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Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and European Commission Launch New Initiative to Strengthen Mpox Testing and Sequencing Across Africa

Source: APO


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The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the European Commission today announced the launch of the Partnership to Accelerate Mpox Testing and Sequencing in Africa (PAMTA), a landmark initiative to boost diagnostics and outbreak response capabilities in Mpox-affected African countries.

Co-funded under the EU4Health 2024 Work Programme, PAMTA reflects the growing momentum of Africa–EU health cooperation and aims to reinforce the continent’s resilience against current and future health threats. The initiative will accelerate testing, sequencing, capacity building, and local manufacturing efforts for mpox and other priority pathogens across Africa through a €9.4 million to Africa CDC and the African Society for Laboratory Medicine (ASLM), managed by the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA). The project officially began on 1 June 2025 and will be implemented over three years.

Africa CDC Director General, H.E. Dr Jean Kaseya, welcomed the initiative as a timely and strategic intervention to close the diagnostic gap for Mpox and other outbreaks in Africa. “This partnership reflects our commitment to working with trusted partners to build agile and self-reliant public health systems across Africa. Together with the EU and our technical partners, we are setting a new benchmark for outbreak detection and response.”

The PAMTA initiative focuses on four key objectives: scaling up Mpox testing with the goal of supporting over 150,000 tests across the continent; strengthening genomic sequencing capacity to track viral evolution and spread; building human resource capacity in molecular diagnostics, genomics, bioinformatics and data interpretation; and promoting the production and validation of locally developed testing kits within Africa.

“PAMTA marks a historic milestone as the first initiative jointly signed between the European Commission and Africa CDC,” said Deputy Head of DG HERA, Laurent Muschel. “Building on HERA’s earlier donation of Mpox vaccines, this action enables a critical next step: strengthening diagnostic capacities as part of a broader medical countermeasures approach. It reflects our shared commitment to reinforcing epidemic preparedness across Africa — from vaccines to diagnostics, from innovation to manufacturing. This action shows that, together, the African Union and the European Union can deliver tangible results to protect lives.”

The launch of PAMTA builds on broader efforts by the EU and its partners to address the Mpox outbreak. By mid-2025, more than 600,000 vaccine doses had been delivered to African countries through HERA and Team Europe. Simultaneously, research initiatives such as MPX-RESPONSE and EDCTP3 continue to explore new therapeutic options, while the Africa Pathogen Genomics Initiative (PGI)—also funded through EU4Health—is enhancing public health laboratory networks and genomic surveillance across the continent through public private partnerships.

PAMTA marks a significant milestone in EU–Africa collaboration for health resilience. By supporting comprehensive diagnostics and fostering local innovation, the initiative is helping to lay a strong foundation for Africa’s long-term pandemic preparedness and response capabilities.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

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Charting a mine-free future: The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and Italy convene Libya’s first Mine Action Support Group

Source: APO


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The United Nations Support Mission in Libya and the Government of Italy brought together international partners for the first Libya Mine Action Support Group in Tripoli on Tuesday, which focused on better protecting the people of Libya from mines and unexploded ordnance.

The meeting aimed to enhance coordination among donor states, facilitate discussion on mine action activities in Libya, and highlight critical funding gaps and priority needs to better coordinate support to the sector.

“Supporting mine action in Libya is not just about clearance. It is about protection, dignity, and hope,” said Special Representative of the Secretary General, Hanna Tetteh. “What Libyans cannot afford is more contamination, more loss, and more fear. Libya needs stability, not more explosive hazards.”

Despite relative calm in parts of Libya, mines and unexploded ordnance from sporadic clashes and long-standing contamination continue to endanger civilians. Since 2020, more than 420 casualties have been recorded due to explosive remnants of war. However, these figures do not reflect the full reality, they only represent the confirmed incidents.

SRSG Tetteh urged the international community to focus on the value of every life impacted. “We must never measure suffering in numbers,” she said. “The life of one child, one farmer, one worker; each life holds equal value. Every step towards safety and recovery matters.”

The meeting was hosted by the Ambassador of Italy to Libya, Gianluca Alberini, who welcomed participants with a message of solidarity and emphasized the urgency of collective responsibility. “Italy remains a steadfast partner in Libya’s path to safety and stability,” he said. “Our commitment to mine action is rooted in our belief that every life saved, every community cleared, is a step toward peace.”

