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| MINISTER NKOANA-MASHABANE LECTURES AT WITS |
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| The lecture forms part of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation’s Public Participation Programme. |
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The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, will deliver a lecture on South Africa’s foreign policy achievements over the last 20 years at the University of the Witwatersrand on 10 April 2014 at 12:00.
Around 300 first-year students in international relations and political science are expected to attend the lecture and will be given the opportunity to interact with the Minister.
These outreach events, which emanate from a Cabinet instruction, serve as a two-way sharing of information that demonstrates responsiveness to needs, a basis for sustained dialogue between government and people, a mechanism for fact-finding by government to align services with needs, and a direct response to community issues and concerns, and reinforce a key pillar of a participatory and consultative democracy. |
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NELSON MANDELA INTERNATIONAL DAY LAUNCHED |
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Celebrated across the globe in honour of the late Mandela’s birthday on 18 July, Mandela Day was formally recognised by the United Nations General Assembly in 2009, and today represents an international call to contribute to the global movement for good by effecting positive change within communities. |
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Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe on Tuesday, 8 April 2014, officially launched the Nelson Mandela International Day Campaign 2014 at the Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory in Houghton.
Ultimately, the day seeks to empower communities everywhere through the slogan “Take Action; Inspire Change; Make Every Day a Mandela Day”.
Speaking at the launch, Deputy President Motlanthe said this year's Mandela Day was unique because Mandela had passed last year.
"This is all the more reason we have to up the ante, ensuring that this day is imbued with durable meaning that reverberates across time and space.
“In 2014, let us all support the Nelson Mandela International Day Campaign, mindful of both the global contexts and the contexts of our own communities. This is not about doing good; it is about building the cultures that will make a difference in the world.”
The Deputy President said the day should be used to eradicate poverty and should inspire everyone to be a public servant of the people. |
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| EUROPEAN UNION (EU) PLEDGES MAJOR CASH SUPPORT TO AFRICA |
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| The EU will offer Africa US$38 billion over the next six years to fund a range of projects. |
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The EU has pledged a major cash support to Africa, as the two-day EU-Africa Summit ended in Brussels last week.
A joint communiqué issued after the meeting said more money would be available through bilateral financing arrangements.
The summit brought together 40 African and 20 European heads of state and government with an aim of deepening cooperation between the two continents. Source: www.news24.co.za |
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SA GETS NOD FROM WHO ON HIV, TB PROGRAMMES |
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Findings show that since the last review in 2009, the country has scaled up antiretroviral treatment (ART) and HIV testing, with over two million people on treatment in 2012. Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) services have reached coverage of 90%. |
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South Africa has made significant strides in the implementation of its HIV, TB and PMTCT programmes, an independent review has shown. The review was led by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and undertaken by a multidisciplinary team of 161 South African and international reviewers to assess the performance of the programmes.
The national Department of Health commissioned the first joint review in June 2013. It was conducted in 21 of the 52 districts and with visits to 100 health facilities across the country.
On fighting TB, the review noted that the country had strengthened support to provinces to improve diagnosis and treatment of multidrug resistant (MDR) TB. Over three million people have been screened for TB. The roll-out of GeneXpert technology has been a major milestone, enabling TB patients to be diagnosed early and treated.
“The number of sites initiating MDR-TB treatment has increased from 11 to 45 since 2009. A rapid scale up of TB screening among people living with HIV has occurred and TB case detection has increased. Diagnosis and management of non-communicable diseases among people living with HIV have been integrated in some HIV care/ART settings.”
The Director of Disease Prevention and Control: WHO Regional Office for Africa, Dr Francis Kasolo, said South Africa’s achievements had been made possible through strong political commitment, robust funding, adequate planning, adherence to technical norms and integration of services, among others.
“We are making progress but there’s no room for complexes. We still need to do more in order to meet the national targets as defined in the National Strategic Plan 2012 – 2016 on HIV/STI/TB.
“The WHO will continue to work with you all in our continued fight against HIV/AIDS and TB and indeed in the fight against all significant public health problems in our health systems,” Kasolo said. Source: www.SAnews.gov.za |
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| LAUNCH OF CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE (COE) FOR SCIENTOMETRICS AND SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION POLICY |
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| The new CoEs bring to 14 the total number of centres established since 2004 by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the National Research Foundation (NRF). |
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The Minister of Science and Technology, Derek Hanekom, recently launched the DST-NRF CoE in Scientometrics and Science, Technology and Innovation Policy, which will be hosted by the Centre for Research on Evaluation, Science and Technology of Stellenbosch University and co-hosted by the Institute for Economic Research on Innovation of the Tshwane University of Technology.
Last month, Minister Hanekom approved an additional five new CoEs to promote collaborative and interdisciplinary research among research-performing institutions and provide high-end skills development in priority research areas. |
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| MARRIOTT TARGETS AFRICA FOLLOWING PROTEA ACQUISITION |
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| The transaction makes Marriott the largest hotel company in the Middle East and Africa region, and Africa's biggest hotel company by number of rooms in operation or under construction. |
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Marriott International, the largest publicly traded hotel chain in the United States, said recently that it would continue its expansion into African markets as it completed its R2,02-billion (approximately US$200 million) acquisition of South Africa's Protea Hospitality Holdings.
