chief product officer and general manager of assessments at GMAC. “Graduate business education continues to be in high demand because it opens the door to a wide array of industries and job functions, including areas that are less thought about or not previously considered by traditional candidates seeking to enter business schools.”

Test optional and waiver policies led to unintended consequences

Globally, most candidates agree that admissions exams improve the fairness and transparency of business school admissions. Most also agree that exams improve schools’ reliability in evaluating applicants and demonstrate the importance they place on the quality of the students they admit. A clear trend in survey responses is that international candidates view admissions testing especially favorably. About half say a school’s use of admissions exams is an indicator of the quality of the program and is an important criterion for considering applying to that school, and twice as many international candidates agree than disagree that admissions exams are an effective way to determine which students to admit. Additionally, about 2 in 5 prospective students agree that the criteria for test waivers are complex and do not apply to a large proportion of applicants, and about 1 in 3 say waivers disproportionately benefit candidates who are less prepared for a graduate business degree program.

“The data shows that prospective applicants have mixed feelings about test waiver and optional policies because of their complexity and perceptions of reduced transparency and fairness. This trend of perception is particularly acute amongst international students,” said Maite Salazar, chief marketing officer at GMAC. “The unintended consequences of test optional and waiver policies might be that they may adversely affect the perception of the commitment to student quality of programs that offer them.”

For more than a decade, the Prospective Students Survey has provided the world’s graduate business schools with critical insights into the decision-making processes of people currently considering applying to a graduate management education program through mba.com—the GMAC website for prospective graduate business students. This year, to increase the breadth and depth of prospective student voices reflected in this report, all individuals who registered for an mba.com account in the month prior were invited to the subsequent month’s survey. Additionally, for the first time, the sample of mba.com registrants was supplemented by prospective students who attended events hosted by The MBA Tour, visited the BusinessBecause website, or registered for the NMAT by GMAC exam in India—all also GMAC properties. Visit GMAC.com to read the full report.

About GMAC

The Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) is a mission-driven association of leading graduate business schools worldwide. Founded in 1953, GMAC creates solutions and experiences that enable business schools and candidates to better discover, evaluate, and connect with each other.

GMAC provides world-class research, industry conferences, recruiting tools, and assessments for the graduate management education industry, as well as tools, resources, events, and services that help guide candidates through their higher education journey. Owned and administered by GMAC, the Graduate Management Admission Test™ (GMAT™) exam is the most widely used graduate business school assessment.

More than 12 million prospective students a year trust GMAC’s websites, including mba.com, to learn about MBA and business master’s programs, connect with schools around the world, prepare and register for exams and get advice on successfully applying to MBA and business master’s programs. BusinessBecause and The MBA Tour are subsidiaries of GMAC, a global organization with offices in China, India, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

To learn more about our work, please visit www.gmac.com

Media Contact:

Teresa Hsu
Sr. Manager, Media Relations
202-390-4180 (mobile)
thsu@gmac.com

A PDF accompanying this announcement is available at http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/d3170b54-b044-4d0c-8850-b3334540861a

April 19, 2022

L’intérêt porté aux écoles de commerce résiste en dépit des coûts et de la « Grande démission »

Une enquête mondiale montre les changements induits par la pandémie dans les diplômes de MBA et les masters de commerce

RESTON, Va., 19 avr. 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Le Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), une association mondiale de prestigieuses écoles supérieures de commerce, a publié aujourd’hui son GMAC Prospective Students Survey – 2022 Summary Report (Enquête auprès des étudiants potentiels – Rapport 2022) qui s’intéresse à l’influence de la pandémie de COVID-19 sur les préférences des candidats. Le rapport était basé sur les réponses à l’enquête apportées par plus de 6 500 personnes dans le monde entier qui souhaitaient faire des études supérieures de commerce en 2021. Si le coût reste une préoccupation majeure dans l’économie dynamique d’aujourd’hui, avec un marché de l’emploi en pleine évolution et une inflation en hausse, la perception des études supérieures en management demeure stable au niveau international. Comme avant la pandémie, les candidats continuent de les considérer comme une voie efficace pour progresser sur le plan professionnel et se positionner en vue d’atteindre leurs objectifs. À l’échelle mondiale, 4 candidats sur 5 ont déclaré qu’un diplôme de commerce leur permettait de se démarquer au travail. De même, le programme MBA à temps plein continue d’être le plus populaire, avec 1 candidat sur 4 préférant la formule à temps plein sur deux ans et 1 candidat sur 5 la formule à temps plein sur un an.

