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Veld fires pose a great threat to farmers as uncontrolled blazes can quickly engulf vast stretches of farmland, consuming crops, livestock and essential infrastructure, wiping out years of hard work in mere minutes. However, the future of farming preparation against veld fires has had a major boost with a proudly South African pioneering solution. Husqvarna …
Johannesburg 20 October 2023 – Sometimes, all a great idea needs is a little fine-tuning to give it the confidence and gravitas it needs to succeed. A nudge in the right direction can be life-changing for many aspiring entrepreneurs in South Africa. Brand South Africa, through their Play Your Part Ignite roadshow, have been travelling …
Majority of independent poultry, egg producers unaffected by bird flu
Cabinet has noted that the majority of independent poultry and egg producers have not been affected by avian flu as several South African farmers work around the clock to curb the outbreak.
This is according to the Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, who said they were updated on containment measures to limit the spread and impact of avian influenza.
“Cabinet has noted that majority of independent poultry and egg producers have not been affected by avian flu,” said the Minister who was briefing the media on Thursday about the outcomes of the Cabinet meeting held yesterday.
The outbreak, according to the Minster, has “severely” affected the economy and the poultry sector.
“The Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development Thoko Didiza, has met with retailers and the South African Poultry Association to discuss possible solutions in the short and the medium term to increase egg and chicken supply,” said Ntshavheni.
According to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), avian influenza is a highly contagious viral infection that affects poultry and wild birds.
The NICD said there are currently two different strains that are causing avian influenza outbreaks in South Africa, these are influenza A(H5N1) and influenza A (H7N6).
The public health institute noted that the current influenza A(H5N1) has been ongoing since April 2023.
Meanwhile, the NICD said the influenza A(H7N6) has been reported since June 2023, with 50 outbreaks to date recorded in poultry farms in the Free State, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, North West and KwaZulu-Natal and non-poultry birds in Gauteng.
“Internationally, sporadic cases of influenza A(H5N1) infection have been reported in humans, related to outbreaks in birds but infection in humans remains very rare,” it said in a statement.
Globally, the NICD said only eight cases of influenza A(H5N1) in humans have been reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2023, despite large outbreaks in poultry and wild birds across the globe.
“These cases have been linked to close contact with infected birds such as handling, culling, slaughtering or processing.
“Current circulating strains of avian influenza have not been shown to transmit from person to person.”
However, the institute said the risk of transmission of influenza A(H5N1) and influenza A(H7N6) from infected birds to humans is extremely low.
“In the uncommon instance where avian influenza is transmitted to humans, the most common route of transmission of avian influenza is airborne, through aerosolisation of virus particles from live birds or during the culling process.”
Any persons with known or suspected close contact with dead or sick birds, especially birds with confirmed A(H5N1) or A(H7N6) infection and present with upper or lower respiratory tract symptoms such as cough, runny nose, scratchy throat, or pneumonia and/or conjunctivitis should be investigated, the NICD advised. – SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Thu, 10/19/2023 - 11:18
SASSA takes services to rural Marapyane
In an effort to deal with the high level of unemployment in the area, the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) in Mpumalanga will today take its services to the Marapyane community located within the Nkangala District.
According to SASSA, most of the communities in the area and the surroundings are dependent on social grants for survival.
The agency said their services will be offered during the Integrated Community Registration Outreach (ICROP).
“Communities will have full access to all SASSA services and get an opportunity to apply for social grants. Beneficiaries who wish to change the payment method to their banks of choice will be assisted on the spot. All spheres of government, relevant stakeholders and financial institutions will be available to offer their services,” SASSA said.
The agency explained that it was taking its services to Marapyane because there is a temporal service point that operates from Monday to Friday, 09:00 – 15:00.
This service point provides services to five out of 31 wards with a total of 17 villages within a 30km radius.
“As a result, the local office saw the need to conduct an ICROP with the intention of to reducing the intake backlog, overcrowding and long traveling distances by clients to other nearby SASSA offices,” the agency said.
For more information clients can contact the toll free number during working days/hours on 0800 60 10 11, or Whatsapp 082 046 8553. – SAnews.gov.za
DikelediM
Wed, 10/18/2023 - 09:49
Teacher supply and demand by 2030: Securing SA’s future
South African teachers aren’t operating on survival mode since the public sector has solved the teacher shortages, writes Angie Motshekga.
As South Africa marks Teachers' Month, coinciding with last week's ceremony honouring the best in our teaching cohort, it's imperative to recognise the vital role teachers play in moulding our nation's future. The public sector's successful resolution of teacher shortages means our educators are no longer merely on “survival mode” even though resource constraints remain. Their impact, frequently extending beyond the classroom, is immeasurable. The significance of the Funza Lushaka Bursary Programme in bolstering South Africa's teaching profession is commendable. Here in black and white are facts and figures about teachers in SA today.
Since its inception, the Funza Lushaka Bursary Programme has facilitated the training and integration of new teachers into our educational system. From 2007, marking the year when bursars completed their studies and became eligible for placement in 2008, up to the most recent data for 2023, a cumulative total of 52 099 teachers have successfully completed their training through the Funza Lushaka programme.
