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| PRESIDENT RAMAPHOSA CONDEMNS DEVELOPMENTS IN MALI |
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| African Union (AU) Chair and South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, has condemned the unconstitutional change of government in Mali. |
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The AU Chair learnt with concern of developments in the Republic of Mali, which led to the forced resignation of Mali President, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, on Tuesday, 18 August 2020.
“President Ramaphosa demands that the Malian military release from detention the President, the Prime Minister, Ministers and other government executives.
“President Ramaphosa calls for an immediate return to civilian rule and for the military to return to their barracks,” said the President’s Office in a statement on Thursday, 20 August 2020.
President Ramaphosa urged the people of Mali, political parties and civil society to observe the rule of law and engage in peaceful dialogue in order to resolve their challenges.
The AU Chair further urged African leaders and the entire international community to denounce and reject the military-led unconstitutional change of government and to assist the people of Mali to return to civilian and democratic rule.
– Source: SAnews.gov.za |
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| SADC CONDEMNS VIOLENCE IN MOZAMBIQUE |
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The 40th Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), held virtually on
17 August 2020, has condemned terrorism and violent attacks in Mozambique, while pledging support for the southern African country. |
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“The summit expressed SADC solidarity and commitment to support Mozambique in addressing the terrorism and violent attacks, and condemned all acts of terrorism and armed attacks,” said the heads of state and government of SADC in a communiqué.
The summit, which was held virtually, welcomed the decision by Mozambique to bring to the attention of SADC the violent attacks in that country, and commended Mozambique for its continued efforts towards combatting terrorism and violent attacks.
Violence has plagued the northern Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado.
The summit also received an assessment report on emerging security threats in the region.
It directed the Secretariat to prepare an action plan for its implementation that will, among others, prioritise measures to combat terrorism, violent attacks and cybercrime, and address the adverse effects of climate change.
Monday’s virtual summit was attended by President Cyril Ramaphosa; Lesotho’s Prime Minister, Dr Moeketsi Majoro; Mozambican President, Filipe Jacinto Nyusi; as well as Zimbabwean President, Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, among others.
At the summit, President Nyusi was elected as Chairperson of SADC, while the President of the Republic of Malawi, Dr Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, was elected as incoming Chairperson of SADC.
The summit also elected the President of the Republic of Botswana, Dr Mokgweetsi EK Masisi, as Chairperson of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, while President Ramaphosa was elected as incoming Chairperson of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation.
Vision 2050
The summit approved SADC Vision 2050, which is based on a firm foundation of peace, security and democratic governance. It is premised on three interrelated pillars, namely: industrial development and market integration; infrastructure development in support of regional integration; and social and human capital development.
The three pillars also recognise gender, youth, environment and climate change, and disaster risk management as important cross-cutting components.
The summit also approved the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan 2020-2030 to operationalise Vision 2050.
Mauritius
Leaders at the summit expressed solidarity with Mauritius after the MV Wakashio ship ran aground and leaked oil off the coast of the island nation.
"The summit expressed solidarity with the Government and people of Mauritius for the environmental disaster in its waters caused by a grounded ship, and called upon SADC member states and the international community to support Mauritius in containing the disaster,” said the leaders in the communiqué.
Impact of COVID-19
Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the summit also received a report on the socio-economic impact of COVID-19 on SADC economies, while also noting its effects across sectors. The summit approved the proposed measures to address the sectoral effects. Leaders noted that a face-to-face summit would take place in Maputo, Mozambique, in March 2021, if the COVID-19 pandemic situation is contained.
– Source: SAnews.gov.za |
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| SOUTH AFRICA MOVES TO LOCKDOWN LEVEL 2 |
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| From Tuesday, all restrictions on interprovincial travel have been lifted, while the sale of tobacco products and alcohol has resumed. |
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In his address to the nation on Saturday night, 15 August 2020, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that South Africa would move to lockdown level 2 from midnight on Monday, 17 August 2020. The decision, he said, was in light of the steadily declining number of COVID-19 infections.
“The further easing of restrictions presents us with the greatest opportunity since the start of the pandemic to breathe life into our struggling economy,” he said.
South Africa has, since the end of March, instituted a nationwide lockdown with risk-adjusted alert levels to stabilise the soaring COVID-19 infections.
In taking the decision, President Ramaphosa said Cabinet was heeding the advice of health experts.
Over the last three weeks, new confirmed cases dropped from a peak of over 12 000 a day to an average of 5 000 over the past week. During this period, the recovery rate rose to 80% from 48% from when the President addressed the nation in July.
