Former PRASA board members should be declared delinquent, says SCOPA chair
Irregular and possibly corrupt security contracts led to the widespread destruction of South Africa’s rail network
2024
Quick Facts: Rip Curl GromSearch and Rip Curl Cup Port Alfred
Quick Facts: Rip Curl GromSearch and Rip Curl Cup Port Alfred presented by The Royal St Andrews Hotel and supported by Sea Harvest, are two of the anchor events of the Port Alfred Easter Festival, along with the Bands At The Beach Music Fest. These events will occur in Port Alfred over Easter, 29 March …
Mpumalanga pensioners furious that SASSA paypoint closed
Tribal authority promises to take up the issue
SA welcomes adoption of the UNSC resolution on Gaza ceasefire
SA welcomes adoption of the UNSC resolution on Gaza ceasefire
South Africa has expressed its support for the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
This comes after the adoption of Resolution 2728 (2024) by the UNSC on Monday, which demands an “immediate ceasefire” in the Gaza Strip for the duration of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which ends in two weeks.
While the United States abstained from the vote, the 14 other council members all voted in favour to none against the Security Council ceasefire resolution.
“South Africa is pleased that the Security Council has, at long last, demanded an immediate and lasting ceasefire for the month of Ramadan and the resolution must also propose that this ceasefire should lead to a lasting sustainable ceasefire,” said International Relations and Cooperation Minister, Dr Naledi Pandor.
“It is now the responsibility of the United Nations Security Council to ensure that there is compliance with the resolution, which is binding on the parties,” said the Minister in a statement on Monday.
Pandor said South Africa remains concerned that in the over five months since the conflict began, thousands have lost their lives, including over 13 000 children.
READ | SA stands by decision to file lawsuit against Israel
Resolution 2728 also notes an “urgent need to expand the flow of humanitarian assistance to and reinforce the protection of civilians in the entire Gaza Strip”.
“It is, therefore, vital that the parties comply with the Security Council,” the Minister added.
The Council also demanded the “lifting of all barriers to the provision of humanitarian assistance at scale, in line with international humanitarian law, as well as Resolution 2712 (2023) and 2720 (2023)”.
Secretary-General of the UN, António Guterres, tweeted: “The Security Council just approved a long-awaited resolution on Gaza, demanding an immediate ceasefire, and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. This resolution must be implemented. Failure would be unforgivable.”
Guterres also called for the fight in Gaza to end now.
“The hostages must be released now. And we must not lose sight of the big picture. A lasting end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can only come through a two-State solution.” – SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Tue, 03/26/2024 - 09:20
615 views
Call for inclusivity in efforts to grow biodiversity economy
Call for inclusivity in efforts to grow biodiversity economy
President Cyril Ramaphosa has emphasised that previously disadvantaged individuals and communities must be at the centre of efforts to fully harness the benefits of the biodiversity economy.
“We must put rural communities at the centre of every decision making process, and ensure we are empowering and equipping them for the new opportunities in the biodiversity sector,” President Ramaphosa said on Tuesday in Boksburg.
Addressing the Inaugural Biodiversity Economy and Investment Indaba, the President called on industry, finance institutions, philanthropies, civil society and traditional leaders, healers and practitioners to collectively embrace government’s vision for a transformed biodiversity economy.
“For us to fully harness the benefits of the biodiversity economy, we have to understand its scope and breadth. Work is underway to develop Natural Capital Accounting for the biodiversity sector.
“This is being done through a partnership between the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Statistics South Africa and the South African National Biodiversity Institute. This initiative will ensure that the contribution of the biodiversity sector, including its entire value chain, is formally recognised.”
He said today, sustainable use of biodiversity is a pillar of rural economies across South Africa, supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs.
Beneficiation
“Sustainable biodiversity use also contributes to urban economies. For example, traditional medicine markets exist in nearly every major urban centre in South Africa.
“The trade in indigenous medicine plants is a multi-million-rand industry that supports jobs and livelihoods across the value chain. As a country, we have been firm that communities must benefit in a tangible manner when plant and animal species are harvested for commercial gain,” the President said.
He mentioned that Rooibos as a product is popular not just in South Africa but around the world.
“Four years ago, the first industry-wide benefits sharing agreement was launched between the South African Rooibos Industry and the Khoi and San Councils.
“This agreement has to date distributed a total amount of R28 million to the two councils in recognition of the communities’ indigenous knowledge of the Rooibos species.”
There must be tangible beneficiation in communities when indigenous plant species are harvested for commercial benefit, whether it is for medicine, cosmetics or other purposes.
“Sustainable mass cultivation of indigenous plant species must support the creation of businesses, factories and value chains that allow for end products to be exported to the rest of the continent and abroad.
“This mass cultivation can also assist land restoration and rehabilitation, as well as carbon sequestration, which is important in the context of climate change. To ensure a more holistic approach to access and benefit sharing, we are developing nurseries for the production of indigenous species, so these can be cultivated for medicinal and cosmetic purposes,” Ramaphosa said.
There are already a number of commercially successful game meat production facilities in several parts of the country.
“For many decades, fishing was the preserve of commercial enterprises only. This is something we are working hard to change. In January this year, we allocated 15-year fishing rights to the small-scale fishing sector in the four coastal provinces. We must build on this,” said the President.
Job creation
“Job creation must be at the centre of our efforts. As with our mineral resources, we cannot simply be mere exporters of raw materials so that jobs and industries can be created elsewhere. Jobs and opportunities must remain here, in South Africa, in our communities. This is what the revised Biodiversity Economy Strategy aims to address,” the President said.
