Day: August 3, 2023

Media tour profiling of the investment conference projects in KwaZulu-Natal

Deputy Ministers in the Presidency, Kenneth Morolong and Nomasonto Motaung will lead a media tour in KwaZulu- Natal to showcase progress on the South Africa Investment Projects (SA Invest).

The projects for the media tour are part of the commitments made during the fifth South Africa Investment Conference (SAIC) on 13 April 2023 in Johannesburg which was the final conference aiming to attract R1.2 trillion over five years.

The Serenity Hills Eco Estate and Renishaw Coastal Precinct are part of the 152 investment announcements made previously during various conferences over the past five years. To date, 45 projects have already been completed, while a further 57 projects are currently under construction. These investments have resulted in new factories, call centres, solar power plants, undersea fibre optic cables, expansion of production lines and the adoption of new technologies.

Members of the media are invited as follows:

Date: 4 August 2023

Part A

Venue: Serenity Hills Eco Estate

Time: 9h00

Part B

Venue: Renishaw Coastal Precinct

Time: 12h30

Transport for Media:

Pick up address: Trade & Investment KwaZulu-Natal, Kingsmead Office Park, Kingsmead Boulevard, 1 Arundel Close Stalwart Simelane Street Durban, 4001.

The transport for media will depart at 7h00.

RSVPs should be directed to [email protected](link sends e-mail) (078 095 6085) and [email protected](link sends e-mail) (072 541 8282)

Enquiries:

William Baloyi

Cell: 083 390 7147

Source: Government of South Africa

Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Ms. Makhotso Sotyu, will launch the “1000 Stories, 100 000 Trees” initiative as part of the 2023 Women’s Day commemoration in Hoopstad, Free State, on 8 August 2023.

The “1000 Stories, 100 000 Trees” is a collaborative grassroots project initiated by NPO, She Evolves, and targeted at empowering women across South Africa’s rural landscape. Community change makers gather with other women to share their personal stories of triumph in hopes to inspire more change makers; and inspire social cohesion and environmental development through storytelling, planting of trees and food gardens.

The launch is part of the Women’s Day 2023 commemoration and complements this year’s theme: “Accelerating Socio-Economic Opportunities for the Empowerment of Women”. The promotion of women’s empowerment is central to efforts to combat poverty and stimulate sustainable developments. One of the project’s key goals is to establish a community food garden which will create a micro informal market for women in the area.

Minister Sotyu will be accompanied by the Mayor of Tswelopele Local Municipality, Kenalemang Phukuntsi. Both will share their own inspiring stories before leading a tree-planting ceremony. The site chosen for the tree-planting is an old taxi rank which now has been earmarked as a community park by the local municipality.

Members of the media are invited to attend the event as per the details below:

Date: 8 August 2023

Time: 9h00

Venue: 2 Prince George Street, Hoopstad, Tswelopele Local Municipality, Free State

To RSVP, please contact: Dimakatso Tsutsubi on 066 420 0088 / [email protected](link sends e-mail) or Simphiwe Mnikina on 082 955 4122 / [email protected](link sends e-mail)

Media enquiries:

Peter Mbelengwa

Cell: 082 611 8197

Source: Government of South Africa

Call for nominations to the Western Cape Consumer Affairs Tribunal

Provincial Minister of Economic Opportunities, Mireille Wenger, is calling for nominations for experienced and skilled persons to serve on the Western Cape Consumer Affairs Tribunal, whose purpose is to protect the rights of consumers by acting as an adjudication body in disputes between consumers and businesses.

Minister Wenger, said, “Ultimately, consumer protection helps to ensure that markets work for both businesses and consumers. To help ensure this, consumers need to have access to accurate, unbiased information about the products and services they purchase so that they can make the best choices, while also being protected from being mistreated or misled by businesses.

By the same token, businesses that are known to treat consumers in a fair and responsible manner will be known for their good practices and become more sought after, increasing their profitability and competitiveness. This is why it is important that we have the right people for the Consumer Affairs Tribunal, and I encourage all those with the relevant knowledge and experience, with a passion for consumer rights to apply.”

“The Tribunal, which will be a free service to citizens of the Western Cape, has been set up to make sure that transactions between consumers and businesses are fairly regulated, and to ensure that consumer disputes are adjudicated quickly and efficiently. The processes followed by the Tribunal will also be more user friendly compared to the normal court processes that are in place” continued Minister Wenger

Currently, the Office of the Consumer Protector provides an alternative dispute resolution service to consumers and businesses in the Western Cape.

The Western Cape Consumer Affairs Tribunal, however, is empowered to investigate, prohibit, and control unfair business practices, and will be primarily responsible for the adjudication of complaints about alleged unfair business practices that the Office of the Consumer Protector has investigated but which could not be resolved amicably.

“While many disputes are successfully resolved in an amicable manner between the parties, there are some disputes that cannot be resolved in this way. This is where the Consumer Affairs Tribunal comes in, to allow for certain identified matters to be finalised by way of a binding decision on the dispute,” said Minister Wenger.

The Tribunal will consist of four members, one of which shall be designated as the Chairperson.

The Chairperson must be a retired judge of the High Court, or an attorney, advocate, retired magistrate or lecturer at a university with not less than ten (10) years cumulative experience in one or more such capacities.

The other members of the Tribunal shall have special knowledge or experience of consumer advocacy, economics, industry or commerce.

The appointment will be on a part time basis, for an initial period of three years, and appointed members will be remunerated according to a tariff that will be communicated on appointment.

Nominations close on 31 August 2023 and must be submitted in writing, accompanied by the nominee’s written indication of his or her consent to such nomination as well as a comprehensive curriculum vitae of the nominee. Nominees will be required to go through a thorough vetting and probity process which will include certification of qualifications, work experience, criminal history, financial standing and other matters.

