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MANCOSA looks to address the AI skills shortage as it offers a South African first In line with the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the movement from localised job markets to a global job market, technology is having a significant influence on the future world of work, with artificial intelligence taking centre stage when it comes …
Q(h)ubeka Trust finds way to pay out widow of miner in spite of lack of medical records
Q(h)ubeka Trust winds up after paying out R420-million in compensation following court settlement with employers
“Gas and oil and nuclear don’t need to be in our energy mix”
Over 70 gangsters nabbed by AGU in Gauteng
Ongoing investigations by the Anti-Gang Unit (AGU) in Gauteng are bearing fruit, as the unit has so far arrested 73 gangsters in connection with 90 criminal acts.
Of these, three have been convicted to life in prison, and an additional combined 130 years in prison.
The rest are still behind bars and on trial for a spate of crimes such as murder, attempted murder, possession of weapons and ammunition, possession of suspected motor vehicles and drugs, among others.
These police breakthroughs are only for gang activities within the Sophiatown, Langlaagte and Eldorado Park areas within the Johannesburg district.
Some of the suspects have been positively linked to crimes committed in more than one policing precinct. Only four of the charges are outside of the abovementioned areas.
"The fact that these 73 are facing 90 charges tells us that they were the source of terror within those areas, and further charges against them cannot be ruled out as the Anti-Gang Unit is still investigating," said Lieutenant General Elias Mawela, the Gauteng Police Commissioner.
The South African Police Service in Gauteng is anticipating the best outcomes for the dockets on trial, considering the level of investigations that culminated in their arrests and the evidence gathered. – SAnews.gov.za
Edwin
Wed, 09/13/2023 - 14:10
Building a Brighter Future for Vulnerable Children through a New ECD Centre Diepkloof, KwaZulu-Natal: FUTURELIFE®, in a landmark partnership with the Nelson Mandela Foundation, is delighted to announce the successful establishment of the Mfundwentle Pre-school, an Early Childhood Development Centre in Diepkloof, Kwazulu-Natal. This momentous achievement comes a year after the launch of the initiative …
In the world of wastewater management, maintaining efficient and effective sewage systems is paramount. One essential component that has become increasingly vital in modern systems is the grinder. But what is a grinder in a sewage system, and why is it so crucial? The Basics of Grinders in Sewage Systems A grinder, in the …
In industrial settings, laboratories, and numerous other environments, accidental spills are not just inconvenient—they can pose significant health, safety, and environmental risks. Enter the spill kit. A lifesaver in many emergency situations, spill kits are specially designed to contain and clean up various types of spills efficiently. But what exactly is a spill kit, and …
Oil and gas imperative for SA's energy security
The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) will “sustainably continue to develop” South Africa’s oil and gas resources in order to ensure energy security and alleviate dependency on foreign oil.
This is according to Mineral Resources and Energy Deputy Minister, Dr Nobuhle Nkabane, who was speaking at the Southern Africa Oil Gas Conference on Wednesday.
“It is imperative to accelerate the exploration of oil and gas both onshore and offshore, as having our own petroleum resources will reduce our dependency on foreign oil and cushion our economies, in particular our citizens against imposed whirlwinds of crude price volatility,” she said.
The Deputy Minister said South Africa has already initiated policy intervention processes to boost the development and growth of the country’s oil and gas industry.
“The first intervention is the development of the Gas Master Plan which is a policy that outlines and guides the critical role of gas in South Africa while providing policy direction to the gas industry.
“We have also developed the Upstream Petroleum Development Bill seeking to ensure that the upstream petroleum sector is no longer regulated under the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, 2002 (MPRDA), but under discrete petroleum legislation. We believe the de-coupling of the Upstream Petroleum Development Bill from MPRDA will bring regulatory certainty and hopefully shore up investor confidence,” Nkabane said.
Natural gas
Deputy Minister Nkabane highlighted that natural gas in one the key components in South Africa’s Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) 2019 and accounts for at least 3% of the country’s energy supply.
She explained that natural gas can also contribute to South Africa’s quest to lower emissions output.
“[The] continued exploration and discovery of indigenous gas is crucial for meeting our climate change targets and securing of energy supply,” she emphasised.
Nkabane highlighted that the recent discovery of maiden gas reserves in Mpumalanga represents a “major boost in electricity generation capacity as the country was looking at different sources of energy”.
She urged countries that have discovered gas to ensure these reserves not only serve international appetite but also contribute to energy security in local communities.
