News

4 September 2023

Largest CHIETA smart skills centre opens in rural KZN

Location: News

Largest CHIETA smart skills centre opens in rural KZN

Higher Education, Science and Innovation Minister, Dr Blade Nzimande, has commended the Chemical Industries Education and Training Authority (CHIETA) on the successful opening of the Babanango SMART Skills Centre, which will provide tech-enabled learning programmes.

Nzimande unveiled the third and largest CHIETA SMART Skills Centre last week. It forms part of CHIETA’s efforts to bridge the digital skills divide and accelerate the development of basic digital skills in rural communities.

The centre will provide tech-enabled learning programmes, including virtual and augmented reality, robotics and the Internet of Things, among others.

Speaking at the launch, Nzimande said the Babanango area was specifically identified for the establishment of the SMART Skills Centre because it is in a deeply rural area of KwaZulu-Natal, without any internet connectivity.

Nzimande said the centre will benefit the local community, including learners, students, job seekers and businesspeople. It will also provide youth with digital skills that will help to meet the demands of industries, which rely on technology to grow their enterprises.

“The centre will advance skills development for the unemployed youth by offering programmes based on various technologies, including Virtual Reality (VR), blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI), software development, data science and mobile repairs.

“Through this centre, our unemployed youth will have access to various online learning platforms to start up successful and scalable data-driven commercial businesses that will provide technological solutions. This centre we also help us bridge the digital skills divide between urban and rural communities,” Nzimande said.

The SMART Skills Centre is part of government’s bigger plans to revolutionise digital skills development in South Africa.

The skills centres will further cater for Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) development, as they play a crucial role in the growth of the economy. SMMEs make up 34% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which was valued at $358 billion in 2019.

Nzimande said through the National Development Plan (NDP), government has recognised the importance of SMMEs for job creation, innovation and sustainability of the country.

“One of the goals outlined in the NDP was for 90% of new jobs to be created through SMMEs by 2030. This is against the backdrop that our country continues to struggle with the burgeoning problem of unemployment, particularly in its highly youthful population.

“I am more than certain that this project will certainly give our youth and the community at large the opportunity to get or create employment because digital skills are required in most occupations in the 21st century. I am also hoping that this centre will be a catalyst to attract other developmental projects and programmes,” Nzimande said.

The Minister announced that due to the successful implementation of CHIETA SMART Skills Centre, the department has taken a decision to expand this project in all nine provinces of the country.

CHIETA CEO, Yershen Pillay, commended the partners who were involved in this initiative, including the department, Mthashana Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college and Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA), among others.

Pillay noted that this is one of the biggest smart skills centres in the country, which has, among others, cell phone repair skills, and will also provide free data to the community of Babanango. – SAnews.gov.za

GabiK
Mon, 09/04/2023 - 12:40

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4 September 2023

The Ultimate Guide To Summer Promotional Products

Location: MyPR

Partnering with Perkal Promo for Your Summer Promotional Needs When it comes to sourcing high-quality, customisable summer promotional gifts, Perkal Promo is a name you can trust. With a wide range of items, from beach bags and branded beach towels to cooler bags and outdoor chairs, Perkal Promo offers a one-stop solution for all your …

4 September 2023

Independent Film “Verified” To Be Featured At Clown Con Africa

Location: MyPR

Johannesburg, September 04th 2023- This September a South African independent film named ‘Verified’ will premiere at at Comicon Africa. The film was directed by South African maverick, Waleed M. Al-Yamani with the multi-talented, triple threat Richard Gau in the lead. Richard and Waleed had been looking for a project to collaborate on for many years …

4 September 2023

Six Years Pass Before Court Convicts Man For Raping His Foster Child

Location: News

The serial rapist first appeared in the Khayelitsha Magistrates’ Court in 2017 but was only convicted in August

4 September 2023

Spotlight on inner city housing challenge in fire aftermath

Location: News

Spotlight on inner city housing challenge in fire aftermath

The fatal Usindiso Building fire in Johannesburg last week has highlighted the need to resolve South Africa’s inner city housing challenge and root out “rampant criminality” in these areas, says President Cyril Ramaphosa.

At least 74 people perished in the fire, with scores others left injured.

“This tragedy has brought to the fore the need to resolve the challenge of housing in our cities. Even though millions of houses have been built since the advent of democracy, providing decent homes for over 14 million people, the demand for housing continues to grow.

