Inner City Gazette

Call for action to stop GBV on campus

As part of dealing with GBV in the country’s institutions the minister will launch the Transforming MENtalities Initiative, a multi-stakeholder partnership within the PSET sector, with particular focus on mobilising men to be part of championing a world free of gender biases, stereotypes, violence and discrimination.

Johannesburg - Following the recent murder of a Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) student, Higher Education Minister Dr Blade Nzimande has called on all institutions of higher learning to work collectively to stem genderbased violence (GBV).

Nzimande said this includes ensuring provision of safe workplaces, learning spaces and residences for all staff and students.

The murder of student Ntokozo Xaba is believed to be a genderbased violence (GBV) crime. Xaba, a third-year student studying for a National Diploma in Integrated Communication, was found with multiple stab wounds at her offcampus residence in Pretoria Gardens, after she was last seen with her ex-boyfriend the night before.

Nzimande has strongly condemned the incident and passed his condolences to the Xaba family,

friends and the Tshwane University of Technology. He has also directed Higher Health to join in efforts with the TUT wellness team to provide psycho-social support to the family.

Nzimande said Higher Health must also ensure that all institutions work collaboratively with the established multi-sectoral postschool education and training Gender-Based Violence Technical Task Team.

Nzimande said GBV is a global pandemic.

“The numbers are staggering, with global figures indicating that as many as 38% of murders of women are committed by intimate partners, and 35% of women worldwide experience physical and sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence. This issue is not only devastating for survivors of violence and their families, but also entails significant social and

economic costs and has dire implications to the PSET sector,” Nzimande said.

He added that as part of dealing with GBV in the country’s institutions he will launch the Transforming MENtalities Initiative, a multistakeholder partnership within the PSET sector, with particular focus on mobilising men to be part of championing a world free of gender biases, stereotypes, violence and discrimination.

Nzimande said he will soon release the Ministerial Task Team report on sexual harassment and GBV in the university sector.

The Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) said it will reach out to the leadership of TUT following the brutal killing of Xaba.

The commission’s CEO, Phelisa Nkomo said in the past three years they conducted investigations to assess gender transformation and

GBV at public universities and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges, to ascertain the safety of women on campuses and residences.

Nkomo said more than 15 vicechancellors appeared before the commission to help the organisation understand gender related problems at their institutions.

“One of the numerous recommendations we made was for the Department of Higher Education and Training to institute policies and procedures to deal with the scourge of gender-based violence at institutions of higher learning. We urge the department to speedily ensure the implementation of our recommendations in this area. We implore the criminal justice system to speedily process all GBV related cases, deny all the perpetrators any bail and ensure a high number of convictions,” Nkomo said.

Commission for Gender Equality CEO Phelisa Nkomo

Malware software service unmasked

Tech Reporter

Check Point Research (CPR) has spotted a software service that has been helping threat actors bypass Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) protection for over six years.

The service called TrickGate has customers including well-known actors such as Cerber, Trickbot, Maze, Emotet, REvil, Cobalt Strike, AZORult, Formbook, AgentTesla and more. TrickGate managed to stay under the radar for years due to its transformative property of undergoing periodic changes. While the packer’s wrapper changed over time, the main building blocks within TrickGate shellcode are still in use.

CPR monitored between 40 to 650 attacks per week in the last two years. It found that the threat actors using TrickGate primarily target the manufacturing sector, but also attack education facilities, healthcare, finance and business enterprises.

The attacks are distributed all over the world, with an increased concentration in Taiwan and Turkey. The most popular malware family used in the last two months is Formbook, marking 42% of the total tracked distribution.

There are many forms of attack flow, the shellcode is the core of the TrickGate pack-

er, responsible for decrypting the harmful instructions and code and stealthily injecting it into new processes.

The malicious programme is encrypted and packed with a special routine designed for bypassing the protected system, so many cannot detect the payload statically and on run-time. CPR researchers did not manage to get a clear affiliation.

