Joburg community plays cat-and-mouse with City Power over illegal connections
City Power technicians removed over 18,000 kilogrammes of illegal wiring on Wednesday. But minutes after they left, people were seen making new electricity connections
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W Cape Grade R and transfer applications for 2025 open
W Cape Grade R and transfer applications for 2025 open
Western Cape parents who wish to apply for Grade R or a school transfer for the 2025 school year can do so from today, 1 August 2024.
The on-time application window closes on 16 August 2024.
For admission to Grade R, a child must turn six years old in the year that the child starts the grade.
In addition, transfer applications for Grades 2 to 7 and Grades 9 and 12 are to be submitted at the school to which the parent or caregiver wishes to apply or their nearest Western Cape Education Department (WCED) office.
This applies to school transfer requests for learners already attending school, applying for Grades 2 to 7 and Grades 9 to 12.
“Please note that schools can only capture applications for their own institution, but district officials can capture applications for multiple schools,” the provincial department explained.
According to the department, parents or caregivers will be required to fill out the WCED application form, which can also be downloaded from the department’s website, to submit to schools or the district office from today.
“Parents can drop off the application form and supporting documents at the school directly. They can also contact the school for details on electronic submissions on the official WCED form only.”
Parents who have not registered on the online system previously will first need to register on the website and once completed, they can then proceed to the application.
With regards to Grades 1 and 8 applications, the department said schools are currently finalising their admission lists, and confirming placements for children on their waiting lists.
“This process is ongoing. We do, however, appeal to all parents and caregivers who have not yet applied for Grade 1 and Grade 8 for the 2025 school year, to do so immediately.”
This can be done through contacting their district office or calling 0861 819 919 for more information.
Applications can be submitted online at https://wcedonline.westerncape.gov.za/admissions.
Parents applying online from Grade R and transfers will need supporting documents such as an immunisation card, identity document (ID), birth certificate, passport, study permit, and proof of address or police affidavit. – SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Thu, 08/01/2024 - 10:47
511 views
SA condemns assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh
SA condemns assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) has condemned the “targeted” assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas, who was killed by an airstrike in Tehran in the early hours of Wednesday.
According to reports, Haniyeh was killed while attending the inauguration of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in Iran’s capital, Tehran.
One of Haniyeh’s bodyguards was also killed, according to reports.
“The government expresses its heartfelt condolences to the Haniyeh family as well as to the leadership and people of Palestine,” the department said in a statement.
“South Africa is concerned that the assassination of Haniyeh and the continuous targeting of civilians in Gaza will further spiral the already tense situation in the entire region.”
South Africa has since called for a “thorough” investigation to be conducted and called on all parties to exercise the utmost restraint to avoid any acts that would escalate tensions in the particularly fragile region.
International Relations and Cooperation Minister, Ronald Lamola, stressed that such acts of extrajudicial killings violate international law and the principles of human rights, undermining global efforts to promote peace and stability in the Middle East.
“No country is above the law and all nations must respect international law, particularly the principles outlined in the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
“Any form of extrajudicial killing is a blatant violation of these principles and extra-judicial killings of this nature have a destabilising effect. It is crucial that the perpetrators of such actions must be brought to justice,” Lamola added.
The department said the assassination of Haniyeh occurred in the context of the nine-month onslaught in Gaza where the ongoing bombardment by Israel has resulted in thousands of civilian casualties, almost half of which are children, and created an “unspeakable man-made humanitarian catastrophe”.
“Haniyeh was an integral member of the negotiating team, working with other countries to secure a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire and bring the war to Gaza to an end.”
South Africa reiterated its view that the international community must act immediately to end the genocide in Gaza, impunity, end the aggression meted out against Palestinians and the illegal occupation by Israel.
“It is our collective human duty to call for a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire. Nothing can justify the deliberate killings and injuring of civilians as an entire population endures destruction at a scale and speed without parallel in recent history.
“Continuing Israeli occupation, destruction of infrastructure, collective punishment, and extrajudicial assassinations would make the realisation of a peaceful solution in the Middle East much more difficult to achieve,” the statement read. – SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Thu, 08/01/2024 - 11:14
212 views
SA commemorates Women’s Month
SA commemorates Women's Month
Minister for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga, says Women’s Month is an opportunity to pay tribute to the role played by women in the decades of struggle against all forms of discrimination, subordination and exploitation.
