News in brief - Jul 2016

SA to host Aids 2016 conference

Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Jeff Radebe says South Africa is ready to host the 21st International AIDS Conference also known as AIDS 2016. The conference will be held from 18 to 22 July at the Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, under the theme ‘Access Equity Rights – Now’. AIDS 2016 will bring together
18 000 conference delegates and attendees and 1 000 journalists representing 180 countries.

Special vote applications open

Applications for voters to cast special votes in the 2016 Municipal Elections, which will be available online and via SMS for the first time ever, are now open.

Special votes are available to all registered voters including voters with disabilities, elderly and pregnant voters as well as members of the security forces, election officials, the media and any other voters who are unable to visit their voting station on Election Day 3 August 2016.

For the first time applications for special votes will be available online via the Electoral Commission’s website www.elections.org.za and via cellphone by SMSing the voter’s ID number to 32249 (SMS charged at R1).

R3.7 billion upgrade for Moloto Road

Transport Minister Dipuo Peters has announced plans for the upgrade of Moloto Road, scheduled to begin in September.

The upgrade is part of government’s efforts to prevent further fatal accidents on the route,  will cover at least 139 km of the 160 km stretch of Moloto Road.

Construction will start in September and is scheduled to be completed in the next five to 10 years.