MyZA

News, Directory, Events and Other Stuff

You are here: Home / Archives for African

African

Eskom’s Hex Battery Energy Storage System is a step in the correct direction

Location: News

Eskom's Hex Battery Energy Storage System is a step in the right direction

Projects like Eskom’s Hex Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in Worcester in the Western Cap can assist the country in ending load shedding.

This is according to Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan who said these kinds of projects create hope that sooner rather than later, South Africa is going to overcome the challenge of load shedding. 

Minister Gordhan was delivering remarks at the launch of Eskom’s Battery Energy Storage System at the Hex substation in the Breede Valley Municipality.

The project – which was launched on Thursday - is a first in Africa. 

“If we do more of these kinds of projects in other parts of the country, which is what Eskom intends to do, we will see the end of load shedding pretty soon. Today, after a few hiccups, you see in live form, the launch of this BESS project right in front of us. It is a great achievement for Eskom and the country. 

“Eskom is demonstrating that it can have a sense of urgency, it can have an important quality that we all need in South Africa and elsewhere – which is the ability to innovate and create new ways of doing things. And not just think about them, but concretely deliver them. That is the key,” the Minister said. 

BESS is a giant step in the right direction to support the Just Energy Transition (JET) programme for boosting green energy as a renewable alternative source. As renewable energy begins to grow, so does the demand for the installation of Battery Energy Storage Systems.

The Hex battery storage project is the first part of Eskom’s Battery Energy Storage System rollout scheduled for construction in the Western Cape, Northern Cape, Easter Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.

Through these kinds of projects, the Minister said, the country will grow economically and be able to create more jobs. 

“We are going to get more investments, not just in the Western Cape but the whole country. Our younger people can look toward to a much better life than those of us that have lived through the last few decades.

“So, this is an opportunity to demonstrate to our own people and citizens, and the globe, that South Africans are innovative, and can deliver world class solutions like the one that we actually see today,” he said. 

The Minister emphasised that it is important that focus is placed on what is best for the country, and what is best for the people of the country, and not for the few individuals who want to become rich as a result of these projects. 

Quoting the recent Census results, Gordhan said that there are 62 million people who must be beneficiaries of these sorts of projects and of the work that is being done. 

The Minister reiterated government’s aim which is to have enough electricity or energy security in this country.

“So, there must be a reserve, just like you have in a savings account for a day when you need some cash. In the same way, you need an energy savings account because you don’t know when you are going to need extra energy. 

“Right now, we have a shortage. We need to get to a point where we have a surplus. And we need to continue keeping that surplus. And Eskom as an institution is going to play a crucial part in developing that surplus through the investment of the private sector in renewables and other forms of energy,” the Minister said. 

He explained that the 120 battery banks cost a fair amount of money - R830 million - and during the construction 255 residents of the greater Worcester area were employed. 

He said they must take the experience and the lessons that will be learnt from this project and use it elsewhere, to make whatever changes that are necessary to have more successful projects in the remaining provinces. 

Minister Gordhan extended his gratitude to the funders. He said that without the concessional funding that they have for Eskom from the World Bank, African Development Bank, and the New Development Bank, they would not have been able to prosecute this project.

He also thanked Hyosung Heavy Industries, who supplied the batteries. The Minister further thanked Eskom for thinking about this idea and for researching the idea. - SAnews.gov.za

 

DikelediM
Fri, 11/10/2023 - 10:40

347 views
Read moreEskom’s Hex Battery Energy Storage System is a step in the correct direction

President congratulates Prof Dire Tladi

Location: News

The Presidency: Republic of South Africa
Download logo

President Cyril Ramaphosa offers his warm congratulations to Prof Dire Tladi of the University of Pretoria on his election by the United Nations as a judge of the International Court of Justice.

In May 2023, Cabinet endorsed Prof Tladi's nomination by the South African Government, together with South Africa's membership on the Permanent Court of Arbitration.

The International Court of Justice is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations and one of the six principal bodies of the UN.

The Court's role is to settle, in accordance with international law, legal disputes submitted to it by States and to give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by authorised United Nations organs and specialised agencies.

The Court comprises 15 judges who are elected for terms of office of nine years by the United Nations General Assembly and the Security Council.

Professor Tladi is a leading international law scholar whose accomplishments span different areas of the field, including academic, government service, diplomatic and practice.

He is Professor of International Law at the University of Pretoria and serves as President of the South African Branch of the International Law Association and Executive Member of the International Law Association.

He has served as Chair of the International Law Commission, an organ of the UN generally regarded as a feeder body for the International Court of Justice.

He was previously Legal Adviser of the South African Mission in New York and Special Adviser to South African Ministers of international relations.

President Ramaphosa said: “Prof Tladi's election as a judge of the International Court of Justice is an outstanding personal achievement in which the nation shares with great pride.

“We appreciate the confidence expressed by the United Nations in Prof Tladi's capabilities.

“He becomes the newest member of a fraternity of South Africans globally who are in positions of service to the international community and making important contributions to the better world we seek to build.

“We wish Prof Tladi well as he prepares to contribute to the Court and its jurisprudence from the Palace of Peace in The Hague, Netherlands.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Presidency: Republic of South Africa.

Read morePresident congratulates Prof Dire Tladi

Defence Department Must Urgently Consider Appointment of Chief Defence Reserves and Chairperson of Reserve Force Council

Location: News

Republic of South Africa: The Parliament
Download logo

The Joint Standing Committee on Defence has called for the appointment of the Chief Defence Reserves to drive the strategic implementation of the decisions taken at the Reserve Force Indaba II. The committee remains of the view that the Reserve Force plays a critical role in the further development of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and without a permanent leader to drive the strategic role of the reserves might negatively impact decision-making as the SANDF makes decisions about the future.

“The SANDF is currently undergoing a review process on the role, cost and rejuvenation of the reserve force and this process should have included the ideas and foresight of a permanent Chief Defence Reserves to ensure that in the medium to long terms the incumbent implements a strategic outlook they would contributed to shaping,” said Mr Cyril Xaba, the Co-Chairperson of the committee.

The committee remains concerned that the average age for the reserves is 46 and is ever-increasing, which require strategies to ensure rejuvenation and enhance viability. Also concerning to the committee is that the reduction in budgets will lead a further decline of the reserves over the medium term. These concerns would best be driven and solved by a permanent Chief Defence Reserves.

