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Funding key to curbing Southern Africa climate disasters

Recent Cyclones Idai floods that claimed thousands of lives while destroying properties worth billions of dollars

Recent Cyclones Idai floods that claimed thousands of lives while destroying properties worth billions of dollars

AKANI CHAUKE
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – CLIMATE change is a severe challenge in Southern Africa, as evidenced by South Africa, Madagascar, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe losing hundreds of people due to a succession of cyclones earlier this year.

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) region is still reeling from the aftermath of Cyclones Idai and Kenneth that claimed more than 1,000 lives while property worth billions of dollars were destroyed including 500,000 homes.

A lack of investment into climate projects has been blamed for these tragedies.

There are fears more lives will be lost amid lack of investments.

A US$56 million investment is anticipated to address such disasters.

The Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF) have signed the deal, which will kick-off a programme to accelerate investments into climate projects and break market barriers.

It seals the GCF’s investment into the DBSA’s Climate Finance Facility (CFF), a first-of-its-kind climate finance facility in Africa using a pioneering Green Bank model.

The programme will target South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, and Eswatini.

However, officials indicated a strong potential for the project to be replicated in other developing countries to rapidly scale up private sector climate investments.

Patrick Dlamini, Chief Executive of the DBSA, said climate change was a severe and growing threat that affected Africa’s economies, natural resources, livelihoods and social stability.

“The signing of this agreement today is a significant milestone that represents our concerted effort to address climate change and contribute to the broader low-carbon and resilient development trajectory in Southern Africa,” Dlamini said.

The Southern Africa region is exceptionally susceptible to adverse effects of climate change, such as extreme droughts and rainfall fluctuations.

According to experts, moving national economies away from fossil fuels, which still dominate the energy mix in the region, would come at a high price.

In South Africa alone, more than $349 billion will be needed to reach national 2050 goals established in the country’s Nationally Determined Contributions.

Yet, the banking sector in South Africa has total assets exceeding $380 billion.

Yannick Glemarec, GCF Executive Director, said the DBSA Climate Finance Facility was thus a great example of GCF support for financial innovation which helps promote transformative climate action in the private sector.

The executive said CFF had potential to accelerate Green Banking and shift significant private capital into climate investments.

“I’m very excited to see the GCF and DBSA partnership turning these innovative financial models into reality,” Glemarec added.

– CAJ News

Thousands of Burundians fear expulsion from Tanzania

Burundi refugees in Tanzania

Burundi refugees in Tanzania

from OMEGA SSUUNA in Bujumbura, Burundi
BUJUMBURA, (CAJ News) – PANIC has gripped Burundian refugees following reported plans by Tanzania to deport thousands of these nationals.

It is reported the two countries have concluded a memorandum for Tanzania to repatriate 2 000 Burundian refugees per week, starting from October 1.

Some 250 000 Burundian refugees are on Tanzanian territory.

Patriotic Action Movement (MAP), the Burundian opposition, expressed concern at the lack of peace and security in the country and refugees’ reluctance to return home at this time.

MAP has written to regional leaders and the African Union (AU), raising worries.

“As we are all aware of, the political and socio-economic situation in Burundi, is very worrisome and risks plunging the country into total collapse,” stated Emery Pacifique Igiraneza, President of MAP.

The opposition leader cited murder, torture and arrests by state security and the ruling party-aligned youth, Imbonerakure, among other violations.

There are reports of hate and terror towards opponents of the ruling National Council for the Defense of Democracy-Forces for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD).

“This ideology is also being spread by the militia Imbonerakure and taught to young children,” Igiraneza said.

Burundi plunged into chaos in 2015 when President Pierre Nkuruzinza forced a third term and won an election that the opposition boycotted.

In power since 2005, he has previously announced he would not stand for re-election at the next polls in 2020.

