In a significant milestone for the country, President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed current Deputy Chief Justice Mandisa Maya as Chief Justice of the Republic of South Africa.The appointment takes effect from September 1, 2024.
The appointment follows the Presidents consultation with the Judicial Service Commission.This was done in accordance with constitutional prescripts.The President consulted leaders of political parties in the National Assembly, the Presidency said Thursday.On February 22, 2024, President Ramaphosa notified Chief Justice Raymond Zondo of his plan to appoint Deputy Chief Justice Maya as Chief Justice.This appointment is set to take place upon the expiry of the term of office of Chief Justice Zondo on August 31, 2024.The President invited the Judicial Service Commission to provide its views on the suitability of Justice Maya to hold the office of Chief Justice.Discharging its consultative mandate set out in Section 174(3) of the Constitution, the Commission interviewed Justice Maya on May 21, 2024.Namibia Advances LGBTQ+ Rights Amid Uganda, Ghanas Restrictions.
(Photo Internet reproduction)The purpose was to ascertain her suitability for appointment as Chief Justice of the Republic.The Commission subsequently assured the President of Justice Mayas suitability to lead the judiciary in the country based on the interview.They highlighted Justice Mayas qualifications and judicial record.
Her leadership qualities were also emphasized, along with her experience as a judge in various courts.Additionally, her past leadership of the Supreme Court of Appeal and her role as Deputy Chief Justice leading up to her nomination by the President were noted.The Commissioners also advised that Justice Mayas appointment would be a significant milestone for the country.Justice Maya would be the first woman in South Africa to be appointed Chief Justice.The President appreciates the confidence expressed by the Judicial Service Commission and leaders of political parties in the suitability of the incoming Chief Justice.The incoming Chief Justice can draw inspiration and support from this confidence, said the Presidency.Mayas appointment is in terms of Section 174(3) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa.Namibia: Government to Feed Hungry Communities With 640 Wild AnimalsThe Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism has donated 640 animals to the governments national drought relief program.Around 30 hippos, 60 buffalo, 50 impalas, 100 blue wildebeests, 300 zebras, and 100 elands will come from five Namibian national parks.These animals will be used to make meat packs for beneficiaries of the program.Ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda revealed this to The Namibian yesterday, adding that their contribution of game meat is done with the approval of the Cabinet.He said in these parks, where the animals will be sourced, there will be sustainable game numbers, and there will be a limited disturbance to tourism.According to Muyunda, their conservation efforts have proven to be beneficial to citizens.The government has budgeted N$825 million for the drought-relief program, which is expected to cater to about 172,200 households nationwide.Meanwhile, the government is yet to get help from the international community, despite asking for N$482 million last month to cover the shortfall needed to meet the budget set for drought relief.The overall budget for drought relief is N$1.3 billion.This comes a month after Namibia requested help from heads of diplomatic missions and development partners.So far, the government has raised N$829 million for food assistance, livestock support, seed and horticulture provision, and water provision.Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) spokesperson Rhingo Mutambo says some foreign governments are willing to help.Some governments have indicated their willingness to support.
However, they are still consulting their national governments, he says.Mutambo says they will continue to mobilize support, adding that only Qatar has donated something so far.Meanwhile, Popular Democratic Movement president McHenry Venaani says the government must stop being an international beggar.Venaani says the leadership does not pivot agriculture as an activity that can catapult food security and job creation.Its a weakness after 34 years of independence, he says.A total of 341 855 households are expected to be food insecure between July 2024 and September 2024, OPM stated in their earlier presentation.The government formulated a N$1.3 billion drought intervention program for which it would need assistance to implement.Last week, President Nangolo Mbumba met with development agencies and pleaded for aid from the United Nations.Former ambassador Pius Dunaiski said on Tuesday that Namibia should put pressure on all its diplomatic missions to work much harder in light of the severe consequences of the drought emergency.He said President Mbumba should request the Southern African Development Community convene an emergency meeting with donor countries and United Nations agencies.South African teens are struggling.
A Western Cape study shows 33 percent of people have symptoms of depression.In South Africa, little research has been conducted on depression and anxiety among younger adolescents, specifically those between the ages of 10 and 14.Existing studies have primarily focused on older adolescents and individuals living with HIV.The age range of 10- to 14-year-olds has been neglected.
This age group is important because half of all mental health problems develop before the age of 14.As mental health researchers, we conducted a study focusing on these young adolescents in 10 schools in under-resourced areas within Cape Town and the Cape Winelands.How we conducted the studyWorking with community-based organizations offering psychological and social support and counseling, we recruited 621 adolescents aged 10 to 14 in 10 primary schools.The criteria included adolescents who: (1) were enrolled in the selected schools in the Western Cape province; (2) were aged 10 to 14 years; (3) provided assent; and (4) had caregivers who provided consent for their child to participate.Using a tablet-based survey, we gathered information on sociodemographic factors, mental health symptoms, substance use, bullying, punishment, witnessing violence at home, and self-esteem.Mental health symptoms were measured using internationally accepted screening tools.Depression symptoms were assessed with the Patient Health Questionnaire for Adolescents, while anxiety symptoms were evaluated with the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale 7.The majority of the adolescents were female (61%), and the average age was 12 years.
