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| PRESIDENT RAMAPHOSA EXPRESSES CONDOLENCES TO SOBUKWE FAMILY |
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| President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed his condolences following the passing away of Mama Zondeni Sobukwe, 91, wife of Pan-Africanist Congress (PAC) founding President, Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe. |
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Mama Sobukwe passed away in the early hours of Wednesday,15 August 2018.
President Ramaphosa’s thoughts are with the Sobukwe family, the Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Foundation and the leadership and membership of the PAC.
On 28 April 2018 – and as an extension of Freedom Day celebrations – President Ramaphosa bestowed the National Order of Luthuli in Silver on Mama Sobukwe, who was affectionately known as “Mother of Azania”.
The year 2018 also marks the 40th anniversary of the death of Robert Sobukwe.
On the passing of Mama Sobukwe, President Ramaphosa said: “The loss, in Women’s Month, of Mama Sobukwe is a sad loss to the Sobukwe family, the foundation and our nation at large. We have lost a heroine of resistance and a fighter for the freedom of all South Africans, who continued her activism into our democratic dispensation. We will always remember and honour her extraordinary contribution”. |
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| SA, DRC STRENGTHEN RELATIONS |
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| Bilateral relations between South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) formed part of discussions between the two countries’ heads of state on Friday, 10 August 2018. |
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“The heads of state exchanged views mainly on the following three points: bilateral relations between the two countries, the evolution of the political, electoral and security situation in the DRC, as well as various issues of regional interest,” said a joint communiqué.
South Africa’s President and Chair of the Southern African Development Community, Cyril Ramaphosa, paid a Working Visit to the Central African nation, where he spent time locked in talks with his counterpart, Joseph Kabila Kabange.
The two leaders noted that the political and security situation in the mineral rich DRC was calm.
They also took note of the significant progress made in the ongoing electoral process in the country, with regard to the commitments made in accordance with the electoral calendar published on 5 November 2017 by the Independent National Electoral Commission. This is ahead of the organisation of presidential, legislative and provincial elections, to be held on 23 December.
Elections were meant to take place in November 2016 but were postponed due to violence that broke out.
“The two heads of state noted, among other things, the continued financing of the electoral process by the Congolese Government, which has just completed the stage of submitting candidatures for the presidential, legislative and provincial elections, in compliance with the constitutional rules and national laws of the DRC”, said the communiqué.
It commended President Kabila for honouring the Congolese Constitution, as promised to the nation.
The two heads of state noted the reciprocal removal of visa requirements by the Congolese and South African governments for holders of diplomatic and service passports of the two countries. They also reaffirmed the need to hold the 11th ordinary session of the Bi-National Commission (BNC) between the DRC and the Republic of South Africa.
The two heads of state acknowledged the excellent bilateral cooperation between the two countries within the context of the BNC. |
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| PRESIDENT RAMAPHOSA ON WORKING VISIT TO ZAMBIA |
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| President Cyril Ramaphosa was recently on a Working Visit to the Republic of Zambia where he held bilateral discussions with his counterpart, President Edgar Lungu, on cooperation, political and security developments in the region and continent as well as global issues of mutual concern. |
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Both President Ramaphosa and President Lungu witnessed the signing of an Agreement on the Establishment of the Bi-National Commission (BNC) between the Republic of South Africa and the Republic of Zambia.
The agreement elevates the Joint Commission for Cooperation into a BNC and it will promote and enhance cooperation in various sectors of government and coordinate relevant initiatives between public and private sectors.
The commission will be chaired jointly by the President of the Republic of South Africa and the President of the Republic of Zambia.
President Ramaphosa was accompanied the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Lindiwe Sisulu; the Minister of State Security, Dipuo Letsatsi-Duba; and other senior government officials. |
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| PRESIDENT RAMAPHOSA CONGRATULATES SOUTH SUDAN FOLLOWING THE SIGNING OF AN AGREEMENT ON OUTSTANDING ISSUES OF GOVERNANCE |
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| President Ramaphosa expresses his commitment to work closely with all the key stakeholders in the South Sudan peace process to ensure sustainable peace, security and development in the country. |
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The President of the Republic of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, on behalf of the people and the Government of the Republic of South Africa, congratulates the people and the Government of the Republic of South Sudan following the recent signing of the Agreement on Outstanding Issues of Governance by the South Sudanese Parties in Khartoum.
In this regard, President Ramaphosa encourages all the parties to adhere to the stipulations of all agreements and contribute towards the creation of a conducive environment for sustainable peace, security and development in South Sudan. |
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SA HANDS OVER SADC COUNCIL OF MINISTERS CHAIRSHIP |
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| The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Lindiwe Sisulu, recently handed over the Chairship of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Council of Ministers to the Republic of Namibia. |
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The SADC Council of Ministers Meeting was one of the meetings which preceded the 38th Ordinary SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government, which will be hosted by Namibia from 17 to 18 August 2018.
