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Springbok Sevens prop Christie Grobbelaar has been ruled out of the HSBC SVNS Cape Town at DHL Stadium this weekend after sustaining an ankle injury. Grobbelaar picked up the injury at last weekend’s Emirates Dubai Sevens, won by the Blitzboks for a fifth consecutive and 11th time overall. He underwent a scan in Cape Town …
Travellers moving through O.R. Tambo recently will have noticed the installation of incredible hanging, glowing 3×3-metre cubes. Now, FNB and media partners EPIC Outdoor have rolled out this feat of branded engineering across Cape Town International and King Shaka airports too. Double-volume areas in airports until now have been traditionally used for hanging banners. We …
OUTA’s latest report reveals a critical shortage of NSFAS-accredited student accommodation for 2024, which can largely be ascribed to the fact that the student aid scheme once again appointed inexperienced and understaffed service providers to carry out accreditation services OUTA completed its investigation into student accommodation tenders at the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), …
“Writing never stops. This is the starting point. Take the lessons that you have learnt here and demonstrate to the world that not only can we produce our own data, but that we are capable of analysing it,” Afrobarometer surveys director Boniface Dulani told up-and-coming researchers at the closing ceremony of the Afrobarometer (https://www.Afrobarometer.org/) Pretoria summer school on Friday.
The three-week training programme equips African scholars with solid skills in research design, survey methodology, and the use of social statistics. Afrobarometer manages the programme in collaboration with the University of Pretoria's Future Africa, a pan-African research institute pioneering approaches to research and innovation on the continent and beyond.
“One thing that excites me is not only do we have access to the [Afrobarometer] data, but as Africans, we also understand the context from which the data comes,” Dulani added.
In his remarks to the group, Neeraj Mistry, deputy director of Future Africa, said, “In a world of mis- and disinformation, we need solid data and good analysis of it. So we are relying on you to give us the evidence base, to give us real-time analysis from the ground from real people's contributions. That's the kind of evidence that we need in order to make change happen.”
The 19 summer school participants – 50% women – represented 13 countries: Benin, Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda.
Reflecting on the summer school experience, David Asante-Darko from the Ghana Center for Democratic Development commented, "The highlight of my Afrobarometer summer school was my exposure to the diverse ways in which Afrobarometer data can be analysed to speak convincingly to African realities.
“As a member of an African community dedicated to the fight against the decline of democracy, it is assuring to have discovered that I have unfettered access to a wealth of credible and unbiased data,” Asante-Darko further noted.
Another participant, Caroline Nakayiza from Uganda, remarked, “As a data collector, I have picked a lot from the summer school. It has been a great journey – I have explored a new country and made new friends and connections.”
After weeks of intense learning, the participants are producing research papers that will feed into Afrobarometer's publications series, advancing the organisation's goal to “let the people have a say!”
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afrobarometer.
For more information, please contact:
Asafika Mpako
Afrobarometer communications coordinator for Southern Africa
Email: ampako@afrobarometer.org
Telephone: +27 83979 8299
Visit us online at www.Afrobarometer.org
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About Afrobarometer:
Afrobarometer (AB) is a trusted source of high-quality data and analysis on what Africans are thinking. With an unmatched track record of more than 370,000+ interviews in 42 countries, representing the views of 75% of the African population, AB is leading the charge to bridge the continent's data gap. AB data inform many global indices, such as the Ibrahim Index of African Governance, Transparency International's Global Corruption Barometer, and the World Bank's Worldwide Governance Indicators. The data are also used for country risk analyses and by credit rating and forecasting agencies such as the Economist Intelligence Unit. All AB data sets are publicly available on the website (https://www.Afrobarometer.org) and may be analysed free of charge using AB's online data analysis tool (https://apo-opa.info/3lVrwlT).
About Future Africa at the University of Pretoria:
The University of Pretoria established the Future Africa initiative as a platform to develop leadership in transdisciplinary research in Africa. Future Africa is a hub for African and global research networks to address the challenges that hamper transformation toward a prosperous, equitable, and sustainable future in Africa.
IEC welcomes Constitutional Court judgement
The Electoral Commission has welcomed Monday’s judgement by the Constitutional Court in relation to the challenges to the Electoral Amendment Act.
According to the Commission, the judgement provides the necessary certainty in relation to the preparations of the 2024 National and Provincial Elections.
This as the court handed down judgement on whether the current split of seats in parliament should remain as is or be changed to make it possible for independent candidates a better chance of getting elected.
“The Electoral Commission will immediately put in place the regulations necessary to give practical effect to revisions of the electoral system in the light of the judgement handed down today by the apex court,” the Electoral Commission said in a statement on Monday.
The Electoral Commission has always been of the view that the distribution of seats of the National Assembly between the compensatory tier and the regional tier was rational and satisfied the constitutional requirement for general proportionality.
“The important confirmation of the Constitutional Court is that the contestants in the regional tier of the elections are subject to the same number of votes per seat. Furthermore, that no votes of independents are to be transferred to political parties.
“Pertinently, the Electoral Commission will now finalise adjustments to the signature requirements portal, so that prospective independent candidates and unrepresented parties can start collecting and capturing. The signature portal, as well as the final regulations, will be launched soon.
“The Electoral Commission notes the three-way judgement on the One South Africa Movement twin challenges. This is indicative of the constitutional complexity related to the design of an electoral system,” the Commission said.
The elements of the findings in relation to the recalculation of formulae is a matter on which the soon to be established Electoral Reform Consultation Panel will have to be seized with going forward. – SAnews.gov.za
Edwin
Tue, 12/05/2023 - 08:28
As organisations continue to become more digitised, throughout 2023 Africa remains one of the world regions most targeted by cybercrime. At a recent press conference in Johannesburg, Kaspersky (www.Kaspersky.co.za) shared some insights and statistics related to the regional threat landscape in the third quarter of 2023 and made forecasts on how the situation is going to develop in 2024.
Web threats
Web threats are Internet-based threats that expose people and computer systems to harm online. There was a 24% increase in the number of corporate users affected by web threats from Q2 to Q3 2023 in South Africa. However, comparing Q3 2022 to Q3 2023, there was an 8% decline in the number of corporate users affected by web threats.
Phishing
Phishing is a type of Internet fraud that seeks to acquire a user's credentials by deception. It includes theft of passwords, credit card numbers, bank account details and other confidential information.
Phishing attacks detected in Kenya in Q3 2023 increased by 32% compared to Q2 2023 and by 12% compared to Q3 2022. In Nigeria, there was a 12% increase in phishing attack detections in Q3 2023 compared to Q2; however, compared to Q3 2022, the number of phishing detects decreased by 8%.
Attacks on Industrial Control Systems
Africa is among the regions with the highest number of detected attacks on industrial control systems (ICS computers). ICS computers are used in energy and mining sectors, automotive manufacturing, building automation infrastructures and other spheres to perform a range of operational technology functions – from the workstations of engineers and operators to supervisory control and data acquisition servers.
In Q3 2023, according to Kaspersky ICS CERT¹, attacks were detected on 32% of ICS computers in Africa. In South Africa, attacks were detected on 22% of machines, in Kenya – on 28%, in Nigeria – on 25%. Globally, malicious objects were detected on 25% of ICS machines in Q3 2023.
Attacks on the Internet of Things
The number of attacks on Internet of Things (IoT) devices has been increasing exponentially over the last years globally. This is related both to the activity of criminal actors and to the increasing number of IoT devices that are in use by individual users, businesses, and production facilities. IoT devices include not only wearables and smart home appliances, but also smart city systems, self-driving cars, automated retail checkouts, and other smart devices for home and business use. These devices can collect and transfer data over a wireless network without human input. Cybercriminals use networks of infected smart devices to conduct DDoS attacks or as a proxy for other types of malicious actions.
