Category: Africa

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Power cuts and sleep: students link loadshedding to anxiety, disrupted rest and lower marks

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Joshua Davimes, Senior Lecturer in Anatomical Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand

South Africa endured its worst year of loadshedding (scheduled power cuts by the country’s utility, Eskom) in 2023. The power went off on 335 of the year’s 365 days, often several times a day. The country hasn’t had these planned power cuts for more than a year and a half since.

Much has been written about how loadshedding affected businesses, healthcare and the economy. But far less is known about the effect on people’s sleep.

As sleep scientists and members of the South African Society for Sleep and Health (SASSH) we are interested in studying, and raising awareness about, the importance of sleep to people’s well-being. People usually sleep within a specific window of time, and if their sleep is interrupted they get less sleep. Fragmented sleep and low sleep duration have been associated with poor health and cognitive outcomes, including higher cardiometabolic risk (diabetes, high blood pressure and heart problems), lower cognitive performance (attention, executive function and learning), higher risk of developing depression or anxiety, and chronic pain.

Sleep is easily disturbed by the world around us, including light, noise, temperature and worry. Loadshedding changes all of these at once. We wanted to gain insight on how loadshedding affected the sleep of university students in particular. This seemed an important group to study as they already tend to sleep poorly, keep irregular hours and carry heavy workloads. Any extra disruption could, therefore, have an impact on both their health and their studies.

Between August and November 2023 more than 1,100 students at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg completed our anonymous online survey. We asked how loadshedding affected their sleep, whether they had access to backup power, and how outages affected their studying and grades. Specifically, we wanted to understand how access to alternative power sources might make a difference to sleep.

Overall, around a quarter of the participants said power cuts affected their sleep. Poor sleep had an impact on their studies and grades.

Loashedding has eased, but South Africa’s grid remains under pressure. Our study raises important considerations for universities, not only in South Africa, but any country that faces unreliable electricity generation and distribution.

What we found

Nearly three in four students considered their sleep affected by loadshedding. Of those, four in five said it made their sleep worse. The most common complaint was broken sleep, with students waking more often during the night.

The reasons students gave were revealing.

Almost half lay awake worrying about appliances such as fridges, phones and internet routers not being powered, and keeping food fresh, or having internet connection. Nearly a third were anxious about security in the dark. A similar number found their bedrooms too hot or too cold as they couldn’t power fans or heaters. About a third said they took longer to fall asleep with disrupted daily and sleep routines, as well as more generator noise pollution affecting sleep onset.

Timing mattered. Students reported that outages between 8pm and half an hour past midnight were the most disruptive. This period covered the evening routine of cooking, washing and studying, and included the average bed time for these students of 11pm, which they reported in our study.

Not everyone slept worse. About one in five affected students said they slept better. Most of them said this was because screens and wifi were switched off and their rooms became darker and quieter.

Backup power lessens those effects, but not equally

Backup power made a difference, but not all backup power was equal. Students with an alternative supply had roughly 60% lower odds of reporting worse sleep, after we accounted for factors such as age, sex and where they lived.

About half of the participants lived in family or private housing, away from the university. The other half lived in university residences or dormitories. At the time, the university had a generator fleet that partially powered on-campus residences.

Among those with backup power, generator and battery inverter users reported worse sleep about half the time. Among solar users it was fewer than one in four. Generators are loud and cycle on and off, which can break sleep. Access to backup power was also uneven. Only 40% of participants had access, with those living in university residences having more than those living at home.

Sleep and studying

Poor sleep and poor studying went together. Two thirds of students said loadshedding had affected their studies, and more than half of these reported a drop in grades. Students who slept worse were more likely to report lower grades and to arrive late for class.

More than four in ten said they simply studied less during outages.

Sleep plays a central role in learning. Sleep helps the brain store what was learned during the day and remove unnecessary memories “to start afresh” the next day.

Our study cannot prove that loadshedding caused grades to fall, but the pattern fits what sleep research already shows.

Why it matters

Our study offers some of the first evidence on how planned power cuts affected sleep in young people.

Planned outages are still part of daily life across sub-Saharan Africa and in countries such as Nigeria, Ghana, Zambia and Pakistan.

The findings raise practical considerations for universities, energy planners and households. They suggest that quieter backup options such as solar may protect sleep better than generators.

They also suggest that late evening outage slots carry a particular cost.

For students, keeping a regular sleep routine during outages may help, rather than filling the dark with phone screens. The lights may come back on, but sleep lost while they are off is harder to recover.

– Power cuts and sleep: students link loadshedding to anxiety, disrupted rest and lower marks
– https://theconversation.com/power-cuts-and-sleep-students-link-loadshedding-to-anxiety-disrupted-rest-and-lower-marks-293836

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How K-dramas use Africa as a backdrop to boost South Korea’s image

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Osarugue Otebele, Assistant Professor, Cinema Studies Institute, University of Toronto

The success of South Korean popular music or K-pop continues to power the Hallyu Wave, a term that describes the global obsession with the country’s pop culture production.

But before K-pop came the spread of K-drama, TV series from the country, starting in the late 1990s. By 2024 the melodrama Queen of Tears ranked as the most watched Korean series on Netflix, becoming the 14th most watched show of all time on the streaming service. It followed on the success of many other hits like Crash Landing on You and Marry My Husband.

K-drama has led to the development of another trend: Africa repeatedly appears as a homogeneous place full of savage danger or childish immaturity, and in need of a Korean saviour.

As a scholar of film and media, with a specific interest in global Black art and film practices, I recently studied how and why Africa became this trope in K-drama. This is particularly true in rags-to-riches romance stories and melodramas.

I traced Africa’s presence in three K-dramas – Shooting Stars (2022), Marry My Husband (2024) and Queen of Tears (2024). In them, Africa appears in three different negative ways:

  • in need of charity

  • a place of rebellion and savagery

  • a place of punishment for a “troubled” child.

My intention wasn’t to say why these portrayals are bad, but rather to understand what they reveal about South Korea. How they function as a scale for measuring and emphasising South Korea’s own development.

No longer the poor post-war country of the late 1950s, South Korea can now position itself among leading world powers. It has grown in the global economic and cultural landscapes.

Yet, as I argue in my study, what allows countries like this to define their developmental status is their ability to distinguish themselves from Africa. I propose that Africa’s presence in K-dramas is as a place maker, or specifically image-maker. Africa’s “savage” presence serves as a way of distinguishing the emerging soft power of South Korea, where what benefits the country’s global image is the ability to provide aid to Africa.

A place to do good

In his book On the Postcolony, Cameroonian philosopher Achille Mbembe describes Africa as Europe’s “signifier”. This means that the way Europe comes to know and define itself is only possible through how it defines itself against Africa.

But my study contributes to showing that this is not just the case in the west. The ever-growing presence of eastern soft powers such as China and South Korea means that longstanding stereotypes of Africa have found new sites of replenishment.

There are some major threads that connected Africa’s presence in the K-dramas I studied. One is its portrayal as a place where non-Africans could go to build character by participating in volunteer work as part of an NGO. In Marry my Husband, for example, the show’s antagonist Oh Yu-ra loses her job in the family business and is sent to “join a volunteer foundation in Africa to build character”.

In Shooting Stars, this idea of Africa as the epicentre of charity is even more apparent. The show’s opening sequence features the main character digging wells in Africa. He’s accompanied by smiling village children and a sound that one viewer described as “Lion King music”.

In both shows, South Korea is personified through the characters sent to Africa. While Yu-ra is sent as punishment, the character in Shooting Stars is an actor whose volunteer trip aids in his public image in South Korea. Africa becomes what builds the image and character of others, but only by being relegated to a cliché.

Yu-ra’s punishment shows how Africa becomes the K-drama’s vessel to hold the unwanted or defamed of other nations. It collects what disrupts the happiness of romance and, by extension, of nation-making, in South Korea. This figuration of the continent reappears in Queen of Tears.

A lawless continent

Queen of Tears does not follow the Asian-saviour-in-Africa trope. Instead, it presents Africa as a place for youthful inhibitions, with no sense of order or rule of law. The ideal place for the kinds of behaviours that might be illegal in the more “civilized” South Korean society that the character exists in.

In Africa’s brief cameo in the show’s third episode, the younger brother of the show’s protagonist, Soo-Cheol, reminisces on his rebellious days:

I’m reminded of when I went to Africa. My twenties were filled with wildness and barbarism.

When chided that he stayed in his hotel for most of the trip, Soo-Cheol comments, “I had enough of the wildness just looking out of the window.”

A character recalls being sent to Africa. Screengrab/tvN/Studio Dragon/Queen of Tears

Here, Africa is understood in proximity to danger and savagery. Is it that there are no crime, criminals, or places and people in need of saving in South Korea? The obvious answer is no, but as my study finds, when viewed through these shows, the answer reads more like, “Compared to Africa, yes.”

Where will Africa go next?

This treatment of Africa began long before the shows in my study. Africa’s character-building qualities appear, for example, in the 2018 film Burning. The film’s female protagonist goes on a “soul-searching” quest to find life’s greater meaning.

In unscripted variety shows, African immigrants living in South Korea, like Sam Okyere or Jonathan Yiombi, often feature as hosts or guests, but not without their share of racist backlash.

Okyere, for example, was subject to racist comments after criticising a video of South Korean students recreating a popular video from his home country, Ghana. The same happened to Yiombi after South Korea was eliminated from the football World Cup because the DRC, his country of birth, defeated Uzbekistan, indirectly causing South Korea to be eliminated.

For better or worse, Africa’s metaphorical and literal presence has come to occupy South Korea’s cultural and aesthetic imagination. Despite Africa also being a continent full of modern urban life, cultural riches and innovation, the clichés remain.

Read more: Streaming giants have helped bring Korean dramas to the world – but much is lost in translation

This presence is only possible through the expected and invented image of the savage, helpless and primitive, who is in need, even after independence, of more civilising. And not only from western colonial powers, but also from the growing economies of the east.

A symbol of lack

K-dramas are increasingly popular in Africa, yet when constantly viewed this way, Hallyu’s success in Africa comes with a heavy representational price.

Despite their engagement with K-drama, African audiences can only ever seem to see themselves represented through a colonial gaze that benefits South Korea’s pursuit of global power. Africa then, while continuing to build South Korea’s cultural capital, can only ever exist as a symbol of lack.

– How K-dramas use Africa as a backdrop to boost South Korea’s image
– https://theconversation.com/how-k-dramas-use-africa-as-a-backdrop-to-boost-south-koreas-image-292171

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Chapo Defende Papel das Famílias e Líderes Religiosos na Consolidação da Paz

Source: Africa Press Organisation – Portuguese –

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O Presidente da República, Daniel Chapo, defende que a consolidação da paz e da reconciliação nacional exige o envolvimento de todos os moçambicanos, com destaque para as famílias e os líderes religiosos. O Chefe do Estado considera que a paz não deve limitar-se às negociações políticas e às celebrações históricas, devendo ser construída diariamente nas comunidades, nas escolas e no seio familiar.

Falando durante a Conferência Nacional Inter-religiosa, Daniel Chapo apelou à promoção do diá., do perdão, da tolerância e do respeito pelas diferenças, independentemente da religião, origem étnica ou filiação partidária dos cidadãos.

O Presidente da República alertou igualmente para os efeitos da desinformação, do discurso de ódio e da manipulação de conteúdos nas redes sociais, incluindo através da inteligência artificial, considerando que estes fenómenos podem alimentar divisões e comprometer a convivência pacífica entre os moçambicanos.

Daniel Chapo sublinhou que a educação para a paz começa nas famílias, defendendo que os pais e encarregados de educação devem acompanhar a formação dos filhos e transmitir-lhes valores éticos e morais. Na sua perspectiva, a exposição das crianças e dos adolescentes a conteúdos digitais exige maior responsabilidade por parte das famílias e da sociedade.

O Chefe do Estado destacou ainda o contributo das diferentes confissões religiosas na promoção da dignidade humana, da solidariedade, do amor ao próximo e da reconciliação nacional, apelando ao reforço da sua participação no diá. nacional inclusivo.

Sobre este processo, Daniel Chapo considerou que constitui uma oportunidade para reflectir sobre questões fundamentais para o futuro do país, entre as quais a reforma do Estado, o sistema de justiça eleitoral, a modernização da administração pública e a gestão de conflitos.

O Presidente da República defendeu, por fim, que a construção de uma paz duradoura exige instituições sólidas, cidadãos conscientes e comunidades reconciliadas, capazes de rejeitar a violência como instrumento de resolução de divergências.

A intervenção teve lugar no âmbito das reflexões sobre os 50 anos da Independência Nacional e a perspectiva de construção de 50 anos de paz em Moçambique.

Distribuído pelo Grupo APO para Portal do Governo de Moçambique.

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Governo quer Medir Sucesso dos Corredores Logísticos Pelo Crescimento das Empresas Nacionais

Source: Africa Press Organisation – Portuguese –

O Governo moçambicano considera que o desempenho dos corredores logísticos deve ser avaliado não apenas pelo volume de mercadorias movimentadas, mas também pelo crescimento das empresas nacionais, pela criação de empregos e pelo valor acrescentado.

A convicção foi expressa, na cidade portuária de Nacala, na província de Nampula, pelo Secretário de Estado dos Transportes e Logística, Chinguane Mabote, na abertura de um workshop sobre o papel da logística, das infra-estruturas e da aviação no desenvolvimento da indústria extractiva, realizado no âmbito da Conferência e Exposição Mineira sobre Adição de Valor com Base em Minerais Disponíveis (CAVAME-d).

 “O sucesso dos nossos corredores não pode ser avaliado apenas pelas toneladas exportadas. Deve também ser medido pelo valor acrescentado que permanece no País, pelas empresas nacionais que crescem, pelos empregos criados e pelas regiões que passam a dispor de melhores ligações aos mercados”, vincou.

Mabote defendeu que Moçambique deve aproveitar a sua posição geográfica, os portos e as ligações rodoviárias e ferroviárias para desenvolver uma economia mais industrializada, capaz de transformar internamente os recursos minerais e energéticos.

“Não queremos apenas transportar a riqueza que extraímos. Queremos criar condições para produzir e transformar mais riqueza dentro de Moçambique”, declarou.

Para alcançar este objectivo, considerou necessária a modernização integrada dos corredores de Maputo (sul do país), Beira (centro) e Nacala (norte), observando que o aumento da capacidade portuária, por si só, não resolve os constrangimentos do sistema logístico quando persistem limitações nos acessos rodoviários e ferroviários ou atrasos nos procedimentos administrativos.

“A competitividade da indústria extractiva começa muito antes de uma carga chegar ao porto. Depende do estado das estradas, da capacidade ferroviária, da disponibilidade de equipamentos, da eficiência dos terminais, dos tempos de passagem nas fronteiras e da previsibilidade dos serviços”, afirmou.

O responsável destacou que uma interrupção num dos componentes da cadeia logística pode comprometer o funcionamento de todo o sistema, defendendo, por isso, que os investimentos sejam programados em função das necessidades dos operadores e das empresas que utilizam estas infra-estruturas.

Entre os projectos mencionados figuram a expansão do Porto de Maputo, com investimentos anunciados de cerca de 500 milhões de dólares até 2028, e o Terminal Logístico de Dondo, provincial central de Sofala, cujo investimento está estimado em 117 milhões de dólares.

No domínio ferroviário, apontou a ligação entre Moatize e Nacala-à-Velha, com capacidade anunciada para transportar 18 milhões de toneladas de carvão por ano, como exemplo da articulação entre a exploração mineira, o transporte ferroviário e as infra-estruturas portuárias.

O governante defendeu igualmente que os corredores devem beneficiar outros sectores da economia, nomeadamente a agricultura e a indústria, facilitando o escoamento da produção, o acesso aos mercados e a redução dos custos de transporte.

A indústria extractiva, acrescentou, pode criar oportunidades para empresas moçambicanas nas áreas da construção, manutenção industrial, armazenagem e prestação de serviços técnicos.

“Queremos que as empresas moçambicanas participem cada vez mais nestas actividades, com capacidade para prestar serviços competitivos e cumprir padrões exigentes de qualidade e segurança”, sublinhou.

O Secretário de Estado defendeu ainda uma maior coordenação entre os sectores dos transportes, mineração e energia, bem como a preparação das infra-estruturas para enfrentar os riscos climáticos, que podem interromper ligações estratégicas e encarecer a circulação de mercadorias.

O workshop integra a CAVAME-d, que decorre em Nacala-Porto, província de Nampula, e reúne representantes do Governo, empresas e outros intervenientes ligados à exploração, transformação e comercialização dos recursos minerais e energéticos. (AIM)

Distribuído pelo Grupo APO para Portal do Governo de Moçambique.

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Businesses called to open doors for young job seekers

Source: Government of South Africa

Businesses called to open doors for young job seekers

President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on businesses to expand employment opportunities for young people, urging employers to look beyond work experience and recognise the potential, aptitude and determination of young job seekers. 

Addressing the SA Youth National Leadership Convening at the Galleria Conference Centre in Sandton on Thursday, the President said government, business, labour, civil society and educational institutions must work together to tackle youth unemployment. 

He urged businesses to create more opportunities for young people to gain workplace experience, develop their skills and demonstrate their capabilities.

“Let us stop treating a lack of experience as a lack of ability. A young person should not have to spend years searching for an opportunity simply because no employer is prepared to give them a first chance.”

The President said youth unemployment is not merely an economic challenge, but a social and human challenge that affects the country’s future.

He called for a shift in how young people were prepared for the world of work, saying South Africa could not address unemployment by continuing to do more of what had always been done but instead to rethink the way “we prepare young people for the world of work.”

Shared responsibility

The President emphasised that addressing youth unemployment is a shared national responsibility and could not be left to government or business alone. 

Government must create an enabling environment for investment, enterprise development and employment, while businesses must invest, expand productive activity and open their workplaces to young people.

Educational institutions, meanwhile, must equip young people with the knowledge and skills required by employers.

Labour, civil society and communities also have a role to play in ensuring that opportunities are accessible, fair and inclusive, while young people must actively participate in shaping their economic futures.

The President said the Government-Business Partnership had demonstrated the value of cooperation in addressing constraints on economic growth, improving the investment environment and supporting reforms in critical economic sectors.

He called for the same spirit of cooperation, urgency and determination to be applied to youth employment.

The President said initiatives such as the Presidential Youth Employment Intervention, the SA Youth Pathways Network and the Youth Employment Service had established practical ways of connecting young people to opportunities.

Public employment programmes had also enabled young people to gain work experience while contributing to education, food security, community safety and environmental protection.

However, he stressed that the country’s ambition must extend beyond placing young people in temporary programmes.

He said public employment opportunities should serve as stepping stones to further training, entrepreneurship or lasting employment, while workplace placements should provide entry points into careers.

The President also called for stronger connections between education, training, work experience and employment.

He said reforms to the skills development system, including the Sector Education and Training Authorities and technical and vocational education and training colleges, are aimed at making training more responsive to industry needs.

In addition, businesses should play a greater role in identifying skills requirements, designing training programmes and providing workplace learning, while colleges should produce graduates equipped to participate in the modern economy.

He further called for vocational and technical careers to be recognised as attractive and rewarding pathways to success.

He highlighted the need for artisans, technicians, builders, electricians, mechanics, agricultural specialists and other professionals with practical and technical skills.

Supporting entrepreneurs

The President said South Africa also needed to expand opportunities for young entrepreneurs, who could establish businesses, develop products, provide services and create employment.

While young people were demonstrating enterprise and innovation in townships and rural communities, many promising businesses struggled to grow because of limited access to finance, markets, business support and infrastructure.

He called on government and business to expand access to start-up and working capital, open procurement opportunities and supply chains to youth-owned enterprises and provide mentoring and business development support. 

Established businesses were also encouraged to integrate young entrepreneurs into their value chains.

“A young entrepreneur does not always need a grant. Sometimes what that entrepreneur needs most is a customer. A contract. A market. An opportunity to prove that their business can deliver,” he said. 

The President identified tourism, agriculture, infrastructure, manufacturing, digital services, the green economy and the creative industries as sectors with significant potential to create employment and develop skills.

He said government, industry and training institutions needed to work more closely to identify growing labour demand and ensure young people were equipped to take up available opportunities.

Implementation

President Ramaphosa said the Work SA Youth Implementation Plan provides a framework for coordinating efforts and scaling up approaches that had demonstrated their effectiveness.

However, he stressed that implementation must take precedence over strategies and announcements.

He also called on business leaders to identify practical employment opportunities within their companies and industries, while industry associations should work with employers, including smaller businesses, to expand workplace learning and entry-level recruitment.

Education and training institutions should strengthen their relationships with employers, while government departments and agencies should remove obstacles preventing these efforts from succeeding.

The President said the partnership needed clear responsibilities, practical commitments and mechanisms to assess progress.

“We need to know what is working, what is not working and what needs to change,” he emphasised. 

In addition, successful programmes should be expanded, while those that were failing need to be improved.

President Ramaphosa also emphasised that young people were not asking for special treatment, but for a fair chance to work, learn, earn a living and contribute to the country’s development. –SAnews.gov.za 

 

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Government investigates gastrointestinal illness cases in the Eastern Cape

Source: Government of South Africa

Government investigates gastrointestinal illness cases in the Eastern Cape

Government has launched an investigation into reported cases of gastrointestinal illness affecting 111 people at Rhodes University in Makhanda and 23 inmates at St Albans Correctional Centre in Nelson Mandela Bay.

The investigation was announced in a joint statement by the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), the Eastern Cape Provincial Government, Makana Local Municipality and Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality.

The investigation follows reports of individuals in the two municipalities receiving treatment at various healthcare facilities for symptoms including severe abdominal cramps, diarrhoea, vomiting and dehydration. 

The joint statement explained that DWS received a media alert about gastrointestinal illnesses reported by Rhodes University, prompting the activation of a response team involving the provincial Department of Health and the DWS regional offices.

A multi-stakeholder technical team has since been established to investigate the source of the illnesses and contain their spread.

The team comprises the DWS, provincial departments of Health and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Sarah Baartman District Municipality, Makana Local Municipality, Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), Amatola Water and Rhodes University.

An intergovernmental meeting was held on Wednesday evening, led by Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina and Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane, alongside Makana Executive Mayor Yandiswa Vara and Nelson Mandela Bay Executive Mayor Babalwa Lobishe.

“The meeting received reports from the technical team covering information on the number and location of gastrointestinal illness cases, the samples taken by the NICD and water quality tests conducted by the DWS as well as additional urgent measures being implemented to protect communities,” the statement read.

The technical team collected water samples from various water sources in Makana, including Rhodes University’s internal water storage and distribution system, the municipal distribution network and the water treatment works.

At St Albans Correctional Centre, samples were collected from the elevated water storage tower through which the facility receives potable water from the Nelson Mandela Bay municipal supply system.

“Preliminary findings indicate that the spread is currently concentrated within the university and the Saint Albans Prison. Initial test results indicate that the contamination is within the university’s water distribution system and within the prison’s water distribution system, and not within the municipal water distribution systems.

“Laboratory test results of all the samples taken are still pending and will be communicated as soon as they become available,” the statement said.

Government has urged residents who develop symptoms of gastrointestinal illness to seek medical attention early and report suspected cases to their nearest healthcare facility or local health authority.

“Early reporting protects not only individuals and families but also enables health authorities to respond quickly and prevent further spread.”

Communities have also been urged to observe good hygiene practices, including washing hands after using the toilet and before handling food.

Earlier this week, the DWS Minister announced the establishment of a multi-pronged response team after 408 cases of gastrointestinal illness were reported at Bronkhorstspruit in the City of Tshwane (CoT) Municipality. – SAnews.gov.za

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Revised White Paper seeks to transform local government funding

Source: Government of South Africa

Revised White Paper seeks to transform local government funding

Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa says the revised White Paper on Local Government will introduce a differentiated funding approach and strengthen merit-based appointments to improve municipal performance and service delivery.

Hlabisa was speaking at the official launch of the Final Revised White Paper on Local Government in Boksburg, Gauteng, on Thursday.

The revised policy seeks to build capable, accountable, financially sustainable and developmental municipalities, addressing challenges that have affected the local government system since the original White Paper was introduced in 1998.

Hlabisa said the review was informed by lessons learnt over the past 28 years, including the shortcomings of a funding model that applied a largely uniform approach to municipalities with different needs and capacities.

“The funding model, the one-size-fits-all, has shown it doesn’t work. If you treat a metro like a small, deep rural municipality in terms of allocation of resources, you are missing the point,” the Minister said.

The revised White Paper proposes a differentiated approach to municipal funding, recognising that metropolitan municipalities and smaller rural municipalities have different responsibilities, resource requirements and service delivery challenges.

Implementation and appointments on merit

Hlabisa said the policy also placed greater emphasis on implementation, warning that its recommendations will have little impact if they are not translated into practical action.

“The White Paper can become a good document, but it can collect dust on the table or on the shelves if there is no implementation.”

The Minister emphasised merit-based appointments as a key measure to strengthen municipal administration, saying municipalities need qualified professionals with the skills and expertise to perform their responsibilities.

He said the revised policy sought to move away from career-based deployment towards appointments based on merit, supported by competent councillors who can provide effective political oversight.

According to Hlabisa, capable municipal administrations and competent political leadership are essential to improving governance and accelerating service delivery.

The review identifies several interconnected challenges requiring coordinated reforms, including weak governance and ethics, limited administrative capacity, financial constraints, infrastructure backlogs and fragmented coordination across government.

It also highlights concerns about public trust and participation, particularly where communities do not see their input translating into visible action or improved service delivery.

Challenges

On governance, the policy identifies weaknesses in oversight, inconsistent accountability and limited consequences for poor performance. Administrative challenges include skills gaps, leadership and management weaknesses, institutional instability and uneven professional practices.

Financial viability remains another key concern, with revenue constraints, weak controls and fiscal arrangements that do not adequately reflect the different realities of municipalities. These challenges are compounded by ageing infrastructure, maintenance backlogs and unreliable services that affect residents’ daily lives.

The revised policy further points to fragmented reform initiatives, which often operate independently with different reporting structures and limited coordination across the local government system.

Public trust

It emphasises the need to strengthen public trust and accountability by ensuring that community participation leads to visible action, feedback and improved outcomes.

Hlabisa said the launch came at an important time, with local government elections approaching and new municipal councils expected to take office following the polls.

“This comes at the right time. A revised White Paper with major recommendations to fast-track service delivery is coming at the time when we are going to have new councillors,” he said.

