Day: September 5, 2024

Cabinet says efforts to improve the management of existing water assets and ensure water security over the next decade has been boosted by President Cyril Ramaphosa’s assent to the South African National Water Resources Infrastructure Agency SOC Ltd Bill.

According to the Acting Minister in the Presidency, Maropene Ramokgopa, the new legislation will also see that a new agency responsible for developing and managing national water infrastructure is established.

READ | President Ramaphosa assents law advancing water security for South Africa

The plan is to also mobilise finance for new projects through innovative models to crowd in private investment.

‘Cabinet welcomes the new legislation as signifying a critical step in the reform process to increase investment in the maintenance and construction of water infrastructure and improvement of water quality,’ the Minister said on Thursday.

Ramokgopa was addressing the media on the outcomes of the Cabinet meeting held on Wednesday.

The new legislation will a
lso enable South Africa to expand bulk water infrastructure.

In a statement released by the Presidency last month, it explained that the law seeks to address the current fragmentation in water resource management between the Department of Water and Sanitation, the Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority (TCTA) and the Water Trading Entity.

Meanwhile, Deputy President Paul Mashatile will be visiting Limpopo to assess progress achieved in various intervention projects undertaken to improve water services in the Greater Giyani Local Municipality on Friday and Saturday.

The Deputy President will conduct the visit as Chairperson of the task team established to address water challenges in various areas of the country.

The task team is an institutional coordinating mechanism, which brings together key role players within government to provide leadership and technical assistance towards the resolution of challenges in water services in the country.

Source: South African Government News Agency

Cabinet says efforts to improve the management of existing water assets and ensure water security over the next decade has been boosted by President Cyril Ramaphosa’s assent to the South African National Water Resources Infrastructure Agency SOC Ltd Bill.

According to the Acting Minister in the Presidency, Maropene Ramokgopa, the new legislation will also see that a new agency responsible for developing and managing national water infrastructure is established.

READ | President Ramaphosa assents law advancing water security for South Africa

The plan is to also mobilise finance for new projects through innovative models to crowd in private investment.

‘Cabinet welcomes the new legislation as signifying a critical step in the reform process to increase investment in the maintenance and construction of water infrastructure and improvement of water quality,’ the Minister said on Thursday.

Ramokgopa was addressing the media on the outcomes of the Cabinet meeting held on Wednesday.

The new legislation will a
lso enable South Africa to expand bulk water infrastructure.

In a statement released by the Presidency last month, it explained that the law seeks to address the current fragmentation in water resource management between the Department of Water and Sanitation, the Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority (TCTA) and the Water Trading Entity.

Meanwhile, Deputy President Paul Mashatile will be visiting Limpopo to assess progress achieved in various intervention projects undertaken to improve water services in the Greater Giyani Local Municipality on Friday and Saturday.

The Deputy President will conduct the visit as Chairperson of the task team established to address water challenges in various areas of the country.

The task team is an institutional coordinating mechanism, which brings together key role players within government to provide leadership and technical assistance towards the resolution of challenges in water services in the country.

Source: South African Government News Agency

Sport, Arts, and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie has expressed his excitement following the signing of a groundbreaking Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube on Wednesday.

The partnership aims to progressively transform access to both sports and cultural programmes in schools, ensuring that every child, regardless of their background, has the opportunity to thrive in sport and the arts.

McKenzie said the MoU marked a milestone in the Government of National Unity’s (GNU) vision to deliver equality of access for all young people, particularly those in rural, township, and underprivileged areas.

The signing of this MoU is a significant outcome following the 2023 School Sport Indaba with various stakeholders to develop school sport at grassroots level throughout the country.

The Minister said the agreement was a vital first step in unlocking talent and boosting transformation in both sport and the arts.

‘The key to transforming South African sport is to ensure that
as many schools as possible – from the townships to rural areas and other less fortunate communities gain access to similar kinds of facilities, coaching and equipment.

‘For too long, South Africa’s national teams have relied on private schools as talent-feeders, which, while valuable, does not represent the full potential of this country,’ McKenzie said.

The MoU establishes a collaborative framework between the Department of Basic Education and the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture to implement extracurricular programmes, including school sports programmes, throughout the country.

Importantly, the MoU envisions an approach where facilities are built in such a manner that numerous schools will be able to benefit from them and share them.

