Event

5 December 2023

Africa remains one of the regions most targeted by cybercrime in 2023

Location: News

As organisations continue to become more digitised, throughout 2023 Africa remains one of the world regions most targeted by cybercrime. At a recent press conference in Johannesburg, Kaspersky (www.Kaspersky.co.za) shared some insights and statistics related to the regional threat landscape in the third quarter of 2023 and made forecasts on how the situation is going to develop in 2024.

Web threats
Web threats are Internet-based threats that expose people and computer systems to harm online. There was a 24% increase in the number of corporate users affected by web threats from Q2 to Q3 2023 in South Africa. However, comparing Q3 2022 to Q3 2023, there was an 8% decline in the number of corporate users affected by web threats.

Phishing
Phishing is a type of Internet fraud that seeks to acquire a user's credentials by deception. It includes theft of passwords, credit card numbers, bank account details and other confidential information.

Phishing attacks detected in Kenya in Q3 2023 increased by 32% compared to Q2 2023 and by 12% compared to Q3 2022. In Nigeria, there was a 12% increase in phishing attack detections in Q3 2023 compared to Q2; however, compared to Q3 2022, the number of phishing detects decreased by 8%.

Attacks on Industrial Control Systems
Africa is among the regions with the highest number of detected attacks on industrial control systems (ICS computers). ICS computers are used in energy and mining sectors, automotive manufacturing, building automation infrastructures and other spheres to perform a range of operational technology functions – from the workstations of engineers and operators to supervisory control and data acquisition servers.

In Q3 2023, according to Kaspersky ICS CERT¹, attacks were detected on 32% of ICS computers in Africa. In South Africa, attacks were detected on 22% of machines, in Kenya – on 28%, in Nigeria – on 25%. Globally, malicious objects were detected on 25% of ICS machines in Q3 2023.

Attacks on the Internet of Things
The number of attacks on Internet of Things (IoT) devices has been increasing exponentially over the last years globally. This is related both to the activity of criminal actors and to the increasing number of IoT devices that are in use by individual users, businesses, and production facilities. IoT devices include not only wearables and smart home appliances, but also smart city systems, self-driving cars, automated retail checkouts, and other smart devices for home and business use. These devices can collect and transfer data over a wireless network without human input. Cybercriminals use networks of infected smart devices to conduct DDoS attacks or as a proxy for other types of malicious actions.

In Q3 2023, South Africa accounts for 28% of attacks on IoT devices that were detected by Kaspersky in the African region. Kenya accounts for 12% of attacks on IoT devices, and Nigeria – for 6%. All these attacks were spotted on Kaspersky IoT honeypots – decoy devices used to attract the attention of cybercriminals and analyse their activities.

“In forecasting the development of the cyberthreat landscape for 2024, we anticipate a dynamic evolution of cyberthreats marked by an upsurge in state-sponsored cyber-attacks, and 'hacktivism' will become one of the norms of cyber-warfare,” comments Bethwel Opil, Enterprise Client Lead at Kaspersky in Africa. “The prevalence of accessible generative AI is set to fuel an expansion of spear-phishing tactics, while the creative exploitation of vulnerabilities in mobile and IoT devices will be on the rise. Businesses today should be proactive and counter these cyberthreats with advanced technologies such as threat feeds, security information and event management systems, endpoint detection and response solutions, and tools with digital forensics and incident response features.”

To protect organisations from cyberthreats, Kaspersky experts recommend:

Organisations should conduct regular cyber skill checkups among employees and offer competent training. Kaspersky Security Awareness (https://apo-opa.co/3Ni4NeD) portfolio offers flexible ways to train staff, is easily customisable and scalable to meet the needs of any company size.
Corporate users should be educated on potential privacy risks when working in virtual environments. Organisations should implement best practices in safeguarding personal and corporate data.
Install updates for the firmware used on digital devices (including virtual headsets) as soon as they become available.
Use Cyber Immune (https://apo-opa.co/4a9jx9I) solutions for IoT protection on corporate networks. Use a dedicated IoT gateway that ensures inbuilt security and reliability of data transferring.
Use Kaspersky Threat Intelligence (https://apo-opa.co/4a9sf7B) to block network connections originating from malicious network addresses detected by security researchers.
Establishing continuous vulnerability assessment and triage as a basement for effective vulnerability management process. Dedicated solutions like Kaspersky Industrial CyberSecurity (https://apo-opa.co/46ZA6lH) may become an efficient assistant and a source of unique actionable information, not fully available in public.

