“We are back”: Khulumani pensioners snooze outside Constitutional Court
They say they are owed apartheid reparations
ONE
Cybercriminal for hire
Ransomware attacks are a global concern, with a shocking 40% increase in both frequency and severity over the last year. “South Africans are at significant risk due to the increasing use of Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS),” warns Anna Collard, SVP Content Strategy & Evangelist at KnowBe4 AFRICA (www.KnowBe4.com). Using RaaS also increased by 40% (https://apo-opa.co/49Bynp3) over the last year. Threat actors now sell their sophisticated ransomware solutions and services, keeping up to 80% of the profits.
Ransomware attacks are rapidly posing a greater threat due to the availability of RaaS solutions on the dark web. These solutions can be purchased at varying prices, ranging from less than $100 to thousands of dollars. The ease of access to these kits, coupled with the fact that they often come with customer support, allows attackers to quickly set up and execute multiple ransomware attacks with little to no technical skill.
This accessibility to RaaS solutions has led to the evolution of ransomware, with cybercriminals focusing on enhancing its sophistication and capabilities. The aim is to create a product that is highly effective and profitable, catering to the demands of potential buyers in the cybercriminal market. They readily select their ransomware from a shopping list, pay the creators, and go. This represents the epitome of commodity attacks — a matter of utmost concern, especially for South Africa.
“One of the key factors contributing to South Africa's vulnerability to these types of attacks is the widespread use of English,” explains Collard. “Attackers often need to negotiate with their victims, which means they need to speak a common language. It is difficult to negotiate with someone whose culture and language you do not understand. As a result, Western countries are more frequently targeted because of a higher percentage of threat actors originating from Europe. South Africa, with its strong English speaking business culture, advanced digital infrastructure, and thriving financial services ecosystem, is consequently at risk of being targeted by these attacks.”
In South Africa, both the private and public sectors rely significantly on digital infrastructure for their critical operations. Companies are prioritising digitalisation efforts to maintain their competitiveness in the local and global markets. This strategic investment in digital technologies has proven invaluable, enabling companies to navigate through the challenges posed by the pandemic and fostering remarkable innovation. In fact, South Africa was recognised as the most innovative country in Africa in 2022 (https://apo-opa.co/3SJXgJ8). However, this increased reliance on digital platforms has also exposed the country and its companies to vulnerabilities and risks.
“North America was the primary ransomware target for a long time but there has been a downward trend because the government has come down hard on these criminal organisations,” says Collard. “They have the resources, law enforcement, and probably the budgets to clamp down on cybercrime syndicates that South Africa does not. In short, countries like the United States have become more responsive to threats and so the bad actors are turning to countries that do not have these resources or systems in place.”
When we combine this significant change in targeting, as highlighted in the recent Cy-Xplorer 2023 report by Orange Cyberdefense (https://apo-opa.co/3R2aboD), with the swiftly evolving RaaS market, it is obvious why South African organisations need to stop and pay attention to the rising ransomware threat. It has been commoditised and simplified, turned into a solution as easy to use and implement as an app for a smartphone. Plug, play, steal.
“RaaS presents a very real and constantly evolving challenge to cybersecurity specialists and organisations,” concludes Collard. “The methods of attack, the approaches, the level of sophistication—it is very easy for anyone to be caught out. End users must remain vigilant to ensure that they do not become the reason a company falls victim to ransomware, and companies must continually train and remind employees of the risks to prevent complacency.”
User awareness is critical. If people can recognise threats, they will not click on links or make mistakes. If people are aware of how easy it is to be fooled by fake emails and sites, they will be cautious with their passwords and their information. If companies constantly reinforce these messages, they are protecting their data, their people and their systems from an onslaught of RaaS threats that are only set to get even better and more prevalent in the future.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of KnowBe4.
Mchunu affirms traditional leadership role in Mzimvubu Water Project
Mchunu affirms traditional leadership role in Mzimvubu Water Project
Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu has assured the traditional leadership in the Joe Gqabi, OR Tambo and Alfred Nzo District Municipalities that they will be fully involved in the implementation of the multibillion Mzimvubu Water Project.
Following years of delay due to a deadlock about funding, the project has since been reconfigured to make it more affordable, with the cost been reduced from R18 billion to R8 billion.
During a recent meeting with district municipalities’ mayors and traditional leaders, Mchunu reported that the Ntabelanga Dam project, which is one of the Mzimvubu Water Project components, has since commenced its implementation in the Ntabelanga mountains, along the Tsitsa River, Tsolo, in the cross boundary of Elundini and Mhlontlo Local Municipalities in the Joe Gqabi District.
Stage one of the dam component, which includes the construction of access roads to the dam wall site, is currently sitting at over 90%, while pegging of the dam wall site, identification and pegging of land and households that will be affected by the dam impoundment, is underway.
“Other components of the Ntabelanga project include construction of a water treatment plant, primary and secondary reservoirs, and bulk pipelines for treatment, transfer and storage of potable water to enable the water services authorities to reticulate to communities earmarked to benefit from the project.
“Meanwhile, the overall Mzimvubu water project will look at the existing water supply schemes within the Mzimvubu Catchment Area, in order to optimise and harness them to benefit the communities in the three districts,” Mchunu said.
The Minister said the resuscitation of the multibillion Mzimvubu project confirms that people in rural areas also have constitutional human rights, which include the right to have access to clean, potable water for their basic needs, like the rest of the citizens who reside in urban areas.
“Through this project, we as the national, together with the provincial government and the responsible districts as water services authorities as well as relevant municipalities, should make sure that there are no more hindrances to the progress of this project to its completion. Like many other projects that have been unlocked, what is happening on this site is a beginning of a new era and makes us happy,” Mchunu said.
To ensure transparency and prevent unnecessary disruptions and delays to the project implementation, Mchunu said all relevant stakeholder representatives are going to form part of the Political Steering Committee.
The Minister and Eastern Cape Premier, Oscar Mabuyane, will establish and co-chair the committee. The members of the steering committee will include both Water and Sanitation Deputy Ministers, David Mahlobo and Judith Tshabalala, two representatives from the provincial executive cabinet, three mayors of the affected districts and two local municipalities, representatives from the Kingdom, and affected traditional councils.
The Minister said the Technical Task Team, led by the department’s Acting Deputy Director-General of Infrastructure Management, Leonardo Manus, will be formed and include the Public Liaison Committee (PLC) members and community representatives.
“The task team will deal with the technical implementation of the project including issues of relocation and compensation of households that will be affected by the dam impoundment. The task team will be expected to provide an update on the progress of the project and will report to the Steering Committee on regular basis,” the Minister explained.
Mchunu noted that with the structures setting up, the department is going to correct all the errors made previously, and will ensure that all the issues raised in the meeting receive necessary audience to ensure the continuation of the project implementation without unnecessary disruptions.
“Ultimately, the communities in the districts will receive the much needed clean, drinking water through proper infrastructure,” the Minister said. – SAnews.gov.za
GabiK
Thu, 11/16/2023 - 10:52
109 views
World Diabetes Day – SA should know the risks and respond with urgency
As we recognise World Diabetes Day, the 2023 “Know your risk, know your response” theme resonates profoundly in South Africa, especially considering the rising prevalence of type 2 diabetes in the country. According to Aimee Wesso-Roberts, Head of Lifestyle and Wellness Management at the AfroCentric Group, the landscape of diabetes in our nation is intertwined …
South Africa and UAE are Sustainability Leaders
South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Saudi Arabia are doing the most to combat climate change in the Middle East and Africa, according to a new report that compares government and business sustainability policies, investment and actions.
Download document: (https://apo-opa.co/49FTzKm)
The Middle East and Africa Environmental Sustainability Scorecard (https://apo-opa.co/49Bcfeq), released Thursday, is ta detailed examination of country performance in environmental sustainability outcomes, government policies, and corporate practices in the two regions.
The report concludes that the 17 countries covered “are relative ‘late comers' to global sustainable development but at the same time represent regions that are rapidly stepping-up their sustainability strategies, programs and investments.”
The report was commissioned by Agility (www.Agility.com), a global supply chain services company based in Kuwait. It was compiled by Horizon Group (www.Horizon-Group.ch), a Geneva-based firm that specializes in research and analysis for governments, international organizations, and leading businesses worldwide.
South Africa is among the leaders in four of six pillar categories. It is 2nd in Sustainable Energy & Transport; 5th in Energy Transition; 2nd in Environmental Ecosystems; and 2nd in Circularity. Among African countries, South Africa is 3rd in Green Investment & Technology behind Morocco and Egypt.
