SA News

16 November 2023

Komati power station repurposing on PCC agenda

Location: News

Komati power station repurposing on PCC agenda

The Presidential Climate Commission (PCC) is expected to convene its 12th Ordinary Quarterly meeting in Johannesburg at Constitution Hill Precinct tomorrow.

The PCC said Friday’s meeting will consider the final draft for adoption of the Komati Power Station decommission and repurposing process report and review the progress on its work.

The power station was decommissioned in October last year with plans to repurpose it into a renewable energy site with 150MW of photovoltaic energy, 70MW wind generating capacity, 150MW of Battery Energy Storage System and synchronous condenser.

In November last year, Eskom announced that the World Bank approved a $497 million concessional loan facility to the power utility for the repurposing project.

The PCC described other issues on the agenda for the upcoming meeting

“The meeting will also receive a progress report on the status of the Just Energy Transition Investment Plan (JETIP), which comes at the back of the latest findings of the PCC commissioned Climate Finance Landscape Report and the mooted Just Transition Finance Mechanism (JTFM) which the commission will consider for a release for public comments.

“Key on the Commission agenda is the issues of climate awareness and misinformation and to this end the Commission will also receive and consider the findings of the first ever South African Social Attitudes Survey by the Human Science Research Council (HSRC) focusing on “Attitudes towards Climate Change and the Just Transition” as well as a report on the anticipated impact of El Nino on South Africa’s medium-term weather forecast by the South African Weather Services,” the Commission said.

The meeting is open to the public and can be accessed on the following platforms:

Website: https://www.climatecommission.org.za

Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/climatecommission

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@presidentialclimatecommiss407 - SAnews.gov.za

NeoB
Thu, 11/16/2023 - 10:19

166 views

16 November 2023

Cash reward place out for Soweto serial rapist

Location: News

Cash reward put out for Soweto serial rapist

Gauteng police are offering a cash reward of R50 000 for information that could lead to the arrest and successful conviction of a man linked to 42 cases of rape.

The suspect is operating mostly in Orlando and Diepkloof, Soweto, where he accosts his victims, demands money and cellphones before committing sexual assault.

The armed suspect targets his victims on the streets, in their homes, shops and entertainment areas, where he coerces them to secluded places.

The victims consist of females ranging from 14 to 53 years of age.

Police have mobilised maximum resources to search for the suspect, including offering a R50 000 cash reward to anyone who can urgently assist with information that could lead to the apprehension and prosecution of the alleged serial rapist, believed to be in his late 30s.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the investigating officer, Sergeant Ramathavhana, on 079 890 7696 or Crime Stop on 08600 10111. Alternatively, use the My SAPS App to submit information. – SAnews.gov.za

Edwin
Thu, 11/16/2023 - 09:23

20 views

15 November 2023

62 small-scale fishing co-operatives obtain fishing rights in W Cape

Location: News

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

15 November 2023

Eskom lays out on transmission expansion

Location: News

Eskom lays out on transmission expansion

Eskom Managing Director of Transmission, Segomoco Scheppers, says the power utility is working hard to expand transmission lines and unlock future generation capacity for the power grid “as fast as possible”.

He was addressing the Transmission Development Plan (TDP) Implementation Forum held at the Eskom Academy of Learning on Wednesday.

Previously, the power utility said it needed to augment the transmission network by approximately 14 200km by 2032 to ensure energy security in the country.

“[There] are currently 46 expansion projects in execution, of which 26 will deliver 1 632km of transmission lines, 11 290MVA and enable over 15 000MW of generation capacity. Of these 26 projects, 50% will deliver 890km of transmission lines, 3 290MVA of transformer capacity and enable the safe and reliable operation of over 10 000MW of new generation.

“This includes specifically Medupi and Kusile [power stations] as well as the Garob 267MW project connecting at Kronos substation in the Northern Cape. The other 50%... are in different phases of procurement and will deliver 435km and 8 000MVA, enabling 4 975MW of new generation capacity, mainly in the Northern and Western Cape,” he said.

Scheppers assured the forum that Eskom is “very focused on ensuring that we expand the grid as fast as possible, while safely managing the power system”.

Into the future

Looking into the future of Eskom transmission, Scheppers said Eskom has approved “the execution of R26 billion in capital investment” for transmission, with two priority programmes already in the pipeline to “accelerate the delivery of the transmission infrastructure”.

“These programmes entail, firstly, the development of 25 projects in existing substations… which will unlock 13 000MW of new generation in the next five years; secondly, 22 expedited transmission projects that will unlock 24 000MW of grid connection capacity by 2033.

“We are developing these 47 projects, which have the potential to unlock 37 000MW of grid connection capacity between 2025 and 2033. These projects are at different stages of implementation in terms of design, procurement and construction,” he said.

Scheppers called on all stakeholders to support the power utility in its plans.

“I cannot overemphasise the fact that the successful roll out of our plans will require continued support from all key stakeholders, including relevant authorities unlocking bottlenecks, as well as the market in terms of construction, contractors, suppliers and consultants.

“We are very grateful for the various NECOM [National Energy Crisis Committee] initiatives, which are proving very effective in addressing some of our historical challenges,” he said.

National Transmission Company SA

Scheppers gave the forum an update on the legal separation of Eskom into the Generation, Distribution and Transmission entities.

According to Scheppers, the separation of transmission entity – dubbed the National Transmission Company South Africa SOC Ltd (NTCSA) – is fully underway.

“We are in the process of getting final approval from the Minister of Public Enterprises for the independent board of directors for this new company. A binding merger agreement has already been signed with suspensive conditions to be fulfilled… in order to transfer the current transmission business into the new subsidiary.