He said when it comes to animal species, beneficiation must result in the establishment of community-run businesses, be they lodges or game meat butcheries and production facilities.
“We have a Game Meat Strategy that is focused on scaling economic enterprises for communities and previously disadvantaged individuals and providing land use patterns that are compatible with conservation.
“It aims to synergise our economic and conservation objectives by emphasising that a successful biodiversity economy must be linked to the restoration of ecosystems. It broadens the existing terrestrial goals and adds marine, coastal, estuarine and freshwater opportunities,” the President said.
Transformation
This strategy places the transformation of the biodiversity sector at the centre of efforts to fully harness the benefits of the biodiversity economy.
“Rural communities, disadvantaged individuals and traditional leaders must be part of devising new approaches to investment in community-owned land for biodiversity-based enterprises.
“The work to conserve and restore our biodiversity takes place as the world is experiencing the increasingly destructive effects of climate change. African countries are among the most vulnerable to the effects of a rapidly changing climate. They have to adapt and build resilience within the context of historically low levels of development and severely limited capacity,” the President said.
The Climate Change Bill, which is currently before the National Council of Provinces, seeks to enable a just transition towards a low-carbon, climate-resilient society.
“This just transition must contribute toward the creation of decent work for all, social inclusion and the eradication of poverty. A just transition puts people at the centre of decision making, especially those most affected by the transition, by empowering and equipping them for new opportunities of the future,” the President said. – SAnews.gov.za
nosihle
Tue, 03/26/2024 - 13:08
329 views
Step up your streaming experience: Watch these 5 releases on the best Smart TV
This Easter break, enhance your television viewing experience with breathtaking 4K visuals, vibrant colours, and immersive sound. After a tiring day at work, there is nothing quite like settling in with your favourite snacks and hitting play. For true relaxation, immersing yourself in a new season of your beloved series or a highly recommended movie …
Minister conducts site inspection at Lighthouse Precinct project
Minister conducts site inspection at Lighthouse Precinct project
Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille visited the Lighthouse Precinct project in the Cape Agulhas National Park on Tuesday to inspect progress on site and to impress on all stakeholders the importance of working together to grow the country’s tourism offerings.
The project is one of many being implemented by the Department of Tourism across the country as part of the Tourism Sector Master Plan’s objectives to stimulate demand by investing in new and maintaining existing tourism infrastructure and attractions.
The Lighthouse Precinct Project in the Agulhas National Park in the Western Cape is a R54.9 million investment by the department into the area to ensure that the site remains attractive to visitors and supports tourism development in the surrounding communities.
The project is being implemented together with the SANParks and overall progress on site is now at 73% and it is anticipated that it will be completed in June this year.
The park is located in the Southern Overberg region of the Western Cape and stretches along the coastal plain between the towns of Gansbaai and Struisbaai and includes the southern-most tip of Africa.
“Investment in infrastructure by government shows the private sector that we are serious about growing our tourism offering and by government investing, we are creating the conditions conducive for further investment by the private sector.
“As a top tourist destination, we remain committed to constantly diversifying and growing our tourism offering so that we remain an attractive destination that keeps visitors coming back,” de Lille said after the visit, along with the Mayor of the Cape Agulhas Municipality, Paul Swart, the Deputy Mayor of the Overberg District Municipality, Helen Coetzee and other councilors from the region.
The project was funded in two phases. Phase 1 was completed in 2018. Phase 2 is currently under construction and includes:
• Construction of a restaurant
• Interpretation centre (including vendor stalls, ablution facilities, curio shops, booking office and lecture theatre)
• Construction of reception area/offices
• External works and bulk infrastructure
The project also has a significant socio-economic benefits as so far the project has employed 77 people including 48 youth, 50 women and two persons with disabilities during construction.
Eight sub-contractors from surrounding communities were also employed on the project to do work such as brick and steel work, stone cladding, laying of kerbs and channels.
De Lille said all stakeholders were pleased with the progress of the project and have agreed that they must continue working as partners, the department, SANParks, the Cape Agulhas and the Overberg District Municipalities to ensure that the project continues to benefit the area for many years to come.
“We must work together to ensure its continued success and to ensure that the attraction is properly maintained and looked after so that it can bring economic benefits to tourism and the surrounding communities,” de Lille said. – SAnews.gov.za
Edwin
Tue, 03/26/2024 - 14:06
263 views
Totalsports Women’s Race expands into a month-long celebration in August 2024
South Africa’s largest Women’s Day celebration, the Totalsports Women’s Race, will triple the excitement in 2024 with the iconic event being celebrated in three major cities on three separate dates in the month of August. The festivities will begin in Durban on Sunday, August 4th, followed by Cape Town on Friday, August 9th, before culminating …
Pay your customs tax!
Pay your customs tax!
Taxpayers have been reminded to settle their tax and customs payments as well as their tax and customs debt to the South African Revenue Service (SARS) by or on Thursday this week.
“Tax payments can be made via a bank, electronic funds transfer (EFT), via eFiling or the SARS MobiApp Customs payments can also be made at any SARS customs office.
“It is important that taxpayers and traders perform the payment transaction during business hours to authorise their banking institutions to release the payment to SARS - a required step if the payment is made via eFiling and the MobiApp.
“Balance amount enquiries may be made by requesting a statement of account on eFiling or the SARS MobiApp or by SMS to SARS on 47277,” the revenue service said in a statement.
Employment statistics
Meanwhile, Statistics South Africa’s latest Quarterly Employment Statistics shows a decrease in total employment during the last quarter of 2023.
Despite this, year-on-year December 2022 to December 2023, total employment has increased.