Among the factors driving South Africa's performance: a national Biofuel Industrial Strategy; formal code of corporate governance; ESG reporting requirements and transparency and accountability standards for companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange; a World Bank energy transition partnership to decommission a coal-fired power plant and replace the power supply with renewable energy and batteries; and steps to protect habitat and cut pollution.
Egypt ranks 3rd overall in the scorecard. It is 5th in Green Investment & Technology; 7th in Sustainable Infrastructure & Transport; 5th in Governance & Reporting; 3rd in Environmental Ecosystems; and 1st in Circularity, which measures resource use and waste management.
A food security and African displacement launched by Egypt contributed to its ranking, along with its participation in a Qatar-led carbon credit program.
Other top performers in Africa: Morocco is 3rd in Green Investment & Technology and 3rd in Governance & Reporting; Rwanda and Kenya are 5th and 6th in Sustainable Infrastructure & Transport.
African countries dominate the energy transition, mainly on the strength of their green transport and energy conservation efforts. Uganda, Nigeria, Rwanda, Kenya, South Africa, Ghana, Tanzania, Mozambique, Cote d'Ivoire, Egypt and Morocco are Nos. 1 through 11 in Energy Transition.The scorecard uses 48 performance and progress indicators to compare countries. The indicators include data, regulatory frameworks, policy assessments, incentives and corporate practices across six pillar areas: green investment and technology; sustainable infrastructure and transport; governance and reporting; energy transition; environmental ecosystems; and circularity. To capture corporate practices and progress, Horizon surveyed 647 business executives in the 17 countries.
Overall, 1 through 17, here's how the countries rank: South Africa, UAE, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, Ghana, Morocco, Qatar, Tanzania, Nigeria, Bahrain, Kuwait, Cote d'Ivoire, Oman, Mozambique.
Key Findings
• Business isn't paying attention to COP. Eighty-two percent of African businesses and 49% of Middle East businesses are not aware of the UN-led COP process that nations are using to push and measure efforts to tackle climate change. Few companies use COP to set their sustainability targets.
• Climate change is hurting businesses. Ninety-seven percent of companies say their business has been affected by climate change, and 49% say climate change has caused “severe damage” or has a “significant and growing” impact on them.
• Governments are leading as businesses play catch up. When it comes to climate action, governments are outpacing the private sector in both the Middle East and Africa.
• No one size fits all. Different countries have different sustainability priorities based on income, economic strengths, energy dependency, and other factors. High-income, energy-producing Gulf countries generally invest more in sustainable infrastructure and ecosystems. African economies perform best in energy conservation and consumption.
• Green investment is expensive. High- and middle-income countries are investing the most: Qatar, UAE, Morocco and Saudi Arabia.
• Africa is focused on green transport. African countries topped the scorecard in the move to non-fossil fuels for transport. Hydrocarbon producing Gulf countries are focused more on green buildings. For Gulf countries, the transition to cleaner energy is complicated by energy-intensive national priorities: the desire to boost manufacturing and the need for desalinated water.
• Waste management, consumption are tied to wealth. High-income countries are doing more to manage waste sustainably. Poorer ones do more to constrain consumption. Overall Egypt, South Africa, Bahrain and UAE perform best in “circularity” – cutting waste, encouraging recycling and sustainable production, and lowering consumption.
Agility was recently named the No. 3 Middle East “Sustainability Leader” for Transport & Logistics by Forbes Middle East. Vice Chairman Tarek Sultan said the company's strategy and investment decisions are increasingly shaped by the urgency of the climate fight.
“As a supply chain operator and investor in the Middle East and Africa, we want to know what governments and businesses are prioritizing, and where they're putting resources in the climate change battle,” Sultan said. “We want to know who we can partner with in green infrastructure and transport, alternative fuels, and supply chain services that reduce environmental impact without sacrificing performance.”
Horizon, which compiled the scorecard report for Agility, said its intent was to look “beyond the selective characteristics of the Middle East being fossil fuel-dependent with high greenhouse gas emissions per capita, and African countries being low emitters of greenhouse gases but taking relatively little action on the environment.”
The scorecard report comes on the eve of COP28, the UN-led global climate change conference convening from Nov. 30 to Dec. 12 in Dubai. Its findings amplify those in a World Economic Forum (WEF) report (https://apo-opa.co/3MKvh8d), issued in October, on decarbonization and energy transition in the Middle East and North Africa.