This underscores its success in supporting teachers and rejuvenating the nation’s educational system with well-trained professionals.
The impact of Funza Lushaka on teacher placement: A decade in review
As we delve deeper into the data related to the Funza Lushaka Bursary Programme, another significant aspect comes to the fore – the successful placement of these trained educators within our educational system. This ensures that our investment in human capital translates into tangible benefits for our learners and the broader education sector.
From 2013 to 31 August 2023, spanning a decade and seven months, we have witnessed impressive placement rates across our Provincial Education Departments (PEDs).
Eastern Cape: Out of 6 608 trained teachers, 4 869 have been successfully placed, representing a placement rate of 74%. However, 1 739 remain unplaced.
Free State: Here, we see a higher placement percentage. Of the 3 092 educators, 2 752 have found positions, marking an 89% placement rate, leaving only 340 unplaced.
Gauteng: This province has seen the training of 9 423 teachers, with 8 002 of them (or 85%) being effectively integrated into schools. However, 1 421 are still seeking placement.
KwaZulu-Natal: With 9 012 trained educators, 6 908 have been placed (77%), while 2 104 await placement.
Limpopo: This province boasts one of the highest placement rates at 94%. Of 4 623 educators, 4 347 have been placed, leaving a mere 276 unplaced.
Mpumalanga: Here, 4 006 teachers were trained, and 3161 (or 79%) have been placed, leaving 845 awaiting placement.
North West: An impressive 96% placement rate is observed here. Of the 2 543 educators, 2 436 have found their roles in the education system, with only 107 still unplaced.
Northern Cape: Another province with an excellent placement rate of 96%. Of 1 166 educators, 1 115 have been effectively placed, and 51 remain unplaced.
Western Cape: From 6 867 educators, 5,127 have been successfully placed, making the rate 75%. However, 1 740 educators are still seeking placement.
Of the 47 340 educators trained over the past decade and seven months, 38 717 have been effectively placed within our educational system, representing an overall placement rate of 82%. While this achievement is worth celebrating, the data also underscores the need to address the 8 623 educators awaiting placement.
In other words, since 2013, 38 717 out of 47 340 Funza Lushaka graduates have found placement in schools, representing approximately 81.78% of these graduates. This translates to an average placement of about 4 300 graduates per annum. To put this into perspective, Funza Lushaka Bursary Scheme graduates placed in schools account for 20-25% of all graduates absorbed into the public education system each year. This figure is a testament to the programme’s significant contribution to rejuvenating the teaching profession.
The financial magnitude of investing in tomorrow’s teachers
However, a programme of this magnitude comes with substantial financial commitment. Between 2007 and 2022, the cumulative financial outlay for the scheme across all participating Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) amounts to a staggering R13 115 645 580.95.
These figures highlight the vast number of future educators being nurtured through the programme and the immense financial commitment to ensuring their readiness to shape the next generation. It’s essential to view this not merely as an expenditure but as a significant investment in the future of South Africa’s basic education system.
Investing in today’s educators for a brighter tomorrow
In 2023 alone, across all HEIs, some 10864 students have been funded to pursue their dreams of becoming educators. This comes at the cost of the fiscus of R1 164 539 332.47. This figure showcases a substantial investment into nurturing teaching professionals who will go on to play an integral role in our basic education system.
It’s worth noting that behind each bursary is an aspiring educator, a beacon of hope equipped to inspire our nation’s youth. This investment signifies belief in the transformative power of education and those who deliver it.
Teacher supply and demand by 2030
The cepartment’s research indicates two major factors: the ageing teaching workforce, which necessitates a new influx of educators, and a surge in learner numbers due to population growth. Given the current learner-educator ratio (LER) of 29.8:1, we employ around 405 000 educators in the public sector. However, by 2030, to maintain this LER, we’d require about 428 000 educators. Failing to meet this could result in the LER spiking to 31.6:1, signifying larger class sizes and potentially diminishing the quality of education. The challenge is further compounded when considering that funding plays a significant role in our ability to recruit and maintain these educators.
But here’s the silver lining: there’s already a surplus. Every year, while 31,000 fresh teacher graduates step out, only 18 000 to 20 000 are absorbed into the public sector, creating a significant reservoir.
However, quantity alone isn’t the solution. As the curriculum evolves with the Three Streams Model focusing on technical vocational and technical occupational streams, the quality and specialisation of training become paramount. Our bursary schemes must pivot, possibly minimising the general academic stream and emphasising the new curricular needs.
*Angie Motshekga is the Basic Education Minister in South Africa.
Matona
Mon, 10/16/2023 - 09:59
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Census 2022 shows decrease in orphans in the country
South Africa's Census 2022 national results has shown a decrease in the percentage of children aged 0-17 who are orphans in the country.
“KwaZulu-Natal observed the highest decrease in all orphanhood types from 2011 to 2022. Paternal orphans are highest in all censuses and provinces,” Statistician-General Risenga Maluleke said.
The data from Census 2022, which Maluleke handed over to President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday in Pretoria, indicates that information on parental survival is collected in order to determine maternal or paternal orphanhood, and estimation of adult mortality.
