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KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport and Human Settlements, Siboniso Duma, has commended emergency and disaster response teams in eThekwini for their speed and efficiency following a devastating fire that displaced hundreds of residents.

A total of 477 people, including 299 children and 178 adults, were left homeless after a fire tore through the Quarry Road informal settlement, destroying about 130 shacks.

Duma said residents who contacted his office expressed appreciation for the rapid response by teams on the ground.

“Residents who contacted me and my office yesterday have expressed their deepest appreciation. Tribute must go to the team assigned by the mayor. Speed and efficiency are what should forever characterise our work as we move forward,” Duma said.

Authorities are working closely with eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba and Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane following the incident.

The fire is believed to have started in a shack rented by a foreign national who is still at large.

A multi-disciplinary team has been deployed to provide ongoing support to affected residents. The team includes officials from human settlements, led by head of department Max Mbili, as well as eThekwini disaster management teams and the national Department of Human Settlements. They are working alongside Ward 25 Councillor Mkhize and the ward committee.

As a temporary measure, displaced residents have been accommodated in two marquees while further assistance is being arranged.

Government has prioritised support for children affected by the fire, with plans underway to provide school uniforms to enable them to return to school. KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Education Sipho Hlomuka is receiving updates from his department on the intervention.

Teams have also been deployed to assist residents with the replacement of identity documents and birth certificates lost in the fire.

Additional support is being provided by KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Health Nomagugu Simelane and MEC for Social Development Mbali Shinga, who have dispatched teams to assist affected families.

Several organisations have stepped in to provide relief, including the Gift of the Givers Foundation, Al Imdaad Foundation and the Red Cross, as well as local community members and the Ikabawo Performing Arts Academy, who are supplying meals and essential items.

Duma said a roving team will remain in the area to ensure continued assistance to residents as recovery efforts continue. – SAnews.gov.za

Southern Africa has taken a decisive step towards unlocking large-scale investment in land restoration, climate resilience and sustainable livelihoods, following the conclusion of the Southern African Great Green Wall Initiative (SA GGWI) Regional Capacity Building Workshop held in Johannesburg.

Hosted by South Africa through the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), in collaboration with the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification’s (UNCCD) Global Mechanism, the five-day workshop advanced a regional pipeline of investment-ready projects and proposals across Southern African Development Community member states.

The workshop, held from 27 April to 1 May 2026, brought together governments, development finance institutions, private sector partners and regional bodies to accelerate the transition from policy commitments to bankable projects and programmes.

Unlike traditional engagements focused on strategy and dialogue, the workshop was structured as a practical platform for investment and project development. Participants were equipped with tools to design, finance and implement bankable programmes in land restoration, climate resilience and sustainable livelihoods.

Member states were also given an opportunity to engage with the private sector, donors and funders on financing instruments, project concept development and matching proposals with funding opportunities, culminating in a clear post-workshop implementation roadmap.

Key outcomes of the workshop include the development of a pipeline of priority project concept notes across the Southern African Development Community (SADC) member states, identification of regional and national investment gaps and priority intervention areas, strengthened capacity among stakeholders to structure bankable and blended finance-ready projects, and enhanced collaboration between governments, development partners and the private sector.

Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Bernice Swarts, emphasised the importance of shifting from ambition to implementation.

“The Southern African Great Green Wall Initiative represents a critical opportunity for our region to restore ecosystems while unlocking sustainable economic opportunities. What is required now is not only commitment, but the ability to translate that commitment into investable programmes that deliver real impact on the ground,” Swarts said. 

Managing Director of the UNCCD Global Mechanism, Louise Baker, underscored the role of partnerships and financing innovation.

“Through the Great Green Wall Initiative, we are seeing a shift toward integrated, multi-sectoral solutions that bring together public and private finance. The focus on investment readiness is key to unlocking the scale of resources required to transform landscapes and livelihoods,” Baker said. 

The workshop also saw strong participation from financial institutions, including the African Development Bank, Climate Investment Funds and the Global Environment Facility, as well as private sector players engaging on innovative financing models such as blended finance, carbon markets and nature-based investment instruments.

South Africa’s hosting of the workshop reinforces its role in advancing biodiversity conservation, sustainable land management, climate resilience and sustainable development, while strengthening efforts to mobilise resources to address land degradation, biodiversity loss and climate change.

The outcomes of the workshop are expected to inform the next phase of the SA GGWI, including refining project pipelines, mobilising financial resources and implementing priority interventions over the next six to 12 months. – SAnews.gov.za

Residents in the John Taolo Gaetsewe District in the Northern Cape have been urged to remain vigilant, avoid flooded areas and adhere to safety advisories as severe weather continues to disrupt communities. 

The call follows a meeting of the District Joint Operating Coordinating Committee (JOC) on Friday, where government and municipal stakeholders assessed the impact of inclement weather conditions across the district.

“Residents are urged to remain vigilant, avoid flooded areas, adhere to safety advisories, and cooperate with authorities during this period. Communities are also encouraged to report emergencies to relevant authorities,” Government said in a statement released by the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) on Saturday. 

