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With the rise in road spiking incidents, where sharp objects are deliberately placed on roadways to damage vehicles and target unsuspecting drivers, safety on our roads has become a pressing concern. Dunlop Tyres SA’s leading technical tyre expert, Keith Phelps, provides the following key information for drivers – presented in a Question & Answer format …
The Welsh Rugby Union is proud to announce the appointment of Sean Lynn as the new Wales Head coach for the Wales Women’s senior side. Lynn has signed a three-year contract with the WRU and brings a wealth of rugby and coaching experience to the role. Swansea-born Lynn masterminded Gloucester-Hartpury’s back-to-back Premiership Women’s Rugby titles …
Although many manufacturing and industrial companies have stated objectives to reduce use of fossil fuels, there are not yet any silver bullets in the green fuel space, says Dennis Williams, Commercial Director at steam and boiler operations and maintenance service provider, Associated Energy Services (AES). Supply and logistics constraints, high costs and technological limitations are …
The Paarl Royals spinners continue to dominate at their Boland Park fortress to propel their team to the top of the Betway SA20 standings. The Royals quartet of Bjorn Fortuin, Mujeeb-ur-Rahman, Joe Root and Dunith Wellalage spun a web around the Joburg Super Kings batting unit to restrict the visitors to 146/6. Fortuin (2/22) started …
Following an incident involving a seal and freedivers off Simons Town’s Windmill Beach in False Bay, the NSRI wishes to acknowledge the swift response and ongoing efforts of the City of Cape Town, whose staff actively managed the situation on-site. To minimize risks, we remind swimmers to always: Buddy up: Never swim alone. Use a tow …
Kosher food plays an important role for many people who follow Jewish dietary laws. Understanding what is Kosher helps explain why certain foods are prepared and consumed in specific ways. The term “Kosher” means that a food product meets the dietary guidelines set by Jewish law. These rules cover everything from the ingredients used to …
Tuesday, 21 January 2025: Eskom delivered 300 consecutive days without loadshedding at midnight, a milestone last reached in June 2018. This milestone is the outcome of Eskom implementing the Generation Recovery Plan since March 2023, which has delivered sustained and ongoing structural improvement in the Generation fleet. “Credit goes to all our 40 000 dedicated and...
Originally it was supposed to be completed in 2018. The cost has also more than doubled.
Managing business processes efficiently requires the right tools. From handling employee records to managing documents, businesses need reliable solutions to stay organised and productive. Different types of software, like HRMS management and document management systems, help businesses achieve this goal. What is HRMS Management? HRMS management refers to systems that help businesses manage their …
Durban, January, Monday, 2025- By Taegan Devar: As we enter a new year, we must recognise that from time-to-time, everyone struggles with mental health issues. Just like, on occasion, everyone struggles with physical health issues. No one judges you for seeing a doctor when you have the flu. So why would we judge each other for …
Coercing donations out of parents at no-fee schools is unlawful, says Equal Education Law Centre
The hearing of a complaint of sexual harassment against Eastern Cape Judge President Selby Mbenenge has entered its second week
20 January 2025 – The South African Football Association (SAFA) wishes to congratulate the South African football clubs that are continuing to fly the country’s flag high on the international stage. Orlando Pirates FC and Mamelodi Sundowns FC are in the quarterfinal stage of the CAF Champions League, while Stellenbosch FC are through to the […]
The post SAFA continuing with the business of football first appeared on SAFA.net.
While many envision massive snakes slithering across South American rainforests when they hear the name ‘anaconda’, the 21 little ones born at Crocworld Conservation Centre in Scottburgh are anything but! These little yellow anacondas are the first of their kind to be born in one of the centre’s breeding programmes, where they will be kept …
Isilumko Activate Kicks Off the New Year with Bold Vision and Renewed Energy Isilumko Activate, a leading below-the-line agency in Bryanston, Johannesburg, is thrilled to commence 2025 with a bold vision and renewed commitment to delivering high-impact experiential brand activations. Guided by a philosophy of thriving in every facet of experiential marketing, Isilumko Activate aims …
When it comes to saving on electricity costs there is one axiom that holds true; “If you cannot measure it, you cannot manage it!” Measuring and controlling your electrical motors, appliances, geysers etc. is referred to variously as Building Management or Building Automation. For example modern systems allow you to access them remotely and interrogate …
Eskom to reach 300 days of no load shedding at midnight
At midnight tonight, Eskom will reach 300 days without implementing load shedding – a milestone not seen since June 2018.
Eskom has shown vast improvement since the implementation of the Energy Action Plan introduced by President Cyril Ramaphosa in July 2022, as well as the implementation of the power utility’s own Generation Recovery Plan.