In 2011, the stats for paternal orphans were at 12.1% while in 2022 they were at 8.9%, maternal orphans stood at 3.0% in 2011 and in 2022 they were at 2.3%. Double orphans were at 3.9% in 2011 and they decreased to 2.5% in 2022. In 2011, non orphans were at 81.0% and in 2022 the figure stood at 86.2%.
“Comparison of Census 2011 and census 2022 showed that in both censuses, paternal orphanhood was more prevalent compared to maternal and double orphanhood. Trends show that there has been a decrease in orphanhood and this is the case for all the three types,” he said.
Non orphans are children 0-17 aged years whose both biological mother and father were still alive while paternal orphans are children 0-17 aged years whose biological fathers were no longer alive but their mothers were still alive.
Maternal orphans refer to children aged 0-17 years whose biological mothers were no longer alive but their fathers were still alive and double orphans are children aged 0-17 years who reported that both mother and father have died.
“Provincial variations in orphanhood showed that Eastern Cape (15.8%) and KwaZulu-Natal (15.5%) had the highest percentage of paternal orphans in both Censuses 2011 and 2022. In census 2022, Eastern Cape (3.4%), Free State (3.1%), North West (2.9% and Mpumalanga (2.6%) provinces had percentage of double orphans above the national average (2.5%),” Maluleke said.
Agricultural households
Census 2022 shows that 13.8% (2 463 429) of all households are agricultural households compared to 19.9% in 2011 (2 879 590).
Most of the households were involved in agriculture to produce ‘only for own consumption’ (1 988 825 or 80.7%) and ‘mainly for own consumption with some sale’ (189 371 or 7.7%).
Approximately 4.3% or 107 112 of agricultural households were producing ‘only for sale’.
“The major provinces contributing to the decrease are KwaZulu-Natal (-167 726 agricultural households), Eastern Cape (-114 846 agricultural households) and Free State (-65 522 agricultural households).
“Most of the agricultural households were in KwaZulu-Natal (24.9%), Eastern Cape (20.7%) and Limpopo (16.3%) in 2011. In 2022, KwaZulu-Natal (22.3%) still reported the highest percentage of agricultural households.
“However, Limpopo (21.1%) overtook Eastern Cape (19.6%). Northern Cape and Western Cape reported the lowest percentage of agricultural households in both 2011 and 2022,” Maluleke said.
The trends in percentage contribution by various population groups to total agricultural households remained largely the same in the two years.
Black African households (91.4% in 2011 and 90.8% in 2022) constituted the largest percentage of agricultural households, followed by white households (5.2% in both 2011 and 2022) in both years.
“Livestock and poultry production was the leading agricultural activity, reported in 959 365 (38.9%) households, followed by fruit or vegetable production (661 613 or 26,9%) and grains, food crops and industrial crops (650 096 or 26.4%).
“Eastern Cape (247 902 or 25.8%) and KwaZulu-Natal (247 043 or 25.8%) reported the highest number of households involved in livestock and poultry production. The leading provinces in the production of grains, food crops and industrial crops were Limpopo (250 463 or 38.5%) and KwaZulu-Natal (126 727 or 19.5%),” he said.
The main place used for household agricultural activity in 2022 was backyard (2 196 736 or 89.2%), followed by farm land (131 105 or 5.3%)
‘Other’, which includes schools and other public spaces, was reported by 51 007 households, and constituted the least reported place of agricultural activity.
“With the exception of chickens, Eastern Cape reported the highest numbers in all types of livestock ownership. Nationally, chickens (38.2 million) were the most numerous type of livestock kept at household level, followed by sheep (17.7 million) and cattle (12.3 million).
“The black African and white population groups were the most dominant in livestock and chicken farming. The highest number of cattle (7.7 million) and sheep (12.5 million) were reported in white-headed households, whereas most chickens (19.0 million), goats (4.9 million) and pigs (1.1 million) were reported in black African households,” Maluleke said. – SAnews.gov.za
nosihle
Fri, 10/13/2023 - 10:55
SARS, law enforcement agencies break coal syndicates
A massive inter-governmental search and seizure operation across five provinces was carried out on Thursday to break the back of a sophisticated criminal syndicate of alleged coal-smugglers, who played a major role in exacerbating the energy crisis and loadshedding.
The South African Revenue Service (SARS) was the lead agency in yesterday’s search and seizure operation because information became available regarding a host of tax crimes allegedly committed by members of the coal-smuggling syndicate.
“This success of today’s (Thursday) operation is due to exceptional inter-governmental co-operation and information-sharing under the auspices of the NATJOINTS Energy Safety & Security Priority Committee tasked with unmasking and bringing to book the criminals that have caused economic hardship and personal hardship to all citizens of the country,” said the South African Revenue Services in a statement.
“It is due to such hard work, often behind the scenes, that leads to these investigative breakthroughs and ensures that South Africans can return to a lifestyle without loadshedding. These targeted operations also help to prevent the loss of revenue to the fiscus, which in this case amounted to more than R500-million,” SARS said.