By 15 August, the country had 583 653 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with only 105 000 being active. By that date, 11 667 people had succumbed to COVID-19-related illnesses.
In an effort to improve basic precautions and alleviate stress on the public health system, government will soon announce a powerful new tool to support digital contact-tracing efforts. This will lead to more efficient identification, testing, isolation and treatment of positive cases.
What to expect in level 2
Under alert level 2, in which the spread of Coronavirus was expected to be moderate, the country could ease up restrictions to economic activity across most industries, said the President.
“Economic activity will be allowed with the necessary and appropriate stringent health protocols and safety precautions in place,” he said.
During this level, all restrictions on interprovincial travel will be lifted. In this regard, accommodation, hospitality venues and tours are permitted to operate, albeit observing approved protocols to ensure social distancing.
“Restaurants, bars and taverns will be permitted to operate according to approved protocols as to times of operation and numbers of people,” said the President.
Restrictions on the sale of tobacco and alcohol have been lifted subject to certain restrictions.
“Alcohol will be permitted for on-site consumption in licensed establishments only up until 10pm. Liquor outlets will be allowed to sell alcohol for off-site consumption from Monday to Thursday during the hours of 9am to 5pm only,” he said.
While the President urged the public to exercise extreme caution, restrictions on family and social visits were also lifted.
The virus, he said, appeared to have peaked in several provinces, including the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Gauteng and possibly in KwaZulu-Natal.
“Fewer people are presenting with symptoms at our health facilities. We are also finding that fewer people are requiring admission in our hospitals and the demand for Coronavirus tests has dropped,” the President said, adding that patient hospitalisation had dramatically decreased from 10 000 to around 4 000 in the first two weeks of August.
“It is now clear that had we not acted as swiftly and decisively as we did – and had we not taken the threat as seriously as we did – far more lives would have been lost,” he said.
Despite indications being that the country is past its peak, President Ramaphosa said government’s concern in the coming weeks and months was to continue to save lives.
“Most of our health facilities have proven resilient, capable and able to withstand and deal with the surge,” he said.
The modelled projections of infections, hospitalisation and deaths have been adjusted downwards as progress in the management of the disease was noted.
Warning against complacency, the President urged the public to continue to wear masks, and practise social distancing and good hygiene. Not complying with these protocols had proved catastrophic in other countries, the President said.
While the easing of restrictions is expected to have a positive impact on the country’s economy, the President conceded that it would take a long time for industries and businesses to recover.
“There is much work still to be done,” he said.
Government, labour, business and community organisations are now working on an urgent economic recovery programme that places the protection and creation of employment at its centre.
“We will be making announcements on the outcome of this work in the next few weeks. We will use this moment not only to return South Africa to where it was before, but to transform our country to a more equal, more just and more dynamic economy,” he said.
– Source: SAnews.gov.za |
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| PRESIDENT PAYS TRIBUTE TO ANTI-APARTHEID ACTIVIST PAUL DAVID |
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| President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed his heartfelt condolences following the passing of anti-apartheid activist Paul David who passed away on Thursday, 13 August 2020, at the age of 79. |
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“The passing of Paul David as the last member of the Consulate Six is a great loss to our country and especially to the people of KwaZulu-Natal, alongside whom he exerted himself in the trenches of struggle,” said President Ramaphosa.
David was an anti-apartheid activist and member of the Natal Indian Congress as well as the United Democratic Front. During his university days, he served on the Student Representative Council of the University of Natal, alongside Steve Bantu Biko.
He was also involved in the Release Mandela Campaign as part of the Consulate Six, a group of activists who were sheltered by the British Consulate in Durban in 1984 while police were searching for the group.
The President extended his condolences to the David family and the extensive network of friends and activists of the late veteran.
– Source: SAnews.gov.za |
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| MINISTER PANDOR HOSTS WEBINAR WITH WOMEN DIPLOMATS ON GENDER EQUALITY |
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The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation,
Dr Naledi Pandor, on Friday, 14 August 2020, hosted a webinar, which formed part of a series of activities marking Women’s Month. |
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The webinar took place under the theme: “Generation Equality: Realising Women’s Rights for an Equal Future”. The concept of Generation Equality is a global campaign and links South Africa to efforts to achieve gender equality by 2030.
