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BORDEAUX – Head coach Andy Farrell, captain Johnny Sexton, centre Garry Ringrose and hooker Rob Herring react after Ireland named their team to face Romania on Saturday. Andy Farrell, head coach On Joe McCarthy starting in the second row: “He deserves it with the form that he’s shown not just in the games that he’s …
Comments from Romania head coach Eugen Apjok and captain Cristian Chirica ahead of the match against Ireland in Pool B in Bordeaux on Saturday. Eugen Apjok, head coach on his team selection: “We chose the best players that we could for this game, and also we want to give them the opportunity to play against …
England head coach Steve Borthwick has named his match-day 23 to face Argentina in Marseille on Saturday. Alex Mitchell, who wasn’t in the original World Cup squad, starts at scrum-half. 1 Ellis Genge 2 Jamie George 3 Dan Cole 4 Maro Itoje 5 Ollie Chessum 6 Courtney Lawes (c) 7 Tom Curry 8 Ben Earl …
Argentina head coach Michael Cheika has named an experienced starting XV for their opening Rugby World Cup 2023 game, against England in Marseille on Saturday, with nine players having World Cup experience. 1 Thomas Gallo 2 Julian Montoya (c) 3 Francisco Gómez Kodela 4 Matias Alemanno 5 Tomas Lavanini 6 Pablo Matera 7 Marcos Kremer …
Georgia head coach Levan Maisashvili has named nine players in his match-day squad who played Australia at Rugby World Cup 2019 for their game at Stade de France on Saturday. 1 Nika Abuladze 2 Shalva Mamukashvili 3 Guram Papidze 4 Nodar Cheishvili 5 Konstantine Mikautadze 6 Tornike Jalagonia 7 Luka Ivanishvili 8 Beka Gorgadze 9 …
Italy head coach Kieran Crowley has named his match-day 23 to face Namibia in Stade Geoffroy-Guichard in Saint-Étienne on Saturday, with Tommaso Allan, who played fly-half in the previous two Rugby World Cups, named at full-back. 1 Danilo Fischetti 2 Giacomo Nicotera 3 Simone Ferrari 4 Dino Lamb 5 Federico Ruzza 6 Sebastian Negri 7 …
Namibia head coach Allister Coetzee has announced his match-day 23 to face Italy at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard in Saint-Etienne on Saturday, with Richard Hardwick, who won two caps for Australia, starting at number eight. 1 Desiderius Sethie 2 Torsten Van Jaarsveld 3 Johan Coetzee 4 Adriaan Ludick 5 Tjiuee Uanivi 6 Wian Conradie 7 Johan …
Dear Editor The DA firmly supports Parliament’s decision for NSFAS to report back in two weeks regarding the ongoing problems affecting students, including issues with direct payment service providers, defunding, appeals, and accommodation accreditation. During the committee meeting yesterday, MPs expressed outrage over these problems, highlighting the adverse effects on students and their futures. NSFAS …
Head coach Warren Gatland has named his Wales senior men’s XV to play Fiji at Stade de Bordeaux in their opening pool C match of Rugby World Cup 2023 (Sunday 10 September 8pm BST / 9pm local time live on ITV and S4C). Wales arrived in Bordeaux from their team base in Versailles this afternoon …
Premier Alan Winde chaired a regular meeting of his Cabinet, on Wednesday, 6 September 2023. At the meeting, the Provincial Economic Review and Outlook (PERO) report was tabled. PERO is an annual research publication prepared by the provincial treasury that sets out the economic, governance, and social context for the Western Cape Government (WCG) and …
Pick n Pay founder and philanthropist Raymond Ackerman passes away
President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed sadness at the passing of Pick n Pay founder and philanthropist Raymond Ackerman, who was also an Esteemed Member of the Order of The Baobab.
President Ramaphosa has extended his condolences to Wendy Ackerman, children, Gareth, Kathy, Suzanne, Jonathan and the extended family.