“This performance has also resulted in year-to-date diesel savings of R16.42 billion [year-on-year], which is about 62.9% less than the R26.09 billion spent during the same period last year, as a result of the continued execution of the Generation Operational Recovery plan.
“In August, Eskom shared its summer outlook for the period from 1 September 2024 to 31 March 2025, predicting a likely scenario of a load shedding free summer due to structural generation improvements. This outlook remains unchanged,” Eskom said.
The power utility listed the following as its key performance highlights:
Meanwhile, the power utility has appointed Dr Candice Hartley as Chief People Officer and Rivoningo Mnisi as Group Executive for Renewables.
Eskom Group Chief Executive, Dan Marokane, said: “In the last ten months, we have focussed on strengthening our executive team not only to bring in specialist skills to drive the delivery of our strategy in a fast-moving and increasingly competitive marketplace, but to also drive interventions to address the legacy management control issues that have characterised our recent audit findings”.
Hartley, who boasts two decades of experience in Human Resources, served as Executive Partner and Head of People at KPMG South Africa before joining Eskom.
Mnisi also brings to Eskom some two decades of experience in digitalisation, innovation, and sustainability and was Chief Strategy Officer at Exxaro before joining the power utility.
“A key area of [Hartley’s] focus will be to ensure Eskom has the skills the organisation requires to operate in a competitive marketplace. She will also transition Eskom’s human capital practices and workforce plans to align with the strategy and ensure the wider adoption of technology across the organisation.
“[Mnisi’s] focus will be on delivering an Eskom renewable energy business that will become a significant player in this segment, focussing on work already in progress for an executable initial pipeline of at least 2GW of clean energy projects by 2026. He will also lead the advancement of Eskom’s pipeline of more than 20GW of clean energy projects to diversify its energy mix as part of the emissions reduction strategy,” Eskom said in a statement. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Mon, 01/20/2025 - 10:56
Tanzania today confirmed an outbreak of Marburg virus disease in the northwestern Kagera region after one case tested positive for the virus following investigations and laboratory analysis of suspected cases of the disease.
President of the Republic of Tanzania, Her Excellency Samia Suluhu Hassan, made the announcement during a press briefing alongside World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, in the country's administrative capital Dodoma.
“Laboratory tests conducted at Kabaile Mobile Laboratory in Kagera and later confirmed in Dar es Salaam identified one patient as being infected with the Marburg virus. Fortunately, the remaining suspected patients tested negative,” the president said. “We have demonstrated in the past our ability to contain a similar outbreak and are determined to do the same this time around.”
A total of 25 suspected cases have been reported as of 20 January 2025, all of whom have tested negative and are currently under close follow-up, the president said. The cases have been reported in Biharamulo and Muleba districts in Kagera.
“We have resolved to reassure the general public in Tanzania and the international community as a whole of our collective determination to address the global health challenges, including the Marburg virus disease,” said H.E President Hassan.
WHO is supporting Tanzanian health authorities to enhance key outbreak control measures including disease surveillance, testing, treatment, infection prevention and control, case management, as well as increasing public awareness among communities to prevent further spread of the virus.
“WHO, working with its partners, is committed to supporting the government of Tanzania to bring the outbreak under control as soon as possible, and to build a healthier, safer, fairer future for all the people of Tanzania,” said Dr Tedros. “Now is a time for collaboration, and commitment, to protecting the health of all people in Tanzania, and the region, from the risks posed by this disease.”
Marburg virus disease is highly virulent and causes haemorrhagic fever. It belongs to the same family as the virus that causes Ebola virus disease. Illness caused by Marburg virus begins abruptly. Patients present with high fever, severe headache and severe malaise. They may develop severe haemorrhagic symptoms within seven days.
“The declaration by the president and the measures being taken by the government are crucial in addressing the threat of this disease at the local and national levels as well as preventing potential cross-border spread,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa. “Our priority is to support the government to rapidly scale up measures to effectively respond to this outbreak and safeguard the health of the population,”
Tanzania previously reported an outbreak of Marburg in March 2023 – the country's first – in Kagera region, in which a total of nine cases (eight confirmed and one probable) and six deaths were reported, with a case fatality ratio of 67%.
In the African region, previous outbreaks and sporadic cases have been reported in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, South Africa and Uganda.
Marburg virus is transmitted to people from fruit bats and spreads among humans through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected people, surfaces and materials. Although several promising candidate medical countermeasures are currently undergoing clinical trials, there is no licensed treatment or vaccine for effective management or prevention of Marburg virus disease. However, early access to treatment and supportive care – rehydration with oral or intravenous fluids – and treatment of specific symptoms, improve survival.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization - United Republic of Tanzania.
