Category: In The News

The South African Investment Conference (SAIC) will highlight the country’s resilience, as well as showcase the many investment opportunities available as the country recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Outlining the programme for the fourth SAIC on Thursday, Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Ebrahim Patel, said delegates will also receive a report back on the progress of previous investment commitments.

The SAIC will profile the strengths and comparative advantages South Africa offers investors and trade partners in a period of growing African integration through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Patel said a number of pledges will be made by investors for new investments in the South African economy.

“Pledges will focus on sectors that have driven innovation, such as the production of vaccines and a shift in digital services. Pledges will see [us] plug the gap in South Africa’s energy supply through building and supplying new sources of energy.

“Commitments [will come] from film producers and fashion producers that drive the creative sector. Announcements [will come] from traditional, heavy manufacturing industries, ranging from steel and metal fabrications to those who build cars and those who grow and make food,” the Minister said.

In addition, the country is expecting investment pledges from firms operating in Special Economic Zones, the small business sector and pledges for significant sums of money from development funding institutions, and funding agencies globally and in South Africa.

Patel made these remarks at the Sandton Convention Centre during the opening of SAIC, which is part of government’s investment drive to attract R1.2 trillion over five years.

The SAIC attracts delegates from South Africa and across the world to discuss investment opportunities in the country. Since the first investment conference in 2018, South Africa has attracted R770 billion in commitments across a wide range of economic sectors.

A host of panel discussions on a range of areas, relevant to investors and policy makers, will take place at the conference, as well as plenary sessions on the great opportunities of integrating the African market, which can be unlocked through the African Continental Free Trade Area – a pivot to Africa-led growth.

The conference follows the 2022 State of the Nation Address, which sent a strong message that the country is open for business and that working in partnership with business, labour and civil society, the environment can be conducive for business to flourish and create jobs.

The conference complements the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan that supports economic recovery towards growth and a rebound in employment through structural reforms and investment in infrastructure.

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Photo: GCIS

Michele Potgieter, a South African citizen who now lives in Ukraine, has dedicated her life nowadays to providing support and prayers to the people in Ukraine.

Potgieter joins church leaders in her community and drives to the Eastern parts of Ukraine to provide food, blankets and humatarian assistance to the people in need.

“The Lord is so faithful and good. We just stand in awe of how He provides during war,” she writes on Facebook.

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Photo: Facebook

President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced the easing of several restrictions as part of Adjusted Alert Level 1 from midnight.

Addressing the nation on developments in the country’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic this evening, President Ramaphosa said the approach going forward is that both indoor and outdoor venues can now take up to 50 percent of their capacity provided that the criteria for entrance are proof of vaccination or a COVID test not older than 72 hours.

The President said following consultations and the recommendations of the National Coronavirus Command Council, Cabinet has decided to ease restrictions on gatherings and previous regulations.

He said the emphasis was on placing an upper limit on the number of people who could attend a gathering.

“But where there is no provision for proof of vaccination or a COVID test, then the current upper limit will remain – of 1 000 people indoors and 2 000 people outdoors,” the President said.

This change, he said, to the restrictions on gatherings will be of great benefit to the sporting, cultural, entertainment and events industries, in particular.

“This means that if we are vaccinated or have recently tested negative, we will be able to return to watching sports in stadiums and attending music concerts, theatre performances, conferences and other events,” the President said.

Funerals and after tears

The maximum number of people permitted at a funeral will increase from 100 to 200.

As before, night vigils, after-funeral gatherings and ‘after-tears’ gatherings are not allowed.

Wearing of masks

The President also announced important changes to the regulation on the wearing of masks.

“As before, it is mandatory to wear a cloth mask or similar covering over the nose and mouth when in public indoor spaces.

“However, a mask is not required when outdoors.

“This means that we still need to wear masks when in shops, malls, offices, factories, taxis, buses, trains or any other indoor public space.

“But we do not need to wear masks when walking on the street or in an open space, when exercising outdoors or when attending an outdoor gathering,” President Ramaphosa said.

Social distancing

The President said that the regulations on social distancing are also being changed, requiring that a space of 1 metre is maintained between persons in all settings, except schools.

International travel

The President also announced changes to the regulations on international travel.

“Travellers entering South Africa will need to show proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test not older than 72 hours.

