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WaterCAN, an initiative of the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA), is proud to announce its 3rd annual water testing month this September, in collaboration with the Walter Sisulu National Botanical Gardens. This initiative is part of the lead-up to World Water Monitoring Day, which will be celebrated with a special event on 18 September at …
FNB today announced that it has officially taken over as headline sponsor of the App of the Year ecosystem, the premier app development and largest tech challenge of its kind in the African continent. FNB App of the Year recognises and celebrates local-game changers while championing app development in Africa. Now in its 13th consecutive …
SA boys’ team only had three days with their coach
Beneficiaries express gratitude for Green Tourism Incentive Programme
The Department of Tourism has invited eligible tourism enterprises to apply for support under the Green Tourism Incentive Programme’s (GTIP) 10th application window.
The window opened on 2 September 2024 and will remain open until 28 February 2025.
The GTIP was developed by the Department of Tourism in partnership with the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) to enable and encourage tourism enterprises to improve efficiency in the utilisation of energy and water resources in their operations.
In this way, the programme not only promotes compliance with responsible tourism principles, but also offers a mechanism for enterprises to reduce operational costs so they can operate in a sustainable and competitive manner.
The GTIP has enjoyed much success from tourism enterprises who applied for support.
Mokgaetji Flora Phala from Mminanoko Eco Guesthouse in Limpopo said: “I was spending R2 500 on electricity costs per month. I now spend R500 a month, saving between R1 500 to R2000 a month following the installation of energy solutions. The GTIP is a great initiative that helps a lot and can be recommended to other businesses.”
Chris de Vries from Maribelle's B&B in Pretoria, Gauteng, said the amount spent on electricity was high before the installations, but it has gone down significantly.
“It is still too early to tell the exact amounts, but I have noticed a significant saving from the installations. I would definitely recommend other business to get access to this programme; it is very beneficial,” he said.
Meanwhile, Gugulethu Nogaya from Imvomvo Country Lodge in MaXesibeni, Eastern Cape, said energy consumption prior to the installation of energy solutions averaged at 24 000 kWh per month.
“Since the installation it has reduced our monthly energy consumption by half. We were spending approximately R60 000.00 on diesel during peak load shedding, but that has now dropped to less than R5 000 per month only when there are power outages. I would highly recommend the GTIP programme for all lodges, B&B’s and other businesses as it significantly improves margins by reducing cost and increases customer satisfactions,” he said.
The GTIP offers partial grant funding on the cost of retrofitting tourism facilities with energy and water efficiency equipment and systems. The application process to access the GTIP is done through two phases:
• Phase 1: The applying Tourism enterprises undergoes a resource efficiency audit during which appropriate efficiency measures and solutions are recommended. The cost of this audit is fully covered under the GTIP programme.
• Phase 2: Eligible applicants (who completed phase 1) are able to apply for grant funding support of between 50% and 90% on the cost of installing relevant technologies and equipment recommended during the Phase 1 (capped at a maximum of R1 million per applicant).
The GTIP is administered by the IDC and all applications are received, processed and managed by the IDC on behalf of the Department of Tourism.
Since inception in November 2017 and June 2024, the GTIP has had nine application windows from which 216 applications were approved at a total grant value of more than R140 million.
Tourism Minister, Patricia de Lille, said initiatives such as the GTIP are contributing immensely to greening the tourism sector and in the process helping to sustain the future of this sector.
“Conserving our scarce natural resource is crucial to the sustainability of the tourism sector. As we work towards the attainment of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), programmes such as the GTIP become critical in reinforcing and supporting tourism enterprises to adopt responsible tourism practices.
“Accordingly, the GTIP aims to support tourism enterprises to retrofit their facilities with green technologies such as solar PV panels and water saving measures. I therefore encourage businesses to apply for funding support under the GTIP,” the Minister said.
Tourism enterprises can visit www.tourism.gov.za or www.idc.co.za to read more on the requirements, eligibility and qualifying criteria and the application processes for the GTIP. – SAnews.gov.za
DikelediM
Wed, 09/04/2024 - 10:33
Springboks vs All Blacks: Park and ride for free around CT on Saturday
The City of Cape Town is rolling out an expanded free park and ride service on Saturday, 7 September 2024, as the Mother City hosts four-time Rugby World Cup champions, the Springboks, for their Castle Lager Rugby Championship game against New Zealand at the DHL Stadium.
A sold-out crowd is expected at the DHL Stadium for the 5pm kick-off as the Springboks return to play in Cape Town for the first time since their victory against Wales in front of a 52 000 strong crowd in 2022.
