Nzimande to table report to Cabinet on impact of US withdrawal of health funding
He said that he would soon table before Cabinet a report on the impact of the withdrawal of health funding from the United States.
Delivering his budget vote address in the National Assembly on Wednesday, Nzimande reflected on how unilateralism could affect the sector.
In January, US President Donald Trump announced that he was pulling the plug on years of aid to South Africa and other nations for their HIV/AIDS treatment programmes.
Minister Blade Nzimande said that in line with the country's foreign policy of multilateralism, his department was also looking to diversify its international partners to include countries from blocs such as BRICS, the European Union and the G20, as well as other developing nations of the global south.
Nzimande said that one of his key focuses was to ensure a sovereign science and technology innovation system.
"To depend on one polar of the world for our science system is a disaster, because if some people decide, because they are powerful, to withdraw partnerships and change, our system must not be left wanting."
Nzimande said that South Africa must not only challenge genocide in Palestine in the International Court of Justice, but also develop partnerships with Palestinian researchers.
"We must have collaboration with Palestine, so that the civilisation of the Palestinians is saved and is not destroyed by the kinds of destruction wrought upon by those great people by the Israeli apartheid regime."
Nzimande said that the country would use its position as chair of the G20 to advance its priorities in science, technology, and innovation.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
TimesLIVE
8 hours ago
- TimesLIVE
Ramaphosa places police minister Mchunu on special leave
President Cyril Ramaphosa has placed minister of police Senzo Mchunu on special leave, replacing him with Prof Firoz Cachalia, who will take up the post in August. Ramaphosa also announced that he has established a judicial commission of inquiry chaired by acting deputy chief justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga to investigate allegations relating to the infiltration of law enforcement, intelligence and associated institutions within the criminal justice system by criminal syndicates. He said the commission is expected to complete its work and submit a final report to the president, adding that interim reports are expected after three and six months, respectively. The commission's final report will be sent to the speaker of the National Assembly and the chief justice, he said. This comes after KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkwanazi shocked the country when he revealed cracks in the highest levels of the police, where rival factions are fighting for control of the crime intelligence division. Ramaphosa said Mkwanazi's media briefing raised serious concerns around the constitution, the rule of law and national security. He said the allegations, if proven true, threaten to undermine the confidence of South Africans in the ability of the South African Police Service to protect them and to effectively fight crime and corruption. Mkhwanazi alleged that a police investigation by the task team that was operating in Gauteng unmasked a syndicate controlled by a drug cartel, which involves politicians, law enforcement officials from the SAPS, Metro Police, Correctional Services, prosecutors and the judiciary, as well as business people. Justice Madlanga's commission will be assisted by advocates Sesi Baloyi SC and Sandile Khumalo SC. Among the allegations that the commission may investigate are the facilitation of organised crime; suppression or manipulation of investigations; inducement into criminal actions by law enforcement leadership; commission of any other criminal offences and intimidation, victimisation or targeted removal of whistle-blowers or officials resisting criminal influence. Ramaphosa said the commission will investigate the role of current or former senior officials in certain institutions who may have aided or abetted the alleged criminal activity; failed to act on credible intelligence or internal warnings; or benefited financially or politically from a syndicate's operations. These institutions are the SAPS, National Prosecuting Authority, State Security Agency, the judiciary and magistracy, and the metropolitan police departments of Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and Tshwane. He said the commission will also investigate whether any members of the national executive responsible for the criminal justice system were complicit, aided and abetted, or participated in the acts mentioned above. The commission will also be asked to report on the effectiveness or failure of oversight mechanisms, and the adequacy of current legislation, policies and institutional arrangements in preventing such infiltration. 'It will make findings and recommendations for criminal prosecutions, disciplinary actions and institutional reform. Once established, the commission shall consider prima facie evidence relating to the involvement of individuals currently employed within law enforcement or intelligence agencies,' he said. He said where appropriate, the commission must make recommendations on the employment status of such officials, including whether they should be suspended pending the outcome of further investigations. 'The commission will have the power to refer matters for immediate criminal investigation and urgent decisions on prosecution, taking into account the nature of the allegations and evidence the commission will uncover. It is critical that these matters be attended to with the necessary urgency and thoroughness,' he said.
