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The Southern African Development Community (SADC) will convene an Extraordinary Troika Summit of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation in Mozambique.

The Extraordinary Organ Troika Summit to be held on Thursday, 29 April 2021, will receive a report of the Technical Assessment Team that was deployed, following the decisions of the SADC Extraordinary Double Troika Summit, held earlier this month.

During its meeting, the SADC Double Troika Summit of Heads of State and Government said it noted with concern, the acts of terrorism perpetrated against innocent civilians, women and children in some districts of Cabo Delgado province, Mozambique.

The high-level meeting reiterated SADC’s continued commitment to contributing towards bringing lasting peace and security.

“The summit further condemned the terrorist attacks in the strongest terms and affirmed that such heinous attacks cannot be allowed to continue without a proportionate regional response,” said SADC in a statement.

The Extraordinary Meeting of the Organ Troika Ministerial Committee will precede the Extraordinary Troika Summit of the Organ on 28 April 2021.

The SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation also known as the Organ is a SADC institution that aims to promote peace and security in the region in line with Article 2 of the SADC Protocol on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation.

A magistrate, medical doctor and licensing officials are expected to appear in the Eerstehoek Regional Court in Mpumalanga on Wednesday on allegations of the irregular and corrupt issuing of a driving licence.

The suspects – KwaZulu Natal magistrate Bonginkosi Mtshali (56), Dr Makhomba Nkambule (56), examiner ST Thwala (44), BJ Mamba (56), SM Mathebula (43) and ZM Ndhlandhla (35) allegedly conspired to ensure that a driving licence was issued to Mtshali fraudulently.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) said the offence was committed in 2018 at Elukwatini licensing centre.

Five of the suspects, the medical doctor, three driving licence examiners and a data capturer were arrested last week in a joint operation by the South African Police Services and the National Traffic Anti-Corruption Unit from the RTMC.

The magistrate was arrested in Empangeni a week before. The suspects face charges relating to conspiracy to commit fraud and defeating the ends of justice.

The suspects are out on R2 000 bail each.

South Africa recorded 130 more COVID-19 deaths, with 853 people testing positive in the past 24 hours.

The official death toll now stands at 53 887, while the country has recorded a cumulative 1 568 366 cases.

According to Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, of the latest deaths, 41 were recorded in the Western Cape, 34 in the North West, 13 in the Northern Cape, 11 each in the Eastern Cape and Gauteng, seven in the Free State, five each in KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo, and three in Mpumalanga.

“Some provinces have been conducting data verification at facilities to ensure that all COVID-19 related deaths that were not reported are reported,” said Mkhize.

The Minister has expressed his condolences to the loved ones of the deceased and thanked the healthcare workers who treated them.

The recovery rate remains at 95% after 1 494 630 patients recovered, while the country currently has 19 849 active cases.

The information is based on the 10 379 089 tests conducted, 23 893 of which were performed on Tuesday.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there have been 141 754 944 confirmed cases of COVID-19, 3 025 835 deaths and 843 158 196 administered vaccine doses.

Global view

The World Health Organisation (WHO) said cases increased for the eighth consecutive week, with more than 5.2 million new cases reported in the last week – surpassing the previous peak in early January 2021.

“The pace of deaths is accelerating. It took nine months to reach one million deaths, another four to surpass two million, and just three to reach three million deaths,” WHO noted.

Limpopo Premier Chupu Mathabatha has reiterated government’s commitment to protecting the elderly from the deadly COVID-19 virus during the provincial launch of the vaccination self-registration campaign.

Mathabatha, who publicly registered for his jab on the Electronic Vaccination Data System (EVDS), said the day signified another milestone in government’s unwavering commitment to tackling the pandemic.

“The hallmark of a caring government is to protect first the most vulnerable. The vaccination of this section of the society will also begin with registration just like with the rest,” Mathabatha said on Wednesday.

Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, officially opened the COVID-19 vaccine online registration for the public on Friday, starting with those who are aged 60 and above.

“We are indeed making strides in the rollout of South Africa’s biggest vaccination drive. Standing here today, we can proudly say to ourselves that indeed, we are on course,” said Mathabatha.

He told the residents of Ga-Mphahlele village that the country is expecting to wrap up its first phase soon, which focused on healthcare workers.

Those who are aged 60 and older will follow the first phase, as they are classified as among the most susceptible to COVID-19 morbidity and mortality.

“The process of registration will ensure that government achieves its objective of distributing the vaccine among all its qualifying citizens equitably,” Mathabatha said.

The Premier urged all qualifying sections of society to vaccinate against COVID-19, as government works tirelessly to achieve herd immunity.

“Here, we will have a certain percentage of people, who will be vaccinated, such that the virus can no longer spread in communities. Hence, we must assist our elderly people to register to vaccinate.”

The Premier said he has instructed the MEC of Health, Dr Phophi Ramathuba, to come up with strategies to ensure easy access for the elderly who live in rural areas and townships, and may not have the internet.

