WATCH | KZN transport department investigates video of driver’s licenses on the ground in Rossburgh

Hlengiwe Mbedzi
-
0
WATCH | KZN transport department investigates video of driver’s licenses on the ground in Rossburgh

A video inviting people to collect their license cards from Rossburgh Driver License Testing Centre in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, has caused a stir from many.

The video, making its rounds on social media, shows a number of driver license cards on the ground. The voice on the video is inviting those waiting for their license cards from the Rossburgh Driver Licence Testing Centre to collect them.

A number of people said they were left confused since the testing centre had been closed following the KwaZulu-Natal floods.

A man told The Witness that he has been waiting for his license since January and was shocked to hear they had to collect them.

“The state they were in was terrible. I was already worried about my license when I heard the testing centre was flooded. That video just made things worse that my friend and I immediately went there only to find it was closed,” he said.

The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport spokesperson, Kwanele Ncalane, said the department has instituted an internal investigation into the video.

“The unauthorised video is disrespectfully inviting members of the public to come collect their licenses. This manner of approach is not in line with the Batho-Pele values that the department promotes. With the Rossburgh DLTC currently under clean up operations we currently have more than 100 people on the premises, including the Expanded Public Works (EPWP) members who are part of the clean-up team,” said Ncalane.

He said the department has tasked the management of the station to investigate the origins of the video.

The head of department, Siboniso Mbhele, said that public documentation such as the application of learners and licence cards should also be handled with care even in an event of a disaster.

“The station remains closed with some services relocated to other offices. We are in the process of assessing the extent of damage of some of our documentation before deciding on which people we can be able to issue their documents, and which will need to restart the process. However, all the necessary communication will be done in the correct platforms and in a correct manner. The video being circulated is therefore not an official government communique and should therefore not be treated as such,” said Mbhele.

He said they have directed the management of Rossburgh to do an investigation as to where the video originated and to determine who was behind the ‘mischievous act’.

He added they were hoping to resume the collection of the cards this week but that was subjected to the safety assessment which will have to be conducted.

Farmers hard hit by KZN floods

Ben Johnson
-
0
Farmers hard hit by KZN floods

Durban – A sugar cane and macadamia nuts farmer, Peter Richards of Hibberdene on the KwaZulu-Natal’s south coast who suffered damages worth millions due to floods says only relief will rescue them as farms are not insured.

Richards said over three hectares of sugar cane plantation were washed away when hillsides flipped as a result of heavy rains last week. He said several sections of his 400-plus hectare farm were inaccessible as bridges collapsed.

The cane industry was the most affected in agriculture with SA Canegrowers estimating R222 million in losses across the province. Richards said his farms required major rehabilitation on the hillsides that would cost hundreds of thousands to be able to replant.

“The damages occurred include infrastructure such as roads and bridges within the farm which is key to access the farm. The replanting will not be easy as the roads and land were hugely damaged,” he said.

“We have loads of cane that was already harvested but we cannot take it out due to road damage. The small farmers also have their harvest ready for collection but farms are inaccessible. We fear that the cane will get rotten and cause further loss.

“There are also a lot of small cane growers who cannot get their cane out due to road damage. They will not be able to take their cane to the milling and make money. It is worrying and their only hope is promised relief from the government that can revive their business,” said.

He said his macadamia trees suffered minimal damages as he was busy with harvesting.

Richards said they have submitted their reports detailing all the damages suffered to the Department of Agriculture through KZN Agricultural Union, Kwanalu.

Minister of Agriculture, Land Affairs and Rural Development, Thoko Didiza, met with all the agriculture stakeholders this week to discuss how the relief would be dispersed.

Didiza said a steering committee has been established to facilitate the relief process to assist all the affected farmers. “The committee will be led by our provincial Department of Agriculture, national and representatives from farmers’ organisations. We have not concluded the assessment to determine the needed funds, we will soon approach the treasury once we have established the total damages.

“In terms of priority, the committee will lead us on what should be prioritised on relief. Farmers have raised many issues, including infrastructure, crop damages and land degradation, etc. There are many needs but we have to prioritise which are immediate ones we need to address to allow economic activities.

“From our engagement with farmers, they indicated that the access to farms was a stumbling block, we will have to look at the road infrastructure, and fertilisers for replanting. There are also communal farms which are deep in the countryside that need our urgent assistance,” said Didiza.

With regard to fears of corruption that have been raised by opposition parties, Didza said they would try as best as they could to ensure there would be no corruption in the implementation of the relief programmes.

Meanwhile, the eThekwini Municipality has announced that preliminary data showed that more than 1 000 businesses located within the city have been impacted, suggesting hundreds of millions of rands in damages.

