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The Yokhuselo Haven in Gqeberha is dedicated to offering refuge and assistance to individuals experiencing abuse, homelessness, or other forms of crisis. The primary mission of the haven is to provide a safe and supportive environment where individuals can find solace, guidance, and resources to help them navigate their difficulties. The haven offers a range …
Soweto July 2024 – Today, the children of Pimville in Soweto are celebrating as Manhattan Sweets pilots the “Manhattan Fun Lab”, a play initiative that sets out to tackle play inequity and deliver quality play opportunities for South African children living in impoverished areas. The first ever International Day of Play took place on the …
Eskom former official, service provider appear in court
An Eskom former employee and a service provider at the power utility have appeared in the Hendrina Magistrates’ Court to face charges of theft and fraud.
The two made separate appearances at the court and were released on bail of R30 000 each.
The power utility explained that an investigation had revealed that between January and April last year, the service provider had supplied five valve stems to the Hendrina Power Station.
According to Eskom the valves “were stolen from the same power station warehouse, as a result of working with the Eskom employee”.
“An internal investigation revealed that the Eskom employee had misused company resources without authorisation for their own personal gain and also falsified documents as the end-user.”
The Eskom employee resigned while a disciplinary action was being instituted.
“Eskom suffered a financial loss of R667 500 because of this criminal activity,” Eskom said.
Eskom Acting General Manager for Security Botse Sikhwitshi vowed that the power utility will continue to root out criminality in its ranks.
“Eskom strongly condemns any fraudulent activity in its business operations and will not tolerate such behaviour. Our internal security investigations team will continue collaborating with the South African Police Service in ensuring that those who enrich themselves at Eskom’s expense are held accountable,” Sikhwitshi said.
The two are expected back in court on 29 July. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Tue, 07/09/2024 - 11:11
We need a new approach to policing from Minister Senzo Mchunu
To celebrate its 40th birthday, Protea Hotels by Marriott announced the opening of its first property in Angola while further strengthening its portfolio in South Africa with a new property in Pretoria. The newest additions – Protea by Marriott Luanda and Protea by Marriott Pretoria Hatfield – will offer business and leisure travellers the chance to experience the vibrant local cultures and warm hospitality, along with exceptional accommodation, modern amenities and world-class service.
Protea Hotels by Marriott, part of Marriott Bonvoy's distinguished portfolio of over 30 extraordinary brands, has grown significantly since its founding in July 1984. Starting with just four hotels in South Africa, the brand now boasts over 60 properties throughout South Africa and eight other African countries, including Botswana, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and now Angola. This extensive footprint across primary and secondary business centres and desirable leisure destinations makes Protea Hotels by Marriott a popular choice for travellers exploring Africa.
Sandra Schulze-Potgieter, Vice President of Premium & Select Brands, Europe, Middle East, and Africa, Marriott International, said, “This month we celebrate four decades of exceptional service and genuine African hospitality. What better way to commemorate this milestone than by further strengthening Protea Hotels' legacy with our first hotel in Angola and the ongoing expansion of the brand in South Africa. Both properties will combine contemporary comfort with a deep appreciation for local culture and heritage, offering guests a unique and enriching stay.”
Protea by Marriott Luanda
Protea Hotels by Marriott makes its debut in Angola with the opening of Protea by Marriott Luanda. Situated between the city centre of Luanda and Talatona, the new hotel offers proximity to a wide range of business, sports and private event destinations, as well as leisure retreats near the sea. The hotel interior creates a comfortable ambience across its public space and 84 guestrooms and suites, using contemporary furniture in African-styled terracotta colour and furnishings made with locally sourced materials. Guests can also admire the paintings by Guilherme Mampuya, a renowned Angolan artist based in Luanda. Culinary offerings include Múcua, an all-day restaurant serving up a modern fusion of Portuguese and Angolan cuisines, and a rooftop bar where guests can unwind with drinks and light bites against panoramic views of the surrounding area. Other facilities include a fully equipped gym and an outdoor pool with a waterfall.
