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Anneke Bosch produced a career-high score of 65* off 63 balls (7 fours) to help the Proteas Women seal a dominant eight-wicket victory in the second One-Day International (ODI) against Bangladesh in Potchefstroom on Wednesday, levelling the series 1-1 with one game to play. Bosch, who was named the Player of the Match, took full …
Reduced lanes on N3 northbound between M13 interchange
The South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) has urged motorists to be patient on the roads this busy festive season as short-term single lane closures have been applied between the M13/N3 and Hammarsdale Interchanges for the placement of concrete barriers and for the re-marking of traffic lanes.
The single lane closures were applied last week, said SANRAL.
The Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI), with the assistance of SANRAL contractor’s traffic accommodation team, will manage and monitor traffic during these closures.
“Furthermore, the traffic lanes on the N3 Northbound (Pietermaritzburg-bound) between the M13 and Hammarsdale interchanges will have long-term reduced lane widths from 10 January to 29 July 2024, as part of the construction process for the realignment of the N3 between Key Ridge and Hammarsdale,” SANRAL said.
Concrete barriers will be used to separate public traffic from the construction areas where the works will take place.
Traffic will be flowing on the slow, middle, and fast lanes, which will be reduced in lane width from the M13/N3 merge up to the Hammarsdale off-ramp.
“Motorists are urged to be patient during the closures and to plan and adjust their trips to ensure they arrive at their destinations on time, while adhering to sign posted speed limits. SANRAL apologises to the motoring public for any inconvenience caused and thanks them for their patience during road construction,” SANRAL project manager Jason Lowe said. – SAnews.gov.za
nosihle
Thu, 12/21/2023 - 09:46
SANRAL to inject billions into construction industry in 2024
The South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) has started adjudicating tenders worth R6.43 billion that will be awarded early in 2024 to boost the construction industry.
SANRAL’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Reginald Demana, said the 77 tenders for various road construction projects were advertised at the end of November 2023 under the road agency’s Interim Preferential Procurement Policy (PPP) and submission closed on 14 December.
“SANRAL is currently adjudicating 77 tenders which will give the construction industry a good start in the New Year, helping to create thousands of jobs and inject billions of rands into the economy.
“While the rest of South Africa is winding down for the festive season, SANRAL is working hard to get South Africa’s construction industry off to a flying start in the New Year. The fact that our officials are working through the holidays to adjudicate these tenders is an indication of our commitment to fulfilling the promises we made to the South African public and it shows that we are getting back to business as soon as possible.
“We understand the role that construction and infrastructure development plays in the construction industry and we are determined to overcome the disruptions which resulted from court challenges to our PPP adopted in May 2023.
“We are squarely focussed on developing, maintaining and improving the national road network in line with our mandate from government,” Demana said on Wednesday.
After several court challenges launched by construction companies, SANRAL announced on 24 October that it was withdrawing the PPP adopted in May 2023 and embarked on a countrywide consultation process with interested and affected parties to adopt an interim PPP.
The 77 tenders, which are currently being adjudicated, were advertised in line with the interim policy.
Demana stressed that SANRAL was making every effort to catch up on time that the industry had lost by putting out 86 of the less complex consulting and construction tenders that were cancelled and subsequently re-advertised at the end of November.
The CEO said 1 040 bids were received for the 77 tenders and this illustrated the significance of SANRAL projects in the construction industry.
The breakdown of the 1 040 bids is as follows:
“We are encouraged and at the same time humbled by this overwhelming response. It also tells us that the numerous engagements we had with interested and affected parties across the country has paved the way for more effective collaboration with all our stakeholders in the industry,” Demana said.
The official shutdown period for the construction sector commenced on 14 December 2023 and will end on 9 January 2024.
While all conventional road construction will be suspended during this time, SANRAL’s Routine Road Maintenance teams remain on standby to respond to any incident on the national road network.
“We wish to thank all our consultants and contractors for working around the clock to keep our projects on track and within budget. May you all have a well-deserved break with your loved ones and stay safe wherever you may travel,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za
nosihle
Thu, 12/21/2023 - 10:00
Health department welcomes recall of lubricating gel
The Department of Health has welcomed the recall of the medical lubricant gel called Lubri-A, otherwise known as Sterile Lubricating Jelly.
This, after at least 380 patients developed a fungus infection, following use of the medical lubricant gel.
