Latest news with #R355
TimesLIVE
07-07-2025
- Health
- TimesLIVE
From Karachi to Gaza: Pakistani start-up ships prosthetics to child war survivors
CEO Anas Niaz said the social enterprise start-up had fit more than 1,000 custom-designed arms in Pakistan since 2021 — funded through a mix of patient payments, corporate sponsorship and donations — but this was its first time providing prosthetics to those affected in conflict. Sidra and three-year-old Habebat Allah, who lost both her arms and a leg in Gaza, went through days of remote consultations and virtual fittings. Then Niaz flew from Karachi to Amman to meet the girls and make his company's first overseas delivery. Sidra's device was funded by Mafaz Clinic in Amman, while donations from Pakistanis paid for Habebat's. Mafaz CEO Entesar Asaker said the clinic partnered with Bioniks for its low costs, remote solutions and ability to troubleshoot virtually. Niaz said each prosthetic arm costs about $2,500 (R44,416), significantly less than the $10,000 (R177,677) to $20,000 (R355,396) for alternatives made in the US. While Bioniks' arms are less sophisticated than US versions, they provide a high level of functionality for children and their remote process makes them more accessible than options from other countries such as Turkey and South Korea. 'We plan on also providing limbs for people in other conflict zones, such as Ukraine, and become a global company,' Niaz said. Globally, most advanced prosthetics are designed for adults and rarely reach children in war zones, who need lighter limbs and replacements every 12-18 months as they grow. Niaz said they were exploring funding options for Sidra and Habebat's future replacements, adding the cost wouldn't be too high. 'Only a few components would need to be changed,' he said, 'the rest can be reused to help another child.' Bioniks occasionally incorporates popular fictional characters into its children's prosthetics such as Marvel's Iron Man or Disney's Elsa, a feature Niaz said helps with emotional acceptance and daily use. Gaza now has about 4,500 new amputees, on top of 2,000 existing cases from before the war, many of them children, making it one of the highest child-amputation crises per capita in recent history, the UN humanitarian agency OCHA said in March. An April study by the Palestinian Bureau of Statistics found at least 7,000 children have been injured since Israel's war in Gaza began in October 2023. Local health authorities say more than 50,000 Palestinians have been killed, nearly one-third of them children. The World Health Organisation has said Gaza's health system is 'on its knees' with Israel's border closures drying up critical supplies, meaning the wounded cannot access specialised care, especially amid waves of wounded patients. 'Where it's nearly impossible for healthcare professionals and patients to meet, remote treatment bridges a critical gap, making assessments, fittings, and follow-up possible without travel or specialised centres,' said Asadullah Khan, clinic manager at ProActive Prosthetic in Leeds, UK, which provides artificial limbs and support for trauma patients. Bioniks hopes to pioneer such solutions on a large scale but funding remains a roadblock and the company is still trying to form viable partnerships. Sidra is still adjusting to her new hand, on which she now wears a small bracelet. For much of the past year, when she wanted to make a heart, a simple gesture using both hands, she would ask someone else to complete it. This time, she formed the shape herself, snapped a photo and sent it to her father, who is still in Gaza. 'What I'm looking forward to most is using both my arms to hug my father when I see him,' she said.
News24
23-04-2025
- Politics
- News24
IEC announces key developments on digital voting, party registration and political funding reforms
The Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) on Wednesday briefed the media on a series of initiatives aimed at "strengthening democratic processes", including the continued evaluation of digital voting, reforming party registration and improving political funding regulation. The IEC's chief electoral officer, Sy Mamabolo, said that while electronic voting continues to gain interest, assumptions about its cost-saving potential must be approached with caution. Mamabolo cautioned: A thorough analysis of the total costs associated with electronic voting must be undertaken. It must not be accepted as fact that digital voting would reduce the cost of administering elections. To this end, the IEC has begun a six-month public engagement process until September. During this period, stakeholders, civil society, voters and interest groups are invited to submit their views. These submissions will inform the drafting of a final policy document on electronic voting, which will be submitted to Parliament and the executive for consideration. Mamabolo confirmed that no independent candidates secured seats in last year's national and provincial elections. As a result, all representation in these legislatures remains with political parties. These 20 parties would receive R355 million from the national fiscus this current financial year. The funds will be disbursed quarterly, with about R83 million allocated every three months. The distribution would follow a prescribed formula: 90% of the funds are allocated proportionally based on the number of seats each party holds, while the remaining 10% would be distributed equitably among all represented parties. Despite the funding allocations, Mamabolo highlighted a noticeable dip in political fundraising activity. He noted: Fewer political parties declared donations above the R100 000 threshold compared to the period leading up to the elections last year. In response, the IEC will host the country's first symposium on political funding, set to take place in Durban on 18 and 19 June. The event, themed Sustaining Multi-party Democracy through Enhancing Political Funding Regulation, aims to spark national dialogue around the influence of money in politics, funding transparency, accountability and possible reforms to the regulatory framework. The symposium will bring together representatives from political parties, academia, legislative and executive bodies, NGOs, the media and international partners. Mamabolo said there are 609 registered political parties - 383 registered nationally and 226 either provincially or municipally. While registration confers certain benefits, it also imposes obligations. Parties without representation in any legislature must annually confirm their continued existence with the IEC. In February, the commission issued formal notices to 192 inactive parties, informing them of the intent to cancel their registration. By the deadline, 136 parties responded and requested to retain their status, while three requested deregistration. However, 53 parties failed to respond and now face cancellation. These parties will have to reapply from scratch should they wish to register again. This includes publishing a notice of intention to register in the Government Gazette or a local newspaper, waiting 14 days, and gathering the required supporting signatures. Mamabolo noted that parties such as the SACP had made timely representations to preserve their registration status. As South Africa approaches the 31st anniversary of its first democratic elections on 27 April, Mamabolo reflected on the progress made and the role of the IEC in ensuring free and fair elections. "The day not only marks a break with our past; it also memorialises the beginning of our nation's journey towards a democratic society," he said.
