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| AFRICAN UNION (AU) SUMMIT PUT AFRICA ON NEW GROWTH PATH – CABINET |
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| “Cabinet applauded the initiative by the AU towards greater regional integration and trade through the launch of negotiations for the establishment of a continental free trade area that will forge stronger ties between African economies,” said Minister Radebe. |
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The resolutions adopted at the 25th AU Summit, held recently in Sandton, have been welcomed by Cabinet.
The Minister in The Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Jeff Radebe, recently said the resolutions placed Africa on a new path of development and growth that would enable the continent to take its rightful place in global affairs.
Resolutions included a united and functioning single military by the end of the year and the acceleration of the operationalisation of the African Standby Force (ASF).
He was addressing media on the Cabinet meeting held on 24 June, in Cape Town.
Minister Radebe said Cabinet also welcomed the meeting of the AU Ministers Responsible for Gender and Women’s Affairs, following the Second AU High-Level Panel on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment, which was held on the margins of the AU Summit.
The outcome of the meetings, held under the theme “Make it Happen Through the Financial Inclusion of Women in the Agribusiness Sector”, was a declaration and a call for action regarding the financial inclusion in agribusiness.
The meetings called for the implementation of women’s right to access, control, ownership and benefit from financial resources, including access to public procurement processes in education, information and skills development, innovative technologies and practices, to capacitate and develop women’s economic empowerment in agribusiness.
The ministers further called for the intensification of initiatives to create a conducive environment for women to conduct agribusiness and the agricultural value chain through prevention and responding to conflict on the continent, addressing, adapting and mitigating climate change impacts, and addressing the impact of epidemics and natural disasters. – Source: www.SAnews.gov.za |
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| SOUTH AFRICA CELEBRATES 60 YEARS OF THE FREEDOM CHARTER |
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| Thousands gathered at the Walter Sisulu Square in Kliptown, Soweto, on 26 June to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Freedom Charter. |
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President Jacob Zuma called for solidarity among South Africans as he addressed more than 6 000 people in Kliptown, Soweto.
“The Freedom Charter is not only a document in our history, it is part of our lives,” said President Zuma.
In attendance were political leaders, including SA struggle heroes Ahmed Kathrada and Winnie Mandela.
The Cuban Five were also in attendance and received a warm welcome from the community in Kliptown.
The Freedom Charter was adopted at the Congress of the People, Kliptown, on 26 June 1955.
It is widely regarded as a seminal document in South Africa’s quest to transform the South African society into a model of equality – equal opportunity, equal access and equal development.
The country’s highest law – the South African Constitution – is based on this progressive document. |
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| SA TO JOIN ASIAN INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT BANK |
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| “South Africa’s participation will strengthen its growing business relationships with the region and will also demonstrate solidarity with the region’s development aspirations,” said Minister in The Presidency responsible for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Jeff Radebe. |
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Cabinet has approved South Africa’s joining of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, an international financial institution which provides finance for infrastructure projects.
He was briefing media following Cabinet’s meeting on 24 June.
Cabinet has also approved the submission of the Additional Protocol to the Trade, Development and Cooperation Agreement between the European Community and its Members States to Parliament for ratification.
The Additional Protocol takes into account the accession of the Republic of Croatia to the European Union (EU) which will join later into the Protocol.
Minister Radebe highlighted that the enlargement of the EU would improve South Africa’s market access into the EU, which would lead to the creation of job opportunities, fostering economic growth and improving consumer choices.
“This is in line with the National Development Plan vision of creating employment, growing the economy and promoting exports,” the Minister said. – Source: www.SAnews.gov.za |
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| SA TO REVIEW PARTICIPATION IN INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT (ICC) |
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| "South Africa was always a staunch supporter of the establishment of the International Criminal Court and one of the first signatories of the Rome Statute of the [ICC]," said Minister Radebe in a statement. |
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Cabinet had decided it would review South Africa’s participation in the ICC, the Minister in The Presidency, Jeff Radebe said, at a post-Cabinet briefing at Parliament.
