Month: July 2023

Leaders and elders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa have distanced themselves from calls to the sack of the Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), retired Maj.-Gen. Barry Ndiomu.

This is contained in a statement issued on behalf of the leaders by Sen. John Brambaifa, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja.

According to him, a non-existing group was sponsored to carry out the hatchet job because of the self-inflicting pain they are going through and decided to make Ndiomu their target while playing the victim.

“It has come to the knowledge of the members of APC in Bayelsa West Senatorial District that a purported amorphous APC Elders Forum in Bayelsa called for the immediate sack of Ndiomu.

“The said anonymous forum gave some nebulous reasons as the grounds for the call of the sack of the amnesty boss.

“We wish to state unequivocally and unambiguously that there was no time that we, the authentic APC Elders Forum in Bayelsa, took a decision to call for the sack of Ndiomu.

“The members of APC from Bayelsa West Senatorial District maintain that the present PAP helmsman has created far-reaching impacts in the programme.

“Also, he has contributed significantly to the improvement of the party in the state with the sound reform measures so far taken to reposition the programme,’’ Brambaifa said.

He explained that APC members expressed shock over the show of ingratitude by such a pseudo platform, adding that they failed to appreciate the progressive ideas initiated and implemented by Ndiomu to revamp the interventionist agency.

The Bayelsa APC elders maintained that they are proud of the achievements of Ndiomu in only 10 months in office and would continue to support him to succeed.

They particularly commended his effort in introducing worthy and creative ideas like the Cooperative Scheme for ex-agitators, noting that it will produce the desired results for the benefit of all the people of Niger Delta.

According to them, the establishment of the society will encourage hard work among agitators and has deepened the rehabilitation and reintegration of the ex-agitators in consonance with the original intention of the programme.

“We therefore call on the APC-led Federal Government and the general public to disregard malicious news item against Ndiomu. He has done so well.

“We also use this medium to express our total support for the reform measures designed to reinvigorate the activities of the PAP and, as a result, call on the Federal Government to retain the appointment of Ndiomu as the head of the PAP.

“This will enable him to complete the ongoing reforms that will encourage multiplier effect in the Niger Delta with the concomitant peace that follows,’’ Brambaifa said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

A woman committed suicide by hanging herself at Sinunga village in the Ndiyona Constituency of the Kavango East Region on Tuesday.

The Namibian Police Force’s Crime Investigations Coordinator in the region, Bonifatius Kanyetu told Nampa on Wednesday the incident occurred around 11h00.

The woman and her two minor children reportedly went into the field to eat wild berries.

A while later, the children discovered their mother hanging from a tree with a cloth around her neck.

They then ran to inform their father, who unsuccessfully attempted to save his wife with the help of community members.

The deceased was identified as Cecilia Masora Paulus and her body was transported to the Rundu State Hospital mortuary.

No foul play has been detected and no suicide note was left behind.

The police also reported that a 12-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a 26-year-old man at Sauyemwa informal settlement at Rundu on Sunday.

The incident reportedly took place at a house where the suspect had sexual intercourse with the minor under coercive circumstances.

He was arrested the same day.

Police investigations into both matters continue.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

Campaign to prevent the causes of most truck and bus accidents on RSA roads

With the high incidents of truck and bus crashes reported over the past few months where lives are lost due to amongst others human error such as speeding, fatigue and unsafe overtaking, the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) has partnered with Santam Heavy Haulage, Sanlam, Master Drive and Fleetwatch to create a road safety awareness campaign targeting truck and bus drivers.

The awareness campaign will kick start on the 27th of July on the N4 Donkerhoek Traffic Control Centre, where all stakeholders will focus their interventions on the truck drivers and information regarding lethal offences such as fatigue, distracted driving, dangerous driving, and impaired driving.

The RTMC recognises that it is not able to fight the road carnage alone and a uniformed approach is necessary for a greater impact. The Road Safety truck driver awareness will be an effort to create much needed awareness to drivers and equip and refresh minds of safer road conduct.

RTMC CEO Advocate Makhosini said: “Combating the scourge of road carnage in our roads requires a collaborative effort to improve the safety of our citizens. This joint effort with Santam will help us to reach more road users with message that reinforce positive driver behaviour.”

While individual road users are expected to be responsible for complying with traffic laws and behaving in a safe manner, it can no longer be assumed that the burden of road safety responsibility simply rests with the individual road user. Many organizations have a primary responsibility to provide a safe operating environment for road users. Road safety responsibilities also extend to various professional groups, as well as the broader community. Partnerships with other stakeholders became of utmost importance.