The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) undertook an investigation from January 2022 to December 2023 into an unusually high number of patients in hospitals across South Africa with positive cultures of a fungus called Wickerhamomyces anomalus, previously known as Candida pelliculosa.
“The Health Department applauds the NICD and the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority’s (SAHPRA) decision to recall the contaminated health product.”
This product, according to the department, has been used in both public and private health facilities for medical procedures such as insertion of urinary catheters and ultrasound-guided insertion of venous catheters.
According to the NICD, current evidence suggests that a potential source of this fungus may have been a contaminated medical lubricating jelly used by health professionals across the health system in the country.
“This could have introduced the fungus into the bloodstream or other body sites in some patients,” the department explained.
“However, it is not yet certain if all cases in this outbreak represent true infections. A proportion of these cases may represent pseudo-infections.
“A pseudo-infection is a positive culture in the laboratory without a true infection in the patient which may occur, for example, if there was fungal contamination of the patient’s skin by contaminated lubricating jelly before collection of a specimen.”
An independent outbreak investigation conducted by the Western Cape provincial government earlier this year revealed that clusters of cases at two Cape Town hospitals may have been linked to the use of contaminated batches of lubricating jelly sachets.
The department said most of the cases at one Western Cape hospital were assessed to be pseudo-infections.
“This product has since been confirmed to be used by facilities with clusters of cases in several other provinces.”
The NICD reviewed public-sector laboratory records from 1 January 2022 through to 4 December 2023.
During this period, 380 patients with Wickerhamomyces anomalus positive specimens were identified in seven provinces.
“The department is working closely with SAHPRA, the NICD and the manufacturer Electro-Spyres to ensure the product in question is no longer used and is recalled with immediate effect and that all unopened lubricant sachets or batches are returned through the usual distribution channels.”
Although there are no reports of fatalities linked to this contaminated product, the continued use of the product may place the health of patients at risk.
“The NICD will support hospital teams to investigate individual patient cases to establish if lubricating jelly was used for any medical procedures before the positive culture and if patients had evidence of a true infection and any adverse sequelae.”
The department has alerted the provincial health authorities and clinicians to place all suspected batches on hold until further information from the ongoing investigation is known.
“There is no need for members of the public to panic as the situation is under control. Healthcare professionals who have used this product have been urged to monitor their patients for any signs of an infection and to liaise with their local laboratories to check if any of their hospitalised patients have had a positive fungal culture after use of this product.”
The signs or symptoms will depend on the body site that is affected.
Meanwhile, the department said the recall is limited to the product called LUBRI-A (2.5g and 50g sachets) and does not affect other lubricating gel products authorised for sale in South Africa.
“The department will always prioritise the health of the population using safe and effective medical products to improve health status through the prevention of illness, disease and the promotion of healthy lifestyles.” – SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Thu, 12/21/2023 - 10:31
K-9, rural safety units make inroads in fight against crime
The Mossel Bay, Overstrand and Swartland K-9 Units, in partnership with the areas Rural Safety Units (RSUs), continue to make inroads in the fight against crime, particularly in their communities.
Between 4 and 17 December 2023, the units with various municipal law enforcement agencies and the South African Police Service, arrested 57 people for various crimes.
Of the 57 arrested, 32 were apprehended in the Overstrand municipal area, three in Mossel Bay and 22 were arrested in the Swartland.
This is according to the Western Cape Department of Police Oversight and Community Safety.
“In total, 18kg of dagga was confiscated in the last two weeks, along with more than 726 mandrax tablets. Other contraband, including West Coast Rock Lobster, their tails and abalone were also confiscated,” the department said.
It said the Mossel Bay K-9 unit had various operations, which included searches at two different addresses in Herbetsdale, where a combined total of 1kg of dagga, including more than 155 mandrax tablets and 21 plastic bankies, suspected to be tik, were discovered and confiscated.
One person was also found with half mandrax tablets at a taxi rank in the Mossel Bay’s central business district.
The department said the Swartland units had operations in Malmesbury, Moorreesburg, Riebeek-Valley, Vredendal, Vredeburg, Saldanha Bay, Yezerfontein and Piketberg with suspects arrested for among other things, dealing in liquor, possession of drugs, dealing in drugs and possession of stolen property.
The units also confiscated 505 mandrax tablets, 4kg parcels of dagga and 3 small zipper bags of tik.
