Category: English

Source: Government of South Africa

Empowering communities to stay safe throughout the Festive Season was among the key aspects of an Operation Basadi (women) carried out by the South African Police Service (SAPS).

“Basadi” means women in several local languages.

Wednesday’s awareness campaign that took place in Tembisa in the Eastern Cape on Wednesday, saw women from various SAPS units, supported by partners from different law enforcement agencies, the Community Police Forum (CPF), Youth Crime Prevention Committee, Spiritual Crime Prevention, and the Women’s Network, continue to stand united. 

“This initiative combines operational and proactive measures aimed at protecting, serving, educating, and empowering communities to stay safe throughout the festive season,” said the police.

The SAPS further added that community members came out in their numbers to participate in the campaign and stakeholders delivered messages of support on gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), substance abuse, and teenage pregnancy, equipping the community with vital information.

The second phase of the day involved a door-to-door campaign in the same locality, during which pamphlets were distributed and community concerns were documented. 
“Residents highlighted several pressing issues, including: high levels of GBVF and substance abuse, poverty and the abuse of elderly citizens, whose social grants are often misused by family members and loan sharks.”

All cases and concerns raised were referred to the relevant departments for further intervention.

Earlier this month, Operation Basadi activities were also conducted in Sterkspruit where role players continued their outreach around the local mall and taxi rank, engaging directly with community members and raising awareness on safety and crime prevention.
Joe Gqabi District Commissioner, Major General Lindelwa Vellem, acknowledged and commended the combined efforts of all stakeholders during the Safer Festive Season operations. She emphasised that Operation Basadi is not only about law enforcement, but also about building strong partnerships with communities.

“We want our communities to know that the SAPS is here – ready, present, and committed. We call on our communities to take our hand and stand with us as we work together to ensure a safe and secure Festive Season,” she said.-SAnews.gov.za

Source: Government of South Africa

A bold vision for an inclusive global future has been cemented at the G20 Social Summit — a vision designed not just for the moment, but for future generations to come.

As the summit drew to a close on Thursday, Minister in the Presidency and summit co-convenor, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, revealed the monumental effort behind the scenes, with over 100 preparatory meetings dedicated to forging consensus for the G20 Social Legacy programmes and the summit declaration.

“The deliberations at the preparatory meetings sought to build consensus around five thematic areas: digital inclusion and equitable transformation; trade resilience and inclusive value chains; inclusive climate justice and just transition and energy democracy; a just and sustainable finance and international finance architecture, and building momentum for the SDGs [Sustainable Development Goals] and Agenda 2063.

“The engagement groups worked very hard to get to where we are and also to agree on a continued partnership in the implementation of the legacy programmes for the future of this beautiful country and the continent,” Ntshavheni said. 

The seven legacy programmes announced at the summit are:

• The Pan-African sovereign wealth fund initiative.
• The public-private health accelerator.
• Empower youth and communities through inclusive, sustainable social infrastructure and opportunity pathways.
• Accelerator for digitally enabled MSME [Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises] finance and trade for women and youth.
• The Timbuktu creatives hub.
• Digitally enabled higher education systems aligned with Africa’s development goals.
• Securing the next decade of impact to guarantee the future of adolescent girls and young women in Africa.

An inclusive presidency

Throughout its G20 Presidency, South Africa has sought to include groups from all corners of society to participate and contribute to the G20 programmes. 

“Your due pronouncement, Mr President [Cyril Ramaphosa], that declared that South Africa’s G20 Presidency is an African presidency, which the whole African continent must partake in and benefit from, was fulfilled through the work of the engagements and as part of the G20 Social.

“When we started South Africa’s G20 Presidency… you also instructed us to be inclusive and we have done exactly that, as we accommodated additional engagement groups and the general public through the GCIS [Government Communication and Information System] outreach activities and all their inputs are included in the declaration,” she said.

Furthermore, Ntshavheni said South Africa’s G20 Presidency and Social Summit are not just a diplomatic exercise but a strategically expanded initiative infused with a distinctive “African flair”. 

“Although we are continuing on the innovation of Brazil, who introduced the G20 Social, South Africa expanded on the innovation to include an African flair with participation of traditional leaders and the Khoi-San indigenous people. 

“South Africa also expanded the engagement groups from 14 in Brazil to 22 participating at this Social Summit. South Africa also took it another step further by introducing legacy projects that will ensure that the impact of the G20 Social Summit South Africa on the African continent will last a lifetime,” Ntshaveni said. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: Government of South Africa

Thursday, November 20, 2025

Source: Government of South Africa

In a heartfelt tribute, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Professor Blade Nzimande, called on scientists to always put humanity at the heart of their work – a principle that defined the life and legacy of Professor Keolebogile Shirley Motaung.

“This means that our scientists and researchers must uphold the principle that scientific knowledge must be used responsibly and ethically,” he said on Wednesday. 

The Minister delivered a speech at the memorial service in Pretoria for Motaung, who passed away last week.

