South Africa Vision

International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer serves as a reminder that continuous education and global cooperation are essential to ensure a sustainable future, says the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment.

‘This year’s theme serves as a powerful reminder of the responsibility we all share in reducing ozone-depleting substances and working collectively to ensure a healthier planet for future generations,’ said the department as South Africa joined the world in marking the day.

This year’s celebration is taking place under the theme “Advancing Climate Action.”

World Ozone Day highlights the importance of protecting the ozone layer, which protects the Earth from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays.

‘On this day, we not only celebrate the significant progress achieved but also look toward the future for deeper and faster action under the Montreal Protocol. The Protocol has positively impacted the recovery of the ozone layer and the reduction of climate change and its Kigali Amendmen
t, through the phase-down of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and improved efficiency in the cooling sector, is expected to deliver additional climate mitigation benefits,’ the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment said on Monday.

According to the UN Environment Programme, the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer is the landmark multilateral environmental agreement that regulates the production and consumption of nearly 100 man-made chemicals referred to as ozone depleting substances (ODS).

‘When released into the atmosphere, those chemicals damage the stratospheric ozone layer, earth’s protective shield that protects humans and the environment from harmful levels of ultraviolet radiation from the sun,’ it said.

Adopted on 16 September 1987, the protocol is to date one of the treaties to achieve universal ratification.

Meanwhile the environment programme added that the Parties to the Montreal Protocol reached an agreement at their 28th Meeting of the Parties on 15 October
2016 in Kigali, Rwanda, to phase down HFCs.

This year marks 36 years since the implementation of the Montreal Protocol, with the United Nations observing Ozone Day.

‘World Ozone Day 2024 serves as a vital reminder of the interconnectedness of the ozone layer and climate change. The celebration will foster a spirit of unity and purpose among participants globally, reflecting a collective commitment to advancing climate action.

‘As the planet faces unprecedented environmental complexities, it is imperative that communities and nations remain engaged and proactive in their efforts to protect the atmosphere for future generations.

‘As countries move forward, the emphasis will be on implementing policies that prioritise both ozone layer recovery and climate protection,’ the department said.

As part of the celebrations, the department will, on 26 September, hand over tools to 402 trained informal refrigeration and air conditioning servicing technicians in Gauteng.

These tools will be issued alongside a Compet
ence Certificate and a SAQCC Gas/SARACCA Refrigerant Safe Handling Registration Card.

Source: South African Government News Agency

The Eastern Cape Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform (DRDAR) has introduced innovative funding mechanisms to support the commercialisation of Black farmers.

Rural Development and Agrarian Reform MEC, Nonceba Kontsiwe, said the department established the Eastern Cape Agriculture Blended Funding Scheme to provide access to finance for Black farmers to become commercial and participate in the value chains.

This was made possible through collaboration with the Eastern Cape Rural Development Agency (ECRDA), Eastern Cape Development Cooperation (ECDC), Small Enterprise Finance Agency (SEFA) and Land Bank.

In 2023/24, DRDAR and ECDC distributed R32 million to 18 agricultural enterprises, creating 455 jobs.

The funding has enabled businesses to invest in equipment, infrastructure, and production inputs, enhancing their revenue.

‘We are committed to this initiative with a budget of R75 million allocated to attract equal or more funding from development finance institutions (DFIs) and the private
sector over the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF). The budget for 2024/25 is R25 million,’ Kontsiwe said.

The department recently entered into an agreement with the Land Bank to collaborate on funding and developing clustered and aggregated commodities value chains in the province.

‘This collaboration aims to facilitate access to affordable funding for farmers without stringent terms to support primary and agro-processing activities, to enable Eastern Cape farmers to access the R300 million allocation from the Land Bank.

‘The finalised aggregation model and financing tools will be tested in pilot projects for grains, wool, mohair, citrus farming, dairy, vegetables, and livestock in the province,’ Kontsiwe said.

Kontsiwe added that the department, in partnership with the ECRDA, aims to support Black commercial farmers in exporting their produce to international markets, thereby boosting their competitiveness.

‘The revolving credit facility is designed to offer operational funding to address the fin
ancial needs of high-value and export-oriented commodities during production cycles. A budget of R4 million has been earmarked for the ECRDA to implement this program in the 2024/25 financial year, serving as an incentive to attract more Black commercial farmers to participate in export markets,’ the MEC said.
A 30-year-old suspect is expected to appear in court soon for the attempted murder of two police officers as well as the murder of a neighbour, said the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks).

The suspect who also faces charges of the possession of unlicensed firearms among others, was sought in KwaZulu-Natal and in Gauteng. The suspect was arrested and detained in Johannesburg in an intelligence driven operation on Saturday.

