The launch of the new Centre of Excellence in Mathematical and Statistical Sciences will help contribute to the creation of a competitive, knowledge based economy, says Science and Technology (DST) Minister Derek Hanekom.

“The centre assists in identifying our disciplinary weaknesses or socio-economic threats, and then set about addressing them. Mathematics is the spinal cord of science, engineering and technology development and as such, it is critical to South Africa's National System of Innovation, and to our future as a competitive, knowledge-based economy,” said the minister.

Minister Hanekom was speaking at the launch of the centre at the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, on Tuesday.

The launch of the centre brings to 14 the total number of centres established since 2004 by the Department of Science and Technology and the National Research Foundation (NRF).

The centres take the lead in researching various areas of national interest and are designed to accelerate the delivery of appropriate human resources and knowledge capacity, as well as to enhance the international competitiveness of South African research.

Minister Hanekom said the country’s National Development Plan (NDP) places importance on improving mathematics education from primary school through university.

The Director of the CoE in Mathematical and Statistical Sciences, Prof Fazal Mahomed, of the School of Computational and Applied Mathematics at Wits, said: “This centre gives us an opportunity to push the forefront of research and open up new areas of research.”

The main research focus of the centre according to Prof. Ebrahim Momoniat, Head of the School of Computational and Applied Mathematics at Wits, will be under the theme of ‘Mathematics of the Earth and Environment’.

The DST/NRF centre in Mathematical and Statistical Sciences brings to four the number of centres hosted by Wits. The other three are the centre in Strong Materials, the centre in Paleosciences, and the centre in Biomedical Tuberculosis Research, co-hosted with the University of Stellenbosch and the University of Cape Town. - SAnews.gov.za

For many years, the community of Freedom Park had to rely on the services of a mobile clinic for their health care needs. But all this is set to change, with a state-of-the-art clinic having opened its doors there on Tuesday.

Community members from Freedom Park and close-by Naturena showed up in their numbers to witness the start of a new chapter in health services. Nomathemba Nkosi, a 67-year-old diabetic, who also has high blood pressure, thanked local government for responding to the community’s needs.

“We’ve been waiting for this construction for many years. Since 1994, we’ve seen progress in this area, including the construction of houses, but we didn’t have a clinic and had to walk long distances to access health care services.

“This clinic will not only benefit us elders, who are suffering from many diseases but mothers and their babies will also benefit from it ,as they need its services the most,” said Nkosi.

The construction of the clinic followed a request from the community to the City of Johannesburg for improved public health care services. In response to the request, the City approved a budget of R13 million towards the construction of the new clinic.

The clinic will render services such as prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission, acute chronic care, youth and adolescent friendly services, social workers and emergency isolation, amongst others.

Joburg mayor Parks Tau, who officiated the opening of the clinic, said the completion of the health institute indicated government’s commitment to development.

He urged the community to look after the clinic.

“This asset is for the community. Make sure that in 20 years’ time, this asset continues to service us,” Mayor Tau said.

Ahead of the opening of the clinic, Mayor Tau also conducted a *** turning ceremony for the construction of a new library in Freedom Park, which is expected to start soon.

Mayor Tau, who was in the company of First Lady Bongi Ngema-Zuma, spent half the day visiting various food projects under the Food Security Programme.

Ngema-Zuma used an opportunity to educate the community on non-communicable diseases (NCDs). She made a commitment to come back to the clinic once it is operational, where she would talk with patients on the treatment of NCDs.

NHI clinic opens in Tshwane

Meanwhile, the City of Tshwane has also opened a R14-million National Health Insurance (NHI) pilot project clinic in Doornpoort.

The clinic, which opened recently, will offer residents of Region 2 a comprehensive primary health facility.

Since its inception in 1996, the Doornpoort Clinic has been operating as a satellite clinic with only one nurse rendering preventative services. A need was identified to convert the satellite clinic into a primary health care facility to improve accessibility to disadvantaged groups, who previously had to travel more than 5km to access a health facility.

The new clinic will operate with 18 consulting rooms, which will provide staff sufficient space to implement the full primary health care package. In addition, it will offer other comprehensive primary health care services such as tuberculosis and antiretroviral treatment services. - SAnews.gov.za

The organisers of the action packed IMPI Challenge are proud to welcome Mitsubishi Motors South Africa as the official Vehicle Sponsor for the IMPI Challenge in Gauteng.