In Q3 2023, South Africa accounts for 28% of attacks on IoT devices that were detected by Kaspersky in the African region. Kenya accounts for 12% of attacks on IoT devices, and Nigeria – for 6%. All these attacks were spotted on Kaspersky IoT honeypots – decoy devices used to attract the attention of cybercriminals and analyse their activities.
“In forecasting the development of the cyberthreat landscape for 2024, we anticipate a dynamic evolution of cyberthreats marked by an upsurge in state-sponsored cyber-attacks, and 'hacktivism' will become one of the norms of cyber-warfare,” comments Bethwel Opil, Enterprise Client Lead at Kaspersky in Africa. “The prevalence of accessible generative AI is set to fuel an expansion of spear-phishing tactics, while the creative exploitation of vulnerabilities in mobile and IoT devices will be on the rise. Businesses today should be proactive and counter these cyberthreats with advanced technologies such as threat feeds, security information and event management systems, endpoint detection and response solutions, and tools with digital forensics and incident response features.”
To protect organisations from cyberthreats, Kaspersky experts recommend:
Reference:
¹Kaspersky Industrial Control Systems Cyber Emergency Response Team
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Kaspersky.
About Kaspersky:
Kaspersky is a global cybersecurity and digital privacy company founded in 1997. Kaspersky's deep threat intelligence and security expertise is constantly transforming into innovative solutions and services to protect businesses, critical infrastructure, governments and consumers around the globe. The company's comprehensive security portfolio includes leading endpoint protection, specialized security products and services, as well as Cyber Immune solutions to fight sophisticated and evolving digital threats. Over 400 million users are protected by Kaspersky technologies and we help over 220,000 corporate clients protect what matters most to them. Learn more at www.Kaspersky.co.za.
In homes across the country, many South Africans are preparing for the traditional spruce-up ahead of the festive season. Our teens may roll their eyes as we cajole them to take down the curtains, but we just like to start the new year with a clean slate. It’s as much in preparation of welcoming family …
Home Affairs Minister welcomes BMA’s sting operation at Beitbridge
Home Affairs Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, has welcomed the commendable management of South Africa’s borders by the Border Management Authority (BMA).
This follows a successful sting operation at the Beitbridge port of entry on Saturday.
The BMA border guards, the Counter Corruption and Security Services Branch of the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) and members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) conducted a sting operation at the port of entry wherein 42 buses from Zimbabwe were stopped and searched.
During the search, 443 unaccompanied minors under the age of eight were found in the buses being brought into South Africa with no consent of parents or guardians.
“The hard work of the Border Management Authority is commendable, showing we’re pulling out all stops to prevent acts of crime and illegal entry into the country. Clearly the BMA is hard at work and is making inroads in effective border law enforcement,” Minister Motsoaledi said in a statement.
All persons in the 42 buses were refused entry into South Africa, and after engaging with the Zimbabwean Authorities, they were all taken back to Zimbabwe, including the children.
All the children who were found, were handed over to the Zimbabwean authorities for processing.
“We condemn in the strongest possible terms these acts of criminality especially where the interest of the child is at stake. It’s unacceptable that these minors were not with their parents or guardians throughout this ordeal.
“Protecting children, especially in this period of the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children Campaign, is paramount,” Minister Motsoaledi said.
In the same night, 150 adult Zimbabwean nationals were also apprehended and prevented from entering the country.
“The BMA, Home Affairs officials and members of the SAPS are on the ground establishing all relevant details of the incident,” BMA Commissioner, Dr Mike Masiapato said.
“Further work is being done and will continue to be done to ensure detection of all perpetrators in order to bring all of them to book,” he said.
“The entire episode at Beitbridge shows great achievements of the BMA and in a very short space of time. It’s a good sign in tackling sharply the outcry on porous borders.
