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South Africa is a diverse country made up of vibrant, multicultural communities. This cultural richness is evident in the many languages, dialects, phrases, and expressions that make South Africa so unique. The recent addition of South African Sign Language to the country’s 11 existing official languages creates even more opportunities to connect. To celebrate the …
Construction of N4 Montrose road infrastructure investment complete
Minister of Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga will officially open the multi-million rand N4 Montrose Interchange in Mpumalanga on Friday.
“Construction of the Montrose Interchange is now completed and temporarily being used by traffic to service the entire community traversing through between Middleburg and Mbombela as well as the cross-border traffic leading to the neighbouring state, Mozambique through the Maputo Port of Entry,” the Department of Transport said on Thursday.
The department, through the South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) and the Trans African Concessions (TRAC), completed the upgrading of the N4/Montrose/Schoemanskloof Interchange in August 2023 as part of the Maputo Corridor Development initiative.
“Work on the interchange included the construction of four new interchange ramps and the widening of the existing two-lane Crocodile Bridge from two to five lanes.
“Two new arch bridges supported by adjacent rock cut faces have also been constructed to cross the existing Elands Valley section to accommodate two new ramps with Five 25-m-high masts illuminated at the interchange, increasing visibility and road safety,” the department said.
The interchange has already created over 350 jobs and provided subcontracting opportunities for at least ten local companies.
Chikunga will officially open this key economic corridor interchange joined by Mpumalanga Premier Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane, the SANRAL Board of Directors, CEOs of Transport Department roads entities, TRAC CEO, traditional leadership and community members in the Mpumalanga province. – SAnews.gov.za
nosihle
Fri, 09/08/2023 - 09:15
By Jason Mitchell
Africa's vast natural gas reserves are key to bringing energy to Africa's poorest countries, to a solid industrialisation process throughout the region and to significant poverty reduction.
The region is home to 33 of the world's 46 least-developed countries (LDCs) with an average income per head of less than $1,018 a year. The continent's poorest countries must expand at 6-7% a year if poverty is to be reduced in a big way and if the life chances of hundreds of millions of people are to be improved. To achieve this goal, these countries require abundant and cheap energy. Luckily, for many African states, the answer lies on their own doorstep — natural gas. Gas has remained a niche fuel in sub-Saharan Africa — contributing only 5% of the total energy mix against a global average of 20-25% — but its potential is enormous.
A new vision for Africa is required — a criss-crossing network of natural gas pipelines that brings energy to all corners of the region. The continent's contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions is tiny and will only become slightly bigger if the region's natural gas reserves are exploited. There is also a massive opportunity to wean poor Africans away from the use of biomass fuel and to help protect the region's forests through the rollout of small, liquified petroleum gas (LPG) stoves. Climate change is an issue in Africa but poverty reduction is a bigger one. Poverty is the biggest killer in Africa today.
It's very hard for Europeans and North Americans to imagine what it's like to live on under $1,018 a year, to not have readily available electricity, to not have a refrigerator or a washing machine, to not have a car, to not have a lawnmower, to not be able to fly from one country to another cheaply, to not have electricity in the school or the workplace and to have to use firewood or charcoal for cooking purposes. Fossil fuels have been at the heart of the Industrial Revolution that has brought prosperity and better living standards to the developed world. People in the First World must be very careful if they decide to deny Africans the same chance to prosper.
Africa has the lowest energy use per capita in the world — the average electricity use of a sub-Saharan African resident is lower than that of a household fridge in the United States. Average consumption per person in sub-Saharan Africa, excluding South Africa, is a mere 185 kilowatt-hours (kWh) a year, compared with about 6,500kWh in Europe and 12,700kWh in the US. Every year San Antonio, Texas, with a population of 1.5m people, uses as much electricity as the whole of Nigeria, with 203m people. Golden, Colorado, a small town with only 19,000 people, uses as much electricity as Chad, a country with 16m people.
The UN's Sustainable Development Goal Seven aims to “ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all” by the year 2030. That's a tall order. In 2019, 917m people in Africa (around 80% of the region's population) relied on wood, charcoal, kerosene, animal and crop waste or other solid fuels to cook their food and heat their homes. The International Energy Agency (IEA) reports that almost 490,000 people die prematurely every year in sub-Saharan Africa from household air pollution-related causes — stemming from the lack of access to clean cooking facilities. Gas is a much cleaner form of cooking than biomass and its use should be encouraged. Biomass burning-power plants emit 300-400% more CO2 than natural gas per unit energy produced. Natural gas emits almost 50% less carbon dioxide than coal.
Africa has one-fifth of the world's population but contributes only 3% to global greenhouse gas emissions. Incredibly, some 48 sub-Saharan African countries, excluding South Africa, have an estimated share of global emissions of only 0.55%. The fact is that many African states are already at net zero. If the continent were to use an additional 90bn cu m of natural gas per year — or 50% more than today — the resulting emissions would only raise Africa's cumulative contribution to global carbon emissions to 3.5% (ten gigatonnes) by the year 2050, according to the IEA. It really is a tiny increase compared to the chance of reducing poverty levels for hundreds of millions of poor people. If Africa is to provide universal electricity access by 2030 it would have to almost double its total generation capacity from around 260gw today to 510gw.
Almost half the continent's 55 countries have proven natural gas reserves. Across the region, natural gas reserves amount to around 17.5trn cubic metres (cu m), making up around 9% of the world's total gas reserves. They are considerable in northern Africa (accounting for 45% of African reserves) and western Africa (32%), in particular. Commercial quantities of natural gas have been found in many African countries.
Previously, only four countries from the region have been major natural gas production hubs: Nigeria (with total gas reserves of 5.8trn cu m), Algeria (4.5trn cu m), Egypt (2.2trn cu m) and Libya (1.5trn cu m). These four accounted for 78% of African gas reserves in 2021 (https://apo-opa.info/48gDBWG), according to the United States Energy Information Administration.
However, seven African countries — Mozambique, Senegal, Tanzania, Mauritania, South Africa, Ethiopia and Morocco — with no history of fossil gas exploitation have now opened up their doors to gas projects. Some 84% of new reserves in the pre-production stage are found in these states — total new reserves amount to 5.1trn cu m. Mozambique has re-production reserves of 2.3trn cu m, Senegal 779bn cu m, Mauritania 575bn cu m, Tanzania 512bn cu m, South Africa 96bn cu m, Ethiopia 42bn cu m and Morocco 39bn cu m.
Furthermore, major untapped reserves have been discovered in Angola, Cameroon, Ghana, Equatorial Guinea, the Republic of the Congo, Kenya and Uganda. A number of these states — including Mozambique, Tanzania, Mauritania and Senegal — are actively marketing natural gas to capitalise on recent discoveries. In fact, the IEA has declared Africa the ‘new frontier' in global oil and gas.
The big four gas-producing countries will continue to dominate gas production in the near term but experts estimate that Mozambique and the other new entrants will contribute more than 50% of the region's gas production by 2038.
Natural gas can be used for electricity generation, industry and domestic use. Crucially, harnessing Africa's gas could provide the baseload power needed to boost Africa's capacity to process its raw materials locally. It could provide enough energy for industrial processes, including steel and cement production and paper and pulp manufacturing. It could be also used to make fertiliser to raise agricultural yields. Renewables, including solar and wind, cannot yet provide enough energy for these purposes.