He said the introduction of the revised policy alongside the election of new councillors presented an opportunity to implement reforms and improve the performance of municipalities.

Hlabisa emphasised that local government is central to people’s daily lives, as municipalities are responsible for delivering essential services to communities.

The revised White Paper is intended to provide a policy framework for addressing these systemic challenges, strengthening municipal governance and ensuring that municipalities are better equipped to meet their constitutional obligations and respond to residents’ needs.

President Cyril Ramaphosa will officially launch the revised White Paper today, bringing together Cabinet Ministers, Premiers, MECs, mayors from municipalities across the country, traditional leaders, academics, civil society organisations, business representatives and organised labour.

Transition Plan

Hlabisa said the key focus following the launch will be the 90-day Local Government Transition Plan to translate the policy framework into practical action. He said the plan will identify immediate priorities, define responsibilities and timelines, and establish multi-sectoral workstreams to advance implementation across government and the local government sector.

“The transition process will also take into account the new municipal term, following the Local Government Elections scheduled for 4 November 2026. This includes supporting the induction of newly elected councillors and aligning municipal planning, budgeting and performance management with the objectives of the revised policy framework,” Hlabisa said. – SAnews.gov.za

 

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Call for young people to seize available opportunities

Source: Government of South Africa

Call for young people to seize available opportunities

Deputy Minister in the Presidency Nonceba Mhlauli has called on young people to take advantage of education, skills development, employment and entrepreneurship opportunities to improve their prospects and contribute to South Africa’s economic development.

Addressing the Youth Career and Services Expo in Thembalethu, George, Western Cape, Mhlauli emphasised the importance of connecting young people with government services, educational institutions and organisations that can help them move from learning to earning.

“Today is about more than an exhibition of services,” Mhlauli said, adding that the expo is about connecting young people to opportunities, bringing government closer to communities and ensuring that the support available through government and its partners reaches those who need it most.

She also added that young people must remain at the centre of South Africa’s development, and that the country’s future depends on investment in their skills, ambitions and potential.

She acknowledged the challenges facing young people, including unemployment, limited access to education and training, lack of workplace experience, and difficulties in accessing funding, mentorship and business opportunities.

“It is therefore not enough to encourage young people to work hard and pursue their dreams. We must work collectively to ensure that they have access to the information, resources and opportunities needed to turn their aspirations into reality,” Mhlauli said on Thursday.

Career and services expos, she said, provide a platform for government departments, educational institutions, public entities and other organisations to engage directly with young people and provide information about available opportunities.

Education and skills development

Mhlauli encouraged young people to explore different education and training pathways, including universities and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges.

She noted that South Africa’s 50 public TVET colleges offer qualifications in fields such as engineering, information technology, agriculture, hospitality, business and skilled trades, while the country’s 26 public universities develop professionals, researchers, innovators and leaders.

“Whether you choose a university or a TVET college, what matters is how you apply your knowledge. I encourage young people to pursue internships, apprenticeships, volunteering, leadership and practical workplace experience. Qualifications open doors, but initiative, adaptability and a commitment to lifelong learning help you progress,” she said.

She also highlighted the role of the National Skills Fund, Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) and industry partnerships in supporting skills development and strengthening the link between training and labour market needs.

On access to higher education, she urged prospective students to familiarise themselves with the funding support available through the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS).

“If you are considering university or TVET college but are concerned about affordability, visit www.nsfas.org.za to establish whether you qualify. Applications for the 2027 academic year are still open and are expected to close on the 31st of October 2026. Do not assume that you will not qualify before checking the requirements,” she said.

READ | NSFAS receives over 868 000 applications for 2027 funding

Connecting young people to earning opportunities

The Deputy Minister also highlighted the Presidential Youth Employment Intervention (PYEI), launched by President Cyril Ramaphosa in 2020 to respond to youth unemployment.

At the centre of the intervention is the National Pathway Management Network (NPMN), which connects young people to information about jobs, internships, learnerships, apprenticeships and other earning opportunities through partnerships involving government, educational institutions, the private sector and civil society.

According to Mhlauli, the PYEI has facilitated access to more than 2.5 million earning opportunities, while more than 5.9 million young people are registered on SAYouth.mobi and over 5.36 million on Employment Services of South Africa (ESSA).

In the first quarter of 2026 alone, 155 161 new opportunities were created, with more than 70% accessed by young women.

“These figures demonstrate the scale of efforts to connect young people to economic participation. However, we recognise that more work remains to ensure that opportunities are accessible and lead to meaningful, sustainable livelihoods,” she said.

She shared the story of Adelia Njabulo Nqubuka, who registered on SAYouth.mobi and enrolled in a programme run by Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator.

Having started without established connections or business capital, Nqubuka developed her skills and gained experience before establishing her own construction company, a sector historically dominated by men.

“Her story demonstrates what can happen when opportunity meets initiative. Government can establish platforms, support programmes and build partnerships, but young people must also register, apply and pursue the opportunities available to them,” the Deputy Minister said.

