Category: English

The eThekwini Municipality will roll out a series of road safety campaigns, community engagements and public transport activations throughout October as part of Transport Month.

The activities form part of the national Transport Month campaign, which highlights the importance of an efficient transport system in connecting people to jobs, services and economic opportunities.

The municipality’s programme focuses on promoting safer road use, improving awareness among commuters and pedestrians, and providing communities with information on the city’s integrated public transport plans.

Community road safety campaigns are scheduled to take place in Inanda, Ntuzuma and KwaMashu on Wednesday and Umlazi on 21 October, where residents will be engaged on responsible road use and ways to improve road safety.

The municipality will also conduct pedestrian awareness campaigns at key locations including Berea Centre, the Workshop Precinct, Mega City and Toti Mall.

“These activations aim to encourage safer pedestrian behaviour, while creating awareness about the shared responsibility of all road users in reducing accidents and improving mobility,” the municipality said in a statement.

As part of efforts to strengthen public transport, GO!Durban roadshows will be held across the Greater North, Durban Central, Durban West, South 1 and South 2 regions.

GO!Durban is eThekwini Municpality’s envisioned Integrated Public Transport Network.

The roadshows will provide communities with information about the benefits of GO!Durban and the planned integrated transport network, including how it is intended to improve connectivity and access to opportunities across the city.

Taxi rank activations will also take place in the Durban CBD, Isipingo, Mega City and Pinetown, and will bring transport-related information and services directly to commuters.

Other activities planned for the month include the Vehicle Operating Company Establishment Stakeholder Event, the launch of the Razo mascot and the GO!Durban soft launch later in October.

“Through these activities, the eThekwini Municipality aims to promote safer roads, strengthen public transport awareness, and showcase the role of transport in building a connected, inclusive, and economically vibrant city,” the statement read. – SAnews.gov.za

0

KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli has called for stronger government-private sector collaboration to address bottlenecks in the province’s freight and logistics network. 

Speaking at the ‘UnBlocked: Focus on Freight’ engagement held recently at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, Ntuli emphasised the importance of the freight and logistics sector to the province’s economy and the need to ensure infrastructure and systems that support trade operate efficiently. 

The engagement brought together representatives from government, the freight and logistics industry, ports and business to discuss challenges affecting the movement of goods through KwaZulu-Natal, and identify practical interventions to improve the province’s logistics network.

Discussions focused particularly on congestion at the Port of Durban, freight movement, supply chain efficiency and the need for stronger cooperation between government and the private sector. 

Ntuli said addressing these challenges is critical, given KwaZulu-Natal’s strategic position in South Africa’s logistics network, with the Port of Durban and major road freight corridors providing important links between businesses, domestic markets and international trade. 

“Efficient freight movement remains critical not only to logistics operators, but also to manufacturers, exporters, retailers and other businesses that depend on reliable supply chains. 

“Addressing congestion and improving the movement of goods, therefore, has broader implications for investment, economic competitiveness, job creation and the cost of doing business in KwaZulu-Natal,” the Premier said.

The engagement provided freight operators and other industry stakeholders with an opportunity to raise challenges experienced across the supply chain, directly with government representatives.

Discussions focused on practical and sustainable measures to reduce congestion, improve the movement of goods, and strengthen the reliability and efficiency of logistics operations in the province.

Ntuli stressed that solutions to the challenges facing the freight sector will require sustained collaboration between the public and private sectors.

The engagement also reinforced the importance of ensuring that discussions between government and industry translate into practical interventions capable of improving the performance and reliability of the province’s logistics system.

The Premier said engagements, such as UnBlocked, are important in ensuring that discussions between government and industry translate into practical interventions that remove constraints to economic activity and strengthen KwaZulu-Natal’s position as a major trade and logistics hub. – SAnews.gov.za

1

Five suspects will appear in court soon following the kidnapping and murder of a 31-year-old man in Phase 7, Bloemfontein, in the Free State.

In a statement, the South African Police Service (SAPS) said the incident took place in the early hours of Sunday.

“It is alleged that the deceased was drinking with friends when an argument broke out with a group of strangers. The suspects … reportedly forced the victim into a black vehicle and drove away with him. 

“At approximately 6am, the victim was found lying supine on a street in Phase 7 with multiple stab wounds to his face and deep wounds to his left cheek. A large rock and a small spanner were found near the body. Paramedics declared him dead at the scene,” the police said.

A dedicated task team, led by Bloemspruit Detectives, was established to follow up on leads leading to the arrest of the five, aged between 21 and 34.

The Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Thabang Solomon Lesia, has commended the task team for their rapid response and successful arrests.

“The swift apprehension of these suspects sends a clear message that we will not tolerate lawlessness or the brutalisation of our citizens. As the South African Police Service, we remain dedicated and steadfast in our mission to ensure that perpetrators of such violent crimes face the full might of the law,” said Lesia.

The suspects face charges of murder and kidnapping. – SAnews.gov.za

2

The Transnet Rail Infrastructure Manager (TRIM) was granted a three-year safety permit by the Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) following a rigorous regulatory assessment of safety management systems, governance arrangements, risk management processes, and controls required to manage safety across the rail infrastructure under its responsibility. 

