Day: February 9, 2024

Following the State of the Nation Address on Thursday, Social Development Deputy Minister, Dr Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu, in partnership with USAID, will on Saturday launch ChommY at the Silverstream Primary School in Manenberg, in the Western Cape.

ChommY is a social and behavioural change programme for boys and girls between the ages of 10 and 14 years.

Manenberg is largely a coloured community on the Cape Flats that has been characterised as an area plagued by gang-related violent crimes and drug abuse.

ChommY, a colloquial term for ‘friend’, seeks to build a positive friendship among children and encourages young boys and girls to motivate one another to minimise risky behaviour and social ills, including, bullying.

‘The programme gives children the opportunity to develop a personal plan for their lives and emphasises the importance of support from parents and communities to enable young people to make informed decisions. The programme forms part of a basket of social and behavioural change programmes
offered by the Department of Social Development,’ the department said in a statement.

Observed under the theme: ‘Invest in my Future…Protect me Today’, ChommY aims to generate knowledge, develop skills, and empower young people to make informed choices and contribute on reducing high prevalence of HIV infections, substance abuse and prevention of teenage pregnancy.

Bogopane-Zulu will facilitate dialogues with the children as they share their social experiences and solutions.

Bokamoso – the programme’s mascot – will interact with the children as they participate in indigenous games.

Source: South African Government News Agency

President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the State of the Nation Address (SONA) at the Cape Town City Hall on Thursday.

Below is the SONA in numbers:

Social Assistance

More than 26 million – South Africans who continue to receive social assistance every month provided by the democratic state.

Some 9 million – unemployed people receiving the Special Social Relief of Distress Grant every month.

Unemployment and Job Creation

Two million ­- people who lost their jobs due to COVID-19.

15 to 24 – the ages of millions of young people who were not in employment, education or training, by 8 February 2024.

More than 1.7 million – work and livelihood opportunities created through the Expanded Public Works Programme.

More than 1 million – school assistants placed in 23 000 schools through the Presidential Employment Stimulus.

23 000 – schools where more than one million school assistants have been placed through the Presidential Employment Stimulus.

From 8 million to over 16.7 million – the increase in the number
of South Africans in employment since 1994 until 2024.

Over 4.3 million – young people engaged on SAYouth.mobi, a zero-rated platform for unemployed young people to access opportunities for learning and earning.

1.6 million – young people who have secured opportunities through the SAYouth.mobi, a zero-rated platform for unemployed young people to access opportunities for learning and earning.

Crime and Corruption

More than 200 – accused persons being prosecuted by the National Prosecuting Authority.

R14 billion – value of freezing orders granted to the National Prosecuting Authority’s Asset Forfeiture Unit for state capture-related cases.

Around R8.6 billion – value of corrupt proceeds that have been returned to the State.

R4.8 billion – unpaid taxes collected by the South African Revenue Service.

R64 billion – value of civil litigation instituted by the Special Investigating Unit.

5 000 – extra police officers deployed to Public Order Policing.

Over 285 000 – arrests made by the South African Poli
ce Service since May 2023 through Operation Shanela.

20 000 – police officers recruited over the last two years.

10 000 – police officers to be recruited in the year to come.

Over 100 000 – people stopped by the new Border Management Authority from entering South Africa illegally.

Energy

More than 2 500 – megawatts of solar and wind power connected to the grid.

More than 120 – new private energy projects in development.

More than 14 000 – kilometres of new transmission lines to be built over the coming years to accommodate renewable energy.

Around R170 billion to almost R240 billion – increases in the value of financing pledges for the Just Energy Transition Investment Plan in the past year.

Economy and Investment

More than 60 – ships waiting to berth at the Port of Durban in mid-November 2023.

12 – ships waiting to berth at the Port of Durban at the end of January 2024.

R1.5 trillion – value of new investment commitments raised through five South Africa Investment Conferences.

R500 billion – val
ue of new investment commitments raised through five South Africa Investment Conferences that have already flowed into the economy.

Approximately 39% – black ownership of mining by 2024, compared with 2% in 2004.

Road Infrastructure

Nearly 25 000 – kilometres of roads being managed by the South African National Roads Agency Limited.

More than 1 200 – projects to the value of R120 billion awarded by the South African National Roads Agency Limited in the past five years.

R120 billion – the value of more than 1 200 projects awarded by the South African National Roads Agency Limited in the past five years.

Land

25% – farmland owned by black South Africans through redistribution.

30% – target of farmland to be owned by black South Africans through redistribution by 2030.

Labour

Around 1 000 – black industrialists supported with funding and other forms of support in the last five years.

More than 90 000 – workers employed by black-owned firms which contribute many billions of rands to the South African e
conomy.

About 200 000 – workers who obtained ownership of shares in the companies in which they work.

