Day: June 10, 2024

The Committee of Youths on Mobilisation and Sensitisation (CYMS), has called on the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), to align its minimum wage demand with governments’ ability to pay sustainably.

Its Director-General, Mr Obinna Nwaka, made the call during a thanksgiving service to mark the end of the 2024 Youths’ Week at the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Nyanya, Abuja on Sunday.

The theme of the thanksgiving service was, ‘Promotion of Peaceful Coexistence and Religious Co-creation in our Nation’.

Nwaka said that considering the current economic challenges in the country, ‘the federal and state governments may struggle to pay, if the amount is unrealistic.’

According to him, the N250,000 demand as minimum wage by the NLC for workers is not sustainable, considering the country’s current financial situation.

He pointed out that Nigeria is still recovering from the economic difficulties of the past administration and warned against making promises that could destabilise the nation.

He also argued tha
t a substantial salary increase would be insufficient if critical infrastructure and public services remain inadequate.

He advised labour to also pay attention to addressing broader systemic issues rather than focusing solely on wage increase.

‘We are in the same shoes. There are other areas; labour for example can advocate for good governance; it’s not just all about minimum wage,’ he added.

He called on the NLC to channel their efforts towards advocating for improved healthcare and education services, including the provisions of critical infrastructure.

This, he believes, could have a more significant impact on the quality of life of the Nigerian workers.

See also NBC to demarcate Delta boundaries to avert clashes – DG

‘Even if they are paying you 500,000 Naira as a salary, it will not be enough, if a healthcare facility is not there; if infrastructure is not there; and if we cannot even send our children to a public school.

‘The NLC should focus on motivating the government to invest in these essent
ial sectors,’ he said.

Earlier, the minister in charge, Rev. Samuel Labuja, said that the conversations, throughout the youths’ week, reflected the nation’s quest for unity and development.

Labuja advised the youths to maximise their potential and invest in self-reliance ventures, as against depending on white-collar jobs.

‘The youths should understand that we can’t live together without peace, and the best we can do to make the nation move forward is to live in peace.

‘Youths should learn not to depend on salary alone. They should make use of their God-given talent to earn more resources.

‘Whatever you are doing, do it well to the glory of God to earn a living,’ he said.

On his part, the Church’s Youths President, Mr Bobby Odia, described the week-long youths’ conference as impactful.

Odia particularly said that the youths, as leaders of tomorrow, have understood the need to contribute their resources towards the development of the country.

‘We just celebrated the 2024 Youths’ Week with the theme, ‘S
tand Firm and Take Charge’, and for us to be the future of tomorrow, we have to utilise our energy for the good of our nation,’ he said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Justice and Constitutional Development Minister, Ronald Lamola, is expected to lead a South African delegation to the High Level Conference titled the ‘Call for Action: Urgent Humanitarian Response to Gaza’.

The conference will be held in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in the Middle East on Tuesday.

‘The High Level Conference will among others, articulate on how the minimum requirements for ensuring sustained, predictable and sufficient supplies of humanitarian assistance can reach into and throughout Gaza via land and sea routes in line with Security Council Resolution 2720 (2023).

‘[The] High Level Conference is also expected to outline the minimum requirements for ensuring conducive conditions for the safe and effective distribution of aid inside Gaza, including those related to the protection of civilians and humanitarian staff. This is in line with previous calls for an immediate ceasefire and based on existing constraints to the safe and effective delivery of aid,’ the Department of Justice and Cons
titutional Development said in a statement.

The conference is expected to be co-chaired by His Majesty King Abdullah Il bin Al Hussein of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi of the Arab Republic of Egypt and Secretary General of the United Nations António Guterres.

‘South Africa remains committed towards advancing efforts to find a coordinated and sustainable solution to the dire situation in Palestine and addressing and ending the large-scale suffering of the people of Gaza is of utmost importance to the country.

‘Minister Lamola says the South African government remains committed to advocate for peace in Gaza expressing the country’s determination to seek justice through all available international legal channels. He adds that South Africa is dedicated to upholding universal human rights and supporting the Palestinian people’s right to sovereignty, peace and secure life,’ the department concluded.

Source: South African Government News Agency

Gauteng Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Tommy Mthombeni has commended South African Police Service (SAPS) members involved in dismantling an underground drug laboratory worth millions in Alberton on Friday.

The police also arrested eight suspects.

On 28 May 2024, Johannesburg K9 members received information regarding a suspected drug laboratory operating from certain premises in Alberton. Over the following days, police observed the premises and confirmed there was illegal activity happening within the premises.

The members approached the National Counter Narcotics for assistance and proceeded to the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court to apply for a search warrant, which was granted.

On Friday, at about 10:00 in the morning, the team comprising of the Johannesburg K9 and National Counter Narcotics units, executed the search warrant at the premises.

The police found massive quantities of precursor chemicals for manufacturing drugs, drug manufacturing equipment and actual drugs.

The members then withdre
w from the house and called in Forensic Crime Scene Management as well as the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation and the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority.

The police placed eight suspects found at the premises under arrest. They are facing possible charges of dealing in drugs and contravening Drugs and Drug Trafficking Act, Act 140 of 1992.

The Provincial Commissioner thanked the team for their due diligence, patience and execution of the search warrant.

‘This discovery and subsequent arrest of these alleged drug dealers and traffickers will have a positive impact on the streets of Gauteng.

‘These suspects’ criminal dealings have been disrupted and we have definitely hit them hard in the pockets,’ said Mthombeni.

Source: South African Government News Agency

The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) Administrator, Freeman Nomvalo, says a bulk payment of accommodation allowances was processed by the end of May 2024 and beginning of June 2024, with the next scheduled payment expected by mid-June 2024.

