A specialised surveillance camera system, the LEO II-A5-EP, will be fitted to helicopters in the SAPS’s air wing across the country, enabling the police to tag suspects with a specialised laser and follow them to pinpoint exact locations.

The cameras, upgrades on the current Goshawk system, will be fitted with a thermal imager and a specialised search light allowing the system’s operator to automatically track vehicles and people day or night, irrespective of weather conditions.

“The system, which is fitted with a microwave downlink, will allow those in command and control centres to see exactly what the system’s operators on the helicopter are seeing and has power to direct ground forces to the exact area where they are needed,” Gilbert do Nascimento, of Carl Zeiss Optronics, said at the signing ceremony.

He also confirmed that the R100-million contract covered not only the supplying of the systems, which are in use by European and South American countries, but also the microwave downlink capabilities and all external and internal aircraft related equipment, training and the supplying of aircraft moving map displays.

The hi-tech cameras are being prepped ahead of next year’s general elections and will come into operation in February.

“With our 12 air wing units across the country being fitted with these systems, our crime-fighting capabilities will be greatly enhanced, giving us the ability to reduce the risk to our forces on the ground,” police air wing national head, Director Janna van der Colff said, equating each helicopter to 25 police officers on the ground.

According to van der Colff, all the police helicopters in 2010 Fifa World Cup host cities would be fitted with the new systems, as well as four permanent systems for South Africa’s four major cities purchased along with eight mobile systems, to be deployed anywhere in the country.

“After the tournament we will then fit the remaining helicopters across the country with the camera systems,” he said.

“This is a golden opportunity for us to expand and this technology will give us the edge that we need over criminals,”

Related Links

SAPS Official Website

Source: www.iol.co.za

Though the motoring industry has taken a huge hit in the current economic conditions, exhibition organiser Zaida Enver believes that JIMS is a way of injecting positive energy into the industry and couldn’t have come at a better time.

The exhibition will be a world-class affair, with the organisers pulling out all the stops and manufacturers using the opportunity to launch new products, of which some will be making their South African debut.

JIMS covers products such as trucks, buses, tractors and boats, to after market equipment to modify whatever vehicle you drive.

The Johannesburg International Motor Show will be taking place at Nasrec from November 1 – 9.

Related Links

Official JIMS Website

Source: www.sabcnews.com

The festival, now in its third year, will begin touring the UK in November showcasing the best African filmmakers have to offer, most notably through its Africa in Motion short film competition.

Over 50 of Africa’s finest films, documentaries and animation shorts are presented to British audiences at the festival, including African horror movies and also films from Nollywood - the hugely productive Nigerian video industry.

Festival founder and director Lizelle Biscchoff created the festival due to the frustration of not being able to easily access African films, and the belief that African cinema can stand toe to toe against the best the world has to offer.

“We grew up with the idea that anything that is local is not as good as from other parts of the world, and thus that South African films weren’t really worth seeing. This happens all over the continent,” says Biscchoff.

“It’s true that African filmmakers work with smaller budgets, but they just do that innovatively and manage to make really good films.”

South African Biscchoff, who is completing her PHD on African film at the University of Sterling in Scotland, underlined Africa in Motion’s ability to counter the perception that Western audiences believe nothing worth watching is produced in Africa.

The eight short film finalists in the Africa in Motion short film competition can all be viewed at Southern Africa Direct.

More info on the festival visit Africa in Motion.

Source: www.southafrica.info

The Durban International Convention Centre will play host to the 4 000-delegate World Congress of Psychotherapy in 2014.

The announcement was made earlier this month at the 2008 psychotherapy world congress in Beijing, where South Africa successfully outbid Spain to host the global event.

“We are proud to be the next host city and venue,” Miller Matola, the CEO of Durban’s International Convention Centre said. “Every bid that has been won and every international event that we host ensures Africa builds capability for meetings and conferences.”

“More than 4 000 delegates from around the world are expected for the congress in 2014, and it will be the first time that this event is hosted on the African continent,” he added.

Durban will also host the International Union of Architects’ Congress in 2014, as well as the International Olympic Committee’s general assembly congress to be held in 2011.

The next World Congress of Psychotherapy will be held in Sydney, Australia in 2011.

Related Links

Official ICC website

Source: www.southafrica.info

Convenco, the CTICC’s holding company, said the building would be one of the most technologically advanced of its kind, and that due to the past successes of the centre the expansion was the “logical next step”.

“In the context of climate change, sustainable business development and being in a competitive industry, CTICC’s focus must be on minimising its carbon footprint and the environmental impact of any planned expansion,” Toefy said.

While negotiations have been ongoing with the department of public works, Toefy said he was confident that it would not be much longer before the deal was sealed.

The new six-star green convention centre will replace the Customs House on Table Bay boulevard and will follow the standards set by the Green Building Council of South Africa.

The 30 000 square metre development will use 40 percent less energy per square metre than the existing CTICC building, and will have 95 percent less potable water and 25 percent less waste to landfill.

The recycling of rainwater and an on-site water treatment system will help reduce the potable water while sufficient space for on-site sorting and recycling will reduce the amount of waste being sent to landfill sites.

Housing an exhibition space of 9 500m2, the building will make use of water and energy saving technologies including special wind turbines to harvest electricity while simultaneously ventilating the parking garages.

The building will also have a seawater cooling system, photo-voltaic glass facades and a grey and black water treatment facility.

The passive energy design and provision of extensive daylighting as well as renewable energy sources such as wind and solar, will all contribute to the reduction in energy.

The centre could also become the first building in South Africa to have a planted green roof.

Convenco board chairperson Andrew Boraine said only minimal parking would be made available so as to facilitate travel on the bus rapid transport system to and from the CTICC.

According to a UCT Graduate School of Business study, the centre, and the hotel and offices which would form part of the project, will result in direct spending in Cape Town of R2.27-billion over the next three years of development.

The City of Cape Town, provincial government and SunWest, all Convenco partners, will be expected to cough up at least two thirds of the capital needed for construction of the new building.

Related Links

CTICC Official Website

Source: www.iol.co.za

Sasol will grant the country’s universities R25-million each year to develop world-class science and engineering graduates, attract talented academics to teach at those universities, and to facilitate the growth of the engineering profession.

Sasol has already established a number of academic centres and advisory boards and over the past three years has spent R75-million upgrading research facilities and equipment at nine participating universities.

The initiative will benefit the Engineering Council of South Africa in that it will increase the number of engineering practitioners to ensure sufficient future capacity to stimulate the economy.

“This is a proactive step to help our universities meet critical research and development skills essential to the future growth and prosperity of our industry and our nation,” Sasol CEO Pat Davies said.

North-West University Vice-Chancellor Dr Theuns Eloff emphasised the importance of industry investment in tertiary education, saying it helps to attract and retain skilled and experienced academics, while also preserving the quality of teaching in the country.

“The significance of their science and engineering experts teaching on rotation levels at collaborating universities is immeasurable.” He said.

The natural science and engineering faculties of the universities of Cape Town, Stellenbosch, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan, KwaZulu Natal, Free State, North West, Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, and Pretoria, are all part of the collaboration programme.

Related Links

Sasol Official Website
Sasol Wikipedia Page

Source: www.southafrica.info

Jerusalema is a critically acclaimed film about crime, corruption and squandered opportunities in post apartheid South Africa.

Barry Ronge, the country’s foremost film critic calls Jerusalema ‘downright revolutionary.’

Director Ralph Ziman based the script on the true story of how a well-dressed gang arrived outside an old Hillbrow building, presenting documents claiming that they were legitimate businessmen who had formed an association to protect the rights of inner-city dwellers.

Tenants who refused to sign the documents were thrown out of the building immediately, and in the face of this, most signed up quickly and without objection.

After receiving all the signed fake documents, the “businessmen” unloaded busloads of new tenants to fill up the vacant rooms left by the evicted prostitutes, pimps and drug-dealers, and in the process, effectively stealing the building from under the legitimate owner.

The film explores this idea through the lives of its two main protagonists - Lucky Kunene (Rapulana Seiphemo) and his best friend Zakes (Ronnie Nyakale) who are both trying to make their way through life honestly.

They become embroiled in criminal activity, employed as spotters and car thieves by the bitter ex-MK soldier Nazareth Mbolelo (Jeffrey Zekele), and eventually run foul of a taxi owner who destroys their car, and along with that, their source of income.

After being shut out from their livelihood, they turn to forming a fake corporation with a white Afrikaans woman also in need of money, resulting in the characters stealing their first building.

“I wanted Jerusalema to take a harsh but realistic look at Johannesburg, but I also wanted to reflect the hopes and aspirations of its citizens. When you look at Hillbrow from a distance, it does look like that shining city on a hill, the New Jerusalem that will be our salvation, but when you get onto its streets, you find another story.” Ziman said.