Ackerman, who passed away at the age of 92, was awarded the Order of The Baobab in 2014 for his commitment to uplifting the lives of South Africans by providing scholarships to young people and conducting socially responsible retail business.
Ackerman was one of the first retailers to fight on behalf of the South African consumers against the apartheid state’s monopoly on basic goods.
He drastically reduced the cost of essentials such as bread, milk and chicken. He also spoke against the inclusion of value-added tax (VAT) on basic food lines, a course that they fought and won on behalf of the poor.
He was one of the first executives to promote black South Africans to senior positions and to acknowledge black trade unions. This was at the period when such unions were banned from operating in the country.
He also abolished race classification on the company’s human resources payroll.
Since the 1970s, the Ackerman Family Trust has supported hundreds of young people to become graduates across a broad range of professions.
“We mourn with the Ackerman family as they bid farewell to a husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather whose name resounded as comfortably in millions of households around the country,” President Ramaphosa said.
“Raymond Ackerman was an outstanding business leader and entrepreneur who placed people first and stood up to the injustices and discrimination which the apartheid regime sought to outsource to the business sector,” the President said. – SAnews.gov.za
Edwin
Thu, 09/07/2023 - 11:49
Dlamini Zuma launches women assembly in KZN
Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and People with Disabilities, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma and KwaZulu-Natal MEC of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Bongi Sithole-Moloi have launched the provincial Women Economic Assembly (WECONA).
WECONA is a catalyst platform for women owned/managed/led businesses/enterprises, anchored on collaboration between government, the private sector and civil society.
It is an ongoing initiative aimed at encouraging women to be economically active with the objective of bringing together the private sector, government and civil society to drive change in the economic landscape.
“Throughout the continent, women entrepreneurs are not just business leaders; they are role models. Through mentorship programs, training workshops, and community initiatives, they are nurturing the next generation of entrepreneurs, ensuring that the legacy of women in business continues to thrive,” Dlamini Zuma said on Thursday in Durban.
The provincial assembly is aligned with the Pillar 5 of the National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide that calls for “the need to create more economic opportunities for women who are vulnerable to abuse due to poverty, unemployment and social inequality.”
“Through WECONA, there have been transformational conversations with the industry associations and representatives to establish procurement targets to ensure [that] women-owned businesses have increased levels of participation within business value chains by advocating for the implementation of 40% preferential public procurement for women - owned businesses.
“These dialogues have led to the implementation of game-changing initiatives in several sectors, including the financial industry and automotive sectors,” the Department of Women, Youth and People with Disabilities said. – SAnews.gov.za
nosihle
Thu, 09/07/2023 - 14:27
Gift of the Givers says it’s inundated with calls for help
President Ramaphosa to attend G20 Summit
President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to embark on a working visit to India to attend the G20 Leaders’ Summit this weekend.
“President Ramaphosa will during the summit participate in the G20 Working Sessions themed One Earth, One Family and One Future. The President will also on the margins of the G20 have bilateral meetings with Heads of State and Government to strengthen South Africa’s diplomatic, economic and cultural ties.
“South Africa is a member of the G20 and its participation seeks to provide a strategic foresight in establishing an economic and international policy platform that will drive and negotiate the best possible outcomes for the country, Africa and the developing world. South Africa will assume the G20 Presidency in 2025,” the Presidency said in a statement.
The theme for this year’s summit, held under the Presidency of India, is “One Earth, One Family, One Future”.
“The New Delhi Summit will focus on the key pillars of the Indian G20 Presidency, namely; Accelerated, Inclusive Sustainable and Resilient Growth; Accelerating Progress on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); Mainstreaming Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE); Multilateral Institutions for the 21st Century; Technological Transformation and Public Infrastructure; Building Digital Public Infrastructure; Safeguarding International Peace and Harmony; Creating a More Inclusive World, Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women and; Creating a More Inclusive World.
“The Group of Twenty (G20) is the premier forum for international economic cooperation. It plays an important role in shaping and strengthening global architecture and governance on all major international economic issues.
