The Nation Newspaper

Tag: South Africa

  • Stolen car returned to S/African owner after 22 years

    A South African man has been reunited with his car 22 years after it was stolen, thanks to a dogged police investigator.

    A Pretoria businessman, Derick Goosen on Monday said he got a surprised call from warrant officer Kwakwa Ntokola two weeks ago about a gray 1988 Toyota Corolla.

    He said he had reported the car stolen back in 1993.

    Goosen said that only in 2014, police seized a vehicle at a roadblock in the northern province of Limpopo after noticing that its engine number had been scratched off.

    He said that the stolen car was returned to him after 22 years with everything inside still in perfect order.

    “I can’t believe it, everything inside is still in perfect order. “I’m going to wash it and drive around in it.’’

    Police Col. Ronel Otto said that Ntokola managed to reconstruct the number and eventually traced the owner to Pretoria.

     

  • Nigerians in South Africa laud Speaker

    Following by the peaceful resolution of the leadership crisis in the House of Representatives, some Nigerians resident in South Africa have lauded Speaker Yakubu Dogara for not sacrificing the national interest on the altar of ambition.

    They made the remark at their meeting under the auspices Forum of Nigerian Stakeholders in South Africa (FANSA) in Pretoria.

    In a communique signed by FANSA’s Chairman Dr. Ufuoma Omakara, the group described as commendable the way the Green Chamber ended the crisis.

    The group noted that the crisis could have lingered, if the Speaker had rejected the suggestion of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on the selection of principal officers.

    It urged the legislators to, in the spirit of sportsmanship, settle down to the business of law-making, the purpose for which they were elected by their constituencies.

    According to the group, by yielding ground to the party, the Speaker has demonstrated that he is equipped with the experience and competence to lead a virile Eighth House of Representatives.

  • Nigeria’ll establish two consulates in Benin Republic, says Buhari  

    Nigeria’ll establish two consulates in Benin Republic, says Buhari  

    NIGERIA is to have two new consulates in Benin Republic, President Muhammadu Buhari has assured.

    He made the promise on Saturday night during a meeting with Nigerians residing in Benin Republic.

    According to the President, provisions will be made for the establishment of the consulates in next year’s budget if it passe through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

    He said: “I think I will direct your ambassador to make the request to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs so that by the time we are doing the next budget, it would be included.

    “Although we are trying to cut down on the number of ministries, the morale of Nigerians in the Diaspora must be considered.

    “This is because we are so many. We are aggressive whether in business or other facets of life. So, we, as a government will do everything possible to look after Nigerians wherever they are.”

    Stressing that it was customary of him to meet the representatives of Nigerian community wherever he goes and answer their questions, he said that he has always told Nigerians to respect their host’s culture and laws.

    He noted that there were a number of problems in South Africa which did not portray Nigerians in good light.

    “Some of them are in prison for committing a number of crimes. But for you who are so close home, you should do your best in being good ambassadors of the country,” he said.

    On whether there was any cooperation with Benin Republic towards fighting Boko Haram, he said: “Yes, they have identified with the countries of Lake Chad Commission which comprises of Cameron, Chad and Nigeria. He (Boni Yayi ) made an undertaking of providing a number of troops to join the Task Force troops of the Chad Basin Commission countries to fight the Boko Haram.

    “I will not mention the number of troops because it is a security issue. As you know, Nigeria is expected to make a bigger contribution.

    By yesterday (Friday), we are supposed to take the troops off the ground. So, Benin Republican through the President is participating in fighting Boko Harm.”

    Answering the question on what the Federal Government was doing to facilitate the return of those who may so wish, the President said: “I believe a lot of you are doing well and are better off here. So, the question of facilitating your coming home does not arise.

    “We don’t want you to come back home and be unemployed. Don’t come and add to our problems. If you have something doing here please continue doing it.”

    Towards opening a campus of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) in Benin Republic, he urged them to pass a formal letter through the ambassador who will write the ministry of education.