« Bien que la pandémie ait modifié certains aspects de cette filière éducative, les études supérieures en management en général, et le MBA en particulier, continuent de jouir d’une solide réputation », a déclaré Sangeet Chowfla, président-directeur général du GMAC. « Certes, les préférences des candidats continuent d’évoluer en matière d’établissements, de formules, de parcours professionnels et de choix des politiques d’admission. Mais si l’on craignait que la pandémie et ses effets dévaluent les diplômes aux yeux des futurs étudiants d’écoles de commerce, les dernières conclusions de l’enquête du GMAC devraient apporter un démenti. »

Autres principales conclusions

Davantage de candidats préfèrent étudier plus près de chez eux, tandis que la concurrence s’intensifie entre les États-Unis et l’Europe pour attirer les candidats internationaux

Plus de candidats issus de pays traditionnellement mobiles choisissent d’étudier plus près de chez eux qu’avant la pandémie. Par exemple, parmi les candidats d’Asie centrale et du Sud, le pourcentage de ceux qui préfèrent étudier à l’international est passé de 89 à 73 % entre 2019 et 2021. Parmi les candidats d’Asie de l’Est et du Sud-Est, la préférence pour l’étranger a également diminué, passant de 92 à 87 % entre 2020 et 2021, résultat possible des restrictions imposées par la pandémie en matière de déplacements.

Parmi les candidats internationaux – les candidats préférant étudier dans un pays autre que leur pays de citoyenneté – ils ont indiqué à peu près à parts égales en 2021 les États-Unis et l’Europe occidentale comme destination préférée (39 % respectivement). Parmi les candidats internationaux au MBA spécifiquement, les États-Unis sont la destination préférée de la moitié d’entre eux (50 %), ce qui renforce son avance sur l’Europe occidentale (28 %), placée en deuxième position, par rapport à 2019. L’Europe occidentale reste la destination privilégiée de plus de la moitié des candidats internationaux aux masters de commerce.

La confiance reste faible dans la valeur d’un enseignement entièrement en ligne, tandis que l’acceptation des formules hybrides augmente

Les études de commerce en présentiel sont davantage valorisées que l’expérience en ligne, et la proportion des candidats interrogés qui privilégient des programmes entièrement en ligne reste stable. Parmi les futurs étudiants internationaux interrogés en 2021, la plupart estiment que les cursus diplômants en ligne n’offrent pas les mêmes avantages que ceux proposés sur le campus (73 %). Près de 4 individus sur 5 jugent que les opportunités de réseautage ne sont pas équivalentes, et 2 sur 3 que les opportunités professionnelles ne sont pas les mêmes. Cependant, ces opinions négatives se sont légèrement atténuées entre 2020 et 2021.

Dans le même temps, la préférence pour les modèles hybrides a considérablement augmenté chez l’ensemble des candidats, en particulier ceux qui préfèrent les programmes MBA à destination des cadres, à temps partiel et flexibles (44 %, contre 30 % en 2019), mais aussi chez ceux qui veulent étudier à temps plein pour obtenir un master de commerce (20 %, contre 13 % en 2019) ou un MBA (13 %, contre 7 % en 2019). À l’échelle mondiale, 20 % des candidats interrogés en 2021 préfèrent les programmes hybrides, contre 14 % avant la pandémie. Les candidats américains issus de minorités sous-représentées (28 %) expriment également leur intérêt pour les programmes hybrides, un chiffre considérablement plus élevé qu’avant la pandémie.

