“The WCC and the world need strong peace-builders and creative bridge-builders now more than ever,” said Dr Agnes Abuom, moderator of the WCC central committee.
“The global fellowship is growing and thriving, and the next generation of leaders will be involved in historic steps forward for our fellowship of churches.”
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Photo: WCC
The effects of the Western sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine have been felt across the world. Russia is the world’s largest wheat exporter and economic sanctions are complicating purchase agreements, resulting in a rise in dramatic rise in wheat prices – a staple food in many countries. What’s less known is what impact the sanctions mean for Africa’s defence industry. Almost half of Africa’s imports of military equipment come from Russia. Moses B. Khanyile spells out the ways the punitive sanctions will affect arms sales to the continent – and some possible opportunities.
Within the last 12 years, Nigeria’s national electricity grid has collapsed more than 200 times. This means the country is regularly thrown into blackout, resulting in huge economic and social costs. Nnaemeka Vincent Emodi and Ogheneruona E. Diemuodeke explain why the grid collapses so often.
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Unemployment in South Africa grew by 0.4 of a percentage point to reach 35.3% in the final quarter (Q4) of 2021, Statistics South Africa has revealed.
Releasing the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) statistics on Tuesday, Statistician-General Risenga Maluleke said Q4 of 2021 showed that the number of employed persons increased by 262 000 to 14.5 million.
However, the number of unemployed persons also increased by 278 000 to 7.9 million, compared to the 3rd quarter of 2021.
“While the number of not economically active population decreased by 397 000 to 17.4 million during this quarter. The number of discouraged work-seekers decreased by 56 000 (1.4%) and the number of people who were not economically active for reasons other than discouragement decreased by 341 000 (2.4%) between the two quarters,” said the statistics agency during a press briefing at the Isibalo House in Pretoria.
Stats SA said the changes in the labour market resulted in the official unemployment rate increasing by 0.4 of a percentage point from 34.9% in Q3.
“The unemployment rate according to the expanded definition of unemployment decreased by 0.4 of a percentage point to 46.2 % in quarter 4 2021 compared to quarter 3 2021,” Maluleke said.
The agency said while the number of not economically active population decreased by 397 000 to 17.4 million during this quarter.
The 2021 Q4 report also reveals that the number of people who were not economically active for reasons other than discouragement decreased by 341 000 (2.4%) between the two quarters.
“These changes in the labour market resulted in the official unemployment rate increasing by 0.4 of a percentage point from 34.9% in the third quarter of 2021 to 35.3% in the fourth quarter of 2021 – the highest since the start of the QLFS in 2008.
“The unemployment rate according to the expanded definition of unemployment decreased by 0.4 of a percentage point to 46.2% in quarter 4 2021 compared to quarter 3 2021.”
Stats SA said formal sector employment increased by 143 000 jobs between Q3:2021 and Q4:2021, while the informal sector shed jobs by 48 000 in the same period.
Between the Q3 2021 and Q4 2021, a net increase in employment of 262 000, was mainly due to an increase recorded in Private households (129 000), Trade (118 000) and Community and social services (73 000). Decreases were observed mainly in Manufacturing (85 000), followed by Construction (25 000). – SAnews.gov.za
Photo: GCIS
National Assembly Speaker, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has declined the Democratic Alliance (DA) request that Cabinet Members be refused from participating and voting on the motion of no confidence in the Cabinet, excluding President Cyril Ramaphosa, scheduled for 30 March 2022.
In his request, DA leader John Steenhuisen, indicated that there would be a conflict of interest, if Cabinet Members were allowed to participate in the motion of no confidence that seeks to remove them from office.
The motion of no confidence is scheduled to take place on 30 March 2022.
The Constitution regulates membership of the Assembly and participation of members in the House. Only the President and Cabinet members appointed in terms of Sections 91(3)(c) and 93(1)(b) of the Constitution are not eligible to vote on any decisions by the Assembly.
Mapisa-Nqakula noted that those Members of Parliament do not form part of the 400 public representatives constituting the Assembly in terms of the Constitution.
“The Constitution requires Ministers to account, participate, and vote in matters of the Assembly that may impact their political offices directly. Section 102(1) further provides that the motion is passed by the Assembly, if supported by the majority of its 400 members.
“I am of the view that if the drafters of the Constitution had intended to exclude the participation and voting by Cabinet Members, with the exception of those mentioned above, on a motion moved under either Section 102 (1) or (2), they would have been explicit in that intention,” the Speaker said.
The Speaker added that without any specific provision in the Constitution excluding Members of Cabinet from voting in a section 102 (1) motion, the members may not be denied their right to full participation in the proceedings of the Assembly.
The Speaker also referred to the Rules of the Assembly and the code of Ethical Conduct and Disclosure of Members interest for Assembly and Council Members, read with the Constitution, which differentiates between a member’s personal and political interest in a matter.
“As Ministers receive salaries and allowance in their official capacity as public office bearers, this did not amount to a personal interest,” she said.
The DA has also requested that a manual Roll-Call voting procedure be employed in the motion, where the Secretary must call each Member present to voice “Yes” or “No”.
The Speaker said she is considering the request and will respond in due course. – SAnews.gov.za
Photo: GCIS
In the western part of Ukraine, most Catholics belong to the Eastern rite, so many of the priests that I met are married and have children. Instead of fleeing to the West, they stay with their families to continue caring for the people and refugees on the move.
Chapels and rectories become safe havens on the path to salvation, where the whole family of the parish priest works around the clock to welcome those in need.
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World Council of Churches (WCC) acting general secretary Rev. Dr Ioan Sauca sent a congratulatory letter to Rev. Dr William Adam for being named the next archdeacon of Canterbury and residentiary canon of Canterbury Cathedral.
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Rev. Dr William Adam, Photo: Anglican Communion
A webinar on science and religion showed that shifting away from the mainly curative health architecture could help church and church health institutions keep the crucial lessons learned from coronavirus pandemic mitigation.
Dr Mwai Makoka, World Council of Churches programme executive for Health and Healing, warned that “the crisis could not be wasted,” while noting that the current health structures were skewed toward delivery of curative services. He cautioned that investing all energies in curative services was not prudent.
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SACLI announced on Twitter that they just added their name to the global call against war and nuclear weapons by the Dalai Lama, IPPNW and other Peace Prize Laureates. Sign now & RT, and they’ll deliver our voices to key leaders from the Russian Federation and NATO.
* The South African Christian Leadership Initiative was started in 2013 to be a voice of hope & prophecy in and for South Africa & to be a bridge in the church.
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According to eNCA, the Pope reveals, “I’m hot-headed, impatient… I sometimes make decisions in a hurry,” the pontiff says in a new book, “From the Poor to the Pope, From the Pope to the World”, based on queries from the world’s underprivileged.
From the slums of Brazil to the homeless in India, Iran and the United States, people from 80 countries put 100 personal questions to the pontiff, whose answers have been gathered in book form that will be published on April 1.
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According to Newzroom405 Twitter account, religious leaders have rejected the Covid-19 Risk Adjusted Strategy allowing the use of 50% of the capacity of churches.
ACDP leader Kenneth Meshoe and church leader Chris Mathebula elaborate.
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Photo: Screenshot