“Following the fulfilment of the suspensive conditions, NTCSA will then be operationalised and employees transferred to the new company on the same conditions of service and without disrupting their years of service. We are busy with the lender engagements that are required for us to obtain consent, and these are already at an advanced stage,” he said.

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) has already approved licences for operating the transmission system, trading in electricity, and for import and export.

“The final licences and associated conditions are being finalised and in fact, we expect that we’ll be in possession of these licences before the end of this month,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za

NeoB
Wed, 11/15/2023 - 11:41

535 views

15 November 2023

Handwoven success: Sisters’ journey to AGOA opportunity

Location: News

Handwoven success: Sisters’ journey to AGOA opportunity

Sisters Mo Morongwe Mokone and Michelle Mokone have elevated South Africa’s innovative décor scene by breaking into the lucrative United States of America (USA) market.

However, they are not stopping there and are now planning to grow their footprint beyond the USA and enter new markets, such as Europe and the United Arab Emirates.

The pair are the co-owners of Mo’s Crib, a company that produces a range of handmade home décor products. Their product range includes handwoven baskets, planters, trays, wall art and outdoor items.

Michelle, who is the Operations and Supply Chain Director of Mo’s Crib, said their products are manufactured from unique materials such as ultra-durable polyvinyl chloride plastic, reclaimed from landfills and construction sites throughout South Africa, and various types of grass.

In 2021, the pair decided to take advantage of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) – a United States Trade Act which was enacted in May 2000.

AGOA allows 35 qualifying Sub-Saharan countries to export 1 835 tariff lines duty-free to a significant consumer market in the USA.

“We managed to benefit from the AGOA only through our shipping agent. We had already registered and received an export certificate in 2019, and by the time we were ready to export, the certificate came in very useful. It was a relief to learn that we were from an AGOA-benefiting country and that our products will not be subject to any import duties,” Michelle said.

Since 2021, the business has shipped a total of eight containers full of products to the USA.

“We are on track to ship two more containers before the end of 2023. We also regularly ship a container to fulfil our orders for our online store, which is fulfilled through our warehouse in New Jersey.

“Although shipping is relatively expensive, especially for a small business that is 100% self-funded, we have benefited from the AGOA through significant market access. Currently, the USA orders constitute 60% of our overall revenue,” she said.

Taking it back to why they started the business, Michelle said the idea of Mo’s Crib dates back to the 90s when Mo used to make homemade art crafts by crocheting strips of reused plastic bags into rugs.

“The actual business, however, started as a hobby in 2016 when we took part in an annual Christmas market while working full-time in our corporate jobs. The first product sold was Origami Art, which Mo learnt in London, and what we thought would be a slow sale quickly became a phenomenon, selling out within days of the market,” she explained.

“We introduced new products every year for two years until we decided to quit our full-time jobs in 2019 and focused on the business full-time,” she added.

Before starting the business, the Mokone sisters worked full-time in their respective corporate careers. Mo was an executive assistant and a human resource personnel at a corporate firm while Michelle was working as an agricultural economist for a farmer association.

Meanwhile, Michelle was busy completing her master’s in international Trade Law at the University of Bern in Switzerland.

“Our unique skills and qualities have contributed to building the business to where it is and driving growth within the homeware industry,” Mo explained.

Mo’s Crib, which is 100% self-funded from inception, employs 12 full-time staff and 86 artisans. The pair have an internal plan to create 20 new jobs within the next two to three years.

You can contact Mo’s Crib on 0877007161 or email: hello@moscrib.com

Instagram: @mos.crib
Twitter/X: @moscrib
Facebook: Mo’s Crib

LinkedIn: The Alice Group (Mo’s Crib) https://agoa.info/about-agoa.html

DikelediM
Wed, 11/15/2023 - 11:41

442 views

15 November 2023

eThekwini residents urged to apply for city’s debt relief

Location: News

eThekwini residents urged to apply for city’s debt relief

The eThekwini Municipality has encouraged its ratepayers, who are struggling to pay their bills, to apply for the city’s Debt Relief Programme before the year ends.

The city recently reinstated the Debt Relief Programme, which allows ratepayers struggling with their municipal bills to settle their outstanding debt over a maximum period of 36 months.

The programme, which ends on 31 December 2023, is targeting residential and business customers, who are finding it difficult to service their debt to the municipality.

In order to qualify for the relief, the debt must be 90 days or older, and a down payment of 5% deposit for residential and 10% for business customers must be made.

The city’s Head of the Revenue Management Unit, Lihle Ndzelu said, an agreement will be signed and the accumulated interest will be written off.

“Customers have up to 36 months to settle all outstanding debt. Once the arrangement is made, customers have to honour it and if a customer defaults on payment or pays less than the required instalment, all written-off interest will be reinstated,” Ndzelu explained.

Ndzelu said the programme also benefits non-profit organisations, including old age homes and homes for people with disabilities, mental hospitals and Early Childhood Development centres.

“They will be granted a substantial 50% capital debt write-off once they enter into a payment arrangement. This benefit is conditional on these organisations not falling into arrears within a period of 12 months after settling their debts.

“The municipality recognises the severe financial strain that some residents are facing. As a caring city, we must do all we can to alleviate the financial burden on the municipality's valued residents,” Ndzelu said.

The municipality has previously approved and implemented the programme from December 2022 to February 2023, but decided to reinstate it after the customers requested it.

