News
Boys and men key in fighting GBVF
Boys and men key in fighting GBVF
South Africa’s men and boys are a crucial part of combatting the scourge of violence against women and girls.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said this in his address at the Presidential Young Men and Boys Indaba on Tuesday.
“As young men, you may be tired of being told you are a problem. You want your dignity respected and upheld. You want your good qualities to be recognised. We are here to tell you that we see you as not the problem, but as the solution. It is in your hands to bring about a new generation of South African men,” the President said.
At the session held at Maponya Mall in Soweto, learners who took part in the indaba were given a chance to ask the President questions which led to a fruitful engagement.
“From what I have heard today, I am more confident than ever that the boys and men of this country are an essential part of our struggle to end all forms of violence against women in our society.
“Your views, thoughts and ideas have enriched our understanding of the challenges young men face and how you are taking responsibility for yourselves and your society,” the President said.
In his address, the President said that “because it is men who are responsible for this scourge [violence against women and girls], men need to be part of bringing it to an end”.
“This young men’s dialogue is very important. To end gender-based violence, we must focus on prevention. We must stop this violence before it even happens.”
The President emphasised that there must be an open and honest conversation about what contributes to violence against women and girls.
Toxic masculinity
He strongly advised boys and men to talk about patriarchal attitudes and practices. Men were also urged to challenge toxic masculinity, which is the idea that being a man means one must dominate and demean women.
The conversation must include the influence of culture and media depictions of men and women.
Raising good men
“What about the Boys?” brings together government, the private sector, academia, civil society, the media and other stakeholders in a collaboration towards raising a nation of good men.
“What About The Boys?” is a gender-based violence and femicide(GBVF) prevention initiative to raise a nation of good men and is an outcome of a 2022 social compact, led by youth organisations and stakeholders in the public and private sectors.
“We have just seen the video and listened to the voices of participants, and it is clear that this programme continues to be well-received and has had a positive impact.
“We are correct to ask the question, “What about the Boys?”, because young men and boys must not be left behind.”
In addition, he emphasised that boys must be part of the journey towards a South Africa free of gender-based violence. They must be encouraged and supported to be change-makers in society.
He told the indaba that it is not easy to be a boy or a man in today’s era.
He highlighted that men and boys face a lot of pressure in in their peer groups, their families, in relationships, with friends, at school and places of higher learning and in society as a whole.
In South Africa today he said, young black men are most vulnerable to violence.
“As young men, you are vulnerable too. You also experience depression, loneliness, and frustration. These can sometimes manifest in aggressive behaviour, especially towards women and girls, problematic relationships, and violence. We must talk.”
He said the new generation of men are respectful, masculine in a positive way and sensitive.
“They would never think of a woman as less than a man. They would never think about raising their hand against a woman.”
Safe spaces
The first citizen said the dialogue was convened because government recognises that it must engage men and boys separately from women and girls.
This as government wants to create more safe and open spaces where boys can talk about their feelings, share with each other and collaborate on strategies that help them advance through different stages of their lives.
He emphasised that the focus of the programme is to reimagine and reinvent masculinities in sensitive, kind, respectful, accountable, expressive and nurturing ways.
“It is about working with young men and boys through theatres of learning to influence how they view themselves and the kinds of men that they grow into.
“As government, civil society, business and social partners we are committed to supporting you in your journey to becoming better men,” he said.
The President extended his gratitude to the Department of Basic Education, Primestars, SterKinekor and all the partners of the programme for taking the initiative to design such a positive and uplifting programme, and for their commitment to being part of change. – SAnews.gov.za
DikelediM
Tue, 08/29/2023 - 14:29
Correctional Services warns of fake purchase orders
Correctional Services warns of fake purchase orders
The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) has warned all suppliers within the departmental database linked to the Central Supplier Database of fraudulent purchasing orders.
“One of the ways in which the scammers operate is by means of requesting an upfront payment or seeking quotations for various goods from potential service providers.
“At times, they send a fictitious request for quotation (RFQ) from what would seem to be a Correctional Services email address, use a fake RFQ form with a logo and contact details of the contact person,” the statement read.
The requests, the department said, are usually “urgent” and the whole process is concluded within a short period.
“The department distances itself from this practice and advises all suppliers not to render services telephonically, without having the original purchasing order.