According to SARS, the alleged coal-smugglers and their related entities are active and have a presence in Gauteng, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, Free State and Limpopo.
The suspects targeted yesterday include former Eskom employees who facilitated procurement fraud, as well as other individuals involved in the diversion of high-grade coal.
SARS managed to establish links between individuals and related entities and confirmed possible gross contraventions from a tax perspective in terms:
The sophisticated network of coal-smugglers is suspected to consist of local and foreign nationals. Coal trucks destined for power stations are diverted to designated coal yards where high-grade coal is replaced with low-grade or sub-standard product.
The high-grade coal is then exported or sold to willing buyers. The low-grade coal is often blended with scrap or other materials and then delivered to power stations.
The low-grade coal damages the infrastructure at the Eskom power stations, which is a major factor in crippling the power utility’s ability to generate electricity for the South African grid.
SARS Commissioner Edward Kieswetter commended the country’s law enforcement agencies for this massive breakthrough in ongoing investigations.
“It is because of such naked greed that the country has experienced unprecedented loadshedding, which harms business, undermines foreign direct investment and leads to job losses – all of which negatively affect revenue collection,” he said.
“All law enforcement agencies must continue their aggressive fight against criminality, each according to its mandate. For its part, SARS will continue to pursue taxpayers involved in intentional and wilful non-compliance – without fear, favour or prejudice,” Kieswetter said.
SARS is encouraged that the message is clear and unequivocal to all those involved in organised crime – you will be hunted down and brought to book. – SAnews.gov.za
Edwin
Fri, 10/13/2023 - 11:34
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No glitches expected with October grant payment cycle, says Mpumalanga SASSA
The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) in Mpumalanga has issued a statement assuring social grant beneficiaries of a smooth transaction during the October payment cycle.
This comes after the technical glitches experienced last month, affecting grant recipients across the country.
According to SASSA, the elderly will receive their money on 3 October, those living with disabilities on 4 October, while payment of children grants categories will get theirs from 5 October.
“Social grant beneficiaries have a right to choose a method of payment of their choice, freely. The forms to make a choice are available at the nearest SASSA offices.”
Meanwhile, SASSA staff will be in most South African Post Office (SAPO) outlets and other payment platforms to monitor the payment and aim to assist beneficiaries with enquiries.
“The monitoring will be conducted for the first three payment days and they will assist any beneficiary that may be experiencing system payment-related challenges or non-payment due to failed bank verification and/or pending bank verification.
“In the eventuality of an unexpected non-payment [this] will be escalated to Postbank if related to a system glitch, and be sorted out as quickly as possible,” the agency explained.
Beneficiaries are also reminded to check their contact details to ensure that they are still correct.
For more information, contact the toll-free number on 0800 60 10 11 or 013 754 9428/9363 from 07:30 to 16:00 during weekdays (Monday to Friday).
District contacts are as follows: Ehlanzeni 013 799 7063/65; Bushbuckridge 013 799 7010/11; Gert-Sibande 017 801 1794 and Nkangala 013 285 0648. – SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Tue, 10/03/2023 - 10:37
Home Affairs Minister welcomes sentencing of corrupt official
Home Affairs Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, today welcomed the lengthy sentences recently meted out to two South Africans and a Pakistani national in two different cases in Durban and Johannesburg, respectively, for passport related crimes.
Arfan Ahmed, a Pakistani national who was arrested in a sting operation that included the Counter Corruption Branch of Home Affairs, the Hawks and the Police Crime Intelligence on 24 March 2022 at the Home Affairs office in Krugersdorp, has been sentenced to eight years imprisonment by the Brixton Magistrate Court.
He was sentenced for the passports that were found in his house following his arrest in Krugersdorp. The department awaits his sentencing for his role in the Krugersdorp passport syndicate.
Ahmed is a kingpin of a passport syndicate that sought to undermine the country’s laws by fraudulently procuring South African passports for Pakistani nationals who did not have a legal right to possess South African passports.
He was working with some corrupt officials of Home Affairs in a network that spanned Gauteng, Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, Western Cape and Mpumalanga.
While the Pakistani is languishing in jail, the 12 corrupt Home Affairs officials who enabled his scheme have already been fired and submitted to the Hawks for criminal investigations.
In another important development, the Durban Magistrate Court sentenced Anda Ngozi and Nomathandazo Mboyane to 26 and 24 years, respectively. The two were officials of the Department of Home Affairs employed at the office in Queenstown, in the Eastern Cape.
They used to travel 650km each way at a time during the night to Home Affairs offices in Commercial Road and in Prospecton in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, to fraudulently process 52 passports for foreign nationals, mostly from the DRC, who are not legally entitled to them.
They were paid between R3 000 and R5 000 for each passport. South Africans who were prepared to lend their identities for this nefarious scheme were paid a paltry R500. These were usually young people who were on nyaope.
The two were arrested in November 2022 by Counter Corruption Branch of Home Affairs and the Hawks following the conclusion of an internal investigation led by the Counter Corruption Branch.