“The movement of large numbers of people into our major centres is fuelling the growth of informal settlements and placing further strain on infrastructure and services,” the President said in his weekly newsletter.

The President said rooting out criminality in accommodation in the inner city is a priority.

“As a starting point, municipal authorities across the country dealing with inner city decay need to redouble their efforts to revitalise these areas, use regulatory and legislative provisions to safeguard human life, and hold landlords, whose premises have become headquarters of criminal activity, accountable.

“We have heard about progress in some areas. It was reported that last year, for example, the City of Johannesburg managed to return some 47 ‘hijacked’ buildings to their lawful owners. Once rehabilitated, these buildings could provide safe and decent low-cost housing for the poor,” President Ramaphosa said.

The President emphasised that similar to most South Africans, people living in buildings like the Usindiso Building, want a decent quality of life.

“They want a safe place to live close to work opportunities and services. We need clean, safe, liveable and vibrant inner cities that attract people to live, work or study. We want our inner cities to attract businesses and investment.

“We cannot allow certain parts of our cities to suffer chronic neglect and become ‘no-go areas’ because of rampant criminal activity.

“We have to obey the law and observe regulations that exist for our safety and for the safety of others. We need to work with officials seeking to strike a balance between the rights of tenants and regard for their safety and wellbeing. Above all, we need to report acts of criminality and not be party to them,” he said.

In the aftermath of the fire, tensions between the local authorities and civil society were raised.

The President called on all parties to work together.

“We have a shared responsibility, as government, business and civil society, to do everything we can to provide support and protection. Let us work with, and not against, each other.

“Let this tragedy compel us to work much harder to give effect to the human dignity that is the right of us all,” President Ramaphosa said. – SAnews.gov.za

NeoB
Mon, 09/04/2023 - 11:45

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4 September 2023

How to Build a Business that Corporates Want to Work With

Location: MyPR

DCC Accelerator enables thriving business opportunities for SMEs Globally, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) wrestle with the daunting task of getting their products and services in front of the decision-makers in large companies. Even when they succeed, a series of roadblocks can derail potential opportunities causing them to miss out on transformative contracts. To help …

4 September 2023

New Date announced for Totalsports Women’s Race Cape Town 2023!

Location: MyPR

Stillwater Sports, the organiser of the Totalsports Women’s Race, is thrilled to announce that the Cape Town race will take place in 2023, and the exciting new event date is Sunday, 01 October! “We’re thrilled to announce that the Totalsports Women’s Race Cape Town will take place in 2023, with the new date being Sunday, …

4 September 2023

Condolences for traffic officer

Location: News

Condolences for traffic officer

The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) has expressed deep sorrow over a brutal attack that left one of its National Traffic Police officers dead and another recovering in hospital.

The attack took place in the early hours of Sunday morning when the officers, who were on duty near Diepsloot in Johannesburg, went to get food at a nearby filling station.

“It is believed that a crime was in progress when the officers unknowingly drove into the filling station. They came under fire from the criminals, and one [officer] was fatally wounded and died at the scene,” the RTMC said.

Another officer suffered severe injuries and was airlifted to hospital, where he is in critical condition.

“The RTMC is deeply saddened by the tragic event and sends its sincere condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of the deceased officer.

“We pray for the speedy and full recovery of the injured officer. The RTMC will provide psychosocial support to the affected families. Counselling will also be extended to other NTP officers as well,” the RTMC said. – SAnews.gov.za

nosihle
Mon, 09/04/2023 - 09:44

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4 September 2023

DRIFTCity Returns To Cape Town

Location: MyPR

DRIFTCity is back for the first time since 2019 to bring you another high-octane, thrilling motorsport experience! It takes place at The Grand Parade in Cape Town on Sunday, 24 September 2023, so head on down to witness the automotive treat that is DRIFTCity! The Drift City team and all the drivers, sponsors, and various …

4 September 2023

Electricity Minister attends African Climate Summit

Location: News

Electricity Minister attends African Climate Summit

Minister in the Presidency for Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, has arrived in Nairobi, Kenya, to participate in the inaugural Africa Climate Summit (ACS).

The summit takes place from 4 – 6 September under the theme, ‘Green Growth and Climate Finance for Africa and the World’.

