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Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber was proud of his charges on Saturday after delivering a record 35-7 victory over New Zealand in their final Rugby World Cup warm-up game at Twickenham, but he said there was still work to do before they arrived in France and attempted to defend their title. Nienaber said one of the …
Kabelo Seboko-Mulaudzi (South Africa) made it two for two in the 2023 Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series as he claimed line honours at the inaugural Absa RUN YOUR CITY TSHWANE 10K on Sunday 27 August 2023, while Ethiopia’s Debash Desta secured the top spot on the podium in the Women’s Race. Seboko-Mulaudzi and a big …
Deputy President undertakes official visit to South Sudan
Deputy President Paul Mashatile, in his capacity as a Special Envoy to South Sudan, will undertake an official visit to the Republic of South Sudan from 28 to 31 August 2023.
The Deputy President will be accompanied by Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr. Naledi Pandor and hosted by South Africa’s Ambassador to South Sudan, Advocate Mahlodi Muofhe.
While on the official visit, the Deputy President is set to meet with His Excellency President Salva Kiir Mayardit, Vice Presidents, Ministers, South Sudan elders, and representatives of relevant organisations.
Other activities that the Deputy President will embark on include the laying of a wreath at the Dr. John Garang Mausoleum and delivering official remarks at the South African Police Contingent Medal Parade in Juba.
“The visit by Deputy President Mashatile is aimed at taking stock of the latest developments in the implementation of the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS), to monitor preparations for the national elections, to recommit South Africa’s support for the transition in South Sudan and to further strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries,” the Presidency said in a statement.
South Africa has a long-standing relationship with South Sudan, which predates its independence in 2011.
Since the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005, South Africa has been involved in post-conflict reconstruction and development in South Sudan and the wider region.
South Africa has committed to and supports reconciliation, reconstruction, nation-building, and economic development for the people of South Sudan. – SAnews.gov.za
DikelediM
Sun, 08/27/2023 - 14:43
Agreements to aid energy solutions
Minister in the Presidency for Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has emphasised that the agreements signed in the past week with Chinese state owned entities and the donation by the People's Republic of China are to address this country’s emergency energy solutions.
South Africa concluded a significant amount of agreements with Chinese state owned entities (SOEs) with the signing of two overarching memoranda that were witnessed by President Cyril Ramaphosa and President Xi Jinping.
South Africa hosted the 15th BRICS Summit last week and the country also hosted President Xi on his fourth State Visit to South Africa ahead of the Summit.
Addressing the media on the Energy Action Plan on Sunday, Ramokgopa explained that the two agreements include amongst others, addressing issues of green energy solutions, exploitations of renewable energy sources and the use of modern technology.
“The two agreements – the first one addresses issues around green energy solutions- the partnership agreement we will be entering in relation to the exploitation of renewable energy sources in our country; the use of modern technology and the degree to which we are able to connect renewable energy onto the grid.
“The rationale for entering with the Chinese in this regard is because they are a dominant player on the renewable energy space. They have 688 gigawatts of installed capacity of renewables, a combination of PV and wind. They have done one of the biggest expansions of transmission and they have also worked on the kind of transmission modernisation required to be able to accommodate the intermittency of renewable sources,” the Minister said.
In regards to the donation by the People's Republic of China, the Minister said this is aimed at addressing South Africa’s emergency energy solutions, which is targeted at key public facilities such as police stations, health institutions and correctional centres.
Minister Ramokgopa emphasised that provincial departments will play a role in identifying the key public areas.
“The second one, was an exchange of letters in relation to a donation that we are receiving from the People’s Republic of China that is meant to help us in addressing the emergency energy solution in the country.
“I did indicate that it’s likely going to be targeted in key public facilities such as hospitals, clinics, correctional services, and police stations. In this regard, we will be working with the nine provincial governments for them to be able to identify sites that are suitable for this.
“We already have a technical capacity that is supporting us in relation to the appropriateness of the technology solutions that are given to us and those that have been agreed upfront,” he said.