Ngozi was sentenced for eight years for fraud, as well as for contravention of the:
• Identification Act – four years
• Immigration Act – four years
• Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act – 10 years
Mboyane was sentenced for eight years for fraud, as well as for contravention of the:
• Identification Act – four years
• Immigration Act – four years
• Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act – eight years
The sentences of the two will run concurrently, practically meaning that Ngozi will spend 10 years, while Mboyane will spend eight years.
“I am extremely pleased that the courts are meting out lengthy sentences to those who seek to undermine the integrity of Home Affairs systems. It is worth noting that the courts had refused bail to all three after their arrests.
"I am also happy the collective work of the multidisciplinary law enforcement teams has ensured that these rascals face the full might of the law for their criminal actions,” said Minister Motsoaledi.
Minister Motsoaledi added that he was looking forward to the sentencing of more people related to these two cases as the Hawks haven't yet closed their investigations.
“Once again, I want to reiterate that we shall stop at nothing in ensuring that all Home Affairs officials who engage in malfeasance face the full might of the law. If you are at Home Affairs and are corrupt, expect our knock at your door," said Minister Motsoaledi.
He added that the actions of corrupt officials, kingpins, South Africans and corrupt foreign nationals have the following consequences for the country:
• People who don’t qualify for South African passports are legitimised through these actions to the detriment of the sovereignty of our country.
• They can use these documents to travel the world as South Africans, and in the process, they may be committing acts that are detrimental to the reputation of the country.
• More worrisome is the fact that even those who claim to be asylum seekers or refugees use these passports to travel back to their home countries proving that the whole claim of asylum was just a rouse.
• South Africans will find it difficult to travel the world as the authenticity of their documents will be questioned.
"South Africans who stupidly lend their identities to be utilised in this manner end up suffering serious prejudice when trying to do transactions with other State institutions, banks and some industry associations.
“This is because the SA Social Security Agency (SASSA), banks and the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA) verify the identity of the people they transact with through the Home Affairs National Population Register (NPR).
"Every time you apply for an ID or passport you are required to take a photo. The latest photo you take becomes the one in our database and all previous ones are automatically deleted.
"So, if a South African sells their identity in this way, it means that the photo in the Home Affairs system is that of the foreign national. So, institutions verifying through NPR refuse to deal with people whose identity at Home Affairs have pictures that don't look like the person in front of them," said Motsoaledi.
The Durban Magistrate Court also ordered that the 52 passports be surrendered to the State.
Because of this abuse of the passport application system, Home Affairs has drastically changed the processes through which passports are acquired in the country. – SAnews.gov.za
Edwin
Mon, 10/02/2023 - 13:28
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Communities urged to be cautious as inclement weather still expected
Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) Minister, Thembi Nkadimeng, has urged communities across the country to be extra cautious as the potential for further inclement and windy weather conditions remains high.
According to the department, the Minister is concerned about the prevailing adverse weather conditions characterised by wildfires and heavy rains affecting most provinces.
“The Minister urges communities across the country to be extra cautious as the potential for further inclement and windy weather conditions remains high,” the statement read.
Nkadimeng has directed respective disaster management centres to activate relief and response measures to ensure the preservation of life through their rescue and recovery efforts.
The Western and Eastern Cape have thus far experienced major flooding, resulting in significant damage to infrastructure and property.
“Sadly, several communities have been displaced and some roads are inaccessible, which is detrimentally affecting lives and livelihoods.”
The department said it has noted the high alert early warning issued by the South African Weather Service (SAWS), particularly for the Western and Eastern Cape.
Some of the worst-hit areas include the City of Cape Town, Garden Route, Central Karoo District; West Coast District, Theewaterskloof, Gugulethu, Sarah Baartman and Nelson Mandela.
“Based on the reports and the weather forecast for the next couple of days as predicted by the SAWS, communities must be extra vigilant, especially in coastal areas.”
Warnings have also been extended for some parts of Gauteng and Mpumalanga for 27 September 2023.
“The heavy rains are accompanied by strong winds which can lead to high tide, with the ocean's waters creeping up the shore, thus endangering lives.”
To this effect, the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) is working collaboratively with Disaster Management Teams from across the three spheres of government and other teams to provide assistance where required.
“Minister calls on all social sectors and partners to mobilise aid and resources to respond adequately to the needs of affected communities.”
As more rain is still expected, the Minister calls on communities to observe the following safety measures:
- Be extra vigilant and exercise caution, especially in flood-prone areas.
- Follow regular updates and warning messages from the SAWS.
- Work with relevant authorities and follow safety tips.
- Those residing in low-lying areas must take extra care during storms, as sudden floods might affect them.
- Monitor the rising water levels and evacuate the areas to a safer place in case or water level rises.
- Be cautious of power lines that might be lying on the roads and debris on the roads.
- Cross through flooded roads or bridges or low-lying bridges, streams and rivers – use other safer routes.
- Try not to walk, swim or drive in swift-flowing water. Even if the water is 15 cm deep, it can sweep you off your feet.
- Motorists are urged to drive and park in safer areas.
- The public should contact their municipal disaster management centres or the nearest police station or call the national emergency numbers (112, 10177 or 107) when faced with threats.
