Author: Staff Writer

The Commission on Gender Equality has retracted its statement on COVID-19 vaccination and the impact it has on women’s reproductive health.

“On the 16th January 2022, the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) issued a public statement to the media in which we erroneously quoted an article published in a medical journal which alleges possible negative consequences of vaccination on women’s sexual and reproductive health,” the Commission said on Thursday.

In retrospect, the CGE said it acknowledges that issuing the statement was a “regrettable error”.

“We further regret that it led to the unnecessary distraction of public attention away from our common fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The Commission said its objective is the protection and fostering of democracy through ensuring the protection of vulnerable and marginalised communities, which includes ensuring that the information it uses is reflected accurately.

“The Commission will coordinate various education drives in collaboration with various health and medical experts in order to rectify any misinformation which may have occurred as a result of its statement.”

In addition, the Chapter 9 institution has reiterated its support for existing government policy and guidelines on vaccination and expressed confidence in current medical expertise and knowledge as provided by the country’s medical scientific community.

“We encourage South Africans to exercise their right to access information and to take necessary steps to increase their understanding, through available medical information and expertise, of the risks posed by the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the benefits of vaccination.”

Following the controversial statement, the Department of Health refuted claims by the Commission that vaccines may cause a small change to women’s menstrual cycle length.

The department continues to maintain that COVID-19 vaccines are effective in women of reproductive age and pregnant women.

Read more below:

STATEMENT: Commission for Gender Equality Statement on Vaccination pic.twitter.com/rwtTuUzbZ5

— Commission for Gender Equality South Africa (@CGE_ZA) January 27, 2022

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The South African Reserve Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has once again increased the repo rate by 25 basis points.

The move, announced by SARB Governor Lesetja Kganyago on Thursday following an MPC meeting on Wednesday, will see the repo rate increase to 4% per year. The increase is effective from 28 January 2022.

This was the second consecutive increment following a 25 basis points hike in November 2021. Then, the rise was the first in almost three years following a series of repo rate cuts amid the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Addressing the media following the MPC’s meeting, the Governor said in the near term, headline inflation had increased well above the mid-point of the inflation target band, and returns close to the mid-point in the fourth quarter of 2022.

Four members of the Committee preferred an increase and one member preferred an unchanged stance.

He said: “Some risks to the inflation outlook, like food and fuel, have been realised, and other risks, such as currency volatility and capital flow reversals, have become more pronounced. He said this year and next, economic growth would remain well above a low rate of potential growth.

“GDP is expected to grow by 1.7% in 2022. The deceleration in growth from 2021 to 2022 is primarily a result of the fading rebound from the pandemic, alongside a climb-down from high export prices. GDP growth is forecast to be 1.8% in 2023 and 2.0% in 2024.”

Click here to read the full statement.

Read the full monetary policy statement here: https://t.co/FBo26ZakvR#MPCJAN22 @KganyagoLesetja https://t.co/QKXiCsbhiu

— SA Reserve Bank (@SAReserveBank) January 27, 2022

Photo: Unsplash

A study has confirmed that Volkswagen Polo drivers are the worst in the country.

A baseline study, titled South African fatal crashes in context, has analysed fatal crash data from 1 October 2017 to 30 June last year.

The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC)’s national crash data management system recorded a total of 48,330 vehicles involved in 37,583 fatal crashes with 45,232 deaths during the period.

The study looked at the top 20 vehicle models involved in fatal crashes, showing that the Volkswagen Polo, Toyota Hilux, and Toyota Quantum were involved in 43.2% of fatal crashes.

The Volkswagen Polo was involved in the most crashes, comprising 16.7% of all fatal incidents.

It was followed closely by the Toyota Hilux, which was involved in 14.2% of fatal crashes and the Toyota Quantum with a recorded 12.2%.

Read the full statement here.

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The Public Protector South Africa (PPSA) wishes to confirm that a complaint, in which a Member of Parliament has alleged a breach of the Executive Code of Ethics against the President, reached the office late afternoon on Wednesday, January 26, 2022.

This announcement follows a leaked audio clip where President Cyril Ramaphosa alleged that public funds were used to fund ANC political campaigns in 2017.

The complaint was lodged in terms of the Executive Members Ethics Act 82 of 1998 (EMEA). The PPSA has been inundated with queries about the complaint since the sitting of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts earlier in the week.

The PPSA wishes to remind all concerned that in terms of the EMEA, the Public Protector must investigate any alleged breach of the Code on receipt of a complaint by the President, a member of the National Assembly or a permanent delegate of the National Council of Provinces if the complaint is against a Cabinet member or a Deputy Minister.

The EMEA further provides that such an investigation must be completed within 30 days. The PPSA is the only accountability institution empowered under the EMEA to enforce executive ethics.

Read the full statement below:

The Public Protector South Africa confirms receipt of Executive Ethics complaint against the President. pic.twitter.com/wpOPSJWp4U

— Public Protector SA (@PublicProtector) January 27, 2022

Photo: GCIS

Basic Education Minister, Angie Motshekga, says the basic education ecosystem must be strengthened so that it is future proof against the subsequent pandemics.

Motshekga was giving an opening address on Wednesday at the annual Basic Education Sector Lekgotla held at Emperors Palace, Kempton Park.

The three-day national event brings together provincial education departments, teacher unions, school governing body organisations, learner organisations, non-governmental organisations, academics, international guest speakers and other stakeholders.

The Theme for 2022 is: “Equipping Learners with Knowledge and Skills for a Changing World in the Context of COVID-19”. The overall focus of the Lekgotla will be the recovery plan for basic education after two years of disruptions.

Click here to read the full story.

Photo: GCIS

South Africa reported 4 514 new COVID-19 cases and 94 deaths, of which 20 occurred in the past 24 to 48 hours, said the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) on Wednesday.

The number of deaths brings the total to 94 491, according to the government official figures.

Meanwhile, data show that Gauteng remains the hardest-hit province after logging 1 376 additional infections, followed by 645 in the Western Cape, 567 in KwaZulu-Natal, 490 in Mpumalanga and 472 in Limpopo.

The latest infections pushe the laboratory-confirmed cases to 3 590 399 since the pandemic hit as the country’s positivity rate currently stands at 10.6%.

In addition, hospital admissions have increased by 183 to 6 035 in the past 24 hours.

Read more:

#COVID19 UPDATE: 42,686 tests were conducted in the last 24hrs, with 4,514 new cases, representing an 10.6% positivity rate. Today, @HealthZA reports 94 deaths, of which 20 occurred in the past 24-48 hours. Total fatalities are 94,491 to date. More here: https://t.co/M8Df5BfRDa pic.twitter.com/J5h89NqB5U

— NICD (@nicd_sa) January 26, 2022

Photo: Unsplash