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The Cape Town Arts Festival (CTAF) is home to a host of creativity and cultural diversity. Among the many programmes, workshops and exciting events happening at the Castle of Good Hope on 9 & 10 December, is the eagerly awaited ‘Buskers’ showcase, which will take place on the Saturday from 10:00 to 18:00. Busking, or …
President heads to Dubai for UNFCCC’S COP28
President Cyril Ramaphosa will this week lead South Africa’s delegation to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s (UNFCCC) 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) in Dubai.
The President will lead the delegation on 1 and 2 December 2023, however, in total the conference runs from 30 November to 12 December 2023.
“Following the President’s participation this week, the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Barbara Creecy, will stay on and lead the country’s participation for the remainder of the conference until 12 December 2023.
“South Africa’s delegation to the conference will include government and business representatives in recognition of the value of partnerships in dealing with the challenge of climate change and sustainable development,” the Presidency said.
The 18th COP Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP18) and the fourth COP Meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA) sessions will be convened on the sidelines of the COP28.
The conference will witness the first Global Stocktake (GST), which will provide a comprehensive assessment of progress made since the adoption of the Paris Agreement in 2015.
This will help align efforts on climate action, including measures that need to be implemented to bridge the gaps in progress.
The purpose of the stocktake is to help parties prepare their next nationally determined contributions to the Paris Agreement to raise ambition and accelerate climate action, as well as to enhance international cooperation.
Meanwhile, President Ramaphosa will next Thursday lead government’s interaction with the Matjhabeng Local Municipality during the second leg of the District Development Model Presidential Imbizo in the Free State.
The Matjhabeng municipal economy is mainly anchored on the mining of gold and uranium and is the hub of the Free State goldfields.
The Presidential Imbizo will take place at the Kopano Indoor Sports Centre in Thabong, Welkom, within the Lejweleputswa District Municipality.
Under the theme “Leave no one Behind”, the President will be continuing on the last visit undertaken on 9 April 2022 in Bloemfontein at the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality.
The Lejweleputswa DDM Presidential Imbizo follows on the commitments the Free State Provincial Government made to tackle service delivery challenges during the 2022 Imbizo which was held in Bloemfontein.
Thus, this Imbizo will also take stock of the progress made since the last Presidential Imbizo in the province. During the 2022 engagement, 42 community members representing the seven regions of the Mangaung Metro voiced their concerns to the President.
The towns represented in this discussion included Van Stadensrus, Soutpan, Dewetsdorp, Wepener, Thaba Nchu, Botshabelo and Bloemfontein. Representatives of people with disabilities were also able to raise their concerns.
“As an interactive platform, the DDM Presidential Imbizo allows communities to engage and interact face-to-face with the President, Ministers and the provincial and local leadership face-to-face,” the Presidency said.
The DDM also aims to intensify the delivery of services, promote social cohesion and advance the developmental state agenda, in line with the National Development Plan; and Growth and Development Strategies of the province.
President Ramaphosa will further, on 12 December 2023, host the Inaugural Science, Technology and Innovation Presidential Plenary that will bring together leaders in government, industry, academia and civil society.
“Discussions will focus on progress of the National System of Innovation (NSI) and challenges in this sector, and will explore ways for Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) and skills development to impact positively on the South African economy,” the Presidency said. – SAnews.gov.za
DikelediM
Thu, 11/30/2023 - 09:45
The Role of Ecommerce Courier Services Ecommerce courier services in South Africa have emerged as a critical component in the digital retail domain. These services have adapted to meet the increasing and varied demands of online businesses and their customers, playing a pivotal role in the ecommerce ecosystem by enhancing operational efficiency and customer satisfaction. …
There are few people better qualified to comment on the strides the Vodacom URC has made than John Muldoon. After all, no-one has made more appearances in the competition than the Connacht legend who is now back at the Irish province as a coach. In all, he played a record 254 games in the multi-nation …
Mchunu to assess Sekhukhune water infrastructure projects
Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu will on Friday visit the Sekhukhune District Municipality in Limpopo to assess progress on water infrastructure projects in the district.
During the visit, Mchunu and Deputy Ministers David Mahlobo and Judith Tshabalala, together with Sekhukhune District Municipality Mayor, Minah Bahula, will meet with the Lebalelo Water Users Association (LWUA) to assess progress on the Olifants Management Model (OMM) programme.