Nomvalo said NSFAS has been consulting with various stakeholders since his appointment as the Administrator, and one of the critical stakeholders consulted are the landlords for private student accommodation who raised concerns regarding the outstanding payment of student accommodation allowances.

Nomvalo has assured the stakeholders that a bulk payment of accommodation allowances has been processed by the end of May 2024.

‘The next scheduled payment will be not later than 18 June 2024 to clear all legitimate claims. These interventions are intended to provide the much-needed relief to private student accommodation landlords,’ Nomvalo said.

The Administrator has urged the landlords, who still have outstanding payments, not to evict students, as NSFAS is co
mmitted to ensuring that all legitimate claims are resolved not later than 18 June 2024.

He encouraged landlords who did not submit their claims for outstanding payments to refer their queries to [email protected].

Nomvalo reiterated his call to all Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college students, who still do not have bank accounts, to open them with banks of their own choice and submit their bank accounts on the NSFAS established portal in order to avoid delays in their payment allowances.

‘The banking details provided must belong to the student to enable NSFAS to verify these against the student’s details on our record and minimise potential risks,’ Nomvalo said.

The Administrator also encouraged members of the public to only rely on official communication from NSFAS, as opposed to deliberate misinformation about the work of the scheme, which often appears in various social media platforms.

The Administrator further reiterated his commitment to constructively engage with
all stakeholders to find workable solutions for the stability of the Post-School Education and Training in South Africa system and success of the students.

Source: South African Government News Agency

Acting Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Maropene Ramokgopa has congratulated all participants and organisers of the 2024 Comrades Marathon on a successful event.

Popularly known as the ‘ultimate human race’, the 103rd edition of this epic endurance race took place in KwaZulu-Natal on Sunday, 9 June 2024.

South Africa’s Gerda Steyn made history when she won her third Comrades Marathon in a row and broke her record to win the women’s race, while Pete Wiersma from the Netherlands won the men’s race.

‘The Comrades Marathon represents the best of South Africa, and the power of sport to foster national unity and social cohesion. A signature event in South African sport, the Comrades Marathon brings together people from all walks of life, and from all parts of the world to tackle one of the world’s most famous running routes.

‘I am pleased to see the Comrades Marathon continuing to draw runners and visitors into the country from all over the world. This is why this marathon is important in boosting sports tou
rism in the country,’ Ramokgopa said on Monday.

As South Africa celebrates 30 years of freedom and democracy, the country’s cultural, creative, and sports sectors continue to raise the country’s flag sky high.

‘Amapiano artist Kabza de Small and orchestral conductor Ofentse Pitse have collaborated for a spectacular show at the Red Bull Symphonic South Africa. DJ Black Coffee showcases the best of South African music in Ibiza, while many of the country’s creatives continue to make their mark locally and abroad.

‘In the sports sector, South African tennis ace Kgothatso Montjane recently competed in the French Open final in the women’s wheelchair doubles draw. The Proteas Men, the national men’s cricket team, is competing in the World T20 World Cup in the United States and West Indies, while Bafana Bafana continues to fight for a place in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers when they face Zimbabwe in Bloemfontein on Tuesday, 11 June 2024,’ the Ministry of Sport, Arts and Culture said.

Source: South African Govern
ment News Agency

Johannesburg’s power utility, City Power, is expected to begin implementing load reduction in areas it says have ‘exceedingly high’ electricity usage levels.

The load reduction is expected to be implemented from this morning.

More than 80 areas will be affected and grouped into six blocks for load reduction, which will not exceed 2.5 hours per block.

‘The decision to initiate load reduction follows extensive efforts to encourage customers to use electricity wisely and efficiently in recent weeks.

‘Despite warnings about the constrained electricity network in the city, residents have not reduced their electricity consumption, and energy demand has continued to rise,’ the utility’s spokesperson, Isaac Mangena, said.

Mangena explained that consumption in the metro has reached ‘critical levels, forcing… City Power to embark on stringent measures to protect the grid from total collapse’.

‘City Power has recorded an enormous increase in the average evening peak load in some areas, which went up by 65%, from 2
5MW during the summer months to 33MW between April and May 2024. In some instances, the load reaches 42MW, constituting a 110% increase in consumption levels in comparison with the warmer season.

‘During January and March this year, the average off-peak consumption at some of our substations has been sitting at 20MW. Between April and May, consumption shot up by 50%, increasing the off-peak load to 30MW. With temperatures expected to drop even more between June and July, the consumption levels could have dire consequences on our network infrastructure if load reduction is not urgently implemented,’ he said.

The power utility is also embarking on other measures to work in tandem with load reduction.

‘Part of our measures to lighten the load on the grid through load reduction includes the installation of ripple relays. A ripple receiver is part of a load management system used to control the electricity supply to the geyser during peak hours.

‘Geysers are among the biggest electricity guzzlers, accounting f
or up to 50% of monthly household energy costs. These ripple relay receivers at different households are connected to at least 69 of our substations, and we can monitor customers’ consumption load remotely. City Power will remotely switch off the customer geyser once they reach high consumption levels,’ Mangena said.

Illegal connections

The spokesperson said illegal connections are also contributing to an already ‘severely strained’ electricity network.

‘City Power continues to intensify the removal of illegal connections and revenue collection operations across the City of Johannesburg this winter season. This seeks not only to alleviate pressure on the system but to recover the billions owed to it and send a strong message to non-paying customers to pay for the services they use daily or have their power supply cut off.

‘From our observations, those who are illegally connected or tampered with meters, are amongst the highest consumers of electricity, because they do not experience the financial conseque
nces of keeping high and irresponsible usage,’ he said.

The schedule for load reduction is available on the City Power website.

Source: South African Government News Agency