Pope Francis during the Angelus appeals against the Russian attack that “sows death, destruction and misery”. He thanks journalists who risk their lives to allow us “to assess the cruelty” of what is happening in Ukrainian cities.
Click here to read more.
Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, complains that residents of cities besieged by Russian troops have been offered neither food nor a passage to safety.
Click here to read more.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has reiterated his call for the Russia-Ukraine conflict to be resolved through mediation, negotiation and peaceful means.
The President was addressing the nation through his weekly newsletter.
According to the United Nations, the conflict has led to hundreds of confirmed deaths, the internal displacement of at least 850 000 people along with at least 1.2 million people fleeing the Ukraine.
He said government remains resolute in its belief that the resolution of the conflict can be attained through negotiation.
“It is our hope that negotiations between Russia and the Ukraine yield positive outcomes that pave the way for the end of the conflict. Even though the pace of negotiations may proceed slowly, there is progress nonetheless. Every effort of the international community should be oriented towards supporting these talks, and to bringing the two sides together,” he said.
Click here to read more.
Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town Thabo Makgoba has called for a special indaba to resolve the war in Ukraine.
He joins the many voices of religious leaders across the globe calling for peace to prevail.
The National Government has recently made statements alluding to the National State of Disaster and its Regulations coming to an end shortly. While this is very promising – there are still no clear timelines for exactly when this will happen. This is despite the declaration expiring in less than two weeks’ time.
On 11 February 2022, Premier Alan Winde wrote to President Cyril Ramaphosa requesting a meeting to discuss the roadmap to end of the National State of Disaster, following his State of the Nation Address commitment.
“In response, the Presidency asked that I instead engage with the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, who then, in turn, proposed that the issue should rather be discussed at the President’s Coordinating Council (PCC). No clear date or time was provided as to when this would take place.
“Given the impending deadline, I am requesting that the President urgently convene the recommended PCC to discuss the steps that need to be taken to end the National State of Disaster and allow the Regulations to expire in their entirety.
“This PCC must take place well before the Regulations expire on 15 March 2022 – to ensure that they are not simply renewed beforehand.
“There are simply no compelling reasons for the extension of the National State of Disaster. We need to normalise our COVID-19 response through existing public health measures and empower and enable provinces to respond in the future.
“Taking this important step should not take this long. I called for the end of the National State of Disaster and for the publication of a roadmap to end the disaster in October last year already. The National Government have had more than enough time to prepare.
“The Quarterly Labour Force Statistics shows us that between 1 July 2020 and 30 September 2021, 183 000 people became unemployed in the Western Cape. This is the second pandemic of unemployment which will also cost lives, and which requires our full attention.
“That is why we must do the right thing and end the National State of Disaster, and instead focus our energy on creating an enabling environment for the private sector to create jobs.”
Click here to read more.
The African Orthodox Church (AOC), a religious movement born in response to racism in the Catholic faith tradition, is still serving its purpose a century after its inception.
Though AOC membership has dipped significantly from its early years, members of the national and local branches of the church gathered over the weekend to honor the legacy of founder George Alexander McGuire in a two-day centennial celebration.
The in-person festivities were rescheduled to February after COVID-19 delayed the September anniversary gathering last year. A luncheon was held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel inside Miami Merchandise Mall Saturday, Feb. 19, followed by a celebratory mass the next day that featured guest speakers, special performances and out-of-state visitors.
Click here to read more.
Health Minister, Dr Joe Phaahla, says a team of senior government officials is ready to make recommendations to the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) on COVID-19 vaccine mandates.
Addressing a virtual media briefing on government efforts in the fight against COVID-19, Phaahla on Friday said the issue of vaccination mandates remains a difficult topic.
“A team of senior government officials has been leading consultations with various stakeholders, including NEDLAC, and they should be ready to report at the next NCCC with recommendations.
“While there are different views on the matter, the undisputed fact is that the more people are vaccinated, the more we can open many economic and social activities safely.”
The Minister said during the State of the Nation Address, President Ramaphosa said government intends to do away with the state of disaster as a tool to manage the pandemic.
He said his department and other departments were given the task of coming up with other instruments that can be used to provide whatever safety measures are still required to limit the spread and impact of the pandemic.
“The NDOH [National Department of Health] has been hard at work revising its regulations to control notifiable infectious diseases and is ready to present at the next NCCC meeting.”
Phaahla said he hopes the reviewed health regulations and other recommendations from other departments will assist in a guided reopening of various economic and social activities, especially in the leisure and tourism areas, with less risk of super spreaders.
“The proposals will include amendments to travel requirements, which could make it easier and cheaper to travel safely. Details will only be available after discussion at the NCCC.