Celebrating 30 years of policing in a democratic SA
Members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) work under the most daunting working environments as the country struggles with high rates of violent crime, including homicide and sexual assault.
When police officers leave their families every day to perform their duties, the brave men and women in blue are putting their lives on the line and risk returning home in a coffin.
Through the commemoration of National Police Day, which takes place annually on 27 January, government recognises the hard work and sacrifices that the country’s police officers make and continue to make to provide a safe South Africa for all.
Speaking to SAnews, KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla MKhwanazi, said this year’s celebrations coincides with 30 years of policing in a democratic South Africa.
“We know that in 1995 there was an amalgamation of different policing agencies that we had in the country that established the SAPS…[now] we are all one in policing in the country as mandated by the Constitution of the Republic,” MKhwanazi said.
When South Africa attained independence in 1994, the new democratic order brought about many changes and had a substantial impact on policing.
Last year, South Africa celebrated the 30th anniversary of the country’s democratic dispensation and commemorated the nation’s first democratic election on 27 April 1994.
This historic milestone coincided with the 28th anniversary of the enactment of the South African Constitution as the supreme law of the land.
“We are going to be celebrating 30 years of policing in a democratic South Africa. We will be displaying all our capabilities as the SAPS. The National Police Day is one of the activities on the SAPS calendar that has been gazetted by government and authorised for us to have a celebration.
“This year’s event will be celebrated in KwaZulu-Natal, specifically in eThekwini. We want to give confidence that Durban remains a place of interest for hosting big events,” the provincial police commissioner said.
Since its establishment in April 2024, the Presidential eThekwini Working Group (PeWG) has been working hard to address critical service delivery, infrastructure, and socio-economic challenges within the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality with the goal of positioning the city as an investment and tourism hub.
The Working Group operates across three spheres of government and includes representatives from the private sector and labour.
Call for donations for the SAPS education trust fund
Prior to National Police Day, the SAPS will host a fundraising event, which will be in the form of a golf day on 25 January 2025.
The SAPS has established the South African Police Service Education Trust (SAPSET) to raise funds for the provisioning of financial or any other form of assistance to a child or children of members in the service that died in the execution of official duties or on duty, by financing the costs of such child’s or children’s educational needs.
“This allows us to assist these children to go through school until the obtain their first tertiary qualification to make life better for them because those men and women would have died saving society and therefore their children should not be forgotten.
“Of course, government will pay their insurance, but on top of that, we felt that it is important that we find a way of augmenting the resources they have in order to be able to go to school without any struggles.
“We are doing the fundraising and we rely heavily on business to come on board and help us finance the educational trust fund,” Mkhwanazi said.
Last year, the provincial fundraising event in KwaZulu Natal managed to raise about R1.2 million.
“This is the national event so we expect businesses from all over the country to contribute and donate to this fund. We are hoping that if KZN can pull more than R1 million alone, with nine provinces that will raise more funds to assist the children of the departed members.
“These are members that we normally celebrate every September in Pretoria at the Union Buildings, that would have died in the line of duty,” he said.
National Police Commemoration Day takes place on the first Sunday in September in memory of police officers who died in the line of duty in the last twelve months.
The education trust is comprised of members that are independent of the SAPS and meets all the legal requirements for donations.
“On the 26 January 2025, we are going to have the Excellence Awards where we recognise outstanding dedication, service, and excellence across various categories within the SAPS.
“We are going to be recognising those who have gone beyond the call of duty, including the committee members that have played the role in helping us fight crime in their role as the Community Policing Forums (CPF)
“If a police officer is off duty and places themselves in a position to prevent crime or becomes a rescuer of people that are trapped in dams or pit toilets, and you sacrifice yourself by taking them out, that is beyond your duties. It is such individuals that we want to recognize,” Mkhwanazi said. -SAnews.gov.za
nosihle
Mon, 01/20/2025 - 12:48
The city has better preventative measures but is far less resourced than Los Angeles
NPA seizes R52.5m in cross border strike against illegal mining
The National Prosecuting Authority’s Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) – working in collaboration with the South African Financial Intelligence Centre (SA-FIC), the Namibian Financial Intelligence Centre (Nam-FIC) and the Namibian Prosecutor-General (Nam PG) office has seized some R52.5 million held in eight Namibian bank accounts.
NPA Mpumalanga Regional spokesperson Monica Nyuswa said the money is allegedly linked to intentions to commit or proceeds from “massive alleged illegal coal mining” in the province’s Carolina area.
