CSA T20 Knockout Update: Limpopo Impalas Lead The Pack
JOHANNESBURG: As the Cricket South Africa (CSA) T20 Knockout competition continues to unfold, Limpopo Impalas are the current frontrunners, leading this...
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Proteas Women Target Strong Start In T20I Series Against Sri Lanka
JOHANNESBURG: Ahead of the commencement of the inbound T20 International (T20I) series between the Proteas Women and Sri Lanka from 27...
Time to take control of your sexual health says Kena Health
Kena Health’s Clinical Care Lead, Dr Chido Siame, says that the Gauteng Department of Health’s announcement report that cases of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have increased significantly is concerning. “Rising STIs are a global concern, and it indicates that the health education and management systems are not working as they should, and also that we …
Dtic hosts annual Furniture Design Competition Awards
Dtic hosts annual Furniture Design Competition Awards
The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) is today hosting the annual Furniture Design Competition Awards at the Sandton Convention Centre.
The Furniture Design Competition aims to foster innovation and excellence in South African furniture design and propel careers of young designers.
The competition creates a platform for the development of new, competitive furniture products. It targets design students registered at South African institutions.
This year’s competition centres around the theme: "Celebrating the Outdoors”, encouraging contestants to consider ergonomics, functionality, affordability, and sustainability in their design creations.
Deputy Minister Nomalungelo Gina says this year’s ceremony will mark a decade of recognising and nurturing design talent within the South African furniture sector and that the awards have played a pivotal role in fostering innovation and excellence in furniture design.
“We are confident and are looking forward to witnessing designs that will not only be aesthetically pleasing but also commercially viable, contributing to the growth of the industry and the expansion of our export market.
“This competition not only propels the careers of young designers, but also serves as a launchpad for the development of new products that contribute to the competitiveness of the South African furniture industry,” she said in a statement on Monday.
Gina said that the South African furniture industry remains an important sector in the economy and is considered to have a huge potential to create jobs and to contribute to increasing exports and the development of small, medium and micro enterprises.
“The design competition is aimed at contributing to the development of the design skills in the furniture sector and it is used as a creative instrument to promote product differentiation and new development.
“This competition also aligns with the recently developed Furniture Industry Masterplan, which outlines a strategic roadmap for the growth and development of the industry,” Gina said.
The ceremony will showcase the work of five design students registered in South African academic institutions and local emerging or established furniture manufacturing companies.
Each finalist responded to the competition's challenges, focusing on designs that prioritise local materials, repurposed elements, and promote a sustainable approach to outdoor furniture.
The event will culminate in the announcement of the category winners, marking a significant milestone in their design journeys. – SAnews.gov.za
Edwin
Mon, 03/25/2024 - 08:57
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Specific Cloud Platforms For Businesses To Use In South Africa
SevenC, a leading IT infrastructure and network service provider striving to identify and make available the best possible ICT strategies for its clients’ unique needs, explores the unique offerings of specific cloud platforms and how businesses can choose the right one. “Chances are, if you’ve navigated the web or used an app recently, you’ve interacted …
Fight against TB gets $94 million boost
Fight against TB gets $94 million boost
South Africa’s ongoing efforts to respond to Tuberculosis (TB) have been strengthened with funding of $94 million for the next five years.
“Just over R4 billion was budgeted in the 2024/2025 [financial year], meeting the projected needs for implementing the National Strategic Plan (NSP). Seventy-one percent of the TB budget is from domestic sources, 21% from Global Fund and 8% from United States government commitments,” Minister of Health, Dr Joe Phaahla said on Sunday in Sedibeng.
The Minister was addressing South Africa’s commemorations for World TB Day, which is being observed under the theme: “Yes! You and I Can End TB”.
“We applaud the announcement by National Department of Health and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) of the award of the Accelerate Tuberculosis Elimination and Program Resilience Activity (referred to as ACCELERATE) in the amount of $94 million for the next five years.
“As government, we welcome the generous support from Global Fund and the United States government and appreciate their continued support towards HIV, TB and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) response,” Phaahla said.
In addition, the TB Programme of the National Department of Health has developed a comprehensive TB Recovery Plan dashboard, which is used by provinces and districts to monitor the progress of the TB programme.
The department has also developed an HIV and TB dashboard in the Health Information Centre.
“The South African National AIDS Council (SANAC) Situation Room is a state-of the-art data consolidation and visualisation hub built at the SANAC offices in Pretoria but can be accessed virtually from anywhere in the world.
“There is an enormous quantity of data that is generated in many parts and entities of South Africa. It exists in silos and that fragmentation is due to the lack of a central data repository and management point.
“This has made monitoring and evaluation of the country’s efforts against HIV, TB and STIs rather difficult. These new data visualisation dashboards have been set up precisely to address that challenge,” the Minister said.
Progress in fight against TB
Although South Africa remains among the TB high burden countries, there has been notable progress in the country’s fight against the disease.
“A steady decline has been noted in the number of people diagnosed with TB each year since 2007 where the figure was 644 000 compared to 280 000 in 2022. TB-related deaths are falling, but at a much slower rate,” the Minister said.
At last year’s commemoration South Africa launched the NSP for HIV, TB and STIs for the period 2023 to 2028 with ambitious targets for TB and the other two epidemics.
“The National Department of Health has further developed a TB Strategic Plan, which lifts our very pertinent actions that must be taken to address the TB specific challenges as we go towards the end date. This TB strategic plan is fully aligned with our NSP for HIV, TB and STIs and it will inform the content of the annual TB Recovery Plans for the period 2023 to 2027.
“The successful implementation of the NSP relies on several critical enablers such as the proper implementation of the National TB Recovery Plan, which is one of the tools we have to mitigate against the impact of COVID-19 on the national TB programme.
“We must scale up the implementation, use, and rapid uptake of new tools and innovations – these include GeneXpert; shorter and oral regimens for drug-resistant TB, as well as routine testing of TB contacts and at-risk populations,” the Minister said.
He said the collective counter-response to TB must focus on strengthening early case detection through targeted testing initiatives, particularly among vulnerable populations like men.
“There has been demonstrable will and desire by this government to use all innovations and technology to confront this challenge. As we all know, South Africa has been and remains the world leader in the introduction of new tools to test TB and to treat TB.
“The introduction of the new World Health Organization (WHO) approved Rapid Diagnostic tests for TB has been done as early as 2010. To date we are looking forward to targeted new generation sequencing.
“The introduction of new and repurposed TB drugs has helped significantly improve the proportion of cured drug resistant (DR-TB) patients. We have rolled out shorter regimens with better drugs for the treatment of drug resistant tuberculosis, with the notable launch of the bedaquiline-pretomanid-linezolid-levofloxacin (BPAL-L) programme in September 2023, that has almost 2,000 patients on a six-month DR-TB regimen,” the Minister said.
South Africa has been part of a vaccine development programme, which is conducted by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).
“This gives us hope that indeed, we will end TB, by working with all role players, opinion makers, scientists, academics, politicians, and general population,” the Minister said. – SAnews.gov.za
nosihle
Sun, 03/24/2024 - 15:12
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Rate of Tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis, treatment in Africa increasing
About 70% of tuberculosis (TB) cases in the African region are now being diagnosed and treated, marking the highest case-detection rate in the region ever, thanks to concerted efforts by countries to address the threat of the disease.
Although the case detection rate has been on the rise since 2018, the region saw a significant increase between 2020 and 2022, rising from 60% to 70% of cases being detected, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Tuberculosis Report 2023. There has also been a notable reduction in the region in the number of people with TB who miss diagnosis. An estimated 700 000 people missed diagnosis in 2022, a 10% reduction compared with 2021. To further rally efforts to end the disease through concerted global efforts to advance detection, diagnosis and treatment, World TB Day is being marked this year under the theme “Yes! We can end TB”.
In the African region a range of factors have helped boost TB diagnosis rates. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries-maintained TB notification services, ensuring that cases were detected and treated. In Nigeria, which has a huge TB burden, case notification nearly tripled over the past five years to 285 000 cases in 2022 from 106 000 cases in 2018. Improvement in the management of HIV infection, a significant driver of TB, has also bolstered TB detection rates in the region.
“More efforts are still needed to reduce the devastating impacts of this disease on families and communities. As WHO we continue working closely with governments to address the barriers to effective response and speed up the momentum to make TB history,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.
The region, which accounts of 23% of TB cases and 33% of deaths globally, is making steady progress towards ending the disease. For example, Cabo Verde, Eswatini and South Africa have achieved at least a 50% reduction in TB cases. The WHO End TB Strategy calls for countries to reduce TB deaths by 75% and cases by 50% by 2025 compared with the 2015 levels.
Across the region TB deaths fell by 38% and new cases declined by 23% in 2022 compared with 2015. High-burden TB countries have surpassed the 2025 milestone to lower TB deaths.
Despite the progress, further efforts are needed to meet the 2030 global End TB Strategy targets to cut TB deaths by 90% and cases by 80%. These include increased investments in TB control programmes. In 2022, in the African Region, the Global Plan to End TB 2018-2022 estimated that US$ 3.9 billion were required annually to achieve the targets, but only around US$ 890 million were mobilized for TB prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Domestic funding represented about 46% of total funding for TB (54% from international funding) in 2022.
