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Stian de Witt, Head of Financial Planning at financial advisory firm NMG Benefits, says that having honest conversations with your financial adviser isn’t just a right; it’s a responsibility. “In much the same way that you explain your health concerns to your doctor and then question the treatment plan, you should be comfortable sharing your …
In the world of entrepreneurship, the most remarkable stories often begin with a personal challenge. For Zanele Matome, Founder and CEO of Welo, that challenge is the lack of affordable access to healthcare services for an overwhelming majority of South Africans. Having spent 15 years in the construction and mining sectors, Matome saw firsthand the …
Disease Management Area declared amid foot and mouth disease in EC
In further efforts to prevent the spread of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), the Department of Agriculture has declared a Disease Management Area (DMA), which includes part of the Kouga and Kou-Kamma Municipalities in the Eastern Cape.
This follows the department’s concerns over the outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease in the Kouga and Kou-Kamma Municipalities, where cattle on 26 farms have tested positive for the disease.
The department said the cattle on the positive farms have been vaccinated to decrease the viral load and to control the severity of the clinical signs seen in especially dairy cattle.
The positive farms were also placed under quarantine, with strict movement control.
“Requests were received to preventatively vaccinate dairy cattle on farms that have not been confirmed as being FMD positive but were at high risk of infection. Permission was given to preventatively vaccinate cattle on 29 farms.
“Animals on a further seven farms were vaccinated after veterinary officials reported suspect clinical signs. In total, 84 655 animals were vaccinated on 62 farms,” the department said.
The department said the boundaries of the DMA will be detailed in the related July 2024 Government Gazette Notice.
The department explained that the DMA, which was declared on Friday, will make it possible to control the movements of animals out of, into and within the affected area.
“The main aim of the DMA is to prevent outward spread of the outbreaks, to areas not previously affected. In addition, the DMA aims to decrease further spread of the disease within the affected area, as this will decrease the viral load and infection pressure of the area.
“No cloven-hoofed animals, animal products derived from cloven-hoofed animals or genetic material of cloven-hoofed animals may be moved from, to or within the Disease Management Areas of the Eastern Cape Province except under authority of a State veterinary permit contemplated in Regulation 20 (1) of the Regulations and in compliance with the conditions of such permit,” the department said.
In addition to the control measures of the Eastern Cape Province DMA, the department said the July 2024 Gazette Notice also stipulates that cloven hoofed livestock may only be moved if accompanied by a health declaration from the owner of the animals, attesting to their health at the time of moving.
“All cattle, [including] sheep and goats newly brought onto a farm must be kept separated from the resident herds for at least 28 days. This has been a requirement by law since October 2022, but the importance of this is again emphasised,” the department said.
The department has strongly recommended to all livestock farmers in the whole country to limit animal movement as far as possible.
“Cloven-hoofed animals should not be moved unless it is necessary to allow for an opportunity to find and quarantine further undetected and affected properties to prevent any further spread of the disease.
“The significance of the incubation period for FMD cannot be overemphasised. This is the period when animals appear to be healthy, in the early stages of infection (incubation period) where they are shedding virus without showing clinical signs of disease yet,” the department said.
Farmers are again urged to observe biosecurity on their farms and to protect their own herds from becoming infected with disease. Section 11 of the Animal Diseases Act imposes a legal duty on any owner or manager of animals to take all reasonable steps to prevent their animals from becoming infected with any disease and to prevent the spread of any disease from their animals or land to other animals or other properties. – SAnews.gov.za
GabiK
Mon, 07/29/2024 - 11:43
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Six years after the Constitutional Court judgment, small-scale dagga growers are sliding deeper into poverty while businesses profit in South Africa’s “cowboy” cannabis industry
Governments urged to prioritise testing, treatment and vaccinating against hepatitis
A liver performs over 500 vital functions every single day to keep us alive, that is the reason that the World Health Organisation (WHO) believes testing, treating and preventing viral hepatitis is so important.
