Weekly Highlights 08 October 2021

Weekly Highlights 08 October 2021 - Issue No. 109 In this issue Dear Colleagues Minister Mbalula Unveils Four Bridges in the October is Mental Health Awareness Month in South North West Africa. It is a month dedicated to addressing mental health issues, promoting mental health, supporting those who suf- Whistle-blowing fer from mental health problems and reducing the stigma against them. World Mental Health Day 2021 As much as physical health is important, mental health Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2021 is also extremely important for us to continue functioning normally in our personal and professional lives. In today’s vaccination- own your life competitive world one is constantly faced with challenges and responsibilities which might get overwhelming some- COVID-19 Statistics times. Mental health problems also affect our levels of performance in the workplace and we therefore need to the fun page address them as soon as they appear. Letters to the Editor Lack of awareness of mental health problems among some of us leads to treating sufferers in an insensitive We invite our readers to share their manner which might make the situation worse for them. comments, feedback, and suggestions For instance, with mental health problems such as severe with us. Readers are encouraged to submit and ongoing depression and anxiety it’s not uncommon their letters, of no more than 200 words, to to hear people saying one can just snap out of it and be [email protected] and TholakeleR@raf. fine again. What they don’t understand is that there are co.za. We are looking forward to hearing from underlying mental health disorders that might lead to such you. problems. And that is why mental health awareness must be promoted at all times. Editor: Thabang Mahlatsi ([email protected]) Sub-editor: Tholakele Radebe ([email protected]) Even in cases of serious mental health problems which Reporter: Tintswalo Nkuna ([email protected]) might lead to one taking drastic measures to deal with Editor-In-Chief: Anton Janse van Rensburg ([email protected]) them, such as suicide, some people will still blame and judge those with such problems. And all of that comes from a place of not being aware. The Road Accident Fund (RAF), as a caring employer, with assistance from EWS and ICAS-SA, started a Mental Health Awareness Campaign last week which will continue throughout the month of October. It involves the sharing of mental health tips at regular intervals throughout the month and is aimed at assisting RAFzins with improving their overall mental health. Let’s focus on taking care of our mental health not only this month but throughout the year. Enjoy this week’s Highlights! Kind regards Internal Communication

Minister Mbalula Unveils Four Bridges in the North West Researched by Thabang Mahlatsi networks, or provincial roads. “Over the medium term, the maintenance of provincial roads, largely funded through the provincial roads’ maintenance grant, is set to receive R37.5 billion over the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) pe- riod,” Mbalula said. The Department of Transport will use the Transport Month Campaign to showcase flagship projects intend- ed to create more jobs in South Africa. Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has unveiled four The S’hamba Sonke Programme is one of the projects bridges connecting the North West province with that will accelerate efforts to meet the government’s the Free State across the Vaal River. target of creating 11 million job opportunities by the year 2030 as outlined in the National Development Plan (NDP). Addressing the launch of October Transport Month on Tuesday in Vermaasdrift, North West, the Minister said the first bridge is located on Road SD860, with a span of 180 metres and is located approximately 20km southwest of Klerksdorp. “The second bridge is located on Road D836, with a span of 180 metres and is situated southeast of Orkney. The third bridge is located on Road D642, also with a span of 180 metres and is situated southeast of Stilfon- tein. “The fourth bridge is where Road P89/2 crosses the Vaal River approximately 34km southeast of Potchefst- room and has a span of 246 metres,” Mbalula said. The bridges will enable the farming communities to transport their various produce from the farms to the local markets. The four bridges form part of the labour-intensive S’hamba Sonke Programme aimed at addressing the maintenance backlog in the secondary network and contribute to sustainable livelihoods through job cre- ation initiatives. The Minister said the initiative allows that national and Source: 2 provincial spheres of government work towards com- vhettiplss-:f/o/wurw-bwr.isdagneesw-nso.grtohv-w.zeas/stouth-africa/minister-un- mon road maintenance targets while augmenting fund- ing through the Provincial Roads Maintenance Grant. Thabang Mahlatsi is a Specialist: Internal “The conceptualisation of the S’hamba Sonke Pro- Communication, based in Eco Glades gramme was premised on the reality that while South Africa’s national road network is in good to very good condition, this is not the case with our secondary road CLICK HERE FOR NEXT PAGE

