The Democratic Alliance (DA) has challenged Deputy President Paul Mashatile on whether the African National Congress (ANC) would support its motion of no confidence in National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula.
The party argues that it is unacceptable that she remains in her position as the allegations against her are serious.
Gwarube asked the question during Mashatile’s oral reply session to the National Assembly during a virtual sitting.
She says, “Recently the Speaker of the National Assembly Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula is alleged to have received millions to construct her personal residence and she stands accused of 12 counts of corruption and money laundering by the NPA. We have written to all parties in the National Assembly including your party, the ANC. Will the ANC which you lead as Deputy President, support this motion in order to restore public trust in the Parliament.”
In his reply to Gwarube, Mashatile says it would be premature to ask Mapisa-Nqakula to step down when the allegations against her have not yet been tested.
He says, “The Speaker of Parliament is cooperating with the law enforcement agencies. You may also be aware that on a number of occasions she said that if she was to be charged with these alleged offences, she is prepared to step down. So, my approach is let’s give those processes an opportunity so that we can know exactly what is happening because at the moment, there are still investigations and she is not charged, all that remains allegations.” By Mercedes Besent. SABC
Unilever has announced steps to accelerate its Growth Action Plan (GAP) through the separation of Ice Cream and the launch of a major productivity programme.
The Board believes that Unilever should be increasingly focused on a portfolio of unmissably superior brands with strong positions in highly attractive categories that have complementary operating models. This is where the company can most effectively apply its innovation, marketing and go-to-market capabilities. Ice Cream has a very different operating model, and as a result the Board has decided that the separation of Ice Cream best serves the future growth of both Ice Cream and Unilever.
Following separation, Unilever will become a simpler, more focused company, operating four Business Groups across Beauty & Wellbeing, Personal Care, Home Care and Nutrition. These Business Groups have complementary routes to market, and/or R&D, manufacturing and distribution systems, across both developed markets and Unilever’s extensive emerging markets footprint.
The separation of Ice Cream will assist Unilever’s management to accelerate the implementation of its GAP, announced in October 2023, which is focused on doing fewer things, better, with greater impact to drive consistent and stronger topline growth, enhance productivity and simplicity, and step up Unilever’s performance culture. In addition, Unilever will continue to optimise its portfolio within the four Business Groups towards higher growth spaces and through brands with global reach or significant potential to scale.
Separation of Ice Cream
The Unilever Board is confident that the future growth potential of Ice Cream will be better delivered under a different ownership structure. Ice Cream has distinct characteristics compared with Unilever’s other operating businesses. These include a supply chain and point of sale that support frozen goods, a different channel landscape, more seasonality, and greater capital intensity.
The separation of Ice Cream will create a world-leading business, operating in a highly attractive category, with brands that together delivered turnover of €7.9 billion in 2023. The business has five of the top 10 selling global ice cream brands including Wall’s, Magnum and Ben & Jerry’s, with exposure in both the in-home and out-of-home segments across a global footprint.
Under new leadership, Ice Cream is already making significant operational changes at pace that are expected to drive stronger performance. These include improved productivity and efficiencies, product rationalisation, and investment behind significant innovations.
As a standalone, more focused business, Ice Cream’s management team will have operational and financial flexibility to grow its business, allocate capital and resources in support of the company’s distinct strategy, including further optimising its manufacturing and logistics network, and developing wide-reaching, flexible, distribution channels over and above the changes that are currently under way in the business.
A demerger of Ice Cream is the most likely separation route, and in that case we expect the company to operate with a capital structure in line with comparable listed companies. Other options for separation will be considered to maximise returns for shareholders. The costs and operational dis-synergies relating to the separation of Ice Cream will be determined by the precise transaction structure chosen.
Separation activity will begin immediately, with full separation expected by the end of 2025. Further information will be provided in due course. Launch of productivity programme
Building on the early momentum of GAP we have identified additional efficiencies that can now be accelerated. In addition to the portfolio changes, Unilever intends to launch a comprehensive productivity programme, driving focus and faster growth through a leaner and more accountable organisation, enabled by investment in technology.
The productivity programme is anticipated to deliver total cost savings of around €800 million over the next three years, more than offsetting estimated operational dis-synergies from the separation of Ice Cream. Incremental net savings from the programme beyond dis-synergies will provide flexibility for accelerated growth investments behind our brands and R&D, and support margin improvement over time.