"It remains committed to a system of international justice to ensure that the most serious crimes of concern to the international community as a whole must not go unpunished and that their effective prosecution must be ensured by taking measures at the national level and by enhancing international cooperation."
His comments followed the violation of a court order to prevent Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir from leaving the country, allowing him to evade arrest for alleged crimes against humanity.
The ICC had issued warrants of arrest for Al-Bashir – one in 2009 and another in 2010 – for alleged war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in Sudan's Darfur region.
It was decided at a Cabinet meeting and later published in the Government Gazette that all delegates and staff attending the African Union Summit would enjoy immunity. It did not say heads of state.
The South African Government might refer its concerns with the ICC to the International Court of Justice, Radebe said.
He said, however, that withdrawal from the ICC would be a last resort after all other options had been exhausted. – Source: www.news24.com |
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| MBOWENI HEADS FOR BRICS BANK |
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The New Development Bank (NDB) is expected to be up and running by
the end of the year. |
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Finance Minister, Nhlanhla Nene, announced recently that former Reserve Bank governor, Tito Mboweni, had been appointed as the non-executive director to the board the BRICS NDB.
He added that Cabinet had endorsed the nomination of Leslie Maasdorp for vice-president of the NDB.
Maasdorp recently parted ways with AdvTech where he was chief executive. He was previously the president of Merrill Lynch for southern Africa.
The management of the NDBs will be appointed at the board of governors inaugural meeting on 7 July‚ Nene said.
"It is also a pleasure to announce that the Agreement on the New Development Bank and the Treaty for the establishment of a BRICS Contingent Reserve Arrangement have been ratified by our Parliament," he said.
The bank was expected to be operational by the end of 2015, and the process to establish the African Regional Centre was underway. As soon as the bank opened for business, the centre would also be open to consider projects on the continent. – Source www.southafrica.info |
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| SA, LATIN AMERICA, CARIBBEAN FORM ECONOMIC TIES |
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| The Deputy Minister envisaged in his opening remarks that the meeting would lay a strong foundation that would improve South Africa’s economy in future. The meeting was the first of its kind in terms of discussing economic opportunities. |
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On 25 June, the Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Luwellyn Landers, hosted heads of missions from the Group of Latin American and Caribbean (GRULAC) in a discussion forum at the OR Tambo Building in Pretoria.
The aim was to discuss how the countries could mutually benefit from each other.
During the forum, Ambassadors, High Commissioners and/or their representatives from various countries, academia and officials from the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) presented their interests and shared ideas on how trade and investment could develop among South Africa and other countries.
Following the discussions, DIRCO Deputy Director-General (DDG) for Europe and Americas, Yolisa Maya, said the main aim of the meeting was to highlight complementarities that South Africa had with other GRULAC countries and work together in trading.
GRULAC countries comprise South African embassies in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Surinam, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Dominican Republic and Venezuela.
DDG Maya said the basket of goods coming from South Africa and these countries, especially Latin America was quite similar, and that made them not only friends but competitors.
“We need to form complementarities so that we can work together. They [Latin America and Caribbean] are big in mining, social programmes, rural development, youth programmes and servicing previously disadvantaged communities,” she said.
She said the drivers, who would implement what was discussed in the meeting, were business sector and entities, and that DIRCO would also organise an interdepartmental meeting with relevant departments which were responsible for government programmes relating to economy, trade and investment, and youth, among others. – Source: www.SAnews.gov.za |
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| SA MARKS AFRICA PUBLIC SERVICE DAY |
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| Africa Public Service Day is commemorated annually by all the African Union (AU) member states. It is marked by the continent every second year. |
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South Africa, through the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA), joined the continent in celebrating the 2015 Africa Public Service Day (APSD) on 22 and 23 June.
South Africa has been commemorating both the local and continental APSD since its inception.
The continental celebrations were held in Brazzaville, the Republic of Congo, from 19 to 23 June 2015 under the theme “The Role of Public Services in Women Empowerment, Innovation and Accessible Service Delivery”.
The theme provided public service and administration stakeholders with an opportunity to reflect on the extent to which women were represented within senior management positions in the Public Service.
