Latest news with #R161
IOL News
01-07-2025
- Health
- IOL News
Shaping minds: how the TikTok generation is revolutionising mental health dialogue
TikTok's Digital Well-being Summit, held on June 26 in Johannesburg, where health professionals, creators, and policymakers came together to discuss how short-form content can be used not just to entertain but to empower. Image: Vuyile Madwantsi We live online. From waking up and checking our phones to falling asleep to blue-lit screens, we're tethered to the digital world in ways that previous generations could never have imagined. But what if our hyperconnectivity came with a shift in how we talk to each other, especially about our mental health? What if asking 'How are you really feeling?' became as normal as 'How was your day?' This was the heart of the conversation at TikTok's Digital Well-being Summit, held on June 26 in Johannesburg, where health professionals, creators, and policymakers came together to discuss how short-form content can be used not just to entertain but to empower. 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 Beyond hashtags, making mental health mainstream The idea is simple but powerful: promote kindness, imagine if talking about anxiety, burnout, or depression became dinner table conversations or classroom discussions, the same way we chat about traffic, soccer scores or school tests. According to health economists, untreated mental health conditions cost South Africa an estimated R161 billion per year in lost productivity. The ripple effects are undeniable, not only for individuals but for families, workplaces, and the broader economy. So, shifting how we communicate, making kindness and emotional check-ins as routine as daily greetings, could be more than just feel-good advice. It's a public health strategy. And TikTok wants to be part of that solution. The idea is simple but powerful: promote kindness. Fortune Mgwili-Sibanda, TikTok's Director of Public Policy & Government Relations for Sub-Saharan Africa Image: supplied TikTok's mental health mission: more than dance challenges 'You can't bring joy to people if they don't feel safe,' said Fortune Mgwili-Sibanda, TikTok's director of public policy & government relations for Sub-Saharan Africa. That's why they are working with credible partners, like the World Health Organisation, to connect users with verified, evidence-based mental health resources. When you search for terms like anxiety, PTSD or depression, the platform now directs you to mental health support hubs or videos by qualified doctors who are also creators. One recent initiative, a partnership with WHO and content creators, saw the top 20 videos reach over 750 million viewers globally. That's the power of a short, emotionally resonant 60-second video. Why it works: When creators speak, people listen. Creators like Dr Siya, a TikTok-famous medical educator, are using the platform to break down complex health concepts into digestible, relatable, and often funny content. 'People don't come to TikTok for lectures. "They come to be entertained. So if I can educate while I entertain, they're more likely to retain the information.' It's proof that entertainment and education can co-exist and even thrive in the same feed. Filtering filth But what about when the fun stops and trolling starts? Content creators are often on the frontlines of internet abuse. The platform offers tools for maintaining a safe space, such as filtering harmful comments, blocking trolls, and disabling comments altogether. Screentime management And for parents worried about screen time? TikTok now automatically sets a 40-minute limit for teen accounts. Parental safety features Family Pairing features that let guardians monitor content and set controls. Mgwili-Sibanda shared a relatable parenting tip: 'During school terms, my kids don't get their phones during the week. It's not punishment. It's balance. And they know that once screen time is over, it's over.' If anything became clear at the summit, it's this: mental well-being is a shared responsibility. From parents to teachers, platforms to policymakers, everyone has a role to play in creating safer, more supportive environments, both online and offline. And it starts with something small: choosing and promoting kindness in our digital spaces. In a hyperconnected world where words can go viral in seconds, the power of a kind comment, or the damage of a cruel one can be enormous. Creators at the summit spoke openly about the emotional toll of making content while facing toxic feedback. 'When you start getting hate, it means you're reaching beyond friends and family,' one TikTok creator shared. 'But it still hurts.' TikTok offers filtering tools, comment controls, and community guidelines to help manage this, but what's equally important is a culture shift. Kindness should be the default, not the exception. Instead of defaulting to 'How was your day?', try 'What made you smile today?' or Is there anything on your mind you want to talk about?' "It's not about demonising screens, it's about setting boundaries." But it doesn't stop there. Schools, caregivers, civil society, and the media all have a role to play. Because platforms alone can't fix mental health. People can. The digital world isn't going anywhere. But we can shape it to be kinder, more thoughtful, and emotionally intelligent, one video, one comment, one check-in at a time. As TikTok continues its commitment to advancing mental health support, it announced that three Sub-Saharan African organisations have been awarded support from its expanded Mental Health Education Fund. As TikTok continues its commitment to advancing mental health support, it announced that three Sub-Saharan African organisations have been awarded support from its expanded Mental Health Education Fund. Image: supplied Groups like the South African Depression and Anxiety Group, Mentally Aware Nigeria Initiative and Mental360 in Kenya aim to provide regionally relevant, evidence-based mental health content, further emphasising the urgency of tackling mental health issues in a significant way. Moreover, TikTok introduced a cohort of verified Mental Health Ambassadors, strategically selected to amplify mental health education and destigmatise conversations in the digital realm. This inaugural group includes notable figures, such as Dr Siya and Dr Claire Kinuthia, who are ready to lend their voices to an important cause. In a digital world that shows no signs of waning, the way we shape our interactions can dictate the essence of our shared spaces. As Mgwili-Sibanda reminds us, 'safety is a shared responsibility,' and with it, mental well-being becomes a collaborative effort, one that can cultivate solace and understanding in our everyday lives.
