Month: October 2021

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Suspects arrested for possession of illegal firearms and dagga

DURBAN – An intelligence driven operation conducted by the Zululand Task Team and Paulpietersburg SAPS which led to the successful arrest of three suspects and seizure of illegal firearms, ammunition and dagga.

On 08 October 2021 at 00:30, a multidisciplinary operation was held at Bhadeni in Paulpietersburg when police received information of a well-known suspect said to be in unlawful possession of firearms. The team proceeded to the man’s homestead in the Kwa-Vova area and requested to search his premises.

During the search, police recovered two pistols, a revolver and 37 rounds of ammunition. A 43-year-old man was then placed under arrested for unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition. He is expected to appear in Paulpietersburg Magistrates Court today.

In another operation conducted last night at 22:00, Paulpietersburg police officers received information of a suspicious vehicle said to be transporting large quantity of dagga. The police officers followed upon the said information and the vehicle was spotted on the R33 between Paulpietersburg and Vryheid and a chase ensued. The police managed to intercept the vehicle and two suspects aged 28 and 29 were arrested after they were found with 12 bags of dagga.

The estimated street value of the recovered dagga is R300 000-00. The suspects’ vehicle was taken to police pound for further investigation. The suspects are appearing before the Paulpietersburg Magistrate’s Court today for dealing in dagga.

Source: South African Police Service

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Fraud and corruption case at Mnquma Local Municipality against Theory Mbandamana and 16 others back on court roll

KING WILLIAMS TOWN – The case against the 17 accused implicated in the corruption, Fraud, Money Laundering and Contravention of Section 173(3) of the Municipal Finance Management Act 56 of 2003 case involving politicians, private companies and municipal officials of the Mnquma Local Municipality in Butterworth was re-instated.

On 16 August 2021, the Director for Public Prosecution (DPP) issued a certificate on the order of the judge on 06 August 2021 to re-instate the case and summons and indictments were served on all accused to appear in the Mthatha High court on 5 October 2021 on charges of Fraud, Money Laundering and contravention of Section 173(3) of the Municipal Finance Management Act 56 of 2003. The accused are facing charges of fraud and corruption relating to a R10 million black plastic bag tender the Mnquma municipality awarded to the late Eastern Cape businessman, Sive Nombembe’s company.

All accused except Mr Tembalethu Ntutu and Mr Regis Masuku appeared in court. These two accused through their legal representative brought an application to contest the summons inferring that it was defective and wanted the court to set aside the summons and the return of service.

The case was postponed to 29 November 2021 for all of the accused to be present.

Source: South African Police Service

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Western Cape police endeavours to disarm suspects

WESTERN CAPE – Efforts to eradicate the possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition in our communities led to the arrest of several suspect for the mentioned charges.

On 07 October 2021 at approximately 23:30 members of the Anti-Gang Unit deployed in the Bishop Lavis policing precinct spotted a suspicious looking male carrying an object on the corners of Vanguard and Bonteheuwel Avenue, when the members approached the male he fled on foot. The members chased the male to a premises in Citrus Street, where he was caught. The object that he had in his possession was found to be a. 22 calibre rifle. The male could not produce positive identification to be legally in possession of such a firearm.

The 40-year-old suspect from Bonteheuwel, was arrested and detained for the possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.

On 08 October 2021 members of the Anti-Gang Unit followed up information of possible illegal firearms and ammunition being kept on a premises in Teak Road, in the Bishop Lavis policing precinct. Two pistols, one 9mm and one 7.65 pistol were recovered including ammunition for various firearms. The serial numbers of both firearms were removed. A 34-year-old male was arrested for possession of prohibited firearms and for the unlawful possession of ammunition.

Both suspects are affiliated to a gang.

In an unrelated matter Gugulethu SAPS members received information this morning from the public of a suspicious male who had a firearm on him in BK542 Barcelona. The information was followed up and a suspect fitting the description was apprehended and searched by the members and found in possession of a 9mm firearm and nine rounds of ammunition. He was arrested on charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.

The arrested suspects will appear respectively in the Bishop Lavis and Athlone Magistrate’s courts on Monday, 11 October 2021 on the mentioned charges.

Meanwhile early this morning members of the Kensington Crime Prevention Unit stopped a suspicious vehicle in 6th Avenue Kensington and identified the driver who evaded arrest. Upon searching the vehicle the members found a .38 special revolver with ammunition in the vehicle. Further information revealed that the vehicle was stolen on a Woodstock case. Kensington Detectives are following up on all leads to trace the suspect.

The Provincial Commissioner of the Western Cape, Lt Gen Thembisile Patekile commended the members on their swift action, and expressed his satisfaction that these criminals were stopped in their tracks from committing more crimes.