Over half a million – status of worker ownership in companies in the South African economy.

Over 6 million – workers whose wages were raised by the introduction of the National Minimum Wage.

Matric

82.9% – latest matric pass rate; the highest ever.

Poverty Alleviation

71.1% – South African population living in poverty in 1993.

60.9% – the drop in the poverty rate by 2010.

55.5% – the drop in the poverty rate by 2020.

Health

More than 100 000 ­- South Africans who lost their lives to COVID-19.

54 years – life expectancy in 2003.

65 years – life expectancy in 2023.

95% – persons diagnosed with HIV who know their status.

79% – persons who receive antiretroviral treatment out of the 95% diagnosed with HIV who know their status.

93% – persons virally suppressed out of the 95% diagnosed with HIV who know their status.

Housing, Water and Telecommunications

Nearly nine out of every 10 – households l
iving in a formal dwelling.

Only 6 out of 10 – people who had access to clean drinking water at the end of apartheid.

9 out of 10 – South Africans with access to clean drinking water by 2024.

79% – households with access to the internet in 2022.

Gender-Based Violence and Femicide

Around R21 billion – money dedicated over the medium term to implement the six pillars of the National Strategic Plan on Gender-based Violence and Femicide, including the economic empowerment of women.

Source: South African Government News Agency

On behalf of President Cyril Ramaphosa, Deputy President Paul Mashatile will on Saturday attend and deliver the keynote address at the annual Ubuntu Awards at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC).

Hosted by the International Relations and Cooperation Minister, the awards recognise South African industry leaders, eminent people and ordinary South African citizens for their distinguished service and contribution to promoting South Africa’s national interests and values across the world.

The event takes place after the opening of Parliament and brings together captains of industry, civil society leaders, members of the Cabinet and eminent persons, in addition to all Ambassadors and High Commissioners accredited to South Africa.

Past winners have included performance artists, athletes, major South African companies and social upliftment foundations.

Winners from previous years include, among others, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Esther Mahlangu, Black Coffee, the late Hugh Masekela, Trevor Noah,
Pretty Yende, Caster Semenya, Wayde van Niekerk, Gift of The Givers and the Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation.

The Ubuntu Awards were launched in 2015 to celebrate South African citizens who play an active role in projecting a positive image of South Africa internationally through diligent service in their respective fields.

Source: South African Government News Agency

Cabinet Ministers speaking to SAnews have welcomed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address (SONA), which he delivered last night at the Cape Town City Hall.

President Ramaphosa used the State of the Nation Address to outline the successes achieved since 1994, the dawn of democracy.

READ | SA counts democratic gains of the last 30 years

Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development Minister Thoko Didiza said the President took the nation through the journey the country has travelled since 1994.

‘The President also [outlined] what we are going to do as a country to achieve what could not be achieved [so far] and he outlined the measures to be put in place to strengthen law enforcement agencies,’ Didiza said.

Didiza noted the President’s reflections on how the lives of ordinary South Africans have changed since 1994.

‘The President was very clear on some of the challenges we as a country have experienced as part of the rebuilding [process]. He said we have to look at State institutions t
o make sure that they are strengthened, and we have to put in place preventative measures by way of putting credible people into positions.

‘Since the dawn of democracy, government has created opportunities for the previously disadvantaged people,’ the Minister said.

Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu said the President spoke at length about the successes the country has achieved during the 30 years of democracy.

‘The President spoke about the things that as a country we could have done better and [urged] us to look into the next 30 years, and look into the weaknesses and do better,’ Zulu said.

Zulu commended the President’s resolve to end gender-based violence.

In his address, President Ramaphosa said as a society, collective efforts must be intensified to bring gender-based violence and femicide to an end.

‘Unless we are able to deal with those issues, it would be very difficult for our country to grow even better,’ Zulu said.

Zulu commended the President’s approach to social protection, saying
it is a need that everybody should understand.

Health Minister, Dr Joe Phaahla, welcomed the President’s remarks on the health sector.

READ| Somebody give me a pen! – President

‘If we could do away with the fragmentation between private and public health services, the future will be even brighter,’ he said.

The President in his address said the country’s policies and programmes have, over the course of 30 years, lifted millions of people out of dire poverty.

‘Today, fewer South Africans go hungry and fewer live in poverty. In 1993, South Africa faced a significant poverty challenge, with 71.1% of its population living in poverty. However, under the democratic government, there has been a consistent decline in these numbers.

‘By 2010, the poverty rate had dropped to 60.9% percent, and it continued to decrease, reaching 55.5% in 2020, as reported by the World Bank,’ he said.

Source: South African Government News Agency

President Cyril Ramaphosa says government supports the call for a pledge that men in South Africa are invited to take to demonstrate their personal commitment to ending gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF).