“The summit is hosted by the government of Kenya as the African Union (AU) Chair of the Committee of African Heads of States on Climate Change (CAHOSCC).

“The ACS will draw African Heads of State, global leaders and multiple stakeholders to deliberate, collaborate and exchange knowledge and experiences on climate change action and sustainability in Africa,” the Ministry said in a statement.

The statement outlined the Minister’s participation at the summit.

“Joining the South African delegation - led by the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Barbara Creecy - Minister Ramokgopa has been invited to participate in a ministerial panel focusing on ‘Africa’s Green Hydrogen, Industry & Trade Potential’.

“This session, which takes place today, will outline Africa’s potential for green industrial production and massive untapped green hydrogen production potential, providing the opportunity to meet local, regional and global demand for energy, industrial feedstock and derivative products such as fuels and fertiliser, and to drive significant economic growth.

“On Tuesday, the Minister will participate in the Africa Green Hydrogen Alliance (AGHA) forum, where he will engage in a panel session on ‘Financing Green Hydrogen in Africa – from Bridgetown to Nairobi’,” the statement read.

The proceedings of the summit can be viewed on the following livestreaming links set up by the ACS:

LinkedIn Live Schedule: https://www.linkedin.com/events/7103313166712864768/
YouTube: https://youtube.com/live/CCXHKjaH0F0?feature=share
Website: https://acs23.org/live-stream

Meanwhile, the Ministry said Ramokgopa is concerned following the ramping up of load shedding to Stage 5 on Sunday.

“The Minister is concerned about the current load shedding Stage 5 situation and is in constant contact with the leadership of Eskom’s Generation team to ensure that units are returned to service as speedily as possible,” the ministry said. – SAnews.gov.za

NeoB
Mon, 09/04/2023 - 09:37

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3 September 2023

15th BRICS Summit heralds current chapter for the group

Location: News

15th BRICS Summit heralds new chapter for the group

The 15th BRICS Summit held at the Sandton Convention Centre during August was a success that 'heralded a new chapter' for the group.

This is according to President Cyril Ramaphosa who addressed the nation on Sunday evening.

“It was a historic Summit that heralded a new chapter for BRICS.

“The summit was attended by the five BRICS member countries along with representatives of 61 other countries. Forty-six of the countries that attended were from our continent, Africa. This included 20 Heads of State and Government. We were also honoured by the attendance of the United Nations Secretary-General Mr Antonio Guterres.

“The success of the summit is a credit to our country and its people. It is another demonstration of our ability to host major international gatherings that have a significant impact on the conduct of international affairs far beyond our borders. Overall, many people have said that this was a most successful BRICS Summit,” he said.

The President honed in on key decisions and outcomes that were taken during the summit, including the call for a comprehensive reform of the United Nations, including its Security Council.

“This was a most significant decision in view of the fact that it was supported by two BRICS members who are permanent members of the UN Security Council. The reform of the United Nations is important for South Africa and our continent Africa because we stand to benefit from a world that is more fair and from international institutions that are more democratic and more representative.

“In taking this position, the BRICS leaders recognised the desire of many other countries to contribute to redefining the terms of international relations,” he said.

On the second key outcome of the summit – which was to expand BRICS membership invitations to Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates – President Ramaphosa said: “Through an expanded BRICS, we will be able to better align the voices of those countries that seek a fairer global governance, financial, investment and trading system based on clear rules that apply equally to all countries.

“An expanded BRICS also means that we will be able to export more of our products to major markets and, as a result, we will be able to produce more and create more jobs. While an expanded BRICS will be an important champion for the Global South, South Africa stands to benefit from its relationship with these countries.”

International relations

President Cyril Ramaphosa also used his address to reaffirm South Africa’s non-aligned stance in international relations.

“South Africa’s participation in BRICS and its support for the expansion of BRICS does not detract from the good and strategic relations we have with many other countries around the world.

“From the advent of our democracy, we have always sought to develop ties of friendship, cooperation and respect with all nations. We have never aligned ourselves with any one global power or bloc of countries. Our non-aligned approach has enabled us to pursue an independent foreign policy and to forge our own developmental path.

“We have consistently advanced the articles of the United Nations Charter, including the principle that all members shall settle their international disputes by peaceful means,” he said.

The President emphasised the importance of South Africa’s relations with our other countries and reflected on its impact on ordinary South Africans.

