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| PRESIDENT EXTENDS CONDOLENCES ON PASSING OF HIS HIGHNESS SHEIKH SABAH AL-AHMED AL-JABER AL-SABAH |
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| President Cyril Ramaphosa has extended his condolences, on behalf of the Government and people of South Africa, to the Government and people of the State of Kuwait, following the passing of His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, on Tuesday, 29 September 2020. |
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President Ramaphosa said: “Today, the people of South Africa join hands with the people of Kuwait, in mourning the passing of a visionary and remarkable world leader.
“As Foreign Minister for nearly 40 years between 1963 and 2003, His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah at first worked on the international scene to highlight the painful injustices committed against our society, but he was also there to rejoice in our victory in 1994, when a new era dawned upon South Africa.
“Throughout his life, he stayed committed to the continuous development and advancement of the excellent relations that exist between our two friendly countries and among our people, resulting in Kuwait being one of the largest investors in our economy.”
His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah leaves behind a legacy of humanitarian diplomacy, where his response to disaster relief and humanitarian support to the most vulnerable will remain an inspiration for many leaders in the years to come.
His Highness also positioned the State of Kuwait as a widely respected mediator in regional conflicts. |
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| SOUTH AFRICA RE-OPENS ITS BORDERS TO INTERNATIONAL TRAVELLER AMID RESTRICTIONS |
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| Guided by the World Health Organisation’s regulations, South Africa will gradually re-open some its international borders from 1 October 2020 after a six-month closure to manage COVID-19 infection rates. Business and some leisure travel will take precedence as the country welcomes international travellers in a staggered approach. |
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“Travellers intending to visit the country will be expected to produce a PCR [polymerase chain reaction] test that is not older than 72 hours from the time of departure from the country of origin to South Africa.
“This test must be conducted by a certified medical practitioner and should have the name and signature of the practitioner who conducted such test,” said International Relations and Cooperation Minister, Dr Naledi Pandor.
The Minister, together with her colleagues from the Home Affairs, Transport and Tourism departments, fleshed out details for international travel on Wednesday, 20 September 2020, during a briefing on the easing of international travel restrictions.
The briefing came as South Africa moved to alert level 1 on 21 September 2020 as announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Expanding on the requirements for international travel, Minister Pandor said upon arrival in the port of entry, travellers would be screened for any COVID-19 symptoms or for contact with people who had been infected with the COVID-19 virus.
Travellers will also need to provide an address as proof of accommodation should they need to self-quarantine at the time of arrival in the country.
“Should the traveller display any COVID-19-related symptoms or have been in contact with an infected person, they will be expected to take a mandatory COVID-19 test. This test will be at the traveller’s cost,” said Minister Pandor.
If the COVID-19 test comes back positive, the traveller will be subjected to a 10-day quarantine at a designated site. The accommodation at a quarantine site will be at the traveller’s cost.
High, medium and low risk countries
To effectively deal with travellers, South Africa developed a risk-categorisation model for different international travellers. This model classifies international travellers according to a scale of high, medium and low risk.
High-risk travellers are those who come from countries with higher numbers of COVID-19 infections and reported deaths compared to South Africa.
Medium-risk travellers are from countries with relatively equal number of infections and death toll to South Africa and low-risk travellers obviously originate from countries with lesser number of infections of COVID-19 and death toll than South Africa.
“Leisure travellers from high-risk countries will not be permitted. The exception will be business travellers with scarce and critical skills, including diplomats, repatriated persons, investors and people participating in professional sporting and cultural events will undergo the same health protocol screenings,” said the Minister.
The list of high-risk countries is set to be reviewed every two weeks.
If the passport of the traveller from a high-risk country indicates that he/she has spent 10 days or more in a low-risk country before departure, he/she will be considered to be arriving from a low-risk country.
Travellers from medium- and low-risk countries will only be allowed into the country subject to the prevailing visa requirements.
Airlines from high-risk countries are not necessarily banned, but their crew will be required to isolate in facilities at designated accommodation at the cost of their employer.
Long-term visa holders who visit the country for business purposes will be allowed to travel to South Africa. These travellers will also be subject to health screenings for COVID-19 symptoms at the port of entry.
Three airports open for travel by air
Three airports will be opened and operational for international air travel. These airports are OR Tambo International, Cape Town International (in Cape Town, Western Cape) and King Shaka International in (Durban, KwaZulu-Natal).
– Source: SAnews.gov.za |
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| SOUTH AFRICA CALLS FOR DEEPER INDUSTRIALISATION |
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| Trade, Industry and Competition Minister, Ebrahim Patel, says there is a need for the African continent to deepen its levels of industrialisation while also addressing strategic vulnerabilities exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. |
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“This requires more investment flows, economic diversification and greater policy space in the rules of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) for vulnerable economies commencing the hard work of economic recovery,” Minister Patel said.