Nominations can be sent to the Department of Economic Development and Tourism, for the attention of Adv A Searle, Director: Office of Consumer Protector, P O Box 979, Cape Town, 8000, or hand-delivered to the reception desk at the Ground Floor, Waldorf Building, 80 St Georges Mall, Cape Town, or emailed to [email protected](link sends e-mail). Enquiries may be directed to Mr Buyile Nopote, tel (021) 483-9411 / 073 108 0947.

Media queries:

Georgina Maree

Spokesperson for the Provincial Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities

(Responsible for the Provincial Treasury and the Department of Economic Development and Tourism)

Cell: 076 423 7541

E-mail: [email protected]

Source: Government of South Africa

The National President, Nigerian Air Force Officers’ Wives Association (NAFOWA), Mrs Rakiya Abubakar, has solicited the continued support and collaboration of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) in the areas of education, women and youth empowerment, healthcare and poverty alleviation.

Mrs Abubakar made the call when she paid a courtesy call on the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, at the Headquarters NAF (HQ NAF), Abuja on Tuesday.

She said her request was in line with the motto of NAFOWA which is, “Service to Humanity”.

The Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force (NAF), Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, made this known in a statement on Tuesday.

Mrs Abubakar, who was accompanied by other members of the association, appreciated the CAS for the support and encouragement they had received so far noting that the Association was willing, able and ready to contribute its quota to the overall success of the Service.

She congratulated the CAS on his appointment, promotion and subsequent decoration with the rank of Air Marshal by the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

She said the visit was to consolidate on the existing cordial relationship between the NAF and NAFOWA and reaffirmed the unalloyed loyalty and support of the association to the service.

NAFOWA president said the association’s overall objective was the promotion of welfare and wellbeing of its members, children and the less privileged in the society through education and various skills acquisition programmes.

She also solicited the support of the NAF in the provision of needed infrastructure at the newly established NAFOWA Secondary School and NAFOWA Little Angeles, Asokoro, Abuja.

In his response, the CAS described members of NAFOWA as pillars of strength, unsung heroes and source of motivation to their husbands and families.

According to him, the association has contributed immensely to the educational sector of the Country through the NAFOWA Little Angels Schools and vocational centres.

He said the skills acquisition and empowerment programmes had been impactful, adding that over 300 dependents had benefitted in the last 12 months in various skills including catering, event decoration, soap making, embroidery and tailoring amongst others.

Abubakar urged the air force wives to derive strength from their unity as a community, while acknowledging some of the challenges facing the members occasioned by frequent postings and relocations as well as long absence of their husbands.

According to CAS, when you come together under one umbrella, your synergy as women is unrivalled and amazing.

The CAS also urged them to remain a network of support and beacon of hope to those in despair and others who might be going through other challenges.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Dr Kabir Kabo, a renowned academic, has been appointed Pro-Chancellor of one of the National Universities Commission’s 37 newly approved private Universities, Prime University, Abuja.

This is contained in a statement issued by Mr Abdulkadir Ibrahim, Advisor on Media and Strategy to Kabo, which quoted a letter of appointment to that effect from the Board of Trustees of the university situated at Kuje, Abuja, Federal Capital Territory.

Ibrahim said the letter addressed to the appointee was signed by Dr Aliyu Dikko on behalf of the trustees.

“Following your remarkable antecedents in various fields of endeavour in Nigeria and at the international stage, and the pedigree you have been demonstrating in your undertakings, particularly towards conceptualising and actualising Prime University Abuja.

“The Board of Trustees (BoT) of Prime University Abuja-FCT has approved your appointment as the pioneer Pro-Chancellor of the new University.

“The appointment is for a five-year term during which strategic leadership of impact, culture, quality, commercialisation, funding and knowledge exchange will be employed,” the letter read in part.

Similarly, Ibrahim disclosed that the authorities of another new private university, Elrazi Medical University, Kano, has appointed Dr Kabo as a member of the university’s Board of Trustees and that of the Governing Council.

Kabo is a former Dean at Manchester University in the United Kingdom, Bureaucrat and Management Trainer and a Board member of National Senior Secondary School Education Commission.

Currently, Kabo is the Director-General of the International Centre for Islamic Culture and Education, ICICE, at Wuse II, Abuja, and was a Pro-Chancellor and later Chancellor of African Business School, Abuja, in 2013 and 2014, respectively.

He holds Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Bayero University Kano (1981), Masters (M.Sc) in Chemical Technology (Petroleum Chemistry and Hydrocarbon) 1984, and Ph.D (Chemistry) in 1988 both from Manchester University, United Kingdom.

Kabo also obtained a Masters in Business Administration at Manchester Metropolitan University in 2006 and a Certificate of Education and Post Graduate Certificate of Education (Teaching Qualifications) from 1994 to 1996.

He was Head of Department (1998 to 2001), Director of Curriculum (2001 to 2002), and Assistant Principal (2002 to 2008) at Manchester College of Arts and Technology now called the Manchester College, a Post Doctoral Research fellow at University of Manchester (1988- 1992) and a Lecturer at three other institutions in the UK (1986 – 90).

A former Head of Department at Gumel Advanced Teachers College (now in Jigawa State) 1982 -1983, he was earlier a Lecturer (Mathematics and Chemistry) at College of Advanced Studies, Kano (1981-1982).

In 2009, Kabo was appointed the Technical Adviser to the Minister for National Planning on Social Sector Strategy Coordination of National Vision 20:2020 and the Seven Point Agenda, Consultant to the European Union on strategy and policy coordination involving Vision 20:2020.

He was equally a member of the National Monitoring and Evaluation Framework, and was the Director General and Chief Executive Officer, Centre for Management Development (CMD) from January 2010 to February 2018.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria