SA Emerging Level T20 Series Against Zimbabwe Despite Musonda Fifty
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President Ramaphosa opens Dr Pixley Ka Isaka Seme Memorial Hospital
President Ramaphosa opens Dr Pixley Ka Isaka Seme Memorial Hospital
The opening of the Dr Pixley Ka Isaka Seme Memorial Hospital is a reflection of government’s commitment to advancing the call of the Freedom Charter.
The Charter calls for free medical care and hospitalisation to be provided for all and for the health of women and children to be prioritised.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said this at the official opening of the Dr Pixley Ka Isaka Seme Memorial Hospital in Kwa-Mashu, KwaZulu-Natal, on Friday.
“This facility has been built in response to the growing pressing healthcare needs of the approximately 1.5 million residents of Kwa-Mashu, Inanda, Ntuzuma and the surrounding communities in northern Durban.
“It will relieve pressure on the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital and Addington Hospital, and will cater for inpatients at a regional level, with referrals from surrounding district level facilities,” he said.
The President highlighted that data from the Census 2022 points not just to a growing population, but confirms that the vast majority of South Africans rely on the public sector to meet their healthcare needs.
Another report published this month by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) furthermore points to the growing healthcare burden of non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, chronic lower respiratory diseases, cancers and others.
“With more people living with non-communicable diseases, it is essential that healthcare systems respond accordingly at a primary healthcare level, particularly with regards to regular screening to ensure timely diagnosis and treatment. This facility will play a critical role in this regard,” he said.
He added that it is pleasing to note that the hospital has an active primary healthcare outreach programme that is bringing much-needed healthcare services closer to the people.
Services
The commissioning of the hospital was implemented in a phased approach from August 2021. First radiology was commissioned, followed by optometry and dermatology, and the migration of Internal Medicine from Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital.
In January this year, the Emergency Department commenced with providing services. Currently all emergency cases in the north of eThekwini are taken directly from the scene, from primary healthcare centers, community healthcare centers and district hospitals.
The facility offers an impressive range of services including critical care, dental, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, psychological services, dietetics, audiology, social work and many more.
The hospital also has a strong academic and research component and is one of the centers for postgraduate medical training, as well as providing rotation for final year medical students from the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
This hospital is also the first government hospital in the province to adopt an insourced model in components such as security, cleaning, laundry and food services.
With respect to human resources, out of the approved hospital establishment of 1 513, a total of 1 383 posts have already been filled as of end September 2023. The construction of the facility itself supported job creation and small business development.
The President said he had no doubt that the hospital will improve the health outcomes of all the communities it serves.
“We have no doubt that the people of this community and of this province know that we are [a] government that prioritises the needs of all, but especially of society’s most vulnerable.”
President Ramaphosa further said he was honoured to be present at the official opening of the hospital and that there can be no more befitting a name for this facility than that of the great Dr. Pixley Ka Isaka Seme.
He lauded him as a man who was the moving spirit behind the formation of the African National Congress, the oldest liberation movement in the African continent.
“He was a committed Pan-Africanist and a humanist, who famously spoke of a brighter day rising upon Africa; and of an Africa whose sons and daughters who would one day walk in the light of progress, freedom and equality.
Healthcare for all
President Ramaphosa added that the hospital stands as a testament to government’s commitment to ensure that the right to life, the right to quality healthcare, and the right to equality will never be qualified, or determined on the basis of where you live, or how much or little you have.
As the country will mark 30 years of democracy next year, the President said it will be a time to reflect on how far we have come in realising the aspirations of the Freedom Charter, the Constitution with its Bill of Rights, and the National Development Plan.
“That we are a country that is able to provide quality healthcare services, free, to the population can certainly be counted as amongst our greatest achievements.
“That we are moving ahead with the introduction of National Health Insurance that will further democratise access to healthcare services, is something of which we can be proud,” the President said. – SAnews.gov.za
DikelediM
Fri, 11/24/2023 - 14:21
342 views
Debate on the dissolution of Johannesburg Council to take place soon
Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Johannesburg has received official confirmation that our motion to dissolve the Johannesburg Council has been successfully cleared by the programming committee and is set to be tabled by the end of November. This pivotal development marks a critical juncture for the political landscape of the city. Johannesburg has …
Pistorius placed on parole
Pistorius placed on parole
The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) on Friday confirmed the placement on parole of Oscar Pistorius, effective from 5 January 2024.