Protea by Marriott Pretoria Hatfield
Protea by Marriott Pretoria Hatfield is strategically located in Hatfield, one of the most sought-after areas in Pretoria, providing business and leisure travellers with easy access to diplomatic, government and corporate offices as well as shopping centres, entertainment destinations and sporting facilities. The hotel features 203 contemporary guestrooms designed for comfort and style. Guests can enjoy a memorable dining experience at The African Restaurant and Bar, which dishes up a fusion of global and African cuisines. A cosy 30-seater bar provides a relaxing space to unwind, while five state-of-the-art conference venues cater to both large-scale and intimate gatherings.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Marriott International, Inc..
About Protea Hotels by Marriott:
Protea Hotels by Marriott® is the leading hospitality brand in Africa and it is one of the most widely recognized brands on the continent with over 60 hotels across nine countries including South Africa, Zambia, Nigeria, Namibia, Botswana, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi and Angola. Protea Hotels by Marriott® is ideal for both business and leisure travellers by offering properties in primary and secondary business centres and desirable leisure destinations. Each hotel offers modern facilities, proactive and friendly service and consistent amenities such as full-service restaurants, meeting spaces, complimentary Wi-Fi, and well-appointed rooms, ensuring global standards for a high quality, relaxed and successful stay.
About Marriott Bonvoy®:
Marriott Bonvoy, Marriott International's portfolio of more than 30 hotel brands and 10,000 global destinations, offers renowned hospitality in the most memorable locations around the world. The award-winning travel program and marketplace gives members access to transformative, eye-opening experiences around the corner and across the globe. To enroll for free or for more information about Marriott Bonvoy, visit http://apo-opa.co/3LgyVpn. To download the Marriott app, go here. Travelers can also connect with Marriott Bonvoy on Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok.
Trust and relationships key ingredients to coalition governments
Former Advisor to Coalition Governments in Ireland, Fergus Finlay, says trust and relationships are an important ingredient towards the success of coalition governments.
“The key thing about coalitions is relationships, acceptance that you not going to get everything you want in a coalition, [and] acceptance that even if you don’t get everything you want, you are going to respect the bottom line,” Finlay said.
Finlay made the remarks during a webinar held under the topic: “Making Coalitions and Governments of National Unity Work: The Role of Professional Bureaucracies.”
The webinar was hosted by the National School of Government (NSG).
It provided a platform to discuss the likely impact of the Government of National Unity (GNU) on the public administration and governance system, with lessons from countries abroad that have gone through power sharing arrangements, as well as in the country’s local government system where coalitions have also been in existence for a few years.
During Monday’s session, experts from the country and abroad shared their insights and experiences on the impact of coalition arrangements on public sector institutions.
Sharing his experience on coalition governments, Finlay said relationships, trust and a written programme is essential, noting that detailed structure to get to the programme is imminent.
“There is no guarantee in the end of success, unless there is trust and mutual respect,” Finlay said.
Former Chief of Cabinet for various Belgian Ministers, including the Vice Prime Minister from the Belgium government--which is known for coalition governments-- Jan Cornillie noted that the longest coalition negotiation in Belgium took 514 days.
Sharing lessons learned on coalition agreements, Cornillie underscored the importance of discussing coalitions before entering into government and the need to make compromises and institutionalise it because ‘pacification is in itself a key to coalition outcome.’
“Limit the zone of possible agreements by introducing facts and constraints into the discussions (what is implementable), provide an overarching narrative in which governing parties can find themselves; make use of the nation’s centre(s) of excellence in policymaking, and provide access to chief advisors from all governing parties,” Cornillie said.
Cornillie also emphasised that government is not completed by Ministers and Cabinet alone, but need a whole system, including advisors, the civil service, national expert bodies, and political advisors that trust each other.