On Sunday, the globe commemorated World Hepatitis Day and the WHO called on all governments to prioritise testing, treatment and vaccination to realise a hepatitis-free world by 2030.
The Department of Health said viral hepatitis is a preventable and manageable disease, which remains a silent and neglected cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide.
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver often caused by a virus. Viral hepatitis means there is a specific virus causing your liver to swell or become larger than normal.
World Hepatitis Day is observed each year on 28 July to educate the public about the disease and encourage people, health professionals, communities and governments to drive awareness and action to eliminate viral hepatitis.
“Viral hepatitis is responsible for an enormous health burden, mostly due to chronic hepatitis B and C infection,” the department explained.
According to the 2024 WHO Global Hepatitis Report, in 2022, an estimated 304 million people were living with hepatitis B and hepatitis C globally.
The department said viral hepatitis is the second leading infectious cause of death globally, with about 1.3 million deaths recorded annually around the world, including over 2 000 deaths recorded in South Africa.
This burden is further compounded by the lack of screening, access to care and treatment, inadequate disease surveillance, and human and financial resources.
Meanwhile, the department stated that people living with underlying conditions such as HIV are at a higher risk due to coinfection, which further exacerbates the burden of liver disease.
South Africa is a signatory to the WHO’s global hepatitis strategy endorsed by other Member States, which aims to reduce new hepatitis infections by 90% and deaths by 65% between 2016 and 2030.
The prevention of this infectious disease includes both pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical interventions such as vaccines, practising safer sex, good hygiene, avoid sharing needles, toothbrushes and razors.
The department is also advising people to avoid drinking water from known potentially unsafe sources and cooking food well to help prevent the spread of the disease.
While viral hepatitis is typically asymptomatic, the department said some signs may include fever, malaise, loss of appetite, diarrhoea, nausea, abdominal discomfort, dark-coloured urine and jaundice.
“In some cases, the virus can also cause a chronic liver infection or liver cancer, putting patients at a higher risk of death, unless they get treatment.”
The department has since developed National Guidelines for the Management of Viral Hepatitis as part of efforts to reduce morbidity and mortality in the country.
People, especially those experiencing any of the hepatitis symptoms, are urged to go for screening and testing for early diagnosis and treatment depending on the type of hepatitis.
In addition, those at higher risk of serious health complications if they contract hepatitis B and/or C need the vaccine, including all newborns and previously unvaccinated children and adolescents, people with more than one sex partner, key populations, and those infected with HIV and/or other sexually transmitted diseases. – SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Mon, 07/29/2024 - 10:11
The Totalsports Women’s Race in Durban is set to feature its most competitive lineup yet on Sunday, 04 August 2024. Local favorite Tayla Kavanagh will go head-to-head with formidable opponents such as Ethiopia’s Debash Desta and Selam Gebre, along with Kenya’s Marion Chepkoech. “The fact that the Totalsports Women’s Race is a women’s-only event is …
Affinity Health, a leading provider of high-quality health coverage, provides tips on balancing breastfeeding with work commitments. Every year, from 1 – 7 August, the world celebrates World Breastfeeding Week, highlighting the importance of breastfeeding for infants and mothers. This year’s theme, Closing the gap: Breastfeeding support for all, resonates deeply with many mothers who …
Nono Zwane, a cancer survivor from Centurion, has set an inspiring goal of raising R10,000 for CANSA, as a CANSA Active Ambassador by taking on the iconic Absa RUN YOUR CITY TSHWANE 10K on Sunday, 25 August 2024, and the Absa RUN YOUR CITY JOBURG 10K on Tuesday, 24 September 2024. At 36, Zwane received …
Mabe emphasises importance of a healthy lifestyle
Sport, Arts and Culture Deputy Minister, Peace Mabe has emphasised the importance of exercise in the overall wellbeing of the nation.
“We are a winning nation and as a winning nation we need to be healthy. So encouraging our people to be involved in being active and exercising is part of us moving forward as a healthy country.
