The View Point

AfriForum says it will oppose vaccine mandates if the government decides to make the Covid-19 inoculations mandatory. The organisation has accused President Cyril Ramaphosa of breaking a promise he made to the nation in February.

In february, the president said “Nobody will be forbidden from travelling to wherever they want to travel to, including from enrolling at school, or from taking part in any public activity if they have not been vaccinated” BUT last night the president announced that government had set up a task team to look into making vaccinations mandatory for specific activities and locations.

Title:                          [• Mr]

Name:                        [•  Ernst Roets ]

The importance of social media management for SMEs

As a small business owner, you’re constantly looking for new ways to get your company’s brand on the radar of potential customers. If you don’t already, using social media in business is a great way to engage with current customers as well as attract new ones.

Small business social media marketing strategies actually have an advantage over big companies, because social media effectiveness boils down to engagement. If a business doesn’t engage with its customers, chances are it won’t have success in social media marketing.

Title:                          [• Mr.]

Name:                        [• Lorato Tshenkeng]

Position AND org.:   [•  Communications Strategist; Columnist AND CEO of Decode Communications]

Contact:                    [• 071 737 6370]

Many of you might have seen a video of a TV interview done by Dr. Ayoade Olatunbosun-Alakija of the Africa Union’s African Vaccine Delivery Alliance - she was criticising the West for banning Africa over the new Omicron variant and calling for a co-ordinated global shutdown. Many experts have spoken out about the way Africa is treated when it’s time to get medicines and resources to help advance her population; and the recent travel bans on Southern African countries have caused another outrage.

Let’s expand this conversation:

Let’s talk about the discovery of this Omicron variant and how the international community has banned travel to and from Southern Africa - had this variant been found on another continent, would the bans come in so fast?

The battle for vaccinations - African countries are still lagging behind when it comes to the entire vaccine process; but this shouldn’t come as a surprise because we always rely on developed countries to fund and research our medicines. 

Considering the culmination of events and what history has taught us, we ask, is the international community placing Africa under lockdown?

Title:                          [• Dr.]

Name:                        [• Kgosi Letlape]

Position AND org.:   [• President of Association of Medical Councils of Africa and Health Activist ]

Title:                          [•  Dr.]

Name:                        [• Richmond Danso]

Position AND org.:   [• Phd International relations expert ]

Tania Campbell was elected executive mayor yesterday after 116 votes were cast in her favour. She was up against the African national Congress (ANC)'s Mzwandile Masina. The municipality is among the five metro municipalities that were hung - meaning they will be governed through a coalition.

Ms Campbell has been a Democratic Alliance councillor in the City of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality since 2000. In 2013, she was elected chairwoman of the DA caucus in the metro. She was also the DA's community safety spokesperson in the metro. In October 2020, she was elected as DA caucus leader after the incumbent, Phillip de Lange, resigned after a motion of no confidence was brought against him.

We get to know more about her and her plans for the metro; and we urge people who reside in Ekurhuleni to call in and have a conversation with their new ‘mother’

Title:                          [• Mr.]

Name:                        [• Tania Campbell

Position AND org.:   [• Executive Mayor - Ekurhuleni Metro]

Does it still take a village to raise a child? 

There is an African proverb that says “it takes a village to raise a child” - this proverb is linked to the value and principle of “Ubuntu”. People have different interpretations of this value but the key message to take from this value is that no one is an island and we should care for the welfare of others like we do for ourselves. Surely if it takes a village to raise a child the obvious implication is that the success of the child depends on the community.

Does it still take a village to raise a child? Are our communities safe enough for our children to live and prosper in?

Title:                          [• Chief (Mr).]

Name:                        [• Jongisilo Pokwana Ka Menziwa]

Position AND org.:   [•  Director at Vusizwe Foundation for Historical Research]

The Healthy Living Alliance (HEALA) has proposed the expansion of South Africa’s health promotion levy to include ultra-processed foods.

HEALA said that increased revenue can support greater investment into social grant programmes, and the additional revenue could be to support nutrition-sensitive social support – such as reduced tax, vouchers and subsidies for healthier foods – and increases to social grants.

Title:                          [• Dr. (Mr)]

Name:                        [• Kgosi Letlape]

Position AND org.:   [• Health Activist]

The Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN) Global Alliance Africa, is a pioneer project within the UK government’s Innovation Partnerships with Africa agenda. Their mission is to connect ideas, people and communities to respond to socio-economic challenges and drive positive change through innovation. This is a six-year project funded by UK Aid through the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) and the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). 

Title:                          [• Mr.]

Name:                        [• Fredell Jacobs]

Position AND org.:   [• KTN Global Alliance Africa’s Country Lead for South Africa]

South Africa’s 66 hung municipalities — among them the key Johannesburg and eThekwini metros — had until the end of today to constitute councils and elect a fresh municipal leadership.  Should they fail to do so, they face the prospect of being dissolved and the elections being rerun within 90 days in terms of Section 25 of the Municipal Structures Act.

Terry Tselane joins us and we’re having a conversation about the outcomes of the 2021 LOC; the battle with coalition talks; what set this election apart from the others; and what could possibly happen if there are municipalities that haven't reached a conclusion in their coalition talks come D-Day…

Title:                          [• Mr.]

Name:                        [• Terry Tselane]

Position AND org.:   [• Executive Chair at Institute of Election Management Services Africa (IEMSA)]

Title:                          [• Mr.]

Name:                        [• Mamabolo ]

Position AND org.:   [• POPCRU spokesperson

Wayne Llewellen Duvenage is a South African businessman, entrepreneur and civil activist. He is currently the CEO of the South African corruption-fighting civil action organisation, Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse, involved in fighting corruption and maladministration across all spheres of government in South Africa.

Title:                          [• Mr.]

Name:                        [•  Wayne Duvenage ]

Position AND org.:   [• Activist and CEO of the organisations Undoing Tax Abuse]

Title:                          [• Dr (Ms.)]

Name:                        [• Ferrial Adam]

Position AND org.:   [• Water Scientist