Source: South African Police Service

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Hawks swoop in on former health HOD and two company directors for tender fraud worth R384 million

NORTHERN CAPE – Two company directors, a juristic person (their entity) along with the former head for the department of Health in the Northern Cape were charged on allegations of fraud, contravention of Public Finance Management Act 1 of 1999 and contravention of the Private Security Industry Regulation Act 56 of 2001.

It is alleged that during 2017, the former HOD, who once was a police officer and is currently the Deputy Director General in another provincial department, awarded tender irregularly to Defensor Electronic Security Systems company for rendering of security services to the department.

It is further alleged that the directors of the company submitted fraudulent documents in order to gain an unfair advantage over others to be awarded the tender as the highest bidder. They were awarded the tender between August and October 2017, worth a total value surpassing R224 million, however it later escalated to an amount exceeding R384 million.

The case was reported to the Hawk’s Serious Corruption Investigation in December 2017, where an Inquiry was registered. The Enquiry was turned into a case docket in January 2020 culminating to the arrest and subsequent court appearance today.

The suspects handed themselves over to the Hawks this morning and are expected to appear before Kimberley Magistrate Court today.

The National Head of the Hawks, Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya, welcome the arrest and said “the wheels of justice may not have started quick enough in this matter, but there is no doubt that they grind exceedingly fine. It is concerning to observe the involvement of senior managers in criminal activities. The members of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation shall continue to secure the attendance in court, of all those who involve themselves in committing national priority offences without fear, favour or prejudice as directed in section 17E(10) of the Police Act.”

Source: South African Police Service

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Seaweed a model solution for fighting climate change

Seaweed a model solution for fighting climate change

Researchers from KAUST and Aarhus university believe they have identified a model solution to climate change, biodiversity loss, joblessness, hunger and environmental damage. In a paper published in Nature Sustainability, the co-authors outline how the cultivation and use of seaweed as a carbon capture technology, a job and tax revenue generator, and a food source, can protect and restore the planet. Credit photos from Aarhus to Michael Bo Rasmussen, Aarhus University.

THUWAL, Saudi Arabia, Oct. 07, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Seaweed, as its unfortunate name suggests, can be a nuisance. It makes a mess of beautiful beaches. It bobs up and down in the waves in an unsightly blob. And it sticks to unsuspecting swimmers as they try to enjoy a dip. But despite its reputation with some ocean goers, seaweed just might be one of the most powerful tools we have to save the planet from manmade climate change while providing a path to realizing many of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Researchers from KAUST and Aarhus University believe seaweed is a model solution to climate change, biodiversity loss, joblessness, hunger and environmental damage. In a paper published in Nature Sustainability the co-authors outline how the cultivation and use of seaweed as a carbon capture technology, a job and tax revenue generator, and a food source, can help protect and restore our planet.

“Our research consolidates seaweed farming as an underpinning of a sustainable future,” Professor Carlos Duarte, study lead author said. “It is scalable, with a 2,000-fold increase potential, it generates valuable products while also contributing to carbon sequestration below the farm, it produces sustainable fuels, and it displaces carbon-intensive products, thereby providing a range of contributions to climate action. While growing at sea, seaweed forms an ecosystem that delivers multiple benefits to the marine environment.”

The cultivation and use of seaweed, the authors believe, will directly support six of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and indirectly support several others. Achieving zero hunger, supporting good health, making clean energy affordable, as well as supporting industrial innovation, climate action, and ocean conservation, are all outcomes of cultivating seaweed. Not only is the plant climate positive, profitable, and edible, but it promises to feed and employ millions while preserving the planet and fostering poverty reduction and gender equality.

“Seaweed provides wonderful materials for a range of applications, grounded in their amazing diversity, as seaweed are as far apart from a genomic perspective as mushrooms and elephants. This genomic diversity provides a phenomenal source of new materials across a range of industries, from food, to fuels and plastics,” Duarte said.

The pitch, as much as there is one, is that seaweed cultivation must be ramped up significantly. This, of course, might encounter roadblocks in legislatures around the world as western regulations, where seaweed farming is just starting, are quite unwelcoming to seaweed aquaculture. The paper outlines in broad terms the objections that could be raised and addresses them in turn.

“Because seaweed farming is a new industry in western nations, existing regulatory frameworks do not facilitate its development. In some nations it is easier to get a concession for marine oil and gas extraction than for a seaweed farm. Creating a friendlier regulatory environment that encourages, rather than deter, seaweed farming will be critical to delivering on its potential.”

“Currently, seaweed farming occupies about 2,000 Km2 of land, compared to about 60 million Km2 land food producing systems occupy. We consider that about 4 million Km2 of ocean can support seaweed aquaculture while delivering positive impacts on the marine environment. In the rump-up to COP26, we consider that scaling seaweed farming can be a wedge of a regenerative approach to our oceans, delivering climate action while alleviating hunger and poverty,” Duarte said.

