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Justice and Constitutional Development Committee Chairperson Concerned About Zondo Commission Access Reports
The Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development Chairperson, Mr Xola Nqola, has expressed his concern about conflicting reports on the access to the Zondo Commission investigation database.
“These reports are extremely concerning as it deals with state capture and millions and millions of rands stolen from the South African people. Every South African wants to see justice in these matters and the money returned to the state coffers in order to alleviate the strain on the economy and our people,” said Mr Nqola.
He was responding to media reports that the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) are locked in a stand-off with the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DOJ&CD), after full access to vital state capture evidence was allegedly blocked. The reports go on to say that the NPA and the Investigating Directorate have lost access to a large digital evidence database gathered by Zondo Commission investigators because of a lack of maintenance. The NPA has since refuted the allegations and said that access to the digital lab is a technical one and it continues to engage the department on the matter. The department has called the media reports misleading and factually inaccurate.
Mr Nqola further stated that such reports can lead to the public losing faith in the justice system and the country's efforts to fight corruption. “It is clear that the reports and the comments from the authorities are contradictory. It is for this reason that the committee will call the department and all the role players to enlighten the Members of Parliament and the public on this very serious matter. The country's reputation to deal with crime and corruption is at stake when allegations of this nature are circulated.”
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.
Lamola commends SADC’s steps towards regional stability and economic integration
Lamola commends SADC’s steps towards regional stability and economic integration
International Relations and Cooperation Minister, Ronald Lamola, has commended the Southern African Development Community (SADC) for taking steps towards regional stability and economic integration.
The Minister was speaking at the SADC Council of Ministers meeting in Harare, Zimbabwe, which is aimed at setting the stage for the 44th Heads of State and Government Summit.
The theme for the summit will focus on promoting innovation to unlock opportunities for sustained economic growth and development towards an industrialised SADC.
The outcomes of this pivotal meeting will be presented to the SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government on Sunday, 18 August 2024.
Leading South Africa’s delegation, Lamola, accompanied, by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana, engaged in discussions centred on the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) 2020 - 2025.
The RISDP is a regional blueprint that promotes regional economic growth, integration, and industrialisation, underpinned by a climate of peace and stability.
The Minister expressed satisfaction with the Executive Secretary’s Report for the 2023/24 period, highlighting its crucial insights as the region approaches the mid-term review of the RISDP in 2025.
“We are heartened by the steady progress our region is making in implementing the RISDP for 2020 - 2030,” Lamola said.
He emphasised the importance of the foundational pillar of peace and security, acknowledging ongoing challenges in northern Mozambique and the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, while commending efforts to restore stability.
The Council of Ministers also reviewed the Secretariat’s capacity-building initiatives in conflict mediation, underscoring the region’s commitment to peace.
He stressed the need to bolster early warning capacities to pre-empt conflicts and address root causes to develop effective mitigation strategies.
Significant achievements were noted, including a 21% increase in intra-SADC trade to gross domestic product (GDP) in 2023, and attracting US$6 billion in foreign direct investment.
Infrastructure developments, such as One-Stop Border Posts and SMART Integrated Economic Corridors Management tools, were highlighted as key drivers of regional progress.
Challenges remain, with the overall implementation score for the RISDP standing at 5.6 out of 10, reflecting the impact of global shocks like the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change and international conflicts.
Lamola called for renewed efforts to address these setbacks and improve social and human capital development.
G20
Looking ahead, South Africa will assume the G20 presidency in 2025, marking the first time the summit will be hosted on African soil.
Under the theme, ‘Fostering Solidarity, Equality and Sustainable Development’, South Africa aims to highlight the economic and development challenges facing developing countries, particularly in Africa.
Lamola outlined South Africa’s stance on critical issues, including regional food and nutrition security, the re-establishment of the Mining Ministerial Forum and the implementation of the Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap 2015-2063.
“South Africa and the region cannot afford to continue to export their raw minerals to faraway countries, only to import beneficiated consumer products at inflated prices. Value addition and commercialisation of our critical minerals must be at the core of our industrialisation strategy,” said Lamola.
He also emphasised the importance of gender parity and noted the progress made. However, he acknowledged the need for further improvement.
With nearly half of South Africa’s Cabinet Ministers being women following this year’s General Elections, Lamola reiterated the country’s commitment to achieving the targets set in the Revised SADC Protocol on Gender and Development.
“As the SADC region moves forward, the collective efforts of member states aim to create an era where peace underpins prosperity, demonstrating the power of unity and strategic collaboration.” – SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Thu, 08/15/2024 - 10:26
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WHO declares mpox outbreaks in Africa a global health emergency
WHO declares mpox outbreaks in Africa a global health emergency
The ongoing outbreak of Mpox has been officially declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The upsurge of Mpox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and a growing number of countries in Africa has been determined by the WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, to constitute a
Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) under the International Health Regulations (IHR).
Ghebreyesus’ declaration came on the advice of an IHR Emergency Committee of independent experts who met on Wednesday to review data presented by experts from the WHO and affected countries.
A PHEIC is the highest alert level under international health law.
“The emergence of a new clade of Mpox, its rapid spread in eastern DRC, and the reporting of cases in several neighbouring countries are very worrying. On top of outbreaks of other Mpox clades in DRC and other countries in Africa, it’s clear that a coordinated international response is needed to stop these outbreaks and save lives,” Ghebreyesus said.
WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, said significant efforts are already underway in close collaboration with communities and governments, with country teams working on the frontlines to help reinforce measures to curb Mpox.
“With the growing spread of the virus, we’re scaling up further through coordinated international action to support countries bring the outbreaks to an end,” she said.
Committee Chair, Professor Dimie Ogoina, indicated that the current upsurge of Mpox in parts of Africa, along with the spread of a new sexually transmissible strain of the Mpox virus, is an emergency, not only for Africa but for the entire globe.
“Mpox, originating in Africa, was neglected there, and later caused a global outbreak in 2022. It is time to act decisively to prevent history from repeating itself.”
According to the WHO, the multi-country outbreak of Mpox was declared a PHEIC in 2022 after it spread rapidly via sexual contact across a range of countries where the virus had not been seen before.
That PHEIC was declared over in May 2023 after there had been a sustained decline in global cases.
Meanwhile, Mpox has been reported in the DRC for more than a decade, and the number of cases reported each year has increased steadily over that period.
Last year, the WHO said reported cases increased significantly, and already the number of cases reported so far this year has exceeded last year’s total, with more than 15 600 cases and 537 deaths.
“The emergence last year and rapid spread of a new virus strain in DRC, clade 1b, which appears to be spreading mainly through sexual networks, and its detection in countries neighbouring the DRC is especially concerning, and one of the main reasons for the declaration of the PHEIC,” the WHO said.
In South Africa, the total number of cases stands at 24, of which 12 were reported in Gauteng, 11 in KwaZulu-Natal and one in the Western Cape and three deaths.
Vaccine donation
The WHO announced it was working with countries and vaccine manufacturers on potential vaccine donations and coordinating with partners through the interim Medical Countermeasures Network to facilitate equitable access to vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics and other tools.
The WHO said it anticipates an immediate funding requirement of an initial US$ 15 million to support surveillance, preparedness and response activities.
To allow for an immediate scale-up, the WHO said it has released US$ 1.45 million from the WHO Contingency Fund for Emergencies and may need to release more in the coming days.
“The organisation appeals to donors to fund the full extent of needs of the Mpox response.”
READ | Everything you need to know about Mpox disease – SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Thu, 08/15/2024 - 09:57
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KZN CoGTA budget to empower traditional leadership, enhance local governance
KZN CoGTA budget to empower traditional leadership, enhance local governance
KwaZulu-Natal Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) MEC, Thulasizwe Buthelezi, has presented the department’s R1.8 billion, which is aimed at bolstering traditional leadership, enhancing local governance, and driving community development in the province.
Tabling the department's budget before the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature this week, Buthelezi said one of the cornerstones of the budget is the empowerment of amakhosi as cultural custodians.
To foster collaboration and address challenges faced by traditional communities, Buthelezi announced the KwaZulu-Natal Indaba, a summit which will bring together government officials, amakhosi, academics, and other stakeholders.
“The indaba will focus on challenges facing the institution of traditional leadership and come up with innovative solutions that will be to the benefit of communities and amakhosi,” Buthelezi said.
The MEC also announced the formation of a panel, including royal children, in a bid to address long-standing challenges of succession disputes within royal families.
“This panel will leverage their cultural authority and deep understanding of traditional practices to help families resolve disputes. Their goal is to achieve fair and culturally sensitive resolutions, uphold the legitimacy of traditional leadership, and foster community unity,” Buthelezi explained.
Over R350 million to strengthen local government
Buthelezi said an innovative approach, emphasising accountability and collaboration, will be implemented, with a focus on improving municipal performance in governance, finance and service delivery.
An amount of R352 million has been allocated to strengthen local government.
