In-Depth Assessment of Oncology Services in Gauteng Province @KASIBCNEWS

 

In-Depth Assessment of Oncology Services in Gauteng Province @KASIBCNEWS

The Health and Wellness Portfolio Committee comprised of multi-party members of the Provincial Legislature recently conducted a focused intervention study to evaluate the pressure points and operational efficiency of oncology services across Gauteng Province. The visits, carried out from 22 October to 23 October 2024, included key central hospitals: Dr. George Mukhari Academic, Steve Biko Academic, Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic, and Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospitals. This initiative provided the Committee with a deeper understanding of the complex challenges involved in delivering cancer treatment and care within the public healthcare sector. Contrary to perceptions, oncology services require sophisticated coordination, far beyond what is often assumed.

Key Findings and Challenges: 

Treatments Expanding Beyond Gauteng and South Africa Oncology services at these central hospitals extend not only beyond the province but also across national borders, offering highly specialized care that is difficult to replicate at tertiary and district hospitals, which often lack essential surgical, diagnostic, and pathological capabilities. Consequently, these hospitals face a high volume of referrals from other provinces, such as Northwest, Limpopo, and Mpumalanga, further straining an already overburdened system. The allocation of beds becomes increasingly complex as they accommodate patients from outside Gauteng, who are likely to require inpatient care based on clinical treatment guidelines, particularly due to their proximity to the hospitals.

With a population of over 15 million, Gauteng bears the highest cancer care burden in South Africa. The central hospitals, originally not designed to accommodate the current patient load, are now stretched beyond capacity in providing both cancer treatment and overall healthcare services. Additionally, the backlog is exacerbated by the significant number of foreign nationals seeking cancer treatment and other healthcare services in these facilities. Over R700 million is currently owed to Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital, while at Steve Biko Academic, the bill stands at over R400 million for the treatment of foreign nationals; further intensifying the financial strain on the system. Human Resource Planning The Committee observed that the human resource planning for oncology services is outdated and does not meet the growing demands of Gauteng’s population. This mismatch has led to significant pressure on healthcare professionals, with unfavourable staff-to-patient ratios affecting service delivery.

 Additionally, there is a critical shortage of oncology, radiology, and other specialized healthcare workers, compounded by the private sector's ability to offer more competitive compensation for these sought-after skills. The Occupation Specific Dispensation (OSD) in the health sector, a national competency, directly impacts the retention of scarce skills in public healthcare. This impact was clearly illustrated at one of the hospitals where one of the major contributions to the backlog was owed to the shortage of specialised nurses in the operating theatres and Intensive Care Units. These nurses play a crucial role in the value chain of cancer treatment and care. 

The Committee urges the Department of Health to fast-track the approval and implementation of revised staffing plans, already proposed by hospitals, to address these shortages. While the Committee recognizes the budget constraints caused by austerity measures, addressing the critical need for specialised personnel must remain a top priority to meet growing healthcare demands. Infrastructure needs Gauteng historically had only two main radiology centres. However, the Committee was encouraged to see that Dr. George Mukhari Hospital is advancing plans to construct an additional oncology facility. Once completed, this facility will relieve pressure on existing services and enhance treatment capacity for cancer patients. However, it is essential to ensure that infrastructure expansions are matched by an increase in specialized personnel to operate the facility effectively. 

The Committee will closely monitor the project’s progress to ensure it meets deadlines and improves access to care. The Committee now fully understands the multi-faceted factors contributing to the backlog in oncology services. The entire value chain—from diagnosis to treatment—requires a coordinated approach, guided by clinical guidelines. With limited institutions providing cancer care, the burden on these facilities is inevitable. As the National Health Insurance (NHI) implementation progresses, it is expected that greater cooperation and system improvements will help address some of the current challenges in the healthcare sector.

