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For over a decade, anti-drug activist Morgan Bruiners has been a driving force in educating Mpumalanga Province youth about the dangers of drug use through the Drug Free World Campaign’s “The Truth About Drugs” program. His tireless efforts have reached thousands of students, equipping them with the knowledge to make informed, healthy choices. Over the …
As the world moves toward more sustainable and eco-friendly transportation, electric vehicles (EVs) have become a popular choice. One of the most essential components of owning an electric car is having access to reliable EV chargers. These devices are critical for ensuring that your electric vehicle stays charged and ready to go. In this article, …
End of load shedding remains within reach
The Minister of Electricity and Energy, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa is confident that the end of load shedding in South Africa is within reach.
Briefing the media on Sunday following an implementation of Stage 6 load shedding, Ramokgopa assured the nation that government and Eskom are making long-term decisions in the best interest of the country's power grid and economy.
“At all material points, we will never make expedient decisions at the cost of the grid, because the consequences will be too ghastly to contemplate. That is why it is important that to the degree that we need to initiate load shedding, understanding fully well that is going to deliver a message of an entity and a ministry that essentially is dropping the ball.
“But we are making the point that we will not make expedient decisions. We'll make decisions that are in the interest of the of the grid and in the long term, in the interest of the South African economy,” the Minister explained.
The Minister further reassured the public that there is significant progress in stabilising the electricity supply.
“And I give you the assurance, that point I always make consistently, the end of load shedding is within touching distance,” he said.
New capacity
The Minister highlighted key developments in Eskom's recovery plan, including the synchronisation of Kusile Unit 6, initially expected by the end of February but now scheduled for 9 March.
Medupi Unit 4 is expected at the end of March or early April. These additions will bring 1,600 megawatts to the grid.
"Of course, the Medupi one is what we lost; we are recovering that. The Kusile unit, however, is entirely new capacity. I'm confident that we are moving in the right direction.
“I want to say to the rest of the country, you are going through pain, we understand your anger, we feel your pain, we can hear your cries. We will resolve this problem,” Ramokgopa said.
READ | Load shedding expected to be suspended by the end of the week
Staying the course
Ramokgopa emphasised that government remains committed to the generation recovery plan, which he said is yielding positive results despite occasional setbacks.
“We're staying the course in relation to the generation recovery plan, because that generation recovery plan is giving us the results that we desire. We have accepted that there are going to be setbacks.
He explained that the ongoing maintenance work is a critical part of ensuring that when the government ultimately declares load shedding a thing of the past, it does so with confidence.
“But as I’ve said consistently, when I stood before the nation to give an update on the grid’s performance, I made the point [that there will be] short-term pain, [and] long-term gain. We cannot postpone the maintenance of these assets.
“That’s why we are able to allocate the capital received from National Treasury to ensure that we carry out the necessary maintenance so that when we stand before you … that load shedding is behind us I'm able to speak with a degree of confidence. That is why I have not been able to make that absolute statement, because we have accepted that there are inherent risk in relation to the strategy that we have taken,” he explained.
In response to concerns about Eskom’s operational decisions, Ramokgopa dismissed any suggestions of underhanded dealings, reiterating that all efforts are aimed at long-term sustainability.
"We're not going to do shortcuts in relation to our obligations to the environment. We are committed to ensuring that South Africa’s energy supply is both stable and sustainable. As part of this journey to ensure that we eliminate load shedding, we're going to ensure that we keep to our obligations in relation to the environment,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za
DikelediM
Sun, 02/23/2025 - 15:50
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SA welcomes first visitors from China through new visa initiative
The digital Trusted Tour Operator Scheme (TTOS) visa initiative is bearing fruit with the first group of visitors from China having arrived in South Africa at the weekend.
Home Affairs Minister Dr Leon Schreiber along with Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille and other government and tourism stakeholders welcomed the first group of visitors from China through the TTOS visa initiative.
The 15 tourists arrived on Saturday through the Cape Town International Airport in the Western Cape.
The Ministers were delighted to welcome the tourists and a tour guide who arrived in South Africa only a few days after their visas were processed through the Department of Home Affairs visa initiative.
“This was an exciting moment in this ground-breaking initiative where the TTOS is providing a faster and more seamless process for visas for travellers from India and China. Together with the Department of Home Affairs we have worked tirelessly to make this happen and I commend Minister Schreiber and the team in the Department of Home Affairs for the swift implementation of this new and improved visa initiative,” Minister de Lille said.
Last year, an Inter-Ministerial Committee with the Department of Tourism, the Department of Home Affairs, the State Security Agency and Operation Vulindlela in the Presidency was established to tackle the visa regime issues.
Home Affairs announced that the ground-breaking Trusted Tour Operator Scheme will significantly ease the process and allow for a seamless visa application process for travellers and tour operators from India and China.
READ | Trusted Tour Operator Scheme to boost tourism from China, India
From 12 February, the first group of approved 65 tour operators from South Africa, India and China started processing visa applications through the TTOS.
India and China have been identified as two key source markets for South Africa to grow arrivals due to the high number of tourists who travel internationally from these countries.
Currently, South Africa only receives 41 600 arrivals from India and 79 700 from China, a minor share of the country’s total arrivals for 2024 which stood at 8.9million total international arrivals.
“The TTOS is a massive win for the tourism and business events sector and the Department of Tourism will use the new visa initiatives as enablers to grow tourism arrivals to South Africa which will in turn drive inclusive economic growth and job creation,” Minister de Lille added.
Through targeted outreach engagements in India and China, the country has also been sharing the developments of the TTOS, the Electronic Travel Authorisation and Digital Nomad Visas with these two key source markets to ensure that more tour operators register and use these new and enhanced visa processes.
“We are extremely excited about these visa developments and what it means for the growth of the tourism sector. We have no doubt that the TTOS will exponentially increase arrivals from India and China which will stimulate demand across the tourism and services sector,” the Minister said. – SAnews.gov.za
DikelediM
Sun, 02/23/2025 - 16:01
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Call to use water sparingly
The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), uMngeni-uThukela Water and eThekwini Metro have urged the public to use water sparingly as eThekwini battle water supply disruptions.
In light of ongoing water supply disruptions in eThekwini, the Minister of Water and Sanitation, Pemmy Majodina, and Deputy Minister David Mahlobo convened an urgent meeting on Sunday with key stakeholders to address the matter.
The meeting included eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba, Trading Services Committee Chairperson Mdu Nkosi, uMngeni-uThukela Water Board (UUW) Chairperson Advocate Vusi Khuzwayo, and senior management from the involved institutions.
“The public is encouraged to play their part in reducing the risk of water supply disruptions. All water users in the municipality are encouraged to use water sparingly to reduce the average consumption of water per capita per day.
“The 2023 DWS No Drop audit (which was released by DWS in December 2023) found this to be 298 liters/capita/day, compared to the international average of 173 l/c/d,” the joint statement read.
According to the statement, the root cause of the water shortages is that demand for treated water in eThekwini has outstripped supply.
This is due to rapid population growth and significant leaks within the municipality’s water distribution system.
This has resulted in a situation where the City’s reservoirs become depleted, because water is being drawn out of them faster than the reservoirs can be filled.
This particularly affects water supply to high-lying areas and areas far from the reservoirs, because the water levels in the reservoirs drop to a level where they are insufficient to provide the pressure required to get water to the high-lying and far-away areas.
This has been the main cause of water supply disruptions in Chatsworth, Umlazi and surrounding areas in the South, as well as Verulam, Tongaat and Ntuzuma in the North.
Further exacerbating the situation, a key UUW pipeline was shut down last month to allow the South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) to upgrade the N3 highway, affecting water supply to Hillcrest and surrounding areas.
The pipeline is expected to resume operations on 27 February. Additionally, restrictions imposed by the DWS on raw water abstraction from the uMngeni Water Supply System (uMWS) have also contributed to supply challenges.
“To ensure a continuous supply of water to users even in times of drought, the DWS sets a limit on the amount of raw water that uMngeni-uThukela Water can abstract from the uMngeni Water Supply System (uMWS) for eThekwini to its consumers. Dam storage levels can fall rapidly when there is a drought, and it would therefore be irresponsible to raise the abstraction limit when the dams are full.”
