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Unilever Southern Africa has agreed to collaborate with the Department of Small Business Development to increase investment in small, micro and medium enterprise (SMME) development.

“Unilever [has] already identified input materials which can be manufactured locally and committed to work with the department to build the capability of SMMEs, particularly black, women and youth-owned, and those owned by people with disability, to participate meaningfully in this manufacturing,” the department said on Wednesday.

Other commitments include increased SMME access to Unilever’s third-party manufacturing, logistics platforms and SMME products ‘route to market’ assistance.

Unilever CEO Luc-Olivier Marquet made the commitment during a recent meeting with the Minister of Small Business Development, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni.

The meeting followed the publication of a racially offensive advert on the Clicks website by Unilever hair brand, TRESemmé.

“Unilever has since also set up an advisory board with internal and external experts to review how Unilever hair care products in South Africa can offer consumers the solutions they want in positive and empowering terms.

“Working with the new advisory board, Unilever will develop programmes to deliver immediate support to Black hair stylists and small professional salons.

“It was noted that although 95% of Unilever products sold in South Africa are manufactured within the country, the bulk of the input materials for such manufacturing are imports, which significantly dilutes the benefits to South Africa in the Unilever supply value chain,” the department said.

Ntshavheni said the current R80 million Enterprise Development Fund of Unilever is not sufficient for SMME development. However, she accepted that if commitments on value chain participation made by Unilever are fulfilled, it will improve this contribution.

The department undertook to also use its existing support mechanisms to accelerate the qualification of SMMEs to participate in the Unilever value chains, such mechanisms include the Manufacturing Support Scheme, and fast-tracked certification of products with the relevant standards bodies.

The department will partner with Unilever’s programme to support Black hair stylists and small professional salons through its programmes to support informal and micro personal care services.

The Minister accepted the offer by Unilever to partner on the Spaza and General Dealers Support Programme to ensure the success of spaza shops as the next frontier for convenience shopping in townships and rural areas.

The COVID-19 death toll now stands at over 16 000 after 126 new fatalities were recorded on Tuesday.

KwaZulu-Natal recorded the most deaths after 54 people lost the battle to the respiratory disease.

Meanwhile, 45 deaths were recorded in Gauteng, 17 in the Western Cape, and five each in the Eastern Cape and the North West.

This brings the total number of COVID-19 related deaths to 16 118.

“We extend our condolences to the loved ones of the departed and thank the healthcare workers who treated the deceased patients,” Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, said.

The cumulative number of detected COVID-19 cases is now 663 282 after 1 346 new cases were identified.

The recovery rate now stands at 89.4%, after 592 904 patients recuperated.

The data is based on the 4 064 117 tests performed, with 16 394 having been done in the last 24 hours.

Globally, there have been 31 174 627 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 962 613 deaths reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

According to the WHO’s latest data, from 14 – 20 September, there were almost two million new cases of COVID-19, which represents a 6% increase compared to the previous week.

This is the highest number of reported cases in a single week since the beginning of the epidemic, WHO said.

“During the same period, there was a 10% decrease in the number of deaths, with 36 764 deaths reported in the past seven days,” the organisation said.

Except for the African region, an increase in the weekly case incidence was reported across all WHO regions in the last seven days.

“For the last six weeks, the African region has continued to report a decrease in both COVID-19 cases and deaths. During the past week, 33 of the 49 affected countries reported either a decrease in deaths or no deaths.”

South Africa remains the African country with the highest number of new cases and new deaths, followed by Ethiopia, Algeria and Mozambique.

The region of the Americas continues to carry the highest burden of COVID-19 globally, accounting for over 38% of all new cases reported in the past seven days, although the region reported a 22% decrease in new deaths.

WHO has noted the greatest rise in deaths in the past week, with a 27% increase compared to the previous week in the European region.

President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Thursday virtually deliver the 2020 National Heritage Day keynote address.

This year’s Heritage Day will be celebrated under the theme ‘Celebrating South Africa’s Living Human Treasures’.

The theme is a recognition of the country’s living human treasures, who embody repositories of knowledge, customs and traditions.

This year’s Heritage Month is dedicated to the living human treasures, namely Dr Esther Mahlangu, Mama Madosini Latozi Mpahleni and Mama Ouma Katrina Letsau.

As part of the celebrations and in their honour, three books have been launched, which acknowledge the efforts of these great women, who have distinguished themselves in their chosen fields of artistic occupation, putting South Africa on the global cultural map.

Throughout the month, government has promoted South African indigenous knowledge holders, who have been producing goods and services within local communities but have not received national or international acclaim and recognition.

Curbing GBV

Heritage Month is also being directed towards highlighting the fight against gender-based violence and femicide in the country.

As part of raising consciousness across society, government will continue to facilitate dialogues and hold panel discussions on GBV, aimed at engendering and sustaining positive behavioural change.

Heritage Month is a platform to promote the rich and diverse indigenous knowledge systems of South Africa.