Appreciation of Healthcare Professionals The tireless efforts of healthcare workers who continue to deliver essential oncology services under immense pressure is admirable. Their unwavering commitment to patient care, despite resource limitations, reflects their professionalism and compassion. The Committee and the broader community deeply appreciate their dedication. “We remain committed to supporting Gauteng’s healthcare system and will continue working with the Department of Health to tackle these challenges. Our goal is to enhance oncology services, ensuring all patients receive the high-quality care they deserve, despite the complexities involved in providing such specialized treatment,” concluded Adv. Ezra Letsoalo, Chairperson of the Health and Wellness Portfolio Committee.

 

Boards Applications ( NYDA ) National Youth Development Agency @KASIBCNEWS

 

Boards Applications ( NYDA ) National Youth Development Agency @KASIBCNEWS

Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga urges young South Africans to apply for the NYDA Board

The Ministry of Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities (DWYPD) encourages young South Africans to apply for positions on the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) Board, as applications are now open. The NYDA Board plays a crucial role in driving policies and initiatives    that promote youth development and empowerment across the country.

Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga has called on eligible youth leaders between the ages of 18 and 35 to apply, stressing the significance of youth representation in the NYDA’s efforts to uplift and create opportunities for young people. “We are looking for passionate and capable young leaders who are committed to advancing the development of South Africa's youth. This is an opportunity to shape policies and lead initiatives that will have a lasting impact on your generation and the generations to come,” said the Minister.

As outlined in the National Youth Development Agency Amendment Act (No. 11 of 2024), applicants must be South African citizens aged 18-35, with relevant knowledge, experience, or qualifications in youth or social development, finance, law, or other fields necessary to advance the NYDA’s mandate. Candidates who meet these requirements are invited to complete an online application form here. 

The form can also be accessed via WhatsApp, and all applicants are required to upload certified copies of their Identity Document and academic qualifications.

The Minister emphasized the importance of ensuring that the Board is inclusive, representing young people from all walks of life, including those in rural, farming, and mining communities. “We want a Board that understands the diverse challenges young people face, particularly in communities that have been historically underserved. I urge young leaders from every corner of the country to take this opportunity and apply,” Minister Chikunga added.

A list of shortlisted candidates will be published on the parliamentary website, allowing for public comment on their suitability. All shortlisted candidates will undergo preemployment screening by the State Security Agency and verification of their qualifications.

Applications will close at midnight on 18 November 2024.

Minister Chikunga concluded: “The future of South Africa depends on the active participation of its youth. I encourage every young person who is passionate about contributing to the future of our country to apply for this important position.”

Gogo Matlape Born 4th December 1918 @KASIBCNEWS

Gogo Matlape Born 4th December 1918 @KASIBCNEWS 

Gauteng Social Development MEC, Faith Mazibuko, urged young people to take a leaf from the book of a centenarian, Gogo Makhopokoane Jermina Matlepe, who was born on the 4th of December 1918 in Steenros, Free State. Gogo Matlape was celebrated by the community at her home in Kokosi. She was blessed with 11 children (5 girls and 6 boys). Mazibuko joined 93 older persons between 80 and 100 at Gogo home to celebrate her life and share his secret to longevity (reaching 105 years). 

"To have an old person living for so many years is priceless. We opted to come join this celebration of Mama and thank her family for having taken care of her for so many years. We joined this celebration too precisely because we wanted to dig deeper into her well of wisdom and know her secret to long life," she said. Mazibuko said young people should follow Gogo Matlape footsteps and learn how to be responsible. citizens in the county.

Mazibuko handed over a certificate, wheelchair, blanket, toiletries, and nappies to Gogo Matlape.

 "We pride ourselves with the lives of our senior citizens, which made us even prouder. We continue to promote love within families and the society to protect our older persons. As the province, we have seen a number of distasteful scenes where older persons are abused and sometimes murdered. It is the responsibility of us all in the society to protect and love senior citizens. 