Anton Cornelissen, Head of Santam Heavy Haulage said: “The partnership between Santam and the RTMC, now in its sixth year, is a collaborative effort with other stakeholders such as Law Enforcement, the National Bargaining Council for the Road Freight and Logistics Industry (NBCRFLI) to raise awareness around truck driver wellness and its impact on the safety on our roads.

“Drivers are the backbone of the trucking industry, and by the nature of the work they do, they work under unique physically demanding conditions, putting them at increased risk of a range of chronic health conditions, including diabetes and hypertension. These conditions, coupled with fatigue, can negatively affect the reaction time, and significantly increase the risk of collisions,” says Cornelissen.

A baseline study conducted by the RTMC shows that a total of 4 001 trucks and buses were involved in fatal crashes between 1 January 2018 and 31 December 2022. A total of 2 560 fatal crashes were recorded with 3 413 fatalities with a combined crash severity of 1.33 (average fatalities per crash).

The KwaZulu-Natal province recorded the highest number of fatal crashes with 21.6% or 552 where trucks and buses were involved. The lowest number of truck and bus related fatal crashes were recorded in the Northern Cape Province with only 2.5% or 65 such crashes.

A total of 455 buses were involved in 323 fatal crashes with 487 fatalities recorded in such crashes. The Gauteng province recorded the highest number of fatal crashes where buses were involved with 23.5% or 76 fatal crashes. The lowest number of bus fatal crashes were recorded in the Northern Cape Province with 1.9% or 6 such crashes.

Truck crashes were further analysed to indicate the day of the week and the time of the day during when most truck crashes occur. The most crashes where trucks were involved over the study period are between 18:00 and 22:00 on Saturdays with 187 reported crashes where trucks were involved or 5.3% of such crashes. Second highest, between 18:00 and 22:00 on Sundays with 176 or 5.0% of crashes where trucks were involved.

The most fatal crashes where trucks were involved occurred on during the four-hour period between 18:00 and 22:00 on Saturdays and Sundays with a combined total of 363 or 10.2% such fatal crashes.

The most fatal crashes where buses were involved in over the study period are between 05:00 and 08:00 on Sundays with 36 or 7.0% of such crashes recorded. The second highest period where buses were involved in fatal crashes were between 05:00 and 08:00 on Saturdays with 25 or or 5.5% of such crashes.

Most fatal crashes where buses were involved in occurred on Saturdays and Sundays with a combined total of 57 or 12.5% of fatal bus related crashes. The time between 05:00 and 05:00 has the highest recorded fatal bus related crashed with 126 or 27.7% such fatal crashes.

The most fatal crashes where trucks were involved over the study period were recorded on the N3 in the Harrismith SAPS Area in the Free State province where 44 trucks were involved in 26 fatal crashes with 45 fatalities recorded.

A total of 71.2% or 148 of the fatal truck related crashes occurred in the KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and the Mpumalanga provinces. The province with the most road segments with truck related fatal crashes within the Top 20 is the KwaZulu-Natal province.

Cornelissen explains that by choosing different locations around South Africa for the driver wellness days, the programme can reach a wider audience and cater to the needs of truck drivers across the country.

“By hosting events in various locations, we can ensure accessibility and convenience for truck drivers who may be traveling through different routes. This approach demonstrates our commitment to supporting truck drivers nationwide and promoting road safety on a broader scale.”

The activations will address both the physical health of drivers as well as the health of vehicles. A mobile clinic from the NBCRFLI will provide free medical examinations for truck drivers to look at key indicators such as blood pressure and blood sugar levels. Based on these results, information on wellness factors such as the correct diet and tips to prevent fatigue will be shared with participants, says Cornelissen. Law enforcement officers will be onsite to inspect the trucks to ensure they are roadworthy and not overloaded.

Cornelissen concludes that to keep expanding on the success of the initiative, this series of events will go beyond general wellness and focus on addressing the specific challenges and needs of truck drivers. “We aim to make it more impactful and relevant for drivers by always expanding the number of stakeholders that offer value and free services like health checks for drivers at these events. This also provides us a valuable opportunity to interact with the actual drivers and highlight to them the importance of safe driving practices, fatigue management, and overall well-being.”

Subsequent events will take place on 14 September 2023 at N4 Bapong and 20 December 2023 at N3 Heidelberg.