UUW has been exceeding the abstraction limit imposed by DWS, and consequently the department instructed UUW to curtail its abstraction in October 2024.
During the December holidays, when demand for water peaked in eThekwini, DWS temporarily lifted this curtailment directive, but it was reinstated again in mid-January 2025.
“Various projects are underway to augment the amount of water in the uMWS. The raising of the Hazelmere Dam wall was completed in 2023 at a cost of R820 million and has doubled the amount of water that can be stored in the Dam.
“uMngeni-uThukela Water has completed a project to increase the capacity of the Hazelmere Water Treatment Works from 55 to 75 megalitres per day (75 million litres per day), at a cost of R135 million. The capacity of the treatment work will be further increased to 90 megalitres per day within the next three years, at a cost of R25 million,” the statement read.
Work underway
In addition, UUW is currently constructing a dam and a 100 million megalitres treatment plant on the Lower uMkhomazi River.
The Trans Caledon Tunnel Authority (TCTA) is at an advanced stage of raising R28 billion for the construction of a large new dam and transfer tunnel on the upper uMkhomazi River which is part of the uMkhomazi Water Project.
UWW is in the process of procuring additional treatment capacity so that it will be able to treat and supply more water to eThekwini once the uMkhomazi Water Project is completed.
“eThekwini Municipality is also working on its own measures to increase the supply of water. In addition to the existing water re-use plant currently being used by industries, which the City is implementing as a public private partnership, the City is in the process of procuring two additional water re-use plants that will treat secondary effluent to produce potable water that meets the required water quality standards.
“It is also planning to implement two seawater desalination projects. All these projects will also be implemented through public private partnerships.”
The City is also implementing several major projects to increase the resilience of its water distribution system to breakdowns and to enable it to manage peaks in demand better with fewer water supply disruptions.
Examples of these include the R1.2 billion Southern Aqueduct upgrade which is approximately 30% complete; the commissioning of the new Northern Aqueduct which is approximately 70% complete; and the R60 million upgrade of the Tongaat Water Treatment Works, which will be commencing this year.
Turnaround
The City Council approved a water and sanitation turnaround strategy in April 2023, which is now under implementation. The strategy includes ringfencing revenue from the sale of water for the water function, reduction of non-revenue water (NRW), improving leak repair, and disconnection of illegal connections.
“The backlog of water leaks requiring repair has been significantly reduced. The City is in the procurement stage of a public private partnership to mobilise private sector funding and expertise to reduce non-revenue water. The City is also in the process of issuing several City-funded contracts for non-revenue water reduction,” the statement said.
The City is also installing pressure management valves to reduce the water pressure in the water distribution system, which reduces the frequency of pipe bursts and extends the useful life of the infrastructure. It also reduces the amount of water lost through leaks in the system.
A programme to replace old leaking water distribution pipes is also being implemented.
The meeting agreed on the following measures that will be implemented :
• The City Council will consider implementing formal water-use restrictions through by-laws
• Given the recent rainfall and improvement in dam levels in the uMWS, DWS will again temporarily lift the curtailment, with effect from today, until 23 April 2025
• Weekly technical coordination meetings between the city, UUW and DWS will continue and there will be weekly meetings between the Mayor, the Minister and the Chairperson of UUW to review progress
• This work will be coordinated with the fortnightly meetings of the water and sanitation workstream meetings of the Presidential eThekwini Working Group
• The City and UUW will improve their communications regarding water supply disruptions to residents, including the causes of the disruptions and what is being done about them.
-SAnews.gov.za
DikelediM
Sun, 02/23/2025 - 16:26
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Pretoria, 23 February 2025: Mahindra South Africa marked two decades of success in the country by hosting the Mahindra Fusion Fest, a landmark event that blended business, culture and community engagement and set the stage for a dynamic third decade. The celebration was further enhanced by the presence of the Honourable Deputy President of South …
Minister meets His Majesty King Misuzulu kaZwelithini over FMD
Challenges posed by the Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in KwaZulu-Natal were at the core of Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen and His Majesty King Misuzulu kaZwelithini's meeting recently.
