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In the heart of South Africa, a vibrant and dynamic sector is reshaping the culinary landscape—food manufacturing. This industry, characterized by its innovation, sustainability, and quality, plays a pivotal role in feeding the nation and beyond. Among the leaders in this sector are bulk food manufacturers, who are setting new standards in food production, distribution, and …
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The Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo has praised the North West Province for registering massive progress in the provincial department's endeavour to trace and track ex-mineworkers who left work without claiming their benefits. Accompanied by the North West Health MEC Madoda Sambatha at Westvaal Hospital, the Deputy Minister found out that a total of 20 798 ex-mine workers were successfully traced, with 2669 claims processed and paid a combined figure of R76.9 million. All this was achieved between August 2022 when the project was launched and the end of 2023.
The North West Province ex-mineworkers compensation project was launched by the Deputy Minister of Health, Premier of North West Province and the MEC for Health in August 2022.
The aim of the intervention is to provide ex-mineworkers and their beneficiaries with access to compensation benefits for occupational lung diseases and other social protection funds which were left unclaimed.
Speaking at Westvaal Hospital in Orkney and after receiving a report and assessment of the center, the Deputy Health Minister, Dhlomo congratulated the North West Province, the provincial health department and all stakeholders including the Mining Council and the interim Ex-Mineworkers leadership structure for the commitment shown in tracing deserving ex-mine workers.
“The province and the Department has done extremely well if you consider that between 2017 and 2021, the total value of the payouts were ranging from between 10 and 11% but in one year of 2023 the province was able to pay R76.9 million. It's a massive success though there are still many ex-mineworkers to be traced and compensated”, said Deputy Minister Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo
All stakeholders in attendance immediately convened to discuss strategies for accelerated tracing and tracking. The target is all Ex-mineworkers who are estimated at 168,000 and their beneficiaries who reside in the North West Province.
As stakeholders deliberated on ways of improving the project output, MEC Madoda Sambatha made a commitment to integrate the Ex-mineworkers programme in the HAST programme of the Department. “We already have community health workers who are doing a good work of ‘loss to follow-up' because they track and trace people who miss their TB treatment. When we integrate this programme, we will be able to utilise this resource to track and trace ex-mine workers”, said MEC Sambatha.
The Ex-Mineworkers Council Interim Provincial Secretary, Mr Mr Tana Mahlophe suggested the use of two ex-mineworkers per region who can be contracted for a short period to assist in tracing deserving ex-mineworkers while the Mineral Council of South Africa committed to assist should this option be implemented.
Meanwhile the Department of Health has committed to ensure that all ex-mineworkers centers in the four districts remain operational and accessible to all ex-mineworkers. The centres are: Westvaal Hospital for Dr Kenneth Kaunda District, Old Vryburg Hospital for Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District, Mahikeng Provincial Hospital for Ngaka Modiri Molema and Job Shimankana Tabane Hospital in Bojanala District.
MEC Sambatha concluded the deliberations by assuring stakeholders that the Department is committed to conclude outreach in the remaining districts between March and May 2024 as this will raise awareness to ex-mineworkers especially those in deep rural areas who might not be aware of the project.
All the key stakeholders in the projects were highlighted as essential for its success and they include the Provincial Leadership, Local government structures, the Minerals Council SA, TEBA Bank, the National Department of Health MBOD/CCOD, XDS call centre, IP Capital, Rand Mutual / CCMS, Tshiamiso Trust and the Traditional Leadership. They will be consulted throughout all the project implementation phases to ensure its success.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of South African Government.
February is a time when hearts are in the spotlight. It is a time earmarked for raising awareness on congenital heart disease (CHD). According to studies it’s classified as the most common type of birth defect1,2 with up to 3.12 million babies born with CHD in 20193. To commemorate the annual CHD calendar awareness week, …
North West ex-mineworkers receive over R76m of their unclaimed benefits
The Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo, has praised the North West provincial government for its dedication to tracing and tracking ex-mineworkers who left employment without claiming their benefits.
The North West has so far traced 20 798 ex-mineworkers, with 2 669 claims processed and paid to the tune of R76.9 million between 2022 and 2023.
This comes after Dhlomo launched the compensation project with the North West Premier and MEC for Health in August 2022.
“The intervention aims to provide ex-mineworkers and their beneficiaries with access to compensation benefits for occupational lung diseases and other social protection funds which were left unclaimed,” the department explained.
Speaking at Westvaal Hospital in Orkney on Monday, Dhlomo congratulated the North West provincial government, the provincial health department and all stakeholders including the Mining Council and the interim ex-mineworkers leadership structure for the job well done.