Meanwhile, the committee appreciated the announcement that the Reserve Force Indaba II has sat and engaged to develop the reserve's strategic role and direction in delivering on the SANDF's mandate. The committee has requested that the final product to be adopted at the Reserve Force Indaba III be tabled to enable the committee to make its own contribution.

The committee has also called for the SANDF to urgently determine the status of the ±7 500 members who have not been called up in the past five years, as identified in 2018/19. The current number of reserves not called up stands at 5 233 but the committee has emphasised the need for the Department of Defence to work with the Department of Home Affairs to ensure that the PERSOL system is functional.

The committee also is aware of the reserve's critical importance, make especially their surge capability and in the provision of specialist skills to the SANDF. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.

Read moreDefence Department Must Urgently Consider Appointment of Chief Defence Reserves and Chairperson of Reserve Force Council

Afreximbank announces $1-billion African Film Fund

Location: News
Afreximbank

The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) is working on the establishment of a $1-billion African Film Fund to be launched in 2024 to support the continent's film industry, Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President, Intra-African Trade Bank, at Afreximbank, announced in Cairo today.

Addressing the opening of the 2023 CANEX Summit held as part of the third Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2023), Mrs. Awani said that the fund would oversee film financing, co-finance with large studios, finance African filmmakers and finance producers and directors of film projects across the continent.

She noted that during CANEX WKND 2022, the Bank had increased the financing it was making available to the creative sector from US$500 million to US$1 billion and that the Bank currently had a pipeline of over US$600 million in film, music, visual arts, fashion, and sports deal.

“The very first film we financed recently premiered at the Toronto Film Festival,” Mrs. Awani said, adding, “The Bank has several in the pipeline from Nigeria, South Africa, and Kenya, which should be on streaming platforms in 2024.”

Acknowledging that the film and audiovisual industries in Africa accounted for US$5 billion of the continent's GDP and employed an estimated five million people, with the potential to create over 20 million jobs and generate US$20 billion in revenues annually, Mrs. Awani noted that the sector faced several challenges, including limited access to financing and copyright infringement due to weak copyright laws, enforcement mechanisms and a lack of awareness.

The sector was also confronted with infrastructure and technology gaps, lack of capacity and shortage of skilled professionals and limited market access and international exposure, as a result of which African creative and cultural products often struggle to gain exposure and access to international markets.

Earlier, Boris Kodjoe, a celebrity actor of Ghanaian descent, highlighted how the creativity of Africans had influenced various aspects of modern life, including music, fashion, art, design, social consciousness, business, sports, film and TV. He said that the exploitation of black creativity by the West had had lasting effects and that, despite admiration of black excellence, Africa still faced branding challenges due to external perception fuelled by the traditional media's depiction of poverty, famine, civil wars and migration on the continent.

Mr. Kodjoe said that the world craved culturally specific global content and that Africa was a key player in meeting that demand. With the continent's young population and high connectivity, studios, networks, promoters and brands were investing in solutions to reach diverse audiences. Films and TV shows with diversity performed better than others by 30 per cent and Afrobeats was taking over global airwaves. By 2030, Africa was projected to produce up to 10 per cent of global creative goods export worth roughly $200 billion or four per cent of Africa's GDP.

Also speaking, H.E. Albert M. Muchanga, Commissioner for Trade and Industry of the African Union Commission, said that the creative sector in Africa was rapidly growing and making a significant contribution to the inclusive growth and sustainable development of African economies.

“I reaffirm my belief that the African creative industry has huge potential to be a source of employment and revenue to create the Africa we want - revenue from intra-African trade as well as revenue from the rest of the world.”

Ambassador Muchanga urged African nations to convert their vast potential into plans and projects that yield tangible results, stressing the need to also invest in protecting international property rights.

CANEX is an Afreximbank initiative to support Africa and the African Diaspora's creative and cultural industries by providing financing and non-financing instruments to boost growth. The seven-day CANEX Summit is intended to further develop conversations and provide additional business-to-business and business-to-government opportunities. It includes a fashion show featuring a range of bold and exciting designs from across Africa and the Diaspora and a CANEX Music Factory, hosted by renowned South African producer Oskido, which will provide songwriters and beat makers with the opportunity to record their work.

Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) programme set up by Afreximbank seeks to facilitate the development and growth of the creative and cultural industries in Africa and the diaspora. The programme provides a range of financing and non-financing instruments and interventions aimed at supporting trade and investment in Africa's creative sector.

IATF2023, Africa's largest trade and investment fair opened on 9th November and will run till 15th November 2023.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.

Media contact:
Deborah Ross
Senior PR Account Director 
BrandComms
+44 (0) 759 3602 128
​deborah.ross@brandcommsgroup.com

Follow us on:
X (Twitter): https://apo-opa.info/41qI9VY
Facebook: https://apo-opa.info/3MGRNQi
LinkedIn: https://apo-opa.info/3KBxMYQ
Instagram: https://apo-opa.info/3UA1jH1

About the Intra-African Trade Fair:
Organised by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), in collaboration with the African Union Commission (AUC) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) is intended to provide a unique platform for facilitating trade and investment information exchange in support of increased intra-African trade and investment, especially in the context of implementing the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA). IATF brings together continental and global players to showcase and exhibit their goods and services and to explore business and investment opportunities in the continent. It also provides a platform to share trade, investment and market information with stakeholders and allows participants to discuss and identify solutions to the challenges confronting intra-African trade and investment. In addition to African participants, the Trade Fair is also open to businesses and investors from non-African countries interested in doing business in Africa and in supporting the continent's transformation through industrialisation and export development.

For more information, please visit www.IntrAfricanTradeFair.com

About Afreximbank:
African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) is a Pan-African multilateral financial institution mandated to finance and promote intra-and extra-African trade. For 30 years, the Bank has been deploying innovative structures to deliver financing solutions that support the transformation of the structure of Africa's trade, accelerating industrialization and intra-regional trade, thereby boosting economic expansion in Africa. A stalwart supporter of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), Afreximbank has launched a Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) that was adopted by the African Union (AU) as the payment and settlement platform to underpin the implementation of the AfCFTA. Working with the AfCFTA Secretariat and the AU, the Bank is setting up a US$10 billion Adjustment Fund to support countries to effectively participate in the AfCFTA. At the end of 2022, Afreximbank's total assets and guarantees stood at over US$31 billion, and its shareholder funds amounted to US$5.2 billion. The Bank disbursed more than US$86 billion between 2016 and 2022. Afreximbank has investment grade ratings assigned by GCR (international scale) (A), Moody's (Baa1), Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR) (A-) and Fitch (BBB). Afreximbank has evolved into a group entity comprising the Bank, its impact fund subsidiary called the Fund for Export Development Africa (FEDA), and its insurance management subsidiary, AfrexInsure, (together, “the Group”).