“No upfront payments are to be requested. Rather confirm the legitimacy of purchasing orders with the department’s supply chain unit, prior to processing and purchasing goods,” the department added. – SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Tue, 08/29/2023 - 13:32
Hollywoodbets announces landmark sponsorship deal with SAFA Men’s Regional League
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Re-open Public Protector Applications
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Bela Bill Victory Will Ensure That Public Voices Are Heard
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WP Rugby to Ink Groundbreaking Equity Deal
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CSIR appoints industry advisory panel to assist steer digital transformation
CSIR appoints industry advisory panel to help steer digital transformation
The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has announced the appointment of an industry advisory panel in the digital transformation space.
“This signifies the organisation’s efforts to align with industry-specific priorities in the quest to achieve digitalisation for greater societal and industrial impact.
“Utilising its robust science, engineering and technology capabilities, the organisation seeks to establish a balance between scientific and industrial development,” the organisation said on Monday.
Meanwhile, CSIR believes that a greater understanding of industry needs is vital to achieving these strategic objectives.
The Executive Cluster Manager of CSIR NextGen Enterprises and Institutions, Dr Lulama Wakaba, explained the purpose of the industry advisory panel, which is to provide advice on strategic issues to the cluster’s leadership and researchers in the digitalisation domain.
“It is guided by the CSIR’s mandate of contributing to improving the quality of life of the people of South Africa through directed multidisciplinary research and technological innovation. All clusters of the CSIR have important contributions to make to this mandate,” Wakaba added.
He also noted that the panel members bring a wealth of experience, which will be invaluable in gaining insight into market operations.
The panel comprises 12 members and Mamello Selamolela, who has been appointed Chairperson to lead the team.
The other members include Bronwyn Williams, Nomso Kana, Dawood Patel, Paul Mashegoane, Envir Fraser, Wakaba, Dr Ntsibane Ntlatlapa and Anne Gabathuse.
Group Executive for CSIR Smart Society, Dr Sandile Malinga, said he was looking forward to innovative insights and approaches based on the panel’s extensive experience and exposure.
“The newly established industry advisory panel not only strengthens the CSIR’s commitment to achieving strategic objectives but also underscores its dedication towards fostering industrial development and digital transformation within government, public institutions and the industry at large.”
The panel’s view, according to CSIR, is that the cluster’s impact ought to reflect the important pillars of society understanding the core of national societal needs and ensuring that the response harnesses digitalisation for the benefit of South Africa.
The CSIR, an entity of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, is one of the leading scientific and technology research, development and implementation organisations in Africa.
CSIR undertakes directed and multidisciplinary research and technological innovation, as well as industrial and scientific development to improve the quality of life of all South Africans. – SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Tue, 08/29/2023 - 09:33
How financial institutions can safeguard against deepfakes
In a matter of seconds, it is possible to hold your phone up to your face and see what you will look like in 40 years. Or you could fuse the image of your face with that of a celebrity. You could even record a birthday song for a friend in the voice of their favourite artist. With deepfake technology, it is simple and possible to edit a person's facial and vocal likeness with alarming accuracy. For the most part, this can be seen as harmless entertainment. But what if your likeness was used to drain your savings or commit fraud? As the technology to create deepfakes becomes easier and cheaper, the need to guard against these cybercrimes have come to the forefront.
A deepfake is a video, visual, or audio recording that has been distorted, manipulated, or synthetically created using deep learning techniques to present an individual, or a hybrid of several people, saying or doing something that they did not say or do. These deepfakes are often used in digital injection attacks which are sophisticated, highly scalable, and replicable cyberattacks that bypass the camera on a device or are injected into a data stream.
Murray Collyer, Chief Operating Officer of iiDENTIFii (http://www.iiDENTIFii.com/), says, “Digital injection attacks present the highest threat to financial services, as the AI technology behind it is affordable, and the attacks are rapidly scalable. In fact, a recent digital security report by our technology partner, iProov (http://www.iProov.com/), illustrates how, in an indiscriminate attempt to bypass an organisation's security systems, some 200-300 attacks were launched globally from the same location within a 24-hour period. As more and more South Africans embrace digital banking, deepfake technology is a serious threat.”
Recent research (https://apo-opa.info/3L09o3T) by Discovery Bank and Boston Consulting Group (BCG) into the future of retail banking in South Africa found that most (86%) South Africans are ready to do all their banking digitally, particularly via an app. Much of this trend stems from previously unbanked people. The Covid-19 pandemic naturally accelerated the trend.
