Category: MIL-OSI

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Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Celebrates Innovation as HubPharm Africa Wins Second Startup Awards

Source: APO

HubPharm Africa of Nigeria, led by its Co-Founder and CEO, Mrs. Tope Kareem, emerged as the winner of the US$30,000 grand prize. Gaynako of Senegal, led by Pape Natango Mbaye, and My Opinion of Côte d’Ivoire, founded and led by Steve Bah Blesson, emerged as the first and second runners-up, receiving US$20,000 and US$15,000, respectively. Other finalists were Baykart from The Gambia and Afrikan Coders from Cabo Verde.

The ceremony also featured the launch of the ECOWAS Private Sector Development Academy and the ECOWAS Startup Networks. The initiatives are designed to strengthen connections among entrepreneurs and other private-sector stakeholders, promote knowledge-sharing, and expand access to opportunities within the region’s growing startup ecosystem.

Speaking after receiving the award, Co-Founder and CEO of HubPharm Africa, Mrs. Tope Kareem, expressed appreciation to the ECOWAS Commission for believing in African startups and creating a platform through which innovative businesses can gain recognition and opportunities for growth. She also congratulated her fellow finalists and acknowledged the efforts of the other participating startups.

Presenting the award on behalf of the President of the ECOWAS Commission, the Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Mr. Dehpue Yenpea Zuo, said the awards were designed to recognise innovations capable of addressing major human-development challenges beyond national borders.

Congratulating the winners, Commissioner Zuo commended all participating startups for their innovation, resilience, and commitment to developing solutions to challenges within their communities. He reaffirmed the importance of entrepreneurship and private-sector development in advancing economic transformation and regional integration in West Africa.

Zuo urged the participants to see themselves not only as business innovators but also as leaders committed to creating positive impact within their communities and beyond.

Also speaking, the Acting Director of Private Sector and Industry, Mr. Peter Oluoye, congratulated the winners and all participating startups, encouraging them to build on the opportunities created through the awards. He expressed appreciation to the sponsors, partners, and staff of the Commission whose collective efforts contributed to the successful delivery of the programme.

The three leading startups represented diverse areas of innovation. HubPharm Africa operates in the healthcare and pharmaceutical-access space; Gaynako develops solutions for converting invasive Typha plants into livestock feed; while My Opinion reflects the growing diversity of innovative solutions emerging from the region.

The launch of the ECOWAS Private Sector Development Academy and ECOWAS Startup Networks, alongside the conclusion of the awards, marks another step in the Commission’s efforts to build a stronger and more connected entrepreneurial ecosystem.

By recognising innovation while creating platforms for learning, networking, and collaboration, ECOWAS continues to support the development of West African businesses and their greater participation in the regional economy.

The second edition of the ECOWAS Startup Awards underscores the Commission’s continued efforts to foster innovation, support emerging enterprises, and create an enabling environment for entrepreneurship across West Africa.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

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Lesotho receives CTO125 cybersecurity excellence award

Source: APO


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Lesotho has been named 2nd Runner-Up for the Cybersecurity Excellence Award during the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) 125th Anniversary Week and Awards Ceremony in London, United Kingdom.

The award was received by the Minister of Information, Communications, Science, Technology and Innovation, Hon. Nthati Moorosi, who represented Lesotho at the celebrations from September 28 to 30, 2026.

The recognition reflects Lesotho’s progress in strengthening cybersecurity through initiatives such as LesCom, as well as the development of national digital and Artificial Intelligence policy frameworks.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Government of Lesotho.

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South Africa: Land Reform Committee Probes Delay in Department’s Submission of Annual Financial Statements

Source: APO


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The Portfolio Committee on Land Reform and Rural Development received a briefing on Thursday from the Minister and the Department of Land Reform and Rural Development about the department’s failure to submit its Annual Financial Statements (AFS) to the Office of the Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA).

The Chairperson of the committee, Mr Albert Mncwango, noted that the committee called this urgent meeting because it was concerned about the department’s failure to submit its AFS to the AGSA within the deadline set by the Public Finance Management Act. Mr Mncwango noted that following today’s meeting, the committee is clear that this is not an administrative oversight or a mere procedural lapse. “It is a serious failure of governance and accountability,” he said.

According to the PFMA, annual financial statements must be submitted to the Auditor-General and the relevant Treasury within two months of the end of the financial year, and the Act also requires that the department’s annual report, financial statements and the Auditor-General’s audit report be tabled in Parliament. The AGSA has informed the committee that the audit could not proceed because the department failed to submit the required financial statements.

The committee today insisted on answers. Among the questions were why the department failed to submit its statements on time, when the Minister and the Director-General, as accounting officer, became aware that the deadline would not be met, and what failures within the department led to this situation. The committee also probed what actions the relevant officials, including the Director-General, the Chief Financial Officer, Internal Audit and the Audit Committee took to meet the deadline. It also insisted on knowing what interventions the Executive Authority took and when the matter will be resolved.

The Chairperson said the non-submission was unacceptable. “We are extremely troubled by the implications of this failure. Without audited financial statements, the committee cannot properly assess expenditure, performance, audit outcomes or the use of public resources. We cannot effectively fulfil our constitutional responsibilities, nor can we properly complete our assessment for the 2026 Budgetary Review and Recommendations Report (BRRR), including making fully informed recommendations to the Minister of Finance,” said Mr Mncwango.

He said this failure also weakens public confidence in the department’s ability to account for the resources entrusted to it. “The committee has already expressed the view that there appears to have been a breach of the PFMA. The remaining question is whether this matter may also constitute financial misconduct and whether the provisions of section 81 of the PFMA should be considered,” the Chairperson said.

The committee is now considering obtaining legal advice on its options in dealing with the matter.

According to the department, some aspects of the restructuring that resulted in the former Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development being separated into the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Land Reform and Rural Development, including issues relating to the transfer of assets, contributed to the delay in the department submitting the AFS on time. The department told the committee that it had submitted the financial statements yesterday.

The committee asked the department to provide proof of submission and, in the meantime, will determine how it will consider the audited statements once the audit is completed to meet the BRRR process timelines.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.

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United Nations (UN) releases $160 million to save lives in 12 underfunded humanitarian crises

Source: APO


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The United Nations today allocated US$160 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to support life-saving assistance in 12 of the world’s most underfunded humanitarian crises across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East.

This allocation is part of a wider push to reach 87 million people facing the most severe humanitarian needs this year.

“We have 87 million people to reach, and no time to waste. Today’s new funding will help us get aid to people who might otherwise be left behind,” said Tom Fletcher, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator. “But money alone won’t get us there: leaders must exercise political will to open access, remove obstacles and help us reach people whose lives are on the line.”

Of the new allocation, $150 million will support life-saving responses in Afghanistan ($18 million), Burkina Faso ($10 million), Cameroon ($6 million), Chad ($9 million), Cuba ($4 million), Mali ($10 million), Niger ($10 million), the Occupied Palestinian Territory ($18 million), Somalia ($16 million), South Sudan ($15 million), Sudan ($16 million) and Yemen ($18 million). 

Five of the crises – Afghanistan, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, South Sudan, Sudan and Yemen – are among the 10 contexts where Fletcher has called for urgent diplomatic action to secure humanitarian access to unlock assistance for 11 million people of the 87 million people prioritized for support this year.

The allocation also includes $10 million to address the urgent needs of people with disabilities in the 12 crises and make humanitarian assistance more accessible and inclusive. CERF is partnering with the UN Global Disability Fund, which will provide up to $4 million in complementary funding and technical support through its Inclusion Catalyst Hub, including to strengthen the capacity and participation of local organizations of persons with disabilities in humanitarian response.

CERF is the UN’s global emergency fund managed by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Today’s allocation brings total CERF funding allocated so far in 2026 to $483 million.

CERF receives broad support from UN Member States, observers, regional authorities, international organizations, the private sector and individuals. CERF is one of the fastest funding instruments available and allocates funding to rapid response and underfunded emergencies.

Funding decisions for CERF allocations to underfunded emergencies are based on detailed analysis of more than 100 humanitarian indicators and wide consultation with partners.

Note to the Editor

Since its creation by the UN General Assembly in 2005, and with generous contributions from 135 Member States and observers, as well as other donors including private individuals, CERF has assisted hundreds of millions of people with some $10.2 billion across more than 117 countries and territories. This includes $3.4 billion to underfunded crises. In 2025, $212 million was disbursed to implement life-saving activities in 18 underfunded emergencies. CERF has an annual funding target of $1 billion.