“The G20 initially focused largely on broad macroeconomic issues, but it has since expanded its agenda to include trade, sustainable development, health, agriculture, energy, environment, climate change, and anti-corruption,” the Presidency said.
Department of International Relations and Cooperation Minister Dr Naledi Pandor will support the President on the working visit. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Thu, 09/07/2023 - 15:03
The Department of Higher Education and Training's (DHET) Labour Market Intelligence unit has recently released a survey to identify occupations in high demand, occupational shortages, and skills gaps in South Africa, and at a provincial level.
Provincial Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities, Mireille Wenger, said: “in almost every interaction I have with business, big and small, the topic of the broken visa regime in the country comes up as a factor holding back their growth. The fact is that the current visa regime is a significant deterrent to investment and the expansion of existing businesses, costing jobs and economic growth right at a time when we can ill-afford to lose either.” said Minister Wenger.
To facilitate foreign investment, companies need to be able to easily access South Africa. Individuals who apply for critical skills visas typically help develop new sectors or to expand existing ones, contribute to increasing the complexity of the economy by bringing in skills that are not currently available, and help new industries through skills development in South Africa. This is why the investment and critical skills visas are key enablers of economic growth and job creation.
Responding to the release of this survey, provincial Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities, Mireille Wenger said: “I very much welcome the release of this vital survey. I strongly encourage businesses across the province, in all sectors, to participate so that we can gain a much better understanding of where the gaps are and therefore, what we can do it address them. Importantly, this will help us attract individuals with the right critical skills, so that they can contribute to our economic growth project.”
The DHET's survey on occupations in high demand, hard-to-fill vacancies and skills gaps can be found here(link is external).
To go even further, and in conjunction with the DHET survey, the Western Cape Government's Tech and Innovation team within the Department of Economic Development and Tourism has compiled a companion survey for businesses to gather information on their experience with, awareness of, and intention to use the Scarce Skills Work Visa.
“The insights gathered from this survey will be instrumental in crafting a provincial list of high-demand occupations which will play a significant role in shaping the post-school education and training sector, and subsequently the critical skills list. This will go a long way to assist the Western Cape Government to ramp up our lobbying efforts to address this key constraint on the growth of the private sector. Again, I encourage our Western Cape businesses to participate in our survey, which can be accessed here - https://forms.office.com/r/vN4JVMJy3e(link is external)” continued Minister Wenger
The fact is that we must urgently address the significant inefficiencies in the visa regime because they are holding back economic growth and job creation in the Western Cape and South Africa. We stand ready to assist in any way possible to keep and expand the businesses we have and attract the investment we need to create more jobs for the residents of the province. By participating in both the surveys, you can make a positive contribution to helping us unblock this significant constraint on the growth of both our economy and job creation” concluded Minister Wenger.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Western Cape Finance and Economic Opportunities, South Africa.
The coastal town of Cape St Francis is set to host the grand finale of the highly anticipated Rip Curl GromSearch, drawing the best junior surfers from across South Africa. The tournament will take place from 29 September – 1 October. This year, the spotlight shines brightly on the Premier U16 division, where the winners …
Coalition govts should prioritise people, service delivery - Mashatile
Deputy President Paul Mashatile says coalition governments should prioritise the people, service delivery and good governance.
He was speaking in Parliament on Thursday where he was answering oral questions in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) on a range of issues related to government’s efforts to implement rapid response interventions in municipalities and plans to tackle crime.
The Deputy President said the state has faced a number of challenges at the local government level where there are coalitions.
“By defining the rules, procedures, and potential sanctions that would apply to political parties and independent councillors who govern together, we will ensure fairness, transparency, and accountability in our political system,” said the Deputy President.
He said they were incorporating a framework which prioritises the people, service delivery, and good governance.
The Presidency convened a national dialogue in August, led by Deputy President Mashatile, to discuss creating a framework to prevent the instability caused by coalition governments.