The Council of Ministers, which consists of ministers from each of the 16 member states, oversees the functioning of and development of SADC and ensures that policies and decisions are implemented.
The Council of Ministers is usually made up ministers of foreign affairs, international relations and economic planning or finance.
The 38th SADC Summit is expected to discuss key regional issues, which include the status of member states’ contributions, overview of the socio-economic situation and state of peace and security.
The SADC Summit will be held under the theme “Promoting Infrastructure Development and Youth Empowerment for Sustainable Development”.
Pretoria hosted the 37th Ordinary Summit of the Heads of State and Government of SADC in August 2017. |
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| SOUTH AFRICA SENDS CONDOLENCES TO ITALY FOLLOWING DEADLY BRIDGE COLLAPSE |
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| The Government of the Republic of South Africa has sent a message of condolences to the Government and the people of the Italian Republic following the bridge collapse in the city of Genoa on 15 August 2018, which has claimed the lives of more than 30 people. |
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The message conveys the sadness of the South African people on learning of the deaths as a result of the bride collapse, with condolences messages sent particularly to the families of the deceased.
South Africa and Italy maintain excellent relations covering the full range of activities, both on a governmental level as well as in the private sector.
Apart from the Embassy in Rome, South Africa has a Consulate-General in Italy's commercial capital, Milan.
There has been no report of South African citizens affected by the disaster. The South African Embassy in Italy is monitoring developments and stands ready in the event that any South African citizen comes forward with a request for assistance |
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| 24 LIONS FROM SA STARTING NEW LIFE IN MOZAMBIQUE'S ZAMBEZI DELTA |
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| Twenty-four beautiful big cats have arrived at their new home, thanks to the Cabela Family Foundation. |
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Coordinating one of the biggest lion moves across borders, in partnership with the Ivan Carter Wildlife Conservation Alliance, Zambeze Delta Safaris and Marromeu Safaris, these cats will start their new lives by helping to repopulate the Zambezi Delta in Mozambique.
The wildlife population of the delta was heavily threatened by the Mozambican civil war. With the help of anti-poaching units and the local community, the non-carnivorous animals had stabilised enough for lions to be returned to the area as the top of the food chain. Carnivores are extremely important to prevent the collapse of biomes.
Wild lions from South Africa's Tembe Elephant Park and Makalali Private Game Reserve were selected to help seed this new population. After being quarantined at Msunduze River Lodge for a period, the lions were sedated and started their journey to Mozambique through Mkuze and Kruger International Airport.
Since their arrival in Mozambique, they have been in quarantine bomas where the different lion groups were socialised to form larger prides, increasing their chances of successfully adjusting to their new environment in the delta.
Some of the lions have been released so far according to the project's Facebook page, and this will continue. The anti-poaching team from Zambeze Delta Safaris has been taking the lead. They have been making vital strides in the conservation of the delta and making it possible for the lions to move to their new 2,5 million-acre home.
According to Club of Mozambique, the lion population is expected to increase to 500 in the space of 30 years, which will contribute to increasing the world's lion population by 10% over the next two decades.
The last big lion relocation was in 2015, when 33 rescued lions were flown from South America to the Emoya Big Cat Sanctuary in South Africa, where they will live out their days as they cannot be rewilded.
– Source: www.news24.co.za |
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| SA SHORT FILM WINS ANOTHER INTERNATIONAL AWARD |
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| South African director, Zwelethu Radebe’s, short film, “The Hangman”, has bagged another international award. |
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It won Best Foreign Film at the 22nd annual LA Shorts International Film Festival.
The festival is the longest-running in Los Angeles and ranks among the most prestigious and largest international short film festivals in the world.
The Hangman is a short film that explores the broken relationship between a father and son.
The film has won numerous awards:
- Zanzibar International Film Festival – Best Short Film, Ousmane Sembene Award
- Durban International Film Festival – Best South African Short Film
- Discover Film Festival – Best in Fest, Best International Drama, Best Cinematography
- Best of International Short Films Festival – Silver Main Jury Award, Best Young Jury Award
- Afrika Film Festival – The Silvern Yamfa Award
- Shnit International Film Festival – Best Short Film
- Jozi Film Festival – Best Short Fiction Film
- Eko International Film Festival – Best Short Film, Best Actor.
