Day: September 5, 2024

President Cyril Ramaphosa has welcomed the proposal by Chinese President Xi Jinping to elevate China’s bilateral relations with African countries which have diplomatic ties with China, to the level of strategic relations.

President Xi said that the overall characterisation of China-Africa relations should be elevated to an “all-weather China-Africa community” with a shared future for the new era.

Addressing the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit in Beijing, China, President Ramaphosa said FOCAC can play an important role, as Africa works to build an integrated network of linkages between countries, within regions and across the continent.

‘If we are to realise a sustainable future for Africa and China – and indeed the entire world – we must acknowledge the reality of the interdependence among our community of nations.

‘If we are to build a future that is people-centred, development-orientated and inclusive, we need to work in a spirit of cooperation and collaboration,’ the President said.

WATCH |

He said the fourth FOCAC Summit reflects the cooperative, comprehensive and intentional nature of the cooperation between Africa and China.

‘This Summit reflects our shared desire for modernisation, development and progress on the African continent. We believe that this shared desire is reflected in the 10 partnership actions on modernisation to be taken by China and Africa, as announced by President Xi.

‘Through the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, the economies of Africa are being drawn closer together. We are pursuing projects that reach across national borders.

‘We believe that FOCAC can play an important role, as Africa works to build an integrated network of linkages between countries, within regions and across the continent,’ the President said.

President Ramaphosa said FOCAC is a valuable forum to support the implementation of the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

‘In the name of our common humanity, we must work together to achieve the Africa we want. And we must wo
rk together to achieve the world we want,’ the President said.

China has a long history of friendship and solidarity with the people of Africa.

‘Since this relationship was institutionalised through FOCAC in 2000, ties between China and Africa have continued to grow and deepen. We meet today when the world is experiencing many challenges. War and conflict continue to cause great human suffering and instability in a number of places across the world.

‘Climate change is causing widespread devastation. The world is falling behind in its efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. The global contestation for critical minerals is fuelling geopolitical rivalry,’ the President said.

He said these challenges affect all nations, but are often most severely felt in Africa.

‘Yet, amid these challenges, there is hope and opportunity. We are driven by a desire to achieve shared prosperity while recognising our individual developmental aspirations,’ the President said.

Source: South African Government News
Agency

President Cyril Ramaphosa has welcomed the proposal by Chinese President Xi Jinping to elevate China’s bilateral relations with African countries which have diplomatic ties with China, to the level of strategic relations.

President Xi said that the overall characterisation of China-Africa relations should be elevated to an “all-weather China-Africa community” with a shared future for the new era.

Addressing the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit in Beijing, China, President Ramaphosa said FOCAC can play an important role, as Africa works to build an integrated network of linkages between countries, within regions and across the continent.

‘If we are to realise a sustainable future for Africa and China – and indeed the entire world – we must acknowledge the reality of the interdependence among our community of nations.

‘If we are to build a future that is people-centred, development-orientated and inclusive, we need to work in a spirit of cooperation and collaboration,’ the President said.

WATCH |

He said the fourth FOCAC Summit reflects the cooperative, comprehensive and intentional nature of the cooperation between Africa and China.

‘This Summit reflects our shared desire for modernisation, development and progress on the African continent. We believe that this shared desire is reflected in the 10 partnership actions on modernisation to be taken by China and Africa, as announced by President Xi.

‘Through the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, the economies of Africa are being drawn closer together. We are pursuing projects that reach across national borders.

‘We believe that FOCAC can play an important role, as Africa works to build an integrated network of linkages between countries, within regions and across the continent,’ the President said.

President Ramaphosa said FOCAC is a valuable forum to support the implementation of the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

‘In the name of our common humanity, we must work together to achieve the Africa we want. And we must wo
rk together to achieve the world we want,’ the President said.

China has a long history of friendship and solidarity with the people of Africa.

‘Since this relationship was institutionalised through FOCAC in 2000, ties between China and Africa have continued to grow and deepen. We meet today when the world is experiencing many challenges. War and conflict continue to cause great human suffering and instability in a number of places across the world.

‘Climate change is causing widespread devastation. The world is falling behind in its efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. The global contestation for critical minerals is fuelling geopolitical rivalry,’ the President said.

He said these challenges affect all nations, but are often most severely felt in Africa.

‘Yet, amid these challenges, there is hope and opportunity. We are driven by a desire to achieve shared prosperity while recognising our individual developmental aspirations,’ the President said.

Source: South African Government News
Agency

A total of 1 110 permits have been issued for hemp cultivation since the declaration of hemp as an agricultural crop.

This follows the approval of the Cannabis for Private Purposes Bill by President Cyril Ramaphosa in May 2024.

READ | Permits to change the lives of farmers

Briefing media on Thursday following Cabinet’s regular meeting on Wednesday, Acting Minister in The Presidency, Maropene Ramokgopa, said Cabinet received a briefing on the progress on the development of the Cannabis Master Plan, which aims to provide a framework for the establishment, growth and development of the cannabis and hemp industry in South Africa, to contribute to economic growth, poverty alleviation and job creation.

