Category: Key Issues

The African Union (AU) has welcomed the Ethiopian government and the northern Tigray region’s agreement to end a two-year war that has claimed thousands of lives and caused many to flee.

“Today marks two years – less than two days – since violence and war broke out in the Northern Ethiopian region of Tigray,” the High Representative of the Chairperson of the AU Commission, Olusegun Obasanjo, said on Wednesday.

Obasanjo was briefing the media in Pretoria regarding the AU-led negotiations to resolve the conflict in Ethiopia.

He described the truce as a beginning of a new dawn for Ethiopia, and Africa as a whole.

“Let me hasten to thank God for this new dawn. We are seeing in practice and actualisation what we have tried to achieve for ourselves over the years – African solutions for African problems.”

The Chairperson said he views the peace agreement signing exercise as the implementation of Agenda 2063 – which embodies silencing the guns in Africa.

“The two parties in the Ethiopian conflict have formally agreed to the cessation of hostilities as well as to systematic, orderly, smooth, and coordinated disarmament, restoration of law and order, restoration of services, unhindered access to humanitarian supplies, protection of civilians especially women, children, and other vulnerable groups, among other areas of agreement,” he explained.

According to the BBC, the conflict started on November 2020, when Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed ordered a military offensive against regional forces in Tigray.

The Prime Minister, according to Sky News, accused the region’s ruling party, the Tigray People Liberation Front (TPLF), of attacking the base and later the Ethiopian military bombed the facility in retaliation.

Soon after, the broadcaster said, massacres were blamed on the TPLF and militia from the neighbouring Amhara region of Ethiopia, which were supporting government troops.

“The agreement also ensures security for all concerned within and outside Ethiopia,” said the Chairperson.

Obasanjo, who was appointed as High Representative for the Horn of Africa to promote peace, security and stability, visited Ethiopia several times and went to the Tigray region eight times.

Over the last 14 months, he also consulted regional leaders and stakeholders in Ethiopia, Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Member States, Africa and outside the continent.

“Only last month, and for the exercise that has brought us here, the Chairperson of the AU Commission appointed former President Uhuru Kenyatta and former Deputy President, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, to join me in moving the process forward.”

He also congratulated the two warring sides on what they had achieved.

“This moment is not the end of the peace process but the beginning of it. Implementation of the peace agreement signed today is critical to the success of the process,” he said on Wednesday.

Obasanjo also appreciated President Cyril Ramaphosa and his government for being a “wonderful” host during peace talks held in South Africa.

He also thanked three observers, the UN, IGAD and the United States, and the many that were not in the room during the briefing.

“We particularly thank the African Development Bank and the European Union for their financial support and the United Nations (UN) for their logistical support.”

The UN-backed investigators found that the Ethiopian government committed crimes against humanity of murder, torture, rape and sexual violence during the civil war.

Bloomberg cited research from Belgium’s Ghent University that estimates half a million people have died since the war broke out, between 50 000 and 100 000 from the fighting, 150 000 to 200 000 from starvation and more than 100 000 from the lack of medical attention.

Meanwhile, Obasanjo believes that the eyes of the world will now shift from the talks to the implementation.

“The leaders of both sides have supported the delegates to achieve what has been achieved. Finally, let me once again congratulate all the delegates,” he added.

“You have made all Ethiopians at home and abroad winners in this agreement. Please positively move on, move up and move forward leaving the past behind. Ethiopia is a great nation and shall continue to be a great nation and pride to all Africans.”

An initiative by the South African Revenue Service (SARS) and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) to donate tons of seized clothing, blankets and footwear to flood victims in KwaZulu-Natal has entered its second phase.

Dubbed Project Sizani (“we all help), the initiative is backed by both business and labour.

Project Sizani took shape after the declaration of a state of disaster by President Cyril Ramaphosa, in response to the floods in KZN in April this year. Over 400 people lost their lives, with an estimated 8 500 houses destroyed.

Some parts of the Eastern Cape, North West and Free State provinces also experienced devastation due to the floods.

“While the project is aimed at minimising the material impact of the affected people, it is also intended to restore dignity to those who were left almost naked by the disaster.

“Humanity is what drives this gesture more than anything else,” said Patrick Moeng, an Executive of the Focused Investigative Audit Unit: Syndicated Tax and Customs Crime Division at SARS, and leader of Project Sizani.

The initiative involves the distribution of some of the millions of tons of goods from the clothing, textile, footwear and leather industries (CTFL) that have been seized by SARS since 2018.

These items would otherwise have been destroyed in accordance with the Customs Act, Act 91 of 1964, as well as a 2009 and 2020 NEDLAC agreement stipulating that seized goods must be destroyed so as to avoid disruption to the South African market.

During the first phase, which started in June this year, the donation of blankets commenced in KZN, where hundreds of flood survivors are still living in community halls.

The second phase comprises the donation of clothing and footwear to flood victims identified in the various district municipalities of the KZN, Eastern Cape and North West provinces.

A Governance Task Team, which comprises members from SARS, the dtic, organised labour and the CTFL industry, is responsible for the execution of the project. Other role players in the execution of the project are the National Disaster Management Committee, the Department of Social Development, and the Offices of the various Premiers in the impacted provinces.

To date, more than 28 000 blankets have been delivered to specific individuals at approximately 174 sites in KwaZulu-Natal.

The KZN phase 1 (blanket distribution) pilot paved the way for the rollout of the second phase of the project. This is an even more intricate and tightly controlled process, as the footwear and clothing items are wrapped in individual packages for specific individuals in specific shelters before they are handed over for distribution.

This second phase of the project is currently underway in KZN after a pilot at the two smaller shelters in Inanda and one in La Mercy offered a chance to develop and refine the process even further.

According to Moeng, 25 698 items of clothing have so far been donated to the first 31 of 74 sites in KZN.

The packing, sorting and distribution to shelters continues to take place, as more shipments of seized clothing arrive from Gauteng, courtesy of many shipping lines that extended their hand of goodwill to assist in transporting the containers of seized items to different parts of the country.

The project is earmarked to be concluded in KZN at the end of November 2022, with the North West and Easter Cape to follow.

Social Development Minister, Lindiwe Zulu, has challenged South Africa citizens to hold unresponsive officials accountable when dealing with the scourge of gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF).

“We are here because we need to hold each other accountable. We need to pull our energies together and make sure that we do the right thing by the women of South Africa in ending GBVF,” Zulu said.

To solve the problem, Zulu said principals need to go house to house, street to street and community to community to get to the root causes of GBVF.

“If we were to ask every woman and man in this room [about] the pain they feel on a daily basis – when they wake up in the morning or walk down the streets – all of us walk in pain. We are not perfect, but we wake up in the morning, we show up and do the best that we can,” Zulu said.

Zulu made the remarks on a second day of the Presidential Summit on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide held in Midrand on Wednesday.

GBV command centre

Highlighting some progress registered by the department in the implementation of the National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (NSP on GBV), Zulu said through the services of the Gender-Based Violence Command Centre, the department continues to be accessible to victims of gender-based violence across the country.

She said throughout the COVID-19 lockdown period, the centre reached 184 462 clients, compared to the 2019/20 financial year, where 61 573 clients were reached.

“The Gender-Based Violence Command Centre continues to provide gender-based violence victims with holistic services, such as psychosocial counselling, on a 24/7 basis. Between April 2021 and March 2022, 70 353 people accessed these services,” Zulu said.

The department has also deployed a total of 100 GBVF ambassadors in hotspots to conduct education and awareness campaigns. These include the employment of 250 social workers focusing on GBVF.

Policy to improve payment of NPOs

Regarding funding for non-profit organisations, the Minister said through the inter-governmental MinMEC processes, the department has developed and approved the Sector Funding Policy, which puts in place mechanisms to facilitate planning, prioritisation, programme targeting and budgeting.

