Gwede Mantashe and wife test positive for Covid-19 49559517523 b168d60eb9 o

Minister Mantashe addressing media briefing at Imbizo Media Centre in Cape Town. 20/02/2020, Elmond Jiyane, GCIS

Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Gwede Mantashe and his wife Nolwandle Mantashe have tested positive for COVID-19.

The couple are in isolation and the minister, who received his results earlier on Tuesday, will continue to work from home.

This was the minister’s third round of tests to be conducted since the outbreak of this virus.

This was the minister’s third round of tests to be conducted since the outbreak of this virus.

A statement released on Tuesday evening said that the minister remained committed to a course of ensuring security of energy and petroleum products supply to society during this difficult period and beyond.

Meanwhile, South Africa’s COVID-19 cases have edged closer to 300,000.

10, 496 new COVID-19 cases have been reported bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 298,292.

There has been 174 coronavirus related deaths in the last 24-hours.

Gauteng accounts for 82 of the deaths, Northern Cape (4), KwaZulu Natal (27), Eastern Cape (17) and Western Cape (44).

This brings the total number of COVID-19 related deaths to 4,346.