The Chief of the Mine Action Programme in Libya, Fatma Zourrig, delivered a presentation on efforts to clear explosive hazards in Libya, strengthen national capacity, and called for sustained support to ensure long-term safety and stability. As of mid-2025, over 438 million square meters remain contaminated. Since 2011, mine action partners have cleared nearly 248 million square meters, while delivering between 2023-mid 2025 more than 13,600 risk education sessions to over 104,000 beneficiaries, including thousands of women and girls.

Significant institutional progress was also highlighted. The Libya National Mine Action Strategy is currently under development, alongside an ongoing review of Libyan Mine Action Standards. Originally developed with the support of UNMAS in 2015 and adopted and published Libyan Mine Action Centre in 2017, the revised standards will ensure alignment with global best practices.

The gathering came in support of the Secretary‑General’s global campaign, which upholds humanitarian disarmament, accelerates mine action as an enabler of human rights and sustainable development, and drives forward the vision of a mine-free world.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).

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Nigeria takes bold steps toward Hepatitis-free future with World Health Organization (WHO)’s support

Source: APO


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The World Health Organization (WHO) has collaborated with the Government of Nigeria and hepatitis stakeholders to raise awareness and promote early diagnosis and treatment for World Hepatitis Day 2025. The global event, observed annually on 28 July, raises awareness about viral hepatitis- an inflammation of the liver that can lead to chronic liver disease and liver cancer.

Hepatitis includes five types: A, B, C, D, and E. In the WHO African Region, over 70 million people suffer from chronic hepatitis B or C, but fewer than 10% are diagnosed or treated. Nigeria, with 325,000 new infections in 2022, ranks third globally in hepatitis prevalence. 

Chronic hepatitis B and C can lead to liver damage and cancer, even though they are preventable, treatable, and, in the case of hepatitis C, curable.

This year’s theme, ‘Hepatitis: Let’s Break It Down,’ calls for action to remove financial, social, and systemic barriers, including stigma, that prevent hepatitis elimination and liver cancer prevention.

For 2025 World Hepatitis Day, WHO joined the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and its partners to mark the occasion with a ministerial press briefing at the Federal Secretariat, and launched a three-day hepatitis B screening, on the stop vaccinations for those who test negative, and linkage to treatment programme for those who test positive at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja.  

The event at the National Assembly in Abuja brought together health officials, legislators, and the public to address the issue of hepatitis.

Addressing journalists at the press briefing, the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Mohammed Pate, represented by Dr Godwin Ntadom, Director Public Health Department, FMOH, reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to combating hepatitis. 

He noted that the burden and cost of hepatitis treatment in the country is still very high and, as such, has a huge economic impact on the country and called for collective action in eliminating the disease. 

Dr Ntadom said, “hepatitis costs Nigeria between ₦13.3 trillion and ₦17.9 trillion annually in direct and indirect costs.
He also announced, ‘Project 365,’ a nationwide campaign aimed at eliminating Hepatitis C and halting Hepatitis B transmission by 2030. 

“The project will support the ongoing efforts to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV, hepatitis, and STIs, alongside expanding local pharmaceutical manufacturing through funding, the establishment of the Viral Elimination Fund, tax incentives, regulatory reforms, and legislative support.

Nigeria must no longer hold the third-highest hepatitis burden globally. We have the science, we have the strategy, and we will act together, boldly and urgently, toward a hepatitis-free Nigeria, he said.

WHO’s Acting Representative in Nigeria, Dr Alex Gasasira, represented by Dr Mya Ngon, cluster lead for  Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Communicable and Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) praised Nigeria’s triple elimination initiative for HIV, hepatitis, and STIs, and emphasized the importance of reducing treatment costs, boosting local production, and expanding screening to achieve healthcare equity.

WHO urges Nigeria and other nations to:
•    Ensure hepatitis B vaccination within 24 hours of birth;
•    Integrate hepatitis testing and treatment into primary healthcare services;
•    Address stigma and misinformation;
•    Secure sustainable domestic funding for hepatitis programs; and
•    Protect the rights of individuals living with hepatitis, especially in healthcare and employment.

