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KHOI SAN ROOIBOS MILLIONS PAYOUTS @KASIBCNEWS
KHOI SAN ROOIBOS MILLIONS PAYOUTS @KASIBCNEWS
History was made this past week when the Rooibos industry disbursed the first round of benefit-sharing funds to the National Khoi and San Council and the South African San Council as part of an Access and Benefit-sharing (ABS) agreement that was signed between the parties in 2019.
As a signatory to the Nagoya Protocol, South Africa requires all who trade in indigenous biological resources to share benefits with traditional knowledge holders in a fair and equitable way.
Negotiations between the parties began as far back as 2014, when the Khoi and San were recognised by the South African government as the rightful traditional knowledge holders of Rooibos.
The Rooibos ABS agreement is one of SA’s success stories with respect to the implementation of the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act (NEMBA), the Access and Benefit-Sharing Regulations (BABS Regulations), as well as the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of the Benefits arising from their utilisation.
The agreement is a first-of-its-kind in the world. Other agreements involved specific companies and traditional knowledge holders, whereas this agreement encompasses the entire industry, ensuring all volumes of Rooibos sold are levied through one process.
Going forward, a benefit-sharing levy of 1.5% of the farm gate price will be paid into a trust annually.
To ensure financial propriety, a lengthy, but necessary administrative process preceded the R12,2 million payout that was generated in the first year of farmgate purchases.
The amount was paid into the Bioprospecting Trust Fund/Suspense account before being transferred into the two Community Trust accounts established by the South African San Council and the National Khoisan Council. The money received by the Department has been shared equally between the two respective communities with the Khoi-Khoi Peoples Biodiversity and Rooibos Trust and the Andries Steenkamp ABS Trust each receiving R6 138 961.25. These monies only relate to the Rooibos Benefit-Sharing Agreement.
The two Councils are presently finalising processes and procedures on how the money received will be distributed across the Khoi-Khoi and San Communities.
The funds received will also be used to protect their cultural heritage, to advance education and development within the community and to improve their livelihoods with respect, honesty, fairness and care. Community structures are to be assisted to develop governance structures before the benefit is shared.
The Khoi-Khoi Biodiversity Trust is developing a comprehensive plan to distribute the funds in a way that will secure equity and fairness to all. It will be guided by a set of principles and policies, and communities will only be able to access funds by submitting a formal business plan to the CEO of the Trust. This process will be communicated to the different community structures and be followed up by workshops.
Martin Bergh, Chairperson of the SA Rooibos Council (SARC) says the industry is delighted that the first funds have now been paid to the representatives of the Khoi and San people and remain committed to the terms of the Access and Benefit-sharing agreement.
THE QUALITY OF SERVICES OFFERED BY CHARLOTTE MAXEKE HOSPITAL @KASIBCNEWS
THE QUALITY OF SERVICES OFFERED BY CHARLOTTE MAXEKE HOSPITAL @KASIBCNEWS
The Gauteng Department of Health would like to clarify the misinformation circulating on social media platforms regarding the quality of service offered by the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital’s (CMJAH) Urology Department.
CMJAH Urology Department is a highly specialised unit which services many hospitals beyond the province of Gauteng, with only 31 beds for admissions. Many patients are referred from outward provinces like the North-West, Limpopo and Mpumalanga, which naturally puts a strain on an the already overburdened system.
All patients admitted for operations at the Urology department have to undergo vigorous investigations such as blood tests and scans to scientifically inform the approach and timing of the procedures. At times, the findings of the investigations leads to more blood tests to ascertain the root cause so as to allow the correct procedure to be performed. These can take anything from one to two weeks before the operation can be performed.
The allegations that patients were being turned away due to the shortage of beds in the Urology Department are misinformed and misguided. Like in any hospital across the world, elective operations are postponed now and then due to prioritisation of emergency operations. However, whenever an operation is postponed, the patients or family is always informed and there is always a catch-up plan to perform the operations as soon as possible.
In the context of the limited resources, the Department is working tirelessly to provide the best patient experience of care possible and continues to ensure that the well-being of patients is always prioritised.
Whenever patients are not happy with the services offered at any of our facilities, they are encouraged to immediately register their complaints to the manager in charge of that ward or clinic or through the Quality Assurance Units. Alternatively, patients or the public can contact our Head Office Quality Assurance Directorate by calling 0800 203 886
or send an email to patientcomplaints.health@gauteng.gov.za and SMS 35025 complaints.
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