AFRICA BIZ NEWS

Africa Day of School Feeding Born

Thandisizwe Mgudlwa

This week March 1, marked the first edition of the Africa Day of School Feeding.

The Day was observed jointly by the African Union Commission, AU Member States and development partners.

Being one of the launchpads for attaining the Agenda 2063, school feeding has been identified as an opportunity to prevent the high rate of school drop-outs, an idea well espoused in the Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA). 

The Africa Day of School Feeding is further expected to stimulate information and experience sharing among stakeholders; support and promote local economy, whilst encouraging and inviting partners and political organizations to promote the initiative.

Fundamentally, The Day, is centered on the theme “Home Grown School Feeding: a Conduit for Africa’s Sustainable Development”,  is celebrated with continent-wide activities and highlighted by series of official events in the Nigerien capital, Niamey.

Instituted by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government during the 26th AU Summit, Africa Day for School Feeding is in recognition of the immense value of home grown school feeding to enhancing retention and performance of children in school. 

And also, in boosting income generation and entrepreneurship in local communities.

According to the AU a number of African countries are already implementing school feeding programmes, but due to inadequate financing and heavy dependence of the programmes on foreign donors, poor logistical arrangements and provision of dry food lacking in dietary diversity, the programmes often fall short of meeting the required impact. 

This is one reason why the emphasis has shifted to Home Grown School Feeding (HGSF), due to its integrated, multi-sector approach.

Africa Day of School Feeding is the culmination of several initiatives and efforts aimed at assuring quality universal school enrolment in Africa, and putting school feeding at the centre of solutions to help African children from the poorest households, and who live in difficult areas, to have access to quality education in a safe and conducive environment. 

The Cost of Hunger in Africa Study (COHA) was conceived close to a decade of the launch of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), which aims to among other things, transform agriculture and catalyze it to achieve sustainable annual economic growth, food and nutrition security and humanitarian goals.

Commissioned through a partnership of the Africa Union Commission, the NEPAD Agency, the United Nations World Food Programme and United Nation’s Economic Commission for Africa, the COHA study specifically demonstrates that child nutrition can be a determining factor in achieving Africa's transformation agenda and illustrates the additional barriers limiting undernourished children to gain full health, school performance and compete in labour markets.

Moreover, the AU Commission’s drive to ingrain home grown school feeding on the continent was also inspired by the highly successful Brazilian Home Grown School Feeding programme, which has been instrumental in promoting universal access to basic education and preventive health services, while creating new income generating activities for extremely poor families.

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is working with 65 nations worldwide on implementing school feeding programmes which are an effective safety net, helping to ensure that over 18 million children  have access to education and food. 

In Africa alone, WFP works with some 39 nations. In the fight against hunger, school meals are a sound investment in the future of the next generation.

According to the AU report, "The Republic of Niger has offered to host the first edition of the celebrations considering its strong advocacy for home grown school feeding, with emphasis on the impacts such a programme could have within the framework of Education by 2030, notably the improvement of access to and completion of primary education in relation to the fight against early marriages and street children."

"The official celebrations in Niamey attracted the participation of top level officials of AU Member States, Nigerien government officials, the AUC, school children and development partners such as the WFP, UNICEF, FAO, among others."

It also included thematic discussions, brainstorming, as well as idea and experience sharing involving a wide range of stakeholders.

DAILY SUN NEWS

NATIONAL

2 DAYS AGO

FLYING NAKED WOMAN STEALS COP CAR!

   

By  Mbali DlungwanaWednesday, March 02, 2016 11:52

There was chaos when a flying, naked woman allegedly tried to hijack a cop van in KwaMashu, north of Durban yesterday. She veered off the road and hit a water meter. Photos by Abraham Kortjaas  ~ 

THE naked woman flying through the air scared not only the residents – but also the cops!

Residents from L section in KwaMashu, north of Durban said they heard loud footsteps on their roofs.

They claim they saw an unknown naked woman flying from rooftop to rooftop on a broom!

When the residents tried to stop her apparently she just laughed at them and they called the cops – but police didn’t do so well either.

One of the residents, Nosipho Ngcongo (35) said they had never seen anything like this before.

Nosipho said when the cops arrived, the woman allegedly pulled a woman cop out of the van and sat down on the seat.

“She shouted at the driver to get out. The male cop became scared and jumped out of the van.

“The woman moved into the driver’s seat. The next thing we saw her driving away,” said Nosipho.

