Latest news with #R61
IOL News
20-05-2025
- Automotive
- IOL News
Nissan's global restructuring raises concerns over South Africa's automotive future
As Nissan endeavors to streamline operations by reducing its global workforce by 20 000 on top of last year's 9 000 job cuts, concerns mount about the potential closure of its Rosslyn Plant, strategically located outside Pretoria. Image: File: Timothy Bernard/Independent Newspapers Banele Ginidza Nissan's recent global restructuring initiative, known as Re:Nissan, has sparked widespread speculation about its far-reaching effects on South Africa's automotive industry. The announcement comes amid a wave of employment cuts and factory closures, following the company's staggering R82.2 billion revenue loss for the fiscal year 2024. As Nissan endeavors to streamline operations by reducing its global workforce by 20 000 on top of last year's 9 000 job cuts, concerns mount about the potential closure of its Rosslyn Plant, strategically located outside Pretoria. The Re:Nissan strategy, also dubbed 'The Arc,' was unveiled last year as part of a broader plan to consolidate its 17 factories down to 10 by 2027, while also modifying its research and development programmes. Under the guidance of CEO Ivan Espinosa, the objective is to claw back R61 trillion in fixed and variable costs by establishing a more efficient operating framework for profitability by fiscal year 2026. Espinosa's candid assessment highlighted the high cost structure and volatile global market conditions that necessitate these changes. 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 ✕ 'The reality is clear. We have a very high cost structure. To complicate matters further, the global market environment is volatile and unpredictable, making planning and investment increasingly challenging,' Espinosa said in a statement on Nissan Japan's strategy. Among the factories earmarked for closure are the Oppama and Shonan facilities in Japan, alongside additional plants in Mexico, India, and Argentina. With the prospect of closing the Rosslyn Plant, which has been operational since 1966, the implications for the local job market are worrying, particularly following an initial cut of 400 positions in 2023 stemming from the cessation of NP200 production. The Motor Industry Staff Association (MISA) on Monday said the announcement had not yet filtered through to its membership. "MISA has not received notifications of possible restructuring in accordance with the provisions of the Labour Relation Act from Nissan, although as indicated, they might come from different dealership groups as was the case with Volvo Cars South Africa," MISA said in response to enquiries. In contrast, Nissan's Re:Nissan strategy arguably offers a silver lining for South Africa's automotive sector, as evidenced by a recent R3bn investment aimed at modernising the Rosslyn Plant for new Nissan Navara model production. This investment is projected to bolster capacity by 30 000 units per year and create approximately 400 new jobs, suggesting that despite potential setbacks, there was scope for growth and opportunity in the market. The Re:Nissan plan also includes the introduction of new passenger vehicles, emphasising a shift from traditional bakkies to more popular segments like electric vehicles (EVs) and SUVs to the South African market. This strategic pivot could bolster Nissan's competitiveness and market share, with ambitions to reach over 15% in South Africa, aided by government incentives such as the Automotive Production and Development Programme. Industry experts assert that while Nissan's future plans signal a period of investment and growth, the anticipated closure of the Rosslyn Plant could still be devastating for its workforce, especially in light of preceding layoffs. In 2022, the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) picketed outside the Japanese Embassy in Pretoria over, in part, Nissan South Africa's failure to engage the union on Nissan EV Ambition 2030 Vision and the lack of transparency on the future of the South African Plant amidst challenges posed by 4th Industrial revolution. Numsa demanded that Nissan follow the principles of a Just Transition as some workers were likely to be displaced because the new technology is not labour intensive. BUSINESS REPORT
The South African
02-05-2025
- Climate
- The South African
KZN floods wreak havoc, prompting 56 households to relocate
After homes collapsed due to heavy flooding in Umlazi's Section H, 56 households are urgently relocated to safer ground. The floods, which struck on 25 April 2025, left widespread destruction across the township. Several residents were rushed to hospitals and clinics. Tragically, one member of the Madondo family died after a house collapsed in P Section, according to the KZN MEC for Transport and Human Settlements, Siboniso Armstrong Duma. Other areas include Chicago in the AA section, the J Section, and Ward 78 near KwaMgaga High School, where homes were destroyed, leaving residents homeless and vulnerable amid ongoing rain. The MEC announced plans to visit affected communities and offer condolences. In a statement issued by the Ethekwini Municipality on 2 May, Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane and her team visited the area. She emphasised the need for a long-term solution, stating: 'Based on what I have seen, relocation of these households would be the best solution. 'Based on what I have seen, relocation of these households would be the best solution,' said Minister Simelane. While the assessment is conducted, the immediate task is to relocate about 56 families to Temporary Emergency Accommodation. The Ethekwini municipality further reported that affected households will be given permanent housing on land provided by the City and the Provincial Department of Human Settlements. In addition to evaluating house delivery, the leadership also went to the Thubalethu Informal Settlement Project in Mthonjaneni. To support recovery efforts, R19 million has been allocated for water infrastructure construction in the region, with an additional R61 million earmarked for bulk water services, according to the statement issued by Ethekwini Municipality. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Harvard Medical researcher sues NIH for cutting grant to study LGBTQ mental health
