Day: August 18, 2024

President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed deep concern about the rapid spread of Mpox across the African Union (AU) region, as both cases and deaths continue to surge, reflecting a concerning shift in the epidemiological pattern.

The President was speaking in his role as the AU Champion on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness, and Response (PPPR) regarding the Mpox outbreak.

‘In my role as the AU Champion on PPPR, I have been closely monitoring the evolving Mpox situation, regularly briefed by the Director-General of Africa CDC and PPPR Commission,’ he said in a statement on Saturday.

Since the start of 2024, he said 17 541 cases (2 822 confirmed and 14 719 suspected) and 517 deaths due to Mpox have been reported across 13 AU Member States.

This week, three additional countries notified cases under investigation for confirmation, which brings the total to 16 countries.

‘Alarmingly, the number of reported cases in 2024 has surged by 160% compared to the same period in 2023.’

Strengthening the response to M
pox

He said that he fully backs the Director-General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention’s (Africa CDC) declaration of Mpox as a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security.

‘This crucial decision empowers Africa CDC to lead and coordinate our collective response efforts, strengthening the Mpox response at every level – from community engagement to collaboration with the highest political authorities and our international partners.’

He believes that the declaration will also galvanise political leadership and engagement among AU Heads of State and Government, facilitating the rapid mobilisation of essential financial and technical resources.

The President also commended the Permanent Representatives Committee for their decisive action in releasing US$ 10.4 million from the COVID-19 Fund to support the Mpox outbreak response.

‘I urge the AU policy organs to expedite the finalisation of the framework for operationalising the African Epidemic Fund, as approved by the Heads of St
ate during the 2023 AU Assembly, by the end of August 2024.’

The President has since called the AU Member States to increase domestic resource allocation, lead their national Mpox outbreak responses and enhance their capacities.

These capabilities include building capacity, risk communication, community engagement, case detection, contact tracing, and cross-border surveillance.

Public Health Emergency of International Concern

He also welcomed the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) declaration of Mpox as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).

READ | WHO declares mpox outbreaks in Africa a global health emergency

The WHO said the upsurge of Mpox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and a growing number of countries constitute a PHEIC under the International Health Regulations (IHR).

However, the President said this PHEIC ‘must be different and correct the unfair treatment from the previous one declared in 2022, where vaccines and therapeutics were developed and made avail
able primarily to Western countries, with little support extended to Africa’.

President Ramaphosa has since called upon WHO and all partners to collaborate closely with Africa CDC to ensure that this PHEIC unlocks appropriate support from the international community, guaranteeing equitable access to medical countermeasures, including diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines.

He also urged the international community, partners, and organisations to mobilise stockpiles of vaccines and other medical countermeasures for deployment in Africa, utilising the mechanisms established by Africa CDC to ensure equitable distribution, transparency, and coordination.

The President said Africa requires robust support in funding, research, and the sharing of technologies, with financial contributions directed to the Africa Epidemic Fund under the leadership of Africa CDC.

Pandemic Agreement

‘This is also an opportunity to call on the international community to finalise a fair and equitable Pandemic Agreement – a duty t
hat must be pursued with urgency and a spirit of equity.

‘By fostering global partnerships, we can accelerate Africa’s response and ensure that all nations, regardless of economic status, have fair access to the resources needed to protect their populations.’

As the AU Champion, he vowed to work closely with his esteemed colleagues to ensure adequate political support and fundraising for the continental response to mpox and to prevent a regional and global pandemic.

Source : South African Government News Agency

Public Service and Administration Minister, Inkosi Mzamo Buthelezi, is expected to visit service delivery sites and hand over title deeds to residents of Etwatwa in the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality.

‘This initiative is supported by various national, provincial, and local departments, aligning with the Presidential District Development Model (DDM) Imbizo scheduled for 23 August 2024,’ said the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) in a statement.

The Minister’s visit will take place on Tuesday, 20 August.

‘On this day, community members will have access to essential services, including those offered by the Department of Home Affairs and the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA),” said the DPSA.

President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to lead a Presidential District Development Model (DDM) Imbizo in Ekurhuleni in Gauteng on Friday.

