The Limpopo’s permanent delegates to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) will, together with their provincial counterparts, conduct inspection in loco to incomplete, delayed, or abandoned infrastructure projects under Lephalale, Thabazimbi and Mogalakwena local municipalities from Tuesday to Thursday.

These oversight visits form part of the NCOP’s flagship National Provincial Week programme marked under the theme: Confronting the challenges facing the timely delivery of viable public infrastructure to communities.

On Tuesday, the programme will begin with presentations on the state of provincial and municipal infrastructure through a hybrid meeting at the Lephalale Local Municipality offices located at the corner of Joe Slovo and Douwater roads in Lephalale.

The following are expected to brief the permanent delegates together with Members of the Provincial Legislature (MPLs): The Premier; MEC for Public Works, Roads and Infrastructure; MEC for Co-operative Government, Human Settlement and Traditional Affairs; Mayors of Waterberg District Municipality as well as Lephalale, Thabazimbi and Mogalakwena local municipalities; South African Local Government Association, the Auditor-General and the Department of Water and Sanitation.

In the afternoon, the permanent delegates and MPLs will then conduct inspection in loco to housing and water projects in Marapong and Thabo Mbeki townships.

On Wednesday, 18 September 2024, they will visit the Northam’s wastewater treatment plant, water reticulation upgrading project and internal roads in Ward 8, as well as the housing project at the Regorogile Extension 8 in Ward 9.

On Thursday, they will proceed to a road project at R572 between Tomburke and Swartwater; as well as water boreholes in Taolome, Van Wyk’s span and Ga-Masipa Village; Waterberg Nursing College and Valtyn Moshate Local Stadium.

The programme will then be concluded on Friday with a report back session on the state of provincial infrastructure and progress in confronting the challenges facing the timely delivery of viable public infrastructure to communities.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.

With an investment pipeline of more than $60 billion expected in the upcoming five years, Angola’s upstream industry is seeing robust activity across its mergers and acquisition landscape. Through its six-year licensing round and other investment promotion initiatives, the country is attracting sustained foreign investment in offshore exploration, while new commercial opportunities continue to entice deals across Angola’s blocks.  

Returning for its fifth edition from October 2-3 in Luanda, the Angola Oil&Gas (AOG) conference serves as the premier platform for the oil and gas industry to sign deals and drive projects forward. On the back of seven deals signed at the 2023 edition of the event, AOG 2024 will usher in new opportunities for collaboration and investment, with speakers from global energy associations and market intelligence firms facilitating dialogue and deals.  

AOG is the largest oil and gas event in Angola. Taking place with the full support of the Ministry of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas; the National Oil, Gas and Biofuels Agency; the Petroleum Derivatives Regulatory Institute; national oil company Sonangol; and the African Energy Chamber; the event is a platform to sign deals and advance Angola’s oil and gas industry. To sponsor or participate as a delegate, please contact sales@energycapitalpower.com.  

Aiming to boost its domestic LNG capacity and increase the share of gas in its energy mix to 25% by 2025, Angola offers strategic opportunities for investors and project developers across the natural gas value chain. The country expects its first non-associated gas project – the Quiluma and Maboqueiro fields – to come online in 2026, while the Sanha Lean Gas Connection Project – connecting Blocks 0 and 14 to the Angola LNG facility – will start production in 2024. At AOG 2024, Rafik Amara, Senior Gas Markets Analyst at the Gas Exporting Countries Forum and Denise Cortês-Keyser, Advisor at the Global Gas Center, will share their respective insights into Angola’s role as a global gas producer https://apo-opa.co/4gpFbcM.

In addition to gas projects, Angola is advancing a portfolio of oil projects under efforts to maintain production above one million barrels per day beyond 2027. The country plans to leverage its strategic position in southern Africa to cement its role as a regional petroleum hub, creating newfound opportunities to meet consumer demand in neighboring countries such as South Africa. Adrian Strydom, CEO of the South African Oil&Gas Alliance, has joined AOG 2024 to discuss opportunities in this area.  

A strong advocate for the development of Africa’s oil and gas industry, the African Energy Chamber (AEC) – serving as the voice of the African energy sector – has been resolute in its approach to facilitating investment into and supporting Angola’s industry expansion. During the 2023 edition of AOG, the AEC’s Executive Chairman NJ Ayuk emphasized that the Chamber “has been particularly pleased to watch the path that Angola has been taking to drive its [oil and gas] industry forward.” Ayuk returns to AOG 2024 to discuss the country’s progress and future hydrocarbon outlook.  

Angola has taken a proactive approach to attracting foreign investment across its entire oil and gas value chain. This is evident through measures such as a six-year licensing strategy launched in 2019; a permanent offer program providing access to block opportunities; a recently-launched marginal field program; and improved fiscals for incremental production and onshore exploration. As global interest continues to grow in Angola’s investment opportunities, market intelligence firms offer the insights and data needed for companies to make informed decisions.  

