Category: News

The Passenger Rail Agency of South (PRASA) and the Gautrain have announced that its all systems go for the integrated train service to ensure fans can travel safely and conveniently to and from this weekend’s rugby game.

South Africa will take on New Zealand on Saturday at Emirates Airline Park, also popularly known by its old name Ellis Park Stadium, in Johannesburg.

“The Gautrain and PRASA will be offering a seamless and integrated train service for the upcoming test match to ensure ease of movement and convenience for all rugby spectators attending the Rugby Championship Test Match.

“Fans can catch PRASA’s People’s Train from Park Station to Ellis Park Station, which is situated at the heart of the stadium precinct,” a joint statement said on Thursday.

With over 62 000 spectators expected to attend the game, the people’s train has the capacity to carry 2 400 per train trip, making it the ideal mass carrier to the game.

The train will run at 15-minute intervals from Park Station to Ellis Park Station from 10:30am until 9:30pm.

“The Gautrain has extended its evening service and will run the normal train schedule. The journey on the Metrorail service will be free for valid match ticketholders, while the standard Gautrain train and parking fares will apply.

“Fans can catch the Gautrain from various Gautrain stations to Park Station and at Park Station proceed to the Metrorail platforms. Marshalls will be on standby to guide commuters to the PRASA trains. The last PRASA train departs Ellis Park Station at 21:30 and the last Gautrain train departs Park Station at 22:00 to all Gautrain Stations,” the statement said.

Both train services will integrate with other modes of transport including e-hailing and corporate busses that will be ferrying rugby fans to Park Station.

For ease of mobility and efficiency, fans are encourages to take the Gautrain from all the stations to Park Station, e-hail to Park Station, or park their private vehicles at Park Station.

A R50 flat fee will apply for parked vehicles. For convenience and safety of fans, PRASA has made its head office adjacent to Park Station available for drop-off and pick-up for e-hailing services.

This special train service has been planned to accommodate the large number of fans expected to attend, providing an efficient and stress-free alternative to road travel. Fans are encouraged to take advantage of this service to avoid traffic congestion at the stadium or cellphone network interruption.

“Safety and security remains our priority. To this end, the City of Joburg, South African Police Service (SAPS), Gautrain and PRASA will provide additional security at the stations, inside the trains and in and around the stadium precinct for the security of match-goers,” the statement said.

Gautrain Management Agency Chief Executive Officer Tshepo Kgobe said this initiative forms part of Gautrain’s efforts to be more inclusive by integrating with other modes of transport, and encouraging passengers to use the Gautrain to get to exciting sporting and lifestyle events such as this upcoming Bokke game.

“Fans can avoid road congestion by hopping on the Gautrain for a hassle-free, fast, comfortable and safe transport service to Park Station,” Kgobe said.

PRASA Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) Hishaam Emeran said this was an exciting time for PRASA as it rebuilds and restores commuter rail services across the country.

“To date, we have recovered 31 of the 40 corridors nationally. The Park Station to Germiston line, where the Ellis Park Station is located, is already operational. Using our internal staff, we have refurbished the station in time to welcome thousands of rugby fans on the day.

“Our role on Saturday demonstrates that we are more than just a commuter service for work and economic opportunities. We also play a vital role as a mass carrier, transporting people for leisure, entertainment, and sporting events.
“Our stations are strategically located near various iconic stadiums, and soon, we will be able to provide transport for other sporting codes,” Emeran said.

President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Thursday afternoon account to the nation on the work of government when he responds to Questions for Oral Reply in the National Assembly in Parliament, Cape Town.

During this session, President Ramaphosa will, among other questions, brief Parliament on steps government is taking to encourage private sector investments to improve ports, railways and other infrastructure to drive economic growth.

“This will also include expansion of access to agricultural markets for small-scale and emerging farmers as productive sectors of the economy.

“The President will reflect on the alignment of South Africa’s foreign policy with the needs of the African continent and steps being taken to ensure that South Africa continues to contribute to promoting African unity and self-determination,” the Presidency said in a statement.

Other international issues such as combating illicit trade in illegal substances will also be addressed.

Furthermore, the President will provide updates on the development and strategic goals of the Sovereign Wealth Fund and progress in building housing for the residents of Alexandra.

The Sixth South African HIV Prevalence, Incidence and Behaviour Survey (SABSSM VI) for Limpopo has found that the province had one of the lowest HIV prevalence levels among all provinces in 2022, at 8.9%, down from 10.1% in 2017.

This translates to an estimated 570 000 people living with HIV (PLHIV) in Limpopo, a 2% decrease from the 580 000 reported in 2017.

The data is based on the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) which released the key findings of the SABSSM VI for Limpopo.

The findings were released at the Meropa Hotel in Polokwane on Tuesday.

The survey found that in 2022, HIV prevalence in the province was disproportionately higher among the 25 to 49 year old age group, with females recording a prevalence of 22.3% and males 17%.

“Moreover, HIV prevalence was high, 7.4% among individuals living in rural formal or farm areas. Notably, females consistently showed a higher HIV prevalence across all selected demographic variables compared to their male counterparts,” the data revealed.

