Day: November 23, 2021

DWS Deputy Minister Dikeledi Magadzi says collaboration is key to saving water

Water and Sanitation Deputy Minister Dikeledi Magadzi says partnership between the private, public and civil society organisations is key towards bringing local and international investors to invest in water infrastructure development.

DM Magadzi gave the keynote address at the 7th Annual Water Stewardship event, under the theme; “Water Stewardship in Action: A journey to economic recovery”, which was jointly hosted with Strategic Water Partners Network (SWPN) on Tuesday, 23 November 2021.

She says this year’s theme came at the appropriate time as the entire is world is still reeling from the effects of COVID-19.

DM Magadzi says the pandemic has exposed the fact that access to running water is still a pipe dream to most communities, especially the far-flung rural and highly densified ones.

“This pandemic has taught all of us the importance of access to safe and reliable water, and the responsibility we have as private, public and civil society organizations, to learn from our experience over the past nineteen months to innovate and build stronger systems to ensure access to water for all our people”, said the Deputy Minister.

She adds that collaborations will bring investments into the country which will in turn ensure water security and importantly support small, medium and micro enterprises, enabling economic growth.

DM Magadzi, however, acknowledges that investments alone will not solve all the water and sanitation challenges in South Africa.

“We require strong water governance that could stand the test of time,” Magadzi said. “We require strong systems and institutions to drive effective water resources management and expand access to water and sanitation services. We require good water governance that would allow sustainable good quality water supply that, in turn, would give us an upper hand in case of any future pandemic.”

She further called on farmers to exercise responsible water use as the sector is the largest user of surface and underground water.

“Water Stewardship is everyone’s business. I therefore call upon all corporates that are still not members of the Strategic Water Partners Network to sign up and play their part on the sustainable and responsible use of our precious resource.  To those that are members of the platform, let us do more for the SWPN by pledging more financial, human and technical support to keep the fire burning. I also appeal to civil society organizations, different communities and other stakeholders to play their part in understanding the economic and social value of water, including linkages with sustainability and economic security,” DM Magadzi concluded.

Source: Government of South Africa

Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, on Tuesday chaired a meeting at the Grand Serail devoted to discussing the present conditions of the Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport, attended by Minister of Public Works and Transportation, Ali Himieh, Minister of Finance, Dr. Youssef Khalil, MP Ghazi Youssef, the Chairman of the Council for Development and Reconstruction, Nabil El-Jisr, Middle East Airlines’ Board Chairman, Mohamed Al-Hout and the Director General of Civil Aviation Fadi Al-Hassan.

Premier Mikati also chaired another meeting devoted to discussing electricity sector affairs, attended by Deputy Prime Minister Saade Chami, Minister of Finance, Dr. Youssef Khalil, Minister of Energy and Water, Dr. Walid Fayyad, MP Nicolas Nahas, Regional Director of the Mashreq Department at the World Bank, Saroj Kumar Jha, and the Director General of Electricité du Liban (EDL) Kamal Hayek.

On emerging, Minister Fayyad said that the meeting touched on a number of electricity sector related dossiers.

On the other hand, Premier Mikati met with UK Defence Senior Advisor to the Middle East and North Africa (DSAME) Air Marshal Martin Sampson, in the presence of British Ambassador to Lebanon, Ian Collard, and Military Attaché Lieutenant Colonel Lee Richard Saunders.

Talks reportedly touched on the bilateral relations between the two countries.

Mikati also met with Beirut Governor, Judge Marwan Abboud, who said on emerging that they discussed the conditions of infrastructure in the city of Beirut.

Source: National News Agency

Opening remarks by President Cyril Ramaphosa during official talks during the State Visit by President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, Union Buildings, Tshwane

Your Excellency, Mr Uhuru Kenyatta, President of the Republic of Kenya,
Honorable Ministers,
Honorable Cabinet Secretaries,
Senior Officials,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

On behalf of my Government and the people of South Africa, I would like to welcome you and your delegation to our country. 

Your visit is another manifestation of the very strong and cordial bilateral relations between our two countries. 

Our historic ties are rooted in Kenya’s principled support for our struggle for liberation, racial equality and democracy. 

For this, we remain eternally grateful to the people of Kenya. 

Solidarity, mutual respect and a common vision of a better Africa and a better world form the foundation of our relations today and into the future.

This State Visit takes place after the successful inauguration of the Kenya – South Africa Joint Commission for Cooperation, which took place on 11 August 2021 in Nairobi. 

The Joint Commission for Cooperation provided an opportunity to take stock of our current bilateral relations while laying the foundation for more regular exchanges and meetings between our government officials. 

While relations between South Africa and Kenya are warm and constructive, it is time to elevate our ties to that of a strategic partnership. 