For more information, please visit: www.Afreximbank.com

Media files
Afreximbank
Download logo
Read moreAfreximbank announces $1-billion African Film Fund

Embracing the Digital Landscape: SEO Insights and Trends

Location: MyPR

In the fast-paced world of digital marketing, staying ahead of the curve is not just an advantage; it’s a necessity. At First Page SEO Agency, we’re committed to providing cutting-edge insights that help your website reach its pinnacle of online visibility and performance. The Art of Web Design Great design transcends aesthetics; it’s about crafting …

Read moreEmbracing the Digital Landscape: SEO Insights and Trends

President congratulates Professor Dire Tladi

Location: News

President congratulates Professor Dire Tladi

President Cyril Ramaphosa has sent his warm congratulations to Professor Dire Tladi of the University of Pretoria on his election by the United Nations as a judge of the International Court of Justice.

In May 2023, Cabinet endorsed Prof Tladi’s nomination by the South African government, together with South Africa’s membership on the Permanent Court of Arbitration.

President Ramaphosa said that Prof Tladi’s election as a judge of the International Court of Justice is an outstanding personal achievement in which the nation shares with great pride.

“We appreciate the confidence expressed by the United Nations in Prof Tladi’s capabilities. He becomes the newest member of a fraternity of South Africans globally who are in positions of service to the international community and making important contributions to the better world we seek to build.

“We wish Prof Tladi well as he prepares to contribute to the Court and its jurisprudence from the Palace of Peace in The Hague, Netherlands,” the President said in a statement on Friday.

The International Court of Justice is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations (UN) and one of the six principal bodies of the UN.

The Court’s role is to settle, in accordance with international law, legal disputes submitted to it by states and to give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by authorised United Nations organs and specialised agencies.

The Court comprises of 15 judges who are elected for terms of office of nine years by the United Nations General Assembly and the Security Council.

Professor Tladi is a leading international law scholar whose accomplishments span different areas of the field, including academic, government service, diplomatic and practice.

He is Professor of International Law at the University of Pretoria and serves as President of the South African Branch of the International Law Association and Executive Member of the International Law Association.

He has served as Chair of the International Law Commission, an organ of the UN generally regarded as a feeder body for the International Court of Justice.

He was previously, a legal adviser of the South African Mission in New York and special adviser to South African Ministers of International Relations. – SAnews.gov.za

 

DikelediM
Fri, 11/10/2023 - 09:20

137 views
Read morePresident congratulates Professor Dire Tladi

More officers to bolster police force to battle crime

Location: News

More officers to bolster police force to fight crime

Deputy President Paul Mashatile announced on Thursday that government is working around the clock to capacitate the police force which will see the country having 30 000 officers in the coming years as South Africa wages war against crime. 

The Deputy President was responding to oral questions in the National Assembly on Thursday.

“The [Police] Minister also announced that recruits are being enlisted to increase the capacity of the police in this regard. Ten thousand new trainees have already graduated and over the next financial years, additional trainees will graduate bringing the total number to 30 000 new police officers.” 

In addition, 1000 of the newly recruited personnel have been ring-fenced to include the capacity of public order policing (POP) which deals with crowd management issues and threats resulting from that. 

The POP, he said, had by the end of October 2023 received an additional 4 000 members resulting from the recruitment drive. 

In addition, as part of efforts to assess the progress government is making in implementing its programmes, the Deputy President said he and President Cyril Ramaphosa have been meeting Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Director-Generals and Heads of Departments.

“In this regard, the President and I have had the opportunity to meet with the Minister, Deputy Minister and Commissioner of Police to brief us on the departmental plans to fight crime in the Republic of South Africa.”

He told Parliament that the Ministry was implementing Operation Shanela, a comprehensive plan to combat crime throughout the country. “The plan includes clamping down on illegal mining areas.”

The South African Police Service (SAPS) has established specialised units to work with businesses, private security and state-owned entities (SOEs) to tackle illegal mining, the construction mafia, cable theft and the vandalism of economic infrastructure.

“I have confidence not only in Minister [Bheki] Cele, Deputy Minister [Cassel] Mathale and Commissioner [Fannie] Masemola but in all men and women in blue right to the lowest-ranking police officers who are committed to fighting and defeating crime in our communities.”

In addition, the country’s second-in-command touched on the recently launched “Combating Crime through Decisive Police Action and Robust Community Involvement” and the operationalisation of the increased Crime Prevention and Combating Action Plans through Operation Shanela. 

These programmes, he said, are yielding results in the fight against crime in the country.

“We will continue to work jointly with the private sector to invest in efforts to combat crime.” 

The Deputy President urged communities to continue to be involved in efforts to fight crime. 

“They must work with the police and expose the rotten apples within our police stations. Together we will win this fight. Let’s continue to build safer communities.”

Bills

Deputy President Mashatile also spoke about his role as Leader of Government Business. 

He is responsible for tracking the procession of priority Bills and introducing measures to effectively monitor and improve the quality of legislation submitted by the Executive for approval.

In line with these responsibilities, a dedicated official from his office has been introduced to focus on tracking legislation as introduced by Cabinet.

It also means all Bills are tabled before the Cabinet Committee before being submitted to Cabinet for final approval. 

“Bills that do not meet the required standards are not submitted to Cabinet but sent back to the relevant departments for further work.”

He said he was pleased that that Cabinet approved 42 Bills on the 2023 legislative programme on 29 March 2023. 

“As of 26 October, 22 Bills on the 2023 legislative programme have already been introduced to Parliament.” – SAnews.gov.za

 

Gabisile
Thu, 11/09/2023 - 15:43

137 views
Read moreMore officers to bolster police force to battle crime

SA to host men’s conference on positive masculinity

Location: News

SA to host men’s conference on positive masculinity

South Africa is to host the 3rd African Union (AU) Men’s Conference on Positive Masculinity later this month, which will provide an opportunity to consolidate bold continental efforts that Heads of State and other sectors have taken towards ending violence against women and girls (EVAWG) in Africa.

