South Africa News
Basic Education working on policies to reduce child pregnancies
The Basic Education Department is working on policies aimed at reducing child pregnancies. The Department’s Chief Director of Care and Support Coceka Nogoduka has outlined the planned policies at the plenary meeting of the South African National Aids Council (SANAC) in Durban.
This after comes after statistics released earlier this month that over 34 000 teenagers gave birth last year, of whom 688 were aged under ten.
The Department’s aim is to arm teenagers with knowledge through sex education as part of the Life Orientation syllabus. This is to ensure that the teenagers are able to continue their education while the Department provides a safe environment for them at school.
Nogoduka has asked SANAC’s technical task teams to help to align the policy to legal definitions of the age of consent.
Because the age of consent becomes quite a challenge in providing some of the services. If you look at the Children’s Act and DSD, you are a child until you are 18 years old. But if you look at what DoJ is saying around the age of consent of sex, you are able to consent for sex between the ages of 12 and 15 as long as you are having sex with a same-age mate. But further goes on and says in that age group you may consent for sex with a mate that is 2 years older than you.
HIV/Aids concern
Nogoduka says there has been concern about the increase in the number of teenage pregnancies for a number of years now. She says there are more than 540 000 girls and young women living with HIV, the majority of whom are of school-going age.
“In terms of the adolescent girls’ statistics on teenage pregnancy, we’ve got a rate of more than 30 percent of adolescent girls getting pregnant each year. This is the Department of Health statistics on the actual deliveries. And the rate of deliveries for adolescent girls ages 10 to 14 years of age, overall in South Africa we’ve got a rate of 13,6 percent. And 6 of the 9 provinces have a rate of deliveries of adolescent girls and young women above the national pregnancy, which is quite a concern.
Mabuza engagement
Deputy President David Mabuza, in his capacity as the chairperson of the SA National Aids Council (SANAC), earlier today engaged with traditional leaders and interfaith leaders on their active participation in the response to HIV/AIDS, TB, STIs, and the COVID-19 vaccination programme.
Mabuza also condemned the high prevalence of teenage pregnancies in South Africa as a blight on society. Mabuza has told the SANAC plenary that a girl of 10 years or younger
Source: News365
In other news – Gomora cast nails the Nkao Tempela Challenge – Video
Gomora has one of the fastest-growing fan bases this country has ever seen. They are in touch with the current trends, and they recently did the Nkao Tempela Challenge.
Moreover, ever since the show started, it is always trending after every episode. Their storytelling is on another level. Gomora is a South African hit series which deals with issues many South Africans. Learn more
The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has called for transparency, accountability and the elimination of unnecessary expenditures to cut down on the cost of governance in the country. Akpabio made the call on Monday at a one-day dialogue on the cost of governance in Nigeria organized by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, NILDS, in Abuja.
Akpabio, who was represented by Sen. Agom Jarigbe (PDP-Rivers) highlighted the possible factors contributing to the high cost of governance in the country.He said the size of the country’s bureaucracy, the escalating public service wage bills, the overhead costs of appointed public officials, and the salaries and allowances of elected officials are major factors.
According to him, the running of government institutions among other substantial components contributed to weighing down the economy and hindering development efforts. Let us hold ourselves accountable and take responsibility for the betterment of our nation. We have to ensure that our government operates efficiently and effectively, serving the needs of the people and fostering sustainable development,” he said.
The president of the senate emphasized the need to streamline bureaucracy, eliminate unnecessary expenditures, and ensured transparency and accountability at all levels of governance. We must invest in our human capital, empowering our public officials with the necessary skills and knowledge to drive progress.
“And we must foster a culture of innovation and creativity, where new ideas can flourish and transform our nation,” he said.Akpabio urged all Nigerians to remain united, become agents of change and be committed to making sacrifices for the nation. He said that the 10th Assembly was ready to partner with all stakeholders to do everything within its constitutional powers to make Nigeria for all citizens.
Source: pmnewsnigeria
In other news – Bad leaders making the life of Nigerians miserable – Pastor Giwa
The senior pastor of Awaiting The Second Coming Of Christ Ministry, Adewale Giwa, on Sunday, lamented that the economic situation in Nigeria has gone from bad to worse under President Bola Tinubu.
The clergyman noted that bad leaders were intentionally making life miserable for Nigerians. Read more
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Manchester City 0-0 Arsenal. Manchester City and Arsenal handed Liverpool the advantage in the Premier League title race as they played out a bitterly disappointing goalless stalemate at Etihad Stadium.
Liverpool are now top of the table and two points clear of Arsenal after they came from behind to beat Brighton at Anfield, their delight increased by their two closest rivals cancelling each other out.
This was a game that made a nonsense of its billing as a potential classic, as Arsenal’s containing tactics snuffed out City while the Gunners had only limited chances of their own in a desperately poor affair.
Nathan Ake had an early close-range header saved by Arsenal keeper David Raya before going off injured while former City striker Gabriel Jesus posed an occasional threat, just failing to connect with Bukayo Saka’s cross inches from goal after the break.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta will be happier than City counterpart Pep Guardiola with this outcome – but the real winners were Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool.
Guardiola’s side were under greater pressure to win this match but their usual fluent passing game was rarely in evidence, stifled by the visitors’ organisation and infuriated by referee Anthony Taylor’s reluctance to punish the Gunners for a succession of infringements.
It led to a scrappy, disjointed game in which City were never allowed to gather their usual momentum and rhythm, with even the best efforts of master creators Kevin de Bruyne and Bernardo Silva unable to carve out meaningful opportunities for Erling Haaland, who was kept on the margins throughout.
The hosts held sway in possession for most of the second half but it was illustrative of the game that Raya barely had an anxious moment, his counterpart Stefan Ortega also idle for long periods.
Indeed, it is the first time City have failed to score at home in the Premier League since October 2021, a run of 47 games.
The reigning champions, as usual, will remain confident of retaining their title but Guardiola will be bitterly disappointed at his side’s failure to trouble Arsenal, with substitute Jack Grealish on the end of some lengthy post-match advice from his manager.
City are back here at Etihad Stadium to face in-form Aston Villa on Wednesday night knowing they cannot afford any more slip-ups in this tight Premier League title pursuit.
Arsenal arrived at Manchester City with a point to make and a chance to show their improvement at a ground where they have had a miserable record in the past.
The Gunners last won here in January 2015, drawing one and losing eight of their subsequent nine visits before this game.
Here, Arteta set his side out to be fiercely drilled and well-organised to frustrate, a strategy seemingly designed to earn the point they secured rather than risk more for victory.
It was a conservative approach but what it did demonstrate was that Arsenal do have more resilience and character than on previous occasions, when they have sometimes capitulated under City’s attacking assault.
Arteta’s side were composed but also willing to throw bodies on the line when danger threatened, not that they were ever in serious peril of conceding – a tribute to their display in itself.
They have kept clean sheets in both games against Manchester City this season, making them only the fourth team to shut out a Guardiola side twice in the same season.
Whether this is one point gained or two lost remains to be seen, but Arteta seemed satisfied enough at the final whistle.
source – BBC