Scammers using SIU name to solicit money


The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) says it has received several reports of individuals purporting to be Head of the SIU, Advocate Andy Mothibi, or his representatives.

The scammers are reportedly going around soliciting money from public representatives, office bearers, and members of the judiciary.

The reports have been received in the North West and Free State provinces this week, prompting the SIU to issue a public warning.

‘The SIU conducts its investigations with integrity and professionalism.

‘We never ask for money from subjects of investigations or anyone linked to our work. Members of the public are urged to be vigilant, verify information, and not to fall victim to imposters claiming to be Adv. Mothibi,’ said the SIU in a statement.
Source: South African Government News Agency

City cautions against challenging sea conditions


With the full moon, stronger rip currents and possible swells, the City of Cape Town has cautioned beachgoers to exercise extreme caution.

The City of Cape Town’s Recreation and Parks Department on Wednesday urged beachgoers to be particularly alert over the coming days.

With the arrival of the full moon, stronger rip currents and bigger sea swells are likely to be prevalent.

Lifeguards and ancillary services have had a busy few days in spite of the very windy conditions around the peninsula.

The only major incident involving bathers that was recorded over the past few days was a mass rescue at Monwabisi Beach, with three non-fatal drownings.

The patients were transported to Khayelitsha hospital for medical treatment.

According to City records, there have been four fatal drownings of bathers since 1 December 2023.

‘It is of concern that all of the fatal drownings took place outside of designated bathing areas, or outside of lifeguard duty hours. We request the public to continue to swim only where and
when lifeguards are on duty, between their red and yellow flags. Please also take heed of the warnings about rip currents and stronger swells in the days ahead.

‘We are determined to provide safe spaces for our beachgoers, but we need the public to play their part too,’ said Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Patricia Van der Ross.

In terms of the Identikidz project, there were no challenges experienced over the past long weekend. Staff have tagged 48 957 children since the start of the project in mid-December, 65 of whom were reunited with their caregivers.

Over the Christmas long weekend, 5 095 children were tagged at Strand Beach, 3 715 at Muizenberg and 3 237 at Strandfontein.

The Identikidz project was established in 2016 by the City of Cape Town and is aimed at promoting child safety at beaches across Cape Town during the festive season.
Source: South African Government News Agency

1708 healthy Christmas babies delivered this year


The country’s public health facilities safely delivered 1708 healthy babies on Christmas Day this year as compared to 1414 delivered in 2022, says the Department of Health.

This number consists of 840 baby boys and 868 baby girls.

‘The Department of Health congratulates the health workers, especially the midwives, for the successful and safe delivery of these bundles of joy, and wishes all parents, including more than 145 teen mothers all the best throughout parenting journey,’ said the department in a statement.

The department is currently scaling up human milk banking for the survival and healthy growth of babies born to mothers who are unable to breastfeed to ensure no baby is deprived of nutritious breastmilk.

The number of newborns per province is as follows:

Eastern Cape – 221

North West – 121

KwaZulu-Natal – 255

Limpopo – 209

Mpumalanga – 161

Free State – 76

Western Cape – 231

Northern Cape – 47

Gauteng – 387
Source: South African Government News Agency

Celebrating SA’s firefighters


South Africa’s deployment of firefighters internationally this year, has yet again proven that our country’s ability for wildfire firefighting is becoming more and more recognised.

‘Our multiple deployments to Canada in 2023, is a vote of confidence in our wildfire firefighting capacity and abilities. We must be extremely proud of our deployees who have been selected,’ Working on Fire Managing Director Trevor Abrahams told SAnews.

Working on Fire (WoF) has had four deployments of firefighters and management to Canada since June 2023.

Abrahams who was the leader of the first group to head to Canada on 3 June, said 2023 has been Canada’s worst fires season in recorded history. The north American country has had over 6330 fires which have destroyed at least 17 hectares of forest.

Working on Fire is an Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) aimed at providing work opportunities to young men and women. It resides under and is funded by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment.

Asked about th
e process followed prior to the deployment of teams, Abrahams said firefighters and management within WoF were given an opportunity to apply to be placed provided that they met the minimum criteria.

The criteria that firefighters needed to meet included being in possession of a valid passport; being qualified with a minimum of three-years of firefighting experience, as well as being in possession of a valid yellow card.

A yellow card in South Africa indicates that one has undergone recurrency certification and is fit to be on the fire line and trained in the use of Canadian water pump machines.

All WoF teams were assembled in Mbombela in Mpumalanga at the Kishugu Training Academy, where they underwent a three-day refresher training camp prior to departure.

This year’s deployment was the fifth collaboration between South Africa and Canada in terms of the exchange of personnel. Previous deployments to Canada were in 2015, 2016, 2019 and 2021.

