Day: August 10, 2022

The Special investigating Unit (SIU) will investigate allegations of corruption and maladministration at water boards in the Eastern Cape and Limpopo.

This after President Cyril Ramaphosa signed a proclamation authorising the corruption busting unit to scrutinise the affairs of the Lepelle Northern Water Board in Limpopo and Amatola Water Board in the Eastern Cape.

According to SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago, the investigations will cover:

• procurement of, or contracting for, drought relief services and technologies by or on behalf of the water boards and

• payments made in a manner that was not fair competitive, transparent, equitable or cost-effective.

“The SIU will look into the conduct of Board members, employees or officials of the water boards as well as officials or employees of the [ministries] of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation to establish any alleged involvement or facilitating the manipulation of the water boards’ supply chain management processes by suppliers, service providers or any other person in collusion with, or through the intervention of the mentioned parties.

“The SIU will investigate any alleged unlawful appropriation or expenditure of public money or property, and unlawful, irregular or unapproved acquisitive act, transaction, measure or practice having bearing on State property. The probe will also seek to establish whether or not there has been any intentional or negligent loss of public money or damage to public property,” Kganyago said.

He added that the probe will also investigate any officials were involved in “improper or unlawful conduct…to corruptly or unduly benefit themselves or others or are found to have been fraudulent and any related unauthorised, irregular or fruitless and wasteful expenditure incurred by the Water Boards or the State as result”.

The suppliers or service providers involved will also be probed.

Kganyago said the proclamation will allow the SIU to investigate matters dating back to 2019.

The SIU will also refer any criminal findings to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and seek to recoup undue benefits from wrongdoers.

“The SIU is empowered to institute civil action in the High Court or a Special Tribunal in its name, to correct any wrongdoing uncovered during both investigations caused by acts of corruption, fraud or maladministration.

“In line with the Special Investigating Units and Special Tribunals Act 74 of 1996, the SIU will refer any evidence pointing to criminal conduct it uncovers to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for further action,” he said.

Source: South African Government News Agency

KwaZulu-Natal Premier-elect, Nomusa Dube-Ncube, has been sworn in as KwaZulu-Natal’s first female Premier during a special sitting of the Legislature held on Wednesday.

Dube-Ncube, who was the MEC responsible for Finance portfolio, replaces Sihle Zikalala, who resigned last week as provincial Premier.

Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony, Dube-Ncube assured that the office of the Premier will continue with the efforts entrusted to it, and the responsibility for a clean and caring government.

She said she wants government employees to project the values of Batho Pele, and live by its principles.

“We will also ensure transparency, accountability and good governance in all spheres of government by working with Chapter 9 Institutions, such as the Human Rights Commission, Public Protector, Auditor-General, as well as the public service. We wish to deepen our democracy by creating a space for ordinary members of society,” the new Premier said.

She also emphasised the importance of maintaining the smooth transition from the previous leadership.

“The whole country is celebrating here today. It is going to be the reflection of democracy, working with… [maturity], in order to ensure that we sustain our government,” Dube-Ncube said.

Dube-Ncube further paid tribute to her predecessor, Sihle Zikalala, for the good work he has done for the people of KwaZulu-Natal.

“You have left a catalogue of achievement and wonderful spirit of camaraderie amongst the colleagues and political parties, and we are going to sustain that,” Dube-Ncube said.

KZN making history

Commenting on becoming the first female Premier in KwaZulu-Natal, Dube-Ncube said as women, they don’t take for granted the fact that they have made history.

“The whole country is celebrating the fact that the ANC [African National Congress] has made a conscious decision to ensure that the sixth premier, under its banner, is a female,” Dube-Ncube said.

She said the province of KwaZulu-Natal will continue to be steadfast in implementing set-asides targeting women, the youth, and people with disabilities in specific industries.

Delivering the State of the Province Address in February 2022, former Premier Zikalala insisted that the KwaZulu-Natal Economic Recovery and Transformation Plan must put women and the youth at the centre of rebuilding back and better.

