South Africa News Gazette

WINDHOEK: The Namibia Diamond Trading Company (NDTC), has sorted, valued and marketed in excess of 2.3 million carats during the 2023 financial year despite the significant increase in carat intake from the Namibia De Beers (Namdeb) holdings.

This was announced by NDTC Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Brent Eiseb during a media briefing on the successes and business performance of the company for the 2023 financial year, here on Tuesday.

Eiseb said despite the significant increase in carat intake from Namdeb holdings, driven largely by the commissioning of the Benguela Gem diamond recovery vessels in 2022, NDTC has increased its staff complement by 13 per cent particularly, in the diamond sorting and valuation mandate.

‘This concept has expanded its technological footprint with the successful adoption of a world-class sorting technology that enables efficient and effective methods of facilitating its sorting and valuation mandate,’ said Eiseb.

NDTC sold approximately 77 per cent of its total offering to NDTC
sightholders despite the challenging market conditions in 2023 and employs 91 Namibians to undertake the sorting, valuation and sale of Namibia’s rough diamond production.

‘I am pleased to inform you that 88 per cent of the total sales to NDTC sightholders during 2023 was fully processed in Namibia, while the industry was averaging 38 per cent a few years ago,’ Eiseb said.

Other notable achievements according to Eiseb include the N.dollars 100 million dividends paid to NDTC shareholders, N.dollars 84 million corporate taxes paid, N.dollars 197 million export levy paid, and N.dollars 1.05 million contribution to the Namibia Training Authority (NTA) Training Levy.

Despite these successes, NDTC still has to deal with the impact of the introduction of the G7 restrictive measures against Russian diamonds.

‘NDTC remains committed to facilitating beneficiation within the sector as beneficiation remains a fundamental component in our supply strategy and is a key objective of our business strategy,’ said Eiseb.

T
he event also presented NDTC’s first Diamantaire Enterprise development programme graduates.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

President Cyril Ramaphosa has wished the South African Jewish community Chag Sameach as they prepare to observe the Pesach holiday.

The holiday – also known as Passover – celebrates the story of the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt.

President Ramaphosa said: ‘The Jewish community is an important and deeply valued part of our diverse society. As we reflect on the story of Exodus, let us take this moment to appreciate the freedoms we enjoy and commit ourselves to the value of Tikkun Olam, healing the world.’

The week long observation of the holiday commenced on Monday and will end on April 30.

Source: South African Government News Agency

Government is calling on South Africans to exercise their right to vote in the National and Provincial Elections on Wednesday, 29 May 2024. This year, millions of South Africans will once again have the opportunity to cast their votes in the seventh democratic elections, which mark 30 years after the first democratic elections in 1994.

In a recent interview with SAnews, the Acting Director-General (ADG) of the Government Communication and Information System, Nomonde Mnukwa, encouraged all eligible South Africans to cast their votes in the upcoming general elections.

‘Citizens must vote not only in the upcoming general elections but also in all future elections. It is a right that South Africa achieved under extremely difficult and trying circumstances,’ she said.

Section 19(3) of the Bill of Rights, as enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa of 1996, states that ‘every adult citizen has the right to vote in elections for any legislative body established in terms of the Constitution an
d do so in secret’.

This year, South Africa also commemorates the 28th anniversary of the enactment of the Constitution as the supreme law of the country.

Mnukwa pointed out that ‘the rights of South Africans are protected under the constitutional democracy which promotes inclusivity, equality, non-racialism, non-sexism, national unity, social cohesion, justice and diversity.’

‘The majority of South Africans were denied the right to vote during the apartheid era. Many people fought for our freedom and democracy. Some people died while others were imprisoned,’ the ADG stated.

‘As South Africans, we must not take our democracy for granted because it did not come naturally. It came from the shedding of blood and tears.’

Youth and democracy

According to her, the majority of young people who were born after democracy did not experience the hardships of apartheid, and she believes it is important that they understand what democracy is all about.