- Sensitise children about the dangers of floods.
- Keep important documents in a water-resistant container.
- Keep your cellphone near you and have emergency numbers at hand.
- Be vigilant at night as it is harder to recognise potentially deadly road hazards.
- Beware of possible water contamination due to raw sewage or other dangerous substances. – SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Wed, 09/27/2023 - 10:51
Over 50 avian influenza cases confirmed in South Africa
South Africa is dealing with a number of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5 and H7 outbreaks, with more than 50 cases confirmed in various parts of the country, according to the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD).
The department has urged poultry farmers to immediately report any suspicion of the disease to the nearest State Veterinarian.
As of 21 September 2023, a total of 50 HPAI H7 outbreaks and 10 HPAI H5 outbreaks have been reported.
Gauteng province is the hardest hit by HPAI H7, with 37 confirmed cases.
Mpumalanga, Limpopo and North West have confirmed two cases, respectively, while the Free State has recorded one case.
“The reported number of chickens that have died is 107 705, while the reported number of chickens that were culled is 1 318 521. Based on these reported figures, there has been a total loss of 1 426 226 chickens.
“The Western Cape province is the hardest hit with regards to the HPAI H5 outbreak, having a total of seven reported outbreaks. The other 3 HPAI H5 outbreaks are within the KwaZulu-Natal province,” the department said in a statement.
The reported number of chickens that have died of HPAI H5 is 98 249, while the reported number of chickens that were culled is 1 156 283, bringing the total loss of 1 254 532 chickens.
The department said it has noted an increasing number of newly detected H7 and H5 PCR positive farms, and urged the industry to ensure biosecurity on poultry farms to reduce the risk of introduction.
The department has facilitated the importation of fertile eggs for the broiler industry and, it said “a similar request for the table eggs will be considered if received”.
It is also facilitating the transit to Eswatini of fertile eggs for their broiler production.
The department has met with vaccine registration regulators and it was agreed that the registration of vaccination will be fast tracked. However, the meeting agreed that safety, efficacy and quality will not be compromised.
Due to the high probability of the avian influenza virus mutating and becoming zoonotic, the department warned that care needs to be taken on the quality and efficacy parameters of the vaccine chosen for use in this exercise.
“The criteria under which vaccination will be permitted is almost in its final development, and only farms with good biosecurity and approved to vaccinate by the department will be given permission to vaccinate. The other requirements for vaccination will be surveillance to enable early detection of incursion and mandatory slaughter of vaccinated chickens.
“The department further encourages all producers to intensify their biosecurity measures on the farm. The basic measures should aim at preventing contact with wild birds, including their faecal material, which can be transported in boots and equipment,” the department said. – SAnews.gov.za
GabiK
Tue, 09/26/2023 - 15:23
Police record successes in dealing with criminal syndicates
Police Minister Bheki Cele says the police are pushing back against crime in the country, and flushing out ruthless and greedy organised criminal syndicates.
“The work of the South African Police Service (SAPS) has, through intelligence-led operations and weekly high density operations, resulted in the arrest of thousands of criminals, especially dangerous and hardened criminals,” Cele said at a briefing in Pretoria on Tuesday.
The Minister outlined some of the successes achieved by the police in dealing with crime in the country.
He said assets worth millions of rands have been recovered and firearms have been removed off the streets.
“These covert operations have also resulted in multiple deaths of suspects who violently resisted arrest,” Cele said.
Cele said some of the meticulously conducted take-downs should renew hope in the country, that the men and women in blue are gaining ground against crime and continue to flush out criminality in both affluent and impoverished areas of society.
“South Africans on various platforms have welcomed the bolstered and decisive policing efforts by the SAPS, who are going toe-to-toe with criminals.
“But in the same breath, we are also aware that the SAPS triumph over crime is a bitter pill to swallow by some,” the minister said.
Cele said crime intelligence information remains central in the take-down of armed and ruthless gangs.
Cele said in the past week alone, police have registered a number of successes, including the latest take down of cash-in-transit heist suspects in Hoedspruit, Limpopo, where four suspects were killed and three suspects arrested.
“We would like to take this opportunity to appreciate the working relationship with the Hoedspruit Farmwatchers, who worked closely with the SAPS in taking down this syndicate.
“Among those arrested was a most wanted suspect, a Mozambican national, linked to the murder of a police officer, a spate of car hijackings, house and business robberies and fraud cases. Police seized one pistol, a rifle and some of the stolen money,” the Minister said.
Provincial overview
Among the successes achieved by the police include, in Gauteng, a multidisciplinary team led by the Anti-Kidnapping Task Team, rescued an 18-year-old Wits University student from a kidnapping syndicate last Wednesday.
The syndicate had been targeting the LGBTQI+ community through a popular dating app. Police have broken the back of this particular kidnapping syndicate, which has so far been linked to over 50 kidnappings, where ransom demands were being made.
In KwaZulu-Natal, following a shooting incident which resulted in the fatal shooting of five men at a parking lot in a shopping centre in Richards Bay on the 19th September 2023, police - 24 hours later - acted on information and traced two suspects to an upmarket estate in Ballito, where a shootout ensued.