The three-year permit provides further regulatory confidence in TRIM’s systems and processes to safely manage the national rail network and strengthens the safety foundation required to support South Africa’s rail reform programme.

“While the three-year safety permit represents significant progress, TRIM recognises that railway safety requires continuous improvement. The organisation will continue strengthening its safety management systems, managing operational and infrastructure risks, monitoring safety performance and working closely with the RSR and railway operators to maintain a safe operating environment,” Transnet said in a statement on Monday.

Since its establishment, TRIM has operated under the required regulatory safety permitting framework. 

At inception, the organisation was granted a temporary safety permit, providing the necessary regulatory authorisation while TRIM established and strengthened its safety management systems and institutional arrangements. 

The granting of the three-year safety permit therefore marks the progression from this initial permitting phase and reflects TRIM’s continued maturation as South Africa’s independent rail infrastructure manager.

The milestone comes at the peak of South Africa’s rail reform journey, as the freight rail sector transitions towards a more open and multi-operator environment. TRIM is central to this transition as the infrastructure manager responsible for enabling fair and non-discriminatory access to the rail network while maintaining the integrity, reliability and safety of the infrastructure.

With new Train Operating Companies (TOCs) gaining access to the network, Transnet said effective management of safety interfaces between TRIM and train operators becomes increasingly important. 

A strong and independently regulated safety framework is therefore fundamental to ensuring that increased participation on the network is supported by appropriate governance, risk management and operational controls.

“Opening the rail network to greater participation brings significant opportunities for South Africa’s freight logistics system, but these opportunities must be enabled through a railway environment that is managed safely and responsibly. The granting of a safety permit by the RSR provides confidence in the systems TRIM has established as the infrastructure manager and highlights that safety remains central to how we enable rail reform,” said TRIM General Manager for Safety, Andiswa Dlanga. –SAnews.gov.za

 

 

 

 

3

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) says a surface trough will be semi-permanent over the western interior of the country this week, while a surface high-pressure system will extend its ridge into the southern and eastern parts.

This will result in isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers in places over the south and east.

On Monday, the weather will be partly cloudy, windy and cool to warm, with isolated showers and thundershowers.

The weather service said there are no severe weather warnings.

Members of the public and stakeholders are strongly urged to continuously monitor official SAWS forecasts and warnings, as these will be updated as the likelihood and severity of impacts become clearer.

The public is also advised to remain cautious of unauthorised or unverified information sources and refrain from distributing such information further. –SAnews.gov.za

0

South Africa’s Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) policy remains an important tool to address the injustice of Apartheid, Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said.

“Apartheid was declared a crime against humanity. It was also an economic crime. Families were forcibly removed from their land. Workers were barred by law from skilled jobs.

“Black children were given an education designed to keep them in servitude. In 1994, South Africans chose redress over retribution. B-BBEE is an instrument of that choice, and section 9(2) of the Constitution requires it. Redress is a constitutional obligation, not a bargaining chip. And it is working. Behind every figure is a South African whose life has changed,” she said.

Speaking to IOL, the Minister said 3.4 million black South Africans belong to a middle class their parents were barred from by law, with R400 billion a year in spending power.

According to the Broad -Based Black Economic Empowerment Amendment Act, BBBEE means the viable economic empowerment of all black people [including], in particular, women, workers, youth, people with disabilities and people living in rural areas, through diverse but integrated socio-economic strategies that include, but are not limited to, increasing the number of black people that manage, own and control enterprises and productive assets, among others.

Equity Equivalent Investment Programmes
She added that through the Youth Employment Service, created under the B-BBEE framework, some 240 000 young people have been given a full year of paid work, earning R15 billion in salaries. 

More than half are young women. And through Equity Equivalent Investment Programmes [EEIP] alone, global companies have created more than 2 000 jobs, backed 87 black-owned businesses, almost half of them owned by black women, and trained more than 2 500 people.

In his newsletter to the nation in June last year, President Cyril Ramaphosa said the EEIP was created to accommodate multinationals whose global practices or policies prevent them from complying with the B-BBEE ownership element through the ‘traditional’ sale of equity or shares.

The programme allows multinationals to invest in socio-economic, skills and enterprise development in South Africa without selling equity in their local subsidiaries.

The Minister added that this progress has not come at the expense of white South Africans, who continue to prosper in our economy.

“It belongs to the whole nation,” she said, adding that for many, the promise of 1994 is not yet fulfilled.
This as 23.1 million black South Africans remain outside of the fruits of the economic prosperity.  A typical black African worker earns R5 200 a month, and the typical white worker earns R25 000.

“To abandon redress now would be to tell these South Africans that their freedom ends at the ballot box.”
The Minister stressed that B-BBEE is not a precondition for investing in South Africa and that it applies where a company requires a licence from the state, such as in mining and ICT.

Multinationals whose policies, on the proof thereof, do not allow them to sell local equity can comply through EEIPs.