“The province and the department have done extremely well if you consider that between 2017 and 2021, the total value of the payouts ranged from between 10% and 11% but in one year of 2023 the province was able to pay R76.9 million.
“It’s a massive success though there are still many ex-mineworkers to be traced and compensated,” said the Deputy Minister.
According to the North West Health MEC Madoda Sambatha, the province is working around the clock to find the 168 000 former mineworkers and their beneficiaries.
“We already have community health workers who are doing good work of ‘loss to follow-up’ because they track and trace people who miss their TB treatment. When we integrate this programme, we will be able to utilise this resource to track and trace ex-mine workers,” Sambatha explained.
In addition, the National Department of Health has committed to ensuring that all centres in the four districts located in Westvaal, Old Vryburg, Mahikeng Provincial and Job Shimankana Tabane hospitals remain operational and accessible.
Sambatha concluded the deliberations by assuring stakeholders that the department is committed to concluding outreach in the remaining districts between March and May 2024, as this will raise awareness especially those in deep rural areas who might not be aware of the project.
The department said all key stakeholders in the projects were essential and would be consulted throughout the implementation phases to ensure its success. – SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Wed, 02/28/2024 - 13:56
JOHANNESBURG: Proteas Men’s Captain, Temba Bavuma, visited the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital on Monday to see first-hand the institution’s ongoing...
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They are calling for the president to intervene and make sure medical professionals are employed
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The swing to healthy eating and living has also opened up new ways to process and enjoy our food. Most vegans will consume some form of Nut Milk – Almond, Cashew, Soya, Oat or even Rice milks are popular cow’s milk alternatives. “Then one realises that the prices of these alternative milks can be rather …
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As we move through February, many of us may have already given up on our New Year’s Resolutions – and it’s certainly not uncommon. According to research by John C Norcross from the University of Scranton, a quarter of those who make resolutions will abandon them after a week and only 19% of resolution-makers stick …
Concern over HIV patients who are not receiving treatment
Health Minister, Dr Joe Phaahla, says he remains concerned by those who are not on antiretroviral therapy (ART) despite knowing their HIV status.
“We are doing extremely well on the number of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) who know their status. However, we have been struggling to reach a great milestone on the number of people that are on ARTs,” he said on Thursday.
Speaking at the high-level meeting convened in Cape Town by the US President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (Pepfar), Phaahla said a majority of these patients do come for treatment, but they disengage from care due to various factors.
However, he assured delegates that his department is currently addressing the matter, working together with all key role players, notably the PLHIV sector.
Phaahla reported that their interventions have resulted in tracing and linking treatment for just over 1.1 million patients in December 2023, down from 1.4 million in March 2023.
Meanwhile, he said the number of PLHIV virally suppressed has increased by 510 469.
“Through this stakeholder collaboration and backed by the deployment of the community health workers, we hope to bring the many patients back to care.”
He mentioned that the State is making progress towards achieving a new set of ambitious targets.
These targets include 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 number of estimated new HIV infections in the country has decreased from 164 000 in 2022 to 146 784 in 2023, indicating the effectiveness of interventions in reducing new infections.
According to the latest data, deaths due to HIV are also declining, with an estimation of approximately 44 534 HIV-related deaths in South Africa in 2023.
This marks a reduction of over 50% compared to the last decade’s 92 129 AIDS-related deaths, said Phaahla.
The Minister also touched on the men and children who are living with HIV who are not on treatment.
“While we have seen this steady, though still low progress, we continue to worry because we see fewer men and children being linked to care.
“We need to find 586 192 men and 71 763 children living with HIV and put them on treatment. Whilst for adult women we need to find and treat 530 737.”
He expressed gratitude to the United States government for playing a pivotal role since 1994 and being South Africa's strategic partner.
To end the global HIV/AIDS public health threat by 2030, the United States has made significant progress towards HIV epidemic control with Pepfar support.
The Minister said in April 2022, the Director-General, signed the Country Operational Plan (COP22) to the tune of $455 753 517 for South Africa.
“After the signing of COP22, I and the US Ambassador later signed a mutually beneficial Memorandum of Understanding which provides the overarching leadership on a broad range of health collaborations in June 2022.”