“The MEC has promised me that in the few coming weeks, her department will announce facilities which will serve as registration sites for those who cannot register themselves,” said Ramathuba.

Limpopo will use the services of community healthcare workers to go door-to-door to register those who live far from these sites.

“Our community healthcare workers are currently being trained to undertake this mammoth but noble duty,” said Ramathuba.

She pleaded with youngsters to assist pensioners to register.

“We need to emphasise that it is important to register in advance because only those who are registered on the EVDS will be allowed to receive the vaccine.”

On Monday, Mkhize said 343 420 senior citizens have already registered on the EVDS.

Public hearings on the Expropriation Bill will move to the North West province on Thursday.

The Portfolio Committee on Public Works and Infrastructure will – from 22 April 2021 until Sunday, 25 April 2021 – hold public hearings on the bill in the North West, with the first hearings to be held at Christiana Town Hall.

The purpose of the Expropriation Bill is to repeal the existing Expropriation Act of 1975 to provide a common framework, in line with the Constitution; guide the processes and procedures for the expropriation of property by organs of State, and provide for certain instances where expropriation with no compensation may be appropriate in the public interest.

In line with Parliament’s strategic objective of enhancing access to the work of Parliament, legislative process and improving public participation in general, the committee resolved to visit all provinces to garner public views on the proposed legislation.

Committee chairperson, Nolitha Ntobongwana, said the intention of the public hearings is to enrich the bill and to ensure that it is responsive to the views and needs of individuals and groups on the ground.

“Similarly, the committee decided to hold public hearings during weekdays and weekends to afford more participation of individuals and stakeholders.

“The committee is mindful that the scheduled public hearings happen during the adjusted alert level 1 lockdown regulations, and has taken due regard to ensure adherence to COVID-19 guidelines and regulations,” Ntobongwana said.

The full programme for the hearings can be downloaded on https://tinyurl.com/2vtux295.

The Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court has remanded Edozie Okobi in custody until 26 April 2021 for a formal bail application after his court appearance on Tuesday on fraud and theft allegations involving approximately R6 million.

It is alleged that Okobi and his co-accused girlfriend, Angel Tau, allegedly fraudulently created a duplicate email address to launder money from a prospective steel pipe buyer in February 2017.

Further investigation revealed that Okobi and Tau allegedly interrupted and redirected the steel pipe buyer to their fraudulent email address, where they provided new banking details, to which an amount of R6 million was transferred.

The investigating team facilitated the recovery of an amount of R4 million before it could be spent by the accused.

Tau was arrested in May 2017 and has since been sentenced to eight years direct imprisonment on counts of fraud and theft.

A warrant of arrest was issued for Okobi’s apprehension and he was circulated on local and international boarder movement control as a person of interest in a fraud and theft related matter.

The Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team in Germiston successfully traced and nabbed Okobi in Douglasdale and subsequently charged him for fraud and theft on Tuesday.

A police officer and a security guard were injured in a foiled cash-in-transit robbery in Durban.

The South African Police Service (SAPS) members were visiting a shopping mall in their police precinct on Tuesday to view video footage that could assist them in an investigation. As they were viewing the footage, they were alerted to a cash-in-transit robbery that had taken place on the premises.

“It is alleged that at 15:30; the cash-in-transit guard was conveying a cash box to his vehicle when five men confronted him and forcefully removed the cash box from his possession. The police officers came to his assistance and managed to prevent the men from fleeing with the moneybox.”

The suspects opened fire on the police officers and injured a 25-year-old constable as well as the security guard as they fled empty handed.

Both the police officer and security guard were transported to a local hospital where they remain in a critical condition.

A manhunt is underway to trace the perpetrators.

The KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi applauded the police officers for immediately springing into action and preventing the robbers from fleeing with the cash.

“We are saddened to hear that a police officer and security guard were injured in this skirmish with the robbers and we wish them a speedy recovery. We will do everything that is within our control to bring the perpetrators to book,” said Lieutenant General Mkhwanazi.

Parents and guardians have been urged not to leave their children unattended after an incident where a three-year-old girl died in a house fire.

“Reports indicate that the victim and her siblings aged seven and nine, were left alone by their mother in the shack where they stay. When she returned home, she found the shack engulfed in flames and immediately called for help. The other two children managed to escape the fire unharmed, except the three-year-old,” said the South African Police Services (SAPS) on Tuesday.

A case of culpable homicide was opened against the woman with an additional charge of child neglect.

The incident happened on Monday evening at Siyathuthuka township in Belfast.

Meanwhile, a similar incident occurred last week  where two young girls, aged seven and eight, burned to death in a house fire.

The two children who are said to be cousins, were asleep in the house at Jerusalem near White River whilst their parents were away.

“Their uncle was visiting neighbours at the time and it is said that he was notified by one of the neighbours that a spotlight at the house where the children were asleep, was off. He then went to investigate and on his arrival, he realised that the bedroom where the girls were was on fire.”