“[According] to the report total employment decreased by 194 000 or -1.8% quarter-on-quarter, from 10 899 000 in September 2023 to 10 705 000 in December 2023. This was due to decreases in the following industries: community services -214 000 or -6.8%, construction -19 000 or -3.1%, business services -12 000 or -0.5%, manufacturing -7 000 or -0.5%, and mining -1 000 or -0.2%. However, there were increases in the following industries: trade 56 000 or 2.4%, transport 2 000 or 0.4% and electricity 1 000 or 1.6%.
“Total employment increased by 98 000 or 0.9% year-on-year between December 2022 and December 2023,” the institution said.
Fulltime employment showed an increase of some 12 000 jobs between December 2022 and December 2023 while part-time employment increased by 86 000 during the same period.
On a quarter to quarter basis, however, downturns were experienced.
“Full-time employment decreased by 5 000 or -0.1% quarter-on-quarter, from 9 498 000 in September 2023 to 9 493 000 in December 2023. This was due to decreases in the following industries: construction -13 000 or -2.4%, manufacturing -12 000 or -1.0%, community services -11 000 or -0.5%, business services -3 000 or -0.1%, and mining -1 000 or -0.2%. However, there were increases in the following industries: trade 31 000 or 1.5%, transport 3 000 or 0.7%, and electricity 1 000 or 1.6%.
“Part-time employment decreased by 189 000 or -13.5% quarter-on-quarter, from 1 401 000 in September 2023 to 1 212 000 in December 2023. This was due to decreases in the following industries: community services -203 000 or -27.2%, business services -9 000 or -3.8%, construction -6 000 or -7.8%, transport -1 000 or 5.3%. Electricity industry reported no change. However, there were increases in the following industries: trade 25 000 or 10.4%, and manufacturing 5 000 or 6%,” Stats SA said. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Tue, 03/26/2024 - 14:23
302 views
Rude and threatening magistrate fired
Judge upholds dismissal of Judith van Schalkwyk, who also took money from an attorney to travel to the US
President Ramaphosa welcomes adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution demanding immediate ceasefire in Gaza
President Cyril Ramaphosa has welcomed the adoption of Resolution 2728 (2024) by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on 25 March 2024, which demands an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip during the Holy Month of Ramadan.
President Ramaphosa said," We must seize the opportunity presented by this Security Council Resolution to create a firm foundation for a permanent ceasefire and the resumption of negotiations. We need to stop the carnage and begin walking a path to peace".
The President called on the United Nations Security Council to ensure that there is compliance with the resolution, which is binding on the parties.
South Africa remains concerned that in over five months, since the escalation the conflict, thousands have lost their lives, including over 13 000 children.
As Resolution 2728 notes, there is an “urgent need to expand the flow of humanitarian assistance and to reinforce the protection of civilians in the entire Gaza Strip”.
It is therefore vital that the parties comply with the Security Council, “demand for the lifting of all barriers to the provision of humanitarian assistance at scale, in line with international humanitarian law, as well as Resolution 2712 (2023) and 2720 (2023)”.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Presidency of the Republic of South Africa.
Higher Education deregisters four private institutions
Higher Education deregisters four private institutions
The Department of Higher Education and Training has cancelled the registration of four Educor institutions after failing to submit proof of their financial viability to the department.
Higher Education, Science and Innovation Minister, Dr Blade Nzimande, announced the deregistration of City Varsity (Pty) Ltd, Damelin (Pty) Ltd, Icesa City Campus (Pty) Ltd and Lyceum College (Pty) Ltd during a media briefing held in Pretoria on Tuesday.
Nzimande said the four private institutions failed to comply with the requirements of the 2016 Regulations for the Registration of Private Higher Education Institutions and the applicable sections of the Higher Education Act.
The new regulations outline the application process, requirements for registration, responsibility of an institution and the appeals procedure that must be followed by individuals or entities that wish to register a private higher education institution.
Further to this, the Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC) of the Council on Higher Education (CHE) is responsible for the accreditation of higher education programmes.
Nzimande said the Educor institutions failed to submit their annual financial statements and tax clearance certificates for the 2021 and 2022 years as proof of their financial viability.
According to the Minister, the four institutions were required to lodge an appeal with him on or before 26 September 2023.
“They then requested an extension to 28 February 2024, and are now seeking a further extension. In addition to failing to submit evidence of their financial viability to the department, the four Educor brands can be deemed as dysfunctional and this is mainly measured against the daily complaints and grievances received from students, most of which remain unresolved,” Nzimande said.
The complaints include poor quality of teaching and learning; lack of proper administrative support; poorly qualified staff; corruption and bribery; lack of response for requests for refunds and lack of professionalism.
The students also complained about exploitation of poor students; non-payment of staff salaries; and under-payment of staff salaries.
“These complaints extend to the other brands such as INTEC College (Pty) Ltd and Damelin Correspondence College (Pty) Ltd, which fall under the jurisdiction of the Quality Council of Trades and Occupations (QCTO). The QCTO has not been able to restore stability within these two institutions and students continue to be exploited.
“These complaints also extend to the offering of the Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETA) accredited programmes. The SETAs have not been able to restore stability with the Educor institutions and students continue to be exploited,” Nzimande said.
He said the Higher Education Quality Committee has withdrawn the accreditation of some programmes for City Varsity (Pty) Ltd, Damelin (Pty) Ltd and Lyceum College (Pty) Ltd.
The Minister also accused the institutions of misrepresenting student enrolment, by submitting incorrect information, which claimed to have 50 000 learners in the system.