Minister Patel made the call at a G20 Trade and Investment Ministers Meeting held recently.
The virtual meeting was attended by trade ministers from the largest economies, including the United States, China, European Union, India, Japan, Brazil and Indonesia.
South Africa was the only African representative at the meeting.
Minister Patel said that while the pandemic would affect all countries, the pain would be concentrated in economies with greater fiscal or financial vulnerability, or with higher levels of infection.
“The pandemic disrupted global supply chains. The new consensus on the need for greater supply chain resilience needs to include efforts to spread risk by enabling the greater geographic spread of manufacturing,” Minister Patel said.
The G20 Ministers Meeting focussed on current international trade and investment developments, including COVID-19; the future of the WTO; boosting micro, small and medium enterprises (SMMEs); pathways to economic diversification; and strengthening international investment.
The Minister welcomed the meeting’s agreement to support economic diversification, saying he looked forward to joint efforts to achieve it.
“This should include WTO reform that addresses imbalances in the rules that emerged from the Uruguay Round, to allow for legitimate measures to support industrial development and to provide policy space for digital economy development on the African continent to drive economic growth and development,” Minister Patel said at the meeting.
He affirmed that global trade be underpinned by the principle of special and differential treatment for developing countries.
He also welcomed the meeting’s consensus to promote women’s economic empowerment and the efforts of SMMEs.
Addressing inconsistencies
Pointing to the agreement by trade ministers on the risks of illicit trade, the Minister drew attention to the unresolved problems of under-invoicing and other illicit actions in international trade, which damage the national industrial capacity of many African manufacturers.
This, he said, must be addressed vigorously in the future G20 trade track.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the G20 trade and investment ministers adopted a communiqué on “Realising Opportunities of the 21st Century for All”.
Sustainable growth
In the communiqué, G20 trade ministers committed to use all available policy tools to minimise the economic and social damage of the pandemic, restore global growth, maintain market stability and strengthen resilience.
The G20 ministers also recognised the need to increase the sustainability and resilience of national, regional and global supply chains, and to expand production capacity and trade, notably in the areas of pharmaceutical, medical and other health-related products.
The ministers further recognised the importance of continuing to foster women’s economic empowerment with a view to achieving global economic recovery and endorsed a set of guidelines to promote inclusive economic growth, through increased participation of small and medium enterprises in international trade and investment.
– Source: SAnews.gov.za |
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| SOUTH AFRICA HOSTS INNOVATION SUMMIT |
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| Innovation came to the fore when the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, together with the South African Innovation Summit, hosted a summit this week. |
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The two-day Innovation Summit, which was held on 30 September and 1 October 2020, brought together innovation leaders from different countries, backgrounds, disciplines and world views to create an innovative environment that will prosper the South African economy and have a positive effect on entrepreneurs’ competitive edge.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the summit was held virtually.
As part of this year’s programme, an Inventors Garage competition took place, with participants showcasing their creations at the summit.
The Innovation Summit is a major public gathering on the South African calendar and showcases, connects, capacitates and originates the best start-up talent from Africa to the world.
It has done so for 13 years and made possible deals worth billions for African entrepreneurs.
Dtic Deputy Minister, Nomalungelo Gina, said the department was excited about hosting the Inventors’ Garage competition. She said the competition would profile inventions of young South Africans, as well as the outputs of the technology incentive programme.
“During the summit, we will increase awareness of innovation and new digital technologies, especially to the existing black industrialists and grassroots innovators through collaboration with different economic actors,” said Deputy Minsiter Gina.
The dtic also launched the Khoebo Innovation Promotion Programme (KIPP) during the Summit 2020.
“We have partnered with the Industrial Development Corporation on the KIPP and implementation of the programme throughout the country will happen in line with the rural and township economic revitalisation focus of government.
"Support for grassroots innovators who wish to apply will be provided during the launch,” Deputy Minister Gina said.
The KIPP will have two sub-schemes with the Small Medium Enterprise Growth Scheme, looking at enterprises already in existence while looking to scale-up and penetrate new markets.
The second aspect is the Grassroots Innovation Funding Scheme, where the focus will be on grassroots innovators that are at start-up phase or trading on a small scale.
– Source: SAnews.gov.za |
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| SOUTH AFRICA, MOZAMBIQUE HOST TRADE INVESTMENT WEBINAR |
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| South Africa and Mozambique on Tuesday, 28 September 2020, hosted a two-day virtual Trade and Investment webinar. |
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The webinar was held under the theme ‘Developing Afrocentric Solutions and Forging Partnership in Response to COVID-19’.
Trade, Industry and Competition Deputy Minister, Nomalungelo Gina, and Mozambique Deputy Minister of Commerce and Industry, Ludovina Bernardo, addressed the virtual seminar.