We also need to learn from their wisdom. We are determined to ensure that our vulnerable older persons live in a safe and healthy environment. We urge families to ensure they don't illtreat them, but give them love at all times." 

The family expressed their gratitude to the government for having taken a day to celebrate her.

MMC GWAMANDA PLACED ON SPECIAL LEAVE @KASIBCNEWS

MMC GWAMANDA PLACED ON SPECIAL LEAVE @KASIBCNEWS 

This morning, Executive Mayor Cllr Dada Morero met with MMC for Community Development, Cllr Kabelo Gwamanda, to address the reported allegations of fraud that have surfaced in the public domain.

"The severity of these allegations demands a proactive response to protect the integrity of the Office of the Executive Mayor," said Mayor Morero. "In line with the City's commitment to integrity, good governance, and accountability, I have decided to place MMC Gwamanda on special leave, effective immediately, and relieve him of all his executive duties." 

The residents of Johannesburg are hereby informed that the allegations will be referred to the Speaker of Council, who will handle the matter according to the legislated processes and rules of the council. 

The Executive Mayor believes that both administrative and political leadership must uphold their oath of office, guided by the code of conduct and ethics, in serving the public office. In order to ensure uninterrupted service delivery, Mayor Morero will appoint an Acting MMC for Community Development during MMC Gwamanda's special leave. 

The City of Johannesburg remains committed to upholding the highest standards of governance and integrity and will not tolerate any behaviour that may compromise the trust of our citizens. 

Abduction Case of 6-year-old Eva Tembo @KASIBCNEWS

 

Abduction Case of 6-year-old Eva Tembo @KASIBCNEWS

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) is outraged at the disgraceful way the abduction

case of 6-year-old Eva Tembo was handled. The sheer incompetence, negligence, and

blatant privilege granted to the abductor, Carlos Rebelo, is an insult to justice, the safety

of children, and the dignity of Eva’s family. 

In a shocking act of lawlessness, Eva Tembo was abducted in July by her mother’s

employer, Carlos Rebelo. After securing custody of Eva in June 2024, Rebelo defied the

law by refusing to return her once the custody order was reversed on July 12th. Instead

of complying, he abducted the child and vanished, leaving her family scrambling to find

her. It is only yesterday that Rebelo finally returned the child to his lawyer’s offices and

eventually the child was reunited with her parents.

Firstly, it is not clear how an unrelated, old man like Rebelo gained custody of a child that

wasn’t his. This man had no blood relation to Eva and yet was granted custody – this is a

gross miscarriage of justice, dripping with the foul stench of white privilege. This child had

two living parents and no attempt was made to find external relatives, nor make us of

social services, if indeed the child needed placement in a safer environment.

Secondly, why did the police completely fail to take action until October 9th? A case was

opened on July 12th, and not a single officer took steps to investigate or recover this

missing child, until a police team was created on the 9th of October to look into the return

of the child. 

This is nothing less than criminal negligence. Our police force, which is meant

to protect the most vulnerable among us, sat idly by as a white man played kidnapper, all

while the public raised alarm on social media. It wasn’t until the media outlet News24, not

the police, got involved that any significant movement was made to return Eva. This is an

unacceptable dereliction of duty.

Thirdly, the newspaper “negotiated” the return of the child as Rebelo made demands that

he would only return the child to his lawyers. This is absolutely unheard of—are we now

allowing criminals to set terms for their surrender? While Eva’s return is a relief, the fact

that Rebelo was not immediately apprehended is appalling, he should have been arrested

the moment Eva was handed over to his lawyer. 

We have to now question whether the police are now making deals with kidnappers, and letting them get away at the expense of our children’s safety.

Eva’s abduction and the way it was handled is a chilling reminder of how unsafe our

children are in this country. The fact that a man could kidnap a child, negotiate her return

on his terms, and walk free without immediate consequence is a terrifying signal that the

justice system under the ANC has crumbled to the point that it is only for the powerful and

the connected. It may not be surprising, however, when statistics show that over 106 000

rape cases and 22,000 sexual assault cases involving children have been reported over

the last six financial years. Additionally, rape accounted for over 38% of all crimes against

children in 2023.