The pair were shot and killed during a take-down operation, which involved specialised units of the SAPS, including the National Intervention Unit (NIU).
One of the suspects was on the police’s wanted list and being investigated in a number of cases. One suspect is being sought by the police.
In the Eastern Cape, police arrested a gang that had robbed a store of R1 million worth of jewellery.
Just hours later, police followed up on information and tracked down and arrested all 10 suspects, following a crime intelligence-driven operation. All the stolen jewellery was recovered, as well as four firearms. The syndicate is linked to numerous other similar heists across the country.
In Carolina, Mpumalanga, the illicit mining task team shutdown an illegally operated coal mine and seized mining equipment worth over R60 million, as well as coal worth R12 million.
A mine manager was arrested and a manhunt is underway for the mine owner.
In Khutsong, Gauteng province, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) - under Operation Gillette - arrested nine suspects for illegal mining and they attached, through a preservation order, 58 properties (51 vehicles, including luxury vehicles and seven houses) to the value of over R17 million. They will be appearing in court on 29 September 2023.
In the Northern Cape, 867 illegal miners were arrested during an intelligence driven operation in the Namakwa region on Tuesday, 19 September 2023. The area, which is a hotspot for illegal mining activities, is being closely monitored, and police are working closely with other relevant departments to combat illegal mining activities. – SAnews.gov.za
Edwin
Tue, 09/26/2023 - 12:21
Tea and Scones – a signature Walkersons delight When it comes to indulging in British culinary traditions, the charming ‘afternoon tea’ tradition of with tea and scones stands out as a quintessential delight. Synonymous with leisurely gatherings, the appreciation of fine teas and a delectable array of tea-time treats, afternoon tea originated in 19th century …
Mashatile: Work underway to resolve service delivery issues in local govt
Deputy President Paul Mashatile has assured Members of Parliament (MPs) that the State is attending to issues facing local government.
The Deputy President on Friday said the challenges are multi-dimensional and primarily rooted in governance, institutional capacity, poor financial management and political instability.
“To this end, we have conducted oversight visits to six provinces to ensure that we resolve the challenges of poor governance and lack of service delivery in these areas,” he said.
The Deputy President was responding to questions in the National Assembly on a range of issues facing the country.
Mashatile said outreach programmes were conducted in North West, Gauteng, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and the Northern Cape.
“This was to ensure that we resolve challenges of poor governance and lack of service delivery in these areas,” he explained, adding that they also identified areas of improvement for coordinating service delivery related to infrastructure backlogs and essential services.
The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) has identified 66 out of 257 municipalities as those that need support.
The State, Mashatile said, is also working through the District Development Model (DDM) to improve intergovernmental relations on policy planning, budgeting and execution.
“Together with the Department of COGTA, we established what we call the Result Management Office (RMO), which will be used to strengthen this work.”
The RMO will focus on ensuring that municipalities improve service delivery with support and capacity from the war room.
It will also act as an engine for integrated service delivery that links to the community, coordinates profiles and integrates service delivery.
The State is also looking at addressing resources, capacity and skills in the local government space.
It also plans to facilitate improvements in planning, coordination, execution, monitoring and reporting on the delivery of projects.
“We aim to create resilient, sustainable and cohesive communities, where municipalities serve as catalysts and enablers of development,” said the Deputy President.
In addition, he said government will be looking at the hardships facing the City of Johannesburg. – SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Fri, 09/22/2023 - 11:57
The recent signing of an agreement to develop what has been called South Africa's largest liquified natural gas project in Mpumalanga province has emphasised the potential of natural gas as a viable energy source for the country.
The agreement, a “non-binding term sheet” (https://apo-opa.info/3PN65zR), is a partnership between South Africa's Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) and Afro Energy, a subsidiary of Australian gas explorer Kinetiko Energy. The initiative is projected to generate 50MW of equivalent energy, growing to 500MW over time. There are also options for the development of further LNG gas equivalent projects.
The deal comes amidst renewed interest in onshore gas, as South Africa's power crisis shows few signs of easing. TotalEnergies has won approval (https://apo-opa.info/48phiOs) to search for oil and gas off South Africa's west coast, and in May, the South African government even announced plans to revisit the idea of shale-gas exploration in the Karoo region.
The Mpumalanga discovery is relatively advanced, and involves an innovative public-private partnership approach. However, the resource – estimated at 3.1 billion cubic feet of natural gas – pales in comparison to the gargantuan gas reserves in other parts of Africa.
Africa's natural-gas reserves have been estimated at around 620 trillion cubic feet (https://apo-opa.info/46iQ4qU), with the largest resources in Nigeria, Algeria and Senegal.
Thanks to its proximity to Europe, and well-developed LNG infrastructure, Algeria is currently Africa's largest exporter of natural gas, and the fourth largest gas export in the world (https://apo-opa.info/46m7Zgw), with the 10th largest proven natural gas reserves on the planet.