The webinar focussed on trade and investment opportunities available in Mozambique and also discussed strategic issues regarding Mozambique’s investment plans to stimulate the country’s economic growth amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Deputy Minister Gina, the webinar would build on previous outward trade and investment missions held in Mozambique, which yielded significant results in terms of exposing South African companies to the Mozambican market, creating greater knowledge of South African capabilities, improving awareness of investment and trade opportunities.
“This webinar will focus on the status of COVID-19 in Mozambique and the country’s economic response plan, South Africa’s risk adjusted strategy, and opportunities to strengthen partnership in sectors like agriculture and agro-processing, energy and transport infrastructure,” Deputy Minister Gina said.
Total trade between South Africa and Mozambique was on an upward trajectory between 2015 and 2019.
In 2019, total trade between the two countries amounted to R66.20 billion with trade skewed in favour of South Africa.
The composition of South African exports to Mozambique includes, among others, mineral products, machinery and mechanical appliances, base metals and articles of base metal, prepared foodstuffs, vehicles, aircraft, vessels and associated transport equipment and vegetable products, just to mention a few.
The basket of South African exports to Mozambique is made up of value-added goods.
– Source: SAnews.gov.za |
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| PORTUGAL DONATES LAPTOPS, COVID-19 ESSENTIALS TO EDUCATION |
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| The Embassy of Portugal has donated 25 laptops and 2 000 masks to support the phased-in reopening of schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. |
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“The COVID-19 essentials donation and ICT devices come from the people of Portugal. We warmly accept this act of solidarity amid the devastation caused by the COVID-19 global pandemic.
“This occasion today indeed reaffirms the importance of our bilateral relations, informed by the Memorandum of Consultations, signed in 2002,” said Basic Education Minister, Angie Motshekga, during the handover on Monday, 28 September 2020.
Minister Motshekga said the donation came at a time when the sector was tasked with ensuring that every school child had sufficient personal protective equipment (PPE), such as masks, to keep the virus at bay.
“These are key in promoting the COVID-19 pandemic compliance and protecting lives, while allowing schooling to continue. As we know, PPEs are a key arsenal in an all-out war against the pandemic.
"This donation of masks will go a long way to help to meet the moving target of providing PPE to learners,” she said.
Despite the news that South Africa has reached the COVID-19 pandemic peak, Minister Motshekga said the country remained at risk.
“The virus isn’t on level two or planning to go on level one. It is significant to note that our measures have yielded positive results, as we have enough hospital bed capacity, ventilators and oxygen tanks for the foreseeable long period of the pandemic.”
South Africa has a case facility rate of 2.1% – lower than the global rate, while Egypt has a 5.4% case fatality rate, higher than the global average of 3.5%.
“Our mammoth task now is the mobilisation of society for the behavioural change needed as we ramp up non-pharmaceutical interventions as a new way to coexist with the virus.
“Yet, we remain steadfast in our belief that there is a need to balance saving lives versus livelihoods. We remain committed to our moral and constitutional obligation to save lives, first and foremost,” said Minister Motshekga.
Portugal was hailed for its early and effective response to COVID-19, as it managed to avoid a devastating peak like the one seen in neighbouring Spain. It is now dealing firmly with the remnants of the virus through various measures.
“I would like to reiterate my sincere gratitude to the people and the Government of Portugal for their generous support to the phased-in reopening of schools in our country.
“These are challenging times, of fighting an invisible enemy that seeks to decimate lives and livelihoods. Thankfully, our response, together with the international community, has been marked by solidarity and cooperation,” said the Minister.
– Source: SAnews.gov.za |
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| REFLECTING ON AFRICA'S HUMAN TREASURES |
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| Africa’s cultural icons on Monday, 28 September 2020, took part in a webinar aimed at celebrating the continent’s living human treasures. |
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The webinar, organised by the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS), created a platform for arts and heritage practitioners in the African Union (AU) member states to exchange best practices in celebrating Africa’s heritage systems, values and attitudes in the digital world.
The CEO of the National Arts Festival and Grahamstown Foundation, Monica Newton, said in February this year, that they started planning for scenarios impacted by COVID-19.
Newton said her festival team went from building venues to building a website that could host a festival.
Newton said the arts sector imagined a new world, a new medium and a new audience engaged through the eye of a camera.
“Income opportunities for artists and the technical production services sector were created. New audiences were reached locally and abroad.
“Significant goodwill with the arts sector was created through both the process, publicity and income opportunities presented to artists. It generated significant publicity and grew the social media presence of the festival significantly,” Newton said.
The festival’s long-term sponsors and partners have continued to lend their support.
“Our virtual gallery and virtual green spaces will continue to be hosted to build the online audience base and test the viability of online models for the festival.
“We used to talk about a “post-COVID” future but it is now clear that we will be living with the pandemic for some time,” she said.
