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Company Outlines Direction and “Break Through Limits” Management Policy During Press Conference in Las Vegas LG Electronics’ (LG) CEO William Cho and key company executives introduced the strategies LG is implementing to achieve its ‘Future Vision 2030’ goal, during a press conference held for Korean media in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.A., on January 10. The …
DMRE to hold renewable energy bidders' conference
The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) is expected to hold three virtual bidders’ conferences in respect of the recently released bid windows under the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP).
The three bid windows are REIPPPP Bid Window 7; Battery Energy Storage Capacity IPP Procurement Programme (BESIPPPP) Bid Window 2; and gas to power IPPPP Bid Window 1, and the call for the procurement of:
“In support of this significant milestone in the IPP Programme, and to engage with potential bidders and other energy sector stakeholders, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, and the Independent Power Producers' Office, will host three virtual Bidders’ Conferences on Wednesday, 17 January 2024 and Thursday, 18 January 2024.
“The conferences will allow all stakeholders to engage with members of the DMRE and IPP Office on queries or clarification questions in relation to the released RFPs,” the department said.
The virtual conferences will be held as follows:
The department said registered participants will have access to recordings of the proceedings and presentations.
The REIPPP is aimed at bringing additional megawatts onto the country’s electricity system through private sector investment. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Tue, 01/16/2024 - 10:10
The Communication Workers Union says the Post Office is supposed to play a developmental role in South Africa
Operation Shanela nets 149 wanted suspects in the Northern Cape
Operation Shanela remains an operational tool to prevent and combat crime in the Northern Cape, with 149 wanted suspects arrested over the course of three days.
According to the Office of the Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS), multi-disciplinary intensified disruptive police actions held from 11 to 14 January 2024, had a sharp focus on reducing contact and violent crimes in hotspot areas.
Operation Shanela is the SAPS crime-combating high density operation incepted in May 2023.
The police executed vehicle checkpoints, stop and searches, foot and vehicle patrols, compliance inspections, drugs, and other cross-border commodities smuggling and tracing operations by detectives.
The operation netted a multitude of successes, with 149 wanted suspects traced by detectives across the province during tracing operations.
Meanwhile, 14 roadblocks and 30 vehicle checkpoints to combat transit crimes were conducted in different locations, of which 2 764 vehicles and 6 460 people were stopped and searched.
The police also conducted compliance inspections at second-hand dealers, liquor premises, scrapyards, recyclers, private security establishments, firearm dealers, formal and informal businesses, farms and mines.
“The police arrested 92 suspects for various offences that include, murder, assault, robbery, burglary, malicious damage to property, dealing and possession of drugs, possession of dangerous weapons, illegal liquor dealing and 24 undocumented immigrants,” said the police in a statement on Sunday.
The operation also led to the confiscation of large volumes of alcoholic beverages, cellphones and drugs as well as illicit mining implements and equipment.
The Provincial Commissioner of the Northern Cape, Lieutenant General Koliswa Otola, indicated that these successes are a result of heightened police visibility. SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Mon, 01/15/2024 - 12:35
Over 600 beneficiaries in Mpumalanga receive title deeds
The New Year began on a high note for 619 beneficiaries of government-subsidised homes who have received their long-awaited title deeds in Tekwane South in the City of Mbombela in Mpumalanga.
This as Human Settlements Minister, Mmamoloko Kubayi and Deputy Minister Pam Tshwete, led a delegation on a two-day service delivery programme in the province.
The two leaders also engaged with contractors, developers and members of the community, amongst others.
The meeting focused on opportunities in the human settlement sector, while discussions focused on policy enhancements as envisaged in the Human Settlements White Paper, released for written public submissions.
According to the Department of Human Settlements, the issuing of title deeds is one of the government priorities to restore full property of ownership and bestow security of tenure.
Other interventions to respond to the gap market include programmes such as First Home Finance, social housing, upgrading informal settlements, and the delivery of fully subsidised government housing.
The beneficiaries included 74-year-old Nana Santumela and 72-year-old Esther Mhlabane, who also receive social services from the government.
“Everywhere, every week, every province's MECs and Mayors must issue title deeds as a matter of urgency to give back dignity to people and ensure home ownership, even for the most vulnerable in society,” said Kubayi.
Affordable housing
Kubayi also made a clarion call to contractors and developers to partner with the government through the Department of Human Settlements to increase affordable housing for people who do not qualify for fully subsidised government homes.
