MyZA
News, Directory, Events and Other Stuff
Immerse yourself in the heart of Cape Town’s vibrant culture this Easter Weekend at the Bay Harbour Market in Hout Bay. Nestled in an authentic fish factory within a bustling working harbour, this unique market venue becomes a melting pot of creativity, diversity, and energy, embodying the true spirit of South Africa. Bay Harbour Market …
When redefining value, higher education institutions will be increasingly required to step out of their comfort zones Higher education institutions worldwide are currently facing a critical period in their existence. They have to redefine their value proposition to a cohort of students who are not only digital natives but have grown up in an environment …
Six-month planned maintenance of the Lesotho Highlands Tunnel
Water users of the Vaal River System have been reminded about the upcoming six-month closure of the Lesotho Highlands Tunnel for planned maintenance work.
The planned maintenance work on the transfer and delivery tunnels of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP) is scheduled to start from 1 October 2024 to 31 March 2025.
The tunnel system consists of a Transfer Tunnel, linking Katse Dam with Muela Power Station and Muela Dam, and a Delivery Tunnel, linking Muela Dam with the Ash River Outfall Works between Clarens and Bethlehem.
The Department of Water and Sanitation said the inspections and maintenance of the tunnels are conducted at intervals not shorter than five years and not exceeding 10 years.
“The last maintenance was conducted in 2019. During the shutdown of 2019 it was found that the steel liners in the tunnel urgently need extensive maintenance on both the Republic of South Africa and Lesotho side,” the department said.
It noted that this process cannot be done in a shorter period than six months.
The planned maintenance work is being overseen by the Lesotho Highlands Water Commission, a joint governance body between South Africa and Lesotho and will be jointly undertaken by the Lesotho Highlands Development Agency (LHDA) and the Trans Caledon Tunnel Authority (TCTA).
The work required to be undertaken during the period includes grit-blasting the steel-lined section around the entire circumference and re-applying corrosion protection on the tunnel lining, as well as other maintenance and repair work identified during the 2019 maintenance shutdown.
The work to be undertaken requires lot of time as it is expected to protect the infrastructure for another 20-30 years.
“This much-needed maintenance is critical to maintain the integrity of the delivery tunnels as a tunnel failure will risk the transfer of the 780 million m3/annum to the Integrated Vaal River System (IVRS), from which Rand Water draws water to supply its customers. The six months period required to conduct maintenance is thus crucial to avoid any catastrophic event which may result from lack of maintenance,” the department explained.
As a result of the tunnel shutdown, the department said 700 million m3 per annum will be transferred in 2024, and only a shortfall of 80 million m3 from the annual transfer volume will be impacted.
“After the shutdown period, the water transfers will be increased to enable the shortfall in transfers to be recovered. It must be noted that for the IVRS, transferring the full volume (780 million m3) on an annual basis from Lesotho (regardless of the status of the IVRS) does not yield the most efficient use of the system yield,” the department said.
An analysis was undertaken in May 2023 to assess the risk to the IVRS’ performance because of the outage and to determine the impact of the shutdown on water availability to users in South Africa.
The results showed that the impact of the outage on the overall IVRS will be insignificant considering that dams in the IVRS such as the Sterkfontein Dam and others are relatively full.
The standard operating rule is that Sterkfontein Dam releases water to the Vaal Dam when the Vaal Dam reaches a minimum operating level of 18%.
The department’s analysis indicates that this is unlikely to occur at any probability level in the 2023-2024 operating year (1 May – 31 April).
The department said further analysis will be undertaken in May 2024 to ensure that there are also no likely risks to water supply from the IVRS in the 2024-2025 operating year.
However, the department warned that the shutdown will have implications of water supply to users along the Liebenbergsvlei River and its tributaries during that period, as the river directly receives outflows from the tunnel.
“The towns of Bethlehem, Reitz, and Tweeling as well as licensed irrigators will be affected. The reason for these users being affected is that there will be a significantly reduced amount of water in the Liebenbergsvlei River and its tributaries, from which these users draw their water.