The R27 billion OMM programme is an infrastructure development project launched in October last year at Ga-Malekana in Burgersfort.
The programme is undertaken by the Department of Water and Sanitation, in partnership with LWUA, to address water supply challenges in communities in Limpopo.
“The programme is meant to fast-track potable and bulk raw water infrastructure development to ensure that communities, including mining and agriculture sectors, and other companies in Sekhukhune District, Polokwane and Mogalakwena Local Municipalities, have sustainable water provision by 2030,” the department said.
During the visit, Mchunu will also give feedback on the investigation he commissioned around the R143 million drought relief project set aside in 2020 to address water supply challenges at Moutse in Elias Motsolaledi Local Municipality by Lepelle Northern Water, as the implementing agent.
The Minister will also engage with members of the community at an event scheduled to take place at Philadelphia Sports Grounds, Dennilton.
Water reticulation for Mopani District villages
Meanwhile, the department said it is working with Mopani District Municipality in Limpopo to increase the level of services from communal taps to yard connections for the reticulation of water in 55 villages within the district.
“The 24 villages will be fully reticulated by January 2024, while Phase 2 of the 31 villages (out of 55 villages) will start in the 2024-2025 financial year,” the department said. – SAnews.gov.za
GabiK
Thu, 11/30/2023 - 10:59
Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) will approach the courts to obtain the performance assessments of South Africa’s national cabinet ministers if President Cyril Ramaphosa withholds them from the public. We are already appealing a decision by government to deny the public this information following our application in terms of the Promotion of Access to …
Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) has laid a complaint with the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) in an effort to address the dire water crisis experienced in Burgersdorp in the Walter Sisulu Local Municipality. This crisis is not only hitting hard in the town of Burgersdorp, but also in local areas such as …
While enterprise resource planning (ERPs) are applications used by businesses to manage and integrate the essential and crucial parts of their structures to streamline processes, blockchain on the other hand, is a technology used for creating cryptographic encryption, validating, and distributing valuable and unalterable records or data through a digital ledger. Here, data is stored …
The imminent closure of the ArcelorMittal Newcastle ‘long’ steel products operation in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal, is likely to cause considerable turbulence within the local steel sector, with potential projected ‘knock-on’ effects including product shortages, quality issues and even price increases, according to Southern African Institute of Steel Construction (SAISC) Chief Executive Officer, Amanuel Gebremeskel. Commenting on …
Few would argue the impact Rights Mkhari has had on teams she has been involved with – whether it was in fifteens for the Springbok Women or the Bulls Daisies, or in the abbreviated game with the Springbok Women’s Sevens, the soft-spoken Limpopo-raised player has gained the respect of all. In the longer version, Mkhari …
Introduction to Courier Industry Dynamics In the bustling economic landscape of South Africa, courier companies have emerged as a backbone for various sectors, enabling swift and reliable movement of goods and information. The evolution of these courier services reflects an adaptation to a rapidly changing business environment and consumer needs. This article delves into the …
SA tackles plastic pollution
The Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Barbara Creecy, says government’s initiatives aimed at tackling plastic pollution are making progress.
South Africa has achieved this through a combination of voluntary approaches to the plastics industry, coupled with improved household and community waste disposal and the creation of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes.
“The SA Plastic Pact has already identified unnecessary and problematic plastic products, and is committed to eliminating unnecessary and problematic plastics; ensuring that 100% of all plastic packaging is reusable, recyclable or compostable; ensuring that 70% of plastic packaging is effectively recycled, and using 30% average post-consumer recycled content in plastic packaging,” the Minister said on Thursday.
Addressing the South African Plastic CEO Engagement Breakfast in Cape Town, Creecy said in 2020, government adopted the National Waste Management Strategy.
The strategy prioritises the following pillars:
“In 2020, government also introduced the Extended Producer Responsibility Regulations, which called for EPR schemes for plastic packaging and electrical and electronic equipment amongst other prioritised products.
“This circular economy and EPR initiatives have resulted in the formation of five registered extended producer schemes that support plastic waste collection and recycling.
“Our EPR Regulations aim to influence product design to take environmental considerations into account and are currently being implemented for paper, packaging and some single use products, lighting, electrical and electronic products,” the Minister said.
These efforts have removed 368 600 tons of plastic waste from the environment. They have supported between 60 000 and 90 000 waste reclaimers, as well as create 7 500 formal jobs.
