By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Cabinet has called on communities to be on high alert for further weather warnings, which could bring more devastation in several parts of the country.
Thunderstorms and strong winds left a trail of destruction Gauteng, while the Western Cape and Eastern Cape were hit by severe flooding.
Since the weekend, more than 10 people have died in the Western Cape due to the heavy rain and flooding in the province.
The flooding has destroyed homes, washed away bridges, damaged several farms, and destroyed key infrastructure.
Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni Ntshavheni told a post-cabinet media briefing on Thursday that the extreme weather patterns underscore the need to decarbonise the economy.
“Cabinet is kept abreast on the devastation caused by the severe storms and flooding in the provinces of the Eastern Cape, Western Cape and Gauteng, with indications that this will likely spread to other provinces,” she said.
“Cabinet calls on communities to remain on high alert for further extreme weather warnings which could bring further devastation across the country. Government continues to support emergency services and disaster management centres for rescue operations and to provide humanitarian support”.
Several humanitarian organisations, including Gift of the Givers, have stepped in to help those affected by providing them with warm meals, blankets, clothes and materials to rebuild their homes.
Bird flu could threaten food security
Ntshavheni says the government has put in place measures to manage and prevent the spread of bird flu.
The outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (bird flu) was first reported in May.
“Since then, more than 50 cases have been recorded.
A total of 50 HPAI H7 outbreaks and 10 HPAI H5 outbreaks were reported in various parts of the country in what has been described as the worst outbreak yet.
Affected provinces include Mpumalanga, Limpopo, North West, Free State and Gauteng.
The outbreak has led to Astral Foods warning of a possible shortage in the supply of chicken in South Africa over the next couple of months.
On Wednesday, Namibia banned the import of chicken and eggs from the country with immediate effect.
Ntshavheni told a post-cabinet media briefing on Thursday that the government wants to ensure that the disease does not spread any further.
“Control measures to manage the spread of the outbreaks are in place, and farmers are encouraged to observe prescribed biosecurity measures. There is an acknowledgement that if we are not successful in managing the Avian bird flu, there might be threats to food security, in particular, the availability of poultry products.
“The Department of Agriculture will continue to ensure that the provinces that are not affected remain insulated from the spread, but also they can ramp up production so that we minimise imports to the best of our ability and increase production locally so that we can feed our nation.”
Cabinet has also approved the implementation of the Revised Game Meat Strategy for South Africa, which seeks to formalise and transform the game meat industry.
It aims to strengthen the game meat sector as both provider of food security and an economic growth sector that can help create job opportunities,” Ntshavheni said.
South Africa is ranked number one on the African continent for game meat production and therefore, said the Minister, needs to take full advantage of the economic opportunities that the sector provides.
Return of Kusile Power Station’s Unit 4
Cabinet has commended the return to service of Kusile Power Station’s Unit 4 from planned maintenance, bringing back 800 megawatts to the country’s power grid.
“This milestone is central to generating capacity for the national grid in addressing the frequency of load shedding,” said Ntshavheni.
Cabinet was further encouraged with the progress to return Units 1, 2 and 3 at Kusile ahead of schedule in October and the end of November 2023.
Cabinet has also welcomed Eskom’s stable rating by Moody’s Investors Service, which will improve its credit worthiness.
The ratings agency upgraded the power utility’s rating from positive to stable, following the utility’s Debt Relief Act passed in July.
“This rating will enable Eskom to plan ahead in implementing planned maintenance on its generation fleet,” Ntshavheni said.
Cabinet has further commended the National Energy Regulator of South Africa’s granting of trading and import/export licence applications to the National Transmission Company of South Africa (NTCSA).
The NTCSA is wholly owned by Eskom, as the State-owned company is being restructured into the generation, transmission and distribution subsidiaries.
The NTCSA applied for a trading licence in order to be able to buy and sell electricity from power stations and independent power producers.
“This paves the way for procurement of power from across the region,” the Minister said.
Water challenges
On water security, Ntshavheni said water authorities and local government are addressing water challenges affecting a number of areas across the country.
The Minister noted that major water losses in Gauteng fall in the areas of the cities’ responsibilities, including Tshwane, Ekurhuleni and the City of Johannesburg.
She also warned that water losses experienced on the side of the cities is higher and this is due to the non-repair of damaged water infrastructure and leaking pipes, which are left unattended.
“The Minister of Water and Sanitation and Rand Water have been intervening to ensure how to manage water shortages,” Ntshavheni said.
The Minister also reminded citizens that their actions are crucial to ensuring a sustainable and equitable water supply.
“We must all play our part to save every drop by not watering lawns or filling swimming pools with drinking water. Wash your car using a bucket, take a two-minute shower instead of a bath, fix all water leaks in your house and report leaking water pipes to your local municipality,” Ntshavheni said.
United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
Cabinet has widely welcomed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s address during the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) held in New York, USA.
Ntshavheni said South Africa championed the voice of the African continent and the global South in the United Nations and broader multilateral system.
“The President emphasised the need for developing countries to participate equally and meaningfully in the decision-making process of the international economic world order, “Ntshavheni said.
With regard to the implementation of the Nairobi Declaration on Climate Change and Call to Action, Ramaphosa called on partners from wealthy countries to meet their climate financial commitments to tackle global warming in developing countries.
Ntshavheni said South Africa remains committed to addressing climate change and has positioned itself as a leader in renewable energy, green hydrogen, and sustainable industrialisation.
South Africa also advocated for the resolution of conflicts grounded by the UN Charter’s principle of respect for the territorial integrity of every country, which promotes meaningful dialogue.
“Furthermore, the reform of the UN Security Council will enable the body to respond more effectively to current geopolitical realities,” she said.
In his capacity as the AU Champion, Ramaphosa addressed the Advancing Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response Summit.
On the sidelines of UNGA, Ramaphosa led a government delegation which undertook several bilateral meetings aimed at strengthening strategic political, diplomatic and trade ties.
Ramaphosa met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss progress on the African Peace Initiative undertaken in June, which includes prisoner exchange and return of children taken from Ukraine.
In advancing bilateral relations, the President met with the President of Nigeria Bola Tinubu; President Abdelmadjid Tebboune of Algeria; President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Türkiye, and President Emmerson Mnagangwa of Zimbabwe.
“Another highlight was the US-SA Trade and Investment Business Roundtable, which preceded the 20th US-Sub-Saharan Africa Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum, (AGOA Forum) which will be in Johannesburg from 2 to 4 November 2023.
“The Forum supports growth through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) that covers 54 countries and 1.4 billion people.
“The forum will also feature the ‘Made in Africa Exhibition’ that will showcase regional value chains on the continent,” Ntshavheni said.
Cabinet emphasised that collaboration between Novo Nordisk and Aspen – forged on the margins of UNGA – will significantly enhance access to insulin treatment not just in South Africa, but also across the continent.
The collaboration aims to supply over 16 million doses in 2024, which will be up scaled by 2026.