Malware research and protection group manager at CPR Ziv Huyan says TrickGate is a master of disguises.

“It has been given many names based on its varied attributes, including, ‘Emotet’s packer’, ‘new loader’, ‘Loncom’, ‘NSISbased crypter’ and more. From previous research we point to a single operation that seems to be offered as a service. The fact that many of the biggest threat actors in recent years have been choosing TrickGate as a tool to overcome defensive systems is remarkable,” Huyan says.

Huyan adds that TrickGate has incredible techniques of masquerading and evasion.

“We carefully monitored the appearance of TrickGate, which is written by utilising different types of code language and also using different file types. But the core flow remained relatively stable. The very same techniques that were used six years ago are still in use today,” Huyan says.

TrickGate has incredible techniques of masquerading and evasion

The malicious programme is encrypted and packed with a special routine designed for bypassing the protected system

SABS urges vigilance in buying food products

JMPD officer helps woman deliver baby in the street

Getrude Mamabolo

JMPD officer Sergeant Connie Nkuna recently helped a woman deliver a baby at corner Milner Avenue and Beyers Naude Drive in Northcliff.

Nkuna and colleagues were on a crime-prevention patrol when a member of the public told them that a woman was in labour in the street. Nkuna asked her colleagues to get help from paramedics at the nearby Roosevelt fire station while she evaluated the situation.

JMPD spokesperson Xolani Fihla says: “The woman went into full labour while she awaited assistance. The baby had to be delivered with the help of Sergeant Nkuna, a bystander and the

mother’s sister. Both the mother and the healthy new-born girl were taken to Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital, and were both discharged after observation,” says Fihla.

Sergeant Nkuna expressed a sense of relief after receiving news about the mother and infant.

JMPD acting chief Angie Mokasi commended Sergeant Nkuna for going beyond the call of duty.

“Experiences of this nature will motivate other JMPD officers into becoming more compassionate officers for our community and also remembering that our duty goes beyond by-law enforcement and traffic management, but also responding to issues of people facing crisis,” Mokasi says.

Stepmother faces murder charge

Johannesburg - A woman is facing a murder charge for allegedly drowning her three-year-old stepdaughter, after which she attempted suicide in Mulbarton.

According to the Mondeor community policing forum the mother allegedly drowned her stepdaughter in a bath, then tried to commit suicide but survived.

Sector 1 chairperson Mike Fon-

Johannesburg - The South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) has advised consumers to be more vigilant when buying food by examining packaging and labels, also ensuring that basic hygiene practices are observed when purchasing and preparing food.

The SABS reviews and amends standards to ensure that food sources and production processes meet the minimum safety requirements.

SABS acting CEO Sadhvir Bissoon says: “Food products spoil faster in warmer and humid conditions, and it is important that everyone be more vigilant regarding food safety.”

Food retailers need to ensure that the cold chain from suppliers to stores is in place and maintained until it is sold, he adds.

“Consumers can continue the cold chain by transporting food in cooler boxes or having it delivered direct to their homes. With rising temperatures and load-shedding, consumers need to be aware of the impact of these elements on the storage of food and the potential of exposure to contamination,” Bissoon says. Currently, the global standard for food safety is the Food Safety System Certification 22000 (FSSC 22000).

FSSC Certification is a complete food, feed and packaging safety certification scheme for the auditing and management of Food Safety Systems (FSMS); offered and managed by the Foundation FSSC, recognised by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI).

is not damaged and that purchases are made from reputable retailers. They must not buy products that do not contain information about ingredients, nutritional information, storage advice, expiry dates, production dates or manufacturing information.

They must also look for verification marks on products, as products that are subjected to testing and certification offer better peace of mind that the production processes and product complies to SANS/ISO 22000. When storing and preparing food at home they should keep food separately to avoid cross contamination, especially with fresh and perishable items such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy and fresh produce.