A report presented by the City’s economic development unit indicated that the most affected sectors of the economy were manufacturing with an estimated damage of R431m, agriculture R12.6m, construction R18m, wholesale and retail R46m, and warehousing and logistics R33m. A further 110 small businesses were impacted with an estimated damage of R20m. SUNDAY TRIBUNE

Watch: Crowd loots a Shoprite truck on Dumisani Makhaye Drive near Ntuzuma

Hayley Jacobs
-
0
Watch: Crowd loots a Shoprite truck on Dumisani Makhaye Drive near Ntuzuma

Tough times following a week of destruction and devastation or lawlessness is the order of the day in KwaZulu-Natal? One would ask after a video of a crowd looting a Shoprite truck emerged online.

The video, captured on Dumisani Makhaye drive on Monday morning between Newlands East and Ntuzuma, shows a crowd busy looting a Shoprite truck which was stuck on the highway.

The looters flee back into the nearby houses as armed security and Metro police arrive and starts shooting in the air to disperse the crowd.

One is reminded of the mass looting which happened last year in July where over 300 people were killed and millions worth of goods looted from warehouses and shops.

Just this past week, over 400 people died in the floods following heavy rains in KwaZulu-Natal.

With over R1 billion’s worth of infrastructure damage estimated across the province, lawlessness of this nature will only further harm the battered economy.

The eThekwini Municipality was the worst affected in the floods which have proved to be the worst natural disasters to ever hit KZN and the country as a whole.

A state of disaster has been declared for the eThekwini region and disaster relief funds have been already been approved for the victims.

There are fears of unrests in Durban again after looting were reported in Umlazi, south of Durban when other parts of the province were still reeling from the impact of the floods.

Two shops were broken into and looted in the township. Protests were also reported in KwaMashu after the community complained that eThekwini Municipality was taking too long to fix electricity lines in their community.

Read also: Two killed after Eldo Coaches bus collide with car in Durban CBD

Watch the video below, shared on SA Trucker Facebook Page:

Intercape, APM buses stoned as attacks on long-distance buses persist in Eastern Cape

Ben Johnson
-
0
Intercape, APM buses stoned as attacks on long-distance buses persist in Eastern Cape

As the indiscriminate attacks on long-distance buses in Eastern Cape persist, a bus from Intercape and another from APM were stoned last night shattering the windscreens and windows.

The ongoing attacks are suspected to be caused by minibus taxi operators struggling to fairly compete with the long distance buses.

Eastern Cape Department of Transport MEC Weziwe Tikana-Gxotiwe condemned the attacks which he says would endanger the lives of innocent passengers.

Unconfirmed reports also suggested that an Eldo Coaches bus was attacked on the same night.

“The attacks have been disturbingly prominent on the R61 road connecting the Eastern Cape with the Western Cape. The latest of those occurred in Cradock last night, where buses from two different companies, (Intercape and APM) came under attack, with drivers’ windscreens smashed and passenger windows were not spared either,” said Tikana-Gxotiwe.

Tikana-Gxotiwe has condemned these attacks in the strongest possible terms, calling on law enforcement to act in protection of lives of innocent passengers and those doing business in the province.

“What is happening on our roads is completely unacceptable and could potentially lead to massive loss of lives. We have to act to prevent these from recurring. We urge the law enforcement to be extra vigilant, we urge them to be proactive. To protect the innocent lives of passengers and protect businesses operating within the province. All those who are behind these barbaric acts, whoever they are, must face the might of the law,” said Tikana-Gxotiwe.

The department also wishes to extend a word of gratitude to those passengers who continue to expose these barbaric acts by bringing them to authorities’ attention by sharing them, even on various media platforms.

Two killed after Eldo Coaches bus collide with car in Durban CBD

Ben Johnson
-
0
Two killed after Eldo Coaches bus collide with car in Durban CBD

Traffic is massively backed up on the N3 Durban bound approaching the CBD following a fatal bus crash on Alice street this Friday morning.

According to ALS Paramedics, the horrific crash involving a bus from Eldo Coaches, a light motor vehicle and multiple pedestrians happened just after 06h30 this morning.

Paramedics arrived on scene to find total carnage as they found the vehicles had collided and went to plough into multiple pedestrians.

“Two female pedestrians in their 20s and 30s, unfortunately, sustained fatal injuries.

“They were declared deceased on the scene. A further 10 patients are currently been treated on the scene before they will be transported to nearby hospitals,” ALS Paramedics said.

Events leading up to the fatal accident are unknown at this stage, however police are on scene and will be investigating further.