As more South Africans set up digital accounts and do their banking online, financial crime and cybercrime have become more inextricably linked than ever before. Interpol states that financial and cybercrimes are the world's leading crime threats and are projected to increase the most.
Collyer adds, “Deepfake technology is one of the most rapidly growing threats within financial services, yet not all verification technologies are resilient to it. Password-based systems, for example, are highly susceptible to fraud. South Africa needs to strengthen their technology to outwit cyber criminals.”
While deepfakes are a severe threat, the technology and processes exist to safeguard financial services companies against this method of fraud.
A growing percentage of face biometric technology incorporates some form of liveness checks - such as wink and blink - to verify and authenticate customers. Liveness detection uses biometric technology to determine whether the individual presenting is a real human being, not a presented artefact. Therefore, this technology can detect a deepfake if it were to be played on a device and presented to the camera.
While many liveness detection technologies can determine if someone is conducting fraud by holding up a physical image (for example, a printed picture or mask of the person transacting) to the screen, many solutions cannot detect digital injection attacks.
Collyer says, “Specialised technology is required to combat deepfakes. Within iiDENTIFii, we have seen success with the use of sophisticated yet accessible 4D liveness technology, which includes a timestamp and is further verified through a three-step process where the user's selfie and ID document data are checked with relevant government databases. This enables us to accurately authenticate someone's identity.”
Collyer will be part of the speaker panel that will present to delegates at the 8th instalment of the AML, Financial Crime Southern Africa Conference (https://apo-opa.info/3KYm7Ec), that also includes representatives of companies such as Financial Intelligence Centre South Africa, Investec, Sanlam, Stanlib, Albaraka Bank, Standard Bank Mozambique, iiDENTIFii, Nice Actimize, SABRIC, Rand Merchant Bank, S & P Global Intelligence, FirstRand Namibia, Corruption Watch and many more.
The high-level conference will be hosted on 6 & 7 September at the Indaba Hotel Fourways South Africa and is attended annually by professionals from banks, insurance and investment companies, service providers, government, and MLCO's from non-designated financial service providers.
“With the right technology, it is not only possible to protect consumers and businesses against deepfake financial crimes but also create a user experience that is simple, accessible and safe for all,” Collyer concludes.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of iiDENTIFii.
About iiDENTIFii:
iiDENTIFii is a world-leading remote face authentication and automated onboarding technology platform. It fulfills the needs of customer-focused organisations that are required to authenticate and onboard customers. Using a frictionless and non-invasive automated proven process that meets customer intelligence and risk and compliance goals, iiDENTIFii ticks all the boxes from a governance and legislative perspective. https://iiDENTIFii.com/
Lawyer in Amazon controversy caught in qualification lie
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Economic reforms to create growth, jobs
Economic reforms to create growth, jobs
Through economic reforms implemented through Operation Vulindlela, President Cyril Ramaphosa says government is steadily laying the foundation for a revival of economic growth.
In his weekly newsletter, the President noted the release of a progress report, which highlights a number of key milestones that have been reached during the past quarter.
“Since Operation Vulindlela was established, we have built significant momentum in economic reforms to create growth and jobs.
“Through these reforms we are steadily laying the foundation for a revival of economic growth. By restructuring our network, industries like energy, telecommunications, ports and rail, we are opening the space for investment and a renewal of our nation’s infrastructure,” the President said.
The President highlighted that the first of the reform milestones was the digital migration process which government implemented by switching off analogue transmission for all frequencies above 694 MHz on 31 July 2023.
“This marks a significant step in migration from analogue to digital signal. This means that radio frequencies that were being used for television broadcasting can now be used for mobile telecommunications, which will make network communications more accessible and increase the speed and reduce the cost of data. The implementation of this reform will bring new investment in the telecommunications sector,” he said.
President Ramaphosa told citizens that work is underway to implement necessary reforms in the logistics sector to address the challenges that have held back the growth of South African exports.
He highlighted that the lack of investment and the increased cost of doing business have added to the many challenges that need to be addressed.
Another key milestone was reached with the selection of an international terminal operator to partner with Transnet at the Durban Pier 2 container terminal. This terminal handles close to half of South Africa’s port traffic.