The Presidential Imbizo will be the first to be held by the seventh administration.

At a media briefing earlier this month, Presidential Spokespe
rson Vincent Magwenya who said the DDM was established to improve coordination and alignment between the different spheres of government.

‘This is an important initiative to improve planning, budgeting and implementation at a local level by bringing all spheres, departments and stakeholders together, towards uplifting our communities,’ Magwenya said at the time.

Source : South African Government News Agency

Government departments will continue to host a variety of activities to commemorate Women’s Month.

On 9 August, South Africa commemorated Women’s Day in the Northern Cape under the theme: ‘Celebrating 30 years of democracy towards Women’s Development’.

READ | President Ramaphosa pays tribute to women

This follows the launch of Women’s Month on 31 July.

This year’s Women’s Month marks the 68th anniversary of the historic march of thousands of South African women from all walks of life to the Union Buildings in 1956. The march was in protest of the introduction of apartheid pass laws for Black women in 1952.

‘During Women’s Month, we celebrate women as active agents of change and social transformation. The commemoration also allows us to take stock of achievements and the challenges that remain while mobilising support for the further development of women,’ the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) said in a statement.

The GCIS believes this year’s Women’s Month marks an important junctu
re for collective reflection on how South Africa has empowered and advanced the rights of women over the past three decades.

‘We also celebrate 30 years of the Women’s Charter, which was established to drive equality.’

Government said it will advance the Women’s Charter for Accelerated Development that was formulated in 2021 to accelerate economic reforms to unlock women’s economic progress.

Several socio-economic empowerment programmes and events will take place during the month including a trade expo, fashion show, and social dialogues.

Advancing women

The Women Economic Assembly (Wenoca) will launch its research project findings on the ‘Economic Empowerment of Women in South Africa’s Property Sector’ at the University of South Africa (Unisa) in Pretoria.

The Wecona study focuses on using evidence-based methods to explore and address the challenges faced by women in the property sector and sub-sectors and identifies opportunities for economic empowerment.

The Charlotte Mannya Maxeke Foundation an
d Freedom Park in promoting social cohesion and discussing issues that delay women’s empowerment as a threat to gender equality, will host a Women Inclusivity Dialogue.

The dialogue will focus on assessing progress 30 years later and celebrating women’s empowerment.

The session will also seek to find solutions to justice and equality for women led by women.

Meanwhile, the Department of Transport will host an information-sharing session for Cross Border Women Operators, to increase the participation of women in the cross-border market leading to the transformation of the industry. It will also encourage them to consider other sectors within the cross-border market.

In addition, the Department of Mineral Resources will host a Women in Energy and Mining Symposium to share opportunities in the energy and mining sector for women and the youth.

Youth initiatives

On 12 August, the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities (DWYPD) in partnership with the National Youth Development Agency laun
ched the Job Shadowing Programme in all nine provinces through the respective Offices of the Premier.

In addition, the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative (PYEI) first-quarter report was released last week.

The PYEI is South Africa’s most comprehensive effort to address youth unemployment to enable more young people to move from learning to earning.

The GCIS said the PYEI is committed to addressing the gender gap in employment and a significant achievement of the intervention is that 70% of the opportunities have been secured by young women.

Women in law enforcement

The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) Parade is the celebration of women in uniform supported by men in solidarity with the Women, Peace and Security Agenda and United Nations Security Council resolution 1325 on women, peace and security that was adopted by the United Nation (UN) Security Council on 31 October 2000.

The resolutions acknowledge the disproportionated and unique impact of armed conflict on women and girls.

I
n the Northern Cape, a provincial law enforcement parade will be held in Kuruman, to display a disciplinary approach which encourages service delivery in various sectors of government and further advocates the empowerment of women.

The South African Police Services (SAPS) has also started a campaign to highlight and celebrate women in the service who are behind major crime operations and also various fields within law enforcement such as forensics, crime intelligence and criminal investigations.

Public engagements and awareness campaigns

Across provinces, various community dialogues and workshops will take place on gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) initiatives.

Government in partnership with civil society will hold the 3rd National Men’s Day Against GBVF which will be officiated by Deputy President Paul Mashatile and His Majesty the King Misuzulu kaZwelithini on 24 August 2024.