The 2022 annual reports indicated a total of 13 096 students enrolled; City Varsity with 540, Damelin with 4 012, Icesa with 145, and Lyceum with 8 399 enrolled students.
Nzimande announced that some of the institutions’ sites have closed suddenly after failing to pay the rent, staff salaries and/or the municipality.
These institutions include City Varsity (Pty) Ltd at Braamfontein, which closed because staff withdrew their services for non-payment of salaries and students were left stranded; and Damelin (Pty) Ltd sites at Braamfontein, Port Elizabeth, Cape Town, East London, which were closed suddenly as they were in arrears with the municipality and rental, leaving students stranded.
The only site of Lyceum College (Pty) Ltd was closed due to an eviction order by the landlord for failure to pay the rent.
“On 08 January 2024, our Directorate: Registration of Private Colleges wrote to these four Educor institutions and requested them to respond to a list of allegations of corruption against them. To date, they have not responded,” Nzimande said.
As a way forward, Nzimande said Educor will be given a period in which to phase out pipeline students and Educor would have to reimburse students where it is due.
“The latest numbers of enrolled students as per the 2022 annual report is 13 096, not 50 000, as Educor claims; one challenge for students is the transfer of credits considering the RPL [Recognition of Prior Learning] and Credit Accumulation Transfer policy; and another challenge could be students repeating some modules or paying extra fees,” Nzimande said. – SAnews.gov.za
GabiK
Tue, 03/26/2024 - 14:53
3 views
President welcomes UNSC resolution on Gaza ceasefire
President welcomes UNSC resolution on Gaza ceasefire
President Cyril Ramaphosa is the latest world leader to back the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) decision which demands an “immediate ceasefire” between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas in Gaza.
This follows the UNSC’s adoption of Resolution 2728 (2024) on Monday, which demands an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip for the duration of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, ending in two weeks.
The United States abstained from the vote, with the 14 other council members all voting in favour to none against the Security Council ceasefire resolution.
“We must seize the opportunity presented by this Security Council resolution to create a firm foundation for a permanent ceasefire and the resumption of negotiations. We need to stop the carnage and begin walking a path to peace,” said President Ramaphosa in a statement.
READ | SA welcomes adoption of the UNSC resolution on Gaza ceasefire
The recent passing of this resolution marks the first of its kind in the nearly six-month-long war.
Resolution 2728 also notes an “urgent need to expand the flow of humanitarian assistance and to reinforce the protection of civilians in the entire Gaza Strip”.
The Council also demands lifting all barriers to providing humanitarian assistance in line with international humanitarian law, as well as Resolution 2712 (2023) and 2720 (2023).
The first citizen has since called on the UNSC to ensure compliance with the resolution binding on the parties.
Meanwhile, he said South Africa remains concerned that in over five months since the escalation of the conflict, thousands have lost their lives, including over 13 000 children.
As per a Reuters article, at least 32 333 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s retaliatory military campaign in Gaza, with thousands more feared buried under rubble.
“It is, therefore, vital that the parties comply with the Security Council,” the President added. – SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Tue, 03/26/2024 - 13:12
83 views
CSA Announces Proteas Men And Women’s Contracted Squad For 2024/25
JOHANNESBURG: Cricket South Africa (CSA) has today announced the Proteas Men and Women’s contracted squad for the 2024/25 season, starting...
Have your say in eThekwini service delivery plan
Have your say in eThekwini service delivery plan
Residents of eThekwini are invited to submit their comments on the draft Integrated Development Plan (IDP) for the 2024/2025 financial year - a key city strategy that informs and guides all service delivery and development in the region.
All planning, including budgeting, management and decision-making related to delivering services and development in the municipal area, is considered in this important city business plan.
“The IDP considers the challenges facing the city and the strategic approach to resolving these as underpinned by city’s long-term development plan and informed by global, national and provincial policies such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the National Development Plan (NDP) and the provincial Growth and Development Strategy,” the municipality said in a statement.
The IDP consists of eight plans that will help the city achieve its vision of becoming Africa’s most caring and liveable city.
“These plans are all inter-related and include actions to develop and sustain our spatial, natural and built environment; develop a prosperous, diverse economy and create employment; and creating a quality living environment.
“The IDP also takes into consideration building a socially cohesive environment, developing the skills of our communities, fostering good governance, ensuring a financially accountable and sustainable city,” the municipality highlighted.
The municipality added that each plan has a set of deliverables which informs the city’s budget and with which its performance is monitored.
“A Service Delivery Budget Implementation Plan (SDBIP) is thereafter compiled to monitor the implementation of the various programmes and projects contained within each plan. The SDBIP provides both financial as well as non-financial performance indicators which are used to monitor and evaluate quarterly and yearly service delivery targets,” the municipality said, adding the document also forms part of the IDP.
The municipality said public consultations on the draft plan will be taking place together with the draft budget.
“It is a critical opportunity for the public to provide input into the future development of the city and make sure that their community needs are raised.”
The draft IDP is available on the municipality’s website: durban.gov.za.
Comments can be sent to comments2021@durban.gov.za
The closing date for comments submission is 23 April 2023. – SAnews.gov.za
GabiK
Tue, 03/26/2024 - 10:07
173 views
Protesters block busy Vereniging road to complain about stalled housing project
Kanana Park residents from Thulamntwana township brought traffic to a standstill on Monday
Former Steinhoff director appears in court for fraud, racketeering
Former Steinhoff director appears in court for fraud, racketeering
Former Steinhoff director Stephanus Grobler has appeared in court on charges of racketeering, three counts of fraud worth R21 billion, manipulation of financial statements and failure to report fraudulent activities.