“All unvaccinated travellers entering the country who want to be vaccinated will be offered a vaccination,” the President said.

The President said these measures will take effect from tomorrow, Wednesday the 23rd of March 2022, once the new regulations are gazetted.

With these changes, almost all restrictions on social and economic activity will have been lifted.

Vaccinations

Going forward, the President said the most important defences against the disease are, firstly, vaccination and, secondly, the observance of basic measures, such as wearing masks indoors.

“The further easing of the remaining restrictions will require that we increase the rate of vaccination among South Africans.

“The vaccine has been shown to significantly reduce severe illness.

“Statistics from our health facilities, clearly show that people who are not vaccinated stand a higher chance of being hospitalised or dying from COVID-19,” the President said.

He said vaccination is likely to reduce transmission at home and at places like schools and universities where there is close contact.

“It is vitally important that we get many more of our people between 18 and 35 years vaccinated, and that is why government has launched the #KeReady campaign last month.

This campaign includes messages developed by young people and focuses on making the case for people between 18 and 35 years to vaccinate.”

The President further encouraged those who are vaccinated to go and receive their booster doses.

“If we are all vaccinated, we can turn our energy, resources and effort to rebuilding our economy and creating much-needed jobs.”

Have your say on National State of Disaster

“Due to the changing nature of the pandemic, and due to the progress that has been made through our collective efforts, we intend to lift the National State of Disaster as soon as public comment on the health regulations published by the Minister of health has been completed.”

These regulations, when finalised, will replace the State of Disaster regulations as the legal instrument that government uses to manage the pandemic.

All South Africans are invited to make comments on the draft regulations before the 16th of April.

The President however emphasised that what should be clear is that the end of the National State of Disaster does not mean the end of the pandemic.

“It just means that we are changing the way we manage the pandemic, and we will be relying on health regulations rather than disaster management regulations.

“It means that we are learning to live with the virus in our presence.

“It means that we are returning, as far as possible, to the lives that we lived before the pandemic.

“It means that we are opening our economy still further, and that we are resuming many of the social and cultural activities that we have missed over the last two years.” – SAnews.gov.za

Ahead of World Water Day celebrations, the Department of Water and Sanitation has committed to enhance its efforts to explore the use of groundwater as an alternative water source to ensure water security in communities affected by water supply challenges.

This comes as the global community observes World Water Day on 22 March 2022, themed, ‘Groundwater – making the invisible, visible’.

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The 9th World Water Forum kicked off in Dakar, the capital of Senegal, on Monday. The 21-26 March international event on the theme, “Water security for peace and development”, is addressing the global challenges for man and nature, today and tomorrow.

The forum aims to accelerate the effective implementation of the global water agenda, which is a prerequisite for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

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As the number of Ukrainians who have fled the Russian invasion tops 3.5 million, Cardinal Mario Grech has appealed for governments to protect women and children as they cross into the European Union.

The Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops made the call over the weekend while in Poland for a 4-day visit.

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Since South Africa adopted its post-apartheid constitution in 1996, the country has made important strides in realising the right to social security and in reducing poverty and inequality.

Policies, legislation and administrative infrastructure have enabled the government to create an expansive social security system. Two out of three households receive a social grant and 60% of the workforce is covered by social insurance.

South Africa is now an exemplar of an upper middle-income country that has gone further than many others in growing social protection to promote development.

Nevertheless, the country still has persistent and extraordinarily high rates of poverty, unemployment, inequality and low levels of economic growth.

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Photo: Getty Images

President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on South Africans to exercise their constitutional duties in order to improve their lives and build a better society.

“To build the South Africa we want, we must make our voices heard on the laws and policies that affect us through public hearings and community meetings. We must be active citizens that support community-based organisations that are performing invaluable work in the places we live,” the President said on Monday.

He made these remarks during the 2022 Human Rights Day national event held at the Reagile Community Centre in Koster, North West.

The President called on citizens to hold those tasked with public office to account.

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Photo: Unsplash

A delegation from ACT Alliance  and the World Council of Churches (WCC) visited Hungary, Ukraine and Romania on 14-18 March, focusing on humanitarian needs and church response.

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Photo: Unsplash

World Council of Churches (WCC) acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca appealed for an immediate end to indiscriminate attacks with an escalating impact on civilians in Ukraine.

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Photo: Unsplash