The other speakers included the United Nations Resident Coordinator, Nardos Bekele-Thomas; and the ambassadors of Palestine, Hanan Jarrar; Kenya, Jean Njeri Kamau; and Venezuela, Mairin Josefina.
The event highlighted the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic was having, particularly in relation to the reported increase in domestic violence and abuse.
The event also shone a spotlight on efforts aimed at overcoming the social and economic fallout of COVID-19, paying specific attention to the measures to support and protect women. |
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| MINISTER PANDOR AMONG 11 SA NAMES ON 2020 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL AFRICAN WOMEN LIST |
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| Leading African PR & Rating firm, Avance Media, has announced its second annual publication on Africa’s most prominent women, dubbed the 2020 100 Most Influential African Women. |
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The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr Naledi Pandor, is among the list of the most influential women in Africa.
The list, which has a representation of the most powerful African women from 34 countries, were chosen from various career backgrounds, including diplomacy, politics, activism, entrepreneurship, business leadership and entertainment. Nigeria, South Africa and Ghana recorded the highest number of women with 20, 11 and nine representatives respectively.
The 2020 list features a record of 75 new entrants with some of the leading names such as Halima Dangote; Ugandan activist Stella Nyanzi; Olympic Committee Member, Lydia Nsekera; and the only two female finance ministers in Africa, Vera Daves De Sousa (Angola) and Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed (Nigeria).
The youngest African to make the 2020 list is 24-year-old Namibia’s Deputy Minister of Information, Communication and Technology, Emma Theofelus.
According to Prince Akpah, Managing Director of Avance Media, the list is focussed on women who are leading various initiatives across the continent and seeks to present them as role models for the younger generation.
He further noted that they were selected because of their incredible achievements as women and they deserved high recommendations among other female trailblazers in Africa.
Criteria for selection included: Excellence in Leadership and Performance, Personal Accomplishments, Commitment to Sharing Knowledge, Breaking the Status Quo, and Being an Accomplished African Woman.
Profiles of the 2020 100 Most Influential African Women are published on 100women.avancemedia.org.
Avance Media’s 2020 100 Most Influential African Women arranged in alphabetical order:
- Agnes Binagwaho (Prof.) || Vice-Chancellor, University of Global Health Equity
- Agnes Kalibata || CEO, Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa
- Amanda Mukwashi || CEO, Christian Aid
- Amani Abou-Zeid (Dr) || Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy, African Union
- Amel Karboul (Dr) || CEO, Education Outcomes Fund
- Amina C Mohamed (Dr) || Cabinet Secretary, Sports, Culture & Heritage (Kenya)
- Amina J Mohammed || Deputy Secretary-General, United Nations
- Angela Kyerematen-Jimoh || Regional Head, IBM Africa
- Angélique Kidjo || Musician
- Anita Erskine || Founder, Anita Erskine Media
- Anna Nimiriano || Editor-in-Chief, Juba Monitor
- Anne-Marie Dias Borges || Presenter, BBC
- Antoinette Sayeh || Deputy MD, IMF
- Arikana Chihombori Quao || Activist
- Aurélie A Soulé Zoumarou || Minister, Digital Economy and Communications (Benin)
- Ayisha Osori || CEO, Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA)
- Bajabulile Swazi Tshabalala || Vice President & CFO, AFDB
- Bella Disu || Vice Chairperson, Globacom
- Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu || CEO, soleRebels
- Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi || First Lady, Ekiti State
- Chileshe Kapwepwe || Secretary-General, (COMESA)
- Dorothy Tembo || Ag. Executive Director, International Trade Centre
- Edith Yah Brou || Blogger
- Eghosa Oriaikhi Mabhena || CEO, Puma Energy Africa
- Ellen Johnson Sirleaf || Founder, EJS Centre
- Elsie S Kanza || Head of Africa, World Economic Forum
- Emma Lohoues || Actress
- Emma Theofelus || Deputy Minister, Namibia
- Esther Cobbah || CEO, Stratcomm Ghana
- Fadumo Dayib || Politician
- Faith Osier (Prof.) || President, International Union of Immunological Societies
- Fatou Bom Bensouda || Chief Prosecutor, International Criminal Court