CERF launched its Climate Action Account at COP28, offering a quick, efficient and impactful avenue for climate-related humanitarian finance. It aims to assist the world’s most vulnerable communities facing the consequences of the climate crisis, including through anticipatory action.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

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Investing in Better Jobs, Faster Growth: New World Bank Group Report Helps Chart a Path to Poverty Reduction in Tanzania

Source: APO


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Tanzania’s economy is on a solid growth trajectory over the medium-term but translating that momentum into greater economic prosperity remains a challenge. According to the latest World Bank Group Tanzania Economic Update, it will be critical to expand access to more productive, better paying, and more secure jobs in order to enable meaningful reductions in poverty and improvements in the living standards.

The report projects economic growth of 6.1% in 2026 and an average of 6.5% over the medium term, driven by increased private sector activity. Inflation remains within the Bank of Tanzania’s target range, public debt remains sustainable, and strong private sector credit growth points to expanding economic activity. The outlook depends on sustaining growth-friendly fiscal consolidation and the continued implementation of reforms that improve the business environment.

The special theme of this edition,Making Jobs Work, finds that Tanzania does not face a shortage of jobs; rather, it faces a challenge in creating higher-quality jobs. While the country’s employment rate is among the highest globally, most workers remain concentrated in low-productivity activities, particularly in agriculture and informal employment with limited human capital and high vulnerability to shocks.

“Tanzania’s economy continues to grow despite global uncertainty and climate risks. To turn that growth into better jobs, the country needs to make deliberate policy choices and keep investing in education, skills, and health. This will help ensure that growth is more inclusive and sustainable.”
Firas Raad
World Bank Division Director for Tanzania

The report highlights two priorities for Tanzania: building a stronger workforce through better skills development, social protection, and labor market systems; and expanding the number of productive firms capable of generating quality jobs.

“Tanzania’s jobs challenge is ultimately a firm growth challenge. By helping productive firms invest, expand, and create more quality jobs, we can make economic growth more inclusive and deliver better opportunities for Tanzanians.”
Mary-Jean Moyo
​International Finance Corporation Division Director for Tanzania

The report acknowledges that Vision 2050 for Tanzania sets an ambitious target for private-sector-led investment where it becomes the dominant source of investment financing. This goal can be achieved through creating a robust and predictable business environment to attract private investments.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The World Bank Group.

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Uganda: Committee recommends review of disputed Ernest Cook University degrees

Source: APO

The Committee on Education and Sports has recommended a review of graduates whose degrees from Ernest Cook University were not recognised by the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE).

The recommendation follows an inquiry into a petition presented to Parliament by Dr Henry Garvin Mukalazi and other affected graduates on 08 June 2026.

The petitioners claimed that the university admitted students to bachelor’s degree programmes in Diagnostic Ultrasound and Medical Imaging before the programmes received the required accreditation.

Presenting the committee report during plenary on Thursday, 01 October 2026, the Committee Chairperson, Hon. Emmanuel Ongiertho said evidence showed that at least one student was admitted to the Bachelor of Diagnostic Ultrasound programme in 2011, before the programme accreditation in December 2013.

The committee faulted NCHE for failing to exercise adequate oversight of the university.

“NCHE had been engaging with Ernest Cook University and even recommended that the university affiliates with Gulu University. This implies that NCHE was aware that the university was enrolling students in the course,” Ongiertho said.

The report noted that NCHE issued harmonised minimum admission requirements for health-related degree programmes in 2017, nearly 10 years after the regulations came into force.

The committee tasked the Ministry to establish a joint review committee comprising NCHE, Ernest Cook University and the Allied Health Professionals Council.

“The joint review committee should determine, on a case-by-case basis, whether any affected graduate may be subjected to bridging, remedial training, assessment or any other lawful measure necessary to meet the applicable academic and professional standards,” said Ongiertho.

The proposed committee would examine each graduate’s admission qualifications, academic record and training. It would then determine whether the qualification could be recognised or whether additional training was necessary.

