July 15, 2024.

For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Halima Frost.

Making headlines:

Ramaphosa says carbon intensity of economy has become unsustainable

Senzo Mchunu says technology integration crucial for enhancing Saps effectiveness

And, Zimbabwe bankers back plan to adopt ZiG as sole currency before 2030

Ramaphosa says carbon intensity of economy has become unsustainable

The carbon intensity of the country’s economy has become unsustainable, President Cyril Ramaphosa wrote in his latest weekly newsletter, published ahead of his address to a climate finance symposium being hosted jointly by the National Treasury and the Presidential Climate Commission.

Ramaphosa said the world is moving towards greener economies and that a number of South Africa’s major trading partners are also taking measures to decarbonise that will affect the competitiveness of the country’s exports to these markets.

He made no direct reference to the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism that the European Union plans to begin implementing from 2026 onwards, nor similar plans to prevent “carbon leakage” in the UK, the US, Japan and Canada.

However, South Africa’s cement, iron and steel and aluminium sectors are particularly exposed to the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, with initial research indicating that the sectors could experience export declines of between 16% and 30% by 2030.

This exposure is largely related to the coal-intensity of South Africa’s electricity sector, which raises Scope 3 emissions for electricity-intensive manufacturers to extreme levels.

Senzo Mchunu says technology integration crucial for enhancing Saps effectiveness

With crime levels in the country becoming increasing intolerable, new Police Minister Senzo Mchunu said today the integration of technology in police services is crucial for enhancing the efficiency, effectiveness and overall capability of law enforcement.

Mchunu outlined the Ministry of Police's priorities for the seventh administration, and highlighted that the South African Police Service needed to act decisively to bring crime under control.

He said the levels and types of crime differed from one province to the other, noting that the Saps needed to take this into account as it implemented the Integrated National Crime Prevention Strategy.

He highlighted that the Saps would prioritise the roll out of new technologies to detect and deter crimes.

Advanced technologies such as data analytics, AI, surveillance systems, and digital communication tools enable police to better predict, prevent, and respond to criminal activities, he explained.

He noted that these tools provided officers with real-time information, improve decision-making, and facilitate faster, more accurate investigations.

Mchunu said technology also enhanced transparency and accountability and fostered greater public trust.

Zimbabwe bankers back plan to adopt ZiG as sole currency before 2030

Zimbabwe’s banks support adopting the ZiG — which stands for Zimbabwe Gold — as the nation’s sole currency before the current target date of 2030, provided the economic stability which the bullion-backed unit has delivered is maintained.

Bankers Association of Zimbabwe President Lawrence Nyazema said the availability of the ZiG will improve as the nation boosts its foreign currency and bullion holdings.

The central bank has promised not to print more ZiG than can be backed by reserves.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa last week hinted he wants to accelerate the southern African nation’s return to just using its own currency, suggesting it could be done in the next two years. In October he extended dollar use until 2030.

Zimbabwe launched the ZiG, backed by foreign currency and 2.5 tonnes of gold, in April in its latest effort to deliver a stable local currency.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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