She reiterated WHO’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s efforts to strengthen its health systems and expand access to affordable diagnostics, vaccines, and treatments.

A beneficiary of the screening, Fash Yommie, 53, from Abuja, shared that he took the test to know his status. 

“I took the test to know my status, and I am relieved to have tested negative. I now understand the importance of hepatitis prevention. I will start taking precautionary measures, such as avoiding sharing needles and ensuring proper hygiene with food and water, to protect myself and my loved ones from infection. I encourage everyone to get tested and vaccinated, as early detection is key to preventing this disease.

“Early detection and vaccination are crucial in preventing the spread of hepatitis. Hepatitis B is transmitted through contact with infected blood or fluids, hepatitis C via blood-to-blood contact like sharing needles, and hepatitis A and E through contaminated food or water. 

Nigeria has enhanced hepatitis B prevention by adding the vaccine to the national schedule, supported by WHO, Gavi, UNICEF, and partners, to vaccinate all newborns and children and reduce early transmission.

This year’s activities reflect the broader goal of integrating hepatitis services into Nigeria’s primary healthcare system, making screening and treatment more accessible to vulnerable populations. 

The National Assembly event is part of WHO’s ongoing collaboration with Nigeria to achieve universal health coverage and align with the 2030 Global Health Agenda. Through national and local partnerships, WHO supports Nigeria in reducing the hepatitis burden and improving public health outcomes. The three-day screening serves as a reminder that hepatitis is preventable, and everyone has a role in raising awareness and preventing its spread.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) – Nigeria.

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Reserve Bank cuts repo rate by 25 basis points

Source: Government of South Africa

The South African Reserve Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has decided to reduce the repo rate by 25 basis points to 7%, with effect from the 1 August 2025. 

Addressing a media briefing on the MPC’s decision on the repo rate, SARB Governor Lesetja Kganyago said the decision to reduce the policy rate was unanimous.

“The rand has strengthened and inflation expectations have moderated. The June Consumer Price Index (CPI) print showed headline inflation at 3% and core at 2.9%, still at the bottom of our target range.

“That said, food inflation has risen, mainly due to meat prices. Fuel prices are also falling more slowly now, compared to the recent past. We therefore expect headline inflation to rise over the next few months, averaging 3.3% for the year, in line with our earlier forecasts.

“Prices then stabilise around the target objective over the rest of the forecast period. The risks to this outlook appear balanced,” the Governor said on Thursday.

While the economic activity for the first quarter of 2025 was seen as weak, the recent data flow has been positive, suggesting that the economy picked up in the second quarter of the year. 

“Statistics South Africa has since reported that growth was just 0.1%, in line with our expectations. However, there was also a downward revision to earlier Gross Domestic Product (GDP) data. Along with an assumption of higher United States tariffs on South Africa, this has caused us to mark down our 2025 growth forecast.

“The economy’s underlying growth trend remains low, mainly due to persistent supply-side problems, for instance, in logistics. Higher levels of uncertainty also seem to have affected output, with business and consumer confidence deteriorating in the first half of the year. However, we still expect modestly higher growth in the coming years, supported by ongoing structural reforms,” he said.

According to the Governor, over the past few months, the prospect of a lower inflation target has bolstered the rand and lowered long-term borrowing costs. 

“It is important to sustain this progress, and to minimise uncertainty about the longer-term objectives of monetary policy. Therefore, the MPC now prefers inflation to settle at 3%. In line with this, we have decided to aim for the bottom of our inflation target range, of 3-6%. 

“We welcome the recent moderation in inflation expectations and would like to see expectations fall further. This would expand policy space and make our framework more robust to shocks. 