Ramokgopa further announced that the first shipment of the technology solutions by China is en route and an announcement will be made when it arrives in the country, having left Chinese shores on 14 August.
“We will announce at the right time when the first shipment lands and give an indication of the first public facilities that will benefit from this generous donation.”
Turning to the performance of the system for the past week, the Minister said that the available capacity has come down.
“I did indicate that we are beginning to normalise being above 28 000 megawatts on average. We have kept close to that most of the week and the average is about 27 561 megawatts,” he said.
“We did indicate that we were going to slow down planned outages and once we get out of a very difficult winter we are going to ramp up because we need to protect these machines, generation and units to ensure their sustainability and reliability going into the future.
“We still remain above 15 000 megawatts in relation to unplanned capacity lost factor. I made a point that we want to bring it down,” the Minister said.
Load shedding
On load shedding, Ramokgopa said government was confident the system was stabilising and the country will continue to have lower stages of load shedding as the system recovers.
“On the issue of performance, we are more that satisfied. We have shown where we moved from a historic low of 48% of energy availability factor. We have been averaging 60% energy availability factor.
“When we went to the winter period, the worst case scenario was Stage 8. We only had 30 hours of Stage 6. You can see the intensity of load shedding is coming down. The issues of outage slips, I have shown to you, they have come down from a high of 3 300 megawatts to 766 megawatts,” the Minister said. – SAnews.gov.za
DikelediM
Sun, 08/27/2023 - 13:07
Truck drivers in southern Africa who have been recruited to traffic or smuggle people illegally are learning about the risks involved thanks to the UN drugs and crime agency, UNODC.
“I used to transport sugar from Malawi,” said an anonymous driver, who was arrested for migrant trafficking. “In 2016, I had to wait for several days at a border crossing in Tanzania for customs checks. I was approached by a man who offered me a lot of money to transport goats.”
His story is not unique.
Malawi is located at the crossroads of several significant flows of people fleeing conflict, instability, and poverty in Central Africa and the Horn of Africa.
Such movements provide lucrative opportunities for smugglers and traffickers and for Malawi's 5,000 registered international truck drivers.
The driver who shared his story said he was paid in advance, and the man who offered him the deal took photos of both him and his truck. The driver proceeded to spend some of the money and send more to his wife.
“On the day I was due to leave, the man told me the ‘goats' were actually 30 illegal migrants from Ethiopia,” he said. “They looked very sick, tired, and malnourished. He said I had to take them to a location in Malawi that's close to a large refugee camp.”
Smuggler threats
When the driver tried to protest, the smuggler demanded his money back and threatened to take the truck and share photos of him with the authorities.
“This is how it all started, and soon it became my main business,” he said. “The man would pay me a lot of money and escort me in a small car, so he could bribe corrupt police and immigration officers along the way.”
According to the driver, he was initially not aware that what he was doing was illegal.
Then, in 2019, he was arrested in Mozambique while transporting 72 migrants from Malawi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
“Now I'm sick, unemployed, and divorced,” the driver said.
Trafficking risks
Truck drivers based in Malawi are now learning about the risks of transporting migrants and trafficking victims, thanks to a programme supported by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The courses, which began in February, are already proving to be a success.
Feckson Chimodzi, a truck driver who transports farming products from countries in Southern Africa into Malawi and also participated in the course, said drivers who work with smugglers and traffickers often do it “out of necessity” to supplement their low salaries.
“Our employers need to improve our working conditions and give us comprehensive training about the dangers of getting involved in these crimes,” Mr. Chimodzi said.
Strict penalties
Criminals who smuggle or traffic humans within countries or across borders use all possible routes and modes of transportation to transfer people for profit and exploitation.
If apprehended by authorities, the truck drivers are usually arrested and imprisoned, explained Maxwell Matewere, a UNODC National Project Officer on trafficking in persons.
“There's a lack of understanding of human trafficking and migrant smuggling in the region, and payment for illegally transporting people is much larger than the regular truck driver's salary,” said Mr. Matewere, who conducts the training.