Professor Dorte Krause-Jensen from Aarhus University adds that sustainability standards and consideration of the carrying capacity for seaweed farming need be in place to avoid potential unattended negative consequences the farming.

“The utilisation of seaweed in a cascading biorefinery extracting biomolecules sequentially, offers a path to maximise the value of the biomass and render seaweed farming profitable, even in Western countries where costs are higher” said senior researcher Annette Bruhn of Aarhus University. “Promoting sustainable seaweed cultivation as an emission capture and utilisation technology supporting the circular bioeconomy, calls for a cross-sectorial approach to solving societal challenges. We need a disruption of the traditional way of thinking climate, environment and resource provision in each their sector and we need partnerships between science, industry and authorities”.

About KAUST

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) advances science and technology through distinctive and collaborative research integrated with graduate education. Located on the Red Sea coast in Saudi Arabia, KAUST conducts curiosity-driven and goal-oriented research to address global challenges related to food, water, energy, and the environment.

Established in 2009, KAUST is a catalyst for innovation, economic development and social prosperity in Saudi Arabia and the world. The University currently educates and trains master’s and doctoral students, supported by an academic community of faculty members, postdoctoral fellows and research scientists. With over 100 nationalities working and living at KAUST, the University brings together people and ideas from all over the world.

To learn more visit kaust.edu.sa.

About Aarhus

Aarhus University has been achieving excellence in research and education since 1928. Being a top 100 university with more than 50 Masters and Bachelors educations in English, Aarhus University is a leading globally oriented university with a strong engagement in the solving the societal challenges on local and global scale.

Department of Bioscience provide teaching, research and consultancy in all aspects of life; from bacteria to whales, from genes to ecosystems and from fundamental research to applied biology in nature management and biotechnology.

To learn more visit https://international.au.dk/

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5141687d-2aea-43e1-bddc-623aab93621f

For more information, please contact [email protected]
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Les algues : une solution modèle pour lutter contre le changement climatique

Les algues : une solution modèle pour lutter contre le changement climatique

Les chercheurs de la KAUST et de l’université d’Aarhus pensent avoir identifié une solution modèle au changement climatique, à la perte de biodiversité, au chômage, à la famine et aux dommages environnementaux. Dans un article publié dans Nature Sustainability, les co-auteurs soulignent comment la culture et l’utilisation des algues en tant que technologie de captage du carbone, générateur d’emplois et de recettes fiscales, et source alimentaire, peuvent protéger et restaurer la planète. Le crédit des photos d’Aarhus revient à Michael Bo Rasmussen, de l’université d’Aarhus.

THUWAL, Arabie saoudite, 07 oct. 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Les algues, ou mauvaises herbes marines, peuvent être une nuisance, comme leur nom le suggère. Elles souillent les belles plages. Elles flottent de haut en bas dans les vagues, formant des amas inesthétiques. Et elles se collent aux nageurs peu méfiants souhaitant profiter de leur baignade. Mais malgré leur réputation auprès de certains baigneurs, les algues pourraient être l’un des outils les plus puissants dont nous disposons pour sauver la planète des changements climatiques causés par l’homme tout en fournissant une voie vers la réalisation de bon nombre des Objectifs de développement durable de l’ONU.

Les chercheurs de la KAUST et de l’université d’Aarhus pensent que les algues sont une solution modèle au changement climatique, à la perte de biodiversité, au chômage, à la famine et aux dommages environnementaux. Dans un article publié dans Nature Sustainability, les co-auteurs soulignent comment la culture et l’utilisation des algues en tant que technologie de captage du carbone, générateur d’emplois et de recettes fiscales et source alimentaire, peuvent aider à protéger et restaurer notre planète.

« Notre recherche consolide l’élevage des algues en tant que fondement d’un avenir durable », a déclaré le professeur Carlos Duarte, auteur principal de l’étude. « Elles sont évolutives, avec un potentiel de multiplication par 2 000, elles génèrent des produits précieux tout en contribuant à la séquestration du carbone en aval de l’exploitation, elles produisent des combustibles durables et elles remplacent les produits à forte intensité de carbone, fournissant ainsi une variété de contributions à l’action climatique. En se développant en mer, les algues forment un écosystème qui offre de multiples avantages au milieu marin. »

Les auteurs pensent que la culture et l’utilisation d’algues appuieront directement six des Objectifs de développement durable (ODD) des Nations unies et indirectement plusieurs autres. Parvenir à l’éradication de la famine, soutenir une bonne santé, rendre l’énergie propre abordable, ainsi que soutenir l’innovation industrielle, l’action climatique et la conservation des océans, sont autant de résultats de la culture d’algues. Non seulement le climat de la plante est positif, rentable et comestible, mais il promet de nourrir et d’employer des millions de personnes tout en préservant la planète et en favorisant la réduction de la pauvreté et l’égalité des sexes.

