18/11/2004   Hubert Burda Media / DaimlerChrysler

 

DaimlerChrysler-Vorstandschef Professor Jürgen E. Schrempp ist am Donnerstag abend mit dem Medienpreis "Bambi" ausgezeichnet worden. Schrempp erhielt die von Verleger Hubert Burda zum 56. Mal gestiftete Ehrung, die vielen als deutscher "Oscar" gilt, zusammen mit dem Friedensnobelpreisträger und ehemaligen südafrikanischen Staatspräsidenten Nelson Mandela in der Ehren-Kategorie. Ausgezeichnet wurde das Engagement der Preisträger für ihren vorbildlichen Einsatz im Kampf gegen die Immunschwächekrankheit HIV/AIDS.

 

Nelson Mandela, der krankheitsbedingt nicht selbst anwesend sein konnte, äußerte sich in einem Video-Statement zur Verleihung des Bambi. Mandela mahnte, der Kampf gegen Aids erfordere weltweit höchste Priorität. Er kenne keinen Unternehmensführer, der sich so stark für die Notwendigkeit des Kampfes gegen AIDS einsetze wie sein "guter Freund" Jürgen Schrempp. Das Programm und Schrempp (60) selbst erhielten bereits in der Vergangenheit mehrere hochkarätige Auszeichnungen.

 

DaimlerChrysler engagiert sich in Südafrika seit den frühen 1990er Jahren gegen die Diskriminierung und für die gesellschaftliche Integration HIV-Infizierter. Im Jahr 2000 startete das Unternehmen in Südafrika ein durch seinen Vorstandsvorsitzenden initiiertes Arbeitsplatzprogramm für alle rund 5.000 Mitarbeiterinnen und Mitarbeiter sowie für deren Familien. Das Programm umfasst Aufklärung, Vorbeugung, freiwillige Tests und medizinische Versorgung für rund 30.000 Menschen. Ähnliche Programme betreibt der Konzern auch für Mitarbeiter in Brasilien und Nigeria; künftig sollen die auch auf China, den südostasiatischen Raum und die russische Föderation ausgedehnt werden.

 

Schrempp dankte dem Hubert Burda Verlag und Hubert Burda persönlich, dass sie mit der Vergabe des Preises dem Kampf gegen HIV und AIDS eine breite Plattform gegeben hätten. Nelson Mandela sei zweifellos eine der beeindruckendsten Persönlichkeiten unserer Zeit. Schrempp: "Ich kann die Jury zur Vergabe des Bambi an ihn nur beglückwünschen. Es ist mir eine große Ehre, gemeinsam mit ihm ausgezeichnet zu werden."

 

 

Am 1.September wurde in Zusammenarbeit mit der Regierung der Provinz Mpumalanga, Republik Südafrika und der Regierung des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen in der IHK zu Dortmund ein Mpumalanga Verbindungsbüro gegründet. Hintergrund für dieses Büro ist ein Partnerschaftsabkommen zwischen dem Land NRW und der Provinz Mpumalanga am 24.April 1995, welches am 11.März 2003 erneuert wurde. Ein konkreter Punkt der Zusammenarbeit ist dieses von der in NRW federführenden IHK zu Dortmund für das südliche Afrika eingerichtete Verbindungsbüro. Ziel dieses Büros ist es, die wirtschaftliche, bilaterale Zusammenarbeit der Unternehmen beider Partnerregionen auszubauen und zu unterstützen.

 

Verbindungsbüro Mpumalanga c/o

IHK Projekt- und Innovations GmbH

Roland Kussel

Märkische Straße 120

44141 Dortmund

 

Tel:  0231 5417 249

Fax: 0231 5417 144

Email: r.kussel@dortmund.ihk.de

Web: www.dortmund.ihk.de

 

 

 

 

President Thabo Mbeki has decided to offer public officer bearers the same salary increases as public servants, that of 6 and 6.2 percent. President Mbeki today signed a proclamation determining salaries and allowances for various public office bearers in terms of the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers Act. "Office-bearer" means any member of the Cabinet, Deputy Minister, member of the National Assembly, permanent delegate to the National Council of Provinces, member of the National House of Traditional Leaders, member of any Provincial house of traditional leaders or traditional leader, Judge of the Constitutional Court, Judge, Magistrate.
 