‘If the youth take their generation’s role as future leaders se
riously, they must vote in large numbers. Youth, as future leaders, must vote to preserve and strengthen our democracy.’

The ADG said when people vote in large numbers, the country’s democracy grows because citizens decide who should be in power. ‘As voters we also have the power to determine who should represent us. Elections are part of the formal democratic processes that allow citizens’ voices to be heard,’ she said.

She expressed concern that if a considerable number of people do not vote in large numbers during the elections, democracy in this country may collapse.

‘Democracy is one thing that keeps South Africa together. We want to strengthen it as much as possible so that we can build a better country and a prosperous future,’ Mnukwa said.

Voters’ roll

Meanwhile, the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has reported that over 27.79 million voters are eligible to cast their votes in the upcoming general elections, the highest number since the dawn of democracy in South Africa.

‘Since the vo
ters’ roll was compiled for the first time ahead of the 1999 National and Provincial Elections, it has shown steady growth of over 35% and contains the highest number of registered voters, recording an increase of 9.6 million voters since the 1999 general elections,’ the IEC said in a statement.

It stated that the highlight of the certified voters’ roll is the increase in the rate of representation by persons aged 18 to 39, who account for 42% or 11.7 million voters on the voters’ roll.

The long-standing trend of there being more females on the voters’ roll continues. Of the 27.79 million voters, 15 million are females.

‘The introduction of the online self-service voter registration modality has contributed to the increased rate of registration by younger voters in the country as well as by citizens who are resident outside of the Republic,’ the IEC stated.

Source: South African Government News Agency

The Gauteng Department of Social Development, Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment has unveiled mobile shower services for homeless people in the province.

MEC Mbali Hlophe said the services are aimed at restoring dignity for people who find themselves homeless in the province.

‘It’s about giving them warm food and a shower. It’s also about ensuring that our social workers have access to them and they are able to direct them to the broader services that we have. That’s about family reunification, which is really an ideal one because we want to make sure that we are able to unify families.

‘But where we can’t, we are able to place them within our shelters where they are provided with skills to make sure that they are able to take care of themselves and to be sustainably out of the streets,’ Hlophe said.

According to the department, the mobile shower service is in line with ‘Pillar 1 of the Gauteng City Region Strategy on Street Adult Homelessness, which is advocacy, awareness, and prevention of c
risis and early intervention’.

‘The service, which will go out to locations daily, will provide access to bathrooms, ablution facilities, laundry services and linking the homeless with other services such as access to shelters and social work interventions,’ the department said in a statement.

The mobile wash services will go to areas where homeless people can be found.

‘The wash trailer and office will be towed by a vehicle to the identified homeless hot spots. The proposed locations for the service are parks, open areas, under bridges, and on streets where the homeless community sometimes reside.

‘The mobile services have separated showers and ablution facilities and an office. The wash trailer, which is 6m long, with an estimated weight of 2 800 kilograms, has three showers and three toilets, and the estimated office weight is 1 800kg,’ the department said.

According to the department, the launch is ‘an expansion to an already existing package of assistance to the homeless’ in the province.

This incl
udes homeless shelters in regions; provision of daily meals for the homeless; social work services; link to skills development; substance abuse rehabilitation, and family reunification.

New lease on life

At shelters, homeless people are afforded an opportunity to learn skills, including basic computer skills, construction skills, including brick laying and agricultural skills.

A resident at a homeless shelter, Michael Rasebokoa, said the opportunities he gained at the shelter have given him the restart he needed.

Rasebokoa holds a Business Administration qualification but found himself homeless when he lost the job he had.

However, through a non-profit organisation at the shelter, he was linked to a new job opportunity.

‘I am grateful for the opportunities that the Gauteng Department of Social Development has afforded me.

‘The NPOs that are funded by the department has made it possible for me to secure a job. I am currently working as a Financial Advisor in Sandton,’ Rasebokoa said.