She added that South Africa is a founding member of the World Trade Organization and a non-aligned country.

“Non-discrimination is a principle we hold to. Every investor plays by the same rules in our country, wherever they come from,” she said.

Requirements and flexibility
On ownership requirements in the mining industry, these are not arbitrary.

Under the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, South Africa’s minerals are the common heritage of all South Africans, held by the State as custodian.

“Those who extract them must share the benefit with the people who own them. Multinationals that do not wish to sell equity have a clear alternative in EEIPs,” she added.

There is also flexibility across sectors of the economy, with each sector having a set of Sector Codes governed by a charter council that negotiates their flexibilities within agreed-upon frameworks applicable to that respective sector.

“Under the B-BBEE Codes, a multinational that cannot sell local equity, by virtue of their policies, can instead make an equivalent contribution to black-owned enterprises and suppliers, skills development and other national priorities through an EEIP. Cabinet has also supported a review of the framework to strengthen it for transformation and growth,” she explained.

Companies that comply with B-BBEE through Equity Equivalent Investment Programmes and investing in black-owned businesses and skills instead of selling equity include Dell, Microsoft and HP.

“Others continue to expand: Microsoft has announced a R5.4 billion investment in local cloud and AI [artificial intelligence] infrastructure, and the US International Development Finance Corporation has invested $50 million in the Phalaborwa rare earths project. Amazon Web Services is investing in cloud infrastructure over several years,” she explained.

Serving development
She added that South Africa determines its domestic policy on the basis of the best interests of citizens.

“Our energy, telecommunications and mining rules are made by South Africans, under our Constitution, to serve our development.”

This as the country provides fair market access for all partners.

Ntshavheni said while South Africa wants foreign capital, it wants it to build processing, beneficiation and manufacturing capacity on home soil.

“That is investment with development, not investment at the expense of development. Our minerals belong to the people of South Africa and must work in their interest. Investors who help build these value chains here are partners in that project, and we are actively seeking them.”

She explained that the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic) is already taking investors through what the policy provides, including its flexibilities, and engages companies on individual transactions.

“B-BBEE ensures that growth is shared, and that is what makes it sustainable,” she told IOL. –SAnews.gov.za

 

0

El-Alamein, Egypt– President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday participated in the plenary of the 8th African Union (AU) Mid-Year Coordination Meeting in his capacity as Chairperson of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

Held in El-Alamein, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the meeting brought together African leaders to deliberate on key continental priorities, including strengthening regional integration, advancing the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), accelerating infrastructure development and addressing peace and security challenges across the continent.

Progress in implementing the division of labour between the African Union, Regional Economic Communities and Member States, alongside efforts to strengthen peace, security and economic cooperation across the continent, were the issues the meeting would discuss, the Presidency said in a post on social media platform X.

READ | President arrives in Egypt for AU meeting 

In a statement, Chairperson of the AU Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf,  said the meeting remains a critical platform for strengthening cooperation between the AU, Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and Regional Mechanisms (RMs)for harmonising efforts towards the implementation of Africa’s continental integration agenda.

Against a complex and rapidly changing global geopolitical environment, the Chairperson stressed the need for Africa to deepen its collective reflection and strengthen its capacity to respond to the challenges affecting peace, security, stability & socio-economic development across the continent.

He further emphasised that, while important progress has been made, institutional operational obstacles continue to constrain regional and continental integration.

“The second decade of Agenda 2063 requires renewed political commitment, stronger coordination & effective implementation of the continental frameworks & instruments already adopted, and a clearer division of labour between the Union, RECs and RMs is essential. 

“Such a division must be based on solidarity, complementarity and comparative advantage, while avoiding duplication and ensuring that collective efforts are directed towards tangible results for African citizens,” said the AU.

The Chairperson reaffirmed the commitment of the AU Commission to working with Member States, RECs & RMs to strengthen peace & stability across the continent.

Youssouf also highlighted the importance of strengthening Africa’s financial architecture and mobilising predictable, sustainable and sufficient resources for the implementation of Agenda 2063.

In his remarks, the President of Egypt, Abdel Fattah El Sisi, welcomed African leaders & delegations to Egypt & stressed the importance of strengthening coordination between the AU, RECs & RMs.

“President El Sisi emphasised that coordination must serve a practical purpose: moving Africa from fragmented efforts towards greater integration, & from shared aspirations towards concrete, implementable projects that deliver tangible benefits to African peoples,” said the African Union.

Bilateral meetings
Meanwhile, on the margins of the AU Mid-Year Coordination Meeting, President Ramaphosa held a bilateral meeting with Chairperson Youssouf.

The engagement provided an opportunity for the two leaders to discuss issues of mutual interest and strengthening cooperation in support of Africa’s integration agenda.

The President also held a bilateral meeting with President El-Sisi to discuss issues of mutual interest and strengthen relations between South Africa and Egypt.

The meeting provided an opportunity for the two leaders to reaffirm the importance of bilateral cooperation and explore areas of shared interest within the broader context of African development and regional collaboration. –SAnews.gov.za 

 

0