United Nations

The United Nations secretary-general, Ban Ki-moon, has commemorated the African National Congress (ANC) centenary, hailing the ruling party’s successes as a key liberation movement in the country.

Ban, who also called for the ANC’s continued determination to defend the principles of freedom, justice and non-discrimination, described the ANC as “...more than a political party. It is a movement - a tangible expression of a vision."

He further stated that the commitment and sacrifice of its members led to the emancipation of a nation, adding that the justness of its cause attracted support from around the world and from all races.

To read the article titled, “Ban calls for political party to continue fight against discrimination,” click here.

We are honoured to have been selected by the Smithsonian's Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum - Rockefeller Foundation Design with the other 90 percent cities to showcase the South African designed and patented plastic formwork construction technology as an innovative solution to address the unprecedented growth of informal settlements globally combined with skills transfer and job creation.

Every year, nearly seventy million people, or 200 000 a day, move from rural areas to urban cities. In South Africa alone, more than 2.2 million homes are currently needed, and an additional 180 000 homes will be needed every year to keep pace with rapid urbanisation. The Plastic Formwork System is a method of building cast-in-place reinforced concrete structures, in which the walls of a house can be built in as little as a day by unskilled labourers with locally sourced materials and little waste. The system is comprised of square plastic components that join together to form wall panels from which the house is assembled. The house’s infrastructure - steel-reinforcement bars, conduits, window and door frames, pipes and other fittings - is positioned on the wall. Once in place, these elements are sandwiched between a second layer of panels, forming a cavity into which a lightweight concrete mortar is poured. After the mortar dries overnight, the Plastic Formwork panels are removed and reassembled for use at the next housing site, minimising waste and transportation needs.

 

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has encouraged Tanzania to urgently address the problem of violence against children.

UNICEF chief of child protection in Tanzania, Andrew Brooks, points out that, “Having had the courage to find out the scale and scope of violence against children in the country, the government now has the challenge of planning and delivering a proportionate response."

The call comes in the wake of a new government-led survey in which almost three quarters of girls and boys said they had experienced physical violence before the age of 18 at the hands of an adult or an intimate partner.

To read the article titled, “Results of survey on violence against children spur call to action by UN,” click here.

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) says that more than 115 million of the world's children and young teenagers, or more than seven percent of the total, are engaged in dangerous and life-threatening jobs.
 
The United Nations agency, which sets standards for employment around the globe, says in a report the industries involved range from mining and metalworking through farming and shoe-making to flower-growing and the banana industry.
 
In a linked statement, a UN investigator noted that child labour is in great demand by employers because it is cheap and because children are naturally more docile, easier to discipline than adults, and too frightened to complain.

To read the article titled, “UN says more than 115m kids do dangerous jobs,” click here.