He reportedly called other neighbours to assist to extinguish the fire, however the flames were too intense and the girls perished in the fire.

An inquest case is currently being probed and a charge of child neglect will be added.

In another incident, a 23-year-old woman was recently arrested in Bushbuckridge for child neglect, after she reportedly left her three children, aged four, five as well as a nine-month old baby unattended between the evening of Friday, 09 April and the morning of Saturday, 10 April 2021.

Her family then thought that she was missing and the matter was brought before the attention of police.

The woman was later found at a tavern.

“A case was opened against her and she was arrested, appeared before court on Monday where her case was remanded until Thursday, 22 April 2021 for bail application.

Police management in the province urge parents as well as guardians to play their role in order to prevent such incidents from occurring,” said Colonel Donald Mdhluli.

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), a division of the National Health Laboratory Service, has noted an upsurge in COVID-19 cases in the Northern Cape, North West and Free State Provinces.

In a statement on Wednesday, the NICD said it had noted this development as it continues to monitor COVID-19 trends nationally.

“The team is working with the respective provinces to ascertain whether the rise in cases can be attributed to cluster outbreaks, and recommend increased testing and contact tracing to contain the situation and limit further spread,” said Senior Epidemiologist at the NICD, Dr Harry Moultrie.

The NICD said, with the April school holiday season rapidly approaching and many making plans for travel and social gatherings, complying with non-pharmaceutical measures to minimise transmission of the virus remains vital.

“This includes the proper wearing of masks, practising good hand hygiene and maintaining a physical distance of at least 1.5 metres from others. Where possible, social activities should take place outdoors or in well-ventilated areas/rooms with open windows and doors, as proper ventilation plays an important role in reducing transmission,” said the institute.

Professor Adrian Puren, NICD Acting Executive Director said the institute was actively monitoring the situation in these provinces and would keep the community informed of any new developments.

The NICD monitors the number of laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases and tests performed on a daily basis, and associated resurgence metrics. The DATCOV hospital surveillance platform monitors COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital in all provinces of South Africa.

Over the last five years, about R32 billion has been invested through funding initiatives within the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic) in nearly 800 black industrialist businesses and black entrepreneurs.

“This funding has supported the creation of new and dynamic enterprises in a number of critical value chains across all nine provinces, crowding in additional investment from the private sector as well as creating and saving nearly 120 000 jobs,” Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition Ebrahim Patel said.

Patel was addressing the launch of the inaugural Black Industrialist Report on Tuesday.

The dtic released the first annual Black Industrialist Report, highlighting the direct funding provided by the dtic, the National Empowerment Fund (NEF), and the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), to support black industrialists and entrepreneurs since the programme was launched.

The inaugural report provides details of approximately 100 black industrialists and entrepreneurs who have been supported by the dtic, IDC and NEF over this period.

The case studies cover a range of productive sectors, including food production, clothing and textiles; mining metals machinery and equipment; transport logistics and infrastructure; chemical products and healthcare; plastic products; the green economy and the creative industry, among others.

“Black industrialist funding, provided by the dtic and its entities, is creating platforms for a new entrepreneurial class to play its rightful role in boosting industrialisation and fully harnessing the resources of our country.

“These platforms have been enhanced by the dtic even further through reforms enabled in competition law, efforts to improve the ease of doing business and the implementation of the national sector masterplans,” Patel said.

For South Africa to realise its economic potential, the Minister said the country must embark on a focused and determined effort to transform industries and make them more dynamic and competitive.

“In doing so, we are developing our industrialisation efforts around strategic localisation by boosting domestic demand for South African manufactured goods, and expanding our access to export markets,” he said.

The black industrialist programme has been integrated into the work of the department to realise the objectives of the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan (ERRP) announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa in October 2020.

Commitments have been obtained from social partners at the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac), as part of the national priorities set out in the ERRP, to reduce reliance on imported goods, and to work with government in developing the country’s productive capacity.

Investing in new industries and redress

Over the next five years, social partners will seek to invest in new industries which can build local industrial capacity by up to R200 billion annually by the end of the period.

The target of R200 billion, if fully achieved, can add an additional 4% to annual GDP and will further create opportunities for South African manufacturers, including small and medium businesses and industrial firms owned and controlled by black South Africans, to grow their businesses and create jobs.

“We launch the Report for three reasons. First, as part of public accountability. Second, to showcase individual examples of entrepreneurship and industrialisation, in order to encourage more black South Africans to become wealth creators and entrepreneurs. Third, to show that transformation is not only about redress, but that it also adds significant value to our GDP and employs many thousands of South Africans,” the Minister said.

Minister Patel also provided details of work undertaken to promote worker ownership of equity in the companies they work for and the policy stance of government on broad-based ownership schemes.

In this regard, he advised that he would be issuing a Practice Note as provided for in the BB-BEE Act to provide clarity to the market.

The report is available on the dtic website at http://www.thedtic.gov.za/wp-content/uploads/Black-Industrialist-Report2021.pdf