In addition, the department is currently developing the NPO Online Funding System, which complements the funding policy and addresses the delays in the processing of transfers to NPOs.

“The online funding system will automate our NPO-funding application processes. When fully implemented, the system will initially complement the manual application process. However, over time, it will become the preferred mode of applying for funds by NPOs,” the Minister said.

She said a total of 963 NPOs are registered as rendering victim empowerment services and are supported by 1 238 NPOs that are registered as providing family services.

Zulu said all the registered NPOs are accountable in terms of the NPO Act, and 60% of them are not compliant with the NPO Act, as they do not submit their annual reports, due to non-filing.

Meanwhile, 30 properties were identified across the country as suitable for GBV shelters, with the majority of them implemented by civil society organisations funded by the department.

A total of 146 organisations, including the National Institute Community Development and Management, Lifeline SA and the National Shelter Movement, are funded by the department at a cost of approximately R191 million.

Eskom says addressing its debt challenges is key to its turnaround strategy.

This after Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana announced in the Mid-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) that government will be taking over a portion of the power utility’s R400 billion debt.

“Addressing Eskom’s debt levels is a key component to the turnaround plan envisaged under the Department of Public Enterprises’ ‘Roadmap for Eskom in a Reformed Electricity Supply Industry’ and as noted in the MTBPS, a debt takeover by government (together with other reforms at Eskom and in the South African electricity sector) will ensure the long term financial sustainability of Eskom.

“The implementation of a debt relief solution and such reforms to the electricity sector will allow Eskom to undertake the much needed capital and investment programmes to ensure the stability and security of supply of electricity in the country without relying on further government bailouts,” Eskom said.

The power utility said it will consult with government and stakeholders in due course.

“As the Minister of Finance noted in the MTBPS, the government is working to finalise details of the proposed solution – including the quantum of proposed relief, the relevant debt instruments to be included and the method for effecting the transaction – and it intends to provide further details in its 2023 Budget.

“Eskom looks forward to working closely and collaboratively with the government in the coming weeks in order to develop a solution that ensures Eskom is restored as a financial independent, transparent and operationally efficient company.

“Eskom very much appreciates the ongoing support and cooperation of its investors and stakeholders and will engage and consult with them on the debt relief solution at the appropriate time,” the electricity supplier said.

Meanwhile, the company says it is continuing its work in the unbundling of its transmission division as part of its turnaround plan.

“The unbundling programme envisaged under the Department of Public Enterprises’ Roadmap remains of critical importance to the long term sustainability of Eskom’s business and to the supply and distribution of electricity in the country.

“[Accordingly], Eskom will continue to engage with the National Energy Regulator of South Africa

and the relevant creditors as applicable in order to satisfy those suspensive conditions and implement the Transmission unbundling as soon as possible,” Eskom said.

Most parts of South Africa are expected to experience rainfall with scattered to widespread thundershowers from Tuesday until Saturday.

“Most parts of South Africa have, for the past week or so, been experiencing seasonal rainfall, some of which were severe in places. This trend is set to continue for the rest of the week, as a cut-off low pressure system dominates the central and eastern parts of the country,” the South African Weather Service (SAWS) said.

Associated with this large-scale weather system, is a possibility of flooding, especially over the central interior on Tuesday and Wednesday.

“The risk of flooding will gradually progress eastwards during the week, and will affect KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, and Mpumalanga by Friday. In addition, there is also a possibility of severe thunderstorms, and warnings for the possible affected areas will be issued accordingly,” SAWS said.

The weather system is expected to exit the country in the north-east late on Saturday.

The South African Weather Service will continue to monitor this weather system and updates to forecasts and severe warnings will be made regularly through the regular channels. Weather warnings are available at https://www.weathersa.co.za/home/warnings.

Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Minister, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, has called on citizens to practice the real cultural norms they know and love, which protect women and children.

“There’s no culture that says you must kill women and kill children. We need to practice the real cultural norms we know,” Nkoana-Mashabane said.