For more information on the programme, customers may approach their nearest Sizakala Centre and provide all supporting documentation when applying for the programme. – SAnews.gov.za

GabiK
Wed, 11/15/2023 - 11:54

372 views

15 November 2023

SA, Qatar bolster relations

Location: News

SA, Qatar bolster relations

President Cyril Ramaphosa has deemed his visit to Qatar as significant, saying it serves as an opportunity to discuss and share views on the recent international developments.

“This visit is very significant, not only as an opportunity to strengthen bilateral relations between our two countries, but also to share views on recent international developments.

“The events in Palestine, and the growing deaths of civilians, particularly children, grieves us all. South Africa supports all efforts to secure an immediate and full ceasefire, with talks on a political solution to address the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people for statehood,” President Ramaphosa said.

The President was delivering remarks at the Qatar - South Africa Business Roundtable in Doha, Qatar, on Wednesday.

President Ramaphosa is currently on a two-day State Visit in Qatar at the invitation of His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar.

The visit occurs in the context of three decades of diplomatic relations. The two countries will celebrate the 30th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations on 11 May 2024. This is President Ramaphosa's first visit to the State of Qatar as Head of State.

President Ramaphosa told the roundtable that while the political relationship between the two countries is strong, much more can be done with each other in areas of trade, investment and economic development.

“For this reason, I am particularly pleased that I have had an opportunity to engage with both the Qatari Business Association and the Qatar Chamber of Commerce earlier. I want to point to five features of the South African economy that offer us the opportunity to build and expand our economic relationship,” he said.

Firstly, the President highlighted that South Africa is Africa’s most industrialised economy with well-established companies.

He told the roundtable that many of these companies are active in the Middle East and Qatar. The President mentioned companies like Sasol in the petro-chemical sector with its advanced technologies and iconic consumer brands such as Nandos and Ocean Basket.

“South African has well developed manufacturing and services sectors. South African agriculture and agro-processing companies are world class, and we can support the Food Security Program of the State of Qatar.

“Beyond these, South Africa is developing its expertise in areas such as pharmaceuticals, the space industry and advanced manufacturing,” he said.

Secondly, the President said South Africa is developing greater market access across the world.

He mentioned that the country has free trade agreements in place with the European Union and the United Kingdom and is about to implement the African Continental Free Trade Area, uniting 54 economies into a large tariff-free market intended to cover 1.3 billion consumers.

In addition, South Africa currently has access to the US market on preferential terms through the African Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA) and preferential access to certain Latin American markets.

Thirdly, President Ramaphosa emphasised that the African continent has vast resources of critical minerals that will be used as the world embraces cleaner, greener growth.

With Qatar’s experience, technology and capital in the petrochemicals, natural gas and energy infrastructure, President Ramaphosa said government is looking to companies from Qatar partnering with South Africa as it implement its just energy transition.

Fourthly, the President highlighted that the country is embarking on far-ranging economic reforms that provide opportunities for partnerships between foreign investors and domestic firms in South Africa.

He said the energy market is being restructured. The public electricity utility, Eskom, which faced severe challenges, has improved maintenance of its generation fleet and has received debt relief from the State to strengthen its financial position.

“Private energy generation, specifically in renewables, constitutes a growing share of total energy generated. Since the implementation of regulatory changes, the pipeline of private sector generation projects has increased to over 100 projects representing more than 10,000 MW of potential new capacity,” he said.

Fifthly, the President told the business roundtable that the country has a stable legal system, strong protections of property rights, a deep capital market with Africa’s largest stock exchange, and a growing pool of skilled employees.

“South Africa is ready to build partnerships for faster, sustainable and inclusive growth. South Africa is keen to deepen our bilateral relationship with Qatar. We look forward to partnering in sectors such as agro-processing, automotive, aquaculture, manufacturing, hydrocarbons, infrastructure, hospitality and tourism, to mention a few.

“I invite Qatar to join us in developing a portfolio of South African investments that your sovereign wealth fund and your private sector can participate in,” the President said.

President Ramaphosa commended the business delegations from South Africa and Qatar for their engagement, adding that he look forward to successful outcomes. – SAnews.gov.za

DikelediM
Wed, 11/15/2023 - 15:20

464 views

15 November 2023

CoGTA pushes ahead with councillors’ code of conduct

Location: News

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

15 November 2023

Load shedding requires urgent intervention, Ramokgopa tells Parliament

Location: News

Load shedding requires urgent intervention, Ramokgopa tells Parliament

Minister in the Presidency responsible for Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, has told the Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises that load shedding is an existential problem, both in economic and social terms, which requires urgent intervention.

The Minister said the South African economy could be losing up to R1 billion a day, depending on the intensity of load shedding.

“This is severe. The amount of jobs that have been lost as a result of load shedding are projected to be upwards of 800 000 just for the current year, if you were to go by the modelling that has been done by some of the reputable institutions.

“I'm trying to convey the message that we are dealing with a major problem that undermines the overall growth of the South African economy,” he said on Wednesday.

Ramokgopa said as a result of this, President Ramaphosa found it appropriate to provide a comprehensive and compelling response to the crisis by unveiling the Energy Action Plan (EAP), which has about five outcomes.

The five priority outcomes, Ramokgopa said, are to fix Eskom and improve the availability of existing supply; enable private investment in new generation capacity; accelerate procurement of new capacity from renewables, gas and battery storage; unleash investment in rooftop solar PV for businesses and households, and to "undermine the political interest calculation, ensuring that there's transparency in how costs are located and how tariffs are determined".

Expanding on the first priority, the Minister said they have to improve the availability of existing suppliers.

“So the focus will be on the existing fleet of Eskom coal-fired power stations, a focus on Koeberg Nuclear Power Station and also the importation of hydro that we are getting from Mozambique, ensuring that first we address the reliability of this unit... [and reduce] the rate of abrupt failure of these units, and address their efficiency as they run, then approximate their design capacity,” he said.