The collaboration based on this memorandum encompasses a wide range of programmes and partnerships including HIV, tuberculosis (TB) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
“In the end, I would like to express, unreservedly, the appreciation for the work that is our coordinating body SANAC, UN agencies and other development partners and many others that play a significant role in the HIV/AIDS response in the country.” – SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Fri, 02/23/2024 - 15:34
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Phaahla welcomes budget allocation
Finance Minister, Enoch Godongwana has announced an allocation of R848 billion for the Department of Health over the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), a move that has been welcomed by the Minister of Health, Dr Joe Phaahla.
The money includes an additional R11.6 billion to help cover last year’s wage agreement, R27.3 billion for infrastructure, and R1.4 billion for the National Health Insurance (NHI) grant over the same period.
“The allocation for the NHI is a demonstration of the government’s commitment to this policy,” Godongwana said when tabling the 2024 Budget in Parliament on Wednesday.
READ | NHI receives in excess of R1 billion allocation
He said that activities such as upgrading health facilities and improving the quality of care are necessary to ensure that they meet the minimum accreditation criteria for contracting under NHI.
They are also, according to Godongwana, key enablers in improving the public healthcare system and should be undertaken.
“Minister of Health, Dr Joe Phaahla, welcomes the decision by the National Treasury to favourably consider that the current shrinking budget allocations have a negative impact on the effective functioning of the public health system in the country.”
The department has announced that they also have been allocated an additional budget of R3.7 billion for the 2024/25 financial year to compensate employees in the sector.
This will help address the increase in the wage bill as well as the recruitment of more staff, including nurses and medical doctors.
Phaahla has been in consultation with Godongwana on implementing plans to strengthen the health system, including the recruitment of essential health workers like medical doctors and other professionals.
“Although the budget may not address all health service delivery challenges at once, it will go a long way to enable the department to respond to the immediate and key priority needs to strengthen the health system. These include activating vacant but unfunded essential posts,” said the Health department.
The department will soon outline plans with timelines for recruiting and appointing health workers, including recently graduated health professionals and unemployed medical doctors. – SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Thu, 02/22/2024 - 10:30
Good food can serve as a medicine, improving body, mind, and soul. For families, good eating habits impact behaviour, improving quality of life for everyone. These are some of the nutritional insights set to be unpacked at the RE-WILD WELLNESS event taking place at the Premier Hotel Cutty Sark, in Scottburgh on the KZN Coast …
Genophobia, or the overwhelming fear of sexual intimacy, is more than just discomfort. It is a phobia that provokes panic, dread, and even physical symptoms like nausea, signifying a disruption in normal interpersonal connections. Known also as erotophobia or coitophobia, this condition extends to related phobias such as nosophobia and gymnophobia, reflecting its deep-seated impact. But …
Hope is on the horizon despite South Africa’s economic challenges The nation’s eyes and ears will be focused on Cape Town today as Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana presents the 2024 National Budget. It is no secret that South Africa faces a challenging economic climate where austerity is the phrase most commonly used during the Budget. …
Treasury to tap into foreign exchange account to reduce debt service costs
A combination of high debt servicing costs and a higher budget deficit has led to the introduction of a new reform of the Gold and Foreign Exchange Contingency Reserve Account (GFECRA).
The reform is aimed at mitigating fiscal risks by reducing government borrowing in the medium-term and will allow government to draw down from its GFECRA held at the Reserve Bank.
This was announced by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana during the tabling of the 2024 Budget Speech held in Cape Town on Wednesday.
GFECRA is a Reserve Bank held account which captures gains and losses on South Africa’s foreign currency reserve transactions and the account has grown to more than R500 billion.
“We will draw down R150 billion of the GFECRA balance once we have ensured that sufficient buffers are available to absorb exchange rate swings and the solvency of the Reserve Bank is not compromised,” he said.
The draw down is expected to result in a decline of some R30.2 billion in government debt servicing costs over the 2024 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF).
Godongwana explained that national government debt is expected to peak at some 75.3% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2025/26 with 2023/24’s budget deficit estimated to worsen to 4.9 % of GDP.
Debt-service costs in 2023/24 have been revised higher, by R15.7 billion to R356 billion.
The Minister said this will require that government stick to its fiscal goals with cuts in expenditure reaching more than R80 billion.
“Debt-service costs will absorb more than 20 % of revenue. To put this into perspective, spending on debt-service costs is greater than the respective budgets of social protection, health, or peace and security.
