Latest news with #UniversityofPretoria
IOL News
7 hours ago
- Health
- IOL News
South Africa's livestock industry under siege: Steenhuisen's call for urgent reforms
Minister John Steenhuisen delivers the opening address at the Foot-and-Mouth Disease Indaba, outlining urgent reforms to strengthen South Africa's livestock disease response system. Image: File In a hard-hitting address at the Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) Indaba on Monday, Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen painted a stark picture of South Africa's livestock industry under siege, not just from disease outbreaks but from a 'broken system' plagued by policy failure, institutional fatigue and outdated response models. Speaking to a packed venue of scientists, veterinarians, agricultural leaders and government officials, Steenhuisen warned that if the country continues with its current fragmented approach, it will remain vulnerable to future outbreaks and economic devastation. 'What we saw was a response system stretched to its limits, with breakdowns in communication, severe delays in vaccine availability, confusion over movement controls, and an alarming lack of readiness at several levels of government,' said Steenhuisen. 'Farmers were unsure of the measures. Provinces were uncertain of the protocols. And while the virus spread, trust in the state's capacity to respond continued to erode.' The minister identified four urgent areas of reform: regionalisation, vaccine security, infrastructure development, and investment in research and development. He announced the appointment of senior veterinarians Dr Emily Mogajane and Dr Nomsa Mnisi to lead the development of a national regionalisation framework that will define disease control zones, improve provincial coordination, and align with constitutional mandates. 'The failure to regionalise is not due to a lack of veterinary science. It is due to a lack of institutional coordination, legal clarity and capacity,' he said, emphasising that trade partners penalised the entire country despite outbreaks being limited to specific zones. Addressing vaccine shortages, Steenhuisen called for private sector co-investment in a national vaccine bank. 'We were compelled to import vaccines from Botswana just to mount even a partial response. This is unsustainable,' he said. 'If you want predictability, you must also invest.' Infrastructure was also in the spotlight, particularly in FMD protection zones. Steenhuisen announced new fiscal allocations to build local feedlots and abattoirs in Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga, aiming to curb illegal livestock movement that undermines disease control. 'These facilities will provide alternatives to illicit trade. They will create rural jobs,' he said. Looking ahead, the minister underscored the importance of animal science and climate resilience. 'We must elevate the Agricultural Research Council to the same level as its international counterparts,' he said, proposing partnerships with institutions like the University of Pretoria's Biosecurity Hub and leveraging statutory levies for R&D. But the message was not only one of critique, it was a rallying cry for unity and action. 'This Indaba is not about apportioning blame. It is about fixing what has gone wrong,' Steenhuisen said. 'We must break the cycle of reactive containment and move toward proactive, coordinated disease management.' IOL News
The Citizen
4 days ago
- The Citizen
Zama zamas undermine Gauteng with tunnels beneath roads and bridges
Gauteng's highways and suburbs are on the brink as zama zamas erodes vital ground support structures. Marius van der Merwe from QRF Task Team in an illegal mine tunnel on Wednesday in Benoni. Illegal mining in the area is causing major damage to infrastructure. Picture: Michel Bega Zama zamas' illegal underground mining has reached the point where highways and roads around Gauteng are in imminent danger of collapse. Geological research shows that the Witwatersrand reef system beneath Johannesburg is a sedimentary gold deposit formed millions of years ago by rivers and lakes. Over the decades, legitimate mining carved out vast underground networks supported by rock pillars deliberately left intact to stabilise the ground. Zama zamas are tunnelling under major roads When those mines were abandoned, much of the gold remained. For zama zamas, those remnants are the prize. To add to the instability, dolomite rock beneath much of Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni is inherently unstable. ALSO READ: Stilfontein mines sealed, but not everyone is happy with the decision Johannesburg is literally built on a hollow honeycomb. Research by the University of Johannesburg found flooded mine voids increase hydrostatic pressure on dolomitic rock. A study by the University of Pretoria documented over 3 000 cases of subsidence and sinkholes across Gauteng, showing a clear link between disturbed dolomitic land and ground collapse. Places like Springs and Brakpan on the East Rand are seeing bridges slowly erode and roads collapsing, like the Rondebult Road sinkhole, the Snake Road sinkhole and, now, the N12. Bridges slowly erode and road collapsing Private security operative Marius van der Merwe said: 'Roads are literally falling away. The unused part of Eloff Street extension in central Joburg has collapsed twice because there's nothing holding it up any more. 