“We also commemorate Women’s Month in order to celebrate how far we have come; the journeys traversed and victories attained by the women of our country in the three decades of our democracy,” Chikunga said.
Addressing the media launch of the 2024 Women’s Month, Chikunga said this is the time for the country to reflect on its missteps, with the aim of correcting them.
“The 30-Year Review Report shines the spotlight on some of the commendable progress achieved in ensuring gender equality and social mobility,” Chikunga said.
The representation of women in senior management positions in the private and government workforce has increased from 20% in 2001 to 36% in 2021, the Minister highlighted.
“At our universities, as of 2017, the share of female graduates was about 61.5% compared to males at about 38.5%.
“At both the undergraduate and postgraduate level, women in South African public universities have been in the majority. While these are significant strides, a lot more still needs to be done,” the minister said.
The Minister said the year 2024 marks 101 years since women were allowed to enter the legal profession as practitioners.
“We have every reason to be proud of this transformative achievement. On that note, on behalf of all women in South Africa and the continent, we wish to congratulate Chief Justice Designate Justice Mandisa Maya.
“This is a monumental achievement for the people of South Africa in pursuit for justice. Chief Justice Maya stands tall as an inspiration to all South Africans, especially women from all walks of life,” Chikunga said.
Chikunga also congratulated Tatjana Smith, who won South Africa’s first gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
READ | Tatjana Smith glitters at Paris Olympics
“We wish Tatjana and the entire South African Team the best of luck for the remainder of the tournament,” Chikunga said.
Chikunga also paid tribute to the first cohort of Solar Mamas, who are young South African women, who recently completed their initial training in India.
“The Solar Mama Project aims to cultivate emerging industrialists through Infant Industries Development, Product Development, Market Access and Expansion to domestic, regional and global value chains and networking.
“Through our Solar Mamas Initiative, we are expanding the nurturing of emerging industrialists in the designing, manufacturing, installation, and maintenance of renewable energy components by ordinary young South African women.
“This will continue to be our flagship project after reconceptualization, taking into consideration lessons learnt from the first cohort. We congratulate this group of 22 young women from the Provinces of Limpopo, North West and Free State,” Chikunga said.
Chikunga said the year 2024 is significant as it marks several milestones in the struggle for the emancipation of women and their pursuit for the right to self-determination and self-actualization in all areas of human development.
“Firstly, 2024 marks 70 years since the adoption of the Women’s Charter, a declaration of intent by the Federation of South African Women (FEDSAW) which clearly defined the rights and privileges for women by women in South Africa,” the Minister said.
“Secondly, alongside our democratic dispensation, 2024 also marks 30 Years since the adoption of the Women’s Charter for Effective Equality adopted by the National Women’s Coalition Structures in 1994,” the Minister said.
This year’s Women’s Month campaign will take stock of progress made on socio-economic empowerment of women since the advent of democracy and indicate the achievements of the Women Charter.
The 2024 Women’s Month will be commemorated under the theme: ‘Celebrating 30 Years of Freedom Towards Women’s Development.' – SAnews.gov.za
Edwin
Thu, 08/01/2024 - 11:54
449 views
Police warn criminals against resisting arrest
Police warn criminals against resisting arrest
As police continue to crackdown on violent and serious crime, South African Police Service (SAPS) National Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola, has urged criminals to surrender themselves when called to do so by police.
Providing an update on the countrywide police operations during a media briefing in Johannesburg on Thursday, the National Commissioner warned criminals that police will continue to use force that is proportional to the threat when they are defending themselves and the communities they serve.
He was addressing concerns expressed by ordinary citizens and experts within the field of policing in relation to the number of suspects that have been shot and killed by police in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) in recent months.
“It is important to clarify that, our mandate as the SAPS is to bring perpetrators to justice by arresting them, but quite often in pursuit of arresting these often dangerous and heavily armed criminals, our police officers are more than often met with heavy gunfire and that leaves our officers with no option but to defend themselves and the communities that they serve.
“On Tuesday evening, our members in KZN were tracing suspects who were linked to and wanted in at least 13 cases of business robbery and car hijacking in the Cator Manor and Durban Central Policing Precinct when they were met with gunfire.