Newton said to survive COVID-19, they were going to need the help and support of every art lover, artist, government and every possible business partner.
Renowned jazz musician Jimmy Dludlu said the changes brought on by COVID-19 were extremely challenging, especially for musicians.
“These days as artists, we have to come up with new innovative ways to adapt to the new normal.”
Opening up to new experiences
It is Dludlu’s extensive travels around the world that have made him open to being adaptable. One of the things he has learned from is diverse cultures, particularly other African languages.
“Throughout the world, I was exposed to many people and that made me more interested in other languages and other people’s heritages,” Dludlu said.
Dludlu said young people must be taught about the country’s heritage and preserve it.
“My dream is to build a digital icon for our young people. We need to find a way to preserve all our continent’s different cultures and heritages. On our continent, we have a rich culture,” he said.
The Director-General of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, Vusumusi Mkhize, said the month of September was a time when South Africans took pride in their rich and diverse cultural heritage and many languages, cultural practices, belief systems and diverse skills and knowledge systems.
“These are our elders who have preserved and excelled in the preservation of our indigenous knowledge that they inherited from elders within their communities.
“Our indigenous knowledge has been systematically denigrated and at times destroyed by colonial and apartheid authorities across the continent,” Mkhize said.
Africa has also produced distinguished women and men, who have contributed to the liberation of the continent.
“We owe a great deal to the dedication of these compatriots,” Mkhize said.
He said there was a need to take lessons from knowledge holders, past and present.
“Our liberation heroes and heroines fought to liberate our continent from colonial subjugation. Our Living Human Treasures are still preserving the indigenous knowledge of our continent.”
GCIS Director-General, Phumla Williams, said the webinar was a platform for arts and heritage practitioners in the AU member states to exchange best practices in celebrating Africa’s heritage systems.
“These important sessions continue to create a platform for exchanging ideas and information on best practices,” she said.
– Source: SAnews.gov.za |
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| SOUTH AFRICA TO HOST GLOBAL GENDER, WORK AND ORGANISATION CONFERENCE IN 2023 |
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| South Africa is set to host the Gender, Work and Organisation Conference (GWO) in 2023, a first for Africa. The conference will be great for students focussing on gender studies, to collaborate with students from the rest of the world. |
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The University of Stellenbosch Business School (USB) has been selected from a competitive round of applications received from around the globe, to host the GWO in 2023.
The GWO provides an international forum for debate and analysis of contemporary matters affecting gender studies specifically related to the workplace.
Prof. Anita Bosch, USB Research Chair of Women at Work will be the lead convenor together with Faith Ngunjiri, Concordia College, United States of America; Nasima Carrim, University of Pretoria; and Ameeta Jaga, University of Cape Town.
Prof. Bosch said hosting the conference in 2023 would be a first for Africa and a major achievement given the significant positioning of the GWO in global business scholarship.
“USB is ideally placed to take the lead as host institution with our expertise in workplace gender studies and offers us the opportunity to showcase the high calibre of international scientific and scholarly pursuits on the African continent.”
“We are extremely proud that USB has been recognised as a partner to the GWO, which further strengthens the business school and Stellenbosch University’s international scientific standing.”
Attracting around 500 people from around the world, the conference convenes for interdisciplinary scholarly exchange. The conference evolved in recent years from the GWO Journal, launched in 1994 and the first journal to provide an arena dedicated to debate and analysis of gender relations, the organisation of gender and the gendering of organisations. It is one of the top journals for explicitly feminist work in organisation studies.
– Sources: The University of Stellenbosch Business School and www.goodthingsguy.com |
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| SOUTH AFRICAN RECEIVES INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR SOCIAL INNOVATION |
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| Social entrepreneur and founder of African Teen Geeks, Lindiwe Matlali, has cracked a major award from the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship for her efforts to bring Science, Technology and Maths to disadvantaged communities. |
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Matlali – who established Africa Teen Geeks to give South African children the opportunity to access computing education and to inspire Africa’s future generation of entrepreneurs in science and technology – is one of 23 changemakers internationally who is being recognised for social innovation by the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship in partnership with the World Economic Forum.
The Schwab Foundation is recognising the internationally acclaimed innovators who have responded to the needs of those disproportionally affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Social Innovators of the Year 2020 represent a new ecosystem of leaders who are driving change and shifting organisations and systems towards a more just, inclusive and sustainable future.
The 2020 Social Innovators of the Year included a list of outstanding founders and chief executive officers, multinational and regional business leaders, government leaders and recognised experts – who have made deeply meaningful contributions to the world. From building hospitals in rural India, empowering black communities in Brazil, providing financial resources to communities in Ghana, harnessing Artificial Intelligence and big data – to promoting equity in education in South Korea, and breaking the glass ceiling in the public sector in Spain.