“The engagement formed part of the Department’s [of Agriculture] intensified efforts to curb the spread of the disease and protect the province’s livestock sector. The main objective of the meeting was to seek His Majesty’s support in controlling the spread of FMD, which has remained a challenge in the region.
“KwaZulu-Natal continues to be one of the most affected provinces, with over 130 active outbreaks in communal dip tanks, small-scale farms, and five game reserves,” the department said.
This as two additional suspected outbreaks are currently under investigation.
Friday’s discussions held at the eMashobeni Royal Palace in Nongoma focused on collaborative solutions, including enhanced disease management strategies, improved biosecurity measures, and support for affected farmers.
“His Majesty King Misuzulu kaZwelithini expressed his full support for the Department’s efforts and committed to leading by example. He has invited the Department to his farm to commence vaccination efforts, demonstrating his dedication to disease control and livestock health in the region.
“Additionally, the Department of Agriculture confirmed that funding for vaccinations in the affected areas has been made available, ensuring that vaccination efforts can be ramped up to contain the disease.”
Following the meeting, Minister Steenhuisen commended King Misuzulu kaZwelithini’s leadership and commitment to working with government structures to support farmers and strengthen disease control measures.
“The Department of Agriculture remains committed to working closely with traditional leaders, farmers, veterinary officials and industry role-players to mitigate the impact of FMD and restore stability in the livestock industry.”
The Minister was accompanied on his visit by the KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Agriculture, Thembeni Madlopha-Mthethwa and industry role-players. -SAnews.gov.za
Neo
Sun, 02/23/2025 - 15:54
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Load shedding expected to be suspended by the end of the week
The Minister of Electricity and Energy, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has assured South Africans that the country will overcome the current bout of load shedding crisis by the end of the week.
The Minister along with Eskom executives were briefing the media on Sunday to provide an update on the status of South Africa’s electricity generation performance.
The briefing follows an announcement by Eskom that it had implemented Stage 6 load shedding as of 1:30 am on Sunday.
“I'm confident that by the end of the week, we should be out of this difficult situation. We are confident we're going to go to conditions of normality. By the end of the week there will not be [any] load shedding. We would have gone through this wave and of course, we want the country to get accustomed to being normal.
“And in fact, something called load shedding should be considered extremely abnormal,” Ramokgopa said.
READ | Electricity Minister and Eskom to provide power update
The Minister explained that despite 300 consecutive days of uninterrupted power supply, recent setbacks occurred, including the loss of five generation units at Majuba and four units at Camden power stations.
Eskom CEO Dan Marokane said out of the 10 units lost overnight, six were back online.
“We have five to six units that are planned to come back in operation during the course of today and we will take stock just after 8 o’clock in the evening, after the evening peak. Our teams are very focused on returning these units,” Marokane told media at the briefing in Pretoria.
He said the loss of multiple units at the Majuba power station was occasioned by an overload on a transformer.
Marokane said when they checked the situation at Majuba on Saturday, it coincided with the trip to Medupi power station which had to do with the underfrequency in the network.
At Majuba, five units were lost but were brought two back online by 6am on Sunday, as well as one at Camden. The power utility would proceed to bring the rest of the units back into operation.
“Essentially, what really pushed us into the position that we found ourselves [in] having to initiate load shedding at very short notice yesterday at 5:30 pm was the loss of multiple units at Majuba power station.
“This was occasioned by initially an overload on a transformer as a result of the startup of a unit that was coming out of a long-term outage and that essentially started the domino effect of reticulation supply cutting to the rest of the units. And one by one, those units gave in,” he explained.
He added that “we have understood the exact nature of how the event came about, and we are able to isolate it overnight and start addressing it.”
“Of course, in the coming week, we will be diving deeper into ensuring that, from a system design perspective, we are able to contain such occurrences going forth. And we'll also assess where else the rest may be lying in our fleet,” the CEO said.
Apology
Meanwhile, the Minister apologised for the recent setback and explained the efforts to address the load shedding issue.
“Let me also say at the onset that I want on behalf of government, and the leadership of Eskom, to express our regret and convey our apology to the rest of the country. The fact that we are experiencing load shedding and secondly, that we are experiencing the intensity of load shedding that we haven’t experienced in a long time.