- Fatoumata Bâ || Founder, Janngo
- Françoise Remarck || Chairperson, Canal+ Côte D’Ivoire
- Graça Machel || Founder, Graça Machel Trust
- Grace Naledi Mandisa Pandor || Minister, International Relations and Cooperation
- Hajer Sharief || Co-Founder, Together We Build it
- Hala Zayed (Dr) || Minister, Health and Population (Egypt)
- Halima Dangote || Executive Director, Dangote Group
- Ifeyinwa Ugochukwu || CEO, Tony Elumelu Foundation
- Ilwad Elman || Director, Elman Peace and Human Rights Centre
- Irene Charnley || Founder, Smile Communications
- Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang (Prof.) || Chancellor, Women’s University in Africa and NDC Running Mate
- Jewel Howard Taylor || Vice President, Liberia
- Juliet Ehimuan || Director, Google West Africa
- Kamissa Camara || Secretary-General, Mali Presidency
- Lalla Moulaye Ezzedine || Chairperson, Bank of Africa Côte d’Ivoire
- Laureen Kouassi-Olsson || Regional Head, Amethis
- Leila Bouamatou || Managing Director, Bank of Mauritania General
- Linda Ikeji || CEO, Linda Ikeji Media
- Louise Mushikiwabo || Secretary-General, Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie
- Lucy Quist || Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Morgan Stanley
- Lydia Nsekera || Member, International Olympic Committee
- Magda Wierzycka || CEO, Sygnia
- Maggie Kigozi || Chairperson, Africa Scout Foundation
- Mamokgethi Phakeng (Prof.) || Vice-Chancellor, University of Cape Town
- Mansa Nettey || CEO, StanChart Ghana
- Martine Coffi-Studer || Chairperson, Bolloré Transport & Logistics
- Massogbè Touré || CEO, SITA SA
- Matshidiso Rebecca Moeti (Dr) || Regional Director for Africa, WHO
- Melene Rossouw || Founder, Women Lead Movement
- Mimi Kalinda || CEO, Africa Communications Media Group
- Monica Geingos || First Lady, Republic of Namibia
- Nana Asantewa Afadzinu || Executive Director, WASCI
- Nathalie Akon Gabala || Regional Head, Mastercard Foundation
- Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli || Founder, LEAP Africa
- Ngozi OkonjoIweala || Board Chair, Gavi Alliance
- Nompumelelo Thembekile Madisa || CEO, Bidvest Group
- Olajumoke Adenowo || Founder, AD Consulting
- Oumou Sangaré || Musician
- Owen Omogiafo || CEO, Transcorp Group
- Patricia Obo-Nai || CEO, Vodafone Ghana
- Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka (Dr) || Executive Director, UN Women
- Racheal Njoroge || Managing Director, Cummins
- Rachel Sibande (Dr) || Founder, mHub
- RashaKelej (Dr) || CEO, Merck Foundation
- Rawya Mansour || Founder, RAMSCO
- Raychelle Omamo || Minister, Foreign Affairs (Kenya)
- Rita Bissoonauth || Head, AU International Centre for Girls and Women’s Education
- Sahle-Work Zewde || President, Ethiopia
- Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey || Minister, Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration (Ghana)
- Sinach || Musician
- Sisi Ntombela || Premier, Free State
- Snowy Khoza (Dr) || CEO, Bigen Africa
- Soham El Wardini || Mayor, Dakar
- Sola David-Borha || Group CEO, Standard Bank Africa
- Stella Nyanzi (Dr) || Convenor, Women’s Protest Uganda
- Sylvia Mulinge || Chief Customer Officer, Safaricom
- Temie Giwa-Tubosun || Founder, LifeBank
- Toyin Sanni || CEO, Emerging Africa Capital
- Toyin Saraki || Founder, Wellbeing Foundation Africa
- Uche Pedro || Founder, BELLANAIJA
- Vera Daves De Sousa || Minister, Finance (Angola)
- Vera Songwe (Dr) || Executive Secretary, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
- Wala’a Essam Al-Boushi || Minister, Youth and Sport (Sudan)
- Wanjira Mathai || Vice President & Regional Director for Africa, World Resources Institute
- Winnie Byanyima || Executive Director, UNAIDS
- Yemi Alade || Musician
- Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr || Mayor, Freetown
- Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed || Minister, Finance (Nigeria).
– Sources: African Eye Report / ANA |
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| DEPUTY MINISTER MASHEGO-DLAMINI HOSTS DIRCO 2020 WOMEN’S MONTH WEBINAR |
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The Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Candith Mashego-Dlamini, on Wednesday,
19 August 2020, hosted a Women’s Month webinar under the theme “Impact of COVID-19 on Women in Agriculture: Challenges and Opportunities”. |
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The 2020 Women’s Month takes place amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which is having a disastrous impact on society and the economy.