“In order to secure water during the shutdown for these local users, the Saulspoort Dam will be filled up at the commencement of the shutdown period. DWS analysis indicates that a full Saulspoort Dam will be able to provide water for local requirements including those of Bethlehem, Reitz, and Tweeling for a period of up to nine months which is more than the six months tunnel outage,” the department said. – SAnews.gov.za
GabiK
Mon, 03/18/2024 - 13:19
Returning to the ‘Friendly City’ on Sunday 7 April 2024, the Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K will treat runners to a fast, flat route that highlights the city’s iconic landmarks while celebrating the true essence of Gqeberha – the vibe, the city, and the people! “Gqeberha has a reputation for setting records, and we’re …
At the end of 2023, The Chris Burger Petro Jackson Players’ Fund bid farewell to two of its pillars in founding members and trustees Morné du Plessis and Frikkie Naudé. For 43 years, the pair paved the way for the non-profit organisation with extraordinary passion and left behind a solid foundation for the Players’ Fund …
Ministers commit to support transboundary cooperation in shared water basin
Ministers responsible for Water Affairs from the Republics of Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe have recommitted their support to deepening transboundary cooperation in the Limpopo River Basin.
During the biannual meeting by the four Member States held recently in Musina, Limpopo, the Ministers, who are all members of the Limpopo Watercourse Commission (LIMCOM), signed an endorsement agreement to make amendments to the existing transboundary agreement of LIMCOM on the shared water basin.
READ | SA, Zimbabwe to sign agreement for treated water transfer to Musina
The Department of Water and Sanitation has been a member of LIMCOM since the Commission was established between the Republics of Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe through the LIMCOM Agreement signed in November 2003 in Maputo, Mozambique.
Article 3.1 of the LIMCOM Agreement (Agreement 2003), stipulates that the objective of the Commission is to “advise the Contracting Parties and provide recommendations on the uses of the Limpopo River, its tributaries and its waters for purposes and measures of protection, preservation and management of the Limpopo River”.
With respect to the Commission’s institutional arrangements to deliver its mandate, the 2003 Agreement, under Article 4, stipulates that the principal organ of the Commission is the Council composed of not more than three delegates per country, with the mandate to establish the Secretariat and any other organ as may be necessary.
However, the Commission recognised that Article 4 of the LIMCOM Agreement signed in 2003 did not include the Council of Ministers as the principal organ of decision making.
As a result, the formalisation of the Council of Ministers as the main policy body will improve the governance structure of LIMCOM and its Secretariat, and also foster closer cooperation for judicious, sustainable and coordinated management, protection and utilisation of shared watercourses. This is in line with the 2000 Revised Southern African Development Community (SADC) Protocol on Shared Watercourses.
South Africa’s Water and Sanitation Minister, Senzo Mchunu, said it was necessary to include the Ministers so that they execute the mandate regarding the management of the Limpopo River Basin.
Mchunu said the amendment of the agreement will strengthen South Africa’s relations with the three riparian States which share the Limpopo River Basin and use water from the river to support various socio-economic activities.
“We are looking forward to execute the mandates given to us by the people through LIMCOM and we hope that Southern Africa will look at their rivers as assets which are instrumental in developing socio-economic activities including agriculture, tourism, energy generation as well as for domestic use,” Mchunu said.
Located in Southern Africa, the Limpopo River Basin encompassing portions of Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. The basin faces a number of challenges, especially water scarcity.
In South Africa, there are four Water Management Areas (WMA) found in the Limpopo River Basin, and these include Limpopo WMA, Luvuvhu and Letaba WMA, Olifants WMA and Crocodile (West) and Marico WMA.
However, there is an increasing demand for water to meet the needs of the population and the key economic sectors while faced with limited, if not dwindling, water resources.
The four Ministers also launched the “Integrated Transboundary River Basin Management for the Sustainable Development of the Limpopo River Basin, spearheaded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in South Africa, in partnership with the Global Water Partnership-Southern Africa (GWPSA).