Traffic coming into Durban CBD is severely affected as the scene is taking three lanes on Alice Street as you enter the CBD.

Eldo bus accident
Alice Street closed to traffic as emergency personnel attend the fatal bus crash scene. Pic supplied

Motorists are advised to avoid this area and use alternatives. Durban SUN

4 Zimbabweans Sentenced to 8 Years in Jail for Cellphone Tower Battery Theft

Ben Johnson
-
0
4 Zimbabweans Sentenced to 8 Years in Jail for Cellphone Tower Battery Theft

Four Zimbabwean nationals have been sentenced to eight years imprisonment for tampering with essential infrastructure.

The four, Milton Ncube (36), Talent Moyo (26), Malacky Moyo (47), and Mphokeleli Ndlovu (26) were sentenced by the Klerksdorp Regional Court on Friday, 11 February 2022.

They were arrested in September 2019 in Klerksdorp for theft of 18 lithium batteries from a cellphone tower belonging to one of South Africa’s cellphone service providers.

North West police spokesperson Captain Aafje Botma said that batteries were stolen from the tower and replaced, but the next day they were stolen again.

“Consequent to the intensive search by the police and private security personnel in Klerksdorp, a white Toyota Fortuner was spotted driving away from the tower. The suspects were chased and arrested in Potchefstroom by the local Flying Squad members,” Botma said.

He added that 18 batteries were found in their vehicle. The accused were linked to two more cases of tampering with essential infrastructure committed in September 2019 in Klerksdorp and Potchefstroom respectively.

The accused’s bail application was successfully opposed. As a result, they remained in custody until their sentencing.

The court further declared them unfit to possess firearms and ordered for their deportation to Zimbabwe after completion of their sentences.

The North West Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena lauded all role players for their dedication that resulted in securing the conviction and sentences which he said will certainly sound a warning that those who tamper or destroy essential infrastructure, will be dealt with harshly.

Why Social Media and Internet Marketing, A South African Perspective

Ben Johnson
-
0
Why Social Media and Internet Marketing, A South African Perspective

Why Social Media and Internet Marketing, A South African Perspective

 

Web-based media and internet showcasing in South Africa

With more than 6 million web clients in South Africa, 4.5 million on Facebook, and almost 1 million on Twitter, you can’t disregard the promoting potential presented by internet advertising and online media.

Google+, Tumblr, and StumbleUpon are digging up some authentic confidence among the early adopters of SA and could be the future advertising vehicle for your internet-based association’s image system.

Web-based advertising can further develop brand mindfulness and increment deals potential with internet searcher (SEO) web search tool (SEO), yet hardly any exploit practical web-based showcasing instruments.

Online Media Marketing

Social promoting has its own arrangement of rules and my recommendation is to utilize the administrations of a legitimate web-based media master to assist with the arrangement and introductory arranging. For those without a financial plan and practically zero advertising experience there is a ton of help on the net, simply recall that social promoting consumes most of the day and may not merit the work in specific ventures.

Facebook has progressed as an advertising stage since the times of making gatherings and welcoming however many companions as could reasonably be expected to sell your product, frequently with blended outcomes.

Twitter as a showcasing device is additionally underused in SA as the insights uncover that most of us never tweet and individual experience has persuaded me that most associations don’t have a reasonable online media advertising methodology.

Posts and Tweets should be pertinent to your industry, which is the reason we follow you next. Clearly, this doesn’t matter to explicit contests however we are truly not intrigued by “statements of the day” or uneven features.

Exploration and arranging are basic to any effective social promoting system, so pose these basic inquiries first:

 

  • – Who is my market?
  • On what social stage would I be able to discover them?
  • – What are their requirements?
  • How would they utilize web-based media?

– What makes my OVP (Online Value Proposition) unique in relation to my disconnected contributions and for what reason do they pick me?

There are stunning advancements right now in plain view with brands that are exploiting Facebook as a stage to draw in their clients.

There are BIG SA organizations but they actually commit errors with day-by-day self-advancement and with definitely no investment or criticism. Terrible remarks on their updates will not request a reaction… I can’t help thinking about how that helps their image!

South Africans have been delayed to accept web-based media as a reasonable publicizing/CRM stage, and I accept they are not putting enough of their assets in web-based promoting.

Practically everyday improvements on Facebook and Google+ alone are the fantasy of any advertiser (from making sites on Facebook to a large group of other promoting highlights that will be examined later).

Online media promoting is both baffling and valuable to buyers and brands the same. Achievement or disappointment in the arranging, asset allotment, and enthusiasm for web-based media by an individual or association.