The Minister added that the agreement will encourage partners from every sector of South African society – from government to private businesses, commissions, foundations, trusts and NGOs, as well as civil society more broadly – to get involved and play a vital role i
n not just levelling the playing fields for young South Africans, but to ensure that those playing fields exist at all.

‘This programme is an important first step in the right direction for us,’ said McKenzie, who recommitted himself to Project 300, an undertaking that 300 athletes will be at the next Olympic Games in Los Angeles to represent South Africa.

‘We won’t achieve that if we don’t keep finding the other Bayanda Walazas in our schools.’

McKenzie underscored the importance of cross-departmental collaboration, highlighting how this agreement exemplified the unity of purpose that exists in the GNU.

‘We are collaborating and working well and this GNU, under the leadership of President Cyril Ramaphosa, is going to transform South Africa vastly for the better over the next five years,’ he said.

Source: South African Government News Agency

The significance of a direct flight from Munich in Germany to Johannesburg is ‘incalculable’ for Gauteng’s economy, according to the Gauteng Department of Economic Development (GDED).

This follows the inaugural landing of the Lufthansa direct flight from Munich to Johannesburg on Wednesday.

The airliner is expected to operate at least three weekly flights between the two cities.

‘The significance of this route to the Gauteng provincial economy is incalculable. Munich, the third largest metropolitan region in the European Union by gross domestic product is the nerve centre of the south German economy and a global city that serves as the headquarters for many international companies in the manufacturing, finance, telecommunications, automotive, media and logistics sectors.

‘Thus, this new direct Johannesburg-Munich flight brings better connectivity to corporate companies who are headquartered in southern Germany, facilitating the further economic development and strong business relations between Germany an
d South Africa in general, and the Gauteng City Region in particular,’ the department said in a statement.

The GDED said the launch of the route during South Africa’s Tourism Month is also significant.

Last year, some 245 259 German tourists visited South Africa – a rise from 173 146 the previous year.

‘[This is] a period dedicated to shining a spotlight on tourism, its impact on the economy and livelihood. Munich is a particularly popular destination amongst tourists visiting Germany, as such, this direct flight will offer residents of Gauteng and South Africa broadly, an opportunity to explore the world with greater ease.

‘Destination Gauteng is also positioned to welcome more international tourists from Germany and the broader European Union, where they will explore and enjoy the many diverse tourism offerings that the province has to offer including paleo-sciences, gastronomy, sports tourism, and quality township tourism experiences,’ the statement read.

The department revealed that since the devasta
tion of the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused a ‘severe loss of airlift and new routes development work’, it has been hard at work to implement a programme of, among others, route development.

‘Together with our marketing partners, the [department] has implemented a protracted programme of air routes development, aggressive recruitment of new airline routes into the destination’s main international airports and support for freight, cargo and film crews, private charters, and medical rescue services.

‘The Tourism Business Council of South Africa…supported this targeted work by the Gauteng Provincial Government in improving airlift capacity in the province.

‘With their R5 million injection, we managed to power our marketing and coordination work resulting in the province welcoming new routes from Sao Paulo in Brazil, Abidjan in Ivory Coast, Lusaka in Zambia, Perth in Australia, eSwatini Airways, Qantas Airline and now Munich in Germany,’ the GDED statement said.

Source: South African Government News Agency

The significance of a direct flight from Munich in Germany to Johannesburg is ‘incalculable’ for Gauteng’s economy, according to the Gauteng Department of Economic Development (GDED).

This follows the inaugural landing of the Lufthansa direct flight from Munich to Johannesburg on Wednesday.

The airliner is expected to operate at least three weekly flights between the two cities.

‘The significance of this route to the Gauteng provincial economy is incalculable. Munich, the third largest metropolitan region in the European Union by gross domestic product is the nerve centre of the south German economy and a global city that serves as the headquarters for many international companies in the manufacturing, finance, telecommunications, automotive, media and logistics sectors.

‘Thus, this new direct Johannesburg-Munich flight brings better connectivity to corporate companies who are headquartered in southern Germany, facilitating the further economic development and strong business relations between Germany an
d South Africa in general, and the Gauteng City Region in particular,’ the department said in a statement.

The GDED said the launch of the route during South Africa’s Tourism Month is also significant.