'It's not even a sinkhole in the traditional sense; it's a tunnel right beneath the road surface that's been hollowed out. And it's happening in multiple places at the same time.' ALSO READ: Illegal mining: More than R30m spent on police operations at Stilfontein Illegal mining activity has wiped out Main Reef Road in Benoni, near the Weltevreden landfill. Picture: Michel Bega The Citizen has been there. Shafts lie exposed and gold washing takes place everywhere. Inside the zama zama tunnels there is evidence of mining equipment, the bare basics, old filthy shoes and overalls, half-eaten meals. Some zama zamas sleep underground every now and then, others stay for months. Miners sleep underground It's not unusual to be followed from underground while inspecting a zama zama site. Neither is it far-fetched to have an antiaircraft gun pointed at you from atop a mine dump. Remotely looking like a threat, whether you look like you may rob the miners of their ore or interfere in any way, invites a bullet. ALSO READ: Stilfontein: North West police believe illegal mining kingpin 'Tiger' is not dead Van der Merwe has been battling illegal mining for seven years, sometimes on behalf of clients and other times, because he has seen first-hand the damage done, even in neighbourhoods on the West Rand where he was raised. Illegal miners primarily repurpose old and unused mine shafts and tunnels by blasting away support structures left behind by previous miners which hold up the roofs of the mines. They also collect surface rocks and mine whatever else they can find that contains or may contain a smidgen of gold. Massive underground maze threatens the stability Right next to the M2 highway in downtown Joburg, stretching all the way to the old Eloff Street extension, a massive zama zama underground maze threatens the stability of all structures south of the double decker highway. Rocks are crushed using pandukas, a homemade crushing device powered by electric gate motors, both underground and on the surface, quite openly. ALSO READ: Operations to rescue trapped illegal miners in Roodepoort to continue [VIDEO] A section of the remaining tar of what used to be Main Reef Road in Benoni. Picture: Michel Bega The same happens at Putfontein in Springs and a host of other sites, including Muldersdrift through to sites in Roodepoort and Mogale City. Crushed rocks are washed using any available water source and the runoff, often containing poisonous chemicals like mercury and cyanide, flows back into the groundwater system, eventually into rivers and dams. Van der Merwe is presently engaged with communities where water pollution is not only threatening people, but also wildlife in far northwest Rand reserves. Entire community spring up catering to zama zamas On the Putfontein side of Benoni close to the N12, an entire community has spring up catering to zama zamas. Brothels, fast food, a creche. It's all there. All out in the open, thriving freely while Rome burns. ALSO READ: Trapped illegal miners crying for help at Roodepoort mine shaft, rescue efforts ongoing Van der Merwe spoke of an incident when his team chased illegal miners away from the foundations of the N17 highway bridge. 'They were removing the rock that supports the bridge itself because it contained traces of gold. 'That's the level of damage. 'National infrastructure threat' 'It's not just a community issue; it's a national infrastructure threat.' The police had not responded to questions about what law enforcement is doing about the scourge by the time of publication. NOW READ: Saftu wants zama zama industry regulated
Daily Maverick
6 days ago
- Health
- Daily Maverick
If your cigarette box isn't disgusting, it's not doing its job
A throat ulcer. Bloody urine. A sick baby. That's what smokers in other countries see. In South Africa? For now, it's a tiny black box. In Bangladesh, cigarette packs show a photo of an ulcer on a throat or someone on a ventilator. Mexico's show bloody urine in a toilet or a woman with breast cancer. In South Africa, a small black box reads: 'Warning: Smoking kills.' When warning signs are big, graphic and swapped out regularly, they stop people from smoking, according to the World Health Organization's (WHO) latest Global Tobacco Epidemic report, which focuses on these types of warning signs and anti-tobacco marketing. Yet, despite the WHO finding that South Africa – along with Lesotho – has the highest proportion of adults who smoke daily in Africa, our warnings are outdated. The regulations, last updated in 1995, require health warnings that cover 15% of the front of a cigarette pack, far below the WHO's recommendation of at least 50%. Local cigarette packs have eight different warning texts, such as 'Danger: Smoking causes cancer' and 'Warning: Don't smoke around children', but none shows images. There are also no warning regulations for e-cigarette packaging, which often have fruity flavours wrapped in colourful pictures that targets young people, says Lekan Ayo-Yusuf, a public health expert from the University of Pretoria and a member of the WHO's study group on tobacco product regulation. 'We don't have graphic warnings [which is a problem because] many people can't read the text that's only in English, and we don't enforce laws around advertisement, particularly for e-cigarettes.' That will change if Parliament passes the Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill, which would require all tobacco products (including e-cigarettes) to have plain packaging and a graphic warning that covers at least 65% of the front of packaging. 