South Africa has become a sanctuary for paedophiles and rapists, especially white men

who exploit their privilege to escape accountability, giving them free rein to victimise more

innocents. Just in August, Iaian Wares was finally arrested and extradited for sexually

assaulting students in Scotland and England during the 1960s and 70s, after living

undisturbed and retiring comfortably here for decades. In a similarly disgraceful case,

Gerhard Ackerman was only convicted in 2022, facing over 700 charges of rape,

trafficking, and more.

We, as the EFF, stand with Eva’s parents and will actively and closely monitor this case

to ensure that justice is served. We cannot allow children in this country to be traded like

commodities, with the police treating the lives of black children as less important than

white men’s whims.

Unconstitutional Traditional and Khoi-San Leadership Act @KASIBCNEWS

Unconstitutional Traditional and Khoi-San Leadership Act @KASIBCNEWS

Constitutional Court Ruling Exposes Government and Parliament’s Failure to Implement Policy

The Taaibosch Kei Korana Royal House and Gauteng Housing Crisis Committee, (GHCC) welcomes the recent Constitutional Court ruling on the Traditional and Khoi-San Leadership Act, which highlights the continued failure of government and Parliament to implement policy in line with democratic principles. 

The Court’s decision, which declares the Act unconstitutional due to a lack of public participation, demonstrates a systemic problem in South Africa’s legislative process.

In this unanimous judgment, the Constitutional Court reaffirmed the critical importance of meaningful public participation, calling out Parliament’s “overwhelming failure” to ensure the people’s voices were adequately heard in shaping policies that affect millions of South Africans, particularly marginalized communities. The ruling gave Parliament 24 months to re-enact the law or to pass new legislation that complies with constitutional standards.

 

This judgment serves as a reminder that the failure to consult and engage with the public does not only undermine the integrity of democratic processes, but also the rights of the most vulnerable citizens. GHCC asserts that this systemic failure is not unique to the Traditional and Khoi-San Leadership Act but is emblematic of a broader issue where critical policies, including those addressing housing, poverty, and industrial development, have been neglected.

 

For over 30 years, the government has refused to implement the Ford plan, which has been validated by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) as a viable solution to address the housing and job crises. This repeated failure of engagement with stakeholders, including the millions living in shack communities, is not just a failure of public participation but a violation of human rights on a 30 year epic scale.

 

GHCC calls on Parliament and the government to take immediate steps to ensure that all future legislation, especially those affecting marginalized communities, undergoes a transparent and inclusive public participation process. It is time for a government that listens to its people and implements policies that truly address poverty and economic inequality.

 

GHCC stands ready to support any efforts that seek to rectify these systemic failures and demands urgent action in policy implementation to avoid further exacerbation of the housing and poverty crisis in South Africa.

 

 

 

ALL SYSTEMS GO MATRIC CLASS EXAMS 2024 @KASIBCNEWS

ALL SYSTEMS GO MATRIC CLASS EXAMS 2024 @KASIBCNEWS 

With just hours to go before the first paper in the 2024 National Senior Certificate examinations is written, Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube says the department is ready to administer the examinations.

The examinations are set to run from 21 October to 27 November.

Speaking at a media briefing on Sunday, Gwarube said these exams are not only a critical milestone for the learners involved, but they also represent the cumulative efforts of the nation’s education system, schools, communities, and the Department of Basic Education (DBE).

“With just hours to go before the first paper is written, I proudly announce that we are ready to administer the 2024 NSC exams - holding ourselves to best-in-class integrity, security, and efficiency standards.

“Outside of the National and Local Government elections, I have yet to learn any other logistical project of the magnitude of the National Senior Certificate Examinations,” Gwarube said at the briefing held in Pretoria.