The huge reserves of gas can play a significant role in the continent's energy transition, as natural gas has a much lower carbon footprint than oil and coal. Critically, natural gas development and renewable power are not mutually exclusive. If Africa were to triple its use of natural gas, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (Uneca) estimates that the region would be able to increase its use of renewable energy eight-fold. Reliable forms of energy such as gas can be used to stabilise a grid powered by intermittent sources such as wind and solar. It can play a key role in a ‘just' energy transition.
However, expanding gas supply across Africa would require a whole web of new gas pipelines and that does not come cheap. A lot of the gas from the new projects already under way in Africa is destined for international markets, including the European Union — which have been seeking new sources of energy since the Ukraine crisis — but it is vital that the region's gas reserves are deployed for domestic use, as well. Nigeria, for example, sits on the continent's largest known natural gas reserves but only 55% of the population had access to secure electricity in 2020.
Multilateral financial institutions (MFIs) — many of which are headquartered in the developed world — are now shying away from investing in natural gas projects in Africa because of pressure from a vociferous green lobby. In 2021, 20 countries — including almost all the world's big, rich democracies — pledged to stop almost all financing of new fossil fuel projects internationally by the end of 2022. Furthermore, under the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ), 450 financial firms across 45 countries, responsible for over $130trn in assets, committed to accelerate the global decarbonisation process. The problem is that most Western governments and financial institutions do not distinguish between coal, oil and gas, and the pressure to stop funding all hydrocarbons has negatively impacted gas projects in Africa in a big way.
Some of the continent's biggest financiers — including the African Development Bank (AfDB) — are finding it increasingly difficult to support gas project developments that require loan syndication and foreign partners. The World Bank is pulling back, too. Local banks cannot finance major gas projects on their own, as they are limited by their capital base. In particular, the fossil fuels divestment campaign is having a big impact on the amount of development and concessional finance available. This kind of finance used to support a number of gas projects for their poverty-reducing and economic development value.
For example, without the guarantees of development finance institutions (DFIs), most of Africa's recent gas-to-power plants would have never been built in the first place. The withdrawal of development finance from downstream gas and gas-to-power projects is a serious cause for concern for Africa's electrification effort and moving the needle on energy access.
Furthermore, there is a glaring double standard — many European countries have increased their use of hydrocarbons (coal as well as gas) since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. They are constructing new fossil fuel pipelines at home. The EU recently classified natural gas a ‘green' fuel, which will allow Europe's projects to be backed by investors committed to environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles. European countries are now looking towards African states for new sources of gas. However, they are not prepared to back new gas projects in Africa that would supply the fuel to the region itself. That smacks of hypocrisy of the worst kind. How can you deny the poorest people in the world the sort of energy that you want to use yourselves?
Lumping all hydrocarbons together is a blunt policy mechanism that is not good from an emissions perspective either. In poorer places, like sub-Saharan Africa, the available alternative to gas is not renewable electricity but rather coal, diesel and, most of all, polluting biomass. In sub-Saharan Africa, demand for biomass fuels is expected to surge by 40% by the year 2040 if ‘business as usual' continues. The burning of biomass is a major contributor to global carbon emissions and charcoal has been a top driver of tropical forest loss during the past two decades, with the greatest footprint in Africa. The continent's carbon sinks need protecting and the irony is that the greater use of gas would achieve that.
Africa is home to 18% of humanity but receives less than 5% of global energy investment. And much of this investment goes on producing oil and gas for export. There must be much more investment in the region for the domestic use of gas. Gas projects could play an absolutely vital role in bringing energy to Africa but obviously the projects require financing. DFIs must think again about their decision to limit investment in new projects in Africa. The financing of a network of gas pipelines throughout Africa would be one of the quickest and surest ways of industrialising the region in a big way and of alleviating poverty on a large scale. Renewables just cannot do that how ever much wishful thinking takes place.
In fact, development institutions should go one step further and consider subsiding a massive roll out of small LPG stoves to millions of poor households in the region. It could be one of the biggest moves in contributing to Africa's decarbonisation effort by arresting the pace of deforestation in the region. LPG is recovered from ‘wet' natural gas (gas with condensable heavy petroleum compounds) by absorption and reaches the domestic consumer in cylinders under relatively low pressures. The widespread adoption of LPG stoves would reduce the amount of pollutants in the air from biomass fuels. Poor households that currently depend on woodfuel for cooking require a cleaner cooking alternative — LPG is one of the solutions.
LPG stoves are also suitable for domestic use in rural settings — a key consideration in Africa where energy poverty is greatest in the countryside. For instance, in 2016, electricity access in urban and rural areas in Nigeria was 86% and 34%, respectively, according to the World Bank.
Africa only needs to look to Asia for examples. In 2006, Indonesia implemented a ‘mega-programme' to induce a large-scale transition from kerosene to LPG stoves in order to reduce government spending on kerosene subsidies. The initiative invested in LPG infrastructure, domestic cylinder production and consumer awareness. By 2012, 93% of the target had been reached and LPG consumption had grown by almost 350%.
In India, LPG access expanded through the early-2000s but it was still not reaching most poor families. To boost access among the poor, the Indian government introduced the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) Scheme. Under it, the country's oil marketing companies provide subsidies to reduce the cost of both LPG connections and cylinder refills to women in households classified as below the poverty line. In 2016, the cost of a connection was about Rupees 3,200 ($48) and included the first full cylinder (plus deposit), deposit for a regulator, an LPG stove and administrative fees.
Furthermore, African governments must consider increasing domestic gas allocations from liquified natural gas (LNG) export projects. These are an effective way to ensure that even if developers prioritise lucrative exports over local sales, they must reserve part of their production for the domestic market. Upcoming LNG terminals in sub-Saharan Africa — for example, in Mozambique — now make it compulsory to allocate a specific amount of gas to the domestic market. The availability of domestic gas from export facilities can encourage gas-based industrialisation (for example, in Senegal) or additional gas-to-power capacity (Mozambique, Mauritania and Senegal). In August 2022, for instance, Senegal's Petrosen Trading & Services signed an MoU with Turkey's Çalık Enerji and Japan's Mitsubishi for the pre-feasibility study of a gas-based ammonia and urea manufacturing unit.
It is a huge mistake to lump all hydrocarbons together and for Western environmentalists to argue that no new new fossil fuel projects should happen in Africa whatsoever. Deforestation is one of the biggest issues in Africa today. Poor Africans must be weaned off the use of wood-based fuels. The widespread adoption of small LPG stoves would be one of the surest ways of reducing deforestation. Natural gas could also form the basis for a solid, large-scale industrialisation process in Africa — something that is essential if the region is to achieve the sort of economic growth needed to lift hundreds of millions of people out of poverty.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.
Facelift for land ports of entry
Home Affairs Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, says officials are committed to making the country's border posts safer, less porous and more efficient in the facilitation and easing of trade, as well as the legitimate movement of people.
“The South African government is committed to putting in the latest infrastructure and relevant technology in its efforts to modernise and upgrade our ports to be on par with the current global best practices on border management,” Motsoaledi said.
Addressing media in Pretoria on Wednesday, Motsoaledi said the main objective of upgrading border posts is to make it easier for law-abiding people and companies to easily enter and exit South Africa through the borders, while the illicit movement of persons and goods is nipped in the bud.
“It has taken a while for us to get to this point. I would like to commend my team consisting of officials from the Border Management Authority, the Department of Home Affairs, The Presidency’s Infrastructure SA, National Treasury, SARS, the DBSA’s Infrastructure Fund, and the transactional advisors, Bowmans and Ernst & Young, for their hard work in getting us to this point,” Motsoaledi said.