“We will use forecasts with a 3% inflation anchor at future meetings. The South African Reserve Bank will also continue working with the National Treasury to complete target reform and achieve permanently low inflation,” Kganyago said. – SAnews.gov.za

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Regional Workshop on the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) Fiscal Expenditure Methodology for Francophone and Lusophone States

Source: APO – Report:

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The ECOWAS Commission, in collaboration with the World Bank, has launched a four-day regional workshop from the 28th to the 31st of July,2025 in Dakar, Senegal focused on strengthening the capacity of francophone and lusophone Member States to evaluate and manage tax expenditures.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Representative of the Minister of Finance of Senegal, Mr. Issa Faye warmly welcomed delegates on behalf of the Government and people of Senegal. He emphasized the country’s commitment to greater fiscal transparency and effective public resource management. “Tax exemptions, if well-targeted, can be tools for growth and poverty reduction. However, their real impact must be rigorously measured” he noted. Senegal’s hosting of the event, he added, reflects its strong support for regional fiscal harmonization and cooperation.

Mr. Rajiv Kumar, representing the World Bank, acknowledged the progress made by several ECOWAS Member States and encouraged greater transparency and systematic reporting. “World Bank is pleased to partner with ECOWAS to deliver this important workshop that aims to strengthen the capacity of member states to manage the fiscal and economic impact of tax expenditures,” he stated.

In her opening remarks, H.E. Ambassador Zelma Yollande Nobre Fassinou, ECOWAS Resident Representative to Senegal, emphasized the importance of the workshop and expressed gratitude to the Government of Senegal for its continued support for regional integration efforts. She highlighted that “Tax expenditures,when not properly evaluated, can undermine domestic resource mobilization and limit the capacity of our governments to finance vital programs.” Ambassador Fassinou emphasized that the workshop is not only a platform for technical learning but also an opportunity to strengthen partnerships and enhance collective governance in line with the 2023 ECOWAS Directive on Tax Expenditures. She further noted the importance of timely submission of tax expenditure reports by Member States, in alignment with the provisions of the Directive, as an important step towards improved transparency and accountability in fiscal policy across the region.

Ambassador Fassinou also highlighted the workshop’s aim to encourage open dialogue and peer exchange, noting that participants will present their national frameworks, challenges, and best practices. “This workshop provides an ideal platform to deepen our shared understanding, align our methodologies, and enhance regional cooperation in managing fiscal incentives” she said.

The workshop features technical sessions, practical exercises, and country presentations aimed at improving governance, transparency and alignment of tax incentives with national development strategies. Participants include officials from finance ministries, tax administrations and regional and international partners.

This workshop reinforces ECOWAS’ commitment to strengthening national capacities and aligning fiscal practices with regional integration objectives.

– on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

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Technical mission to Ghana on the deployment of Système Interconnecté de Gestion des Marchandises en Transit (SIGMAT) between Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire

Source: APO – Report:

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From the 21st to 25th of July 2025, the ECOWAS Commission conducted a technical mission to Ghana as part of transit reforms aimed at ensuring the efficient cross-border movement of goods in the region. To this end, an IT solution called SIGMAT – “Système interconnecté de gestion des marchandises en transit” (Interconnected System for the Management of Goods in Transit) – was established to enable the electronic exchange of data between Member States.

Since the launch of SIGMAT in 2019, the Member States that have implemented this tool have reported its significant impact on transit procedures and the benefits it has brought to the countries.

It is in this context that ECOWAS Ministers from the Member States of the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor (ALCO), meeting in Cotonou on the 5th of October 2023, requested the ECOWAS Commission to ensure the prompt deployment of SIGMAT in the five Member States of the corridor. This is to facilitate the smooth cross-border movement of goods along the corridor.

Consequently, the ECOWAS Commission carried out a technical mission to Ghana from 21st to 25th July 2025 to assess and address the interconnection challenges between Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire in order to ensure seamless SIGMAT connectivity along the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor. The mission brought together technical and functional experts from the Commission, Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana.

During a meeting with the Commissioner of Customs of Ghana, the Director of Customs Union and Taxation, Mr. Salifou TIEMTORE, on behalf of the ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Mrs. Massandjé TOURE-LITSE, reiterated the commitment of the ECOWAS Commission to support Member States in their efforts to ensure the deployment of SIGMAT on all trade corridors to facilitate the efficient movement of goods in the region.

For his part, the Commissioner of Customs of Ghana, Brigadier General Glover ASHONG ANNAN, expressed the Ghana Revenue Authority’s gratitude to the ECOWAS Commission for this timely intervention aimed at securing transit trade in the ECOWAS region and reducing transit-related fraud that threatens the revenues and security of Member States.