But the attempted escape in the cop van didn’t go well.

“She drove into a water meter and the van stopped.

“It was a struggle but residents helped the cops and eventually they got the woman into the back of the van,” she said. Major Thulani Zwane confirmed that cops attended the scene. No case has been opened yet.

SOURCE: Daily Sun

DAILY SUN NEWS

NATIONAL

YESTERDAY

INYANGA DEFEATED BY A ZOMBIE WOMAN!

   

By  Mkhuseli Sizani and Godfrey SigwelaThursday, March 03, 2016 12:30

Inyanga Delani "Madlanduna" Luthuli explains disappointed after being defeated by a zombie woman. Photo by Godfrey Sigwela

Zoleka Zono explains how her niece, who is believed to be a zombie, screamed when she called her.

 

MADLANDUNA, the powerful inyanga, went into the bush to fight the zombie and save the woman from evil. 

But the nyanga had to give up the battle and admit defeat. 

MADLANDUNA ADMITTED THE ZOMBIE WAS TOO STRONG FOR HIM. 

Brenda Zono (28) died when she was run over by a bakkie in Chatty in Port Elizabeth on 18 January and was buried in Adelaide shortly afterwards.

But even before the funeral, it was claimed she had appeared to the family and neighbours.

Her aunt, Zoleka Zono (41), told Daily Sun: “I dreamt I saw her crying. She said she felt as if she had wires in her mouth. She said I must ask a person who is not a relative to remove them because if I came closer, I would be hurt.” 

Zoleka said kids from the neighbourhood claimed they saw Brenda sitting in a drain while they were mourning.

“Other neighbours claimed they saw her standing outside a house singing and dancing, because she was a church member.”

Bulelwa Zono (44) claims her niece calls on a teenage relative at night and moves around the house. 

“I’ve left food in the teenager’s room and the food disappears,” she claimed.

She alleged they even chased her but she covered her face and ran away.

But what happened on Sunday left the family shocked and scared.

They had called a powerful inyanga, Delani “Madlanduna” Luthuli (39) to help them get rid of what they believed was a zombie.

“With the help of Madlanduna we found her in the bush,” claimed Zoleka.

“She was wearing her red top and brown dress as well as a straw hat we had never seen. I told her we had come to fetch her as she had asked in our dreams, and her three-year-old daughter needed her.”

Madlanduna said he crawled towards Brenda because she moved backwards if he walked upright. 

“I dived on top of her with my bag containing my snake, Bathathe, on my shoulder,” he said.

But then his helpers let him down. 

“I told them to open the bag and let Bathathe out to wrap himself around her but they ran away. I let Brenda go because she wanted my bag with the snake,” he said.

“She could not have defeated me if my bag was open.” 

Zoleka said after Brenda ran away, Madlanduna fell to the ground.

“He asked us to open his bag and he spat on his snake and recovered. But when he stood up he looked dizzy,” she said.

She said they found pap and a bottle of dirty water at the scene. 

Mandlanduna said he will get some assistants from KZN because he needs people who won’t run away.