“A net reduction of R80.6 billion in non-interest expenditure is being implemented over the medium-term. At the same time, revenue has been revised up by R45.6 billion over the medium-term, relative to [the] 2023 MTBPS [Medium Term Budget Policy Statement]. [This is why] we have taken the decision to introduce a reform…GFECRA,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Wed, 02/21/2024 - 14:19
NHI receives R1 billion allocation
The health sector is expected to receive an allocation of R848 billion over the Medium Term Expenditure Framework with at least R1 billion directed to the National Health Insurance (NHI).
This was announced by Minister Enoch Godongwana during the 2024 Budget Speech on Thursday.
“These allocations include R11.6 billion to address the 2023 wage agreement, R27.3 billion for infrastructure, and R1.4 billion for the NHI grant over the same period.
“The allocation for the NHI is a demonstration of the government’s commitment to this policy. There remain a range of system-strengthening activities, that are key enablers of an improved public health care system, that must be undertaken,” Godongwana said.
He said these activities include:
In the 2024 Budget Review, National Treasury noted that the budget for the sector is expected to grow slower than inflation over the MTEF “due to the R23.7 billion baseline reductions over the medium term”.
“The function will prioritise greater efficiency, better management of commuted overtime and intensified promotion of preventative care. Spending reviews in the sector have led to some savings in vaccine and antiretroviral tenders. The health sector continues to recover from service disruptions due to the COVID‐19 pandemic, particularly in antiretroviral treatment and tuberculosis screening and treatment.
“The Department of Health and its provincial counterparts will prioritise building tertiary services like oncology through earmarked funds in the national tertiary services grant in provinces with inadequate services. This grant grows by 8.8% in 2024/25 as funding is shifted into it from the oncology portion of the national health insurance conditional grant,” Treasury said.
Education Sector
Turning to education, he said the sector will receive some R25.7 billion “carry-through costs of the wage increase over the medium term”.
“At the same time, we were able to protect the budgets of critical programmes such as the school nutrition programme. The programme provides food to pupils in almost 20 000 schools.
“The early childhood development grant is allocated R1.6 billion rising to R2 billion over the medium term,” he said.
Firm eye
Government is expected to keep a firm eye on value for money as consolidated government spending is expected to reach R2.37 trillion in 2024/25, R2.47 trillion in 2025/26 and R2.6 trillion in 2026/27.
This is according to the National Treasury’s 2024 Budget Review.
“Government’s priority is to enhance spending quality and minimise inefficiency while ensuring sustainable public finances – in other words, to increase the value for money from this spending,” the department said.
The bulk of the 2024/25 budget will go to basic and tertiary education, peace and security.
“While R69.4 billion is added to this function for the carry‐through costs of the 2023 public‐service wage agreement over the medium term, there are baseline reductions of R49.8 billion in other areas. Improved efficiency in the procurement of learner‐teacher support materials and in the management of the placement of educators will continue.
“Spending in the post‐school education and training sector grows by 2.5% over the medium term. Spending in the sector education and training authorities and the National Skills Fund grows by 3.9% over the medium term, allowing the institutions to improve the quality of their offerings,” Treasury said. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Wed, 02/21/2024 - 14:35
Accessing accurate public information
By Zanele Mngadi
Through social media apps, websites, and other digital tools, the internet gives us a lot of ways to connect with each other. This makes information easy to find.
However, the ease with which we get information online makes it hard to determine how true it is. The COVID-19 pandemic is a great example of this challenge because knowledge spread very quickly through our phones and social media sites.
During this dark time, scary fake news spread very quickly, making it harder for people to get the right information and stay safe, which was bad for their health and made them less likely to trust others.
In order to fight fake news, the South African government set up many ways for people to easily get true and accurate information. This included the SA Coronavirus website, social media accounts, and regular updates for the whole country.
Lessons from the pandemic
Because of the pandemic, government learned that giving people easy access to reliable information gave them the tools they needed to make smart choices about how to protect their health.
Building on the success of spreading information widely during COVID-19, government has adopted a multi-media approach that uses all forms of media to give South Africans more power by giving them accurate information about problems facing the country, the government's solutions, and programmes meant to bring about change.
Government just recently set up two WhatsApp channels, governmentza and the PresidencyZA, that people can follow to get regular updates on things that affect everyone, like chances for legal education and work.
This adds to government’s social media platform GovernmentZA, which lets people get true information right away and talk to the government directly. People should follow these social media pages on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, WhatsApp, X, and YouTube, as well as government websites like https://www.gov.za, https://www.gcis.gov.za/, and https://www.thepresidency.gov.za/, to get accurate news about issues that affect the whole country.