Source: South Afr
ican Government News Agency

International Relations and Cooperation Minister, Dr Naledi Pandor, says South Africa cannot have “normal relations” with Israel, as long as it is committing war crimes and genocide against Palestinians, removing them from their land, and is unwilling to negotiate a viable peace plan without preconditions.

‘South Africa cannot be a party to Israel’s actions that would see the promise of Palestinian Statehood reduced to balkanised entities, devoid of true sovereignty, without territorial contiguity and with no economic viability,’ Pandor said on Monday while delivering a lecture at the Rio Branco Institute in Brasilia, Brazil.

The South African government, according to Pandor, has consistently expressed its concern at the plight of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip, especially in light of the acts meeting the threshold of genocide.

READ | SA welcomes resolution on human rights situation in occupied Palestinian territory

Pandor said the ‘question of Palestine’, as it is known in the United Nations (UN
), is the longest unresolved human rights challenge on the UN’s agenda.

‘It is primarily a question about the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people. This is a right that, according to international law, gives Palestinians the right to resist the illegal occupation of their land.’

She said South Africa concurs with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s remarks that opposition to a two-State solution was ‘unacceptable”.

The Minister believes that the Palestinian people are part of an existing sovereign State and have a claim to their independent sovereignty based on their right to self-determination.

‘The fact of colonisation creates this right – they have been conquered and subjected to the jurisdiction of a foreign State without their consent and are living under occupation by a foreign and oppressive occupier.

“This is the form of self-determination that is most widely accepted and which most clearly provides the right to one’s independent State,’ she explained.

Pandor said it was now
more than 74 years since the UN General Assembly approved Resolution 181 (II) recognising the partitioning of Palestine and proposed establishing two independent States, which were supposed to coexist in peace and harmony.

‘Despite the length of time and efforts brought to bear, the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian State is yet to become a reality.

‘The most serious violation of human rights has involved the denial of the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination. This is a right enshrined in the UN Charter,’ she stressed.

Pandor raised concerns about the political solution, which is “not yet in sight”.

‘The relentless military operations by Israel and its genocidal acts have aggravated the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

‘The extreme nature of the crisis in Gaza must not eclipse the fact that the West Bank and East Jerusalem are in turmoil. Since the 1993 Oslo Accords, the number of illegal Israeli settlers occupying Palestinian land has increased from 269 200 at that time to 700 000 toda
y.’

Meanwhile, the number of Palestinians held in Israeli jails has almost doubled to over 7 000, including 200 women and children as young as 12 years old.

According to the Minister, the conflict has seen the killing of over 33 000 Palestinians since October 2023.

The ongoing bombardment of Gaza by Israel has resulted in more civilian casualties, almost half of which are children, the Minister told her audience.

She also raised an alarm about the threat of famine, which is imminent with disastrous consequences.

‘Those engaged in active warfare must be reminded that the targeting of civilians, humanitarian workers, journalists and UN personnel, destruction of houses and other civilian infrastructure is illegal under international law.’

Pandor is of the view that South Africa made a compelling case before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

In January this year, the ICJ ruled that Israel’s actions in Gaza are plausibly genocidal and indicated provisional measures on that basis.

READ | SA stands b
y decision to file lawsuit against Israel

She also took a swipe at the veto power wielded by individual States, which she said she believes cannot be permitted to thwart international justice in light of the ever-worsening situation in Gaza.

South Africa, Pandor said, is gravely concerned about the unprecedented imminent military offensive against Rafah, which she said would result in further large-scale killing, harm and destruction.

‘South Africa reiterates its call for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire and remains committed to seeing an end to the occupation of Palestine and calls for concrete action concerning ending the Apartheid system in Israel and Palestine.’

Source: South African Government News Agency

Deputy President Paul Mashatile is undertaking a working visit to Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The Deputy President arrived in the UAE yesterday and will wrap up his visit on Friday, 25 April 2024.

According to the Presidency, the UAE visit is aimed at building and strengthening bilateral relations, particularly increasing economic and knowledge exchange between the two States.