“Most drivers know what they're doing is illegal, but are told that when they cross borders, corrupt officials will let them pass,” he said. “So, they take the money and the risk.”
Vehicle confiscations and arrests
Following a series of vehicle confiscations and arrests in neighbouring countries, the Professional Drivers Association of Malawi asked UNODC to train its members on the dangers of transporting smuggled migrants and victims of trafficking.
A total of four courses for around 400 drivers have been conducted, with further sessions scheduled in October. The participants are informed about the penalties they face if caught, including the loss of both their truck and employment, a criminal record, and potential imprisonment of up to 14 years in a foreign country.
Positive impact, new allies
Since the start of the UNODC courses, the Professional Drivers Association has reported a reduction in the number of arrests of Malawian drivers on charges of migrant smuggling and human trafficking.
Many drivers who attended the training are proving to be “very useful allies” in the prevention and detection of cases of migrant smuggling and human trafficking, said Mr. Matewere said.
“We explain that migrant smuggling and human trafficking are serious organized criminal activities punishable by laws in Malawi and the countries the drivers transit, such as Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania, and Mozambique,” he said.
“Furthermore, the drivers are told that these crimes are linked to exploitation, abuse, and violence and can even result in death, and we tell them about the connections to other illicit activities such as drugs and firearms smuggling,” he added.
Last year, Malawi's Ministry for Homeland Security appointed a new group of law enforcement officers to counter the increasing cases of migrant smuggling and human trafficking.
“We've established contact between the truck drivers we trained and this specialised unit, so they now know who to inform when they've been approached by criminals to carry people in their vehicles,” Mr. Matewere said.
Since May, seven attempts of human trafficking and migrant smuggling have been stopped by authorities at border crossings due to information from truck drivers. A recent case involved 40 Malawians, including children, who were being taken in three trucks to South Africa and intercepted on the border with Zambia.
The awareness-raising courses are organized through UNODC's human trafficking and migrant smuggling section, with the cooperation of Malawi's Ministry of Homeland Security and financial support from the Government of Sweden.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG).
Call to address Limpopo water challenges
Officials involved in the Olifantspoort and Ebenezer upgrade project have been urged to move with speed in resolving water challenges.
Minister of Water and Sanitation, Senzo Mchunu, his deputy, David Mahlobo, as well as Polokwane Local Municipality Mayor Mosema Mpe echoed this sentiment during a meeting with Lepelle Northern Water in Pretoria.
The aim of Thursday’s meeting was to receive progress report on the Olifantspoort and Ebenezer upgrade project that is meant to address water challenges in the Capricorn and Sekhukhune Districts, Polokwane Local Municipalities and surrounding areas in Limpopo.
The project entails the refurbishment and upgrading of aging water infrastructure to meet the current water demands of the increasing population.
Phase 1A of the Olifantspoort and Ebenezer upgrades includes the refurbishment of the water scheme to function at full capacity of 114 m/l per day by October 2024. This is to be increased to 144 m/l per day by 2026, depending on the funding.
Meanwhile, phase 1b is aimed at increasing the capacity to 180 m/l per day by 2027. Phase 2 of the project is earmarked to increase production to 270 m/l per day by 2029.
“Giving marching orders to the officials from the department, Lepelle and Polokwane Local Municipality, Minister Mchunu said they need to revise the plans to implement the project and come up with workable solutions that will address the current challenges,” said the Department of Water and Sanitation.
Deputy Director-General responsible for Water and Sanitation Services, Risimati Mathye presented a12-point plan that is set to unlock challenges facing all stakeholders directly involved in the project.
These include amongst others, concrete partnership with Development Bank of Southern Africa, improved contract management, improved capacity, improved decision making and good governance.
Minister Mchunu implored all those involved in the project to take their work seriously with dedicated project managers to oversee the work done on the ground.
He asked for regular updates with clear timelines on when certain aspects of the project will be completed. –SAnews.gov.za
Neo
Sun, 08/27/2023 - 13:22
The Presidency and National Treasury have today, Sunday 27 August 2023, released a progress report for Q2 2023 on the implementation of economic reforms through Operation Vulindlela.