The president's decision on 6 percent is contrary to the recommendation of the Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers, which advised President Mbeki on a 7 percent salary hike for office bearers. However, the commission's recommendations raised the ire of trade unions, which urged the President to reject the offer after public sector unions signed a salary agreement of 6.2 percent with government.
 
President Mbeki has now granted officer bearers at the national level, which includes the Deputy President, Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Members of the National Assembly, as well as Constitutional Court Judges and Judges a salary hike of 6 percent. Magistrates will get a pay hike of 6.2 percent. The President will determine salary increases for officer bearers in various structures of traditional leadership, at a later stage after consulting with relevant Premiers.
 
The premiers will determine the salary increases for office-bearers at the provincial level, and that of the Premiers will be determined by resolution in their legislatures. The Minister of Provincial Affairs and Local Government will determine allowances and salary hikes of office bearers in local government after consultation with the MEC responsible for local government in the province. The actual salaries and allowances at that level shall be determined by resolution in the Municipal Council in consultation with the MEC (for Local Government).
 
The President's remuneration shall be determined by a resolution of the National Assembly. President Mbeki will tomorrow publish the proclamations in the government gazette. - BuaNews

 

 

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Sie singen englisch, deutsch, lateinisch und afrikaans; sie begeistern Zuhörer in der ganzen Welt mit Spirituals, klassischen und zeitgenössischen Stücken: die Sängerinnen udn Sänger des südafrikanischen Stellenbosch Libertas-Chors. Die Gruppe, der 100 Musikerinnen udn Musiker unterschiedlicher Rassen, Kulturen udn sozialer Schichten angehören, wird im November nach Deutschland kommen und in vielen evagelischen Kirchengemeinden auftreten. Höhepunkt der Reise ist ein Konzert am 13.November in der Berliner Marienkirche.  

 

 

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Cape Town - Trade and Industry Minister Mandisi Mpahlwa says government will continue to drive economic transformation through the Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment Act.
 
Minister Mpahlwa was addressing the media here during the briefing by the Economic, Investment and Employment Cluster today.
 
He also emphasised that the Codes of Good Practice, together with the BEE Advisory Council, would add impetus to the implementation of the BEE legislation.
 
He said these matters were being thoroughly considered, and announcements would be made in this regard before the end of the year.
 
"The Codes of Good Practice will essentially provide a guide to each area of the BEE and to establish standards to evaluate whatever happens to the BEE," he said.
 
He added that there was a lot of good work done to advance BEE than was properly portrayed in the media.
 
"The codes will provide clarity on matters related to inconsistencies in implementation. They are to be applied in the development, evaluation and monitoring of BEE charters, initiatives, transactions and other implementation mechanisms," he explained.
 
Mr Mpahlwa added that the codes were also intended to prevent fronting and would provide a common understanding of BEE for all enterprises, reduce speculations and interpretations in this regard.
 
Importantly, he said these would cover what a BEE firm in terms of shareholding and management control meant, to avoid problems arising from "complex" pyramid structures of increasingly "diluted" BEE ownership that had no real broad based empowerment.

The codes will be tabled before Cabinet soon, after which consultation with key stakeholders will occur "because we believe that active dialogue with the private sector remains critical for the successful implementation of BEE". -BuaNews

 

 

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The South African tourism industry says it will implement a growth strategy towards a strong and united sector able to compete with opponents globally and geared up for the 2010 world cup soccer games.

The industry held its third annual tourism conference at Gallagher Estate in Midrand on Wednesday and Thursday to discuss issues it faces ahead of the 2010 games.

 

The conference also discussed issues such as transport, investment, transformation, safety and security and accommodation for potential tourists. Various tourism stakeholders attended the Third National Tourism Conference, which was also addressed by Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism Marthinus van Schalkwyk. Minister van Schalkwyk warned delegates that South Africa "cannot run our tourism industry individually or isolated, but we need to work as one nation". "Next year, we want to have a final action plan [based on the remaining five years before] 2010 and we hope to achieve," said minister Schalkwyk. The minister added tourism in South Africa had been successful since 1994 and that showed international travelers were satisfied with the country.