During AOG 2024, Ian Thom, Upstream Director at Wood Mackenzie, will share data-driven insights into Angola’s energy sector opportunities. He is joined by representatives from S&P Global Commodity Insights, including the company’s Senior Energy Specialist Jennifer Jumbe; Director for African Regional Research Justin Cochrane; and Associate Director Rodrigo Fiatikoski.  

For more information about the AOG 2024 program and speakers, visit https://apo-opa.co/3Zqkk35

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital&Power.

HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani met at the Amiri Diwan on Sunday with HE Prime Minister of the Republic of Djibouti Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed, who is visiting the country.

During the meeting, they discussed cooperation relations between the two countries and ways to support and develop them, in addition to a number of regional and international issues of common concern.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The State of Qatar.

Angolan authorities must immediately release four activists wrongfully detained for one year whose health has drastically deteriorated behind bars, Amnesty International said. 

Police arrested the four activists on 16 September 2023 in Luanda ahead of a planned protest in solidarity with motorcycle taxi drivers. Since then, Amnesty International has documented significant declines in their health amid a pattern of authorities deliberately denying them medical care at multiple different prisons, including urgent surgery, which amounts to torture and other ill-treatment. 

“One year in prison simply for peacefully protesting is a travesty of justice. Angolan authorities must release these activists now, especially given their worsening medical conditions,” said Vongai Chikwanda, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for East and Southern Africa. 

“Deliberately denying medical care to people in prison is torture. The denial of health care to prisoners also has potentially fatal consequences and may violate the right to life. Not another day should go by with them behind bars or without receiving the medical care they urgently need,” said Vongai Chikwanda. 

A pattern of refusing care

Adolfo Campos, leader of the Angolan Revolutionary Movement and an employee at a local newspaper, entered prison in good health, but during the past year in Calomboloca Prison, he has gradually lost much of his vision and is now completely deaf in his left ear.  

In early February 2024, Campos was urgently admitted to the prison hospital, where doctors recommended surgery at an external facility. However, prison authorities blocked that procedure and have yet to respond to a 7 February request from Campos’ lawyer for a hospital transfer for surgery. 

Throughout his incarceration, prison guards have kept Campos in an overcrowded cell with more than 100 other inmates, where he sleeps on the floor. There are frequent fights, including stabbings. 

Hermenegildo Victor José, known as Gildo das Ruas, is a member of the Malangina Resistance Movement and also had no health issues before his incarceration at Luanda Central Prison. In June, he started complaining of fevers and body aches, but prison authorities did not permit him to see a doctor until 1 August. The doctor diagnosed spinal deviation which prevents him from standing for more than 30 minutes due to pain. It is unclear how Gildo’s condition developed, though he was not assaulted. 

A prison doctor prescribed a wheelchair and a lumbar prosthesis for Gildo. His lawyers delivered the wheelchair on 15 August, but he was prevented from using it for at least four days. Authorities also denied two family visits to Gildo in August. 

Two years of suffering

Gilson Moreira, known as Tanaice Neutro, is a musician and frequent government critic who has suffered more than two years of denied medical care at the hands of prison authorities. In January 2022, police arrested Tanaice after he allegedly called President Lourenço a “clown.” At the time, Tanaice was suffering from a severe and painful condition that has occasionally prevented him from moving his bowels, and he had scheduled surgery abroad. Prison authorities did not allow this procedure to go ahead. 

In October 2022, after reviewing photos and medical testimony, a judge ordered Tanaice’s immediate release for treatment, but prison authorities defied that order, keeping him locked up for another eight months while preventing his family from delivering medication. Tanaice also suffered from headaches, fever and suicidal ideation while incarcerated. 

After his June 2023 release, Tainace rescheduled his surgery for November, but police arrested him in September along with the other activists. Initially, prison guards placed him in solitary confinement for 36 days in Kakila Prison, which amounts to torture or other ill-treatment, before transferring him to Calomboloca Prison. To date, they have not allowed Tanaice to undergo his surgery. 

Tanaice also suffers from back and leg pain, has been denied proper bedding during cold weather and has been assaulted by other inmates. 

Only the fourth activist, Abraão Pedro Santos, known as Pensador, has not yet experienced significant health deterioration in prison. Pensador is a member of the Civil Society Contestant Movement and leader of the Black Panther Revolutionary Movement. 

However, prison guards have refused medical care to another arbitrarily detained dissenter, influencer Ana da Silva Miguel, known as Neth Nahara. Police arrested Neth in a separate case in August 2023 after she criticized President Lourenço in a live TikTok video. 

Neth publicly disclosed her HIV-positive status in 2020, but authorities at Luanda Central Prison prevented her from accessing her daily HIV medication for months, leading to an emergency hospitalization on 3 December 2023. The authorities only allowed her to receive her medication in April 2024, eight months after her arrest. Authorities must release Neth immediately. 

“We see a troubling pattern of Angolan authorities withholding medical care as a means of punishing peaceful dissent, amounting to torture. The authorities must ensure the detainees can receive the medical care they need,” said Vongai Chikwanda. 

“The authorities must immediately release the jailed activists and allow everyone in the country to freely exercise their human rights as guaranteed by Angola’s constitution and international human rights obligations,” said Vongai Chikwanda. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Amnesty International.