Explore The Beauty Of Africa On Your Safari Travel

Ben Johnson
-
0
Explore The Beauty Of Africa On Your Safari Travel

Explore The Beauty Of Africa On Your Safari Travel

Durban Sun AVvXsEg6B63Kvo2Bi9 KEZtaBoTVk6xJHqChzUb7IrwWghO3WG2Bz546zobD6X dmblwtYiZWpy7VxMV5r5ljlfFIUitJc24W09AgD

At the point when you go on a safari, your first experience will be to see the tranquil quiet of nature that downers into your heart. And yet, the sound of bugs and untamed life energizes your daring soul, knowing there’s still a lot to be restrained under the African sun.

At Excape Tours and Travel, we offer you our administration to orchestrate the ideal safari intend to suit all your requirements. Starting around 1996 we have been arranging bespoke custom safari visits to South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Zambia and Mozambique. Regardless of whether you need an extravagance trip with the most extreme in solace and style, or you need to be unified with nature and go setting up camp, Excape can arrange it. We can orchestrate everything from convenience to local area experts, flights, vehicle rental and train outings to additional exercises, for example, wine sampling, fishing, climbing, sight-seeing balloon rides and even connoisseur visits.

At the point when you go on a safari, you can hope to see significantly something other than the Big Five (which are: elephants, lions, panthers, wild oxen, and obviously, rhinos). The variety of the scene will be verification that it is a characteristic miracle alone. What’s more, when you are very close with the untamed life of Africa, you won’t simply observe yourself to be thankful to the furnished and authorized “endorsed” local area expert close by, however you will grow another appreciation for the excellence of Africa.

  • A few hints when taking a Safari Travel visit:
  • (It likewise relies obviously upon the sort of convenience you pick)
  • Most importantly, check the flight date, times and flight number something like 24 hours before takeoff.

When entering specific spaces of South Africa, it is savvy to get the suitable inoculation for intestinal sickness and yellow fever. We will actually want to tell you in case this is important, as certain nations might require a testament before passage, and to guarantee you have a sound and charming outing.

A creepy crawly nibble cream would likewise be insightful (after all Africa), for wellbeing reasons, yet additionally to keep away from the annoyance factor of getting chomps superfluously irritated.

You may likewise discover solace in staying aware of neighborhood news, particularly in case you are voyaging alone. And keeping in mind that voyaging, the most ideal approach to acquire information and stay aware of the exercises is just by asking local people.

While you are voyaging, we propose that you don’t convey any assets with you, however on the off chance that or when you do, don’t convey them openly. Putting resources into a portable purse will be an incredible resource for your outing.

Never leave your assets unattended!

Plan for the climate by pressing the right garments and frill. In spite of the fact that Africa is hot, the evenings can get very crisp in the colder time of year, so it is shrewd to bring a comfortable coat. Shades, a cap, and open to strolling shoes will likewise be essential.

In case you are feeling gutsy and decide to drive yourself, simply recall a couple of things: stay alert, try not to go around evening time and wear your safety belt consistently. In certain nations, especially in provincial regions, the streets are regularly ineffectively kept up with, and furthermore watch out for any huge homegrown creatures, for example, dairy cattle and sheep there that might cross your way.

Regular water is by and large fine to drink in numerous spaces, however in the event that you like, filtered water is broadly accessible.

Then, at that point, at long last, recall the camera! You will not have any desire to miss catching the excellence of Africa!

In light of everything, when you book your Safari visit, sit back, put your feet up and become mixed up in the motivation of the untamed life experience that anticipates you. Since in your undertaking you will just experience living in “African time”, and that truly implies unwinding in its most flawless structure.

South African Newspapers Look Towards the iPad

Ben Johnson
-
0
South African Newspapers Look Towards the iPad

South African Newspapers Look Towards the iPad

Durban Sun AVvXsEiauHteTFFem6yF4htDnIiAV5umxnEISjxEjLF10YWqLTkwjnf92ablyA70p8qB8ovBPuWUFO4Y5knl5mE73C7drEGyjvRXx4dRjNL7qaxfIiA7eXd7jtrApgoRkHN0RpYyBqRrEkqxrq5kywpCK0weFPsvspPZTCLUXYjfZTyuphMVjJh mWJ LA9d=s320

News Corp’s advanced paper, The Daily, will deliver the iPad in the main seven-day stretch of February 2011. The paper has been energetically expected for the beyond a couple of months, particularly since Richard Branson has as of now dispatched an iPad magazine called Project and a significant number of its different distributions have directed their concentration toward explicit ventures on iPad. Large numbers of these main had prompt accomplishment as deals plunged throughout the months, driving many to theorize that advanced just distributions may be ablaze overall. In any case, Murdoch declares that the iPad (and probably comparative tablets) is a “game-evolving specialist,” indicating that it will give Google’s media industry and free substance.