In October 2020, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the establishment of Operation Vulindlela as a joint initiative of The Presidency and National Treasury to accelerate the implementation of reforms to revive economic growth and create jobs.
The progress report outlines several key milestones that have been reached as part of government's economic reform agenda, including the following:
● Gazetting of the final date for analogue switch-off (ASO), which has enabled analogue transmission to be switched off for all frequencies above 694 Megahertz (MHz) on 31 July 2023 to enable the use of spectrum for mobile telecommunications. This key reform will improve network quality, reduce data costs and expand digital access for all South Africans.
● Selection of an international terminal operator to partner with Transnet at the Durban Pier 2 container terminal. This will crowd in private investment and management expertise to improve the performance of South Africa's largest container terminal, handling 72% of the Port of Durban's throughput and 46% of South Africa's port traffic.
● Establishment of the National Logistics Crisis Committee (NLCC) to oversee short and long-term interventions to fix South Africa's freight logistics system. The NLCC has eight work streams focused on immediate operational improvements in the logistics system as well as longer-term reforms to improve efficiency and competitiveness, and will report to the President.
● Approval of the National Water Resources Infrastructure Agency (NWRIA) Bill for tabling in Parliament. The establishment of the NWRIA as a dedicated agency to manage and invest in bulk water resource infrastructure is the centrepiece of institutional reforms in the water sector.
● Establishment of the One Stop Shop for energy projects to accelerate private investment in new generation capacity. The One Stop Shop will facilitate regulatory authorisations for energy projects, with the aim of establishing a single, fully electronic application process.
● Progress in procuring new generation capacity to close the gap in electricity supply, with nine projects from Bid Window 5 having reached financial close to date and a further four expected to close by September 2023.
The report provides a detailed update on each of the priority reform areas in Operation Vulindlela, including reforms to the energy, logistics, telecommunications, and water sectors as well as the visa regime.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Presidency: Republic of South Africa.
Call to keep the environment clean
Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Makhotso Sotyu has called on all South Africans to do their part in keeping the environment clean and habitable.
“All South Africans have the responsibility to ensure that their environment is clean, green and habitable. Poor waste management poses health and environmental risks. Everyone can do something to attain clean-living spaces.”
The Deputy Minister made this call during a clean-up and greening activity in Bothaville in the Free State on Friday.
The Constitution of South Africa guarantees everyone the right of access to an environment that is not harmful to their health and well-being and to have the natural environment protected for the benefit of current and future generations.
She said the collaborative effort between the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment and Lejweleputswa District and Nala Local Municipalities aims to emphasise the importance of active citizenry involvement in safeguarding natural resources and curbing waste pollution in communities.
“What we are doing here today epitomizes the Good Green Deeds programme, a ground-breaking Presidential initiative that seeks to mobilise all sectors of South Africa to become more environmentally conscious, leading to a deal for nature.”
The Good Green Deeds programme seeks to change people’s attitudes, behaviours towards responsible management of waste, and keeping their neighbourhoods clean, green and safe.
“This is a clarion call to all sectors in society to do their part to contribute to Good Green Deeds. Where there is litter, society is urged to work together to clear litter and rubble that threatens our efforts to build a healthy South Africa.”
She added that illegal dumping and littering are some of the most common problems in the country and affect all municipalities alike.
“The prevalence of ineffective waste management practices is being witnessed in many parts of the country. This trend, unfortunately, affects the well-being of communities, as it has indeed resulted in the mushrooming of pockets of illegal dumping and littering sites.
“More emphasis is required to ensure that citizens are mobilized to take a firm position against such activities in their respective communities.”
She said a departmental team working together with the provincial Department of Economic, Small Business Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Lejweleputswa District Municipality and Nala Local Municipality, has spent the past few days conducting clean-up and greening activities at different identified spots in this municipality.
In-House Model
In addition to Friday’s clean-up, the Deputy Minister also handed over personal protective equipment (PPE) to the In-House Model participants to heighten the cleaning and greening programme.