“Mpumalanga is the epicentre of South Africa’s power generation because [it] has a high concentration of power stations, therefore the discovery of gas positions the province at the centre of the just energy transition and as a source of reference for the country’s emission-reduction targets.
“We have also seen that Europe is looking to Africa to diversify its gas supplies. This presents a good opportunity and market for local gas beyond our own use. However, the caveat is that we should not rush to export our gas to Europe at the expense of our domestic and regional markets, no matter how tempting the prospects of earning foreign revenue.
“The argument often advanced is the lack of transmission infrastructure and unaffordability of gas products for local communities. My counter argument is that we are not going to change this situation if we do not use the revenue earned from gas exports to develop … our economies to create employment opportunities that will lead to consumption of goods and services,” she said.
Nkabane also called on African countries to increase ties in oil and gas trade between themselves.
“Already, South Africa imports the bulk of its crude requirements from African producers, including Nigeria and Angola. There is ample opportunity for a massive expansion of gas trade, especially from the Gulf of Guinea and the broader West Coast of Africa, where we have many producers and some already exporting. We collaborate closely with the African Petroleum Producers Organisation and urge more meaningful engagement with this continental body.
“As a region we should strive to build a strong oil and gas sector that will drive regional and continental economic development as is the case with the advanced economies,” Nkabane said. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Wed, 09/13/2023 - 14:53
Apple Music is shining a light on Mzansi’s greatest musical legends with its latest campaign, Amaqhawe (meaning “hero” in Xhosa, and “legend” in Zulu). In honour of the country’s rich musical legacy and Heritage Day on 24 September, Amaqhawe celebrates the musical legacies of the South African musicians whose sounds influenced and continue to inspire …
Digital technologies have created new spaces for interaction and enabled new ways to connect, share experiences, work and build communities. It is estimated that by 2030 in Sub-Saharan Africa alone more than 230 million jobs will require digital skill sets. The Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector has always been a male-dominated industry. In 2022, …
Take part in awareness campaigns for people with disabilities
Citizens have been called to participate in the various awareness campaigns and support programmes available for people with disabilities to remove the barriers perpetuated by stigmatisation and discriminatory practices.
Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities (DWYPD) Deputy Director-General, Shoki Tshabalala, made this call during a webinar for artists with disabilities held on Wednesday.
The department, in partnership with the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC), hosted the webinar to foster inclusion, integration and the promotion of artists with disabilities into the mainstream arts and culture sector.
The webinar also aimed to remove the limitation of placing people with disabilities in a system that does not promote arts and cultural activities of people with disabilities, and not as active participants in the country’s arts and cultural programs.
In her address, Tshabalala said the department had identified several areas of collaboration with the Department of Arts, Culture and Sport for the 2023/2024 financial year and empowerment of people with disabilities in the arts, is one of them.
She said in 2021, the department was invited by the DSAC to a workshop which was convened during Disability Rights Awareness Month (DRAM) 2021 in Kopanong.
“There were workshop resolutions and identified areas of support needed by artists with disabilities [and] the resolutions would guide us to develop a plan of action. During the DWYPD 2022 4 Cities Tour, there was a realisation of a greater need for persons with disabilities to be aware of and be exposed to the funding opportunities available within DSAC,” Tshabalala highlighted.
Tshabalala said, through this collaboration, empowerment workshops will be conducted, as most of the artists are not professionally organised.
The workshops will provide access to funding on business and professionalisation of their artistry/crafts, and how artists should interact with different funding schemes.
Tshabalala acknowledged that there are issues of access to markets, saying government needs to ascertain how best they can participate in the mainstreaming of the industry and rope in different industry stakeholders, including private or public to assist artists.
“There is a need to look at institutionalisation of the disability forums [and] this ties up with the mainstreaming of DSAC programmes. We will look at how DSAC programmes are structured in terms of DSAC annual performance plan and operational plans, and DWYPD will assist in the mainstreaming indicators thereof to ensure there is disability inclusion.
“Consistent with the “nothing about us without us” movement, the creation of a framework on self-representation for persons with disabilities is also one of our top priorities for this,” the Deputy Director-General said.
Addressing barriers for artists with disabilities
CEO of the Artscape Theatre in Cape Town, Marlene le Roux, highlighted some of the needs of artists with disabilities, including special transport; accommodation close to the performing venue; assistive devices; medical support such as physiotherapy; assistants to help artists and provision of sustenance.
“While we all strive for equality, as this means ‘we all get the same’, it can only work if we all start from the same place. In many instances and especially for persons with disabilities, we need to address the barriers that they must first overcome in order to have equal opportunities,” le Roux said.