He said South Africa’s ports of entry were designed during the apartheid era, with the primary objective of tightened security, while neglecting the effective facilitation of regional and international trade.
“Since the advent of democracy, there has been an exponential increase in the number of people moving between South Africa and the countries in the region. The volume of regional and international trade has similarly increased.
“As a result, our land ports of entry are very congested and that continues to stifle trade, instead of enabling it. If you want to understand what we are talking about, just take a visit to the Lebombo Border Post between SA and Mozambique, where you will see trucks lining up for kilometres, bumper to bumper, for hours on end, on the N4 Corridor,” Motsoaledi said.
He said this is because mining companies in the North West, Limpopo and Mpumalanga took a decision to use the Maputo Port for their exports and no longer Richards Bay Harbour.
“Given the current narrow design of the port, this has led to congestion. The announcement we are making today will make sure that what is happening there, will become history (sic),” the Minister said.
Improvements to boost continental trade
Motsoaledi said SA has 72 ports of entry, 53 of which are land, 11 are international airports and eight are seaports -- all of which are now operated by the Border Management Authority.
“Of the 53 land ports of entry, we have now earmarked six of our largest and busiest, by traffic volume, for redevelopment in order to address the congestion. The outcome of the redevelopment of these ports of entry will be used as a blueprint in the long-term for all other South Africa’s land ports of entry.
“The primary intention is to ensure the realisation of regional economic integration in the SADC region, while facilitating the realisation of African Continental Free Trade Area,” the Minister said.
Motsoaledi said in order to ensure that ongoing operations at each of the designated Ports of Entry are not interrupted, construction will be undertaken in phases.
“During construction, the project is expected to create in the order of 38 000 jobs in areas around the six designated ports of entry,” he said.
The six ports of entry earmarked for upgrading or redevelopment are:
• Beitbridge - Zimbabwe
• Lebombo - Mozambique
• Maseru Bridge – Lesotho
• Ficksburg - Lesotho
• Kopfontein - Botswana
• Oshoek - Eswatini
The redeveloped ports of entry will result in:
• Efficient cross-border management of the movement of people, goods and services.
• Improved administration of persons entering and leaving the Republic.
• Better regional economic integration, and enhanced support for the African Continental Free Trade Area.
• Improved revenue collection and addressing leakages caused by the illegal movement of goods and illicit financial flows.
• Protecting local industry from harmful imports and exports.
• Effective migration management including curbing illegal migration. – SAnews.gov.za
Edwin
Wed, 09/06/2023 - 13:10
This year, the announcement of the winners of the prestigious African Conservation Awards will be held at the Southern African Wildlife College on 16 September 2023 and hosted by the Game Rangers Association of Africa (https://www.GameRanger.org/).
The Awards will take place after a regional event of the Wildlife Ranger Challenge, a Pan-African initiative which will see ranger teams across the continent compete against each other in a 21km race, carrying 22kgs on their backs! The Southern African Wildlife College is a perfect venue to host both these important events on the ranger calendar.
Each organisation and individual that has been shortlisted has shown remarkable determination to succeed when the odds have often been stacked against them. Conservation areas continue to face many challenges, including limited resources and working against criminal syndicates. Despite this, remarkable people continue to do amazing things for wildlife and the communities who benefit from it.
“The African Conservation Awards showcase extraordinary people doing extraordinary things for nature. It is our privilege to give them the recognition they so richly deserve. Well done to all the nominees who continue to inspire us with their dedicated contribution to conservation. We look forward to celebrating their exemplary efforts!” Andrew Campbell, Chief Executive Officer of the Game Rangers' Association of Africa.
60 nominations from 11 countries across Africa were received this year. What is also very encouraging to see is the increase in nominations of female rangers which resulted in half of the finalists in the Field Ranger and Game Ranger categories being female. We are also excited to see the different countries across Africa represented among the finalists. Highlighting the quality of nominations this year, we have a “Highly Commended” acknowledgment in each of the four categories. Although these are not finalists, they deserve special mention and must be applauded.
The finalists for this year's African Conservation Awards, listed in alphabetical order below, are:
Field Ranger:
Game Ranger:
Conservation Team:
Conservation Supporter:
Highly commended nominations by the judging panel for their excellent work were given to Field Ranger Owenyo Alphonse (Uganda) and Marine Ranger Tima Dago (Kenya); Game Rangers Ali Hassan (Kenya) and Simon Ewoi (Kenya); EWT Soutpansberg Rangers (South Africa) for Conservation Team and Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital (South Africa) for Conservation Supporter.
These awards are hosted annually by the Game Rangers' Association of Africa (GRAA) and are made possible with the generous support of sponsors CNEI. His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco, who is committed to the protection of endangered species through the support of his Foundation, is the Patron of the African Conservation Awards.
The winners of each category will be announced on 16 September at SAWC where they will be celebrated by their ranger colleagues.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Game Rangers Association of Africa.
Contact persons:
Louise de Bruin
info@gameranger.org
Casey Pratt
casey@loveafricamarketing.com
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Information:
GRAA background:
The Game Rangers' Association of Africa (GRAA) is a non-profit organisation, founded in 1970 which provides support, networks and representation for rangers across Africa. The GRAA is a proud member of the International Ranger Federation (IRF) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) where it serves as the voice of the African ranger.
In a matter of seconds, it is possible to hold your phone up to your face and see what you will look like in 40 years. Or you could fuse the image of your face with that of a celebrity. You could even record a birthday song for a friend in the voice of their favourite artist. With deepfake technology, it is simple and possible to edit a person's facial and vocal likeness with alarming accuracy. For the most part, this can be seen as harmless entertainment. But what if your likeness was used to drain your savings or commit fraud? As the technology to create deepfakes becomes easier and cheaper, the need to guard against these cybercrimes have come to the forefront.
A deepfake is a video, visual, or audio recording that has been distorted, manipulated, or synthetically created using deep learning techniques to present an individual, or a hybrid of several people, saying or doing something that they did not say or do. These deepfakes are often used in digital injection attacks which are sophisticated, highly scalable, and replicable cyberattacks that bypass the camera on a device or are injected into a data stream.
Murray Collyer, Chief Operating Officer of iiDENTIFii (http://www.iiDENTIFii.com/), says, “Digital injection attacks present the highest threat to financial services, as the AI technology behind it is affordable, and the attacks are rapidly scalable. In fact, a recent digital security report by our technology partner, iProov (http://www.iProov.com/), illustrates how, in an indiscriminate attempt to bypass an organisation's security systems, some 200-300 attacks were launched globally from the same location within a 24-hour period. As more and more South Africans embrace digital banking, deepfake technology is a serious threat.”
Recent research (https://apo-opa.info/3L09o3T) by Discovery Bank and Boston Consulting Group (BCG) into the future of retail banking in South Africa found that most (86%) South Africans are ready to do all their banking digitally, particularly via an app. Much of this trend stems from previously unbanked people. The Covid-19 pandemic naturally accelerated the trend.
As more South Africans set up digital accounts and do their banking online, financial crime and cybercrime have become more inextricably linked than ever before. Interpol states that financial and cybercrimes are the world's leading crime threats and are projected to increase the most.
Collyer adds, “Deepfake technology is one of the most rapidly growing threats within financial services, yet not all verification technologies are resilient to it. Password-based systems, for example, are highly susceptible to fraud. South Africa needs to strengthen their technology to outwit cyber criminals.”
While deepfakes are a severe threat, the technology and processes exist to safeguard financial services companies against this method of fraud.