Turning to the second priority, Ramokgopa said that it exists to ensure that significant private sector investment is attracted, and this is supported by the reforms that were introduced on the generation side.

He said there is a significant amount of project pipeline as a result of the reforms that have been introduced on the generation side, which focuses on the private sector and new generation capacity.

Generation performance

On the overall performance of units, Ramokgopa told the portfolio committee that the trendline has essentially been going up.

"If you look at the available capacity, you can see that it is beginning to pick up from what the situation was in May, which was used as a baseline."

The Minister said they were addressing factors that have contributed to increased load shedding over the past week.

"... There is the good and there's also the bad. The good is that the trendline is going up and the bad is that there are things that we admit that we can improve on, especially better planning, returning the units on time, and ensuring that gradually, we continue to reduce the intensity of load shedding,” the Minister said.

He said they are taking advantage of the warmer period the country is now in.

“We have been ramping up planned maintenance... [We need to] make sure that we fix [the units] and when they come back, they're healthier and they're able to perform,” he said.

As part of improving the issues at Eskom, Ramokgopa said they have returned two of the three units that failed at Eskom last year in October as a result of challenges related to the Flue-gas desulfurization (FGD) unit, which is a mechanical component that houses a chemical process meant to reduce the amount of sulphur content that is emitted into the environment.

“We asked for a special dispensation to bypass that Flue-gas desulfurization unit and then we accepted that there are environmental costs, and that's why we put together a comprehensive health plan to... mitigate the environmental costs, and those were approved by the Minister of Environment.

“Of course, we are going to return to normality, essentially to go back to the original design of going through the Flue-gas desulfurization by the end of the year 2024.

“But now we've got that relief and two of those three units are back. Unit 1 and 3 are back, and we anticipate to bring Unit 2 by end of the month, and then we'll be firing Unit 5 at Kusile by the third week of December. So we project to get another 1 600 megawatts,” the Minister said.

The Minister told the portfolio committee that they are currently focusing on four broad areas, which include the facilitation of renewables.

"It's important to not just over rely on Eskom, which is aging. We have committed to a decarbonisation agenda. We're committed to the nationally determined contribution the net zero path. Of course, we have extended the life of these power stations as a result of the challenges that we're currently facing.

“So we [have] delayed the decommissioning. It will happen but it's delayed. The key is facilitating renewables, and transmission is a big part of that." – SAnews.gov.za

DikelediM
Wed, 11/15/2023 - 12:51

318 views

15 November 2023

Women Ministry commends student suspension after stabbing incident

Location: News

Women Ministry commends student suspension after stabbing incident

The Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities says it is encouraged by the University of Western Cape’s (UWC) bold step to suspend a student from its campus after he allegedly stabbed his wife at a private student residence.

The student, Ntembeko Myalo, made a brief appearance at the Bellville Magistrates’ Court on Monday, where he was charged with attempted murder after allegedly stabbing his wife at a private student residence in Belhar, Cape Town, on Saturday.

It has been reported that his 26-year-old wife, a Student at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), underwent surgery.

The department has commended Myalo’s arrest and the university’s decision to suspend him.

The department said it is sad that despite concerted efforts put in place over the years to address gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), the scourge continues relentlessly.

“There is ongoing instances of femicide with some deaths committed in [the] most heinous manner imaginable. The recent attack of a student at an institution of higher learning is appalling and should never happen again,” the department said.

The National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (NSP on GBVF) states: “The rate of femicide in South Africa continues to be amongst the highest globally with three women reported killed each day by their intimate partners.”

The NSP on GBVF centres around six pillars, including accountability, coordination and leadership; Prevention and Rebuilding Social Cohesion; Justice, Safety and Protection; Response, Care, Support and Healing; Economic Power; and Research and Information systems.

The 2022 Presidential Summit on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide also acknowledged that the GBVF in South Africa continues to be a national pandemic, and many women continue to be victims of it.

“The success of the NSP on GBVF is dependent on all of us working together in a coordinated and multisectoral approach to ensure that we prevent this scourge,” the department said. – SAnews.gov.za

GabiK
Wed, 11/15/2023 - 13:08

154 views

15 November 2023

Government welcomes increase in employment

Location: News

Government welcomes increase in employment

Government has welcomed the results of the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS), which indicate that the number of employed persons increased by 399 000 to 16. 7 million in the third quarter of 2023, compared to 16. 3 million in the second quarter of 2023.

The results further show that the number of unemployed persons decreased by 72 000 to 7.8 million during the third quarter, a 0.9 % decrease in Quarter 3, compared to Quarter 2 of 2023.

“The Quarterly Labour Force Survey findings for the third quarter reflect a positive and encouraging trend for our nation's labour force. The slight but notable increase in employment and decrease in unemployment rates reflect our concerted efforts to address the challenge of unemployment in the country.

“The results are a testament to the collaborative efforts of the public and private sectors, as well as the hard work and dedication of our citizens. These quarterly survey results underscore the progress we are making as a nation in addressing unemployment and fostering employment growth,” Minister in The Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said on Tuesday.

Ntshavheni said government is pleased with the promising findings of the third quarter, while at the same time, acknowledges that challenges persist, and there is more work that needs to be done.

“We will continue to implement policies that encourage investment, stimulate economic activity, and promote innovation, all of which contribute to sustained job creation,” the Minister said.