Le conseil reste plébiscité par les futurs étudiants, mais les cursus technologiques continuent de progresser

Parmi les candidats aux États-Unis, où le phénomène de la « Grande démission » a bouleversé le marché de l’emploi, 42 % se considèrent comme « en reconversion professionnelle » (à savoir qu’ils souhaitent changer de secteur ou de poste en suivant une formation commerciale diplômante), un pourcentage considérablement plus élevé que la moyenne mondiale située à 32 %. Comme avant la pandémie, le conseil demeure le premier choix des candidats hommes et femmes en termes de secteur et de postes. Mais le secteur des technologies suscite un intérêt croissant, en particulier chez les personnes en reconversion professionnelle (50 %) et les étudiants ayant fait un premier cycle dans une filière autre que le commerce (49 %). En outre, entre 2019 et 2021, l’intérêt pour les technologies a également augmenté chez les femmes (de 29 % à 34 %).

« La perception du travail a évolué depuis la pandémie, et les horizons professionnels se sont diversifiés pour beaucoup de gens. Il est encourageant de constater que davantage de femmes suivent un cursus commercial pour travailler dans le secteur des technologies », a déclaré Joy Jones, responsable produits et directrice générale des évaluations au GMAC. « Les études supérieures de commerce continuent d’être très demandées parce qu’elles ouvrent la porte à un large éventail de secteurs et de postes, y compris dans des domaines auxquels on pense moins ou qui n’étaient pas envisagés auparavant par les candidats traditionnels des écoles de commerce. »

Les politiques de tests optionnels et de dispense ont eu des conséquences inattendues

À l’échelle mondiale, la plupart des candidats estiment que les examens d’admission améliorent l’équité et la transparence de l’entrée dans les écoles de commerce. La plupart conviennent également que les examens améliorent la fiabilité des écoles en matière d’évaluation et témoignent de l’importance pour celles-ci de recruter des étudiants de qualité. Les réponses à l’enquête indiquent clairement que les candidats internationaux ont une opinion particulièrement favorable à l’égard des examens d’admission. Selon la moitié d’entre eux, l’admission sur examen est un indicateur de la qualité du programme et constitue un critère important dans la décision de candidater pour une école. Les candidats internationaux sont en outre deux fois plus nombreux à juger efficace plutôt que non efficace l’admission sur examen. Par ailleurs, environ 2 étudiants potentiels sur 5 sont d’accord pour dire que les critères de dispense d’examen sont complexes et ne s’appliquent pas à une grande partie des candidats, et environ 1 sur 3 estiment que les dispenses profitent de manière disproportionnée aux candidats qui sont moins préparés à un cursus commercial.

« Les données montrent que les candidats ont des sentiments mitigés à l’égard des politiques de dispense/d’options en matière d’examen en raison de leur complexité et du risque qu’elles impliquent en termes de transparence et d’équité. Cette tendance est particulièrement marquée chez les étudiants internationaux », a déclaré Maite Salazar, responsable du marketing au GMAC. « Les politiques d’options et de dispense d’examen peuvent avoir des conséquences négatives imprévues, en semant notamment le doute sur l’exigence de qualité en matière de recrutement des étudiants. »

Depuis plus de dix ans, l’enquête auprès des étudiants potentiels fournit aux écoles de commerce du monde entier des informations essentielles sur les processus de décision des personnes qui envisagent de s’inscrire à un programme d’études supérieures en management via mba.com, le site Web du GMAC destiné aux futurs étudiants. Cette année, afin d’augmenter la diversité et la portée des voix des étudiants potentiels reflétées dans ce rapport, toutes les personnes ayant créé un compte mba.com au cours du mois précédent ont été invitées à l’enquête du mois suivant. En outre, pour la première fois, l’échantillon des inscrits sur mba.com a été complété par des étudiants potentiels ayant assisté à des événements organisés par le MBA Tour, consulté le site BusinessBecause,ou inscrits à l’examen NMAT du GMAC en Inde — tous deux également propriétés du GMAC. Rendez-vous sur GMAC.com pour lire le rapport complet.