It is also the first time the Springboks go head-to-head with the All Blacks in the Mother City since 2017.
“Cape Town is a city united in pride and excitement as we prepare to host our world champion Bokke for this historic clash against our greatest rivals. To support this major event, the city is pleased to announce an expanded and free MyCiTi shuttle service for spectators,” said Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis.
This will cover fans from Century City, the University of Cape Town (UCT), Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), Thibault Square and Civic Centre stations.
Stadium gates are expected to open at 12:30pm ahead of the curtain raiser between the Springbok Women against the Barbarian Women at 1:30pm.
The first shuttle from all pick-up points will depart at 12pm.
At the Civic Centre, the city will open its 475 parking bays for ticketed rugby fans on a first-come, first-served basis from 11am.
The free parking areas are accessible from Hertzog Boulevard and Civic Road.
The shuttle service from UCT’s Upper Campus and Century City Steelbridge E-parking will operate until 4:45pm to ensure that all spectators get to the event before the kick-off of the Springbok game at 5pm.
At UCT, spectators can park on the Upper Campus and catch the shuttle at the UCT Shuttle North Stop (beside the dam).
Century City Steelbridge E-Parking will have 500 free parking bays for match ticket holders on a first-come, first-served basis. The parking area on Century Boulevard will be monitored by security but is at the owner’s risk.
On-street parking in the CBD is available for free from 1pm.
The last return bus from the stadium to the pick-up points leaves at 9:30pm.
“With the game sold out, we anticipate our roads will be congested on match day. But working with the event organiser, we have provided alternatives to single-occupancy vehicles to ensure people avoid being stuck in traffic.
“We would like to encourage spectators to make use of the park and ride system to alleviate the pressure on the roads,” said Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.
However, according to Smith, parking around the stadium is limited and people are discouraged from parking illegally in the residential areas.
“Illegally parked vehicles will be fined and/or towed away. We are deploying our safety and security personnel to work with SAPS in taking care of safety at this event. This is a wonderful occasion that a lot of people have been anticipating for some time. Let’s work together to make it a seamless and memorable experience for all,” Smith added.
Meanwhile, a dedicated e-hailing area will be established on P13 on Greenpoint Main Road between York Road and Wigtown Road.
Residents and motorists are advised that several roads will be closed and restricted on Saturday. – SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Wed, 09/04/2024 - 10:07
Here are our Top 10 highest revenue-making opportunities for content creators ranked from 1 to 10: Affiliate Marketing: This offers a lucrative opportunity for individuals to earn passive income by promoting products or services and earning commissions on sales generated through their referrals. E-commerce: With the rise of online shopping, turning hobbies and interests into …
In this X (Twitter) post from @bennyjohnson we see a women ask Alexa why she should vote for Donald Trump and gets an answer that disclaims Alexa being ‘allowed’ to “provide content that promotes a specific political party or candidate”. She then doubles down and asks Alexa; “Why should I vote for Kamala Harris?” and …
Held on the second day (3 September 2024) of FAME Week Africa in Cape Town, South Africa, the inaugural Inclusive Lens Awards (sponsored by Urban Brew) put the spotlight on the most diverse films and series across Africa for kids programmes, disability and LGBTQIA+ representation. The Awards were hosted by drag artist and drag culture …
The Bellville Business Expo is back for its second annual run, and this year promises to be bigger and better than ever before. Originally set for August, the event has been rescheduled to 17 and 18 October 2024, offering local businesses and working professionals an extended opportunity to explore growth avenues and expand their networks. …
Dear Editor It is with profound sadness and a deep sense of loss that we have learnt today of the passing of Gregory Krumbock, a dedicated Member of Parliament, the Democratic Alliance’s National Campaign Manager for the last two elections, a visionary strategist and a stalwart of the Democratic Alliance. Greg was not just a …
Physical and virtual audiences throughout South Africa and the world will come together for the first mixed reality Afrotech Festival Experience, themed “The Road to Amapiano”, at the Old Fort, Constitution Hill, on 7 September. The Road to Amapiano is a celebration event in Heritage month, of 30 years of the Arts & Culture Trust …
Protecting your skin from harmful UV rays is crucial for maintaining a healthy and youthful appearance. Exposure to the sun can lead to premature aging, pigmentation, and even skin cancer. Incorporating high-quality sun protection into your daily routine can help shield your skin from these damaging effects. Heliocare 360: A Comprehensive Sun Care Solution …
Dear Editor The DA wrote to the Minister of Transport, Barbara Creecy, to urgently draw her attention to the fact that the Road Accident Fund (RAF) seems to have halted payments for nearly four months. This state of affairs seems to point to the fund’s imminent implosion without prompt intervention from either the Transport Minister …