 

An action plan for 2010 has been drawn up. It stipulates that industry is ready to work with the airlines, airports, companies, and all tour operators to ensure that all visitors to the country have easy access to the country destination for 2010. The industry has planned to implement broad based Black Economic Empowerment for the tourism sector with effect from January next year. Tanya Abrahamse, Executive Director of Tourism Business Council of South Africa said tour guiders needed to be trained to understand the tourism industry.

 

"We need to ensure that there is efficiency on the arrival of the travelers. We want to make sure that there many Home Affairs official working to speed up the process," said Ms Abrahmse. She also said the safety of the visitors should be prioritised to improve the image of the country and to attract as many tourist as possible.

 

 

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President Thabo Mbeki is in the Tunisian capital Tunis for bilateral talks aimed at strengthening ties between the south and north African states. The binational commission starts today and is expected to end tomorrow with the signing of several deals cutting across business, socio-political and economic structures under government's direct influence.

 

Both Presidents Mbeki and his host President Zine EL Abidine Ben Ali will assess progress regarding the implementation of existing agreements, as concluded during the third session of the Binational Commission between South Africa and Tunisia in July. Foreign Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, ministers Pallo Jordan, Mosiuoa Lekota, Membathisi Mdladlana, Alec Erwin, Mandisi Mpahlwa and Zola Skweyiya, are also there.

 

The Foreign Affairs Ministry said the state visit would provide both countries with an excellent opportunity to consolidate political, economic and trade relations. The two countries already have a working deal to abolish visa requirements for the holders of official passports. They had also agreed to cooperate in the field of sport and signed an agreement on Technical Co-operation between the National Institute of Normalisation and Industrial Property of Tunisia and the South African Bureau of Standards.

 

Tunisia has a diverse economy with important agricultural, mining, energy, tourism and manufacturing sectors, the department said, adding the steady increase in tourism and trade had been the key elements in contributing to the growth of the economy there.  "Tunisia's association agreement with the EU entered into force on 1 March 1998, the first such accord between the EU and a Mediterranean country. This agreement calls for more trade and fewer trade barriers and is scheduled to be implemented gradually over the next 12 years," said the department

 

Relations between the two countries have steadily progressed since 1993, while the first Joint Bilateral Commission in 1996 provided an "excellent" launching pad for the formalisation of relations between the two. Since then, a number of important commercial exchanges have occurred. A leading industrial group from Tunisia Poulina has also confirmed its intention to invest in the South African tourism sector, with a major South African Company Profurn, in the process of acquiring equity in a Tunisian Company - Batam. "Benefiting from the geographic location of Tunisia and its excellent infrastructure, Profurn is using Tunisia as a base for penetrating the increasingly lucrative North African market. "Subsequently, the two companies have established a presence in Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt, with plans to eventually penetrate the Algerian and Libyan markets," explained the foreign affairs department.

 

 

 

Environmental Affairs and Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk has commended South African Tourism for receiving an award for its domestic travel campaign, Sho't Left. The SA Tourism won the Grand Prix Loerie Award, announced at the 2004 Loerie Festival held at Sun City at the weekend.

 

Speaking after the announcement, Minister Van Schalkwyk said the award recognised the new professionalism that had been acknowledged by the advertising industry. "What makes this award so significant is that this is the first time in the 26-year history of the Loeries that any public sector body has ever won competing against the very best that the private sector has to offer," he said.  He said it was a testimony to the creativity, vision, hard work and dedication of SA Tourism staff, under the outstanding leadership of the outgoing CEO Cheryl Carolus.

 

He added that the Award came on the heels of another outstanding honour last week when SA Tourism was also chosen as the Most Improved Company in the Best Company to Work For Awards. "The Sho't Left campaign has been an unqualified success.  The campaign reached millions of South Africans and invited them to take a Sho't Left in South Africa showing domestic travel to be both affordable and possible. 

