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Residents of Luncedweni and Dedelo villages in the Ntabankulu Local Municipality, in the Eastern Cape, are set to gain improved access to reliable, quality water, following the recent handover of the Luncedweni Water Supply Scheme.

The Alfred Nzo District Municipality (ANDM), led by Executive Mayor Tsileng Sobuthongo, alongside Members of the Mayoral Committee and Ntabankulu Speaker Nomvula Kinase, officially handed over the project site to appointed contractors, Route 17 CVE Trading and Projects, in partnership with Lebutaka Consulting Engineers.

Funded through the Water Services Infrastructure Grant (WSIG), the R3.997 million investment is expected to benefit about 70 households that have historically faced severe challenges in accessing reliable water services.

The project, which is scheduled for completion within four months, includes improvements and optimisation of the existing spring water source and borehole, construction of approximately five kilometres of new water reticulation infrastructure, and the installation of communal standpipes to improve access for residents.

Beyond the immediate health and social benefits of clean water, the project is designed to act as an economic catalyst for the ward, with about 15 local jobs expected to be created.

Emerging local businesses will also have opportunities to participate through sub-contracting and other project-related activities.

Sobuthongo said the project demonstrates the district municipality’s commitment to improving basic services in rural communities.

“The implementation of this project demonstrates the municipality’s commitment to improving basic services, particularly water, and ensuring that our communities receive quality service delivery. This project brings renewed hope to the residents of Luncedweni and Dedelo by bringing clean and reliable water closer to their homes,” the mayor said.

The project has been welcomed by residents, who have called for the continued acceleration of basic service delivery across the region.

Local resident Iviwe Thoko expressed confidence that the project will be completed within the agreed four-month period and bring tangible, daily improvements to the villages.

ANDM has committed to closely monitoring the project throughout its implementation to ensure that construction progresses according to schedule and that the infrastructure meets all required quality standards, and delivers maximum benefit to the people of Ntabankulu. – SAnews.gov.za

The Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities has called for South African Sign Language to be integrated into the public service to ensure Deaf and hard-of-hearing persons can access information and government services.

“Planning for accessible communication should be normalised in government planning, budgeting, procurement, monitoring and accountability systems. When Deaf and hard-of-hearing persons cannot access basic information that enables independent living, we directly violate their human rights and make it impossible for them to exercise those rights,” Chief Director for Advocacy and Mainstreaming, Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Phuthi Mabelebele, said on Tuesday.

Speaking at the virtual launch of Deaf Awareness Month, Mabelebele said public service information should be available in accessible formats.

“Emergency and disaster communications should be accessible. Healthcare facilities should have mechanisms that facilitate effective communication.

“Courts, police stations and justice services should provide appropriate communication support. Public meetings and consultations should include communication accessibility from the planning stage, rather than reacting only when we realise that participants require captioning or South African Sign Language interpretation. 

 “We cannot claim that a participation process is inclusive when Deaf people cannot understand or contribute to it, because they are excluded from the communication,” she said.

Mabelebele said the White Paper on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities should include indicators that ensure minimum service delivery standards for Deaf and hard-of-hearing persons.

The White Paper serves as South Africa’s national policy framework for mainstreaming disability equity, protecting human rights and eliminating systemic exclusion.

“We cannot claim that a service is inclusive when some people are left behind. They are also excluded from decisions about inclusive resource allocation and from ensuring that their specific needs are considered.

“As a result, services provided to persons with disabilities will fall short. We cannot claim that justice is accessible when communication barriers prevent Deaf and hard-of-hearing persons from reporting a crime, giving evidence, or understanding legal proceedings,” she said.

Mabelebele said accessibility must be built into the design of government services from the outset.

“Central to advancing accessibility is the availability of disaggregated data. Disaggregated data provides an evidence base for designing services, enabling participation, promoting stability and strengthening security.

“As a society, we should build the confidence of persons with disabilities to disclose their disabilities, including deafness, without fear of stigmatisation, discrimination, negative attitudes or harmful perceptions. 

“If Deaf and hard-of-hearing persons are unable to disclose their disabilities, and disclosure is not normalised, accessible services and information will remain out of reach because we will not be able to provide what their communities need,” Mabelebele said.

She said work on the rights of persons with disabilities recognises disability through a human rights-based model, rather than a welfare, social or medical model.

“The medical model is important for identifying and addressing diverse disabilities. The social model is important for identifying gaps and ensuring that persons with disabilities receive equitable and equal support. 

“However, the human rights model is all-encompassing and must remain at the core of every effort to dismantle barriers in society, institutions, systems and communication,” the Chief Director said.

Mabelebele emphasised that mainstreaming is not the responsibility of government alone.

“For effective mainstreaming, we must all ask ourselves an important question. How must our systems change so that Deaf and hard-of-hearing persons can participate equally?