Ntshavheni said government’s commitment to creating a supportive and dynamic labour market remains steadfast. – SAnews.gov.za

nosihle
Wed, 11/15/2023 - 12:10

74 views

15 November 2023

State Security Agency Head Ambassador Majola resigns

Location: News

State Security Agency Head Ambassador Majola resigns

State Security Agency (SSA) Director-General, Ambassador Thembisile Cheryl Majola, has resigned, the Presidency announced on Wednesday.

Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said President Cyril Ramaphosa accepted the resignation of Majola and wished her well in all her future endeavours.

“Ambassador Majola commenced her role at SSA on 1 March 2022 and her resignation, by mutual consent with the President, will be effective as of 30 November 2023.

“The President has expressed his appreciation to Ambassador Majola for her contribution to the reform and rebuilding of the State Security Agency,” Magwenya said.

Majola is a former Deputy Minister of Energy and was South Africa’s ambassador to Senegal, Mauritania, Cape Verde, Gambia and Guinea-Bissau.

She has held several positions in the Presidency and was a deputy coordinator in the National Intelligence Coordinating Committee.

Among other roles, Majola was the observer on behalf of President Ramaphosa to the trilateral negotiations on the Grand Renaissance Dam during South Africa’s tenure as chair of the AU in 2020. - SAnews.gov.za

DikelediM
Wed, 11/15/2023 - 10:20

203 views

15 November 2023

Mashatile to participate in the Annual National Men’s Parliament

Location: News

Mashatile to participate in the Annual National Men’s Parliament

Deputy President Paul Mashatile will on Sunday, 19 November 2023, participate at the 3rd National Men’s Parliament in Limpopo.

The Deputy President will take part in the Men’s Parliament in his capacity as Chairperson of the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC).

According to the Presidency, the 3rd National Men’s Parliament is organised through a partnership which includes government, Parliament and SANAC Men’s Sector and brings together leaders from across all spectrums of society.

Deputy President Mashatile will use the occasion to launch the 2023-2025 Takuwani Riime Programme of Action scheduled to take place at Masia Village, Collins Chabane Local Municipality, Vhembe District.

The programme represents a pivotal milestone in the Men’s Parliament efforts to address the scourge of violence against women, advance socio-economic development and promote men’s health, with a special focus on the prevention of HIV/AIDS.

This year, the gathering will focus on the term of community men’s Parliaments and men championing change.

“Takuwani Riime” is a Tshivenda expression meaning “let us stand up together”.

“This is a clarion call for all men to stand up and be counted as meaningfully organised partners in the advancement of community safety, health and socio-economic development across the country.”

The 3rd National Men’s Parliament will be preceded by the Traditional Council Men’s Dialogue led by the National House of Traditional and Khoisan Leaders.

In recognition of organisations committed to the Men Championing Change Programme, the Department of Social Development will present certificates of recognition to community-based organisations dedicated to developing and implementing programmes that support men and boys to deal with multiple social ills.

Deputy President Mashatile be supported by Ministers, Deputy Ministers, the Premier of Limpopo, Members of the Limpopo Provincial Executive Council, Mayors and senior government officials. – SAnews.gov.za

Gabisile
Wed, 11/15/2023 - 09:39

125 views

15 November 2023

Protecting the future

Location: News

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

14 November 2023

Three suspects arrested for child pornography

Location: News

Three suspects arrested for child pornography

The South African Police Service (SAPS) Serial and Electronic Crime Investigations (SECI) unit has, in collaboration with the USA Department of Homelands Security, arrested three child online sexual predators in Gauteng.

The trio was arrested in a simultaneous takedown operation in the past week, relating to a number of suspects who were identified as South African users who are involved in the possession, distribution, manufacturing, accessing and downloading of child pornography.

Members of the SECI at Head Office and in Gauteng conducted the preliminary investigations on the users, and various provinces were identified where the suspects reside.

After several months of investigation and planning by SECI, perpetrators were identified in Gauteng and a joint Operation was planned.

In Springs, Gauteng police arrested a 63-year-old male British citizen, who was found to be in the country illegally. The suspect faces offences related to bestiality. Other offences are related to child pornography such as possession and distribution of child pornography.

The second suspect, who is a 43-year-old South African male, was arrested in Benoni, Gauteng. The suspect also faces offences relating to child pornography.

The third suspect, a 43-year-old South African male, suspect was arrested in Krugersdorp, Gauteng. He too faces charges relating to child pornography.

As a result of these operations, three South African children, who were used during the commission of the above offences, were identified and a dog was saved.

The operations will continue throughout the country to unravel a network of child sexual predators.

The trio has already appeared before various courts including Springs, Benoni and Krugersdorp Magistrates Court in Gauteng on Monday. Their cases were postponed for further investigation and bail applications.

SECI is a unit within the Detectives divisions under the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Investigations (FCS) unit. The unit members are responsible for investigating, tracing and apprehending serial rapists and electronic crimes relating to online child sexual exploitation. – SAnews.gov.za

Edwin
Tue, 11/14/2023 - 10:49

424 views

14 November 2023

Official unemployment figures decrease in third quarter of 2023

Location: News

Official unemployment figures decrease in third quarter of 2023

The results of the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) indicate that the number of employed persons increased by 399 000 to 16.7 million in the third quarter of 2023 compared to 16.3 million in the second quarter of 2023.

In the same quarter, the number of unemployed persons decreased by 72 000 to 7.8 million during the same quarter.

“Additionally, the number of people who were not economically active for reasons other than discouragement decreased by 160 000 to 13.1 million, while the discouraged work-seekers decreased by 26 000 in the third quarter of 2023 compared to the second quarter of 2023. This resulted in a net decrease of 186 000 in the not economically active population,” Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) said on Tuesday.