An associate professor at Harvard Medical School is suing the National Institutes of Health after her funding to study the mental health of young LGBTQ people was cut, affecting a team of 18 researchers and causing students to fear for their safety. 'These grant terminations have broader implications. When science is silenced by ideology, we all lose,' Brittany Charlton — who is also an associate professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the founding director of the LGBTQ Health Center of Excellence — said in the lawsuit. For more than 15 years, Charlton has received more than 15 grants and was awarded an R61 grant from the NIH. This last grant 'aimed at time-sensitive policy questions, to study the impact of discriminatory and supportive legislation on the mental health of LGBTQ young people,' the lawsuit, filed earlier this month in federal court but updated Friday, read. 'The overarching goal of the R61 project was to understand how four types of LGBTQ-related policies — religious exemptions, healthcare bans, restrictive curricula, and supportive curricula — impact mental health in late adolescence and early adulthood,' Charlton said in the lawsuit. 'The findings would offer timely, evidence-based guidance to help healthcare providers, educators, and policymakers improve mental health for all young people, not just those who are LGBTQ.' The act of applying for the grant 'was an intense and compressed process,' with only months to write the application to secure five years of funding,' she wrote. Family events, professional obligations and personal milestones had to be 'set aside" in order for her to receive the grant in a timely manner. NIH had previously approved $4.15 million in grant money, with the project launched in August 2024, Charlton wrote. In February, she received a no-cost, two-month extension on her grant that was to last until April 30. To Charlton, this was unusual; she contacted her program officer for context and their supervisor and received no responses. Then, NIH terminated her funding on March 12. 'This award no longer effectuates agency priorities,' NIH told Charlton, according to the lawsuit. 'Research programs based on gender identity are often unscientific, have little identifiable return on investment, and do nothing to enhance the health of many Americans. Many such studies ignore, rather than seriously examine, biological realities. It is the policy of NIH not to prioritize these research programs.' 'Before the termination, I had never received any previous indication that my grant was in jeopardy,' she wrote. '... I do not understand what the termination notice and revised Notice of Award mean by 'gender identity' or 'biological realities' concerning my project.' When Charlton spoke with an NIH program officer, the officer told her that she had never seen any such terminations while working at the agency, the lawsuit stated. 'This program officer expressed that she did not understand how anonymous decision-makers not familiar with the details of the project had concluded that 'no corrective action is possible' or that the project conflicted with agency priorities — particularly as I had responded to a specific Notice of Funding Opportunity that sought out projects addressing this particular topic,' Charlton wrote. Terminations for grants while applicants are in the middle of their projects are 'highly unusual and inconsistent with established precedent,' she added. Without her portfolio of grants, Charlton wrote that she's now lost her own salary and the salaries of the 18 people who work with her at the LGBTQ Health Center of Excellence. She has had to fire one senior member of her team and 'fear I will have to terminate all remaining team members.' 'The termination of this research has upended the lives and careers of dozens of my team members — master's students, doctoral students, postdoctoral fellows, faculty, and staff, many of whom relocated or made life-altering commitments to pursue this work," she wrote. One student took medical leave to address their mental health following the terminations 'and may never return to the field,' Charlton continued. Another team member went on leave due to the stress that the terminations caused. 'The threats to our work don't just make me fear for my career — they make me fear for my safety,' one team member told Charlton, according to the lawsuit. 'I wonder whether this country still has a place for people like me.' 'These grant terminations are not just the loss of individual careers — it is the quiet dismantling of a generation of future leaders in medicine and public health, and with them, the hope for a more equitable future," Charlton wrote. 'These grant terminations have broader implications. When science is silenced by ideology, we all lose,' she continued. 'If research on marginalized communities can be erased for political reasons, it sets a dangerous precedent: that some lives are less worthy of understanding, care, or protection. This is not just an attack on the LGBTQ community — it is a blow to the integrity of science and the health of every American." Trump's $2.2B funding freeze for Harvard would hit cancer research, battlefield medicine and more Trump is threatening to block international students from Harvard. Is that legal? Could Trump's crackdown on foreign students exacerbate declining college enrollment? Harvard has a $53 billion endowment. Could it be a weapon in its fight against Trump?