To support struggling municipalities, Buthelezi said the department will develop a Municipal Support Improvement Plan and a Provincial Discretionary Intervention Standard Operating Procedure.
“Infrastructure development, disaster management and local economic support will receive R257 million. This funding will enhance the department’s ability to respond to disasters and assist municipalities in maximising grant expenditure.
The administrative arm of COGTA will be allocated R490 million to optimise departmental operations and foster a skilled workforce. This investment aims to create an environment conducive to sustainable development in KwaZulu-Natal,” Buthelezi said.
Buthelezi further announced that the department will partner with higher education institutions to provide targeted training and building capacity within the institution of traditional leadership.
He emphasised the importance of these initiatives in achieving a developmental State and improving the lives of the people of KwaZulu-Natal. – SAnews.gov.za
GabiK
Thu, 08/15/2024 - 10:04
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#Holler Against Human Trafficking
Human trafficking is a heart-wrenching crisis that casts a dark shadow across our global community. According to the United Nations, human trafficking is the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring, or receipt of persons by means of threat, use of force, or other forms of coercion for the purpose of exploitation. It is a form of modern-day …
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Eswatini: Major setback as Supreme Court upholds repressive Suppression of Terrorism Act
Responding to the news that Eswatini's Supreme Court upheld controversial provisions of the Suppression of Terrorism Act on appeal, Amnesty International's Deputy Director for East and Southern Africa, Vongai Chikwanda, said:
“The Supreme Court's decision to uphold this repressive legislation is a major setback for human rights in Eswatini. The authorities must immediately repeal the Act, or significantly amend it so that it is precise, targeted and fully in line with international human rights standards.
“The law in its current form poses significant threats to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly. The Suppression of Terrorism Act is overly broad and vague, and authorities have frequently used it to arbitrarily arrest and prosecute dissenters and suppress media, including by branding political opponents, activists and journalists as ‘terrorists.'
“The fact that Eswatini's highest court has given the Suppression of Terrorism Act its stamp of approval is a dangerous sign for the future of human rights in the country, especially because repression is already widespread.”
BACKGROUND
Authorities passed the Suppression of Terrorism Act in 2008 following a bombing incident near the Lozitha Bridge in Eswatini. The same year, authorities declared the People's United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) opposition party, Swaziland Youth Congress (SWAYOCO) and the South Africa-based Swaziland Solidarity Network as terrorist organizations.
In 2016, the country's High Court declared several sections of the Suppression of Terrorism and Sedition Acts as unconstitutional, following a court challenge by human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko and SWAYOCO leader Maxwell Dlamini, who authorities had both charged under the Act in 2014, and PUDEMO leader Mario Masuku.
The government appealed that decision a week later. Throughout the lengthy and irregular appeals process, Eswatini's government used the Suppression of Terrorism Act to harass and intimidate dissenters, including jailing opposition parliamentarians Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube in 2021 and designating Swaziland News and its editor Zweli Martin Dlamini as “terrorist entities” in 2022.
In 2023, Maseko was shot and killed in his home in a case the government has yet to investigate.
Along with the Suppression of Terrorism Act, on 13 August 2024 Eswatini's Supreme Court upheld controversial provisions of the 1938 Sedition and Subversive Activities Act, which similarly has adverse human rights implications.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Amnesty International.
Security guard strike hits Western Cape SASSA offices
Several offices closed on Tuesday
Trek Africa Hunting Launches a Comprehensive Quarterly Newsletter
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Men called to take decisive stand against GBVF
Men called to take decisive stand against GBVF
Deputy Minister in the Presidency responsible for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Steve Letsike, has called on men from all walks of life to join President Cyril Ramaphosa in signing the pledge to take a decisive stand against gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF).
This comes after President Ramaphosa launched the call to action by signing the pledge alongside men from all sectors of society in Pofadder, Northern Cape, during the 2024 Women's Day celebration on 9 August.
The pledge commits men to be allies and part of the solution by maintaining positive behaviour and attitudes, and to take responsibility for their actions.
The pledge also commits men to never raise a hand against a woman, to treat women as equals, respect the rights of women, and to treat women with dignity.
Letsike commended the President’s commitment to the pledge.
“We are [calling on] all men, in all... [their] diversity -- in townships, in our villages, in our dorpies, and in suburbs, to sign this pledge and play an active role in our fight against gender-based violence and femicide.
“We can agree that no woman, no child, no LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender or intersex), no person with disability, including men, deserves to die at the hands of other human beings, particularly men. We must end all kinds of violence in society, and [build] the safe, peaceful and secure communities that we deserve,” Letsike said.