– Source: www.channel24.co.za |
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| SA’S NOSIPHO DUMISA WINS BEST DIRECTOR AWARD AT FANTASIA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL |
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| Writer and director Nosipho Dumisa's feature debut with “Number 37” is said to be "an exhilaratingly tense experience, revealing a gifted storyteller in full, calculated control". |
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South African director and scriptwriter, Nosipho Dumisa, won the Cheval Noir Jury Prize for Best Director at the Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal, Canada, recently, for her debut motion picture, Number 37.
The Fantasia International Film Festival announced their award winners of the juried sections of its 22nd edition earlier this August. Tim Matheson presided over Fantasia’s 2018 Cheval Noir Jury, which also comprised Abraham Castillo Flores, Evan L Katz, Phil Nobile Jr, Stéphanie Trépanier and Victoria Sanchez-Mandryk.
Of Number 37 and Dumisa, the jury statement reads: “Nosipho Dumisa demonstrates sensitivity and elegance with her debut feature, a Hitchcockian noir transplanted to the gritty slums of Cape Town. Displaying an assured level of finesse and precision, the direction allows all elements of the film to breathe, and to shine – even at gunpoint”.
According to ScreenAfrica, Dumisa has directed countless commercials, television pilots, reality TV pilots, lifestyle shows and short films. She is also one of the producers of the hit kykNET soap opera, Suidooster.
Number 37 was co-directed by Nosipho Dumisa and Travis Taute. The story follows a small-time gangster who is confined to his wheelchair after having been horrifically beaten by dope dealers he tried to hustle.
The DVD for Number 37 will be available for hire on BoxOffice from 3 September 2018 and will be available for purchase from retail outlets from 7 September 2018.
– Source: www.thesouthafrican.com |
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| RABADA SCOOPS WISDEN'S GOLDEN BOY AWARD |
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| Proteas fast bowler, Kagiso Rabada, has been named Wisden's Golden Boy of 2018, an award for the best male cricketer in the world aged 23 or under. |
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Since his debut in 2015, the 23-year-old has taken 151 wickets in 32 Tests.
Rabada, who is currently second in the Test rankings behind England seamer, James Anderson, surpassed India's Harbhajan Singh as the youngest to 150 Test scalps.
"We all knew in South Africa that Kagiso Rabada was destined for big things. I knew it was going to come, but I didn’t know it was going to come this quickly," former South African bowler Allan Donald told Wisden Cricket Monthly, as quoted by the ICC website.
"When Dale Steyn first broke through his consistency and the rate he was taking wickets at was quite frightening and the same is now happening with Kagiso. He's just incredible, a machine really, and fantastic to watch.
"Kagiso is well on his way to becoming South Africa's all-time greatest fast bowler. Going at the rate he is, it's a case of when rather than if he becomes our country's leading Test wicket-taker and it will be a proud moment for me seeing this young man do that, a magnificent achievement for him and an inspiration for all young black cricketers in South Africa," said Donald.
Rabada is one of three South Africans to feature in the top 10 of the list, with Aiden Markram appearing at No 3 and Lungi Ngidi at No 9.
– Source: www.sport24.co.za |
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| SA’S HATHERLY BAGS MAIDEN WORLD CUP TITLE IN CANADA |
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| Commonwealth Games bronze medallist mountain biker, Alan Hatherly, has racked up his first-ever UCI XCO World Cup title. |
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The Team Spur rider controlled an explosive Under-23 race to emerge tops in Mont Sainte-Anne, Canada, on Sunday, 12 August 2018.
The result in Canada, on “one of the hardest tracks on the [World Cup] circuit”, according to Hatherly, is the South African’s most memorable result in a roller coaster season of racing.
The 22-year-old Cape Town-based rider broke both his wrists in February in a mountain bike stage but bounced back in April to claim a bronze medal on the Gold Coast in Australia. He then went on to defend his African Continental and South African Championship titles recently.
For those in the know, UCI World Cup racing remains the pinnacle of the sport, and Hatherly was eager to deliver on his potential on the biggest stage. Passion, skill, dedication to training and pure grit have brought him a second (in 2017) and a third-place result this year in U23 World Cups.
Hatherly and his Team Spur support staff, mechanic JP Jacobs and team manager, Tim Bassingthwaighte, made their way from a cold and wet Cape Town, to the ski resort of Mont Sainte-Anne, outside Quebec City, Canada, last week. The trio immediately set about negating the jetlag from the six-hour time difference and the negative effects of the long-haul flight.
Technical rock gardens littered the course and were made treacherous with wet roots and muddy sections in between. But Hatherly was up for the challenge: "I worked hard to dial in my lines for the race. With two long-haul international flights to get here, I needed to ensure I was race-ready as soon as possible," he said.
– Source: www.teamsa.co.za |
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