Government said that reports presented during the session confirmed that several areas remain severely affected, with some residential properties surrounded by water, damage to road infrastructure, and disruptions to basic services. 

The committee noted with concern the extent of the impact, particularly in the Joe Morolong Local Municipality, which continues to bear the brunt of the adverse weather conditions.

The JOC also reviewed coordinated response measures currently underway, including disaster assessments, humanitarian assistance, road closures and the establishment of alternative routes where necessary. However, efforts to provide relief to affected households have been hampered by limited access to some communities.

“The Committee reaffirmed government’s commitment to ensure a coordinated, efficient, and responsive approach to the current crisis. Stakeholders will continue to work collaboratively to ensure that affected communities receive the necessary support and that risks are mitigated,” the statement read. 

Assessment reports from various sectors will be consolidated and submitted to the provincial government to guide further interventions and resource allocation.

Government added that all three local municipalities in the John Taolo Gaetsewe District will host special council meetings between 01 – 04 May 2026, to deliberate on the ongoing challenges and to possibly pass resolutions on declaring local state of disasters. – SAnews.gov.za 

While Health Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, is still to announce the date for the launch of the game changing HIV prevention medication Lenacapavir, the injectable will help the country in its fight against HIV, while also benefiting South Africans.

Lenacapavir is administered via injection twice a year, offering six months of continuous protection per dose and offers a welcomed relief from daily pills or the bi-monthly injections.

The first batch of the HIV prevention medicine, which is a new, long-acting antiretroviral drug – specifically an HIV-1 capsid inhibitor that is used for HIV prevention (as PrEP) – arrived in the country in early April.

The medicine’s six-monthly dosing schedule has the potential to overcome many of the barriers South Africa has experienced with daily oral PrEP. This as it offers greater discretion, convenience, and likely better adherence for users, especially for people who struggle with taking a pill every day or making frequent clinic visits.

The delivery of the medication is part of integrated, differentiated and people-centred HIV prevention services, offering new hope for people who face barriers to existing HIV prevention methods.

The six-monthly HIV injectable is expected to expand HIV prevention choices, improve adherence, especially amongst the most vulnerable priority groups, including adolescent girls and young women, sex workers, and men having sex with men, among others.

South Africa received the first batch of 37 920 doses of the medicine that the Department of Health has described as a preventive medicine, not a vaccine.

The department said Lenacapavir is a preventive medicine, not a vaccine, considered one of the most significant HIV prevention advances in years. 

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) Guidelines on Lenacapavir for HIV prevention, the organisation recommends offering the injectable as an additional HIV prevention choice.

Among the benefits of the drug is that it need not be discontinued during pregnancy and breastfeeding for HIV-negative women with a high likelihood of exposure to HIV, said the WHO.

In tabling the Department of Health’s Budget Vote in July last year, Motsoaledi said government plans to offer the drug to young women, and everyone at risk to stay HIV-free.  This as women and girls have carried the greatest burden of the HIV epidemic.

“To reach our goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat and achieve the UNAIDS [Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS] target of 95% of people at risk having access to prevention options, we must continually improve and expand our prevention toolkit,” the Minister said at a roundtable session last October.

The department said that condoms were not being used as widely as it would like and that when coming to the taking of oral PrEP, many users find it difficult to take a pill every single day due to stigma, pill fatigue, or life circumstances. 

Making HIV prevention easier

Announcing the registration of the injectable in October 2025, the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) said the antiviral medicine was developed to prevent new HIV infections with its initiation dose of a subcutaneous injection (administered just under the skin) with tablets (taken on days 1 and 2). 

“It is used to reduce the risk of HIV in adults and adolescents who weigh at least 35 kg; are HIV negative, and are at risk of getting HIV. Lenacapavir for PrEP should always be used in combination with safer sex practices, such as using condoms, to reduce the risk of getting other sexually transmitted infections,” said SAHPRA.

SAHPRA is an entity of the National Department of Health.

In the Guidelines of the WHO, evidence on the safety and efficacy for HIV prevention of the medicine “was collected in a systematic review of peer-reviewed scientific reports”, whereby 12 eligible reports were included, containing data from two studies. 

“The two included studies, namely PURPOSE 1 (5) and PURPOSE 2 (6), were multi-centred, double-blind, randomized, activecontrolled trials,” said the WHO.

The Department of Health said the clinical trials of PURPOSE showed outstanding efficacy.

“In one trial among women, it showed 100% efficacy within the study period – and in another trial amongst men who have sex with men and transgender women, efficacy was around 96%. On the strength of this evidence, the WHO this year issued new guidelines recommending Lenacapavir as an additional HIV prevention choice,” said the department.

South Africa’s rollout of the medicine will prioritise pregnant and breastfeeding women, adolescent girls and young key populations, female sex workers, and men who have sex with men to “yield the highest impact”.

The department’s approach of the rollout of the injectable is data driven.

The department plans to rollout Lenacapavir initially to about 23 high-incidence districts across six provinces, targeting around 360 high-performing public clinics within areas for Phase 1 implementation.

While the launch date of the game changer injectable is still to be announced, this seems to be a much-needed cog in the country’s toolkit against HIV. – SAnews.gov.za