It’s difficult to disregard the appeal of computerized papers for distributing houses who see their promoting income shift to different structures, most prominently on the web and portable media. It has been hard for a customary medium like print to change its game to contend with more up-to-date, hotter online media, and as more individuals carry on with their lives in a hurry, versatility is turning out to be progressively significant.

One could contend that it has no more traffic than the paper, however, this takes a somewhat biased view on the matter.

South Africa can be blamed for falling behind the global local area in numerous spaces, however the media isn’t one of them. Apparently, the South African media industry is at the bleeding edge of innovation with Media24 Group as one of the main pioneers. Subsequently, it should not shock anyone that Media24 as of now has applications for tablets.

As per a TechCentral article, Media24 isn’t the main distributing house exploiting the computerized market. South Africa’s littlest public paper, The New Age, which has effectively had its reasonable part of discussion, basically had the premonition to dispatch the iPad rendition of the distribution simultaneously as its print release. Albeit the iPad was just formally delivered in South Africa toward the finish of January, the paper felt that the computerized variant was important to be pertinent to the advanced market.

For the time being, its iPad highlights are as yet fundamental, yet the distributing house shrewdly concluded it would like to zero in on taking out any crimps in its print release, which is its essential concentration, as opposed to giving computerized “fancy odds and ends.” However, there are plans to foster its own advanced applications.

The Mail and Guardian is additionally, as indicated by TechCentral, bound to tablets since it has employed Cobi Interactive to create cell phone and tablet applications for the paper. And keeping in mind that M&G’s head of advanced stages, Alistair Fairweather, said they’re as yet in the early improvement stage, an iPad form is normal soon. There are likewise anticipates a Blackberry application and a computerized adaptation for the Kindle.

Why We Should Support Proudly South African Products

Ben Johnson
-
0
Why We Should Support Proudly South African Products

Why We Should Support Proudly South African Products

Durban Sun AVvXsEjaIvZKHcOFu6wZCVqvIWTMQjwMhLEdHQEylY 5X6 HzeD44ixyfyWZSaUneSEwV0GiW0w9EFtga9xwvygczF7P9vt3iJjxSz9ZqDday5MvX7TBe2F8Bk9OTxsU

There is an entire host of motivations behind why all South Africans gladly support South African items, however the principle part of the Nedlac drive is to make more positions inside our nation’s boundaries.

By far most of South Africans want positive change in our youngster majority rules system and purchasing items or administrations decorated with the Proudly South African logo is a basic method to make the most of our financial impact.

To be a piece of the Proudly South African mission, producers and specialist co-ops are needed to observe severe guidelines that incorporate

  • All labor and products with a base substance of half neighborhood content, including business
  • All part organizations take on reasonable work and business rehearses
  • All part organizations set sound ecological principles

These norms are the structure squares of capable and manageable strategic approaches that can just work on the existences of every single South African, and will surely upgrade South Africa’s picture abroad, especially in the business area.

It is assessed that between 25 new positions are made for each million spent on privately delivered items and when we investigate South Australia’s joblessness insights and their effect on wrongdoing, everybody we should put forth a deliberate attempt to gladly purchase South Africa.

The battle against joblessness

Regardless of whether the Proudly South African mission has any impact on the most recent joblessness insights is obscure, albeit the positive news is that joblessness levels tumbled to 23% in September 2007, a record low since the Labor Force Survey started in 2001.

As indicated by South African insights, around 13.2 million individuals were utilized, a net increase of in excess of 430 thousand positions. The country’s phenomenal development has been appraised as the main thrust behind work creation – in the beyond six years, South Africa’s roaring economy has added more than 2.1 million positions.

wrongdoing busting

There is an unquestionable connection between joblessness, destitution and wrongdoing, and in case we are not kidding about making this dynamic and possibly extraordinary country one of the forerunners in the worldwide town, then, at that point, these three fiasco zones should be controlled and rapidly.

South Africans have been prisoner to the influx of jolting wrongdoing that has cleared the country for quite a while and every one of us knows about the harm it has caused to financial backer certainty. Essentially, without significant speculations, South Africa is at risk for turning out to be simply one more ordinary African country. Fortunately wrongdoing is declining, with a 6.4% diminishing generally.

In short then, at that point, the Proudly South African mission is genuinely a steadfastness program for every South African, each of the 48 million of us, as individuals. There is no question that on the off chance that we keep on supporting labor and products in South Africa, the existences of all South Africans will improve inconceivably.

1...16171819Page 17 of 19