Media Enquiries:

Simon Zwane

Cell: 082 551 9892

Source: Government of South Africa

Overstrand and swartland k-9 and rural safety units arrest 27 individuals

The Swartland and Overstrand K-9 and Rural Safety Units arrested twenty-seven individuals for an array of offenses over the past weekend. Of these, seven were apprehended in the Swartland municipal area and twenty in the Overstrand.

The Swartland arrests included:

x1 dealing in liquor and

x6 possession of drugs,

The units also confiscated:

x31 straws containing tik bankies of dagga,

x19 quarter mandrax tablets and

x8 half mandrax tablets.

Amongst others, the Overstand arrests included:

x1 outstanding warrant,

x11 for the possession of drugs,

x2 for dealing in drugs,

x1 for illegally dealing in liquor,

x1 for negligent and reckless driving and

x1 for the possession of illegal abalone.

Along with a 5kg bag of tik, these units also confiscated:

x22 whole mandrax tablets,

x34 half mandrax tablets,

x10 quarter mandrax tablets,

x6 crushed mandrax tablets,

x26 cocaine bankies,

x150 tik bankies,

x13 whole abalone and

x2 whole crayfish

Minister Reagen Allen said: “These successes are contributing to creating a safer Western Cape. As the Western Cape Government, we want all our residents to know that their safety is our priority. We remain committed to continue supporting our units so that our citizens can live free of fear.”

“Our units should continue making the lives of criminals as difficult as possible. I encourage our communities in these areas to work with our and all other law enforcement units, the South African Police Service (SAPS), our neighbourhood watches and community policing forums. Through continued collaboration and cooperation, we will achieve our goal of combating crime and making our streets safer for all,” concluded Minister Reagen Allen.

Media Enquiries:

Marcellino Martin

Spokesperson for Minister Reagen Allen

E-mail: [email protected](link sends e-mail)

Tel: 021 483 0103

Cell:082 721 3362

Source: Government of South Africa

Premier welcomes Electricity Minister’s proposed energy crisis interventions, but calls for more urgency and continued transparency

National Minister for Electricity Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, attended and gave a presentation at a meeting of the Western Cape Energy Council today on national government’s Energy Action Plan to address chronic mass power outages. It is conservatively estimated that this crisis will result in R725 billion being lost to the South African economy in 2023.

The Western Cape Government (WCG) welcomed certain aspects of the plan and Premier Winde, who chairs the councl, again expressed his willingness to work fully with the Minister, Eskom and other stakeholders to tackle the energy crisis with the urgency that it needs. The Premier stated, “We welcome the opportunity to work with the Minister to fast track the Energy Action Plan’s to strengthen and in particular extend and invest heavily in the transmission grid. Ensuring the reconfiguration of the province and country’s grid capacity to move our energy mix away from the dominance of coal to a more diverse energy mix is a priority for us. We must invest heavily in the transmission grid particularly in the coastal provinces to allow more producers to put power into the grid.”

Severe delays in the refurbishments at the Koeberg Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) to extend its lifespan remain a serious concern and were raised as a grave concern at the meeting. “Every day this process is delayed brings us closer to a catastrophic increase in the severity of blackouts, particularly for the Western Cape, which will be hugely detrimental to our residents and economy. We have accelerated our economic growth and job creation drive through our Growth for Jobs strategy, and we cannot afford to have both of KNPP’s units offline simultaneously,” the Premier warned.

“The concern for us as the WCG is that if both generation units are taken offline at the same time, the Western Cape will experience an additional level of loadshedding to the rest of South Africa. I must emphasis to the residents of the Western Cape that our concern is not a nuclear one, but rather an even further constraint on our energy supply. We must understand how Eskom is going to mitigate this possibility and plan to manage this dual outage at KNPP. I welcome the opportunity to engage with the Minister and Eskom on this further,” concluded Premier Winde.

Minister Ramokgopa shared the WCG’s disquiet regarding the maintenance schedule at Koeberg, remarking, “It is a major area of concern. I have written to the Eskom board requesting a comprehensive report.”

Premier Winde said, “the Minister has committed to being honest with us as the provincial government on the KNPP refurbishment matter. We will hold him to this commitment. We also have a good relationship with the management at the power plant and will ensure that we retain open lines of communication.”

He concluded, “This potential crisis and the energy crisis generally is a national issue and we will work fully with Minister Ramokgopa on crucial areas. The more resources we can collectively commit to resolving this issue the better.”

Media enquiries:

Regan Thaw

Media Liaison Officer

Office of the Premier

Cell: 083 627 7246

Email: [email protected]

Source: Government of South Africa