Participants also evaluated progress made in implementing the African Charter on Values and Principles of Public Service and Administration, AU Agenda 2063 and Post-2063 Development Agenda and Vision 2030.
APSD is an important event on the AU calendar which emanated from the decision of the first Conference of African Ministers for Civil/Public Service in Algeria in 1994.
The celebrations also provided a platform to reward excellence in the public sector and motivate public servants to continue going beyond the call of duty. – Source: www.SAnews.gov.za |
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| MINISTER DLAMINI RECEIVES CHILDREN REPATRIATED FROM MALAWI |
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| The two were officially handed by the Malawian Government to the South African Government represented by the SA Higher Commissioner, Cassandra Mbuyane-Mokone. They were kept at a transit home for children in Lilongwe. |
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On 25 June, the Minister of Social Development, Bathabile Dlamini, received the South African child (14) and youth (20) repatriated from Malawi. The child and youth from Mpumalanga are orphans who were removed from the care of their grandmother to Malawi in July 2014 by a woman who posed as a former teacher.
Social workers in Malawi had reported that the two were subjected to physical and emotional abuse. They have asked the South African Government to provide them with extensive counselling and the boy is reportedly very withdrawn and prefers to keep to himself.
A team, comprising the Department of Social Development and Interpol, left for Malawi on 22 June and was received by the Minister at OR Tambo International on 25 June. |
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| SA, US RENEW COOPERATION DEAL ON TRANSPORT |
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| Minister Peters said the transportation partnership with the Americans would help to establish a working relationship with regard to aviation training facilities as well as opening up solutions for driver training, more especially for women. |
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The Minister of Transport, Dipuo Peters, and the United States Transportation Secretary, Anthony Foxx, have renewed their cooperation on all modes of transportation that includes land, air, and sea infrastructure development.
Minister Peters and Secretary Foxx signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC), which deals with all modes of transport, with an additional emphasis on women empowerment in the sector at the Johannesburg Park Station, recently.
Speaking before signing the MoC, Secretary Foxx said: “We are here to further strengthen our countries' cooperation on transportation areas that will help improve the lives our people. As the US, we are committed to doing business in Africa; we want to build economic partnerships that will result in creating more jobs in South Africa and across the continent.
“I feel proud to announce that I’m the first US Secretary to be chosen to lead this partnership following the growing economies of the African continent and also the growing need to infrastructure investments.”
Foxx said his country was also committed to help not only South Africa, but the sub-Saharan Africa region to build roads and bridges to unlock more economic opportunities.
“We are committed to nation and regional building and it is our view that more women will be part of all our major transportation projects,” he said, adding that in the US, 10% of civil engineers were women. – Source: www.SAnews.gov.za |
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| MIDDLE EAST PRESENTS OPPORTUNITIES FOR AGROPROCESSING – MINISTER DAVIES |
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| The conference focused on various poultry issues, including trade matters, empowerment of black players and overall challenges faced by the industry. Over 130 companies had an opportunity to exhibit their wares. |
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The Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) contributed R1,2 billion in incentives to the agrifood sector between 2009 and 2013 to support the industry.
This was said by the Minister of Trade and Industry, Rob Davies. He was speaking at the 111th AVI Africa 2015 Annual Conference on Poultry at Emperor’s Palace.
According to Minister Davies, the food-processing sector is an important contributor to the manufacturing sector in a number of areas.
“In value added, the sector contributes 11% of total manufacturing while in employment terms, the sector contributes 15% of total manufacturing employment. Agroprocessing has great significance for the South African Government and the unity of the industry is important,” said Minister Davies.
He highlighted that agroprocessing played a vital role in the industry and encouraged those interested to actively participate in this sector and advised them to contact the dti for help and advice. Minister Davies indicated that government had identified the Middle East as a potential market for exports of poultry and red meat.
“The Middle East region, in particular Saudi and United Arab Emirates, imports about 75% of their food requirements from elsewhere around the world.
"The two have the largest economies of scale in the region, and have a huge market compared to other countries in the region. Also, South Africa could supply 2 250 tons worth $8,4 million of different poultry products to Saudi Arabia from next year,” said Minister Davies.