Overcoming difficulties
Professor of Political Science at the University of Florence and Coordinator of Department of Public Policy and Governance, National School of Administration (SNA), in Italy, Professor Andrea Lippi, acknowledged that coalition governments are difficult.
Lippi said through coalition governments, Italy has seen transformation of the Cabinet with more relevant, not only legal supervision, but brokering and with more employees; and creeping professionalisation of civil servants towards a strategic role of policy making.
He said Italy also experienced the relevant role of informal relationships, networking, governance among ministries, and multilevel governance with 20 regions and 7 000 more municipalities, as well as new relationships between representative bodies and bureaucrats and related new problems, including accountability, delegation of responsibilities, and bargaining.
“We have observed the increasing relevance of soft power in place of (or beside) hard power; new stream of skills for a policy of training in favour of top civil servants; increasing the role of evidence-based policy making [including] policy evaluation, policy advice, open government and participatory procedures, and multi-level governance [amongst others].”
Professional public officers should be apolitical
Lesotho Institute of Public Administration and Management Administration Director-General, Nthabiseng Tlhomola, argued that the role of professional public officers is to serve the government of the day and as such, should be apolitical.
For the first time since 1966, the Lesotho general elections in 2012 produced a hung government, where no single political party could form government, and political parties were forced to engage in talks to join forces.
On the rise of GNU in Lesotho, Tlhomola said in general, the manifestos of the country’s political parties were similar - looking into infrastructure development, job creation and growing the economy.
“We are now more than 10 years [into] a coalition government; we therefore have a story to tell,” Tlhomola said.
Tlhomola noted that even though the oversight institutions are affected by government changes, the government makes sure that their role to ensure that government business operates as expected, continues. – SAnews.gov.za
GabiK
Mon, 07/08/2024 - 15:20
Introduction In today’s fast-paced world, businesses must be accessible around the clock to meet customer expectations and needs. This blog delves into the significance of 24/7 telephone answering services and how they transform customer service dynamics. The Need for 24/7 Answering Services Availability can make or break customer satisfaction. Here’s why round-the-clock answering services are …
The National Basketball Association (NBA) (www.NBA.com) and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) today announced that the 20th edition of Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Africa will be held at the American International School of Johannesburg from Saturday, Aug. 3 – Tuesday, Aug. 6, marking the 16th time that the NBA and FIBA's global basketball development and community outreach program will be held in South Africa. BWB Africa camps have also been held in Dakar, Senegal (2010 and 2019), Luanda, Angola (2016) and Cairo, Egypt (2022).
BWB Africa 2024 will bring together 30 boys and 30 girls from more than 20 African countries to learn directly from current and former NBA, WNBA and FIBA players, legends and coaches and compete alongside their peers from across the continent. The campers and coaches, who will be announced prior to the camp, will also take part in life-skills, leadership development and NBA Cares programming.
“Bringing Basketball Without Borders back to South Africa for its milestone 20th edition reflects the incredible momentum we're seeing for basketball in the country,” said NBA Africa CEO Clare Akamanzi. “We look forward to welcoming some of the most talented boys and girls from across the continent for four days of high-level basketball training, competition, and leadership development that will have a lasting impact on their on-court and personal journeys.”
“Basketball Without Borders continues to be a real lever for basketball on the continent,” said FIBA Africa Executive Director Alphonse Bilé. “As part of our ongoing collaboration with the NBA in Africa, which also includes the Basketball Africa League (BAL), BWB continues to elevate our sport and provide invaluable opportunities and experiences for African youth and coaches, both on-and-off the court. I would like to extend my thanks to NBA Africa and wish all the participants a rewarding and successful camp.”
BWB Africa 2024 will be supported by Nike, a global partner of BWB since 2002, which will outfit participants with Nike apparel and footwear, and Gatorade, which will keep players and coaches hydrated throughout the camp.
