Category: In The News

President Cyril Ramaphosa will this morning visit flood-stricken parts of KwaZulu-Natal to offer support to affected communities and assess the response of government and civil society to this “critical situation”.

He will visit a number of areas that have been severely impacted by persistent, heavy downpours in recent days which have claimed lives, infrastructure and various assets.
 
The President’s programme will begin at Pinetown Civic Centre for a briefing by Premier Sihle Zikalala and officials on the situation in the province.
 
Following the briefing, the President will travel to the following areas to meet affected families and inspect damage to infrastructure:
• Clermont (eThekwini Metropolitan Municipal Wards 22 and 29);
• Lindelani (Ward 43);
• Entuzuma (Ward 43);
• Emawoti (Ward 53), and
• Umzinyathi (Ward 03)

In a statement on Tuesday, President Ramaphosa said his thoughts are with the families who have lost loved ones, people who have been injured and individuals, businesses and organisations who have lost property.
 
“This is a tragic toll of the force of nature and this situation calls for an effective response by government in partnership with communities.
 
“This situation calls on us to come together as a nation and offer assistance to those who desperately need our care and support,” he said.
 
The President’s visit follows meetings on Tuesday evening of the National Disaster Management Centre and the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Disaster Management.

The National Disaster Management Centre is established in terms of the Disaster Management Act to coordinate integrated responses to disasters by all spheres of government, the private sector and civil society.
 
President Ramaphosa will be accompanied by Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele, Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma and Minister of Police, Gen Bheki Cele. – SAnews.gov.za

Photo: GCIS

Further breakdowns at generation units at Eskom’s power stations have led to the power utility having to implement stage two load shedding from Wednesday until the early hours of Friday morning.

Eskom said the cluster of breakdowns and delays have rendered it with no choice but to implement power down times.

“The extension of load shedding is caused by the failure of additional units and the continued shortage of generation capacity due to delays in returning to service three generating units at Camden Power Station and two generating units at Tutuka Power Station.

“Overnight a generation unit each at Medupi, Matla, Kendall and Komati power stations failed while 240MW of power imports from Mozambique was interrupted, exacerbating the supply constraints,” Eskom said.

The electricity supplier added that as a result, at least 20 206 MW of power are not available through both planned and unplanned breakdowns.

“The extension of the load shedding is required to preserve the remaining emergency generation reserves in an attempt to limit the stage of load shedding. Eskom would like to inform the public that any further deterioration in generation capacity may require further load shedding.

“Eskom would like to apologise for the implementation of load shedding and would like to reiterate that load shedding is implemented only as a last resort in order to protect the national grid. We will communicate should there be any significant changes to the power supply situation,” Eskom said. – SAnews.gov.za

Photo: Unsplash

Organized by the World Council of Churches (WCC), United Evangelical Mission and Evangelical Church in Germany, the conference “Christian Perspectives on Human Dignity and Human Rights” took place on 9-12 April in Wuppertal, Germany and online, addressing the challenges for a common vision of churches on human rights today.

Click here to read more.

Photo: Ivars Kupcis/WCC

Eskom has announced that stage two load shedding will be implemented from 5pm on Tuesday evening due to continued power supply constraints.

The power supplier had implemented stage two load shedding on Monday evening and suspended it by Tuesday morning.

“Eskom would like to inform the public that this constrained power supply will persist throughout the week, with the possibility that more load shedding is likely to be implemented should the generation capacity deteriorate further.

“We are managing the emergency generation reserves to limit the stage of load shedding. The overnight load shedding will be used to replenish the dam levels at the power storage power stations in preparation for the rest of the week,” the power supplier said.

The load shedding will be suspended at 5am on Wednesday morning.

According to Eskom, some 14 449MW of capacity is unavailable due to breakdowns with a further 4804MW are also unavailable due to planned maintenance.

“Eskom would like to apologise for the implementation of load shedding and would like to reiterate that load shedding is implemented only as a last resort in order to protect the national grid. We will communicate should there be any significant changes to the supply situation,” the national power utility said.