“In 2023, government put a restriction of a minimum of 50% recycled content as part of the product design measures for plastic carrier bags. The intention is that by 2027, plastic carrier bags and black refuse bags should be made from 100% recycled material.
“Because we share industry’s concerns regarding the contribution illegal dumping makes to the leaking of plastics into the environment, we recently launched the Municipal Cleaning and Greening programme.
“This partnership with provinces and municipalities targets clearing 7 251 illegal dump sites by creating more than 37 000 work opportunities under our public works programme,” Creecy said.
Through the Top 40 programme, government has prioritised 40 municipal landfills for improved compliance through a public-private partnership model currently championed by Infrastructure South Africa.
“Together with the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) and National Treasury, we have revised the Municipal Infrastructure Grant Policy so municipalities can purchase yellow fleet to improve household collection and improve landfill management.
“Since the initiation of this programme, our department has processed applications for specialised waste management vehicles from over 100 municipalities across the country. In the last two years we have spent over one hundred and sixty-four million rand to buy 44 waste collection vehicles and 21 landfill management waste vehicles for 58 municipalities,” the Minister said.
By 30 September this year, 1 299 (or 19%) of the sites were cleared.
“I am confident that with the acceleration of the cleaning programme, 100% of the identified hotspots will be cleared by the middle of next year. The workers clean daily and educate their communities on how to dispose of waste in a responsible manner,” the Minister said. – SAnews.gov.za
nosihle
Thu, 11/30/2023 - 10:08
It was a targeted attack, says cyber security firm probing the theft from the magazine’s account
Strongbow, the world’s number one cider, has launched, ‘Sisonke,’ a ‘movement’ aiming to highlight and celebrate moments when like-minded spirits are brought together, Strongbow in hand. As the world’s number one cider, Strongbow represents a global community that brings together friends from all over the world to enjoy life in an authentic and self-expressive manner …
Somerset Mall, a prominent player in the retail and commercial property sector, is marking its 30th anniversary this year, and it’s an occasion worth recognising not just for nostalgia’s sake, but for the profound strategic milestones it represents. From its humble beginnings with just a handful of stores, Somerset Mall has expanded into a formidable …
A significant lifestyle trend spurred on by the pandemic is the desire among South Africans to live in smaller urban areas, rural towns and villages, rather than in the biggest cities in the country. The trend has come about both because of the Work From Home phenomenon and the focus on quality of life that …
Regent Business School (RBS) proudly announces its successful participation in the recent HealthXcel Innovation Challenge, a groundbreaking event held in Durban on 21 and 22 October, followed by a session in Johannesburg on 18 and 19 November. The two-day events brought together delegates, industry experts, and thought leaders for an immersive experience aimed at driving …
On 16 November Fanta® hosted an exclusive event of its popular #WhatThe Fanta™ campaign. Guests were invited to a unique sensory experience to introduce the dessert-inspired purple- hued limited- edition Fanta®. Under the masterful eye of host Banele Ndaba, fondly known as Moghelingz, attendees navigated a captivating evening of activities and challenges, all aimed at …
An exciting new era for rugby sevens is set to start as Dubai marks the beginning of the new HSBC SVNS 2024 The action begins at 09:00 local time (GMT+4) on Saturday, with the women’s and men’s finals at 19:13 and 19:53 on Sunday respectively An exciting new era for rugby sevens will begin in …
Introducing a Mysterious New Taste: ‘What the Fanta’ Dessert-Themed Flavour Fanta® is excited to announce the release of its newest creation in the ‘What The Fanta’ (WTF) line – a unique dessert-themed flavour that for the first time ever combines scrumptious dessert-inspired notes with an enticing purple hue. Brace yourself, Fanta community! The same Fanta® …
Police have opened an inquest docket following a drowning accident at Saunders Beach, Bantry Bay. The CoCT (City of Cape Town) water rescue network was activated at 19h33, Wednesaday, 29 November, following reports of a drowning in progress at Saunders Beach, Bantry Bay. NSRI Bakoven and NSRI Table Bay rescue swimmers, Cape Town Fire and …
But SASSA says it is inefficient and unsustainable to transport cash to a “handful of people”.
“We also faced a very oppressive apartheid regime” says protester
Accreditation of delegates at the union’s national congress last year also found invalid