“Amongst others, the Overstand arrests included 9 for possessions of drugs; 2 for dealing in drugs, 5 for illegal possession of marine life and 9 wanted suspects. This unit confiscated 13kg’s of dagga, 6 mandrax tablets, 32 West Coast Rock Lobster, 35 West Coast Rock Lobster tails and 35 whole abandoned abalone,” the department said.
Western Cape MEC of Police Oversight and Community Safety, Reagen Allen, commended the K-9 and Rural Safety Units for their continued effort.
Allen said the provincial government has made a commitment that the province’s K-9 and Rural Safety Units will be more visible throughout the festive season.
“These results are testament to their activity and effective execution. These units are demonstrating what the Western Cape Safety Plan seeks to achieve, particularly since we want our residents to live in improved and safer environments,” Allen said.
K-9 unit is a specialised group of law enforcement officers who use service dogs to perform the responsibilities of a general police officer. In addition to their usual duties, each K-9 officer is also a dog handler, meaning that they have to train and care for their canine partner. – SAnews.gov.za
GabiK
Thu, 12/21/2023 - 12:18
Good performance at Eskom must be consistent, says Ramokgopa
Minister in the Presidency for Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, has emphasised that although Eskom's recent performance is commendable, more work needs to be done to ensure that this continues consistently.
He was speaking during a media briefing updating the nation on the implementation of the Energy Action Plan (EAP).
The country has not been experiencing any load shedding for about a week due to consistent improvement in the available generating capacity.
“During this period, we have seen an exceptionally good performance by the units. Outside the issues of reduced demand, we have seen that the unplanned capacity loss factor – a combination of the units being unreliable and the units not performing at the right levels – the system has been healthy.
“The problem that we have is that the system is healthy in periods. What we want to achieve is to ensure that we maintain that consistently, that the system remains healthy. We have prioritised these power stations and we are seeing the results, and I’m confident that this festive we will have the lights on,” Ramokgopa said.
The Minister said that over the next two weeks, Eskom remains optimistic that the good performance of units will be sustained.
However, he warned that “the true test” for the performance of the system is yet to come.
“You are not seeing load shedding [because] we are working behind the scenes. We are aggressive on maintenance and the system is performing. The outlook, in the short term… looks upbeat and we want to ensure that the lights remain on.
“But the true test comes on the other side of the break when big industries come back. It’s about sustaining the South African economy. So we can’t celebrate the fact that we don’t have load shedding when the South African economy has gone on a temporary break. You want to have a situation of no load shedding at the height of the performance of the South African economy,” he said.
Ramokgopa revealed that during this period, the power utility will be undergoing “aggressive maintenance” of power stations.
“We use this opportunity to do the actual work of ensuring that we are very aggressive in our maintenance programme so that we are able to take full advantage of the fact that demand has slowed down.
“We are going to benefit exceptionally when, as a country, we continue on this path of planned maintenance. But planned maintenance has got its own downsides. When we do planned maintenance, it simply means that I’m removing the units off the grid so I’m lessening my ability to generate the megawatts.
“That’s why we have used a combination of low demand and the healthy performance of units during this period to do not only planned maintenance, but opportunity maintenance,” he said.
Addressing generating units
Speaking to the Energy Action Plan’s first key intervention to fix Eskom and improve the availability of existing supply, Ramokgopa said achieving this rests on two variables: addressing the rate of failure of generating units and ensuring that the efficiency of the units is improved.
The EAP was introduced by President Cyril Ramaphosa in July 2022 to address load shedding and achieve energy security for the country.
“On the unplanned capacity loss factor... the intention is to bring this down...[and] bolster the performance of these units and therefore get more megawatts on the grid to service the demand.
“Over the past 14 days… the average is about 12 245MW. So it means that over that period, there is 12 245MW of units that have either failed or they are not giving us the amount of megawatts that we want.
“But it’s important that we juxtapose this with what has been the trend. When you look at our winter outlook when we did the projections…the worst case scenario was that if it hits 18 000MW, we are going to hit levels of load shedding that we have not seen before going beyond Stage 6. The system is better off, it’s healthier,” he said.
The Minister highlighted that on Monday, capacity losses stood at under 11 000MW but warned that this needs to be sustained over a longer period.
