How to go back to the cinema and theatre under lockdown, an experts’ practical guide to coronavirus in South Africa and the mystery of the lockdown menhirs is solved

Swipe through the gallery below to view the latest Covid-19 numbers available on 26 June at district level. All maps are sourced from provincial health departments, but KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, Free State, Limpopo and Mpumalanga did not provide an update by the time of publishing:

 Galleries, cinemas, theatres, libraries, museums, archives and casinos can be reopened under lockdown Level 3 – as long as they follow specific health and safety rules. Despite the regulations being gazetted on Thursday night, some businesses, such as cinemas and theatres, will have to wait for more specific health and safety protocols to be published before they can swing open their doors. Karabo Mafolo unpacks what is known so far.

As Marianne Merten writes, Parliament has not been immune to Covid-19. This week, it confirmed that 10 staff had tested positive for the coronavirus. Meanwhile, the House of Assembly is trying to rearrange the parliamentary programme amid diary clashes.

Overall, there has been 98% class attendance at schools which reopened on 8 June, according to Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga during a briefing to the National Council of Provinces. She took this as a clear sign of support from parents for the “rationality of reopening schools”.

Motshekga also confirmed that the school nutrition programme for all beneficiary learners has restarted around the country. Ayanda Mthethwa reports that Motshekga addressed calls for schools to be suspended by saying: “I don’t expect us to go back to normality in the next two years. We are going to [continuously] close and open schools. We can’t run away from coexisting with this virus and life has to go on as normal under the difficult conditions… we are moving forward to phase in other grades.”

The mystery behind the sudden appearance of menhirs in St James during lockdown has been solved. Jabulile Dlamini-Qwesha spoke to Sipho Njengezi about when, how and why he decided to start building the towers of balancing stones at the Dalebrook tidal pool.

Access to personal protective equipment during the pandemic is just one of many issues healthcare workers face in South Africa, according to four trade union representatives. They are worried about the impact of staff shortages, worker safety and the psychological strain. Tiyese Jeranji spoke to them about the situation on the ground and the way forward.

A group of Covid-19 academics and medical professionals have put together “An experts’ guide on Covid-19 risks in South Africa and how to manage them”. They answer a range of questions, from whether or not you should be flying in planes and why information on masks has changed. Read it here. DM