She emphasised that the National Disability Rights Awareness Month, which is celebrated annually from 3 November to 3 December, should not be a “box-ticking” activity but rather it should be a time for introspection on what has happened, what is supposed to be happening, and where the country is going. – SAnews.gov.za
GabiK
Wed, 09/13/2023 - 12:04
Choosing the right pump for your industry can be a daunting task. With a plethora of options available, each designed for specific applications, the selection process can become overwhelming. In this guide, we’ll delve into various types of industrial pumps to help you make an informed decision. Centrifugal Pumps One of the most common …
Introduction Pumps are ubiquitous in every industry, whether you’re working in agriculture, food processing, or mining. The right pump can make all the difference in efficiency, productivity, and operational costs. But how do you choose the perfect pump for your specific needs? In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the different types of pumps used in …
Minister briefs Parliament on the Black Industrialists policy
Trade, Industry, and Competition Minister Ebrahim Patel has highlighted the significant strides achieved by the Black Industrialists Policy within the food and energy sectors.
The transformative policy, initiated in 2015, is reshaping South Africa's economic landscape by nurturing new enterprises led by black South Africans.
Briefing the Portfolio Committee on Trade, Industry and Competition on Tuesday, Patel said historically transformation policies primarily focused on facilitating black ownership in existing enterprises.
However, the Black Industrialists Policy centres on promoting the development of new enterprises, fostering entrepreneurship and ensuring the emergence of businesses controlled by previously marginalized groups.
During the briefing, Minister Patel presented 46 case studies of Black Industrialists across the country in the food and energy sectors.
The evolution of empowerment policies over time has broadened their scope. Initially, they centered on individual share ownership, enabling capital accumulation among black South Africans. Subsequently, they embraced broad-based empowerment and community initiatives.
Today, the policy prioritises Black Industrialists, supporting individual black entrepreneurs with controlling stakes in new firms and employee share ownership (workers empowerment).
Minister Patel underscored that the Black Industrialists Policy is just one pillar of a broader transformation agenda.
Other transformation instruments include industrial financing, sector master plans, localization, competition measures, B-BBEE codes, equity-equivalent investment programs, special economic zones and state preferential procurement.
The Black Industrialists Policy spans various industries, including agro processing, automotive components, textiles, steel and metal fabrication, mining, machinery and equipment, aerospace equipment and technology.
"The Black Industrialists Policy represents a pivotal shift in South Africa's transformation strategy. It fosters new enterprise development, entrepreneurship, and economic inclusion while addressing historical disparities and promoting innovation,” Minister Patel said.
“The policy's impact on the food and energy sectors underscores its significance in driving South Africa's economic transformation,” the Minister said. – SAnews.gov.za
Edwin
Wed, 09/13/2023 - 10:11
When it comes to first-class coffee-growing nations, South Africa has yet to reach its peak, however, one KZN South Coast-based coffee collective is finding a way to change this. RedBerry Coffee Collective, driven by Dylan Cumming of Beaver Creek Coffee Estate on the KZN South Coast, is building a strong base to increase coffee farming …
Lights at the Berea bus rank where they trade have been broken for five years
The Rugby World Cup 2023 is reaching fever pitch in South Africa. The players are in the yards, the fans are in the stands and the TV is on. But there’s one thing that South Africans know all too well can put a damper on the excitement – load shedding. It’s a challenge that transcends …
Every year, Afrika Tikkun in collaboration with Belron International come together in a global Sporting Challenge. Last year, participants reached new heights with over 10,000 people covering over 184,751 kilometres – that’s over four times around the world! In addition, one of our young people who travelled to the United Kingdom (UK) to participate at …
Langa centenary: former beauty queen Nomsa Banjatwa remembers a township abuzz with social events
Her colleague is on trial after Dumisani Joxo was shot and killed in 2022
Embarking on the journey to build your dream home is an exhilarating experience, but one that comes with a myriad of decisions to make. From zoning laws and community layouts to specific room dimensions, it’s crucial to get your planning right. This ensures a seamless construction process and a home that truly reflects your lifestyle …
Are you in the process of building your dream home and find yourself overwhelmed by the labyrinth of options out there? You’re not alone. Planning your future abode involves understanding various critical elements, each contributing to the final result. The Importance of a Good Plan One of the most crucial steps in building a …
Range of Services When looking for a drug rehab near me, it’s essential to assess the range of services offered. This can include medical detox, psychiatric services, and aftercare support. Medical Detox: This is often the first step in treatment, helping you rid your body of harmful substances in a controlled environment. Psychiatric Services: …