The programme will further reduce complexity and duplication through technology-led interventions, process standardisation and operational centres of excellence to drive efficiencies.
The proposed changes are expected to impact around 7,500 predominantly office-based roles globally, with total restructuring costs now anticipated to be around 1.2% of Group turnover for the next three years (up from the around 1% of Group turnover previously communicated).
Enhanced medium-term guidance
The separation of Unilever and Ice Cream in combination with the productivity programme will ensure that Unilever’s financial and management resources are focused on its strongest, global or scalable brands.
These will have the capability to drive category expansion and deliver accelerated, sustainable levels of growth and improved profitability. After separating Ice Cream and implementing the productivity programme, Unilever will have a structurally higher margin. Post separation, Unilever aims to deliver mid-single digit underlying sales growth and modest margin improvement.
Ian Meakins, Chair of Unilever said: “The Board is determined to transform Unilever into a higher-growth, higher-margin business that will deliver consistently for all stakeholders. Improving our performance and sharpening our portfolio are key to delivering the improved results we believe Unilever can achieve.
“The separation of Ice Cream and the delivery of the productivity programme will help create a simpler, more focused, and higher performing Unilever. It will also create a world-leading ice cream business, with strong growth prospects and an exciting future as a standalone business.”
Hein Schumacher, CEO of Unilever said: “Under the Growth Action Plan we have committed to do fewer things, better, and with greater impact. The changes we are announcing today will help us accelerate that plan, focusing our business and our resources on global or scalable brands where we can apply our leading innovation, technology and go-to-market capabilities across complementary operating models.
“Simplifying our portfolio and driving greater productivity will allow us to further unlock the potential of this business, supporting our ambition to position Unilever as a world-leading consumer goods company delivering strong, sustainable growth and enhanced profitability.
“We are committed to carrying out our productivity programme in consultation with employee representatives, and with respect and care for those of our people who are impacted.” BY BOB KOIGI, African Business Community
Bisset says grief tech is helping people deal with the loss of a loved one and is an emerging trend. In 2016, a man developed an artificial technology app called heareafter.ai after his father died of cancer. The app was born from a question: what do I still want to know about my father before he dies?
The advent of this app gives people the option to mourn the loss of a loved one beyond Facebook albums or 'a dusty photo album,' says Bisset.
"The digital age has made coping with loss complex as digital ghosts remain on internet after someone passes."
Kirsty Bisset, Managing Director - HaveYouHeard
How do these apps work?
These artificial intelligence apps develop chatbot avatars of people's deceased relatives, preserving their memories, allowing the living to communicate with "a digital ghost" of someone who has long passed to help them heal.
While someone is still alive, these apps will allow you to "archive" your loved ones through conversations, interviews and questions, teaching the app's algorithm about the person so when they pass the app is able to answer further questions in their voice and in their likeness so you can have a two-way conversation, digitally.
Bisset highlights that there are ethical questions around these apps...
"It speaks to how we would want to mourn and there are definitely moral and ethical concerns that surround this technology. There are also implications of creating avatars of deceased people without their permission which is also an ethical question."
Kirsty Bisset, Managing Director - HaveYouHeard
Bisset also notes that an app like this might hinder one's grieving process.
"The implications of apps like this is under scrutiny. Is this the right thing to do? It indicates that excessive reliance on an avatar might hinder the ability to adapt to loss and might prolong grieving."
Kirsty Bisset, Managing Director - HaveYouHeard
Humans and technology must work together to avoid a trap where you realise it's technology you're talking to and not the actual person, she suggets.
"It's like a black mirror episode coming to life."
Kirsty Bisset, Managing Director - HaveYouHeard
Bisset notes that this also has implications for your will and testament.
"You would have to state that your identity like your name, voice and face will not exist beyond the physical world in your will. It's called a Digital Do Not Reanimate Clause (DDNR) and might be something to consider in future where things like this is imminent."
The Ministry of Health refuted claims linking the rise in respiratory infections to SARS-CoV-2, attributing it instead to an increase in swine flu influenza virus cases Acting Director General for Health Patrick Amoth stated that influenza cases typically peak from February to March and July to November
The Ministry reassured the public of its robust surveillance system monitoring the emergence and spread of flu and other pathogens, including the new SARS-CoV-2 variant JNI Despite increased influenza cases, Amoth warned that influenza infections, while usually self-limiting, can result in severe disease or death in high-risk individuals.
