Latest news with #Groenewald
IOL News
6 days ago
- General
- IOL News
Comrades Marathon athlete Marissa Groenewald - raising awareness for human trafficking - one skip at a time
Rope runner Marissa Groenewald will be skipping through the Comrades Marathon Image: Supplied Marissa Groenewald is bound to attract attention on Sunday when she skips her way to Durban from Pietermaritzburg during the Comrades Marathon. Groenewald, 41, from Hillcrest, known as the rope runner, will take on the gruelling 89.98km race while continuously skipping with her jump rope flicking the ground. This year marks the 98th edition of the Ultimate Human Race and is the 49th down run. She is making history while taking on this incredible feat for a cause that's close to her heart, Love Justice International. It is an organisation that is fighting against human trafficking. Love Justice specialises in transit monitoring, which means intercepting trafficking victims before they cross borders, bringing them back to safety and reuniting them with their families. "I witnessed the heartbreaking realities of human trafficking firsthand through my mother's work, where she dedicated herself to restoring dignity to women caught in trafficking in Asia. Her selfless work inspired me to use my platform to make a difference. "My goal is to raise R500 000, which will directly contribute to protecting lives from the horrors of human trafficking," she said. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading While Groenewald attracts attention and stares from spectators, they will notice a QR code on a bib she will be wearing bearing the words Why Scan Here. The QR code will take people to the Love Justice International page to learn more about the cause and donate. "I have also started a crowdfunding page on Backabuddy," said the mother of two. Groenewald's taste of marathon rope running has been in the Cape Peninsula and the Two Oceans Marathons. "This is my third Comrades Marathon, but first time skipping and running. I will be starting at 5am with the wheelchair athletes. I get to lead the race for an hour at least before the rest of the athletes start. "I am just going for a finish and plan to reach the finish within 11 to 12 hours. Rope running is high intensity but significantly slower," she said. Groenewald took on skipping after suffering an injury about 18 months ago and was advised that a good way to keep fit was to skip. "I began running and skipping and after doing a kilometre I realised why no one else was doing it. You have to apply your mind and use your shoulders and back. Once I got my groove I grew in terms of distance and endurance. "I haven't hit anyone with my rope while running," she laughed. SUNDAY TRIBUNE
TimesLIVE
03-06-2025
- Health
- TimesLIVE
Electronic death registration is a win-win: let's make it happen
A recent study found extensive underreporting of HIV as a cause of death. Only 28% of deaths that occurred in a national sample of public sector hospitals where the medical record had clear clinical indications of HIV, had HIV specified on their death notification form. Aside from ensuring that medical certification of the cause of death is part of the medical training curriculum, and that additional training is provided during internship periods, another key issue to address is that many doctors are reluctant to record HIV/Aids as a cause of death due to concerns about maintaining patient confidentiality. In 2014 a self-sealing section was added to protect information about cause of death on the death notification form, but this has clearly not had the desired effect. Following the deaths of at least 22 children from contaminated food last year, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that the department of health would develop an electronic system for recording causes of death as one of several responses to the emergency. The move to an electronic system offers a strategic opportunity to address the challenge around confidentiality and promises far more. It allows for secure, institution-based data management that protects confidentiality, encourages accurate reporting, and strengthens the integrity of vital statistics. Benefits of this digital transition will include: Improved data quality and confidentiality, encouraging accurate reporting of sensitive conditions such as HIV/Aids; Automated validation checks, reducing certification errors at the point of data entry; Real-time access to mortality data, enabling rapid public health responses; and A platform for quality assurance and feedback, currently not possible under the paper-based system. Ultimately, moving away from a paper-based process of death registration will reduce the administrative burden and improve efficiency across the system. This presents a timely and valuable opportunity to collaborate across departments, including health, home affairs and Statistics South Africa to modernise the country's civil registration and vital statistics system. We are at a pivotal moment for such co-ordinated policy action. Investing in a robust electronic system for cause-of-death certification will strengthen South Africa's public health planning, improve disease surveillance, and increase accountability. The long-term returns — through faster, more reliable data — are substantial for both governance and health outcomes. It is a win-win situation all round. • Groenewald and Bradshaw are both with the South African Medical Research Council's Burden of Disease Research Unit.
IOL News
20-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
South Africa's call to the UN over dangers of cybercrime and organised crime
During the UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice session, Correctional Services Minister Pieter Groenewald stressed the significance of global cooperation in the fight against cybercrime. Image: Facebook/ Department of Correctional Services Correctional Services Minister Pieter Groenewald said Monday that international collaboration is essential for combating modern threats such as cybercrime, which erode the rule of law and negatively affect the quality of life for all citizens, particularly vulnerable populations. He also announced that South Africa is in the process of creating a National Transnational Organised Crime Strategy to address these issues. This formed part of South Africa's national statement at the 34th session of the United Nations Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ) in Vienna, Austria. Groenewald said the CCPCJ is convening at a significant moment, as the international community marks the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, also known as the Nelson Mandela Rules and the 15th anniversary of the Bangkok Rules. He said these reflect the global consensus that the dignity and human rights of all persons, including those deprived of liberty, must be respected. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ 'As we confront new, evolving, and increasingly complex forms of crime, ranging from cybercrime to crimes that affect the environment, it is imperative that our justice systems remain firmly anchored in the rule of law and guided by the fundamental principles of human rights,' Groenewald said. 'In this context, South Africa welcomes the timely deliberations of this session, recognising that these emerging forms of crime pose a growing threat to global peace, security, and sustainable development. We welcome the theme's alignment with Actions 7 and 24 of the Pact for the Future and the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.' The Minister said that although South Africa supports the ongoing reform of the United Nations to enhance system-wide coherence and realignment of priorities and financial resources, it is concerned about the ongoing liquidity crisis facing the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and its adverse impact on programme delivery and technical assistance, particularly to developing countries. However, the country affirms its support for the role the UNODC plays in addressing transnational organised crime. 'South Africa calls for strengthened international cooperation to effectively address evolving threats, which undermine the rule of law and impact the quality of life of our citizens, particularly the most vulnerable, such as women, children and youth,' Groenewald said. 'In this regard, I wish to inform that South Africa is developing a National Transnational Organised Crime Strategy to prevent and combat transnational organised crime.' 'To enhance the fight against crime and ensure uniformity, Member States are encouraged to harmonise their legal frameworks by ratifying and implementing international legal treaties, such as the recently adopted UN Convention against Cybercrime, which serves as a pivotal international framework to combat cybercrime, strengthen international cooperation and facilitate technical assistance and capacity-building support, particularly for developing countries,' Groenewald continued. Groenewald urged Member States to sign and ratify the instrument for early entry into force and also adopt innovative crime prevention approaches to build a safer and more resilient world. Meanwhile, on behalf of the African Group, ambassador, permanent representative of Burkina Faso and chair of the Africa Group to the Permanent Missions to the United Nations in Vienna, Maimounata Ouattara, urged all United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) State Parties to impose a system-wide zero tolerance policy against corrupt practices and highlights the necessity to take urgent measures to prevent, prosecute and deter all forms of corruption, to strengthen international cooperation to effectively prevent and counter money laundering and illicit financial flows and enhance measures for the identification, tracing, freezing, seizure, return of assets and recovery of all proceeds of crime or corruption, to deny them safe havens through their eventual confiscation.
IOL News
17-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
More than 12 000 foreign nationals awaiting trial amid overcrowding crisis
The number of foreign prisoners waiting for trial stands at 12037 (19 percent) of the 61000 remand population in the South African prisons. Image: Picture: Phando Jikelo/Independent Newspapers Correctional Services Minister Pieter Groenewald has disclosed that 12 037 foreign nationals are currently awaiting trial in prisons across the country for the contravention of the Immigration Act. The number of foreign prisoners waiting for trial constituted just 19% of the remand population in the country's prisons. Groenewald revealed this when asked during a question and answer session in the National Assembly this week whether he intended to initiate bilateral engagements with the South African Development Community (SADC) countries to deport offenders who were foreign nationals to alleviate correctional facilities from the overcrowding. 'Currently there are no bilateral agreements with neighboring countries due to the fact that South Africa does not have an enabling domestic legislation to regulate and facilitate the transfer of sentenced foreign offenders, including South Africans incarcerated in foreign countries, to serve their sentences in their countries of the region,' he said. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ This takes place as the country's prisons are bursting at the seams with sentenced prisoners totaling 104 000 inmates in facilities that cater for 108 000 beds. 'There are enough beds for the sentenced inmates in our facilities. Our problem comes with the remand detainees, not only the foreign remand detainees, but all remand detainees, and then we talk about almost 61 000 remand detainees,' Groenewald said. He observed that there were people who have been in remand for more than 10 years and they still have not had their criminal cases finalised. 