Government continues to seek effective strategies to work together with women towards advancing their socio-economic freedoms in the time of COVID-19.
These strategies include examining ways in which government could align its perspectives and actions to women’s empowerment and inclusion in the development of our society and economy.
Deputy Minister Mashego-Dlamini says the agriculture sector is key to Africa’s economy and has the potential to ignite the continent’s nascent agro-processing industry.
Deputy Minister Mashego-Dlamini was joined by speakers from the Department of Land Reform and Rural Development, University of Pretoria, Gauteng Provincial Legislature and female farmers. |
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| SOUTH AFRICAN GOVERNMENT CONCERNED ABOUT UNITED ARAB EMIRATES AND ISRAEL PEACE AGREEMENT |
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| The South African Government has noted with concern, the developments regarding the normalisation of relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which took place on Thursday, 13 August 2020. |
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Peace and stability in the Middle East, and particularly a sustainable solution regarding the plight of the Palestinian people, are of critical importance to South Africa.
While the UAE has the sovereign right to set its diplomatic relations with the Government of Israel, it is regrettable that it has done so based on yet another agreement related to the fate of the Palestinian people without engaging the people of Palestine. Most of the world’s countries have called for a stop to the threats of annexation of the West Bank, as it would have been an act in contravention of international law. The agreement by three countries, the United States of America, the UAE and Israel, instead posits that a temporary suspension of the annexation should be celebrated as a diplomatic breakthrough. The agreement, however, does not commit Israel to the halting of plans to further extend Israeli sovereignty over Palestinian territories and its people. The agreement also does not commit the Government of Israel to negotiations guided by the internationally agreed parameters.
The concerns that the South African Government have in relation to the agreement made by the three countries was amplified by the comments made by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a televised address, following the announcement of the normalisation of relations with the UAE. Prime Minister Netanyahu stated that he remained committed to annexing parts of West Bank, and that he agreed to only “delay” further annexation.
South Africa notes the concerns expressed by the Palestinian leadership and wishes to express its conviction that any initiative aimed at a solution to the conflict, must take into account the needs and aspirations of the Palestinian people. In this regard, South Africa remains committed to the independence of Palestine under the two-state solution, based on the international recognition and independence of the viable State of Palestine, based on the 4 June 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, existing peacefully side by side with its neighbours. We hold that the outstanding final status issues must be resolved through negotiations between the parties, with support from the international community. |
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| SOUTH AFRICA REFLECTS ON CUBAN DOCTORS' DEPLOYMENT |
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| The Minister of Health, Dr Zweli Mkhize, has reflected on the important role played by the Cuban Brigade in assisting South Africa's efforts to combat the Coronavirus. |
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Joined by the Cuban Ambassador, Rodolfo Benítez Verson, during a virtual meeting, the two talked about the work of the Cuban doctors, who arrived in South Africa in April, as the country grappled with the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Eastern Cape was allocated 12 medical officers, who included four biomedical engineers, two epidemiologists and two biostatisticians.
“The medical officers have been resourceful in primary healthcare as this is their specialty. Their data analytics and information management have been key in assessing the impact of intervention strategies.
“The biomedical engineers have been critical in the design, installation, adjusting, repairing and provision of technical support for biomedical equipment,” the Minister said on Friday, 14 August 2020.
In the Gauteng province, members of the Cuban Medical Brigade were distributed throughout all five districts while some have been doing work with the central office.
“They are mainly working in quarantine and isolation sights, ward-based contract tracing, epidemiological surveillance and in hospitals where there has been noticeable nosocomial spread,” the Minister said.
In the Northern Cape, the brigade is doing outreach services in critical areas of need.
“They are clinical leaders to the management teams and assist in the screening, testing and quarantining of patients. The Northern Cape Department of Health has attested to the invaluable contribution of the COVID-19 personnel from the brigade,” the Minister said.
Eight medical officers have been deployed to various facilities in Limpopo’s five districts to boost case management.
“Three clinical engineering technologists, one hygienist and one biostatistician are stationed in Capricorn District. The deployments were based on areas where it was identified there was a shortage of human resources.
“Their presence has reduced workload and pressure on staff members, provided much-needed relief, improved processing of data and contributed to improved data reporting that feeds into the daily situational report on COVID-19 in the province,” the Minister said.
Health technologists also assisted with the assessment of non-functional equipment.
The 28-strong team deployed to the Western Cape consists of health professionals with experience in planning, execution and the management of public health.