Consumers also need to engage their senses; for example, if some-

thing looks or smells bad, rather throw it out or return it to the store for a refund if it has not been used.

“Our product certification scheme addresses a recourse process when material non-compliances are identified. SABS works with regulators and other industry bodies to set the standards for products and processes,” Bissoon says.

He adds that regulators such as the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications, departments of Health, Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, have the authority to regulate certain types of food products, conduct inspections, and if potential health issues are found they can recall products.

tes said when community policing forum members arrived at the scene the baby had a faint pulse, but died later at the Netcare Mulbarton Hospital.

Police spokesperson Lt-Col Mavela Masondo confirmed that a murder case is being investigated after the mother was arrested and appeared at the Johannesburg magistrate’s court last Wednesday.

“It is important that the entire supply chain observes and is certified to comply with the requirements of SANS/ISO 22000. The SABS offers certification for companies and offers verification services to food producers. The SABS can also certify the refrigeration units of vehicles that transport food products. Our laboratories can identify the nutritional percentage of ingredients, pesticides and chemicals, bacteria, microbes, fungi and any other substance that may be of benefit or harm to consumers,” Bissoon says. SABS tips include that if the stores do not have generators or alternative sources of power to ensure that refrigeration units are functional, rather purchase food that was delivered on the day or ask the store manager for confirmation of fresh produce.

Consumers are encouraged to examine packaging to ensure that expiry dates are visible, packaging

SABS acting CEO Sadhvir Bissoon

If the stores do not have generators or alternative sources of power to ensure that refrigeration units are functional, rather purchase food that was delivered on the day or ask the store manager for confirmation of fresh produce

JMPD officer Sergeant Connie Nkuna holds the baby soon after the delivery

Partnership with exMiss SA fights cancer

Johannesburg - International nonprofit organisation DKMS Africa, has partnered with 2020 Miss South Africa Shudufhadzo Musida to fight against blood cancer and blood disorders.

The partnership indicated that someone is diagnosed with blood cancer in South Africa every 72 minutes, and a blood stem cell transplant is their best chance for survival. Considering that patients of African descent have a less than 30% chance of finding a blood stem cell match, compared to 79% for white patients, this presents a huge challenge to patients with the lifethreatening illness.

DKMS Africa’s head of community engagement Palesa Mokomele says the global registry consists of 75% Caucasian donors and only 25% of potential donors of African descent.

“This disparity places black and Asian blood cancer patients at a 19% chance of finding a lifesaving match, and this has to change” she explains.

She adds that Musida is not just a beauty pageant title holder.

“She is committed to social equity and implementing change in the causes she chooses. As a goodwill ambassador, a champion for

Southern and Eastern Africa for the UNFPA, author, and all-around vehement advocate for healthcare in Africa, she is the perfect person to help us reach South Africans in the fight against blood cancer,” Mokomele says.

Crowned Miss South Africa in 2020, Musida served as an advocate for mental health throughout her reign, which resulted in her launching her successful online series, Mindful Mondays, which accumulated millions of viewers across the globe. As a mental health champion, she has taken her work across global initiatives by being of service to Global Citizen and United Nations Women’s Forum, as well as contributing to important causes in Africa.

Musida was appointed as a goodwill ambassador for the Global Surgery Foundation, ensuring that women and children are afforded life-saving surgeries globally.

She says diseases such as blood cancer affect not only the patient but the whole family.

“The financial, mental health and access to medical care for diagnosed patients is why I partnered with DKMS Africa, to ensure that patients and families receive holistic support in their needs and also to urge South Africans to donate to save a life,” says Musida.

With the prevalence of blood cancer in the country, Musida recognised the critical importance of the work DKMS Africa does and the ability of citizens to give blood cancer patients the second chance they need at a cure.

“If there is any opportunity for black and Asian patients to receive treatment and reach transplant, then we have to act as South Africans,” Musida says.

To register for free to be a blood stem cell donor visit the site https:// www.dkmsafrica.org/ get-involved/ virtual-drives/ shuduagainstbloodcancer, and follow the steps provided.

Companies urged to protect data privacy

Tech Correspondent

During a recent international data privacy event cybersecurity experts warned that increasing cyber threats are putting consumers and businesses data at risk, with potentially disastrous consequences.

Email management and security company Mimecast’s Brian Pinnock says companies need to do more to protect personal information of their customers.

“Recent research found that 70% of South African organisations believe the risk of cyber attacks will increase in the next two years. While this may sound like an IT or cybersecurity issue, consider the impact on the brand’s reputation and the effects on customers when there is a successful cyber attack,” he says.

Mimecast’s State of Email Security 2022 report found that two in five South African organisations were only somewhat prepared, or not prepared to detect and take down fraudulent web domains imitating their brands online. This put the country last among the 12 countries surveyed in the report. When it came to email, less than two-thirds of local companies were completely prepared to detect attacks that impersonated their email domain.

Pinnock says this creates huge risk for brands.

“When a customer opens an email with an offer from one of their favourite brands, the last thing they expect is for a cyber criminal to harvest their personal information. The ease at which criminals imitate trusted brands and trick consumers into sharing their personal details means brands must do more to detect and prevent these impersonation attacks. This will protect the brand’s reputation and help maintain positive relationships with their customers,” he adds.

A Mimecast study in 2021 found that 83% of South African consumers would lose trust in their favourite brand if they disclosed information to a spoofed website. Nearly all said they expect their favourite brand to ensure their services, including their website, emails and other communication, are safe to use.

“This may appear unfair to companies, who believe they have little influence over the actions of criminals appropriating their brands. But there are steps that companies can take to protect

their brands and customers,” says Pinnock.

He lists some of the steps that can be taken to improve safety.

Those include acknowledging the risks and creating awareness around safe online habits.

Banks have been driving cyber awareness programs to highlight cyber threats and help customers avoid mistakes that could compromise their online safety. Every brand should be doing the same, by developing regular, engaging and impactful customer communication around cyber safety.

“We have seen organisations being held accountable for their customers falling victim to email based attacks, such as Business Email Compromise. A precedent has been set that brands need to protect email correspondence and inform consumers of the risks of brand imitation,” Pinnock says. He adds that companies need to ensure their brands have the necessary defences against cyber criminals. Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance (DMARC) is an email validation tool that helps detect and prevent email spoofing.

“Our latest data shows that only 52% of South African companies either have or are actively rolling out DMARC. But 34% had plans to roll out such a solution,” says Pinnock.

In light of the Protection of Personal Information Act and its disclosure requirements in the event of a data breach, marketers and brand managers can play an important role in ensuring customers are notified should their data be compromised.

“Cyber threats are unlikely to diminish or disappear in the coming years. As we digitise more aspects of our personal and professional lives, our data becomes an increasingly attractive target for a global cyber crime industry in overdrive. Companies have a vested interest in ensuring their brands are protected and that customers can safely interact with the brand. This means that greater effort needs to be made to ensure that customers are safe from harmful phishing attacks imitating their brands,” Pinnok says.

Miss SA 2020 Shudufhadzo Musida

Mimecast’s Brian Pinnock

A study in 2021 found that 83% of South African consumers would lose trust in their favourite brand if they disclosed information to a spoofed website

Department in measles vaccination campaign

Johannesburg - The Gauteng Health department has announced plans to vaccinate over four million children to curb the spread of the measles disease.

Startup accelerator programme for African women

Johannesburg - Google has announced the launch of a start-up accelerator programme dedicated to women founders in Africa.

In a statement Google said the programme, called Google for Startups Accelerator: Women Founders Africa Programme, aims to empower African women by providing resources and opportunities for them to scale their startups and address African problems. Applications are now open for the programme.

Women founders who are building tech start-ups in Africa or for Africa can apply through the website https://startup.google.com/accelerator/africa before 20 February.

Eligible applicants must have a working product or service, a viable business model and a working team. The application process includes a written application and an interview with the programme

team. The 12-week programme will start in March and include one boot camp per month, held online and in-person sessions.

Selected participants will receive access to Google’s products, mentoring from industry experts, resources, tools, and technology, as well as networking opportunities and connections with investors to support the growth of their startups, Google said.

Head of Start-up Ecosystem Africa at Google, Folarin Aiyegbusi said they are excited about the call for applications for the programme.

“It is specifically tailored to address the unique challenges faced by women founders in Africa. We believe that investing in women in Africa is critical for economic empowerment that will enable creation of jobs for the growing African youth population,” she said.

African female founders face challenges in their entrepreneurial pursuits, including limited access to funding. Despite these challenges, women make up a significant portion of African entrepreneurs, with 58% of businesses in Africa being owned by women.

“Elevating participation and leadership of women in the entrepreneurship ecosystem is crucial for promoting gender equality and driving economic growth in Africa. Investing in women-led start-ups is a key step towards achieving this goal, and commitment to these goals is reflected in the launch of the programme,” she added.

ICASA appoints new CEO

Johannesburg - The Council of the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) has announced the appointment of Tshiamo Maluleka-Disemelo as its chief executive officer, for a contract period of five years.

Prior to her appointment as CEO, Maluleka-Disemelo served as the chief audit executive of ICASA since 2020.

Maluleka-Disemelo’s appointment comes five months after the interim appointment of Nkhetheleni Gidi as acting CEO.

Acting ICASA chairperson Dr Charley Lewis said in addition to other qualifications she has Maluleka-Disemelo holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Milpark Business School.

“She brings nearly two decades of gov-

ernance, audit and risk management experience, as well as advanced skills in spearheading executive efforts. In her position as CAE she collaborated with council to develop, among others, ICASA’s strategic plan, annual and operational performance plans, policies and procedures for managing organisational risks, and also contributed to the effective management of the organisation. We wish her everything of the best in the new role as the organisation’s CEO. Both council and management commit to supporting and working with her in fulfilling the mandate to regulate the telecommunications, postal and broadcasting sectors in the public interest,” Dr Lewis said.

Programme mentor Akua NyameMensah said it is an honour to be a mentor in the accelerator programme.

“As part of supporting the next generation of leaders in Africa this accelerator programme offers women an opportunity to grow their networks and the accountability to achieve their professional goals. The focus on mentorship will be invaluable. Participants will benefit and grow from the exchange of ideas and experiences,” she added.

It said over 400 000 children between the ages of six months and 15 years have been vaccinated against measles since the start of the campaign. By last week the province had 37 cases of measles, with 25 recorded in Ekurhuleni. The City of Ekurhuleni has vaccinated over 120 000 children, with a target of over one million.

Gauteng health department spokesperson Motalatale Modiba urged parents, guardians and caregivers to consent to the forms that children bring from school for them to get immunised.

“It is important to provide protection for our children against measles infection,” Modiba said.

ICASA CEO Tshiamo Maluleka-Disemelo

The programme is to empower African women founders by providing resources and opportunities for them to scale their startups and address African problems

Partnership to screen Black History month documentary

The award-winning documentary tells the story of how her activism extended beyond this one act of defiance, exploring how she devoted herself to the cause of racial justice and equality until her death

Young performers awards contest

The National Eisteddfod Academy NPC, a non-profit organisation for youth development in the arts since 1997, is calling for entries for the 20th NEA Young Performer Awards competition.

The competition is open to all young talented amateur performers in classical and contemporary music, dance and drama who have excelled in any Eisteddfod or similar events anywhere in the country in 2022. It is presented over four rounds, starting on 1 March and will end with the final round on 13 May at the Roodepoort Theatre.