Dear Editor Today’s release of the second quarter Gross Domestic Product (GDP) data by Statistics South Africa (StatsSA) is a sobering reminder of the precarious state of our economy. The growth of only 0.4% in the previous quarter highlights a stagnating economy that continues to flirt with recession. For over a year, our economy has …
Dear Editor The Deputy Minister of Higher Education Buti Manamela today failed to appear before the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) where the National Skills Fund (NSF) and the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) were meant to brief the Committee on their 2022/23 annual reports and updates on the investigations conducted by the …
Waterval Stadium in Limpopo is still incomplete though at least R28-million has been spent
The following speech was delivered yesterday afternoon by the DA Spokesperson on Police, Ian Cameron MP in response to a ministerial statement in Parliament by the Minister of Police on actions taken by the SAPS to deal with extortion in South Africa. Thank you honourable house chairperson, Honourable members, All protocol observed Extortion is a …
South Africa’s Kat Swanepoel and Nathan Hendricks both swam to new African records at the Paralympic Games in Paris on Tuesday. Swanepoel competed in the S5 50m backstroke heats and revealed afterwards, she’d achieved her result with a dislocated shoulder. The Johannesburg swimmer was classed up just before the Paralympics, meaning she is facing much …
Due to a request from SA Rugby, the opening round Vodacom United Rugby Championship fixtures involving the South African teams will now be moved to avoid a clash with the Carling Currie Cup Final. Originally, the DHL Stormers were due to take on the Vodacom Bulls in Cape Town and the Hollywoodbets Sharks were to …
The future of home living is smart, and integrating Smart Home Products into your daily life offers unmatched convenience. From automated lighting systems to voice-controlled appliances, smart home technology makes it easier to manage your home with just a few taps or voice commands. Smart home devices can also enhance your home security. Products …
“Our students and staff can no longer depend on a dying municipality” says vice-chancellor
Protesters block R334 in Kariega after the accident
The Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services today held an informative and frank engagement regarding correctional supervision and parole boards in South Africa.
The committee was briefed by the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) on the structure and functions, challenges, and successes, plans to address identified challenges, and progress in legislation to overhaul the parole system.
Committee Chairperson Ms Kgomotso Anthea Ramolobeng said the committee extensively discussed all the matters, with a key focus on medical parole. “The committee commends the presentation. Our questions and concerns were mostly covered. Some of the statistics on medical parolees and the way forward in terms of vacancies will be addressed to the committee in writing to further interrogate this matter,” she said.
The committee heard there are currently 52 correctional supervision and parole boards (CSPB) in the country, whose main function is to consider offenders for possible placement on parole and correctional supervision. The Correctional Services Act (CSA) provides that any sentenced offender may be considered for placement on medical parole by the National Commissioner, the CSPB or the Minister. The Minister must establish a Medical Parole Advisory Board (MPAB) to provide an independent medical report to the National Commissioner, the CSPB or the Minister.
The MPAB must make a recommendation to the National Commissioner, the CSPB or the Minister on whether it is appropriate to grant medical parole. The committee heard that the CSA provides a list of medical conditions for consideration by the MPAB when assessing an offender's medical parole application.
Regarding deaths of inmates while awaiting medical parole outcomes, the committee heard that during the 2023/24 financial year, 22 offenders died before their medical parole applications could be finalised. During the same financial year, 85 offenders had applied for medical parole, four of whom were released on normal parole, 43 of whom were recommended for medical parole, 13 were not recommended and 22 died prior to their applications process being completed.
“We have raised concerns. We noted that vacancies exist in some of these boards, which could be a contributing factor. The department will furnish us with further information we required,” Ms Ramolobeng emphasised.
Ms Ramolobeng further stated that some committee members had concerns about inmates who were granted medical parole as they were terminally ill, but more than a decade later they are still to be found functioning well in society.
The DCS said that statistics relating to this issue will be provided to the committee in writing. However, the committee was assured that the board reviewing such matters is expert in the health field. The DCS conceded that such exceptional cases do exist but maintained that the number is small.
“The department will provide us with the statistics of such matters, but they have assured us in the meantime that that figure is generally low. We will engage once we received the information requested,” said Ms Ramolobeng.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.
Security guards employed by Golden Security Services in Heideveld say they are owed money