“On 2 December 2024 the SA-FIC, in collaboration with their Nam-FIC counterparts, obtained a Namibian FIC temporary freeze upon the funds of Jacobus Hosea Jordaan and his wife Elza Jordaan… to the value of R50 205 872.
“On 30 December 2024 the Nam PG’s office managed to obtain a Preservation of Property order in the Namibian High Court, Windhoek in respect of the abovementioned R50 205 872 on the basis that the money… represents the proceeds of, and/or was used as instrumentalities, to commit the abovementioned massive alleged illegal coal mining and other offences, including money laundering in the Carolina area,” she said.
Nyuswa added that last week, a second preservation of property order was granted to the value of R2 285 500 in the Namibian High Court “in respect of two further Namibian bank accounts in the name of Reinet Binneman," the sister of Elza Jordaan.
“Jacobus Jordaan and his wife Elza Jordaan are among the main accused in the Carolina illegal coal mining case that was transferred to the Mbombela High Court on 6 December 2024 to November 2025 for trial.
“The illegal financial benefit obtained by the accused from the illegal coal mining and other offences in Mpumalanga allegedly amounts to at least R2 billion,” Nyuswa explained.
She described cooperation between the two countries’ law enforcement officials as “remarkable”.
“There was remarkable cooperation and hard work during the December festive season between the abovementioned Namibian and the South African law enforcement agencies to obtain the abovementioned Namibian High Court seizure orders.
“Both Namibia and South Africa were grey listed a few years ago by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) for, amongst others, failing to sufficiently combat money laundering. The abovementioned two Namibian seizure orders will assist enormously in getting both countries off the FATF grey list,” she said.
The dedication, enthusiasm and commitment of the abovementioned law enforcement agencies also make a huge difference in combating transnational crime in the two countries.
Digging in
Nyuswa said that as early as November 2023, police and law enforcement had already pounced on alleged illegal mining activities in the Carolina – leading to arrests and seizures of property.
“On 15 November 2023 the NPA AFU in Mpumalanga, in collaboration with a special illegal mining unit in the [SAPS], obtained provisional preservation of property order in the Mbombela High Court upon, amongst others, a farm in the Carolina district, stockpiles/heaps of coal in two separate areas, heavy duty mining machinery, equipment and motor vehicles as well as the washing plant machinery and all movable buildings, machines, equipment and motor vehicles used at Droog Valley farm Barrel Coal Processing and Washing Plant near Carolina, Mpumalanga area.
“The assets were seized on the basis that it was, on reasonable grounds, believed to be, used as instrumentalities to commit various illegal large-scale coal mining and environmental offences at the farm in the Carolina area, and/or that the assets are reasonable grounds to believe the proceeds of unlawful activities, and/or represents the proceeds of unlawful activities, namely the large-scale illegal coal mining and environmental offences.
“It was the largest seizure of its kind ever in South Africa,” Nyuswa said.
A further provisional restraint of property order was granted to law enforcement against assets to the value of some R1 billion.
“Jacobus and his wife, Elza Jordaan, and 15 other persons and companies are currently standing trial in the Mbombela High Court for multiple offences, Including illegal coal mining, environmental offences, theft, corruption, money laundering etc.
“Their criminal trial was postponed to the Middelburg High Court for trial from 3 to 28 November 2025,” she added.
The spokesperson said the prosecutorial body remains committed to supporting the work of law enforcement agencies in rooting out criminality.
“Illegal mining activities, coupled with money laundering, in South Africa, are a huge concern for the government, as also pronounced by the State President who last year deployed the South African Defence Force to assist the SAPS in eradicating the illegal mining activities and syndicates.
“Illegal mining amounts to the plundering of the most valuable natural resources of South Africa to the detriment of the fiscus and the broader public. It also destroys the beautiful South African natural environment and bona fide farming activities.
“The NPA is committed to assisting the SAPS, the South African government, and governments of foreign jurisdictions to eradicate this scourge of illegal mining and money laundering activities,” Nyuswa concluded. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Mon, 01/20/2025 - 13:39
This has been a generally positive year for the South African housing market as new government policies, a more stable economic environment, and the latest interest rate cut boding well. On the KZN South Coast, where property demand continues to rise, local developers have shared their insights into trends they foresee in 2025. “We’ve certainly …
Road crashes and fatalities increase during festive season
While law enforcement maintained a constant presence throughout the festive season, conducting operations around the clock - the preliminary 2024/2025 Festive Season Statistics reveal a concerning increase in crashes and fatalities, primarily attributed to human behavior.
