Day: April 16, 2023

The provisional liquidation of the South African Post Office has been met with serious concern by the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Hon Mondli Gungubele. In response, he has requested that the Board and Management of SAPO provide him with a detailed account of the circumstances that led to this development, the steps taken by the Board to address the issue, and the measures that SAPO intends to implement to resolve the situation promptly.

Minister Gungubele emphasized the importance of SAPO as a crucial government service platform which caters to millions of citizens and cannot afford to cease its operations. The Department and SAPO must work diligently to ensure that the Post Office transforms into an independent and profitable business entity for the benefit of the country’s citizens. The minister assures the public that all necessary steps will be taken to ensure continuous provision of social services, timely grant payments, efficient workforce, and harmonious negotiations with SAPO’s creditors towards favourable outcomes.

The Minister requested that the SAPO Board Chair and GCEO proide a detailed briefing on all litigations and debts currently facing the organization. Following a thorough study of this information, the Minister plans to engage the appropriate structures and ultimately provide feedback.

Enquiries:

Frans Mthombeni (Acting Head of Communications)

Cell: 082 7404 510

E-mail:Media@DCDT.gov.za(link sends e-mail)

Facebook : Department of Communications & Digital Technologies

Government of South Africa

The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) has moved to assure South Africans that serial rapist and murderer Thabo Bester is still behind bars at the Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional facility in Pretoria.

Bester escaped from Mangaung Correctional Centre – run by international security company G4S – last year and fled South Africa upon detection but was rearrested earlier this week.

“The department…has noted false information circulating in various platforms that offender Thabo Bester has been returned to Manguang Correctional Centre.

“We can state that Bester was transported to Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional facility. In addition, DCS can confirm that there is no complaint filed about threats to his life and that offender Bester is taking meals,” the department said.

Meanwhile, earlier this week in an appearance before the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services, Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola apologised to the victims of the crimes that Bester was found guilty of in the first instance.

“I want to take this opportunity to apologise to the victims of the convicted rapist Mr Thabo Bester and to all the people of South Africa that this dangerous criminal was let loose in the public by the G4S officials.

“[As] DCS we take full responsibility for this as we’re the custodian of the Correctional Services Act and we are the people doing so on behalf of the people of South Africa. The people of South Africa don’t know G4S as the custodian of these services. So it’s us who must take responsibility. It is the first of its kind type of incident that we had to deal with of this nature, uniqueness and magnitude,” he said.

The Minister also told the committee that the department is seeking legal opinion on whether the current contract with G4S can be terminated.

Source: South African Government News Agency

President Hage Geingob on Saturday officially inaugurated the Outjo Community Legacy Centre in the Kunene Region.

The centre is a satellite service distribution compound for the Outjo Municipality, which it constructed in the middle of the seven informal areas in the town.

Geingob in his remarks said national leaders have an obligation to create a conducive environment for business and investment-related activities in Namibia and ensure that the needs of the most vulnerable members of the society are taken care of.

‘In this respect, the Community Legacy Centre will provide various municipal services, a library, clinic, ablution facilities, policing and other urgent services required by our citizens who usually do not have access to them,” he said.

Construction work on the centre started in February 2016 under the supervision of the then-Outjo mayor, Marius Sheya.

Sheya who also attended the event said the centre will serve over 3 000 inhabitants who live in the informal areas of Soweto, Ehangano, Sevende Laan, Camp Four, Camp Five, Camp 60 and Kap en Bou.

He said the residents in the past, used to travel to town by taxis to buy prepaid water, and electricity and visit hospital services, which would now be a thing of the past as they are all now found at the centre.

Several national leaders as well as the regional and local authority councillors in the region also attended the event.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

Namibia is expected to partake in the 53rd General Assembly (GA) of the World Trade Centre Association (WTCA) set for Accra, Ghana from 23 to 28 April this year, to promote the country as a viable trade and investment destination.

A media statement issued Sunday by the Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation (MIRCO) said the GA will be held under the theme ‘Towards African Economic Integration and Enhanced Global Presence’ with the main objective to explore and build on trade and investment opportunities presented by the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Equally to explore opportunities with development agencies financing large-scale projects across Africa.

Namibia, it said will participate under the sub-theme, ‘Namibia, Land of many opportunities’, noting that the events will further present the Namibian companies an opportunity to showcase their products and services to potential customers, while at the same time affording them an opportunity to market investment and bankable projects.

“The GA is being hosted for the first time in Sub – Saharan Africa by the World Trade Centre Accra, thus presenting an opportune moment to market Namibia as an ideal trade and investment destination in the context of AfCFTA,” it said.

The Namibian delegation will be led by Minister of Industrialization and Trade, Lucia Iipumbu, accompanied by the Chief Executive Officer of the Namibia Investment Promotion Development Board, Nangula Uaandja and members of the private and public sectors.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency