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News, Directory, Events and Other Stuff
On the 15th and 16th June, the Oceans 8 Charity Swim was held at the Durban Undersea Club. The swim, South Africa’s first warm water ocean event of its kind is a fundraiser for charity that support conservation and educational development. All entrants must raise a specified amount for different charities as a prerequisite to …
President Ramaphosa on a working visit to Angola
President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to embark on a working visit today to the Republic of Angola to meet with that country’s President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço.
The President will be accompanied on his trip by Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola and Defence Minister Angie Motshekga.
“The two Heads of State will use the occasion of the working visit to reflect on the bilateral relationship between the two countries, who share very deep historical ties that are rooted in the liberation struggle against colonialism and apartheid,” the Presidency said in a statement on Wednesday.
Furthermore, the two African leaders are expected to discuss areas of mutual interest for both countries.
“President Ramaphosa and President Lourenço will also share perspectives on issues of regional mutual interest, including the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and on regional and continental efforts aimed at resolving the conflicts that are plaguing the continent,” the statement read. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Thu, 08/08/2024 - 09:48
Following the launch of the second phase of its critical mineral mapping program, Eswatini is seeking foreign partners to support mineral exploration and extraction activities. To showcase opportunities across the sector, HRH Prince Lonkhokhela, Eswatini's Minister of Natural Resources and Energy, will speak at the upcoming Critical Minerals Africa (CMA) (www.CriticalMineralsAfrica.com) 2024 summit in Cape Town, joining African ministers including Martin Gama Abucha, Minister of Mining of South Sudan; Monica Chang'anamuno, Minister of Mining of Malawi; and Louis Kabamba Watum, Minister of Industry and the Development of SMEs of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
As a frontier mining market, Eswatini is currently engaged in various programs to accelerate the exploration of its critical minerals (https://apo-opa.co/3yzeZvd). In December 2023, the Geological Survey of Eswatini, in partnership with South Africa's Council for Geoscience, launched the second phase of a joint geoscience mapping program. The initiative, which leverages AI-based techniques, aims to locate and map the country's critical mineral resources, marking a significant milestone in regional collaboration to advance sector growth. To date, the country produces minor quantities of aggregate, coal, gold and iron ore.
The Critical Minerals Africa 2024 summit on November 6 - 7 serves to position Africa as the primary investment destination for critical minerals. The event is held alongside the African Energy Week: Invest in African Energy 2024 conference (www.AECWeek.com) on November 4 - 8, offering delegates access to the full scope of energy, mining and finance leaders in Cape Town. Sponsors, exhibitors and delegates can learn more by contacting sales@energycapitalpower.com.
“Eswatini represents a promising yet untapped critical minerals market. Recent mapping programs have identified mineralization in several basins across the Kingdom. As a result, increased cooperation with global stakeholders is key to injecting capital and technology into new projects,” stated Rachelle Kasongo, Event & Project Director at CMA 2024 organizers, Energy Capital & Power.
Eswatini is also working with industry stakeholders on best practices to attract foreign investments to bolster its critical mineral industry. Last January, Minister Lonkhokhela met (https://apo-opa.co/3AdjVq1) with the country's Minerals and Mines Management Board to work toward creating an enabling environment for enhanced private sector participation in exploration, production and job creation within the mining sector. At CMA 2024, Minister Lonkhokhela will connect with global investors and industry service providers to discuss and explore Eswatini's mining prospects.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.
The Bulls Daisies and SWD Eagirls not only finished top of their respective competitions this year and earned the right to host the finals of the Women’s Premier and First Divisions, but both teams also delivered exceptional performances during the season, making them firm favourites to be crowned champions this weekend. The Daisies have upped …
NPA will reinstate Estina case 'as soon as possible'
The National Prosecuting Authority Investigating Directorate (NPA ID) has vowed to reinstate the Estina dairy farm case “as soon as possible”, following a decision by the Free State High Court to strike the matter off the court roll.