Reference:
¹Kaspersky Industrial Control Systems Cyber Emergency Response Team

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Kaspersky.

About Kaspersky:
Kaspersky is a global cybersecurity and digital privacy company founded in 1997. Kaspersky's deep threat intelligence and security expertise is constantly transforming into innovative solutions and services to protect businesses, critical infrastructure, governments and consumers around the globe. The company's comprehensive security portfolio includes leading endpoint protection, specialized security products and services, as well as Cyber Immune solutions to fight sophisticated and evolving digital threats. Over 400 million users are protected by Kaspersky technologies and we help over 220,000 corporate clients protect what matters most to them. Learn more at www.Kaspersky.co.za.

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4 December 2023

FORBES AFRICA’s 2023 Person of the Year

Location: News

The President of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com), Prof. Benedict Oramah, today in Cairo received the FORBES AFRICA magazine 2023 Person of The Year award.

At a well-attended award ceremony, which also included the unveiling of the cover for FORBES AFRICA's December 2023/January 2024 edition featuring Prof. Oramah as Cover personality, Dr. Rakesh Wahi, FORBES AFRICA Founder and Publisher, and Roberta Naicker, the Managing Director, said that the award recognised the stellar accomplishments of leading Africans contributing to the development of the continent.

“With a career spanning three decades at Afreximbank, Prof. Benedict Oramah is a true pan-Africanist,” said Renuka Methil, Managing Editor of FORBES AFRICA. “In our almost hour-long interview Prof. Oramah's stellar track record, coupled with his unbridled enthusiasm, passion, and contribution to the economic development of Africa shone through.”

“Amongst many initiatives under his visionary leadership, Afreximbank launched the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) which will be a historic project for cross-border payments in local African currencies. He is a resilient risk-taker and articulated so well what a new united Africa should, and would, look like,” added Ms Renuka Methil.

Nominations for FORBES AFRICA Person of The Year are submitted by members of the magazine's editorial and research teams, including journalists from its bureaus across Africa, and a winner is selected after an Africa-wide review of the prominent contributors to the continent. Prof. Oramah's name was shortlisted and unanimously adjudged the winner for 2023.

With the award, Prof. Oramah joins a prestigious list of high achievers who had previously received the award, including Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria; Dr. James Mwangi, CEO, Equity Group; Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President, African Development Bank; Aliko Dangote, CEO, Dangote Group; Mohammed Dewji, President, MeTL Group; and Thuli Madonsela, former Public Protector of South Africa.

On 18 November, President Oramah also received the Zik Prize in Professional Leadership at an event in Lagos, Nigeria. He is also the recipient of numerous other awards for his contributions to the development and promotion of trade in Africa, and for the many initiatives he has championed to drive intra-African trade.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.

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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, visit: www.Afreximbank.com

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4 December 2023

Pullman Appoints Stefan Lourens as the General Manager at Pullman Cape Town

Location: MyPR

Pullman Hotels and Resorts has announced the appointment of Stefan Lourens as General Manager at Pullman Cape Town, the first property in South Africa under the Pullman brand from Accor. Lourens brings more than 30 years of hospitality experience to the Pullman Cape Town team with a proven track record across local and international brands …

1 December 2023

SA joins world in marking International Day of Persons with Disabilities

Location: News

SA joins world in marking International Day of Persons with Disabilities

The Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities will on Sunday join the global community in commemorating the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD), which aims to promote the rights of people with disabilities at every level of society.

Observed every year on 3 December, the annual International Day of Persons with Disabilities was proclaimed in 1992 by the United Nations General Assembly resolution 47/3.