“Contractors should seize these opportunities to increase stock for other programmes such as First Home Finance for the missing middle-income earners. This is one of the growth points for the department,” she added.
The Minister also highlighted various opportunities on offer including the Government Employee Housing Scheme, which enables home ownership for public servants.
The increased delivery of affordable housing stock, the department said, will enable the government to respond to in-migration, which mainly affects Metropolitan Municipalities and secondary cities, such as Mbombela.
“We are working with the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) to respond to migration through specific funding. This will enable the government to work with the private sector to deliver more affordable housing units,” said Kubayi.
Economic opportunities
Meanwhile, Tshwete applauded the Mpumalanga provincial government for availing economic opportunities for women-owned contractors, including youth and people with disabilities.
She also emphasised a need for result-driven transformation in the sector in which women can play a much bigger role than they deserve, citing that women always ensure the timely delivery of projects compared to their male counterparts.
Community Schemes Ombud Service
The two-day programme concluded with the launch of the Community Schemes Ombud Service (CSOS) Mbombela Satellite Office, led by Tshwete and MEC for Human Settlements, Speed Mashilo.
The CSOS is an agency of the Department of Human Settlements responsible for regulating the conduct of parties within community schemes. The expansion of the CSOS footprint seeks to better service communities and follows the recent launches of other satellite offices in Limpopo and Western Cape provinces.
“I want to congratulate CSOS on this milestone of launching an office in Mpumalanga. This is indicative of an organisation that is growing in its service and reaching more people in the country,” Tshwete added.
White Paper
The Ministerial visit to Mpumalanga was also used as a platform to solicit inputs on the Human Settlements White Paper released for public comments.
The White Paper is aimed at improving how the department executes its mandate, including social housing which can be converted into rent-to-own opportunities to increase home ownership.
The public has until 31 January to make written inputs on the White Paper, which can be accessed here https://bit.ly/3vwvOF9. – SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Fri, 01/12/2024 - 12:50
England white-ball captain aiming for another strong performance with the bat Friday, 12 January 2024: Paarl Royals are hoping to...
Kiviet visits Lebombo border post
Public Service and Administration Minister, Noxolo Kiviet and her Deputy, Dr Chana Pilane-Majake have visited the Lebombo port of entry as part of a service delivery outreach engagement.
“The purpose of the ministerial visit was to get information and insights into the operations of the border under the Border Management Authority (BMA),” the Ministry of the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) said of Thursday’s Ministerial visit.
According to the DPSA, the border post between South Africa and Mozambique is one of the busiest in the country and is managed by the BMA, which was officially launched in October 2023.
The Ministers were briefed by BMA Deputy Commissioner of Operations, Major General (retired) David Chilembe and other senior managers on the achievements, challenges and plans in the operations of the border post since the BMA took over from the Department of Home affairs.
The authority is responsible for the execution of frontline border law enforcement functions related to, inter alia, port health, immigration control, access control, biosecurity, food safety and phyto-sanitary control, land border infrastructure development and maintenance, and border information and risk management.
The BMA said the visit allowed the Ministers to acquaint themselves with the day-to-day work of the authority at the border post through exposure to the pedestrian office, main port, cargo by-pass, borderline, stop and search (main gate).
In addition, the BMA said it was cooperating with the South African Revenue Service (SARS) to fast track the movement of trucks.
This as the DPSA complimented the authority for the work it has done thus far with limited resources.- SAnews.gov.za
Neo
Fri, 01/12/2024 - 11:14
The UN Child Rights Committee (CRC) will hold its upcoming session from 15 January to 2 February, during which it will review Congo, Bulgaria, Senegal, the Russian Federation, Lithuania and South Africa.
The six countries are among the 196 States parties to the Child Rights Convention. They are required to undergo regular reviews by the Committee of 18 independent international experts on how they are implementing the Convention, its Optional Protocols, as well as the Committee's previous recommendations. Among them, Senegal is also submitting its initial reports under, respectively, the Optional Protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography (OPSC), as well as the Optional Protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict (OPAC), for the Committee to review.