Nkoana-Mashabane made the remarks at the Second Presidential Summit on Presidential Summit on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF), currently underway at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand.

The Minister argued that there is no need for South Africa to have many women and children dying as the country is not facing any war.

“South Africa is not a war country, so, there’s no need for children to feel unsafe in the streets and women feel unsafe in their bedrooms.”

According to the Minister, the National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (NSP on GBV)) is the only way to deal with GBVF.

The NSP on GBVF (https://www.justice.gov.za/vg/gbv/NSP-GBVF-FINAL-DOC-04-05.pdf) provides a strategic roadmap and sets out specific plans for a multisectoral approach to end GBVF and build a society where women, children, and the LGBTQIA+ community are safe from violence directed at them because of patriarchal stereotyping.

The NSP is outlined in six pillars, which include accountability, coordination and leadership; prevention and rebuilding social cohesion; justice, safety and protection; response, care, support and healing; economic power; and research and information management.

Filling of forensic analysis vacancies

Highlighting progress made since the first Presidential Summit on GBVF held in November 2018, Police Minister Bheki Cele said the filling of 34 vacancies for forensic analysis is underway and at an advanced stage to capacitate the Eastern Cape with 28 analysts, and six for the Western Cape.

He also noted that the department has able to address backlog in DNA tests from 241 000 last year to 71 000 this year.

“In terms of training and development, 22 forensic analysts from the Eastern Cape Biology Laboratory are undergoing training in DNA Analysis. The Western Cape and Gauteng FS laboratories have been equipped with additional thermos shakers, centrifuges, crime index lanes, and genetic analysers,” Cele said.

Correctional Services Minister, Ronald Lamola, said the number of Thuthuzela Care Centres (TCCs), have been increased from 55 to 61, with the National Prosecuting Authority’s Sexual Offences and Community Affairs Unit redesigning the centres to allow the survivors of rape to report the cases direct to the Thuthuzela Care Centres.

The Thuthuzela Care Centres are one-stop facilities that have been introduced as a critical part of South Africa’s anti-rape strategy, aiming to reduce secondary victimisation and to build a case ready for successful prosecution.

Women also have rights to life

National Assembly Speaker, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, emphasised that the Bill of Rights talks to the right to life, and “as women we have the right to life.”

Mapisa-Nqakula also warned that if women are not being attended to at the police stations when coming to report the cases of abuse, the number of women who are serving life at the correctional facilities, will keep on increasing.

“Scores of women are serving life because they have been subjected to gender-based violence and at some point they had to retaliate and ended up killing their abusive partners,” Mapisa-Nqakula said.

South Africans will endure more load shedding for at least the first three days of this week following an announcement by Eskom that Stage 2 load shedding will be returning from 5am this morning until 5am on Tuesday morning.

Following that, Stage 2 load shedding will be implemented from 4pm until midnight on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Citizens had experienced a brief respite from load shedding after the power utility lifted the rotational power cuts over the weekend due to lower demand on the system.

“Load shedding is implemented only as a last resort in view of the shortage of generation capacity and the need to attend to breakdowns,” Eskom said.

The power utility said that by Sunday afternoon, there was at least 13 792MW of capacity unavailable due to breakdowns, coupled with at least 4 886MW offline due to maintenance.

“Since yesterday afternoon, a unit each at Tutuka and Matimba power stations were taken offline for repairs. A unit each at Kendal, Kusile, Matla and Tutuka power stations were returned to service.

“Eskom will publish a further update on Wednesday afternoon, or as soon as there are any significant changes,” the power utility said.

South Africans will be paying more at the pumps from Wednesday following the increase of all grades of fuel.

Illuminating paraffin and LP Gas prices are also expected to rise.