“Through the environmental programmes, we have conceptualised the In-House Model which allows the department to implement and manage its projects using its own staff. This model enables the department to employ more Expanded Public works Programme (EPWP) participants due to ‘savings’ on project management fees. It enables the department to be in control and ensures timely payment of wages.”
The In-House model facilitates direct partnership with local government. In so doing, the department pays stipends, Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) and Compensation for Occupation Injuries and Diseases (COID) whilst the municipalities provide PPE, tools of trade and commit to pick up collected waste.
“I am pleased to announce that we have recruited 517 participants as part of the In-House Model to address service delivery and waste management in partnership with the Lejweleputswa District Municipality,” she said. –SAnews.gov.za
Neo
Sun, 08/27/2023 - 12:50
Operation Vulindlela reaches several key milestones
Operation Vulindlela has made significant progress by reaching several key milestones in the second quarter of 2023.
The Presidency and National Treasury on Sunday released the progress report for quarter two of 2023 on the implementation of economic reforms through Operation Vulindlela.
According to the report, over 70% of the reforms have have been completed or are on track to be finalised within the next year.
President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the establishment of Operation Vulindlela in October 2020, as a joint initiative of The Presidency and National Treasury to accelerate the implementation of reforms to revive economic growth and create jobs.
“Operation Vulindlela is now approaching its third anniversary. In that time, progress in the implementation of priority structural reforms has gathered pace. As it stands, over 70% of OV [Operation Vulindlela] reforms have now either been completed or are on track to be finalised within the next year.
“A minority of reforms – those in the municipal space and the additional reforms that Operation Vulindlela has taken on in the last year – will run beyond the 2023/2024 fiscal year,” stated the report.
The progress report outlines several key milestones that have been reached as part of government’s economic reform agenda.
The first of these came with the gazetting of the final date for the analogue switch-off (ASO) on 15 June 2023.
“Gazetting of the final date for analogue switch-off, has enabled analogue transmission to be switched off for all frequencies above 694 Megahertz (MHz) on 31 July 2023 to enable the use of spectrum for mobile telecommunications. This key reform will improve network quality, reduce data costs and expand digital access for all South Africans,” the report said.
In the transport sector, President Ramaphosa directed the establishment of the National Logistics Crisis Committee (NLCC) to oversee implementation of the Freight Logistics Roadmap, which is being developed by government and Transnet.
The roadmap incorporates proposals to resolve the immediate operational challenges while developing interventions to fundamentally restructure the logistics sector to support inclusive economic growth.
“A key milestone was reached with the selection of an international terminal operator to partner with Transnet at the Durban Pier 2 container terminal. This will crowd in private investment and management expertise to improve the performance of South Africa’s largest container terminal, handling 72% of the Port of Durban’s throughput and 46% of South Africa’s port traffic,” the report said.
Another key milestone was reached in the establishment of the NLCC to oversee short and long-term interventions to fix South Africa’s freight logistics system.
The NLCC has eight work streams focused on immediate operational improvements in the logistics system as well as longer-term reforms to improve efficiency and competitiveness, and will report to the President.
In the water sector, the National Water Resources Infrastructure Agency (NWRIA) Bill received approval from Cabinet to proceed to Parliament.
The Bill, which seeks to establish an agency to manage national bulk water resource infrastructure and attract investment in water resource development, is expected to be tabled in Parliament by August 2023.
“The establishment of the NWRIA as a dedicated agency to manage and invest in bulk water resource infrastructure is the centrepiece of institutional reforms in the water sector,” the report said.
Another milestone reached is the establishment of the One Stop Shop for energy projects to accelerate private investment in new generation capacity. The One Stop Shop will facilitate regulatory authorisations for energy projects, with the aim of establishing a single, fully electronic application process.
“Progress in procuring new generation capacity to close the gap in electricity supply, with nine projects from Bid Window 5 having reached financial close to date and a further four expected to close by September 2023.”
The report provides a detailed update on each of the priority reform areas in Operation Vulindlela, including reforms to the energy, logistics, telecommunications, and water sectors as well as the visa regime.