A growing percentage of face biometric technology incorporates some form of liveness checks - such as wink and blink - to verify and authenticate customers. Liveness detection uses biometric technology to determine whether the individual presenting is a real human being, not a presented artefact. Therefore, this technology can detect a deepfake if it were to be played on a device and presented to the camera.
While many liveness detection technologies can determine if someone is conducting fraud by holding up a physical image (for example, a printed picture or mask of the person transacting) to the screen, many solutions cannot detect digital injection attacks.
Collyer says, “Specialised technology is required to combat deepfakes. Within iiDENTIFii, we have seen success with the use of sophisticated yet accessible 4D liveness technology, which includes a timestamp and is further verified through a three-step process where the user's selfie and ID document data are checked with relevant government databases. This enables us to accurately authenticate someone's identity.”
Collyer will be part of the speaker panel that will present to delegates at the 8th instalment of the AML, Financial Crime Southern Africa Conference (https://apo-opa.info/3KYm7Ec), that also includes representatives of companies such as Financial Intelligence Centre South Africa, Investec, Sanlam, Stanlib, Albaraka Bank, Standard Bank Mozambique, iiDENTIFii, Nice Actimize, SABRIC, Rand Merchant Bank, S & P Global Intelligence, FirstRand Namibia, Corruption Watch and many more.
The high-level conference will be hosted on 6 & 7 September at the Indaba Hotel Fourways South Africa and is attended annually by professionals from banks, insurance and investment companies, service providers, government, and MLCO's from non-designated financial service providers.
“With the right technology, it is not only possible to protect consumers and businesses against deepfake financial crimes but also create a user experience that is simple, accessible and safe for all,” Collyer concludes.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of iiDENTIFii.
About iiDENTIFii:
iiDENTIFii is a world-leading remote face authentication and automated onboarding technology platform. It fulfills the needs of customer-focused organisations that are required to authenticate and onboard customers. Using a frictionless and non-invasive automated proven process that meets customer intelligence and risk and compliance goals, iiDENTIFii ticks all the boxes from a governance and legislative perspective. https://iiDENTIFii.com/
Truck drivers in southern Africa who have been recruited to traffic or smuggle people illegally are learning about the risks involved thanks to the UN drugs and crime agency, UNODC.
“I used to transport sugar from Malawi,” said an anonymous driver, who was arrested for migrant trafficking. “In 2016, I had to wait for several days at a border crossing in Tanzania for customs checks. I was approached by a man who offered me a lot of money to transport goats.”
His story is not unique.
Malawi is located at the crossroads of several significant flows of people fleeing conflict, instability, and poverty in Central Africa and the Horn of Africa.
Such movements provide lucrative opportunities for smugglers and traffickers and for Malawi's 5,000 registered international truck drivers.
The driver who shared his story said he was paid in advance, and the man who offered him the deal took photos of both him and his truck. The driver proceeded to spend some of the money and send more to his wife.
“On the day I was due to leave, the man told me the ‘goats' were actually 30 illegal migrants from Ethiopia,” he said. “They looked very sick, tired, and malnourished. He said I had to take them to a location in Malawi that's close to a large refugee camp.”
Smuggler threats
When the driver tried to protest, the smuggler demanded his money back and threatened to take the truck and share photos of him with the authorities.
“This is how it all started, and soon it became my main business,” he said. “The man would pay me a lot of money and escort me in a small car, so he could bribe corrupt police and immigration officers along the way.”
According to the driver, he was initially not aware that what he was doing was illegal.
Then, in 2019, he was arrested in Mozambique while transporting 72 migrants from Malawi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
“Now I'm sick, unemployed, and divorced,” the driver said.
Trafficking risks
Truck drivers based in Malawi are now learning about the risks of transporting migrants and trafficking victims, thanks to a programme supported by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The courses, which began in February, are already proving to be a success.
Feckson Chimodzi, a truck driver who transports farming products from countries in Southern Africa into Malawi and also participated in the course, said drivers who work with smugglers and traffickers often do it “out of necessity” to supplement their low salaries.
“Our employers need to improve our working conditions and give us comprehensive training about the dangers of getting involved in these crimes,” Mr. Chimodzi said.
Strict penalties
Criminals who smuggle or traffic humans within countries or across borders use all possible routes and modes of transportation to transfer people for profit and exploitation.
If apprehended by authorities, the truck drivers are usually arrested and imprisoned, explained Maxwell Matewere, a UNODC National Project Officer on trafficking in persons.
“There's a lack of understanding of human trafficking and migrant smuggling in the region, and payment for illegally transporting people is much larger than the regular truck driver's salary,” said Mr. Matewere, who conducts the training.
“Most drivers know what they're doing is illegal, but are told that when they cross borders, corrupt officials will let them pass,” he said. “So, they take the money and the risk.”
Vehicle confiscations and arrests
Following a series of vehicle confiscations and arrests in neighbouring countries, the Professional Drivers Association of Malawi asked UNODC to train its members on the dangers of transporting smuggled migrants and victims of trafficking.
A total of four courses for around 400 drivers have been conducted, with further sessions scheduled in October. The participants are informed about the penalties they face if caught, including the loss of both their truck and employment, a criminal record, and potential imprisonment of up to 14 years in a foreign country.
Positive impact, new allies
Since the start of the UNODC courses, the Professional Drivers Association has reported a reduction in the number of arrests of Malawian drivers on charges of migrant smuggling and human trafficking.
Many drivers who attended the training are proving to be “very useful allies” in the prevention and detection of cases of migrant smuggling and human trafficking, said Mr. Matewere said.
“We explain that migrant smuggling and human trafficking are serious organized criminal activities punishable by laws in Malawi and the countries the drivers transit, such as Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania, and Mozambique,” he said.
“Furthermore, the drivers are told that these crimes are linked to exploitation, abuse, and violence and can even result in death, and we tell them about the connections to other illicit activities such as drugs and firearms smuggling,” he added.
Last year, Malawi's Ministry for Homeland Security appointed a new group of law enforcement officers to counter the increasing cases of migrant smuggling and human trafficking.
“We've established contact between the truck drivers we trained and this specialised unit, so they now know who to inform when they've been approached by criminals to carry people in their vehicles,” Mr. Matewere said.
Since May, seven attempts of human trafficking and migrant smuggling have been stopped by authorities at border crossings due to information from truck drivers. A recent case involved 40 Malawians, including children, who were being taken in three trucks to South Africa and intercepted on the border with Zambia.
The awareness-raising courses are organized through UNODC's human trafficking and migrant smuggling section, with the cooperation of Malawi's Ministry of Homeland Security and financial support from the Government of Sweden.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG).
BRICS women business alliance strategic catalysts for economic development
KwaZulu-Natal Premier, Nomusa Dube-Ncube, has described the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance Africa Trade Conference as a resounding success and economically meaningful for women.
The BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) Women’s Business Alliance Africa Trade Conference was held this week at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli ICC in Durban and brought together over 500 women-led Small Medium Enterprises, from 18 countries, including Zambia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Saudi Arabia, Ghana, Tanzania, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and several other African countries.
The conference saw the signing of several partnership agreements worth billions of rand, which the Premier commended as strategic catalysts for economic development.
Dube-Ncube said, in the landscape of interconnected economies, multilateral trade and investment play an essential role in forging a path towards inclusive prosperity and a more resilient global economic order.
She said the deals are worth over R48.4 billion and over 120 000 jobs will be created across these projects.