“Five suspects were fatally wounded and fortunately no police officer was wounded in the attack. Just last week, KZN police shot and killed nine suspects in various incidents. In all these incidents, police were met with gunfire and various kinds of high calibre firearms were seized which include automatic rifles,” he said.
All these suspects were wanted in connection with serious and violent crimes, including murders and ATM bombings.
At the incident in Kwadlangezwa in Empangeni, the three suspects that succumbed to their injuries were wanted and linked in connection with at least ten cases of murder in the province.
“It is on this note that we urge criminals to surrender themselves when called to do so by police…. we will continue to use force that is proportional to the threat,” Masemola said.
As part of ongoing operations on the ground, police have secured the arrest of 766 237 suspects for various crimes.
These include 161 752 wanted suspects for priority crimes, including murder, cash-in-transit armed robberies, sexual offences, rape, car hijacking and firearm related offences.
Police visibility
The National Commissioner emphasised that heightening and enhancing police visibility as a form of a deterrent to crime is at the top of the SAPS agenda.
“Our ears remain on the ground, and we are well aware that our communities want to see more police officers on the ground. This is why we have recruited and trained 20 000 police officers in two years, who are already serving and protecting communities at grassroots level of policing.
“All these members have capacitated our police stations and various specialised units, including crime intelligence and the detective environment, where capacity is much needed,” he said.
Masemola announced that there are currently 4 500 recruits in training and the remaining 5 500 recruits will commence with training in January 2025.
“Through collaboration with key stakeholders in the fight against crime which includes various government departments and entities, it is our collaboration with private security as our eyes and ears on the ground that is proving to be effective and beneficial. Through our E2 project with private security, we have been able to share resources and intercept criminals jointly, through working together,” he said.
Investigation on 95 Libyan nationals
Police are continuing with investigations into 95 Libyan nationals who are alleged to have been receiving training at an illegal military training camp in White River, Mpumalanga.
The Libyan nationals allegedly entered the country with visas that were acquired through misrepresentation in Tunis, Tunisia.
“The focus is on who provided the nationals with Visa’s? And why did they opt to receive their training in South Africa As well as who funded their training and for what purpose?” the National Commissioner said. - SAnews.gov.za
nosihle
Thu, 08/01/2024 - 12:47
298 views
Women in Wine launches exclusive range at Shoprite
Women in Wine, a small enterprise in South Africa fully owned, controlled, and managed by a broad base of women, has uncorked a new range of wines exclusively available at Shoprite and Shoprite LiquorShops nationwide. Beverly Farmer, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Women in Wine, says the partnership with Shoprite goes beyond just making …
PRASA introduces new modern trains in Cape Town
PRASA introduces new modern trains in Cape Town
The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) has announced the introduction of the new blue and white modern Electric Multiple Units (EMUs) on the Central Line, along with the extension of the service from Nyanga to Mandalay station in the Western Cape.
This marks a significant milestone as this is the first time PRASA deploys the “People’s Train” on this corridor, following the completion of essential electrical and perway infrastructure between Nyanga and Nolungile.
Communities along the Central Line, now join many who have enjoyed the service using the new high-tech modern trains in other corridors. These state-of-the-art trains are equipped with advanced features such as automated doors, CCTV cameras, and air-conditioning, ensuring a comfortable and secure trip for all passengers.
“In addition to the new trains, the completion of signalling from Langa to Mutual Line marks a significant milestone in our efforts to enhance the safety and reliability of our services. Work to re-signal the rest of the Central corridor continues. This modern signaling system will not only improve the frequency and punctuality of our trains but will also reduce delays and congestion,” PRASA said on Thursday.
READ | PRASA makes steady progress in returning passenger trains
The rollout of the new trains and the advanced signalling system shows the agency’s commitment to revitalising and modernising commuter rail services.
“This important development in the region ensures we offer a safe, efficient, and dignified service to the 40% of Cape Town's commuters who rely on this key route. Extending the service on the Central Line to Mandalay station is expected to bring positive socio-economic benefits to the communities of Langa, Nyanga, Khayelitsha, Mitchells Plain, and other areas along the line.
