South Africa

Despite the 16 Days campaign having officially ended on Thursday, the Department of Social Development will keep the momentum going to turn the tide on GBV.

The National Development Agency (NDA) has set aside R32 million for 200 civil society organisations to stimulate local economic development.

Government has gazetted the National Small Enterprise Amendment Bill 2020 in an effort to provide an ombud service that will assist small enterprises with legal issues.

An amount of R13.5 billion has been disbursed through the special COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant to more than six million eligible beneficiaries.

Government has reiterated its commitment to participate in all COVID-19 vaccine initiatives to make sure South Africa also benefits.

While the better-than-expected latest gross domestic product (GDP) figures indicate that more people became employed in the third quarter of 2020, this does not mean that South Africa is out of the woods, says the Department of Employment and Labour.

New COVID-19 cases have grown by 53.4% in the Western Cape in the past seven days, says Premier Alan Winde.

South Africa is grappling with a sharp increase in COVID-19 cases after recording 8 166 more infections, bringing the total number to 836 764 since the outbreak.

When South Africa assumed the Chair of the African Union, President Cyril Ramaphosa made an undertaking that the continent’s women’s financial and economic inclusion will be high on the agenda.

The Western Cape has had to deliver more oxygen to Knysna on the Garden Route, where 30 COVID-19 patients need support to breathe.

North West MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development, Desbo Mohono, has encouraged all subsistence producers in the province to apply for the Agricultural Employment Stimulus support.

The Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), together with its research partners, is currently conducting the first leg of the National COVID-19 Antibody Survey (NCAS).

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula is expected to sign a ground-breaking partnership with alcoholic beverage producer Distell, that will further intensify road safety efforts.

Employment and Labour Minister, Thulas Nxesi, has welcomed Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke’s finding that the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) had markedly improved the disbursement of COVID-19 relief funds.

Aphiwe Kaula, a 22 year-old intern at South African Cane Growers, has encouraged youth in various provinces not to shy away from studying Agriculture as it is not a profession only for old people - but a growing industry that needs young minds.