Limited access to health services, inadequate health infrastructure, insufficient quality of care, inadequate human resources for health and inadequate social protection are also impeding progress to ending TB.
Globally TB continues to claim millions of lives annually. In the African region Africa, TB was the second leading cause of death from a single infectious agent, with nearly 2.5 million people falling ill and 424 000 lives lost in 2022.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of WHO Regional Office for Africa.
Unlocking the Secrets of Successful SEO: Understanding Keyword Difficulty
Pretoria, South Africa – In the ever-evolving landscape of online marketing, achieving visibility on search engines remains paramount for businesses aiming to thrive in the digital realm. Click Results, a leading digital marketing firm based in Pretoria, South Africa, unveils the cornerstone of effective SEO strategies: keyword research and understanding keyword difficulty. Keyword research, often …
SPJ Electronics Sets Foot in South Africa, Offering Unbeatable Prices on Home Appliances and Electronics
Levy Business Park Lusaka, 10101, Zambia- SPJ Electronics, a leading global retailer of home appliances and electronic items, is thrilled to announce the grand opening of its newest store in South Africa. This expansion marks a significant milestone in the company’s journey, bringing its extensive range of products to the South African market at unbeatable …
Minster Creecy’s recent decision will leave African penguins to go extinct, say bird groups
Conservationists mount legal challenge to environment minister’s decision to declare “biologically meaningless” closed fishing areas around breeding islands as part of her penguin conservation strategy
Read to reach your full potential, learners told
Read to reach your full potential, learners told
Deputy Minister in the Presidency Kenny Morolong on Friday called on communities to guard schools against vandalism.
“As government we are calling on our communities to take care of their schools,” Morolong said.
He was speaking during a hand over of books donated by the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) to Mosikare Secondary School in Mantsa village in Mahikeng on Friday.
Morolong said it was important to encourage learners to study so that they can realise their full potential. “There is a need to tell our learners to read,” he said.
Government, said the Deputy Minister, will encourage the private sector to get involved in the donation of books to schools.
“We will also encourage the GCIS to continue to donate more books to schools and encourage learners to take their studies more seriously,” Morolong said.
Morolong said government has seen the need to foster a culture of learning and promote South African Library Week.
South African Library Week (SALW) 2024 is being held under the theme: “Libraries Foster Social Cohesion”. It underscores the crucial role libraries play in uniting communities as they serve as hubs where people from diverse backgrounds can come together to exchange ideas, and to learn and engage in cultural and intellectual activities.
In his welcoming address, School Principal Tebogo Selomane said he was excited to have books donated to the school. “The books will assist and encourage our learners to study,” he said.
Selomane used to occasion to call on government officials and departments to support the school.
Mosikare Secondary School was established on 19 May 2007. The school is a Section 21 school meaning it is allocated finances by the department and is responsible for ordering stationery, textbooks, paying water and lights accounts and undertaking its own maintenance. It is classified under Quintile 1.
Selomane’s appeal for assistance did not fall on deaf ears as the Mayor of the Ngaka Modiri District offered to donate 50 school shoes to the school.
During the 2019 State of the Nation Address, President Cyril Ramaphosa made a call for the country to improve literacy levels which starts with improving reading capabilities.
As part of the Presidential reading initiative to encourage all South Africans to be part of the reading drive, the GCIS’ donation of books to identified beneficiaries is a contribution towards the empowerment of communities.
As part of its annual stock taking process, GCIS identified a collection of books which can be donated to community libraries.
Reading is the foundational skill which enables life-long learning. Through reading we acquire new skills that are essential for our development, making literacy the cornerstone for building sustainable livelihoods. – SAnews.gov.za
Edwin
Fri, 03/22/2024 - 14:31
185 views
“Cleaning and greening” workers dump rubbish on City Hall doorsteps in Gqeberha
Their stipends were paid a week late by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environmental Affairs
Namaqualand communities call for moratorium on all new mining rights
People from Richtersveld, Concordia, Hondeklip Bay and other Northern Cape towns marched in Springbok on Human Rights Day
Small-scale fishers threaten to take government to court
Unhappiness over fisheries department’s boat allocations
We must reject the government’s dirty energy plans
This year’s Integrated Resources Plan is horrifying
Cape Town “pilgrims” walk the length of the Gaza Strip to raise awareness
March comes as US admits Palestinians are facing “acute food insecurity”
2024 Cape Town Cycle Tour Cycling Development Changing Lives
25 cyclists from the Nedbank Sports Trust Cycling Development Programme completed the 109 km CTCT, which is far more than an epic challenge for cyclists. For them, it’s about changing lives in communities beset by gangsterism, crime, violence, and teenage pregnancies. ‘The pride on their faces at the end of the race was the greatest …
Large players pull out all the stops to keep Africa connected
With only three of the ten undersea cables that connect South Africa to the world still in operation, it is quite remarkable that the region remains as well connected as it is. This is the view of Workonline Communications (www.Workonline.Africa/), one of the leading providers of wholesale IP transit services in Africa, commenting on recent disruptions to internet connectivity across the continent due to multiple undersea cable faults.