'Weak' text-only warnings The WHO recommends cigarette pack warnings as one of six ways to stop people from smoking, along with tracking tobacco use and raising taxes on it. These warnings should be graphic, in colour, cover at least half of the pack, alternate often to target different groups – such as pregnant women and young people – and be printed in a country's main languages. Picture warnings showing the harms of smoking, like blackened lungs or children in hospital beds, are harder to ignore than text warnings alone. That's because they keep people's attention, help develop negative emotions around cigarettes like fear or disgust, and lessen the desire to start smoking or encourage quitting. According to the WHO report, about 110 countries use cigarette graphic warnings, but 40 – including South Africa – still have 'weak' text-only labels or none at all. Canada was the first to adopt graphic warnings, in 2001, using images like rotten teeth and red eyes with text such as 'When you smoke it shows' to cover 50% of the front and back of cigarette packs. Nine months after their introduction, a survey of 432 smokers found that about one in five were smoking less. Australia, which has been using graphic warnings since 2006, introduced plain packaging in 2012 to make health warnings work better and discourage smoking. Their cigarette packs also include health warnings and can't show branding apart from the product name. Combined with bans on public smoking and higher tobacco taxes, it has helped lower adult smoking. 'The colour of the pack makes a difference' Under South Africa's proposed anti-smoking legislation, all cigarette packs sold in the country will carry plain packaging and graphic warnings. Tobacco products will be wrapped in a uniform plain colour chosen by the health minister and must have warnings that cover at least 65% of the front and back. Cigarette packs must show messages about the harms of smoking or benefits of quitting, information about what the product contains and emits, and include pictures or graphics that show the health risks. 'Our tests show that around 80% works well… but the Bill is very good and will change the whole tobacco and nicotine control landscape,' says Ayo-Yusuf. Local research among university students showed that plain packaging with a 75% graphic warning lowered how much satisfaction smokers get from cigarettes. Non-smokers were also least likely to want to try a plain pack compared with a branded one. 'The colour of the pack makes a difference,' says Ayo-Yusuf. 'South Africans look at their pack in making a brand choice, and that choice is linked to what we call the expected sensory experience [how satisfying smoking is], which leads to smoking more cigarettes a day.' The rules on packaging and warnings won't stop at cigarettes. They will also apply to nicotine products like e-cigarettes (or vapes) – devices that heat a liquid containing flavourings such as gummy bear or cherry peach lemon in colourful packaging that appeals to children. While they are marketed as 'less harmful' than cigarettes, because they don't burn tobacco, they are still addictive and can cause lung damage. Plain packaging makes e-cigarettes less appealing to young people. In a 2023 survey of 2,469 adolescents (11 to 18 years old) in Great Britain, researchers found that among those who had never smoked before, 40% said they had no interest in trying e-cigarettes shown in plain green packaging – compared with 33% for branded packs. Nevertheless, plain packaging has become one of the main targets of the tobacco industry's pushback against the Bill. Big Tobacco strikes back The Tobacco Bill has been in the making since 2018 but only got to Parliament in December 2022 after years of contention. Because South Africa's rules on advertising tobacco are strict, Big Tobacco relies on packaging as a marketing tool. The industry claims that if every box of cigarettes has the same plain packaging, smokers won't be able to tell legal from counterfeit cigarettes, which will promote illicit trade. When cigarettes are produced illegally with fake trademarks or sold to customers before taxes are paid on the goods, it is seen as illicit trade. While companies have long exaggerated how big the illicit market is, a 2023 study in South African Crime Quarterly found it mostly involves legitimate local manufacturers who dodge taxes while still producing branded cigarettes. 'Currently, they're already producing these cigarettes and not paying taxes. Even if [all the boxes look the same] it's not going to make it any worse or less,' says Ayo-Yusuf. The industry also argues that the Bill is a missed opportunity to get people to stop smoking cigarettes, because it groups 'less-harmful new categories of nicotine products' with traditional cigarettes – even though studies show they aren't harm-free. But Ayo-Yusuf says their protests are premature; the detailed regulations that spell out exactly which warnings will apply to which products will only come later. For example, current rules list eight warning texts that must alternate on cigarette packs, while smokeless tobacco products only carry one about oral cancer. 'They are jumping ahead by claiming you can't regulate vapes the same way as cigarettes. The regulation could say that cigarette packs must have a graphic of a sick baby, while vapes show an image of someone chained to addiction.' In a Parliamentary hearing last month, the industry continued to double down during public comment on the Bill, saying that applying the same packaging rules on all nicotine products is too strict and should instead be tested gradually. Once the hearings end, it will be up to the National Assembly to pass, amend or reject the Bill before it finally goes to the National Council of Provinces and then the President to be signed into law.