The event led by the Goodmen Foundation in partnership with DWYPD seeks to use this event to increase awareness about
the impact of GBVF on society, educate citizens about gender equity and profile support available for survivors and facilitate healing.

READ | President speaks out on gender-based violence

Women in transport

The National Aviation Gender Summit (NAGS) 2024 themed: ‘Lift as we rise: The journey towards 2030!’ will examine the progress made by the South African civil aviation industry towards this goal.

The summit will focus on addressing gender transformation gaps within the sector and emphasise the significance of mentorship in promoting gender equality.

The NAGS 2024 is targeting female aviation professionals and various industry representatives with responsibilities and a personal stake in issues of gender equality and diversity.

Women in the public service

Various provincial heads of departments and Directors-General with senior women managers will host the Public Service Women Management Week to evaluate and monitor progress on the implementation of women empowerment and gender equality program
mes in departments.

‘Ending the scourge of GBVF requires the efforts of government, private sector, civil society and every member of society. It is the responsibility of all South Africans to end the culture of silence around gender-based violence and protect the women and children.’

In elevating the fight against GBV in his 2024 State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Cyril Ramaphosa initiated the anti-GBV campaign, in which he called upon all South African men to unite to end GBV.

‘Government continues to uphold its constitutional responsibility and national priority to protect, promote and advance the rights of women and persons with disabilities and the 2024 Women’s Month programme seeks to shine a spotlight on women in diverse fields and the strides made for advancing gender equity in the past 30 Years of Freedom and Democracy,’ said the GCIS.

Further details on the events listed above as well as additional events are listed on the Women’s Month calendar which can be located at www.gov.za.

S
ource : South African Government News Agency

Mpumalanga’s Acting Police Commissioner, Major General Zeph Mkhwanazi, has expressed delight at a breakthrough made in the fight against cash-in-transit robberies that led to the arrest of four suspects.

This is after four suspects, aged between 30 and 49 were arrested in Vosman, Witbank on Saturday, 17 August.

The South African Police Service (SAPS) stated that the success of this operation was made possible by the proactive efforts of crime intelligence, which provided crucial information about the suspects’ plans.

‘This information enabled a joint team to operationalise and strategically position themselves along the R545 Road, heading to Ogies. Upon spotting the suspects attempting to carry out the robbery in a white Mercedes Benz sedan, of which they failed, the members were able to intervene and prevent the attack on the security cash truck.’

The suspects then fled the scene in several other vehicles including a blue BMW 330i sedan and a charcoal Kia SUV.

‘A high-speed chase ensued, with law enfor
cement agencies successfully intercepting the suspects in the Vosman policing area,’ the statement read.

During the arrest, the SAPS said the suspects were found in possession of three AK-47 rifles with six magazines as well as 134 live rounds of ammunition, one 9 mm pistol with two magazines and 27 live ammunition.

‘Additionally, hand gloves as well as balaclavas were confiscated during the arrest.’

The vehicles used in the attempted robbery were also seized for further investigation with preliminary findings revealing that the Mercedes Benz was reported stolen in Kabokweni last month.

Several officials were involved in this breakthrough, including the tracking team from Limpopo in conjunction with the one from Mpumalanga, and crime prevention members from Vosman and Fidelity Special Service.

The suspects will face multiple charges, including possession of prohibited firearms and stolen vehicles, and conspiracy to commit a robbery.

The suspects are due to appear at Emalahleni Magistrate’s Court with
the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) taking over the investigation.

‘The confiscated firearms will be subjected to ballistic testing to determine whether these weapons were not previously used in the commission of crime elsewhere hence police cannot rule out the possibility of adding more charges against the suspects as the investigation continues,’ the police added.

Mkhwanazi said this operation, once again highlights the dedication and expertise of local law enforcement officers in combating violent crimes and ensuring the safety of communities.

‘Firstly, we would like to appreciate the collaboration displayed by the team from Limpopo as well as our team from Mpumalanga and not forgetting the Fidelity Special Service which culminated in this magnificent achievement.

‘We encourage the public to remain vigilant and continue cooperating with police to fight against criminal activities,’ the Major General added.