“Being active in sport is not about having money, this kind of activity of bringing people together to walk as nation is one of the indicators that it is possible for people to organise themselves as communities [to take up walking],” said the Deputy Minister in an interview with Radio 702.
This as the radio station hosted the Walk the Talk event in Tshwane on Sunday in celebration of 30 years of democracy following the historic elections of April 1994 where South Africans of all races went to the polls for the first time. The 1994 elections ushered in a new democratic dispensation.
The walk started from the Freedom Park Heritage Site and finished at the southern lawns of the Union Buildings.
The Deputy Minister also encouraged South Africans to support Team South Africa as it participates in the 2024 Olympics in Paris, France. The opening ceremony of the games took place on Friday.
“We are expecting more medals... they never disappoint. Let us tweet and send messages of support to encourage them [as they] represent the country. Let us rally behind the team,” she told the station.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has wished Team South Africa the best success for the games.
READ | Well wishes for Team South Africa at Paris Olympics
In a post on X, President Ramaphosa congratulated the Springboks Sevens on obtaining South Africa’s first medal at the games on Saturday.
“Well done to our Springbok Sevens on your bronze-winning 29-16 victory over Australia to open #TeamSA’s medal harvest at #Paris 2024. This is a great start to our Games,” said the President.
Mabe as well as Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni and Gauteng MEC for Health and Wellness, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, were among the many South Africans who participated in the walk.
“Eight kilometre walk done (1h25) and the route was magnificent,” said Minister Ntshavheni in a post on social media platform, X. -SAnews.gov.za
Edwin
Sun, 07/28/2024 - 14:28
Introduction In a world where financial transactions are becoming increasingly digital, the physical handling of cash and payment devices remains a cornerstone of many businesses. Cash handling equipment distributors play a vital role in providing the necessary tools to ensure these transactions are conducted smoothly and securely. The Importance of Cash Handling Equipment Cash …
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FUTURELIFE® Fuels Success at the Siphiwe Tshabalala Foundation Soccer Tournament The recent Siphiwe Tshabalala Foundation Soccer Tournament held at the Kgotso Sports grounds in Soweto was a huge success with over 3,000 young soccer enthusiasts participating in the event. The nail-biting finals held on 7th July had everyone on the edge of their seats but …
“Taking care of yourself does not mean me first, it means me too.” ~ L.R. Knost Often, we are so busy taking care of the physical and/or emotional needs of our spouses, children, parents, and even friends – all the while juggling work and the demands of our daily lives – that the importance of …
Chikunga donates infrastructure to Umlazi school
Minister in Presidency responsible for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga, in partnership with the Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETA’s), will donate R6 million worth of infrastructure to benefit a school in KwaZulu-Natal.
More than 400 learners of Mason Lincoln Special School will benefit from the Inter-SETA collaboration project, which aims to improve the operations of the special school.
The school is located in Umlazi.
Friday’s donation includes infrastructure support through the provision of mobile classrooms, teacher, and learner tools of the trade through the provision of desktops, assistive devices, digital boards, and wheelchairs.
“Further support will include skills development opportunities for persons and learners with disabilities,” the department said.
Chikunga will be joined by the Health and Welfare SETA, FoodBev Manufacturing SETA, Insurance SETA, Services SETA, and Mining Qualifications Authority. – SAnews.gov.za
GabiK
Fri, 07/26/2024 - 10:13
Johannesburg, South Africa – July 10, 2024 – CoreLife Medical, a leading provider of medical oxygen solutions, is excited to announce the launch of its newly designed website. The revamped online platform offers an enhanced user experience and streamlined access to a comprehensive range of oxygen concentrators, cylinders, and accessories. The new website reflects CoreLife …
Sandton, South Africa – Foot health is a crucial aspect of overall well-being, yet it’s often overlooked until discomfort or pain arises. M Maddocks Inc, a leading podiatric care provider, is shedding light on a common foot disorder that can significantly impact daily life: metatarsalgia. This condition, characterised by pain and inflammation in the ball …
KZN social sector departments get largest chunk of budget
The KwaZulu-Natal Departments of Education, Health and Social Development have been allocated the lion’s share of the provincial budget for the 2024/25 financial year.