According to the overall principal investigator of the study, the HSRC’s Professor Khangelani Zuma, the survey revealed that the HIV epidemic profile peaked at an HIV prevalence of 29.4% among people aged between 50 and 54 in 2022, down from a peak of 36.9% in 2017 among those aged 40 to 44.

“There was a decrease in HIV prevalence in 2022, except among those zero to 14 years, 35 to 39 years, and 50 to 54 years, compared to 2017,” Zuma noted.

The data presented was for three Limpopo districts – namely Vhembe, Capricorn, and Mopani.

Among the three districts, the highest HIV prevalence was found in Mopani at 9%.

The SABSSM VI survey, conducted between 2022 and 2023, aimed to maintain surveillance of HIV infection and behaviours in South Africa, evaluate the progress of the South African national HIV and AIDS, STI and TB Strategic Plan, and monitor HIV indicators for national and international reporting.

Antiretroviral treatment

Shifting the focus to antiretroviral treatment (ART) coverage, the HSRC said the estimates closely mirror the national outlook, increasing to 80.8% in 2022 from 62.8% in 2017.

This translates to an estimated 430 000 PLHIV in the province receiving treatment in 2022, up from 290 000 in 2017.

ART use among all people living with HIV in the province was 80.8%, with males (73.1%) having lower coverage than females (84%).

Additionally, ART coverage was lower among those residing in urban areas (79.7%) than in other localities.
The lowest ART use was reported in Vhembe (76.4%), followed by Capricorn (80.8%).

Viral load suppression

The survey further revealed that in 2022, among all provinces, Limpopo had one of the lowest proportions of PLHIV who achieved viral load suppression (VLS) at 77.0%, up from 60.8% in 2017.

VLS was slightly lower among females (76.6%) than males (77.8%), with a more significant disparity in rural informal or tribal areas, where females achieved VLS at a rate of 75.2% compared to males at 83.9%.

“Low levels of VLS are concerning in that there is a high risk of HIV transmission during unprotected sexual acts with a person who is virally unsuppressed.”

Knowledge of HIV status

Meanwhile, Zuma expressed concern that people living with HIV aged 25 to 49 make up the majority of those in Limpopo who are unaware of their HIV status (65.0%), aware but not on ART (63.3%), and on ART but not virally suppressed (65.9%).

However, he noted that adolescents and youth aged 15 to 24 disproportionately contribute to gaps in treatment, comprising only 4.8% of all people living with HIV, yet accounting for 15% of those unaware of their status, 13.3% of those aware but not on ART, and 11.4% of those on ART but not virally suppressed.
Among females, those aged 15 to 24 years account for a minority of female people living with HIV (4%).

Sex debut

Regarding the key drivers of the HIV pandemic, the Professor noted that the proportion of adolescents and youth aged 15 to 24 who reported having sex before the age of 15 years decreased to 8.7% in 2022 from 13.5% in 2017.

In 2022, the percentage of adolescents and youth aged 15 to 24 who had their sexual debut before the age of 15 years was higher among males (14%) compared to females (3.1%).

“This percentage varied by district, with the lowest rate in Capricorn (4.8%) and the highest rate in Vhembe (12.9%).”

Multiple partners

The survey revealed that in Limpopo, 11.4% of people aged 15 and older reported having multiple sexual partners in 2022, a decrease from 12% in 2017.

Notably, males (18.5%) were 3.7 times more likely to report having multiple sexual partners than females (5%).
The highest proportion of multiple sexual partners was found among those aged 15 to 24 (15.8%), compared to other age groups.

Condoms

Regarding condom use, the survey found that in Limpopo, 29.8% of people reported using a condom with their most recent sexual partner in 2022, a decline of 11.8% from 41.6% in 2017.

Condom use was lower among certain groups, including those aged 25 to 49 (28.7%) and females (25.4%).
In Limpopo, a higher proportion (53%) reported never using a condom with their most recent sexual partner, while only 4.4% reported using a condom almost every time.

“The consistency of condom uses with the most recent sexual partner among people aged 15 and older in the province was higher among adolescents and youth aged 15 to 24 (31.7%) compared to those aged 25 to 49 (19%).

“However, nearly 60% of adolescents and youth aged 15 to 24 reported using condoms only sometimes or never,” noted the report.

By Keneilwe Velaphi
Human Settlements Minister, Mmamoloko Kubayi has expressed concern at the high number of people who cannot access housing.

Just less than six million mortgage and home loan applications were received and processed between 2018 to 2022 and of this number, two million were from previously advantaged persons (PAPs) with just over one million approvals.

At a briefing in Pretoria on Monday, the Minister announced government plans and developments in the human settlements sector.

She said the country’s gap market was experiencing serious difficulties in accessing housing.

WATCH | Minister Kubayi briefs media

According to an analysis of applications from historically disadvantaged persons (HDPs), the total number of applications over five years is about four million valued at R2 trillion, and the number has been on the increase over the years although it slowed down in 2020 because of COVID-19.