Memorandum of Understanding and deployment

The deployment of So
uth African wildland firefighters to Canada came in response to a request for assistance from the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC) in terms of the existing emorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the governments of the two countries.

Signed in 2019, the MOU provides for the exchange of wildland fire management resources between the two countries.

Working on Fire has had four deployments totalling 860 firefighters and management to Canada since June and Abrahams whose team returned on 8 July 2023, said South African firefighters received ‘huge’ praise from Canadian wildfire authorities as well as other international firefighters who were deployed in Canada.

Bringing the fiery South African soul to camp

‘Our firefighters were lauded for their energy, their strong work ethic and observance of safety measures on the fire line, as well as for the way they have accustomed themselves to the conditions in Canada, where wildland firefighting conditions are different from what they were used to in S
outh Africa.’

He added that the 2023 deployment was the largest ever with 30% of the deployed personnel being women.

The teams were hailed for their commitment and atmosphere they brought to the firefighting camps.

‘Their infectious spirit, witnessed through viral videos on social media, ignited international curiosity about these dedicated South Africans who journeyed thousands of kilometres to confront Canada’s wildfire challenge.’

He adds that firefighters from the United States, Australia, France, Mexico, South Korea and Portugal among others, joined in the firefighting efforts.

He said the South African firefighters’ dancing and singing prior to going to the fire line and when returning in the afternoons had made them a great hit.

‘This rich harmony of our firefighters who come from all over South Africa, with different languages and cultural practices, has also served as an inspiration for many Canadians. Singing and dancing is part of our tradition and even at wildfires in South Africa. Our firef
ighters are doing this as part of preparing themselves mentally for the day’s work and to show unity and commitment. It serves to uplift them but also importantly, to raise the morale of the communities and land owners where they go to fight wildfires.’

A different terrain

As the second largest country in the world and one of the world’s most forested countries, Canada’s ‘massive fires are quite different from what we are used to fight in South Africa,’ Abrahams said.

‘In South Africa, wildland fires are typically much smaller than those seen in Canada and without nearly as much fuel, and they’re usually fought by firefighters carrying backpacks with 20 liters of water and tankers nearby to resupply them. Fire beaters and rakes are also a common part of the equipment carried by South African firefighters during wildland fires here at home.

‘Fuel loads are also quite different as in South Africa our firefighters encounter mostly fynbos, veld, grassland, and vegetation fires, as well as forest fires in comm
ercial plantations, whereas in Canada, it is the forest fires which are the predominant fuel which is burning,’ he explained.

In addition, Canada arms its firefighters with more advanced and detailed weather forecasts, and with information on moisture content in vegetation, to predict fire behaviour at any point in time. The Incident commanders also use infrared scans to identify hot spots – technology not routinely used in South Africa.

‘Canadian fires also have different features from fires in South Africa, with smoldering peat fires that can burn below ground in the Canada woods. Safety risks are also different in that the shallow plate root system of Canadian arboreal forests results in huge trees toppling over after fires have affected their shallow root system.’

He adds that the Canadian deployments have become routine enough that Working on Fire trains its firefighters in how to operate a particular pump that is a fixture in fighting Canadian fires, but little used back home.

‘Our firefighters adju
sted to these differences fast, and our crews are divided into smaller teams who work in different areas, and we team experienced firefighters with those new to Canada.

‘While South Africa’s wildland fires do not (yet) take on the dimensions of some of the fires experienced in Canada, the experience in being deployed amongst international teams results in learning how to fight mega fires; learning different weather patterns; learning different techniques when dealing with ‘fuel types’ not experienced in South Africa,’ he said.

Climate change

Asked about how climate change is affecting the work of firefighters, Abrahams said the Canadian wildfires and the deadly and catastrophic wildfires seen in Maui (Hawaii), Algeria, and Europe and those seen in the North West and Free State provinces are ‘sounding alarm bells on the growing risks posed by global warming and climate change and warning governments across the world to put in place wildfire risk reduction measures.’

His comments come amidst the recent fire
s that hit Simon’s Town and the Cape Winelands District Municipality (CWDM).

‘With global warming propelling climate change, temperatures will rise over the next couple of decades which will lead to dryer conditions, and this will lead to more frequent fires fuelled by hotter conditions as temperatures rise.

‘Meteorologists and weather experts have all concluded that a combination of climate change and the global weather phenomenon El NiƱo is believed to be contributing to these extreme weather events.’

He added that South Africa has not and will not be spared these impacts of climate change.

‘The 2022 catastrophic and unprecedented flooding experienced in KwaZulu Natal has been widely attributed in part to the impact of climate change.

‘The 2023 released UN [United Nations] Environment programme (UNEP) study on climate change, ‘Spreading Like Wildfire’ suggests that the increase in extreme wildland fires is likely to grow by 14% by 2030, 30% by 2050 and 50% by the end of the century,’ he adds.

