MyZA

News, Directory, Events and Other Stuff

You are here: Home / Archives for South Africa

South Africa

Health dept receives multimillion-rand equipment from German Development Bank

Location: News

Health dept receives multimillion-rand equipment from German Development Bank

Health Minister, Dr Joe Phaahla, has welcomed the multimillion-rand donation of mobile health clinics from the German Development Bank (KfW) in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal. 

The Minister said the donation supports efforts by the South African government to strengthen the public health system.

“Today is one of the most exciting days for the National Department of Health and the provincial departments as we formally acknowledge the support we received from the German government, through the German Development Bank and the DG Murray Trust. 

“The governments of Germany and South Africa have enjoyed a very fruitful relationship across several departments for a while now,” he said on Thursday. 

Phaahla was speaking at the official hand over of the equipment at the Town Hill Hospital. 

The Minister was joined by the German Ambassador to South Africa, Andreas Peschke, Deputy Health Minister Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo, KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Health, Nomagugu Simelane, leaders from local government and DG Murray Trust.

The donated assets, valued at R500 million, include specialised vaccine fridges, vaccine carriers, temperature monitoring devices, notebooks, tablets and mobile health clinics.

Phaahla said the 46 mobile clinics have contributed to changing people’s lives and that they have reached 1.9 million individuals with direct interpersonal interactions. 

“I will work with the MECs to sustain and maintain these assets when the funding ends in September this year.”

Phaahla said the mobile units operate in four provinces including Gauteng, Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, and are operated by professional nurses, communicators and local mobilisers supported by the #KeReady youthful doctors. 

“These units are serving as the bedrock of our campaign to get closer to the youth community and highlight the challenges that face youth life,” said the Minister.

“We consider the Ambassador and his team as friends; friends who did not abandon us at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, but stayed with us and provided support for specific vulnerable communities in the informal settlements.

“We thank you for the precise, strategic and tailored programmes you brought into our primary healthcare ecosystem,” he said. 

He told the attendees that today’s gathering was not just a celebration but an occasion to showcase the countries’ bilateral relationship and to demonstrate that their relationship was beneficial to both nations. 

“Our vision and objectives for the health sector have been expressed in many documents and on many other platforms.”

The Universal Health Access through the National Health Insurance (NHI), he said, was a vision South Africa strives towards, working with the private sector. 

“We are committed to this vision and the outcomes we envisage despite the huge setback due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

He noted German’s specific targeted programmes, which are evidence-based and believes that will have an impact. 

The focus includes children who are reached through the Early Childhood Development (ECD) programme, young people in hard-to-reach areas, community-led social mobilisation campaigns, strong monitoring and evaluation systems and cost-effective approaches. 

“Ambassador, we recognise that you give our people a hand to uplift them out of poverty, instead of once-off hand-outs which are not sustainable," said Phaahla.

He acknowledged the German government for its support during the COVID-19 response.

Phaahla expressed his gratitude for German’s forward-thinking approach, which he described as “precise and impactful”. 

“We will scale it up as we move forward and apply lessons learned to our programmes.” – SAnews.gov.za

Gabisile
Thu, 01/25/2024 - 14:13

292 views
Read moreHealth dept receives multimillion-rand equipment from German Development Bank

Sigma Connected and TDX Group form strategic partnership creating novel jobs

Location: MyPR

Debt management specialist TDX Group, an Equifax company, has partnered with business outsourcing provider Sigma Connected, drawing on their respective debt insights and collection expertise for an all-in-one recovery solution package for clients. The strategic link-up will see Sigma Connected and TDX Group working closely on white label customer service support for organisations spanning the …

Read moreSigma Connected and TDX Group form strategic partnership creating novel jobs

Western Cape Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning welcomes relief funding for September floods

Location: News

Western Cape Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, South Africa
Download logo

Western Cape welcomes R114million relief funding for September floods.

Anton Bredell, Western Cape MEC for Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning today confirmed that National Treasury has approved an amount of R114million to be released from the Municipal Disaster Response Grant to the Western Cape for damages suffered during the floods of September 2023. 

“We appreciate this allocation, and I want to thank all the role players who worked together to do damage assessments, drafted the disaster classification application, and worked together with our colleagues at the National Disaster Management Centre to satisfy all the regulatory requirements to qualify for this disaster relief. It is important and necessary funding to help us deal with the significant impact that the flood had on our province”.