The project aims to achieve integrated, cross sectoral, ecosystem-based management of the Limpopo River and to uplift the living standards of the basin’s population and conserve the basin’s resources and ecosystems services.
The project implementation is guided by the LIMCOM Agreement and the principles which are contained in the Revised SADC Protocol on Shared Watercourses of 2000.
The principles include sustainable utilisation; equitable and reasonable utilisation; protection, preservation, and conservation of the environment; and prevention and mitigation of significant harm.
“These principles shall be interpreted according to the provisions of Article 3 of the SADC Protocol and developed in accordance with the best international practices.
“Furthermore, in the implementation of this project, the Governments of Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe commit themselves to uphold the provisions of the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development,” Mchunu said. – SAnews.gov.za
GabiK
Mon, 03/18/2024 - 10:55
More than four billion people (https://apo-opa.co/4aerFVs) worldwide will take part in elections this year, including in the US, UK, India, and South Africa. However, the increasing prevalence of disinformation, fuelled by the growing use of deepfakes and generative AI, means that politicians and voters alike will need to be on high alert.
In the 2024 Global Risks Report (https://apo-opa.co/3wRJRWs), the World Economic Forum identified AI-generated misinformation and disinformation as the second most significant global risk after extreme weather. This concern is well-founded, especially with the rapid rise of tools like generative AI empowered deepfakes, posing a threat to the integrity of democratic processes. Deepfakes, which are highly realistic fabricated videos or images, can deceive voters, manipulate public opinion, and tarnish the reputation of political parties and politicians.
Anna Collard, SVP Content Strategy and Evangelist at KnowBe4 AFRICA, a cybersecurity training organisation, says there has been a vast improvement in the quality of deepfakes over the past year, making them more convincing and difficult to identify. In a notable incident from October last year, cybercriminals used deepfake videos (https://apo-opa.co/4aewZYY) to impersonate African Union Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat during online conversations with European diplomats. Similarly, in December, Facebook removed over 100 deepfake paid advertisements (https://apo-opa.co/3TBfnkt) featuring British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak after nearly half a million people viewed them.
“Deepfakes pose major risks in the run-up to elections, both in the UK and South Africa,” says Collard. “Voters need to be aware of this risk and be proactive about mitigating their impact.”
Be aware of deepfakes
According to Collard, the initial step in combating the impact of misinformation and disinformation through deepfakes is raising awareness. “It's crucial for the public to be aware of the existence of this phenomenon,” she emphasises, adding, “The production of deepfake videos and images is cheap and easy.”
CounterCloud, a research project to showcase how easy it is to create fully automated (https://apo-opa.co/3wSNhZ0) disinformation campaigns, operated with a modest budget of only $400. Its goal was to counter negative depictions of the US propagated by Russian media. “If you're a politician, expect deepfakes impersonating you to appear in order to sway public opinion,” she asserts. “Similarly, voters should not believe everything they see or hear on social media to be true.”
Verify information
Apart from raising awareness, another crucial principle is to verify information. “If a politician purportedly said something that's deeply polarising, it's important to verify whether they genuinely said it.” To counter the risk of deepfakes, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), in collaboration with Media Monitoring Africa, has launched an initiative called Padre (https://apo-opa.co/3THIwux). This initiative allows voters to fact-check information regarding South African political parties and their recent statements.
Google's reverse-image search (https://images.Google.com/) is another helpful tool that enables you to check if an online image has been used elsewhere. Additionally, FotoForensics (https://FotoForensics.com/) provides a more in-depth analysis of images. However, despite these tools, verifying information remains challenging. “Deepfakes are becoming more convincing, making verifying information even harder,” states Collard.
Don't over-react
Lastly, when faced with inflammatory content, Collard stresses the importance of voters not overreacting. “Scammers want to whip up your emotions and get you in a state where you're unable to think rationally,” she says. “Stay calm and don't share content that is overly emotive. Whenever your emotions are triggered, slow down and verify, -it could be a hoax.”