Convened under the theme: “Consolidating Commitments Towards the African Union Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls,”  the conference is expected to take place in Johannesburg on 27 and 28 November 2023.

It will provide an important platform to assess progress made by male leadership across respective sectors and to articulate specific priorities to decisively end violence against women and girls on the continent. 

Building onto the critical work undertaken in the previous conferences, the 3rd Men’s Conference will deepen the understanding of structural drivers to take firm actions towards addressing them. 

A focus on deepening an understanding of structural drivers of violence against women and girls on the continent is four-fold, including:
• It serves to emphasise the importance of harnessing law and policy as instruments to accelerate changes that protect women and girls from violence and uphold their rights to life, security, freedom, dignity and physical and emotional integrity.
• It makes the strategic linkages between the lack of economic and financial inclusion with vulnerability to violence and as a form of structural violence itself.
• It develops an African compendium of evidenced-based interventions to prevent violence against women and girls.
• It provides a framework to deeply explore harmful social norms relating to masculinity and violence that have resulted in the normative character of violence – permissive societies across the continent.

It is envisaged that deepening the interlinkages between violence against women and girls, and the wider development challenges African societies face, drawing on both historic and current factors that shape these expressions, provides a deeper foundation from which Africa itself can craft relevant policy and programming responses.

The African Union High-Level Presidential Response to End Violence Against Women and Girls, was established in 2020 with a view to mobilise political commitment and action at the highest level of the AU leadership and decision-making to prevent and end violence against women and girls in Africa. 

The 3rd Men’s Conference is co-hosted by 2023 AU Chairperson, President Azali Assoumani of the Union of Comoros and President Cyril Ramaphosa of the Republic of South Africa.

President Ramaphosa was unable to host the first conference during his chairmanship of the AU in 2020, due to COVID-19 pandemic. 

During his tenure at the helm of the AU, President Ramaphosa highlighted violence against women and girls as a critical challenge impeding development across the continent, and called for the adoption of an AU Convention. – SAnews.gov.za

GabiK
Thu, 11/09/2023 - 11:55

438 views
Read moreSA to host men’s conference on positive masculinity

Home Affairs extends hours ahead of Voter Registration Weekend

Location: News

Home Affairs extends hours ahead of Voter Registration Weekend

To ensure that citizens are able to collect their IDs and passports ahead of the upcoming Voter Registration Weekend, Home Affairs offices will open this coming Saturday, 11 November 2023.

 “The service to be rendered on 11 November 2023 is exclusively the collection of smart ID cards and passports,” said the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) on Thursday.

Home Affairs offices will be open from 8am until 1 pm. This as the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC)’s Voter Registration Weekend will be held from 18-19 November 2023.

To register to vote, you need a South African identity document – either a green barcoded ID book, an ID smartcard, or a valid temporary ID certificate.

According to the commission, all South African citizens aged 16 years or older can register to vote, but to vote you need to be 18 years or older.

In addition, to ease pressure on its clients, Home Affairs has introduced dedicated counters for collections in large offices that process Smart ID Cards and passports, where space allows. This will help in reducing queues.

Clients can now book collection appointments before visiting the offices, using the Branch Appointment Booking System (BABS) which is available on the DHA website – www.dha.gov.za through this link: https://services.dha.gov.za/#/authenticate/identity.

The department also allows clients who may not have an opportunity to book appointments to visit as walk-ins and will be assisted to collect their IDs and passports.

ID services will also be available at all Home Affairs offices during the Voter Registration Weekend of 18 and 19 November 2023.

In this regard, operating hours at Home Affairs offices will be aligned with those of the IEC in order to assist voters who need to collect the IDs they have applied for or to apply for Temporary Identification Certificates.

With these documents, eligible voters will be able to register for the 2024 national and provincial elections. Temporary Identification Certificates are issued on the spot.

“We would like to urge all our clients who have applied for their identification documents and have been waiting for three weeks or more, to seize this opportunity by visiting their Home Affairs office to collect these critical documents at their convenience on Saturday 11 November 2023 or on the weekend of 18-19 November 2023,” said the  department. – SAnews.gov.za

 

Edwin
Thu, 11/09/2023 - 11:58

424 views
Read moreHome Affairs extends hours ahead of Voter Registration Weekend

KZN population increases by 21%

Location: News

KZN population increases by 21%

The 2022 Census results has showed an increase in the KwaZulu-Natal population by 21%, between 2011 and 2022.

The Census results, presented to the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Executive Council by Statistician-General Risenga Maluleke, showed that the population in the province increased from 10.2 million in the 2011 Census to 12.4 million in 2022.

The results showed that the eThekwini Municipality continues to record the highest population with 4.2 million followed by the uMgungundlovu District at 1.2 million. 

The Census 2022 is the fourth population and housing count in post-apartheid South Africa, following the first count in 1996 and subsequent censuses in 2001 and 2011.

The KwaZulu-Natal province is the third to receive the results following the presentation made by Maluleke to President Cyril Ramaphosa. The results include information at national, provincial, district and municipal level.

KwaZulu-Natal Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube said the province - with 12 423 907 people - finds itself at number two sandwiched between Gauteng and the Western Cape.

Dube-Ncube said the growth of the province’s population meant that the Provincial Executive Council would have to stretch available resources. 

“With more people and no extra financial resources to turn to, we are called upon to use our equitable allocation wisely, efficiently and effectively. We are already feeling the strain of this growth in our numbers on the provision of social security, basic services, jobs and the fight against poverty. 

“We are approaching a turning point in the management of dwindling resources which have to address a growing if not steady demand, issues including the negotiated wage hikes, the social wage and even the unpredictability occasioned by climate change,” Dube-Ncube said.

She said knowing that KwaZulu-Natal households have the largest number of female-headed households, which is at 4.4%, meant that government needed to focus its energy and resources in programmes that benefit women.

Nationally, the Census 2022 results showed that the South African population has increased from 51.7 million in 2011 to 62 million in 2022. 

Gauteng remained the province with the highest population of 15 million, while the Northern Cape has the smallest population at 1.3 million. About 56% of the country’s population lives in three provinces, including Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape. 

