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The South African Government blog
A current affairs blog by South African Government
Let's work together to save energy
22 May 2013
 As the temperature drops, the electric blanket and heaters get switched on. In homes across South Africa the smell of soup and hot meals fill the air. As winter approaches we inevitably spend more hours indoors resulting in rising electrical consumption.
As the temperature drops, it is all too tempting to switch on the under floor heating many heaters in the house. Pause just a bit and consider what this does to our national effort to save energy.
One important reason to save energy is to be kinder to the environment. In South Africa electricity is produced mainly by burning coal. This releases harmful carbon fumes – known as greenhouse gases – into the atmosphere, which is severely damaging to our health and the future sustainability of our planet. The more energy we save, by switching off lights and electric appliances, the less coal our country needs to burn in order to produce electricity.
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Time to reflect on African unity
21 May 2013
In the 1980’s South Africa was a country on the verge of implosion. Opposition to the apartheid state was at its peak, a groundswell of popular resistance had emerged and pressure was brought to bear from within and outside the country. Sensing that it was losing its grip on power, the apartheid government declared a State of Emergency that lasted for much of the 1980’s.
However, the will of the people would not be silenced, resistance continued to grow and opposition to apartheid came from all quarters. On the continent the then Organisation of African Unity (OAU) , formed on 25 May 25 1963 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, led a chorus of voices calling for an end to apartheid.
From its inception, the OAU was committed to ridding the continent of the remaining vestiges of colonisation and apartheid, while promoting unity and solidarity among African states. In the 1980s it played a pivotal role in pressurise Western nations to impose sanctions on apartheid South Africa; this ultimately contributed towards the demise of this unjust system.
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When unionists and politicians contradict themselves
17 May 2013
 As the debate on tolling continues, one has come to realise that both the Democratic Alliance and Cosatu share the same basic ideological flaw – at least on road infrastructure financing.
And while I doubt I am the only South African to have this simple insight, it cannot hurt in these ideologically confusing times to reiterate a moderate perspective. Who knows? Maybe if people on the ideological extremes see that both share the same contradictions and disposition to the road financing policies of the government of the day, they will realise that they are not so different after all.
Then – please allow me to continue indulging in this fantasy – there may be hope of moving beyond rhetoric and partisan bickering and get on with the business of forming alliances.
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Identification gets smarter
14 May 2013
When South Africans lined up in their millions to vote during our first democratic election in 1994, they all carried with them an ID, to verify who they were. For most it was a green barcoded ID, which not only allowed them to vote but also symbolised our new nation's step to normality, as this ID was issued to all South Africans, irrespective of race.
In 2000 the Department of Home Affairs introduced certain changes to the ID to make it more secure and to combat identity theft and fraud. The new coat of arms appeared on the ID, and the photograph, which had previously been pasted in, was digitally printed in black and white on the first page.
The second generation green barcoded ID will now be replaced by a new smartcard ID containing a microchip embedded with biometric security features from July.
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Keeping our children safe from harm
14 May 2013
Every parent or guardian can relate to the feeling of anguish and sometimes hopelessness they feel when a child in their care gets ill. Dealing with illness is never pleasant and it is inevitably a very trying time for the entire family.
Less than a hundred years ago such episodes could be deadly, however due to the miracle of modern medicine, society is better prepared to face and deal with illness. Today millions of lives are saved globally because of timely immunisation against various potentially debilitating and deadly diseases.
Children, especially the very young are most at risk from easily preventable diseases. It is therefore vital that they receive their immunisations. The benefits of immunisation are wide especially in developing countries such as ours where young children are still vulnerable to a number of childhood diseases.
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Recreation fuels social cohesion
8 May 2013
“Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else can. Sport can awaken hope where there was previously only despair.” These are powerful words spoken by former President Nelson Mandela who believed that sport can transcend race, politics and unite a country.
South Africa experienced this feeling of solidarity in 1995 when the Springboks won the Rugby World Cup; in 1996 with Bafana Bafana winning the African Cup of Nations; and more recently during the hosting of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Former President Mandela touched South African hearts when he wore the No 6 Springbok jersey during the 1995 Rugby World Cup final and later by presenting the cup to captain Francois Pienaar.
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Let's become tourists in our land
7 May 2013
Every parent or guardian can relate to the feeling of anguish and sometimes hopelessness they feel when a child in their care gets ill. Dealing with illness is never pleasant and it is inevitably a very trying time for the entire family.
Less than a hundred years ago such episodes could be deadly, however due to the miracle of modern medicine, society is better prepared to face and deal with illness. Today millions of lives are saved globally because of timely immunisation against various potentially debilitating and deadly diseases.
Children, especially the very young are most at risk from easily preventable diseases. It is therefore vital that they receive their immunisations. The benefits of immunisation are wide especially in developing countries such as ours where young children are still vulnerable to a number of childhood diseases.
Read more...
Remembering heroes past and present
1 May 2013
We will never forget the unbridled joy and hope we felt as our nation was born 19 years ago, or the pride we felt as our national sporting heroes excelled and won an astounding haul of medals at the 2012 London Olympic Games. We still look back in wonder at the feeling of accomplishment when we were jointly awarded the hosting of the Square Kilometre Array with Australia.
In this past month that marked the birth of our nation, on 27 April 1994, we took time to reflect with great admiration on the legacy of those who sacrificed, often at great personal cost so that we could live in a free country. We also celebrated the achievements of our present day heroes and heroines.
Nations are built on the collective effort of citizens from all walks of life. Every one of us plays a role in strengthening the social fabric and in making our nation greater. However, there are individuals whose contributions to society are at times extraordinary and often selfless.
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Last modified: 22 May 2013 09:03:15. |