IOL News
18 hours ago
- IOL News
UN expert Francesca Albanese faces US sanctions while gaining support for the Nobel Peace Prize
UN expert Francesca Albanese faces US sanctions for reporting on Palestine territories and Gaza human rights investigations, but hundreds of people support her to win the Nobel Peace Prize Image: Fabrice Coffrini / AFP Over 300,000 people have signed a petition supporting United Nations expert Francesca Albanese to win the Nobel Peace Prize after US President Donald Trump's administration sanctioned her in connection with her work investigating alleged human rights abuses in the Palestinian territories. The US State Department announced the sanctions on Wednesday, July 9, targeting Albanese, who is an independent UN expert on the situation of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including the West Bank and Gaza. Reports state that the move marks the first time a UN special rapporteur has been sanctioned by the United States. The decision comes after growing international scrutiny of Israel's 21-month military campaign in Gaza, and follows a failed US effort to pressure the UN Human Rights Council to remove Albanese from her post. Albanese, who is a human rights lawyer, has been vocal in calling for an end to what she has described as a 'genocide' being carried out by Israel in Gaza. Both Israel and the United States, which provides Israel with military support, have rejected that characterisation. Israel is currently facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and war crimes investigations at the International Criminal Court (ICC) related to its actions in Gaza. Albanese's stance has received support from several human rights organisations and leading genocide scholars. A petition hosted on supporting Albanese to win the Nobel Peace Prize has garnered over 300,000 signatures. The organisers of the petition aim to reach at least 500,000 signatures. "As people from across the world, we believe Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur for the West Bank and Gaza, and the doctors caring for people in Gaza deserve a Nobel Peace Prize for their work,' the petition read. 'She spoke out - now the Trump administration is punishing Francesca Albanese with sanctions,' it added. 'Meanwhile, she keeps centering those most at risk: everyone struggling in Gaza.' 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 ✕ Ad loading UN special rapporteurs are independent experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council to monitor, report, and advise on specific human rights issues or situations in various countries. They are not paid by the UN and operate independently of any government. Albanese was reportedly sanctioned days after publishing a scathing report on June 30, in which she named more than 60 companies - including major US technology firms - that she alleged were complicit in transforming Israel's 'economy of occupation' into an 'economy of genocide.' The report urged the ICC and national courts to investigate corporate executives and companies and recommended asset freezes and sanctions by UN member states. In a statement announcing the sanctions, Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused Albanese of 'economic warfare' and said she had worked with the ICC to seek investigations against US and Israeli nationals without their governments' consent. 'Today, I am imposing sanctions on Francesca Paola Albanese, the United Nations Human Rights Council Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the Palestinian Territories Occupied since 1967, pursuant to President Trump's Executive Order 14203, 'Imposing Sanctions on the International Criminal Court,'' Rubio said. He added that neither the United States nor Israel is party to the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC. Rubio called Albanese's actions 'a gross infringement on the sovereignty of both countries.' 'The United States has repeatedly condemned and objected to the biased and malicious activities of Albanese that have long made her unfit for service as a Special Rapporteur,' Rubio said. He also accused Albanese of making 'extreme and unfounded accusations,' expressing 'support for terrorism,' and writing 'threatening letters' to dozens of corporations across sectors including finance, defense, energy, and technology, urging the ICC to investigate them. 'We will not tolerate these campaigns of political and economic warfare, which threaten our national interests and sovereignty,' Rubio said. 'The United States will continue to take whatever actions we deem necessary to respond to lawfare, to check and prevent illegitimate ICC overreach and abuse of power, and to protect our sovereignty and that of our allies.' Despite the sanctions, the campaign to nominate Albanese and frontline doctors in Gaza for the Nobel Peace Prize continues to gain momentum, with growing global support and widespread calls to recognise their work. IOL
