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| PRESIDENT ZUMA PARTICIPATES IN REGIONAL MINI SUMMIT IN ANGOLA |
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| South Africa has observer status to the 12-member state International Conference of African Great Lakes Region (ICGLR). The previous ICGLR Summit also encouraged regional political dialogue between all relevant stakeholders to address the underlying root causes of the conflict, under the leadership of Angola as Chair of the ICGLR. |
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President Jacob Zuma travelled to Luanda, Angola, to take part in a mini summit of the ICGLR on 25 March 2014. The last summit of the ICGLR took place in Luanda in January 2014 and established a committee of heads of states made up of Angola, Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with South Africa as an invitee, to analyse in depth the measures to neutralise the negative forces still existing in the East of the DRC and to implement those measures.
South Africa is a signatory to the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the DRC, and is a member of the Regional Oversight Mechanism, as well as a major troop-contributing country. South Africa supports the efforts of the ICGLR to seek a lasting political solution in the Great Lakes Region in line with the country’s foreign policy which promotes the peaceful resolution of conflicts and discourages unconstitutional changes of governments. |
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| MINISTER NKOANA-MASHABANE LEADS SOUTH AFRICAN DELEGATION TO THE NUCLEAR SECURITY SUMMIT IN THE HAGUE |
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| South Africa’s participation in the Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) process is informed by the shared vision of a world free of weapons of mass destruction, and in particular nuclear weapons. |
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The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, led a delegation, which included the Minister of Energy, Dikobe Ben Martins, to the 2014 NSS from 24 to 25 March 2014 in The Hague, Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Building on the 2010 Washington and 2012 Seoul summits, the main objective of The Hague Summit was to review progress achieved since the NSS process started in 2010 and to contribute to the strengthening of nuclear security through stronger national measures and improved international cooperation.
The 2014 NSS took place within this broader framework of South Africa’s triple objectives of nuclear disarmament, nuclear non-proliferation and the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. South Africa is committed to maintaining effective nuclear security of all nuclear and other radioactive material within South Africa, consistent with its national and international obligations, and to cooperate with other states to raise nuclear security levels internationally. South Africa presented a national implementation report during the summit.
Minister Nkoana-Mashabane also held bilateral consultations with her Dutch counterpart, Frans Timmermans. |
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| BRICS MINISTERS MEET ON THE SIDELINES OF THE NUCLEAR SECURITY SUMMIT IN THE HAGUE |
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| The BRICS foreign/international relations ministers reflected on the political developments in their regions, as well as reviewed cooperation among BRICS countries following the comprehensive implementation of the eThekwini Action Plan. |
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The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, convened a BRICS Foreign/International Relations Ministers’ Meeting on 24 March 2014, on the margins of the Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague, Netherlands.
The meeting was attended by Minister Sergey Lavrov of the Russian Federation, Minister Salaman Khursid of the Republic of India, Minister Wang Yi of the People’s Republic of China and Ambassador Carlos Antonio Paranhos, Under-Secretary General for Political Affairs of the Federative Republic of Brazil.
The ministers reflected that the role of governments in contemporary world politics should focus on pertinent areas where leadership is required, notably in finance, security, information and production.
They reflected on challenges to peace and security, notably the significant infringements of privacy and related rights in the wake of the cyber threats experienced, for which there is a need to address in respect of national laws as well as in terms of international law. |
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| SOUTH AFRICA TO ATTEND FOURTH EUROPEAN UNION (EU)-AFRICA SUMMIT |
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| The theme of the summit is "Investing in People, Prosperity and Peace". |
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| South Africa will be attending the Fourth EU-Africa Summit taking place in Brussels, Belgium, on 2 and 3 April 2014. The summit will focus on education and training, women and youth, as well as legal and illegal migrant flows between the two continents. |
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| DEPUTY PRESIDENT MOTLANTHE HOSTS MINISTERIAL MEETING ON THE REGIONAL RESPONSE TO TB IN THE MINING SECTOR |
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| The meeting brought together ministers responsible for health, energy, labour, finance and natural resources and minerals in the Southern African Development Community region. |
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The Government of South Africa, led by Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe and Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi, who is also Stop TB Partnership Chairperson, hosted the Ministerial Meeting on the regional response to TB in the mining sector in partnership with the World Bank, Stop TB Partnership and the Global Fund on 25 March.