“The cable breaks on both sides of the continent have highlighted the issue of the lack of capacity to support Africa's burgeoning internet requirements,” says Edward Lawrence of the Workonline Group. “There are 574 active and planned submarine cables across the globe, yet South Africa only has 10 that connect it to the rest of the world, and seven of these are currently out of action.”
In February 2024, three vital cables—AAE-1, EIG, and SEACOM—connecting the east coast of Africa to Europe were disrupted, allegedly due to vandalism by the Houthis. Then, on March 14, 2024, four out of the five west coast cables—SAT3, WACS, ACE, and MainOne—were affected, reportedly by an undersea rock fall near Ivory Coast. These incidents have significantly impacted internet connectivity, not only in South Africa but across the entire continent.
The capacity constraints are further complicated by the time it takes to not only repair submarine cables, but also to lay new infrastructure. Lawrence explains that it can take 18 months or longer to plan for new cables, and a further two years or more to actually build and commission them.
“We're fortunate that due to our investment in Africa and abroad we are able to be more nimble than most and can increase our undersea capacity at speed. We've designed our network to be as resilient as possible, acquiring capacity on the most stable routes we can find. Incremental capacity, or augments as they are referred to, require us to acquire hundreds of Gbps of capacity at a time, so we rely on our deep relationships which we've developed across the industry.”
Through strategic partnerships and investments in mega Points of Presence (PoPs) across Africa, Workonline remains at the forefront of delivering high-quality IP transit services to meet the evolving needs of ISPs and CDNs in Africa.
"We understand the critical importance of internet connectivity in today's digital age," added Lawrence. "As such, we are committed to proactively managing network disruptions and minimizing downtime to provide our customers with the continuity they need to thrive in a competitive landscape."
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Workonline Communications.
Follow Workonline Communications on:
X: https://apo-opa.co/4ariq4x
Facebook: https://apo-opa.co/4crXCeG
LinkedIn: https://apo-opa.co/3Vt33UF
About Workonline Communications Group:
Workonline (AS 37271), founded in 2006, is one of the largest IP transit networks in Africa. The company operates mega PoPs across South, East and West Africa, Europe, and Asia, and is continually expanding its infrastructure across the African continent.
Workonline (AS 37271) is one of the largest and the fastest growing IP transit networks in Africa. The company is focused on providing highly scalable, high quality, and flexible service options to meet the needs of carriers, Internet Service Providers, content providers, and mobile operators.
Website: www.Workonline.Africa/news
Email: bizdev@workonline.africa
Action threatened against unregistered school that charges R850 per month
“The owner … only cares about money, not the education of our children” says parent
Discover Quality Electrical Products at RS Imports
In today’s modern world, electrical products play a crucial role in our daily lives, whether it’s ensuring the safety of our devices or providing convenient solutions for our electronic needs. At RS Imports, you’ll find a diverse range of high-quality electrical products designed to enhance your home and lifestyle. Let’s explore what RS Imports has …
Work underway to ensure water security: Mchunu
Work underway to ensure water security: Mchunu
Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu has reiterated that water supply at a bulk level is stable, with many projects being implemented to augment the current water supply.
Mchunu said this at a gala dinner hosted by the iMvula Trust on Tuesday to celebrate 30 years of water and sanitation service delivery and beyond.
The celebration took place during National Water Week, and ahead of World Water Day which is celebrated annually on 22 March.
In his opening remarks, Mchunu said great strides have been made towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 on water and sanitation by 2030, and World Water Day is an opportunity to contribute to speeding up progress.
He highlighted some of the projects led by the department, and these include Phase 2 of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project, uMkhomazi Water Project in KwaZulu Natal, Olifants River Water Resource Development in Limpopo, and uMzimvubu Water Project in the Eastern Cape, among others.
Mchunu acknowledged that the department is currently facing the challenge of water and sanitation services management, saying while dams are full, some taps are running dry, while other areas have no taps at all.