“This notable development builds on PRASA’s recent achievements, including the reopening of 31 out of 40 commuter rail corridors and the refurbishment of 263 out of 463 stations,” PRASA said. -SAnews.gov.za
nosihle
Thu, 08/01/2024 - 13:21
240 views
Surfers Descend on Victoria Bay for the 59th Edition Of The South African Surfing Championships.
Surfers Descend on Victoria Bay for the 59th Edition Of The South African Surfing Championships. Victoria Bay: Surfers from around the country have been arriving in Victoria Bay for the 59th South African Surfing Champs this weekend. With good waves on the forecast and a slight respite in the cold weather, it looks like …
Generated AI Actors To Disrupt SA Marketing
July 31, 2024 – South Africa: AI has broken a new barrier of imagination on the continent of Africa this week. Immersive Fox, led by software engineer, entrepreneur and former Tech Lead at Meta, Alisa Patotskaya, has announced the launch of its groundbreaking AI-driven world’s fastest text-to-video AI actor technology in South Africa. C-suite decision …
SASSA must urgently address biometric verification failures
Dear Editor The DA notes reports that beneficiaries of South African Social Security Agency’s (SASSA) R370 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grants are struggling to verify their identities with SASSA’s new biometric identification system. The new system requires beneficiaries who have been identified by SASSA for identity verification or those that need to change their …
Bulletin #9
The Carling Currie Cup Premier Division reaches its halfway stage this weekend with four more intriguing matches scheduled in the fifth round, with the defending champions, the Toyota Cheetahs, hosting log leaders the Vodacom Bulls in a top-two clash in Bloemfontein on Friday (17h00). On Saturday, the Hollywoodbets Sharks XV will attempt to build on …
Minister welcomes decrease in rhino poaching stats
Minister welcomes decrease in rhino poaching stats
South Africa has recorded a downward trend in rhino poaching in the last two months of this year.
“A significant drop was noted during May and June this year with national losses reported at 21 and 22 respectively. May and June of 2023 were recorded at 42 and 34,” Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George, said on Thursday.
This reduced loss is thought to be attributable to the dehorning of rhino populations in KwaZulu-Natal and specifically in the Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park where over 1 000 rhinos have been dehorned since April 2024.
“During the first 6 months of 2024, 229 rhinos were poached in South Africa (compared to 231 for the same reporting period in 2023). Of those rhino poached, 191 were killed on state properties and 38 on privately owned parks/reserves/farms.
“The Kruger National Park (KNP) lost 45 rhinos to poaching from January to June 2024 compared to 42 during the same reporting period in 2023.
“KNP continues to implement its Rhino Conservation Plan which amongst others, focuses on guarding and protecting rhinos in the core rhino areas, the use of appropriate technologies, dehorning of rhino and implementing innovative biological management in these areas,” the Minister said.
The KNP Integrity Management Plan is being implemented to address staff integrity, which also focuses on other initiatives such as field ranger selection and training, polygraph testing, wellness, financial literacy training and skills development programmes.
“With regard to rhino population numbers, at the end of 2023, South Africa reported 16 056 rhinos comprising 2 065 black and 13 991 white rhinos. These figures compare with figures estimated for the end of 2021 when there were 2 056 black and 12 968 white rhinos in the country.
“South Africa had 1,032 more rhinos in 2023 than what there were in 2021 despite the poaching – in 2022 and 2023, 2.9% and 3.2% of South Africa’s rhinos respectively were poached. These were lower than the threshold of 3.5% beyond which rhino numbers will decline,” George said.
Implementation of the Year 1 targets of the Implementation Plan of the National Integrated Strategy to Combat Wildlife Trafficking (NISCWT) is well under way and cooperation between all stakeholders including government and the private sector is being promoted.
The implementation of NISCWT is overseen by the NATJOINTS Priority Committee on Wildlife Trafficking.
“During the reporting period, over 60 suspects have been arrested and 20 heavy calibre firearms recovered in relation to rhino poaching and rhino horn trafficking.
“Successful joint operations and investigations between SAPS Stock Theft & Endangered Species Unit, Environmental Management Inspectors (EMIs) from national and provincial conservation agencies and departments, the Directorate of Priority Crime Investigations (DPCI) and private security teams are to be commended for their sustained effort,” the Minister said.
