Serjio Zakharoff

South Africa’s tourism sector has emerged as a symbol of the nation’s resilience and adaptability. The theme of the Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA) Leadership Conference, “Tourism: the engine of growth for South Africa,” perfectly captures the vitality of this industry in spurring economic growth and generating employment.

The City’s Safety and Security Portfolio Committee recently commended the outstanding enforcement performance achieved in the past financial year. The Directorate has achieved several predetermined goals, including proactive prevention patrols, technological investments, budget expenditure, and staff training and development programs.

In September 2023, the Cape Animal Welfare Forum (CAWF) launched the Mass Animal Sterilisation Project (MASP) in Macassar and Eerste River, a program that has been successful over the past decade with support from the City of Cape Town. The project has made a significant contribution to animal welfare and has resulted in healthier communities. Since 2013, a total of 14,842 animals have been sterilised, with a cost of over R6 million.

Cape Town is offering new opportunities for its young citizens by training 1,000 young Capetonians in the booming call center industry, a sector that is experiencing remarkable growth in recent years. The Cityfunded Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) Afterschools programme, administered by CapeBPO, the City’s Special Purpose Vehicle in this industry, aims to address the critical issue of youth unemployment in South Africa.

Cape Town has made significant progress in updating its prepaid electricity meters software, with over 84% of meters being upgraded. This initiative is part of a nationwide effort to update all prepaid metering software in South Africa. The purpose is to prevent customers from being unable to recharge their meters, which could lead to power supply interruptions.

At the inaugural Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi, Kenya on September 4th to 6th, 2023, South Africa’s Minister in the Presidency for Electricity, Dr. Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, received the chairmanship of the Africa Green Hydrogen Alliance (AGHA). This appointment is a significant milestone towards achieving energy security and driving green industrialization on the African continent.

The InterMinisterial Committee (IMC) on Political Killings in KwaZuluNatal is a collaboration between various government departments, aiming to promote political tolerance and combat violence in South Africa’s political landscape. ### Formation and Purpose

On September 8th, Deputy Ministers of Water and Sanitation, Mr. David Mahlobo and Ms. Judith Tshabalala, visited Kromhoek Village in Umzimkhulu, under the Harry Gwala District. The aim of the visit was to provide updates on the state of water and sanitation services and address service delivery issues in the community. This visit followed a previous one in July 2022, during which several commitments were made for the village’s development.

The City of Cape Town’s Public Participation Unit will launch a commenting process on September 16, 2023, to receive feedback from the public on renaming the historic Old Granary building. The initiative proposes renaming the building after the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu and his wife, Leah Tutu, to honor their significant contributions to the political and sociocultural identity of Cape Town, South Africa, and the world.

Community Development Practitioners (CDPs) have been working tirelessly to improve the lives of impoverished rural and township communities in South Africa. They have provided critical services such as community dialogues, counseling, and care, making a significant impact on countless lives.

South African authorities are taking significant steps to combat the ongoing menace of illegal mining. The Gauteng Serious Organised Crime Investigation team, in collaboration with the National Prosecuting Authority’s Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU), has recently conducted a preservation and forfeiture operation in Khutsong and Carletonville.