Climate change is a pressing issue that affects communities worldwide. In response, the Mpungose community of Eshowe, located in Northern KwaZuluNatal, South Africa, has developed a groundbreaking Manifesto to address the detrimental effects of climate change on their daily lives.
The Magic Classroom Collective is a group of educators who have been working tirelessly for over 15 years to improve the quality of education in rural Mthata in the Eastern Cape. Supported by the Nelson Mandela Institute for Education and Rural Development at the University of Fort Hare, this unique initiative has defied the odds and achieved remarkable transformations in the region’s primary schooling landscape.
In the past few days, Western Cape has been dealing with the aftermath of severe flooding caused by a series of cold fronts that hit numerous regions between June 14 and 19. The Cape Winelands and West Coast areas suffered the most significant damage. The Provincial Disaster Management Centre (PDMC) has been leading a coordinated effort to manage the disaster and provide humanitarian assistance to affected communities.
On June 19, 2023, the South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr. Naledi Pandor, welcomed the French Minister, Ms. Catherine Colonna, for a Working Visit with the aim of strengthening the bilateral cooperation between the two nations. The visit provided a platform for both Ministers to engage in profound discussions on topics of mutual interest, covering regional and international matters.
In the North West Province, municipalities face significant capacity challenges in local governance. To address this issue, MEC Nono Maloyi, the head of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements, and Traditional Affairs, has partnered with North West University to deploy 100 skilled graduates from various disciplines. The collaboration aims to revitalize municipal operations and performance, enabling municipalities to handle the intricate challenges of urban planning, environmental management, and public administration more effectively.
The Western Cape police have launched a highdensity operation called “Operation Shanela” in their battle against crime. From June 12 to June 18, 2023, this initiative has resulted in the arrest of 2,011 suspects and has made significant inroads against crime in the affected areas of the Western Cape.
Anton Bredell, the Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, has initiated a largescale relief operation in the West Coast District. The Western Cape Provincial Disaster Centre is coordinating the efforts to reach isolated towns and evacuate areas affected by severe storms.
On June 19th, 2023, Minister of Justice and Correctional Services Ronald Lamola and Catherine Colonna, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the French Republic, signed a cooperation protocol agreement aimed at improving the cyber forensic capabilities of South Africa’s Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and strengthening the relationship between South Africa and France.
On Thursday, 15 June 2023, the South African Police Service and a private security company collaborated to apprehend two suspects in Ekurhuleni. The suspects had been found unloading a trailer loaded with copper plates worth over R6 million. ### Intelligence Leading to Arrest
Minister Naledi Pandor visited Yaoundé, Cameroon on April 14th, 2023, with the goal of enhancing trade between South Africa and Cameroon. The Minister aimed to facilitate relationships between businesses and people from both countries, and she engaged in productive discussions with His Excellency Mr. Lejeune Mbella Mbella, Minister of External Relations of the Republic of Cameroon, and a courtesy call to Prime Minister His Excellency Mr. Joseph Dion Ngute.