Source : South African Government News Agency

The 44th Ordinary Summit of the Southern African Community (SADC) Heads of State and Government has noted with concern, the ongoing attacks on civilians in Palestine.

‘[The] Summit noted with concern the relentless attack on civilians in Palestine (Gaza) which has resulted in the loss of lives, destruction of property, and deteriorating humanitarian conditions and called for an immediate cease-fire, the release of all hostages, and the commencement of talks to bring a lasting solution to the conflict,’ it said in its communique.

The 44th Ordinary Summit of the SADC was held in held in Harare, Zimbabwe on Saturday.

READ | President Ramaphosa arrives in Zimbabwe for Ordinary SADC Summit

The gathering elected President of Zimbabwe, Dr Emmerson Mnangagwa, as the Chairperson of SADC, and Madagascar President, Andry Rajoelina as the incoming Chairperson.

The Summit also reiterated the regional call made at the 39th SADC Summit for the unconditional removal of sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe and acknowledged tha
t the sanctions continue to hinder the progress and prosperity of Zimbabweans and the SADC region.

Mpox

The leaders also touched on the Mpox situation on the continent and in the SADC region.

The Member States welcomed the declaration by the World Health Organisation (WHO) of Mpox as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHIEC).

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) also declared Mpox as a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS).

They have since urged Member States to strengthen disease surveillance, diagnosis testing and clinical care, infection prevention and control as well as awareness raising of the disease at all levels of the community.

‘The summit extended solidarity and support to Member States affected by Mpox and further requested the World Health Organisation, Africa CDC and other partners to avail resources towards the Mpox response in the region.’

READ | President Ramaphosa raises concern over rise of Mpox in AU region

Peace an
d security

In addition, the leaders reiterated their unwavering support to Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in promoting and consolidating peace, security and stability in the two countries.

‘The summit commended His Excellency João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, the President of the Republic of Angola, for his efforts to bring lasting peace to the security challenges in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo through the Luanda Process and brokering a cease-fire agreement between the DRC and Rwanda and called on the two countries to cease all hostilities.’

They also endorsed the establishment of the Office and the structure of the Special Representative of SADC and Head of Mission of SADC Mission in the DRC (SAMIDRC).

Elections

In addition, the leaders noted the SADC electoral calendar for the remaining part of 2024, which includes elections in Botswana and Mozambique in October. Elections will take place in Namibia in November and Mauritius on a date still to be determined.

The su
mmit wished the Member States successful elections.

Economic growth and climate change

The gathering also endorsed the theme of the 44th SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government, titled ‘Promoting Innovation to unlock opportunities for sustained economic growth and development towards an Industrialised SADC’.

The theme recognised that innovation is a fundamental instrument with significant potential to drive priority sectors of manufacturing, mineral beneficiation and agro-processing to enhance the industrialisation and economic growth of the SADC region.

The SADC Member States also committed to take the necessary measures at the regional and national levels to address the challenges faced by people with albinism.

‘The summit urged Member States to continue monitoring weather and climate risks, including the forecasted La Niña event and develop contingency measures to mitigate the impact of disasters.’

Source : South African Government News Agency

The Department of Home Affairs says it has concluded its preparations to deport the 95 Libyan nationals who were arrested in White River, Mpumalanga, last month.

This comes after charges were dropped against 95 men who were arrested on suspicion of receiving training at an illegal military camp.

‘They are scheduled to leave South Africa from the Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport this morning in a flight that has been paid for by the Libyan government,’ the department said in statement on Sunday.

The Home Affairs Minister, Dr Leon Schreiber, has since welcomed the swift conclusion of the deportation.

‘I commend the Home Affairs officials and other law enforcement officers who worked tirelessly to ensure an expeditious deportation.

‘We will continue to deploy all resources at our disposal to ensure that the country’s immigration laws are respected and observed,’ said Schreiber.

READ | Home Affairs welcomes court decision on 95 Libyans

Last week, the Minister said his department will not hesitate
to act decisively to ensure that anyone who breaches the immigration laws of the country is processed through the courts and accordingly faces the consequences.

‘Respect for the rule of law is sacrosanct,’ the Minister added.

Source : South African Government News Agency