Pistorius was initially convicted of culpable homicide in 2014, but the case went through a number of appeals and was eventually ratified to 13 years and five months in 2017.
The parole placement decision was taken by the Correctional Supervision and Parole Board (CSPB), having assessed Pistorius’s profile and other material submitted for the purposes of parole consideration.
“Classified as a first time offender with a positive support system, Oscar Pistorius’s parole placement is in line with Section 73 of the Correctional Services Act,” the Department of Correctional Services said in a statement.
Parole placement forms part of the total rehabilitation programme in correcting offending behaviour and may include continuation of programmes aimed at reintegration whilst in the system of community corrections.
“Pistorius will complete the remainder of the sentence in the system of community corrections and will be subjected to supervision in compliance with parole conditions until his sentence expires,” the department said.
Pistorius was convicted of killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day in 2013.
In 2017, the Supreme Court of Appeal sentenced the former Paralympian to 13 years in prison after the State applied to have his initial six-year prison sentence increased.
Pistorius fired four shots through a bathroom door, claiming that he believed there was an intruder in his home. – SAnews.gov.za
Edwin
Fri, 11/24/2023 - 14:45
114 views
Activists protest at City of Cape Town auction
Hazel Matipa’s New Church Street house was one of several properties on the same ERF which fetched a total for R13.5-million
Return to Stage 6 load-shedding exposes Government failures once again
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Franschhoek Pass closed for construction
Franschhoek Pass closed for construction
The Western Cape Infrastructure Department has announced the closure of Franschhoek Pass, which connects Franschhoek and the towns of Grabouw and Villiersdorp, as construction work is underway following severe storms and flooding that hit the province in September.
Infrastructure MEC Tertuis Simmers said the closure of Franschhoek Pass will take effect from Mondays to Fridays between 8am and 5pm from 28 November until 15 December 2023.
The pass will then be open from 15 December 2023 (with the proceed-when-safe arrangement and weight restriction) until 7 January 2024 and closed again from 8 January 2024 till the end of February 2024.
Simmers said the pass was reopened to selected categories of light motor vehicles after it was closed following a severe weather system that hit the Western Cape, and the teams started working on temporary repairs, as soon as the engineering team was satisfied that the landslips had stabilised sufficiently to start work.
He said the works have reached a point where the pass must be closed daily to initiate the soil-nailing (a technique used to stabilise existing slopes) process of phase 1.
“This soil reinforcement process uses metal tendons which are drilled and grouted into the soil to create something that represents a gravity wall. For this to be done, the pass needs to be closed due to the size of the equipment that is used and the size of the working area required.
“Light motor vehicles will be able to traverse the pass outside of the closure times. The use of the pass, even during times when the pass is open, by vehicles with a mass of more than five tons remains strictly prohibited,” Simmers said.
The MEC has expressed his concerns over the non-compliance of road users and advised them to continue using the alternative routes.
“The blatant disregard of road signs and restrictions, by some road users is a serious concern. We have received numerous reports of interlink heavy motor vehicles accessing the pass despite clear signage prohibiting such acts.
“This reckless behaviour compromises the repair works and negatively impacts the entire repair process. What is a further concern is that should these trucks disregard the signage and get to the closure points during the closure periods, they will be stuck there until the road reopens because there isn’t any space to turn around,” Simmers said.
While acknowledging the inconvenience the closure has had on the local community and visitors, and the impact the weight limitation has, Simmers said, the safety of all road users remains a primary concern.
“Work on permanent repairs continues. The department foresees that it will still be a considerable period before the pass will allow two-way traffic,” Simmers said. – SAnews.gov.za
GabiK
Fri, 11/24/2023 - 12:33
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Ekurhuleni calls for active battle against violence
Ekurhuleni calls for active fight against violence
As the country prepares to mark the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children campaign, the City of Ekurhuleni has urged the citizens of the municipality to join hands and actively fight off any form of violence.
Ekurhuleni Executive Mayor, Sivuyile Ngodwana, said it is an unfortunate well-known fact that violence against women and children has been increasing drastically.
“It has become a trend which we are very ashamed of as a country and even more so as men because majority of the perpetrators of these crimes are males. I am raising my hand to be among those who vigorously fight against this continuing scourge.