The arrest was made by the Serious Organised Crime Investigation’s Tactical Operations Management Section (TOMS) assisted by the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial tracing team, SAPS National Modus Operandi Centre and Johannesburg District Aggravated Robberies team.

‘The Pre
toria based Hawks’ TOMS team in collaboration with the Pietermaritzburg Serious Organised Crime Investigation operationalised information that was received and the team was granted a warrant of arrest to detain one suspect at the Jeppe area …. in connection with murder, possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition [and] also attempted murder of two police officials as well as a murder of his neighbour in KwaZulu-Natal,’ said the Hawks in a statement on Sunday.

According to the Hawks, several attempts to secure his appearance in court were in vain.

‘The suspect was also expected to appear in the Johannesburg Magistrates court on 28 July 2024, possession of unlicensed firearm but failed to do so because at the time he was also being sought for murder in KwaZulu-Natal.

The suspect will [be] be appearing in court soon on [the] Jeppe case facing charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm then transferred to KwaZulu-Natal where he will answer to [the] murder and attempted murder as per [the] Estcourt cas
e as well as murder as per [the] Loskop case. All the crimes were committed this year,’ said the Hawks.

Murder, attempted murder suspect to appear in court

Source: South African Government News Agency

National Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS), General Fannie Masemola, has reiterated his stance that South Africa is ‘not a playground for criminals’ and that anyone who finds themselves on the wrong side of the law will be sniffed out.

Masemola said criminals will be made to answer to the crimes they have committed.

This comes as a multidisciplinary team working at OR Tambo International Airport has seized more than R13 million worth of drugs, including R12 million worth of cocaine, in the past two months.

Nine suspected drug traffickers or drug mules have been arrested during this same period. All suspects were arrested in possession of the drugs.

In the latest success, OR Tambo police arrested a Nigerian believed to be a drug mule on Friday evening.

Police were working closely with airport security, the Border Management Authority (BMA), customs officials and Airport Company South Africa (ACSA) staff when the arrests were effected.

‘The drug mule had just landed from São Paulo a
nd was connecting to Nigeria when he met with a cleaner at the airport and handed him airline headphones. Suspecting that there was something amiss, the team opened the aircraft headphones and found cocaine stashed in the headphones.

‘The drug mule who claims he is a street vendor in Nigeria said he was in Brazil to buy clothes and shoes which he sells in his home country. Police are investigating this aspect to prove that this may be used as a decoy,’ said the police.

The cleaner, who noticed that police were hot on his heels, evaded arrest.

Police have since launched a manhunt for him.

Masemola applauded the team for their vigilance that continues to yield positive results.

He said the men and women in blue remain dedicated to putting a stop to the illicit drug trafficking trade.

‘These arrests and drug confiscations should serve as a deterrent to other drug traffickers, that they will be caught,’ he said.

Source: South African Government News Agency

The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) has kicked off Corrections Week to promote awareness and understanding of South Africa’s corrections system.

The week is commemorated during September every year.

This year, the week is commemorated under the theme: ‘Celebrating 30 Years of Freedom and Democracy Towards Shaping the Future of Corrections’.

The department said the country’s transformation since the fall of Apartheid 30 years ago is intertwined with that of corrections.

‘Since 1994, DCS has significantly reformed the correctional system, including playing a major role in the renaming of the United Nations [UN] Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners to the ‘Nelson Mandela Rules’, by the UN General Assembly in December 2015, which is assisting South Africa to speed up transformation towards a people’s developmental correctional system that is consistent with various principles and guidelines.

‘Remarkable success has also been achieved in implementation of the DCS Strategic Framewor
k on Self-Sufficiency and Sustainability [SFSS]. Such notable strides bear witness to the reality that offenders can, indeed, be rehabilitated. Using the SFSS, amongst others, as a springboard, DCS has a strong case for its cause of successful offender rehabilitation and, consequently, fruitful social reintegration,’ the department said.

Corrections week is based on the notions that:

rehabilitation, and not punishment, works in correcting offending behaviour and

family, community and societal involvement is critical in all of the rehabilitative and social reintegration work that DCS implements on a daily basis.

‘The backbone of Corrections Week activities, therefore, is the willingness of DCS to provide opportunities for citizens to witness the value of education, skills development and training, spiritual care, arts and culture, life skills programmes as well as community corrections in preparing an offender for life out of incarceration.

‘The involvement of offenders in caring for their community, in
taking responsibility for their fellow offenders and their families, are stepping-stones to the reintegration of these individuals into a society equipped to strengthen the moral fibre of society,’ the department said.

As the department works to rehabilitate offenders, community participation in the process is vital.

‘Relationships between DCS and the community, community-based organisations, NGOs and faith-based organisations are inherent to the successful achievement of the rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders, as well as ensuring a victim-centric correctional system.