‘Our ultimate goal is to end gender-based violence altogether by mobilising all of society,’ President Ramaphosa said during his State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Thursday night.

Highlighting government’s efforts and achievements to end the scourge, which he described as the second pandemic in the country, the Head of State said together with civil society, government developed the National Strategic Plan (NSP) on gender-based violence as a society-wide response to this pandemic.

‘Around R21 billion was dedicated over the medium term to the implementation of the six pillars of the plan, including the economic empowerment of women.

‘New laws were introduced to strengthen the response of the criminal justice system gender based violence and provide better support to survivors of such violence,’
the President said.

The NSP on GBVF is driven by six pillars, including:

Extensive legal reform;

Support for survivors through the provision of evidence toolkits at police stations;

Psychology and social services;

The establishment of the GBVF Response Fund which commits both government and the private sector to fund the fight against GBVF;

Support for Thuthuzela and Khuseleka Care centres, which provide vital services for GBV survivors; and

The economic empowerment of women.

The President said women are also in the process of developing their own pledge.

As the country celebrates 30 years of freedom, the President noted that government has safeguarded and promoted the basic rights in the Constitution and these include freedom of speech, association, and belief.

‘We have defended media freedom and the independence of the judiciary. We have protected and advanced the rights of members of the LGBTQI [lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning and intersex] community, and continue to
combat all forms of prejudice and intolerance,’ the President said.

President Ramaphosa further reaffirmed government’s commitment to continue to build an inclusive economy, focusing on the empowerment of black and women South Africans, advancing workers’ rights, intensifying land reform, and pursuing a just energy transition that leaves no one behind.

‘We will continue to strengthen our law enforcement institutions, tackle gender-based violence and fight corruption to make South Africa a safe place for all. We will continue to strengthen local government, professionalise the public service and ensure that public officials are held accountable for their actions.

‘We will continue to position our economy to grow and compete in a fast-changing world, to support small businesses, to give young people economic opportunities and to provide social protection to the vulnerable,’ President Ramaphosa said.

This year’s SONA, which was the last one for the sixth administration, was held under the theme: ‘Following u
p on our commitments: Making your future work better’.

Source: South African Government News Agency

OTJIWARONGO: The Otjozondjupa Regional Council on Thursday officially opened a book of condolences for late President Hage Geingob who died in Windhoek on Sunday.

The condolences book, according to the Personal Assistant to the Otjozondjupa Region Governor, Charmaine Tjizumane is to allow the general public to send messages to the bereaved family of Geingob.

Tjizumane told Nampa on Thursday: ‘The book belongs to the Government, and it will be placed on the ground floor of the Otjozondjupa Regional Council building where it will remain open to any member of the public who wants to send a message of condolences and a word of support to the late president’s family.’

Tjizumane called on the region’s inhabitants to make use of the opportunity to convey their condolences before the book is sent to State House in Windhoek.

Source: Namibia Press Agency

Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga has expressed concern at the high level of vehicle crashes and fatalities that have occurred in the country recently.

“In recent past weeks, there were some equally gruesome accidents that robbed our country of fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, families and young children who had a potential to grow up and make a meaningful contribution to develop our country,’ Chikunga said on Friday in the Free State.

She made these remarks during her visit to Riebeckstad High School where six pupils died and more than 40 others were injured when the driver of a bus lost control and the vehicle overturned on 06 February 2024 between Senekal and Welkom.

‘This is an unacceptable behaviour and conduct. It is unacceptable because we know that road crashes are preventable and they are avoidable. Every driver knows that we all have responsibilities, not to drive vehicles with faulty brakes, worn tyres and that are unroadworthy.

‘Each year, the lives of South Africans are cut short bec
ause of road traffic crashes. Moreover, thousands of people suffer non-fatal injuries, with many becoming disabled as a result of injuries suffered during road crash incidents.

‘While we have intensified efforts to communicate road safety messages through different mediums, it is unfortunate that road users’ attitude and behaviour towards obeying the rules of the road remain main factors significantly contributing to fatalities on the road, and as such this calls for more education targeted at behavioural change,’ the Minister said.

Chikunga noted that human error was not a contributing factor in the crash as the nuts on the left rear wheels were not tightly secured resulting in the wheels coming off and causing the crash.

‘The bus driver would not have been aware of this problem as this was a mechanical error that the mechanics who worked on the bus previously, should have identified before the bus left the workshop.

“I call on the police and everyone involved in the investigation to finalise their inves
tigation sooner to enable families to find closure.

‘On behalf of the government of South Africa, and particularly the transport family, we send our deepest and heartfelt condolences to the families of the learners who died. To those that are recuperating in hospitals and at home, we wish them a speedy recovery,’ the Minister said. -SAnews.gov.za

Source: South African Government News Agency