“This is a psychological barrier. We have gone below 11 000MW so we are confident about our ability to get to that level. The point is to ensure that we are able to sustain. The message I’m conveying to the country is that the system is healthier if you use the measure of the rate of failure and the partial load losses,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Thu, 12/21/2023 - 12:31
Fahima Khatun (Born 2 November 1992) is a Bangladeshi cricketer who plays for the Bangladesh women’s national cricket team. In May 2018, in a 50 over tour match in South Africa, she took eight wickets for five runs in ten overs. She was the first cricketer for Bangladesh to take a hat-trick in a Women’s …
Municipalities urged to prioritise infrastructure maintenance
Water and Sanitation Minister, Senzo Mchunu, has appealed to local authorities to prioritise the maintenance of water infrastructure in their area of operation to improve uninterrupted water supply to communities.
Mchunu said this during a joint Imbizo held at the King Zwelithini Stadium in Umlazi, on Wednesday.
The imbizo, which was an initiative of all spheres of government and attended by eThekwini Municipality Mayor, Mxolisi Kaunda, and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC, Bongi Sithole-Moloi, aimed to find lasting solutions to the water challenges experienced in Umlazi and some parts of eThekwini.
Delivering a keynote address, Mchunu said some water problems experienced in communities could have been easily resolved had local authorities stuck to the basics of operations and maintenance of infrastructure from the onset.
“The problems that we have currently, can be resolved and resolved quite urgently if we go back to the basics. Our infrastructure has a life span and we need to take serious care of it before it is too late.
“We must not allow our infrastructure to reach its life span. We need to act proactively to ensure that our house is in order. We are where we are because people are too relaxed at times and only react when there are problems,” Mchunu said.
The Minister said he was encouraged by the resolve shown by Kaunda to solve issues in a short space of time to the benefit of communities.
He underscored the need for urgency in the provision of water to communities.
“We need to accelerate the pace in which we do things [and] where there are issues, we need to be decisive and a sense of urgency is needed. We can’t relax when people do not have water. Let us talk, decide, and implement with a speed that is required and ensure that we fulfil our mandate of providing people with adequate water supply,” Mchunu said.
Kaunda said eThekwini Municipality is doing the best it can to resolve the current water challenges in the city and appealed to provincial and national government to give them the necessary support in their resolve.
“We are regulated by provincial and national spheres of government in our constitutional mandate as the Water Service Authority and we acknowledge our role and responsibility. We cannot do this alone. We need all the support that we can get, with capacity and resources,” Kaunda said.
Kaunda also dispelled the notion of mistrust of the quality of water in the city, reiterating that water gets tested twice a week by the city and independent scientists to ensure compliance with quality standards.
He further urged residents to work with the city and pay for services rendered to them so that revenue collected can be reinvested.
“Only those who are not working are exempted from paying for government services and they need to come to us and register as indigent, so that they can be on the indigent programme of the city,” Kaunda explained.
Operation and maintenance contract
Meanwhile, uMngeni-uThukela Water has entered into a short-term operation and maintenance contract with the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality to prioritise waste water maintenance.
As part of this agreement, Kaunda said uMngeni-uThukela Water will operate waste water works owned by eThekwini and two pump stations deemed critical and this represents 90% of the effluent that the city treats.
“uMngeni-uThukela Water has been working on priority projects to urgently improve compliance and has since delivered chemicals necessary for treatment in all the waste water works needing chemicals and is currently spreading the refurbishment of infrastructure.”
eThekwini Metro is supplied from two large water treatment plants - the Durban Heights Water Treatment Plant with a capacity of 615 Ml/d and Wiggins Water Treatment Plant with a capacity of 315 Ml/d.
Further supply is from Midmar Water Treatment Plant and DV Harris Water Treatment Plant via uMbumbulu pumpstation and Point M.
All these schemes abstract raw water from the Mgeni River System through Midmar, Nagle and Inanda dams. – SAnews.gov.za
GabiK
Thu, 12/21/2023 - 13:56
Severe thunderstorms warning
The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has warned of severe thunderstorms with strong damaging winds, hail and heavy downpours leading to localised flooding of roads, settlements and bridges.
These conditions are expected on Thursday over the extreme eastern parts of the Free State, north-western parts of KwaZulu-Natal, eastern Highveld, escarpment areas of Mpumalanga, as well as the extreme south-eastern parts of Limpopo.
SAWS will continue to monitor this weather system and issue subsequent updates. The public has been advised to regularly follow weather forecasts on television, radio and social media platforms.
Updated information will regularly be available on www.weathersa.co.za, as well as on X at @SAWeatherServic and Facebook @SouthAfricanWeatherservice. – SAnews.gov.za
nosihle
Thu, 12/21/2023 - 14:20
Public urged to follow instructions of firefighting authorities in Simon’s Town
The public has been urged to follow instructions from firefighters managing the wildfire in Simon’s Town.
“We have a strong and professional team on the ground, and we request that the public do not panic and work with us.
“Our officials will request residents well in advance if they need to evacuate, and all firefighting decisions being made is with the safety of the public as number one priority,” Western Cape MEC for Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning Anton Bredell said on Wednesday afternoon.
The fire has been burning since Tuesday morning and firefighting efforts are currently focused on the flank moving from Castle Rock towards Simon’s Town.
The Provincial Disaster Management Centre has availed provincial aerial resources to the Simon’s Town fire. Currently, there are four Huey helicopters and a spotter plane, as well as an Oryx helicopter from the South African Defence Force, deployed.
“Staff from Working on Fire, Volunteer Wildfire Services, NCC Environmental Services, the City of Cape Town and South African National Parks (SANParks) have through Tuesday night worked tirelessly to protect people and property until they could be supported with aerial water bombing again since daybreak today,” the MEC said.
While Simon's Town is being addressed, several wildfires in the Cape Winelands District Municipality (CWDM) also need attending to.
Firefighters from CWDM Fire Services, CapeNature, Winelands Fire Protection Association, NCC Environmental Services and aerial resources from Leading Edge has been engaged in active firefighting on several fronts.
The provincial government said a fire is burning through dense and inaccessible vegetation along the Berg River in the vicinity of the Berg River Dam outside Franschhoek.
Efforts are focused on preventing the spread to farms and nearby infrastructure. A fire in Du Toit’s Kloof outside Paarl is currently mostly contained, with ground crews attending to isolated hot spots, monitoring for flareups, and doing general mopping up work.
The Western Cape Provincial Government has budgeted R16 million for the current wildfire season.
“Fires due to natural causes, such as lightning strikes or rockfalls, account for less than 3% of all wildfires. The other 97% is caused either intentionally, 25%, or through negligence, 72%. These statistics show the huge role ordinary citizens can play to protect not only our natural environment, but also our personal safety and infrastructure, from runaway wildfires,” the MEC said.
Bredell asked that people report any sighting of a fire as quickly as possible to the closest authorities.
“Experience over many years has taught us that the faster the initial response, the better our chances are of successfully controlling a fire before it spirals out of control,” he said.
The following numbers can be contacted to report any fire sightings:
-SAnews.gov.za
nosihle
Thu, 12/21/2023 - 10:59
SONA set for 8 February 2024
President Cyril Ramaphosa has written to the National Assembly (NA) Speaker, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, and the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) Chairperson, Amos Masondo, requesting them to convene a Joint Sitting of the two Houses for the State of the Nation Address (SONA) to take place on 8 February 2024.
The State of the Nation Address marks the official start of the parliamentary programme for the year ahead.
The President calls this Joint Sitting of the Houses of Parliament to set out government’s key policy objectives and deliverables for the year ahead.
“During SONA, the President also highlights achievements, flags challenges and outlines interventions that government will undertake to unlock development interventions for the coming financial year,” the Presidency said in a statement.
The 2024 SONA will start at 7pm. – SAnews.gov.za
GabiK
Thu, 12/21/2023 - 11:10
Zulu to deliver humanitarian assistance to Mtubatuba flood-stricken families
As part of ongoing efforts to provide much needed humanitarian assistance to flood-stricken families under uMkhanyakude District Municipality, Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu will today visit the Inkosi Mtubatuba Local Municipality.
The October floods left a trail of destruction to property and infrastructure, with over 600 households across the province left damaged, including over 130 houses destroyed in Somkhele and KwaMyeki in Mtubatuba.
Some of the houses were completely damaged, leaving families homeless. Residents also lost livestock, including goats, chickens and cows.
The department said the provision of humanitarian assistance is supported by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, which is collaborating with Social Development and Action Development to render humanitarian assistance and sustainable livelihoods initiatives. These initiatives are aimed particularly at people with disabilities, child-headed households and older persons.
“With the festive season upon us, this generous donation by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is timely and will assist many of the flood-stricken families who lost everything during the disaster to put food on the table this Christmas as they recover and rebuild their lives,” Zulu said.