Whistle-blowing by Government Communication Information Systems As a citizen of this country, you are entitled to receive services from all spheres of government. Government has the responsibility to remain transparent and ac- countable to you on the use of public funds and service delivery at all times. Therefore, if you witness any forms of maladministration or squandering of public funds, you have a responsibility to come forward and report it to the relevant law enforcement agencies. If you do not report any wrongdoing by those who are entrusted with public funds, you are enabling them to continue their illegal activities and further widening the gap of poverty and hunger. Whistle-blowing is a term that is used by law en- When you come forward with the information, it is the forcement agencies when a person passes on responsibility of the law enforcement agencies to pro- relevant and reliable information concerning wrong- tect your identity and ensure that you and those close doing, such as fraud and corruption, to a person/ to you are not exposed to any harm. organisation they trust. The law enforcement agencies have been trained to Any person can be a whistle-blower. This happens ensure that they protect the identity of the whistle- when they suspect, witness or observe behaviour or blower at all times. Should they break the confidentiality actions that they believe to be illegal or in contravention code, they may face disciplinary action which can lead of the financial management laws of the country and to them being fired from their employment. They can report these suspicions to the relevant law enforcement also face prosecution and receive hefty sentences for agencies. releasing confidential information. As an active citizen, it is your responsibility to provide relevant information related to squandering, maladmin- istration, and misuse of your taxes to the law enforce- ment agencies. As a member of the public, you are entitled to know how your taxes are used and that these are not misused to enrich criminals. CLICK HERE FOR NEXT PAGE Source: 3 hbistl%otpw2si:0n//ygwo#wu:~rw%:t.eg2xo0tvr=.ezAsasp/%aonn2ts0i-iabconilir%tryu,2tph0teaioscneti/%vweh2%i0s2atl0reec-%itiz2e0nn%ot2%02it0%m2i0s- used%20to%20enrich%20the%20criminals Thabang Mahlatsi is a Specialist: Internal Communication, based in Eco Glades

World Mental Health Day 2021 Researched by Thabang Mahlatsi On World Mental Health Day, 10 October 2021, it will It’s time to capitalise on this renewed energy among have been more than 18 months since the start of government leaders to make quality mental health care the COVID-19 pandemic. In some countries, life is for all a reality. World Mental Health Day presents an returning to some semblance of normality, in oth- opportunity for government leaders, civil society organ- ers, rates of transmission and hospital admissions isations and many others to talk about the steps they remain high, disrupting the lives of families and are already taking and that they intend to take in sup- communities. port of this goal. This year’s theme is: “Mental health care for all: let’s The need for mental health and psycho-social support make it a reality.” has increased – investment in mental health pro- grammes, nationally and globally, is now more critical In all countries, the pandemic has had a major impact than ever. on people’s mental health. Some groups, including health and other frontline workers, students, people RAF employees are reminded that they living alone, and those with pre-existing mental health have access to the ICAS-SA Employee conditions, have been particularly affected. At the same Assistance Programme (EAP) offerings. time, a World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) survey The ICAS programme offers telephone counselling, conducted in mid-2020 clearly showed that services for trauma counselling, life management (legal and family mental, neurological and substance use disorders had care services) and financial advice. been significantly disrupted during the pandemic. RAF employees or their immediate families can get in Yet there is some cause for optimism. During the World touch with the ICAS programme by simply calling the Health Assembly in May 2021, governments from toll-free number 0800 777 467. This is a free call from around the world recognised the need to scale up qual- both cell phones and land lines and the line is open 24 ity mental health services at all levels and endorsed hours a day. Alternatively, they have the option of us- WHO’s Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan ing a USSD ‘please call me’ by dialling *134*905#. 2013-2030, including the Plan’s updated implementa- tion options and indicators for measuring progress. Shtotpusrc:/e/w: ww.who.int/campaigns/world-mental-health-day CLICK HERE FOR NEXT PAGE Thabang Mahlatsi is a Specialist: Internal 4 Communication, based in Eco Glades

Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2021 Researched by Thabang Mahlatsi 01 to 31 October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month in South Africa, an annual campaign to raise awareness about the impact of breast cancer. The incidence of breast cancer among South African women is increasing and it is one of the most common cancers among women in the country. It is the most prevalent cancer amongst white and Asian women and the second most common cancer among black and coloured women. Facts about breast cancer • Early detection of the condition can lead to effective treatment and a positive prognosis. About 90% of pa- tients survive for many years after diagnosis when breast cancer is detected at the early stages. • Regular breast self-examination and regular mammograms are key to early detection. • Presenting yourself early for treatment may result in more effective treatment, leading to a reduction in pain and suffering and a significant decrease in the loss of life. The designation of October as “Breast Cancer Awareness Month” in South Africa reflects a nationwide drive by public and private healthcare structures to raise awareness of this debilitating disease across all races and class structures Please see the infographic on the common signs warning sings for breast cancer, courtesy of Cansa.org.za CLICK HERE FOR NEXT PAGE Source: 5 https://www.gov.za/speeches/breast-cancer-awareness- month-2021-13-oct-2020-1228 https://cansa.org.za/early-detection-of-breast-cancer-is-vital/ Thabang Mahlatsi is a Specialist: Internal Communication, based in Eco Glades





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