Collard believes that it is every voter's responsibility to educate themselves about the dangers of deepfakes. “AI-generated fake content has huge implications for society, especially during election periods,” she says. “To combat this form of disinformation and safeguard the democratic process, social media platforms, political parties and independent watchdogs as well as us the public will all need to work together.”
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of KnowBe4.
Freelance writing rates from R1.50 per word Technical Content is the most luctrative niche to write for Hourly rates range from R300 to R700 What you could earn creating Social Media and SEO content Here are the rates that freelance writers in South Africa typically charge for different forms of writing: Magazine writing: Freelance writers …
In the lead up to International Women’s Day, it is an opportune time to engage in a thoughtful reflection on the strides made and the persistent challenges encountered in the pursuit of gender equality. Avon’s recently unveiled 2024 Global Progress for Women Report serves as a catalyst for contemplation, urging us to delve into the …
Government activities for the week 18 to 22 March 2024
From Monday, 18 March, to Tuesday, 19 March, Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Sihle Zikalala, will host the Sustainable Infrastructure Development Symposium South Africa 2024 in Century City, Cape Town.
On Monday, 18 March, Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana, will be addressing the European Union funding and policy dialogue at Origins Centre (Wits University west campus) in Johannesburg.
From Monday, 18 March, to Wednesday, 20 March, is the national Conference on Human Rights in South Africa in Gauteng.
On Tuesday, 19 March, the National Library of South Africa commemorates Library Week at Pretoria Campus.
Wednesday, 20 March, President Cyril Ramaphosa will deliver the keynote address at the Second Black Industrialists and Exporters Conference at the Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg.
On Thursday, 21 March, the Human Rights Day celebration at the George Thabe Stadium in Sharpeville, Gauteng. It will also be World Poetry Day.
Friday, 22 March, is World Water Day.
Janine
Mon, 03/18/2024 - 11:36
NERSA approves Eskom's NTCSA powers transfer application
The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) has approved Eskom’s application for a transfer of its powers and duties related to section 34 Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) with Independent Power Producers (IPPs) to the National Transmission Company South Africa (NTCSA).
The NTCSA is the transmission arm of Eskom and the move represents a step forward in the power utility’s unbundling process.
“Eskom’s application to NERSA on 21 December 2023 for consent to transfer its powers and duties under section 34 of the Electricity Regulation Act to the NTCSA was a pivotal step in its unbundling process, as outlined in the 'Roadmap for Eskom in a reformed electricity supply industry' published by the Department of Public Enterprises in 2019.
“The transition of the Buyer role for section 34 IPPs from Eskom to the NTCSA is a critical component of this process,” NERSA said in a statement.
The NTCSA has also been designated as a buyer in the electricity space.
“In addition to this landmark decision, the Energy Regulator further sanctioned the issuance of a cost recovery letter to the NTCSA for section 34 IPP projects, and the amendment of the IPP’s generation licences to designate the NTCSA as the buyer in terms of section 16(1)(d) of the Electricity Regulation Act, replacing Eskom Holdings in this role. The NTCSA’s trading licence will be amended accordingly,” NERSA said.
Meanwhile, NERSA has announced that it has made a “significant decision regarding the processing of high-profile decisions by its subcommittees particularly the Electricity Subcommittee and the Petroleum Pipelines Subcommittee”.
“The Energy Regulator resolved that all subcommittees will no longer withhold the exact number or decision, for example, the total percentage of allowed tariff/revenue being recommended to the Energy Regulator for approval in high-profile matters.
“This decision of the Energy Regulator is in keeping with section 8(9) of the National Energy Regulator Act, which mandates that all Energy Regulator meetings must be open to the public, with the exception being when discussing information that would require the Energy Regulator to refuse access under the Promotion of Access to Information Act,” the regulator said.
NERSA explained that before this decision, certain information would be withheld from the public until a final decision had been reached and communicated with affected parties.