The country’s second-in-command and his delegation will engage with experts in the telecommunications and digital economy, in line with South Africa’s goals related to expanding technological and digital infrastructure towards Meaningful Universal Connectivity.

‘Countries are moving towards digital sovereignty and South Africa, as one of the leading nations in the sector within the continent has the opportunity to spearhead initiatives in this regard towards strengthening public service delivery and enhancing participation in the digital economy. This working visit is as such, integral to building capacity
towards digital sovereignty,’ the Presidency explained.

During the visit, the Deputy President will interact with the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Applications as well as other relevant national and regional entities within the UAE.

The UAE, according to the Presidency, is a competitive market for the information and communication technology (ICT) sector in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

The UAE public sector investment helps drive demand for Information and Communications technology (ICT) products and services in sectors such as healthcare, aviation, defence, transportation, financial services and others linked to the UAE’s economic diversification plans.

The visit by the Deputy President provides an opportunity for the South African government to increase knowledge and expertise in the ICT sector towards the improvement and expansion of public services and governance systems through digital economy channels.

International Relations and Cooperation Dep
uty Minister Candith Mashego-Dlamini, Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Mondli Gungubele and Justice Minister Ronald Lamola, will accompany the Deputy President to the UAE.

Source: South African Government News Agency

Rand Water has assured residents that the contamination which affected the quality of drinking water in the Greater Evaton area has been resolved and tap water is now safe for consumption.

The water contamination affected the quality of drinking water in Palm Springs, Zone 7 Sebokeng, Beverly Hills, Sonder Water, Graceland, Lakeside Zone 3, Zone 6, Small Farms, and Evaton North and West in Emfuleni Local Municipality.

In a joint statement, Rand Water and the Emfuleni Local Municipality said an investigation into the water contamination was launched following complaints from the communities on 28 and 30 March 2024, respectively.

The team was led by experts from the municipality and Rand Water and included engineers, scientists and operational specialists who focused their investigation on identifying the root cause of the contamination.

The investigation revealed that the contamination was due to leaking sewerage pipes which seeped into the drinking water pipes.

‘Both the sewerage and drinking water pipes
were replaced, and the drinking water pipes were disinfected to remove all traces of the contamination. Once the water pipes were flushed, drinking water in the affected areas was taken for testing and analysis at Rand Water ISO 17025 accredited laboratory.

‘On 17 April 2024, the scientists at Rand Water laboratory achieved the third consecutive microbiological results confirming the preliminary results which revealed that the water quality has been restored to the acceptable South African National Standard (SANS) 241 standards for drinking water,’ Rand Water said.

SANS 241 is a drinking water specification that states the minimum requirements for potable water to be considered safe for human consumption.

Rand Water noted that during the process of fixing pipes and water testing, roaming water tankers were distributed to ensure that affected communities have access to clean water.

These water tanker services will be withdrawn from areas in Greater Evaton.

‘Rand Water as the bulk water services provider a
nd the ELM as the Water Services Authority wish to assure communities that both institutions continue to be committed to providing quality drinking water that complies with all the requirements of SANS 241 standards,’ the entity said.

Arrest suspects commended

Meanwhile, Rand Water has commended the arrest of suspects in connection with the murder of Rand Water Executive, Teboho Joala and his personal protector, Sifiso Shange during a back-to-school event held at Zakariyya Park on 29 January 2024.

The three suspects were arrested last week and appeared at the Lenasia Magistrate’s Court in Johannesburg on Monday.

The accused are facing two counts of premeditated murder and three counts of attempted murder charges.

The case was postponed to 29 April 2024 for bail application.

‘Rand Water commends the swift action taken by the South African Police Service in investigating the matter and welcomes the arrest of individuals suspected of this brutal act which resulted with the loss of lives of our executive an
d his personal protector.

‘Rand Water is still mourning the loss of Teboho Joala and Sifiso Shange and will continue to observe the proceedings and developments in this case, hoping that the perpetrators will be prosecuted successfully,’ the entity said.

Source: South African Government News Agency