The above changes in employment and unemployment resulted in the official unemployment rate decreasing by 0.7 of a percentage point from 32.6% in the second quarter of 2023 to 31.9% in the third quarter of 2023.

“The unemployment rate, according to the expanded definition, decreased by 0.9 of a percentage point to 41.2% in Q3:2023 compared to quarter 2 of 2023.

Formal sector employment increased by 287 000 in quarter 3 of 2023 and informal sector employment increased by 29 000 over the same period.

Industries that recorded increases include finance (up by 237 000), community and social services (up by 119 000) and agriculture (up by 61 000), recording the largest employment gains.

Employment losses were recorded in manufacturing (down by 50 000), mining (down by 35 000), transport (down by 20 000) and utilities (down by 16 000).

The employment increases were recorded in KwaZulu-Natal (up by 152 000), Limpopo (up by 70 000), North-West (up by 61 000) and Mpumalanga (up by 44 000), which was the largest employment increases in quarter 3 of 2023.

Employment losses were only recorded in Free State (down by 3 000) during the same period.

“The youth remain vulnerable in the labour market, however, the third quarter of 2023 results show that the total number of unemployed youth (15 – 34 years) decreased by 174 000 to 4.6 million while there was an increase of 237 000 in the number of employed youth to 6.0 million.

“This resulted in a decrease in the youth unemployment rate by 1.9 percentage points from 45.3% in quarter 2 of 2023 to 43.4% in quarter 3 of 2023,” Stats SA said. – SAnews.gov.za

nosihle
Tue, 11/14/2023 - 14:07

353 views

14 November 2023

Fighting the harmful effects of alcohol

Location: News

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

398 views

14 November 2023

Tourism safety a top priority

Location: News

Tourism safety a top priority

The National Tourism Safety Strategy is aimed at fostering a public-private sector partnership to address issues of tourism safety in a more coordinated manner.

“The measures aim to provide an enhanced visitor experience and in the long-term, change perceptions of South Africa as an unsafe destination,” Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille said on Tuesday.

She was addressing members of the Diplomatic Corps in Pretoria on tourism safety issues.

De Lille explained that the National Tourism Safety Strategy is centered on three key themes which include proactive measures, responsive measures and aftercare programmes.

“It is about putting in place mechanisms to ensure that tourists, both domestic and international, feel safe even before arriving at the destination,” she said, adding that the mechanisms seek to ensure quick and effective turnaround time to attend to tourists in distress should an incident of crime occur.

“This is about stakeholder coordination and communication in terms of messaging and protocols to follow. We have since set up a committee led by the private sector under Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA) to develop clear Crisis Management Communications Plan and Protocols.

“This will ensure that there are clear protocols in place during an incident and that the messaging is same,” de Lille said.

The department has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the South African Police Services (SAPS) on collaboration towards the prevention, investigation and combating of crimes impacting on the tourism industry and the safety and well-being of tourists.

“The MoU Action Plan is being implemented through the Tourism Safety Technical Committee comprising of the Department of Tourism and SAPS. The MoU is currently undergoing revision to ensure that other initiatives being implemented with private sector on safety and security are considered and strengthened.

“The action plan incorporates both initiatives identified by the Department and by the South African Police Services and to be handled at a bilateral level,” the Minister said.

The Tourism Monitors Programme (TMP) is part of the broader government intervention that involves training, mentorship and deployment of unemployed youth in identified tourism attractions and sites.

“Government has invested R174 Million for the deployment of Tourism Monitors in this financial year. The key objectives of the programme include: enhancing tourism safety awareness at key tourism attractions and sites, upskilling of unemployed youth and reducing tourist vulnerabilities.”

The Minister said the department will deploy 2 300 Tourism Monitors nationally in entities managed by the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) Gardens, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Ezemvelo Nature Reserve, in the national parks managed by the South African National Parks (SANParks), and at airports managed by Airports Company South Africa (ACSA). – SAnews.gov.za

Edwin
Tue, 11/14/2023 - 15:12

255 views

14 November 2023

Stakeholders called to roll up their sleeves against substance abuse

Location: News

Stakeholders called to roll up their sleeves against substance abuse

The third National Summit on Substance Abuse and Illicit Trafficking provides an opportunity to discuss sustainable, coordinated, and impactful strategies for the reduction of drug and substance use and misuse in South Africa.

This is according to Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu, who opened the summit on Tuesday.

The summit is being held under the theme “Towards sustainable, coordinated and impactful strategies for national drug and substance use in South Africa”.

“The days of talking statistics are over. This is the time to work very hard to reduce the statistics and talk implementation and progress,” the Minister said.

The Prevention of and Treatment for Substance Abuse Act of 2008 mandates the Department of Social Development to develop programmes and support initiatives aimed at the prevention and treatment of substance abuse.

Minister Zulu said the summit therefore affords everyone, especially policy makers and researchers, a space to work in collaboration with, among others, government departments and other key stakeholders involved in dealing with the challenge of harmful substance use.

“It is through such collaboration that the summit will deliberate on exchange of good practice, evidence-based interventions, challenges, and sustainable socio-economic strategies. All these will assist with reducing the supply, demand and harm caused by the use, misuse and abuse of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs,” she said.

The long-awaited summit will explore existing research conducted by both public and private institutions on the prevalence of substance use, misuse and abuse in the country and encourage institutions of higher learning and academia to assist further in conducting research.

The Minister highlighted that the scourge of substance abuse is like a compound involving many persons and institutions.

She said that some of these entities and individuals, are using various substances for educational purposes and research, which is a good initiative for social workers, medical experts, government departments, entities and families to learn and have a broader understanding.