“The main reason for this current problem is that South Africa has exclusively relied on municipalities for the provision of drinking water to households and businesses, while same have been declining in recent years.
“Government, at all levels, is aware that the capacity of municipalities is found to be wanting in the main, the provision of water could not have been an exception in the decline of basic services rendered by municipalities,” Mchunu said.
As a response to this challenge, the Minister said the department has been assisting and engaging municipalities to deliver on their mandates.
He said since the Water and Sanitation Summit in 2022, the department has gradually shifted its attention to building, renewing, and in some cases, refurbishing and upgrading water and sanitation infrastructure.
“We recently convened a two-day Water Summit, where we engaged with municipalities, in their capacities as Water Services Authorities, on the findings in the Blue, Green and No Drop Reports released by the department last year.
“During the summit, it was agreed that fundamental changes would be implemented within the existing legal framework, such as changing the allocation of the Water Services Authority function, appointing another municipality to provide the Water Services Provider function,” Mchunu said.
The Minister also highlighted the importance of private sector involvement in water and sanitation services to achieve the SDG goals.
“Overall, understand us to be assuring you that we are hard at work in ensuring water security and provision for years to come. We call upon you, those in the private sector, to come on board and work with us in making the water and sanitation sector a success.
“The establishment of the Mvula Trust in 1993 came as South Africa transitioned into its new democracy and fast-forward to present day, we recognise and appreciate your efforts over time and your readiness to engage and work with government to better the lives of South Africans,” Mchunu said. – SAnews.gov.za
GabiK
Wed, 03/20/2024 - 14:10
484 views
Minor Hotels Announces the Signing of Anantara Zanzibar Resort – Anantara to continue its expansion in Africa, adding Tanzania to the pipeline
Minor Hotels, an international hotel owner, operator and investor with more than 540 hotels in 56 countries in Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Africa, the Indian Ocean, Europe and the Americas, announces the signing of a new Anantara resort to be developed in Zanzibar, Tanzania. Located on the northern coast of Zanzibar Island, the group …
African Gold Extra Virgin Olive Oil Celebrates South African Flavours in New Cookbook
As a brand that is all about shining a light on local produce, African Gold Extra Virgin Olive Oil is thrilled to announce the launch of its new cookbook. The Savouring South Africa cookbook is free to download and a celebration of local flavours and produce, featuring recipes for breakfasts, snacks, side dishes, main meals …
Atteridgeville gets smart licensing centre
Atteridgeville gets smart licensing centre
The Gauteng provincial government has moved licensing services closer to communities, particularly in townships, informal settlements and hostels in Pretoria west with a new smart licensing centre.
“Overall, this initiative has the potential to bring convenience, efficiency, sustainability, and integrity to townships, informal settlements and hostel communities, ultimately transforming lives and contributing to the province's renewal service demands,” MEC for Transport and Logistics Kedibone Diale-Tlabela said on Wednesday.
She was addressing the launch of the smart licensing centre in Atteridgeville, which will expand access to government services, such as licensing services.
“Integrating these smart testing centres into the administration system of the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) and offering services like other testing centres across South Africa highlights a commitment to improving public service delivery and increasing capacity to meet the demands of license renewals and related services,” the MEC said.
The centre provides full online and cashless services as part of the provincial government's commitment to exploring new technologies and process optimisation.
It is estimated that the licence renewal service will take approximately 10 minutes, implying that more people will be serviced in the most efficient way possible.
“This innovative concept is a game-changer in Growing Gauteng Together through the Smart Mobility Plan. The centre is also solar-powered; ensuring that even during load shedding, services will continue to be provided. This commitment to sustainability further underscores the forward-thinking approach of the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport (GDRT) in meeting the needs of its communities,” Diale-Tlabela said
The MEC pointed out that corruption in terms of driver's license renewal is caused by 'runners' who demand payments for booking slots on behalf of residents.
“These operations have ceased to be the order of the day at these smart driving licence testing centres (DLTCs). Here, you come as per appointment, and a law enforcer becomes the centre manager. This approach will assist in mitigating serious issues of corruption, making the process fairer and more transparent.
“The involvement of the Gautrain Management Agency (GMA) in piloting and rolling out these smart DLTCs along the Gautrain line is a promising approach. The positive feedback from customers at the Centurion station DLTC and others demonstrates the potential success of this model,” the MEC said.
She said launching the initiative in Atteridgeville is a testament to the provincial government’s commitment to act and improve the lives of its residents. – SAnews.gov.za
nosihle
Wed, 03/20/2024 - 14:13
785 views