“This decision is a step towards greater transparency and accountability in Energy Regulator proceedings, particularly in cases involving applications from entities such as Eskom and Transnet.
“Moving forward, unless a resolution is passed to withhold information due to legal constraints, all subcommittees will fully disclose the intended recommendations to the Energy Regulator,” NERSA said. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Mon, 03/18/2024 - 10:05
Principal Professional Officer for the City of Cape Town Caley Green announced the launch of the city's 2023 Infrastructure Report at a Masterclass during the Sustainable Infrastructure Development Symposium of South Africa (SIDSSA) on March 17.
Evaluating the city's bulk infrastructure from the past year, the updated report builds on its predecessors by focusing on infrastructure across five sectors, including energy, solid waste, water and sanitation, human settlements and transport. According to Green, “The report provides an update on the bulk infrastructure pipeline of projects assessed in the first report. This new report addresses areas of greatest need and highest demand.”
The Masterclass was led by South Africa's Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Sihle Zikalala and a panel of experts who called on investors and role-players to support an infrastructure-led economic recovery plan in South Africa.
Taking place on March 17-19 at the Century City Conference Center, SIDSSA brings together key stakeholders in South Africa and across the continent with the aim of driving infrastructure development. SIDSSA 2024 serves as a crucial platform for discussions and partnerships in the infrastructure investment landscape, with a focus on accelerating economic activity through strategic infrastructure plans. Energy Capital & Power – the leading investment platform for the African energy sector – is a media partner for this important platform. For more information, visit https://SIDSSA.org.za/.
During the Masterclass, speakers provided insight into the challenges and opportunities within the country's infrastructure sector. With a focus on infrastructure investment planning, the session explored South Africa's strategy to build state capacity while delivering an aggressive development program and closing the infrastructure investment gap.
“We recognize the importance of this masterclass…” stated Minister Zikalala. “This crucial session marks the beginning of the SIDSSA, which in its third year continues to be a platform to bring together think-tanks like yourselves and critical role-players in the infrastructure investment space.”
The Western Cape government has put a jobs growth and development strategy in place, which is aimed at enabling a R1 trillion economy by 2035. The seven-point plan focuses on short- and medium-term growth based on the need to sustainably enable the economy, drive energy security, ensure access to water and boost resilient investment.
“We must move away from typical thinking around public works within the government space,” stated Director-General for the Western Cape Government Dr. Harry Malila. “We cannot just focus on repairing hospitals and schools; we need to take an economic approach and venture outside of our comfort zone.”
Showcasing South Africa's plan to develop its local content capacity and advance national development goals, local industrialization, skills development, job creation, youth employment and regional economic integration were highlighted as key areas to ensure the implementation of a resilient infrastructure strategy.
“We aim to implement the objectives of the National Skills Development Plan 2030 to increase the number of people that obtain critical or scarce skills needed, and to build the capacity of the construction sector to be economically sustainable and globally competitive,” stated CEO of the Construction Education and Training Authority, Malusi Shezi.
In response to the country's strategy to incentivize infrastructure investment, it was noted during the masterclass that South Africa needs to implement a deliberate effort to mitigate capacity constraints and inefficiency to ensure project completion. This was highlighted as a requisite to attain investor confidence and promote localization and private sector participation in the country's infrastructure sector.
“We have a structural issue in terms of the quantum of infrastructure investment in this country,” stated Development Economist and Senior Lecturer at Stellenbosch University Dr. Nthabiseng Moleko. “We have to shift production towards production sectors. The key priority for that is infrastructure. We have to align investment and enhance the localization of these investments.”
Negligence in infrastructure maintenance has resulted in a lack of confidence in the sector. As such, improved governance, administration and capacity building were highlighted as solutions to addressing infrastructure challenges in South Africa.