Presenting the provincial government budget for the 2024/25 financial year at the KZN Legislature in Pietermaritzburg on Thursday, KwaZulu-Natal Finance MEC, Francois Rodgers, announced that the bulk of the provincial budget is allocated to the social sector departments, which received 80% of the provincial budget, while the balance of 20% goes towards funding all the other votes.
“Education receives between R4.1 billion and R4.4 billion per annum over the MTEF [Medium-Term Expenditure Framework], Health receives between R2.6 billion and R2.8 billion per annum over the MTEF, [and] Social Development receives between R134 million and R144 million per annum over the MTEF,” Rodgers said.
Conditional grant allocation increase
Rodgers said the conditional grant allocation has increased by R501.3 million in 2024/25 and reduced by R989.3 million in 2025/26 and R593.5 million in 2026/27.
The budget allocated towards Ilima/Letsema Projects, under the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, has been cut by R24.7 million in 2024/25.
The MEC said the cut is due to National Treasury reprioritising the funds towards the Presidential Employment Stimulus.
In aggregate, Rodgers said the province receives R141.4 million through two Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) conditional grants aimed at increasing job creation in the province.
Rodgers said the EPWP Integrated Grant for Provinces and the Social Sector EPWP Incentive Grant for Provinces have been reduced in 2024/25 due to National Treasury reprioritising these funds towards the Presidential Employment Stimulus.
He said these grants were cut by R42 million and R29 million, respectively, against various Votes.
The MEC said the Education Infrastructure Grant has increased by R58.1 million in 2024/25.
Rodgers noted that the grant is incentive based, and the increase is partly due to the incentive allocation where the department scored well, achieving 98% in terms of submitting planning documentation and showing capacity to spend, and thus received an incentive allocation of R89 million.
“The National School Nutrition Programme grant receives an increase of R19 million in 2024/25 to continue with the provision of nutritious meals. The budget for 2024/25 after the increase is R2.2 billion,” the MEC said.
The budget for the Health Facility Revitalisation Grant has also increased by R31.1 million in 2024/25.
Rodgers said the addition to the grant is due to incentive based and the department’s score at 99%, in terms of submitting planning documentation and showing capacity to pend and was allocated R72.9 million. The budget for Health Facility Revitalisation Grant is R1.5 billion in 2024/25.
Significant increase for Provincial Roads Maintenance Grant
The Provincial Roads Maintenance Grant has also seen a significant increase of R691.8 million in 2024/25 for the maintenance and rehabilitation of the provincial road network, as well as repairs to infrastructure damaged by floods.
“The budget for this grant is R3.2 billion after this increase and shows our commitment to improving the provincial road network,” Rodgers said.
The Human Settlements Development Grant has decreased significantly by R268.7 million in 2024/25 to be able to provide funds to the social sector for the 2023 wage agreement carry-through costs.
“The budget for this grant in 2024/25 is R2.5 billion after the budget cut. The Informal Settlements Upgrading Partnership grant also had a large budget cut of R228.6 million in 2024/25, in line with National Treasury’s decision to source funds through reprioritisation to provide funds to the social sector for the 2023 wage agreement carry-through costs.
“This budget cut is carried through over the MTEF and the budget for 2024/25, after the budget cut, is R597.1 million,” Rodgers said.
The Provincial Treasury receives R7.7 million over the MTEF (R2.6 million per annum) towards the costs of upgrading the Biometrics Access Control System to strengthen its security and ransomware features, while Sport, Arts and Culture was allocated R4.1 million for the construction of a monument in honour of the 1860 arrival of the Indian indentured labourers.