“This marks a pioneering moment in our shared journey as women,” the Premier said.
Among the strategic partnership agreements that were signed during the conference was the Russia-South Africa Mobility Center on BRICS, with a projected investment value of R47million, which represents a ground-breaking collaboration between the United Immigration Center (Russia) and Africans Do Travel Pty Ltd (South Africa).
This partnership aims to establish a physical centre in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province, with a central goal of facilitating smooth cross-border mobility for education, work, and tourism.
“This initiative underscores the significant influence of population mobility in advancing global sustainable development and economic stability,” Dube-Ncube said.
In the sphere of infrastructure, the R1.96 billion Innovation and Building Technologies Centre of Excellence is set to be established through Private Public Partnership between Afuraka IBT Consortium, and Russia's Federal Autonomous Institution "RosKapStroy".
The centre aims to empower micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the construction sector to foster innovation, knowledge exchange, and skill enhancement for MSMEs, facilitating technologies transfer partnerships while promoting sustainable construction practices and eco-friendly technologies.
The signing of a Memorandum of Agreement also set on a dynamic agriculture and energy venture between China and South Africa.
The innovative multidimensional project, valued over R45 billion, seeks to seamlessly integrating marigold plantation and processing facility with an advanced 1GW solar production plant and beef production operation.
The Premier said the project will be established on a vast 3 000-hectare land parcel.
Regarding the medical and digital economy, a strategic joint venture emerged as the Africa-China AI Medics Platform, uniting Meridian Medical Network Corporation, EtaData, and Human Insights (Pty) Ltd.
The innovative partnership capitalises on expertise from China and South Africa, harnessing artificial intelligence, big data, and traditional medicine knowledge to shape the future of healthcare.
Dube-Ncube noted this collaboration aims to revolutionise African traditional medicine by creating a bridge to modern healthcare through the Africa-China AI Medics Platform, fostering economic growth, knowledge exchange, and healthcare accessibility.
“The project will commence with a pilot phase in South Africa, with an initial investment cost of R281.6 million, before expanding to other countries across the African continent,” the Premier explained.
The conference also witnessed the revolutionary IntelliBiz KZN portal geared towards pulsating business intelligence for economic advancement and progress.
The Premier said the ground-breaking initiative is led by prominent Chinese tech firm and a leading South African enterprise, aimed at shaping the digital economy.
“This innovative collaboration aims to provide the KwaZulu-Natal Government with valuable insights into a diverse business community across sectors and an estimated investment of over R846 million over three years, creating 61 600 new jobs.
“Aligned with KwaZulu-Natal Government's growth agenda, this venture seeks to develop a state-of-the-art KZN Smart business cloud platform that will empower enterprises, entrepreneurs, government entities and other stakeholders through corporate and data resources serving as a catalyst of economic development in KwaZulu-Natal,” Dube-Ncube highlighted.
Building upon this foundation, she said, the goal is to foster robust collaboration between the South African government and society, culminating in the establishment of a harmonious business ecological model that facilitates efficient and collaborative development across government and enterprise sectors.
The conference further witnessed multilateral collaboration between Apollo Hospitals Group, the Health Accelerator and Zayna Africa Holdings.
Dube-Ncube noted that the Health Precinct initiative holds the potential to transform healthcare standards and spur economic growth across India and South Africa.
With Apollo Hospitals Group's extensive medical expertise, she said the initiative aims to revolutionise healthcare across Africa, beginning in KwaZulu-Natal.
“Focused on health infrastructure development, medical education, combating various disease burdens, public health initiatives, technological innovation, research, telemedicine, medical tourism, and more, this partnership aims to create comprehensive healthcare solutions.
“By addressing critical aspects of healthcare delivery and accessibility, from education to technology, this project aspires to enhance healthcare across borders and contribute to global advancements in the field,” Dube-Ncube said.
“In the landscape of interconnected economies, multilateral trade and investment play an essential role in forging a path towards inclusive prosperity and a more resilient global economic order,” she said. – SAnews.gov.za
GabiK
Fri, 08/25/2023 - 12:03
Security Council must reform - UN Secretary General
Continued exclusion of developing countries from holding permanent seats in the United Nations Security Council and under representation in world institutions, is a recipe for serious world fragmentation which could lead already existing tensions to boil over.
This is according to the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres who was addressing the media on the last day of the 15th BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) Summit held at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg.
“I believe, two areas require a particularly important reform effort. One is the Security Council; the second, the Bretton Woods system. If we are not able to reform our institutions to make sure they reassume a truly universal character, we risk fragmentation, and fragmentation can be one day, a factor of confrontation.
“[History] has shown time and again that multi-polarity without strong multilateral institutions is no guarantee for stability; it might even become a catalyst for chaos. We must urgently restore trust and reinvigorate multilateralism. This requires the courage to compromise for the common good,” Guterres said on Thursday.
The UN Security Council, considered one of the world body’s most powerful groups, is made up of 15 permanent and non-permanent members. The five permanent members are the United States of America, the United Kingdom, France, China and Russia.
Africa’s 54 states are represented on the council by three non-permanent seats currently held by Gabon, Ghana and Mozambique.
Driving home his point further, Guterres added that reforms in powerful global institutions require “a special focus on Africa”.
“The Security Council, the Bretton Woods system and other international organisations reflect the world of 1945 when many African countries were still part of European empires. To this day, the continent is under represented in the global financial architecture just as it lacks a permanent seat on the Security Council.
“The world has changed and so, global governments, must change with it. It must represent today’s power and economic relations and not the power and economic relations of 1945,” he said.
He further emphasised that these reforms must transverse institutions “at every level” and also bear greater inclusion of long marginalised groups such as women and youth.
“My message to the leaders assembled here was clear. Our world is in dire straits. We face existential challenges from the worsening climate emergency and escalating conflicts to the global cost of living crisis, soaring inequalities and dramatic technological disruptions. So this is the time to come together and work together,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Thu, 08/24/2023 - 16:11
President Joko Widodo has begun a working visit to four African countries, his first working visit to the continent while serving as president. President Jokowi's working visit will take him to Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, and South Africa. In his first destination in Kenya, President Jokowi met the President of Republic Kenya, William Ruto (20/8).
President Jokowi stated Indonesia and Africa have a long historic relationship because Indonesia was the initiator and host of the Asian African Conference in 1955. Furthermore, Indonesia also had a big role in establishing the Non-Aligned Movement.
"It is this Bandung spirit that I will bring with me on a visit to Africa by strengthening solidarity and cooperation among the Global South countries," said Jokowi.
President Jokowi also conveyed that Kenya and Tanzania opened their embassies in Jakarta last year. It was the commitment of those two countries to keep strengthening cooperation with Indonesia. Meanwhile, Mozambique was the first African country to have a preferential trade agreement (PTA) with Indonesia. His visit to South Africa, continued the President, was to fulfil an invitation to attend the Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS) Summit 2023.
"Of course, on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit there will be various bilateral meetings with other heads of state," he added.
The President and his entourage are scheduled to arrive in Indonesia on August 25th. Accompanying the President during his statement were Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Minister for Energy and Mineral Resources Arifin Tasrif, and Governor of North Sumatra Edy Rahmayadi.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs Republic of Indonesia.
Strategic agreements signed at BRICS women business alliance conference
Delegates attending the BRICS Women Business Alliance (WBA) Africa Trade Conference, have witnessed the signing of partnership agreements, which will pave the way towards building trade platforms with various countries.