    “And I think the possibility of expanding the facility may be examined,” he stated

    On how the government will assist to improve their businesses, he said: “I think what the government can do is through your ambassador. If the embassy sends a report from your representatives, I believe the ministry of commerce and industry will examine it and whichever suggestion they raise, the Federal Government will look at them.

    “The Federal Government here in Nigeria will ensure that people don’t just earn their salaries but that they do exactly what they are paid for,” he said.

  • Wines of South Africa celebrates Nelson Mandela Day in Lagos

    Wines of South Africa celebrates Nelson Mandela Day in Lagos

    Trade businesses and wine enthusiasts gathered to savour great tasting wines at the Wines of South Africa Grand Tasting event held to commemorate Nelson Mandela Day at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.

    The event afforded guests the opportunity to enjoy new wine releases, lively music and a feast of finger-licking canapés, while networking and meeting with people of great minds. The experience was comparable to any wine tasting event in the world. The tasting event is a prelude to the Cape Wines showcase and fair in Cape Town, South Africa later in the year.

    The Wines of South Africa Grand Tasting,now in its third edition was in partnership with Spronks Creation Limited; organisers of Nigeria International Wine and Spirit Fair (NIWSF). It aimed to showcase quality wines from over wine producers and over 200 wine brands from different regions in the Cape Wineland of South Africa. The event brought more than 20 wine producers from South Africa to Nigeria to interact with consumers, distributors and wholesalers as well as people in the hospitality and tourism industry.

    This year’s event started with a professional wine course training session led by Wine Advisor, Brad Coetzer, from renowned education company ‘Under the Influence’ in partnership with Beverage Intelligence.  The course which came with a professional certificate was opened to trade businesses such as hospitality and tourism operators like restaurants, pubs, lounges and food and beverages managers,portfolio managers, gourmet and a business-to-business session with wine distributors and wholesalers.

    Speaking at the event, South African Consul-General in Nigeria, Ambassador MokgethiMonaisa, remarked that, “This is indeed a great day and we are happy to celebrate Nelson Mandela this way. Today is his birthday. Remember that when he died he was 95 years old. So he would have been 97 years today. For the past four years, we’ve brought Wines of South Africa to Nigeria. I have been here for four years; I hope you will remember me as the man who brought WOSA to Nigeria. WOSA has made us proud. This is a clear message from South Africa that our agro industries are real alive. We don’t only produce vegetables and end there but our industry is so advanced that we do produce wines. And we do compete with the greatest in the world.”

    “Today we are celebrating Nelson Mandela. Since 2010, the United Nations declared this day an international Nelson Mandela Day. They also called upon everybody in the world; individual, companies and organisations to spend 67minutes of their time on this particular day to acknowledge the 67years that Nelson Mandela spent fighting for the right of the people. And indeed, we have been spending today in history; all of us we have done something for 67minutes. Now this particular 67minutes we lived to drink wine. Let’s drink to that”, he enthused.

    Wines of South Africa (WOSA) represents all South African wine producers who export their products. WOSA, was established in its current form in 1999, has over 500 producers on its database, comprising all the major South African wine exporters. It is constituted as a not-for-profit company and is totally independent of any producer or wholesaling company. It is also independent of any government department, although it is recognised by government as an Export Council.

    WOSA’s mandate is to promote the export of all South African wines in key international markets. Traditional markets include the United Kingdom, Germany Sweden and the Netherlands. More recently, WOSA has also been developing markets for South African wines in the United States, Canada, Russia, and Asia. WOSA is funded by a levy per litre on all bottled natural and sparkling wines exported.

  • Bernard Cassar joins BON hotels

    Bernard Cassar joins BON hotels

    Management of BON Hotels International West Africa (BHIWA) welcomes Bernard Cassar has he now joins the company as Executive Director.

    BON international Hotels, which was launched in June this year, was founded by a formidable board of directors who strongly believe that the ‘survival of Africa by Africans’ is the only way to go.

    They are a group of individuals who understand the culture, the people, the trading environment, the productivity and daily challenges, who thrive in this environment – they are Africans who have done it all before.