This year, 727,121 full-time and 155,215 part-time candidates will sit for the NSC matric exams—that's 882,336 candidates from across South Africa. Concerning private schools, some 16 400 students will undertake the Independent Examinations Board (IEB) exams.

The Minister noted that these learners have encountered numerous challenges throughout their academic journey, largely stemming from the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in their earlier years of schooling.

“The Class of 2024 entered Grade 8 in 2020, right at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The disruption caused by the pandemic during these formative years has had a lasting impact on their learning. Over the course of their academic journey, the department has instituted several mitigation measures to address these gaps.

“These interventions were part of our Learning Recovery Programme, which aimed to mitigate the effects of the pandemic and ensure that learners could make up for lost time,” she said.

Support

She added that some key initiatives supporting the Class of 2024 have included personalised learning interventions, additional teaching support, and socio-emotional care.

Equally, provinces rolled out face-to-face extra tuition sessions, Saturday catch-up programmes, and extended school hours in key subjects—especially to learners who struggled to cope with the curriculum content due to earlier disruptions.

The Minister said that these targeted initiatives focused on subjects with high enrolments, such as Mathematics, Life Sciences, and Business Studies.

“In addition to classroom-based interventions, learners have also benefited from extensive support in the form of revision materials, past question papers, and online resources made available through public-private partnerships with stakeholders such as Vodacom, MTN, the National Education Collaboration Trust (NECT) and other corporate partners, who have made an invaluable contribution to education in this country.”

The Minister emphasised that the adage "it takes a village to raise a child, " is true and that is evident in the education sector.

“Civil society and the private sector's support in helping to create an enabling environment is deeply felt. I want to encourage more members of the private sector and civil society to support the education sector as we face severe budget constraints. The system is under strain and needs your help.”

The Last Push programme

Turning to the "Last Push" programme by the various provincial departments, the Minister said it has played a crucial role in ensuring that learners can consolidate their learning in the final days before the exams.

“These efforts have aimed to ensure that no learner is left behind. Various provinces convened Winter, Spring, and other Matric camps to take matriculants away from disruptions at home and from social ills that could potentially distract them from their exam preparations.

“In the ‘Last Push,’ we have seen learners give their complete focus and attention to the upcoming matric exams,” Gwarube said.

Furthermore, the department has ensured that learners with disabilities are adequately catered for.

“Special accommodations, including Braille papers, large print, and South African Sign Language adaptations, have been made to ensure that these learners also have the resources and support they need to succeed,” she said.

Moment to shine

The Minister told members of the media that despite the challenges faced by the Class of 2024, she is confident that collective efforts have prepared the learners well for the upcoming examinations.

“Their journey has been one of resilience and determination, and we believe that they will rise to the occasion. To the learners, this is your moment to shine. You have worked hard over the past 12 years, and now you have the opportunity to showcase your knowledge, skills, and determination.

“We are confident that you will approach these exams with the focus, discipline, and commitment that have brought you this far. Please stay off Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and other social media to minimise disruptions during this critical time.”

“I am proud of the learners, teachers, schools, PEDs [Provincial Education Departments] and the DBE for the way in which they have prepared for the NSC 2024, but we must be vigilant until the last examination is written.

This requires the support of all South Africans, and all stakeholders, in respecting this precious opportunity in our young people’s lives and to give them the support they require. The DBE will be vigilant.”

The Minister told officials that she knows they remain committed to ensuring that the 2024 NSC exams are administered with the highest integrity, security, and efficiency standards.

“These examinations will not only serve as a testament to the quality of the education we deliver in our classrooms but also as a stepping stone to the future success of our learners. The eyes of the country are on us, we dare not falter.

“In closing, I wish all our learners the best for the exams. You have the support of your teachers, your families, and your communities behind you. Approach these exams confidently and know that the nation is rooting for your success,” she said.