‘It is o
ur belief that these successful 2023 Canadian deployments will go a long way in ensuring that our firefighters and management are more capable and ready to respond to mega wildfire threats in South Africa.’
Source: South African Government News Agency

Relief for Ladysmith flood victims


The KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government has offered support to the families of the flood victims in Ladysmith.

Heavy rains on Christmas Eve resulted in the Bellspruit River – which runs under the Mbonothu Bridge – bursting its banks, causing water to overflow onto the N11 road near the Limit Hill robots, in Ladysmith Town.

Premier of KwaZulu-Natal Nomusa Dube-Ncube has extended her condolences to the families of the flood victims in the province.

Seven people have lost their lives in the province following heavy rains.

This figure includes six people who died when a riverbank collapsed in Ladysmith, and in a separate incident, the body of an 8-year old child was discovered in Mandeni on Tuesday.

‘On behalf of the provincial government, we would like to send our condolences to the families of the victims. The MEC for Cooperative Governance Bongiwe Sithole-Moloi has already been on the ground to assess the damage and meet with the families,’ said the Premier.

She visited the scene on Wednesday to oversee
the distribution of disaster relief and monitor the ongoing search and rescue operations.

The MEC said provincial government will offer support to the families of the flood victims in Ladysmith.

‘We met with the families of the victims and reassured them that government will provide full support during this distressing period,’ said Sithole-Moloi.

The search and rescue teams have been intensified and will work tirelessly in their efforts to find the missing victims.

As of Wednesday, the search and rescue teams led by the SAPS K9 Unit, along with IPSS Medical Rescue and the Al-Imdaad Foundation for Disaster Response, intensified their search efforts in the Ladysmith area.

This after the number of missing individuals continues to rise.

Sithole-Moloi paid a visit to the Msimango family in the Rossboom area, a few kilometres from Ladysmith Town. The Msimango family lost six of its members, with three being discovered while the other three remain among those missing.

She further led the delegation of disast
er teams that distributed disaster relief, including blankets, mattresses and essential amenities, to those who have lost everything.

“As a department, we have been providing assistance to all the affected families in collaboration with our disaster response partners.

‘We are joined by various departments such as Human Settlements and Social Development, with representatives from the National Department also present. We wish to assure the affected families that we will stand by them throughout this difficult period.

‘Counselling services will be made available, and preparations for the burials of those who have passed away are underway. Moreover, we want to assure the families that we will exert every effort to locate those who are still missing,’ said the MEC.

As standard procedure, the disaster management teams will continue their assessments, working closely with all municipalities in the province.

Home Affairs and Social Development Department have been called in to provide support where some familie
s have lost personal documents.
Source: South African Government News Agency

Future Minerals Forum Advances Global Discussion on Clean Energy Transition

New Partnerships to Shape Conversations on Sustainable Development in Global Metals and Minerals at Future Minerals Forum 2024

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Dec. 26, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Future Minerals Forum (FMF), scheduled to take place 9-11 January in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, today announced three new strategic partnerships to inform the global discourse on minerals and their critical role in sustainable global development and the need to transition to new energy sources. The new partnerships with CRU Group, Global AI and Wood Mackenzie will deliver business intelligence and insights in a series of studies to be published ahead of FMF. They complement existing partnerships with McKinsey & Company, Payne Institute for Public Policy, Clareo-DPI and Baker Institute.

Wood Mackenzie is embarking on a pivotal study to define the super region’s potential. The white paper will identify key drivers for the creation of sustainable value chains as well as highlight the current challenges facing the global minerals and how they affect the minerals industry across this resource-rich area. This report will serve as a crucial guide for stakeholders by establishing the foundations for what can be achieved from governmental and market collaboration as the region looks to unlock its resource potential to better enable the energy transition.

Global AI is set to conduct a comprehensive global sentiment analysis using state-of-the-art artificial intelligence, focusing on mining and mineral operations across the Super Region. This analysis aims to shed light on societal perceptions to inform dialogue on the roles governments, the private sector, and civil society must play in securing social license to operate, ensuring mining operations deliver tangible benefit local communities and minimize impact on the environment.

Meanwhile, CRU’s report will highlight the urgency of addressing critical mineral bottlenecks to meet climate goals, with a focus on the Middle East, Africa, and Central Asia as key future suppliers.

Together, these insights all align with FMF’s mission to enable the development of sustainable mineral industries, place the Super Region at the forefront of the global minerals conversation, and shape responsible mining practices. FMF, as a government-led, multi-stakeholder platform, aims to catalyze dialogue among industry leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders to drive progress toward a more sustainable and prosperous future in mineral development.

Media Contact:
Omar Shereen
E: [email protected]
M: +966 50 663 0489

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