SOURCE: Daily Sun

Writing the Struggle – A Pan-Africanism According to Jomo Kenyatta II

5th August 2013

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This is the second and last part of a fable told by the late Kenyan founding president, Jomo Kenyatta, when he explained what Pan-Africanism should be and must be. Kenyatta was one of the founding figures of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) the predecessor to the African Union.
In the first part of the fable, Kenyatta talked about the friendship between elephant and man and how the former took over the latter’s hut after being allowed to shelter his trunk.
Lion, being the king of the jungle, intervened by putting together a commission to resolve the issue between elephant and man.
The commission was headed by elephant that called friends whom he knew would stand by him.
Elephant gave evidence first and was, as expected believed by his friends even before the man was called in.
When the man was giving his evidence, the animals on the commission interjected asking him to stick to relevant issues.
“My good man, please confine yourself to relevant issues. We have already heard the circumstances from various unbiased sources.
“All we wish you to tell us is whether the undeveloped space in your hut was occupied by anyone else before Mr Elephant assumed his position?”
“No, but . . .” the man tried to explain before the commission declared it had heard all the information needed.
Elephant then invited the members of the commission to his house for a meal before a verdict was reached.
“In our opinion, this dispute has arisen through a regrettable misunderstanding due to the backwardness of your ideas. We consider that Mr Elephant has fulfilled his sacred duty of protecting your interests.
“As it is clearly for your good that the space should be put to its most economic use and as you yourself have not yet reached the stage of expansion which would enable you to fill it, we consider it necessary to arrange a compromise to suit both parties.
“Mr Elephant shall continue his occupation of your hut but we give you permission to look for a site where you can build another hut more suited to your needs, and we will see that you are well protected,” the commission concluded.
Scared and unsure of what his fate would be if he argued, the man moved away and put up another structure.
A few days after finishing building the new hut, rhinoceros romped in threatening man with harm if he refused to evacuate and make space for him.
Once again, a commission was appointed and again the same verdict was arrived at: Move and make space for the invader.
This went on until all the members of the commission had huts grabbed from man.
It was at this time when the man decided to put in place protective measures so that no animal would take advantage of him.
“Ng’enda thi ndeagaga motegi (There is nothing that treads on earth that cannot be trapped),” the man declared.
He waited until all the huts taken away from him were old and collapsing before he moved a short distance away where he put up a very big structure.
Elephant invaded the hut first; then came rhinoceros followed by leopard, buffalo, lion, and fox.
When the animals found themselves occupying one hut, arguments ensued and serious fights broke out among them.
While the animals were fighting among themselves, the man set the hut on fire killing all the bullies.
“Peace is costly, but it’s worth the expense,” the man said as he enjoyed life without any threats and uncertainties.
A simple interpretation of the fable shows that the man is the African and the hut is Africa while the animals are the colonialists who invaded every corner of the continent as dictated by the 1884 Scramble for Africa, which is the commission.
Every colonialist used violence to scare, torment, exterminate, destroy and control the African who in most cases was a docile believer and follower.
It was only when Africans got tired that they declared enough is enough and fought back with everything within their reach.
In short, Kenyatta was saying that Africans should emancipate themselves; that they should stop believing in the west because none of them has the needs and the aspirations of Africa at heart apart from exploitation.
For this to happen, African unity is critical.

SOURCE: Southern African News

National Small Business Chamber (NSBC): Build a Business LIVE

Inspiration and innovation in the spotlight at Build a Business Live

February 24, 2016 NSBC Editorial Team 

Experience entrepreneurial entertainment at its finest.

The 2016 My Business Expo is set to showcase the very best in entrepreneurial inspiration and innovation at the unmissable Build a Business Live event.

Taking place in Johannesburg on 10 March at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, Build a Business Live is the highlight of the one-day, all under one roof business start-up and growth expo hosted by the National Small Business Chamber (NSBC).

Now in its eighth year, My Business Expo is Africa’s biggest and most successful business exhibition for anyone looking to start or expand a business. Powering Build a Business Live are four global entrepreneurial and influential speakers, guaranteed to motivate and encourage you to take your business in a positive and accelerated direction.

‘Build a Business Live is a power-packed programme of top of the line seminars tailor-made for anyone starting out or building a business,’ says Mike Anderson, NSBC founder and CEO. ‘It’s also an opportunity to grow, learn, connect, be inspired, and have fun while experiencing entrepreneurial entertainment at its finest.’

Leading the line-up of business thought leaders is MC Mpho Modikoane, followed by Mike Anderson who is a life-long entrepreneur and founder of NSBC, one of the fastest growing organisations of its kind in the world.

Anderson will explore what it takes to ‘Become Super Successful Now’ by looking at what the world’s most successful people do every day. In addition, Anderson also annually writes and publishes a book under the title Never Surrender, and delegates to Build a Business Live will each receive a copy of the 2016 edition.

Perfecting the art of sales will also feature strongly in this year’s programme. Mark Keating, CEO of Sales Guru will share the secrets of South African sales superstars in a high energy, no-nonsense, inspirational and amusing presentation on what he’s learned from interviewing the country’s top sales performers.

With more than 19 years’ experience, international speaker Gavin Sharples will offer insight on the actions needed to become a ‘Section 8’ in an enlightening seminar on the key attributes of people who are changing our world in business and everyday life for the better.

Also joining the superstar line-up is motivational speaker Mark Berger. Berger has trained thousands of people for hundreds of leading companies in a career spanning over 30 years. His powerful, punchy, and practical presentation ‘The 5 P’s to Success’ will inform delegates on the five key factors that will ensure personal and business success.