The CRC, which has received the respective country reports and other submissions from non-governmental organisations, will discuss a range of issues with the six State delegations through public dialogues on the following dates at Geneva time:
Congo
15 January 15:00 - 18:00
16 January 10:00 - 13:00
Bulgaria
17 January 15:00 - 18:00
18 January 10:00 - 13:00
Senegal
18 January 15:00 - 18:00
19 January 10:00 - 13:00
19 January 15:00 – 18:00 (OPSC/OPAC)
The Russian Federation
22 January 15:00 - 18:00
23 January 10:00 - 13:00
Lithuania
23 January 15:00 - 18:00
24 January 10:00 - 13:00
South Africa
24 January 15:00 - 18:00
25 January 10:00 - 13:00
The above public dialogues will be held in the Ground Floor Conference Room, Palais Wilson, Geneva. All public meetings are open to accredited journalists and livecast on UN Web TV. More information about the session, including reports submitted by the States and the full schedule of meetings, is available on the session webpage.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
SA presents genocide case against Israel at ICJ
It is all eyes on South Africa today as the country presents its genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, Netherlands.
South Africa is currently on the stand this morning in a legal battle against Israel, which is accused of genocide in Gaza.
South Africa approached the ICJ, under the Genocide Convention, for acts committed by Israel in the context of its attacks on Gaza and the case will be represented by six local legal minds.
Both South Africa and Israel are expected to lay bare their arguments during the two-day public hearing at the ICJ.
The Israel-Palestine war that started in October last year has since claimed thousands of lives and wounded many and will force hundreds of thousands of Palestinians into poverty, according to a United Nations (UN) report.
South Africa’s Justice Minister, Ronald Lamona, is expected to deliver the opening remarks.
Lamola told Al Jazeera that the country has brought the case to the ICJ because “there is a compelling argument that genocide is being committed in Gaza”.
“There is a compelling argument that genocide is being committed in Gaza on the basis that there is an annihilation or cleansing of a civilian population, innocent civilians, children and women that have been displaced [and] the targeting of public infrastructure in Gaza,” Lamola said.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the Minister said the South African government was determined to see the end of the genocide that is currently taking place in Gaza.
“We are most encouraged by leaders of the world who have not blunted their consciousness and have stood on the right side of history by supporting a case that seeks to protect the rights of human beings, regardless of their nationality or ethnicity,” he added.
Lamola is leading the South African delegation, comprising of local diplomats and officials.
These include the Director-General in the Presidency Phindile Baleni, Director-General of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation Zane Dangor, and Director-General of the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development and former Deputy Ambassador for South Africa to the United Nations, Advocate Doctor Mashabane.
Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa, said the country approached the court due to its opposition to the ongoing slaughter of the people of Gaza.
The President said this as he was delivering of the eulogy speech at Dr Peter Magubane’s Provincial Official Funeral in Johannesburg.
“As a people who once tasted the bitter fruits of dispossession, discrimination, racism and state-sponsored violence, we are clear that we will stand on the right side of history. It is our fervent hope that just as we were able to reconcile and make peace, that the peoples of Israel and Palestine will find a lasting, just peace,” the President added.
The ICJ is the is the principal judicial organ of the UN, which was established in 1945 by the Charter of the UN and began work the following year.
The court’s role is to settle and give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by authorised UN organs and specialised agencies.
The Court is composed of 15 judges, who are elected for terms of office of nine years by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and the Security Council. – SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Thu, 01/11/2024 - 11:29
Limpopo Premier condemns gender-based violence
Limpopo Premier Chupu Stanley Mathabatha has strongly condemned all forms of violence against humanity, especially women and children.
This is after the province reported an increase in incidents of violence in the past few days.
“These inhumane acts seem to have continued to rise in the province, especially during the 2023 festive season. The province is mourning the deaths of women, children, and men whose precious lives were mercilessly cut short,” said the Premier in a statement.
The recent spine-chilling incidents involve the gruesome discovery of the body of an 18-year-old girl on Monday, who was murdered in an abandoned house at Mokomene, Ga-Thoka village, under the Botlokwa policing precinct.
The Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, has since appealed to the community to provide valuable information to assist the police with its investigation.
According to the South African Police Service (SAPS), their members received a complaint about the lifeless body of a woman at an abandoned house and rushed to the scene.
“Upon arrival, they found the body of the woman in an advanced state of decomposition. The deceased’s identity will be released in due course as the investigation is still in its preliminary stages,” the SAPS statement read, adding that the motive behind the gruesome act has not yet been established.
The Premier’s Office also raised concerns about the heartless murder of Dr Johannes Mehlape, who was the Department of Education Circuit Manager of the Lebopo Office in the Capricorn District.
According to reports, Mehlape was gunned down at his home during an alleged robbery on 28 December 2023 at night after two unknown suspects accosted the victim and his two children.