“I am mentioning families, because many individuals, who were once responsible citizens and role models for their children and communities they live in, are now in rehabilitation centres.

“This is not only a concern for government which spend millions on rehabilitating abusers of substances, but also cause a long-term emotional and psychological dents and wounds, which may not be easy to heal.

“Today, South Africa is faced with array of social ills such as dysfunctional families, children living on the streets, high prevalence of teenage pregnancy, school dropouts, the spread of HIV/Aids chronic disease, and gender based violence and femicide, which has been declared a second pandemic in the country. Some if not most of these problems are caused by substance abuse, which could have been prevented if we worked together as different sectors in society,” she said.

The country has policies which are envied by many countries globally, but progress in terms of successful implementation leave much to be desired, the Minister said, adding that this calls for drastic measures as efforts, time and money is invested in the good policies.

The Minister said the summit came at a right time as Cabinet has approved the Prevention of and Treatment for Substance Use Disorder Policy be gazetted for public consultation.

The Minister urged the summit to contribute to the policy which will be published on 17 of November 2023 for public comments. – SAnews.gov.za

DikelediM
Tue, 11/14/2023 - 15:33

207 views

14 November 2023

KZN government moves to assist Clairwood flame victims

Location: News

KZN government moves to assist Clairwood fire victims

The KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government has mobilised resources to provide emergency relief to displaced residents in the Clairwood informal settlements after the fire that destroyed more than 200 shacks last week Friday.

KwaZulu-Natal Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube, together with Human Settlements and Public Works MEC, Sipho Nkosi and eThekwini Municipality Speaker, Thabani Nyawose, visited Clairwood on Monday to assess the extent of the damage, to understand the impact on the community and express solidarity with the affected residents.

“Government has mobilised resources to provide emergency relief to those affected. Shelter, food, and other essential supplies are being arranged for displaced residents,” Dube-Ncube said, adding that attention is also being paid to long-term recovery.

Dube-Ncube said a big challenge facing the province is that people are invading privately-owned land, which is not suitable for housing construction.

The other problem, she said, is people who already own RDP houses, but decide to stay in informal settlements so that they rent out their houses.

“We cannot give them services because it's privately-owned land and we can't provide building materials here because we will be doing something illegal.

“We need to make sure it's legitimate people who get assistance. Normally when such a tragedy happens, you find a lot of people come and register, claiming they are victims,” Dube-Ncube said.

She said government is working with law enforcement agencies and the community to crack down on people who intimidate tenants.

The Premier said the actions taken and promises made during the visit will be closely monitored, as they hold the potential to bring hope and relief to the hundreds of affected residents, who are patiently awaiting assistance in their time of need.

The Premier is also expected to meet with local authorities and emergency services to coordinate a comprehensive response plan. – SAnews.gov.za

GabiK
Tue, 11/14/2023 - 15:25

84 views

14 November 2023

Private capital takes centre stage at universal access to water summit

Location: News

Private capital takes centre stage at universal access to water summit

Enabling private capital and mobilisation will take centre stage as stakeholders in the water sector gather for the World Bank’s Eastern and Southern Africa Leadership Summit on universal access to water supply, sanitation and hygiene.

Hard on the heels of the week-long 7th Africa Sanitation and Hygiene Conference held in Namibia last week, the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) Director-General, Dr Sean Phillips, is participating in the Eastern and Southern Africa Leadership Summit on universal access to Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), currently underway in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The two-day summit, taking place from 14 - 15 November 2023, will focus on enabling private capital and mobilisation, and will promote critical, tangible inputs on strategies, actions and policy reforms to boost private sector financing and participation of the water and sanitation sector.

The event, which is co-hosted by the Ministry of Finance in Ethiopia and the World Bank, seeks to help identify and seize opportunities to increase private and public funding, and implement the necessary sector reforms to serve all Eastern and Southern African residents still lacking access to WASH.

The discussions at the summit will centre on three strategic actions of systems change, including policy and institutional reforms that promote efficient use of public and private resources; investments that are pivotal for the transformation of the water sector, and country and regional platforms for collaboration.

The summit will build on previous discussions and will advance the dialogue on country plans to accelerate access to WASH, and further provide an opportunity for in-depth discussions to understand the implications of implementing systems change.

The event will serve as an interactive platform for stakeholders, including water sector ministers, finance ministers, development partners, and private sector leaders to discuss opportunities for collaboration.

Phillips said the discussions at the summit will focus on what it would take to reduce existing inequalities in WASH services worldwide and will promote critical, tangible inputs on strategies, actions, and policy reforms to boost private sector financing and participation.

“The high-level ministerial and technical discussions will help identify and seize opportunities to increase private and public funding and implement the necessary sector reforms to serve all Eastern and Southern African residents that are still lacking access to WASH.

“The Department of Water and Sanitation welcomes this initiative by the World Bank to advocate for private funding programmes that will advance the WASH objectives. As you know, South Africa has also committed itself to achieve goal 6 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which focuses on the right to water and sanitation services for all,” Phillips said.

The WASH initiative encompasses 18 countries, ranging from fragile and conflict-affected States to middle-income countries.

While the world is progressing towards SDG 6, one of the 17 United Nations SDGs, which advocates for availability and sustainable management of clean water and sanitation for all, most African countries are lagging to achieve this goal.

The sub-Saharan Africa is the only region sliding backward in terms of WASH. Over the last 20 years, access to basic water supply and sanitation has declined, resulting in 37 million more people without basic water supply and 247 million more without basic sanitation.

Despite all efforts being made, these gaps are continuously growing.