The results showed that the Western Cape has moved from being the 5th largest province in terms of population size in 1996 to being the 3rd largest in 2022. Black Africans remain the dominant population group (81.4%), followed by Coloureds at 8.2%, Whites at 7.3% and Indians/Asians at 2.7%. 

The results also showed a steady decline in the proportion of the White population, from 11% in 1996 to 7.3% in 2022. – SAnews.gov.za 

 

GabiK
Thu, 11/09/2023 - 13:41

408 views
Read moreKZN population increases by 21%

Police crackdown nets 13 and seizes firearms

Location: News

Police crackdown nets 13 and seizes firearms

Police have seized 18 firearms and ammunition following a shootout between two alleged security companies in Kagiso.

The South African Police Service (SAPS) in Gauteng said that 13 suspects were also arrested in Wednesday’s incident.

It is reported that, the police members from West Rand District attended to a shooting incident whereby upon arrival they found two groups of what is believed to be security companies affiliated to two different taxi associations shooting at each other.

“When the police approached, the occupants from the armoured vehicle started jumping out and fleeing on foot. Thirteen suspects were cornered and arrested while 13 riffles, four pistols including scores of ammunition and magazines were seized from the scene and one firearm was found hidden at a nearby filling station,” said the SAPS on Thursday.

Two people from one of the groups where injured during the shootout and were taken to hospital.

All seized firearms will be subjected to further investigations and ballistic testing to ascertain if they were not used in the commission of other serious and violent crimes.

The suspects are expected to appear before court soon on charges of attempted murder and the discharging of firearms in a municipal area. Police investigations continue. – SAnews.gov.za

 

Edwin
Thu, 11/09/2023 - 15:06

309 views
Read morePolice crackdown nets 13 and seizes firearms

SASOP Speaks Out Against Mental Health Trauma Experienced In The Middle East

Location: MyPR

The South African Society of Psychiatrists (SASOP) appeals to global leaders to put an end to the violence and facilitate humanitarian aid for the people of the Middle East. The situation in the Middle East has evolved into a severe humanitarian crisis. The ceaseless cycle of violence, destruction, and loss of life is taking a …

Read moreSASOP Speaks Out Against Mental Health Trauma Experienced In The Middle East

Young Visionary Lesedi Mochadibane Empowers Students with Free, High-Quality Math Resources to Revolutionize Education in South Africa

Location: MyPR

The state of Maths in South Africa is facing significant challenges, with less than 30% of matric students opting for math, and only half of them passing their exams, as reported by Business Tech. In response to this pressing issue, Lesedi Mochadibane, a 23-year-old entrepreneur with nearly 5 years of experience in the edtech space, …

Read moreYoung Visionary Lesedi Mochadibane Empowers Students with Free, High-Quality Math Resources to Revolutionize Education in South Africa

SA Military Ombud Office to host the 11th Annual Symposium

Location: News

SA Military Ombud Office to host the 11th Annual Symposium

The South African Military Ombud Office will gather different stakeholders and role players when they host the 11th Annual Symposium on Friday.

The symposium will be held under the theme: “The role of military ombud institutions in promoting human rights and administrative justice within the military in the African context”.

Military Ombud Lieutenant General (Ret) Vusumuzi Masondo will give a keynote address on the role that the Office plays within the armed forces.

Other speakers on the day will include Dr Moses Khanyile, Director CEMIS, Stellenbosch University; Grace Malera, Ombudsman, Malawi; Advcate Sipho Mantula, Researcher University of South Africa; Steven Ramafoko, Head Legal Services: Independent Police Investigative Directorate; Advocate Vasu Gounden, Founder and Executive Director ACCORD; Major General Eric Mnisi, Adjutant General of Defence Legal Services and Florence Kajuju, Ombudsman Kenya, among others.

Masondo said they had enlisted prominent speakers, ombudspersons and academics who are well conversant with the topics and global events relevant to the symposium.

“The broader objective of this symposium is to discuss the current and future context issues in Africa, the role of our armed forces and how its oversight can be enhanced.

“Furthermore, the discussion will attempt to map out the way forward and explore the possibilities of how the creation of regional and multilateral partnerships can aid in enhancing oversight,” he said.

The Office was created in 2012 with the mandate of investigating complaints by South African National Defence Force (SANDF) members and former members regarding their conditions of service.

Part of the mandate is also investigating the complaints from the members of the public regarding the official conduct of the SANDF when they are on duty. – SAnews.gov.za

Edwin
Thu, 11/09/2023 - 13:13

165 views
Read moreSA Military Ombud Office to host the 11th Annual Symposium

MultiChoice to air the prestigious Earthshot Prize Awards ceremony on screens across Africa

Location: News

MultiChoice Group
Download logo

The MultiChoice Group (www.MultiChoice.com), an official African media broadcast partner for The Earthshot Prize, will once again air the prestigious competition's third annual awards ceremony which was filmed in Singapore on Tuesday 7 November, and reveals the five winners of The Earthshot Prize.

This year, the Awards was hosted by Emmy-award winner Hannah Waddingham, who was joined by Academy award-winning actor and Earthshot Prize council member Cate Blanchett, actor Lana Condor, wildlife conservationist Robert Irwin, and actor and humanitarian Nomzamo Mbatha to announce the five winners who will each be awarded £1 million to help scale their solutions and accelerate their positive impact on people, communities, and the planet.

In addition to spotlighting the stories of The Earthshot Prize Finalists and Winners, the broadcast will feature inspirational performances from some of the world's most exciting musical artists, including Bastille, OneRepublic and Singaporean choral society, Voices of Singapore.

ABALOBI was founded in South Africa by Serge Raemaekers and Nico Waldeck as a non-profit partnership between fishers and scientists. Its aim is to protect small-scale fishing communities and nurture their ocean stewardship, while arming their customers with better information about where their seafood comes from.

An ABALOBI app connects fishers with a digital marketplace where they register their catches and log precisely how, when and where the fish originate. For the first time, small-scale fishers have a tool to demonstrate transparently that they are fishing sustainably, and in exchange, they receive a fair price for their catch.

Led by Manja Kargbo, Freetown the Treetown is an ambitious, city-led, “pay-to- grow” scheme to plant, grow and digitally track trees, which aims to restore what has been lost and protect it for future generations.

Through this initiative, city residents are paid to plant and monitor trees and mangroves, which are tracked via an online platform. The initiative is funded with tokens sold on private and carbon markets. The city council also works with locals to raise awareness of the importance of its trees and engage the community in restorative activities.

Inspired by President John F. Kennedy's “Moonshot” challenge that pioneered space travel in the 1960s, The Earthshot Prize is an ambitious global environmental prize which aims to discover and scale the best solutions to help repair our planet within the remainder of this decade.

Every year, The Earthshot Prize will find and reward solutions to five “Earthshot” goals – Protect and Restore Nature; Clean Our Air; Revive Our Oceans; Build A Waste-Free World and Fix Our Climate. These winning solutions will have the greatest impact on the biggest environmental challenges facing our planet and winners and finalists will have access to a global support network to scale their work.

The award ceremony will air on MultiChoice channels across Africa from Monday, 13th November:

CHANNEL

1st BROADCAST – 13 Nov

REPEAT BROADCAST

M-Net 101/SADAC

21h00 (CAT)

14 Nov @12h00 (CAT)

M-Net E & W

21h00 (EAT/WAT)

14 Nov @12h00 (EAT/WAT)

1Magic

21h00 (CAT)

19 Nov @23h00 (CAT)

Maisha Magic East

21h00 (EAT)

19 Nov @15h00 (EAT)

One Zed

21h30 (CAT)

18 Nov @17h00 (CAT)

ZTN

21h00 (CAT)

20 Nov @20h00 (CAT)

3KTV

21h00 (CAT)

15 Nov @21h00 (CAT)

Africa Magic Family

21h00 (WAT)

16 Nov @15h00 (WAT)

Mambo Moto

21h00 (EAT)

14 Nov @15h00 (EAT)

Maisha Magic Poa

21h00 (EAT)

19 Nov @18h00 (EAT)

Pearl Magic

21h00 (EAT)

19 Nov @12h00 (EAT)

Akwaaba Abusua

21h00 (GMT)

20 Nov @16h00 (GMT)

NewzRoom Afrika

21h00 (CAT)

18 Nov @17h00 (CAT)

Showmax (All Regions)

14 November 06h00

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of MultiChoice Group.

For more information on contact:

MultiChoice Group Contact Details:
Litlhare Moteetee, Senior Manager: Corporate Communications 
Tel: +27 72 490 4609 
Litlhare.Moteetee@Multichoice.co.za  

The Earthshot Prize Contact Details:
Taylor Patterson, Director of Media and Engagement
Taylor.patterson@earthshotprize.org

About MultiChoice Group:
MultiChoice Group (MCG), listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), is a leading provider of entertainment and related consumer services, with an expanding ecosystem, underpinned by scalable technologies, and a track record now spanning almost 40 years.  MCG provides video entertainment products and services through its linear and streaming platforms to 23.5m households across 50 countries on the African continent and continues to grow by producing and acquiring the best local, sport and international content and offering tiered subscription packages and aggregated streaming services to its customer base. MCG's superior technology capabilities enables it to continue innovating around distribution, digital and payment solutions and content security to offer the best customer experience across the continent. Reaching up to 100 million individuals on a daily basis, the MultiChoice Group is using its scale and distribution to expand its platform to include sports betting and interactive entertainment, fin-tech services, household services (focused on internet connectivity and emergency response services) and ed-tech. Irdeto, MCG's technology business, provides platform cybersecurity services which protect over 6bn devices and applications globally for some of the world's best media and technology brands, as well as clients in the connected industries sector. 

About The Earthshot Prize:
Founded by Prince William and The Royal Foundation in 2020, The Earthshot Prize (www.EarthshotPrize.org) is a global environmental prize to discover, accelerate and scale ground-breaking eco-solutions to repair and regenerate the planet. Inspired by President John F. Kennedy's Moonshot, which united millions of people around the goal of reaching the moon, The Earthshot Prize aims to catalyse an Earthshot challenge to urgently encourage and scale innovative solutions that can help put the world firmly on a trajectory towards a stable climate, where communities, oceans and biodiversity thrive in harmony by 2030. The five challenges are: Protect and Restore Nature; Clean our Air; Revive our Oceans; Build a Waste-free World; and Fix our Climate.

The Prize aims to turn the current pessimism surrounding environmental issues into optimism but championing inspiring leadership and helping to scale incredible cutting-edge solutions. It will discover 50 winners over 10 years with the power to repair the planet. More than a prize, The Earthshot Prize works in partnership with a Global Alliance of Partners to support the scaling of the solutions discovered and selected each year.

The Global Alliance Founding Partners are a group of leading global organisations and philanthropists which act as strategic funding partners to the Prize, including Aga Khan Development Network, Bezos Earth Fund, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Breakthrough Energy Foundation, Coleman Family Ventures, DP World in partnership with Dubai EXPO 2020, Eleven Eleven Foundation, Holch Povlsen Foundation, Jack Ma Foundation, Legado Para A Juventude, Marc and Lynne Benioff, Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, Paul G. Allen Family Foundation and Rob & Melani Walton Foundation.

Global Alliance Partners are non-profit environment and sustainable development organisations that bring expertise, global reach and serve as nominating organisations each year. For full list see website: Global Alliance - Earthshot Prize (https://apo-opa.info/3QvHM8G).

Global Alliance Members are some of the world's largest and most influential companies and brands who will support The Earthshot Prize, implement ambitious changes within their businesses and accelerate the advancement of the solutions of Prize Finalists and Winners. They are: Arup, Bloomberg L.P., Deloitte, Herbert Smith Freehills, Hitachi, Ingka Group (IKEA), Microsoft, The MultiChoice Group, Natura &Co, Safaricom, Salesforce, Unilever, Vodacom Group, Walmart.

Read moreMultiChoice to air the prestigious Earthshot Prize Awards ceremony on screens across Africa

SA a apt area for investment, says Zikalala

Location: News

SA a good place for investment, says Zikalala

Public Works and Infrastructure Minister, Sihle Zikalala, has assured investors that South Africa has put in place systems, structures and policies that are investor-friendly and is easing ways of doing business.

“As South Africa, we are a story of economic growth, hope and resilience to investors and social partners,” he told investors.

The Minister is on an official working visit in the United Kingdom, where he and a delegation are on a mission to promote South Africa as a preferred infrastructure investment destination. 

“We are open for business and we guarantee your return on investments in a country that is continuously eliminating red tape, has economic stability, improving the ease of doing business and where the rule of law is jealously guarded by our democratic institutions and our courts,” Zikalala said in his address to over 500 global investors in London.

The Minister presented to investors a plethora of infrastructure investment opportunities in areas such as energy, water, transport and digital infrastructure.

He assured investors that President Cyril Ramaphosa is leading the charge for a corruption-free government which honours agreements and contracts with investors.

“The investor environment is one characterised by a commitment to ethics and running a corruption-free administration. An ethical state is essential to assuring investors that their investment is safe from abuse. In addition, we are very clear about the rules of engagement with no other hidden agendas.

“Despite our recent challenges which we are working hard to overcome, such as load-shedding, our economy remains resilient and has enhanced reforms, especially on financing large infrastructure projects where we have opened up space for public –private partnerships.  We are mobilising private sector financing and skills to work with the government of South Africa to fast track delivery and improve contract and project management,” he said.

Policies

At Wednesday’s session, the Minister faced gruelling questions around some of the country’s transformation policies such as Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE), localisation and the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), which some perceive to be too bureaucratic and impacts on investor confidence.

The Minister responded by saying that the policies are critical in redressing South Africa’s economic disparities induced by the pain of its history which left many languishing on the fringes of the economy. 

“The South African government is creating a new economic landscape and architecture which is premised on economic inclusion of most of the population.

“Our quest to address the socio-economic imbalances of the past should be no threat to investors but should be part of building a united and democratic South Africa that benefits all its citizens.

“This is a consensus that we have built as a country what we want to be non-racial, non-sexist and democratic with a prosperous population,” said the Minister.

Meanwhile, investors expressed excitement about the vast opportunities available in infrastructure investments.

The Minister invited the investors to visit South Africa and share the country’s major investment platforms such as the Presidential Infrastructure Investment Summit 2024 and the South Africa Construction Week and conference to be announced soon.

He believes the Global Africa Trade Conference is a lucrative opportunity to rebuild South Africa’s economy in the wake of a disruptive pandemic of COVID-19. 

Zikalala is confident that the new frontiers of economic partnerships have been cemented. The Minister will be in the UK until Friday. – SAnews.gov.za

 

Edwin
Thu, 11/09/2023 - 08:57

352 views
Read moreSA a apt area for investment, says Zikalala

Telkom to launch Telkom Transformation and Innovation Awards: Celebrating South African Innovators

Location: MyPR

Telkom, a leading technology company in South Africa, is proud to announce the launch of the Telkom Transformation and Innovation Awards, set to take place on the 14th of November 2023. This ground-breaking event marks the beginning of an annual celebration, recognising Telkom’s pivotal role in supporting technology-driven start-ups within the South African ecosystem. The …

Read moreTelkom to launch Telkom Transformation and Innovation Awards: Celebrating South African Innovators

Battle against illegal mining receives a boost

Location: News

Battle against illegal mining receives a boost

President Cyril Ramaphosa has authorised the employment of 3 300 members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) for service in cooperation with the South African Police Service to prevent and combat crime and maintain and preserve law and order under Operation Prosper.

“Members of the SANDF will, in cooperation with the South African Police Service, conduct an intensified anti-criminality operation against illegal mining across all provinces, from 28 October 2023 until 28 April 2024,” the Presidency said in a statement on Thursday. 

The expenditure expected to be incurred for this deployment amounts to R 492 143 296.

The President set out the employment in a letter to the Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, Amos Masondo. – SAnews.gov.za

 

DikelediM
Thu, 11/09/2023 - 10:44

84 views
Read moreBattle against illegal mining receives a boost

Meet the stellar line up of judges for the 5th edition of the Twyg Sustainable Fashion Awards

Location: Entertainment, MyPR

For the fifth annual edition of the Twyg Sustainable Fashion Awards, a renowned panel of six local and international judges will bring a strong global perspective to the evaluation process. This will be the second year that this same panel will be judging the awards. “We are confident that this dynamic panel, with wide-ranging and …

Read moreMeet the stellar line up of judges for the 5th edition of the Twyg Sustainable Fashion Awards

Strides being made to claw back against effects of State Capture

Location: News

Strides being made to claw back against effects of State Capture

While the remnants of State Capture continue to impact government and state coffers, progress is being made to bring those responsible to book.

This according to President Cyril Ramaphosa who was addressing the ongoing National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council’s (NACAC) National Dialogue in Gauteng.

President Ramaphosa highlighted that among the billions of Rands that have been retrieved from corrupt elements, at least nine separate court cases, involving 47 individuals and 21 companies, have been brought to court.

“Freezing orders amounting to R14 billion have been authorised by the Asset Forfeiture Unit and a total of R5.4 billion has been recovered and returned to the state. Government departments, municipalities and professional bodies are taking disciplinary action against individuals identified by the [State Capture] Commission.

“The South African Revenue Service has collected R4.9 billion in unpaid taxes as a result of evidence brought before the State Capture Commission. While there is a long road ahead, the fight against corruption is gaining momentum,” the President said.

He highlighted that over the last five years, significant resources have been invested to “rebuild the law enforcement agencies and other bodies that were devastated by state capture”.

“We appointed new leadership with the track record, integrity and capability to tackle crime and corruption. We are now in the process of developing legislation that will insulate the appointment and removal processes for key positions shown to be vulnerable to state capture.

“In 2018, we established the NPA Investigating Directorate to focus on state capture and other serious crimes. We established the Special Tribunal to enable the Special Investigating Unit to fast track the recovery of public funds.

“In November 2020, Cabinet adopted the National Anti-Corruption Strategy, whose six strategic pillars anchor the deliberations of this National Dialogue,” he said.

President Ramaphosa acknowledged that corruption has a significant impact not only on state coffers but in the belief that citizens have in government.

“All South Africans suffer…when goods, services and resources meant for public benefit are misappropriated, mismanaged and stolen and when that happens, it is the poor who suffer most.

“Corruption carries a huge opportunity cost…it imposes a huge burden on the lives of our people. Economic growth is stifled and businesses suffer. Development stalls and institutions across the board – both in the public sector and in the private sector – also fail.