“We want to make a clarion call again to all South Africans that COVID-19 can be defeated if we all work together to protect ourselves and those around us with vaccination.”
Vaccination rollout
Phaahla said vaccination continues to move steadily but still not at the desired pace.
After remaining at between 60 000 – 70 000 doses per day on weekdays over most of January and February, there has been an uptick over the last seven days to over 100 000 doses over the last two days. This after a steady rise.
“As of yesterday evening, 31 879 000 doses of vaccines had been administered to 19.08 million adult individuals, constituting 47.95% coverage of adults, with at least one jab (56.5% coverage for women and 43.5% coverage for men). Individual adults fully vaccinated are 17 million, at 43% coverage,” the Minister stated.
Phaahla said South Africa should be able to pass the 48% coverage over the next few days, which is still a far cry from the 70% coverage required for population immunity.
“The 60+ cohort remain our best performers at 68%, while the 50 – 59 age group stand at 64%, with the over 50s at an overall 60% full vaccination.”
The Free State is still the leading province at 57.2% coverage. In terms of absolute numbers, Gauteng is leading by far with 8.9m doses administered to just over five million peopl. However, coverage is at 45% due to the big population.
“Our biggest drawback is the 18 – 34 years age cohort, with 34% coverage and 29.3% full vaccination. We need at least another five million of this cohort to get to 60% coverage,” Phaahla said.
The Minister hopes that the initiative by young people to drive the vaccination campaign of their peers, which was launched two weeks ago, will bear fruit.
Meanwhile, the total doses administered to the 12 – 17 cohort currently stands just over 1.65 million.
Timeframes for booster shots
The timeframes for second doses of Pfizer and boosters of both Pfizer and J&J have been narrowed due to available capacity and the need to protect those who want to be protected.
Acting Director-General of Health, Dr Nicholas Crisp, emphasised that COVID-19 is not yet over, as there are still people dying from the virus.
Click here to read more.
Archbishop Thabo Makgoba has called on the South African Government to “condemn unequivocally” the Russian invasion of Ukraine, saying it is a “flagrant breach” of Article 2.4 of the United Nations Charter.
“After all the support the United Nations gave us in the struggle against apartheid, it is unthinkable that we should approve such a flagrant violation of a central tenet of the UN Charter,” he said. He was preaching at an Ash Wednesday service in St George’s Cathedral, Cape Town.
(PHOTO: Bishop Joshua Louw of Table Bay, Dean Michael Weeder of St George’s Cathedral and the Archbishop were among those who held a silent protest after the service in solidarity with the people of Ukraine.)
Click here to read more.
South Africa remains deeply concerned at the escalation of the conflict in the Ukraine, and the regional and international socio-economic implications, says the country’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN), Ambassador Mathu Joyini.
The Ambassador emphasised the country’s position in the wake of 141 UN members voting for the UN to reprimand Russia for its role in the ongoing armed conflict.
South Africa was among 35 countries that abstained from the vote. Five other countries voted against the resolution on Wednesday.
“We strongly urge all sides to uphold international law, including humanitarian law and human rights law, as well as the principles of the UN Charter, including sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“The conflict involves two members of the United Nations in an armed conflict, which this organisation has, at its foundation, the responsibility to prevent.
“The United Nations, therefore, must take decisions and actions that will lead to a constructive outcome, conducive to the creation of sustainable peace between the parties,” said Matu.
The Ambassador said the resolution to reprimand Russia “does not create an environment conducive for diplomacy, dialogue, and mediation”.
“While we agree with, and support the efforts taken by Member States to bring to the attention of the international community the situation in the Ukraine, South Africa feels that greater attention should have been paid to bringing the sides closer to dialogue.
“For South Africa, the text [in the resolution] in its current form could drive a deeper wedge between the parties, rather than contributing to a resolution of the conflict.”
The resolution, Matu said, “should have welcomed the commencement of negotiations between the parties”.
Click here to read more.
“You were the first to support Ukraine, opening your borders, your hearts and the doors of your homes to Ukrainians fleeing the war,” said Pope Francis in his greeting to the Polish pilgrims present for the General Audience in the Paul VI Hall.
According to The Vatican News he expressed deep gratitude and bestowed his blessings to the people of Poland noting they are “generously offering [the refugees] everything they need to live in dignity, despite the drama of the moment.”
The Pope also turned to the friar present during the Audience to do the reading in Polish: “This Franciscan friar who is speaking now, in Polish, but he is Ukrainian!” he said, adding that “His parents are right now in shelters underground, defending themselves from the bombs, in a place near Kyiv. And he continues to do his duty here, with us.”
Click here to read more.