 

In total more than 200 000 responses were received to the TV programme, and significant numbers contacted the telephone line and website for more information. As a result, a second Sho't Left campaign is already planned for 2005. Mr Van Schalkwyk said the campaign had captured excitement and wonder, and was packaged in a smart drive targeted at the local market.  "It has broken new ground and will help us to ensure the long-term success of our tourism sector.  Our Department is exceptionally proud of what SA Tourism has achieved," he said. BuaNews

 

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President Thabo Mbeki will tomorrow host his Gambian counterpart President Alhaji Dr Yahya AJJ Jammeh for a three-day working visit in Pretoria.
 
According to the department of foreign affairs, issues on the agenda would include, among others, bilateral political and economic relations, operationalisation of the African Union and its institutions and the implementation of NEPAD as the socio-economic programme of the African continent.
 
Others include attempts by the African leadership to create the conditions for peace, security and stability on the African continent, namely, the situation in Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, Ivory Coast, and others and the Middle East peace process and developments in Iraq following the handover of sovereignty to a transitional Iraqi government, said the department.
 
Also under discussion would be the global fight against terrorism and the reform of the global exercise of governance, namely, the United Nations and all its institutions including the Security Council and the International Monetary Fund.
 
"President Jammeh will be accompanied by among others Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Baboucarr Blaise Jagne, Secretary of State for Agriculture Sulayman Sait Mboob and Secretary of State for Trade, Industry and Employment Edward Singhatey.
 
South African exports to Gambia grew from R13.1 million in 2000 to R31.3 million in 2003.
Main export products include motor vehicles, prepared foodstuffs and beverages. -BuaNews

 

 

 

 

Cape Town - Parliament's Portfolio Committee has given its approval to government's comprehensive human settlement plan unveiled recently. Housing Minister Lindiwe Sisulu today briefed the Portfolio Committee on the plan, saying it addressed concerns raised earlier this year by members of Parliament.

 

Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee Zoliswa Kota described the plan as exciting and pledged their support to the department effort to address the country's housing challenges. "This plan is very do-able, it just requires a change of attitudes, we as Members of Parliament are very excited about it," she told BuaNews.

 

The Comprehensive Housing Plan for the Development of Integrated Sustainable Human Settlements has identified wide-ranging issues to be addressed in the next five years. This includes the revision of subsidies, rental housing, quality housing, eradication of informal settlements, financial and construction sector partnership and consumer education.

 

"As MPs we are saying we'll be there when the department builds those houses," Ms Kota told the minister. Dr Sisulu announced that a daylong workshop was in the pipeline for MPs to enlighten them on the details of the Plan. A consumer education is also planned to educate communities on the importance of a house as an asset

 

"This Plan is the result of wide consultations in provinces, in communities during the Imbizos and parties interested in housing," the minister explained. She said since 1994 government had spent R30 billion and built 1.6 million houses. The Minister warned that the country's future demand would grow disproportionately. This is attributed to shrinkage in the size of households, population growth and rapid urbanization. - BuaNews

 

 

 

A historic meeting is underway in Pretoria with the aim of providing women and government with a platform for a shared understanding of transformation challenges that women face. This follows President Thabo Mbeki's launch of the Presidential Women Working Group today, with the objective to afford government the opportunity to engage and interact meaningfully with women. The inaugural meeting takes part against the background of the National Women's Month, celebrated throughout the country this month.
 
Celebrated under the theme "Celebrating 10 Years of freedom - Women building a better South Africa and a better World", the focus is to mark contributions women have made to shape democracy while taking stock of challenges and opportunities in the decade ahead. Numerous events have been organised in this regard, including an Imbizo earlier in the month, as well a "women's caravan". The caravan is a mobile information and service delivery truck, which has already reached out to over 40 villages and towns even in the remotest corners of our country.  Launching the structure, President Mbeki said it was necessary to establish the body to improve communication between government and women in order for the parties to establish how to respond to those challenges.
 
"Interaction has to influence what government does, thus the need for us to pay attention of what has been raised [during the group's meetings]," explained the President. The President also urged the delegates to ensure that the meeting was not a "talk shop" but became fruitful.
 