“Enough is enough; we cannot let our lives continue to be cut short in this manner. I implore all to work with the police and other law enforcement agencies to ensure that perpetrators of these atrocities are arrested.
“Let us join hands in combating these barbaric acts and uproot them in our communities,” Mathabatha stressed.
He has since urged residents not to look away, but to report crime. – SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Thu, 01/11/2024 - 09:01
More than 40 stalls and containers were demolished and removed from main road in Cacadu
SASSA says 150,000 grants have been suspended
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) hearings on January 11 and 12, 2024, on genocide in Gaza will include the first formal response by Israel before an independent and impartial court to allegations of atrocities against the Palestinian people since October 7, 2023, Human Rights Watch said today. On December 29, South Africa filed a case with the court alleging that Israel is violating the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
On January 2, Israeli officials confirmed that Israel would be represented at the ICJ to oppose the South African government's application. South Africa contends that Israel has violated the Genocide Convention by committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, and by failing to prevent it, including by not holding senior Israeli officials and others accountable for their direct and public incitement to genocide. The case is not a criminal proceeding against individuals but seeks a legal determination of state responsibility for genocide.
“South Africa's case is about Israel's obligations under the Genocide Convention and puts its conduct in Gaza in sharp focus before the United Nations' highest judicial body,” said Balkees Jarrah, associate international justice director at Human Rights Watch. “South Africa has asked the World Court to issue urgent measures to protect Palestinians in Gaza who face catastrophic living conditions as a result of war crimes carried out by Israeli authorities.”
While the case may take several years to reach a final ruling, South Africa has asked the court to order provisional measures to protect the Palestinian people in Gaza from further harm, ensure Israel's compliance with the Genocide Convention, and safeguard South Africa's ability to have the case fairly adjudicated. South Africa has asked the ICJ to issue these measures “as a matter of extreme urgency,” saying that Palestinians in Gaza are in “urgent and severe need of the Court's protection.” Arguments on the request for provisional measures are the subject of the January 11 and 12 hearings.
Among the provisional measures sought are for Israel to immediately suspend its military operations in Gaza and abide by its obligations under the Genocide Convention. South Africa also seeks measures to prevent the destruction and ensure the preservation of any evidence related to the underlying case – including by giving fact-finding missions, international mandates, and other bodies access to Gaza.
South Africa also asked the court to require Israel to report to it on steps taken to carry out a provisional measures order within a week of its issuance and then at regular intervals until the court issues its final ruling. In its oral arguments on January 11, South Africa could specifically ask the court to make Israel's reports public.
In its application to the ICJ, South Africa says that Israel is killing Palestinians in Gaza in large numbers, causing them serious bodily and mental harm, imposing measures intended to prevent Palestinian births, and inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about the destruction of Palestinians as a group. South Africa cited expulsions and mass displacement; deprivation of access to adequate food and water, medical care, shelter, clothes, hygiene, and sanitation; and the destruction of the fabric of Palestinian life in Gaza.
South Africa further contends that the “acts of genocide” should be placed in “the broader context of Israel's conduct towards Palestinians during its 75-year-long apartheid, its 56-year-long belligerent occupation of Palestinian territory and its 16-year-long blockade of Gaza.”
South Africa contends that numerous statements by Israeli political and military officials amount to evidence of a clear intent to destroy Palestinians in Gaza as a group. It says that the “clear inference from the acts of the Israeli army on the ground…is that those genocidal statements and directives are being implemented against the Palestinian people.” South Africa's application refers to several statements by UN experts who have warned of a risk of genocide.
The court will hear Israel's formal response on January 12. Israel's Foreign Affairs Ministry, in a published statement on December 29, 2023, described South Africa's application as “blood libel” and that the claim “lacks both a factual and a legal basis and constitutes despicable and contemptuous exploitation of the Court.” One media report said that the Israeli Foreign Ministry instructed its diplomats to press officials in their host countries to issue statements against South Africa's case. The Israeli foreign minister has also specifically urged the United Kingdom to oppose South Africa's application. The media reported on January 9 that UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron said that he did not think the ICJ case was helpful.
The United States National Security Council spokesman described South Africa's application as “meritless, counterproductive, and completely without any basis in fact whatsoever.” The US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said separately that Washington had not “at this point seen acts that constitute genocide” and that the ICJ case was “not a productive step at this time.”