“[Our] country’s relations with other countries and the conduct of our foreign policy affects our lives as South Africans in many ways, such as in trade and investment, sport, peace and security, technology, education, and many other areas. As we have said before, our international work cannot be separated from our efforts to end poverty, to create jobs and to reduce inequality in South Africa.

“Through stronger investment and trade relations with other countries, we are able to grow our economy, create more opportunities for new businesses and reduce unemployment. By supporting peace and stability on our continent, and by promoting Africa’s development, we are able to improve social cohesion in our own country.

“By encouraging greater cooperation between countries in areas such as investment, financing for development, international crime, fighting terrorism, climate change and vaccine production, we are able to strengthen our efforts to tackle these challenges in our own country,” President Ramaphosa said. – SAnews.gov.za

NeoB
Sun, 09/03/2023 - 21:33

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3 September 2023

No evidence of weapons loaded for export onto Lady R

Location: News

No evidence of weapons loaded for export onto Lady R

An independent investigation into the docking of the Lady R vessel at the Simon’s Town Naval Base in the Western Cape has found no evidence to support allegations that South Africa supplied weapons to Russia during the current Ukraine-Russia conflict.

This was revealed by President Cyril Ramaphosa during an address to the nation on Sunday evening.

In May, the President appointed an independent panel led by Judge Phineas Mojapelo to investigate the allegations.

“From its investigation, the panel found no evidence that any cargo of weapons was loaded for export onto the ship Lady R. The panel found that there was no evidence to support the claim that the ship transported weapons from South Africa destined for Russia,” he said.

The President laid out what, according to the panel’s investigation, the purpose of the docking was.

“The panel established that the ship docked at Simonstown to deliver equipment that had been ordered for the South African National Defence Force in 2018 by Armscor, the country’s arms procurement company. In terms of the contract for the supply of the arms, neither Armscor nor the South African National Defence Force had any control over the means through which the supplier of the ordered equipment would transport them to South Africa.

“In its report, the panel outlined the circumstances that led to the docking of the vessel in Simonstown, as well as the type of goods supplied and the reasons why the goods were unloaded at the time they were offloaded,” he said.

The President lamented the damage the allegations have had on South Africa.

“In recent months, statements from several quarters have used these allegations to call into question South Africa’s commitment to its position on the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The allegations levelled against our country had a damaging effect on our currency, economy and our standing in the world. In fact, it tarnished our image as a country.

“When all matters are considered, none of the allegations made about the supply of weapons to Russia have been proven to be true, and none of the persons who made these allegations could provide any evidence to support the claims that had been levelled against our country,” he said.

Investigation and recommendations

President Ramaphosa delved deeper into the report and shared that extensive evidence was collected.

“During the course of its work, the panel visited the Simonstown naval base and obtained evidence under oath from nearly 50 people in every relevant component of government. More than 100 documents were submitted to the panel for examination.

“A number of entities and persons that had publicly claimed to have information on this matter were invited to make submissions to the panel. Many of those invited either failed to do so or said they had no independent knowledge of the relevant facts,” he said.

The President added that beyond its findings, the panel made recommendations with “an implementation plan be developed to address these”.

“The panel did not find any evidence of criminal conduct by any persons involved. However, the panel made findings and recommendations with respect to the functioning of the National Conventional Arms Control Committee.

“It also made recommendations about the improvement of communication between Ministers and government officials, including the adequacy of the relevant administrative processes,” President Ramaphosa said.

The full details of the report will not be made public due to its classified nature. However, an executive summary is expected be made available to the public. – SAnews.gov.za

NeoB
Sun, 09/03/2023 - 21:36

255 views

3 September 2023

69% Increase In International Passengers And Record Visits To Local Attractions

Location: News

International two-way passengers through Cape Town International Airport (CTIA) between January and July 2023 reached 1.6 million, growing by 69% compared to the same period in 2022. This is according to the monthly tourism report, compiled by the Western Cape Government’s (WCG) official trade, investment, and tourism promotion agency, Wesgro. “September is Tourism Month and …

3 September 2023

Multi-Million Rand Farm Purchases Raises Questions On Price Gouging

Location: News

Dear Editor Due to lack of transparency from the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform, and Rural Development (DALRRD) on farm purchases made under the land acquisition programme, the DA has been compelled to submit a PAIA application in order to obtain details of a farm transaction that took place in 2014. This transaction involved the …