The following successful convictions were received in the past six months:
• Two rhino horn traffickers were sentenced to 18 years imprisonment of which six years imprisonment was suspended for five years in the Ermelo regional court on 1 July 2024. This came after the two traffickers were arrested in December 2022 for the possession of four rhino horns.
• On appeal, the conviction and sentence of three Botswana Nationals were confirmed. They entered the country illegally and were convicted on one count of murder, after one of their accomplices was killed during a confrontation on the farm, the illegal possession of a prohibited firearm and ammunition, illegally entering the country and hunting a rhino without a permit and sentenced to 36 years imprisonment, effectively to serve 25 years imprisonment.
• In the Skukuza court, an accused was sentenced to 35 years imprisonment on charges of trespassing, hunting of one rhino, possession of a prohibited firearm, possession of an unlicenced firearm and ammunition, possession of a dangerous weapon and conspiracy to commit an offence. In another case the accused was sentenced to 26 years imprisonment on similar charges.
• In the Free State, three accused were convicted on conspiracy to hunt a rhino and was sentenced to five years direct imprisonment. In addition, a Silver Audi A4 to the value of R100 000, which was used as an instrument to the offence, was forfeited to the State.
• A courier on her way to Malaysia was arrested at OR Tambo International Airport. After she booked her suitcases in at the airport, an operator at the scanner section identified that the suitcases contained 12 rhino horns. An Environmental Management Inspector testified that the activities of the courier cannot be evaluated in isolation of the fact that the horns were linked through DNA to 3 poaching crime scenes, that the consignment was part of the organised crime value chain and that the court needs to take into account the human, conservation and socio-economic impacts of these crimes. The accused was convicted and sentenced to five years direct imprisonment. - SAnews.gov.za
nosihle
Thu, 08/01/2024 - 13:51
59 views
Springboks arrive in Australia in high spirits
The Springboks touched down in Australia on Thursday in high spirits following an overnight flight from Johannesburg and will have the rest of the day off to recover from the long journey before resuming their on-field preparations on Friday. Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus’ 33-man squad laid a good foundation for the two-Test tour in Johannesburg …
Smith and Corbett return to Olympic final
All three of South Africa’s swimmers in action at the Olympic Games in Paris on Wednesday night progressed to their respective finals with Tatjana Smith taking a step closer to completing her quest for double gold in the French capital. The newly crowned 100m breaststroke champion was beaten to the wall by American Kate Douglass …
Verreynne And Brand To Lead SA ‘A’ Squads Against Sri Lanka A
JOHANNESBURG: Cricket South Africa (CSA) has today announced the 15-player South Africa A (SA ‘A) squads for the multi-format tour...
Mpongwana And SA Emerging Ready For Zim Test
BULAWAYO: Rising all-around star Mihlali Mpongwana is relishing the prospect of leading South Africa Emerging in the first unofficial Test against...
Police record major successes in breaking syndicates, gangs
Police record major successes in breaking syndicates, gangs
With recent successes in arresting members of organised criminal syndicates and gangs, the South African Police Service (SAPS) has demonstrated its commitment and dedication to fighting serious and violent crimes.
This is according to SAPS National Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola, who briefed the media on Thursday.
“We are responding decisively to the war declared by criminals and we remain resolute in our efforts to fight crime and anyone who threatens the safety and security of law abiding citizens and have thus adopted an aggressive approach in ensuring that we stamp the authority of the state,” Masemola said in Johannesburg.
Providing an update on the countrywide police operations, Masemola said the recent successes in crime fighting shows that police are tightening their grip on serious and violent crime, thus putting them one step ahead of criminals.
“Through our high density operations that sees the Provincial Commissioner of each province actively taking part and leading operations on the ground, we have been able to secure the arrest of 766 237 suspects for various crimes.
“These include 161 752 wanted suspects for priority crimes, including murder, cash-in-transit armed robberies, sexual offences, rape, car hijacking and firearm-related offences.
“We have established and beefed up cash-in-transit task teams, particularly in the Eastern Cape, where a number of them have been recorded in the month of July. In the past month alone, 13 cash in transit robbers were arrested in the province while six suspects were fatally wounded during confrontation with police,” Masemola said.
The police have also registered a breakthrough with the arrest of at least ten suspects linked to ATM bombings in Gauteng.
