LOOKING BACK ON SOUTH AFRICA’S ACHIEVEMENTS DURING 2013

LOOKING BACK ON SOUTH AFRICA’S ACHIEVEMENTS DURING 2013

As a country, South Africa made substantial progress in the fields of environmental protection, provision of health services and in the field of science and technology. These advances will benefit South Africans across the country now and in the future.

Some of the highlights for 2013 include:

1)     ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION STRATEGIES

Strategies to mitigate impact of climate change

Johannesburg hosted the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group Mayors' Summit from 4-6 February 2014. On 28 January, Johannesburg mayor Parks Tau, said action taken today could have big implications for the future. The city has also introduced green transportation through the Rea Vaya BRT, energy efficient buildings, including solar geysers, insulated ceilings and energy saving light bulbs; it already has installed compact fluorescent lamps and solar water heaters for low-income households. In Cosmo City, it installed 940 solar water heaters and 26 850 in other low-income areas. Rain harvesting tanks have also been installed in various areas, with community green education and awareness campaigns such as tree planting.

SA companies excel in climate report

The Carbon Disclosure Programme's (CDP) 2013 Global 500 Climate Report has revealed that 63% of the South African companies in the Global 500 achieved disclosure scores of over 90%. This ranks South Africa amongst the top five countries in the world. The annual CDP Global 500 Climate Change 2013 report analyses the climate strategies of the world's largest 500 listed corporations and reveals the best performers. Out of the eight JSE-listed companies that featured in the Global 500, Kumba Iron Ore achieved the highest disclosure score.

Tax incentive for energy efficiency

Tax incentives are being introduced for businesses that can show measurable energy savings. Businesses would have to register with the SA National Energy Development Institute (Sanedi) to qualify for the tax cuts, director generalNelisiweMagubane said in Johannesburg. The Private Sector Energy Efficiency Project (PSEE), collaboration between the department and the National Business Initiative, was also launched to promote energy efficiency. The expected tax relief would be a 45c deduction on taxable income per kilowatt hour of energy saved.

SA making strides in environmental protection

The Deputy Director-General: Climate Change and Air Quality at the Department of Environmental Affairs, Judy Beaumont, said the country was making strides in transitioning into the green economy. Beaumont was speaking at the 16th International Union of Air Pollution Prevention and Environmental Protection Association (IUAPPA) in Cape Town held in October 2013. Developed over a period of six years, the policy gives the country a clear roadmap for responding to the urgency of climate change as it pushes towards a green economy.

2] HIV/AIDS REDUCTION

Focus on fight against HIV

From 2011 to the beginning of 2013, more than 300 000 men have undergone medical male circumcision, decreasing their risk of HIV infection. Although it remains high, the overall HIV prevalence among 15-24 years old dropped from 31% in 2009 to 25.5% in 2011. The South Africa HIV Estimates from 2004–2012 and projections until 2016 reaffirm that the country has taken exemplary steps towards reaching the UN High Level Meeting (HLM) political declaration’s ten targets for 2015.

Successful active screening and testing for TB and HIV in a South African prison

The TB/HIV Care Association has been supporting the Department of Correctional Services in South Africa since 2008 by providing HIV counselling and testing (HCT) and TB and STI (sexually transmitted infection) screening, mentorship for TB/HIV care including nurse-initiated and managed antiretroviral treatment (NIMARt), intensified TB case finding and isoniazid preventive therapy, supporting the tracking of referrals to the Department of Health and medical male circumcision since 2012. The proportion of new prison admissions screened for TB increased from 88% in April 2013 to 100% from July to October 2013. All 246 people were initiated on appropriate TB treatment.

Change made visible through public testing

On World AIDS Day (WAD), 1 December 2013, Deputy President of South Africa and chairperson of SANAC, KgalemaMotlanthe, took a public HIV test at the WAD key event in Piet Retief, Mpumalanga. On October 23, the government took the fight against HIV and AIDS to Parliament where Deputy President KgalemaMotlanthe and Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi launched the HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT) campaign for parliamentarians and all parliamentary staff. At a SANAC meeting last April, Motsoaledi announced plans to re-launch the HCT campaign citing the need to move away from sporadic testing campaigns to a more sustained programme.

3]  STRIDES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Young S African set to be first black African in space

25-year-old MandlaMaseko has landed a coveted seat to fly 103km into space next year, after winning a competition organised by a US-based space academy. He beat one million other entrants from 75 countries to be selected as one of 23 people who will travel on an hour-long sub-orbital trip on the Lynx Mark II spaceship. The former civil engineering student — who was forced to put his studies on hold because he could not pay the fees — will experience zero gravity on a journey that normally costs US$100,000 and is on course to become the first black African to enter space. He secured his seat on the rocket after gruelling physical and aptitude tests in the contest organised by AXE Apollo Space Academy, which is sponsored by Unilever and space tourism firm the Space Expedition Corporation.

These highlights emphasis the strides South Africa has made in the sciences, innovation and technology in the last year.