3 September 2023

Mayors Make Submissions to COGTA Rejecting District Development Model Regulations

Location: News

Dear Editor Mayors in DA led municipalities across the country have made submissions to the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) rejecting the ANC government’s District Development Model (DDM) regulations that were gazetted on 4 August 2023. The message from the DA Mayors is clear – the DDM, and its regulations, is unconstitutional …

3 September 2023

Seeking to Achieve Greater Safety Across Western Cape

Location: News

During August, the Western Cape Minister of Police Oversight and Community Safety, Reagen Allen undertook intergovernmental municipal engagements (IGMEs) to ensure that greater collaboration is strengthened in the fight against crime in the province. The first IGME occurred last week in Ceres with the Cape Winelands District municipality (CWDM), followed this past week in George …

3 September 2023

Springboks arrive in Toulon

Location: Sport

The Springboks arrived at their Rugby World Cup base in Toulon on Sunday morning in high spirits after a ten-and-a-half-hour ferry overnight trip from Corsica. Head coach Jacques Nienaber said the squad was looking forward to kicking off their 2023 campaign against Scotland in their opening match of the tournament on Sunday 10 September in …

3 September 2023

Eskom planned maintenance outages aimed at improving performance

Location: News

Eskom planned maintenance outages aimed at improving performance

Minister in the Presidency for Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, says the current intensity of load shedding is due to planned maintenance outages to fix generating units.

These maintenance outages are aimed at reducing the incidence of units tripping on their own and improve performance.

He was speaking on Saturday during a media briefing to present an update on the implementation of the Energy Action Plan.

“The current intensity of load shedding as we are seeing it now is primarily on the back of us ramping up on planned outages.

“It could be expedient for us to continue to run these generating units and undermine philosophy maintenance, the fact that they’ve been able to carry us through the winter period. Of course the attraction is that continue to run them and of course you’ll…reduce the intensity of load shedding.

“But we have taken a view that when the generating unit needs to be taken out, we are going to take them out. Of course we’ll do a computation of what that means in relation to the intensity of load shedding and where we are, we’ve felt that because this is short term planned maintenance…we don’t foresee this to be long outages and that’s why we chose to take them out.

“Planned maintenance, we are ramping it up so that when these units come back, they come back healthy and they are able to give us a significant amount of hours and also performing at their designed capacity. As a result of that action, we are beginning to see that the units tripping on their own is coming down and of course that is going to help us to address the available capacity and we should be able to meet the peak focus especially during this period when demand is tapering,” he said.

He added that Eskom will “continue to ramp up almost at this scale or even a bit higher”.

“This is controlled intensity of load shedding to allow us the opportunity to really get these machines to be fixed and as a result of this intervention, you can see it also in the unplanned capacity loss factor…it’s beginning to come down.

“I did say that our intention is to keep it at sub 15000MW. You can see that from the 1st to the 31st again, we are at lower than 15000MW. When we went into the baseline period of May, this was upwards of 17000MW, when we did the winter outlook the worst case scenario was saying that the rate at which these units could be failing on their own could take out potentially about 18000MW,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za

NeoB
Sat, 09/02/2023 - 10:33

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3 September 2023

Criminals must acquire “no space to operate in”

Location: News

Criminals must have "no space to operate in"

President Cyril Ramaphosa has issued a call to the South African Police Service (SAPS) to demonstrate that they can take on criminals and protect South Africans as well as the authority of the state.

The President was speaking on Sunday at the SAPS National Commemoration Day honouring the lives of police officials and reservists who died in the line of duty between 1 April 2022 and 31 March 2023.

President Ramapohosa’s call comes just two days after some 18 suspects – who were allegedly planning a cash in transit heist – were killed during a shootout with police in Limpopo.

“We must all unite and work together to ensure we leave no space for criminals to operate in. The time has come for the police to demonstrate to the South African people that indeed, we can gird our loins and indeed we can take on these criminals. Just like the police did in Limpopo 48 hours ago.

“It is now time to show that the authority of the state cannot be disrespected. It cannot and must not be disregarded. The authority of the state is the authority of the people of South Africa as a whole. We are the people.