“The political parties at the summit … agreed that they want to go back to their constituencies to consult once more, and they are going to come back and give us feedback. And then we will be able to finalise the document.”
He announced that the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) is the only political party that has already responded so far.
“We are awaiting other parties to do the same and then we'll finalise the document. So it’s a very comprehensive approach, because we're not doing it ad hoc. We're doing it for the future and to be able to ensure stable government throughout the country,” he explained, adding that legislation will follow.
Currently, South Africa has about 81 hung municipalities. – SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Thu, 09/07/2023 - 15:30
7 September, 2023 – In the dynamic business landscape, growing enterprises encounter an escalating array of challenges that demand innovative solutions. Amplifin recognises that as businesses expand, their concerns multiply – from financial intricacies to operational complexities. The organisation understands that these enterprises require access to cutting-edge technologies, akin to those embraced by larger corporations, …
Parliament is delighted to announce the appointment of General Samson Shitlabane as the new Chief of Security for the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa.
Since July 2015, Parliament, classified as a National Key Point, has operated without a dedicated Chief of Security. The position was absorbed into the Household and Management Division, relegating it to a junior role and hampering its ability to make critical security decisions.
The intrusion of the Parliament arsonist in January 2022, which resulted in the National Assembly building's devastating fire, underscored the urgent necessity for a knowledgeable and seasoned Chief of Security. Security remains paramount in shaping the institution's public image and strategic integrity.
General Shitlabane's role as the new Chief of Security carries a comprehensive array of responsibilities, extending beyond the core management of security within the Parliamentary precinct and associated villages. In this critical position, he will be entrusted with safeguarding the integrity and safety of not only the physical premises but also the institution's valuable assets and personnel. This encompasses developing and implementing robust security strategies, conducting risk assessments, and ensuring the readiness of emergency response protocols.
General Shitlabane will be a crucial liaison with the South African Police Services, forging strong collaborative ties to fortify the security apparatus. Given Parliament's distinguished status as a National Key Point, his role includes maintaining constant vigilance against potential threats, both internal and external and continually evolving security measures to stay ahead of emerging challenges
This role has been elevated to a senior position, granting it direct reporting access to the Secretary to Parliament and the Executive Authority. This ensures that all security concerns will receive immediate attention.
General Shitlabane is a highly decorated career police officer whose expertise will provide the necessary leadership and management of the Security Management Division of Parliament.
He boasts a wealth of experience as a high-ranking police official, having held various key positions within the police services since 1994. Notably, he has served as Lieutenant General of Protection and Security Services since 2018. His career also includes roles such as Major General: Provincial Head Protection and Security Services, Brigadier: Acting Component Head VIP Protection Services, and Brigadier: Section Head VIP Protection Services. He is no stranger to Parliament, having been part of the SAPS leadership that has taken part in security arrangements around SONA for years.
His appointment is a much-needed intervention that will boost parliamentary security and safety, particularly during this current rebuilding project following the fire.
The Presiding Officers and the Secretary to Parliament have congratulated General Shitlabane and wished him well in his new challenging role. They expressed their confidence in his ability to lead Parliament's security services and assist the institution in fulfilling its strategic objectives and obligations to South Africans.
General Shitlabane's appointment is effective from 1 October 2023.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.
Government must maximise spend on education - Nzimande
Higher Education, Science and Innovation Minister Blade Nzimande says as government continues to spend a large share of its national budget on education, the challenge is to maximise the impact of this progressive investment.
The Minister was speaking at the launch of the National Plan for Post-School Education and Training (NPPSET) in Durban on Thursday.
He said the NPPSET showcases government’s continuous effort towards achieving an improved, transformed, expanded, responsive and articulated Post-School Education and Training.
“Our department of Higher Education and Training has the single largest number of entities of all the national government departments, with over 110,” Nzimande said.
South Africa’s PSET sector is one of the biggest in Africa with highly developed institutions that feature in the global arena of international education, training, research, technology development and innovation.