The Star
a day ago
- The Star
The arrogance of terrorism needs to be condemned
L Oosthuizen | Published 46 minutes ago As sympathy is demanded for the Palestinians by the likes of E Essa and Alaa Nassar, I fail to understand how, when Hamas attacks Israel at a music festival, any sane person would demand such undeserved grace for the people of Gaza. Israel gave the Gazans multiple chances before for the acceptance of democratic autonomy, but they blew it by electing the bloodthirsty Hamas Neanderthals who would act as proxies for the IRGC. It is well documented that since 1979, the Iranian leader Ali Khamenei, always had one agenda in mind: suppression of his people, especially the women, and the destruction of Israel and so-called Zionism. I am sorry, but reading some of the disturbing doctrine written by the Islamic government of Iran, involving young babies and the overall treatment of women, regarding sex-related dos and don'ts, shocked me to my core! It is no wonder that this ideology is causing so much havoc around the globe! This government cannot even honour its people! It is much like the ANC of South Africa! It doesn't hesitate to oppress. It only seeks its ideological advancements. It thrives on the demise of its people. It forges ahead with reckless abandon. You only need to consider the ICJ case brought forward by none other than self-proclaimed Islamist, Naledi Pandor! What we see happening now in the UK, with so many Islamic ministers taking charge, is a full-on assault on Western civilisation. The recent success of Zohran Mamdani in New York sends shivers down the spines of freedom-loving Americans, and so it should! Trump calls Mamdani a '100% Communist lunatic", and I am not surprised! Radical Islam, coupled with ongoing terror attacks on innocent civilians, should be a serious wake-up call to all who love freedom. The longer we sympathise with false pro-Palestine propaganda, the further away we will find ourselves from the truth! Terror acts committed by the Proxies of Iran should be called out for exactly what it is: terrorism! We must stop fooling ourselves by trying to sympathise with a people who have little or nothing to do with South African people! The mere fact that there are rumblings about the ANC having been compensated by either Iran or Qatar for taking Israel to court leaves a very bad taste in our mouths! Not to mention the changing of a street name in Sandton to some terrorist who is only celebrated by those who value acts of terror. When are we going to learn that siding with terror and hiding behind the mask of a cause so falsified by socialist and Marxist tendencies only brings us pain and division? The ANC couldn't care less about Palestinians, but for the sake of its relationship with Iran's terror axis, it will pretend to care for as long as it benefits the status quo. There has always been a golden thread running through and connecting nefarious characters through Marxist, socialist, and communist values. The ANC and Iran are no exception! It doesn't mean you have to blow up a building to be a terrorist, but if you are happy, as a government, to continually oppress and socially divide your citizens according to either a racist or Apartheid-driven agenda, in my opinion, you are a Dystopian, Draconian empire! Be careful of those who accuse you of Apartheid crimes, for too often, the accuser poses as the accused, and the oppressor poses as the oppressed. Is this what we are seeing with the pro-Palestine mobs who reside in South Africa? Do you feel any better displaying your red, black, white and green sticker on the back of your Fortuner, as you speed arrogantly passed several respectful road users? I have news for all those who chant death to the Jews, and disguise it as 'Free Free Palestine'- your time is running out, and the chickens for Justice are coming home to roost! The recent strength shown by Trump and the IDF was a warning to Draconian Radicalised governments that we won't give up the fight against terror just yet! I may not be a Jew, nor am I a Zionist, but I still know the difference between right and difference between propaganda and difference between truth and lies. I refuse to accept this narrative of Israel committing a 'Genocide', as what we saw on October 7th, 2023, was a mini Genocide, funded by Iran and backed up by ANC support! Enough is enough! Let's fix SA before we say anything further about 'Freeing Palestine" L Oosthuizen Durban