Grobler appeared in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Monday where he was granted bail of R150 000.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana explained that Grobler and then Steinhoff Chief Executive Officer, Markus Jooste – who has since been reported dead – allegedly committed acts of racketeering between 2014 and 2016 within the company.
“During that period, it is alleged that Jooste played a major role in the management of the criminal enterprise. Furthermore, it is alleged that Grobler created documentation of transactions that supported the fraudulent transactions used to inflate and falsify the annual financial statement of the Steinhoff Group.
“In court, using an affidavit, Grobler told the court that he intended to plead not guilty to the charges, and would prove his innocence. He further asked the court to release him on bail,” Mahanjana said.
According to the spokesperson, the prosecution opposed the bail application on account of the seriousness of the crime and indicated that Grobler is a flight risk.
“In delivering the judgement, Magistrate Nicca Setshogoe granted him bail with conditions that he should report to Brooklyn police station twice a week, Monday and Friday. He should hand over his two passports to the investigating officer and is not allowed to apply for a new one.
“He should hand over his two firearms to the police. He is not allowed to leave Gauteng province without informing the investigation officer. [He] must not interfere with state witnesses,” Mahanjana said.
The matter is expected back in the court on 26 June 2024. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Tue, 03/26/2024 - 09:28
392 views
Gelant targets maiden Sub-28, while Kenya’s Maxon Kipngetich prepares for Absa RYC GQEBERHA 10K debut
Veteran South African distance runner Elroy Gelant has set his sights on running a maiden sub-28-minute clocking at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K on Sunday 7 April 2024. “My goal for the Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K will be to run a sub-28. I’m looking forward to it. All of my training …
Independent and political party candidates lists available for inspection
Independent and political party candidates lists available for inspection
The Electoral Commission (IEC) will today and tomorrow between 09:00 and 17:00 make the lists with the names of independent and political party candidates available for inspection at its national office, at all its nine provincial offices and at local municipal offices.
Parties intending to contest the elections had until 17:00 on Monday to revise their lists and inform the commission if they had nominated candidates who also appeared on the list of another party or who were nominated as independent candidates.
In all, there were 42 candidates appearing on more than one party list implicating 39 parties. Furthermore, one candidate was nominated as an independent candidate and also appeared on a list of a party.
“The focus in the evolving candidate nomination process shifts to a period within which interested persons may inspect the lists of candidates and raise objections against candidates.
“To this end, the Commission will today and tomorrow, between 09:00 and 17:00 make the lists with the names of independent and political party candidates available for inspection at its national office, and in all its nine provincial offices and in local municipal offices.
“Copies of the documents accompanying the lists are available for inspection at the commission’s national office between 09:00 and 17:00,” said the commission in a statement.
In all, 14 662 candidates have been nominated to contest the 887 seats available in the National Assembly and the nine legislatures. The spread of the candidates is as follows:
- 4 323 candidates have been nominated to contest the compensatory seats in the National Assembly (contested by parties only),
- 3 596 candidates have been nominated to contest the regional seats in the National Assembly (contested by party candidates and independents) and
- 6 743 candidates have been nominated to contested seats in the provincial legislatures (contested by party candidates and independents).
The biggest ballot paper will contain 56 contestants. This is the ballot for the compensatory seats in the National Assembly. The biggest regional election ballot will be in the Gauteng region with 40 political parties and 2 independent candidates.
Similarly, the biggest ballot in respect of provincial legislature elections will be in Gauteng with 42 political parties and 2 independent candidates.
Seven independent candidates will contest the regional elections and six will contest the provincial legislature elections. The region with the most number of independent candidates is the Limpopo region with three candidates.
Any person may object to the nomination of a candidate. Such objections must be lodged with the commission by 17:00 on 27 March 2024.
An objection may be raised on the basis that an independent candidate or nominating party has failed to submit the signed prescribed acceptance of nomination or that there is no signed prescribed undertaking, that the candidate is bound by the electoral code of conduct, the commission said.
An objection may be on the basis that a candidate is not qualified to stand in the election. In this regard section 47 and 106 of the Constitution are instructive.
The sections provide that every citizen who is qualified to vote for the National Assembly is eligible to be a member of the Assembly, except:
(a) Anyone who is appointed by, or is in the service of the state and receives remuneration for that appointment or service
(b) Permanent delegates to the National Council of Provinces or members of a provincial legislature or a Municipal Council
(c) Unrehabilitated insolvents
(d) Anyone declared to be of unsound mind by a court of the Republic or,
(e) Anyone who, after this section took effect, is convicted of an offence and sentenced to more than 12 months imprisonment without the option of a fine, either in the Republic, or outside the Republic if the conduct constituting the offence would have been an offence in the Republic, but no one may be regarded as having been sentenced until an appeal against the conviction or sentence has been determined, or until the time for an appeal has expired. A disqualification under this paragraph ends five years after the sentence has been completed.
The commission will decide the objections by 28 March 2024. The objector, registered party or nominated candidate may appeal against the decision of the Commission to the Electoral Court by 2 April 2024.
The final list of candidates contesting the elections will be published by the Commission on 10 April 2024.
Voters are reminded that they may only vote at a voting station in which they are registered.
Voters who will unavoidably be away from their voting districts on Election Day may give notice of their intention to vote at another identified voting station by 17 May 2024. – SAnews.gov.za
Edwin
Tue, 03/26/2024 - 09:32
211 views
Egypt and the Big 5 Dominate Hotel Development in Africa
When it comes to hotel development across Africa in 2024, just five words tell the story, “Egypt and the Big 5”. In this context, “the Big 5” does not refer to Africa's major wildlife attractions, (lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant and buffalo) but to the global hotel chains – Accor, Hilton, IHG, Marriott International and Radisson Hotel Group. This year's African Hotel Chain Development Pipeline report, widely acknowledged as the industry's most authoritative source, documenting and analysing the number of hotels being planned and built across the continent, reports a market share of 28% for Egypt and 71% for the Big 5 global chains.