Motaung served as the Chair of the Female Academic Leaders Fellowship at the Financial Research and Entrepreneurship Foundation – Nelson Mandela University Research Chair in Entrepreneurship and Financial Inclusion, where she led transformative research that connected innovation, commercialisation, and entrepreneurship.

She was the founder and CEO of Global Health Biotech, which is best known for developing La-Africa Soother – a plant-based anti-inflammatory ointment made from indigenous medicinal plants. 

The ointment effectively relieves muscle and joint aches, offering athletes and women a natural alternative for anti-inflammatory relief.

“The first lesson we learn from Prof Motaung’s life is the need for our scientists and researchers to always remember the question: what problem does my knowledge seek to solve?”

He told mourners that one of the driving forces behind Motaung’s founding of Global Health Biotech was to address graduate unemployment, a mission she advanced by making her PhD students shareholders in the company.

“She did not just identify the problem or lament about it. She ventured to find a solution. Not the professional lamenters who are forever complaining and never provide any solutions.”

Even though she had risen to the highest levels possible and had earned a variety of national and international honours, the Minister said Motaung made time to mentor thousands of young, black, and female scientists and entrepreneurs. 

Nzimande also remembered Motaung for her commitment to placing indigenous knowledge at the centre of research and development.

“We also learn that research must be responsive to the lived reality of ordinary people. This means that the research that is produced by our public research institutions must be deliberate about addressing our immediate development challenges as a country.”

Nzimande took the time to urge all public research institutions to concern themselves with proactively finding sustainable solutions for such issues as poverty, inequality, unemployment, gender-based violence, energy security, the deleterious impact of climate change and the growing problem of cancer in South Africa. 

In addition, the Minister said Motaung’s life demonstrates that not only can black people and in particular black women, do science, but they are more than capable of breaking new ground in the various fields of science. 

“We are also paying tribute to someone who was driven by a deep commitment to change the lives of the young people of our country through education, science, and entrepreneurship.”

Nzimande believes that the best tribute to Motaung would empower marginalised young girls and boys to pursue their dreams of becoming scientists, academics, and entrepreneurs.

“On behalf of our President, His Excellency President Cyril Ramaphosa, I wish to convey our deepest condolences as government to the children and family of Prof Motaung and also express our country’s gratitude to her for her selfless service to our country and its people.” – SAnews.gov.za
 

Source: Government of South Africa

The Eastern Cape Department of Agriculture has delivered critical water infrastructure and production support to rural communities in Nqanqarhu, bringing long-awaited relief to vegetable-producing farmers who have struggled with limited irrigation.

The handover of the spring-water projects, production inputs and gardening tools — delivered under the Ilima/Letsema Lokulima Programme, was met with enthusiasm from local farmers.

The programme promotes the productive use of arable land and supports household-level food security.

Agriculture MEC Nonceba Kontsiwe officiated the handover of the Sigoga and Saqhuthe village spring-water scheme, which provide clean water for domestic use and irrigation. The infrastructure includes 26 new water points supplying 205 households.

To strengthen the link between water access and food production, the MEC also distributed production inputs to 120 beneficiaries. The support aims to reduce food insecurity, boost local agricultural output, and enable small-scale farmers to begin aggregating produce for potential markets.

Speaking at the handing over ceremony this week, Kontsiwe emphasised that the Ilima/Letsema Lokulima Programme is designed to advance community cohesion and strengthen food security across rural areas.

“The programme aims to bring people together to work their gardens, produce food and fight poverty with government support. The new spring water infrastructure ensures that people will no longer face the challenge of fetching irrigation water from distant locations, which is critical in areas where rainfall is scarce. The happiness of the community here is deeply encouraging to us,” said Kontsiwe.

Resident Ntombizanele Sonkwenye from Sigoga Village welcomed the investment, noting that the community had long struggled to access water, often walking “long and dangerous distances” to fetch it.

“The areas where we previously fetched water were overgrown and dangerous, creating fear, especially when sending our children during these times of high crime. The government has now provided us with water straight from the mountain. Today we are drinking clean, healthy water. We are truly overjoyed and grateful for this support,” Sonkwenye said.

Sonkwenye added that irrigation had previously been difficult because fetching water for consumption alone was an eventful and tiring exercise.

“We are also engaging local youth struggling with substance abuse, encouraging them to join us so we can combat poverty together,” she said.

Simthembile Folotyi of Upper Tsitsana Village also expressed appreciation for the production inputs.

“The seedlings, fertilisers and tools we received will not only assist us in fighting poverty but will also help us grow and develop. We are thankful to the department for the assistance, which will enable us to produce diverse vegetables to fight hunger and poverty,” Folotyi said.

During the visit, Kontsiwe also handed over 32 industrial sewing machines to 16 women-led enterprises in Lower Tsitsana Village, benefiting groups across three local municipalities in the Joe Gqabi District. The initiative is aimed at boosting local economic development.

The MEC stated that the goal is to enhance the quality of garments produced by the local women. – SAnews.gov.za