    One such seasoned advisor on the board, Bernard Cassar, Executive Director of BHIWA, is excited about being a part of this new African hotel group and the opportunities it presents.

    With a career in the industry that spans some 35 years, Bernard is regarded as one of the most successful hotel industry pioneers in the African market.

    Semi-retired since 2008, he continues to consult part-time to the University of Cape Town and the hospitality space in general. Much of his career was spent rising through the ranks at Protea Hotels, starting out as a hotel management trainee, then moving on to sales, rooms division manager, front office manager and national sport manager.

    Cassar was also General Manager at Mabula Lodge, Protea Hotel Hazyview, Piggs Peak & Casino and The Ritz before moving up to Director of Protea Hotels Africa and of New Developments for the group.

    Bernard originally hails from Malta, (an archipelago in the central Mediterranean between Sicily and the North African coast), but grew up in Cape Town, South Africa.

    He matriculated from Christian Brothers College and went on to obtain a National Diploma in Hotel Management from the School of Tourism & Hospitality, University of Johannesburg.

    Over the years he has also studied at the University of Cornell, USA, at the centre for professional development in hotel administration, and tackled The Disney Approach to Quality Service at the Disney Institute.

    Sporting many awards and honours, Bernard is less about the accolades and more about changing lives, adding value, living life to the fullest, making significant change and having fun doing it all.

    The African sky is the limit and BON Hotel International West Africa is on the rise, even more so with having the experienced Bernard Cassar on board.

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  • MTN to end two-month strike in South Africa

    South African mobile operator MTN Group and union leaders reached a deal over bonuses on Thursday, ending a two-month strike that disrupted the supply of some new mobile phones in its home market.

    About 2,000 workers led by the Communications Workers Union (CWU) downed tools in May at Africa’s biggest mobile phone operator, demanding an eight percent pay rise and 16 percent bonus payment. The CWU said it had agreed to an 8 percent bonus payment this year and 12 percent next year. Both payments are guaranteed and not related to the performance of the company.

    “Members are expected to go back to work within two days after the signing of the agreement,” CWU General Secretary Aubrey Tshabalala said.

    The two parties failed to reach a deal on monthly wages, but the CWU has said it would accept MTN’s 8 percent offer if performance conditions are removed. MTN, along with its rivals in Africa’s most advanced economy, is trying to contain costs in the face of tough competition that has hit profit margins.

    The company, which reported a 9 percent increase in full-year profit in March, employs about 6,500 people in its home market, where it trails rival Vodacom by subscriber numbers.

    The end of the strike follows the appointment of Mteto Nyati as chief executive of the South African business after the resignation of Ahmad Farroukh last week.

  • South Africa, Russia sign agreement

    South Africa and Russia have signed two memoranda of understanding on nuclear power cooperation, as part of efforts by Africa’s most advanced economy to lessen its reliance on coal and overcome power shortages that threaten economic growth.

    The deals, signed at the summit of emerging BRICS nations in Ufa, Russia, are between Russia’s state-run nuclear energy company Rosatom and South Africa’s department of energy.

    They call for joint projects to educate and encourage “public acceptance of nuclear power” in South Africa, the South African department of energy said in a statement.

    They will also include programmes for training specialists in South Africa’s nuclear industry.

    South Africa is considering using reactors from Russia’s Rosatom and Westinghouse for its planned 9,600 megawatt nuclear fleet expansion, an energy advisor to the government said in June.

    The country plans to build six new nuclear power plants by 2030 for between 400 billion rand and one trillion rand ($32 billion and $80 billion).

    Critics contend South Africa cannot afford the price tag against the backdrop of rising debt and sluggish economic growth, which is constrained by power shortages that trigger periodic rolling blackouts.

    The government has said South Africa needs to not only expand its capacity but also diversify its power mix from coal, which provides over 85 percent of the country’s energy needs.

  • Al-Bashir: S/Africa threatens withdrawal from ICC

    Al-Bashir: S/Africa threatens withdrawal from ICC

    The South African government on Thursday threatened to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC) after a row over the court’s attempt to have Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir arrested in Johannesburg.

    Justice Minister, Jeff Radebe, said after a cabinet meeting in Cape Town that a group of ministers would review South Africa’s ICC membership to ensure complied with the country’s obligations to African Union (AU).

    The minister said South Africa may as a last resort consider withdrawing from the ICC.

    Radebe argued that South Africa was right not to arrest al-Bashir due to his diplomatic immunity.

    He said al-Bashir was not a on a visit to South Africa rather for a meeting of the AU,` so how do we arrest him’.

    Al-Bashir took power in a bloodless coup in 1989 and has won three elections since.

    In the last poll, conducted in April and boycotted by the main opposition parties, official results showed him winning 94 per cent of the vote.

  • South Africa visa application centre opens in Rivers

    South Africa visa application centre opens in Rivers

    South Africa has opened a new visa application centre in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

    Mokgethi Monaisa, Consul-General of South Africa in Nigeria  said that with the  rising number of  visa applications  in Nigeria,  the  setting  up  of the  Visa Application  Centre  in  Port  Harcourt  will  be  critical station  for applicants  in Rivers and  adjoining  states.

    In his remarks, High Commissioner to  Nigeria, Mr Lulu  Mnguni  called  for the development  of  tourism  ties between  Nigeria  and  South  Africa. He said such tourism  ties would improve  relations between the  two  countries.

    He noted that  the  Visa Application  Centre  in  Port  Harcourt  will eliminate  the  distance barrier hitherto  experienced  by those in Port Harcourt  and the  South  South  states who hitherto  travelled to  Lagos  for their visas.

    Rivers  State  Governor,  Nyesom Ezenwo Wike  has  commended  the  South African Government  for sending  a clear message  that the State  is safe for business  by opening  a visa application  centre  in the  state.

  • Xenophobia: Affected Nigerians seek assistance

    Xenophobia: Affected Nigerians seek assistance

    Nigerians affected by the recent xenophobic attacks in Sternkopf and Poffader in Northern Cape Province of South Africa have called for assistance to enable them resettle.

    Mr Emeka Muo, a businessman in Sternkopf, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on phone from South Africa on Wednesday that he lost everything to the xenophobic attacks on June 15.

    ‘’ My family and I are now taking shelter in a neighbouring community. The attackers looted everything we had and we are left with nothing.

    ‘’ My wife and our little baby are now taking refuge in a family friend’s house in Springbok, a neighbouring town.

    ‘’ We appeal to the Federal Government to direct the Nigerian Mission in South Africa to come to our aid.

    “ We need urgent assistance to survive the winter period in South Africa,’’ he said.

    Mr Christian Onovo, the Ward Chairman of Nigerian Union in Springbok, said property such as cars and house hold items were burnt by the attackers.

    ‘’ As I speak to you, more than 11 Nigerians and their families are stranded. They have been forced out of the community and there is fear of more attacks.

    ‘’ We are living on the edge in Springbok. We need assistance to resettle Nigerians affected by the renewed attacks,’’ he said.

    The President of Nigeria Union, South Africa, Mr Ikechukwu Anyene, said some members of the national executive of the union had visited the affected communities to assess the situation.

    Anyene said the union met with senior police commanders in the affected areas.

    “ After the meeting with the police and Nigerians, it was agreed that the police should provide security for all residents of the community and address the concerns of local residents.

    ‘’ The police assisted by providing temporary accommodation for three Nigerians.

    “ The situation is stable and there are no more attacks. The authorities assured that measures have been taken to prevent further attacks,’’ he said.

    Anyene said the union had written to the Nigerian High Commission in South Africa, but had not received any response yet.

    ‘’ Nigerians affected by the attacks want urgent response from the Mission to salvage their situation.

    ‘’ We were able to interact with the natives and found out that issues bordering on poverty, crime and operating businesses without permit were the main reasons for the attacks.

    ‘’ The union proposed for periodic meetings with foreigners and South Africans in the community to sort out the concerns and bridge the communication gap that could cause crisis,’’ he said.