It was a great loss to hear of the death of Doris Lessing, however she had lived a great and creative life in her 94 years. Lessing won the Nobel-prize for Literature in 2007, for her books among more than 50 and most noticeably The Golden Notebook and The Grass is Singing. Her works covered [...]Doris Lessing 1919 – 2013 is a post from: BooknSpire


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Derek Monk, Managing Director of ESE World Ltd puts the case for underground waste collection systems, which save space, reduce visual impact, and improve carbon footprint. For around 20 years our European neighbours have been using underground waste systems to store both their recyclable and residual waste. At the same time they have drastically improved [...]Underground Waste Collection is a post from: EconSpire


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The Department of Trade and Industry’s (dti) Manufacturing Competitiveness Enhancement Programme (MCEP) has helped to sustain over 100 000 jobs since its inception in May 2012.

“The programme has approved 436 entities with the investment value of R13.1 billion and helped to sustain 116 497 jobs throughout South Africa since its inception,” dti Minister Rob Davies said.

The programme offers incentives designed to drive growth and promote competitiveness in the manufacturing sector. It includes a package of incentives specifically designed for established manufacturers with the aim of promoting competitiveness and retaining jobs.

Speaking at a stakeholder engagement that was held to advise how best companies can benefit from the programme, Davies said that embracing green manufacturing and the opportunities offered by the green economy can assist industries to stay competitiveness.

The green economy is one of the six key job drivers identified in the New Growth Path.

“One of the key components of MCEP is the Green Technology and Resource Efficiency Improvement. The objective of this component is to support projects with green technology upgrades and business development activities that will lead to cleaner production and resource efficiency,” said Davies.

The South African manufacturing industry can gain a competitive edge and increase exports by encouraging and supporting green economy processes in the sector.

“Out of the 436 entities that have been approved since the launch of the MCEP, 26 entities are green manufacturing related. Large export oriented companies that have been at the forefront of investment in green manufacturing have projected an investment to the value of R727.4 billion and that 43 784 jobs will be sustained as a result of these investments,” explained Davies.

MCEP provides the framework for improved competitiveness by offering key benefits to help businesses meet challenges relating to poor market demand, high input costs (including electricity and transportation) cheap imports and economic uncertainty. – SAnews.gov.za

A big Spanish media contingent, consisting of 44 journalists, is flying to South Africa to cover the much anticipated international friendly between Bafana Bafana and Spain at FNB Stadium on Tuesday night.

The size of the media contingent reflects the intense interest in the match, which will be screened live throughout Europe and other parts of the globe.

Bafana skipper Itumeleng Khune said: “The interest showed by the Spanish media in this match means that this is going to be an amazing spectacle. Soccer fans, sports enthusiasts and just anyone eager to see excellence in action should be at the stadium on Tuesday night.”

According to the South African Football Association (Safa), sports reporters representing radio, online, print and television from 14 different media establishments in Spain will cover the match and give a healthy boost to South Africa’s image in the process.

The match is set to be a rip-roaring affair, with both sides pitching their best players. Bafana Bafana head coach Gordon Igesund has promised to make South Africa a force to be reckoned with in time for the 2015 and 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournaments in Morocco and Libya, and the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

Igesund beefed up his squad with nine foreign-based formidable veteran players such as Khune, Siphiwe Tshabalala, Bongani Khumalo and Kagisho Dikgacoi, who will be playing alongside emerging young players such as Bongani Zungu, Ayanda Patosi and Kermit Erasmus.

On the other hand, the reigning world and European champions, Spain, will be fielding an impressive team that includes 13 players, who were part of the 2010 FIFA World Cup winning team in South Africa.

The world class players include crowd pleasers Sergio Ramos, Xabi Alonso, Jesus Navas and Juan Mata.

Tickets for the match are on sale at Computicket, Shoprite, Checkers and Shoprite/Checkers stores countrywide.

Tickets cost R50 for the top tier; R200 for the middle tier and R100 for the bottom tier.

There are also suite ticket packages available for R895 and R1 650. - SAnews.gov.za

A new moon in Scorpio can mean only one thing; electro rockers Kamp David’s cosmic new album Westway to Vegas is approaching and you can be part of...