The survey, conducted by Lagos-based W Hospitality Group, in association with the Africa Hospitality Investment Forum (AHIF), is based on responses from 47 global and regional (African) hotel chains, reporting on a pipeline of hotel development activity totalling around 92,000 rooms in 524 hotels, in 41 of Africa's 54 countries.
Significant trends to emerge in the past year include strong growth, over 9%, in both North and sub-Saharan Africa, an increase in very large hotels (the average size of the largest 10 hotels is 770 rooms, up from 723 rooms in 2023) and a rapid growth in resorts, up by 32% on 2023. In this respect, Zanzibar has performed particularly strongly. There, the pipeline has grown from seven resorts with 983 rooms in 2023 to 14 resorts and 2,048 rooms in 2024, a sure sign of confidence in these beautiful Indian Ocean islands.
The extent to which Egypt dominates the African hotel development pipeline each year, with almost 26,250 rooms in 109 hotels, is quite remarkable. The country's pipeline, up by 19 hotels and about 5,200 rooms in 2023, is larger than the next four countries put together. It has well over three times the number of rooms as second-placed Nigeria, which has 7,622 rooms in 50 hotels. Third-placed Morocco has 7,169 rooms in 52 hotels and Ethiopia, in fourth place, has 5,128 rooms spread across 31 properties.
There has been an extremely strong increase in the number of resort projects in the pipeline, growing from 24% of the total in 2023 to 30% in 2024. In addition, around half of the rooms in hotels and resorts that opened last year were in resorts. Both Boa Vista (Cape Verde) and Sharm El Sheikh (Egypt) score highly because of the very large average size of the resorts there. The largest hotel in the entire pipeline is a Rixos resort being planned in Sharm El Sheikh, with over 1,800 rooms.
The Big 5 global chains – Marriott International, Hilton, Accor, Radisson Hotel Group and IHG Hotels & Resorts – account for 66% of hotels and 71% of rooms in the entire African pipeline.
Marriott International, the world's largest hotel chain, remains in the lead for the third consecutive year, in a seemingly unassailable position as number one, with almost twice the number of pipeline hotels and rooms as second placed Hilton, and it has the largest number of rooms added in the year.
Looking back at previous years, there used to be a neck and neck race between Accor and Marriott International but, for the second year running, Accor's pipeline has actually decreased, from a high of about 20,250 rooms in 2022 to 13,375 rooms today. Executives say that they are focused on having a “clean and achievable pipeline, rather than numbers for numbers sake”.
Accor's quote highlights a key issue in tracking hotel development in Africa, which is differentiating between hotel projects that are proposed from those that are under construction and from those that have been completed. Typically, the length of time between signing and opening is between four and five years. However, the report identifies 35 projects in the pipeline that are 10 or more years old, including one hotel that was signed 16 years ago.
When it comes to hotels under construction, Marriott International leads the way, with 138 hotels (15,011 rooms) currently being built. It is followed by Hilton (72 hotels, 5,955 rooms), Radisson Hotel Group (35 hotels, 5,748 rooms) and Accor (70 hotels, 3,346 rooms). TUI Hotels & Resorts has charged into the rankings in fifth place with 12 hotels (2,208 rooms) under construction.
As well as looking at deals, which may or may not materialise, W Hospitality Group also looked at who was opening hotels in Africa in 2023, and where. Of the total 29 chain hotels and resorts that opened in Africa in 2023, the split was 10 in North Africa and 19 in sub-Saharan Africa. Of those 19 openings, 11 were in East Africa, including six new hotels and resorts in Tanzania, which had the most openings of any African country. It is clear evidence of the attractiveness of both the mainland and Zanzibar to investors and operators.
Accor came out top of the list for openings last year, and it also tops the number of hotels and rooms opened over the past five years (2019-2023), with 34 hotels opening, comprising around 5,500 rooms.
In terms of “actualisation”, 2023 was an exceptionally slow year. However, that is likely to be offset by a strong 2024, during which the top 10 chains expect to open 139 hotels with 19,122 rooms.
Trevor Ward, Managing Director, W Hospitality Group, said: "Our report contains very positive data, with the pipeline expanding by more than 9 per cent in 2023. This is the largest increase since 2018 and, according to data produced by CoStar/STR, is one of the highest increases globally, surpassed only by the Americas. We look not just at signed deals and their status, but also at the historical actualisation of these deals. This year, we've placed greater emphasis than we have in the past on the actualisation, because if the deals don't become operating businesses, generating profits for the owners and paying fees to the hotel chains, no one's objectives are being met, are they?"
“We're looking forward to some 139 hotels and resorts opening in Africa in 2024, with expectations of a far greater actualisation rate than in recent years, as Africa strives to achieve its fair share of the global hotel industry”.
When one considers existing hotels, as well as hotels in the development pipeline, the continent's current king of the jungle is Accor, with 165 hotels, containing 29,041 rooms, open and trading. Marriott International is in second place, 25,451 rooms in 143 hotels, Hilton is third, 12,525 rooms in 47 hotels and Radisson Hotel Group is close behind with 12,179 rooms in 61 properties. However, if Marriott International delivers all the rooms in its pipeline, it is on course to overtake Accor and become pack leader, with 51,816 rooms in operation.