– Source: www.goodthingsguy.com |
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| COMPANY WINS MAJOR INTERNATIONAL PURPOSE AWARD |
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| The United Kingdom-based Purpose Awards took place recently and a South African company was the recipient of the Agency of the Year 2020 Award. |
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The Purpose Awards recognise campaigns that use creative ideas successfully to further positive causes, and also acknowledge the organisations behind them.
The awards are open to agencies, brands, public-sector bodies, charities and NGOs throughout Europe, Middle East and Africa.
With the rise of cause marketing and social purpose showing no signs of slowing, winning a Purpose Award is a perfect way to demonstrate an organisation’s ability to excel in this crucial area.
South African company Triple Eight became the first local agency to win the prestigious international award.
Sarika Modi, Managing Director of the women-led company, is ecstatic that their innovative approaches and hard work have paid off:
“We are thrilled to share that Triple Eight won the Agency of the Year 2020 Award in a virtual online ceremony. We are grateful for the support and trust over the years, in our vision to 'Do it on Purpose'. It’s very rewarding that industry peers have recognised the company on the global stage for its work with leading brands in driving positive impact on people and the planet, while also creating strong business results.
"We feel very proud to have represented our country and continent well in work that drives both business and social results.”
Triple Eight is women-empowered and is one of South Africa’s first all-female agencies of this scale. The company employs over 70 women and operates in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi and Zambia.
– Source: www.goodthingsguy.com |
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| SOUTH AFRICAN WINE ESTATE HONOURED IN PRESTIGIOUS TOURISM CONSERVATION AWARDS |
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| Vergelegen wine estate in Somerset West, renowned for its commitment to biodiversity and sustainability, has been named an honoree in the annual Wine & Food Tourism Awards. Vergelegen shares the WWF Conservation Leaders Category win with La Motte in Franschhoek and Spier in Stellenbosch. |
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“We are delighted at this acknowledgement, and extend our congratulations to our fellow awardees,” said Vergelegen MD, Wayne Coetzer.
“Vergelegen has always adopted a team approach to sustainability, whether it is turning to top scientists for advice on our vineyards and fynbos, or developing relationships with ethical, committed suppliers for our restaurants. It is a holistic, long-term journey that is based on excellent partnerships.
Numerous conservation initiatives have contributed to this accolade for the 320-year-old wine farm, which was formally recognised as a Provincial Heritage Site in 2019.
The estate has 18 exquisite gardens, a herd of indigenous Nguni cattle, bontebok, eland and spectacular scenery ranging from the Hottentots Holland Mountains to views of False Bay.
Vergelegen cooperates with the Cape Leopard Trust, and to date, five different leopards have been photographed. Over 150 bird species have been identified, as well as 15 hectares of Lourensford Alluvium Fynbos and 105 hectares of Swartland Shale Renosterveld, both critically endangered.
Vergelegen was the first Biodiversity and Wine Initiative Champion back in 2005 and has also received a Mail & Guardian Greening the Future Award, as well as its Merit Award for water conservation in 2008. The estate received the International Best of Wine Tourism, Cape Winelands accolade in 2016 for an unprecedented fifth time. Vergelegen was the proud recipient of the WESSA (Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa) 2019 Corporate Award, which recognised the wine estate’s sustained commitment to environmental initiatives.
– Source: www.goodthingsguy.com |
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| NATIONAL PARK DUBBED “TOP DESTINATION” BY UK MAGAZINE |
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| KwaZulu-Natal’s (KZN) World Heritage Site, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, has been named one of the top 38 trips in the world by the United Kingdom’s leading independent travel magazine, “Wanderlust”. |
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“There might be better-known national parks in South Africa, but few can rival iSimangaliso Wetland Park for sheer diversity,” said Wanderlust.
It was an honour for KwaZulu-Natal, said acting CEO of Tourism KZN, Phindile Makwakwa. “Opportunely, the endorsement of iSimangaliso as a must-visit world destination coincides with Tourism Month this September, which has the theme ‘Tourism and Rural Development’. The wetland park stands out as a textbook example of how tourism can be a catalyst for economic empowerment and employment creation in rural areas.”
The park is home to diverse ecosystems and supports an abundance of animal, bird and marine life.
Lying on the north-eastern coast of KZN, the iSimangaliso Wetland Park was the first site in South Africa to be inscribed on the World Heritage list by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation. It incorporates Lake St Lucia, part of the largest estuarine system in Africa, as well as the St Lucia and Maputaland marine reserves, the Coastal Forest Reserve and the Kosi Bay Natural Reserve.
A little-known fact is that the park hosts more species of animal than the larger and better-known Kruger National Park and Okavango Delta. It is also home to South Africa’s largest population of hippos and crocodiles. |
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| South Africa’s long-distance luxury passenger train service, the Blue Train, will resume trips in November, with a steep re-opening special. |
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The train service has been in operation since 1946, but was suspended mid-March before the start of lockdown.