“Therefore anyone who disrespects and disregards the people of South Africa collectively, under the umbrella of the state, must know that they’ve crossed the line and we will not allow them to do as they wish and we will not allow them to kill those whose job is to protect, defend the people of South Africa,” he said.

The President told the gathering that deadly attacks on police officers are once more on the rise.

“The Constitution mandates police to prevent, combat and investigate crime. It mandates them to maintain public order and protect the inhabitants of the Republic and their property. Theirs is the noble duty of ensuring that all people in South Africa are safe and feel safe.

“The officers we are commemorating today lost their lives to criminals who have no regard for the rule of law. The increase in the killings of police officers, whether on or off duty, demonstrates the level of desperation of criminals to remove any obstacle that is in the way of their criminal intent. Attacks on police officers must come to an end,” President Ramaphosa said.

Honouring fallen heroes and heroines

Some 34 police officials and reservists were honoured during the commemoration ceremony with their names etched on the Memorial Wall at the Union Buildings in Tshwane.

President Ramaphosa assured that “there must be justice and there will be justice for the families of our fallen heroes and heroines”.

“The hard work of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations, known as the Hawks, has resulted in the arrest of 76 suspected police murderers over the past year. These cases are currently before different courts.

“A total of 488 suspects have been arrested for deaths of police officers since 2018. Through diligent investigative work, nine convicted police killers were handed down nine life sentences, a sum total of 158 years imprisonment. We must continue to arrest, prosecute and convict those who wilfully undermine the authority of state.

“The members we are remembering today were spouses, parents, sons and daughters, siblings, colleagues, and so much more. Many of them were breadwinners. Although the convictions of these criminals can never bring their loved ones back, it will comfort them knowing that justice has been served,” he said.

The President passed on his condolences to the families that lost loved ones while serving the South African public through their work.

“On behalf of the government and the people of South Africa, we thank the 34 fallen heroes and heroines posthumously for their bravery and service to the country, which they rendered diligently.

“We want to thank their families who supported them throughout their careers in the SAPS, for having been their strength, their support and their comfort. To the families of the fallen officers, we pray that you find peace and healing.

“May their souls rest in peace,” President Ramaphosa said. – SAnews.gov.za

NeoB
Sun, 09/03/2023 - 11:58

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3 September 2023

Two SAPS members to be sentenced for rape

Location: News

Two SAPS members to be sentenced for rape

Sentencing procedures against two members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) convicted of rape are expected to commence on Monday.

According to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID), the two members raped a woman in 2017 after they offered her a lift home.

Sergeant Simphiwe Ncube stationed at Northern Cape Border Policing (Nakop Port of Entry) and Constable Andile Ntshweza stationed at the Upington police station were convicted of rape on 4 May 2023.

“The suspects are alleged to have both raped the...victim on 3rd of April 2017 at the house of one of the suspects after she was offered a lift from Upington town to her place in Rosedale.

“The accused first took her to Ncube’s house and raped her before she left and opened a case of rape. The case was investigated until the accused were convicted at the Upington Special Offences Court in May 2023.

“Both accused have since been disciplined by their Employer and have been sanctioned two months’ suspension without salary sometime in 2018,” IPID said in a statement. – SAnews.gov.za

NeoB
Sun, 09/03/2023 - 09:50

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3 September 2023

Lessons to be learnt from tragic building fire

Location: News

Lessons to be learnt from tragic building fire

President Cyril Ramaphosa has reiterated that the tragedy in which 74 people died during a fire in Johannesburg must not be allowed to happen again.

He was speaking during a meeting of the Presidential Coordinating Council (PCC) at the Sefako Makgatho Presidential Guest House in Tshwane on Friday.

The PCC meeting was attended by Cabinet members and provincial Premiers and was preceded by a moment of silence for the victims of the fire.

“We are meeting here just a day after a catastrophic building fire in central Johannesburg claimed the lives of more than 70 people. As we await further information on the cause of the fire and the huge loss of life, we must ask hard questions about the effectiveness of our interventions to improve the living conditions of our people.

“As we grieve this devastating loss, let us learn from this tragedy and make sure that it never happens again,” President Ramaphosa said.

According to the Presidency, the meeting discussed various issues of national importance including service delivery, the District Development Model and crime and “the need to continue enhancing intergovernmental coordination”.