The increases are as follows:

• All grades of petrol will increase by at least 51c
• Diesel 0.05% sulphur will rise by some R1, 42
• On the other hand, diesel 0.005% will go up by R1,43
• Wholesale illuminating paraffin increases by 77c
• The Single Maximum National Retail Price for illuminating paraffin will go up by R1,03
• Maximum LP Gas Retail Price will increase by 98c

The adjustment means that a litre of 95 ULP, which currently costs 22.36 in Gauteng, will now cost R22.87 as of Wednesday.

In a statement, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) explained that the prices are influenced by several local and international factors including importation costs and the cost of crude oil.

“The average Brent Crude oil price increased from $89.79 US Dollars (USD) per barrel to $92.41 USD per barrel during the period under review. The average international product prices of petrol, illuminating paraffin and diesel increased while LPG prices decreased during the period under review.

“The Rand depreciated on average against the USD, from R17.55 to R18.11 Rand per USD, during the period under review when compared to the previous one. The weaker Rand led to higher contributions to the Basic Fuel Prices of petrol, diesel and illuminating paraffin by 37c per litre, 52c per litre and 48c per litre respectively,” the statement read.

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) announced on Friday that the number of measles infections has increased to 11 as of 27 October 2022 in the Greater Sekhukhune District, Limpopo.

This comes after the NICD declared a measles outbreak after three cases from two healthcare facilities were reported in the same district early this month.

“The ages of the measles confirmed cases ranged from nine months to 24 years, with four males and four females,” the public health institute’s statement read.

According to the data, of the latest infections, three children were fully vaccinated for measles, while two cases had unknown vaccination histories.

In addition, two children had not been jabbed against the viral infection.

“One measles case was hospitalised and another developed pneumonia without hospitalisation.”

Limpopo and Greater Sekhukhune District health officials have since started public health response activities with the support of the NICD and the World Health Organisation (WHO).

These activities, according to the NICD, include evaluating medical records to identify missing measles cases, contact tracing, screening for suspected measles and collecting blood and throat swabs for measles diagnostic tests.

The NICD has reminded citizens that measles patients present with fever, rash, and one or more of these symptoms, cough, red eyes, and runny nose.

In addition, complications of measles include pneumonia, diarrhoea, dehydration, encephalitis, blindness and death.

The NICD explained that measles complications are severe in malnourished children and those infants under the age of two.

People of any age who are unvaccinated can catch measles and develop the disease.

Meanwhile, the NICD said clinicians and caregivers should be on alert for anyone presenting with the above symptoms and signs and check children’s road-to-health booklets to ensure measles vaccinations are up to date.

Measles vaccines are given routinely at six and 12 months of age.

“It is never too late to vaccinate against measles.”

Eskom says it is focusing on implementing all projects in order to meet the required 53GW of new additional energy for the period up to 2032 which will ensure energy security.

The power utility said the new additional capacity needed will come particularly from renewable energy sources and takes into account the current energy deficit of between 4 000 and 6 000MW.

Eskom Transmission Managing Director, Segomoco Scheppers, described the next five years as “very critical” for energy supply security.

“If the TDP [Transmission Development Plan] 2022 requirements to deliver an adequate transmission network capacity by 2027 are to be met, a significant investment of R72.2 billion will be required to expand and strengthen the transmission grid over the next five years.

“Of this amount, R50.8 billion is required for new capacity expansion projects to meet the reliability requirements, connection of new generation capacity and loads, as well as to acquire servitudes. A further R21.4 billion is required to refurbish the existing asset base and procurement of production equipment,” he said.

In a statement, Eskom explained that the R72 billion will be used to build at least 2890km of extra high voltage lines and some 60 transformers by the 2027 financial year.

“Accommodating this increased generation capacity means that a reliable and adequate transmission system is required to integrate and dispatch this new capacity to the load centres across the country.

“Given uncertainty in the longer term and noting that the Integrated Resources Plan as a policy document is currently being updated, Eskom is placing a strong focus on the implementation of projects over the next five years.

“This requires that some challenges beyond Eskom’s full control, such as the lead time to obtain servitudes, among other relevant authorisations, as well as the resource capacity in the country, be urgently addressed,” the power utility said.