The WEF report concluded that “MENA countries trail behind comparable regions in terms of their sustainability progress. While local governments have pledged in the past 24 months to bring 60% of MENA's emissions under the net zero ambition, businesses overall have yet to follow suit and bridge the gap with comparable global markets –12% have set up a net zero target and 6% have established a roadmap to reach net zero.”
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Agility.
Media contact:
Sabrina Mundy
Man Bites Dog
teamagility@manbitesdog.com
+44 1273 716 820
For more information about Agility, visit:
Website: www.Agility.com
Twitter: https://apo-opa.co/40Ki6Kj
LinkedIn: https://apo-opa.co/49GTqqq
YouTube: https://apo-opa.co/3MNqYJr
About Agility:
Agility (www.Agility.com) is a global leader in supply chain services, infrastructure, and innovation with 45,000+ employees across six continents. A multi-business operator and investor, Agility specializes in growing and scaling operating businesses. Agility's companies include the world's largest aviation services company (Menzies Aviation); a global fuel logistics business (Tristar); a leading logistics parks developer and operator across the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa (Agility Logistics Parks); and a commercial real-estate company developing a mega-mall in the UAE (UPAC). Other Agility companies offer customs digitization services, remote-site infrastructure services, defense and government services, and ecommerce-enablement and digital logistics. Agility invests in supply chain innovation, sustainability, and resilience, and has minority holdings in a growing portfolio of listed and non-listed companies.
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Call for a national early childhood feeding scheme
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Activists doorstop police to demand answers for brutal barbershop assault
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62 small-scale fishing co-operatives obtain fishing rights in W Cape
62 small-scale fishing co-operatives get fishing rights in W Cape
Government has allocated 15-year fishing rights to 62 small-scale fishing cooperatives, with a total membership of 3 850 declared fishers, in the Western Cape.
This marks the final province where these rights have been granted for the first time in South Africa's history.
“This achievement signifies the end of the interim relief era and the formal inclusion of Western Cape fishing communities, whose livelihoods have been intertwined with fishing for centuries. Historically, these communities faced systematic exclusion due to past injustices, hindering their participation in fishing operations.
“From today, the fishing cooperatives will promote employment and economic development in fishing communities, as well as support food security, and decriminalise traditional fishing.
"The department is [aware] that much more needs to be done to support the sector's growth and development, and we are very committed to this process,” Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Barbara Creecy, said on Wednesday.
She made these remarks during a virtual media briefing on the finalisation of the appeals on the verification of small-scale process and the allocation of small-scale fishing rights in the Western Cape.
In the lead-up to fishing rights allocation, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) worked with community-based organisations and fishing communities to register cooperatives and identify suitable species and fishing areas to be used by the cooperatives.
The department has also commenced with providing two-day training workshops aimed at registering cooperatives as community-based legal entities earmarked for the allocation of small-scale fishing rights.
The Minister said the department is still in the process of developing a sustainable and financially viable basket of species for the small-scale sector.
Some of the species that have been granted to date include commercial traditional line-fish species, West Coast Rock Lobster, Seaweed, bait species, abalone aquaculture ranching sites, net-fish species, white mussels, oysters and hake handline.
A few years ago, the DFFE conducted a survey to understand the challenges facing small-scale fishers in the Western Cape. This survey revealed a lack of access to markets, suitable infrastructure, and access to the broader fishing value chains.
“Consequently, the department developed a support strategy, which includes formalised agreements with the Department of Small Business Development and with one of the maritime academies.
"Many other partners, such as the National Development Agency, the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) and South African International Maritime Institute (SAIMI) have committed their support to the small-scale fishing co-operatives of the Western Cape,” the Minister said.
The DFFE will appoint 62 mentors so each cooperative will have dedicated direct support for the next three years.
Before 2014, the fishing rights framework only acknowledged access rights in the recreational, commercial and subsistence sectors, thus marginalising many local fishing communities.
During this time, small-scale fishers were often deemed illegal fishers, as they were not authorised to participate in regulated fishing sectors.
In 2019, the Marine Living Resources Act was amended to include small-scale fishers and to recognise an individual as a small-scale fisher if that person is “a member of a small-scale fishing community engaged in fishing to meet food and basic livelihood needs, or directly involved in processing or marketing of fish”.
During the period between 2016 to 2019, the DFFE initiated a process to allocate of small-scale fishing rights, nationwide. Rights were finalised in the Northern Cape in 2018, and in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape in 2019 and 2020, respectively.
In 2019, the department received a total of 8 646 applications from individual applicants seeking to be recognised as small-scale fishers in the Western Cape alone.