– CAJ News

South Africa’s best ICT teachers named

From Left to Right: Deon van Vuuren (Branch Co-ordinator for Curriculum, Mpumalanga), Megan Rademeyer (SchoolNet SA), Dimekatso Sefora (2019 ISPA SuperTeacher), Shado Mathosa (ICT in education specialist), Matthew Hains (2019 ISPA TechTeacher), Gerald Roos (Directorate: LTSM Policy Development and Innovation - Digital Learning Framework). Photo, CAJ News

From Left to Right: Deon van Vuuren (Branch Co-ordinator for Curriculum, Mpumalanga), Megan Rademeyer (SchoolNet SA), Dimekatso Sefora (2019 ISPA SuperTeacher), Shado Mathosa (ICT in education specialist), Matthew Hains (2019 ISPA TechTeacher), Gerald Roos (Directorate: LTSM Policy Development and Innovation – Digital Learning Framework). Photo, CAJ News

by MTHULISI SIBANDA
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – RUSTENBURG-based teacher, Dimakatso Sefora, has been named the Internet Service Providers Association (ISPA) SuperTeacher of the Year.

Gauteng’s Matthew Hains is the 2019 ISPA TechTeacher of the Year.

The two – who teach at Saron Primary and Saheti Secondary Schools respectively – were amongst ten finalists competing for South Africa’’s longest-running information and communication Technology (ICT) in education accolade, held at the Internet Week (iWeek) in Johannesburg.

The eight other finalists were Louise Fullard of Hoerskool Bergvlam, Fiona Beal of The Rock Academy, Peggy Jona of Bakuba Primary, Lyneth Crighton of Brescia House, Anel Flack of Hoerskool Standerton, Mabore Lekalakala of Mapudithomo Primary, Lady Hadio Mei of Moedi Secondary and Leanne Bishop of Grantleigh School.

Gerald Roos, a member of the judging panel, said the awards were apt for rewarding teachers that were achieving high levels of competence in digital learning.

“They encourage a transformation of pedagogy and a deeper awareness and use of digital tools and resources for learning,” Roos said.

The sponsors of the prizes included the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) which donated R25 000, SANParks, The Mighty Pen Education Magazine and The ZA Domain Name Authority (ZADNA).

The winners each received an ISPA trophy, four nights’ accommodation for four people at any national park in South Africa sponsored by SANParks, and a laptop and projector sponsored by ZADNA.

Each finalist also received R1 000 from the IDC.

“We congratulate the winners and all the participants in this year’s competition. We are very grateful to the sponsors for their support of teachers pioneering ICT in education and assisting learners to prepare for their adult lives as they navigate the Fourth Industrial
Revolution,” said Milford Malunga, project manager at the competition administrator, the Digital Education Institute.

Sefora is a longtime participant in the ISPA SuperTeacher Awards and teacher training programme while this is the second time Hains has been named ISPA TechTeacher.

– CAJ News

Death toll in the Mediterranean exceeds 900

African migrants continue to drown in the Mediterranean Sea en-route to Europe

African migrants continue to drown in the Mediterranean Sea en-route to Europe. File photo

from AHMED ZAYED in Tripoli, Libya
TRIPOLI, (CAJ News) – SOME 900 people have lost their lives while attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea to Europe in 2019.

This follows the drowning of an estimated 40 people off the coast of Libya in the latest boat disaster on Tuesday.

Over 60 survivors had been rescued and brought to shore in the coastal town of Al-Khoms, around 100 kilometres east of the war-torn capital Tripoli.

A rescue operation, carried by the Libyan Coast Guard and local fisherman, had been underway since Tuesday morning.

“We must not simply accept these tragedies as inevitable,” said Vincent Cochetel, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) special envoy for the Central Mediterranean.

“Sympathies must now become actions that prevent loss of life at sea, and prevent the loss of hope that motivates people to risk their lives in the first place.”

The boat disaster came on the same day UNHCR’s Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees, Kelly Clements, visited Libya to assess the country’s rising humanitarian needs.

Clements called for increased support to people affected by the ongoing violence, including refugees and migrants.

The envoy pledged UNHCR’s commitment to work with Libyan authorities in setting up alternatives to detention for more than 4 800 refugees and migrants currently held inside detention centres.

With a maximum depth of more than 5 200 metres, the Mediterranean is infamously known as a graveyard because of the high number of deaths in recent years.

– CAJ News

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