Eight of the suspects were intercepted in Katlehong, Thokoza, and Soweto in Gauteng while another two were traced to Senekal in the Free State.
“These arrests were effected with the assistance of our partners in the banking sector and key stakeholders in the fight against crime. These suspects are being linked to more than 20 ATM bombings that took place in Soweto and the East Rand,” he said.
Furthermore, a gang of 44 suspects were intercepted by Gauteng police three weeks ago at a liquor warehouse in Kempton Park.
“The suspects were caught in the act of loading alcohol worth R15 million into four different trucks. The suspects have already appeared before the Kempton Park Magistrate Court on a charge of business robbery,” the National Commissioner said.
Drug busts
In the last two weeks, a clandestine drug lab worth R2 billion was shut down in Limpopo where two Mexican nationals are among the five suspects arrested.
“In the Western Cape, R252 million worth of cocaine was seized at a roadblock in Stillbaai. A Russian national is among two suspects arrested in this case. In the same week, police also seized R40 million worth of dagga in Magaliesburg here in Gauteng.
“Mpumalanga has also registered a number of successes in relation to major drug busts. Between May and June this year, R4 million worth of dagga, R4 million worth of cocaine and R4 million worth of Crystal meth was seized in different parts of the province, including Nelspruit and Komatipoort.
“We have destroyed large quantities of drugs worth R2 billion in 12 months. These include cocaine, crystal meth and unregistered medicines. Through Operation Shanela, 21 161 criminals were arrested for dealing in drugs while 64 351 were arrested for being in possession of drugs,” the National Commissioner said.
The ongoing gang related violence in the Eastern and Western Cape and Gauteng continues to receive priority with the deployment of the Anti Gang Unit and specialised units in identified hotspots.
“Dedicated interventions are continuing and several gang leaders and members have been arrested in the past six months. These include 64 gang members arrested in Westbury. Thirty-four of them belong to the Fast gang group that were operating in Westbury, Langlaagte and Eldorado Park. During this period, 36 gang members from the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Kwazulu-Natal and Limpopo were convicted to a collective 350 year’s imprisonment,” he said.
In the last seven days, 106 firearms were confiscated during operations across the country. Forty of these firearms were seized in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. Of the 106 firearms, 90 are hand guns, eight are homemade firearms, seven are rifles while one shotgun was seized.
In two years, more than 20 000 firearms have been seized from all corners of the country.
“In the Western Cape where we experience a lot of firearm related gang violence, 3100 firearms have been confiscated to date while in Gauteng, 673 firearms have been seized during tracing operations during a 12 month period,” he said. - SAnews.gov.za
nosihle
Thu, 08/01/2024 - 12:16
79 views
Khayelitsha parents desperate to find special needs schools for their children
Some children are on a waiting list for years
Just Energy Transition must not leave communities behind – Ramokgopa
Just Energy Transition must not leave communities behind - Ramokgopa
Minister of Energy and Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, has insisted that as South Africa continues to transition from a carbon intensive economy to a green economy, communities must be informed, consulted and educated on what the transition will mean to them.
The minister was delivering an address at the Institute for the Future of Work (IFOW) seminar on South Africa’s Just Energy Transition and the Future of Work in Tshwane.
Ramokgopa emphasised the importance of consultations with and education of communities as South Africa transitions and, by implication, some coal fired power stations wind down operations.
“We need to answer that question by what we mean by [Just Energy Transition]. It’s also about the democratisation of the conversation. It’s important that when you move into [communities] you don’t undermine the agency and the ability of people in those areas to comprehend and understand the implications of the decisions that you want to take.
“You don’t suggest that you have the authority to decide on their behalf. We don’t have that authority. It’s important that they get to be educated [on] the impact of not transitioning to the environment, to their own health, what it means and the impact of doing that suddenly.
“And they must contribute to the generation of how best to do that Just Transition and don’t treat those people as unthinking [and] as people who don’t have a view. As we move this just transition, we [must] take communities with us,” he said.
The minister highlighted that South Africa’s Just Energy Transition is expected to be an expensive process which – he added – should be subsidised by developed nations who are responsible for the vast majority of greenhouse gases causing climate change.