Globally, the day aims to promote the rights and well-being of people with disabilities at every level of society and to raise awareness of the situation and conditions of people with disabilities in all aspects of social, economic and cultural life.

The 2023 IDPD will be commemorated under the theme: “United in action to rescue and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for, with and by persons with disabilities”.

The organisations of the United Nations are expected to reaffirm the United Nations Disability Inclusion strategy that provides a foundation for sustainable and transformative progress on disability inclusion towards the complete realisation of the human rights of all people with disabilities is an inalienable, integral and indivisible part of all human rights and fundamental freedoms.

As a member of the United Nations, the department said South Africa ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2007, and the African Union Charter on Human and Peoples Rights on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Africa in March 2022.

“In contributing to the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 7, South Africa has approved a White paper on the rights of persons with Disabilities with an implementation matrix with set clear indicators for implementation by duty bearers. The indicators also find expression in the National Development Plan 2030 and the Medium-Term Strategic Framework,” the department said in a statement.

The 3rd of December also marks the end of Disability Rights Awareness Month (DRAM) observed from 3 November to 3 December with 3 December as the National Day for Persons with Disabilities.

Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma will on Sunday join the Gauteng Provincial Government and Special Olympics Committee, including organisations of and for people with disabilities and South Africa to observe and commemorate National Day of persons with disabilities.

The event is scheduled to take place at St Benedict's College, Bedfordview, Johannesburg, from 9am. – SAnews.gov.za

GabiK
Fri, 12/01/2023 - 13:57

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1 December 2023

Mashatile rallies communities to be involved in HIV interventions

Location: News

Mashatile rallies communities to be involved in HIV interventions

Deputy President Paul Mashatile has called on communities to actively participate in interventions to combat stigma, discrimination, and human rights violations affecting people living and affected by HIV/AIDS.

“History demonstrates that when communities unite, any challenge can be overcome. Our combined strengths can help us achieve the goal of eliminating HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis as public health threats,” he said on Friday.

The Deputy President was speaking at the official commemoration of World AIDS Day as Chairperson of the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC). The event was held in Mandeni in KwaZulu-Natal.

He described the 1 December as an opportunity to strengthen unity to fight against HIV, support those living with HIV, and remember those who succumbed to AIDS-related illnesses.

“Our combined strengths can help us achieve the goal of eliminating HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis as public health threats.”

The Deputy President believes active civil society has also led to significant progress in the prevention, treatment, care, support, and outreach for the vulnerable.

“An additional area that necessitates strong oversight from civil society is the pervasive problem of gender-based violence and femicide, the correlation of which is universally recognised with HIV.”

However, he said he was encouraged by the Takuwani Riime Men’s Movement for its commitment to establish the men’s community parliaments in every village, township, suburb, and community in South Africa.

“This movement seeks to mobilise men and boys to stand up and be counted in the country’s efforts against mental health in men, gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), new HIV infections, and toxic masculinity, and for men to be drivers of the positive socialisation of the boy child.”

He also rallied communities to hold hands with government to eradicate patriarchy, economic inequality, insensitive social norms, and harmful cultural practices.

Gender-based violence, according the Deputy President, was detrimental to the state’s efforts towards the achievement of the global Sustainable Development Goals and National Development Plan.

Survey

He also touched on the recently published sixth South African National HIV Prevalence, Incidence, and Behavioural Survey by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC).

The research found that 7.8 million people are living with HIV in South Africa, a decrease from 14% in 2017 to 12.7% in 2022.

“While the results clearly show that the prevalence of HIV is declining, there are some worrying patterns regarding the age group between 25 and 49 years.”

Meanwhile, among females, HIV prevalence was highest in ages 35 to 39 years at 34.2% compared to 27.1% in males aged 45 to 49 years.

The country’s second-in-command also raised concerns about the increased incidence of HIV infection among girls between 15 to 19 years old.

“It is an indication that older men engage in unprotected sexual activities with girls and young women. We must take extraordinary measures as a society to protect kids against immoral predators. We must ensure that children have a safe environment to discuss the issues influencing their sexual conduct and the pressures they are under.

“We must stand with them and educate them about their rights and sexual health,” he stressed.

Government is also worried about the lack of access to treatment by HIV-positive children, young people, and men.

The survey indicated that among those aged 15 and older living with HIV in South Africa in 2022, 90% were aware of their status, 91% of those aware of their status were on antiretroviral treatment (ART) and 94% of those on ART were virally suppressed.

He told the community the state’s primary objective as a government is to integrate all facets of an individual’s healthcare into a unified system, ensuring that everyone consistently gets quality medical care.

“Another game-changer in our progressive treatment literacy efforts is the integration of the undetectable equals untransmittable (U=U) concept into our policy framework.”

This means that if a person takes their treatment consistently without fail, they will achieve ongoing viral suppression until the level of the virus drops to below 50 copies per millilitre.

“However, we advocate for safe sex since being undetectable will not prevent you from passing on a sexually transmitted infection to your partner or having an unplanned pregnancy.”

Stigma

Shifting his focus on stigma and prejudice, he said this can be as traumatic as the illness itself.

This, he said, could lead to partner or family rejection, social marginalisation, school expulsion, denial of medical services, a lack of care and support, and violence.

“We encourage our community leaders to engage our communities in order to alter societal attitudes and customs, some of which are influenced by our upbringing.” – SAnews.gov.za

Gabisile
Fri, 12/01/2023 - 15:24

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1 December 2023

Sweet Admire Tokens: Why Chocolates Are Ideal Wedding Favours

Location: MyPR

When it comes to weddings, every detail matters. From the dress to the venue, couples strive to create an unforgettable experience for themselves and their guests. One often-overlooked aspect that can add a delightful touch to your special day is wedding favours. These small tokens of appreciation are a way to express gratitude to your …

1 December 2023

Philippine Traditional Dance and Music Seize the Spotlight on Diplomatic Milestone Event with South Africa

Location: News

Department of Foreign Affairs, Republic of the Philippines
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Philippine culture was on full display during the event organized by the Philippine Embassy in Pretoria to mark the 30 years of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and South Africa. As a fitting tribute to the countries' diplomatic milestone, Philippine dance troupe KALOOB Philippine Music and Dance Ministry performed on 26 November 2023 at the University of Pretoria's Aula Theatre.

The event was attended by over 700 guests from the government, diplomatic corps, organized business, academic community and other sectors of South African society, as well as members of the Filipino community.

In her welcome remarks, Philippine Ambassador Noralyn Jubaira Baja highlighted the similarities between Filipino and South African cultures despite the two countries' geographical distance. She said that the Philippines, just like South Africa, is a country which is proud of and fully embraces its multicultural heritage. Filipinos also share common values with their African kin such as faith and spirituality, family centeredness, sense of community, as well as fostering harmonious interpersonal relationships.

The Ambassador likewise mentioned the significant developments in the bilateral ties between the Philippines and South Africa, most notably the successful convening of the countries' 5th Bilateral Consultative Forum held on 23 February 2023 in Pretoria, which allowed Filipino and South African policymakers to discuss issues of mutual interest.

As guest of honor, Chief Director for Central, South and Southeast Asia Sindiswa Mququ of the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation agreed with the Ambassador that both countries have rich and diverse cultural heritage that reflects their unique identity and history. Commending the Embassy for its continuous efforts to promote the cultural relations between the two countries, she emphatically stated that it is through cultural exchange and dialogue that both sides can learn from each other, appreciate their similarities and differences, and foster mutual understanding and respect.

Marking their debut in South Africa, KALOOB provided the South African public with a glimpse of the cultural diversity of the Philippines by performing selected traditional dances and music of the Cordillera region, the indigenous communities in Mindanao, and the Muslim groups in southern Philippines. The group also performed Hispanic dances which were introduced to the country during the Spanish occupation and subsequently indigenized by the Filipino people. KALOOB capped their great performance with Philippine folk dances which are deeply rooted in pre-colonial and Spanish colonial periods but have survived and evolved through time.