At the end of the mission, the technical and functional challenges hindering the proper functioning of transit between Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana were resolved.

– on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

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Labour 20 Summit places fairness under the spotlight 

Source: Government of South Africa

Labour 20 Summit places fairness under the spotlight 

Employment and Labour Deputy Minister Jomo Sibiya has called for the dismantling of the misconception that competitiveness and fairness cannot co-exist in the global labour market.

The Deputy Minister was delivering remarks at the Labour 20 (L20) South Africa 2025 Summit. 

“Let us be clear: fair wages, decent work and strong social protection are not barriers to growth, but they are the foundations of resilient , future ready economies. The anticipated Employment Working Group declaration lays groundwork for these efforts.

“It recognises that full and productive employment, adequacy and sustainability of social protection systems, wage settings mechanisms, grounded in rights and fairness, are essential to build a just and inclusive societies. It calls on all of us to expand formalisation and reverse decoupling of wages from productivity,” Sibiya said on Tuesday.

The summit was held under the theme: ‘Fostering solidarity, equality and sustainability through a new social compact”.

The L20 represents workers’ interests at the G20 level, bringing together trade union representatives from G20 countries and international trade union federations. It is coordinated by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and the Trade Union Advisory Committee (TUAC) of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). 

The G20 labour component has also been active since the global financial crisis in 2008.

Through its existence, L20 aims to ensure that the voices of workers are heard in discussions on issues of economic policies and labour rights. South Africa’s labour federations – Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu),  Federation of Unions of South Africa (Fedusa), National Council of Trade Unions (Nactu) and the South African Federation of Trade Unions Saftu – attended the summit.

Sibiya commended the L20’s commitment to tackling major labour market challenges, including inequality, declining real wages, and the shrinking labour income share of gross domestic product (GDP). 

“The issues strike at the very heart of our societies and also manifest in growing hardship for working families, the erosion of social cohesion as well as pervasive sense among workers that growth is no longer working for them.

“For the global south, the value of labour has been steadily diminishing. Productivity had risen but workers, particularly those at the lower end of the wage distribution, have not benefitted. The disconnect between the creation of wealth and its distribution is not only unjust, but also unsustainable.”

Priorities 

Sibiya said South Africa’s employment track has been anchored in four key priorities:
•    Promoting inclusive growth and youth employment to ensure that every young person has access to a decent job.
•    Accelerating gender equality in the workforce by addressing systemic barriers to women’s full and equal participation.
•    Reversing the decline in labour income share, so that workers regain the dignified and fair share of the value they help to generate.
•    Harnessing digitalisation to create an inclusive future of work rather than deepening the digital divide.

“Genuine economic growth is closely tied to decent work. This calls for us to actively shape policies and institutions to achieve fair labour market results, necessitates establishing wage systems whether through legislation or collective bargaining that assure a living wage, alongside investment and social protection for life-long income, security and strengthen social dialogue to empower both workers and employers,” he said. 

The importance of financial literacy among workers was also emphasised with the Deputy Minister saying there is a need to “capacitate workers of the world on how to take responsibility of their livelihood, making sure that they use their hard-earned salaries properly.” 

He added that South Africa’s own experiences offered valuable lessons in addressing inequality and unemployment.
According to Sibiya, social partners continue to play a vital role in shaping labour market reforms – this amidst structural constraints. 

“We strongly believe that when working together as government with social partners that is where solutions can be found. Our work is far from over. We must recommend social justice in our economic strategies,” he said. 

The L20 component engagements were also held alongside the 4th G20 Employment Working Group meeting held at Fancourt in George earlier this week. 

The aim of the L20 session was to have a dialogue between trade unions and certain G20 labour and employment Ministers to discuss joint approaches to tackling inequality, fostering wage increases, and increasing the labour income share, as a key priority of this year’s employment track. – SAnews.gov.za

 

DikelediM

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Government launches project for investors in energy sector

Source: Government of South Africa

Government launches project for investors in energy sector

As part of ongoing efforts to unlock infrastructure investments and strengthen the energy sector, government is calling on investors to invest in the country’s transmission infrastructure through the Independent Transmission Projects (ITPs) Programme.

This initiative marks the first time private investment will be allowed in South Africa’s transmission infrastructure, paving the way for a faster rollout of new high-voltage power lines across the country.

“This will support the efforts already underway by the National Transmission Company of South Africa to implement the Transmission Development Plan, which calls for more than 14 000 km of new lines to be built over the next decade.

“The introduction of ITPs is a key objective of Operation Vulindlela Phase II and will play an important role in the broader reform of the energy system. This reform includes the introduction of a competitive electricity market, which will allow multiple generators and traders to compete to provide electricity to consumers at the lowest cost and with the greatest efficiency,” Deputy Minister of Finance Dr David Masondo said on Thursday.

Addressing the launch of the Request for Pre-Qualifications for Independent Transmission Projects (ITPs) in Johannesburg, the Deputy Minister said the reform of the energy system is advancing rapidly, and its commitment remains unwavering. 

“We will not allow any vested interests to delay or obstruct this reform process, including Eskom itself. Indeed, today’s release of the Request for Quotation (RFQ) demonstrates that government, led by [Electricity] Minister Dr [Kgosientsho] Ramokgopa and his team, is working hard to implement the reforms that are needed to ensure long-term energy security and expand access to affordable electricity for all South Africans.

“National Treasury has supported this process through the design of a Credit Guarantee Vehicle, as an innovative mechanism to unlock private capital and complement public financing for infrastructure while minimising contingent liabilities,” he said.

South Africa is faced with a significant infrastructure financing need. 

It is estimated that South Africa’s infrastructure gap is around R3.5 to R4 trillion by 2025, or around R400 billion per annum. 

“This substantial need calls for scaling up of public financing for infrastructure as well as crowding in private capital through public-private partnerships (PPP). The objective of the Credit Guarantee Vehicle is to mobilise and leverage private capital to address South Africa’s infrastructure financing gap by mitigating offtake risk for private investors. 

“This vehicle will also support the efficient deployment of development partner funding under the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) and the achievement of the country’s decarbonisation commitments,” the Deputy Minister said.

While the Credit Guarantee Vehicle will focus on the initial phase on enabling investments in transmission infrastructure, it will be expanded into other areas such as logistics and water over time. 

“The vehicle will be incorporated as a private company in South Africa, regulated by the Prudential Authority. It will operate as a standalone entity with an independent balance sheet and will target a minimum credit rating of AAA.

“A professional executive management team and board of directors with relevant experience and expertise will be appointed to operate and manage the fund,” he said.

The Credit Guarantee Vehicle will issue a combination of payment and termination guarantees to a Special Purpose Vehicle established for the project. 

This will substantially derisk early investments in ITPs until the model has been proven and established.

“We are targeting an initial capital raise of US$500 million for the vehicle, spread across a range of development partners. National Treasury has committed to providing first loss capital of 20%, which will be an initial US$100 million increasing to US$500 million (R9 billion) if needed.

“In February 2025, the Minister of Finance [Enoch Godongwana] wrote to a range of development partners asking them to submit an expression of interest to invest in the vehicle. The responses received have been overwhelmingly positive, with 32 development partners engaged thus far,” the Deputy Minister said.

Formal engagements with participating partners are continuing and will lead to the delivery of conditional equity participation commitment letters in the third quarter of 2025.

This will enable the Credit Guarantee Vehicle to be operationalized by July 2026 to align with the first phase of ITP projects.

“South Africa’s ITP programme, backed by credit guarantees, represents a globally innovative model which has been designed with our own context and needs in mind. 

“It will not only result in massive new investment in infrastructure but will enable thousands of megawatts of new renewable energy capacity to be connected in areas where grid capacity is limited. This will support economic growth, create jobs, and power our economy into the future,” Masondo said. –SAnews.gov.za

nosihle

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‘Evolution of energy landscape’ requires deepening government, industry collaboration

Source: Government of South Africa

‘Evolution of energy landscape’ requires deepening government, industry collaboration

The success of South Africa’s energy transition depends, in part, on deepening and stronger collaboration between government and the renewable energy industry to fill out policy implementation gaps and drive investment.