The Star
15-07-2025
- Health
- The Star
Confronting food insecurity at SA universities during Mandela Month
Dr Kgadi Mathabathe | Published 3 hours ago Contrary to the stereotype of universities as bastions of privilege, studies show a different – and often grim – reality for many South African students. At universities across the country, levels of food insecurity range from 11% to 38% , which means a significant portion of our future leaders are trying to study on an empty stomach or are distracted from their books by worries over where their next meal will come from. As South Africa and the world commemorate Mandela Month and emulate the spirit of giving that characterised South Africa's first democratically elected president, it is an opportune time to throw a renewed spotlight onto a silent crisis that many of us are not even aware of. Food insecurity is not just about empty stomachs: it impacts mental health, concentration, attendance, retention and even dropout rates. For those who have enough to eat, the benefits are clear: students who are not hungry are nearly twice as likely to progress academically. For the up to 38% facing a degree of food insecurity, lack of adequate nutrition deepens the cycle of inequality, especially among African and first-generation students, undermining the very mission of higher education as a ladder for social mobility. As higher education institutions, in partnership with government, corporate donors and the general public, we need holistic, collaborative and sustainable solutions to help all our students focus on their primary task: gaining the education and skills needed to help steer our country and continent into a brighter future. Some ideas include: Scale up and destigmatise food support : We should expand programmes like the University of Pretoria's Student Nutrition and Progress Programme (SNAPP), which includes the distribution of food parcels as well as vouchers for hot meals to bring relief directly to students on campus who need help with access to nutritious food. Research has shown many students are hesitant to apply for help because of the stigma attached to food programmes, so we must normalise participation through discreet access and inclusive promotion. Institutionalise campus food systems : We must establish permanent food gardens, student-run dignity kitchens and farmers' markets to increase access to fresh, affordable food. We should also partner with businesses and NGOs to leverage existing models for coordinated, sustainable delivery. Unlock systemic support : Urgent reform is needed concerning National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) disbursements to ensure that allowances (especially for food) are adequate and paid timeously. We must also advocate for national policy that guarantees the right to food for students, with dedicated budgets, legislation and accountability. Turn surplus food into nourishment : We must partner with non-profit organisations whose core business is the re-directing of good quality surplus food (10 million tonnes are wasted annually, yet 30 million South Africans face food insecurity) into nutritious student meals. Monitor, evaluate and advocate : We should run a national survey to probe student food insecurity, with transparent data to inform targeted interventions and encourage cross-sector dialogue, from learners to policymakers, building on initiatives like the Access to Food for Students Project. As we commemorate Mandela Month, I make a renewed call to all who can help our students, whether through an individual or corporate donation of funds or food, or through your assistance in creating the legislation and/or NSFAS reforms needed to ensure no student goes hungry. Members of the public who can donate can approach a university of their choice and ask about student nutrition programmes and ways of making donations, whether in cash or kind. By sacrificing food for fees or transport, many of our students lose the focus, energy and dignity essential to learning. As stewards of their futures, we must commit to systems that allow every student to thrive, starting with what they need most: their next meal. Let this Mandela Month mark the beginning of a movement: each food parcel, scholarship and advocacy effort bringing us closer to the promise of equitable, hunger-free learning spaces. The University of Pretoria is running its annual UP Giving Month campaign during July to support its Student Nutrition and Progress Programme (SNAPP) and the Vice Chancellor and Principal's Scholarship Fund, which provides scholarships to struggling 'missing middle' students. Dr Kgadi Mathabathe, Director: Student Affairs, University of Pretoria The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the University of Pretoria.