It will run again from 1 November 2020, with a re-opening price special that will last to end-March.
The discounted rates for the two-night trip between Pretoria and Cape Town (or from Cape Town to Pretoria) start from R12 715 per person sharing a De Luxe suite – in high season, this rate was R25 445 previously this year.
The price for a Luxury suite starts at R16 950 per person sharing – from R32 135 previously.
“The special rates follow a nation-wide call for more accessible domestic tourism and will be available for all residents of South Africa and tourists whose COVID-19 regulations allow them to enter South Africa from 1 November 2020,” says Vincent Monyake, Executive Manager of the Transnet-owned Blue Train.
“The impact of COVID-19 on the tourism sector has been one of the most visceral, felt across the entire tourism industry value chain. Our hope is that these special rates will encourage people in South Africa to experience our beautiful country through the windows of this national treasure,”
The experience includes five-course gourmet silver service dinners and lunches; breakfast and high teas; live entertainment and a full 24-hour butler service. All alcohol consumption on board the Blue Train is inclusive, including Cuban cigars.
The journey features an off-train excursion in Kimberley where guests will visit The Big Hole and the Kimberley Mine Museum.
The special is only for new bookings. Travellers who had bookings during lockdown could cancel and receive a full refund, or postpone travel with a deadline of December 2021.
– Source: www.businessinsider.co.za |
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| SAMARA PRIVATE GAME RESERVE JOINS GLOBAL COMMUNITY OF LEADING NATURE-BASED TOURISM |
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| Samara Private Game Reserve is delighted to announce its acceptance as a Fellow Member of The Long Run – a global community of nature-based tourism businesses committed to meeting the highest standards of sustainability encompassing the 4 Cs: Conservation, Community, Culture and Commerce. |
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Samara Private Game Reserve is located on 70 000 acres of wilderness in the Great Karoo, offering breathtaking views over the Plains of Camdeboo. Situated approximately 270km from Port Elizabeth and 53km from the nearest town of Graaff Reinet, Samara offers easy access to visitors on excellent roads.
Samara Private Game Reserve is a passionate conservation undertaking – the leader in its area and a catalyst for change in the Great Karoo region of South Africa. The abundant land – which has been allowed to rest over a period of 20 years – preserves a complex and diverse ecosystem.
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Four vegetation biomes provide habitat for over 60 mammal species, including: lion, elephant, cheetah, black and white rhino, buffalo, Cape mountain zebra, giraffe, eland, gemsbok and aardvark, to name but a few. Samara forms part of a greater vision – to create South Africa’s third-largest protected area in a global biodiversity hotspot. The driving force behind this vision is the desire to preserve this irreplaceable part of South Africa’s natural heritage.
“We find ourselves in excellent company with more than 70 partners from 22 different countries, collectively safeguarding over 21 million acres of nature, protecting 30 000 plant and animal species, supporting 6 300 jobs, celebrating 120 cultures and improving the lives of 175 000 people,” says Sarah Tompkins, founder of Samara.
Samara engages in rehabilitating degraded landscapes, managing water catchments and regenerating carbon sinks, all the while functioning as a "living laboratory" for researchers from around the world. This conservation commitment is underpinned by a strong sense of social responsibility. Samara employs 60 mostly local staff and is involved in skills training, community development and the preservation of indigenous knowledge.
Just 26 guests at a time are invited to join Samara’s ongoing journey, with an emphasis on active participation in Samara’s projects. Accordingly, as well as the usual safari game drives, bush walks and wilderness picnics, Samara offers hands-on conservation sessions, personalised tours of rewilding projects and immersive experiences such as fly camping.
– Source: www.goodthingsguy.com |
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| SOUTH AFRICAN RESTAURANT NAMED AS ONE OF THE WORLD’S FAVOURITES |
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| The very best of travel … chosen by millions of travellers across the globe has just selected a South African restaurant as one of the world’s favourites. |
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Crowd-sourced review site TripAdvisor has named La Colombe in Constantia, Cape Town, the 13th-best restaurant in the world in its annual Traveler’s Choice Awards in the fine dining category.
The Travelers’ Choice awards, which are handed down annually to top-performing restaurants, hotels, attractions, and more, are compiled based on reviews and ratings collected from millions of TripAdvisor users over a yearlong period.
La Colombe was the only African restaurant featured on the list for the best fine-dining restaurants around the world.
“La Colombe has consistently received worldwide acclaim and our passionate team is extremely proud to be recognised among the top restaurants in the world,” said head chef, Scot Kirton.