The Minister of State for Education and Sports (Sports), Hon. Peter Ogwang, said Mukalazi had previously challenged NCHE in court, but the court ruled in NCHE’s favour, but that the ministry had since intervened to help resolve the dispute.

“The court ruled in favor of NCHE, Mukalazi engaged the ministry which wrote to the Council to carry out an investigation regarding compliance with minimum admission requirement and programme accreditation requirement. The council has since established a team to conduct investigation, so despite us winning the case in court we have met with Mukalazi and we continue to help,” said Ogwang.

Speaker Jacob Marksons Oboth, guided that Parliament could not pass a resolution that varied an existing court judgment. He, however directed Ogwang to expedite the ongoing review and report back on the actions taken.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.

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Burkina Faso: Journées nationales d’engagement patriotique et de participation citoyenne (JEPPC 2026 : le Premier ministre lance la 2ᵉ phase et ouvre l’exposition gouvernementale au Salon international de l’artisanat de Ouagadougou (SIAO)

Source: Africa Press Organisation – French

Le Camarade Premier ministre, Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo, a procédé, ce vendredi 2 octobre 2026, à Ouagadougou, au lancement officiel de la deuxième phase de la 3ᵉ édition des Journées nationales d’engagement patriotique et de participation citoyenne (JEPPC), couplée à l’ouverture de l’exposition gouvernementale. À cette occasion, le Chef du Gouvernement a livré le message du Président du Faso, le Capitaine Ibrahim Traoré.

Placée sous le thème « Produisons burkinabè, consommons burkinabè ! », cette deuxième phase des JEPPC se déroule du 2 au 16 octobre 2026, sur l’ensemble du territoire national ainsi que dans les missions diplomatiques du Burkina Faso.

Pour cette phase 2, le nouveau mot d’ordre du Président du Faso tient en ceci:”Tous pour le made in Burkina : Faisons de chaque achat un acte de souveraineté”.

Selon lui, trois verrous maintiennent encore notre dépendance. Il s’agit de la production, de la transformation et de la consommation, qu’il a qualifié de” maillons d’une même chaîne”.

C’est pourquoi, il a appelé les Burkinabè à renforcer leur engagement patriotique, à travers la promotion de la production nationale, et la transformation et la consommation des produits locaux.

Il a invité au sens de la responsabilité individuelle et collective dans la construction d’un Burkina Faso davantage tourné vers ses propres potentialités, en bannissant les les ennemis de cette bataille que sont la fraude, la contrebande, les fausses déclarations et le boycott silencieux.

Le Chef de l’État a également insisté sur la nécessité de faire du “marché africain le marché des Africains”.

Plusieurs activités sont prévues au cours de cette édition, notamment des conférences sur le civisme, la montée du pavillon national, le port de tenues traditionnelles.

L’exposition gouvernementale, qui se tient du 2 au 9 octobre 2026 au Pavillon du Soleil Levant du Salon international de l’artisanat de Ouagadougou (SIAO) constitue l’un des temps forts de cette 2ᵉ phase des JEPPC.

À travers leurs stands, les différents départements ministériels présentent au public leurs principales réalisations, les réformes engagées ainsi que leurs innovations.

L’objectif est de rapprocher davantage l’action publique des citoyens et de favoriser une meilleure compréhension des politiques et programmes mis en œuvre, dans le cadre de la Révolution progressiste populaire (RPP).

Des panels sont également prévus, afin de permettre aux citoyens d’échanger directement avec les membres du Gouvernement, de poser leurs questions et de faire part de leurs préoccupations.

À travers cette exposition, le Gouvernement entend ainsi renforcer la redevabilité et le dialogue avec les citoyens, en offrant un cadre d’information, d’échanges et d’écoute autour de l’action publique.

Distribué par APO Group pour Gouvernement du Burkina Faso.

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79 deaths a day: South Africa’s diabetes crisis needs a new strategy

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Patrick Ngassa Piotie, Chairperson, Diabetes Alliance; Co-founder, Diabetes Research Centre, University of Pretoria

Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) recently released its report on deaths that occurred in 2024. The headline findings contain a sobering, recurring truth: diabetes was once again the country’s leading underlying natural cause of death.

In 2024 alone, 28,767 people died from complications caused by diabetes, accounting for 6.1% of all deaths nationwide. That is an average of nearly 79 deaths every day.