Only 29% of the applicants were allocated rights.
In 2020, as a result of several fishing communities submitting complaints against the verification process and its outcomes in the Western Cape, the Minister called for an audit inquiry into the findings of the verification process.
Based on audit findings, the Minister sought an order from the Western Cape High Court to review and set aside the verification process for the Western Cape and to remit the verification process to the department for reconsideration.
Working collaboratively with community-based organisations, the department redesigned a fair process on the verification of small-scale fishers, resulting in over 5 000 applications from 109 fishing communities in the Western Cape.
The Delegated Authority’s final list declared over 84% of applicants successful, a significant improvement from the 2019 process success rate of 29%.
Aggrieved applicants were again entitled to lodge an appeal against the decision taken by the Delegated Authority to refuse their application. The department worked closely with the communities to provide the necessary information, support and guidance to enable appellants to lodge their appeals in an administratively and legally sound manner.
“The department received a total of 461 appeals and I considered each of these appeals on its own merits. In my consideration of these appeals, I followed the principle that all applicants are successful unless they were unable to provide proof that they met all the required criteria as set out in the Small-Scale Regulations.
“I was also mindful of the unique circumstances of fishing communities and that the completion of application forms may have been a challenge for certain individuals. I am satisfied that the process was inclusive, addressed various historical imbalances, and therefore the outcome is fair and correct.
"Four hundred and thirty-one of these appeals were upheld and this translates into a success rate of 93%,” Creecy said.
The launch of the small-scale fisheries sector in the Western Cape coincides with the commencement of the West Coast Rock Lobster fishing season.
For the full “General Published Reasons for Decisions on for the Verification of Small-Scale Fishers in the Western Cape Province” click on this link. https://www.dffe.gov.za/sites/default/files/legislations/appeals/13nov23gpr_smallscalefisheries_reallocation.pdf. - SAnews.gov.za
nosihle
Wed, 11/15/2023 - 10:54
1213 views
South African Jews call for ceasefire in Gaza
“We are a diverse group of South African Jews who are dismayed by the situation that is unfolding in Israel and Palestine”
CoGTA pushes ahead with councillors’ code of conduct
CoGTA pushes ahead with councillors' code of conduct
Government is forging ahead with the reinforcement of the code of conduct for councillors in an effort to address challenges, strengthen local government and look into motions of no confidence.
This is according to the Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) Minister, Thembi Nkadimeng, who was updating the media on Wednesday on the state of local government.
“In the past two weeks, we’ve put in the code of conduct for councillors, this was as the result of what happened in the City of Tshwane and in the City of eThekwini where councillors physically attacked one another instead of sitting and debating about disagreements,” she said.
The code of conduct, according to Nkadimeng, zooms into measures that need to be applied jointly with the council if disruptions are the order of the day.
“We need to link with the thought of that we’re trying to micromanage but with the thought of instability. Because, if the meeting is disrupted, it means council can’t conclude on when the operations are supposed to be done and it gets to be postponed again and again,” she explained, adding that it was not only coalitions that are unstable.
The Minister has since called for political maturity.
“We also want to regulate on the motions of no confidence... There are critical areas on how they should come about, which are fraud, corruption and not providing service delivery. But it can’t be based on slight provocation, like not greeting and now you’re angry with party B.”
She shot down the view that government was trying to micromanage councils.
“From 2016 to 2021, Nelson Mandela Bay didn’t build a single RDP house. Not only that they didn’t have the money, they turned no less than R500 million back,” she said, adding that the metro had seen numerous mayors come and go within that period.
However, Nkadimeng said these interventions are driven by the desire to protect citizens.
“It's fair and well for the parties to win elections and govern how they want. But we need to protect citizens who were supposed to receive a house in Nelson Mandela Bay when funds were provided and were not utilised and no one was held accountable.”
According to the State of Local Government report, 64 municipalities were categorised as dysfunctional, 111 were at medium risk, 66 at low risk, and 16 deemed stable.
Infrastructure
Shifting her focus to infrastructure, she said 117 out of 144 Water Service Authorities’ bulk water and sanitation infrastructure has been assessed.
“The assessments report with recommendations are being implemented and used to prioritise projects identification and funding through own funding, private sector funding and conditional grants.”
In addition, the Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent (Misa), deploys built environment professionals to municipalities to provide technical support throughout all infrastructure product life cycles.