A number of parties to the Genocide Convention have welcomed South Africa's application including Bangladesh, Bolivia, Jordan, Malaysia, the Maldives, Pakistan, Palestine, Turkey, Nambia, Nicaragua and Venezuela. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation also issued a statement in support of the case. France's UN ambassador in New York said France is a strong supporter of the ICJ and would back the court's decisions. Governments should speak out in support of ICJ proceedings and publicly commit to supporting compliance with the court's decisions, Human Rights Watch said.
Israeli authorities and Palestinian armed groups have committed serious abuses during the current hostilities. Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups deliberately killed hundreds of civilians in Israel on October 7 and took more than 200 hostages. The Israeli government then cut electricity, fuel, food and water to Gaza's population and severely curtailed life-saving humanitarian aid, all acts of collective punishment, a war crime. Israeli authorities are also using starvation of civilians as a method of warfare in Gaza, which is also a war crime, Human Rights Watch said.
Past ICJ practice suggests that a decision on provisional measures could be delivered within weeks. Though such an order would be legally binding on Israel, it would not prejudge the merits of the allegations that Israel has violated the Genocide Convention. A provisional measures order is automatically sent to the UN Security Council pending a final decision in the case.
The ICJ is composed of 15 judges elected by the UN General Assembly and Security Council for nine-year terms. When two countries have a dispute and the court does not include their nationals on the bench, the governments can appoint ad-hoc judges to hear that specific matter. In this case, South Africa has appointed Dikgang Moseneke, former deputy chief justice of South Africa, and Israel has appointed Aharon Barak, a retired Israeli Supreme Court president, as ad-hoc judges.
South Africa, which ratified the Genocide Convention in 1998, brought its case under article 9 of the convention, which allows for disputes between parties to be submitted to the ICJ. The court previously confirmed that all member states of the convention have a duty to prevent and to punish genocide. Israel has been a party to the Genocide Convention since 1951.
South Africa together with Bangladesh, Bolivia, the Comoros, and Djibouti also referred the Palestine situation to the International Criminal Court prosecutor in November 2023. South Africa asked the prosecutor, Karim Khan, to investigate the crime of genocide among other grave abuses in Palestine with a view to charging the individuals responsible. Khan confirmed that his office has been conducting, since March 2021, an investigation into alleged atrocity crimes committed in Gaza and the West Bank since 2014, and that he has jurisdiction over crimes in the current hostilities between Israel and Palestinian armed groups that covers unlawful conduct by all parties. He visited Israel and Palestine in December.
In a related matter, in December 2022 the UN General Assembly requested an advisory opinion from the ICJ on the legal consequences of Israel's prolonged occupation of the West Bank and Gaza. The General Assembly first asked the ICJ for an advisory opinion related to the Occupied Palestinian Territory 20 years ago. In 2004, the ICJ's advisory opinion found that the route of Israel's separation barrier violated international law and that it should be dismantled. The December 2022 request is wider in scope. South Africa, among other countries, filed a written statement in the proceeding. The ICJ will convene public hearings on the request starting on February 19.
“How many more alarm bells have to ring and how many more civilians must unlawfully suffer or be killed before governments take action,” Jarrah said. “South Africa's genocide case unlocks a legal process at the world's highest court to credibly examine Israel's conduct in Gaza in the hopes of curtailing further suffering.”
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Human Rights Watch (HRW).
Poppy Khoza returns as Director for Civil Aviation Authority
Director of Civil Aviation, Poppy Khoza, will lead the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) into a new chapter after being re-appointed to serve another five-year term at the regulator.
“Khoza is an aviation trailblazer who is internationally recognised and supported. It is through her work that our South African aviation sector continues to hold a critical voice on global aviation dialogues,” SACAA Board Chairperson Ernest Khosa said on Tuesday.
Her term in office is effective from 1 December 2023 until 30 November 2028. This will be her third term at the helm of the aviation regulator.
Khoza carries extensive experience and knowledge in aviation since being first appointed to this pivotal role in an acting capacity in October 2012 and then on a 5-year fixed term basis from December 2013.
Outside of being the first black female DCA, she was also the first woman globally to be elected to preside over the General Assembly at the ICAO’s 41st Assembly Session in 2022.
Some of SACAA's achievements under Khoza’s tenure at the Authority include:
This appointment was approved by Cabinet on 20 November 2023.
“As the SACAA Board, we see this as a vote of confidence for the exemplary leadership the DCA has demonstrated over the past 11 years being at the helm of the organisation. I would like to extend my message of support following this announcement from Cabinet.