It’s an opportunity to create awareness around the scourge of GBV and encourage the country’s living human treasures to champion the care of women and girl children within communities, and expose learners and youth to the richness of South African indigenous heritage.

It also seeks to advance the profile of South Africa’s outstanding indigenous knowledge holders as moral compasses in communities, promote the appreciation of and economic potential of products, goods and services made by indigenous knowledge holders, and enhance social cohesion and nation building through indigenous knowledge.

This year’s national day celebrations will also highlight the vastness and richness of indigenous knowledge systems represented by rites of passage, festivals, music, crafts, science, innovation, knowledge and our relations with the universe.

The celebrations will be televised on major news channels and streamed live across social media platforms.

Limpopo Education MEC Polly Boshielo has commended a learner who has invented a device to help curb human trafficking and gender-based violence (GBV).

Bohlale Mphahlele, a 16-year-old Grade 11 learner from SJ van der Merwe Technical High School in Lebowakgomo Circuit, Capricorn South District, invented the device, which is known as an “Alerting Ear Piece”.

It is able to track victims of human trafficking and GBV.

The small device can be inserted in earrings and capture photos of perpetrators, enabling the police to quickly identify them.

The device was recently showcased at the Eskom Expo for Young Scientists in the category for Engineering-electronics and embedded systems.

Boshielo noted that the past few weeks have been difficult on the provincial education sector, as the province has been experiencing the tormenting pain of gender-based violence on learners.

“It is a difficult thing to go through as a mother and a leader. We are always looking for answers and ways to protect our children, and this invention by our learner gives me hope that we shall overcome.

“I am firm believer in technology and its capacity to address some of the challenges we encounter. It is a proud moment to see that all our efforts towards improving technical schools in the province are yielding results,” said Boshielo on Tuesday.

The MEC has also expressed her appreciation to Bohlale’s peers and a team of educators rallying behind her in this technological endeavour.

A 19-year-old man will appear in the Kabokweni Magistrate Court on Wednesday in connection with the murder of a teenage girl.

This after the body of the 14-year-old was discovered in a pit latrine in Mpumalanga.

According to the police spokesperson, Brigadier Leonard Hlathi, the girl was last seen on Wednesday.

“The family only realised that something bad might have happened to her the next day after they received threatening messages via cellphone demanding a ransom in exchange for her release,” said Hlathi on Tuesday.

The family reported the matter to the police, who then opened a case of kidnapping and an investigation began.

The girl’s body was discovered by a family member inside a pit toilet at her residence over the weekend.

“The police worked tirelessly in search of her killers and made a breakthrough today by arresting a suspect, who has been fingered in the case,” said Hlathi.

It is believed that the girl may have been drugged before she was killed. However, a post-mortem will be conducted to determine the cause of death.

“Police cannot rule out a possibility of adding more charges upon the suspect,” said Hlathi.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has told the United Nations that the task ahead is to chart the course for a transformative and inclusive future in the aftermath of the Coronavirus pandemic.

This must be done in a manner that respects the worth and dignity of every human being.

“To resolve our global challenges – be they health emergencies, transnational crime, conflict and war, climate change, migration or natural disasters – we must work together.

“The UN system is the best means by which we can address and overcome these global challenges. And it is only through multilateralism that we can forge common strategies for the benefit and advancement of all,” he said.

Speaking on Monday at the 75th Commemoration of the United Nations General Assembly, the President said the United Nations is, and must forever remain, the foremost guarantor of world peace.

To realise a just and humane world, the UN must be fit for purpose, adequately funded and representative in its decision-making structures.

“We must ensure that the sovereign equality of nations is protected. Unilateral coercive measures and violations of international law must be dealt with firmly and consistently.

“We must strengthen the UN’s coordination with regional bodies such as the African Union, to ensure our efforts are complimentary and mutually reinforcing.”

He said global peace is not just about a world free of conflict.

“It also a world free of poverty, inequality and underdevelopment. It is a world of inclusive economic growth and shared prosperity. It is a world where young people are able to grow and thrive, and where women have equal rights and opportunities,” said the President.

Africa has laid down good economic fundamentals that will enable the continent to rapidly rebuild economies after the losses suffered due to COVID-19, believes Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize.

Speaking on Monday during the Centre for Global Development virtual conference, the Minister said African countries had already made incredible progress across the indicators of poverty, health outcomes, educational enrolments and life expectancy.

“Countries have invested the dividends of growth into health, education, and building the physical and telecommunications infrastructure to connect our countries and our economies. We had also been on track to launch the African Continental Free Trade Agreement this year, creating a single African market and the largest free trade area in the world.

“This pandemic has presented a once-in-a-century emergency and no country is unscathed from its economic impacts. As a continent we recognise the magnitude of the challenge and we will continue to confront it head on,” said Mkhize.

What began as a health crisis has become an economic crisis – COVID-19 has tipped Africa into its first recession in 25 years, threatening to undo 25 consecutive years of positive economic growth.