À propos du GMAC

Le Graduate Management Admission Council™ (GMAC™) est une association de prestigieuses écoles supérieures de commerce du monde entier, au service d’une mission. Fondé en 1953, le GMAC crée des solutions et des expériences permettant aux écoles de commerce et aux candidats de mieux se découvrir, s’évaluer et entrer en relation les uns avec les autres.

Le GMAC fournit au secteur de l’enseignement supérieur en management des recherches, conférences sectorielles, outils de recrutement et évaluations de classe mondiale, ainsi que des outils, ressources, événements et services qui guident les candidats pendant leur parcours dans l’enseignement supérieur. Propriété du GMAC, qui assure sa gestion, l’examen du Graduate Management Admission Test™ (GMAT™) est l’évaluation pour école de commerce la plus largement utilisée.

Plus de 12 millions d’étudiants potentiels par an font confiance aux sites Web du GMAC, y compris mba.com, pour en savoir plus sur les programmes de MBA et de masters de commerce, contacter les écoles du monde entier, se préparer et s’inscrire aux examens, et obtenir des conseils sur les procédures d’admission aux programmes de MBA et de masters de commerce. BusinessBecause et The MBA Tour sont des filiales du GMAC, une organisation internationale ayant des bureaux en Chine, en Inde, au Royaume-Uni et aux États-Unis.

Pour en savoir plus sur notre travail, rendez-vous sur www.gmac.com

Contact pour les médias :

Teresa Hsu
Responsable principale des relations avec les médias
202-390-4180 (mobile)
thsu@gmac.com

Un PDF accompagnant cette annonce est disponible à l’adresse : https://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/d3170b54-b044-4d0c-8850-b3334540861a

April 19, 2022

Zoom Whiteboard, the Collaboration Canvas for Hybrid Teams, Now Available

New Solution Enables Real-time and Asynchronous Dispersed Collaboration

SAN JOSE, Calif., April 19, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, Zoom Video Communications, Inc. announced the general availability of Zoom Whiteboard, a modern digital canvas that provides a unified solution for collaboration and creation within the Zoom platform. Users can interact with the Zoom Whiteboard similar to an in-person experience, creating more visually engaging and efficient collaboration. With the global workforce embracing hybrid work environments across industries, there is an increased need for solutions that seamlessly foster ideation and teamwork among co-located and distributed colleagues. Zoom Whiteboard further broadens the capabilities of the Zoom platform for today’s hybrid workforce, including unified communications, Zoom Developer Platform, Zoom Events, Zoom Contact Center, and Zoom IQ for Sales.

“Collaboration tools are in high demand, and Zoom Whiteboard is sure to be a staple in the modern workforce,” said Dan Root, Senior Analyst of Visual Collaboration, Wainhouse Research. “Zoom brings over a decade’s worth of experience in exceptional video communications to this new solution, which businesses need to keep information flowing in a secure and easily-managed fashion.”

“Not only are we supporting customers as they adapt to this new phase of work, but we’re anticipating what comes next, and building platform solutions, like Zoom Whiteboard, to address it,” said Oded Gal, Chief Product Officer of Zoom. “Zoom Whiteboard is arming teams with the power of continuous communication in an easy-to-use solution that provides a virtual space to collaborate before, during, and after a meeting.”

Whiteboard Anytime, From Anywhere
Hybrid work presents challenges for working collaboratively as remote workers can’t see a physical whiteboard in the office and risk being left out. It can also be challenging to transport ideas and information across a broad audience.

Zoom Whiteboard is a visual collaboration tool designed to facilitate asynchronous and real-time collaboration, serving as a virtual space for teams to capture ideas and work together with freedom and flexibility. A web-based solution, users can effortlessly collaborate across a variety of devices – web browser, tablet, desktop, or Zoom Rooms for Touch. Tightly integrated with Zoom Meetings and Zoom Rooms for Touch devices like the DTEN D7 and Neat Board, with support for Zoom Chat coming soon, Zoom Whiteboard extends productivity well beyond the boundaries of a single meeting.