KwaZulu-Natal Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube is leading the Provincial Government’s participation at the annual BRICS Women’s Business Alliance Africa Trade Conference, currently underway at Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre (ICC) in Durban.
The conference, taking place from 20-21 August 2022, brings together over 500 women-led Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs), from 18 countries, including Zambia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Saudi Arabia, Ghana, Tanzania, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, amongst others.
Dube-Ncube said the conference is a significant global milestone in the struggle for women empowerment, and it strategically takes place ahead of the Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa (BRICS) Summit to be attended by over 30 Heads of State and Government from across Africa from 22-24 August 2024.
She said they are inspired that the gathering will discuss among others, access to funding, trade, investment among BRICS nations and Africa, and facilitation of exports.
Dube-Ncube said the conference will also highlight crucial deliberations on establishing a Women Advancement Fund, aimed at providing women entrepreneurs with vital access to capital, nurturing the growth of women-led businesses, and propelling economic activity and job generation.
The Women Business Alliance will also expedite discussions on BRICS Tourism development, gendered healthcare policies, and collaborative efforts to boost economic prospects for women
“This platform will help propel women to competitively participate and fully exploit opportunities presented by the African Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA, a single market for goods and services.
“Similarly, the BRICS WBA Africa Trade Conference promises to be an unparalleled platform fostering collaboration among women-owned businesses and enterprises across BRICS and African nations,” Dube-Ncube said.
The two-day indaba, which was unveiled in 2020, takes place at the time which is characterised by a tectonic shift in the global world order, with the BRICS family of nations, which accounts for more than 23 percent of the global economic output, emerging as a strong counterbalance to the dominant global set up.
Welcoming hundreds of delegates on the first day of the conference on Sunday, Dube-Ncube said the problem statements for women globally may possess different nuances for different countries and world regions, but essentially they all boil to one – the total emancipation of women to enjoy equality with their male counterparts.
The summit is held under the theme: “The Role of Multi-lateral Trade and Investment in Economic Recalibration, Reconstruction and Recovery Plans”.
"The Role of Multilateral Trade and Investment in economic re-calibration, reconstruction and recovery plans is premised on collaboration and inclusivity of women in the broader development of women," Dube-Ncube said. – SAnews.gov.za
GabiK
Mon, 08/21/2023 - 13:45
President Ramaphosa sets pace ahead of BRICS Summit
The expansion of the Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa (BRICS) grouping is expected to be one of the key issues to dominate discussions as leaders of the bloc gather in South Africa this week.
More than 30 Heads of State and Government from across Africa will be attending the summit. Furthermore, over 20 countries have formally applied to join BRICS and several others have expressed an interest in becoming part of the BRICS family.
In his address to the nation on Sunday, President Ramaphosa said South Africa supports the expansion of the membership of BRICS.
This is a sentiment shared by China, whose Ambassador to South Africa Chen Xiaodong on Friday said that the body is “a big family of good partners, based on mutual assistance for a win-win cooperation”.
“The value of BRICS extends beyond the interests of its current members. For its efforts to be more effective, BRICS needs to build partnerships with other countries that share its aspirations and perspectives,” President Ramaphosa said, with less than two days to go before the all-important summit.
As a formation, President Ramaphosa said, BRICS plays an important role in the world due to its economic power, market potential, political influence and development cooperation.
“BRICS countries can collectively shape global dynamics and acting together, have the potential to drive significant changes in the world economy and international relations.
“An expanded BRICS will represent a diverse group of nations with different political systems that share a common desire to have a more balanced global order,” President Ramaphosa said.
The South African Head of State said collectively, BRICS members have used their voice to call for a world that is more equitable, balanced and governed by an inclusive system of global governance.
“Being a BRICS member has created positive opportunities for South Africa. It has enabled our country to have a strategic relationship with China.
“Based on the strategic relationship between South Africa and the People’s Republic of China, we will be signing several agreements during President Xi’s State visit.
“We have steadily strengthened trade and investment ties with other BRICS countries alongside collaboration in areas like development, skills, technology, security and innovation,” President Ramaphosa said.
Funding development
The President said South Africa has benefited from the New Development Bank, which was established by the BRICS countries in 2015.
“Our country has been funded by the bank in several infrastructure projects to the value of R100 billion in sectors such as roads, water, transport and energy. South Africa has always championed the interests of Africa within BRICS.
“We want to build a partnership between BRICS and Africa so that our continent can unlock opportunities for increased trade, investment and infrastructure development.
“There are great opportunities for other BRICS countries to participate in the African Continental Free Trade Area by locating production and services in various countries on the African continent, including our own, by partnering with local companies and entrepreneurs,” President Ramaphosa said.
President Ramaphosa explained that the BRICS Summit is particularly important as it is being held as the world is confronted by fundamental challenges that are bound to determine the course of international events for years to come.
“Our world has become increasingly complex and fractured, as it is increasingly polarised into competing camps. Multilateralism is being replaced by the actions of different power blocs, all of which we trade with, invest with, and whose technology we use.
“It is for this reason that South Africa continues to advocate for an open and rules-based global governance, trade, financial and investment system.
“In addition to the other African leaders in attendance, we will also be welcoming leaders from several countries of the Global South. These include countries from the Caribbean and South America, from the Middle East, from West Asia, South Asia and South-East Asia,” President Ramaphosa said.
Supporting global stability
President Ramaphosa reiterated that South Africa is directly involved in a number of efforts to bring peace to Africa.
“We are currently involved in supporting the people of Mozambique and the DRC to ensure that there is peace and stability in their countries,” the President said.
To further strengthen economic ties between African countries and the United States, President Ramaphosa said South Africa is inviting more than 30 African trade ministers and senior US Administration and Congressional representatives to the next forum of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) scheduled for November this year.
President Ramaphosa said that South Africa is a member of the Non-Aligned Movement, a forum of 120 countries that are not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc.
“Our decision not to align with any one of the global powers does not mean that we are neutral on matters of principle and national interest. Our non-aligned position exists alongside our active support for the struggles of the oppressed and marginalised in different parts of the world.
“We have always believed that the freedom we won – and the international solidarity from which we benefited – imposes a duty on us is to support the struggles of those who continue to experience colonialism and racial oppression,” the President said.
On Tuesday, President Ramaphosa will host His Excellency President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China on a State Visit to South Africa.
The welcome ceremony will take place at the Union Buildings in Pretoria ahead of the 15th BRICS Summit set to take place from 22 – 24 August 2023.
Relations between South Africa and the People’s Republic of China are governed by a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP), whose programme of action is set out in a Ten-Year Strategic Programme of Cooperation (2020–2029). – SAnews.gov.za
Edwin
Sun, 08/20/2023 - 21:53
President Ramaphosa arrives in Luanda for 43rd Ordinary SADC Summit
President Cyril Ramaphosa has arrived in Luanda, in the Republic of Angola, to participate in a summit of Southern African leaders who will focus on sustainable industrialisation of the region.
The President is accompanied by Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr Naledi Pandor, the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Thandi Modise, and the Minister in the Presidency responsible for State Security, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni.
The 43rd Ordinary Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) is held under the theme, 'Human and financial capital: The key drivers for sustainable industrialisation of the SADC Region'.
The Summit will be preceded by the Troika Summit of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation today. President Ramaphosa, as the outgoing Chairperson of the SADC Organ, will also attend the Troika Summit.
“The Organ Troika Summit, will discuss the political and security situation in the region with particular focus on the Kingdom of Lesotho, Kingdom of Eswatini, Mozambique (SADC Mission in Mozambique) and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“The Organ Troika Summit will also reflect on consolidation of democracy in SADC and deliberate the socio-economic outlook for the Community,” the Presidency said in a statement.