Forty-one former BWB campers were among the record 125 international players (https://apo-opa.co/3LfzKib) on opening-night rosters for the 2023-24 NBA season, including 2022-23 Kia NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers; Cameroon; BWB Africa 2011), who became the first former BWB camper to be named NBA MVP, and 2019 NBA champion Pascal Siakam (Indiana Pacers; Cameroon; BWB Africa 2012). In total, 13 former BWB Africa campers have been drafted into the NBA since the first BWB Africa camp in 2003, including Ulrich Chomche (Cameroon), who was selected 57th overall by the Toronto Raptors in the 2024 NBA Draft last month. Sixty-three former BWB Africa campers have also been featured on BAL team rosters over the league's first four seasons.
BWB has reached more than 4,400 participants from 142 countries and territories since 2001, with 127 former campers advancing to the NBA or WNBA. The NBA and FIBA have staged 75 BWB camps in 50 cities across 33 countries on six continents.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of National Basketball Association (NBA).
Contact:
Pawel Weszka
NBA Africa Communications
pweszka@nba.com
+27 10 007 2666
About NBA Africa:
NBA Africa is an affiliate of the National Basketball Association (NBA), a global sports and media organization with the mission to inspire and connect people everywhere through the power of basketball. NBA Africa conducts the league's business in Africa, including the Basketball Africa League (BAL), and has opened subsidiary offices in Cairo, Egypt; Dakar, Senegal; Johannesburg, South Africa; Lagos, Nigeria; and Nairobi, Kenya. The league's efforts on the continent have focused on increasing access to basketball and the NBA through youth and elite development, social responsibility, media distribution, corporate partnerships, NBA Africa Games, NBA Stores, the BAL, and more.
NBA games and programming are available in all 54 African countries, and the NBA has hosted three sold-out exhibition games on the continent since 2015. The BAL, a partnership between the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and NBA Africa, is a professional league featuring 12 club teams from across Africa that concluded its fourth season in June 2024. Fans can follow @NBA_Africa and @theBAL on Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.
Up to R70-million budgeted for building in central Pretoria
President: 100 days of no load shedding no reason to relax
Even though South Africa recently reached the longest period without load shedding since 2020, there is no reason to relax, says President Cyril Ramaphosa.
“Our electricity system remains vulnerable and we cannot yet rule out a possibility of further load shedding.
“Rather, this milestone provides encouragement for us to do more and to work faster to ensure a secure supply of electricity now and into the future,” President Ramaphosa said in his weekly newsletter on Monday.
On Friday last week, South Africa marked 100 days since the country experienced load shedding.
This, according to the nation’s First Citizen, was a sign that the Energy Action Plan (EAP), which was launched in July 2022, was bringing some of the outcomes of collaboration between government, business, and other social partners.
He welcomed Eskom’s Generation Operational Recovery Plan, which stepped up the maintenance schedule, with a marked improvement in the performance of the power stations that produce the bulk of South Africa’s electricity.
The President also commended the State-owned power utility for successfully commissioning Unit 5 at the Kusile Power Station, adding 800MW to the grid last week.
This means Eskom has returned three units at Kusile to service ahead of schedule.
“The improvement in the reliability of power supply has been a relief for households, who have been able to go about their daily lives without the inconvenience of load shedding. It has also been a great relief for businesses.”
The President cited the Bureau for Economic Research (BER) index which found that consumer confidence rose in the second quarter of this year because of the suspension of load shedding.
This improvement is also a boost to the national economy, which is reliant on the availability and reliability of electricity supply for growth.
“There is cause for optimism that business and investor confidence will improve. Earlier this month, steelmaker ArcelorMittal announced that it would not go ahead with plans to close its operations in Newcastle and Vereeniging, citing improvements in the country’s electricity and logistics situations as among the factors behind its decision.”
The South African Reserve Bank stated in its April Monetary Policy Review that “as electricity supply gradually improves, underpinned by the ongoing private investment in renewable energy generation and increased maintenance by Eskom,” South Africa’s near and medium-term growth outlook is set to improve.