He encouraged local companies to be active participants in the Saudi Arabia poultry exhibition, taking place later this year.
According to Minister Davies, the expansion opportunities in the African market both within the region and further North, can allow farmers to further process their chicken into value-added products and grow their own maize for feed manufacturing. This strategy is in line with the Industrial Policy Action Plan and Agricultural Policy Action Plan for Agri-Parks, including Halal parks. |
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| MINISTER MUTHAMBI VISITS NAMIBIA AS PART OF DTT MIGRATION PROCESS |
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| The Minister has also consulted her counterparts in Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland and Mozambique on this issue. |
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The Minister of Communications, Faith Muthambi, on Wednesday, 24 June, visited Namibia to meet her counterpart, the Minister of Information Communications and Technology, Tjekero Tweya.
The purpose of the visit was to discuss, among other matters, strategies to mitigate against potential cross-border frequency spectrum interference post the Digital Terrestrial Television migration deadline, which was 17 June 2015, as set by the International Telecommunications Union.
Minister Muthambi was accompanied by technical experts from SENTECH (Transmitter Network Management) and ICASA (Spectrum Management). The Frequencies Geographical Coordinates and Output Transmitter Powers will be analysed to assess possible signal interference output.
The Minister will conclude her visits to neighbouring countries with a meeting in Zimbabwe, on a yet-to-be announced date.
The Minister also joined the Southern African Development Community’s Information and Communications Technology and Postal Ministers Meeting from 25 to 26 June 2015 in Walvis Bay, Namibia. |
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| DEPUTY MINISTER PAMELA TSHWETE VISITS ZIMBABWE |
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| Deputy Minister Tshwete led a South African delegation of technical officials and engineers to attend and participate in the Water Resources Infrastructure Conference organised by the Zimbabwean Government. |
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The Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation, Pamela Tshwete, visited Zimbabwe from 24 to 26 June on invitation to the Department of Water and Sanitation by the Zimbabwean Minister, Saviour Kasukuwere, responsible for Environment, Water and Climate.
The Deputy Minister was expected to speak as a guest of honour at the conference.
The engineers and technical teams participated in the conference tracks and deepened their understanding of the available opportunities for cooperation and workable available mechanisms to provide water in the two countries. |
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| TRADE AND INDUSTRY HOSTS BUSINESS DELEGATION FROM ITALY |
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| The mission followed the Outward Selling Mission to Italy in the agrofood sector in March 2014 and the joint the dti-Confindustria (Confederation of Italian Industry) initiative in December 2014. |
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The Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) hosted a business delegation from Italy to participate in the Inward Investment Mission, which took place from 21 to 24 June 2015. The delegation comprised businesspeople in the agroprocessing and agromachinery sectors.
The Minister of Trade and Industry, Rob Davies, said the purpose of the mission was to introduce Italian investors to local firms with the aim of encouraging partnerships to create new processing plants in South Africa and develop existing ones.
“We believe that this mission will assist to strengthen linkages between South Africa and Italian companies in the agroprocessing sector and to create awareness of the opportunities existing in this market in South Africa, encouraging them to invest locally rather than just look at exporting the machinery.”
According to Minister Davies, the mission would also serve to enable the Italian investors to have face-to-face contact with potential local partners. He added that it would also enable Italian investors to have different perceptions and in-market knowledge about the products existing in South Africa, as well as to enable South African food producers and exporters to establish international networks. |
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| TRANSNET STRIKES R3-BILLION DEAL WITH GERMAN BANK |
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| Transnet will use the proceeds of the loan to fund the acquisition of 240 electric locomotives it will build with Bombardier in its manufacturing facilities in Durban. These are part of Transnet’s record-breaking 1 064 locomotives acquisition programme. |
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State-owned freight logistics group Transnet has signed a R2,8-billion loan with Germany’s KfW Development Bank to fund part of its 1 064 locomotive acquisition programme.
The agreement was signed by Siyabonga Gama, Transnet’s Acting Group Chief Executive, and Dr Jan Martin Witte, KfW’s Head of Infrastructure in Southern Africa, at Transnet’s head office in Johannesburg.