“This partnership will increase investment for upgrading equipment and expanding terminal capacity. A key aspect of this partnership is that port infrastructure will remain state-owned and all jobs will be protected,” he said.
The President further highlighted that two critical pieces of legislation were tabled in Parliament this month, that will advance economic reform.
The Electricity Regulation Amendment Bill will support the restructuring of Eskom into three separate companies owned and controlled by Eskom Holdings, including an independent grid operator.
“Through this bill we will introduce competition in electricity generation, enabling a number of independent generators, alongside Eskom, to produce electricity to meet our country’s demand. This reform will fundamentally transform, modernise and improve South Africa’s energy sector to ensure energy security into the future.
“Meanwhile, the reforms we have implemented through the Energy Action Plan have unlocked new investment in renewable energy sources, both to end load shedding and to use our unique wind and solar resources to power economic growth,” he said.
One of key reforms that government has prioritised is in the water sector. Government has introduced the South African National Water Resources Infrastructure Bill to establish a dedicated national water agency to design, plan and finance water resource infrastructure.
This agency will enable significantly greater investment in bulk water infrastructure to guarantee water security in the years and decades to come, while creating jobs and unlocking new agricultural potential.
“We are implementing a range of other reforms to unlock economic growth, from creating an enabling regulatory environment for hemp and cannabis production to eradicating the backlog of title deeds for subsidised housing,” he said.
Despite difficult global conditions, the President said investors continue to see value in the South African economy and the benefit of the reform agenda government is pursuing.
He added that he is pleased that the BRICS Business Forum held last week was attended by 1 500 investors and business people from all five member countries.
The President said the Summit was able to showcase the potential of South Africa and the African continent as the next frontiers of productivity and growth.
“Many of the participants remarked on the enormous potential of our economic reform agenda to drive growth in the green economy, the digital economy and other key sectors.
“In all of the work that we do, our ultimate goal is the same: to build an inclusive, fast-growing and dynamic economy and thereby create a better life for all South Africans,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za
DikelediM
Tue, 08/29/2023 - 09:57
Coca-Cola Africa welcomes current Vice President of Operations in South Africa
Coca-Cola Africa has welcomed Sergio Vieira as the new Vice President of Franchise Operations, South Africa. Vieira joins the Coca-Cola Africa Operating Unit (AOU) (http://www.Coca-ColaCompany.com/) in Johannesburg.
Vieira replaces Phillipine Mtikitiki, who has taken on the role of Vice President of Franchise Operations, overseeing Italy and Albania.
Vieira's mission is to hone the company's strategic direction, grow and develop the business, strengthen partnerships, and build new relationships across South Africa, Eswatini, and Lesotho.
Luisa Ortega, Africa Operating Unit President at Coca-Cola Africa, said, "Sergio has a critical role in creating a highly dynamic environment that drives high performance and in building the next generation of leaders. His experience and expertise are invaluable as we continue to grow and expand our operations, and we look forward to the contributions he will make to our company."
Vieira has worked in the Coca-Cola system for over 20 years, joining Brazil's bottler's commercial function in 2002. In 2016, he took on the role of Marketing Director at Coca-Cola Hellenic, Nigeria. A key highlight was the awards for the best Growth Project for EMEA and the best Revenue Growth Management project globally.
Vieira said, "I am thrilled with the appointment and with the move to South Africa with my family. The business in South Africa supports a strong brand portfolio, has a talented team, and an enviable reputation as a leader in FMCG. Coca-Cola in South Africa is well-positioned and has achieved significant strides, such as being certified as a top employer in the food and beverage category by the Top Employer Institute, strategically positioning it for far greater success in the future."
Vieira has a bachelor's degree in business from Universidade Federal de Pernambuco in Brazil, specialising in finance, marketing, and innovation. He is passionate about football, loves learning about new cultures, is committed to leading the equity and female agenda, and enjoys travelling with his wife and children.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Coca-Cola.
For Media Enquiries
Lindiwe Zikalala:
lzikalala@coca-cola.com
Ramaphosa Must Urgently Include Looming Budget Cuts On Agenda Of President’s Coordinating Council
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KZN government unveils Nongoma multimillion rand projects
KZN government unveils Nongoma multimillion rand projects
KwaZulu-Natal Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube has assured the residents of Nongoma that the provincial government remains committed to facilitate the speedy delivery of water, roads and houses, and to completing some unexpected project delays in the area.