Diabetes also claimed the top spot in 2022 and 2023. These numbers cannot be accepted as South Africa’s new normal. Behind every data point is a human life, a grieving family and, all too often, years of encounters with a health system that missed opportunities to diagnose, treat and support people in time.

As a public health specialist and chairperson of the non-profit organisation Diabetes Alliance, I view this three-year trend as an unacceptable tragedy. Diabetes is manageable. With timely support, people can lead long, healthy lives free from preventable complications. Acknowledging this crisis is the start, but recognition must give way to political action. The Department of Health must establish a national diabetes strategy with clear targets for prevention and care. The finance minister must resource it. And the Presidency must lead a coordinated, whole-of-government response.

The broader health landscape is equally stark. Noncommunicable diseases accounted for 60.7% of all recorded deaths in 2024. The top three causes of natural death – diabetes, hypertensive diseases and cerebrovascular diseases – frequently overlap in the same individuals. Managing these interconnected conditions through isolated disease programmes makes little sense for primary care clinics or the patients navigating them.

Reading beyond the numbers

At first glance, the 2024 total is 800 deaths higher than the revised 2023 figure of 27,967 (5.8% of recorded deaths). Stats SA compiles these mortality figures from death notification forms filed through the Department of Home Affairs. Medical practitioners record the cause of death, which Stats SA then classifies using international coding standards. Late death registrations and administrative backlogs are processed retroactively; this leads to revision or updating of prior years’ totals.

The updated count for 2022 stood at 33,126, higher than diabetes deaths recorded in 2023 and 2024. Diabetes has remained South Africa’s single largest natural killer for three consecutive years.

The diabetes burden is also deeply unequal:

  • Women bear the heaviest loss: diabetes was the leading recorded natural cause among women, claiming 17,429 lives (7.9% of all female deaths) and 11,334 or 4.5% of all male deaths.

  • Working-age adults are hard hit: it ranked first among people aged 45-64, accounting for 9,364 deaths (7.9% of deaths in this group).

  • Geographic split: diabetes ranked as the top natural cause in five provinces, Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Eastern Cape and Gauteng, while hypertensive diseases led in the remaining four provinces. These provincial rankings are not a measure of individual care quality or residency. They are a starting point for region-specific questions about access and system performance.

The geographic split shows the need to investigate whether access to diagnosis, treatment and good quality care differs between and within provinces.

A death certificate is only the final chapter

Mortality statistics record the primary cause listed on a death notification, but remain blind to what happened along the way.

They cannot tell us how many South Africans live with undiagnosed diabetes. They cannot show whether a patient had consistent access to insulin and testing supplies, whether their blood sugar was adequately controlled, or whether a simple follow-up could have prevented a fatal complication. Nor do they capture the full toll of diabetes when another condition is listed as the underlying cause.

Those are the questions we must answer while patients are still alive.

In my work on strengthening diabetes care, including the Tshwane Insulin Project – a nurse-led programme that helped people with type 2 diabetes start and adjust insulin treatment in primary care, with follow-up support at home – I have seen where care pathways break down, and where they succeed. Survival rarely hinges on high-tech interventions. It depends on the links in primary healthcare:

  • a trained clinic nurse with the time to act

  • a reliable supply chain for medicines and diagnostics

  • routine follow-up mechanisms when a patient misses an appointment

  • regular screening for kidney, eye and vascular (blood vessel) complications

  • support systems that respect the economic reality of a person’s daily life.

We need real-time clinical data that helps a facility respond today, not a national death tally published two years later.

Turning policy into frontline care

South Africa already has a framework: the National Strategic Plan for Non-Communicable Diseases and its 90-60-50 targets. This cascade aims to ensure that 90% of adults know their blood pressure and blood glucose status, 60% of those with elevated levels receive treatment, and 50% of those receiving care achieve clinical control.

The challenge is making policy work in practice.

Tools like the National Health Laboratory Service diabetes dashboard offer valuable insights into blood sugar levels control across districts. But to close the loop, South Africa urgently needs a national diabetes registry and integrated digital tracking to understand who enters care, who remains in care, and who is being left behind.