“There’s a ticket that’s assigned to the transition…the financing ticket. We are talking about R1.6 trillion over a period of five years. The South African balance sheet is very weak; it will not be able to carry this. So you need to design bespoke financing instruments…to help us to go this route.
“But also more significantly, what is the contribution of the developed world? Those parties that are largely responsible for the kind of damage that we are seeing to the environment. Africa in total contributes about 4% to the greenhouse gas emissions. We can’t carry the same responsibility. The industrialised and developed north have got both a moral and ethical duty to ensure that they are able to finance this transition,” he said.
Turning to South Africa’s renewable energy sector, Ramokgopa reiterated President Cyril Ramaphosa’s stance that the sector is undergoing a revolution that will create jobs and growth.
“Without any hesitation, renewables are going to see the biggest exponential growth of any form of fuel in the energy mix. We are tilting towards green forms of energy. Nuclear, solar PV, hydro and wind are going to be the mainstay of this transition. Of course, we do all of these things at the pace and scale that we can afford.
“We know that on solar PV and wind, these are some of the cheapest forms of generation. So we are going that route with its own weaknesses that this is not dispatchable power. So it’s not available all the time. It’s important that we do this configuration of what constitutes the various forms of fuel sources…understanding that the backbone of our energy generation will still be baseload,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Thu, 08/01/2024 - 10:31
91 views
Smith secures silver to end career on a high; Coetzé breaks 15-year-old African record
Tatjana Smith wrapped up her campaign at the Olympic Games in Paris with a silver medal in the 200m breaststroke on Thursday night to add to the 100m breaststroke gold she claimed on Monday. Heading in as the defending champion after claiming 200m gold in Tokyo three years ago, Smith came up against an inspired …
The countdown to MPA Day has begun! Don’t miss any exciting activities in your area
Across the globe, Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are going to get the attention they deserve with the 4th MPA Day celebration taking place on Thursday, 1 August 2024. In the countdown to this day dedicated to protecting ‘nature reserves of the sea’, ocean enthusiasts worldwide are sharing how they will be celebrating MPA Day in …
Gauteng residents urged to use water sparingly
Gauteng residents urged to use water sparingly
The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) is pleading with residents in Gauteng to practice and maintain water conservation efforts, despite the Integrated Vaal River System (IVRS) holding steady.
According to the DWS, this week, the Vaal Dam, which forms a key part of the IVRS, is currently at 49.7%, down from 50.5% the previous week.
“Comparatively, during the equivalent period last year, the dam boasted a higher capacity of 90.1%.”
However, the IVRS is currently stable at 81.0%, a drop from last week’s 81.5%.
Last year at this time, the department said, it was at a “more satisfactory” 96.0%.
“This high level of the IVRS will ensure a sustainable supply of water to Gauteng residents.”
Meanwhile, the water level at Grootdraai Dam experienced a slight decrease from 85.3% to 84.4% this week, compared to its capacity of 91.9% last year.
Bloemhof Dam, a significant reservoir, also experienced a minor decrease in water levels from 91.1% to 90.6% this week.
“During the corresponding period last year, the dam maintained a steady level at 102%.”
Sterkfontein Dam is said to be the dam which maintained the same level as last week at 98.5% this week. The dam recorded a higher capacity of 100.1% last year.
In addition, the Mohale and Katse dams in Lesotho are currently in good condition, despite the water levels at Katse Dam experiencing a slight decline this week.
The water level at Katse Dam dropped from 75.9% last week to 74.5% currently, a decline from the 91.9% level recorded during the same period last year.
On the contrary, Mohale Dam’s water level has not changed, remaining steady at 100.8%. Last year, Mohale Dam registered a slightly lower capacity of 100.7%.
“Despite a modest decrease in water levels in several essential water sources, the Department of Water and Sanitation consistently advises Gauteng residents to exercise prudence in their water utilisation.
“Furthermore, the department urges municipalities to address water leaks within the province.” – SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Thu, 08/01/2024 - 09:58
200 views
Global Sailing Championship Headed for Cape Town
The Dragon Flite Class Association has awarded their 2026 DF95 Global Championships to Cape Town which will be hosted by the Cape Radio Yacht Club. The DF95 class has about 22 000 boat owners worldwide of this strict one-design radio-controlled yacht. This yacht was launched in April 2016 and is now arguably the fastest-growing yacht, …