“Similar to the exciting IMPI Challenge, our brand represents an adventurous outdoor lifestyle,” says Nicole Da Costa, Mitsubishi Motors South Africa. “The Mitsubishi Brand has been in the country for more than 40 years – from passenger cars to the much-loved cab-and-a-half Colt bakkie and our famous Pajero range. Mitsubishi won the renowned ParisDakar Rally 12 times, 7 consecutively. No-one else has ever been able to get close to this accolade”.

“The IMPI Challenge is tough, for the brave-hearted,” continues Da Costa. “Like our vehicles – tried-and-tested, durable, tough, reliable, high-performance, and competitive. Through this partnership we aim to create awareness for our range of SUV’s and bakkies which are perfectly suited to the outdoor lifestyle”.

EVENT INFORMATION:

Combining trail running with an adventure style obstacle course, there are four structures to choose from when entering the IMPI Challenge:

· Traditional IMPI Challenge: Conquer 18 obstacles over 10 – 12km
· IMPI Dash – Compacted Challenge: Families have the chance to compete together. The course will be 5 - 7km with 12 obstacles (ages 10 – 15 years, all adults welcome).
· IMPI Elite: The course will be 15 – 20km with 25 tough obstacles.
· IMPI Mini: This mini course will be around 1km and feature smaller versions of some of our favourite obstacles (ages 6 – 10 years, all adults welcome).

The race categories cater for a variety of athletes, from elite sportspersons, competent and beginner runners and families looking for a fun experience. Participants can enter individually or as part of a team (teams vary in size from 2 – 10 people, although team members start together, they do not need to finish together).

NEXT EVENT DATE:

- 27 and 28 September 2014: IMPI Challenge GP#2 / Van Gaalens Cheese Farm (Hartebeespoort / NWP)

Stasia Modest Couture offers brides a modest alternative to current bridal trends with gowns starting at $1000. Stasia Modest Couture (StasiaBridal.com) announces the introduction of the $1000 custom made to fit modest wedding gown made in Chicago, Illinois and ready to wear within 8 weeks of ordering. Since the opening in August of 2013, brides... [Continue Reading]Wedding Dresses For The Modern Bride is a post from: FashnSpire


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The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has clarified insinuations that there are schools which have not received textbooks.

According to media reports, some schools in Limpopo say that between them they still need 18 000 books. The case, initiated by lobby group Basic Education for All, through civil rights organisation Section27, is due to be heard in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Tuesday.

The parties want the court to rule that the Basic Education Department must provide all outstanding books by 7 April.

“It is untrue that schools have not received textbooks. More than 6.5 million have been delivered in 2014 and an additional 306 000 have been ordered to address reported shortages,” the department said in a statement on Monday.

The majority of the 18 000 books alleged to be shortages are actually books from previous years, which schools were supposed to retrieve from learners at the end of the school year.

“We acknowledge that there are schools that have reported shortages in February and orders have been made and delivered. We are taken aback by the alleged shortages as it is unusual to have shortages once deliveries have been made on appropriately reported shortages of textbooks.

“It is surprising to learn that the same organisation that applauded the Limpopo Education Department and DBE for the successful procurement and delivery of books is the same organisation that has now turned to the courts,” the department said.

This NGO, the department said, had earlier this year undertaken to inform the public that they would work with the departments in resolving all issues regarding textbooks.

The department said the NGO had now elected to work with some School Governing Bodies (SGBs) to approach the courts on the same matters they said they would cooperate with the department on.

For the record, the department said, some of the SGBs have not even reported these shortages to the authorities in Limpopo or DBE.

“The evidence at our disposal has revealed that the shortages reported are not even books that are in the catalogue. It appears that the majority of the 39 schools listed in the court appears did not check or verify the deliveries of textbooks against the orders placed. They belatedly only did so after the advent of the 2014 school year during 2014,” the department said.

The department said there had been opportunities for the schools to report the shortages to the Limpopo Department of Education. Workshops were held and attended by the representatives of the schools, where they were informed about the process to be followed in the event of shortages.

The department has taken extra ordinary steps to ensure that books are delivered on time and that any reported shortages are addressed. This includes holding a series of meetings with school principals in November and December 2013.

The meetings were called to engage school principals on how to deal with textbooks procurement, shortages and all other matters regarding textbooks.