MEC Bredell said that although the province applied for relief of more than R700million, we appreciate the R114million, and will now focus on spending the money wisely in the 5 municipalities identified for relief:

  • 24 projects in Theewaterskloof
  • 16 projects in Overstrand
  • 11 projects in Stellenbosch
  • 13 projects in Langeberg
  • 6 projects in the City of Cape Town.

MEC Bredell said the intense flooding of 2023, and the current wildfire season which is stretching fire services across the province to the limit, is a wakeup call for all levels of government: “A new mindset is needed for infrastructure development and how we interact with nature. “We cannot repair roads and bridges to be washed away in the next flood. We must design and construct with the future in mind where we should anticipate more extreme weather events.”

The Department of Local Government, together with these municipalities are currently working on dedicated business plans for each of the identified repair projects.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Western Cape Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, South Africa.

Read moreWestern Cape Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning welcomes relief funding for September floods

Township and village tourism acquire a lot to offer

Location: News

Township and village tourism have a lot to offer

Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille says township and village tourism have much to offer in terms of boosting the economy.

“I firmly believe that township and village tourism has so much to offer and so much untapped potential and we must place more focus on this area to showcase our hidden gems and the true magic of our villages and townships,” de Lille said.

Addressing the inaugural Township and Village Tourism Expo hosted by the SA Township and Village Tourism Organisation (SATOVITO) at the Cradle of Humankind, in Morapeng on Thursday, de Lille said the expo aims to shine a light on tourism products in villages and townships where people from disadvantaged backgrounds are breaking through barriers to take their claim in the tourism sector.

“I have found only warm, kind and committed people in tourism in every part of this country and I look forward to exploring even more hidden gems this year and pushing harder with all partners to take the entire tourism sector to the next level,” De Lille said.

De Lille commended the organisers of expo for their objective to foster strong community engagement by involving local residents, community leaders, and stakeholders in the planning and execution of the expo.

“Promoting township and village tourism is an integral part of diversifying our tourism offerings so that we can grow the economy, the sector and the number of jobs created by this sector.

“I am therefore pleased that the South African National Convention Bureau has provided financial support to this expo and that SA Tourism has also supported it through marketing it at global events such as World Travel Market London.

“I have often said that we must place more on emphasising township and village tourism, especially in the annual Sho’t Left campaign and later today there will be workshop on this annual campaign by SA Tourism,” the Minister said.

De Lille said her department wanted to help the organisers to achieve their vision to develop townships and villages into smart residential and business hubs that foster job creation, social cohesion and market indigenous tourism experiences.

“We are your partner to transform the tourism industry and expand the value chain to be more inclusive and attract tourism investment to townships and villages.

“We need to showcase our culture, history, indigenous cultures and people to visitors from all over the world because I am certain that those are the experiences that will leave them with memories they will treasure forever and stories that will captivate them for years to come.

“We need to do better at marketing our history and cultures and show more people places like what is known as “Nobel Street” where we showcase Vilikazi Street in Soweto as being the homes of two Nobel Peace Laureates, our dear Tata Madiba and Archbishop Desmond Tutu,” de Lille said.

De Lille said history has helped transform the area around Vilikazi Street into a thriving business community but there are many more spaces and places like these all over South Africa which can be showcased.

The Tourism Incentive Programme is a package of support programmes aimed at stimulating the growth, development and transformation of the South African Tourism sector.

“Through these incentives, the department aims to transform and achieve accelerated growth in the tourism sector. This in turn contributes to the achievement of the department’s objectives to stimulate enterprise growth, job creation, revenue growth and an enhanced visitor experience,” the Minister said. – SAnews.gov.za

 

Edwin
Thu, 01/25/2024 - 12:49

163 views
Read moreTownship and village tourism acquire a lot to offer

Saudi Arabia market presents enormous growth opportunities for SA

Location: News

Saudi Arabia market presents enormous growth opportunities for SA

The South African - Saudi Arabia Business Council has committed to boosting trade as part of efforts to grow the economies of both countries.

In 2023, South Africa's exports to Saudi Arabia increased to R7.3 billion from R6.6 billion in 2022, while imports from Saudi Arabia decreased to R54.6 billion in 2023 from R73.6 billion in 2022.

The exported goods include agricultural products, motor vehicles, and basic chemicals, whereas the import items mainly consisted of refined petroleum and related products and crude oil.

Speaking at a press briefing in honour of the visiting Saudi business delegation, Co-Chair of the South African–Saudi Arabia Business Council, Stavros Nicolaou, underscored the need to increase trade and investment.

“From my vantage point, the Saudi Arabia market presents enormous growth opportunities for South African companies looking to expand their businesses in the gulf region as shown by local companies that are slowly establishing a presence in that region,” Nicolaou said.

President Cyril Ramaphosa and Minister of Trade, Industry, and Competition Ebrahim Patel have been leading ongoing engagements between South Africa and Saudi Arabia - which have since resulted in local businesses finding a foothold in the vast Saudi Arabia market.

Also speaking at the same media briefing, Dr Hisham Al Amoudi, Vice-Chairman of the Saudi–South Africa Business Council, reaffirmed Saudi Arabia's commitment to investing in South Africa.

Al Amoudi said the South Africa and Saudi Arabia Joint Economic Commission and the Business Council was a good platform to further progress and boost inward investments between the two respective countries. 

He said Saudi Arabia is committed to increasing investment across various sectors in South Africa.

"We are committed to increasing investments for mutual benefits and supporting South Africa’s economic growth. Our current investments contribute to South Africa’s Gross Domestic Product,” Al Amoudi said.

The visit by the Saudi business delegation aims to not only strengthen current trade relations but also to explore opportunities for South African companies to increase market access with products that have high export potential to Saudi Arabia.

These products include motor vehicles for the transport of persons, fruits, mineral resources, chemicals, machinery and electrical equipment.

Additionally, the Saudi delegation seeks to boost investment from Saudi Arabia in sectors beyond South Africa’s renewable energy industry. Currently, Saudi is the largest investor in South Africa's local renewable energy sector and ACWA Power has a leading role in this area.

Overall, it is estimated that Saudi investment into South Africa amounts to $1.62 billion.

The Business Council focuses on five main workstreams - energy and renewable energy, tourism, hospitality and entertainment, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, mining and commodities, and food and agro-processing. These areas aim to utilise investment capital from Saudi Arabia while tapping into the opportunities that South Africa offers in these sectors. – SAnews.gov.za

 

Edwin
Thu, 01/25/2024 - 08:54

357 views
Read moreSaudi Arabia market presents enormous growth opportunities for SA

Pandor leads SA delegation as ICJ is set to deliver ruling on genocide case against Israel

Location: News

Pandor leads SA delegation as ICJ is set to deliver ruling on genocide case against Israel

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) Minister, Dr Naledi Pandor, will lead South Africa’s delegation at The Hague on Friday to hear the judgment on the genocide case against Israel. 

This is after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) announced that it will deliver its judgment tomorrow on whether it will grant emergency measures to stop the war in the Gaza Strip. 

This comes after South Africa approached the ICJ in December last year, under the Genocide Convention, for alleged attacks committed by Israel on the Gaza Strip.  

“On Friday, 26 January 2024, the International Court of Justice will deliver its order on the request for the indication of provisional measures submitted by South Africa in the case concerning the application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip,” the ICJ statement read.

In its application, South Africa also pleaded with the court to indicate provisional measures to “protect against further severe and irreparable harm to the rights of the Palestinian people under the Genocide Convention” and “to ensure Israel’s compliance with its obligations under the Genocide Convention not to engage in genocide, and to prevent and to punish genocide". 

Public hearings on South Africa’s request were held on 11 and 12 January 2024. 

“South Africa is requesting that the ICJ grant interim injunctions, including that Israel immediately cease its military operations in Gaza, take reasonable measures to prevent the genocide of Palestinians, ensure that the displaced return to their homes and have access to humanitarian assistance,” DIRCO said. 

According to the department, the humanitarian assistance includes adequate food, water, fuel, medical and hygiene supplies, shelter and clothing. 

The country also wants the top United Nations (UN) court to take the necessary steps to punish those involved in the genocide and preserve the evidence of genocide. – SAnews.gov.za
 

Gabisile
Thu, 01/25/2024 - 09:17

308 views
Read morePandor leads SA delegation as ICJ is set to deliver ruling on genocide case against Israel

Compostable & biodegradable packaging – ‘silver bullets’ or ‘greenwashers’?

Location: MyPR

Compostable and biodegradable packaging, currently mooted as the ‘silver bullets’ that will end South Africa’s plastic packaging pollution and landfill challenges, may not deserve the ‘green’ image they have been credited with worldwide and locally. This is the opinion of respected recycler, Chandru Wadhwani, Joint Managing Director of Extrupet, one of the largest and most …

Read moreCompostable & biodegradable packaging – ‘silver bullets’ or ‘greenwashers’?

Verdant Capital advises USPlus on EUR 2 million debt capital raise

Location: Business
Verdant Capital

Verdant Capital (www.Verdant-Cap.com) is pleased to announce that it has facilitated and advised on the raising of EUR 2 million of debt funding for US Plus Limited (“UsPlus”), an innovative specialist SME financing firm based in South Africa.

The funding increases UsPlus' capacity to finance SMEs in South Africa, thereby contributing to the country's development agenda.  The new funding further broadens the institutional funding base of UsPlus following the USD 10 million debt capital raise completed by Verdant Capital in 2022 and building on the Domestic Medium Term Programme registered on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.

Studies show that SMEs contribute close to 30% of employment in South Africa, but most of these SMEs do not survive beyond 5 years due to a number of causes, of which lack of funding is a leading factor. Most SMEs are self-funded and struggle to access funds at various stages in their operation. The South African government, under its National Development Plan 2030, is looking to SMEs to help achieve its objective of creating 11 million jobs by 2030. Against this backdrop, UsPlus has been operating since 2015, specialising in the provision of tailor-made working capital finance solutions to SMEs through the purchase of transferable instruments such as invoices, purchase orders and contracts issued by or to its SME clients. This convenient and cost-effective solution gives SMEs access to funding to manage working capital and maximise profits.  Verdant Capital has acted as an important catalyst for funding SME clients in South Africa and across the African continent.

Since its establishment, UsPlus has deployed over ZAR 3.7 billion (approx. USD 196 million) in working capital to SMEs. Its clients are actively engaged in over 25 industries, including agriculture and film production. UsPlus focuses on social, economic and environmental impact and works with SMEs that contribute to employment in South Africa, the upliftment of black-owned enterprises, women-owned enterprises and rurally located enterprises. Furthermore, the company is guided by the International Finance Cooperation's Exclusion List and does not support businesses which operate within this list. UsPlus' success stems from its highly experienced management team and technology-enabled operations, which 1) help meet customers at their point of need, 2) enhance client service experience, and 3) help manage business risk.

Verdant Capital has a strong funding pipeline for UsPlus which will continue to support the successes of the business.

Verdant Capital was the sole advisor and arranger of UsPlus' International debt capital raise.  

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Verdant Capital.

Media enquiries:
Verdant Capital:
Liezel van Greunen,
T: +27 10 140 3700
E: liezel.vangreunen@verdant-cap.com

About Verdant Capital:
Verdant Capital is a leading investment manager and investment bank specialising in the private capital markets and operating on a pan-African basis.  Verdant Capital is the manager of the Verdant Capital Hybrid Fund. www.Verdant-Cap.com.

Media files
Verdant Capital
Download logo
Read moreVerdant Capital advises USPlus on EUR 2 million debt capital raise

Future-Proofing Your Career Is A Click Away For SA’s Techno-Fluent Youth

Location: MyPR

Just matriculated and uncertain about what comes next? A new year and you’re considering a new career? This is what’s next… Not too long-ago technological skills were as exciting as meeting the grim reaper, but today, tech-savvy individuals are the hottest commodity on the job market. Most roles today require some degree of digital and …

Read moreFuture-Proofing Your Career Is A Click Away For SA’s Techno-Fluent Youth

South Africa’s Progressive Business Forum honours Afreximbank board member Ronnie Ntuli with Lifetime Achievement Award

Location: Business

Afreximbank
Download logo

African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) is pleased to announce that its board member, Mr. Ronnie Ntuli has been awarded the Progressive Business Forum's (PBF) prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award and was presented with the accolade at the Presidential Gala Dinner and special celebrations that marked three decades of democracy in South Africa.

The award, which was presented at the PBF's inaugural “Show Up” awards ceremony, recognizes and celebrates individuals who have distinguished themselves in business, public service and, through their commercial, entrepreneurial and civic ventures. It also recognizes those who have acted to improve the common good and promote the wellbeing of others.

Mr Ntuli's receipt of this award constitutes a recognition of his extraordinary contribution to the expansion of Southern Africa's rail network and his application of engineering expertise to continental transport and logistics assets. Mr Ntuli founded and established the Thelo Group, as one of the continent's eminent financiers of railway infrastructure and rolling stock, and the region's most significant supporters of industrial development and high-value exports.