The Master Plan is anchored on nine pillars, including Effective Regulatory Services; Sustainable Seed Supply Systems; Research and Technology Development; Producer Support Systems; Market Development; Enterprise and Supplier Development; Manufacturing and Product Development; Education and Training, and Communi
cation and Awareness.

Ramokgopa said the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development has initiated the process of drafting the regulations in support of Cannabis for Private Purposes.

‘The Department of Health, through the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority, has concluded consultations on changes to the Schedules of the Medicines and Related Substances Act, 1965 (Act 101 of 1965).

‘The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic) concluded situational and value chain analysis on the Hemp and Cannabis sector in South Africa. The dtic will soon commence consultations on the Cannabis Commercialisation Policy,’ Ramokgopa said.

The Agricultural Research Council (ARC) has also developed two hemp varieties and with the support of the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD), is currently undergoing a second season of seed multiplication to make it available for the 2025 planting season.

‘In May 2024, the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural
Development approved the Hemp Certification Scheme to regulate the varietal integrity and quality of hemp propagation material towards supporting the sustainable seed system of hemp. The DALRRD has commissioned research to the value of R124 million with the ARC, which focuses on Cannabis breeding for medicinal, fibre and other uses; Cannabis plant disease surveillance, indigenous germplasm collection and Cannabis seed system development.

‘In Gauteng, in collaboration with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, 10 small, medium and micro enterprises were supported for product development. The DALRRD continues to consult provinces on commitments thus far.

“To improve the capacity of the department to monitor the cultivation of hemp by permit holders, the ARC developed a detailed training programme for inspection services,’ the Minister highlighted.

Source: South African Government News Agency

A total of 1 110 permits have been issued for hemp cultivation since the declaration of hemp as an agricultural crop.

This follows the approval of the Cannabis for Private Purposes Bill by President Cyril Ramaphosa in May 2024.

READ | Permits to change the lives of farmers

Briefing media on Thursday following Cabinet’s regular meeting on Wednesday, Acting Minister in The Presidency, Maropene Ramokgopa, said Cabinet received a briefing on the progress on the development of the Cannabis Master Plan, which aims to provide a framework for the establishment, growth and development of the cannabis and hemp industry in South Africa, to contribute to economic growth, poverty alleviation and job creation.

The Master Plan is anchored on nine pillars, including Effective Regulatory Services; Sustainable Seed Supply Systems; Research and Technology Development; Producer Support Systems; Market Development; Enterprise and Supplier Development; Manufacturing and Product Development; Education and Training, and Communi
cation and Awareness.

Ramokgopa said the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development has initiated the process of drafting the regulations in support of Cannabis for Private Purposes.

‘The Department of Health, through the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority, has concluded consultations on changes to the Schedules of the Medicines and Related Substances Act, 1965 (Act 101 of 1965).

‘The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic) concluded situational and value chain analysis on the Hemp and Cannabis sector in South Africa. The dtic will soon commence consultations on the Cannabis Commercialisation Policy,’ Ramokgopa said.

The Agricultural Research Council (ARC) has also developed two hemp varieties and with the support of the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD), is currently undergoing a second season of seed multiplication to make it available for the 2025 planting season.

‘In May 2024, the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural
Development approved the Hemp Certification Scheme to regulate the varietal integrity and quality of hemp propagation material towards supporting the sustainable seed system of hemp. The DALRRD has commissioned research to the value of R124 million with the ARC, which focuses on Cannabis breeding for medicinal, fibre and other uses; Cannabis plant disease surveillance, indigenous germplasm collection and Cannabis seed system development.

‘In Gauteng, in collaboration with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, 10 small, medium and micro enterprises were supported for product development. The DALRRD continues to consult provinces on commitments thus far.

“To improve the capacity of the department to monitor the cultivation of hemp by permit holders, the ARC developed a detailed training programme for inspection services,’ the Minister highlighted.

Source: South African Government News Agency

Cabinet is encouraged that the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs and the Auditor-General South Africa (AGSA) continue to support and implement initiatives aimed at consolidating the improvements recorded in some municipalities.

‘The department has also prioritised assisting the worst-performing municipalities in the country by improving the competency of personnel through training and skills transfer, as well as enforcing regulations on minimum standards for municipal managers and senior officials,’ the Acting Minister in the Presidency, Maropene Ramokgopa, said on Thursday.

The Minister was addressing the media on Thursday on the outcomes of the Cabinet meeting held yesterday.

This is after the AGSA report on the audit outcomes of municipalities for the 2022/23 financial showed gradual improvement in financial management within some municipalities.

‘Nevertheless, there remains more work to be done to improve compliance across many municipalities that continue to receive negati
ve audit outcomes.’

The Auditor-General (AG) Tsakani Maluleke briefed the Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs on the audit outcomes of municipalities for the past financial year.

Maluleke revealed the unauthorised expenditure of R24 billion, with only one metro achieving a clean audit.

The AGSA report shows only 34 of 257 metropolitan, district and local municipalities received clean audit outcomes.

