Author: newsnote correspondent
Students and parents should be careful of illegal or “fly-by-night’ colleges that do not offer official qualifications, warns the minister of higher education, science and innovation, Blade Nzimande. According to the minister, these colleges are not registered as institutions of learning with the correct Sector Education and Training Authorities (Setas), the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) or other relevant bodies. “These institutions lure and mislead future students into believing that these colleges offer qualifications that are recognised by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA),” said Nzimande. “Illegal colleges offer compromised qualifications which are not recognised for employment purposes…
The Department of Human Settlements says that progress is being made on the Mooikloof Mega City development in Gauteng, with the first residential apartments in the project being ready for occupation in 2023. Mooikloof Mega City was announced by president Cyril Ramaphosa in 2020, planned as a massive smart city project east of Pretoria. The development has a total project value of over R84 billion and is one of the 62 Strategic Integrated Projects (SIPs) gazetted in 2020. It is being developed in phases, with the first phase focused on residential developments with a scope for up to 50,000 sectional title…
What is the new variant called? It’s known as XBB.1.5. It’s one of the latest descendants of Omicron, the highly transmissible version of Covid that caused cases to surge in the UK last winter. Offshoots of Omicron have dominated global Covid infections ever since. XBB.1.5 evolved from the XBB variant of Omicron, itself a fusion of two different BA.2 variants. How fast is it spreading? The variant seems to have arisen in or around New York state in late October. At the end of December, the number of cases in the US more than doubled in a week. It now…
The City of Johannesburg has made it easier for informal traders to get trading permits through an online registration and application platform. The city said that the digital application system would enable a trader or anyone wishing to become a trader in the region to register remotely once fully fledged. It said that this fulfils part of the municipality’s aim to align itself with the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). Herold Mbowane, the deputy director for informal trading, said that some other advantages include generating reports on the informal trading sector. “The system serves as an information centre to communicate to…
According to Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula, flight schedules at OR Tambo International Airport have returned to normal. There were delays in flights due to challenges related to refueling aircraft on 28 December, days before New Year’s Eve celebrations. An issue with a fuel supply valve prevented the aircraft from refueling. Both international and domestic departures were delayed as a result. According to ACSA, aircraft were refueled using a contingency tanker. “A total of 41 flights were impacted, 32 being domestic, eight international and one regional.” An overseeing mission was conducted by Mbalula at ACSA on Monday, 2 January. According to…
Arrive Alive and the Gauteng Traffic Police are calling on motorists to exercise caution on certain roads and to comply with rules and regulations to avoid any incidents. The traffic police said that the following major routes and freeways are expected to experience high traffic volumes: Over 100 road fatalities have been recorded already over the festive season period in the province, Arrive Alive said. The Gauteng Traffic Police said that the following road safety tips should be followed to avoid any incidents: Sello Maremane, the spokesperson for the areas traffic police, said: “The Gauteng Traffic Police urges road users…
Reputation Poll International (RPI), a leading global reputation firm, has released the 2023 list of 100 Most Reputable Africans and 13 prominent South Africans made it to the list including former Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng. The list features individuals from diverse sectors including; Governance/Leadership, Entertainment, Human rights/Advocacy, Education, and Business. The selection criteria are Integrity, Visibility, and Impact. Very prominent personalities featured on the list include Kenya’s Amina Chawahir Mohamed, South Africa’s Bonang Mohale, Chancellor at the University of the Free State and Professor at Johannesburg Business School; and Cameroon’s Njoya Tiku, Manager of the UNDP Regional Office in West…
The UN Secretary-General António Guterres yesterday expressed his deep sadness over the reported death of at least 34 people, due to a fuel tanker explosion in Benoni,, on Christmas Eve. The blast in Boksburg severely damaged the roof of the emergency department at the Tambo Memorial Hospital killing and injuring dozens while also reportedly destroying houses, cars and rail infrastructure. Initial reports estimated around 27 deaths, but that figure had risen to 34 by the past weekend. A memorial service for the dead was held last Friday. News reports said the victims included nearly a dozen health workers, and almost…
Pelé occupies a central, albeit problematic, place in the construction and affirmation of Brazil’s national identity. His role in helping forge the identity of modern Brazil has roots in helping the country win the World Cup in Sweden in 1958 and in the global role taken on soon after by his club team, Santos. Santos in the Pelé era traveled the planet as sporting diplomats, crossing ideological divides between communism and capitalism and celebrating the political emancipation of nations emerging from colonialism. There is no doubt that the main achievements of the teams led by Pelé were encouraging the playing…
Pele, who won the World Cup with Brazil in 1958, 1962 and 1970, died at the age of 82 in December. Tributes have flooded in from the footballing community and beyond for a man widely considered to be one of the best – if not the best – to ever play the game. Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, whose term came to an end at the turn of the year, declared three days of national mourning after Pele’s passing. A number of footballers past and present have shared tributes on social media, while a funeral reception and parade through Sao Paulo will allow many to pay…