“They were fully integrated into the clinical teams working alongside the South African health professionals in order to strengthen the province’s response to COVID-19,” the Minister said.
Meanwhile, 17 members of the brigade were deployed to the Free State. Their allocation addressed issues of staff shortage and this led to an improvement in data collation in the province.
“While this is not an exhaustive account of the activities of the members of the brigade, the reports reassure us that we have invested well in this initiative with trusted allies during a critical phase of the national COVID-19 pandemic,” the Minister said.
Ambassador Verson said South Africa had provided an excellent working environment for the doctors.
“Since their arrival in April, they have been treating nearly 30 000 patients and they have saved 166 lives. Many of our doctors are working in quarantine. Our biomedical engineers have achieved impressive results,” he said.
The results of 31 Cuban biomedical engineers include 787 equipment repairs.
– Source: SAnews.gov.za |
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| SOUTH AFRICA, GHANA ENGAGE IN TRADE TALKS |
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| On Tuesday, 18 August 2020, businesspeople in South Africa and Ghana started engaging in trade and investment talks. |
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The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition hosted a South Africa-Ghana Trade and Investment webinar.
The aim of the two-day webinar was to reinvigorate and rekindle bilateral economic relations between the two countries post the COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking ahead of Tuesday’s session, Deputy Minister Fikile Majola said the webinar would afford South African and Ghanaian businesspeople the chance to exchange ideas and information on how to increase trade and investment between the two countries.
”It is important that we continue the conversation and interaction between South African businesspeople and their counterparts from other African countries, despite the Coronavirus pandemic and the lockdown.
“This is to ensure that we continue to work with our businesses to identify new opportunities that we can explore in order to increase bilateral trade and investment between South Africa and other African countries,” said the Deputy Minister.
Deputy Minister Majola said the session was also part of South Africa's economic strategy for Africa, which is premised on the development integration approach, focussing on advancing the priorities for Africa as set out in the country’s Re-imagined Industrialisation Strategy, and the Integrated National Export Strategy.
“This is also part of South Africa’s commitment to increasing intra-African trade and investment in line with the spirit and letter of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement.”
Bilateral trade between South Africa and Ghana was on an upward growth trajectory before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown in South Africa.
Two-way trade between the two countries increased considerably from almost R4 billion in 2014 to R14 billion in 2019.
The webinar, which concluded on Wednesday, was held under the theme: “Developing Afrocentric Solutions and Forging Partnership in Response to COVID-19”.
Companies operating in agro-processing and agricultural equipment, pharmaceutical, mining, rail, textile, energy and infrastructure participated in the sessions.
– Source: SAnews.gov.za |
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| OLDEST BEDDING IN THE WORLD FOUND IN SOUTH AFRICA – AND IT'S AT LEAST 200 000 YEARS OLD |
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| Grass and ash bedding, dated to at least 200 000 years old, has been found at an archaeological site in KwaZulu-Natal. |
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South Africa is a hotbed of evidence of complex early human behaviour – from cooking tubers to making insect-repelling bedding. Before this discovery, the oldest known bedding was 77 000 years old and came from the Sibudu Cave, also in KwaZulu-Natal.
Remnants of ochre and stone flakes show that these cave people also worked on the bedding.
In 2010, archaeologist Lyn Wadley discovered layers of sedge leaves interspersed with medicinal herbs in the Sibudu Cave in KwaZulu-Natal. They were 77 000 years old and showed that early humans had purposefully made insect-repelling bedding areas for themselves.
And that is why Wadley recognised the latest find immediately when she and colleagues began excavating in Border Cave in the Lebombo mountains of KwaZulu-Natal. “The bedding there was better preserved, but it was the same kind of thing and as soon as I saw this similar occurrence in Border [Cave], I knew that this was it,” explains Wadley, an honorary Professor of Archaeology at Wits University.
The research team dated the broad-leafed floor coverings, mixed with ash, to more than 200 000 years ago, making it the oldest instance of humans intentionally laying down grass bedding. |
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South Africa is a hotbed of early human innovation, and its archaeological finds detail the emergence and evolution of modern behaviour. About 120 000 years ago, humans in Klasies River were cooking and eating tubers, while inhabitants of Blombos Cave in the southern Cape strung shells as beads about 75 000 years ago.
The 200 000-year-old bedding is a forerunner of the more complex behaviour that is evident from about 100 000 years ago, Wadley and colleagues write in their Science paper, which was published recently.