“The City of Ekurhuleni stands in solidarity with all the activism taking place across the country during this campaign. It must be a daily fight which is not only comes alive during these 16 days but this period should be about intensifying our commitment to this cause,” Ngodwana said.
Ngodwana also called on everyone to stand up, unite and work hard to end any form of violence against women and children within their communities, schools or workplace.
The mayor’s call comes a day before the official launch of the 16 Days of Activism campaign, scheduled to take place at Nsikazi Stadium in the City of Mbombela in Mpumalanga.
Deputy President Paul Mashatile will preside at this year’s launch, which will be commemorated under the theme: “Accelerating Actions to end Gender Based Violence and Femicide, leaving no one behind”, a call to action to raise awareness about the devastating impact that gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) has on women, children, and the entire social fabric.
South Africa will observe 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children from 25 November until 10 December. – SAnews.gov.za
GabiK
Fri, 11/24/2023 - 11:44
127 views
Experience the Scent of Luxury with Rio Perfumes on Black Friday 2023 in South Africa
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PRASA employee dismissed for fraud
PRASA employee dismissed for fraud
The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) has reiterated its commitment to dealing with fraud after the dismissal of an employee that was allegedly involved in fraudulent activities.
“During routine financial review processes, irregular payments were detected, prompting escalation to senior leadership. With the assistance of PRASA Internal Audit department, management engaged an existing independent supplier to conduct a forensic investigation,” the agency said on Friday.
The investigation revealed three fraudulent transactions executed by a PRASA employee totalling R9,547,000.
On being interrogated by the investigators, the employee admitted to committing the fraud and subsequently returned the stolen funds.
PRASA immediately suspended the employee and reported the matter to the South African Police Services (SAPS).
The agency continued the internal investigation and unearthed additional fraudulent transactions by the same individual amounting to R24,976,747.30.
Upon interrogation, the same employee also confessed to these additional unauthorised transactions.
“As an outcome of the process, the employee was dismissed, and a fraud case against him is pending. The investigation helped pinpoint internal control deficiencies that enabled the fraud. PRASA has introduced enhanced measures to bolster internal controls and prevent future fraud.
“PRASA's management remains committed to upholding integrity, transparency, and accountability. Going forward, the organisation will remain vigilant against potential financial irregularities,” the agency said. –SAnews.gov.za
nosihle
Fri, 11/24/2023 - 10:36
627 views
‘Tis the season to explore a Christmas Wonderland at Hyde Park Corner with Nicholas & Co.
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Consumers urged to exercise caution when buying food products on Black Friday
Consumers urged to exercise caution when buying food products on Black Friday
The Department of Health has urged consumers to exercise extra caution when buying goods, especially food products, during the Black Friday frenzy by prioritising quality and safety over quantity and savings to mitigate buying counterfeit and expired foodstuffs.
“It is indisputable that Black Friday deals provide consumers with discounts and savings on a variety of goods. Therefore, it is important for consumers to guard against purchasing counterfeit and expired foodstuffs by thoroughly checking food labelling and expiry dates on food items to prevent ongoing sporadic cases of life-threatening food poisoning.”
The department has reminded consumers to be on the lookout and report any suspicious goods sold by outlets and retailers to environmental health practitioners or food inspectors at their nearest municipal offices or Consumer Goods Council of South Africa.
“Consumption of expired and counterfeit foods can pose serious health risks, including food poisoning, allergic reactions and long-term health complications.”
The department said through its food control and environmental health sections, it has been working closely with other stakeholders to raise public awareness about the dangers of consuming counterfeit and expired food products to keep the public safe.
The country, according to the statement, has 1 712 environmental health practitioners, known as health inspectors, spread across 44 districts and eight metropolitan municipalities, serving 62 million South Africans. This translates to one health inspector for every 36 000 people.
“This means the efforts to prevent production and selling of counterfeit and expired foodstuffs detrimental to human health cannot be left solely in the hands of food inspectors, but it should be everyone’s business,” the department said.
People are advised to not buy or consume highly perishable products with damaged packaging or lapsed expiry dates, even if they smell and look good.
Meanwhile, the department said the South African Police Service (SAPS) is empowered to investigate and is also authorised, under the Foodstuffs Act, as inspectors and has powers to collect food samples for analysis as part of their investigation, especially where there is a case of unnatural death.