The handing over of humanitarian assistance will take place at Ward 15 Mahujini Community Hall, in Mtubatuba. – SAnews.gov.za
GabiK
Thu, 12/21/2023 - 10:30
At approximately 14h40, Wednesday, 20 December, NSRI lifeguards, on duty at Clanwilliam Dam main swimming area, were alerted to a drowning in progress a distance away from the lifeguard protected area, on the far side of the dam. the NSRI lifeguards, WC Government Health EMS and the SA Police Services responded. On arrival on the …
Western Province Professional Rugby and Windhoek Draught Griquas/Griqualand-West Rugby Union have signed a strategic player development agreement that harnesses the combined capabilities of WP Rugby and GWR to cultivate talent and establish progression pathways for players. The agreement enables Windhoek Draught Griquas players to ultimately represent the DHL Stormers and also introduces a player loan …
Join hands with Horizon Shopping Centre and Wings of Inspiration Care Centre The Threads Up initiative aims to provide the homeless community of Roodepoort with a dignified shopping experience, which involves providing essential items in a welcoming space. This will be done through a Pop-Up Shop store located at Horizon Shopping Centre on the 27th …
Radisson Hotel Group (https://www.RadissonHotels.com) is proud to announce the opening of Radisson Safari Hotel Hoedspruit, its first Safari hotel in Africa and 11th hotel in South Africa. Tucked between two renowned nature reserves, Kruger National Park and Blyde River Canyon, the hotel is located 2km outside of Hoedspruit in the heart of the grasslands in the Limpopo province and just 20 minutes from Eastgate Airport.
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Radisson Safari Hotel Hoedspruit offers a range of room types from standard rooms with garden and mountain views to Premium Suites featuring their own private pools and relaxing outdoor seating areas to take in the natural landscape. With a contemporary Scandinavian design, the hotels 138 rooms and suites provide a calming setting with natural materials, wooden details and rich, earthy colors that pay homage to its African surroundings.
At the thatched roof restaurant, Mirage, guests can enjoy South African and Lebanese-inspired cuisine on the restaurant's wrap-around deck, with convenient access to a sunbathing area and pool in the summer, as well as an outdoor fireplace on cooler evenings. Pegasus restaurant offers fresh and wholesome Mediterranean, Italian, Mexican, and American-inspired dishes as well as gourmet ice cream and frozen cocktails, served alongside the adults-only swimming pool. At the hotel's third restaurant, Boma, guests can indulge in some of Africa's most popular delicacies such as the local sausage, Boerewors; Bobotie; and selection of game meat, while listening to the soothing crackling of the fire and stargazing in the clear night's sky.
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“My team and I are thrilled to introduce the world to the perfect combination of hospitality with Radisson's renowned Yes I Can! Service philosophy and our unmatched safari-inspired setting. Our extensive offering will ensure guests have an unforgettable experience whether they are enjoying a family holiday, a serene couples escape, or a meeting and event in a unique backdrop,” said Charles McCarthy, General Manager of Radisson Hotel Safari Hoedspruit.
Featuring a planter roof and inspiring views of the surrounding grasslands, Radisson Hotel Safari Hoedspruit will offer a tranquil and rejuvenating escape at its Amani Spa. Guests can indulge in a variety of pampering treatments in the spa's five treatment rooms including a private couple's suite. The spa also features a health bar, hair and nail salon and a soothing steam room. A 24-hour fitness center is also accessible to guests looking to stay active during their stay and offers the latest modern cardio and strength training equipment as well as yoga or Tai Chi sessions tucked away among the grasslands.
The hotel's versatile meetings and events spaces consist of five different meeting venues, including comfortable boardrooms, meeting rooms, and a main banquet hall that can accommodate up to 200 guests.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Radisson Hotel Group.
Media contact:
Saadiyah Hendricks
Area Director, PR & Social Media, Middle East, Africa and Mediterranean
Radisson Hotel Group
saadiyah.hendricks@radissonhotels.com
Nataliya Tkachenko
Senior Global Manager Consumer PR
Radisson Hotel Group
nataliya.tkachenko@radissonhotels.com
Connect with Radisson Hotels on:
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Connect with Radisson on:
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Radisson Hotel Group:
The Radisson family of brands can be found around the world in more than 120 countries, with currently over 1,700 hotels in operation and under development. Radisson Hotel Group operates the business in EMEA and APAC with over 1,150 hotels in operation and under development. The international hotel group is rapidly growing with a plan to significantly grow the portfolio. The Group's overarching brand promise is Every Moment Matters with a signature Yes I Can! service ethos.