The agreement is evidence of Transnet’s focus on agility and innovation in raising the required funding to execute its seven-year rolling R336-billion infrastructure investment programme – the Market Demand Strategy.
The loan will mature in 15-years, with a five-year grace period in which Transnet will only be paying interest.
German Ambassador to South Africa, Dr Horst Freitag, emphasised the solid trade relations between the two countries. South Africa is Germany's largest trading partner in Africa.
Agreements like this are an affirmation of Transnet’s successful efforts in strengthening its financial position and confirm that the company is on the right track.
In March 2014, Transnet awarded a contract for the building of 1 064 diesel and electric locomotives to four global original equipment manufacturers.
The company awarded CSR Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive and Bombardier Transportation contracts to build 599 electric locomotives and; General Electric Technologies and CNR Rolling Stock to build 465 diesel locomotives.
All the locomotives, except 70, will be built at Transnet Engineering’s plants in Koedoespoort, Pretoria, and Durban.
The locomotive build programme is critical for the implementation of the Market Demand Strategy and is intended to modernise the fleet in a drive to improve reliability and customer satisfaction. – Source: www.SAnews.gov.za |
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| SOUTH AFRICA'S TOURISM, FOOD SECTORS GROW |
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| Stats SA said total income in nominal terms for the tourist accommodation industry rose by 7,2% in April 2015 compared with April 2014. |
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It was good news for the tourism and food and beverages industries when Statistics South Africa released its latest figures recently. They showed an increase in income year-on-year (y/y). However, there was a decrease in the volume of goods transported.
"Income from accommodation increased by 8,4% y/y in April 2015, the result of a 0,5% decrease in the number of stay unit nights sold and a 9% increase in the average income per stay unit night sold," it said.
In April, the types of accommodation that recorded the highest y/y growth rates in income from accommodation were caravan parks and camping sites (44,6%) and hotels (8,9%).
"The main contributors to the 8,4% y/y increase in income from accommodation in April 2015 were hotels (contributing 5,4 percentage points) and other accommodation (contributing 2,1 percentage points)."
Total income in nominal terms generated by the food and beverages industry increased by 8,1% in April 2015 compared with April 2014, Stats SA said in a separate report.
Positive annual growth rates were recorded for food sales (9,5%) and bar sales (0,2%).
"In April 2015, the highest annual growth rate was recorded for takeaway and fast food outlets (13,3%)."
Total income lifted 8,1% in the three months to the end of April 2015 compared with the three months to the end of April 2014. The main contributors to this increase were takeaway and fast food outlets (11%), and restaurants and coffee shops (6,1%). – Source: News24Wire |
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| GLOBAL RECOGNITION FOR SOUTH AFRICAN LAB |
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| "The nomination serves as recognition and affirmation of the NHLS' position as a leader in pathology and diagnostic services on the African continent," said the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS). |
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The NHLS has been nominated by the Swiss Institute for Quality Standards and the Socrates Committee for the prestigious international award in European Quality in the healthcare category.
The awards will be presented at Montreux, Switzerland, during the International Excellence in Quality Summit, which is running from 30 June to 2 July 2015.
These awards aim to spread the Swiss quality concept and implement advanced quality standards.
For the NHLS, the nomination is in recognition of its safe and effective treatment methods, highly professional medical staff, and services quality in accordance with the European standards.
"It is with great honour and pride for the NHLS to be nominated for this prestigious award, as it not only represents the organisation, but depicts the great strides and continuous improvements which the South African healthcare landscape has made over the years, and also attributes to the overwhelming dedication and commitment of the NHLS staff," said Joyce Mogale, the interim chief executive of the NHLS.
The International Excellence in Quality Summit is an annual gathering of the top regional goods and services suppliers and professionals in quality improvement. Held over three days in Montreux, the International Forum is an opportunity for 100 leaders and experts worldwide to meet, learn, share local knowledge and recognise the best quality experience.
This nomination is not the first international recognition for the NHLS. In 2013, it won the Business Initiative Directions International Star Award for quality.