La Colombe is one of South Africa’s most iconic and internationally acclaimed fine-dining establishments. Originally founded on the historic Constantia Uitsig wine estate, it relocated under new ownership to the picturesque Silvermist organic wine estate at the top of Constantia Nek, with breathtaking views overlooking the Constantia wine valley, False Bay and Hout Bay.
Kirton’s philosophy and approach lie in the fusion of Asian and French cuisine and the pursuit of excellence and perfection on each plate, resulting in numerous local and international awards.
The freshest seasonal produce, uncomplicated clean flavours and classical elegance are the essence of his inspiration and passion for food. Kirton’s delivery of classic signature dishes and his endless array of sublime new inspirations form the mainstay of La Colombe’s Tasting Menu.
With impeccable service and an award-winning winelist, La Colombe is a truly unforgettable experience.
– Source: www.godthingsguy.com |
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| SOUTH AFRICAN SWIMMER TATJANA SCHOENMAKER BREAKS 12-YEAR NATIONAL RECORD |
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| Tatjana Schoenmaker has broken the 12-year-old short-course South African record in the 200-m breaststroke. Schoenmaker accomplished the feat at the Regional Short-Course Championships in Pretoria. She finished in 2min 18.20sec to lower the mark set by Suzaan van Biljon in 2008 of 2:18.73. |
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Schoenmaker’s time would have placed her fifth in the 2019 world rankings, and the swim moved her up to 20th on the all-time list. Her previous best was a 2:18.93 at the 2018 South African Short Course Championships.
Last year, she became the first South African female to win a medal at the World Championships when she won a silver in the 200-m breaststroke. In the 100-m breaststroke, she finished sixth. She also won the 100-m and 200-m breaststroke gold medals at the 2019 World University Games.
At the 2018 Commonwealth Games, Schoenmaker also cleaned up in the breaststroke events, with the Gold Coast Games really announcing her arrival on the big stage.
The 23-year-old had been a popular choice to win a medal at the Tokyo 2020 Games, perhaps even gold in the 200m, but the postponement due to the COVID-19 pandemic won’t have done anything to weaken her chances when the Games are staged next year.
“Not only do I have the privilege of breaking Suzaan’s record but also being able to have her as a friend! God really blessed me,” Schoenmaker said on social media. “Thank you to everyone else who made this possible and for your endless support.”
– Sources: TeamSA and www.sapeople.com |
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| TWO SOUTH AFRICANS NAMED IN WORLD SERIES DREAM TEAM: SELVYN DAVIDS AND JC PRETORIUS |
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| Springbok Sevens players, Selvyn Davids and JC Pretorius, were honoured for their superb performances during the shortened sevens season with the ultimate accolade after being named in the 2020 World Rugby Sevens Series Dream Team. |
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World Rugby confirmed the winners of various World Rugby Sevens Series 2020 Awards recently, including the names of the two South Africans in the Dream Team alongside Scott Curry (New Zealand), Tavite Veredamu (France), Napolioni Bolaca (Fiji), Jordan Conroy (Ireland) and Aminiasi Tuimaba (Fiji).
For Davids and Pretorius, inclusion into this select group is a very special milestone and achievement. The team was selected by the World Rugby Sevens Series Awards panel, comprising former international sevens players and series commentators.
Davids, who scored 109 points for the Blitzboks in 33 matches with 11 tries and 27 conversions, also made 52 runs, topped only by Pretorius.
The 21-year-old forward not only made 53 runs, but also scored 13 tries and made 41 tackles in 27 matches, placing him second in both categories for the Blitzboks.
“It certainly is a dream come true and very unexpected,” said Davids.
“One will always credit your teammates when awards come your way, and this is certainly as much acknowledgement to their efforts as to mine. They contributed in a huge way and I want to thank them for that.”
The Blitzboks’ victory at the HSBC Los Angeles Sevens was his stand-out moment in the season, Davids added: “I was not on the field anymore when we scored to force extra time and then got the winning try in sudden death, but even from the side, that was an amazing feeling. In fact, I still get goose bumps just talking about it.”
Pretorius concurred: “That was special yes. My favourite try was against Japan in Cape Town though. Just playing in front of our home fans for the first time was such a special moment for me and when I scored my first try in front of them, it was such an amazing feeling.”
– Sources: SARugby and www.sapeople.com |
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| DARRYN BINDER EARNS PODIUM WIN AT MOTO3 RACE OVER THE WEEKEND |
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| Darryn Binder is following in the footsteps of his brother Brad by earning himself his first Moto3 podium win over the weekend. |
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Darryn Binder, 22-years-old, earned his first-ever first place podium position for Moto3 recently. Darryn has previously placed second (2019) and third (2018) at various Moto3 Grand Prix.
Darryn is riding a KTM for CIP Green Power this year. He first entered the industry through the Red Bull Rookies Cup and went on to start his Moto3 career in 2015.