As the only paid-for event at My Business Expo at R195, the exclusive Build a Business Live event also includes access to the Business Start-Up Expo, Access to Finance Indaba, The Franchise Show, The Financial Wellness Zone, powered by Experian and Trading Across Borders, powered by DHL. Delegates also receive the 2016 edition of Mike Anderson’s book – Never Surrender: Become Super Successful NOW.

Tickets for Build a Business Live are now available. Seating is limited and delegates should register as soon as possible at www.buildabusinesslive.com.

SMALL BUSINESS NEWS

Minister Lindiwe Zulu calls for effective collaboration between businesses

South Africa needs more success stories of a symbiotic relationship between big and small businesses. It appears small businesses tend to participate at the end of the value chain when a product is finished. This was said by Minister of Small Business Development this morning in Cape Town at the South Africa-Italy Summit.

“We must proceed from the premise that supporting small businesses and co-operatives is not a philanthropic gesture on the part of big business. In fact, it is in their interest to help grow and sustain small businesses. They are tied in a symbiotic relationship with small businesses”, said Minister Zulu.

She added: “The diversification of supply chains assists big business to have a wider choice of suppliers from SMMEs and promotes innovation within the value chain. The growth and sustainability of big business therefore depends on a strong small business sector, both as consumers and suppliers”.

Minister Zulu said that it was encouraging that this outlook was changing, albeit at a slow pace. “More and more small business owners and entrepreneurs are taking advantage of the transformation agenda”.

She said that an ideal situation would be to see large companies “voluntarily” opening up opportunities for small companies to participate in their entire value chains. “However, this has not been easy as government had to step in with legislative measures such as the Black Economic Empowerment Policy”, said the Minister.

Minsiter Zulu pointed out: “In as much as the automotive sector in Italy integrates big and small companies, and has lessons for us in South Africa, let me propose that other sectors that need to be looked at include the ICT and renewable energy sectors”, adding that human capital development and skills upgrading play an important role in enabling small companies to participate in big corporate value chains.

“Some of the incubators especially in the ICT and renewable energy spaces are still at their infancy stages. We hope that through a collaborative effort between Italy and South Africa, we can learn from each other and apply relevant and appropriate lessons. This would enable small companies to become competitive and be fully integrated in private sector value chains”.

Enquiries:
Cornelius Monama
Spokesperson: Department of Small Business Development
Cell: 082 578 4063
Tel: 012 394-3027
Fax: 086 544 0931
E-mail: CMonama@dsbd.gov.za

Issued by: Department of Small Business Development

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Family Best Buying Group: A New Era for Black Business

The Minister of Small Business Development, Lindiwe Zulu, momentarily side tracked from the serious matters of small business support to pay an emotional tribute to NAFCOC President, Lawrence Bhekinkosi Mavundla for a journey that took him from very humble beginnings in the streets of Johannesburg, to the polished boardrooms of South Africa.

Minister Zulu commended Mavundla for the hard work and his leadership qualities. She recalled meeting Mavundla way back, just after independence when he was a street hawker in the streets of Johannesburg while she was in the Gauteng legislature.

A serial entrepreneur, Mavundla has led NAFCOC for the past 6 years and has been involved in many business transactions over the past decade or so. He remains a consistent voice in the matters affecting small business, He is the Executive Chairman of Family. Best Buying Group, the first 100 percent black owned buying group in South Africa.

She pointed out that Family Best addresses the challenges being faced by township businesses including the matter of malls that are mushrooming in townships. Zulu also pointed out that the Family Best venture is a clear testimony of people taking action, “we have people who are saying it’s possible and we are going to do it’’.

 


In response to a question from the floor, Zulu said she viewed local structures of government as vital to support the small business sector and that the role of the national government was to create a more conducive environment for small business growth.

The minister emphasized the importance of supporting the growth of township businesses. “This partnership will go a long way in stabilising trade and healthy competition among township shop owners,” said Minister Zulu.

Mavundla is also the Chairman of Silver Vanity Investments, the company that owns the Pan African Parliament Building, situated at Gallagher estate in Midrand. And this is apart from the many directorships he holds in many different companies.

Family Best Buying Group is an initiative of The National African Federated Chamber of Commerce and Industry and its affiliate, ACHIB ( African Co-operative for Hawkers and Informal Businesses) who joined hands with Advance Cash and Carry, one of Gauteng’s biggest independent distributors of groceries and fast moving consumer goods. Advance Cash and Carry is owned by the entrepreneurial Kalla family, owners of Amka Products some of whose brands include Soft ‘n Free, Easywaves, Black like Me, Revlon among others.