“We are committed to continue and complete the far-reaching structural reforms we started during the sixth administration to resolve the immediate electricity supply challenges and lay the groundwork for energy security into the future.”
These reforms, he wrote, include the removal of the licensing threshold for new power generation projects, tax incentives for rooftop solar, opening more bid windows for renewable energy projects, and improving Eskom’s operational viability.
He mentioned that the National Transmission Company South Africa (NTSA), which will own and operate the nation’s national electricity transmission system, started trading last week, marking the latest milestone in the structural reform process.
“This forms part of the reforms we have been driving to establish an electricity market that will enable competition, secure supply and revolutionise the energy sector.”
As the Government of National Unity (GNU) begins its work, he vowed that leaders will sustain this momentum.
“For us to continue to implement the EAP and support the hard-working management and staff of Eskom, who are day by day helping to bring us out of this crisis, we must all pull in the same direction.”
In addition, by focusing on the broader picture and scaling up what has already been achieved, he is of the view that the country was in a far better position to achieve the task they have set themselves to end load shedding and achieve an energy-secure future.
“We have reached 100 days without load shedding by working together. This should encourage us to redouble our efforts and to strengthen the collaboration between all stakeholders in both the public and private sectors.” – SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Mon, 07/08/2024 - 10:07
Noble Wealth Creation Group, a leader in business consultancy, proudly announces the expansion of its services designed to empower businesses at every stage of their journey. With a steadfast commitment to excellence, the company now offers enhanced solutions in Company Registration, Business Consultation, Leadership Training, and Team Building. Noble Wealth Creation Group has long been …
The SOLA Group sees great promise in the new TSO bill, but says that South Africans must hold government to its promises. Says Jonathan Skeen, director of SOLA, “As a provider of clean and innovative energy projects for close to two decades, we’ve often fought against the tide of prevailing energy policy or industry norms. …
With the signing of the National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill by President Cyril Ramaphosa earlier this year, the spotlight on South Africa’s healthcare system has never been more intense. Amidst fears that this bill could precipitate a mass exodus of healthcare professionals and potentially threaten the stability of the healthcare system, there is a renewed …
Decade-long battle to stave off eviction comes to an end
Trio in court for R153 million VBS corruption matter
The former Municipal Manger and acting Chief Financial Officer of the Greater Giyani Local Municipality, together with a businessman, have appeared in court in connection with a VBS corruption matter in which the municipality suffered a loss of at least R153 million.
Former Municipal Manager Risimati Maluleke, the municipality’s Acting Chief Financial officer Nditshedzeni Mashau and businessman, Zwivhuya Goodness Tshishonga, appeared in the Polokwane Specialised Commercial Crimes Court.
The trio face charges of contravening the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA), corruption and money laundering.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority regional spokesperson, Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi, the three are in the dock for their alleged role in “approving an unlawful investment to VBS Mutual Bank since VBS was not a bank as defined in the banks act” – costing the municipality a loss exceeding R153 million.
“It is alleged that the first investment of R100 million matured and yielded an interest amounting to over R4 million. Later, over R48 million was also invested. The investment and the interest were then not paid back to the municipality.
“The investigations revealed that the municipality had illegally invested over R153 million into VBS for 18 months. Furthermore, the Acting Chief Financial Officer (CFO) recommend that the money should be invested with VBS, instead of using authorised banks,” the NPA said in a statement Thursday.
Malabi-Dzhangi added that the accused allegedly acted in a “a grossly negligent way in contravention of MFMA” and “did not take reasonable steps to ensure that the resources of the municipality were used effectively, efficiently, and economically”.
“It is alleged that Tshishonga received substantial amounts of money into his business account of Real Consulting, in turn, Tshishonga [would] transfer a portion of the money to Maluleke thus disguising the nexus between VBS and Maluleke. In total Maluleke received R62 000 from Tshishonga,” she said.