His first-place win over the weekend has South Africans praising the Binder family for continuing to fly the South African flag high. Darryn has raced 94 races to get to this moment, his first win!
“Barcelona is a special place for me because I took my first-ever World Championship point here back in 2016.
“And today, I had absolutely everything down to a tee and it was just a fight to the end. I can’t thank the boys (team) enough. I’m just over the moon
“To my parents back home, thank you guys. I wouldn’t be here today with them. I love you guys lots and I’ll see you soon.”
– Source: www.godthingsguy.com |
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| DURBAN WINS BID TO HOST WORLD TABLE TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS IN 2023 |
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| The first-ever World Table Tennis Championships is coming to Durban in 2023 and to the African continent for the first time since 1939. |
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The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) on Monday, 28 September 2020, said Durban won 90 votes (69.77%) to beat off competition from the other candidate city, Düsseldorf, Germany, which won 39 votes (30.23%).
The KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Nomusa Dube-Ncube, has since expressed gratitude to the South Africa Table Tennis Board (SATTB) President, Joe Carrim, for working with the KwaZulu-Natal Government, eThekwini Municipality and other key role players during the bidding process.
“I know that in the beginning, it was extremely difficult but through your determination, you have managed to pull this off.
“On behalf of the people of KwaZulu-Natal, I wish to personally salute all role players who have been involved in this important national project,” Dube-Ncube said.
She thanked government and Premier Sihle Zikalala and the entire provincial Cabinet for the guidance throughout the bidding process.
“With Durban being selected as the next host city, we flatter ourselves to believe that this is because South Africa and KwaZulu-Natal, in particular, have in the past proved to be worthy and competent hosts of a number of national, continental and international events of diverse interests.”
Dube-Ncube said the province was overwhelmed by the enthusiastic response and interest that had been shown by the sport-loving community from across the globe.
“The people of KwaZulu-Natal cannot wait to welcome international and national visitors during the World Table Tennis Championship in 2023.”
The MEC said they were excited that the championship would become one of the most important and “a must-see event” in the global calendar.
“Equally, we congratulate Germany, the country that has hosted the event on six previous occasions, including twice in the past eight years.”
Carrim said winning the bid took a great deal of effort and commitment from all parties and the reward was a combined effort and that the hard work to ensure it is a success starts now.
“I wish to thank the members of the ITTF for their trust and belief in our ability to host this global event. We thank them for their patience during the site inspection, which was followed by a video presentation on 21 September due to restrictions imposed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Carrim said.
He also thanked the Premier, his Cabinet as well as Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda and MMCs of eThekwini for their unwavering support.
The ITTF is the world governing body for all 226 affiliated national table tennis associations and responsible for the organisation of numerous international competitions, including the World Table Tennis Championships that has continued since 1926.
– Source: SAnews.gov.za |
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| STATEMENT BY AMBASSADOR JERRY MATJILA, PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF SOUTH AFRICA TO THE UNITED NATIONS, DURING THE SECURITY COUNCIL MEETING ON THE SITUATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST, INCLUDING THE QUESTION OF PALESTINE, 29 SEPTEMBER 2020 |
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“Mr President,
“Let me begin by thanking Special Coordinator, Mladenov, for his useful and frank briefing on the current situation in the occupied Palestinian territory.
“Mr President, during the recently held General Debate of the 75th Session of the General Assembly, we have heard many Member States reflect on the birth of the United Nations and its shared values of peace, justice, equality and dignity for all and to save successive generations from the scourge of war.
"However, despite these august ideals, Palestine and its people remain under illegal occupation and continue to be deprived of these shared values and ideals."
Read more: http://www.dirco.gov.za/docs/speeches/2020/matj0929.htm |
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| STATEMENT BY AMBASSADOR JERRY MATJILA, PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF SOUTH AFRICA TO THE UNITED NATIONS, ON BEHALF OF NIGER, TUNISIA, SAINT VINCENT & THE GRENADINES AND SOUTH AFRICA (A3+1), DURING THE SECURITY COUNCIL MEETING ON UNITAMS, 25 SEPTEMBER 2020 |
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“Mr President,
“I have the honour of delivering this statement on behalf of the African countries, Niger, South Africa and Tunisia as well as St Vincent and Grenadines (A3+1).
“At the onset Mr President, permit me to express our gratitude to you for convening this meeting. Additionally, we would like to thank our briefers today, USG Rosemary DiCarlo; and USG Jean-Pierre Lacroix, for their enlightening briefings on the developments pertaining to Sudan and UNITAMS.
“The A3+1 would also like to express our appreciation to the UNITAMS planning team for their efforts and consistent consultations in order to bring life to the envisioned special political mission. We are confident that they will successfully navigate the mammoth task ahead of them.”
Read more: http://www.dirco.gov.za/docs/speeches/2020/matj0925.htm |
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