The Radisson family of brands portfolio includes Radisson Collection, art'otel, Radisson Blu, Radisson, Radisson RED, Radisson Individuals, Park Plaza, Park Inn by Radisson, Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, and prizeotel brought together under one commercial umbrella brand Radisson Hotels.
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The health and safety of guests and team members remain a top priority for Radisson Hotel Group. All properties across the Group's portfolio are subject to health and safety requirements, ensuring we always care for our guests and team members.
For more information, visit our corporate website (https://apo-opa.info/42HIP9S).
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Government refurbishes Wolwekloof Nature Reserve project to attract tourists
Minister of Tourism Patricia de Lille has handed over the multimillion rand refurbished Wolwekloof Nature Reserve Project in the Witzenberg Municipality to CapeNature in the Western Cape.
The multimillion rand infrastructure maintenance project was funded by the Department of Tourism with the intension to stimulate demand by investing in tourist attractions to build and diversify the country’s tourism offerings.
“Tourism is a key sector in our economy, injecting billions into the economy each year and providing much needed jobs for our people. We must therefore continue to work with urgency and work as partners to grow our tourism offering so that we attract more tourists to our beautiful country. The more tourists we welcome, the more investment and jobs the tourism sector can create,” the Minister said on Tuesday.
The Wolwekloof Resort in the Witzenberg Municipality, near Ceres, was one of the few facilities that people of colour could visit during the apartheid era and it was a place of many great memories for families and friends.
In recent years, the facility was closed to the public and was used by various government user departments and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) until a few years ago when Cape Nature was afforded the opportunity to take over management of the resort.
“The maintenance work at the Wolwekloof Resort sought to preserve the quality of product offerings at the identified site, as well as enhance the visitors’ experience and destination competitiveness.
“The scope of work entailed upgrading the existing pools, installing a new pool slide and installing new fencing to pools, construction of new braai areas and construction of walkways. The project site was handed over for implementation in December 2022 with a contract value of R3.7 million and reached practical completion earlier this year,” the Minister said.
This project is part of the national maintenance and beautification of provincial State-owned attractions, which initially were a part of the Presidential Employment Stimulus Programme.
Throughout the duration of the contract implementation, the project has provided employment to 11 general workers of which six were youth who have assisted in duties such as bricklaying, painting, paving and plumbing including any general construction duties.
Opportunities were also offered to six Small Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs), who participated in skilled labour such as works installation and repairs.
Apart from the work done by the Department of Tourism’s contractor at the Wolwekloof Resort, the department also conducted infrastructure maintenance work at several other sites in the Western Cape.
“The investment by government into these projects is critical to our mission to provide quality and enjoyable tourist attractions to local and international visitors. Infrastructure investment by government is about creating the conditions for further investment and job creation by the private sector.
“We are also pleased that these projects have been able to employ people from surrounding communities to assist with job creation and poverty alleviation measures by government. Although the Department of Tourism’s work at Wolwekloof is now complete, CapeNature is still conducting an extensive amount of work in a phased approach,” the Minister said.
The Wolwekloof Resort project is still in phase one with more work to be done on the water and electricity infrastructure at the site by CapeNature in the next three phases.
CapeNature’s vision is to reinstitute the site for recreational and leisure purposes with a modern twist.
“While we hoped the facility could be opened in time for the peak summer tourism period, CapeNature will be completing a range of important work to get the site up to standard and envisages to open the resort to the public in the Spring of 2024. It is my hope that we will continue to work as partners, all three spheres of government, together with CapeNature to restore this important tourist attraction to its former glory and upgrade it to be better than before,” De Lille said. – SAnews.gov.za
nosihle
Wed, 12/20/2023 - 10:20
Cricket hits a six with SA tech-driven fan experience Johannesburg, December 19, 2023 – Amidst the backdrop of South Africa’s 8-wicket defeat against India in the Pink Day One Day International, Zapper and its partners DP World Wanderers Stadium introduced an innovative fan experience system in South Africa yesterday. This innovation, particularly poignant given the match’s …
MEC Marais mourns death of celebrity cook Fatima Sydow
Western Cape Cultural Affairs and Sport MEC, Anroux Marais, has expressed shock and sadness at the passing of celebrity cook, Fatima Sydow, at the age of 50.