That award was presented to the service for its demonstrated and proven commitment to quality and for its continuous quest for excellence through attention to products and services. – Source: www.southafrica.info |
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| SIX SOUTH AFRICANS ON TOP 30 LIST |
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| A shortlist of 150 entrepreneurs was compiled through nominations from Forbes Africa readers and its editorial team; the final 30 were decided by a panel of judges from across the continent. In making their choices, they looked at business size, location, struggles and determination. |
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Six South Africans are on Forbes' latest list of the 30 most promising entrepreneurs under 30 in Africa.
"Months of research yielded a list of 150 young hopefuls. We worked for weeks, verifying and investigating, to whittle it down," said Forbes Africa. "We favoured entrepreneurs with fresh ideas and took into account their business size, location, struggles and determination. Senior editors then debated and argued over the final 30. We find this list exciting, thought-provoking and forward-looking. We hope you will too."
Besides the six South Africans, there are five from Kenya, five from Nigeria, three from Uganda, two each from Cameroon, Zimbabwe and Ghana, and one each from Mali, Malawi, Republic of Congo, Ethiopia and Rwanda. They represent all sectors, but there is a strong technology influence – 17 of the companies headed by these entrepreneurs are either tech-based or have technology as their base, such as through apps or online platforms.
The South Africans on the list are:
- Bheki Kunene, 27, founder of Mind Trix Media: Mind Trix Media is a creative design company based in Gugulethu, Cape Town.
- Doug Hoernle, 25, founder of Rethink Education: Rethink Education was established in an effort to make current technology more useful in the schooling system.
- Julie Alexander Fourie, 28, founder of iFix: Fourie started iFix in 2006 from his residence room at Stellenbosch University. The company repairs broken and faulty Apple products and Samsung smartphones, and employs 40 people across the country.
- Ludwick Marishane, 25, founder of Headboy Industries: While still in high school, Marishane developed DryBath, "a gel that does all the work of a bath without water". After school, he founded Headboy Industries, through which he released the product.
- Max Hussmann, 29, founder of Elegance Group: Hussmann's aviation business, Elegance Group, includes Elegance Air, sport consulting and aviation consulting.
- Rupert Bryant, 29, co-founder of Web Africa: At just 14, Bryant dropped out of school and started running his own web-development company. Two years later he became the co-founder of Web Africa, one of South Africa's biggest Internet service providers.
– Source: www.southafrica.info
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| 38 PEOPLE TRAINED IN CONFLICT RESOLUTION |
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| As part of the Youth Month celebrations, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), in partnership with the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) and the South African Youth Council (SAYC), hosted a training programme from 15 to 26 June 2015. |
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Thirty-eight South Africans have completed training in specialised conflict resolution, negotiation and mediation from world experts as part of the Capacity-Building and Training Programme in Mediation for South African Youth.
“Accordingly, the main motive for this capacity-building programme is to capacitate our youth with conflict resolution, mediation and negotiation skills so that they can contribute to the African Union’s call of silencing the guns by 2020,” Deputy Minister in The Presidency responsible for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Youth Development and Administration, Buti Manamela, said at the closing ceremony.
He said the continent needed young people who could mediate, negotiate and find peaceful resolutions to the intractable conflicts.
“Imagine the possibilities of a peaceful, united, prosperous Africa. Now imagine your role in bringing this to reality,” Deputy Minister Manamela said.
The young people who participated in the training were selected from civil society and the Security Cluster.
The training programme covered, among others, the context, history and analysis of the changing nature of conflict as well as leadership and the role of youth in changing societies.
Other subjects covered in the training included mediation structures at national, regional and international levels as well as international negotiations and mediation strategy, planning and process design.
“I hope that DIRCO, SAYC and the NYDA will make this an annual training programme so that many more young South Africans can benefit,” he said. – Source: www.SAnews.gov.za |
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| UN AWARDS FIRST-EVER NELSON MANDELA PRIZE |
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| The inaugural winners of the United Nations (UN) Nelson Mandela Prize are from Namibia and Portugal. |
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Dr Helena Ndume of Namibia and Jorge Fernando Branco Sampaio of Portugal were announced the winners by the President of the UN General Assembly Sam Kutesa recently.