The Ministerial Meeting adopted a framework for the harmonised management of TB in the mining sector, focusing on treatment protocols, diagnostics and referral linkages. The meeting also provided preliminary analytical evidence of the economic costs and benefits of investment in TB in the mines and affected communities. |
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| HOSTING OF THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY (SADC) EXTRAORDINARY MEETING OF MINISTERS RESPONSIBLE FOR ICT, COMMUNICATIONS AND POSTAL SERVICES |
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| The meeting provided a platform for South Africa to showcase its manufacturing and production capability, and how this could contribute to regional skills development and position SADC as a regional technological hub in the production of set-top-boxes, achieving job creation and creating a niche skills market. |
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The SADC Extraordinary Meeting of Ministers responsible for ICT, Communications and Postal Services took place from 23 to 25 March 2014, in Johannesburg.
South Africa’s participation contributed towards the consolidation of a unified regional position in the areas of infrastructure development; positioning SADC as an electronic manufacturing hub; providing a confident, secure network infrastructure and services; promoting capacity building, research and development; and promoting a local innovative industrial ICT sector.
The outcomes of this meeting will be tabled at the next SADC Summit in August 2014. |
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| LESOTHO HIGHLANDS PROJECT PHASE II LAUNCHED |
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| The development of mutual water resources is significantly contributing to the peace and prosperity of the southern African region and the welfare of its people. |
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The Lesotho Highlands Project Phase II was launched on 27 March. The project is a prime example of what can be achieved when neighbouring countries cooperate and work towards a common goal.
Being built at a cost of R15,5 billion, the programme involves the construction of the Polihali Dam in the Mokhotlong district and the Kobong Pumped Storage Hydro-Electricity Project.
South Africa’s Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority is responsible for the storage and water transfer component, while the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority will implement the pump storage section.
The project is expected to be completed toward the end of 2018. Source: Bloomberg News |
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| EXPIRY OF PERMITS ISSUED UNDER THE SPECIAL DISPENSATION FOR ZIMBABWEANS PROJECT (DZP) |
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| Permits issued during the initial DZP will expire in November 2014. |
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Cabinet has approved an approach to the expiry of permits issued under the DZP for Zimbabweans Project in 2009.
Acting Cabinet spokesperson, Phumla Williams, said at a press conference: “The dispensation aimed to document Zimbabwean nationals who were in South Africa illegally as a result of the political and socio-economic crisis in Zimbabwe”.
This dispensation allowed Zimbabweans into South Africa under relaxed conditions and provided them with work, study or business permits and suspended their deportation.
Zimbabweans who complied with the relaxed requirements and who were given permits under the dispensation would be allowed to reapply in their country of origin.
“The Minister of Home Affairs will hold a separate briefing session to elaborate on how the process will unfold.” |
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| FIRST MEERKAT ANTENNA LAUNCHED |
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| It will constitute 25% of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) Phase 1. |
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The first MeerKAT antenna was launched on 27 March by the Department of Science and Technology at the SKA core site near Carnarvon, in the Northern Cape.
The MeerKAT, which is predominantly a locally designed and built instrument, again demonstrates that South Africa can compete with the best when it comes to research, engineering, science and technology. |
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| SOUTH AFRICA AND VIETNAM STRENGTHEN COOPERATION IN THE FIELD OF BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION AND PROTECTION |
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The visit follows the signing on 6 May 2013 of an Implementation Plan in terms of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the field of Biodiversity Conservation and Protection that was signed in Hanoi, Vietnam, in December 2012. |
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A 20-member delegation from the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, headed by the Vice Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Assoc Prof Bui Cach Tuyen, visited South Africa from 24 to 28 March 2014.
The main focus of the visit was to learn from South Africa’s experience in biodiversity conservation and management, particularly with regard to wildlife and protected area management. |
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| BILL AND MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION SUPPORTS NATIONAL LIBRARY OF SOUTH AFRICA (NLSA) |
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| The grant from the Gates Foundation will enhance the already started work by the Department of Arts and Culture's (DAC) Community Libraries Conditional Grant, which provides Internet facilities in public libraries countrywide. |
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The DAC and the NLSA have launched the Gates Foundation Global Libraries' Project in South Africa as part of celebrating South African Library Week. The event took place on 18 March 2014, at the NLSA in Pretoria.