In this regard, Dube-Ncube said the province undertook to ensure that in the next window of Operation Vula Funding, no less than 50% should go to fund women-owned enterprises with the potential of job creation

“Through our successful implementation of export-led growth, the Black Industrialist Programme, the KZN Youth Empowerment Fund initiative, and the Radical Socio-Economic Transformation (RASET), we seek to create more economic empowerment opportunities for black women and black youth in KwaZulu-Natal.

“We are determined to pursue our vision of mainstreaming gender equality and that by 2024, at least 50% of public procurement should go to women-owned enterprises,” Dube-Ncube said.

Source: South African Government News Agency

This week’s feature shows some of the ways that contributions to WHO are helping save the lives of children, from those caught in an historic drought in the Horn of Africa to those fleeing war in Ukraine.

Read also about the battle to end pediatric HIV, malaria and noma, stop polio, prevent drowning, and promote breastfeeding and vaccination.

Protect and promote breastfeeding, leaders urge

Breastfeeding provides a ready, nutritious food source for babies, and governments should use their resources to support it, WHO and UNICEF urged during World Breastfeeding Week in August.

The two organizations called upon countries and other stakeholders to make policies that provide mothers with the time, space and support they need to breastfeed.

WHO points out the special resource breastfeeding provides in emergency situations, where food might be more difficult to obtain.

Read about World Breastfeeding Week activities in: Malawi, Somalia, Tajikistan

Ramping up the polio response in Africa

Mass-vaccination campaigns are under way in southern Africa after a case of wild poliovirus was detected earlier this year in Malawi.

“This is a dangerous disease with no cure, but full vaccination can prevent paralysis,” said Dr Modjirom Ndoutabe, Polio Programme Coordinator at WHO’s Regional Office for Africa. “We are supporting these five countries (Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe) to deliver quality and effective vaccination campaigns, which will safeguard children and stamp out the virus.”

WHO’s International Health Regulations Emergency Committee agreed at a June meeting that the risk of international spread of poliovirus remains a public health emergency of international concern; a young adult was diagnosed with polio recently in the United States (the state of New York), and hospitalized with paralysis.

Read: Ending polio in Somalia and Mopping up polio in Zambia

WHO calls on global community to “do one thing” to stop drowning

For World Drowning Prevention Day (25 July), WHO recommended six ways to prevent drowning: building barriers around water, training rescuers, teaching swimming and water safety at school, providing day care, enforcing boating, shipping and ferry regulations, and doing better at managing flood risks.

Free vaccinations for Ukrainian refugees in Moldova

Since the first day of the war, the Republic of Moldova has been providing free health and immunization services to Ukrainian refugees. As of mid-July, more than 1000 doses of routine vaccines had been administered to refugee children. The shots protect against measles, mumps, rubella and other childhood illnesses.

Also read about Germany’s US$ 4.6 million contribution for childhood and COVID-19 vaccinations in Somalia.

Alliance launched to end AIDS in children by 2030

The Global Alliance for Ending AIDS in Children by 2030 was introduced this month at the International AIDS Conference in Montreal to reignite the fight against HIV in children.

“The wide gap in treatment coverage between children and adults is an outrage,” UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima said. “Through this alliance, we will channel that outrage into action. By bringing together new, improved medicines, new political commitment, and the determined activism of communities, we can be the generation who end AIDS in children. We can win this – but we can only win together.”

The Alliance, made up of health organizations, civil society and Member States, has introduced a four-pronged plan of treatment, prevention, testing and protecting human rights to push toward its 2030 goal.

In Somalia: “Our lives have changed thanks to the water we now have in our camp.”

WHO’s recent repair of boreholes in Somalia has brought access to clean drinking water to nearly 20 000 people. Clean water means fewer waterborne diseases like cholera and diarrhoea, healthier populations, and better sanitation.

The United Nations General Assembly has recognized access to water and sanitation as a human right.

Read about WHO’s funding appeal for the humanitarian crisis in the Greater Horn of Africa.

Historic funding to expand roll-out of malaria vaccine in Africa

The world’s first mass vaccination against malaria was brought a step closer in July as Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance opened a process for countries to apply for funding to roll out the new vaccine.