According to Eskom, several generating units were lost overnight and technicians are working hard to resolve the issue.

“Three generating units at the Camden power station tripped during the night, contributing to the current shortage of capacity. Eskom teams are working hard to return as many of these units to service as [soon] as possible,” the power utility said.

Meanwhile, Eskom Gauteng Cluster Senior Manager for Customer Services Daphne Mokwena has advised consumers in the province to use electricity wisely as the winter season rolls in and demand increases.

“We urge customers to collaborate with us in managing their consumption by switching off non-essential appliances such as heaters and geysers during the evening peak period, and to consider using alternative heating methods.

“While continuing with work to sustain services, we will also intensify credit management, revenue collection and energy losses reduction efforts to ensure that we stay afloat to meet our financial obligations,” said Daphne Mokwena. – SAnews.gov.za

Photo: Unsplash

The newly appointed Bishop of South Africa’s Kokstad Diocese has, in an interview with ACI Africa, said he will seek to foster the “Synodal process” when he takes canonical possession of his Episcopal See. 

Click here to read more.

Photo Credit: Mons. Thulani Victor Mbuyisa

The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr Naledi Pandor, says constructive solutions focused on addressing the humanitarian situation and promoting peaceful dialogue remains imperative in the Ukraine.

Pandor was briefing media on Friday on South Africa’s approach and position to the conflict in the Ukraine.

This comes after the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution to suspend Russia from the Human Rights Council on Thursday.

The resolution received a two-thirds majority in the 193-member General Assembly, with 93 countries voting in favour, 24 against and 58 abstaining. South Africa has again abstained on the resolution.

This is the third resolution since 2 March 2022 tabled on the Ukraine at the UN General Assembly, on which South Africa abstained.

Pandor said South Africa is not indifferent to what is going on in the Ukraine, and remains deeply concerned about the continuing conflict, the loss of lives and deteriorating humanitarian situation.

She said South Africa, countries on the continent and several other members of the Global South who are affected by the conflict, have sought to assert their independent, non-aligned views on the matter.

“We have resisted becoming embroiled in the politics of confrontation and aggression that has been advocated by the powerful countries. Instead, we have promoted peaceful resolution of the conflict through dialogue and negotiation.” 

She said one of their concerns is the “seeming lack of balanced evidence in the United Nations”.

“There needs to be consistency in the approach of the international community to countries that violate international law.

“The international community must focus on finding a sustainable solution. It will not be found in isolating one party or bringing it to its knees,” Pandor said.

The Minister reiterated that President Cyril Ramaphosa conveyed to all key stakeholders that South Africa stands ready to support the peaceful resolution of the conflict in the Ukraine, with a view to bringing the violence to an end as speedily as possible.

“We are fully cognisant of the deliberate opposition to our call for peace and negotiations, and continue to hold the view that in the end, negotiations will end the conflict,” she said.

As a matter of urgency, Pandor called for a cessation of hostilities, which would be the first step in a comprehensive response to the humanitarian crisis. 

“We continue to stress that dialogue, mediation and diplomacy is the only path to end the current conflict. As we stated in the General Assembly yesterday, wars end when dialogue begins and wars endure when there is no dialogue,” she said. – SAnews.gov.za

Photo: GCIS

The South African Council of Churches (SACC) is in despair at the horrific occurrence at Diepsloot Johannesburg, where a human being, Elvis Nyathi, was hunted down like a frightened animal, butchered and reportedly burnt to death. We echo the stern rebuke of SACC President Archbishop Thabo Makgoba who said, “Our ubuntu through your killing is being butchered in Diepsloot and many parts of the country!”