'We are looking at the matter, and of course, the solution will be that we also have remand detainees who couldn't afford a bail of around about R100. There is about 1 227 who couldn't afford a bail of less than R1000.' Groenewald stated that the implementation of the Immigration Act in relation to deportation of those not entitled to stay in the country fell within the scope of the Department of Home Affairs. 'The Department of Correctional Services is responsible for identifying foreign nationals in its detention facilities and reporting such individuals to the Department of Home Affairs. The Department of Home Affairs then establishes the nationality of such offenders and initiates the deportation of those who stay in the Republic of South Africa.' Asked if he has engaged fellow ministers in the security cluster to find a way of dealing with legislation and other things to minimize this issue of overcrowding, Groenewald said there was quite a lot of progress. 'We already started last year. There is a process to amend the Criminal Procedure Act, and part of that will also be to amend the legislation in such a way that we have legislation that will make it possible to deport of these illegals back to their countries of origin,' he said. But, Groenewald indicated that there was a willingness from Lesotho to see where they could exchange and deport South African's prisoners in their country with their nationals to their home country. 'In Namibia, same situation occurs there. So the good news is that we are in a process, and I would like to see that we take all steps possible to enhance it.' He stressed that South Africa must have enabling legislation to do so. 'At this stage, we lack that legislation, and that's why I said we're in the process to see how we can make legislation.' Meanwhile, Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber said the deportation of illegal foreign nationals continued with the available funding and the deportees with financial means engaged in self-deportation. Schreiber said subject to the ongoing budget process, the intended budget allocation for 2025-26 was R23.2 million, up from R21.3m allocated the previous year. 'The number of deportations annually has increased from 14 589 in 2020 and 39,672 in 2023 to 46,898 in the previous financial year. This is an 18% increase year on year and it does means South Africa now does deportation than countries like France and Germany combined,' he said.
IOL News
16-05-2025
- IOL News
Minister considers future of court action over Bloemfontein prison contract
Correctional Services Minister Pieter Groenewald says he is considering his options regarding the Bloemfontein Correctional Services contract. Image: Independent Media Archives Correctional Services Minister Pieter Groenewald said on Thursday that he was pondering whether to continue with court action involving the private prison in Bloemfontein where inmate Thabo Bester escaped from three years ago. This as the disputed contract, which is the subject of litigation in court, was due to expire in a year's time. Groenewald said despite the ongoing court action over the Bloemfontein Correctional Centre (BCC), which is managed by G4S security, the contract was coming to an end in June next year. 'Is it worth it to continue to go to court with millions of rands of taxpayer money when the contract ends in June next year? Those are considerations I will have to take in this specific matter,' he said. Video Player is loading. 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Next Stay Close ✕ Groenewald made the statement during a question and answer session in the National Assembly when he was quizzed about the cancellation notice the department issued to the Bloemfontein Correctional Centre contract in May 2023. His predecessor Ronald Lamola last year announced plans to take over the management of the Bloemfontein-based private prison within 90 days, following the issuing of the termination notice of the contract. This was after the department obtained legal opinion that deemed the BCC was not suitable to continue with the management contract. The private company then instituted legal action. Groenewald told MPs that his department was going to provide an update on the termination notice of the concession contract as soon the pending legal proceedings were finalised. 'We are in a litigation process with BCC. BCC and G4S have taken the department to court challenging the notice of termination of the concession contract as issued by the national commissioner of the Department of Correctional Services. There are specific matters they raise in the notice of termination.' He said the contract with BCC will expire in June 2026 while that of another privately-run prison, Kutama Sinthumule Correctional Centre in Makhado, Limpopo, that was managed by the South African Custodial management, will end in February 2027. Groenewald said the department has done its homework ahead the expiry of the BCC contract next year. 'It does not mean we have taken a decision to continue or not,' he said, adding that he could not at the moment answer if the contract will be continued. 'When I have to make that decision, it will be an objective decision in what is in the best interest of South Africa and in the best interest of Correctional Services. If they (BCC) want to play this recording in court, they are welcome. I did not take a decision yet,' he said. However, Groenewald said they were busy with a plan that was looking at the pros and the cons for the takeover of the privately managed prisons. 'We are busy with those plans and it involves both the private institutions.' The Minister indicated that there was a general view and perception that privately managed prisons were better than government managed facilities. 'We are to make an informative decision when we come to that point,' he said. Groenewald, who conducted two visits to BCC since he became the minister, said disciplinary steps were being taken against the two departmental officials who were implicated in the escape of Bester. He said the officials did not immediately report the escape in May 2022 to the national commissioner. 'They only reported and informed the national commissioner of Correctional Services in November of that year, whereas they were supposed to do so immediately.' Cape Times