A grant of R32 million is set to guarantee more access to, and uninterrupted use of, Internet services in communities across the country. This pilot project is in line with the DAC’s mandate and is a precursor to a national country grant that is intended to strengthen and enhance current public library services.
Twenty-seven libraries across the country are the immediate recipients. They are being equipped to provide full Internet access, and are stocked with a wide range of books, including those written in indigenous languages. The libraries are also being set up for research. |
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| SOUTH AFRICA'S COMAIR IN R9-BILLION BOEING ORDER |
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| "We're proud to be the first African operator to announce an order for the 737 MAX," Comair CEO Erik Venter said in a joint statement with Boeing. "This investment in Comair's fleet upgrade is fundamental to its business strategy of consistently improving customer service and value while ensuring a sustainable airline." |
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South Africa's Comair announced recently that it had placed an order for eight Boeing 737 MAX 8s, valued at US$830 million (approximately R9 billion), becoming the first African airline to order the aircraft.
Johannesburg-based Comair operates Africa's first low-cost carrier, kulula.com, offering flights to South Africa's major cities. Comair is also the franchise partner of British Airways, operating its local and regional southern African routes.
The company currently flies an all-Boeing fleet of 25 Classic and Next-Generation 737s on its kulula.com and British Airways (operated by Comair) brands.
With the announcement, Comair now has a total of 12 airplanes on order from Boeing, including the eight 737 MAX 8s and four Next-Generation 737-800s for delivery in 2015 and 2016. Source: www.southafrica.info |
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| MAP TO HELP TRAVELLERS “WALK IN MANDELA'S FOOTSTEPS” |
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| "To make it as easy as possible for people to personally experience Mandela's story, we have developed the 'Madiba-inspired tourist attractions' map, which encapsulates the key points on his life's journey," – Minister of Tourism, Marthinus van Schalkwyk. |
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The Department of Tourism has launched a travel map to guide and assist people from around the world who may be looking to visit South Africa to "walk in Nelson Mandela's footsteps".
He was speaking at the launch of the travel map at Drakenstein Correctional Centre (formerly Victor Verster Prison) in Cape Town – the last place where Nelson Mandela was held captive before he took his first steps to freedom on 11 February 1990.
Developed by South African Tourism in partnership with the Nelson Mandela Foundation, the map highlights tourist sites as well as general places of interest in the four main provinces that defined Mandela's life.
These include the Eastern Cape, where he was born, grew up and attended Fort Hare University; Gauteng, where he worked as a human rights lawyer and became instrumental in South Africa's political struggle; KwaZulu-Natal, where he was captured; and the Western Cape, where he was imprisoned and ultimately freed.
The map includes well-known attractions such as the Unesco World Heritage Site, Robben Island, where Mandela was imprisoned, and Mandela's house on Vilakazi Street in Soweto, which is the only street in the world to have had two Nobel peace prize winners, Mandela and Desmond Tutu, as residents.
It also features some lesser-known attractions, such as the Kliptown Open-Air Museum, also in Soweto, which marks the spot where the Freedom Charter was adopted by the Congress of the People, as well as the Nelson Mandela youth and heritage centre in Mandela's childhood home, Qunu, where he was laid to rest on 15 December.
According to the Department of Tourism, international visitors to the country increased from 3,4 million in 1993 – the year before Mandela became South Africa's first democratically elected President – to 13,5 million in 2012, with close to 9,2 million of those being tourists (people who spent one or more nights here).
"The numbers aside, what has perhaps been the greatest legacy for tourism is that Mandela has encouraged people from all corners of the globe to come and experience South Africa for themselves," Van Schalkwyk said. Source: www.southafrica.info |
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| CAPE TOWN INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL TO DRAW THOUSANDS |
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| The event takes place on 28 and 29 March at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. |
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More than 35 000 jazz enthusiasts from across the world will be in the city this weekend for the 15th annual Cape Town International Jazz Festival.
According to an academic report released last year, the Cape Town International Jazz Festival contributed R522 million to the Western Cape economy in 2013. In addition, 2 721 jobs were created.
Last year, 37 000 people attended the festival. The majority of these were visitors from outside the Western Cape, offering a boost for the local tourism industry. |
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