Mhlauli encouraged unemployed young people to register on SAYouth.mobi, which is free and zero-rated on participating mobile networks. – SAnews.gov.za

 

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Devant le Conseil de sécurité, Valentine Rugwabiza fait le point des progrès et défis relatifs à la mise en œuvre du mandat de la Mission multidimensionnelle intégrée des Nations Unies pour la stabilisation en République centrafricaine (MINUSCA)

Source: Africa Press Organisation – French


La République centrafricaine a été, ce 20 octobre, à l’agenda des discussions du Conseil de sécurité des Nations Unies à l’occasion de la présentation, par la Cheffe de la MINUSCA, Valentine Rugwabiza, du dernier rapport du Secrétaire général sur la situation en RCA. Au nombre des points abordés figurent les avancées dans la mise en œuvre de l’accord de paix, la restructuration de la Mission, les élections, les droits de l’homme, les nouveaux défis sécuritaires transfrontaliers et les défis humanitaires. Occasion pour la Représentante spéciale de réitérer l’impérieuse nécessité de préserver les progrès et de continuer à privilégier la paix et la stabilité à long terme.

Dès l’entame de son exposé, la Cheffe de la MINUSCA a salué la libération, le 19 octobre, des trois dernières personnes, dont le sous-préfet, enlevées à Bambouti (Haut-Mbomou, au sud-est de la Centrafrique), lors de l’attaque du 28 décembre 2025. Une libération qui résulte d’une opération dirigée et sécurisée par la MINUSCA, à l’issue de plusieurs mois d’intenses efforts de médiation menés par les autorités locales et la Mission.

Des progrès concrets, mais aussi des défis

A l’intention des membres du Conseil de sécurité, Valentine Rugwabiza souligne que des résultats tangibles sont enregistrés, notamment « dans la mise en œuvre des processus politiques et de paix, l’extension effective de l’autorité et de la présence de l’État sur l’ensemble du territoire de la RCA, la protection des civils ainsi que la tenue des élections historiques de 2025 « et sont « le fruit des efforts soutenus des autorités et du peuple centrafricains, avec l’appui de la MINUSCA. Ces acquis doivent désormais être préservés et consolidés ».

Les avancées enregistrées en matière de désarmement ne sont pas des moindres.« Depuis juillet 2025, plus de 1 900 combattants ont été désarmés et démobilisés grâce au soutien logistique, sécuritaire et technique de la MINUSCA ».

Pour consolider ces acquis, la cheffe de la MINUSCA invite le Gouvernement à « accélérer, avec l’appui de la MINUSCA, l’achèvement du processus de désarmement et de démobilisation ainsi que l’auto-dissolution des groupes armés, tant il est vrai que « la pérennité de ces efforts passera par l’accélération du processus de réintégration socio-économique avec l’appui coordonné des partenaires de la République centrafricaine ».

La situation sécuritaire au cours des derniers mois a aussi connu des évolutions positives, grâce aux efforts conjugués de la MINUSCA et du Gouvernement. Des difficultés subsistent cependant dans la zone de la triple frontière entre la République centrafricaine, le Tchad et le Soudan. Le 30 juin, des groupes armés ont notamment attaqué Am-Dafock, dans la Vakaga.

L’attaque a provoqué le déplacement de plus de 17 000 civils et blessé six Casques bleus de la MINUSCA. Face à cette situation, la Mission a renforcé sa présence dans la zone et adopté des mesures robustes pour protéger les civils, appuyer les forces nationales et rétablir l’autorité de l’État.

La Cheffe de la MINUSCA a toutefois précisé que « les acquis en matière de paix et de sécurité n’ont pas été remis en cause et qu’aucune détérioration sécuritaire significative n’a été observée dans les localités où les bases de la MINUSCA ont été fermées », confirmant ainsi « l’efficacité de nos mesures d’atténuation, lesquelles comprennent notamment « des patrouilles de longue portée plus fréquentes en soutien aux forces armées et de sécurité nationales dans les zones où les responsabilités relatives à la protection des civils et aux tâches de sécurité ont été transférées à nos homologues nationaux ».

Quid de la restructuration de la MINUSCA ?

La mise en œuvre de la reconfiguration de la Mission a été l’un des points de l’intervention de la Représentante spéciale devant le Conseil de sécurité. Cette mesure doit permettre à la MINUSCA d’adopter une posture plus robuste et plus agile, concentrant ses ressources dans les zones à plus haut risque tout en favorisant une plus grande appropriation nationale dans les zones plus stables. Pour la Représentante spéciale, les premiers résultats sont positifs puisque la sécurisation dans certaines localités n’a pas été mis en cause grâce aux mesures mises en place par la MINUSCA.

La planification de la transition de la MINUSCA fait l’objet d’une concertation étroite entre la Mission et le Gouvernement centrafricain. Aussi, la Représentante spéciale a-t-elle rappelé la tenue, en août dernier, d’une réunion de haut niveau consacrée à la planification conjointe de la transition, qu’elle avait co-présidée avec le Premier ministre et Chef du Gouvernement.

« Cette réunion, dit la Cheffe de la MINUSCA, a mis en lumière les progrès déjà accomplis par la MINUSCA dans le transfert de certaines tâches aux autorités nationales ainsi que les capacités nécessaires au transfert de tâches supplémentaires. Notre approche commune est claire : la transition doit être conduite sous l’appropriation nationale, de manière responsable et en tenant compte des réalités du terrain afin de préserver les acquis, encore fragiles, en matière de paix, de sécurité et de stabilité ».

Alors que le Conseil poursuit les discussions en vue du renouvellement du mandat de la MINUSCA, la Représentante spéciale exhorte ses membres à maintenir celle-ci avec des effectifs et des capacités adéquats durant cette phase critique de consolidation. Le prochain mandat, fait-elle valoir, devrait être consacrée à la consolidation des progrès réalisés en matière de sécurité et de stabilisation afin de créer les conditions nécessaires à une transition progressive et responsable.