From declaration to delivery

After the 2025 Diabetes Summit, the Diabetes Alliance launched the Johannesburg Declaration for Accelerated Action on Diabetes. The declaration calls for coordinated national leadership, sustainable financing, decentralised primary care, and direct participation by people living with diabetes. It asks the Presidency to lead a multisectoral response and calls on the National Treasury and health sector to match policy commitments with financial resources.

The latest mortality report gives this agenda even more urgency. There are three practical priorities:

  1. Connect early diagnosis to sustained care. Screening is only useful if a positive result leads to uninterrupted treatment, reliable medicines, blood glucose monitoring and clinical review.

  2. Measure quality of care: publish a picture of diagnosis, treatment, retention and complication rates by district and province.

  3. Address the conditions in which health choices are made. Food prices, transport barriers and economic hardship shape health outcomes.

People living with diabetes must help define what quality care looks like. Their experience should guide national policy and daily clinic operations alike.

– 79 deaths a day: South Africa’s diabetes crisis needs a new strategy
– https://theconversation.com/79-deaths-a-day-south-africas-diabetes-crisis-needs-a-new-strategy-293063

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Moçambique: Primeira-Ministra (PM) Exorta Novos Dirigentes a Transformarem Desafios em Resultados

Source: Africa Press Organisation – Portuguese –

A Primeira-Ministra, Maria Benvinda Levi , afirmou na cerimónia tomada de posse dos novos dirigentes constitui “a assunção de um compromisso perante o Estado, o povo moçambicano e os diversos segmentos da nossa sociedade” , tendo-os exortado a contribuir para a implementação bem-sucedida do Programa Quinquenal do Governo.

A governante falava durante a cerimónia de tomada de posse de Víctor Luís Timóteo , Presidente do Conselho de Administração da ENAPP, Adérito Salvador Mavie , Presidente da Comissão Executiva da ADISUL, Ana da Graça Simione Uamusse , Directora-Geral da Escola de Governação, e Nelson Laura Mabucanhane , Director-Geral Adjunto da mesma instituição.

Ao novo PCA da ENAPP, a dirigente recomendou “garantir a segurança do abastecimento e da distribuição de produtos petrolíferos em todo o país” , com especial atenção à expansão da rede de distribuição às zonas rurais, bem como à criação de reservas estratégicas de combustíveis.

À ADISUL, confiou a missão de fazer da instituição “uma verdadeira plataforma de desenvolvimento integrado” , capaz de articular sectores como o agronegócio, agroindústria, turismo, pescas, indústria, energia, transportes e logística, transformando recursos em “produção, emprego, rendimento e serviços de qualidade”.

Na Escola de Governação, Maria Benvinda Levi orientou os novos dirigentes a apostarem em programas de formação que respondam às necessidades do Aparelho do Estado, defendendo uma Administração Pública “mais próxima do cidadão, mais eficiente, mais transparente e mais voltada para a resolução dos problemas concretos das comunidades”.

A PM apelou, por fim, aos empossados para que exerçam as suas funções com “liderança, dedicação, sentido de Estado e criatividade na busca de soluções”, observando os princípios da legalidade, imparcialidade, probidade, transparência e interesse público.

Distribuído pelo Grupo APO para Portal do Governo de Moçambique.

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Gauteng moves in the fight against GBVF

Source: Government of South Africa

Gauteng moves in the fight against GBVF

The Gauteng Provincial Government has identified 10 police stations to be prioritised for support in its gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) plan.

This was announced by Premier Panyaza Lesufi during a media briefing following a meeting with the province’s mayors, municipal managers and law enforcement agencies to assess and strengthen the provincial response to GBVF.

The 10 stations have recorded the highest rape cases, and these stations include Rietgat, Alexandra, Mamelodi, Diepsloot, Ivory Park, Dobsonville, Redhill, Midrand and Thembisa, amongst others.

“We are of the view that if we can’t put additional resources in terms of policing, victim empowerment and all related issues…including dockets in these police stations, we would have failed the call that the President has given us.

“That’s why we have to ringfence these police stations and provide the relevant support that is needed,” Lesufi said.

Additionally, consolidated support the provincial government has given includes the strengthening of seven Thuthuzela Care Centres and providing support to sexual offence courts, which house the 144 victim friendly rooms.

“We are also bringing in the 19 Medical Legal Clinics to assist in preventing the loss of forensic evidence.