He also raised concerns about the representation of various women's bodies in the group, emphasising the need for the body to be as inclusive of all women's groups as possible. He said one of the reasons women development and the establishment of the women's body took long was due to the large number of different women's groups and difficulty in bringing all of them under one roof. "Over time we need to allow for space to increase the number of delegates in this group," the President added. He also expressed his gratitude that the launch took place during the significant Women's Month.
 
The women attending meeting include Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, Correctional Services Deputy Minister Cheryl Gillwald, Chairperson of the Commission on Gender Equality Joyce Seroke, the Chairperson of the National Rural Movement for Women Mita Mokwana as well as the President of the Women's Development Foundation Dr Brigalia Bam. - BuaNews

 

 

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Mauritius- President Thabo Mbeki says southern African countries that don't abide by the newly adopted guidelines and principles on democratic elections might be kicked out of the regional body. Speaking after the conclusion of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Heads of States and Government Summit at Grand Baie, President Mbeki said the guidelines related to the SADC treaty that "allows member states to be excluded from the organisation."
 
"The SADC Treaty gives the possibility for member states of the community to be excluded from the regional body if they are found to be in violation of the treaty," said Mr Mbeki who is also chairing SADC's Politics, Defence and Security organ. He said the organ would be used as an instrument for consultation involving member states to first engage those in violation of election rules.
 
The Guidelines and Principles Governing Democratic Elections adopted yesterday states that there should be equal access by political parties to state media, political tolerance, full citizens participation and no intimidations of political opponents before polls could be declared free and fair. President Mbeki as head of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security that comprise South Africa, Lesotho and Mozambique is tasked to ensure the region does away with civil wars, political intolerance, coups and instability. As the Guidelines come in force, President Mbeki is to ensure that forthcoming elections in the region such as those in Botswana (October), Namibia (November and December 2004), Mozambique (December), Democratic Republic of Congo next year, Burundi next year and Zimbabwe next March, comply to the guidelines.
 
SADC leaders have expressed optimism about the prospect of free and fair elections in the region and noted in one of the Summit's newsletters that Zimbabwe had already "drafted electoral legislation consistent with the newly adopted" guidelines. Zimbabwe has been shunned by the international community for putting "restrictive legislations" that have resulted in opposition parties declaring the previous parliamentary elections as unfree and unfair. The summit also noted the minimal move towards constitutional changes in Swaziland where Africa's last absolute Monarch, King Mswati III, has banned political parties, exiled some of their leaders and is at loggerheads with about movements and some non-governmental organisations that call for constitutional reforms.
 
Closing the Summit, Paul Berenger, Mauritius Prime Minister who has been elected the new Chairperson of SADC said the guidelines were an expression of the region's commitment to democracy and freedom. "We have observed the holding of successful elections in Malawi and South Africa early this year. Later this year Botswana, Mozambique and Namibia will be going to the polls. The United Republic of Tanzania and Zimbabwe are expected to hold elections next year. This is indeed, a clear expression of the region's commitment to democracy," he said. -BuaNews   

 

 

 

Durban - South African Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister, Sue van der Merwe, has officially opened the meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement Senior Officials here, calling on the movement to work flat out to stem the tide of unilateralism and improve the lives of the poor in the developing countries. NAM senior officials are meeting in Durban ahead of the 14th NAM Ministerial Meeting which is scheduled to take place in the city on Thursday.

 

More than 100 foreign ministers from Asia and Africa and key officials of the 115-member Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) have gathered here to attend the organisation's 14th ministerial conference, described as a "mid-term review" between the last Heads of State and Government Summit in Malaysia last year, and the next in Cuba in 2006. The senior officials met in Durban this morning to discus the Conference's Draft Document ahead of the Ministerial Meeting which will be opened by President Thabo Mbeki.

 

Addressing the meeting of the senior officials, Ms Van der Merwe said the developing world was facing new and emerging challenges which could not be simply left in the direction of market forces and private financial flows. She noted that there were new challenges on the international security front brought about by the tragic September 11 attack in the United Sates in 2001. "Powerful and dangerous forces have been unleashed through the international effects of economic globalization on one hand and the threat of terrorism on the other.

 

"The net effect of this is that the marginalized among us thus become even more marginalized when those who have adopted extreme positions take advantage of prevailing international turmoil to vent their own discontentment and xenophobia through acts of terror and intimidation," she said. She warned that the current configuration of the global system, structures and institutions had provided the developed countries with ways and means to pursue their interests to the detriment of the interests of developing countries.

 

"Thus it should not have come as a surprise that the development as a priority issue seems to have assumed a less central position on the international agenda. This has translated into growing marginalization of the interest of developing countries," said Ms Van der Merwe. She told senior officials that the challenges therefore were for the movement (NAM) to intensity its work towards the creation of a new people-centred world and an egalitarian world society.

 

"Now is the time when our Movement ought to heighten awareness of the threats to multilateralism through the imposition of unilateralism and it ought to galvanise us into concrete courses of action," she said, adding that the conscience of the developing nations dictated that they should strive for nothing less than self-determination. "Our consciousness of the need to inculcate a culture of peace and stability in the world and the cultivation of a democratic world culture commands us to support the moral authority of the United Nations General Assembly in world affairs," she said.

 

After Ms van der Merwe's address, senior officials went into a meeting behind closed doors chaired by the Dr Ayanda Ntsaluba, from the Foreign Affairs department. -BuaNews

 

 

 

Bisho - Foreign Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma says gone are the days when women were regarded as minors, and often disregarded by the authorities. The Minister was speaking in Eastern Cape yesterday during the Women's Day celebration in the former capital of the now defunct Ciskei homeland.
 
The minister praised the role women played in the struggle against apartheid in South Africa and the way they helped sustain families when government clamped down on anti-apartheid activists. Dr Zuma said women were more like engines of the society. "In the past, the previous government used to refer women as children or minors. The present government maintains that those days are over," she said it was essential to assess how far South Africa had gone with promoting gender equity and attend to areas where the were challenges because "no country will ever be free without the emancipation of women." Dr Dlamini-Zuma appealed to parents and communities in general to start the teaching of gender equality with their children.
 
She decried the rate of illiteracy among rural women and said government had over the past ten years formulated numerous laws to ensure gender equality and access to education by girl children. She reiterated government's stance that provision of basic services to people especially women headed households remained a priority and promised to address unemployment which she said was a biggest challenge currently facing women.
 
Eastern Cape Premier Nosimo Balindlela also attended the event and announced her government would be allocating about R2 million for women development. - BuaNews

 

 

25 July 2004
 
From tomorrow until Tuesday, Mr Zuma will be in Burundi to brief the country's 30 political parties, diplomats and other key stakeholders on the power sharing agreement finalised in Pretoria recently. Following a series of meetings last week, President Thabo Mbeki, Deputy President Zuma and senior officials thrashed out outstanding bottlenecks especially around the composition of the National Assembly (NA), senate, state organs and preparations for that country's polls. The parties have agreed to what Pretoria says are "key elements" of their post-transitional authority that would see its new president appointing two vice presidents.
 
According to the agreement, the NA will constitute 60 percent Hutu Deputies, 40 percent Tutsi Deputies, and three Deputies from the BaTwa group, with a minimum of 30 percent of the whole being women.  "Through the list processes and co-option measures, the representation of the Batwa and Baganwa in the National Assembly should be increased to at least 10 percent, respectively," affirmed a communiqué released after the talks. Burundi is emerging from more than a decade of war fuelled by ethnic rivalries that have claimed more than 300 000 lives and devastated the country's economy and infrastructure. On Wednesday, Deputy President Zuma will arrive in Langkawi, Malaysia, to attend the Langkawi International Smart Partnership Dialogue conference.

"The annual Smart Partnership Dialogues create a platform where Political and Business Leaders can discuss openly with one another about creating wealth through public-private Smart Partnerships," said spokesperson Lakela Kaunda. She explained that during the conference, Heads of Government discuss views with leaders and members of Specialised Groups from business, media, youth, civil servants and labour. -BuaNews

 

 

 

By Thapelo Sakoana
Rustenburg - Chairperson for the National Youth Commission (NYC) Jabu Mbalula says this year's youth month serves to promote programmes that expand opportunities for youth to contribute in the country's economy. Addressing youth at the Olympia Stadium during Youth Day celebrations yesterday, Mr Mbalula said the NYC appreciated government's efforts to put in place programmes for the benefit of the youth. "In this regard the NYC wishes to salute the government for committing towards ensuring that million job opportunities are created in the next five years through the Expanded Public Works Programme," he said. The youth day was celebrated under the theme: "Youth Celebrating a Decade of Freedom and Seizing the Opportunities of Democracy."
 
He said his organisation would engage government and all Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) to increase the intake of youth in learnership programmes to help youth meet the skills level required by the labour market. "We will work to ensure that the capacity of our structures is strengthened to ensure greater access by the youth especially the rural youth into these programmes. "Key to our programme of youth development is to address the status of the social well being of the youth," he said.
 
Mr Mbalula said there was a need to help youth take responsible actions to avoid HIV and AIDS infections. He said the NYC would harness communication to reach out to the vulnerable youth to help them participate in the development of the country. "We will also work towards increasing the capacity of the commission to deliver quality information services so that youth can participate in their own development and that of the country," he said. Through the Umsombovu Youth Fund (UYF), he said, many young people had received support on youth entrepreneurship and funding.
 
"We also wish to make a call to financing institutions and the business community to join hands in supporting youth to seize the opportunities of democracy," said Mr Mbalula.

 

 

The Africa Festival has become Europes largest festival of African music and culture. 122 000 visitors have come to Würzburgs Mainwiesen in 2002 to witness the black continents cultural wealth and zest for life.
Because of its great success in Germany, the Africa Festival has now found a few copiers of varying quality. To avoid confusion, the name and logo are now licensed. The dancing figures with the name Africa Festival will not only now, but also in the future be a guarantee of a high quality in music and background program.
We'd like to thank our visitors cordially here who stood by us on sunny and rainy days and who have made it possible that this festival has always been a peaceful and lively togetherness. BUANEWS

 

 

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South Africa celebrated this weekend when the country won the right to stage the World Cup in 2010, defeating Morocco by 14 votes to 10 in Zurich on Saturday. Egypt, the third candidate, received no votes.

 

South Africa celebrated this weekend when the country won the right to stage the World Cup in 2010, defeating Morocco by 14 votes to 10 in Zurich on Saturday. Egypt, the third candidate, received no votes. Fifa president Sepp Blatter, a long-time champion of an African world cup, made the announcement at the city's World Trade Centre at 12.20pm on Saturday, saying: "We can all applaud Africa. The victor is football. The victor is Africa."

 

Blatter kept tensions high by taking his time with the announcement, first praising African nations such as Nigeria and Cameroon for their contributions to world soccer, then praising the bid teams of each bid nation in turn, before slowly drawing a card out of an envelope, with South Africa's name printed upon it in large blue letters.

 

South African bid chief Irvin Khoza turned to former presidents Nelson Mandela and FW De Klerk, and to Archbishop Desmond Tutu, saying to them: "We've come this far not because of our efforts. The efforts of others who supported us have brought us this far Your collective wisdom and support was not lost on Fifa.

Mandela himself said: "I feel like a young man of 50. The beauty of this victory is that we were dealing with highly capable competitors."

 

President Thabo Mbeki, who flew home overnight after helping make the South African presentation in Zurich, joined a crowd outside the Union Buildings to await the announcement. Sporting a baseball cap, he flung his arms up in delight and hugged members of the crowd when the announcement was made. Later he told viewers on SABC television that this was a victory for the rainbow naiton. "This has been a struggle that has taken seven years. We have been very united about this thing."

 

In Soweto, which stands to benefit hugely from new investment during the build-up to 2010, there was jubilation in the streets on Saturday. At a packed concert venue, where proceedings in Zurich were being screened live, hundreds of fans jumped in the air screaming with delight, and dancing in front of the stage. The Moroccans were less happy: this is the third time they have lost a world cup bid. After the announcement, an angry Moroccan reporter asked Blatter what he had against Morocco. "We are in the year of fair play at Fifa, so to say to the Fifa president that he doesn't like Morocco ... well, I refuse to accept that," Blatter replied.