“The stability we see at SACAA is testament to her great leadership which has equally received positive cheers from staff, the aviation industry, and international counterparts, when we first made this announcement on 20 November 2023,” Khoza said.
Khoza said she is deeply honoured and grateful for this opportunity to again serve as the Director of Civil Aviation.
“It is an exciting time for me personally and I pledge my commitment once again to drive positive change and promoting safety, efficiency, gender equality and innovation in our skies.” –SAnews.gov.za
nosihle
Wed, 01/10/2024 - 09:51
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Special promotions available for fans to be part of the incredible action Monday, 08 January 2024: Tickets for the highly anticipated...
City of Ekurhuleni warns public of jobs scam
The City of Ekurhuleni has warned the public to be aware of job scam messages that are being sent through social media purporting to be from the city.
The city said its job application process is not conducted through social media platforms or social media messaging.
“Our positions are strictly advertised on our website: www.ekurhuleni.gov.za/vacancies where permanent, temporal and fixed-term vacancies are advertised.
“The city strongly advises the public not to respond to unsolicited offers of employment or those who seek information claiming to work for or to be associated with the City of Ekurhuleni,” the city said in a statement.
The public is urged to note the following to avoid being scammed:
nosihle
Mon, 01/08/2024 - 09:41
2024 SADC Media Awards open for entries
Government has reminded media practitioners to submit their entries for the 2024 Southern African Development Community (SADC) Media Awards.
The SADC Media Awards are open to journalists from the SADC member states for four categories: photo, print, television and radio journalism.
“To promote regional integration and cooperation (cross-border issues), the awards aim to recognise excellence in journalism in the area of print, photo, television, radio as well as to encourage media practitioners in member states to cover issues pertaining to the region,” the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) said on Monday.
The SADC Media Awards were established in 1996 to recognise best media work in disseminating information on SADC to support the process of regional co-operation and integration in the region.
The awards were established following a decision by the SADC Council of Ministers to establish a sector that deals with matters relating to, amongst others, information, culture and sport.
These awards are one of the mechanisms to ensure a link, coordination and synchronisation between formal structures of SADC governments, civil society, academia, labour and the media.
Journalists who wish to enter the competition can access more information about the competition from the www.sadc.int and www.gcis.gov.za websites.
The entry form and the 2024 competition rules can be found on the links below:
Entry Form: Entry form-English.docx_0.pdf (gcis.gov.za).
Rules of the Competition: https://www.gcis.gov.za/sites/default/files/2024%20Rules%20of%20Competition%20-ENGLISH.pdf
Entries need to be posted or delivered to Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA) or any GCIS office nationwide marked:
MDDA Offices GCIS Offices
SADC Media Awards Entry or SADC Media Awards Entry
GSM Building Government Communications
SABC Auckland Park Campus 1035 Francis Baard Street
Johannesburg Hatfield, Pretoria
2006 0028
No entries must be submitted later than 29 February 2024. – SAnews.gov.za
nosihle
Mon, 01/08/2024 - 13:38
City of Cape Town events generate almost R4bn for economy
The year 2023 was a prolific year for the City of Cape Town as it hosted more than 1 200 events, which contributed nearly R4 billion to the economy and created job opportunities for its citizens.
From hosting Africa’s first Netball World Cup, the ICC Women's T20 World Cup, the first Formula E race in sub-Saharan Africa, the Loeries Creative Week, the return of Tweede Nuwe Jaar Minstrel Street Parade and many more -- the year proved to be a success for the city’s sports, arts and culture sectors.
“Research studies on three key events hosted in the city during this period revealed a substantial R2 billion economic impact. This is a holistic impact on the economy, which includes direct and indirect economic impact, and destination marketing, among others.
“A further R1.9 billion in economic activity was generated by just 20 of the events hosted in the calendar year. This is the actual direct spend by event attendees, participants and event organisers in Cape Town. In addition, over 1.3 million people attended or participated in the top 40 events in 2023,” the city said on Thursday.
The City of Cape Town’s Events Permit Office permitted over 1 200 events in the calendar year.
From major international sporting events, top tier music concerts, cultural masterpieces and an abundance of lifestyle events, Cape Town had it all in 2023. Through its Events Support Process, the city supported more than 170 events during the period.
“The importance of these economic spin-offs from events cannot be overstated. We have seen over the last couple of years how events can become catalysts for growth for other sectors in the value chain, including accommodation and food, travel, local retail and tourism attractions here in Cape Town.