According to a statement released by the family, Sydow passed away peacefully on Tuesday at Vincent Pallotti Hospital in Cape Town, after battling soft tissue sarcoma since 2020.
She was surrounded by her immediate family.
Marais said Sydow would be missed by everyone she touched with her warm personality, including the many fans of her hit TV show, Kaap, Kerrie en Koesisters.
“The sun will shine a little less brightly after Fatima lost her battle, so bravely fought, against soft tissue sarcoma, which has robbed the Western Cape of one of its most beloved residents. Her recipes were often short and simple enough for anyone to attempt. Yet the end product, often with Cape Malay flair, would always be so spectacular,” Marais said.
The MEC thanked Sydow’s family and loved ones for supporting her so that she might share her gift with the nation.
“She made her mark and will be sorely missed by all those who knew and cared for her. Her life and work will live on through her recipes. I send my most heartfelt condolences and hope that you will find peace and strength during this difficult time,” Marais said.
Sydow is a renowned culinary artist and beloved personality known for her exceptional culinary skills, infectious enthusiasm and warm personality.
The cook was born on 12 November 1973 to Abduraghmaan and the late Waseela (nee Davids) Sydow on the Cape Flats in Cape Town.
“Her culinary odyssey commenced at the tender age of nine, standing alongside her mother, peeling potatoes, and cutting onions.
“Inspired by her mother's ability to perform culinary miracles with few ingredients; creating dishes that generously fed many hungry stomachs, Fatima found the spark that would ignite her own culinary journey,” said Marais.
In 2015, she published a book, The Journey of Cape Malay Cooking with Fatima Sydow.
She subsequently published three more books, Cape, Curry & Koesisters, Fatima Sydow Cooks, and My Story, My Heritage.
Her funeral will take place on Wednesday in Cape Town. – SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Wed, 12/20/2023 - 11:04
A Romans Pizza Franchisee has secured a significant court victory against Romans Pizza and its CEO, John Nicolakakis. Last week, Romans Pizza franchisee Basil Kassimatis approached the Johannesburg High Court seeking an urgent interdict after he received a letter from the attorneys of his franchisor asserting that he’d failed to sign franchise agreements and neglected …
Geological firm digs deep to uplift Karoo youth As the festive season approaches, the spotlight turns to the small Karoo towns of South Africa, where the challenges of rural living are amplified. Spanning four provinces, there are more than one hundred small towns, villages and settlements in the Karoo, a unique landscape that covers almost …
MAKHANDA: Lions Cricket are the undisputed champions of the annual Cricket South Africa (CSA) Khaya Majola Week 2023 that was hosted...
MAKHANDA: Lions Cricket and KwaZulu-Natal Coastal will face each other in the main match of this year’s edition of the Cricket...
NERSA welcomes imprisonment of criminals damaging Transnet infrastructure
The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) has welcomed the arrest and successful prosecution of criminals tampering with the Transnet pipeline to steal petrol and diesel.
In two separate matters, a thief was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for damaging essential infrastructure, while in another, two men were sentenced to 10 and 15 years, respectively, for theft of fuel.
Regulator Member Primarily Responsible for Petroleum Pipelines Regulation at NERSA, Muzi Mkhize, said: “We commend the law enforcement agencies for the successful prosecution and incarceration of criminals set to commit acts of economic sabotage in the country. We further plead with municipalities and landowners, on which critical infrastructure traverses, to cooperate with law enforcement agencies to earnestly protect both public and private infrastructure against acts of criminality and vandalism, as this results in dire consequences for the country.”
In a question and answer session in October, President Cyril Ramaphosa said government is committed to combatting infrastructure damage.
He revealed that some 20 Economic Infrastructure Task Teams have been formed through the South African Police Service.
“A total of 946 personnel have been allocated to the 20 Economic Infrastructure Task Teams from existing structures within each province, district and station. They are experienced and knowledgeable personnel within their respective functional environments.
“The Task Teams integrate processes, resources and intelligence across all of the operational environments of the SAPS under a single command. This is to enable them to successfully combat essential infrastructure crimes, illicit mining and extortion within the construction sector.
“The Task Teams incorporate personnel from SAPS divisions such as Crime Intelligence, Visible Policing and Operations, and Detective and Forensic Services, as well as the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation,” President Ramaphosa said. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Wed, 12/20/2023 - 11:24