 

 

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In diesem Jahr findet der 5. Berliner Bundestagslauf am Mittwoch, den 05. Mai 2004 statt. Start und Ziel sind wie in den vergangenen Jahren im Bereich "Platz des 18. März" unmittelbar vor dem Brandenburger Tor im Tiergarten. Auch die südafrikanische Botschaft wird wie schon im letzten Jahr am Lauf teilnehmen.

 

Der Berliner Bundestagslauf erfreut sich immer größerer Beliebtheit. Mehr als 300 Starter und Starterinnen haben ihre Teilnahme signalisiert. Ca. 100 Starter/innen wird es auf der kürzeren Strecke geben und mehr als 200 haben sich die längere Strecke zum Ziel gesetzt. Politiker, Mitarbeiter/innen aus den Ministerien sowie Mitarbeiter/innen von Verbänden, der Wirtschaft und den Medien werden wieder wie in den vergangenen Jahren im Tiergarten ihre Kondition unter Beweis stellen. Gestartet wird das Teilnehmerfeld von Bundestagsvizepräsident Lammert, der selbst teilnimmt und sich auf die Strecke über 3.600 m begeben wird.
 

 

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We salute all South Africans on a decade of freedom.

 

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17 Apr 2004 / South Africa’s final election results
The South African election ended officially on Saturday when the Electoral Commission (IEC) declared the polls free and fair, with the African National Congress (ANC) having won 279 seats in the national parliament....

 

 

7. April - einschließlich 6. Mai, jeweils Dienstag-Freitag von 10-12.00 und 14-16.00 Uhr; außer an Feiertagen und dem 30. April. Eine Anmeldung ist nicht erforderlich, jedoch bitte den Ausweis mitbringen!

 

 

 

The following categories of SA citizens who have registered with the IEC will cast their Special Vote at the SA Embassy in Berlin. These persons are temporarily absent from SA for purposes of a:

 

1) Holiday

2) business trip

3) Attendance of a tertiary institution or an educational visit

4) participation in an international sport event

 

Voting will take place on the 7 APRIL 2004 during office hours 9h00-16h00.

Registered voters must please bring their Passports and SA Identity Document (ID books). Elections in SA will take place on 14 April 2004. Counting of ballots in SA will start at 21h00 on election day (14 April 2004). The President will be inaugurated on the 27 April 2004 (Freedom Day). For any further enquiries feel free to contact:

 

Ms. H Malesa or Mr. I Matloga

Embassy of the Republic of South Africa

Tiergartenstr. 18

10785 Berlin

Tel:  030-22073-0

Fax: 030-22073-202

 

 

To vote in the 2004 Election, you must be a registred voter. Your details should be on the voter's roll where you are ordinarily resident in South Africa.

 

 

 

Parliament, Feb 9 -The 2004 general election will be held on April 14, President Thabo Mbeki announced on Monday. 

 

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Madame Speaker;

Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces;
Deputy Speaker and Deputy Chairperson of the National Houses of Parliament;
Deputy President of the Republic;
Honourable leaders of our political parties and Honourable Members of Parliament;
Ministers and Deputy Ministers;
Our esteemed Chief Justice and members of the Judiciary;
Heads of our Security Services;
Governor of the Reserve Bank;
Distinguished Premiers of our Provinces;
Mayors and leaders in our system of local government;
Our honoured traditional leaders;
Heads of the state organs supporting our democratic system;
Directors-General and other leaders of the public service;
President Mandela and Mrs Graca Machel;
President F.W. De Klerk and Mrs De Klerk;
Your Excellencies, Ambassadors and High Commissioners;
Distinguished guests, friends and comrades;
People of South Africa:

 

I am honoured to welcome to this Chamber representatives of two families whose loved ones were killed 30 years ago in Gaborone, Botswana and Lusaka, Zambia, while opening what proved to be parcel bombs sent by agents of the apartheid system. These were Onkgopotse Tiro, a leader of the South African Students Organisation (SASO), and Adolphus Mvemve then Chief Representative of the ANC in Zambia. I am very pleased that they were able to join us today.

 

Nelson Mandela delivered our first State of the Nation Address before the first democratically elected parliament on the 24th of May, 1994 In that Address he quoted from a poem by Ingrid Jonker.