“The levels of agitation, levels of anger and disappointment are understood because we are really on a journey to ensure that indeed ultimately, we are able to eradicate load shedding.”
He said that the setback was regrettable as was the one that occurred earlier this month.
The Minister explained that it was important to share how the country got to Stage 6 load shedding.
First, he explained that his department and Eskom are guided by the Energy Action Plan that the President outlined in July 2022, of which one of its outcomes is to fix Eskom.
The Minister emphasised that there was no sabotage involved on the basis of evidence in their disposal.
"I want to say to the rest of the country; the evidence that is before us is that this is a technical issue. I am making this point because we must not find any reasons to manufacture explanations of why we are at Stage 6 and point fingers somewhere else,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za
DikelediM
Sun, 02/23/2025 - 15:06
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Maintaining a garden can be both relaxing and rewarding. However, achieving a well-maintained outdoor space requires the right garden tools. From trimming overgrown hedges to cleaning pathways, each task becomes simpler when you have the appropriate equipment at hand. Let’s explore how different tools can make your gardening efforts more efficient and enjoyable. Why …
Whether you’re a professional woodworker or a DIY enthusiast, having the correct tools can make or break your project. From cutting and shaping to assembling and finishing, each tool plays a critical role. Tools for Cutting and Shaping The first step in most projects is cutting and shaping materials to the desired size. Chainsaws …
BLOEMFONTEIN: A second successive unbeaten century from Dian Forrester guided the Knights to their first win of the 1 Day Cup...
Government remains committed to preserving local industries
Government is committed to preserving local industries and safeguarding employment opportunities, the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition said.
This as government acknowledged the concerns raised by the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) on the impact of ArcelorMittal South Africa’s (AMSA) decision to wind down its long steel business.
“We recognise the significance of this matter for workers, the broader steel industry, and the economy,” said the department in a statement on Saturday.
This as NUMSA staged a picket outside the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) to voice their demands on Friday.
“The Minister is awaiting the memorandum to be presented by the board regarding these demands. Once received, the Minister will consider the issues raised and respond appropriately.
“The Department of Trade, Industry, and Competition (the dtic) remains committed to engaging all stakeholders, including AMSA, organised labour, and industry partners, to find sustainable solutions. We continue to explore all possible avenues to avert job losses, support affected workers and ensure the resilience of South Africa’s steel sector,” said the department.
The dtic urged all parties to engage constructively “as we work towards interventions that protect industrial capacity while securing long-term economic stability.”
“The government remains steadfast in its commitment to preserving local industries and safeguarding employment opportunities,” said the department.
In January, the dtic said the steel industry is critical in the reconstruction and recovery plan for the South African economy, particularly the manufacturing, mining, construction, engineering, and transportation sectors.
This as AMSA announced that it was winding down its longs steel business at its Newcastle plant.
“The department notes with serious concern the announcement by ArcelorMittal South Africa to wind down its longs steel business at its Newcastle plant. In fulfilment of its mandate to work with the private sector in growing the local economy the dtic remains committed to working with AMSA to find a workable and lasting situation,” the department said in a statement at the time.
During the course of 2024, AMSA had reached out to various government departments and state-owned entities with requests for different concessions for their business. Having taken heed of these requests, the Minister of the dtic took the decision to form a comprehensive and coordinated approach to resolving the issues raised by AMSA.
READ | DTIC notes ArcelorMittal South Africa’s decision
The Minister set up a technical working group made up of the relevant stakeholders including the dtic and AMSA, the Departments of Electricity and Energy, Transport, as well as Eskom, Transnet and private sector stakeholders. -SAnews.gov.za
Neo
Sun, 02/23/2025 - 12:02
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NEWLANDS: Dané van Niekerk, former Proteas captain and world-class all-rounder, has been a key figure in South African women’s cricket....
Sustainability of black farmers is crucial for SA’s sugar industry
Government is committed to ensuring that the more than 24 000 black small-scale sugarcane farmers remain an integral part of the multi-billion-rand sugar industry, Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen said.
The industry is the bedrock of rural economies in KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga.