“Overall investment has been on a downward trend since 2010 and started picking up in 2022. Despite the overall decline, private sector capital investment continued to grow faster than public sector investment. Yet, much faster growth is needed to expand the economy and reduce unemployment and end poverty,” stated Municipal Infrastructure Support Agency CEO, Mapatane Kgomo.
SIDSSA 2024 is organized by the Investment and Infrastructure Office under the Presidency, in collaboration with the Association of African Exhibition Organizers. The National African Federation for the Building Industry joins as an association partner, while the Development Bank of Southern Africa is the official sponsor of the event. The Masterclass on Sustainable Infrastructure Development is held in collaboration with the National School of Government.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.
Johannesburg , 18 March 2024 : Daybreak Farms’ corporate image had been marred by negative media in the past few years, recently it has started to convey the fixtures and work done to reposition it, strongly signalling to the market its governance renewal journey and the operational overhaul. Daybreak Farms underwent a restructuring process in …
ACCRA: Captain George van Heerden struck his maiden T20 century as Team South Africa got their African Games campaign off...
JOHANNESBURG: Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers secured a five-wicket victory in a thrilling encounter against Hollywoodbets Dolphins as the...
GQEBERHA: Beyers Swanepoel and Patrick Kruger shared seven wickets between them as the Dafabet Warriors maintained their dazzling start to...
JOHANNESBURG: The Cricket South Africa (CSA) T20 Challenge has geared up for more double header action and the CSA Professional...
POTCHEFSTROOM: Rubin Hermann recorded his maiden century as Auto Investment North West Dragons recorded their first win of the 2023/24...
Navigating mental health challenges in African traditional settings South Africa – Last year, Fort Hare University’s Psychiatric Nursing department found that not only was the country’s growing mental health crisis exacerbating the country’s substance and rising suicide levels[1], but it was a major contributor to increasing crime levels.[2] In the recently released National Crime Statistics[3] …
Makhensa Mabunda and Auswell Mashaba were at the heart of the corrupt deals
Zikalala hosts Sustainable Infrastructure Development Symposium
Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Sihle Zikalala will host the Sustainable Infrastructure Development Symposium South Africa (SIDSSA) 2024 between 17 and 19 March 2024 in Century City, Cape Town.
SIDSSA is a pioneering event aimed at bringing together key stakeholders, experts and decision-makers in the field of infrastructure development.
President Cyril Ramaphosa will deliver the keynote address at the symposium on Tuesday, 19 March, while Deputy President Paul Mashatile will deliver an address at the stakeholder dinner on Monday.
Various Ministers and Deputy Ministers will anchor panel discussions and technical discussions throughout the symposium.
“The symposium serves as a platform to explore partnerships between the public and private sectors, as well as pivot investment opportunities in infrastructure in South Africa. Additionally, the symposium is intended to shape the conversations about regulatory and policy reforms, innovative funding models for infrastructure, and investing in infrastructure for a shared prosperity for all,’’ the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure said.
This year, the symposium will feature the following milestones:
• Launch of the construction book: A repository of infrastructure projects going into procurement/construction in the 2024/2025 financial year.
• Leaders forum: A gathering of South African Ministers with other Ministers invited from the continent.
• Top 12 infrastructure project priorities: These projects will receive project preparation funding from Infrastructure South Africa.
• Signing of MOUs with important partners and stakeholders.
The symposium will also provide the following updates:
• Update on the gazetted Strategic Integrated Projects.
• Update on the projects already receiving project preparation support.
• Infrastructure Fund Project Pipeline.
- SAnews.gov.za
DikelediM
Sun, 03/17/2024 - 11:11
Mashatile reiterates commitment to accelerated service delivery in N West
Deputy President Paul Mashatile has reaffirmed government’s commitment to continue to provide basic services to its people and ensure that all South Africans have equal rights, as outlined in the Freedom Charter.
Mashatile said government recognises that accelerated service delivery is not just about efficiency and convenience; it is also about creating a society where every individual has equal access to basic services.