This would signify the importance of our political, economic and social ties and the leadership role we play in our respective regions. 

We need to consolidate those areas of cooperation that anchor our relations, explore new ones within the current state of global affairs and address challenges that will affect our people in the future.

A good starting point are the economic ties between our two countries. 

Over the past five years bilateral trade has been constant, while investment has mainly been characterised by South African companies investing in Kenya.

Much more can and ought to be done. 

I am therefore most pleased that His Excellency has brought along a Kenyan business delegation that is currently participating in the Business Forum. 

As vocal advocates of Pan-Africanism and intra-African trade, South Africa and Kenya ought to set the example by increasing the volume and composition of our trade and investing more in each other’s economies.

We are committed to taking practical measures to address the imbalances in bilateral trade between our two countries, ensuring that South Africa becomes a ready destination for goods and services from Kenya.

I would like to request our respective Ministers to remove any unreasonable barriers or challenges that are stifling these efforts. 

As part of our contribution to intra-African trade, we should give preference to our own state-owned companies and private businesses when bidding for significant procurement contracts in each other’s countries instead of sourcing these from outside of the Continent. 

Each of our countries has the indigenous knowledge and expertise to benefit the other.

These efforts to strengthen economic ties are not possible without the facilitation of movement of people between our two countries. 

In this regard, we are most pleased to witness the signing today of the Memorandum of Understanding on Migration Matters and the Agreement on the Return of Nationals Refused Entry and Illegal Entrants.

The strong foundation of our bilateral relations has ensured excellent cooperation and coordination of our positions on multilateral issues. 

South Africa and Kenya both seek to strengthen multilateral approaches to improve global peace and security. 

Please be assured of our continued support during Kenya’s tenure as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for 2021-2022. 

I congratulate Kenya for its successful chairing of the Security Council in October, when it strongly voiced the concerns of our Continent and emphasised the need for a rules-based multilateral approach to global challenges.

As a recipient of international solidarity in the struggle for liberation, we stand together with the rest of the international community in support of the people of Palestine and Western Sahara in their struggle for self-determination and nationhood. 

We note the recent Security Council Resolution to extend the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara until 31 October 2022. 

South Africa agrees with Kenya that it is important for the Security Council to support the work of the UN Mission and the reconvening of negotiations by the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy. 

Like Kenya, we remain concerned at the delay in holding the long-awaited referendum, which is necessary for the realisation of the right to self-determination for the people of the Western Sahara. 

We are also concerned at the inadequate protection of the human rights of the Saharawi people.

We commend Kenya for having undertaken to promote the Women, Peace and Security agenda during its tenure on the UN Security Council.
 
It is a concern that while most of the African Continent enjoys peace, democracy and stability, there are still pockets of insecurity and conflict within countries and between neighbouring countries. 

The reality is that much more still needs to be done to ‘Silence the Guns’ in Africa. 

In particular, we note with concern the recent conflicts and resultant suffering in our sister countries, Ethiopia, Sudan and Mozambique. 

South Africa remains committed to regional peace, security and stability.

We call on all relevant role players to work towards finding sustainable solutions to these conflicts. 

To this end, we will work closely with Kenya on all platforms to promote peace and security on the African Continent.

We fully support and align ourselves with the SADC position to support and assist Mozambique as directed by the 40th SADC Summit. 

We strongly condemn any attempt at an unconstitutional change of government in the Sudan and call on all the parties to engage in constructive, good faith and peaceful dialogue to restore the Sudan’s constitutional order.

We are most alarmed by the unfolding situation in Ethiopia and the consequences it may have for the stability of the country and the region. 

There is an urgent need for all parties to the conflict to commit to an immediate, indefinite, negotiated ceasefire and an inclusive political dialogue to begin the difficult work of forging a lasting resolution to the country’s ethnic and political divisions.

The need for lasting peace and security on our Continent becomes more urgent with the operationalisation of the historic African Continental Free Trade Agreement on 1 January this year. 

I wish to congratulate Kenya for being among the countries that have ratified the AfCFTA, which aims to accelerate intra-African trade and industrialisation, and which offers great opportunities for Africa’s economic integration and development.

We meet at a time of great distress and devastation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Although there has been great progress in the development and distribution of vaccines, as well as acts of solidarity and cooperation across the world, the global response to the pandemic has been uneven. 

It is a grave concern that the global community has not sustained the principles of solidarity and cooperation in securing equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines. 

While we welcome some of the recent developments in making vaccines more accessible, the strategic goal for both of our countries and others on the Continent should be to acquire and manufacture vaccines on the Continent. 

South Africa and Kenya have proven capacity and expertise in this regard. 