As Europe looks to wean itself off Russian energy, following that country's invasion of Ukraine, North and West Africa are well positioned to fill the gap. Established trans-Mediterranean gas pipelines can facilitate this, and several more pipelines are in the planning stages.
Supply bottlenecks and political challenges need to be resolved, but the upside for African oil-and-gas exports to Europe is enormous.
Natural gas has also long been heralded as a “transition fuel”, that can help ease the move from oil and coal towards renewable energy. By some measures (https://apo-opa.info/3sZeMy5), gas is a cleaner-burning, efficient fuel that produces fewer carbon-dioxide emissions than other fossil fuels.
It is abundant, and can be compressed, liquified and stored. This storage capability gives natural gas the advantage over forms of renewable energy like solar and wind, which are less easily dispatchable. Storing and providing renewable energy as and when required necessitates complementary technology like batteries, hydrogen or pumped storage.
Gas resources can simply be integrated into the well-developed global natural-gas infrastructure – through pipelines, and the international shipping. This means frontier natural-gas territories – such as South Africa – would be able to “plug in” to this system and begin supplying gas to where it is needed relatively soon after fields are established.
Ghana provides an instructive example of what is possible. The country's oil-and-gas industry launched with its first discoveries around 2006, and it was able to produce its first product within 40 months (https://apo-opa.info/3rkEXz1). In 2021, the country produced 2,4 million metric tons of gas (https://apo-opa.info/3PY0as9).
The imperative to minimise global greenhouse gas emissions to meet Paris 2050 commitments and to reverse climate change is a serious concern, which must be balanced against Africa's development imperatives.
Almost half of Africa's people remain without electricity (https://apo-opa.info/48BiLS2). The Africa Energy Commission (https://apo-opa.info/3ZtYv0d) has confirmed that it still sees a role for natural gas in the continent's evolving energy mix.
In a context where Africa still generates only four percent of global carbon emissions, and the majority (https://apo-opa.info/46oImM7) of its people still rely on biomass to meet their energy needs, a move to natural gas would still represent a net improvement (https://apo-opa.info/3RzRGIH).
That is the domestic scenario. Globally, the planet is hungry for natural gas. Africa is sitting astride enormous resources, but currently only provides 6% of global gas exports (https://apo-opa.info/46ioryf).
The opportunities are significant. There is worldwide gas activity going on, and Africa needs to come to the party.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Oil Week.
Msukaligwa Municipality found guilty of polluting water resources
The Middleburg High Court in Mpumalanga has reaffirmed the regulatory role played by the Department of Water and Sanitation when it found Msukaligwa Local Municipality guilty of eight counts relating to water pollution.
The case, which was brought before the court on Wednesday, relates to non-compliance by the municipality with several directives issued by the department, in terms of sections 19 (3) and 53 (1) of the National Water Act, 1998 (Act no. 38 of 1998).
The municipality failed to take reasonable measures to prevent the pollution of water resources and engaging in water use without authorisation at the Ermelo Waste Water Treatment Works.
This comes after the department’s Compliance, Monitoring and Enforcement Unit undertook numerous investigations since 2016, and subsequently issued notices and directives to the municipality.
“The outcomes of the investigations revealed that the Ermelo Waste Water Treatment Works was not authorised to engage in water uses, not functioning adequately, and the sewage was bypassing the process units and discharged straight into water resources, and there were poor operations and maintenance of the plant,” the department said.
Judge Bruce Langa ordered Msukaligwa Local Municipality to:
• Immediately cease unlawful water use at the Ermelo Waste Water Treatment Plant.
• Apply for registration of water use, as set out in section 21 (f and g) of the National Water Act.
• Immediately take corrective measures to stop the discharge of poor quality effluent to prevent further pollution of water resources.
• Appoint a suitably qualified environmental consultant to compile a rehabilitation plan, which must include the nature and impact that pollution has had or may have on water resources, and the measures that will be implemented to remediate the impact (with clear timeframes).
The rehabilitation plan must be compiled within 30 days from the date of the order of the court and submitted to the department for approval.
The municipality must implement all remedial action contained in the rehabilitation plan within 30 days from the approval of the plan by the department.
• The municipality must compile a closeout report after the completion of the rehabilitation, to be submitted to the department within 14 days of completion of the rehabilitation activities.
The costs of the application by the department are to be paid by the municipality.
Judge Langa said the Department of Water and Sanitation acted in good faith and made many reasonable efforts to make the municipality account for its actions or non-actions, including the issuing of notices and directives.
“The applicant, in my judgement, was entitled to approach the court for relief once it became clear that the respondent was not responding to the various notices, in terms of which it was directed to take certain measures to correct the issues identified repeatedly in various reports dating as far back as 2016.
"In this case, the respondent clearly remained supine, despite the critical problem that was raised many times by the applicant,” Langa said.
The department said it will issue a letter of intent to open a criminal case against Msukaligwa Local Municipality, should they fail to submit an action plan with clear timeframes and budget.
“The department is pleased by this court order and hopes that it will send a strong message to other institutions and serve as a deterrent to transgress provisions of the National Water Act,” the department said. – SAnews.gov.za
GabiK
Fri, 09/22/2023 - 09:04