“Improving the delivery of basic services in South Africa is more than just a question of duty; it is also about social fairness, equality, and dignity. By ensuring that everyone has access to essential services, we can empower people, strengthen communities, and create a more successful and inclusive country,” he said.
The second-in-command was leading the Thuntsha Lerole Accelerated Service Delivery programme in Rusternburg, North West, on Friday.
Thuntsha Lerole is an initiative led by the North West provincial government aimed at confronting the critical issue of service delivery in communities through strengthened partnerships with government, the private sector as well as civil society organisations.
The programme is in accordance with the District Development Model (DDM), which aims to tackle service delivery issues by facilitating collaboration and coordination among all levels of government, from local municipalities to the national government.
It is currently in its third phase, which aims to launch and hand over service delivery projects in identified communities, running from March to May 2024.
READ | District Development Model: A game changer
The Deputy President said they support the 'Early Warning System' in the form of an electronic dashboard that will monitor municipal performance and reporting in a more coordinated manner.
The Thuntsha-Lerole mobile app, which has now gone live, will provide an interactive communication platform to connect government with citizens, allowing them to report service delivery challenges in real time in their localities.
Through this app, communities will have the ability to promptly escalate service delivery issues to the appropriate department and municipal officials.
“This will enable speedy responses to challenges such as water disruptions, sewer spillages, electricity outages, and more. Given the high cost of data in our country and the prevalence of poverty in our society, we anticipate that the application will soon become accessible without requiring data, hence enhancing access for individuals, especially those residing in rural areas and townships,” the Deputy President said.
READ | Mashatile calls for accelerated service delivery in communities across SA
Mashatile visited several sites in Tlhabane, including a newly-built school and the Tlhabane Community Health Centre, unveiling a state-of-the-art X-ray machine.
He handed over the R2.2 million modern technology X-Ray machine, which was donated to the Health Centre by Glencore Mine. The machine allows doctors and radiographers to view patient scans on display, reducing hospital referrals and wait times. It also stores X-ray records for up to five years, enhancing patient care.
“Let me express our deepest gratitude, as government, to Glencore Mine for this donation, which will go a long way towards improving the health of our people. It is through working together as social partners that we will attain our country’s developmental aspirations and a better life for all,” Mashatile said.
The Deputy President said these initiatives are just part of providing solutions to the service delivery challenges faced by the North West community.
“We are aware that a lot still needs to be done to meet the needs of our people. Greater and more focused endeavours are required, particularly in addressing the reversal of the governance collapse in the province,” he said.
He highlighted that the 6th administration of government faced difficulties related to the stability and collapse of administration and as a result, the President and Cabinet utilised Section 100 of the Constitution to intervene in the province.
“Nevertheless, I was pleased to hear Acting Premier Nono Maloyi's State of the Province Address, in which it was said that despite these difficulties, your determination remains unshaken and your commitment to serving the people of the North West has been fortified.
“We applaud your ability to successfully implement a sustainable turnaround strategy in all 22 municipalities in the province, using the District Development Model (DDM),” he said.
READ | Mashatile officiates launch of North West service delivery programme. – SAnews.gov.za
DikelediM
Sun, 03/17/2024 - 14:57
Spotlight on women empowerment at CSW68
National Council of Provinces (NCOP) Deputy Chairperson Sylvia Lucas has told delegates at the 68th annual Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68) that advancing gender transformation necessitates parliaments to regularly assess prevailing gender norms in communities.
This, she stated, will ensure that policy interventions are targeted for each community to improve the efficiency of policies.
Lucas addressed the second session of the gathering on the theme, 'Gender-sensitive Institutions to Break the Poverty Cycle'.
In her address, she said parliaments’ capacity to craft gender responsive law-making and policy interventions is a critical area that needs attention.
Parliaments should also continue to build women’s capacity to advocate for gender-responsive oversight and law-making processes across important sectors like development and transformation.
The Deputy Chairperson is accompanying National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula to the CSW68, which is organised by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and United Nations (UN) Women. It is taking place in New York until 22 March.