I am pleased to see that His Excellency’s programme includes a visit to Aspen Pharmacare in Gqeberha, which will provide first-hand experience of our capacity to produce vaccines and highlight areas of possible cooperation with your Government.

Your Excellency, in conclusion, I thank you once again for your presence here today. 

As is customary among close friends, I trust that we will have frank and fruitful discussions on the current state of our bilateral relations. 

I thank you.

Source: Government of South Africa

Your Excellency, Mr Uhuru Kenyatta, President of the Republic of Kenya,
Honorable Ministers,
Senior Officials,
Members of the media,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

I wish to thank President Kenyatta and his delegation for the productive discussions we have just concluded on several issues that are vital to the development of our respective countries and to the progress of our continent.

This State Visit has allowed us to take stock of the current state of our bilateral relations while also providing an opportunity to explore other areas of mutual interest and benefit for our peoples. 

South Africa and Kenya share a long history of friendship, mutual respect, common values and solidarity.

South Africa owes a great debt of gratitude to the people of Kenya for their unwavering support during our struggle for freedom.

President Kenyatta and I have reaffirmed the strategic importance of bilateral relations between our two countries and reiterated our desire to elevate the nature of the relationship, which would include the conclusion of a Strategic Partnership Agreement.

As we have just witnessed, our two countries have further broadened the areas of cooperation through the signing of a number of agreements and memoranda of understanding in the areas of diplomatic consultations and training, transport and air services, health, tourism, migration and return of nationals refused entry. 

The decision of our respective national airlines to deepen their collobaration is further testament to the growing ties between our two countries.

We therefore welcome the announcement that South African Airways and Kenya Airways have agreed on a Strategic Partnership Framework towards the creation of a Pan Africa Airline Group that draws on the capabilities and advantages of the two airlines.

A Business Forum, consisting of businesses from South Africa and Kenya, is currently underway here in Tshwane.

Through this Business Forum, participants have the opportunity to share information about the business environment and various opportunities, and to explore concrete proposals for trade and investment. 

Kenya is one of South Africa’s largest trading partners in Africa outside of SADC, and we are committed to increasing the volume and broadening the composition of trade between our two countries.

We want Kenya to see South Africa as a growing market for goods and services.

We will be working together to identify Kenyan export products for which there are great growth opportunities in South Africa.

We are also committed to investing more in each other’s economies.

As part of our efforts to promote intra-African trade, we will continue to look for opportunities to procure goods and services from each other before considering suppliers outside the continent.

I am therefore very pleased that President Kenyatta’s programme includes a visit to Transnet Engineering in Koedoespoort. 

The visit provides an opportunity to showcase South Africa’s capability in supplying to railway stock and rail-related products. 

Economic cooperation also requires progress in ensuring greater ease of travel between our two countries. 

We therefore acknowledge progress made in the areas of tourism and immigration, including the introduction of e-visas for Kenyans travelling to South Africa.

We are committed to exploring further measures to ease travel between our two countries as an important part of strengthening trade, investment, tourism and cultural ties.

We are therefore please to announce that a task team at the level of the two Presidents, President Kenyatta and myself, will be set up to improve ease of travel and address any visa-related challenges between our two countries.

During the course of our discussions, we reflected on recent developments in our respective regions, and particularly the situations in Mozambique, Sudan and Ethiopia. 

South Africa aligns itself with the SADC position to support and assist Mozambique in dealing with instability in the Cabo Delgado area. 

The Southern African Development Community continues to be seized with the situation in Mozambique and a consolidated regional approach in dealing with the matter is being pursued. 

With respect to the Sudan, we strongly condemn any unconstitutional change of government and call on all the parties to engage in constructive, good faith and peaceful dialogue to restore the country’s constitutional order.

President Kenyatta and I discussed the grave situation in Ethiopia. 

We expressed our conviction that there is scope for dialogue among the warring parties in Ethiopia, and that there is an urgent need for all parties to the conflict to commit to an immediate, indefinite, negotiated ceasefire and an inclusive political dialogue.

South Africa regards Kenya as its strategic ally in East Africa, which actively contributes to peace, security and economic development in the region. 

We appreciate the counsel of Kenya on issues affecting East Africa and the Horn of Africa and will support its efforts whenever possible and within our means.

We reiterated the fact that the need for long-lasting peace and security on our Continent has become more urgent as African countries operationalised the historic African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement on 1 January this year. 

South Africa and Kenya stand together with the rest of the international community in support of freedom and justice for all people.

We have reiterated our principled stance that the people of Palestine have an inalienable right to self-determination and nationhood. 

Unless the root causes of the conflict are addressed, in this case the illegal occupation by Israel of Palestinian land, there will never be enduring peace in the Middle East. 

South Africa agrees with Kenya that it is important for the UN Security Council to support the work of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara. 

