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The Organisation of Africa Unity, established in May 1963, made our continent the first to foster nation building through unity and freedom. To celebrate the OAU and its successor, the African Union, the Department of Arts and Culture hosts a series of events during Africa Month.

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The Department of Cooperative Governance’s Community Work Programme gives meaningful work opportunities to the poor. Now the programme is helping their children get a better start in life.

Educator Sara Motsitsi won first prize for Technology-Enhanced Teaching and Learning at the 2017 National Teacher Awards.

Hospitality Studies students across South Africa now have the latest teaching material available at the click of a mouse, thanks to a partnership between the Department of Basic Education and Sun International.

Regulations have been put in place, environmental assessments, a deep-drilling project and other precautionary initiatives are underway to ensure fracking in the Karoo does not do damage to the environment.

Having given the green light for shale gas drilling to go ahead, government is taking a range of precautions to mitigate against any environmental damage in the Karoo, says PetroSA manager of licensing and legal compliance Tebogo Motloung.

Arguably the most commonly misunderstood issue when it comes to shale gas exploration is that fracking will significantly contaminate the ground water resources of the Karoo region.

PetroSA manager of licensing and legal compliance Tebogo Motloung however says shale gas is found between 1 500 m to 4 000 m below ground surface, which is far deeper than where acceptable drinking water is located.

Government  expects to see local economies benefiting directly and indirectly from the intended mining of shale gas, which is also likely to contribute nine per cent to South Africa’s energy mix.

The extraction of shale gas in the Karoo could see South Africa generate thousands of jobs and add as much as R960 billion to the economy over the next 20 to 30 years.

The EPWP remains a good story to tell in our work of delivering a better life for all.

The Programme faces challenges though. There are participants who expect the Programme to create permanent jobs for our people.

The Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) is tackling poverty and underdevelopment in our communities by creating opportunities for skills transfer and the delivery of public assets and services.

The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) has urged parents to become more involved in the initiation process. The department has launched a Zero Deaths campaign, and urges communities to be guided by the theme “We Love Our Tradition, We Value Life of Our Youth”.