To date, Misa has deployed 103 technical professionals, of which 86 of are professionally registered with statutory bodies as engineers and town planners.
Nkadimeng said the state was also pushing for all municipalities to have municipal managers and chief financial officers.
In addition, the Minister touched on the pillars that make a functional municipality.
These include putting people first, delivering basic services, good governance, sound financial management, building capable local government institutions and local economic development. – SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Wed, 11/15/2023 - 15:28
144 views
King Price donates nearly 40% of annual profits to charity via shareholding
According to The Trialogue Business in Society Handbook, South African companies invested around R10.9 billion into corporate social investment (CSI) in the 2022 financial year – a 6% increase from 2021. Contributing to this, South African insurer King Price has donated nearly 40% of its profit to charities across southern Africa via its main shareholder …
SA Emerging Women To Face Zimbabwe In Six-Match T20 Series In Harare
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Protecting the future
Protecting the future
Children are the wealth of the nation despite a few harrowing incidents recently pointing otherwise.
Nobody can deny that the nation’s wealth has been at the receiving end of what no child and human being should be subjected to. Democratic South Africa’s first President Nelson Mandela had a lot to say about the wellness and welfare of children.
“The children must, at last, play in the open veld, no longer tortured by the pangs of hunger or ravaged by the disease or threatened with the scourge of ignorance, molestation and abuse, and no longer required to engage in deeds whose gravity exceeds the demands of their tender years,” he said in 1993.
The magnitude of what he said back then still rings true today.
Last month, the Gauteng Health Department confirmed the deaths of five children in Soweto, the West Rand and Roodepoort due to suspected food poisoning. Media reports also pointed to food poisoning deaths in the North West.
This after the children allegedly consumed poisonous food from local shops and vendors.
South Africa recently marked National Children’s Day, a day government declared to be commemorated on the first Saturday of the month of November.
Commemorated annually, the day highlights progress being made towards the realisation and promotion of the rights of children.
Section 28 of the country’s Constitution states the rights that every child has the right to. In turn, the state must respect, protect, promote and fulfil the rights in the Bill of Rights.
Children under the age of 18, have a right to basic nutrition, shelter, basic health care services and social services. Among others, the Constitution also makes provision for children to be protected from maltreatment, neglect, abuse or degradation.
The news of the children’s deaths shocked the nation and also placed the spotlight on spaza shops. The Gauteng provincial government moved to intensify its awareness drive where it engaged locals and shared the importance of checking food expiry labels, among others.
As it takes a village to raise a child, Cabinet also expressed concern while adding that it was encouraged by law enforcement efforts to enforce food safety compliance. Efforts taken include the Johannesburg Metro Police Department and the City of Johannesburg’s, environmental health practitioners conducting inspections to check compliance with city bylaws. In addition, the City of Tshwane and its health officials and the metro police also embarked on a by-law enforcement inspection where two of the spaza shops visited were shut down.
In addition, the outcomes of a recent government-led International Migration Workshop included the introduction of omnibus by-laws to address challenges relating to trading and the enforcement of business by-laws by municipalities and traditional authorities.
It also focused on curbing the effects of illegal immigration, including the operations of spaza shops and there will also be immediate joint inspections of businesses, in particular spaza shops, by various government departments including Home Affairs immigration inspectorate teams to enforce compliance with applicable laws.
The audit of spaza shops in villages and townships, and mechanisms to register them will be undertaken by both traditional leaders and municipalities.
There are also efforts to support traditional authorities to keep a record of foreign nationals in their communities while business licensing legislation is being amended to support those wishing to trade in the informal sector.
While the lives that have been lost cannot be brought back, inspection blitzes carried out by the Cities of Tshwane and Johannesburg as well as the outcomes of the migration workshop resolve to ensure the safety of children.
One can also not ignore the fact that communities have placed the blame - whether warranted or not - of the selling of expired foods at the door of foreign nationals operating spaza shops and the record keeping of foreign nationals in communities will go some way in allaying suspicions of one another.
The alleged poisonings brought to the fore the ire of communities and rightly so. Communities were once more reminded of previous and dare I say ongoing, spates of the brutal rapes, murders and mutilation of children.
We ought to put a stop to these hair-raising incidents and raise a generation of children that protect their peers.
While legislation such as the Children’s Act exist and sets out principles relating to the care and protection of children including making provision regarding children's courts, all of these incidents remind us that the safety of children requires the presence of all of society.