« Les algues fournissent des matériaux merveilleux pour une variété d’applications, sur la base de leur incroyable diversité, car certaines sont aussi éloignées sur le plan génomique que les champignons et les éléphants. Cette diversité génomique fournit une source phénoménale de nouveaux matériaux dans une variété d’industries, de la nourriture aux carburants et plastiques », a déclaré M. Duarte.

Pour faire court, selon lui, la culture des algues doit être considérablement augmentée. Ce discours pourrait bien sûr rencontrer des obstacles dans les législatures du monde entier, car les réglementations occidentales, où l’élevage des algues ne fait que commencer, ne sont pas favorables à l’aquaculture des algues. Le document décrit en termes généraux les objections qui pourraient être soulevées et les traite tour à tour.

« Comme l’élevage d’algues est une nouvelle industrie dans les nations occidentales, les cadres réglementaires existants ne facilitent pas son développement. Dans certaines nations, il est plus facile d’obtenir une concession pour l’extraction de pétrole et de gaz marins que pour une ferme d’algues. Créer un environnement réglementaire plus convivial qui encourage, plutôt que décourage, l’élevage d’algues sera essentiel pour réaliser son potentiel. »

« Actuellement, l’élevage des algues occupe environ 2 000 kilomètres carrés de terres, par rapport à environ 60 millions de kilomètres carrés de systèmes de production alimentaire. Nous estimons qu’environ 4 millions de kilomètres carrés d’océan peuvent soutenir l’aquaculture des algues tout en produisant des impacts positifs sur le milieu marin. Au cours de la montée en puissance jusqu’à la COP26, nous considérons que la mise à l’échelle de l’élevage des algues peut jouer un rôle important dans l’approche régénérative de nos océans, offrant une action climatique tout en réduisant la faim et la pauvreté », a déclaré M. Duarte.

« L’utilisation d’algues dans une bioraffinerie opérant en chaîne en extrayant les biomolécules de manière séquentielle offre une voie pour maximiser la valeur de la biomasse et rendre l’élevage des algues rentable, même dans les pays occidentaux où les coûts sont plus élevés », a déclaré Annette Bruhn, chercheuse principale de l’université d’Aarhus. « La promotion d’une culture durable des algues en tant que technologie de captage et d’utilisation des émissions soutenant la bioéconomie circulaire appelle à une approche multisectorielle pour résoudre les défis sociétaux. Nous avons besoin d’une révolution de la façon traditionnelle de penser le climat, l’environnement et la fourniture de ressources dans chaque secteur et nous avons besoin de partenariats entre la science, l’industrie et les autorités. »

À propos de la KAUST

La King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) fait progresser la science et la technologie grâce à une recherche distinctive et collaborative intégrée à l’enseignement supérieur. Située sur la côte de la mer Rouge en Arabie saoudite, la KAUST mène des recherches pilotées par la curiosité et axées sur des objectifs pour relever les défis mondiaux liés à l’alimentation, à l’eau, à l’énergie et à l’environnement.

Créée en 2009, la KAUST est un catalyseur pour l’innovation, le développement économique et la prospérité sociale en Arabie saoudite et dans le monde. L’université éduque et forme actuellement des étudiants en master et en doctorat, soutenus par une communauté universitaire de professeurs, de boursiers postdoctoraux et de scientifiques dans la recherche. Avec des individus de plus de 100 nationalités travaillant et vivant à la KAUST, l’université réunit des personnes et des idées du monde entier.

Pour en savoir plus, rendez-vous sur kaust.edu.sa.

À propos d’Aarhus

L’université d’Aarhus parvient à l’excellence en matière de recherche et d’éducation depuis 1928. Comptant parmi les 100 meilleures universités avec plus de 50 cursus de masters et licences en anglais, l’université d’Aarhus est une université de premier plan à l’échelle planétaire avec un fort engagement dans la résolution des défis sociétaux au niveau local et mondial.

Le département de Bioscience assure l’enseignement, la recherche et le conseil dans tous les aspects de la vie, des bactéries aux baleines, des gènes aux écosystèmes et de la recherche fondamentale à la biologie appliquée dans la gestion de la nature et la biotechnologie.

Pour en savoir plus, rendez-vous sur https://international.au.dk/

Une photo accompagnant ce communiqué de presse est disponible à l’adresse https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5141687d-2aea-43e1-bddc-623aab93621f/fr

Pour plus d'information, contactez [email protected]