Steenhuisen met with a number of small-scale growers and the sugar industry leadership at KwaShukela in Mount Edgecombe, Durban.
“The sustainability of the small-scale sugarcane farmers must remain one of the main priorities for both government and the industry. I am passionate about the cause of small-scale farmers to ensure their growth and success. You are part of the agriculture family, and we regard you as very important stakeholders in agriculture," said the Minister on Friday.
The leadership of the sugar industry at the meeting was led by the South African Sugar Association (SASA), the South African Farmers Development Association, SA Canegrowers and South African Sugar Millers’ Association.
SASA has been at the forefront of the efforts aimed at securing the sustainability of the small-scale sugarcane farmers (SSGs).
“The dire situation of SSGs necessitated a decisive intervention by SASA and industry leaders, hence the installation of the billion-rand empowerment plan. An average of 13 349 SSGs per season have benefited from the Transformation Intervention Fund since the 2019/2020 season,” the Ministry of Agriculture said.
It added that SASA has spent R1.09 billion on empowerment interventions/initiatives, especially for the benefit of black small-scale growers.
Of the R1.09 billion, SSGs received R700.55 million (64.27%), black large-scale growers (LSGs) received R254.47 million (25.22%) and the value of other interventions for black beneficiaries amounted to R137.88 million (12.64%).
Furthermore, the extension of empowerment funding (R238.9 million for the current season) will continue to have a positive impact on SSGs and black growers in general. Two major categories of interventions exist – cane delivery-based and non-delivery-based interventions.
“The condition for receiving this cane delivery-based grant funding is for growers to be active farmers who deliver sugarcane.
“Besides the cane delivery-based grant funding to black growers, further funding examples include the R46.5 million infrastructure rehabilitation project in the Nkomazi region, Mpumalanga (which has greatly benefited SSGs and led to 300 hectares of cane being established), the R3.3 million SSG-driven rail siding initiative in Mkhuze, KwaZulu-Natal (making it possible for 70 000 tons of SSG cane to be transported to the Felixton Mill for the Makhathini-based growers at a significantly lower transport cost) and the installation of a dummy spiller (R7.6 million) at the Gledhow Sugar Mill for cane delivery by SSGs, which reduced SSG hauler turnaround times and transport costs.”
Sugarcane Value Chain Master Plan
Phase One of the Sugarcane Value Chain Master Plan to 2030 has cemented the foundational role of SSGs.
A minimum of R60 million of the Premium Price Payment (PPP) to SSGs as part of the Master Plan, for a period of three seasons (2021/2022 to 2023/2024), was allocated, escalating annually to R68 051 340 in the 2023/2024 season.
The 2023/2024 season was the last year of the PPP. However, on 20 March 2024, SASA Council approved the extension of PPP to 2024/2025 with an inflationary adjustment, meaning the allocation for this season is R71.08 million.
Through the Master Plan processes, the industry has been able to pinpoint challenges or factors which impede the envisaged growth of SSGs through surveys that engaged more than 2 500 growers. Some of these factors include access to land and capital.
“There are limited opportunities for individual small-scale growers to expand their area under cane due to the lack of access to land and the dispersed distribution of cane farms in the deep rural areas of KZN and Mpumalanga. SASA is focused on ensuring that the lack of economies of scale, long transport distances and high contractor costs, are mitigated by the grants and other support to small-scale growers.”
The Ministry said that the long-term strategy is to ensure that small-scale growers remain in cane farming and are sustainable with improved productivity in the short-term while medium to long-term interventions are being developed.
“The industry is now working on putting together an intervention plan for the improving the livelihoods of SSGs across the industry. This forms part of Phase Two of the Master Plan, which is yet to be signed and implemented, with Phase One having expired on 31 March 2023,” it said. -SAnews.gov.za
Neo
Sun, 02/23/2025 - 12:53
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Finding practical and environmentally friendly cleaning solutions has become a priority for many households. The products you use every day, from dishwashing to laundry and bathroom cleaning, can significantly impact the environment. Fortunately, sustainable and effective options are readily available to help you maintain a clean and eco-conscious home. Effortless Dishwashing Solutions Dishwashing is …
African countries urged to address climate change
The Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George has called on African countries to act with resolve and clarity of purpose on issues of climate change.