“The impact of COVID-19 is expected to see an economic contraction of 3.2% in the sub-Saharan Africa region in 2020, reducing per capita GDP to levels last seen in 2010.

“For the first time in decades extreme poverty will increase. Indeed we have already seen that 26-39 million Africans have been pushed into extreme poverty in just the last 6 months alone- raising poverty by between 6 and 9%,” said the Minister.

Reflecting on the economic situation in South Africa, the impact of COVID-19 will see GDP contract 7.5% this year.

“To mitigate this, we have implemented rescue and stimulus packages amounting to 10% of our GDP. For the first time in the history of our democracy, we turned to the International Monetary Fund for relief.

“We, along with 80 countries globally and 35 countries on the African continent, have applied for and received COVID-19-related emergency funding from the IMF.”

Mkhize said it was therefore crucial to have relevant discussions on effective ways to mitigate the economic and health impact of the pandemic across Africa as well as steer the ship back towards the objectives of Agenda 2063 – a safe, healthy, socially integrated and prosperous Africa, free from preventable conditions and premature deaths.

“That is what we had committed to achieve and our people deserve no less,” he said.

Africa needs USD 100 billion to effectively respond to the economic shock of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mkhize said he appreciated the current support the continent was getting from its partners, the multilateral agencies and the private sector.

“I can confirm that about 40 billion USD has been committed towards the fight against COVID-19 in the continent of Africa and about 15.3 billion USD has already been paid out at bilateral levels to different member states. We are truly grateful for the support.”

He urged all participants in the session to work together to ensure that the economic and the health challenges the globe is facing.

In South Africa the cumulative number of COVID-19 cases is 661 936 with 725 new cases identified. There have been 39 more Coronavirus-related deaths bringing the total number of deaths to 15 992. Number of recoveries is 591 208.

The Southern African Customs Union (SACU) Ministers of Finance and Trade support the proposal of working together, through a regionally coordinated approach, to advance industrialisation, trade market access regionally and continentally, and to strengthen resource mobilisation.

South Africa’s Finance Minister, Tito Mboweni, chaired the fourth joint Finance and Trade Ministers’ virtual Ministerial Retreat meeting on Monday.

The SACU Ministerial retreat noted that its development trajectory should be anchored on a clear industrialisation path that provides for the development of regional value chains to strengthen SACU’s productive capacity.

The meeting reaffirmed the outcomes of the SACU Ministers of Trade and Industry of 28 August 2020, as forming the basis for cooperation for regional industrialisation, investment and export promotion.

The Ministers acknowledged that a trade and industrialisation agenda would require the mobilisation of substantial financial resources. Going forward, SACU must design appropriate and effective financing instruments by mobilising the national Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) and private sector enterprises within the region to finance this vision.

The role of the private sector, through collaboration with regional business chambers, in improving the business environment was also highlighted.

The Ministers agreed on refined development priorities for the union, within the changing global and regional developments.

They also agreed on activities that could be prioritised for SACU going forward and their sequencing.

“Ministers observed that much disagreement remains around issues involving the Revenue Sharing Formula (RSF) and Tariff Setting architecture, respectively. However, in the spirit of unity, they were unanimous that specific attention should be put on those issues that propel SACU forward,” the Ministry said.

The Ministerial Retreat also noted the long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the SACU common resource pool.

They agreed to work jointly to implement the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).

The SACU consists of Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, and Eswatini. It was established in 1910, making it the world’s oldest Customs Union.

The Department of Home Affairs has committed to addressing systematic delays and training of staff in order to meet the ever-changing environment of trans people.

The commitment was made this week during the first meeting held by Home Affairs Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi and the Trans Activist Coalition on Monday in Pretoria.

During the meeting, parties discussed various matters of mutual interest.

The Trans Activist Coalition included representatives from Iranti, Gender DynamiX, Be True 2 Me, Triangle Project, Same Love Toti, Access Chapter 2, Transgender and Intersex Africa, Matimba, Women’s Legal Centre, the Legal Resources Centre and Transhope.

“The meeting is part of the Minister’s commitment to engage constructively with all stakeholders in order to improve service delivery and development of policies,” said the Ministry in a joint statement.

During the meeting, the parties discussed systematic delays in dealing with amendments of the particulars of trans people; effective communication between the two parties; Official Identity Management and Marriage Policies.

International trends in dealing with trans people, as well as Amendments to the Alteration of Sex Description and Sex Status Act 49 of 2003, were also discussed.

“The parties committed to working together to address the systematic delays and training of Department of Home Affairs staff in order to meet the ever-changing environment of trans people,” reads the joint statement.

The Trans Activist Coalition in the meeting committed to making a contribution to the Official Identity Management, Marriage Policies and Standard Operating Procedures once they are published for public comment.

“The parties committed themselves to draw valuable lessons from new international trends in matters relating to trans people. The parties agreed to further engagements, as dictated to by the circumstances, to deal with matters of mutual interest,” the statement said.