Complement your Zoom Rooms with a dedicated Companion Whiteboard, like the new DTEN ONboard, the first purpose-built interactive touch display for advanced whiteboarding coming soon.

Features Designed for Collaboration
Zoom Whiteboard comes with a host of easy-to-use features including:

Dashboard and easy sharing: Create new, manage existing, and share access to whiteboards. Zoom Whiteboard can be shared internally or externally with anyone that has a Zoom account, with the option to export and save.
Notes and comments: Use sticky notes to highlight important ideas.
Shapes and Connectors: Shapes are easily created, and connectors can be used to instantly attach those shapes.
Extendable Canvas: Create up to 12 pages with seamless navigation; users can easily add images.

To learn more about Zoom Whiteboard, please visit the Whiteboard page and read our blog.

About Zoom
Zoom is for you. Zoom is a space where you can connect to others, share ideas, make plans, and build toward a future limited only by your imagination. Our frictionless communications platform is the only one that started with video as its foundation, and we have set the standard for innovation ever since. That is why we are an intuitive, scalable, and secure choice for large enterprises, small businesses, and individuals alike. Founded in 2011, Zoom is publicly traded (NASDAQ:ZM) and headquartered in San Jose, California. Visit zoom.com and follow @zoom.

Zoom Public Relations
Farshad Hashmatulla
Product PR Manager
press@zoom.us

April 19, 2022

Casio to Release EDIFICE Collaboration Model with TOM’S, Inspired by Luxury Sports Cars

TOKYO, April 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Casio Computer Co., Ltd. announced today the release of the latest addition to the EDIFICE line based on the brand concept of “Speed and Intelligence.” TOM’S Limited Edition EQB-1100TMS is a collaboration model designed with TOM’S to evoke the luxury sports cars that are the team’s specialty.

TOM’S is a top Japanese racing team competing in the most prestigious races in Japan, with a number of SUPER GT and SUPER FORMULA championships under its belt. The company also brings the technologies it cultivates for racing to its aftermarket parts and custom cars. With the TOM’S team needing watches that would allow members to share precise timing during races, Casio has been a sponsor since 2013 through EDIFICE, its line of timepieces inspired by a motorsports worldview.

The third collaboration between TOM’S and Casio, the EQB-1100TMS is a high-performance timepiece featuring a slim case at just 8.9mm and a design inspired by TOM’S luxury sports cars. The watch features a dial made of the carbon fiber so prevalent in motorsports and is accented with the TOM’S logo, second hand, and indicator hand in gold color for a look of rich luxury. Color gradation around the perimeters of the sapphire crystal and the inset dial at the 6 o’clock position recreates the changing color of a sports car’s titanium tail pipe when the exhaust heat causes the titanium to turn bluish. Every detail was created under TOM’S supervision, including the octagonal bezel finished with black ion plating and the gray ion-plated case and band, for a chic timepiece as impressive as the company’s luxury sports cars.

The EQB-1100TMS is also equipped with Mobile Link functions that pair via Bluetooth® to a smartphone. When used with the dedicated EDIFICE Connected app, the watch automatically adjusts the time and enables the wearer to use their smartphone to easily select any of approximately 300 cities for world time and display the time in two cities. The Tough Solar charging system converts light to power the watch for practicality and convenience.

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1797749/EQB_1100TMS.jpg

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1797751/EQB_1100TMS_1.jpg

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1797750/TOM_S_hand_indicator_hand_gold_color.jpg

April 19, 2022

Woman arrested for alleged murder

NELSPRUIT - The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has strongly condemned an incident in which a 53-year-old man was allegedly murdered by the 46-year-old mother of his two-year-old son at Ekulindeni Township. The incident is said to have occurred in the evening of Saturday, 16 April 2022.

According to the report, the pair is said to have been drinking at their apartment and a heated argument broke out between them whereby a friend tried to intervene but failed. It is said that the scuffle turned violently which resulted in the man being allegedly stabbed on his shoulder by the woman. He reportedly sustained some injuries and as a result, he was ferried to hospital for medical treatment where he later succumbed.