The full Operation Vulindlela 2023_24 Q2 Report can be downloaded at https://www.stateofthenation.gov.za/operation-vulindlela . – SAnews.gov.za
DikelediM
Sun, 08/27/2023 - 10:33
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After being left out of the Springbok World Cup 2023 Squad Elton Jantjies issued a statement for the reason why and that was followed by an even shorter statement from the South African Rugby Union (SARU). In their statement SARU said; “SA Rugby has noted the statement issued on behalf of Elton Jantjies and confirms …
Wellington’s Tyron Adams crowned 2023 Boerewors Champion! Tyron Adams (31) is the winner of the 2023 Shoprite and Checkers Championship Boerewors competition. The Wellington-born chef was up against nine other finalists from across the country at the grand finale held in Somerset West, Cape Town, on 26 August. “I am ecstatic! This was totally unexpected, …
President Isaias Afwerki returned home concluding his visit to the Republic of South Africa to attend the BRICS-Africa Outreach and BRICS Plus Dialogues on the invitation of President Cyril Ramaphosa of the Republic of South Africa which was held on 24 August in Johannesburg.
At the summit in which leaders of 65 countries and heads of regional and global organizations took part, President Isaias addressed the summit focusing Eritrea's stance on the flaws and deficits of the prevailing global governance architecture and attempts to impose uni-polarity in its sequel in the past thirty years whose defining features are dysfunctional.
On the sideline of the summit, President Isaias met with President Cyril Ramaphosa of the Republic of South Africa, Mr. Sergie Aleinik, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus, President Salva Kiir Mayardit of the Republic of South Africa, Mr. Saleh Kebzabo, Prime Minister of Chad, and Mr. Yvan Gil, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Venezuela and discussed on the development of bilateral ties and on issues of common interest.
Mr. Osman Saleh, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Mr. Saleh Omar, Eritrea's Ambassador to South Africa attended the meetings.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.
SAnews withdraws two articles
SAnews has withdrawn two erroneous articles titled: "Koeberg units expected to return in November" and "Koeberg Unit 1 expected to return in November" which were published on Friday, 18 August 2023 and Saturday, 26 August 2023 respectively. Their content is not reflective of the current situation at Koeberg. We apologise for the error!
SAnews.gov.za
Neo
Sat, 08/26/2023 - 14:35
Deputy President Paul Mashatile, in his capacity as a Special Envoy to South Sudan, will undertake an official visit to the Republic of South Sudan from 28 – 31 August 2023.
Deputy President Mashatile will meet with His Excellency President Salva Kiir Mayardit, Vice Presidents, Ministers, South Sudan elders, and representatives of relevant organisations.
Other activities of the Deputy President include the laying of a wreath at the Dr. John Garang Mausoleum and delivering official remarks at the South African Police Contingent Medal Parade in Juba.
The visit by Deputy President Mashatile is aimed at taking stock of the latest developments in the implementation of the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS), to monitor preparations for the national elections, to recommit South Africa's support for the transition in South Sudan and to further strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries.
South Africa has a long-standing relationship with South Sudan, which predates its independence in 2011. Since the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005, South Africa has been involved in post-conflict reconstruction and development in South Sudan and the wider region. Our country has committed to and supports reconciliation, reconstruction, nation-building, and economic development for the people of South Sudan.
Deputy President Mashatile will be accompanied by Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Dr. Naledi Pandor, and Mr. Mahlodi Muofhe, South Africa's Ambassador to South Sudan.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Presidency: Republic of South Africa.
Mahdi Safari Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Economic Diplomacy and Ms. Dilma Rousseff President of the New Development Bank (a multilateral development bank established by the BRICS states) met on the sideline of the BRICS summit in South Africa.
Mahdi Safari Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Economic Diplomacy and Ms. Dilma Rousseff President of the New Development Bank (a multilateral development bank established by the BRICS states) met on the sideline of the BRICS summit in South Africa.
In the meeting, the two sides discussed the process of Iran joining the bank.