The GCIS also has its own in-house news agency, SAnews (https://www.sanews.gov.za/) which provides regular news updates on matters of public concern, at no cost. In addition the GCIS launched a podcast, Vuk Talks to give people more access to information about government programmes. It’s on YouTube and Spotify.
Our online presence adapts to the changing needs of our citizens, but we also make sure that people who don’t have access to the internet can still get information.
The government tries to get accurate and reliable news to millions of people in rural areas and townships. Over the years Vuk’uzenzele newspaper has touched the lives of many people. It also brought the government to closer to the people through Izimbizo and partnerships with local community radio stations. From April 2024 on, the newspaper will only be available online, but its articles will still be useful to everyone in South Africa. We have also partnered with SABC 2 on the 13-part series Citizens Connect in an attempt to educate more citizens.
The value of accurate information
All of these online platforms let people to easily get reliable information directly from the government about their lives, our country, and the world we live in. Reliable information is essential to make democracy work. The opposite is equally true: inaccurate information, often a result of fake news, can be dangerous to democracy, especially during big national events such as elections.
As the seventh national and provincial elections get closer, people are being warned to be careful of fake news online, especially since new technologies make it hard to tell the difference between fact and fiction.
With the rise of deep fake content, fake content can seem credible. Dishonest people use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to make fake videos, pictures, and audio recordings of other people. Public figures, such as our political leaders, are often the targets of these attacks.
Be vigilant at all times
Government urges every citizen to be wary of falling victim to fake news. Pay close attention to face features and lip movements that don’t match up on videos because that can be a sign of deep fake content. If in doubt, verify the information you receive via trustworthy information sources (such as government platforms). That’s how you can learn the truth and make smart decisions about your future.
If you use social media and websites as sources of information, make sure that they are real. It’s easy to miss fake accounts or profiles because their names sound a lot like real ones. So, double-check the writing of the profiles and websites you follow.
Every South African needs to make sure that the news they spread comes from reliable sources. Let’s all stay alert all times to avoid being duped by fake news. Let’s all play our part to make our democracy strong. Let’s fight disinformation.
*Zanele Mngadi is Chief Director: Products and Platforms at the GCIS
Janine
Wed, 02/21/2024 - 10:38
Today marks a significant milestone for DARJYO as it announces a strategic move into the agricultural space, embracing the challenges and opportunities presented by the evolving world of Agritech. Founder and Technical Co-founder, Darshani Persadh, shared insights into the startup’s motivation for this transition, emphasizing the potential for technology to revolutionize traditional agricultural practices. “In …
WC pig owners urged to heighten biosecurity to contain swine fever
The Western Cape Department of Agriculture has urged pig farmers to heighten biosecurity measures following laboratory results confirming African Swine Fever (ASF) in pigs of small farmers on the outskirts of Groeneweide Park, George.
ASF is a virus that affects pigs and there is no vaccination or treatment currently available for the prevention of the disease.
The department said the new outbreak confirmed recently is the fourth outbreak of disease in the Garden Route area since 2022.
“Previously, there had been outbreaks in KwaNonqaba and Mossel Bay in 2022 and 2023, which were both resolved; and an outbreak in Thembalethu in 2022, which remains a concern. It is estimated that about 45 pigs have died thus far, with about 250 pigs remaining in the area,” department spokesperson Daniel Johnson said.
Johnson said the area has been placed under quarantine, and community members have been urged to not remove any pigs or pig products from the area to prevent the further spread of the disease.
Johnson has also emphasised that ASF virus is specific to pigs and does not affect humans or other species of animals.
“The public needs to know that pigs slaughtered at abattoirs have undergone meat inspection. Pork products found in supermarkets are safe for human consumption,” Johnson said.
Critical measures to minimise the spread of ASF
• All carcasses should be disposed of safely.
• Pigs should be confined to prevent roaming and potentially picking up and spreading the disease.
• Hands, shoes, clothing and equipment should be sanitised before and after being in contact with a pig.
• Any meat products should be thoroughly cooked before being fed to pigs.
• Farmers should confirm that any purchased pigs are bought from known ASF-free herds.
Usually, the first signs of an ASF outbreak are the sudden death of pigs, and in some cases, other symptoms can include breathing difficulties, redness of the skin, especially underneath the pig and on the ears, hind leg weakness and loss of appetite.
“Occasionally, the pig may also have blood in their faeces and their vomit. Should these signs be seen, please contact your closest State Veterinary Office at https://www.elsenburg.com/veterinary-services/animal-health-and-disease,” Johnson said. – SAnews.gov.za
GabiK
Tue, 02/20/2024 - 13:21