“We have also seen that an overwhelming majority of event organisers use local suppliers for logistics, equipment rental, security, production, staffing and hospitality. Additionally, hosting a number of local and international events has helped tremendously in promoting Cape Town as a premier tourism destination to a global audience.
“Event organisers have worked hard over the last 15 months with support from the City’s Events Department to get the events back in the direction we were headed before the pandemic. We would like to salute all involved for their hard work,’” the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, JP Smith, said.
The top 20 events hosted in Cape Town in 2023 created over 26 000 job opportunities for people in the greater events ecosystem, including security, catering, logistics, production and transportation, among others.
The city is planning to keep the momentum for events going this year as well.
It has an exciting line up in the events space with the Tweede Nuwe Jaar Minstrel Street Parade, kicking off a year that will also feature the SA20 Final at Newlands, the Cape Town Carnival, Africa Travel Week, Comic Con Cape Town and the world champion Springboks will battle with the All Backs at DHL Stadium in September 2024.
For all the latest information on events in Cape Town, visit eventsincapetown.com. – SAnews.gov.za
nosihle
Thu, 01/04/2024 - 10:22
Thousands of people across the country unable to access government services
The new mural at Kansai Plascon’s head office in Krugersdorp is more than just a visual spectacle: it’s a celebration of South Africa in all its colours, a picture of the indomitable spirit of our nation. When brainstorming for the design of the mural, the artist, Kevin Ngwenya – known professionally as Kev Seven – …
On the 23rd of December 2023, the Embassy of Bulgaria in Pretoria donated food parcels to families in need in the village of Mbuzini, situated on the South Africa-Mozambique border. An invitation for taking part in the donation initiative was received from the Office of the Deputy Minister of Tourism Mr Fish Mahlalela. The funds for compiling the food parcels were collected from Embassy staff members on a voluntary basis. A local Bulgarian firm for meat and meat products - "Rodopa Meat" contributed with own products. Mr. Kaloyan Georgiev, attaché, took part in the initiative on behalf of the Bulgarian Embassy.
The donation was presented during a ceremony in one of the schools in the village of Mbuzini. The Embassy's representative was welcomed by Deputy Minister Mahlalela and fifteen vulnerable families identified in advance. Deputy Minister Mahlalela expressed gratitude to the Embassy for joining the initiative to support the marginalised families. He also recalled the support provided by Bulgaria to the South African people during the years of their fight against the apartheid, which had had financial, educational and humanitarian dimensions. In response, Mr Georgiev said that he was glad to represent the Embassy in this Christmas charity event. After greeting the attendees and wishing them joyful festive season, he expressed hope that the donation will create friendship and warmth in their homes and will help the families to enjoy a brighter Christmas.
The villagers met warmly and with gratitude the donation of the Bulgarian Embassy, consisting of 15 food parcels, which were distributed among the families in need.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of Bulgaria - Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
They come from different countries and regions of the globe and have distinct experiences that have shaped their young lives. But Irfaan, Aiki, Soufiane, Dejana, Maselina, Allán and Aizat all share the same dream: to build a world in which all human beings are equal.
From South Africa to Japan, from Morocco to Serbia, from Samoa to Mexico and Kyrgyzstan, the seven are young human rights educators who work in their communities to inspire young people to take action and promote human rights.
They are the protagonists of a documentary called “Changemakers: stories of young human rights educators,” which was released to mark the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Co-produced by UN Human Rights, Amnesty International and Soka Gakkai International, the film pays tribute to young educators who empower other young people to advocate for equality, respect, and dignity for all.
“Human rights education has the power to bring real change and help us identify solutions to today's challenges which are human rights-based,” said Elena Ippoliti, coordinator of Human Rights Education and Training at UN Human Rights.
“These young champions are an inspiring example of how young people can lead and nurture among their peers a culture of human rights to ensure no one is left behind.”
Empowering young people
Irfaan Mangera grew up in post-apartheid South Africa, an experience that made him aware that the fight to end injustice is not over. While the political system that institutionalized the racial segregation no longer exists, its legacy lives on in the form of racism, classism and social-economic exclusion, he said.
“The triple threat to South Africa's future today is unemployment, poverty and inequality, and these are the results of the huge legacy of apartheid that excluded people,” said Irfaan, a community activist from the township of Lenasia, south of Johannesburg.
Irfaan, a member of the Indian South African community, spearheaded the creation of the National Youth Coalition to build a space for young people to fight racism and bring systemic change.