The DWS said the implications of limited access to basic water supply and sanitation were discussed at previous events, such as the UN (United Nations) Water Conference in March 2023 and the World Bank-IMF Spring Meetings in April 2023.

“During these high-level events, the African Ministers of Water and of Finance embraced a strategy to effect change that will grant universal WASH access. The ministers have also committed to establish and monitor regional platforms to track progress of the initiative,” the department said. – SAnews.gov.za

GabiK
Tue, 11/14/2023 - 10:53

123 views

14 November 2023

RTMC warns traffic officers against accepting bribes

Location: News

RTMC warns traffic officers against accepting bribes

As the festive season approaches, the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) has warned law enforcement officers that anti-corruption units will be out in full force to deal with unacceptable, unethical and unprofessional conduct.

This warning follows the sentencing of a Mpumalanga traffic officer by the Ermelo Regional Court for taking a R200 bribe from undercover anti-corruption agents.

The man was arrested after soliciting a R200 bribe from an agent during Project Arrive Alive on 22 January 2020 and was subsequently arrested on 3 March 2021.

The man pleaded guilty to all charges and was sentenced to a R4 000 fine or 12 months imprisonment. He was further sentenced to five years imprisonment, wholly suspended for five years should he not be convicted of the same crime during this period.

“Bribery, corruption, and other unlawful activities do not only tarnish the image of our traffic law enforcement fraternity; it leads to devastating consequences, including loss of life.

“The RTMC calls for harsher sentences against officers who solicit bribes from motorists and urges citizens to report suspected acts of fraud, corruption, and malfeasance to ntacu@rtmc.co.za or by WhatsApp to 083 293 7989.”

The man was also subjected to a disciplinary hearing, which found him guilty and terminated his employment. He took the matter to arbitration but failed to have the decision of the disciplinary committee overturned. –SAnews.gov.za

nosihle
Tue, 11/14/2023 - 09:38

285 views

14 November 2023

Health convenes primary health care conference

Location: News

Health convenes primary health care conference

The Department of Health will this week convene the South African Primary Health Care (SAPHC) conference in East London, in the Eastern Cape.

The conference, which will take place from 15 to 16 November 2023, will reflect on and review the country’s journey towards the ideals of primary health care (PHC) over the last 30 years of democracy.

According to the department, the platform is also expected to discuss the pivotal role of the PHC in achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in South Africa by 2030.

PHC, the department said, is the most inclusive, equitable, cost-effective and efficient approach accessible to most individuals and families in the community to enhance their physical and mental health, as well as social wellbeing, hence almost 86% of the population depends on PHC in South Africa.

The two-day conference will be attended by almost 350 delegates representing all nine provinces, stakeholders in the sectors, and representatives from local and international organisations including the World Health Organisation (WHO).

This year’s theme will focus on the role of strong PHC in South Africa’s pursuit of UHC coverage through National Health Insurance (NHI).

The delegates will also draw lessons from international experiences such as Thailand, Vietnam, Cuba and Mauritius in the implementation of the PHC approach and delivery of services, particularly from countries in the global south with socio-economic conditions that are comparable to South Africa.

Health Minister, Dr Joe Phaahla, will deliver the keynote address.

There will also be contributions from the Deputy Minister, Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo, provincial Health MECs and WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti.

“Primary Health Care plays a crucial role in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3, which relates to health to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for people of all ages,” the department added. – SAnews.gov.za

Gabisile
Tue, 11/14/2023 - 10:06

338 views

14 November 2023

Residents warned to be vigilant when buying from spaza shops

Location: News

Residents warned to be vigilant when buying from spaza shops

Residents of the City of Ekurhuleni have been warned to exercise caution when buying products from spaza shops.

This as a spate of incidents has left at least six children dead and several others hospitalised around the country ,allegedly as a result of consuming expired or counterfeit goods from spaza shops and street hawkers.

The City of Ekurhuleni said: “The City’s Environmental Health Practitioners (EHPs) have intensified food hygiene and safety inspections at food handling premises to stop the practice.

“The city encourages the public to buy foodstuffs only sold from premises that have a Certificate of Acceptability. This certificate is only issued after inspections are conducted and the premises meets all food safety requirements.”

The following are markings that can be used to identify whether food stuff is still fresh to eat:

Date of minimum durability (“Best Before” or “Best Before End”), which means the date which signifies the end of the period under any stated storage condition during which the product will remain fully marketable and will retain any specific qualities for which claims have been made. Beyond the date, the food may still be perfectly satisfactory. These foodstuffs do not require to be removed from the shelves and can be sold for human consumption.
“Sell by" or “display until” means the last day of offer for sale to the consumer, after which there remains a reasonable storage period at home. The food that has past the sell by or display until date must be removed from the shelves and must not be sold for human consumption to the public.
“Use By” (Best Consumed Before, recommended last consumption Date, Expiry Date) means the date which signifies the end of the estimated period under the stated storage conditions, after which the product probably will not have the quality attributes normally expected by the consumers and after which date the food should not be regarded as marketable. These foodstuffs must be removed from the shelves and must not be sold for human consumption to the public.

Some foods are exempted from date markings. These include some alcoholic products, chewing gum, fruits and vegetables that have not been peeled or treated and sugars.

Residents are encouraged to report any shop selling expired or counterfeit products to the City of Ekurhuleni environmental health offices.

“The public is also discouraged from playing the role of an EHP by inspecting and seizing foodstuff from the shops as this is impersonation of a EHPs. In terms of the Health Professions Act, 56 of 1974 no person shall perform any act deemed to be an act pertaining to any registerable health profession, such as environmental health profession,” the city said. – SAnews.gov.za

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Tue, 11/14/2023 - 10:29

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