“Corruption has wounded our democracy in a number of ways and has also shaken people’s faith in our institutions. If corruption is not curbed, arrested or stopped, the greatest damage will not be in the funds stolen…or the jobs lost. It will be in damaging our democracy,” he said.

Reflecting further on South Africa’s democracy – which will turn 30 years old in 2024 – President Ramaphosa said next year, both progress and failings will be acknowledged.

“We will…reflect on how far we have come as a country in improving the lives of our people…the quality of their lives and also…in entrenching a culture of democracy and human rights.

“We will reflect on the progressive policies that have enabled millions of our people to be lifted out of absolute poverty and that have provided…basic necessities which they didn’t have…such as housing, electricity, water and other basic services.

“We will also, at the same time, acknowledge where we have not achieved enough, where the expectations and aspirations of our people have not been met. As we consider the great achievements of our democracy, we must be forthright about one of the great weaknesses where we have fallen short and that is with regard to corruption,” the President said.

The President emphasised that the fight against corruption and crime should be taken up by all of society.

“When it comes to criminality, we have 95 000 police in our country [and] we are adding [more]. Between last year and this year we are going to be adding up to 30 000 even next year. But those police will never be in every household, they will never be in every street, they will never be in every locale.

“In the end, the fight against criminality is also a societal one. Quite often…as communities, we know the people that get involved in criminality…and we don’t speak out. It is up to us as well to speak out, to make sure that we root out criminality working together with the police where we become the eyes and the ears of our people as a whole.

“Similarly when it comes to corruption, it is our duty all of us. It is a societal challenge and I hope this summit is going to come up with a lot of strategies and measures that we need to take to push back on corruption and end corruption in South Africa,” President Ramaphosa said. – SAnews.gov.za

 

NeoB
Thu, 11/09/2023 - 09:46

119 views
Read moreStrides being made to claw back against effects of State Capture

SARS receives 7 million personal income tax returns

Location: News

SARS receives 7 million personal income tax returns

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has received seven million non-provisional returns from compliant taxpayers, who have fulfilled their legal obligations by filing their personal income tax (PIT) returns by the end of the Filing Season.  

SARS has received a total of seven million returns from non-provisional taxpayers, compared to six million last year.

SARS said 88% of returns were processed online via the eFiling and MobiApp platforms; 93% of returns were processed in five seconds; 79% of refunds were processed in 72 hours, and more than R29 billion has already been paid in refunds.

SARS has also thanked taxpayers who made outstanding payments that were due.

“SARS Auto-Assessment is also gaining traction with four million taxpayers receiving assessments already calculated in the current year, up from three million the previous year.

“The rapid development of data science, algorithms, machine learning and the various third-party data sources has enabled SARS to provide taxpayers with a smooth and seamless service experience.

“While these digital platforms have been used to give the best service to compliant taxpayers, it has also allowed SARS to identify categories of non-compliant taxpayers,” SARS said on Tuesday.

SARS has seen an increase in the levels of compliance; however, it remains concerned about non-compliant taxpayers who have not submitted a return as required.

SARS has identified the following in relation to non-compliant taxpayers:

  • Registered taxpayers who have not, for whatever reason, filed a return;
  • Taxpayers who have not made a payment where it was due;
  • Taxpayers who are not registered as taxpayers, despite being economically active; and
  • Taxpayers who may in the past not have been required to file, but receive income from employment, investments, rental, or other income; certain taxpayers may also have received shares or have active business interests that push them above the income threshold, which means they have to file.

“Non-compliant taxpayers are reminded that they do face legal consequences for failing to register, file a return and/or make payments where applicable.  

“These taxpayers are urged to regularise their tax matters as a matter of urgency and are encouraged to approach the Voluntary Disclosure (VDP) unit before SARS contacts them.

“If such a taxpayer’s VDP application reaches SARS after SARS has contacted them, the VDP option falls away and their applications will not be accepted. SARS is willing and ready to assist taxpayers who want to be compliant. Where taxpayers wilfully and intentionally ignore their legal obligations, SARS will act sternly,” SARS said.

SARS Commissioner Edward Kieswetter expressed his appreciation to compliant taxpayers who have discharged their legal obligations.

“Some taxpayers are intentionally non-compliant by making false declarations to SARS or plainly ignoring their legal obligations. Those who engage in such conduct must know that what they are doing is in fact not only a civil offence, but also a criminal offence, which will be met with the proportionate response. The courts have confirmed that SARS is acting lawfully by confronting non-compliance,” Kieswetter said. – SAnews.gov.za

nosihle
Wed, 11/08/2023 - 09:27

621 views
Read moreSARS receives 7 million personal income tax returns

Police Committee Resolves not to Include Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT) Obligations in Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) Amendment Bill

Location: News

Republic of South Africa: The Parliament
Download logo

The Portfolio Committee on Police has today resolved not to include the National Preventative Mechanism's (NPM's) preventive monitoring obligations in the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) Amendment Bill. The committee was of the view that this decision does not cause any prejudice, as the directorate already conducts regular inspection of police cells. The committee took this resolution during its deliberation on the Bill. 

The NPM is an independent mechanism for the prevention of torture, designated or established in accordance with Article 18 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT). In terms of the protocol, state parties are required to establish a system of regular visits to places where people are deprived of their liberty, in order to prevent torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment. Parliament ratified OPCAT in 2019. However, there is no domestic legislation currently that regulates the NPM.

Furthermore, the committee held the view that because the NPM membership consists of the South African Human Rights Commission, the Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services, the Military Ombud, IPID and the Health Ombud, it is desirable to have an inclusive Bill to enforce, observe and promote OPCAT obligations. Therefore, the committee committed to consult and engage with various portfolio committees to discuss legislation dealing with OPCAT obligations to ensure that the matter is not dealt with piecemeal.

Meanwhile, the committee requested the Civilian Secretariat for Police to provide progress on the review of the South African Police Service Disciplinary Regulations to ensure that there is alignment with the Bill. The committee will schedule a meeting and has requested a presentation to address the question of the Minister's role in processing the Bill.   

To highlight the importance of public participation in the law-making process, the committee acknowledged the insertion of various recommendations made during public hearings, particularly in relation to the appointment of the executive director and definitions within the Bill.

The committee will on Friday consider the Bill clause by clause and will next week, on Wednesday, consider the A version of the Bill. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.

Read morePolice Committee Resolves not to Include Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT) Obligations in Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) Amendment Bill