“In addition, we are increasing and amplifying SAPS [South African Police Service] GBV desks to deal with cases swiftly. A total of 1022 GBV brigades will be deployed across 122 high-risk police precincts with tools of trade. We are adding 56 social workers within the Department of Social Development,” Lesufi explained.

Provincial response to four-point plan

Lesufi said the provincial government will implement President Cyril Ramaphosa’s four-point plan to fight GBVF with the addition of a fifth commitment to places of safety.

The President’s four-point plan was announced this week and includes:
–    SAPS and the Justice Department to undertake a national case-recovery operation focused on unresolved murders, attempted murders, rapes and serious sexual offences involving women and children.

–    Minister of Police, the National Commissioner of Police and the relevant forensic authorities to present, within 60 days, a funded plan to reduce forensic backlogs and establish clear turnaround standards for priority gender-based violence and femicide cases.

–    Every municipality must begin a women’s safety audit without delay. High-risk areas must be identified, working with provincial governments and the police.

–    Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, working with the Ministers of Health, Social Development, Police and Cooperative Governance, to submit to Cabinet within 60 days a coordinated legislative and enforcement package to reduce alcohol-related violence.

READ | Four-point plan to aid the GBVF fight

Additionally, the provincial government will be adding support to safe places for survivors of GBVF.

“We are mapping the shelters and identifying what, as a province, we call green doors. Places of safety for women, for children and an audit of all buildings, staffing and funding gaps related to this kind of support.

“I can safely confirm that we’ve got a draft plan that we’ve put on the table with overwhelming support from all participants…from municipalities, provincial government and national government. We are of the view that this plan responds to the President’s call,” Lesufi said.

Three additional issues that will be looked at include the tracking of missing people, providing victim support for the families of those missing or unaccounted for and the pooling of an inter-governmental resource team to do tracking and supporting.

“What we have… [is to] establish an Inter-Governmental Committee on Disaster Management where we are coordinating everything related to local government.

“We’ve also established an Inter-Government Committee on Policy where we are bringing all the resources of law enforcement agencies. We also have an Inter-Government Relations Committee that was monitoring issues of water and energy [and] now we are introducing a new committee on [GBVF].

“On this, we have agreed to meet every Wednesday to take stock of directives that the President has given us,” he said.

Not starting from scratch

The Premier noted that the province has had an anti-GBVF plan and is not building systems from the ground up.

“What we are doing now is auditing the case numbers that are based, tracking individual recovery action plans, following up on police station failures, especially on lost dockets, protection orders, bail-related safety and family communication, and providing additional support to the affected municipalities in particular, to the municipality of Ekurhuleni.

“All municipalities agreed to provide an audit, in the next seven days, on the following areas that have been identified: broken streetlights, overgrown spaces and poorly secured parks, abandoned or hijacked buildings, unsafe routes, taxi ranks and facilities and areas that will assist us to get evidence in terms of CCTV cameras and other support systems” he explained.

A technical team has also been established to also draw national departments and entities closer that may provide additional support to the province.

“This, we believe, will ensure that our action plan on dealing with the directives of the President will be relevant, up-to-date, up to speed, measurable but most importantly, that each and every member of society can track what we are committing ourselves to do as the provincial government, municipalities and national government.”

At the same media briefing, Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni reflected on some of the cases of women killed in Ekurhuleni, noting that reports are “indicating a trend of victims being killed by people close to them”.

“We have pleaded that the police…can only police outside our yards. We have called on the public and families to report incidents of abuse of women. It is for that reason the President has called for dialogues for men and families.

“What we are concerned about as government is the high number of crimes targeted at women by people closest to them. But also, we are working to make sure that we create public spaces that are safe for women to exist [and] also create shelters for women to go to for help and opportunities for women to be supported,” Ntshavheni said.

Help

She added that both the GBVF Command Centre and Crime Stop numbers are fully operational.

Members of the public can report information through the Crime Stop toll-free number, 08600 10111, or contact the 24-hour Gender-Based Violence Command Centre on 0800 428 428.

The GBV Command Centre can also be reached by sending a Please Call Me to 1207867#, SMSing “HELP” to 31531, or contacting Skype: Helpme GBV. – SAnews.gov.za

 

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