“The meeting…deliberated on service delivery constraints and proposed interventions; the implementation of the District Development Model (DDM); and corrective action plans to address the worst performing municipalities in terms of the Blue Drop and Green Drop assessments of water and wastewater treatment quality.

“The meeting reaffirmed the need to continue enhancing intergovernmental coordination, with a particular focus on infrastructure development and related financing mechanisms in view of the constrained fiscal environment. The meeting also welcomed proposals on the institutionalisation of the District Development Model and the roll out of the DDM support tool that will enable more focused and improved serviced delivery.

“On the ongoing fight against crime, the PCC resolved to strengthen the partnership between law enforcement agencies and the various provincial crime fighting initiatives to address illegal mining, intimidation of contractors and other security threats, and to bolster community based crime fighting capacity,” the Presidency said.

The PCC is the President’s platform for consultation and engagement with provinces and local government in order to raise matters of national interest, ensure alignment of strategic priorities, strengthen coordination, and discuss performance.

The PCC transcends local boundaries and coordinates action across spheres of government in a holistic and transversal manner, according to the Presidency. – SAnews.gov.za

NeoB
Sun, 09/03/2023 - 10:16

112 views

3 September 2023

Independent Power Producers programme reaping rewards

Location: News

Independent Power Producers programme reaping rewards

The Renewable Energy Independent Power Producers Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) is having a positive socio-economic impact on the industry and the economy.

This is according to the Minister in the Presidency for Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, who was speaking during a media briefing on the Energy Action Plan on Saturday.

Thus far, some 134 IPPs have been selected as preferred bidders, 11 904MW have been procured with 6180MW already operational and investment of R334.5 billion has been attracted for energy infrastructure.

Ramokgopa said that through the programme, “about R85 billion…has been placed in the hands of black business”.

“This is significant if we talk about the deracialisation of the South African economy. We are able to use our transition towards cleaner forms of energy to ensure that they provide significant meaning on this agenda of the deracialisation of the South African economy and we are having new participants, new entrants in the form of black players so that the democratic dividend is equitably distributed to all South Africans.

“[The programme] has been able to produce over 72 153 job years. It is a computation that we are using for us to be able to account for the number of employment opportunities that have been created in the South African economy as a result of the interventions of the Renewable Energy Programme. This speaks to the areas of during construction and also during operations.

“The Rand value of about R3.2 billion is what has been accumulated to the South African economy and this has got to significant impact in relation to socio-economic development and the areas of enterprise development so that we are able to expand the floor of opportunities to local communities, we are able to provide new skills that helps them to participate in this energy transition,” he said.

Ramokgopa revealed that some R69 billion actual spend has been spent on local content.

“There’s been a significant industrialisation on the back of the localisation of the components that are necessary to help us to decarbonise and transition. Our view is that on the back of this transition, on the back of this crisis, we must be able to expand the industrial base of the country.

“And on the back of this decarbonisation, on the back of this resolution of this crisis, we are also able to address the challenge of unemployment, we are able to address the challenge of structural unemployment in the form of the skills that are required to support the kind of economy that we are constructing and this economy will be underpinned by renewable energy sources,” he said.

On the environmental side, the Minister said REIPPPP projects have been able to offset some 97Mton of Carbon Dioxide with 114.7 million kilolitres of water saved.

“This is meaningful. There’s a multiplicity of matrices that underpin the renewable agenda. It’s not just only on the complexion of the generation mix, on the reduction of the emission levels but it also plays an important role on the deracialisation of the work that we are doing,” Ramokgopa said. – SAnews.gov.za

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Sat, 09/02/2023 - 11:12

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3 September 2023

Building Of Hope In Simondium Begins

Location: News

On Friday the Executive Mayor of Drakenstein Conrad Poole alongside the Provincial Minister of Infrastructure Tertuis Simmers, officiated at an historic sod-turning of the housing project in Simondium. The housing project is anticipated to create 384 housing opportunities over the next 3 years. The beneficiary list for this project will be exclusively selected from the …

3 September 2023

Blade Nzimande must act now!

Location: News

Dear Editor It has come to our attention that students, who are beneficiaries of NSFAS, have not received their allowances due to NSFAS’s administrative lapses. This situation has caused immense mental stress and financial hardship for these students, and it is absolutely unacceptable. The root cause of this issue lies in NSFAS’s failure to release …