“Mainstreaming is not the responsibility of government alone; it is the responsibility of all of us. It happens in institutions, communities and every social space in which we find ourselves,” she said.

Mabelebele added that television and digital media should expand captioning and sign-language access, while government websites and digital platforms should also be made accessible.

“Public servants should receive training on Deaf awareness and communication. Assistive communication technologies should be promoted and made more accessible. We also have a responsibility to promote innovation and to ensure that planning supports easy access to communication for persons with disabilities,” she said. –SAnews.gov.za

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) is encouraging all parents to vaccinate their children against rotavirus following an increase in rotavirus cases in Pretoria, with one death already reported.

Parents are also urged to continue breastfeeding infants or administer oral rehydration solution – six teaspoons of sugar and half a teaspoon of salt in one litre of clean water – to infants and children with diarrhoeal symptoms. 

According to the institute, the virus is a seasonal diarrhoeal infection common to children which peaks during the cooler, drier months of the year. 

“Clinical symptoms include the sudden onset of vomiting followed by non-bloody watery diarrhoea, which may result in severe life-threatening dehydration. Fever may occur in approximately 30-50% of patients. Associated symptoms include loss of appetite, lethargy, and mild abdominal discomfort,” Head of the Centre for Enteric Diseases at the NICD, Professor Nicola Page, said. 

The virus is transmitted via the faecal-oral route, with most children having at least one infection by the age of two. 

“Parents should also watch for signs of early to moderate dehydration, including no tears, dry mouth, sunken soft spot or eyes, fewer wet nappies [no wet nappy for previous 6-8 hours], and behaviour changes like unusual fussiness, listlessness and lethargy or refusal to eat or drink.

“In these children, parents could increase fluid intake or, if concerned, proceed to the nearest clinic or health facility,” Page added.

According to the NICD, South Africa’s annual rotavirus season typically occurs from July to August and may extend into September.

Symptoms may include vomiting, watery diarrhoea, fever and sometimes stomach pain.  Dehydration can also occur rapidly in patients.

“Children with severe dehydration may become excessively sleepy or limp, produce dark urine, have cold or discoloured skin, exhibit fast breathing or heartbeat and their skin will form a tent when pinched and be slow to return to normal.

“Severe dehydration is a medical emergency, and these children should be taken to the nearest medical facility or clinic immediately, administering oral rehydration solution on the way, if possible. Prompt recognition of dehydration and rapid treatment will prevent prolonged hospitalisation, complications and even death,” the NICD said. – SAnews.gov.za

The Department of Health (DoH) has assured South Africans that there is stable medical supply at public health facilities in several provinces across the country.

The department explained that it is aware of concerns regarding medicines appearing to be out of stock, as well instances where “patients receive medicines that are different from those they have been issued with from health facilities”.

“The department wishes to reassure the public that a change in the colour, shape, packaging or manufacturer of a medicine does not mean that the medicine itself has changed.

“Public healthcare facilities procure medicines only from suppliers that meet stringent regulatory and quality standards. Where more than one approved supplier provides the same medicine, patients may receive products from different manufacturers over time.

“Although these medicines may look different, they contain the same active ingredients, are of the same strength/quality, and provide the same therapeutic benefits,” the DoH said.

Additionally, these medications are approved, “safe, effective and interchangeable”.

“Healthcare professionals may therefore dispense an equivalent medicine to ensure that patients continue receiving uninterrupted treatment.

“Patients who have questions or concerns about changes to the look of their medicines are encouraged to speak to their doctor, pharmacist or nurse, who can explain the reason for the change and confirm that the medicine remains appropriate for their treatment,” the department stated.

Where there are reports of medicine shortages, this does not mean that patients are not able to receive treatment, as there are equivalent medicines that are available and accessible.

Healthcare professionals “routinely manage these situations by providing clinically appropriate alternatives to ensure continuity of care”.

“Like many countries, South Africa’s medicine supply chain can occasionally be affected by factors beyond the control of the health system, including manufacturing disruptions, global shortages of raw materials, increased international demand, transport delays and changes between procurement contracts. Despite these challenges, the department works continuously to minimise any impact on patients.

“Medicine availability is monitored through the National Surveillance Centre and other established reporting systems, including a web-based digital tool called Stock Visibility System. These systems provide early warning of potential supply challenges across levels of healthcare delivery and enable the National Department of Health to work closely with provinces, healthcare facilities, suppliers and regulatory authorities to address risks promptly and maintain access to essential medicines.

“The department remains committed to ensuring that patients continue to receive safe, effective and quality-assured medicines through the public health system,” the DoH said. – SAnews.gov.za

Human Settlement Minister Thembi Simelane has highlighted women’s role in the human settlement sector’s transition to Innovative Building Technologies (IBT).

Delivering a keynote address at the Women in Human Settlements Sector Dialogue in Johannesburg on Monday evening, Simelane said the IBT must contribute to faster, higher-quality, more sustainable and resilient human settlements.