“The film explores the will of the entrepreneurial spirit to assert itself in the face of degradation and decay. The legacy of apartheid and exclusion is not easily forgotten after so many years of pain,”

Jerusalema was selected by South Africa’s Academy Award selection committee and the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF).

“The quality of productions and our presence globally through festivals, markets and awards is a recognition of the unparalleled growth of the industry since 1994,” NFVF CEO Eddie Mbalo said.

Darrel Roodt’s Yesterday, the first ever feature-length isiZulu film, was nominated in the same category in 2005.

Gavin Hood’s Tsotsi, about a gangster who finds an abandoned baby, won the Oscar in this category in 2006.

Related Links

Official Jerusalema Website
Jerusalema on IMDB
Watch the Jerusalema trailers

Source: www.southafrica.info; www.sundaytimes.co.za

It is expected that the school, which features a fully-fledged library, a Gauteng Online computer room, and science and home economics laboratories, will cater to over 1 100 pupils when its doors are opened next year.

Principal David Manopi said that the school would have 28 classrooms accommodating approximately 35 learners each.

He also said that only prospective learners from Grade 6 to Grade 10 would be accepted next year, allowing space for the Grade 10’s to work their way towards matric.

“This is why we will not utilise all the classrooms as we will need space for the Grade 10 learners after they pass,” Manopi said.

“We are expecting application forms to start flowing in for next year’s registrations. This will go a long way to ensuring that learners in this community will have access to quality education,” he said.

According to the IDT, 162 skilled and unskilled workers, 65 of them women, were employed through community relations, helping to eradicate poverty by creating jobs for local residents during the schools construction.

Eight local small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) were employed, with most of the workers hailing from the Soshanguve community.

“We are proud of the quality of the work that has been accomplished here and trust that the community or communities that this school serves will be equally proud of it and view it as a valuable asset that they own,” IDT board of trustees chairperson, Phumla Radebe said.

Source: www.iol.co.za

The eight day journey ended at the VA Waterfront with about 200 members of local motorbike clubs, and Cape Town Deputy Mayor Grant Haskin, there to welcome the women to the Mother City.

“Due to ignorance, lack of information and awareness, many women die of breast cancer in South Africa. With information and education the picture could look much different,” Haskin said.

The ride coincided with International Breast Cancer Awareness Month, with the women managing to raise R1-million by visiting schools and town halls to inform people how to beat breast cancer, while also demonstrating breast self-exams.

The money will go towards reconstructive surgery for 12 breast cancer sufferers who would otherwise not have been able to afford to have the surgery.

Breast cancer is the second biggest killer among women in South Africa and fourth among all cancers in the country, according to the latest figures supplied by the South African Medical Research Council.

The founder and one of the 12 riders, Diane Parker, explained that breast cancer is not a death sentence, and if detected early has a survival rate of 95 percent.

“One in 27 women are diagnosed with breast cancer of which 24,4 percent are Asian, 18,2 percent coloured, 17,9 percent are white and 13,3 percent are African women,” she said.

While commenting on the overwhelming success of the project, Parker also emphasised that women must check there own breasts regularly for lumps in order to catch the disease early.

For more information about the Journey of Hope visit www.journeyofhope.co.za.

Related Links

Journey of Hope Website

Source: www.iol.co.za

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The home-grown white carriage features gold and blue stripes above its windows, side panels, floors and doors, and forms part of the 81 rail cars being assembled by the UWC Partnership workshop.

The development of the carriages at the UWC follows the terms set out by the Gautrain’s socio-economic goals to develop local skills, create jobs and stimulate economic growth.

The remaining 15 carriages are being manufactured at Bombardier Transportation’s facility in Derby, bringing the Gautrain to completion at 96 rail cars.

While taking a tour of the assembly plant, Gauteng provincial transport minister Ignatius Jacobs, stated that the project also meant the imparting of advanced skills in the transport sector by world-renowned rail manufacturers, of which South African’s previously had no access to.

He stated that he was there to bear witness the changing face of public transport in the province, if not the country.

UCW Managing Director Palello Lebaka added that upon the completion, each car will be subjected to extensive static testing to ensure all systems are operating properly.

“The cars will then be joined into four-car units and again statically tested,” he said.
“Once all systems are proven, the four-car trains then will begin dynamic quality and safety testing at the Gautrain depot near Midrand.”

The cars will then have to complete 3 000 kilometres on the test track, targeting substantial fault-free miles running before eventually being accepted for service.

The first cars are estimated to begin testing at the Gautrain depot in Midrand in the first quarter of next year.

Related Links

Official Gautrain Website

Source: www.southafrica.info

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