“The total number of approved applications over five years is 49% of the total valued at R1 trillion compared to a decline which is valued at R636 billion and approximately half of the applications are declined which is an indication the number of people who can’t access housing is still high,” said the Minister.

She added that the number of “HDPs applications is twice as high as that of their white counterparts. In addition, the average mortgage loan approved per HDPs was R527,000 compared to PAP at an average mortgage value of R2,5 million which still indicates wealth inadequate,” Kubayi explained.

The Minister also noted a higher number of applications, 1.3 million from women are approved compared to 1.1 million received from men.

High interest rates resulting in the high cost of living, limited access to finance, higher property prices,  a high level of indebtedness and limited supply of affordable housing were some of the reasons touted for the unaffordability of housing.

The Minister also highlighted the work the department is doing in collaboration with other stakeholders, such as building material suppliers and financial institution to ease the burden of housing for first-time homeowners in the gap market.

READ | Interventions to make housing affordable

Home loan market activities 

She noted that the Home Loan and Mortgage Disclosure Act (HLAMDA) was promulgated in the year 2000 and that the Act is intended to compel financial institutions to disclose information about their leading activities and practices in the home loan market.

“The information is disclosed to the Office of Disclosure through the Secretariat which is within the Department of Human Settlement, and the information submitted to the Office of Disclosure is mortgages, pension-backed leading and unsecured lending for home loan /use purpose only.

“In the past, it had only been possible to ascertain the number of home loans granted by financial institutions, but not those home loan applications which have been declined and reasons,” Kubayi explained.
She said that these trends highlight the performance of financial institutions, and it helps them to establish the home loan leading patterns and practices of financial institutions.

In her presentation on mortgage approvals for lower -medium-income brands (R0-15,000), the Office of Disclosure’s analysis of the past five years showed a concerning trend in the affordability of housing for the gap market.

She said the decline in the approvals in the gap market is quite significant, and this indicates that access to mortgage finance for the gap market is becoming increasingly difficult.

Home Loan and Mortgage Disclosure Amendment Bill 

Meanwhile, Kubayi underscored the need to finalise the Home Loan and Mortgage Disclosure Amendment Bill to address discriminatory lending practices and promote fair access to housing finance.

“The Office of Disclosure is an important institution which is a critical element in achieving spatial transformation and integrated human settlements. Currently the information it receives is riddled with data duplication and incompleteness.

“Without data quality control and non-compliance by financial institutions, the picture we have just presented could be worse than we think. It is therefore important that this office be given all the necessary support including legislative amendments to strengthen its ability to discharge its responsibilities,” Kubayi said.

A Limpopo examiner has been arrested at the Lebowakgomo Licensing Centre for allegedly assisting four learner licence applicants get learners licenses without them being tested.

Three of the four applicants are foreign nationals who cannot read, write or speak English.

“The examiner was caught red handed assisting the applicants in the classroom during an exam. Upon further investigations and questioning, the applicants confessed to paying a fee of R3 000 each to the examiner,” the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) said on Tuesday.

The examiner was arrested by the RTMC’s National Traffic Anti-Corruption Unit (NTACU).

All suspects have been detained at the Lebowakgomo Police Station and are due to appear in court. Investigations continue with more arrests expected.

Members of the public are urged to remain vigilant and report any suspected acts of fraud, corruption, or malfeasance to ntacu@rtmc.co.za or via WhatsApp at 083 293 7989.

Minister of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment, Dr Dion George, has welcomed the recent sentencing of a notorious poaching kingpin by a Mozambican Court.

The individual, known as Simon Ernesto Valoi, or “Navara,” has been sentenced to 27 years in prison for his role in leading a rhino-poaching syndicate. His accomplice, Paulo Zukula, has also been handed a 24-year sentence.

Valoi, who hails from Massingir, a district near the border adjacent to the Kruger National Park, has long been a significant figure in the illegal poaching industry, targeting South Africa’s precious rhino population.

The Mozambican court found him guilty of multiple serious crimes, including financing terrorism, poaching, and money laundering, among others.

These crimes, the Minister said, have caused immeasurable damage to the natural heritage and have posed significant threats to both wildlife and the safety of those dedicated to protecting it.

George applauded the efforts of Mozambican authorities, the National Criminal Investigation Service (SERNIC), and the Wildlife Justice Commission, whose coordinated intelligence operation led to the apprehension and successful prosecution of Valoi and his accomplices.

“This sentencing is a critical victory in the ongoing fight against poaching and organised wildlife crime. The sentencing of Simon Ernesto Valoi and Paulo Zukula sends a powerful message that those who engage in the destruction of our natural resources will face the full force of the law.

“We remain committed to working with our international partners to protect our wildlife and ensure that those responsible for such heinous crimes are brought to justice,” the Minister said on Monday.

George further urged all South Africans to be vigilant and to report any suspected environmental crimes to the authorities.

“Communities play a vital role in the fight against poaching, and by working together with law enforcement agencies, we can make significant strides in safeguarding our environment for future generations,” he said.