“There’s a greater realisation in archaeology that the most information about life-ways of people is not obtained by glitzy stuff like golden flutes or a hominin cranium, but humble things like plants which are such big parts of people’s lives,” Wadley says.
The bedding in Border Cave contained the remnants of the Panicoideae subfamily of grasses as well as charcoal from the broad-leafed camphor bush, which has aromatic leaves. Researchers also found evidence that the cave inhabitants occasionally burned the beds before building new ones on top of the ash. This ash could have repelled crawling insects from burrowing into the bedding. |
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Dan Cabanes, an anthropologist at Rutgers University in the United States, welcomed the “excellent” research.” “The preservation of these remains in Border Cave is unique. This also raises another question. How much are we missing?” he asks. How many sites and how much information “have [we] lost because we dug through them without the faintest idea of rich information contained in the sediments?
“What we are looking at [at] Border Cave is a very intimate moment in the daily life of our ancestors 200 000 years ago,” he says. “A moment when these people came back to their camp after hunting and gathering, to meet and socialise, to talk about what they had seen, and to make plans for the next day.”
– Source: www.businessinsider.co.za |
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| SOUTH AFRICAN ARCHITECT SCOOPS INTERNATIONAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING AWARD |
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| Martin Pretorius, a Capetonian architect with Workshop and Machine, has won the coveted San Francisco Affordable Housing Challenge with his project titled, “Rethinking Row-Houses/Apartments Blocks”. |
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The concept’s aim is to redevelop the row-house and apartment blocks of San Francisco into a system that uses space more efficiently and introduces greenery to the city. The striking design of modular, stacked units integrates a bridge to allow the community’s inhabitants to transverse its busy main streets.
The San Francisco Affordable Housing Challenge is part of Bee Breeders’ Affordable Housing competition series. Run in partnership with ARCHIVE Books, this competition tasked participants with submitting innovative design proposals for mitigating San Francisco’s affordable housing crisis.
The challenge did not limit the ideas to a specific design or site requirements, with the only brief being that the project designs were flexible, enabling accommodation for a variety of inhabitant-types: single professionals, couples, families, or group living, with somehow making one of the most expensive cities in the world more affordable.
No shortage of innovative ideas
More than 20 000 entries from across the globe did not make for easy judication. The jury says that they gave weight to designs that challenged standard housing typologies, while at the same time incorporated practical design elements or means of implementation that could feasibly enable these projects to offer real solutions to San Francisco.
Thinking beyond the conventional
Speaking about his winning concept, Pretorius says, “Contemporary housing in the 21st century should provide more than shelter. The concept’s aim is to redevelop the row-house and apartment blocks of San Francisco into a system that uses space more efficiently and introduces greenery to the city. Inspired by Yona Friedman’s Spatial City concept, the objective of the modular arrangement is to make use of wasted space above transportation routes, which is apparent in traditionally residential areas while creating a platform for urban farming on rooftops.”
The jury describes the South Africa’s proposal as: “Beautiful and elegant. It addresses both land and space constraints to develop a design for a lively community.” Such a development would, of course, require high-quality construction and well-considered design and finishes at the street level to ensure the street-scape does not become a dark space, like those beneath bridges and overpasses.
Winning an international competition, Martin says is a validation of his vision that architecture and design should go beyond commercial value. He is currently working on a cost-effectively design-solution that can be implemented in South Africa. Such a project will not only stimulate our construction industry, create much-needed jobs, but will result in communities that are truly self-sufficient, fostering a culture of actively building towards a better future.
– Source: www.sapeople.com |
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| NBA PICKS STANDARD BANK EXEC TO LEAD AFRICAN EXPANSION |
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| America's National Basketball Association (NBA) has appointed Victor Williams as its new Africa CEO. |
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Based in Johannesburg, the ex-Standard Bank exec is tasked with growing the sport on the continent.
America’s NBA has just appointed a top investment banker to lead its expansion efforts on the African continent.
Victor Williams is its new Africa CEO and started on 17 August. He was previously Head of Corporate and Investment Banking for African Markets (excluding South Africa) at Standard Bank.
“In this newly-created role, Williams will oversee the league’s basketball and business development initiatives in Africa,” said the NBA, with the goal of “[growing] the popularity of basketball and the NBA across the continent through grassroots development, media distribution, corporate partnerships, and more.”
