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The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police, Mr Ian Cameron, welcomes the service enhancement initiatives announced by the Minister of Police, Mr Senzo Mchunu, and the National Commissioner. Many of the interventions announced can create the necessary ripple effect needed to combat crime.

The capacitation of both the detectives and crime intelligence units, albeit still far from the capacity needed, is a welcomed intervention as it will ensure that crime is prevented before it happens and is effectively investigated once it has occurred. “Since the establishment of the 7th Parliament, the committee has been at pains to highlight the severe shortages within these critical components. While the 4 000 new detectives and 300 new intelligence operatives is welcomed, the number must be increased over time,” Mr Cameron said.

Furthermore, the prioritisation of the 30 high-contact crime police stations (stations that experience high levels of contact crimes, such as murder, attempted murder, rape, GBVF and assault cases in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape and the Eastern Cape) is also a welcome intervention. The committee has always called for an increased focus on the top 30 stations because a reduction in crime rate in those stations will improve the national picture.

The 10111 call centre is a lifeline for victims of crime and the challenges facing the centre has been a major point of concern for the committee. The recruitment of 575 call centre operators will ensure that the system functions optimally for 24 hour, seven days a week. A system without a functional means of communication between the South African Police Service and the people is bound to expose the victims and the Chairperson highlighted his hope that the new recruits will positively contribute to enhancing this intervention. Similarly, the Chairperson welcomed the intention by the SAPS to augment the technological capabilities within the centre to ensure that response times are improved.

Furthermore, the prioritisation of budgets for vehicles must be welcomed in the context that it will ensure stations are able to respond timeously to incidents of crime and improve police visibility. “On a daily basis we encounter members of the community with the same complaint that when they approach the SAPS they are informed of lack of vehicles to respond to incidents of crime. The decision to prioritise police stations and police visibility units will ensure the necessary visibility to prevent crimes,” Mr Cameron emphasised.

The welfare of committed SAPS members has also been a priority area for the committee. The new measures announced by the National Commissioner, from scarce skills allowance to rank progression, will serve as a necessary incentive for the SAPS to continue serving this great country.

The high police-to-population ration was also a concern for the committee, and the recruitment of a further 5 500 officers will assist in reducing the ratio. It is important that there are enough and well-trained officers proportional to the population growth.

The committee has always maintained that crime is not only a police issue but requires a society-wide approach to combat. In line with this, the partnership with Business Against Crime South Africa to enhance technological interventions in crime fighting must be encouraged. As the SAPS look for ways to integrate and optimise their existing technologies, the Chairperson has urged them to engage the private sector so as to widen the scope for more solutions.

The Chairperson noted the splitting of the Visible Policing Division into Visible Policing and Operational Response Services. Also, the splitting of Detective Services and Forensic Services. The promised operational effectiveness will be monitored over time, but the Chairperson has urged that the split should not be cosmetic but geared to deliver enhanced services.
The additional capacity for the Forensic Science Laboratory must also be commended in the context of the importance of scientific evidence in convicting criminals.

Meanwhile, the committee has always called for effective consequence management against rogue police officers who are inclined to participate in criminal activity. “We welcome the dismissal of 392 criminals dressed in police uniform. Effective consequence management is needed to ensure that anyone that is inclined to act in contravention of the law must be surgically removed from the service,” Mr Cameron emphasised.

In line with this call, the Chairperson called on the SAPS management to ensure effective consequence management against Major-General Philani Lushaba who was arrested this morning. “The arrest of Major General Lushaba highlights the need for fit-for-purpose police officer at all levels. While the criminal case continues, the SAPS internal disciplinary process must kick in with urgency,” Mr Cameron concluded.

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

Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

Today in Garissa County, Cabinet Secretary for Health Hon. Aden Duale presided over the launch of Health Facility Digitalization, marking a major milestone in Kenya’s journey toward a fully digitized health system.

As part of the launch, 1,114 digital devices were delivered to public health facilities across Garissa County to bolster service delivery, improve record-keeping, and enhance accountability.

Kenyans can now access their health records from anywhere in the country through the newly established Health Information Exchange (HIE) system—providing a secure, unified platform that captures both patient and provider data to support continuity of care.

Hon. Duale emphasized the impact of digitization, noting that it has already led to the closure of 875 non-compliant facilities by the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC), and eliminated over 3 million fraudulent NHIF records. Only licensed and accredited facilities will now be empanelled under the Social Health Authority (SHA).

The CS highlighted that through the Comprehensive Integrated Health Information System, the Ministry is digitizing patient records, prescriptions, and facility transactions—transforming the health system from the ground up by improving transparency, reducing fraud, and streamlining service delivery.

While addressing the community at the close of the 5-day Free Medical Camp, Hon. Duale also:
•Rallied the local population to register under the SHA and embrace Taifa Care, a major health sector reform to strengthen Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
•Announced that 367 health workers in Garissa have already been trained on digital systems, with a target of training 1,700 across the countye.
•Confirmed that over 74,000 digital devices will be distributed nationally to ensure public facilities are equipped to match the standards of the private sector.

He further affirmed that Kenya’s Digital Health Superhighway will allow young people and families to register, access health services, and track care directly from their mobile phones—ensuring no one is left behind.