In a statement on Thursday, March 28, Patrick Amoth, Acting Director General for Health, said influenza cases are high from February to March and July to November. He explained that MoH has been monitoring SARS-CoV-2 cases since December 2023, with a focus on the new variant JNI.
"The Ministry of Health has been monitoring influenza cases over the last two decades. We have observed the occurrence of cases throughout the year with an upsurge of cases in two peaks; February to March and July to November.
In addition, the Ministry has been monitoring the SARS-CoV-2 cases with focus on the new variant clade JN1 since December 2023. Recently, the media has reported an increase in the number of patients reporting respiratory infections and have attributed these cases to the COVID 19 (SARS- CoV 2 Omicron JN1)," read the statement in part.
He explained that none of their surveillance had raised an alarm over COVID-19, and there is no significant change in influenza cases. "None of these sites have reported an increase in the numbers of the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) but increased cases of influenza have been reported.
We wish to inform the public that the current increase in numbers is in line with the expected cases of influenza at this time of the year and there has been no significant changes in the number of hospitalizations and deaths reported," he added. However, Amoth stated that influenza infections are self-limiting but may also result in severe disease or death, especially in people at high risk. by Didacus Malowa, Kenyans.co.ke
University of Brighton alumna receives $50,000 fromElton John AIDS Foundation to improve access to HIV care and education for youth in Uganda.
Caroline Mukebezi, who graduated with an MSc Health Promotion from the University's School of Sports and Health Sciences, received the grant to support her project aimed at improving access to HIV response for vulnerable people – especially adolescents and young girls – in her native Uganda.
With support from the Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF), the organisation founded by Caroline, Pathway Foundation for Health and Economic Empowerment (PFHEE), will run a two-year project working with community health institutions and local leaders to improve access to HIV testing, reduce stigma associated with the disease and build the capacity of health workers through training and workshops.
Caroline said: "I am excited for the many young girls and boys in Uganda who will benefit from our work thanks to this grant from the Elton John AIDS Foundation. With these funds, we will improve access to HIV/AIDS and Sexual Reproductive Health Rights services. We will also focus on providing mental health support for people living with HIV/AIDS while building the capacity of other local organisations to offer such services".
Ms Mukebezi lost her father at the age of six, and her mother years later to HIV/AIDS. In Uganda, limited access to health information and care contribute to high number of HIV-related deaths annually.
She said: "Losing my parents at an early age, due to our inability to afford treatment and the strained quality of care they received, formed my resolve to significantly contribute to improving the experience of other people living with the disease. University of Brighton gave me the knowledge and skills to translate this passion to support people into a real-life organization, taking into consideration the local context and the policies and laws in my country."
While studying at Brighton, Caroline was a beneficiary of the University of Brighton Forward Bound Scholarship which has supported Health Promotion MSc applicants from low or lower-middle income countries since 2015. The award provides educational funding for health and other professionals who are employed or volunteer in roles where they will be able to influence and shape health promotion practice and policy on their return.
Just a few years after receiving the scholarship, Caroline has gone on to set up her organization which is providing support for young people in Uganda.
She said: "I wouldn't have been able to do all these if not for the Forward Bound scholarship which made it possible for me to come to Brighton to get all this knowledge. The chance to learn, to study and then use that knowledge and put it into practise has greatly impacted me and brought a lot of other opportunities. It has been truly life changing and I don't take it for granted."
"Located in one of the UK's major cities of sanctuary, University of Brighton exposed me to various cultures and experiences which shaped my thinking as well as my personal and professional life. I gained incredible skills in communication, planning, and organizing which have helped my work and my journey to landing this grant," Caroline added.
About the Forward Bound Scholarship
The Forward Bound scholarship is available to Health Promotion MSc applicants from low or lower-middle income countries where similar postgraduate education opportunities are not available. It is intended to support health and other professionals who are employed or who volunteer in roles where they will be able to influence health promotion practice and policy on their return.
The core objective of the scholarship is to empower recipients to use the knowledge and experience they gain from their Masters to return to their country of origin and make a tangible difference to communities through health promotion in a professional and/or voluntary capacity.
The scholarship will fund course fees, travel costs, accommodation, visa, subsistence and health insurance for 12 months – equivalent to a cost of £28,000.
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