Marriott's new Protea portfolio consists of 10 148 rooms in seven African countries, with 79 hotels in South Africa and 37 hotels in Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.
The company said its pipeline of new hotels in the Middle East and Africa, including Protea's pipeline, was now more than 65 hotels and 14 300 rooms, including more than 20 hotels and 3 000 rooms in Sub-Saharan Africa. Source: www.southafrica.info |
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| SA LAUNCHES NUCLEAR SAFETY TRAINING CENTRE |
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| The facility is the first of its kind in Africa and has been internationally benchmarked with nuclear training centres around the world. It is set to catapult South Africa's nuclear protection status to new levels. |
South Africa has officially opened a new training centre, the first of its kind in Africa, which will lift the country's nuclear protection status while promoting increased application of radiation technology in industries such as manufacturing, agriculture and the medical field.
Speaking at the official opening of the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation's Radiation Protection Training Centre at Pelindaba, the Minister of Trade and Industry, Rob Davies, encouraged South African companies to make use of nuclear technology in order to stay competitive.
The Department of Trade and Industry contributed R3 million for the purchase of laboratory equipment for training radiation protection officers (RPOs) for the nuclear and non-nuclear industry. The centre, which began operating in March 2013, has already trained 100 RPOs. Source: www.SAnews.gov.za |
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| CGE AND PARTNERS HOST NATIONAL SUMMIT ON GENDER EQUALITY |
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| This summit is designed in recognition of 20 years of democracy in South Africa, to identify progress that has been made with regard to attaining gender equality in South Africa, and provide a platform for critical debate on persistent challenges and inequalities in this regard. |
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From 9 to 11 April 2014, the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) in collaboration with the United Nations (UN) Population Fund, UN Development Programme, UN Women, Oxfam, Department of Public Enterprises and the Department of Women, Children and People with Disabilities is hosting a national summit on gender equality at the Lakes Hotel, Benoni, Ekurhuleni.
The summit is attended by eminent persons and experts in their fields from government and civil society in South Africa, augmented by key stakeholders from the UN, African Union and relevant institutions on the continent. |
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| SOUTH AFRICA HOSTS EAST AND SOUTHERN AFRICAN ASSOCIATION OF ACCOUNTANTS-GENERAL (ESAAG) CONFERENCE |
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| The programme included, among others, the newly appointed Accountant-General of South Africa, Michael Sass, and Chief Procurement Officer, Kenneth Brown, as the guest speakers. |
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| South Africa hosted the 21st ESAAG annual international conference from 7 to10 April 2014 at the Sandton Convention Centre. The conference included accountants-general from the 14 Southern African Development Community countries. |
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| BRITISH AIRWAYS OPENS R19,8-MILLION LOUNGE AT CAPE TOWN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT |
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| The luxury lounge, which can accommodate 148 people, is modelled on the Galleries Lounges concept at Heathrow’s Terminal 5. |
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British Airways recently opened a R19,8-million lounge at Cape Town International Airport, an investment which recognises the Western Cape as one of its key destinations.
“I am thrilled that British Airways has selected Cape Town International as the first South African airport at which they will offer travellers this world-class experience. This speaks to the confidence British Airways has in our destination. The United Kingdom (UK) is certainly one of our most strategic source markets and I would like to thank British Airways for continuing to invest in bringing business and leisure tourism to us,” said Alan Winde, MEC of Finance, Economic Development and Tourism.
The opening took place just one month before British Airways increases its winter schedule to Cape Town from seven to 10 weekly services.
MEC Winde said direct flights provided a significant boost for tourism.
In 2012, 438 023 visitors travelled from the UK to South Africa. The Western Cape was one of the most popular destinations for UK travellers, welcoming a share of 181 886 of the total number of visitors. |
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| SESOTHO FILM WINS AWARD FOR BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY IN NEW YORK |
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| The annual gala celebrates exceptional independent film. |
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Carlos Carvalho, director of photography for “The Forgotten Kingdom”, the first feature film produced in Lesotho, won the Haskell Wexler Award for Best Cinematography at the 14th annual Woodstock Film Festival Maverick Awards Gala held in New York.
Directed by Andrew Mudge, “The Forgotten Kingdom” tells the story of an unemployed young man, Atang Mokoeyna, who lives in Johannesburg, and travels home to his ancestral land to bury his estranged father. He is drawn to the mystical beauty and hardships of the land and people he had forgotten. The film opens nationwide in South Africa on 11 April 2014.
Presenting the award, Haskell Wexler, an American cinematographer, film producer, and director who was named as one of film history's 10 most influential cinematographers by the International Cinematographers Guild, said the tough city slum shooting in the film had the realistic edge of a documentary, while the camera moves are smooth, with painterly frames used as part of a transition to the lead characters' memories of rural youth.
The winner of the Haskell Wexler Award for Best Cinematography receives $15 000 worth of film camera equipment rental from Panavision, in New York.
Source: www.news24.com |
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