Like Kenya, we are concerned at the delay in holding the referendum, which is necessary for the realisation of the right to self-determination for the people of the Western Sahara. 

We are also concerned at the inadequate protection of the human rights of the Saharawi people.

I have assured President Kenyatta of South Africa’s continued support for Kenya’s tenure as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for 2021 to 2022. 

We welcome the stance that Kenya has taken in the UN Security Council on, among other things, the concerns of the African Continent, the need for a rules-based multilateral approach to global challenges and the promotion of the Women, Peace and Security agenda. 

The devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted numerous challenges within countries and shortcomings in the global response to such crises. 

We have agreed that South Africa and Kenya, as like-minded countries, should work together to build consensus on how our Continent should emerge from this crisis. 

President Kenyatta and I have been in regular communication on the latest developments around the acquisition and distribution of vaccines for the Continent. 

We have consistently advocated an equitable and transparent distribution of vaccine doses to developing economies.

It is unconscionable that the vast majority of the world’s vaccine doses have been acquired by wealthy countries, while low- to middle-income countries struggle to obtain sufficient doses for their populations. 

We call on all countries to support the proposal for a temporary waiver of certain provisions of the TRIPS agreement at the World Trade Organization to allow more countries to produce COVID-19 vaccines.

We are concerned that if the situation does not change, there is increased likelihood of vaccine resistance and more variants developing, much to the detriment of the entire world.

Both South Africa and Kenya have proven capacity and expertise in vaccine manufacture. However, we need support to enhance and scale up this capacity, including through technology transfer.

I am very pleased that President Kenyatta’s programme includes a visit to Aspen Pharmacare in Gqeberha. 

The visit to the facility will demonstrate South Africa’s technical capacity to manufacture and distribute vaccines for a global market in accordance with international standards and highlight areas of possible cooperation with Kenya.

Although African countries bear the least responsibility for causing climate change, we are among those that carry the greatest cost. 

South Africa and Kenya are blessed with extraordinary natural beauty and biodiversity. However, is at serious risk due the effects of climate change. 

If we are to respond adequately to this crisis, we need to see greater ambition and progress on mitigation, adaptation and the means of implementation.

The developed economies of the world – who bear the greatest responsibility for global warming – must dedicated substantial financial support to those countries that are facing the greatest damage and destruction.

Africa, in particular, needs support to protect vulnerable communities and enable countries to industrialise in a just and sustainable manner.

In conclusion, we have had an opportunity today to discuss in some depth several of the challenges facing our continent and its people.

But we have also discussed many opportunities for growth and progress.

We conclude these talks determined to deepen our cooperation so that we may together seize these opportunities and build the Kenya, the South Africa and the Africa we want.

I thank you.

Source: The Presidency Republic of South Africa

Forest Village provides dignified homes for Cape Town residents

Just over 3000 houses have been handed over to residents in the Forest Village Housing Development in Eerste River.

This Catalytic Project commenced in January 2016 with a budget of R1.1 billion. This month saw 37 beneficiaries take occupation of the units. Residents benefiting from this project are from the local Wards 16, 17, and 108, along with the Airport Precinct and N2 Gateway excess. 

At the end of all construction and upon completion of the project close to 5000 beneficiaries would have taken occupancy of these homes.

The Western Cape Minister of Human Settlements Tertuis Simmers said: “It is pleasing to see how the Forest Village Housing Development in Eersteriver continues to provide a safer and dignified home for the most deserving and qualifying beneficiaries. Residents from different backgrounds are now living side-by-side. This epitomises what we’re aiming for in the Western Cape Government (WCG) and in so doing breaking down the Apartheid spatial planning of the past.

This development has seen backyard and informal dwellers from the immediate and surrounding areas move into significantly improved living conditions. Just last week we also saw the first 12 FLISP beneficiaries who forms part of the Affordable Housing Market also take occupancy of their brand new homes”.

One of the beneficiaries who recently moved into here house, Ms Nosisa Qashani, a former backyard dweller of Mfuleni said “I am delighted to have finally received a house from my Government and I am so in love with it and its everything I dreamt of”.

Ms Velmarie Potberg said “after 12 years of living in dire conditions in a shack, that would be flooded during the Cape Town winters and damage all our goods and furniture whilst raising kids, those  were some of the toughest times in my life. However today I feel so blessed to be standing in my house and thank God and the Western Cape government for everything they’ve done for me and my children as we will now have our first Christmas under proper sheltered house”.

“As the Western Cape Government, we remain committed to accelerating human settlement delivery, while promoting social inclusion through the development of integrated, resilient, safe and sustainable human settlements in an open opportunity society,” added Simmers.

Source: Government of South Africa