– on behalf of Ministry of Health, Kenya.

Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

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A deadly mix of conflict, climate change and poverty have pushed 2.3 million children aged under 5 in South Sudan into life threatening acute malnutrition, with rates soaring just months after foreign governments announced the slashing of funds to the world’s poorest countries, Save the Children said.

Latest figures from the Integrated Phase Classification (IPC) – the leading global authority on the severity of hunger crises – show that in just over six months, the number of people living in the worst phase of acute hunger (IPC Phase 5) in South Sudan has doubled [1], and the percentage of the population living in crisis levels of acute hunger (IPC Phase 3 and above) has shot up from 47% to 57% – an increase of 21% [2].

A lack of food, insufficient medical supplies in health facilities and major disease outbreaks including cholera, the number of acutely malnourished children under the age of five across South Sudan has increased from 2.1 million to 2.3 million – a 10.5% increase, representing an additional 218,000 malnourished children.
Of the 80 counties in which data was collected, 62 – 78% recorded a general deterioration in acute malnutrition, according to the IPC.

Children are always the most vulnerable in food crises and, without enough to eat and the right nutritional balance, they are at high risk of becoming acutely malnourished, said Save the Children.

Malnutrition can cause stunting, impede mental and physical development, and increase the risk of contracting deadly diseases.

All this comes as foreign aid cuts have brought lifesaving programmes across South Sudan – one of the world’s most aid-dependent countries – to a standstill.

Chris Nyamandi, Save the Children Country Director in South Sudan, said:

“When there is a lack of food, children’s bodies become a battleground. The impacts of malnutrition – stunting, impeded mental and physical development, and increased risk of contracting deadly diseases – can be life-shattering.

“These latest figures are a cry to donors: please, see what happens to children when you let humanitarian crises take hold. Please, don’t leave the children of South Sudan behind. This is about survival for today – but it is also about hope for tomorrow, to build a better world.”

Globally, one in five deaths among children aged under 5 are attributed to severe acute malnutrition, making it one of the top threats to child survival. Community-based programmes combining medical treatment and therapeutic foods, including a fortified peanut paste, have a 90% success rate.

Earlier this year, Save the Children reported that at least 110,000 [3] severely acutely malnourished children supported by the aid agency in 10 countries, including South Sudan, could be left without access to life-saving ready-to-use emergency food and nutrition programmes as aid cuts hit supplies in coming months.

The charity also reported that at least five children with cholera in South Sudan had died on an arduous journey to seek medical treatment, after aid cuts forced their local health services to close in the middle of a major outbreak of the deadly disease.

Save the Children has worked in South Sudan since 1991, when it was part of Sudan. The child rights organisation provides children with access to education, healthcare and nutritional support, and families with food security and livelihoods assistance.  

– on behalf of Save the Children.

Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

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On Thursday, President John Dramani Mahama bid farewell to the outgoing British High Commissioner to Ghana, Harriet Thompson, expressing gratitude for her four-year tenure and emphasising key areas for ongoing Ghana-United Kingdom cooperation.

Mr Mahama lauded the High Commissioner for her “positive engagements” throughout her time in the country. He reflected on the long-standing historical relationship between Ghana and the UK, describing it as having been “so far so good”.

The president, however, emphasised the mutual need for deeper economic partnerships and trade moving forward. He also noted the dynamic changes in the global landscape, including the diminishing nature of traditional development assistance and the necessity for developing countries like Ghana to strategically reposition themselves.

President Mahama also acknowledged the UK’s significant support in counter-terrorism efforts, specifically commending cooperation in intelligence gathering and training.

“We appreciate the partnership we have shared in the fight against terrorism,” President Mahama stated. We will continue to rely on the UK for help and cooperation in intelligence gathering and training to prepare ourselves in the event of any attack.”

Shifting to regional matters, Mr Mahama updated the High Commissioner on his recent proactive engagements with leaders in the Sahelian countries, including Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. He pledged further diplomatic efforts aimed at rebuilding trust and improving relationships with these neighbours.

He announced that the upcoming ECOWAS meeting on Sunday – the first since he assumed office – would place the issues concerning the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) at the top of its agenda.

“I am going to have the opportunity to report to the rest of the ECOWAS leaders on trips I made to the three countries and share some of my perspectives about their grievances and how we can redefine relationships,” he told the outgoing envoy.

On the domestic economic front, President Mahama provided an optimistic outlook, reporting progress with a strengthening Cedi, declining inflation, and renewed investor confidence.

“I am happy to report that it’s going well,” he said, detailing the first quarter economic performance report. “The first quarter report on economic performance indicates a GDP growth of 5.3 per cent, inflation has reduced from 23 per cent to 18 per cent since January, and we hope to bring it down to 13 per cent by the end of the year, so that should create some relief for Ghanaians in terms of the cost of living and we will continue to maintain fiscal discipline.”

For her part, High Commissioner Harriet Thompson, who has served in Ghana for over four years, expressed her gratitude for the warm support and cooperation she received during her tenure. She also acknowledged the successful implementation of various British-sponsored interventions during her time.

– on behalf of The Presidency, Republic of Ghana.