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Columbus nursing home faces scrutiny from Medicare and residents over alleged abuse
A Columbus nursing home received a red warning symbol next to its listing on Medicare's website after being cited for mishandling its response to abuse allegations. Magnolia Manor of Columbus Nursing Center-West has a health inspection rating of one out of five stars on Medicare's care-compare website, indicating its performance is 'much below average.' Its overall rating is two stars, meaning the nursing home performs 'below average.' Investigations, reports and comments from patients or families show the nursing home has faced allegations of sexual abuse, failing to report significant medical incidents such as falls, and more in recent years. Calls for change at the nursing home have been ongoing since August 2023, when Columbus resident Lisa Sparks started a Facebook group named Magnolia Manor Georgia Victims Fighting for Change. The group grew to more than 1,500 members during the last year and a half. 'People just started coming out of the woodwork,' Sparks told the Ledger-Enquirer. Asked a series of questions about the allegations, Magnolia Manor senior vice president for communications Ty Kinslow didn't directly answer the questions. Instead, he told the Ledger-Enquirer in an email that privacy laws prevent Magnolia Manor from commenting on any current or former resident. The nursing home remains committed to the well-being of its residents, he said. 'Magnolia Manor has been continuously licensed to care for its residents for almost two decades and remains in substantial compliance with federal and state regulations,' he said. 'Magnolia Manor engages residents, care providers, and family members on a daily basis and interacts with applicable agencies to address residents or family concerns and to enhance resident care.' Three patients were involved in two alleged sexual abuse incidents at Magnolia Manor, according to a September inspection report published by Medicare. Identifying information about staff and patients was removed from the report to protect privacy, with the residents being referred to as R61, R24 and R97. The first incident detailed in the report involved R61, who was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, depression and anxiety. An assessment indicated R61 had short- and long-term memory deficits. She had refused care and sometimes had delusions or hallucinations. Last August, R61 reported to a Magnolia Manor employee that female staff inappropriately touched her genitals. A nurse told the employee that R61 also recently had been impacted with hard stool in her colon. The employee informed a registered nurse who reported the incident to a Magnolia Manor administrator. The RN and the administrator spoke to R61, who said she didn't want certified nurse assistants to change her anymore. An administrator at the facility informed inspectors that he did not interpret the allegation as potential abuse because the patient often refused care and the potential bowel obstruction had required staff to remove stool digitally from the resident. The RN and the facility's social services director told inspectors that no measures were put in place after R61's report to ensure she was protected from further potential abuse. A complaint form was sent to the director of nursing, who told the inspectors that she was not involved in any follow-up related to the allegation. R61 never was physically assessed concerning the potential abuse allegation, the director of nursing told the inspector, nor was she sent to the emergency department for evaluation. 'The administrator stated his expectation was that any resident who reported potential abuse should be protected from further potential abuse while an investigation in the alleged abuse was conducted,' says the inspection report. This wasn't done in R61's case, the administrator admitted to the inspector. Inspectors found that proper reporting and evaluations were not done in another potential sexual abuse incident involving patients R24 and R97. Two certified nursing assistants entered R24's room while doing rounds and found her lying in bed on a towel with her pants halfway down while R97 was coming out of her bathroom with his shirt up and pants halfway down. Both patients had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. The CNAs reported the incident to a licensed practical nurse, and the administrator was made aware. 'He felt the incident did not need to be investigated or reported to the state because staff did not witness R24 or R97 doing anything,' the inspection report says. Sexual violence in older adults is under-researched, according to a study in the National Library of Medicine, but research suggests it rarely occurs. However, the study found people who are victims of elder sexual abuse are less likely to be believed, especially if there are no signs of trauma to the body. Studies conducted by the National Institute of Justice found that elderly sexual abuse victims who reside in nursing facilities are the least able to get a conviction out of acts perpetrated against them. Part of the problem is that victims often cannot communicate well enough to identify what happened or who the perpetrator was, a report by the Nursing Home Abuse Center says. The nursing home received four health deficiencies in its most recent inspection in September. Nursing homes are inspected about once a year, according to Medicare. If they receive complaints or perform poorly, they may receive more frequent inspections. Three deficiencies were in the 'Freedom from Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation' category. The last one was for