During the talks, the Iranian official said talks got underway in 2017 on Iran joining the New Development Bank (NDB), calling for the negotiations to gather pace.
Rousseff, in turn, congratulated Iran on its membership in BRICS, welcoming Iran's joining the NDB.
She said the presence of Iran will boost the power and international status of the bank.
In the meeting, the two sides designated their representatives to follow up on Iran's NDB membership bid.
Safari also invited Rousseff to visit Iran. Accordingly, the NDB president announced her readiness to travel to Iran in the near future.
It is noteworthy that the NDB was established in 2015 by five member states of BRICS, namely Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa with a capital of $100 billion.
The United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bangladesh later joined the bank.
Uruguay has also completed talks on its joining the bank.
Former Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff heads the bank, which is headquartered in the Chinese city of Shanghai.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Islamic Republic of Iran.
Koeberg Unit 1 expected to return in November
Eskom’s Unit 1 at the Koeberg Nuclear Power Station is planned to be commercially available on November 3, since undergoing a planned outage late last year.
Unit 2 is expected to go on a similar maintenance outage from November 7. This will ensure that both Koeberg units are not shutdown simultaneously.
In an earlier version of this story, SAnews, the South African Government news agency, incorrectly stated that both units will be returning to service in November. SAnews regrets and apologises for any inconvenience caused in this regard.
The power utility said the maintenance project will make the nuclear power station more efficient and add a further 27MW to the power station’s output.
“The replacement of the steam generators was a first of its kind complex nuclear project to be performed at Koeberg and is the last major plant component out of the three to be replaced on the unit as part of the Long-Term Operation (LTO) project.
“The other two components, namely the replacement of the Refuelling Water Storage Tanks and the Reactor Vessel Closure Heads, have been replaced in previous years on both Units 1 and 2. The replacement of the steam generators is the last of the large components that Eskom deemed necessary to be replaced in support of its application to operate the Koeberg units for another 20 years,” the power utility said.
Eskom explained its decision to apply to the National Nuclear Regulator (NNR) for an extension to operate the power station for a further 20 years.
The power utility added that the delay in returning the two units to service will not have an effect on its application.
“The conservative design of the station, the investment that Eskom has made in continuously improving the safety standards, the rigorous maintenance as well as the testing programme over its operating lifespan, give merit to Eskom’s decision to apply for the licence to operate the plant for an additional 20 years.
“The Koeberg units have operated safely and reliably for almost 40 years. The amendment of the operating licence will enable Koeberg to continue providing safe, clean, and reliable power to the grid, and playing the essential role of stabilising supply in the Western Cape, which Unit 2 has safely continued to do with an excellent energy availability factor of 94.87%, while Unit 1 was on outage,” it said. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Sat, 08/26/2023 - 11:52
Hours spent every week removing invasive water hyacinth and rubbish
President Isaias Afwerki in the morning hours of today met with President Cyril Ramaphosa of the Republic of South Africa in Johannesburg.
President Isaias Afwerki and President Cyril Ramaphosa discussed bilateral ties and international and regional issues of mutual interest. The two leaders also exchanged views on imperative of coordination between the African Union and BRICS to advance lofty objectives of inclusive growth.
President Isaias also held meetings with President Salva Kiir Mayardit of the Republic of South Africa, Mr. Saleh Kebzabo, Prime Minister of Chad, and Mr. Yvan Gil, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Venezuela.
The meetings with President Salva Kirr and Prime Minister Saleh Kebzabo were centered on stepping up efforts by Sudan's neighbors to put an end to the crisis in Sudan.
The discussion with Foreign Minister Yvan Gil was centered on advancing integrated global cooperation and improving political and economic ties between Eritrea and Venezuela.
President Isaias Afwreki and his delegation also visited, later in the day, the Hydraform Technological Plant, in the environs of Johannesburg that specializes in housing construction materials.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.
Business seminar to empower KZN entrepreneurs
The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) in collaboration with the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development, Tourism, and Environmental Affairs (KZN EDTEA) will on Tuesday host the eThekwini Business Seminar at the Durban Exhibition Centre.