This according to Chief Executive Officer of the South African Wind Energy Association (SAWEA), Niveshen Govender, who participated in a panel discussion on the sidelines of the third G20 Energy Transitions Working Group (ETWG) meeting held in the North West.

“From an industry perspective… there are a number of requirements that we have to work on with government to ensure that we implement. I think we are doing a good job… We have the energy one stop shop that is now a single point of access to all permitting. You have the Department of Energy and Electricity with a minister [Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa] who is very active in unblocking [challenges]. 

“We have seen government’s readiness of market and allowing for business to come in, invest [and] implement on cost, on time – as quickly as possible – to get those electrons into place,” Govender said.

He noted that the industry and government stand at the same point with a “lot of commonalities” between the two.

“[This is] in terms of ensuring that we have access to energy per country, we have affordable energy to actually use, we have security of supply so we don’t go back to load shedding and we have sustainability in the long-term for reducing our carbon emissions.

“The Minister [Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa] very succinctly articulated… the importance of the energy mix and the importance of renewable energy being central to the decarbonisation of that energy mix,” Govender said.

However, despite these commonalities, misalignments still remain.

“We have very good policies in South Africa, top tier policies. They give good direction and good guidance. It takes everything into consideration… for the people of South Africa to make sure that we’re leaving no one behind.

“Where we do struggle is implementation of these policies. I think the biggest one of those is investor readiness. If you are not engaging industries, your readiness is going to [be impacted] as to what does the investor need to make that policy a reality,” the industry expert said.

He described the current developmental pace of the industry as an “evolution of the energy landscape”.

“We’ve moved from, essentially, the monopoly that Eskom was into public procurement of renewable energy and IPPs [Independent Power Producers]. Now we’re moving into bilateral agreements between these IPPs and… users. We’re even moving one step further into a liberalised energy market where you have traders and aggregators playing a role.

“We see this evolution of the electricity space that’s changing how we do business. It’s changing how we look at the landscape and energy planning,” Govender said. – SAnews.gov.za

NeoB

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Gauteng Social Development welcomes arrest of viral video suspects 

Source: Government of South Africa

Gauteng Social Development welcomes arrest of viral video suspects 

The Gauteng Department of Social Development has welcomed the arrest of three suspects involved in video footage that has emerged depicting a toddler smoking a pipe with an unknown substance in a broken bottle top.

“The Gauteng Department of Social Development is condemning the behaviour of parents following a video that went viral on social media where a toddler is seen smoking a pipe with an unknown substance in a broken bottle top. The department categorically wishes to state that it is gravely outraged by the irresponsible behaviour of the toddler’s parents and further commits to investigating the incident in order to provide the necessary intervention that will help the child.”

In a statement on Wednesday, the department further condemned actions that harm children, such as violence and negligence and emphasised the importance of positive role models and responsible behaviour towards children. 

“This incident is both unfortunate and barbaric, and the department welcomes the arrest of the three suspects involved from Newclare in Johannesburg, including the mother who is detained at a police station. The department calls on community members (particularly those who claim to be community activist and take to posting on social media) to instead take action against these kinds of incidents by reporting to the relevant institutions and/or law enforcement agencies.

“Rather than share such videos widely, the department appeals to the citizens to forward such videos to the police or to the department so that action can be taken against perpetrators, whilst ensuring children’s rights are protected and not violated through such social media postings.”

As the custodian of the Children’s Act, the department condemned the constant disregard of children’s safety and protection in the province.

Meanwhile, Gauteng police confirmed the arrests in the matter.

According to the South African Police Service (SAPS), the Gauteng Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) responded to a call from Sophiatown police station about a child who was brought to the police station by Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) and the grandmother.

“The child was recorded on a video being given what appeared to be drugs and also being given those drugs to smoke. The Johannesburg FCS Unit commander Lieutenant Colonel Marema Mogale and his members responded immediately at about midnight. Three people, the mother and two men, were detained as they were brought to the police station by [the] JMPD,” said the SAPS on Wednesday.

The three-year-old boy was taken to hospital for medical attention and then taken to a place of safety.

The trio were expected to appear before the Johannesburg Regional Court on Thursday, 31 July 2025, on child abuse charges. – SAnews.gov.za

Neo

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