The Citizen
23-05-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
R466bn ‘hit' as National Treasury lowers SA GDP forecast
'This is the main contributor to the projected increase in the country's debt-to-GDP ratio' – DG Duncan Pieterse. South Africa's National Treasury has lowered its GDP growth forecast for the country (to 1.4%) for 2025, as well as for the next two years (1.6% in 2026 and 1.8% in 2027), in the wake of 'international trade volatility and policy uncertainty' due to US President Donald Trump's tariffs and the resultant threat of a global trade war. The slower growth over the next three years is expected to have a R466 billion 'hit' on the SA economy, Director-General (DG) of the Treasury Duncan Pieterse confirmed in response to questions during a Budget 3.0 media Q&A session on Wednesday. In the March budget, Treasury forecast 1.9% GDP growth for 2025, 1.7% for 2026, and 1.9% for 2027. However, it had to revise this downwards in the latest budget. Facing questions about SA's 'weaker fiscal position' reflected in the country's higher debt-to-GDP forecast of 77.4% in Budget 3.0 (up from 76.2% in the March budget), Pieterse said the downward revision in economic growth 'is what's driving' the increase in debt-to-GDP projections over the next three years, not higher government debt levels or significant increases in spending. ALSO READ: Sensible or underwhelming? Economists react to Godongwana's Budget 3.0 He said that due to the revision of the economic outlook, SA is now forecast to see 'a R130 billion movement' in nominal GDP growth for 2025 – essentially less-than-expected growth. 'In 2026/27, the impact would be around R161 billion, and in 2027/28, around R178 billion … The cumulative effect [of the lower GDP growth] is some R466 billion,' Pieterse later added. 'Included in this is the fact that we ended up with lower-than-expected GDP growth in the last quarter of 2024 [0.6%, instead of the forecast 0.8%]. Remember that the Q4 2024 GDP outcome was not included in the March budget [it was not released at the time],' he explained. Source: National Treasury Pieterse said the lower GDP growth forecast effectively 'pushed up the debt-to-GDP' or debt as a percentage of GDP metric. 'However, for us, the de facto fiscal anchor is the primary surplus … And that is getting better. We believe our fiscal objectives are on track,' he said, echoing Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana. ALSO READ: Budget 3.0 was not a chainsaw budget, economists say Pieterse stressed that more focus should be placed on SA's primary surplus and the fact that the forecast budget deficit as a percentage of GDP was still 'intact' at 4.6% for 2025/26. 'As global growth has faltered, South Africa's economic outlook has also weakened, with GDP expected to grow by only 1.4% in 2025. Global risk and economic weakness reinforce the need for us to put our fiscal house in order,' he said in the foreword of the latest Budget Review, tabled with other budget documents in parliament on Wednesday. 'The fiscal strategy remains on course so that government can spend less on debt-service costs and more on critical public services. As per our commitment, government debt will stabilise in 2025/26 at 77.4% of GDP. For the first time since the 2000s, government is consistently running a primary surplus, where revenue exceeds non-interest expenditure,' Pieterse added. This article was republished from Moneyweb. Read the original here.
IOL News
05-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Payment issues resolved for KZN's National School Nutrition Programme service providers
KZN Department of Education updates payment status for National School Nutrition Programme service providers. Image: Independent Newpapers Archives The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education has updated the status of payments to National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) service providers following alleged food shortages due to payment issues. In a statement, the KZN department said as of April 24, 2025, 78% of payments (R161 million out of R205 million) were properly handled. Attempts to complete remaining payments on April 25 and May 2 failed owing to technical issues related to the introduction of BAS Version 6, an upgrade from BAS Version 5. The National Treasury's IT staff is working around the clock to fix system faults. The payment run is reportedly set for Monday, May 5, and all unpaid service providers will get reimbursements on May 8. The department said that it maintains complete records of all unpaid service providers. These lists have been shared with district offices to keep affected service providers aware and prevent interruptions in meals for learners.