World Children’s Day is being commemorated on 20 November to promote international togetherness, awareness among children worldwide, and improve children's welfare. It was first established in 1954. According to the UN since 1990, the day also marks the anniversary of the date that the UN General Assembly adopted both the Declaration and the Convention on children's rights.
If we are to see a better future, the protection of children should urgently be everyone’s business.
*Neo Semono is a features writer at www.sanews.gov.za
-SAnews.gov.za
Neo
Wed, 11/15/2023 - 09:03
56 views
Khayelitsha schools battle illegal electricity connections
Electricity theft has left Nomsa Maphongwana Primary School in Mandela Park with a Eskom bill of more than R167,880
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Fighting the harmful effects of alcohol
Fighting the harmful effects of alcohol
By Dr Ntombifuthi Nala
Many South Africans thrive on celebrations, whether it is a national accomplishment such as winning the Rugby World Cup, or a personal achievement such as passing an exam. These celebrations are often accompanied with dancing, singing and of course alcohol.
While alcohol is a means of celebrations and enjoyment, it can be open to misuse or abuse that can lead to the destruction of lives.
Every year the lives of 3 million individuals are lost due to alcohol, representing 5 per cent of all deaths. This is worrisome in South Africa where alcohol is the most widely used psychoactive substance and high levels of binge drinking and associated harms prevail.
In characterising the challenge, Minister of Social Development, Lindiwe Zulu, stated that “alcohol is one of the most abused substances that causes the most harm to the most people in our country”.
Alcohol abuse not only harms the health of an individual by affecting their vital organs and increasing susceptibility to life threatening diseases, it also jeopardises the safety, well-being and lives of others.
In searching out solutions to reduce alcohol-related harms and best practices for regulating alcohol, South Africa recently hosted the Global Alcohol Policy Conference (GAPC).
This is the first time that the conference was held in Africa, which brought together policy makers, academics, representatives of community-based organisations and NGOs from across the globe.
The conference made strong inroads in the formulation of a global alcohol policy that protects children and vulnerable adults. It also engaged on how further the regulation of alcohol marketing could help fight the abuse of alcohol.
During the conference Minister Zulu committed to reviewing the Liquor Amendment Bill which seeks to strengthen regulations on alcohol trading, marketing and sales. The bill put forward strong interventions which includes increasing the legal age of drinking to 21 and introducing an increased radius limitation for the trade of alcohol around educational and religious institutions. It also places liability on alcohol retailers and manufacturers for harm resulting from contravening regulations.
These proposals are important in advancing our fight against alcoholism, particularly in curbing access for young people as one in three teenagers are addicted to drugs and alcohol in our country.
The plight of underage drinking and non-compliance with alcohol-related laws were recently brought to the fore at the Enyobeni tavern tragedy that resulted in the loss of 21 young lives.
In strengthening our efforts to address the challenges caused by alcohol and substance abuse in the country, the Department of Social Development has drafted a policy framework on the Prevention of and Treatment for Substance Use Disorders, which will soon be gazetted for public comment. Cabinet also recommended an inter-Ministerial Committee for prevention, reduction and treatment strategies for alcohol and substance abuse.
Whilst government strives to reduce alcohol-related harms by reinforcing our laws and developing new strategies, we urge South Africans to be responsible citizens by adhering to current legislation.
The National Liquor Act prohibits the sale of alcohol to anyone under the age of 18, which calls for the co-operation of parents, community members, and liquor outlets to ensure that alcohol is not sold to children.
Establishments with liquor licences must perform verification checks against identity documents to ensure a person is of the legal age to consume alcohol. These checks are essential, especially as pens down parties, rage festivals and a host of social gatherings will occur as exams come to an end and the festive season approaches.
South Africans are urged to act responsibly this festive season should they choose to consume alcohol, and to always say no to the use of drugs. Excessive alcohol intake is widely linked to an increase in accidents, violent behaviour, fights and domestic violence.
Alcohol abuse is one of the main contributors to crime, especially gender-based violence and femicide in South Africa. We ought to make it our duty to report incidents of GBVF, alcohol–related and other crimes, to law enforcement authorities.
Reducing alcohol-related harms requires the combined efforts of everyone. When we do our part by practising responsible drinking and adhering to our laws, we can celebrate without putting our health, safety and the lives of others at risk.
*Dr Ntombifuthi Nala, Director: Research and Knowledge Management at the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS)
Janine
Tue, 11/14/2023 - 14:24
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