Established in June 2014, the prize recognises the achievements of those who dedicate their lives to the service of humanity by promoting UN purposes and principles, while honouring Nelson Mandela’s extraordinary life and legacy of reconciliation, political transition and social transformation.
The Nelson Mandela Prize is an honorary award that will be presented once every five years as a tribute to the outstanding achievements and contributions of two individuals (one female and one male).
According to the Assembly, Ndume is an ophthalmologist whose life’s work has been devoted to treating blindness and eye-related illnesses in Namibia and throughout the developing world.
Sampaio, on the other hand, led the struggle to restore democracy in Portugal – including throughout his tenure as Lisbon’s Mayor from 1989 to 1995 and as the 18th President of the Republic from 1996 to 2006.
The award ceremony will take place on 24 July 2015 at the UN Headquarters, in New York, as part of the annual UN commemoration of International Nelson Mandela Day. – Source: www.SAnew.gov.za |
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| NEW DINOSAUR DISCOVERY IN SOUTH AFRICA |
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| Found in the 1930s some 30 km from the Lesotho border in the Zastron area of the Free State, it had remained hidden for decades among thousands of fossils in the largest fossil collection in South Africa at the Evolutionary Studies Institute (ESI) at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. |
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South African and Argentinian palaeontologists recently announced the discovery of a new 200-million-year-old dinosaur from South Africa, and named it Sefapanosaurus, from the Sesotho word sefapano.
While visiting the ESI collections to look at early sauropodomorph dinosaurs, Dr Alejandro Otero, Argentinian palaeontologist and lead author, and a PhD student from the University of Cape Town, Emil Krupandan, noticed bones that were distinctive from the other dinosaurs they were studying.
Considered first to represent the remains of another South African dinosaur, Aardonyx, close scrutiny of the fossilised bones revealed that it was a completely new dinosaur.
"This find indicates the importance of relooking at old material that has only been cursorily studied in the past, in order to re-evaluate past preconceptions about sauropodomorph diversity in light of new data," says Krupandan.
It also highlights the importance of close collaboration between South African and Argentinian palaeoscientists.
Dr Jonah Choiniere, co-author and senior researcher in dinosaur palaeobiology at the ESI, says: "This new animal shines a spotlight on southern Africa and shows us just how much more we have to learn about the ecosystems of the past, even here in our own backyard.
"And it also gives us hope that this is the start of many such collaborative palaeo-research projects between South Africa and Argentina that could yield more such remarkable discoveries." – Source: Wits University |
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| MALL OF AFRICA BIGGEST OF ITS KIND ON THE CONTINENT |
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| The diverse mix of local and international brands will work in synergy with a number of independent boutique stores to round off a world-class, modern shopping experience. |
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Construction is moving apace at the 131 000 square metre Mall of Africa development, in the heart of Midrand, which is set to open in April next year.
The new two-level mall is already over 90% let and forms the hub of the mixed-use Waterfall City. With over 300 shops, the tenant mix for the super-regional Mall of Africa will feature a substantial offering of South Africa’s most popular retailers, with seven anchor tenants as well as a host of international fashion stores.
“Mall of Africa is Atterbury’s single largest and most ambitious development to date,” says Atterbury CEO, Louis van der Watt. “As South Africa’s biggest single-phase shopping mall development, on completion it is set to be valued at R5 billion.”
Earthworks on the mall began in October 2012 and construction is progressing on schedule says director of retail at Atterbury, Cobus van Heerden.
Mall of Africa’s design incorporates as many green features as possible, from granite and rock dug up in the early stages of construction being utilised for the concrete structure, to a rainwater harvesting system for irrigation and a grey water system to supply water for the bathrooms. In addition, photovoltaic solar panels will be installed on the roof to supplement the power supply to the mall and roof lights will allow for the flow of natural light.
The centre’s interior will also pay homage to its African roots by taking inspiration from across the continent with the centre court as taking the theme, forests of central Africa, and its four other courts representing the four points of a compass, each reflecting an aspect of life, trade and culture in Africa.