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World-famous Brazilian photographer Sebastião Salgado and Vanity Fair magazine have joined forces to publicize the plight of the Awá Indians, who have been labeled ‘Earth’s most threatened tribe’ by Survival International, the global movement for tribal peoples’ rights. The 13-page feature, published in December’s magazine, is out worldwide since November 1. Vanity Fair’s Senior Contributing [...]Salgado and Vanity Fair highlight Plight is a post from: EconSpire


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The Department of Correctional Services says the electronic monitoring of offenders will not only result in substantial savings for taxpayers, but it will also effectively track offenders 24/7.

Speaking at the launch of the GPS electronic monitoring gadget for awaiting-trial detainees, Correctional Services Minister Sibusiso Ndebele said the initiative was aimed at “enhancing public safety through electronic monitoring”.

“Presently, it costs the taxpayer over R9 876.35 per month to incarcerate an inmate. For electronic monitoring, the monthly cost per offender is R3 379. This equates to a saving of almost R6 500 per offender every month,” said Ndebele on Monday.

The tagging involves the strapping of a watch-like gadget to the leg. Once the bracelet is fitted, and set to ‘active’, it cannot be removed without breaking the transmitter, strap or connecting clips.

Should an offender commit any violation, alerts are immediately generated and transmitted. Interference with the equipment, including tampering or failing to charge the receiver, is electronically relayed to the control room.

Ndebele hoped that the gadget would help with overcrowding in the country’s correctional facilities, which he said was a problem, as well as reduce the cost of keeping offenders in prison.

“It is also cost effective and bestows the responsibility of rehabilitation and reintegration upon the community and its stakeholders,” he said.

As of 7 November, the Department of Correctional Services had 154 897 inmates in their custody.

The number of sentenced offenders was 112 121 and the number of remand detainees was 42 776.

On average, Ndebele said about 15% to 20% of awaiting-trial detainees were in custody because they could not afford bail.

“No address means no bail and no address means no parole. The roll out of the gadget has been budgeted in the next financial year,” said Ndebele. – SAnews.gov.za

Construction of the wind turbine manufacturing facility is well on its way to being completed at the Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ).

The Wind Tower Factory project, which is more than 60% complete, is a joint initiative between the DCD Group, the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) and the Coega Development Corporation (CDC).

Construction of the facility, located in Zone 3 of the Coega IDZ, started in March, and it is expected to be completed before the end of February 2014. It will be a first of its kind for the Eastern Cape.

Once completed, the DCD Wind Tower manufacturing facility will produce complete tubular steel towers, which entails the manufacture of the round steel tower sections from flat steel, welding flanges and assembling the inner parts of the towers. The wind turbine towers will vary in sizes, ranging between 80 and 120 meters, with individual sections weighing between 40 to 60 tons.

According to Coega (which is wholly-owned by government), the project has created 250 temporary jobs, with more than 90% of the workers coming from the Nelson Mandela Bay region.

“Investors are given a choice whether or not to use Coega’s infrastructure and construction services when they decide to set up shop in the Coega IDZ. In addition, we are able to ensure that on projects such as these that small construction firms also gain a share of the work. The aim is for SMMEs to benefit from 35% of CDC’s procurement,” said CDC head of marketing and communications, Ayanda Vilakazi, on Monday.

Sandisiwe Ncemane, CDC business development manager in the energy sector, said the Coega IDZ, was set to become the link through which renewable energy parts and sector logistics were coordinated and managed for the entire Eastern Cape province. - SAnews.gov.za

The third race of the Spur Gauteng Summer Trail Series took place at a brand new venue this weekend. B’Sorah welcomed Gauteng trail runners to a scorching day and the super fun trails made for some blistering hot running. Long Course runners were treated to 13.1km of undulating trails offering forest single track, gentle inclines, [...]Hot racing at B’Sorah is a post from: Trail Running South Africa


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The penultimate race in the Spur KZN Trail Series took place in the tranquil setting of the Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve, despite the weather spicing things up with clouds building overhead and the threat of rain becoming more and more imminent closer to start time. The Championship Race saw men and women complete two laps [...]A Race against the Storm is a post from: Time-to-Run South Africa


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