“Transport requested that R3 million be suspended from their Vote in 2024/25 for allocation to Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs with respect to sourcing an airport emergency fire and rescue vehicle for the Margate Airport.
“This relates to the ongoing collaboration between these two departments to ensure the successful operation of the provincial regional airports,” Rodgers said. – SAnews.gov.za
GabiK
Fri, 07/26/2024 - 14:34
Providing a guaranteed minimum level of income frees people from vicious cycle of poverty, says Archbishop Thabo Makgoba
Technicians work to resolve major sewer blockade in Springs
The Ekurhuleni Municipality says the city’s technicians are addressing a major sewer blockage that has closed an intersection on Ermelo Road, affecting Strubenvale and Casseldale roads in the Springs city centre.
Giving an update on the ongoing efforts to resolve the issue, City spokesperson, Zweli Dlamini, said the municipal team initially responded to a sewer spillage and subsequently identified a major blockage along with several bottlenecks on the sewer network.
“The team is working tirelessly to remove the debris causing the sewage blockage because if not attended to urgently, this can lead to further contamination and health hazards,” Dlamini said.
Dlamini said the work being carried out includes assessing the ground level to ensure that the sewer system will direct wastewater appropriately; replacement and installation of new water pipes; and replacement of damaged and aged manholes to improve access for maintenance to reduce future risk failures.
“The completion time for these repairs is currently unknown, but the municipality is committed to minimising the inconvenience to the public. Motorists are advised to seek alternative routes while the repairs are underway to avoid delays and ensure safety in the area,” Dlamini said. – SAnews.gov.za
GabiK
Fri, 07/26/2024 - 10:57
Survey shows encouraging trends in HIV prevalence
HIV prevalence in South Africa across all ages decreased from 14% in 2017 to 12.7% in 2022, resulting in a decline from 7.9 million (2017) to 7.8 million (2022) people living with the virus.
This is based on the findings of the sixth South African HIV Prevalence, Incidence, and Behaviour Survey (SABSSM VI), which was released by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) at the 2024 International AIDS Conference on Wednesday.
While HIV prevalence has decreased across all age groups, data shows that females continue to be disproportionately affected by HIV, with a prevalence of 16.4%, compared to males at 8.8% across all age groups.
Prevalence peaks at 34.2% for females aged 35 to 39 years, whereas prevalence peaks at 27.1% for males aged 45 to 49 years.
The survey also found that HIV incidence in individuals aged two years and older in 2022 was 0.44%, resulting in 232 400 new HIV infections in South Africa.
HIV incidence was at 0.60% among adults 15 years and older translating to 227 400, 0.39% among youth and young adults aged 15 to 24, and 0.72% among adults aged 15 to 49 years.
In addition, the HIV incidence rate in 2022 was consistently higher in females than males in all age categories.
“In terms of treatment, South Africa recorded an increase in antiretroviral treatment (ART) coverage, from 63.7% in 2017 to 80.9% in 2022,” the HSRC said.
This means an estimated 5 700 000 people living with HIV receive ART, an increase from 4 500 000 in 2017.
“A greater proportion of females, 83.2% than males, 76.2% were on ART.”
Data shows that HIV viral load suppression stands at 81.4% for all ages.
Evaluating progress
The SABSSM VI survey, conducted between 2022 and 2023, evaluates the progress of the South African national HIV and AIDS, STI, and TB Strategic Plan.
It also monitors HIV indicators for national and international reporting.
The survey also assessed progress towards the 2030 UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets, HIV drug resistance, and the relationship between social and behavioural factors, intimate partner violence, and HIV infection.
In December 2020, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) outlined a set of new targets ensuring that 95% of all individuals living with HIV are aware of their HIV status, 95% of all individuals diagnosed with HIV infection receive continuous treatment, and 95% of all those on treatment achieve viral suppression by 2025.
The HSRC said progress towards the 95-95-95 targets improved, with 89.6% of people living with HIV knowing their status, and of those knowing their status, 90.7% were on treatment, with 93.9% of those who knew their status and being on treatment, being virally suppressed.
“Improvement across the 95-95-95 indicators was more pronounced in males compared to females.”
Overall, the survey found that 81.4% of all people living with HIV were virally suppressed.
“However, it is concerning that the survey further reveals that gaps remain in knowledge of HIV status among youth aged 15 to 24 (73.1%). Early sexual debut, age-disparate relationships, multiple sexual partners, and low condom use persist as key drivers of HIV.”
According to the findings, the awareness and uptake of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) are increasing.
Stigma
Overall principal investigator of the study, Professor Khangelani Zuma, stated that HIV-related stigma persists as a significant issue among individuals aged 15 years and older.
“Addressing stigma is essential to improving the quality of life and well-being of people living with HIV. However, of the six questions related to HIV-related stigma, the majority yielded results that indicated that most people held positive attitudes toward people living with HIV,” said Zuma.
Response rate
The survey achieved a household response rate of 80% and an individual interview response rate of 94.1%.
A total of 47 766 participants provided blood specimens for HIV testing, resulting in a testing response rate of 62.7%.
The professor said this indicates that the results suggest advancements in the fight against the HIV epidemic in South Africa.
“This is evidenced by a stabilisation of HIV prevalence, ageing epidemic, a reduction in HIV incidence, enhancements in HIV treatment outcomes such as increased rates of ART coverage and viral load suppression (VLS) in line with the 95-95-95 targets,” he added.
The study has since recommended key actions that can address the HIV epidemic as a public health threat in South Africa by 2030.
These include continuing intensive programmes focusing on reducing new infections among adolescent girls and young women.
It also proposed enhancement of prevention efforts that target groups disproportionately affected by the drivers of HIV infection such as women and young people. – SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Thu, 07/25/2024 - 09:25
Call to reform Expanded Public Works Programme
Public Works and Infrastructure Minister, Dean Macpherson, believes that urgent reform is needed for the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) to provide a sustainable pathway to permanent employment.
This follows the ongoing protest action by former EPWP employees in Ethekwini, KwaZulu-Natal.
The Minister has condemned any violence or damage to public property during the protests, particularly as it has halted key municipal service delivery such as the removal of waste which creates a health hazard.
“The EPWP program was always designed to be a short-term program to give recipients work experience and training in order for them to find permanent employment,” Macpherson said, adding that due to the stubbornly high unemployment rate in South Africa, many have grown dependent on the program, having been employed as an EPWP worker for many years.
“As mentioned during the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure budget speech last week, it is therefore imperative that the EPWP program be re-imagined to become skills outcomes-based which leads to South Africans climbing up the opportunity ladder, rather than being stuck in EPWP for years on end,” he said in a statement on Wednesday.
Macpherson looks forward to working with all stakeholders in the coming months to look at a better outcome for recipients nationwide.
The Expanded Public Works Programme is one of the government’s strategies to alleviate poverty through the creation of work opportunities using labour-intensive methods. The programme is implemented in four sectors namely: infrastructure, social, environment and culture, and non-state.
All spheres of government and state-owned entities are expected to implement the programme.
The EPWP participants (beneficiaries) work on different projects such as the Community Work Programme (CWP), Early Childhood Development Programmes, Home Community Based Care Programmes, Extra School Support Programmes, Working on Fire, Working for Water and roads maintenance projects.
Since its inception on 01 April 2004 to 31 March 2022, more than 13 million work opportunities have been created in the EPWP space across all spheres of government. – SAnews.gov.za
Edwin
Thu, 07/25/2024 - 10:01
SevenC, a leading IT infrastructure and network service provider striving to identify and make available the best possible ICT strategies for its clients’ unique needs, explores the value of artificial intelligence and machine learning for South African companies. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are not just buzzwords; they are transformative technologies reshaping industries …
The taxi is being piloted by AfriPaw and is aimed at providing access to its free monthly animal clinics for pets living in poor communities like Vrygrond