More than half (58.6%) lived with a single parent, and 15.3% did not live with either of their parents.More than two-thirds of the participants reported speaking two languages at home.Specifically, 402 participants (64.7%) spoke English, 321 (51.2%) spoke isiXhosa, 112 (18.0%) spoke Afrikaans, and 60 (9.7%) spoke another language.What we foundWe found that a high percentage of adolescents reported experiencing bullying at school (80.5%), witnessing violence at home (78.6%), and being exposed to punishment by caregivers (56.4%).A significant portion of the adolescents had tried alcohol at least once (23.8%).Depression: 33% experienced symptoms of depression such as feeling sad or down, irritability, hopelessness, trouble sleeping, appetite changes, and difficulty concentrating.Depressive symptoms were linked with being in a higher grade in school, alcohol consumption, the use of other drugs, and witnessing violence among adults at home.Namibia: Government Appeals Against Same-Sex JudgementA landmark High Court judgment declared the common law crimes of sodomy and unnatural sexual offenses unconstitutional a month ago.This decision is now set to be challenged in Namibias Supreme Court.
This is after the Office of the Government Attorney filed an appeal notice with the Supreme Court at the start of this week.The notice records that several officials are appealing against the judgment.These officials include the attorney general, the minister of justice, the minister of home affairs, and the minister of immigration, safety, and security.Also appealing are the minister of defense and veterans affairs, as well as the prosecutor general.They are challenging the judgment delivered by High Court judges Nate Ndauendapo, Shafimana Ueitele, and Claudia Claasen in the Windhoek High Court on June 21.In their joint judgment, the three judges stated that the common law offenses of sodomy and unnatural sexual offenses differentiate between individuals.They also noted a distinction between gay men and heterosexual men.
This amounts to unfair discrimination and is unconstitutional, the court found.The court noted in its judgment that the definition of sodomy criminalizes sexual conduct between men, both when it takes place with consent and in private.However, the same sexual conduct is not an offense when it takes place between a man and a woman or between two women.It is not rational to criminalize sexual activity between men while the same sexual act between a man and a woman is not criminalized, the court remarked.The court also stated that, in the context of Namibias Constitution, which promises to recognize the inherent dignity and equal rights of all people, it is not justifiable to make an activity criminal.This holds true just because a segment, maybe a majority, of the citizenry consider it to be unacceptable.The High Courts judgment was given on an application by a gay Namibian man, Friedel Dausab.He sought to have the common law criminalization of male anal sex and unnatural sexual offenses declared unconstitutional.APPEAL GROUNDSIn the appeal notice, it is stated that Dausab based his application on six grounds on which he claimed the criminalization of sexual acts involving two men is unconstitutional.According to the five appellants, the High Court made an error by considering only one of the grounds raised by Dausab.This ground was whether the criminalization of sodomy and unnatural sexual offenses violated the Constitutions protection of equality and freedom from discrimination.The notice argues that the court had a duty to decide all of the issues raised by Dausab.It should have considered all the grounds on which he challenged the constitutionality of outlawing sodomy and unnatural sexual offenses.The High Courts error means the Supreme Court must decide all the other issues raised by Dausab.Alternatively, the Supreme Court should refer the undecided issues back to the High Court for a decision, as stated on behalf of the appellants.The appeal notice also claims that the High Court failed to consider the norms of Namibian society.The court allegedly failed to consider the fundamental norms, aspirations, moral standards, and social conditions of the Namibian people.While the High Court acknowledged that sexual orientation is not included among the grounds on which the Constitution specifically prohibits discrimination, the court made a fundamental error.The courts statement that this did not allow the law to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation was contrary to the claim made in the appeal notice.According to part of the appeal notice, the High Court has no power to disregard the language of the Constitution and the intention of its drafters.It cannot read sexual preference into the Constitution as a protected ground.
The court made an error in that regard; it is also claimed in the notice.The appeal notice claims the court did not recognize that distinguishing between male and female conduct constitutes differentiation, not discrimination.Laws prohibiting sexual acts between men further a rational governmental purpose, namely upholding the sexual customs of Namibian society, as claimed on behalf of the appellants as well.COMMENTSDausab commented on the lodging of the appeal yesterday: It is quite sad that the government would use precious national resources to go after a powerless minority.Dausab added: For me, it is reminiscent of the apartheid government, which had all the guns that they used against us black people.He continued: Just like we did during apartheid, I will not stop fighting the injustice.
I will see the government in the Supreme Court.Pendapala Nakathingo, chairperson of a committee against homosexuality and same-sex marriage in Namibia, said he and his supporters are demanding an appeal of the High Courts judgment.We appreciate the appeal, Nakathingo said, adding that sexual acts between men should remain a criminal offense in Namibia.Human rights activist Linda Baumann commented yesterday that the decision to lodge an appeal to the Supreme Court is a disappointment.Baumann said it raises concerns about the governments stance on human rights.She expects it to spark an international reaction regarding Namibias position on the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex (LGBTQI+) people.She is also apprehensive that an appeal would increase stigma and discrimination and incite violence against people in the LGBTQI+ community, Baumann said.By trying to keep laws that criminalize homosexuality in force, the government is declaring discrimination to be acceptable, Baumann commented.Legal Assistance Center director Toni Hancox said it was widely expected that an appeal would be filed against the High Courts judgment.If the matter is decided by the Supreme Court, it will have gone through the countrys two highest courts and will then be settled.This would be good for legal clarity, although it would obviously not be pleasant for the people involved, Hancox said.In terms of the Supreme Courts rules, parties taking an appeal to that court must file copies of the record of the case from which the appeal emanates.This must be done at the Supreme Court within three months after the date of the judgment against which the appeal is aimed.