According to the dtic, this event is specifically designed to provide valuable information and insights on funding opportunities within the agencies of the dtic and KZN EDTEA.
With a primary focus on supporting emerging and disadvantaged businesses, the eThekwini Business Seminar aims to equip local entrepreneurs with the tools and knowledge they need to succeed in today's competitive business landscape.
Speakers at the seminar will include the Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Nomalugelo Gina, the KZN EDTEA Member of Executive Committee (MEC), Siboniso Duma and eThekwini Executive Mayor, Councillor Mxolisi Kaunda.
Their collective expertise and commitment to driving economic growth will undoubtedly contribute to the success of this event.
Deputy Minister Nomalungelo Gina explains that the eThekwini Business Seminar seeks to attract a diverse audience including local businessmen, representatives from various state entities and agencies of both the dtic and KZN EDTEA.
“We seek to foster knowledge sharing, collaboration, and partnership opportunities, to educate emerging and disadvantaged businesses about the range of funding opportunities available within the dtic and the KZN EDTEA, to facilitate knowledge sharing and to create a platform for meaningful interactions between state entities and local businesses,” Gina said.
The Deputy Minister said the purpose of the seminar is to enable entrepreneurs to leverage funding support packages for their identified projects and to facilitate networking and relationship-building between local businesses and state entities to promote collaboration and foster economic growth.
She said the forum presents a unique opportunity for entrepreneurs to not only gain valuable insights into funding instruments within the agencies of the dtic and KZN EDTEA but also to forge meaningful connections with state entities and fellow business leaders. – SAnews.gov.za
Edwin
Fri, 08/25/2023 - 08:58
The settlement has waited for over two decades to be upgraded despite a 2016 court ruling in residents’ favour
DPE, China Development Bank sign agreement
The Department of Public Enterprises has entered into a Collaboration Framework Agreement with the China Development Bank (CBD) which the department says will enhance the sustainability of State Owned Companies (SOCs).
The CBD already has funding agreements with Eskom and Transnet for locomotives and the building of power stations, Medupi and Kusile.
“We are laying the foundation for a more sustainable path to ensure that our developmental goals as a country stay on track. This agreement is also a sign of our commitment as government to create an enabling environment for our SOCs. They are a critical lever to drive service delivery and economic opportunity to improve the lives of millions of South Africans,” DPE Minister Pravin Gordhan said.
He added that the agreement will open new paths for SOCs.
“This agreement is a culmination of the discussions and engagements that we conducted with the CDB during our visit to Beijing in May this year. The DPE is confident that this agreement will allow us to better position our SOCs for future growth as we leverage the exchange of expertise, technical skills and other strategic catalysts that this collaboration framework agreement makes possible,” Gordhan added.
The agreement was signed on the side lines of the 15th BRICS Summit held in Johannesburg and is one of the key initiatives to deepen China-South Africa relations following Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Official State Visit to Pretoria on Tuesday.
CBD Vice Chairman and President, Tan Jiong, said: “We view this agreement as one more step in our efforts to enhance cooperation across a range of key strategic sectors to enable further development that is underpinned by a strong relationship between our two countries".
“The CDB already has a close relationship with Transnet and Eskom, but now we also have the opportunity to work with the DPE in other areas of mutual interest, including mining and forestry”. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Fri, 08/25/2023 - 09:06
Renowned sports betting operator Hollywoodbets has once again demonstrated its unwavering commitment to sports development through the official launch of a strategic partnership with Harlequins Rugby Club. On 25 August 2023, Hollywoodbets was announced as the official naming rights sponsor of Harlequins Rugby Club and the stadium during the launch held at the club. The …
In an effort to encourage as many people as possible to watch Sound of Freedom at Ster-Kinekor cinemas, Gravel Road Distribution Group, the film’s local distributor, is offering free tickets to those wanting to see the film. To claim your free ticket to watch Sound of Freedom, now showing at select Ster-Kinekor cinemas countrywide, click …