Nearly US$ 160 million in international support will fund the effort.

WHO recommended the new vaccine in 2021 after a two-year pilot programme showed it could save tens of thousands of children every year when used in conjunction with mainstay malaria-fighting tools such as insecticide-treated bed nets.

Malaria is a leading cause of childhood illness and death in sub-Saharan Africa, killing more than 260 000 children under the age of five every year.

Nigeria seeks to eliminate a severe and often-lethal mouth disease

WHO and other organizations are helping Nigeria develop its capacity to fight back against noma, a disfiguring and often fatal mouth and face infection whose sufferers tend to be malnourished children living in extreme poverty.

Construction on a 100-bed hospital began in May in Abuja, and hundreds of health workers are receiving training to tackle noma. In July, OpenWHO launched an online noma course for health workers.

“This disease is still not very well known in our communities, including among health care workers who often mistake it for cancer or other illnesses. But I am optimistic that this is beginning to change,” said Dr Shafiu Isah, chief Medical Director at the Sokoto Noma Children’s Hospital in northwest Nigeria. “With the help of other stakeholders, I think we are getting there.”

Support for the activities comes from the German non-profit Hilfsaktion Noma e.V., the Noma Aid Nigeria Initiative, Médecins Sans Frontières and WHO.

Source: World Health Organization

Rand Water has notified the City of Tshwane of a planned shutdown to complete a tie-in of the newly installed S4 pipeline to the existing S4 pipeline.

The shutdown is planned to start on 11 August 2022 at 17:00 and will end at 22:00 on 13 August 2022.

The shutdown will last for 53 hours.

During the shutdown, the following reservoirs and areas in Tshwane might be affected:

– Cornwall Hill Reservoir: Doornkloof 391 –JR.

– Corobrick Plant: Grootfontein 394-JR, Rietfontein 375-JR, Rietfontein Ridge Ext 1 1 , Rietvallei 377-JR, Mooikloof Manor Ext 2, The Hills (all extensions), Tygerpoort 371- JR and Zwavelpoort 373-JR.

– Garsfontein Reservoir, which feeds the following reservoirs:

– Eersterust Reservoir: Despatch, Eersterust, Jan Niemandpark, Mamelodi, Silvertondale and Waltloo.

– Kilner Park Reservoir: Kilner Park

– Koedoesnek LL Reservoir: Die Wilgers (all extensions), Equestria (all extensions), Faerie Glen, Garsfontein, Koedoesnek AH, Life Wilgers Hospital, Lynnwood, Lynnwood Glen, Lynnwood Ridge, Struland AH, Wapadrand, Willow Glen, Willow Glen AH and Zwartkoppies.

– Magalieskruin Reservoir: Hartebeestfontein 324-JR and Wonderboom

– Mamelodi RI Reservoir: Mamelodi, Mamelodi Ext 13, 27 and 34, and Mamelodi 608-JR.

– Montana Reservoir: Annlin, Christiaanville, Cynthia Vale, Derdepoortpark, Doornpoort, Kenley AH, Kozeni AH, Magalieskruin, Montana (all extensions), Montana AH, Montana Park, Montana Tuine, Pumulani AH, Sinoville and Wolmaranspoort AH.

– Moreleta Reservoir: Bellevue, Brummeria (all extensions), Chrysler Park, Georgeville, Lindo Park, Lydiana, Lynnwood Manor, Mopani, Navors, Scientia, Silverton (all extensions), Vlakfontein and Weavind Park.

– Murrayfield Reservoir: La Concorde, La Montagne, Meyerspark (all extensions), Murrayfield, Salieshoek and Val-de-Grace.

– Parkmore LL Reservoir: Alphen Park, Ashley Gardens, Constantia Park, De Beers, Faerie Glen, Garsfontein, Lynnwood Glen, Lynnwood Park, Maroelana, Menlyn, Newlands, Tshwane and Waterkloof Glen.

– Queenswood Reservoir: Colbyn, Deerness, Koedoespoort, Koedoespoort 325JR, Môregloed, Queenswood, Rietfontein, Rietfontein 321 -JR, Rietondale, Villieria and Waverley.