Matthew Weihs, Managing Director of The Bench, which organises the Africa Hospitality Investment Forum (AHIF), concluded: “The report reveals some very positive trends, including strong growth in new hotel projects, the emergence of high-quality white label hotel operators and governments successfully attracting investment into their tourism industries. All this bodes well for deal-making discussions at AHIF.”
An update to the pipeline development survey, along with in-depth insights, will be presented by Trevor Ward at AHIF, which takes place at the Mövenpick Hotel, Windhoek, Namibia, from 25th – 27th June 2024.
The event is the most influential gathering of hospitality executives in Africa, connecting business leaders and fuelling investment in tourism projects, infrastructure, and hotel development across the continent.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Hospitality Investment Forum (AHIF).
Media contact:
For further information and high-resolution images, please contact:
David Tarsh
+44 (0) 20 7602 5262 / +44 (0) 7770 816 070
Email: David@Tarsh.com
About W Hospitality Group:
The W Hospitality Group, a member of Hotel Partners Africa, specialises in the provision of advisory services to the hotel, tourism and leisure industries, providing a full range of services to clients who have investments in the sector, or who are looking to enter them through development, acquisition or other means. In sub-Saharan Africa W Hospitality Group is regarded as the market leader due to the market and financial expertise of its staff, its worldwide knowledge, and its commitment to its clients. In Africa, W Hospitality Group has to date worked in 40 countries on the continent, from its Lagos and Addis Ababa offices.
About the Africa Hospitality Investment Forum (AHIF):
AHIF is the premier hotel investment conference in Africa, attracting many prominent international hotel owners, investors, financiers, management companies and their advisers. It is organised by The Bench (www.TheBench.com), which has a long track record of delivering multiple premium hotel investment conferences and forums across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Latin America. The Bench's mission is enabling prosperity by facilitating growth, networking, and thought leadership in the hospitality industry worldwide.
Sponsors of AHIF are Host Sponsor: Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB); Host Partner: Kasada Capital Management; Platinum Sponsors: ClubMed, Radisson Hotel Group; Gold Sponsors: Accor, Aleph Hospitality, BWH Hotels, CHIC, CityBlue, hansgrohe, IHG Hotels and Resorts, Knight Frank, Kofisit, LEVA, Marriott International. Millennium Hotels and Resorts; Silver Sponsors: Gondwana Collection, HVS, STR, TIME Hotels, TV5Monde; Tuck Shop Sponsor: Profica; Bar Sponsor: Zia Travel Atelier; Exhibitor: MultiChoice Namibia; Networking Sponsor: Talinda; Official Carriers: Discover Airlines, FlyNamibia, South Africa Airways.
Mchunu tackles water shortage in King Cetshwayo District Municipality
Mchunu tackles water shortage in King Cetshwayo District Municipality
Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu has raised concern at the high deficit of water supply to communities in the King Cetshwayo District Municipality and the management of debt owed to the uMngeni-uThukela Water Board.
Mchunu raised his concerns at a meeting held with the leaders of the King Cetshwayo District Municipality, including the Mfolozi and uMlalazi Local Municipalities, which fall under the district in KwaZulu-Natal.
According to the 2022 Stats SA community survey, the King Cetshwayo District Municipality is home to 1 021 344 citizens and is one of the municipalities within KwaZulu-Natal that is faced with water and sanitation challenges.
The district is a Water Services Authority (WSA) and Water Services Provider (WSP) within its area of jurisdiction, except for the City of uMhlathuze Municipality, which has its own WSA status.
Mchunu noted that despite the interventions by the department and the district, there is a shortfall of 63 megalitres per day.
To address this challenge, Mchunu said the department, together with the district, will have to build additional water resources infrastructure, including water treatment capacity and distribution infrastructure to augment the supply of water, which currently stands at more than 36 megalitres per day.
The Minister said water supply schemes must augment water supply in the district in order to deal with the long-standing water shortage in the district.
“This is a huge deficit, which is a challenge because it is more than the available water we have for the district at the moment. We need to close this deficit and ensure that there is enough access to water for the people,” Mchunu said.
The King Cetshwayo District Municipality performed poorly during the Blue Drop assessment, resulting in a significant decrease of the municipal Blue Drop score from 74.08% in 2014 to 41.06% in 2023.
Municipal debt
Mchunu raised his dissatisfaction at money owed by the district to the uMngeni-uThukela Water Board, which manages and operates bulk water infrastructure, including abstraction, water purification plants and command reservoirs.
The water board is also responsible for ensuring good quality water in line with SANS: 241, and to undertake maintenance related challenges, and manage and operate boreholes within district.
“The district municipality debts to our water boards are a worrying factor and interferes with the capacity of the municipality to offer the services to the people. We, as the Department of Water and Sanitation, will be assisting municipalities and the water boards to deal with the issue of debt,” Mchunu said, adding this issue can only be resolved through cooperation between the affected parties.
The Minister also called on the district not to compromise the services to the people, and to improve on its capacity and determination to ensure that members of the community have access to clean and fresh water.
He said there should be cooperation between the district municipality and the Department of Water and Sanitation to deliver the services to the people within the district.
King Cetshwayo District Municipality Executive Mayor, Thamsanqa Ntuli, said the municipality has attained a steady and notable improvement on access to water supply, with major attention on bulk water supply infrastructure.
“The implementation of water infrastructure projects within the district is critical and will assist in addressing challenges of water rationing, and to eradicate the use of water tankers in the communities that are without water,” Ntuli said. – SAnews.gov.za
GabiK
Mon, 03/25/2024 - 12:09
657 views
Progress made at troublesome power stations
Progress made at troublesome power stations
Eskom Group Executive for Generation, Bheki Nxumalo, says although challenges continue, at least five power stations identified for attention and intervention are beginning to show improvement.