The suspect was then arrested by the police and she is due to appear before the Chief Albert Luthuli Magistrate's Court today, Tuesday 19 April 2022 facing a murder charge.

Meanwhile the Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has further urged couples to refrain from opting to violence whenever they face challenges but rather resolve matters in a civil manner. "Violence has never brought solution to any crisis but it always brings calamity. So we plead with our communities to make use other available alternatives such as social workers, spiritual fraternity and traditional leaders to help them resolve disputes" adviced the General.

Source: South African Police Service

April 19, 2022

Deadline looms for Health Regulations public comments

The public has until Sunday, 24 April, to submit their comments on the Health Regulations meant to manage COVID-19 and other notifiable conditions outside of the National State of Disaster.

This follows requests and concerns from a number of stakeholders that a 30-day period was not sufficient for them to scrutinise and interact with all sets of proposed regulations in order to develop substantial representations.

After considering the request, the Health Department took a decision to extend the deadline by an additional eight days to afford all those who could not meet the original deadline an opportunity to finalise their views and representations.

“[Health] Minister Joe Phaahla urges interested individuals and organisations to use the extended window period for public comments on the health regulations meant to manage COVID-19 and other notifiable conditions outside the Disaster Management Act, which has helped to save lives and livelihoods,” the Health Department said in a recent statement.

The Minister has also expressed his gratitude to all organisations and individuals who found time to read the regulations, and share their valuable comments and representations on how the country can better manage COVID-19 and other notifiable conditions, without invoking interventions such as the National State of Disaster.

Phaahla reiterated the global view that “COVID-19 remains amongst us” as a pandemic and there continues to be a need for everyone to protect themselves through non-pharmaceutical means and “vaccination as the only weapon against COVID-19”.

The Minister has assured Parliamentarians and the public at large that government continues to have good intentions in the execution of its Constitutional mandate to protect the lives of South Africans.

“The introduction of the amendments to the existing Health Regulations is to ensure this is done logically and rationally.

“These Health Regulations are not new. They were promulgated in 2017. However, they do not make provision for the management of notifiable medical conditions [the magnitude of] COVID-19, which has never been experienced before,” Phaahla said.

The department has also announced further communication methods in which the public can send their comments. These include a WhatsApp number - 0600 123456 and email address: legalreviews@health.gov.za.

However, the public can still use the current email tsakani.furumele@health.gov.za.

Meanwhile, the department has also acknowledged a technical glitch in which a few emails were erroneously deleted during the transfer of emails from an individual inbox into an open source. The affected emails were retrieved and included into a pool of comments for consideration and auditing purposes.

The department has assured everyone that all comments received will be accounted for, including the duplications are being recorded and considered.

Source: South African Government News Agency

April 19, 2022

SA records 877 new COVID-19 cases

South Africa has recorded 877 new COVID-19 cases bringing the total number of laboratory-confirmed cases to 3 742 107.

This increase represents a 9.6% positivity rate.

“Due to the ongoing audit exercise by the National Department of Health (NDoH), there may be a backlog of COVID-19 mortality cases reported. Today, the NDoH reports 34 deaths, and of these, three occurred in the past 24 – 48 hours. This brings the total fatalities to 100 181 to date,” the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) said on Monday.

The majority of new cases are from Gauteng (50%), followed by KwaZulu-Natal (24%).

The Western Cape accounted for 15%; Eastern Cape and Free State accounted for 3% respectively. Mpumalanga accounted for 2%; and Limpopo, Northern Cape and the North West accounted for 1% respectively of Monday’s new cases.

“The proportion of positive new cases/total new tested today is (9.6%), and is higher than yesterday (8.4%). The 7-day average is (7.7%) today, and is higher than yesterday (7.1%),” the NICD said.

There has been an increase of four hospital admissions in the past 24 hours.

A total of 24 198 159 tests have been conducted in both the public and private sectors.

Source: South African Government News Agency