Last year, some 245 259 German tourists visited South Africa – a rise from 173 146 the previous year.

‘[This is] a period dedicated to shining a spotlight on tourism, its impact on the economy and livelihood. Munich is a particularly popular destination amongst tourists visiting Germany, as such, this direct flight will offer residents of Gauteng and South Africa broadly, an opportunity to explore the world with greater ease.

‘Destination Gauteng is also positioned to welcome more international tourists from Germany and the broader European Union, where they will explore and enjoy the many diverse tourism offerings that the province has to offer including paleo-sciences, gastronomy, sports tourism, and quality township tourism experiences,’ the statement read.

The department revealed that since the devasta
tion of the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused a ‘severe loss of airlift and new routes development work’, it has been hard at work to implement a programme of, among others, route development.

‘Together with our marketing partners, the [department] has implemented a protracted programme of air routes development, aggressive recruitment of new airline routes into the destination’s main international airports and support for freight, cargo and film crews, private charters, and medical rescue services.

‘The Tourism Business Council of South Africa…supported this targeted work by the Gauteng Provincial Government in improving airlift capacity in the province.

‘With their R5 million injection, we managed to power our marketing and coordination work resulting in the province welcoming new routes from Sao Paulo in Brazil, Abidjan in Ivory Coast, Lusaka in Zambia, Perth in Australia, eSwatini Airways, Qantas Airline and now Munich in Germany,’ the GDED statement said.

Source: South African Government News Agency

Cabinet has called on South Africans to continue to work with law enforcement agencies by reporting illegal acts to help keep criminals off the streets.

‘The fight against crime is a shared responsibility, and government will continue to champion all initiatives that will mobilise all people in society to work together towards a better and safer South Africa,’ acting Minister in The Presidency, Maropene Ramokgopa, said during a post-cabinet media briefing on Thursday.

The public can report criminal activities to the police on 10111.

Consistent with the commitments made by President Ramaphosa during his Opening of Parliament Address on 18 July 2024 to build a safer country, Ramokgopa said South Africa’s law-enforcement agencies have stepped up the fight against crime.

Some successes of law enforcement include the arrest of 673 suspects by the Hawks. Of the 573 arrested, 506 were convicted and 77 court orders were granted for the seizure of assets connected to criminal activities.

The police also arrested
14 422 suspects for various crimes through Operation Shanela from 19 to 25 August 2024.

‘A multidisciplinary raid operation by the police, metro police, correctional services, Home Affairs and other law-enforcement agencies in six hijacked buildings in Durban led to the discovery of R4 million in counterfeit United States dollars, seizure of drugs, 117 rounds of ammunition and liquor, and [the] arrest of more than 150 allegedly undocumented foreign nationals.

‘These successes follow significant inroads made in dismantling a transnational crime syndicate in the country since the beginning of the year. The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) has uncovered 10 clandestine drug laboratories and arrested 34 persons for manufacturing, dealing and possession of illicit drugs,’ Ramokgopa highlighted.

Extortion incidents

Ramokgopa also noted that South Africa is learning from international best practices to develop strategies to deal decisively with incidents of extortion.

She said a whole-of-soci
ety approach and a unified effort from government, law-enforcement agencies, businesses and communities are needed to create a united front to combat this crime.

‘Extortion does not just harm individuals; it undermines our entire economy. By fighting this crime, we are protecting jobs, encouraging investment, and promoting economic growth. We are empowering communities to stand up against extortion through education, support networks, and confidential reporting systems. We are making it safer for people to say no to criminals.

‘The SAPS is being equipped with the latest tools and techniques to combat extortion, including advanced intelligence gathering and specialised task forces, to staying ahead of criminal tactics. Extortion often thrives where there is a lack of economic opportunity,’ Ramokgopa said.

The Minister added that government is addressing root causes by investing in education, job creation, and community development alongside law enforcement efforts.

‘Government is working closely with inter
national partners to share intelligence, track criminal networks and bring offenders to justice. Our efforts are particularly focused on protecting vulnerable individuals and businesses who are often the primary targets of extortion.

‘No one should have to live in fear in their own community. Government is committed to a sustained, long-term effort to root out this crime and create lasting safety and security for all South Africans,’ Ramokgopa said.

Source: South African Government News Agency