Lucas said parliaments have a critical role to play in reducing poverty through gender transformation by enacting laws that are gender-responsive and which are framed with dexterity to disrupt gender-regressive norms and behaviors across society at large.
“In working towards achieving gender transformation, we must continue to be guided by existing international and national protocols and legal frameworks, including prescribed norms of gender transformation, which can be used to strategically shape policy-making and promote gender equality,” she said.
Lucas told the session that South Africa has recently adopted the 2021 Women’s Charter for Accelerated Development. This charter is based on international best practice and mandated by South African women. It outlines critical areas for parliamentary intervention in policy, legislation and programming. The charter’s goal is to meaningfully advance gender transformation and reduce poverty.
“To this end, critical policy areas highlighted through our Women’s Charter Review process include the recommendation for the amendment of budget policies, money bills, fiscal policies and tax laws, including macroeconomic policies, which we view as critical areas for sustained and high-level analysis and amendment.
“If amended to make them more gender-responsive in their shape, form and content, these policies and legislative instruments will serve as enabling instruments to achieve poverty reduction and gender transformation objectives,” Lucas said.
Lucas said some of the capacities and resources parliaments should continue to invest in include gender-responsive budget analysis capabilities and law-making, gender-responsive oversight and oversight agenda-setting, and increasing capacity to use gender-disaggregated data to shape budget decisions and commitments. – SAnews.gov.za
DikelediM
Sun, 03/17/2024 - 14:59
Parliament calls for intensified training on domestic violence among officers
The Portfolio Committee on Police has directed South African Police Service (SAPS) senior managers to increase and enhance training for SAPS members to ensure compliance with the Domestic Violence Act (DVA).
This comes after the committee received a report on compliance with the Act and complaints against SAPS members, as contemplated in Section 18(4)(a) of the Act.
The committee said non-compliance with the Act undermines the fight against gender-based violence, and that increased training will equip police officers with the tools necessary to ensure proper reporting and investigation of domestic violence.
“It is unacceptable that in a country like South Africa, with abnormally high cases of domestic violence, there are still some members of the SAPS that are not compliant with the Act. While there is a general improvement in the number of complaints received, complete compliance is non-negotiable, according to the committee,” the chairperson of the committee, Nocks Seabi, said.
SAPS and the Civilian Secretariat for Police Service informed the committee that from 1 April to 30 September 2023, 60 complaints were reported. Fifty of those cases involved failure to complete a SAPS 508(a) form (a domestic violence form used to descriptively register the incident of domestic violence received) and the Domestic Violence Register (SAPS 508(b)).
Seven cases involved the failure to record domestic violence incidents in the occurrence pocketbook, and two cases concern failure to assist a complainant to open a case.
While the committee acknowledged that various actions have been taken, including the issuing of verbal warning and final written warnings, the committee believes continuous training will assist police officers to properly handle cases of domestic violence and comply with legislation.
The committee has also urged departmental investigations to be speedily concluded to ensure that members are held accountable.
The committee was also critical of the high number of police officers accused of perpetrating domestic violence in the period under review.
“It is alarming that 165 members of SAPS are accused of being perpetrators of domestic violence. How can we expect perpetrators to assist and protect the most vulnerable? This is unacceptable and urgent strategies must be developed and implemented to remedy this concern,” Seabi emphasised.
The committee has also called for enhanced psycho-social support for members to help them cope with the violent environment in which they operate.
Another concern for the committee is that 116 police stations are still without victim-friendly rooms. While the committee acknowledges that there are measures to mitigate this gap, it emphasised the need for more focus on capital projects to develop such rooms.
Meanwhile, the committee also received a report on the outcomes of Safer Festive Season operations. It said it is "generally pleased" with the police visibility and operations during the festive season.
While the committee acknowledged that budgetary constraints hinder the continued roll-out of similar operations, it requested a budgetary estimation on the costs involved for Parliament to consider. – SAnews.gov.za
DikelediM
Sun, 03/17/2024 - 15:01