Further to these economic contributions, Ronnie has served his country and continent through extensive advisory work for a range of African Heads of State, where he has leveraged his unrivalled financial and engineering experience – as well as his background in Law – to help decision-makers devise policies and strategies to accelerate economic development and entrepreneurship.

Afreximbank President and Chairman of the Board of Directors, Prof. Benedict Oramah, commented:

I am delighted that my dear friend, and much-trusted advisor on Afreximbank's Board, Mr. Ronnie Ntuli, has been recognized by the Progressive Business Forum for his decades of work on this continent. As both businessman and advisor, Ronnie's contribution to our shared prosperity and development is quite simply incalculable. His counsel has been indispensable to the Bank, particularly as we navigated the challenges of implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.

About Afreximbank:
African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) is a Pan-African multilateral financial institution mandated to finance and promote intra-and extra-African trade. For 30 years, the Bank has been deploying innovative structures to deliver financing solutions that support the transformation of the structure of Africa's trade, accelerating industrialization and intra-regional trade, thereby boosting economic expansion in Africa. A stalwart supporter of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), Afreximbank has launched a Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) that was adopted by the African Union (AU) as the payment and settlement platform to underpin the implementation of the AfCFTA. Working with the AfCFTA Secretariat and the AU, the Bank is setting up a US$10 billion Adjustment Fund to support countries to effectively participate in the AfCFTA. At the end of September 2023, Afreximbank's total assets and guarantees stood at over US$33.4 billion, and its shareholder funds amounted to US$5.8 billion. The Bank disbursed more than US$104 billion between 2016 and 2023. Afreximbank has investment grade ratings assigned by GCR (international scale) (A), Moody's (Baa1), Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR) (A-) and Fitch (BBB). Afreximbank has evolved into a group entity comprising the Bank, its impact fund subsidiary called the Fund for Export Development Africa (FEDA), and its insurance management subsidiary, AfrexInsure, (together, “the Group”). The Bank is headquartered in Cairo, Egypt.

Read moreSouth Africa’s Progressive Business Forum honours Afreximbank board member Ronnie Ntuli with Lifetime Achievement Award

Nxesi calls on employers to register vacancies and training opportunities with the department

Location: News

Nxesi calls on employers to register vacancies and training opportunities with the department

Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi has called on employers to register their vacancies and available training opportunities on the department’s job placement platform - the Employment Services System of South Africa (ESSA) - to help cushion the effects of poverty and unemployment.
 
The Minister was speaking at an employer briefing session at Digital Hub in Botshabelo in the Free State on Wednesday. The briefing session coincided with the start of the two-day Jobs Fair held at Kaizer Sebothelo Stadium – Botshabelo Arena, today. 

“We are willing and ready to assist you in the recruitment and selection of your future employees, free of charge. In other words, no employer will be charged labour brokering fees where you opt to use our systems. We offer similar services free of charge to work seekers. 

“Please get involved in these initiatives so that you are not left behind. They benefit companies; they benefit work seekers, particularly the youth, and they contribute to economic development and help build social cohesion,” the Minister said. 

Today’s briefing was also led by discussions on National Labour Migration Policy, the Employment Equity discussions, Labour Activation Programme presentation, Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act and the Provincial Growth and Development Strategy.

“I don’t have to lecture you as employers on the high rate of crime that we are currently experiencing. The youth remain vulnerable in the labour market, it is a ticking time bomb and represents the greatest risk to social stability in South Africa. Mind-sets need to change, innovations need to be sought and collaborations strengthened to bring about a halt to the staggering unemployment amongst youth.

“From our side, we have started this initiative - engaging in a number of Jobs and Career Fairs across the country - and we have been running them for the last two years. We have introduced state of the art mobile units that are assisting a great deal in servicing work seekers. We have partnered with the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), as well as with the Department of Basic Education (DBE),” Nxesi said. 

He said the partnership with institutions of learning was part of Education for Employability (E4E) - a joint project funded by the European Union to smooth the transition from school to work.

“We are supporting the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative and coordinating various interventions in this regard. We continue to make funding available under the UIF Labour Activation Program towards various partnership projects designed to create employment,” he said.

The department is this week providing an integrated service delivery programme which also includes taking services to the people, unemployment insurance processing, administering the compensation for occupational injuries and diseases claims and conducting blitz inspections. 

On Thursday, the Minister is expected to address work seekers during the Jobs Fair at Kaizer Sebothelo Stadium – Botshabelo Arena.