‘To this end, the participation of the community in ensuring that victims of crime have a voice, and in strengthening and enhancing the rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders, is crucial,’ the department said.

The department called on South Africans to join hands in order to fight crime and restore dignity to all.

‘Over the last 30 years, Correctional Services has restored the dignity of millions of offenders and changed t
heir lives for the better. Together let us continue to build a South Africa where the values of human dignity, non-racialism, non-sexism and the rule of law remain paramount.

‘Let us extend our social net to the most vulnerable in our midst and help build a more inclusive society,’ the department said.

Corrections Week runs from 15 to 21 September.

Source: South African Government News Agency

As the nation celebrates the 2024 Heritage Month in honour of liberation struggle stalwarts, government has encouraged South Africans to visit heritage sites, museums, galleries and libraries.

During Heritage Month in September, South Africa celebrates the nation’s diverse culture and rich heritage, however, this year the country will also pause and reflect on the resistance and liberation heritage route.

Government will commemorate the national Heritage Day on 24 September at Meqheleng Stadium in Ficksburg, in the Free State province under the theme: ‘Celebrating the lives of our heroes and heroines who laid down their lives for our freedom’.

This year’s theme puts a spotlight on South Africa’s liberation movements who received various forms of solidarity and support from neighbouring countries during the liberation struggle.

‘Building from the successful national Heritage Month launch earlier this month, government in collaboration with various key entities are hosting several activities among others a
imed at celebrating our unique cultural heritage, reflecting on our liberation heritage, as well as healing the wounds of our past injustice.

‘We celebrate the roles played by brave man and women who were at the forefront of our resistance and liberation struggle,’ Department of Sport, Arts and Culture said.

The department in collaboration with the Department of Military Veterans and other key stakeholders will on Friday, the 27th of September, host the Homecoming and Repatriation ceremony at the Freedom Park.

‘As one of key highlights of the month, this occasion will see the return of human remains of some of the struggle stalwarts being repatriated back home. The event will also launch a new country-to-country repatriation model,’ the department said.

Other key events of the month include:

the arrival of repatriated human remains of resistance and liberation struggle stalwarts, notably from Zambia and Zimbabwe on 25 September at the Waterkloof Air Force Base in Pretoria.

Hosting of Indigenous Games
Festival from the 24-26 September in Bloemfontein. Young people will compete in various Indigenous Games codes such as (kho-kho, Jukskei, Diketo, Kgati, Morabaraba, Debeke, and many others) and medals and trophies will be up for grabs.

Hosting of a workshop on Celebrating 30 Years of Heritage: Promoting Cultural Diversity taking place on 14 September in Mafefe, Sekhukhune, in Limpopo. This workshop seeks to promote unity, tolerance and harmony by showcasing different cultural diversity.

The 11th Annual Golden Shield Heritage Awards at the Artscape Theatre in Cape Town. This initiative is aimed at recognising excellence in the heritage sector and honouring ordinary South Africans, at grass-roots community level, who have been actively involved in conservation management of heritage under theme: Honouring Champions of Heritage in the 30 years of democracy.

The department together with its key stakeholders has activated a social campaign called ‘Our history, Our Story, Our Heritage’.

Media, civil society a
nd all citizens have been called to join government in embracing the country’s heritage by honouring, celebrating and commemorating the brave men and women who fell fighting for the liberation and to use cultural diversity to foster social cohesion, unity and nation building.

Source: South African Government News Agency

Thorough infrastructure maintenance to ensure sustainable water supply to residents of the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality came under the spotlight at a meeting between Water and Sanitation Deputy Minister, Sello Seithlolo and municipal councillors.

Seithlolo made the call during a meeting with municipal councillors, held in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, on Friday.

The engagement comes after Seitlholo accepted an invitation from municipal councillors to discuss some of the ongoing issues that have been affecting the wards.

These include ongoing water challenges affecting some parts of the municipality, which are exacerbated by ageing infrastructure, rapid urbanisation, floods, theft, and vandalism of water infrastructure.

During the meeting, councillors raised concerns of sewer spillages in the communities, which cause health hazards and water pollution that end up affecting recreational facilities including the beaches in the city.

Seitlholo called on the municipality to address issues that affect water d
elivery services to communities and the travel sector.

In addition to infrastructure maintenance, he also encouraged the municipality to conduct a full investigation into illegal connections.

‘I therefore call on the municipality to be committed on issues of water and sanitation. Municipalities should improve on their investigations related to the issues so that they can be resolved,’ Seitlholo said.

He assured the municipality of further provincial visits and engagements, to ensure tangible changes pertaining to water and sanitation challenges.

The Deputy Minister also held a meeting with Umhlanga Tourism Association (UTA) to discuss issues relating to water and sanitation affecting the tourism hub in the Umhlanga area.

Source: South African Government News Agency