Williams, who holds citizenships from both the United States and Sierra Leone, previously worked at Goldman Sachs and Wells Fargo Securities before joining Standard Bank. He says that the new position will “allow me to blend my professional experience building businesses in Africa with my passion for the sport of basketball."
The NBA has had an office in South Africa since 2010, and last year formed a new Africa regional league in collaboration with the International Basketball Federation.
Qualifying rounds were held in October 2019, but the inaugural season, which was due to start in March, was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2017, the NBA opened a new basketball training facility, the NBA Academy Africa, in Senegal. It's one of six academic across the world.
The US basketball league is hugely popular outside its home country, most notably in China. According to CNBC, more than 640 million people in China watched the 2017-2018 NBA season.
– Source: www.businessinsider.co.za |
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| FAF DE KLERK GETS HIS FACE PAINTED ON TWICKENHAM’S PITCH |
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| Faf de Klerk has had his cheeky smile painted on the pitch of the Twickenham Stadium in honour of the start of the Gallagher Premiership. |
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Faf de Klerk, Maro Itoje and Joe Marler have been honoured by having their faces painted on the green of the Twickenham Stadium. Their larger-than-life faces will smile up from the pitch for all to see!
John Lundberg, the artist behind the works, said he wanted to do portraits of the biggest players in the Premiership and naturally, Faf came to mind after helping South Africa win the Rugby World Cup. The portrait is the United Kingdom’s (UK) largest outdoor painting and was cleverly laid down by painting little white squares on the grass.
The paint is biodegradable and a total of 1 280 litres was used to paint all three rugby stars. It also took over 24 hours to complete the paintings and 10 artists worked to make that happen. Twickenham Stadium is the largest stadium in the world dedicated to the sport of rugby union.
A new rugby season is starting in the UK, the first since the country's own lockdown was relaxed. The Gallagher Premiership Rugby will restart this Friday and everyone is buzzing about it. Fans will only be able to tune in, they are not yet allowed to attend live games.
Faf has had a successful career with the Springboks and thankfully, he is able to continue in the UK for the Sale Sharks, Manchester’s Rugby Union club.
– Source: www.goodthingsguy.com |
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| EXPLANATION OF VOTE BY THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA ON THE PROPOSED RESOLUTION BY THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ON ANNEX B OF RESOLUTION 2231 (2015), 14 AUGUST 2020 |
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“Mr President,
“South Africa views the JCPOA as one of most important diplomatic achievements in the area of nuclear non-proliferation since the signing of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). We believe it is an exemplar of collective action to consolidate peace through cooperation and collaboration on the basis of a binding agreement, and therefore, its preservation and implementation should be foremost.
“We are also of the view that the JCPOA has contributed significantly to the reduction of tensions over Iran’s nuclear programme and remains vital in promoting peace, stability and the normalisation of relations.
“South Africa’s abstention on the resolution before us today is informed by the fact that we believe that JCPOA participants and all Council Members should remain true to its commitment to uphold and implement Resolution 2231 (2015). It is thus crucial that there is full implementation of the JCPOA by all parties in order to re-establish trust in the agreement and avoid any action that would further undermine the integrity of Resolution 2231 (2015) and the JCPOA.
“South African is of the view that the text presented by the United States is unfortunately not in keeping with this commitment and would undermine Resolution 2231 and the JCPOA. Any non-compliance with the Council’s resolutions only undermines the credibility of the Council in fulfilling its central mandate.
“Furthermore, South Africa believes that any initiative that falls outside of the ambit of the delicate balance established by the JCPOA risks upending the balance further and thus adds to the already dire threat to the continuation of this hard-won agreement. Therefore, we encourage the parties to exhaust all options within the JCPOA dispute resolution mechanism before consideration options outside it which could result in dismantling of the terms of the agreement.
“We are concerned that any undermining of the JCPOA will only lead to an exacerbation of tensions and therefore believe that this issue would be best addressed through consultative dialogue between all members of the JCPOA, outside of the Security Council. This will minimise the potential for creating further tensions in an already divided Council. In an effort to avoid any measures that would challenge the integrity of the processes of the Council, South Africa will continue to encourage all parties involved in the JCPOA to act responsibly and in a manner that promotes peace and builds confidence and trust among nations.
“South Africa will remain resolute in supporting efforts to resolve tensions between all stakeholders and will always promote dialogue rather than antagonism in order to safe-guard gains already made in terms of disarmament and non-proliferation as these are essential for the maintenance of broader international peace and security.
“I thank you.” |
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