Le maintien des acquis au cœur des préoccupations du Conseil de sécurité

A tour de rôle, les 15 membres du Conseil ont salué des progrès constants réalisés par la République centrafricaine, avec le soutien de la MINUSCA, notamment dans le processus de paix, de désarmement, démobilisation et réinsertion, de protection des civils, ainsi qu’en matière de restauration et d’extension de l’autorité.

Ces avancées n’occultent en rien les défis sécuritaires encore notables sur le terrain. Aussi, le Conseil a-t-il souligné la nécessité de poursuivre du désarmement, la dissolution effective des groupes armés encore actifs et la réintégration durable des anciens combattants restent des conditions essentielles pour renforcer la stabilité et la sécurité sur le terrain.

Et préserver les acquis suppose le maintien des capacités de protection de la MINUSCA face à des menaces sécuritaires encore persistantes et de conduire toute évolution du dispositif de la MINUSCA en fonction des réalités du terrain.

Les États membres du Conseil ainsi que le représentant permanent de la RCA à l’ONU ont tous rendu hommage à la Représentante spéciale pour le travail accompli à la tête de la MINUSCA depuis quatre ans et demi. Des témoignages qui ont mis en exergue son engagement en faveur de la stabilisation du pays, du dialogue politique et de la mise en œuvre des priorités du mandat de la Mission.

Distribué par APO Group pour United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA).

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SA seeks to turn China’s zero-tariff access into jobs, industrial growth

Source: Government of South Africa

SA seeks to turn China’s zero-tariff access into jobs, industrial growth

South Africa is working to turn China’s zero-tariff treatment for African countries into increased exports, local manufacturing and job creation. 

Speaking at a briefing reception on China’s Zero-Tariff Treatment to African Countries, in Pretoria on Thursday,  Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau urged South African businesses to take advantage of duty-free access to the Chinese market, while government continues negotiations aimed at providing long-term certainty for exporters and protecting local industries.

“Let us move from interest to deals, and from deals to prosperity,” the Minister said.

China introduced the unilateral preference scheme, which provides duty-free market access for 100% of products, with the exception of 47 tariff lines subject to tariff-rate quotas, for the period from 1 May 2026 to 30 April 2028.

Tau said South African products that meet the applicable rules of origin can enter the Chinese market without customs duties.

Between 1 June and 31 August, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) issued 25 975 certificates of origin, while customs declarations increased by 199% year-on-year.

The Minister said South Africa had also developed a Top 100 value-added product portfolio for the Chinese market, covering sectors including agro-processing, beverages, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, machinery, medical equipment, fabricated metals, plastics and rubber, automotive products and other industrial capabilities.

The portfolio is intended to help direct export-promotion activities towards products with identified commercial opportunities.

Strengthening trade ties

China remains South Africa’s largest trading partner globally and an important source of investment.

Total bilateral trade between the two countries reached R642 billion in 2025, up from R483 billion in 2021. South African exports to China increased from R198 billion to R222 billion over the same period, while imports from China rose from R284 billion to R420 billion.

Chinese foreign direct investment stock in South Africa stood at R117 billion in 2024, with more than 200 Chinese companies having invested in the country. More than 25 South African companies have also invested in China.

Tau said the scale of the relationship made predictable trade rules and balanced trade essential.

“A relationship of this importance must rest on predictable rules and balanced trade. The zero-tariff treatment runs for two years, and we are not waiting for it to expire.”

In February, Tau and Chinese Minister Wang Wentao signed a framework agreement on economic partnership in Beijing. South Africa and China are now negotiating an Early Harvest Agreement through the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), with officials in Beijing this week working towards concluding the negotiations.

The proposed arrangement is intended to provide exporters with greater certainty beyond 2028, while including safeguards to protect South African industry and jobs.

“South Africa trades with all its partners. Diversifying our markets is how we protect South African jobs in an uncertain world. Predictable market access gives investors the confidence to build production in South Africa. 

“That is what we want, not only more trade, but more factories, more processing and more jobs here at home,” the Minister said.

Expanding industrial cooperation

He also highlighted progress in industrial development, including investment in special economic zones, automotive manufacturing, electric vehicles and battery production.

On Tuesday, Tau visited the Fetakgomo-Tubatse Special Economic Zone, which is situated between the Lion and Samancor chrome smelters in Limpopo.

READ | Fetakgomo-Tubatse SEZ: A game-changer for Limpopo mining and jobs

He said the focus on the zone forms part of South Africa’s Industrial Development Strategy, which prioritises the reopening of smelters to support economic growth.

In the automotive sector, Chinese vehicle manufacturers are contributing to local manufacturing through partnerships and investment in South Africa’s production capacity.

BAIC operates through a joint venture with the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) to manufacture and assemble vehicles locally. Chery has also acquired Nissan South Africa’s manufacturing facility in Rosslyn, Pretoria, which officially opened in July 2026.

According to the Minister, Chery retained 692 former Nissan employees and plans to scale up to nearly 3 000 direct and indirect jobs.

In the electric vehicle and battery value chain, the IDC is supporting a market feasibility study on local battery cell manufacturing, led by the Localisation Support Fund, with Afrivolt as the applicant and Gotion High Tech as the technical contributor.

The IDC is also pursuing strategic partnerships in battery mineral processing, battery component manufacturing and local battery energy storage system production, alongside technical support for utility-scale stationary storage. – SAnews.gov.za

 

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