Other activities of the Summit will include the announcement of the 2022 SADC Secondary School Essay Competition, the Media Awards and the presentation of the Medal of Honour to one of the SADC Founders – the late and first President of the Republic of Botswana, Sir Seretse Khama. – SAnews.gov.za
DikelediM
Wed, 08/16/2023 - 14:39
President Cyril Ramaphosa will undertake a working visit to Luanda, in the Republic of Angola, on 16 and 17 August 2023, to participate in a summit of Southern African leaders who will focus on sustainable industrialisation of the region.
The 43rd Ordinary Summit of the Head of State and Government of the Southern African Development Community is themed “Human and financial capital: The key drivers for sustainable industrialisation of the SADC Region”.
The Summit will be preceded by the Troika Summit of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation on 16 August 2023.
President Ramaphosa, as the outgoing Chairperson of the SADC Organ, will also attend the Troika Summit.
The Organ Troika Summit, will discuss the political and security situation in the region with particular focus on the Kingdom of Lesotho, Kingdom of Eswatini, Mozambique (SADC Mission in Mozambique) and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The Organ Troika Summit will also reflect on consolidation of democracy in SADC and deliberate the socio-economic outlook for the Community.
Other activities of the Summit include the announcement of the 2022 SADC Secondary School Essay Competition, the Media Awards and the presentation of the Medal of Honour to one of the SADC Founders – the late and first President of the Republic of Botswana, His Excellency, Sir Seretse Khama.
The two Summits will be preceded by the SADC Council of Ministers meeting on 13 – 14 August 2023, and a Ministerial Committee of the Organ on 16 August 2023.
President Ramaphosa will be accompanied by the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr Naledi Pandor, the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Ms Thandi Modise, and the Minister in Presidency responsible for State Security, Ms Khumbudzo Ntshavheni.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Presidency: Republic of South Africa.
President Ramaphosa to attend SADC Summit
Southern African leaders are expected to gather at Luanda in Angola for the 43rd Ordinary Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
President Cyril Ramaphosa, in his capacity as outgoing Chairperson of the SADC Organ, is expected to attend the summit.
It will be held on Thursday under the theme “Human and financial capital: The key drivers for sustainable industrialisation of the SADC Region.” It will be preceded on Wednesday by the Troika Summit of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation.
“The Organ Troika Summit, will discuss the political and security situation in the region with particular focus on the Kingdom of Lesotho, Kingdom of Eswatini, Mozambique (SADC Mission in Mozambique) and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“The Organ Troika Summit will also reflect on consolidation of democracy in SADC and deliberate the socio-economic outlook for the Community.
“Other activities of the Summit include the announcement of the 2022 SADC Secondary School Essay Competition, the Media Awards and the presentation of the Medal of Honour to one of the SADC Founders – the late and first President of the Republic of Botswana, His Excellency, Sir Seretse Khama,” the Presidency said on Tuesday.
International Relations and Cooperation Minister, Dr Naledi Pandor, the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Thandi Modise, and Minister in Presidency responsible for State Security Khumbudzo Ntshavheni will accompany the President. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Tue, 08/15/2023 - 09:18
Young women urged to explore opportunities in oceans economy
Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, has encouraged young people to explore career opportunities in the oceans economy.
“Given this enormous diversity available through the oceans economy, there are several value chains from which women can leverage opportunities for jobs, develop entrepreneurships, and build their businesses,” Dlamini Zuma said on Monday in Cape Town.
South Africa has a coastline that spans about 2 800 kilometers from Namibia to Mozambique.
Addressing young women who had an opportunity to visit the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) Military Naval Base in Simon’s Town, the Minister emphasised that the ocean resource presents various opportunities, which can be commodified for economic development.
In an effort to demonstrate the opportunities for women in the sector, learners from various schools toured a shipyard at the Military Naval Base as part of Women’s Month activities that showcased the role of women in the maritime sector.
The tour was followed by presentations from officials from who work in maritime security, hydrography, as well submarines. This exercise provided an in-depth understanding of the oceans economy.
“Boat builders are required to construct small and large vessels once these vessels are designed by engineers. Maintenance technicians across various disciplines such as mechanical, electrical and others are required to ensure the ships and their equipment run optimally. Marine biologists are required to point out where the best fishing spots are. The fishing nets used by the trawlers need to be made,” Dlamini Zuma said.
She said that all young people, particularly women, should grow up with a firm understanding of three primary sub-sectors, namely, shipping and transport, marine resources and marine tourism.
“We need a skills revolution which draws from Operation Phakisa to cover all the primary, secondary and tertiary economic activities within the Oceans Economy. We also need a curriculum trains them in the value chain of the four secondary industry sub-sectors,” the Minister said.
These include operational support services, which comprise shipping logistics and marine technologies; manufacturing and construction (including civil engineering, marine manufacturing, ship repair and maintenance), as well as business services, which incorporates maritime specialised professionals within the banking, legal, insurance, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), and the consulting domain.
Operation Phakisa focuses on unlocking the economic potential of South Africa's oceans, which could contribute up to R177 billion to the GDP by 2033 and between 800 000 and one million direct jobs.
“As a department, we have adopted an all-of-society approach to livelihoods restoration and wealth creation toward empowering women, youth and persons with disabilities. This involves a partnership with the SANDF to establish a National Service where young people will be trained across various disciplines, including the oceans economy.
“Let us make the call to the country to join us in supporting and implementing meaningful programmes, plans, policies, strategies and interventions geared towards unlocking barriers of entry for young girls and women, and the largely unemployed population,” the Minister said.
This year’s Women’s Month is celebrated under the theme, 'Accelerating Socio-Economic Opportunities for Women’s Empowerment'. The theme highlights the need to ensure that all women have access to participate equally in all areas of human endeavor.
Oppression of women
Despite various strides which have been achieved toward improving the status of women in society, Dlamini Zuma said the systemic oppression of women over time has left almost indelible marks that need redress.
“In the South African context, women in rural areas and the townships bear the most burden of generational systemic oppression. It is tragic that on the triple challenges of poverty, inequality and unemployment plaguing our country, women are the most affected.
“Violence in this country is gendered, with statistics from the South African Police Service indicating that about nine women are murdered daily, with countless others being sexually violated, abused and subjected to all manner of atrocities.
“Women continue to be paid far less than men for work of equal value. Women face food insecurity yet the majority of farm workers in Africa are women who do not own the land they labour and eat the crumbs that fall from the tables of those who own the means of production,” Dlamini Zuma said.
She noted that the World Bank’s 2023 report on 'Women, Business and the Law' reiterates that empowering women is a prerequisite for economic development.
“It is equally important to prioritise empowering the girl-child, particularly as today’s girls are tomorrow’s women. The success of any meaningful attempt to grow South Africa together hinges on ensuring that women, particularly those who have been systematically oppressed, are able to participate equally in all areas of human endeavor, specifically in the mainstream economy,” the Minister said. – SAnews.gov.za
nosihle
Tue, 08/08/2023 - 10:00
SA Navy prioritises gender mainstreaming
While significant strides have been made to ensure that women occupy leadership positions in the South African Navy, much more must be done to mainstream gender, says South African Navy Deputy Chief Navy, Rear Admiral Bubele Mhlana.
“Looking back at 2007 where the overall percentage of women in the SA Navy was 17%, we have managed to increase the percentage to 29% of women in decision making positions and 33% at entry level,” Mhlana said on Monday in Cape Town.