Dube-Ncube was speaking during the province’s Operation Sukuma Sakhe (OSS) Cabinet Day, held recently, where the province’s MECs addressed various service delivery concerns and unveiled projects throughout the Nongoma Local Municipality.
Dube-Ncube said the OSS gives the leaders an opportunity to listen without mediation, to the voices and concerns of the people of KwaZulu-Natal.
The Premier unveiled the Bhuqwini Rural Housing Project, which will deliver 300 houses in Ward 17. The R49.4 million project will also see the employment of at least 60 people and 20 being trained as National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Level 2 builders.
Unveiling the project, Dube-Ncube said they have introduced the contractor to build houses and urge the community to take care of the project and to make sure that the houses are not vandalised.
“When we deliver houses as the Government of KwaZulu-Natal, we are implementing the Freedom Charter which says there shall be houses, security and comfort for all,” Dube-Ncube said.
The Premier also undertook to facilitate the repair and maintenance of Royal Palaces some of which are said to have fallen into disrepair due to lack of regular attention.
“We value the institution of traditional leadership as the glue that holds our communities together as the custodian of our customs and traditions. The Palaces are an important part of our history and we will ensure that for years to come, this heritage is protected for generations to come,” the Premier said.
Various MECs and senior government officials also visited other projects and centres to deliver dignified services to the community.
Economic Development Tourism and Environmental Affairs MEC and Government Business leader, Siboniso Duma, visited the R19 million Maphophoma Milling, which is owned by a co-operative and funded by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
The MEC committed the provincial government support for the co-operative to access more land and to increase their maize production.
He said, the provincial state agencies, including Agri-Development Agency, ITHALA and the KZN Growth Fund, will also ensure access to funding for the co-operative.
Duma also visited the pedestrian bridges that are currently being constructed by Transport and Defence Departments.
Finance MEC, Neliswa Peggy Nkonyeni, visited the Casukile Primary Co-operative run by a group of women who manufacture toilet papers. Nkonyeni committed the provincial government to fund the co-operative members’ training on business skills, branding of their products and sourcing new markets for their products.
Nkonyeni also encouraged the Nongoma Local Municipality to buy locally manufactured goods in order to grow the local economy.
Over 20 speed points were donated to Ward 19 businesswomen, in a bid to encourage them to grow their businesses and create more jobs for the locals.
Sport, Arts and Culture MEC, who is also Zululand Cabinet OSS Champion, Dr Ntuthuko Mahlaba, visited the Buxedene Clinic where the toilets are not in good working order and have no computers, forcing personnel to capture data manually.
Mahlaba announced that Road D1880 which runs from Bhekumthetho to Ncemaneni will undergo an upgrade to install blacktop, and that the contract has already been advertised with an award expected to be finalised soon.
In addition to the housing shortage, Nongoma faces other challenges, including water, taxi-related killings, revenge murders, unemployment, teenage pregnancy and Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF), which Provincial Cabinet promised to urgently attend to.
The Premier said the departments, working with local government will soon return to the Nongoma Local Municipality, in order to follow up on all the challenges identified during the OSS engagement. – SAnews.gov.za
GabiK
Tue, 08/29/2023 - 10:39
Laager Rooibos and dietician Mbali Mapholi bring innovative solution to heart health this Heart Awareness Month
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SA congratulates Zimbabwe on recent elections
SA congratulates Zimbabwe on recent elections
South Africa has congratulated the government and the people of the Republic of Zimbabwe on the recent elections that were held last week.
“The Republic of South Africa congratulates the government and the people of the Republic of Zimbabwe for organising and holding the harmonised elections to elect the President, National Assembly and Local government representatives, which took place on 23 and 24 August 2023,” said the Presidency.
In a statement on Monday, the Presidency said that South Africa is conscious that the “elections took place under a difficult economic environment due to the burdening sanctions which the people of Zimbabwe continue to unjustly endure.”
In addition, South Africa has taken note of the preliminary pronouncements by the invited International Observers Missions including the African Union (AU) and the South African Development Community (SEOM) Observer Missions.
“South Africa calls on all the parties in Zimbabwe to work in unison in sustaining peace and work towards development and shared prosperity in the country.” –SAnews.gov.za
Neo
Tue, 08/29/2023 - 10:27
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