– Sinoville HL Reservoir: Sinoville (all extensions).

– Sinoville LL Reservoir: Sinoville (all extensions).

– Villieria Peak Tanks: Magalieskruin 323-JR, Montana AH, Rietfontein, Villieria, Waverley, Wonderboom 302-JR and Wonderboom South Waverley HL Reservoir: Bergtuin, East Lynne (all extensions), Koedoespoort (all extensions), Villieria and Waverley.

– Waverley LL Reservoir: Derdepoortpark (all extensions), Ekklesia (all extensions), Jan Niemandpark and Lindo Park

– Elardus Park Reservoir: Constantia Park, Elardus Park (all extensions), Erasmuskloof (all extensions), Erasmuspark (all extensions), Garsfontein 374-JR, Garstkloof 595-JR, Moreletapark (all extensions), Rietvallei 377-JR, Rietvalleipark, Rietvalleirand (all extensions), Waterktoof 345-JR, 360-JR and 378-JR, Waterkloof AH, Waterkloof Glen and Wingate Park

– Gastonbury Reservoir, Six Fountains Estate and Silver Willows: Equestria (all extensions), Paradiso, Paramount Estate, Silver Lakes (all extensions), Silver View Ridge, Silver Woods Country Estate, Six Fountains (all extensions), Tijger Vallei (all extensions), Shere AH, Willow Acres (all extensions) and Willow Park Manor (all extensions).

– Koedoesnek: Faerie Glen (all extensions), Die Wilgers (all extensions), Equestria (all extensions), Hartebeespoort 362-JR, Koedoesnek 341 -JR, La Montagne (all extensions), Lynnwood Glen, Lynnwood Ridge (all extensions), Meyerspark, Murrayfield, Struland AH, Tweefontein 372-JR, Val-de-Grace, Valley Farm 379-JR, Valley Farm AH, Wapadrand (all extensions) and Willow Glen AH.

– Midas and Leander meters: Boardwalk Meander (all extensions), Bronberg (all extensions), Faerie Glen (all extensions) and Olympus (all extensions)

– Mooikloof Reservoir: Faerie Glen (all extensions), Garsfontein, Garsfontein 374-JR, Garsfontein Ext 10, 11 and 13, Moreletapark Ext 63 and 83, Prairie Giants Ext 3, Pretoriuspark (all extensions), Rietfontein 375-JR, Tweefontein 372-JR, Valley Farm 379-JR and Zwavelpoort 373-JR.

– Nellmapius (all extensions)

– Sammy Marks Museum meter: Sammy Marks Museum

– Savannah: The Blyde Crystal Villa, Savanna Country Estate and N4 Gateway

– Woodlands Mall meter: Mooikloof Ridge

“The City of Tshwane sincerely apologises for the inconvenience that may occur as a result of the above-mentioned repairs. We appeal to all residents to use water sparingly during this time. Water tankers will be on standby for alternative water supply,” the city said on Wednesday.

Source: South African Government News Agency

WESTERN CAPE – Members of the Anti-Economical Crime Task Team arrested a 40-year-old suspect in Montclair, Mitchell’s Plain on Tuesday, 09 August 2022 at about 13:30 when they received information of a person that is manufacturing and supplying illegal goods. The members searched the premises and found a large quantity of containers containing honey and equipment used to manufacture goods. The estimated street value of the goods is R100 000-00.

The suspect will make a court appearance in the Mitchell’s Plain Magistrates court today on a charge of manufacturing and supplying of illegal goods.

In an unrelated matter, an integrated intelligence operation between SAPS, Metro Police, Law Enforcement and Crime Intelligence in Limerick Street, Crawford on Tuesday afternoon led to the arrest of a 54-year-old female for the possession of an unlicensed firearm, ammunition and dealing in drugs. The members searched the premises and confiscated a revolver with 21 rounds of ammunition, 173 mandrax tablets, nine sachets containing crushed mandrax powder, one transparent bag containing cocaine and an undisclosed amount of cash. Once charged the suspect will make a court appearance in the Wynberg Magistrates court on the mentioned charges.

Source: South African Police Service