“We’ll continue relentlessly to act swiftly in enforcing immigration and other laws in the interest of national security and safety of all persons in the country, especially during this peak period, the festive season, and beyond,” Minister Motsoaledi said. – SAnews.gov.za
Edwin
Tue, 12/05/2023 - 08:46
Leading African law firm, Bowmans, has enhanced the breadth and depth of its offering in banking and finance with the appointment of Pride Jani as a partner in its Johannesburg office. ‘Pride has extensive experience advising clients, lenders and borrowers on finance transactions and structures, and will add new capacity to our General Finance Practice,’ …
Join us for an engaging webinar by Axle AI, where we’ll unveil the power of our AI-driven media management solutions. Discover how Axle AI revolutionizes media workflows, enhances collaboration, and boosts productivity. From: Axel AI CLICK HERE to submit a Video Press Release to MyPR.
Following the recently announced return of the Celtic Challenge, the competition has confirmed its new look line-up to feature this season, including two Scottish teams aligned to Edinburgh Rugby and Glasgow Warriors. The alignment will see the two teams don the iconic colours of Edinburgh Rugby and Glasgow Warriors and will be based out of …
The biggest family day out in the rugby calendar, Judgement Day, returns for 2024! Hosted at Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday 1 June 2024 with the double header event featuring the BKT United Rugby Championship Round 18 matches between Scarlets v Dragons and Cardiff v Ospreys. Tickets go on sale to the general public today …
Dear Editor Today, StatsSA confirmed that South Africa cannot endure another ANC term. Our rapidly deteriorating economic landscape is reflected in the 0.2% decrease in our gross domestic product (GDP) over the third quarter of 2023. A direct result of failed ANC policy. In November, the Treasury estimated a growth rate of 0.8%, a target …
Mzukisi Makatse recognised by Blueprint for Free Speech
The holiday season is around the corner, and with the warmer weather enticing everyone outdoors, the KZN South Coast is: Destination…summer! There are endless outdoor adventures for the whole family to enjoy from the sea to the sky! “Adventure tourism and nature-based experiences are top of the list for many visitors, and we’re so fortunate …
16 Days campaign: Spotlight on Captain Dhawrajh
The South African Police Service (SAPS) continues to highlight the work of its men and women in blue, who work tirelessly to put ruthless rapists and gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) perpetrators behind bars.
One such officer committed to the fight against GBV is Captain Michelle Dhawrajh, who is attached to the KwaZulu-Natal Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Investigations (FCS) Unit.
With more than 20 years in the field, Dhawrajh still leads and conducts evening raid operations to trace wanted suspects in GBVF related cases.
To date, she has secured 20 life sentences and a collective 70 years imprisonment for rapists and GBVF perpetrators in and around Durban.
In total, 25 suspects are doing time in prison, thanks to her meticulous investigative prowess.
Dhawrajh is also passionate about raising awareness and sensitising communities to reporting rape and other sexual offences.
Amongst her many assignments, Dhawrajh secured the sentencing of a 35-year-old man to life in prison for raping his eight-month-old niece.
In light of the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children campaign, Dhawrajh has urged communities to stop alcohol and drug abuse, as they are major contributors to most crimes committed against women and children.
She further encouraged communities to get more involved and report cases to stop the scourge of GBVF. – SAnews.gov.za
Edwin
Tue, 12/05/2023 - 09:01
Real estate on the KZN South Coast holds major potential for keen investors looking for a quality coastal property at unbeatable value for money. This is fast being realised as local and international buyers are investing in a number of catalytic property developments in the region. One such example is the R800m Serenity Hills eco-estate, …
When his family relocated from Pietermaritzburg to the KZN Mid-South Coast in the middle of his high school career, Ayanda Masengemi didn’t realise the profound impact this move would have on his future trajectory. True to his nature, Ayanda continued to work hard and excel, finishing as one of the top students in his class …
19 locals evacuated from Gaza now en route to S Africa
Nineteen South Africans who had been stuck in war-hit Gaza are en route home to South Africa.
This as hostilities continue between Israel and Palestine.