The Free State Jobs Fair follows on the heels of others held last year in Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, North West and Limpopo. 

In early January, the department also held a Jobs Fair in Thulamahashe in Mpumalanga Province. More Jobs Fairs are to be held in George, Cape Town and other provinces.

 
The Department of Employment and Labour Jobs Fair concept seeks to stimulate employment of work seekers particularly amongst youth. The event also provides an opportunity where job seekers can interact with potential employers for placement and learn about available job opportunities.

It is an initiative championed by the Department’s Public Employment Services (PES) branch and seeks to create opportunities for work seekers and provide a platform to interact with prospective employers. – SAnews.gov.za

DikelediM
Wed, 01/24/2024 - 14:15

555 views
Read moreNxesi calls on employers to register vacancies and training opportunities with the department

Plastics SA Hosts Successful General Plastics Industry Meeting: A Pivotal Event For The Future Of The South African Plastics Industry

Location: MyPR

Plastics SA, the umbrella body representing the local plastics industry, successfully hosted a General Plastics Industry Meeting at its head office in Midrand, Johannesburg, on November 30, 2023. The hybrid meeting witnessed enthusiastic participation from representatives spanning various sectors of the South African plastics industry. The meeting commenced with a warm welcome from Deputy Chairman …

Read morePlastics SA Hosts Successful General Plastics Industry Meeting: A Pivotal Event For The Future Of The South African Plastics Industry

South Africa’s Brad Cox gets a podium space in the gruelling 2024 Dakar Rally

Location: MyPR

Described by even the most hardened competitors as one of the most challenging races on record, South Africa’s Brad Cox (25) was undeterred, putting on an impressive performance on the back of a stellar 2023 season to place 3rd in the Rally2 category and finishing 13th overall in the Bike Category at this year’s Dakar …

Read moreSouth Africa’s Brad Cox gets a podium space in the gruelling 2024 Dakar Rally

Decrease in number of schools affected by burglary and vandalism

Location: News

Republic Of South Africa: Western Cape Provincial Government
Download logo

Despite our department providing holiday security to 486 schools over the December holidays, we recorded 26 incidents of burglary and vandalism at 24 schools over the holiday period.

While this is a significant decrease compared to the same holiday period last year, when 48 incidents were reported at 42 schools, we are nonetheless disappointed that once again our schools must pick up the pieces after criminal damage and theft.

Items stolen or damaged ranged from gas cylinders and food to computers and cameras. Damaged property included electrical boxes, windows, ceilings, doors and security equipment.

It is unacceptable that funding has to be diverted from educational purposes each year to replace items that have been stolen, or repair infrastructure damaged for no reason, especially in a significantly stressed financial environment.

Damaging and stealing from schools sabotages our children's futures, and we appeal to the public to come forward if they notice anyone attempting to sell goods that have been stolen from our schools. Someone, somewhere knows these perpetrators, and we appeal to them to do the right thing so that our schools cease to be a target of crime.

Reporting any suspicious activity in the vicinity of our schools to South African Police Services (SAPS) or the Safe Schools hotline (0800 45 46 47) immediately can make all the difference in apprehending the perpetrators and recovering stolen property.

Help us to protect our schools and the future of our learners in the Western Cape!

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic Of South Africa: Western Cape Provincial Government.

Read moreDecrease in number of schools affected by burglary and vandalism

The Duke of Edinburgh celebrates youth and biodiversity in South Africa

Location: News

British High Commission Pretoria
Download logo

His Royal Highness Prince Edward The Duke of Edinburgh has spent the last two days in South Africa (22 – 23 January), marking the first Royal visit of its kind since President Ramaphosa's historic State Visit to the UK in November 2022. 

During the visit, His Royal Highness met Acting President Mashatile at Oliver Tambo House.

Alongside Ms Barbara Creecy, South Africa's Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment, The Duke explored Pretoria's Botanical Garden with CEO of the South African National Institute (SANBI), Mr Shonisani Munzhedi. This followed President Ramaphosa's visit to the Royal Botanical Garden, Kew, in November 2022, and marked the long-term collaboration between Kew and SANBI to ensure the survival of South Africa's rich plant diversity.

HRH met a wheelchair user and her husband who are regular users of the Enabling Garden, to learn about the different indigenous plants suitable for hanging baskets. He learnt about some of South Africa's abundant flora biodiversity and medicinal plants, as well as viewing the National Herbarium where the largest collection of plant specimens in southern Africa are hosted (with over one million currently being digitised).

