Alan

President Cyril Ramaphosa has paid tribute to struggle stalwart and former Minister in the Presidency, Essop Pahad, for serving the nation with pride, principle and pragmatism.

“Pahad was a thinker and strategist, who brought his understanding of the human condition, injustice and inequality at the national and international level to bear on our transition to democracy and in introducing a democratic, non-aligned and activist South Africa to the global community,” the President said on Thursday.

President Ramaphosa expressed deep sadness at the passing of Pahad at the age of 84.

“We mourn the passing of a veteran of our struggle, 65 years after he took his first revolutionary step of becoming a member of the Transvaal Indian Congress.

“Security crackdowns, banning and exile shaped Essop Pahad’s contribution over decades to our struggle, and as Parliamentary Counsellor to President Thabo Mbeki and Minister in the Presidency, to the early design and impact of our democratic state,” the President said.

He offered his deep condolences to the family, friends and comrades of the late veteran.

“He served our nation with pride, principle, pragmatism and a charm that lived comfortably alongside a tongue that could lash severely at the right provocation.

“Amid the excessive demands of his public life, Essop Pahad was deeply devoted to his wife, Meg, and was a proud and doting father and grandfather, who is now sorely missed. May his soul rest in peace,” the President said. – SAnews.gov.za

The education sector has been urged to help equip young people with skills that will empower them to participate in the various economic development projects earmarked for the Northern Cape.

Trade, Industry and Competition Deputy Minister, Nomalungelo Gina, on Tuesday addressed the Namakwa District Development Model (DDM) executive in Aggeneys in the Khâi-Ma Municipality in the Northern Cape.

Attended by stakeholders including the Northern Cape Agriculture MEC, Monopole Mase, mayors, municipal managers and senior officials, the meeting was convened to chart a way forward following the approval of the Namakwa One Plan DDM. 

Gina is the national champion appointed by President Cyril Ramaphosa for the Namakwa District.

In the Namakwa district, efforts are being made to address critical challenges, among them the decline in mining activities, which has impacted negatively on the economy. The district is the biggest in the country by land mass.

One of the major upcoming programmes is the Namakwa Special Economic Zone (SEZ) recently designated by Cabinet. Vendata Zinc International is an anchor investor, with R16 billion earmarked for its operations in the SEZ.

Gina told the leaders and senior officials that one of the most urgent tasks is ensuring that schools, especially technical schools and institutions of higher learning work towards producing skills required by the new economic sectors for the district.

“This province is going to be the home of renewable energy for the country in solar, wind and green hydrogen. My biggest worry is the speed with which investments in the green economy are coming to this province and the district, without a local skills pipeline to meet them.

“We need to produce the required skills for these industries. I will not be excited to see technical people coming exclusively from outside the province and locals being left behind because of the skills deficit,” she said.

Gina said real work must begin immediately, and discussions with investors and the efforts to increase interest towards the district must be well coordinated.

The meeting resolved to establish two skills centres working with major companies, one in Poffader (in the Khâi -Ma municipality) and another in Port Nolloth (Ritchersveld Municipality), which is a host to Boegoe Baai deep sea and a future green hydrogen energy project.

The District Development Model was initiated by President Ramaphosa in 2019. It is aimed at improving the coherence and impact of government service delivery with focus on 44 Districts and 8 Metros around the country as development spaces that can be used as centres of service delivery and economic development and job creation. – SAnews.gov.za

The KwaZulu-Natal government has recommitted to provide funding opportunities for young people in business and those who want to start their own businesses. 

Engaging with youth in business at Ilembe District, northern KwaZulu-Natal, Finance MEC Peggy Nkonyeni said the provincial government is committed to assist the youth, through Operation Vula Fund, the Youth Fund, Transformation Fund, and Small, Medium and Micro Enterprise (SMME) Fund. 

“As a matter of fact, over R3 million of Operation Vula Fund has been spent on the youth during window two, with 19 females, 14 males and five people with disabilities all getting a piece of the funding pie,” Nkonyeni said.

Nkonyeni said there are various business ideas that can assist in starting and successfully running businesses, however, the key element is innovation. 

“Youth should be innovative and approach any government entity to request guidance and support. We have brought various strategic government entities so that they can present to you all their services, and this will create an opportunity for a useful engagement that will assist in starting and running businesses,” Nkonyeni said.

Nkonyeni, together with Health Deputy Minister Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo -- who are both champions of Ilembe District -- and various government partners held an engagement with young people in business to empower them with a package of interconnected business opportunities available with KwaZulu-Natal government.

The session aimed to empower the youth with vital information about supply chain, compliance and access to government funding. The engagement also aimed to assist in fighting youth unemployment that is estimated at over 30% in Ilembe District.

Young people were taken through the process of how to start and manage a business, and were given information on how to successfully manage a business and be compliant with the law.

The business owners were also assisted with their queries regrading government’s Central Supplier Database (CSD), which maintains a database of organisations, institutions and individuals who can provide goods and services to government.

Dhlomo encouraged the youth not to give up when their business ideas or businesses either do not get off the ground or collapse. 

“We need the youth to stay focused, creative and always on the lookout for business opportunities. Government has availed funding schemes and we need to use these schemes to grow our businesses.

“As champions of Ilembe District, we need to see the difference next year in the area of youth businesses,” Dhlomo said.

Ilembe District Municipality Mayor, Thobani Shandu, emphasised the importance of engaging with Ilembe youth in business, and encouraged the youth to take advantage of the available funding opportunities.

“We want to give all the guidance and information that will assist our youth to start, run and grow their businesses. We want to have the type of youth who are not only thinking about getting employed. 

“Unemployment is rife and we need the type of the youth who want to create employment and contribute to growing the economy of our district. Our youth must take advantage of these funding opportunities,” Shandu said. 

Yoliswa Nxumalo from Mandeni, who attended the engagement, asked the provincial government to give guidance and support in running her agricultural farming.

“I am in farming and have 12 hectors of agricultural land. I need support to ensure that there is no piece of land that remains unused,” said Nxumalo. – SAnews.gov.za

 

Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane has expressed his sadness at the untimely passing of two learners who took their own lives.

According to the department, a Grade 8 girl learner from Geluksdal Secondary School in Ekurhuleni and a Grade 12 girl learner from Nigel High School, also in Ekurhuleni, took their lives on Tuesday and Thursday respectively.

The department said according to information at its disposal, the learner from Nigel High School consumed poison at her home on Thursday and passed away.

The learner from Geluksdal Secondary School also consumed poison at her home on Tuesday in the evening. She was rushed to a nearby medical facility but died in the vehicle while being transported to receive medical attention.

“We wish to convey our deepest condolences to the families and school communities of these learners. Indeed, it is really concerning that learners will resort to taking their own lives. We call upon learners to always seek assistance for necessary support to be provided. Our psycho-social support team will visit all affected schools to provide required support to the school community and families once Term 3 begins,” MEC Chiloane said.

Learners who may be experiencing abuse or need counselling are encouraged to contact Childline by simply dialing 116 for assistance. – SAnews.gov.za