an administration deficiency. In Georgia, the average number of deficiencies in nursing homes is 6.1, which is lower than the national average of 9.6, according to Medicare. Although Magnolia Manor West had fewer deficiencies than the average, the level of harm of those four deficiencies led to the nursing home's low rating, according to how Medicare calculates its scores. Medicare considered all the problems cited in the report to be an 'immediate jeopardy to resident health or safety.' The deficiencies Magnolia Manor received were primarily because it failed to report potential abuse to the Georgia Department of Community Health and other required agencies, according to the health inspection report. According to Magnolia Manor's Abuse Prohibition, Reporting and Investigation Policy, when a complaint or situation is identified, the administrator is supposed to notify the state agency and a resident representative. The ombudsman, an independent advocate who investigates complaints, also should be notified, pending an investigation. The administrator also should direct the investigation or notify the local police department. Immediate jeopardy to residents because of this failure began in January 2024 and lasted until September 2024, the inspection report says. Inspectors found Magnolia Manor failed to ensure residents are free from potential abuse, failed to report alleged violations of abuse or neglect and failed to investigate alleged abuse or neglect. The failure to report created the potential for residents to again be sexually abused by staff or other residents, the inspection report says, which could lead to serious physical or psychological harm for each resident. Sparks' mother, Linda Sestito, was admitted into Magnolia Manor around the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 after her hip was broken as she waited to have surgery. Her mother was bedridden while a resident in Magnolia Manor. During that time, Sestito fell multiple times, Sparks said. These typically occurred because Sestito would try to do things for herself. The final time Sestito fell in May 2021, a Magnolia Manor nurse called Sparks to inform her. The nurse told her that Sestito was fine, Sparks said, so she didn't worry because this had happened before. When Sparks spoke with Sestito on the phone four days later, her mother was crying and complaining that she couldn't see. Sestito's symptoms worsened, and she was admitted to the emergency room that evening. Staff at Magnolia Manor didn't inform emergency medical services that Sestito recently had fallen, Sparks said. Documents from a Columbus Police Department investigation into Sparks' complaint found that, although Magnolia Manor nurses noted the fall in their records, the patient care report from EMS notes that 'staff denies falls.' EMS reported Sestito was unable to form words, leaned to the right and her leg was twitching. Doctors said that her mother had a brain bleed, Sparks said, and over a week into the hospital stay, a puzzled-looking neurologist approached Sparks. 'Are you sure she didn't fall?' he asked her. Sparks was shocked to discover the hospital hadn't known her mother recently had fallen before this point. Sestito died from a subdural hematoma after spending two weeks in the hospital. After this incident, Sparks shared her story on Facebook and was shocked by the response. 'It was like every day I would log onto Facebook and have another five messages, 10 messages, 20 messages,' she said. 'I started writing them down.' Others began sharing on Facebook their stories and complaints about the nursing home. Although Sparks feels Magnolia Manor was neglectful in the care of her mother and others, she said, much of the group members' allegations are difficult to prove. CPD's investigation of the events leading up to Sestito's death was closed because of a lack of probable cause to establish criminal negligence, according to a CPD report. Magnolia Manor staff wasn't interviewed by investigators because the U.S. Constitution protects individuals' rights regarding testimony or statements, according to a CPD report. Although Magnolia Manor Nursing Center-West is the only Columbus area nursing home or assisted living facility out of 11 with a warning for abuse, it doesn't have the lowest rating from Medicare in Columbus. Magnolia Manor Nursing Center-East, 2010 Warm Springs Road, has a lower overall rating of one star, with two stars for health inspections, three stars for staffing and one star for quality measures as of Feb. 2025. The east campus received two federal fines in the last three years totaling over $11,000 in 2022. Magnolia Manor East received deficiencies for quality of life, infection prevention and resident assessment and care planning. Canterbury Health Care Facility in Phenix City also has a one-star overall rating, receiving one star for health inspections, two stars for staffing and three stars for quality measures as of Feb. 2025. The facility has not been fined in the last three years. River Towne Center at 5131 Warm Springs Rd. also has an overall one-star rating. It received one star for health inspections and staffing and three stars for quality measures as of Feb. 2025. This facility has received 16 federal fines in the last three years, totaling over $110,000. Most of River Towne Center's deficiencies are related to quality of life and care. Sparks is committed to motivating Magnolia Manor and the industry to improve their prevention of abuse or neglect, she said. And she believes her Facebook group provides a space for people to talk about these issues. 'I'm glad people have a place to come and talk,' Sparks said. 'But, ultimately, groups like mine shouldn't have to exist.'