IOL News
14-07-2025
- General
- IOL News
Confronting food insecurity at SA universities during Mandela Month
This Mandela Day, participants' hands can fill plates. Volunteers will be part of a powerful movement, working alongside fellow changemakers to pack essential food items. Image: Supplied Contrary to the stereotype of universities as bastions of privilege, studies show a different – and often grim – reality for many South African students. At universities across the country, levels of food insecurity range from 11% to 38%, which means a significant portion of our future leaders are trying to study on an empty stomach or are distracted from their books by worries over where their next meal will come from. As South Africa and the world commemorate Mandela Month and emulate the spirit of giving that characterised South Africa's first democratically elected president, it is an opportune time to throw a renewed spotlight onto a silent crisis that many of us are not even aware of. Food insecurity is not just about empty stomachs: it impacts mental health, concentration, attendance, retention and even dropout rates. For those who have enough to eat, the benefits are clear: students who are not hungry are nearly twice as likely to progress academically. For the up to 38% facing a degree of food insecurity, lack of adequate nutrition deepens the cycle of inequality, especially among African and first-generation students, undermining the very mission of higher education as a ladder for social mobility. Dr Kgadi Mathabathe, Director: Student Affairs, University of Pretoria Image: Supplied Fighting food insecurity on campus As higher education institutions, in partnership with government, corporate donors and the general public, we need holistic, collaborative and sustainable solutions to help all our students focus on their primary task: gaining the education and skills needed to help steer our country and continent into a brighter future. Some ideas include: Scale up and destigmatise food support: We should expand programmes like the University of Pretoria's Student Nutrition and Progress Programme (SNAPP), which includes the distribution of food parcels as well as vouchers for hot meals to bring relief directly to students on campus who need help with access to nutritious food. Research has shown many students are hesitant to apply for help because of the stigma attached to food programmes, so we must normalise participation through discreet access and inclusive promotion. Institutionalise campus food systems: We must establish permanent food gardens, student-run dignity kitchens and farmers' markets to increase access to fresh, affordable food. We should also partner with businesses and NGOs to leverage existing models for coordinated, sustainable delivery. Unlock systemic support: Urgent reform is needed concerning National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) disbursements to ensure that allowances (especially for food) are adequate and paid timeously. We must also advocate for national policy that guarantees the right to food for students, with dedicated budgets, legislation and accountability. Turn surplus food into nourishment: We must partner with non-profit organisations whose core business is the re-directing of good quality surplus food (10 million tonnes are wasted annually, yet 30 million South Africans face food insecurity) into nutritious student meals. Monitor, evaluate and advocate: We should run a national survey to probe student food insecurity, with transparent data to inform targeted interventions and encourage cross-sector dialogue, from learners to policymakers, building on initiatives like the Access to Food for Students Project. As we commemorate Mandela Month, I make a renewed call to all who can help our students, whether through an individual or corporate donation of funds or food, or through your assistance in creating the legislation and/or NSFAS reforms needed to ensure no student goes hungry. Members of the public who can donate can approach a university of their choice and ask about student nutrition programmes and ways of making donations, whether in cash or kind. By sacrificing food for fees or transport, many of our students lose the focus, energy and dignity essential to learning. As stewards of their futures, we must commit to systems that allow every student to thrive, starting with what they need most: their next meal. Let this Mandela Month mark the beginning of a movement: each food parcel, scholarship and advocacy effort bringing us closer to the promise of equitable, hunger-free learning spaces. The University of Pretoria is running its annual UP Giving Month campaign during July to support its Student Nutrition and Progress Programme (SNAPP) and the Vice Chancellor and Principal's Scholarship Fund, which provides scholarships to struggling 'missing middle' students. Dr Kgadi Mathabathe, Director: Student Affairs, University of Pretoria The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the University of Pretoria.