This as the Minister attended the annual Committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 16 February.
The meeting, which took place on the sidelines of the 38th African Union (AU) Summit, is where Heads of African States and Government consider climate issues of strategic importance to the Continent.
During this session, the Coordinator of CAHOSCC, Dr William Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya delivered his report which highlighted various developments since the last meeting in 2024.
The report included reflections on the outcomes of the 29th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in November 2024 and the implications for Africa, the CAHOSCC report from the meeting held on the margins of the 79th United Nations General Assembly in New York, in September 2024, updates from the Africa Climate Initiatives and Commissions, and the operationalisation of the Africa Climate Summit outcomes.
The CAHOSCC meeting also considered and submitted a draft decision on key climate change issues for adoption by the AU Assembly.
While delivering his intervention at the meeting, Dr George reiterated the need for African countries to "act with resolve and clarity of purpose" and went on to highlight the opportunities to do so through South Africa’s G20 Presidency.
“The Minister is leading on the G20 Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group (ECSWG) which has the overall objective to advance the environmental dimension of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through focusing on a number of priorities and deliverables,” the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment said in a statement on Saturday.
These include focusing on adapting to climate change and building resilience, addressing loss and damage, the just transition and mobilising climate finance.
The other priority areas include biodiversity and conservation, addressing land degradation, desertification and drought, sustainable chemicals and waste management as well as oceans and coasts.
Following a request by Dr George in his intervention, the meeting resolved to request the AU Commission to convene a consultative meeting with AU Member States to deliberate about the priorities and proposed deliverables for the ECSWG prior to the first virtual meeting of the Working Group in March 2025. -SAnews.gov.za
Neo
Sun, 02/23/2025 - 12:18
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Saldanha – Community Crust, a nonprofit bakery dedicated to bringing people together through the power of food, is proud to celebrate a series of key milestones in its mission to serve and uplift local communities. Since its inception, Community Crust has been baking up more than just delicious treats—it has been fostering connection, nourishment, and …
Dear Editor The abrupt return to stage 6 loadshedding late last night underlines the fact that South Africa cannot rely on Eskom to be its primary source of electricity. The over-reliance on Eskom to maintain and build new generation capacity has led to the creation of a monopoly of supply, and what is essentially a …
Dear editor Our military is in free fall, and it is deeply concerning that we do not have a full picture of its decline. The South African National Defence Force’s (SANDF) last strategic review was over a decade ago. The images of our troops in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), while harrowing, were sadly …
The Vodacom Bulls returned to winning ways in a competitive Vodacom United Rugby Championship derby against their Gauteng neighbours, the Emirates Lions, in Pretoria on Saturday, with the current SA Shield holder building on a 17-14 halftime lead to walk away with a rewarding 31-19 bonus-point win. The Pretoria outfit were under pressure to register …
Dear Editor Despite rainfall, the implementation of water rationing in eThekwini Municipality is a stark indication of the escalating water crisis facing municipalities across South Africa. This latest development underscores the urgent need for a comprehensive and coordinated response from all three tiers of government to prevent widespread water shortages and infrastructure collapse. Residents in …
Dear Editor The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) is waging a losing battle against the relentless influx of contraband into its facilities. The staggering number of illicit items confiscated in the past year—1,458,825 contraband items seized between January 2024 and January 2025—is irrefutable proof that security measures are failing. Even more concerning is that despite …
Argentina, Fiji, New Zealand and South Africa are one step closer to scooping gold in Vancouver after coming out triumphant and advancing to the semi-finals. Fiji took the upper hand in a closely contested extra-time showdown against Spain that ended 21-26 with Filipe Sauturaga clinching the winning try. Their winning streak continued into the evening …
On Wednesday, 19 February 2025, Premier Alan Winde chaired a regular meeting of his provincial Cabinet. Premier Winde opened the meeting by welcoming the latest Quarterly Labour Force Statistics, which show that the Western Cape still has the lowest unemployment rate in South Africa, at 19.6% in Quarter 4 2024. The Western Cape now leads …