We extend our deepest condolences to the Nyathi family, and hang our heads in collective shame that things have come to this. Only last month we warned that this growing tendency of community groups going on search parties to “smell out” who they consider illegal foreigners will lead to deaths of people as has happened at Diepsloot. In 2015 Emmanuel Sithole was stabbed to death at Alexandra; in 2019 Isaac Sithole was burned alive at Katlehong. Now we have pounced on Elvis Nyathi to meet a horrific death. Is this how we should be known as South Africans, a country that prides itself of the culture of ubuntu-botho? Is the identity of ‘street killers of Africans’ the brand we choose to project for South Africa?

We call on the law enforcement and justice system to bring to book the killers of Elvis Nyathi and ensure that the full might of the law applies; even if it will not restore the life already snuffed out in this orchestrated mob rage.

30 years ago South Africa was caught up in the horror of necklace killings. Many innocent people were killed when just one person pointed to another in public and accused them of being ‘impimpi’, then the crowd would go for that person who would run for dear life, inevitably getting caught and burnt to death. We witnessed this in various parts of the country, and in Cape Town had to develop a system of preventive watchfulness between Nyanga and Crossroads where it was most prevalent. We cannot get back to those dark days of indiscriminate attacks of people. Yet here we are – perilously close to the point of regression into the abyss of our past.

Whatever grievances or opinions anyone may have about non-South Africans of whatever category in our society and economy, there is a way to address those in a structured manner that does not involve mob lynching resulting in death. The SACC has invited everyone with an opinion or view to use the channel created for that by emailing your concerns and proposals to [email protected].

We have already received many opinions with proposed solutions. Next we shall now be engaging with organised societal bodies and with Government ahead of a full plenary of the National Indaba on Non-South Africans in our Society and Economy.

We appeal to all South Africans to remember that we are all human, and there are humane ways of dealing with any concerns. In this case there can be no justification for the criminal killing of another human being simply because he or she is not South African.

As we enter the most Holy Week ahead, of remembering the death of Jesus Christ for our sins, there is a feeling that the pain of the body of Jesus becomes the pain of the body and character of our South Africanness. Let us collectively mount that pain, together with the fear in the eyes and mind of Elvis Nyathi as his killers caught up with him and murdered him; let us focus our collective consciousness on that moment of pain and mount it on the cross of Christ, that the Easter Resurrection may give us a new sense of human consciousness; to rekindle the spirit of ubuntu-botho that has been butchered with the death of Elvis Nyathi.

Photo: Unsplash

“Hear our prayers for the reconciliation and reunification on the Korean peninsula, deep in the shadows,” the prayer reads. “Have mercy upon us!”

The prayer laments that the aspiration of the Korean people for peace, prosperity, and reunification of the Korean Peninsula has seemed to cool down.

Click here to read more.

Photo: Unsplash

On Wednesday Pope Francis condemned “the massacre of Bucha” and held up a Ukrainian flag sent to him from the town where tied bodies shot at close range, mass graves and other signs of executions were found, “the martyred city, Bucha”.

“Recent news from the war in Ukraine, instead of bringing relief and hope, brought new atrocities,” he said at the end of his weekly audience in Vatican.

“Cruelty that is increasingly horrendous, even against civilians, defenceless women and children. They are victims whose innocent blood cries out up to heaven and implores: ‘Stop this war! Let the weapons fall silent! Stop sowing death and destruction,'” he said.
Russia has denied its forces committed any war crimes, accusing Ukraine of fabricating the scenes. 

Watch the video below for more information: 

Photo: WCC

On World Health Day, observed 7 April, the Christian Conference of Asia published a statement under the theme “Our Planet, Our Health” that calls for equating our health and wellbeing with our environment.

“A healthy, sustainable, and equitable society is essential for the wellbeing of everyone on our planet,” the statement reads. “Social and economic conditions, together with accessible and high-quality health care are indispensable for the health of populations everywhere.”

The statement expresses concern over differences in access to medical facilities and health care. “Medical care includes preventive services, such as vaccinations, preventive check-ups and health education, as well as treatment and rehabilitation services, all of which are essential parameters for an equitable society,” the statement reads.

Click here to read more.

Photo: WCC