“In those meetings nothing came up on the issues raised in the court papers that we have received. We are left with no option but to suspect that there is a nefarious agenda at play,” the department said.

The department said it continues to welcome reports of shortages and would deal with the matter immediately. – SAnews.gov.za

Gauteng is exploring new measures to promote the use of bicycles as a viable transport option in the province.

On Monday, the Gauteng Transport Commission (GTC) hosted a provincial Cycling Indaba, in Boksburg, aimed at promoting the streamlining of non-motorised transport as a viable option in the province.

The commission aims to distribute 3000 bicycles towards scholar transport and further create 5km of cycle lanes in Vosloorus and 10km in Kaalfontein at the City of Johannesburg.

Departmental spokesperson Octavia Mamabolo said according to the GTC, using a bicycle was affordable and would allow learners to get to school faster and safely.

It also promotes a healthy lifestyle as exercise becomes a built-in part of daily life.

Mamabolo said the non-motorised transport master plan seeks to integrate all municipal non-motorised transport network plans, commit sustainable sources of funding non-motorised transport, and invest in shared road usage while including cycling and pedestrian infrastructure in the design and maintenance of road projects.

“The creation of a dedicated network of high quality pedestrian and cycling routes will promote social integration amongst city residents, integrating cycling at public transport nodes by making cycling cool through awareness and mind-set change

“Amending relevant technical roads standards and planning requirements will also reduce road deaths which amount to for 40% of road fatalities, which occur at intersections and cost the public health system, police, traffic departments and third party claims to escalate,” she said.

The City of Joburg infrastructure roll out programme includes Alexandra integrated walking, cycling and public transport. Non-motorised transport plan in Alexandra is expected to improve sidewalks and dedicate cycle ways leading and linking Longmeadow/Linbro Park and Marlboro station.

A link from the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) public transport interchange to Sandton via Grayson over a dedicated bridge with Katherine will be completed in January 2017.

Mamabolo said the GTC advocated the use of non-motorised transport to reduce congestion on Gauteng roads; create cleaner and sustainable cities and a healthier population.

“The challenge above acknowledges the need to shift to a new paradigm and policy approach for making non-motorised transport a mode of choice for short distances as well as for recreation,” she said. - SAnews.gov.za

Survival International warned today that the uncontacted Amazon Indians recently photographed from the air have been abandoned to their fate after drug smugglers and illegal loggers overran a government post that had been monitoring the Indians’ territory. The Indians, near the Xinane river in Brazil’s Acre State, are just over the border from Peru, where [...]
The post Amazon Indians Territory under threat appeared first on EconSpire.


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Bobby Soobrayan will be moving on from his position as Director General in the Department of Basic Education, Minister Angie Motshekga has announced.

On Monday, the minister said that “after a very long time and painful consideration” she had acceded to the request of Soobrayan to be redeployed to other responsibilities within government.

Minister Motshekga wished Soobrayan well, saying he left a fairly stable sector which had already started implementing the goals of the National Development Plan.

“Since 2009 when the minister and DG started working together there have been significant achievements recorded in the sector. The upward trend in the National Senior Certificate results is but one example that can be mentioned,” said the department.

The minister has appointed his former special adviser Panyaza Lesufi as Acting Director-General until end of April 2014.

The department announced in February that Soobrayan had been cleared of allegations that he misused funds.

He was accused of signing a collective agreement on behalf of the department without a proper mandate, and misusing funds from the Education Labour Relations Council during April 2012.

Soobrayan was placed on special leave in August 2013 and a disciplinary hearing was held in December, chaired by Judge Willem van der Merwe.

The minister had said she would give details once all reports concerning the Director General were finalised.

She has since received all the reports from the Public Protector, Public Service Commission and from Judge Van der Merwe.

The department said on Monday the reports from Judge Van der Merwe and Public Service Commission had cleared Soobrayan, while Minister Motshekga would seek an audience with the Public Protector. – SAnews.gov.za

Downloads: A new file has been added by TheEd:Weskus Marathon Results 2014 (http://www.time-to-run.com/forums/downlo...id=227)The...

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The Sandberg Studio has designed a captivating collection of decorative wallpapers, inspired by the Art Deco movement in Sweden, which was generally known as Swedish Grace. The concept of Art Deco originated at the International Exhibition (Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes) held in Paris in 1925. The Swedish pavilion there was a [...]Wallpapers Inspired By Swedish Art Deco is a post from:


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