National Sustainability Showcase: Huinga dairy farmer Brendan Attrill receives Gordon Stephenson Trophy
Attrill received the Gordon Stephenson Trophy at the National Sustainability Showcase at Tākina in Wellington.
The showcase event celebrated each of the 11 Ballance Farm Environment Awards Regional Supreme
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IOL News
a few seconds ago
- IOL News
Investigation reveals preventable failures in the 2024 George building collapse
Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson Image: IOL The findings of a probe into the collapse of the 2024 George building collapse that claimed 34 lives shows that the tragedy could have been prevented. It further showed that there were systemic failures, failures of planning, oversight, enforcement, and culture. Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Dean Macpherson released the findings in George at the weekend. "At every problem, there was a chance to turn back, but because of weak regulatory environment, there was either no incentive or requirement to do so. And this is what makes me so angry when I view this tragedy from today's perspective, it was entirely preventable. However, we cannot undo what has happened," Macpherson said. He said the full Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) investigation report has been completed and it will be published in the Government Gazette in due course. Meanwhile, an appeal window to these findings is currently underway, which expires on August 3. "This report must form part of the police investigation as we must establish criminal negligence for what happened. If criminal wrongdoing is established, those responsible must be prosecuted without delay. We must ensure that people are held accountable for 34 souls losing their lives. No contractor, engineer, or official should be beyond the reach of the law," Macpherson said. 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 site of the 2024 George building collapse, which left 34 people dead. Image: Ayanda Ndamane The Council for the Built Environment (CBE) will establish a reporting protocol that mandates the registration of any structural system failure. "A hotline will be launched to allow workers, built environment practitioners and professionals, or members of the public to anonymously raise safety concerns. These reports will trigger automatic inspections and, where necessary, emergency site shutdowns," the minister said. Phase-based reform implementation Phase One from 2025 to 2026: Immediate interventions, including new regulations, mandatory standards and emergency protocols. Phase Two from 2026 to 2028: Implementation of long-term reform, including legislative amendments and competency-based registration systems. Phase Three from 2028 onwards: Institutional consolidation and relocation of custodianship of building regulations functions and standards to the Department of Public Works & Infrastructure. "We are exploring options with the Department of Social Development and NGOs to provide relief or support to the families most affected, including those who have lost primary breadwinners," Macpherson said. Meanwhile, Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane announced in April that five officials from the National Home Builders Regulatory Council (NHBRC) were suspended. The police will investigate these officials, along with developers from Neo Victoria Developments, regarding their involvement in the collapse. Simelane addressed the media in Pretoria, where she publicly released the full report into the NHBRC's investigation. The report has more than 280 pages with over 300 recommendations. Simelane said the new Housing Consumer Protection Act, passed by President Cyril Ramaphosa in January, introduced significant changes to the legislative framework of South Africa's home building industry, as it established enforcement tools and prescribed appropriate penalties or sanctions to deter non-compliance by homebuilders. She revealed damning evidence that George Municipality had approved the building plans despite it already being in construction. The minister warned that builders found to be non-compliant or in breach under the new Act could face a fine of up to R1 million. Section 78 also prescribed penalties for criminal offences, that may be a fine not exceeding R1.5m or imprisonment not exceeding 10 years. Simelane told the media that only the police had the authority to criminally charge those mentioned in the report and confirmed that the officials together with Neo Victoria Development, were handed over for criminal investigation, but no one has been arrested yet. The outcomes of the investigation also made recommendations that implicated officials be held accountable for their actions. Get your news on the go, click here to join the Cape Argus News WhatsApp channel. Cape Argus
The Citizen
a few seconds ago
- The Citizen
Call to extend driver's license validity
South Africans have complained about the slow pace at which driver's license cards are being issued. The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) executive director advocate Stefanie Fick has written to Minister of Transport Barbara Creecy to consider extending the validity for all licence cards to 10 years and waive fines and temporary licences for those whose new licence cards are stuck in the backlog. This comes after the Department of Transport reported a backlog of 690 000 driving licence cards, arising from the breakdown earlier this year of the sole card-printing machine. Outa CEO Wayne Duvenhage said after months of delay, the department had finally filed papers in the High Court in Pretoria aimed at overturning the R898 million contracts awarded to Idemia South Africa to supply a new driving licence card machine. Duvenhage said the auditor-general took their concerns seriously: 'We commend Minister Creecy for acting on them. This is how civil society, oversight institutions and public representatives should work together to tackle maladministration.' He added: 'In early September last year, Outa exposed procurement irregularities in this contract and submitted a detailed report to Creecy, who passed it on to the auditor-general of South Africa and asked for further investigation. That request was accompanied by Outa's detailed report outlining allegations of procurement irregularities.' ALSO READ: 'Self-destructing' number plates for Gauteng? Here's what to know Duvenhage said the court papers outline multiple flaws in the contract, including a nearly R400 million cost escalation, from the original Cabinet-approved budget of R486.385 million to the signed contract of R898.597 million. Also contributing was the use of outdated pricing, omission of printing material costs, evaluation errors in scoring, machine assessments and bidder non-compliance and weak documentation. AfriForum also wanted Creecy's to issue temporary licences free of charge to motorists who renew their licences on time, amid the backlog in the issuing of driving licence cards. Spokesperson Louis Boshoff said the department had ignored workable solutions, such as extending the validity period of licence cards. – [email protected] NOW READ: RAF CEO placed on special leave with full pay, as MPs grill fund
NZ Herald
a few seconds ago
- NZ Herald
Jamie Lee Curtis suffers backlash after interrupting awards show hosts
Jamie Lee Curtis appeared to be genuinely telling off the hosts of an awards ceremony in Los Angeles. Photo / Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech. Jamie Lee Curtis appeared to be genuinely telling off the hosts of an awards ceremony in Los Angeles. Photo / Hollywood actor Jamie Lee Curtis is copping a backlash online for her strange outburst on the red carpet at a recent awards show – seemingly unaware that she was dressing down her hosts for the evening. Curtis was a guest at the recent Las Culturistas Culture Awards at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles. The tongue-in-cheek pop culture-themed awards (some sample categories: the Woman of a Certain Age Award and Best Title for the Next Bridget Jones) are the brainchild of comedians and podcasters Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers. The pair were on the red carpet outside the Orpheum, answering some questions for media outlet Vulture, which had asked them to recite some iconic movie lines into the camera. Saturday Night Live star Yang was giving it his best Julia Roberts as Erin Brokovich, delivering the line 'I'm not talkin' to you, b****!', when suddenly Curtis appeared beside them, interrupting the vox pop and looking agitated. 'We're quoting Julia Roberts,' Rogers explained, perhaps worried Curtis had thought that particular quote was directed at her.