The six males and 13 females, who were in Gaza since 7 October 2023, have now arrived safely in Cairo and are en route to South Africa, said the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) on Monday.
The South Africans were approved for evacuation into Egypt by the Israeli authorities on Sunday, 11 November 2023.
“South Africa extends its gratitude to the government of Egypt for granting the evacuated foreign nationals safe passage through the Rafah Crossing into its country.”
Meanwhile, the department said the Israeli government has indicated that it intends to extend its attack on the people of Gaza.
“The statements from Israeli leaders appear impervious to the global calls for an immediate end to the killing of Palestinian civilians.
“South Africa calls for an immediate and permanent ceasefire and the resumption of talks that will end the violence arising from the continued belligerent occupation and lays the basis for a just and lasting solution,” the department added. – SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Tue, 12/05/2023 - 09:16
There’s no question about technology’s role in driving business evolution and revolution, but it also creates new layers of cyber-threats to organizations. New technologies are driving up cybercrimes, and businesses should put the proper measures in place to safeguard their enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems against cyberattacks, which can result in unprecedented and devastating effects. …
Dear Editor The Department of Social Development (DSD) has still not reopened its East London local or district offices, despite MEC Bukiswa Fanta being made aware that thousands of beneficiaries in Buffalo City and surrounds have not been able to access support from her department for more than a year. People in desperate need of …
Dear Editor President Cyril Ramaphosa’s repeated promises that his ANC government supposedly planned to build a “professional, ethical and capable public service” are officially dead in the water. This morning, the ANC in Parliament finally killed off any last remaining vestiges of this empty promise. It did so by unilaterally canceling a meeting of the …
Dear Editor The following remarks were delivered during a DA media briefing at Parliament today. The 6th Parliament South Africa’s 6th Parliament has been the most challenging yet in our country’s democratic dispensation. In a post-Zuma world, where the intricate machinery of state capture was dismantled and laid bare for all to see in the …
No sensitive information taken during NPA offices break in
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has moved to assure the country that no sensitive information, dockets or files were taken during a break in at the Director of Public Prosecution’s office in the Free State.
According to NPA Northern Cape regional spokesperson, Mojalefa Senokoatsane, the break-in occurred during the early hours of Monday morning at the prosecutorial body’s Bloemfontein office.
“These criminals managed to break into the Office of the DPP, offices of Deputy Directors of Public Prosecutions (DDPP), the office of the PA (Personal Assistant) in the office of the DPP, as well as other offices of the other PA within the Office of the DPP. One [thing] the NPA can confirm is that during this break-in, four laptops and voice recorders were taken.
“Even though these criminals managed to break into this Central Nerve of Prosecutions in the province, the citizenry of the Republic and the Free State Province can rest assured that no sensitive information, dockets or files were taken, as they are not stored in these offices but have a secure area where they are safely secured and kept safe,” he said.
Senokoatsane emphasised that the break-in will not discourage the NPA from doing its work.
“The National Prosecuting Authority, even though shocked, disturbed, and disdained by these cowardly acts, will not be discouraged to continue prosecuting all cases without fear, favour, or prejudice.
“The security at the NPA Offices is taken seriously as these offices always have 24-hour security warm bodies, seven days a week. This break-in, which is an isolated case, does not render the security at these important prosecutorial offices as not being taken seriously,” he said.
A case has been opened with the South African Police Service.
“The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in the Free State would like to send a heartfelt appreciation to the South African Police Service, who promptly reacted to this emergency state and began their investigations.
“The crime scene was closed off and specialised units of the SAPS including the Forensic, Intelligence, and Investigations were on the scene in no time, DNA and fingerprints were collected at the scene and sent to the SAPS Forensic Laboratory.
“Investigations that are led by the South African Police Service are continuing in this matter. Members of the community who might have information regarding this matter are encouraged to provide the information to their nearest police stations or HAWKS Offices in Bloemfontein,” Senokoatsane concluded. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Tue, 12/05/2023 - 09:24