The Deputy Minister reiterated that together, more can be done to build a society where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.
“Your pledge is invaluable, and your impact will be felt by generations to come,” Letsike said.
The virtual pledge can be signed at https://www.stateofthenation.gov.za/endGBVF. - SAnews.gov.za
GabiK
Wed, 08/14/2024 - 13:24
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Family Divorce Mediators Introduces Section 22 Agreements: Simplified Solutions for Amicable Separations
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Deputy President Encouraged by Progress Achieved in Restoring Better Living Conditions for the People of Jagersfontein Following the 2022 Mine Dam Disaster
Deputy President Paul Mashatile has today, Wednesday, 14 August 2024, commended the Free State Provincial Government, the Kopanong Local Municipality, as well as the Jagersfontein Development Project, on progress achieved in coordinating support, to address the challenges faced by communities in Jagersfontein, following the collapse of a tailings dam wall on September 11, 2022, resulting in a mud slide which damaged infrastructure and homes in the area.
Deputy President Mashatile has been delegated the responsibility to provide leadership in the implementation of rapid response interventions on service delivery and trouble-shooting in service delivery hotspots in the country, by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
In pursuit of this critical mandate, the Deputy President undertook a service delivery oversight visit to Jagersfontein, last year in May, as part of efforts towards finding a lasting solution to service delivery challenges in the municipality, with specific focus on the efficient and equitable supply of water, and the resettlement of community members affected by the Jagersfontein Development Project dam disaster.
The visit by Deputy President Mashatile brought together various role players such, as government, private sector as well as civil society representatives, to deliberate on various mechanisms aimed at improving the functioning of municipality and in particular, on efforts to address the concerns raised by the community of Jagersfontein.
In this regard, Deputy President Mashatile has expressed his appreciation to all key role players, on progress achieved and also thanked the management of the Jagersfontein Development project in particular, for delivering on their promise to urgently build houses, for the affected community members.
“The remarkable progress we continue to make, brings us closer towards restoring better living conditions for the people of Jagersfontein. Such progress bears testimony that working together through partnership between government and the private sector, we can create a better life for all our citizens”, said Deputy President Mashatile.
The Deputy President has further emphasised the importance of expediting the process of addressing all other outstanding critical matters of water supply challenges experienced by residents, agricultural support needed, as well as responding to educational needs of youth in the area.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Presidency of the Republic of South Africa.
Justice department rebuffs “inaccurate” reports
Justice department rebuffs “inaccurate” reports
The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DJCOD) has refuted claims alleging that the National Prosecuting Authority’s Investigating Directorate has been hampered in doing its work on the State Capture Commission report.
The department said “inaccurate media reports” allege that the NPA ID has not been “able to access critical information from the erstwhile State Capture Commission’s (the SCC) Data Centre”.
“We wish to clarify that the cooperation between the Ministry and Investigating Directorate of the NPA remain cordial and professional. On the 31st of July 2024, the Ministry met with a number of the entities of the department, and it pledged its unwavering commitment to support the work of the NPA and its Investigative Directorate.
“The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development is the legal custodian of all the assets of the Commission including the data centre, following the expiry of the term of the SCC. The department holds these assets on behalf of the South African State, government and people. This mandate arises from the custodianship of the Commissions Act, 1947, residing with the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development.”
The department further stated that the data centre has devolved to the DJCOD as envisioned by the founding Memorandum of Agreement between the department and its counterpart, the National Treasury.
Furthermore, the department said it remains committed to “transparency, accountability, and the effective use of its data to support justice and governance”.
“The department established a Residual Mechanism to deal with remaining matters of the Commission."
The Commission continues to supply and support all law enforcement agencies and other entities with data and information, as and when requested. Further, there is a Secretariat that continues to manage the data centre and support all law enforcement agencies and other entities in accessing the database.
“To ensure effective utilization of the data, the Commission trained over 20 NPA investigators, providing them with direct access to the Commission’s digital forensic platforms. The Commission’s secretariat has consistently supplied the requested data and documents.
“The Secretariat has positively responded to data requests from various law enforcement agencies, including the NPA’s ID, DPCI [Directorate of Priority Crime Investigations ]- HAWKS, Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU), Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC), South African Revenue Service (SARS), Special Investigating Unit (SIU), and some State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs). The remaining staff that is experienced in data science and programming, continue to support ongoing projects” the department said. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Wed, 08/14/2024 - 14:33
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Winners in Table Bay Mall Leg of HYPROP MTN SHIFT Tournament Announced Ahead of the Final Chance to Qualify for Grand Final
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