“Members of the public are not allowed, in terms of this legislation, to take the law into their own hands to conduct any food inspection blitz in food outlets, but they should report any outlet to the relevant authorities,” the department explained.
Tips to identify possible illicit food products:
- Colour would normally differ from the original because incorrect additives were used to manufacture the fake products.
- Inconsistency in the texture, smell and colour of the product.
- Check if manufacturing and expiry date are not adulterated with or damaged, or not clearly visible.
- Check the nutrition label on supplements and food items because in most cases, fake goods contain some discrepancy in listing the ingredients.
- Carefully look at the packaging if it is not suspicious because counterfeiters produce close replicas, but mostly cannot perfect it. – SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Fri, 11/24/2023 - 10:11
71 views
Wolvaardt Appointed Proteas Women Captain As CSA Names T20I Squad For Bangladesh Tour
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Review of the progress towards the International Health Regulations (IHR) (2005) implementation in South Africa
The National Department of Health (NDOH) , in collaboration with provincial health departments, the World Health Organization (WHO) in South Africa and partners such as John Hopkins Program for International Education in Gynecology and Obstetrics (Jhpiego), the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) and the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), convened the National International Health Regulations (IHR) Committee to review progress toward IHR (2005) implementation. The review meeting took place from November 20 to 22, 2023, at The Capital Menlyn Maine Hotel in Pretoria, Gauteng Province.
This review meeting was a follow up of the National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS) meeting which was held May 25 and 26, 2022 in South Africa. The review's objectives were to:
- Provide feedback on the Program Management for Epidemic Preparedness (PMEP) workshop, held between 1-6 October, 2023 in Nairobi Kenya.
- Orient the IHR committee members on the NAPHS process.
- Review and document progress report of IHR (2005) implementation using the electronic State Party Annual Reporting Tool (eSPAR) for 2023
- Review progress on the implementation of the recommendations of the Joint External Evaluation (JEE) as detailed in the NAPHS.
- Update the existing NAPHS using the updated NAPHS matrix and prioritize activities for the annual operational plan (AOP) of 2024.
- Discuss the plans for the country's second JEE that is slated for the second quarter of 2024.
The facilitators included technical officers from WHO South Africa, the NDOH, and the NICD. Participants were multi-disciplinary and included the National IHR Focal Points, Epidemiologists, Communicable Disease Control Coordinators, Disease Surveillance Officers, Laboratory personnel, Port Health Officers, Environmental Health Practitioners from the Department of Health and Border Management Authority, Food Control experts, Antimicrobial Resistance Specialists, Animal Health, Infection Prevention and Control experts, State Security Civil Aviation Authority, and experts from other departments and partners critical to the implementation of the IHR in the country.
During the meeting, participants were updated on the WHO perspective on IHR (2005), as well as the country road map. Participants were also taken through the prioritization, assessment synthesis for quality planning, costing, resource mapping, and budget advocacy processes. The review methodology included plenary updates on the progress report for 2022, as documented on the eSPAR, as well as the status of NAPHS implementation. The participants then worked in groups corresponding to their respective technical areas to update the eSPAR for 2023, review the NAPHS matrix, and develop the annual operational plan for 2024. The recommendations from the first JEE, the after-action review reports, simulation exercises, the one-health national bridging workshop, and the IDSR strategic plan served as the source documents for updating the 2023 eSPAR and the 2024 NAPHS AOP.
This review meeting provided an opportunity for stakeholders to improve their knowledge of IHR and to commit to jointly strengthening the country's preparedness and response by applying lessons learned from recent emergencies and outbreaks such as COVID-19, cholera, and listeriosis outbreaks. The following proposals from the National IHR Focal Point were adopted by the participants:
- Preparing a debriefing report to the Director-General for Health on the country IHR implementation progress, challenges and key recommendations.
- Finalizing and submitting the 2023 eSPAR country report before the due date in compliance with the IHR requirements
- Conduct a follow up national IHR committee meeting in February 2024 to review progress on the SPAR, the NAPHS AOP, and preparations for the second JEE.
- Conducting self-assessment for JEE in June 2024.
- Conducting the second JEE in August 2024.
- Holding a Public Health Security Conference in November 2024.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) - South Africa.
End Of NEHAWU Strike At Productivity SA: Agreement Reached On Salary Increases
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