THOUSANDS of jobs have been saved in the Langeberg region in the Western Cape.

Tiger Brands recently informed the Premier of the Western Cape that it has concluded a business agreement to facilitate the company’s exit from its deciduous canned fruit business, Langeberg and Ashton Food (LAF) cannery.

The business will be sold as a going concern to a capable consortium comprising partners with a vested interest in LAF, its employees, and the region.

The Premier, Alan Winde, has welcomed the agreement as the business is vital to the Langeberg region’s economy, employing more than 3,000 permanent and seasonal workers.

“This positive development will bring much-needed relief to LAF employees, their families, and the community of Ashton, as well as the broader Langeberg region,” said Winde.

He added, “Our priority throughout this process has been to protect jobs. Apart from the thousands of jobs that have been saved at LAF, this agreement also safeguards many more jobs on farms across the Langeberg area.”

The Premier has thanked Tiger Brands and other stakeholders who have been involved in finding an outcome that protects much-needed jobs. Source: westerncape.gov.za

THE Department of Public Works and Infrastructure is taking a good step in the right direction in the fight against gender-based violence (GBV).

This comes as Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson this week handed over 10 properties that will be used as shelters for victims of GBV.

“The handover of these properties is part of the work we are doing to ensure that the Department plays a meaningful role in improving the lives of all South Africans. By working together, we are using public assets for the public good to build a better country. Let’s build South Africa,” the Minister said at a handover ceremony in Mpumalanga.

Five of the properties are located in Badplaas, four in Lothair, and one in Delmas.

They had previously stood vacant and unutilised by the department but will now be renovated by the Mpumalanga provincial department. Macpherson said Monday’s handover to the Mpumalanga MEC for Social Development, Brenda Moeketsi, aligns with the department’s mission to ensure that public properties do not stand idle, but are instead used for the public good.

The handover follows a similar transfer last month of five unutilised properties in Waterkloof, Pretoria, to the Gauteng Social Development department. Source: SAnews.gov.za 

THIS week it is time honour our emergency medical services workers as National EMS Week is celebrated across South Africa and the rest of the world.

EMS week is held annually during May and this year is celebrated from 18 to 24 May.

EMS professionals’ dedication and lifesaving skills are put to the test every day. They are called out in big cities and in small towns, in private homes, businesses, schools and roads to help people.

Whether it’s saving a young victim of a motor vehicle crash, helping an elderly patient who’s forgotten to take their medication, stabilizing a construction worker experiencing chest pain on the jobsite, or treating an overdose on a city street, they are trained and ready to deliver a range of medical interventions and support.

There has been calls for better protection and care of EMS crews in the Western Cape who face serious safety concerns, including being targeted by violent criminals, which leads to trauma and disruptions in essential healthcare services. 

There are also concerns about ambulances entering certain areas and the potential for staff to be attacked. The Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness is working with relevant stakeholders to address them, including the South African Police Service (SAPS). 

Let’s all celebrate our EMS workers and show them we care, just like they care for everyone!