He made these remarks while addressing young women who had an opportunity to visit the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) Military Naval Base in Simon’s Town.
In an effort to demonstrate the opportunities for women in the sector, learners from various schools toured a shipyard at the Military Naval Base as part of Women’s Month activities that showcased the role of women in the maritime sector.
This year’s Women’s Month is celebrated under the theme, 'Accelerating Socio-Economic Opportunities for Women’s Empowerment'. The theme highlights the need to ensure that all women have access to participate equally in all areas of human endeavor.
“Significant strides have been made at leadership level, we cannot become complacent. Much more must be done to mainstream gender. I emphasise that the maritime security domain presents limitless opportunities for young women who have a significant role in unlocking the potential of our blue economy.
“Gender mainstreaming should not be seen as an aspiration, it should be seen as an imperative. It is time for women to take their rightful place to exploit every opportunity and participate meaningfully in exploring the potential of the blue economy,” Mhlana said.
He said harnessing the potential of young people is vital to unlocking and exploiting the vast ocean economy potential.
“The South African navy has a key role to play in Operation Phakisa, most particular in terms of maritime enforcement of good order of governance and seas. Indeed Operation Phakisa Economic Lab features a number of streams including marine protection and governance where the South African Navy plays a meaningful role through operations and the patrols it conducts at sea,” Mhlana said.
Government launched Operation Phakisa in 2014 with the ultimate goal of boosting economic growth and create jobs. This initiative focuses on unlocking the economic potential of South Africa's oceans, which could contribute up to R177 billion to the GDP by 2033 and between 800 000 and one million direct jobs.
South Africa has a coastline that spans about 2 800 kilometers from Namibia to Mozambique.
“Our hydrography domain plays an equally significant role in ensuring safe efficient and sustainable conduct of every human activity in or under the sea including safe passage of shipping,” Mhlana said.
With the full integration of women in all spheres within the South African Navy, 44-year-old Nicolette Le Roux occupies the position of a Hydrographic Survey Officer.
Hydrography is the science that measures and describes the physical features of the navigable portion of the Earth's surface and adjoining coastal areas.
“Hydrographic survey entails the collection of hydrographic data, processing of hydrographic data and rendering of products. As hydrographic data analysts, we measure the depth of the ocean using various equipment like echo sounders, multi-beams and single beams. That is the data that we process to provide nautical charts.
“This is important for safe navigation of all mariners. South Africa is situated along one of Africa’s busiest sea routes and ships need to know where it is safe to sale. Our data can show them where that is,” Le Roux said.
Le Roux joined the navy after completing matric in 1998, where she started with basic military training and progressed to training as a combat officer. From 2004 onwards, she specialised in hydrography.
“Our qualifications for hydrographics are recognised internationally. Our qualifications are regulated the International Hydrographic Organization. The qualifications for hydrographic are equivalent to a degree, the first course, which is a Category A survey qualification is equivalent is a post graduate diploma in hydrographic surveying and the Category B qualification is equivalent to a Bsc is Maritime Science,” Le Roux said.
While the navy has made efforts to educate its organization about not discriminating against women, she explained that women still had to work hard to be recognized.
“You are not always seen as someone who is supposed to be there. Luckily, the navy has done a lot in terms of gender equality and workshops to educate about gender equality.
“I have been excellent in everything that I done, in the sense that I have worked very hard and I have the accolades to show for it. Finishing at the top of my class. Those are some of my achievements and it took hard work,” she said.
Le Roux emphasised the importance of women standing up for themselves.
“Sometimes you have to give back as good as you get. If somebody chirps you, you have stand up for yourself because no one is going to stand up for you. Nobody else is going to pave the way for you. You have to stand up for yourself and show up and take a seat at the table. The future for women is bright. Work hard. There is nothing that stops you from achieving your dreams,” she advised young women. – SAnews.gov.za
nosihle
Tue, 08/08/2023 - 11:03
Minister reflects on Energy Action Plan implementation
Minister in the Presidency responsible for Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, says at least half of the actions set out in the Energy Action Plan (EAP) are either completed or on track.
He was briefing the media on the progress made on the one year implementation of the Energy Action Plan on Sunday.
The EAP was introduced by President Cyril Ramaphosa in July last year and thrashes out work that must be done by both Eskom and government to ensure that load shedding is reduced and eventually eradicated and to ensure energy security for the country in the future.
“About 56% of the work we are doing is either completed or on track. About eight of these actions that the President has set out in the Energy Action Plan we have completed. Twenty of these actions are on track so essentially what that means is that we are in keeping with the timelines that we had set for ourselves.
“Twelve of these actions are delayed but progressing well. Of course that is a dent because what we want to is to be either ahead of time or on time. Eight of those are off-track and intervention is on the way…so we are missing our own targets that we set ourselves,” he said.
All of the actions that government is undertaking are underpinned by five interventions, namely:
According to Ramokgopa, actions that government has taken include:
The Minister said although these interventions are contributing greatly to the reduction of load shedding, South Africans must also contribute by taking actions to reduce demand on the grid.
South Africans can contribute by switching off non-essential appliances, switching off geysers and pool pumps during peak periods and also switching off plugs and lights when not in use.
“Demand management is the fastest and most efficient way to reduce demand particularly during peak hours. There are a few things that we can do and the aggregate of those things is going to lessen the intensity of the demand. It’s quicker because we don’t have to spend money, we don’t have to have new generation capacity [and] we don’t have to improve the energy availability factor.
“It has to do with our own behaviours and how we treat consumption in our own homes. It does not mean we need to deteriorate our quality of life. We can achieve both. Just by switching off lights [you are not using], you are switching on the South African economy.
“By reducing the amount of electricity that we use through simple actions, we can reduce load shedding while saving on energy bills,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Sun, 08/06/2023 - 11:57
Activities of United States cashew nut company singled out
The U.S. Government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), announced a new grant to support the Government of Mozambique (GRM) in bridge construction and road repairs in the northern province of Cabo Delgado. The focus of this project is to continue with the improvement of the R698 road, which serves as a travel and transport corridor for communities affected by natural disasters and the violence in the north region of Mozambique. The construction works will include spot improvements, construction of drainage structures and the construction of a load control center. This work is part of the larger U.S. Government commitment to work with Mozambique to achieve peace and stability in the country, region, and world through the U.S. Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability.
The attacks, and territorial occupation by ISIS-M have resulted in significant damage and destruction to infrastructure, including transportation in Cabo Delgado province. With this new agreement, USAID will extend its support to the GRM's National Road Administration (ANE) and the Road Fund (FE). This project will improve road R698 to provide a safe alternative secondary access road between the southern and northern districts of Cabo Delgado. The implementation of this activity will greatly support access to goods, humanitarian assistance, and post-conflict recovery.
USAID Mission Director Helen Pataki said, “Building on a historic relationship between the U.S. Government and ANE, these combined grants of $4.3 million are a physical demonstration of the commitment of the American people to Mozambique. We are here today, as a sign of our successful bilateral partnership in the roads sector.”
USAID is investing $2 million in this agreement over the next two years. This adds on to the previous grant of $2.3 million to ANE. Support for infrastructure is a critical component of the broader U.S. Government assistance in Mozambique. In close collaboration with the Government of the Republic of Mozambique, the U.S. Government provides more than $700 million in annual assistance to improve the quality of education and healthcare, promote economic prosperity, and support the overall development of the nation.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of U.S. Embassy in Mozambique.