NPA spokesperson Advocate Mthunzi Mhaga explained that the case was struck off the roll following an application by the defence “in terms of Section 342 A of the Criminal Procedure Act, citing inability to access the electronic version of the hard copies of the so-called Gupta leaked emails”.
“Yet, as early as 2023, as part of the disclosure process, the State had provided the defence with hard copies of the Gupta leaked emails.
“On 15 June 2024, the defence was provided with the electronic versions of the same hard copies disclosed in early 2023. The State also made its own technical expert available to assist the defence in accessing the digital platform, should they experience any challenges,” Mhaga said.
He added that the NPA had been ready to proceed with the case.
“Since the trial date of 5 August 2024, the State has been ready to proceed, with witnesses ready to testify in court. The ID team has been guided by external and experienced Senior Counsel who have worked diligently on all aspects of the Gupta evidence and relevant disclosures.
“The NPA will reflect further on today’s decision; however, the NPA remains undeterred in the pursuit of this matter and will take all necessary steps to reinstate it,” he concluded. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Thu, 08/08/2024 - 09:07
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has charged Sri Lanka player Praveen Jayawickrama with three counts of breaching the ICC Anti-Corruption Code. Jayawickrama has been charged with the following offences under the Code: Article 2.4.4 – Failing to report to the Anti-Corruption Unit, without unnecessary delay, details of an approach he received to carry out fixing …
Dear Editor The DA welcomes the honest assessment by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) Administrator, Freeman Sithembiso Nomvalo, in his media briefing on Tuesday, as well as the interventions implemented to address the various challenges at the Scheme. The past few years have revealed a host of issues that plague NSFAS. There have …
Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) expresses dismay following the recent decision to strike the Estina Vrede Dairy case off the roll in the Bloemfontein High Court. This decision marks a significant setback in the quest for justice for both the people of the Free State and the beneficiaries who are affected by corruption and …
The Deputy Minister of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, Mr Alvin Botes, met representatives of the German Bundestag on Wednesday, 7 August 2024, in Pretoria.
The meeting with Mr Nils Schmid, Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs for the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the Bundestag, and Ms Bettina Lugk, Deputy Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs for the SDP in the Bundestag, took place in the context of the two countries' endeavour to forge closer political, diplomatic, economic and trade ties.
The SDP is the largest party in Germany's governing coalition and a member of eleven of the sixteen State (Provincial) Governments in Germany.
The meeting presented an opportunity for the two sides to discuss important geopolitical issues.
In addition to meeting the Deputy Minister, Mr Schmid and Ms Lugk will also meet with Members of Parliament, think tanks, trade unions, political parties, German companies, the Ghoethe Institute, the GIZ (Germany's development agency) and KfW (Germany's development bank).
South Africa maintains a substantial and diverse relationship with Germany. Germany is one of South Africa's most important strategic partners and is the second-largest market for South African exports, the third-largest source of overseas tourists, a major investor and development partner. The German Government views South Africa as a “global development partner” with which it seeks close coordination in international bodies such as the United Nations and the World Bank. Germany is a leading investor in the South African economy, with approximately 600 German companies represented in South Africa.
Bilateral development cooperation focuses on energy and climate change (green economy), good governance and public administration, HIV/AIDS prevention and vocational training.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: Department of International Relations and Cooperation.
South African diver Julia Vincent finished 13th overall in the 3m springboard preliminaries on Wednesday to book a spot in her first Olympic semifinal. Vincent is competing at her third Olympic Games but never made it through the preliminaries in Tokyo or Rio – finishing well out of contention in both, in 25th and 29th …
All thoughts, care and compassion are with the family, friends and the French u/18 schools rugby squad following an incident on Wednesday where a 17 year old French Schools rugby team member went missing at Diaz Beach, Cape Point, Cape Town, South Africa. We believe members of the rugby squad may have been swimming at …
BULAWAYO: Andile Mogakane claimed four wickets for South Africa Emerging on the opening day of the second unofficial Test against Zimbabwe...
But the municipality says the project is on track to being completed
In event management, creating memorable and immersive experiences is paramount. One technique that has revolutionised the way events are orchestrated is projection mapping. This innovative technology transforms ordinary surfaces into dynamic displays, captivating audiences and elevating the overall event atmosphere. Understanding Projection Mapping Projection mapping, also known as spatial augmented reality, involves projecting images, …
A letter, apparently written by gangsters in Philippi, warns they will kill Somalis if extortion fees are paid to their rivals
They also oppose the City’s plans to burn waste in incinerators, saying it threatens the livelihoods of thousands of waste collectors
Demystify science for the most marginalised - Minister Nzimande
Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Professor Blade Nzimande, has insisted that, given South Africa’s – and Africa’s – historical past of discrimination and under development of parts of the population, it is imperative to “demystify science and its purposes and meaning to the lives of all people, especially the most marginalised”.
He was addressing the opening of the 32nd General Assembly of the International Astronomy Union (IAU) in Cape Town on Tuesday evening.
“Astronomy offers such an amazing opportunity to naturalise and indigenise scientific thinking within all our communities. Therefore, it is most fitting that this event will have Open Access features online, to generate scientific interest from the wider public.
“Young people have been appointed as volunteers for this event while others will be presenting their research posters, the General Assembly [GA] satellite viewing sites across Africa and astronomy ambassadors programme that has been launched throughout the continent as one of the legacy projects post the General Assembly,” Nzimande said.
On a continental scale, the Minister said it was in the interests of the international community to “broaden the participation of the African continent in astronomical sciences”.
“I would also like to recognise the efforts made by the IAU Office for Astronomy Development [OAD] and the African Astronomical Society [AfAS], both based in Cape Town in supporting other African countries to take advantage of opportunities in astronomy.
“We also see this Assembly as an opportunity for raising awareness of the IAU within the African science community and encouraging the emergence and professional development of the next generation African scientists.
“The Organising Committee of the 2024 GA has also announced that over 3000 abstracts were submitted, which is an impressive number for such an event and certainly offers an opportunity to share new sources of data and evidence to test through experimental work the explanatory value of the theoretical models developed in recent years,” he said.
A leading light
Minister Nzimande told the general assembly that government’s vision for South African astronomy is to become a “global hub for astronomical sciences and facilities as articulated in our National Strategy for Multiwavelength Astronomy of 2015”.
“The strategy provides a framework to take maximum advantage of South Africa’s historical strengths in astronomy, its geographical advantage of clear southern skies in the Karoo, the engineering and scientific base, large-scale investments in the MeerKAT/SKA endeavour and SALT [Southern African Large Telescope], and South Africa’s growing international ranking and partnerships in astronomy.
“This strategy is currently under review in consultation with the astronomy community so that it can be enhanced in order to take advantage of new opportunities in this era of multi-messenger techniques and technological innovations.
“The MeerKAT/SKA project, in particular, offers us an opportunity to contribute to the knowledge economy and the big data revolution through international collaborations and the pursuit of world-class research, thereby driving transformation and human capacity development. The SKA is the flagship frontier science partnership of the 21st century and South African remains fully committed to it,” he said.
The Minister revealed that the department is working with the Department of Tourism to develop an “astro-tourism sector through community-public-private partnerships in remote parts of South Africa”.
“We are looking forward to the approval of our newly established Astro-Tourism Strategy by Cabinet in the next few months.
“[Tourism] Minister Patricia de Lille and I will soon be co-hosting the Annual World Tourism Day in Carnarvon on 27 September 2024 – and this event will provide us with a unique opportunity to promote the preservation of dark skies and radio silence in the Karoo as this is essential for star-gazing and astro-tourism to thrive and to create jobs,” Minister Nzimande said. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Wed, 08/07/2024 - 09:37
President Cyril Ramaphosa will embark on a working visit to the Republic of Angola on Thursday, August 8, 2024, to meet with President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço.
The two Heads of State will use the occasion of the working visit to reflect on the bilateral relationship between the two countries, who share very deep historical ties that are rooted in the liberation struggle against colonialism and apartheid.
President Ramaphosa and President Lourenço will also share perspectives on issues of regional mutual interest, including the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and on regional and continental efforts aimed at resolving the conflicts that are plaguing the continent.
President Ramaphosa will be supported by Ministers Ronald Lamola of International Relations and Cooperation and Angie Motshekga of Defence.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Presidency of the Republic of South Africa.
Those who have not already chosen to leave will be evicted next week
Minister Groenewald intervenes in gang leader’s prison transfer
Correctional Services Minister Pieter Groenewald has intervened in the transfer of the notorious leader of the 28s prison gang, George “Geweld” Thomas, to the Helderstroom Prison in the Western Cape.
This follows an outcry from community leaders due to the high risk Thomas’ presence may pose to communities of the province.
Thomas is serving at least 175 years imprisonment after his conviction in 2015 on more than 50 charges including:
• Seven counts of murder
• Three counts of attempted murder
• Eleven counts of illegally possessing firearms
• Ten counts of illegally possessing ammunition
• Two counts of racketeering
• Three counts of belonging to a criminal gang
• Three counts of conspiracy to commit a crime
• Ten counts of inciting the commitment of a crime
• One count of housebreaking with the intent to commit robbery
• Three counts of theft
“We will work with communities on an ongoing basis to improve the system and maximise the positive change it can bring to vulnerable communities,” Groenwald said.
The department explained in a statement that Thomas has been “swiftly redirected” to an alternative maximum-security facility.
“The department will also urgently investigate the matter thoroughly to identify the reasons for the prisoner’s irregular movement.
“Emphasising the need for community engagement, the Minister also today [Tuesday] had a meeting with community representatives part of the Cape Crime Crisis Coalition to engage on concerns and possible interventions to minimise the presence of bad actors in communities ridden with gang-related violence,” the department concluded. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Wed, 08/07/2024 - 09:59
Izimbizo an opportunity to ensure all understand how GNU is working for them
The Presidential District Development Model (DDM) Izimbizo are a priority for the seventh administration, as President Cyril Ramaphosa has identified local government as a priority focus area of the Government of National Unity.
This is according to Presidential Spokesperson Vincent Magwenya, who briefed media at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Wednesday on the President’s engagement diary.
He said government has an obligation to interact and communicate with citizens in all corners of the country.
“With the Government of National Unity, this has become more urgent so that all citizens can understand how the new administration is working for them,” he said.
The Presidential DDM Izimbizo have been held since 2019 after President Ramaphosa indicated that he would like to visit South Africa’s 44 district municipalities and eight metropolitan municipalities.
Magwenya said the Izimbizo – which are attended by all Cabinet members – affords ordinary citizens a platform to voice their challenges and to hear from those that lead government on a national, provincial and local level.
“The Izimbizo is more than just a feel-good or gig for the President and the Cabinet. It is about identifying a district in conjunction with the provincial governments. Once a district has been identified, the various spheres of government come together, different workstreams are established to drive the process that is coordinated by the political champion.
“A few days before the actual Imbizo, Ministers and Deputy Ministers are deployed to the district to inspect their respective programmes. New projects are identified. On the day of the Imbizo, the President is accompanied by the Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Premiers, Members of provincial governments, Mayors and Councillors and the community engages them. It does get heated at times and emotional,” Magwenya said.
He highlighted that public participation in the country has been a hallmark of South African culture since the dawn of democracy 30 years ago.
“Public participation is intrinsically part of the DNA of the democratic South Africa. To be exact, it was initiated by the Constitutional Assembly in 1994 to consult and keep South Africans abreast of the Constitution writing process.
“It is against this background that the President can assert that the Presidential Izimbizo and the public participation programmes are not political gimmicks of the current and previous administrations.
“Neither is it an extravagant exercise and wasteful expenditure of taxpayers’ money. But it is a caring government which is engaging its citizens across the political divide.
“It started in 1994 and it is entrenched in the South African public discourse. It has evolved from former President’s to today’s public participation programme of the Presidential Izimbizo under the banner of the [DDM],” he said.
At the briefing Magwenya hit back at critics of the izimbizo. This after recent reports claimed that government had spent at least R44 million on hosting four Izimbizo over the past 18 months.
While he conceded that hosting an Imbizo could be costly at times “all the officials involved must ensure that procurement processes are conducted within the prescripts of the Public Finance Management Act”.
“Yes, critics will point out the high cost of DDMs and they will motivate how the money could have been utilised elsewhere. Indeed, one cannot quantify the impact of the Presidential Izimbizo in monetary terms, but it should be measured over the medium to long-term of what changes such events will bring to communities.
“It is mischievous to reduce the Presidential Izimbizo to Rands and Cents. It is about a caring government that is closer to the people, ensuring their right to access to basic services is solidified.” – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Wed, 08/07/2024 - 14:38
As the National Arts Festival celebrated its 50th anniversary this year, one of the most lauded facets of the Festival was the deep diversity of the Curated Programme and its ongoing ability to reflect the creative zeitgeist of the nation. The Curated Programme is selected by the Festival’s Artistic Committee, led by the Artistic Director, […]
City of Ekurhuleni to host next Presidential Imbizo
President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to lead a Presidential District Development Model (DDM) Imbizo in Ekurhuleni in Gauteng later this month.
This is according to Presidential Spokesperson Vincent Magwenya who was briefing the media on Wednesday.
The Presidential Imbizo will be the first to be held by the seventh administration. It is scheduled for Friday, 23 August.
“The DDM was established to improve coordination and alignment between the different spheres of government. This is an important initiative to improve planning, budgeting and implementation at a local level by bringing all spheres, departments and stakeholders together, towards uplifting our communities.
“You will recall that the planned District Development Model (DDM) oversight visit during April 2024 to the City of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality, had to be postponed due to challenges faced by the municipality at the time. The President is therefore pleased that the oversight visit to the City of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality will take place,” he said.
The President is expected to be accompanied by all members of the National Executive who would already be on the ground leading up to the visit.
A success story
During the media briefing, Magwenya batted away notions that the DDM Izimbizo have not delivered – pointing out that notable successes have been recorded in municipalities like Sedibeng in Gauteng where an imbizo was held in 2022.
This after criticism about the Presidential Izimbizo came to the fore this week.
“[The] Presidential Imbizo contributed to a clinic becoming fully operational. The clinic, which was built before the COVID-19 lockdown, had become a white elephant and the community in Zone 17, Sebokeng had to travel distances for basic medical care.
“Through the Presidential imbizo in [August] 2022, an inter-governmental task team comprising of national, provincial, local government and Eskom, identified the gaps for the clinic to become operational. The big issue was that it was not connected to the grid and that there was a stand-off between the different spheres of government about costs.
“The Presidential Izimbizo unlocked the bottlenecks. Eskom and the various government departments procured the transformer and finances to connect the clinic to the grid. Today, the community is benefiting,” Magwenya highlighted.
He added that the seventh administration will engage citizens.
“This seventh administration will continue to engage citizens through the Presidential Imbizo and the second round of the Presidential Izimbizo starts later this month at the Tsakane Stadium in the Ekurhuleni Metro and many more will follow over the next five years,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Wed, 08/07/2024 - 14:41
Springbok prop Ox Nche and scrumhalf Cobus Reinach hosted a media conference in Brisbane on Wednesday in the build-up to Saturday’s opening Castle Lager Rugby Championship Test against the Wallabies at the Suncorp Stadium.