The Mall of Africa is well positioned between Johannesburg and Pretoria with easy access to both sides of the N1 highway, with the first free-flow interchange of its size in Africa at the nearby Allandale Road exit. The new and improved road upgrades will ensure easy access and close proximity to the Gautrain. – Source: www.property24.com |
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| SA TO HOST AFRICAN MOVIE AWARDS |
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| South African heist thriller iNumber Number has been tipped in no fewer than 12 categories for the increasingly prestigious Africa Movie Academy Awards. And for the first time in history the awards will be hosted by South Africa. |
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The nominations for the 2015 Africa Movie Academy Awards were recently announced – along with the name of the host country – at an invitation-only gala dinner in Beverly Hills.
It will be the first time that the event will be held outside Nigeria since the awards were founded in 2004.
iNumber Number – which stars South Africa's best-loved baddie Israel Makoe and TV darling Hlubi Mboya as gangsters plotting a cash-in-transit heist – leads the pack with 12 nominations, including best director (Donovan Marsh) and best film and best supporting actor for Makoe.
It’s a notable achievement considering that a record 800 films were entered this year.
Abderrahmane Sissako’s extraordinary tale of conflict in Mali, Timbuktu, received 11 nods, as did Phillipe Lacote’s epic Ivory Coast thriller Run.
South African documentaries are also in the running. The Dream of Shahrazad by François Verster is nominated for best documentary alongside Nelson Mandela, The Myth and Me by Khalo Matabane.
The event will take place on 26 September in Johannesburg. |
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| SA COFFEE SHOP VOTED THE BEST IN THE WORLD |
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| The Truth Coffee Roasting shop in Buitenkant Street, Cape Town, has been mentioned by acclaimed United Kingdom news agency, The Telegraph, as being the very best in the whole world. |
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From a list of 13 unique coffee shops and roasteries in the world, Truth's steampunk-inspired artisan coffee shop – a warehouse filled from top to bottom with metal piping and quirky, old machinery – surfaced on top, grinding out some of the top shops in France, Vienna, Singapore and Italy.
The other global coffee shops listed by The Telegraph are:
2. Coffee Academics, Hong Kong
3. Barista Parlor, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
4. La Cafeotheque, Paris, France
5. Cafe Central, Austria, Vienna
6. Johan & Nyström, Stockholm, Sweden
7. Department of Caffeine, Singapore
8. Single Origin Roasters, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
9. Sant'Eustachio Il Caffè, Rome, Italy
10. Workshop Coffee, London
11. Double Tall, Tokyo, Japan
12. Stumptown Coffee Roasters, Portland, US
13. Fazil Bey, Istanbul, Turkey.
– Source: traveller24.news24.com
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| 20 YEARS SINCE BOKS' GREATEST TRIUMPH |
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| A Joel Stransky drop goal in extratime gave Kitch Christie's Boks a famous 15-12 victory and their first Webb Ellis Cup. |
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Wednesday, 24 June, marked the 20-year anniversary of the Springboks winning the 1995 Rugby World Cup against the All Blacks at Ellis Park.
Remaining members of the 1995 World Cup winning Springbok squad gathered for an emotional reunion marking the 20-year anniversary of the team that beat the All Blacks at Ellis Park.
The team walked through the tunnel with victorious captain Francois Pienaar rolling iconic scrumhalf Joost van der Westhuizen onto the field in a wheelchair with the rest of the squad in tow.
The men joined for a photograph in front of a banner that read “Still One Team, Still One Country” as a scrum of photographers snapped away.
Twenty years have left its marks on the 1995 World Cup heroes but the memories remain vivid in their minds.
The euphoria and spirit of that memorable day on which former President Nelson Mandela, wearing a Springbok jersey, presented the Webb Ellis trophy to Pienaar was tangible.
It was a bitter-sweet reunion with the absence of Ruben Kruger, coach Kitch Christie, and Mandela, who have died since that momentous day.
“If it wasn’t for Madiba and his magic, this country would not have been together,” Pienaar said. Source: – www.sport24.co.za |
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