Nxumalo was speaking during an Energy Action Plan (EAP) media briefing on Monday.
“One of the stations identified was Kusile Power Station, where we were running one unit and it was also not running at full capacity. At Kusile now, we have actually taken it out of recovery station because it is running exceptionally well, on average above 90% availability.
“It shows that we have taken the lessons from Medupi [power station], which has been consistently running at those levels. Kusile has now turned the corner,” he said.
Kusile power station is located in Mpumalanga.
Meanwhile, improvements are being seen at the Majuba, Matla, Duvha and Kriel power stations, which are all located in Mpumalanga.
“With the work that we’ve done, we’ve seen a significant improvement at Majuba in terms of reduction of partial load losses and also trips at that plant. That plant is also running exceptionally well, so is Matla power station as well.
“Duvha has been doing exceptionally well, except for the boiler failures but on average, Duvha is on the right track. It is actually performing much better than it was a year ago. Kriel power station is also seeing good improvement,” he said.
Nxumalo conceded that Kendal and Tutuka power stations “have not improved as expected”.
“We understand why. With Tutuka… we are starting to commission those units so in the next two months, we are going through a major commissioning period. We expect that Tutuka will start performing much better than what has happened.
“Kendal we understand the issues there [and] we are now also starting to commission the units. We are dealing with both the partial [load losses] and the unavailability,” he said.
Load shedding
Meanwhile, Eskom has suspended load shedding between 5am and 4pm daily followed by Stage 2 load shedding in the evening. This pattern will be repeated until further notice.
“Load shedding will be suspended... until 4pm on Monday when Stage 2 load shedding will be implemented until 5am on Tuesday.
“This pattern of suspending load shedding from 5am until 4pm and Stage 2 load shedding from 4pm until 5am will be repeated daily until further notice,” the power utility said on social media platform, X. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Mon, 03/25/2024 - 12:14
496 views
Fund launched to empower young tech entrepreneurs
Fund launched to empower young tech entrepreneurs
A transformative fund to empower innovators and tech entrepreneurs from higher education institutions was officially launched by the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on Monday.
The Higher Education Innovation Fund is aimed at students aspiring to become innovators and tech entrepreneurs emerging from Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges and universities.
“This will be done through programmes that support general entrepreneurship, ideation, and design thinking,” said Higher Education, Science and Innovation Minister, Dr Blade Nzimande, speaking at the launch in Pretoria.
He informed the audience that the stakeholders aim to fill the gaps in the current set of tools and programmes available to support innovation and technology entrepreneurship nationwide.
“This will be done through, among others, supporting business model development, validation and development of tech-entrepreneurship, support commercialisation, market access and IP [intellectual property] protection, and supporting scale-up and investor readiness.”
According to Nzimande, there is a need for a well-coordinated, integrated and responsive innovation-entrepreneurship ecosystem to support student innovators and tech-entrepreneurship in higher education.
The parties are also looking at sufficiently funding an innovation-entrepreneurship ecosystem and for all partners to back the “ecosystem”.
In addition, the fund also aims to train and up-skill student tech entrepreneurs, who are capable of developing and commercialising competitive innovative products, and to support the establishment and management of sustainable tech-enterprises.
Unemployment
The department said the fund represents a beacon of hope in addressing youth unemployment, inequality, and poverty by fostering the growth of the knowledge economy.
While South Africa grapples with youth unemployment, Nzimande noted a concerning trend of increasing unemployment among graduates, as reported by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA).
He highlighted a few challenges that characterise innovation and entrepreneurship in the post-school education and training (PSET) sector, including poor coordination across the ecosystem, a weak culture of entrepreneurship and innovation, and a lack of support and networks at institutions of higher learning.
He raised concern about students’ limited exposure to entrepreneurial opportunities, mentoring and coaching, and a small number of innovation leaders in TVET colleges.
Another stumbling block, he added, was the lack of early seed funding and incentives.
“These challenges are more acute in TVET colleges and historically disadvantaged universities,” Nzimande said.
Background
The fund’s establishment process began with a Memorandum of Understanding signed between Nzimande's department and UNDP in 2021.
The Higher Education Innovation Fund is provided by the 2019 White Paper on Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI), which according to Nzimande, acknowledges the challenge of high youth unemployment in the country.
“Further to this, our Decadal Plan commits my department to transformation and inclusion of the marginalised, in terms of demographic, institutional and geographical transformation of the National System of Innovation.
“This is why innovation for inclusion is a theme that runs across all chapters of our Decadal Plan and overlaps with many of the Policy Intents of the White Paper on STI,” the Minister explained.
Nzimande’s department and the UNDP are the lead partners, while the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) recently joined as a co-funder and potential implementer of some programmes and looking for more donors.
“Equally important, in a couple of months, two calls for proposals will be publicised for interested parties with suitable programmes and expertise to apply," said the Minister.
Nzimande said they were looking to grow the Higher Education Innovation Fund to R1 billion.
He also used his platform to invite private sector companies and other funding institutions to come on board and help achieve this objective.
“The Higher Education Innovation Fund is a first for our PSET system and country. Also, this fund has great potential to become a game changer in terms of the production of student innovators and tech entrepreneurs and by extension, helping us to address the interconnected challenges of skills development and youth unemployment.” – SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Mon, 03/25/2024 - 12:56
605 views
Beating a thousand drums for Palestine
This year’s Constitution Hill Human Rights Festival focused on the war in Gaza