HRH met biodiversity organisations to hear about how they are conserving nature and reversing biodiversity loss.

At the British High Commissioner's Residence, The Duke toured an exhibition of President Award winners, moving from stand to stand to talk to young people about their journeys, alongside Award Chairman Modise Makhene and Deputy Minister for International Relations and Cooperation, Ms Kwati Candith Mashego-Dlamini.

This year, the President's Award (The Duke of Edinburgh International Award) celebrates its 41st anniversary in South Africa.

Launched in 1994 with Nelson Mandela as the Founding Patron-in-Chief, the Award today continues to serve as a shining example of our shared values of youth empowerment, community service and creating opportunities for all.

The Award supports approximately 3,000 young South Africans each year. Since 2011, over 65,000 young people are estimated to have participated in the programme. 

HRH also attended a Reception at the Residence with Dr Blade Nzimande, Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology, to celebrate the launch of the UK's new International Science Partnership Fund.

UK High Commissioner to South Africa, Antony Phillipson said:

“This visit reflects the significant breadth and depth of our modern-day friendship with South Africa – from youth empowerment, to climate, science research, biodiversity and democracy - our countries' shared values are clear. Continued collaboration and investment in these areas of mutual interest demonstrate our commitment to working together to address some of the world's most pressing challenges.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of British High Commission Pretoria.

Read moreThe Duke of Edinburgh celebrates youth and biodiversity in South Africa

Free State arts town now manages its own electricity load

Location: News

Free State arts town now manages its own electricity load

Eskom has announced that the Free State town of Clarens, in the eastern part of the province, has become South Africa’s first town where residents are now equipped to manage their own electricity load through load curtailment.

Eskom Free State Senior Manager for Retail, Bibi Bedir, explained that although many municipalities and large customers have been engaging in load curtailment, “group curtailment – where a community manages its own load curtailment – was however piloted in Clarens”.

“Group curtailment requires the collaborative efforts of the entire community to reduce load when requested. Once a system emergency is declared, Eskom gives a nominated group coordinator two hours’ notice of load curtailment that should be sustained throughout load shedding. The group coordinator directs the community who decides which equipment will be switched off to achieve the required demand reduction.

“For the residents of a tiny town that depends on an economic inflow from tourists visiting their small businesses mostly over weekends and holidays, power interruptions due to load shedding required a solution that would allow the town’s economy to thrive while still contributing to a reduction in electricity demand when the national grid is under strain,” Bedir said.

The town’s nominated group coordinator, Gert Kruger, described the move as “life changing” for businesses in the town.

In Clarens, curtailment compliance is managed through an application that was developed by a company managed by Kruger, which signals to customers that load curtailment has been called.

“For a town that depends on tourism, not being subjected to load shedding is life changing. Although the success depends on the voluntary participation of residents and businesses, we have the community’s support as everyone benefits from cooperating.

“Feedback from visitors, restaurants and accommodation establishments is very positive and without the noise of generators, tourists can enjoy Clarens’ natural beauty,” Kruger said.

Monitoring compliance

Eskom explained that during curtailment Stages 1 to 4, customers are asked to reduce electricity demand by some 10 to 20%.

“Unlike load shedding where the customers are switched off as per their schedule, load curtailment must be sustained. Eskom continuously monitors the reduction in demand of its curtailment customers, as three instances of non-compliance will result in the reinstatement of normal load shedding,” the power utility said.

In Clarens, curtailment compliance is managed through an application that was developed by a company managed by Kruger, which signals to customers that load curtailment has been called.

“[This] acts as a trigger for residents to set their load reduction plans in motion. A meter was installed at the town’s main point of supply. Every 60 seconds, the meter sends real-time statistics of the town’s current demand, prompting further reduction if required.

“So far, the project is successful with residents being able to sufficiently reduce and manage their load, making the Clarens project a benchmark for similar projects to be rolled out in other areas of the country.

“As Clarens is already gearing up for smart city initiatives with smart metering and electrical vehicle charging stations already installed, as well as a well-diverse spread of small-scale embedded generators (SSEGs), Eskom was eager to help Clarens' residents in the evolution from an art town to a smart town,” the power utility said. – SAnews.gov.za

NeoB
Wed, 01/24/2024 - 09:45

364 views
Read moreFree State arts town now manages its own electricity load