“We also have the single largest research infrastructure and systems on the African continent. Our National Plan for Post-School Education and Training is a roadmap for implementing the vision of the White Paper for Post-School Education and Training.
“It is framed within the broader goals and priorities of the National Development Plan (NDP), which foregrounds the national efforts to address the triple challenges of unemployment, inequality, and poverty. It is an overarching instrument and a blueprint for guiding planning in our PSET sector.
“It aligns and integrates the work that is already underway and provides a policy framework for major transformative changes government wants to bring about across the PSET system and its nexus with society and the economy,” the minister said.
Nzimande explained that the National Plan for Post School Education and Training has six goals which are the drivers for the system.
“We are bringing together institutions and traditions that have different histories and investments and propose ways of making them work together towards common goals.
“We are consolidating and building on those aspects of the system that are working well whilst also streamlining a wide range of policies, plans, and strategies currently in existence that impact on the system without reducing its diversity,” Nzimande said.
Nzimande said his department has developed an articulation Policy for the Post-School Education and Training System of South Africa in 2017.
“The policy was established to create an enabling environment to ensure that articulation occurs within and between NQF sub-frameworks, institutions work together to develop learning and work pathways and support to students as they follow their individual learning and work pathways,” the Minister said.
Nzimande added that his department conducted a comprehensive evaluation study on the implementation of the National Qualification Framework Act on how articulation was implemented by both TVET colleges and universities.
“The baseline study was also conducted to determine how articulation was practiced within and between higher education institutions. The study has identified a number of challenges in how articulation works across the entire PSET system.
“The major challenge still remains to optimise articulation pathways between universities, TVET colleges and CET colleges and without cul-de-sacs in the system. We must also fund and properly resource articulation,” Nzimande said.
The NPPSET sets out a roadmap for implementing the vision of the White Paper for Post-School Education and Training.
Having already been approved by the Minister, the NPPSET is being implemented by the department and may be viewed in conjunction with its enablers and or by-products which are the development of the Master Skills Plan, Student Funding Model, inclusive of the ‘missing middle’ and the implementation of the Labour Market Intelligence programme.
This launch provides an opportunity for the department to bring on board all stakeholders that are key in the broader implementation of the plan thereby ensuring effective implementation geared towards the realisation of the envisaged goals of the National Development Plan and other relevant policies to 2030 and beyond. – SAnews.gov.za
Edwin
Thu, 09/07/2023 - 14:36
Johannesburg, 6 September 2023 – FCB, a leading global advertising agency renowned for its expertise in building timeless brands and driving short-term sales, is excited to announce the acquisition of the prestigious Smirnoff account. As the new creative partner for Smirnoff, FCB is poised to elevate the brand’s iconic status and deliver exceptional results in …
The Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Mr Alvin Botes, has concluded his visit to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where he participated in the Validation Workshop of the Principles and Guidelines of the Use of Digital and Social Media in Elections.
The General Assembly of the Association of African Electoral Authorities has mandated the IEC to implement resolutions and guidelines for safeguarding electoral integrity in the digital age as well as producing strategies for combating digital disinformation.
The Deputy Minister delivered a speech affirming South Africa's support for the principles and guidelines for the use of digital and social media in elections in Africa.
In his speech, the Deputy Minister said: “It is important for governments and electoral management bodies to take advantage of these digital and social media to inform and capacitate our youth, given that our continent has a youthful populace”.
It is envisaged that following the Validation Workshop, the Principles, and Guidelines on the Use of Digital and Social Media in Elections in Africa will be adopted by the AAEA General Assembly, alongside the Annual Election Management Bodies Forum to be organised by the AU Commission in Cotonou, Benin, in November 2023.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: Department of International Relations and Cooperation.
Come and enjoy all the action on the cinema level. Gear up for an exhilarating journey through the scrums and triumphs of rugby! We eagerly counting down the days to kick off Rugby World Cup 2023. Gateway is thrilled to announce that MTN Springboks Fans Mall is bringing the Rugby World Cup fever to life …
The building’s residents say they need help not eviction