However, the Minister warned that innovation will be incomplete if it changes building materials and methods without changing patterns of ownership and economic opportunity.

The sector’s 2% IBT deliverable, she said, must create opportunities for women as designers, researchers, manufacturers, contractors, inspectors, financiers and entrepreneurs.

“We must deliberately connect new delivery methods to skills, accreditation, finance, project pipelines and market access for women,” Simelane said.

The Minister also pointed to the Property Sector Code as an important framework for advancing transformation through ownership, management control, skills development, enterprise and supplier development, and broader economic opportunities.

From training to real opportunities
The Minister reiterated that empowerment programmes must be measured by what happens after training.

While welcoming programmes being implemented by Human Settlements entities, Simelane said institutions need to adopt a more disciplined approach to measuring outcomes.

“Training is valuable, but it is not the final outcome. Mentorship matters, but it must lead somewhere.”
She emphasised that tangible milestones, including securing a first contract, receiving a first paid invoice, achieving financial close, obtaining professional registration, sustaining a business beyond a single opportunity, and creating employment, are more meaningful indicators of empowerment.

The Minister also called for Human Settlements institutions to operate as a connected system, with each stage of support leading to the next.

“A woman supported by one entity should be able to access the next stage through another: training connected to registration; registration connected to finance; finance connected to a project; a project connected to reliable payment and sustainable growth.”

She identified finance, including collateral, compliance, project packaging, delayed payments, market access and insufficient work experience, as recurring barriers that need to be addressed.

Expectations
Simelane set four expectations before the department, its entities and sector partners. These include institutions knowing their baseline by using verified, comparable information to establish where women currently participate and where gaps remain; and making the opportunity pipeline visible, ensuring that women receive information about opportunities early enough to prepare and compete.

Institutions and entities must also measure progression and impact, tracking the movement from training and support into contracts, finance, employment, professional advancement, ownership and sustainable enterprise growth; and also act on barriers within their control by using procurement, finance, accreditation, supplier development, project packaging, contract management and payment systems to remove obstacles.

“These expectations must enter our existing plans, governance structures and performance reporting,” Simelane said.

She also urged institutions to listen more closely to beneficiaries, saying their experiences often reveal gaps that institutional reports fail to capture.

Beneficiaries, she said, should not simply be showcased at events but should have their experiences incorporated into the design and improvement of programmes.

“Their voices must influence what the institution does next.”

Continuing the work beyond Women’s Month
Reflecting on the historical significance of the recently concluded Women’s Month, Simelane drew a connection between the women who marched against discriminatory laws in 1956 and the challenges facing women today.

“In 1956, women marched against a system that attempted to limit their movement, dignity, and power. Seventy years later, our responsibility is to remove the barriers that still constrain women’s safety, ownership, and economic participation,” the Minister said.

She called on the Women of Human Settlements platform to become a space where policy is tested against implementation, institutions account for measurable progress, industry fulfils its transformation responsibilities, and women’s experiences influence future decisions. – SAnews.gov.za

The Northern Cape, Free State and Eastern Cape have joined forces for the first ever Tri-Province Tourism Month media launch held on Monday at the Chargo River Lodge in Colesberg.

The theme for the 2026 Tourism Month is: “Growing South Africa’s Tourism Sector in the Digital Era”.

“This pioneering collaboration positions the three provinces as one seamless tourism region, centred on the breathtaking Lake Gariep, South Africa’s largest reservoir and a shared natural wonder.

“By breaking provincial boundaries, the initiative invites domestic travellers to experience connected journeys of culture, heritage, adventure, stargazing, and wildlife across all three destinations,” the Northern Cape Economic Development, Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (NCEDA) said in a statement.

With support from the relevant tourism industry stakeholders, the campaign promises wide exposure and fresh itineraries that encourage longer stays and greater local spend.

Embracing digital innovation, the collaboration integrates AI, social media storytelling, and immersive visitor experiences to position the three provinces as a modern, competitive and sustainable destination.

The Tri-Province Tourism Month media launch was officially opened by three MECs — Nonkqubela Ntomboxolo Pieters (Eastern Cape), Venus Blennies Magage (Northern Cape), and Ketso Makume (Free State). 

A MoU was signed by the three CEOs of the provincial tourism authorities — Shawn Modise (Northern Cape), Obakeng Seseane (Free State) and Nokulunga Mnqeta (Eastern Cape).

Modise hailed the initiative as “a historic moment for rural tourism growth in South Africa”, urging tour operators and the travel trade to present joint itineraries that inspire interprovince travel.

Tourism Month, celebrated each September, encourages South Africans to explore their own country affordably and authentically. This flagship collaboration ensures that visitors can “find their joy” in the three provinces and create lasting memories, while supporting local communities. – SAnews.gov.za