“Tragically, South Africa witnessed 1,502 deaths resulting from 1,234 fatal crashes during the 2024/25 festive season. The number of fatalities represents a year-on-year increase of 5.3% (70) compared to the 2023/24 festive season, with a 4.2% (50) increase in the number of crashes,” Transport Minister Barbara Creecy said during a media briefing, held in Pretoria, on Monday.
The preliminary 2024/2025 Festive Season Statistics indicate that 87% of crashes happened because of human behaviour, including hit-and-runs, jay-walking (pedestrians crossing or walking in the street or road unlawfully), fatigue, loss of control over vehicles, speed, drunken driving, and reckless overtaking.
“The number of people who died on our roads this festive season has increased because people continued to behave badly. In spite of our pleas and warnings, and notwithstanding our efforts to clamp down on irresponsible and reckless behaviour, it is clear that many road users – both drivers and pedestrians – continue to act without regard for the lives of others.
“Six provinces recorded increases in the number of fatalities in the 2024/25 festive season compared to 2023/24, namely KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, Free State, Limpopo, Northern Cape and North West,” the Minister said.
The Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Free State recorded increases of 70, 54 and 21 fatalities as compared to 2023/24, while Gauteng, Western Cape and Mpumalanga recorded decreases of 76, 23 and 15 fatalities, respectively.
Concern over pedestrian fatalities
Creecy said pedestrian fatalities remain a huge concern, with 41% of all road fatalities being pedestrians.
The highest percentage of pedestrian fatalities were recorded in Gauteng, Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, which are the most populous provinces in the country in terms of vehicles and people.
Gauteng had the highest pedestrian fatalities at 63.84% followed by Western Cape with 53.9% and KwaZulu-Natal with 44.33%.
During this period, law enforcement conducted joint operations in line with the focus areas, including vehicle road worthiness, public passenger transport, drunken driving, execution of warrants of arrest, and speed law enforcement.
Law enforcement officers issued 711,184 fines for various traffic offences across the country.
“Some 23,607 fines were issued to drivers who failed to wear seatbelts, while another 16,925 motorists were fined for using cell phones while driving. Then, 16,527 vehicles were found to be unroadworthy and issued with traffic fines, as well as their motor vehicle licence discs removed, particularly in areas where vehicles could not be impounded due to lack of impoundment facilities,” the Minister said.
In total, 8,917 motor vehicles were impounded in areas where facilities were available.
“To clamp down on drunken driving, speeding and other moving violations, our officers arrested more than 9,550 motorists, with 3,840 individuals arrested for drunken driving.
“A total of 414 drivers were arrested for driving at high speed and five amongst them were driving at excessive speeds of between 200km/h to well above 240km/h,” Creecy said.
The highest speedster was arrested in Gauteng, driving at 245km/h (kilometre per hour) in a BMW Sedan on N1 near Honeydew, on 18 December 2024.
“We, South Africans, must change our behaviour on the roads. As we said at the beginning of the festive season, government and our law enforcement agencies cannot do it on our own.
“The statistics clearly send all of us, as South Africans, one message: Drivers and pedestrians must change their behaviour. We must obey the law, we must obey the basic rules of the road,” Creecy said.
Interventions
The Minister has asked the provinces to conduct a detailed analysis of their respective statistics, and come up with a clear plan for the way forward, by the end of January.
This will include a look at severe consequences for those who continue to show a disregard for road safety.
“We will continue to direct our efforts at changing the behaviour of road users, invest in designing and engineering safer roads, enforcing safe speeds in high congestion areas, and enhancing emergency response systems and access to quality trauma care, which is essential to saving lives.
“By reducing response times and improving the availability of critical care, we can increase survival rates and reduce the long-term impacts of road traffic injuries. This initiative will require collaboration with the Department of Health, and other industry role-players,” she said.
Creecy said indications are that the implementation of 24/7 traffic policing shifts is more critical than ever.
“During the festive season, we agreed to release National Traffic Police resources to provinces, to intensify road safety communication and education campaigns and strengthen monitoring of our law enforcement operations especially at night.
"This approach will serve as a blueprint for our road safety activities but will only succeed if it is consistent all year round, especially on weekends and in every province across the country,” the Minister said. -SAnews.gov.za
nosihle
Mon, 01/20/2025 - 13:47
Dear Editor The escape of alleged illegal mining kingpin, James Neo Tshoaledi, underscores why South Africa urgently needs an Anti-Extortion Plan combined with a robust, intelligence-driven approach to crime. It is believed that the suspect was assisted in escaping last week, despite the South African Police Service’s (SAPS) ‘Vala Umgodi’ Operation. This brazen escape illustrates …