The Minister said the number of disclaimed audits decreased while 45 municipalities improved their audit outcomes since 2020/21 and those that submitted their financial statements on time improved from some 81% in 2020/21 to 94% in 2022/23.

In a statement released in August, the department said it will support municipalities to implement and maintain effective systems in governance, financial management, performance management, infrastructure, service delivery and compliance with local government legislation and related prescripts.

It also touched on coalition governance and
vowed to address governance challenges and instability in hung councils.

The department has developed the Local Government: Municipal Structures Amendment Bill also known as the Coalitions Bill, which has been published for public comment.

The bill aims to provide a legislative framework for the formation and management of coalition governments.

Source: South African Government News Agency

The Port of East London on Thursday received the two last tugboats marking the completion of Transnet National Ports Authority’s (TNPA) R1billion investment towards the Marine Fleet Renewal Programme.

The programme is aimed at boosting tugboat availability and enhancing shipping operations.

The programme is a key element of the Transnet Recovery Plan which is critical in driving shipping efficiencies and reliability, whilst also positioning the ports as competitive and a catalyst for economic growth.

The tugboats are designed to provide marine services including the safe navigation of vessels, pilotage, towage and waterside pollution combat.

The two tugs delivered by Damen Shipyards Cape Town (DSCT) replace the existing tug fleet that has reached its operational lifespan at the Port of East London in the Eastern Cape.

The latest tugs comprising modern technology solutions are built with an azimuth stern drive and have an improved bollard pull of 60-tonnes compared to the 43-tonnes bollard pull on the ex
isting tugs.

The procurement of the tugs serves as a catalyst for the port’s expansion plan.

The plan also includes the deepening and strengthening of the port’s automotive berth to address berthing challenges.

The project hit a significant milestone in November 2023 with the commencement of the concrete works package.

Also included in the river port’s expansion plan is the delivery of two jib cranes for the port’s dry dock facility, which will increase the ship repair facility’s capacity and volume throughput in the 2024/25 financial year.

Strategic projects

The advanced features of the two new tugs will enable the port to respond to the anticipated shipping and volume demands.

‘The journey towards the full recovery of Transnet lies in our commitment to growth and investing in fit-for-purpose equipment,’ said Transnet Board Chairperson, Andile Sangqu who spoke during the tug naming and christening ceremony held at the port.

‘This acquisition is a crucial investment towards creating a sustainable port
system and will enable the execution of strategic projects currently underway at the Port of East London,’ Sangqu said.

Recovery Plan

Sangqu said Transnet is currently executing a number of actionable steps to halt the decline in operational and financial performance through the Transnet Recovery Plan launched in October 2023.

‘The Recovery Plan directs us to prioritise revitalising our ageing marine assets in order to improve operational efficiency and serve our customers better. Investing in port infrastructure to drive efficiency and reliability is a catalyst for improved economic competitiveness.

‘Ports are the lifeblood of trade, the gateways through which goods flow in and out of our economy,’ Sangqu said.

Lentswe and Kganya

At the christening ceremony, tug Lentswe meaning ‘the voice of sailors’ was unveiled by Transnet Board Member, Boitumelo Sedupane in her role as the tug’s Lady Sponsor, while tug Kganya meaning ‘light’ and symbolising guidance in safe navigation of vessels, was revealed and ch
ristened by TNPA Board Member Valda Gossman.

The names of the tugs were chosen through a naming competition run among TNPA employees.

The two tugs are in addition to the five tugs which were delivered at the Port of Durban last month.

‘We are proud to have delivered these tugboats for TNPA. The vessels represent a substantial investment in our maritime infrastructure and will contribute to local job creation and skills development as DSCT will provide all operational support, including spares, repairs, and services,’ said Sefale Montsi, Director at Damen Shipyards Cape Town.

‘Through a centralised system, the vessel will provide data-driven insight for timely information on ship operations,’ she said.

Attracting investors

Eastern Cape acting Premier Mlungisi Mvoko said the acquisition of the two tugboats is part of enhancing operations at the Port of East London.

‘Today’s milestone aligns with our strategic view that our ports are the biggest instruments for attracting investors in the province,’ Mvoko
said.

Mvoko said the province is pleased with TNPA’s investment in boosting tugboat availability and shipping efficiencies at the port.

‘Our customers in this port are set to benefit from the improved capacity in the new tugboats when compared to the existing maritime crafts that have reached their lifespan. We believe that this will have positive impact on the container vessel turnaround time and ultimately increase efficiencies and productivity at the port.

‘It is these efficiencies that we will leverage on to increase our economic activities in areas of the automotive sector and agriculture, our two main economic drivers in the Eastern Cape.

‘We are trying very hard to lure as many investors to the province as we can. It is the only way we can deal with the high rate of unemployment. All customers in this port are set to benefit from the improved capacity in the new tugboats when compared to the existing maritime crafts that have reached their lifespan,’ the acting Premier said.

The delivery of the fl
eet is part of TNPA’s R1 billion investment in boosting tugboat availability and shipping efficiencies in the South African seaports.

From the acquisition, the Port of Durban has been allocated five tugboats while two tugs have been allocated to the Port of East London.

Source: South African Government News Agency