The dance troupe captivated the guests with its repertoire of Filipino dances, which included Chalijok (harvest-time dance of the Kalinga people), Sabay (courtship dance of the Subanen people), Kapamalong-Malong (dance showing the various ways to wear and use the malong, a tubular cloth worn by the Maranao people), Singkil (the Maranao people's retelling of the Darangen epic), Jota Moncadeña (a distinctly Hispanized dance in Tarlac province using bamboo hand clickers called kalaste) and the very popular Tinikling. Live music from traditional Philippine percussion and stringed instruments, as well as the colorful and vibrant traditional costumes further enriched KPMDM's performance.

KALOOB received a standing ovation from an enthusiastic audience. As a symbol of the enduring friendship between the Philippines and South Africa, some South African youth who watched the performance presented flowers to the performers.

Founded by Mr. Eduardo Lapiz, KALOOB initially promoted Filipino indigenous culture for use in contemporary Christian evangelization and worship. The group has since branched out to arranging performances for a general audience with the objective of spreading profound appreciation for Philippine heritage. With its continuing extensive cultural research, documentation, preservation and promotion of Philippine indigenous music, dance and rituals, the group has been recognized by the Cultural Center of the Philippines as one of the major dance groups in the country.

The R27 billion OMM programme is an infrastructure development project launched in October last year at Ga-Malekana in Burgersfort.

The programme is undertaken by the Department of Water and Sanitation, in partnership with LWUA, to address water supply challenges in communities in Limpopo.

“The programme is meant to fast-track potable and bulk raw water infrastructure development to ensure that communities, including mining and agriculture sectors, and other companies in Sekhukhune District, Polokwane and Mogalakwena Local Municipalities, have sustainable water provision by 2030,” the department said.

During the visit, Mchunu will also give feedback on the investigation he commissioned around the R143 million drought relief project set aside in 2020 to address water supply challenges at Moutse in Elias Motsolaledi Local Municipality by Lepelle Northern Water, as the implementing agent.

The Minister will also engage with members of the community at an event scheduled to take place at Philadelphia Sports Grounds, Dennilton.

Water reticulation for Mopani District villages

Meanwhile, the department said it is working with Mopani District Municipality in Limpopo to increase the level of services from communal taps to yard connections for the reticulation of water in 55 villages within the district.

“The 24 villages will be fully reticulated by January 2024, while Phase 2 of the 31 villages (out of 55 villages) will start in the 2024-2025 financial year,” the department said. – SAnews.gov.za

Location: News

Mashatile to lead World AIDS Day in KZN

Deputy President Paul Mashatile will on Friday, 1 December 2023, lead the official commemoration of World AIDS Day and launch of the South African Chapter of the Global Alliance to End AIDS in Children.

According to the Deputy President’s office, the country’s second-in-charge will address the World AIDS Day event in his capacity as the Chairperson of the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC).

The event is scheduled to take place at Ngcedomhlophe Sports Field in the Mandeni Local Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal.

World AIDS Day is commemorated annually across the globe in solidarity with the millions of people living with HIV and to raise awareness about the status of the epidemic, to encourage HIV prevention, treatment and care.

The 2023 commemorations will focus on investing in and strengthening community-led interventions and community-centred approaches in the management of HIV.

“It further highlights the importance of greater involvement of civil society in strengthening accountability and empowering communities to be at the forefront of strategic interventions against stigma, discrimination and human rights violations of people affected and infected with HIV.”

South Africa, the Presidency said, joins the rest of the world in shining the light on the experiences of people living with HIV today, while celebrating the strength, resilience and diversity of the communities most affected.

Deputy President Mashatile will lead the commemoration event alongside the SANAC Civil Society Chairperson Steve Letsike, Health Minister, Dr Joe Phaahla, KwaZulu-Natal Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube, KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane and various sector leaders.

The event will be attended by members of the surrounding communities as well as representatives from development partners such as the United Nations agencies, the United States government, research entities, civil society movements and the private sector. – SAnews.gov.za

Gabisile
Tue, 11/28/2023 - 11:32

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