The three are expected back in court in August. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Fri, 07/05/2024 - 10:10
Join us for a unique retail experience featuring a fashion show, celebratory bubbly, live performances, and a special set on the decks by DJ Zinhle. Rosebank, Johannesburg – SOKO District Rosebank at Rosebank Mall is thrilled to invite you to the SOKO District Rosebank Open Day on Saturday, 6 July from 14h00 to 17h00. This …
ANEW Hotels & Resorts is thrilled to announce the latest addition to its collection of properties, ANEW Hotel & Convention Centre OR Tambo Johannesburg. This marks an important step into the group’s large-scale conferencing and convention sector. The premises previously known as The Lakes Hotel & Conference Centre is located on the banks of Swan …
Track It All, a leading provider of bespoke task and inventory management solutions, has unveiled its latest system designed to streamline business operations and significantly reduce time spent on day-to-day tasks. The company’s innovative software offers a comprehensive suite of tools that cater to the unique needs of businesses across various industries. The newly enhanced …
NHLS apologises for blood result delays
The National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) has announced that while all its laboratories are operational following a cyber-attack, the issuing of test results to clinicians remains an issue.
“Under normal circumstances, the laboratory reports are automatically generated and sent to clinicians or made available on WebView, this incident has disabled that functionality. However, all urgent results are communicated telephonically to requesting clinicians,” the NHLS said in a statement on Wednesday
The NHLS announced late last month that it was hit by a cyber-attack, which compromised its systems and infrastructure.
READ | National Health Laboratory Service hit by cyber attack
In the meantime, the State-owned diagnostic pathology service provider said it was still implementing alternative plans and steps to maintain business continuity.
The NHLS has since distributed a critical test list to all health facilities.
“This is done to limit the volume of test requests, allowing laboratories to cope with the workload. However, this does not imply that routine tests will not be performed.”
In addition, the service provider had to come up with ways of making tuberculosis (TB) and HIV viral load historical test results available to clinicians.
“More tests, prioritising those on the critical test list, will be made available. In addition, we are in the process of developing an electronic registration system for registering new samples and providing test results electronically. Access to laboratory results will be the same as the historical TB and HIV viral test results.”
According to the NHLS, its current focus is to bring all its systems back online by the estimated mid-July to ensure end-user access remains.
“The NHLS is handling this challenge with extreme urgency to ensure the timely and secure recovery of all affected operations.”
Meanwhile, the organisation has since opened a case with the South African Police Service (SAPS) and informed all the relevant regulatory bodies about the breach.
“The NHLS views this attack in a serious light with significant worry and is treating the situation with great urgency. The breach has endangered the safety and well-being of millions of public health patients.”
The Board and its leadership team have apologised for the inconvenience caused by this occurrence and assured the public that the organisation is taking all necessary steps to resolve the situation.
“Despite the incident, the NHLS remains fully committed to providing high-quality diagnostic services to the public. The NHLS appreciates all stakeholders’ patience and the support we continue to receive during this difficult time.” – SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Thu, 07/04/2024 - 11:43
Recent research highlights that more than 52% of fraud now happens over digital channels, surpassing conventional fraud for the first time, with South African businesses reporting a 49% increase in the 12 months preceding the survey. These fraudulent activities cost South African businesses nearly four times (3.64x) the lost amount to report, investigate, recover, and …
“We want others to see that as women, we can create our own opportunities and succeed,” says founder of sewing business
Judicial Conduct Tribunal prepares to wrap up hearing into possible gross misconduct
The lease stands as the cornerstone of occupier-landlord relationships in commercial real estate. Yet beneath the surface of these meticulously drafted documents lies a complex web of financial obligations and legal stipulations that can easily become tangled. The more leases an organisation has, the higher the risk of costly trip-ups. A lease audit is a …
Shoprite launches online shopping and bulk delivery service for spaza shops and small businesses Shoprite has introduced an innovative digital solution for its Cash & Carry stores, marking the wholesale brand’s first venture into ecommerce. Bulk-buying customers can now browse and purchase a wide range of goods at highly competitive prices through a fully automated …