Andrew Stegmann

Day Zero: Update on Cape Town Water Augmentation Projects

With Day Zero (the day the taps get turned off in drought-stricken Cape Town) still a very real possibility, the City is moving ahead with its water augmentation projects in the hopes of avoiding the day altogether. Although seven of the City of Cape Town’s eight alternative water source projects are running behind schedule, six of them will be feeding water into the system well ahead of the current Day Zero projection.

Desalination

A major desalination plant (to provide 100 to 150 million liters a day) will be built on a yet to be finalized site in the Cape Town harbor. It is still in the planning stages and is unlikely to be fully operational for at least the next 18 months to two years.

Two other desalination plants are also being built; one in Strandfontein, which will supply 2 million liters a day, and is currently 73% complete, and another in Monwabisi, which will supply 2 million liters per day, and is currently 71% complete.

Groundwater

Some 150 million liters a day will come from groundwater, from drilling at 3 aquifers. The Cape Flats aquifer, at 59% complete, will supply 83 million liters per day; the Atlantis aquifer, at 64% complete, will supply 20 million liters per day, and the Table Mountain Group aquifers, which are in the planning phase, and are undergoing environmental assessments, will add 50 million liters per day.

Water Recycling

The temporary Zandvliet water recycling project, currently 55% complete, will add 10 million liters per day. The City is currently reassessing the water re-use augmentation program to align it with the licensing conditions of the aquifer water use licences issued by the national Department of Water and Sanitation.

 

Cape Town residents are advised to stick to the water usage restriction of 50 liters per person, per day, so as to avoid fines, and help the city avoid having to queue for water at 200 collection points if the taps are shut off on Day Zero. Currently, the city is still not meeting its water usage requirements, although usage has been reduced considerably, thanks to combined efforts in residential, commercial, and agricultural areas.

 

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, and Remuneration needs, email marketing@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1]. Image sources: [1].

Andrew Stegmann

Post-Amnesty, $250 million Has Returned to Zimbabwe

When Emmerson Mnangagwa came to power in Zimbabwe in November 2017, he warned citizens and others to return cash they had sent out of the country. For doing so within 3 months of the announcement, they would be granted amnesty. Since the announcement, $250 million has returned to the country.

Last week, Acting Information Minister Simon Khaya Moyo said 105 of those who exported cash illegally had returned it. But he said 1166 more people or companies still needed to return cash. He added that the total outstanding amount still outside the country was $1.3 billion, and that the deadline had been extended for a further two weeks, to March 15.

Zimbabwe’s banks and the economy are critically short of foreign currency, and in the last few weeks, cash tills in most supermarkets have been empty, with banks struggling to release even small amounts to its customers. Most ATMs never have any cash.

The only real currency that seems to be available in limited numbers are coins, called bond coins, which are minted in South Africa and cannot be used outside of Zimbabwe.

Most people now use phantom cash, as some call it, and those with bank accounts pay for groceries with debit cards that they can use in shops, but not to get cash out of the banks or ATMs. Poorer people use their cellphones to pay their bills, including electricity and school fees.

The black market for US dollars has stabilised in recent months, traders say, and a US dollar cash note is now trading at 1.4 to electronic money stored and used via people’s cellphones or in local bank accounts. Bond notes have a slightly lower rate at present.

 

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, and Remuneration needs, email marketing@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1]. Image sources: [1].

Andrew Stegmann

Sources of South African Listeriosis Outbreak Found

An Enterprise factory in Polokwane, Limpopo, has been found to be the source of the Listeriosis outbreak in South Africa that has resulted in widespread public health concerns of late.

On Sunday‚ Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi named Enterprise’s food production plant in Polokwane‚ Limpopo‚ as the confirmed source of the unique strain of listeria‚ which has caused the world’s biggest documented Listeriosis outbreak‚ with 948 confirmed cases.

At least 16 samples of food products collected from that plant tested positive for the ST6 strain‚ unique to the South African outbreak of listeriosis. And preliminary results show that other ready-to-eat products at Enterprise’s Germiston plant‚ as well as Rainbow Chickens’ (RCL) Wolwehoek plant‚ also contain Listeria‚ but the sequence type has yet to be confirmed.

Pick n Pay and Woolworths have started recalling all products named as possible culprits in the Listeriosis outbreak. These include items from Enterprise and Rainbow brands. The Enterprise brands include Bokkie‚ Renown‚ Lifestyle‚ Mieliekip items.

Pick n Pay’s David North has stated that, “all ready-to-eat products such as polony and russian sausages manufactured at the Rainbow facility in Sasolburg are also being withdrawn. This action is taking place in all Pick n Pay and Boxer stores. In addition‚ as a precaution‚ Pick n Pay-branded chicken polony‚ manufactured by Rainbow‚ is also being withdrawn”. North said all fridges and food preparation areas in Pick n Pay stores will be cleaned to prevent any cross-contamination. Recalled meat is being isolated and will be safely destroyed.

“Food safety is of paramount importance to Woolworths and we take all issues regarding the production of our food seriously‚” the retailer said on its Facebook page. Woolworths has recalled a number of viennas and cold meat products. Woolworths said in a statement that it proactively manages food safety, in addition to their independent food safety testing and auditing, to prevent microbial contamination of food and that the the recall is “an additional precautionary measure”.

Woolworths provided a full list of their ready-to-eat products customers can return for a full refund, which can be found here.

In a statement, Checkers said it is “taking swift action to remove products named by the Health Ministry as sources of listeria”.

Enterprise – part Tiger Brands – issued a statement on Sunday saying the company had “proactively amplified” its testing for listeria and could confirm that it found a “low detection” of a strain of listeria in some of its products on February 14. They further stated that they “have been actively engaging the department of health and the NICD on [their] findings, and have openly collaborated with them”.

A statement by Enterprise can be found here, and press releases by Tiger Brands can be seen here.

South African citizens have been advised to immediately remove any of the polony or sausage products named by the health ministry as possible culprits from their fridges, so as to avoid contaminating any other food items. These items will be refunded even if they have been partially eaten, and no receipt of purchase can be produced.

 

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, and Remuneration needs, email marketing@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2], [3]. Image source: [1].

Andrew Stegmann

Public Protector Finds Home Affairs Guilty of Improper Conduct

Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s office investigated allegations of undue delay to finalize applications for naturalization as South African citizens.

Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane has directed the home affairs minister to review regulations with regards to the Citizenship Act.

Mkhwebane’s office investigated allegations of undue delay to finalize applications for naturalization as South African citizens following several complaints over the past three years. Mkhwebane found the Home Affairs Department guilty of improper conduct.

Some of the complaints from foreigners trying to obtain citizenship were about the department’s decision to reject applications that were lodged before the expiry date of 10 years after obtaining a permanent residence permit.

During the investigation, the Public Protector served notices to both the home affairs minister and the director general of the department, but has not received any response.

Mkhwebane found that the department did not comply with the basic values and principles governing public administration as per Section 195 of the Constitution and therefore asked the ministry to review these regulations.

 

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, and Remuneration needs, email marketing@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Source: [1]. Image source: [1].