“Human rights education gives us a framework to empower young people to understand their rights and to protect and promote them so we can achieve the goal of equality,” he said.
Aiki Matsukura combats sexual exploitation of children, a taboo subject in Japan. Aiki provides support to survivors of sexual exploitation and raises awareness through campaigns using manga and videos, and through talks at schools and companies.
“When your human rights have been violated you lose the power and the strength you have. My job is to help young people bring that strength and worth back that they already have within them,” said Aiki.
“For me human rights education is to encourage one another, specially to encourage someone to believe in their own potential and worth.”
Liberation of speech
Soufiane Hennani, an activist for gender equality and gender diversity from Rabat, is the creator of a popular youth-oriented podcast called Machi Rojola that challenges unequal gender roles and promotes positive masculinities in Morocco.
Soufiane, a laureate of the Arab Foundation for Freedom and Equality's social change program, said the podcast is a space of liberation of speech, where guests can talk about issues such as diversity, acceptance and human rights.
“You have to create an environment for young people to express themselves because these young people are the adults of tomorrow. Being part of a network of young people who do human rights education that promote human rights is an opportunity and a hope,” he said.
For Dejana Stošić from Belgrade speaking out is also a form of liberation.
Dejana, who works with young women to fight gender-based violence and sexual violence, created in 2021 a twitter hashtag called #NisamPrijavila (#IdidntReport), where she explained why she did not report a case of sexual violence. In just three days, more than 21,000 women across Serbia used the hashtag to tell their stories about the violence they survived but never reported.
“One of the hardest things in life is to be a girl and have a voice because everybody wants to shush you,” said Dejana, co-founder of SOS Girls Corner project, which won a With and for Girls award for best project for girls.
“I encourage girls to believe that they are worthy and capable of doing whatever they want and to stand up and use their voice to change the system we live in and to be equal to everyone.”
Maselina Iuta, an activist for the rights of persons with disabilities, remembers vividly the barriers she faced as a deaf school girl in a rural village in Samoa. That difficult experience, however, helped her find her mission in life.
“Where I was growing up there were no schools with sign language, so I did not understand what my teacher was saying and I fell behind. I don't want future deaf children to go through what I went through,” she said.
Maselina is a founding member of the Deaf Association of Samoa, an organization led by deaf and hearing-impaired persons that advocates for the development of inclusive opportunities, policies and legislation for deaf and hearing-impaired people in Samoa.
“Many people in the deaf community don't know they also have rights to education, to work and to experience respect, so I work to help them understand they do have equal rights,” said Maselina, who is now attending university in Fiji.
Guided by the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, she works with local and national stakeholders to address barriers for deaf people.
“Many people in the non-deaf community think that because we don't talk we don't know or we don't feel or we don't have dreams,” she said.
Equality for all
For Allán Sánchez Osorio, an activist for the rights of children and young people in situations of vulnerability, awareness of one's rights has the power to prevent human rights abuses.
“Unfortunately, not many people globally know their rights and that lack of knowledge can lead many to suffer human rights violations,” said Allán, founder of Fundación Efecto Valores, an NGO that promotes human rights education for children without parental care and who live in areas with high rates of violence.
“Human rights education can prevent human rights violations and also point to mechanisms for people to turn to in case of violations.”
From Kyrgyzstan, Aizat Ruslanova implements educational projects for teenagers to promote women's rights to address gender-based violence against women.
Aizat, who is the executive director of the regional youth organisation IDEA Central Asia, said finding the right language to talk about human rights is a challenge. Words like human rights, gender equality or feminism can be perceived negatively in Kyrgyzstan because they are new, she said, so she also uses art to communicate messages about women's rights.
“I am proud to be a human rights educator because we give young people a very cool tool to change their lives and develop their country.”
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
Scammers using SIU name to solicit money
The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) says it has received several reports of individuals purporting to be Head of the SIU, Advocate Andy Mothibi, or his representatives.
The scammers are reportedly going around soliciting money from public representatives, office bearers, and members of the judiciary.
The reports have been received in the North West and Free State provinces this week, prompting the SIU to issue a public warning.
“The SIU conducts its investigations with integrity and professionalism.
“We never ask for money from subjects of investigations or anyone linked to our work. Members of the public are urged to be vigilant, verify information, and not to fall victim to imposters claiming to be Adv. Mothibi,” said the SIU in a statement. – SAnews.gov.za
Janine
Thu, 12/28/2023 - 10:39