Participation and adjudication in the first and second rounds will allow for

both live and video recorded performances. To even the playing field in the adjudication and ranking of live and video performances, each will be ranked separately in both the first and second rounds. The final quarterfinal ranking will then comprise the top achievers from both groups.

To qualify for entry, the would-be participant should have received a diploma award in the National Eisteddfod of South Africa in 2022 or a similar award in any other Eisteddfod or competition in the same period. To assist those talented performers that did not participate in any Eisteddfod last year and therefore do not qualify to enter, NEA has introduced a preliminary qualifying round for those performers by means

Talent factory programme launches to assist production alumni

After the academy alumni face options; to enter the industry as production professionals, often as freelancers, or establish their own production companies

Johannesburg - MultiChoice SA has launched its Talent Factory Extended Cut programme to assist MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTFza) alumni, who want to start their own production companies after the internship programme.

Now in its ninth year, MTFza affords film and TV graduates the opportunity to learn from leading TV producers, while acquiring experience in directing, producing, cinematography, commissioning, art direction and many other skills. After the academy alumni face options; to enter the industry as production professionals, often as freelancers, or establish their own production companies.

Under the programme promising and newly established production houses will have access to free production facilities and equipment to increase profitability, and business support services to boost sustainability, and mentorship from professionals.

These production houses will also be able

of a video-recorded submission.

A member of the 2021 adjudicators panel, Dr Tiffany Higgo says NEA provides a platform for participants to develop their performing arts talent, while nurturing a love of the arts.

“This is a fantastic stepping stone for the youth to develop talent, confidence, teamwork and communication skills. It is one of the most important youth developments in the country, inclusive, innovative and nurturing,” Higgo says.

The closing date for live performances is 24 February. Video recorded performances can be submitted until 24 March 2023. For more information visit the website www.eisteddfod.co.za.

Johannesburg - The United States consulate, in partnership with the Soweto Theatre will screen the NBC Peacock documentary titled The Rebellious Life of Mrs Rosa Parks at the Soweto Theatre in Jabulani. The film will be shown to celebrate Black History Month, observed every February in the United States to pay tribute to inspiring individuals from the African diaspora who have made significant impact on their communities, both past and present.

Rosa Parks, widely known for her refusal to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama, bus in 1955, played a pivotal role in the civil rights movement.

This award-winning documentary tells the story of how her activism extended far beyond

just this one act of defiance, exploring how she devoted herself to the cause of racial justice and equality until her death in 2005.

After the film, there will be a short discussion by a panel consisting of the US Consul General in Johannesburg, Vincent Spera, actor and artistic director for the Joburg City Theatres James Ngcobo and Cynthia Griffin, minister counselor for Commercial Affairs at the US Consulate General Johannesburg.

The conversation will be moderated by the public affairs officer at the US Consulate, Jeff Ladenson.

For more information send an email to DuPlessisC@state.gov, call phone number 079 111 8257 or to matodzi@sowetotheatre. com, phone 060 755 9972.

to produce movies for the Mzansi Magic channel.

MultiChoice head of corporate affairs

Tumi Masekela said: “This programme is a culmination of interactions with various stakeholders on how we can help graduates from our programme to gain sustainable employment and make a meaningful contribution to the economy.”

To be eligible, production companies need to be partly or wholly owned by MTFza alumni, 51% black-owned and preference will be given to those owned by youth and women.

“We see this as a win-win for both the alumni and entertainment industry as we will have a pipeline of diverse content from new entrants, increase job creation and a model that provides market access to budding black-owned production companies,” Masekela said.

The programme will be overseen by a team of writers, directors, producers and managers, starting from 1 March this year.

Some of the participants in a previous event

MultiChoice head of corporate affairs Tumi Masekela

Di Sparks

Late racial justice activist Rosa Parks

Sundowns Ladies team crowned as best in Africa

Sports Reporter

The International Federation of Football and Statistics (IFFHS) has named Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies the best women’s club in Africa for 2022.

The ranking was based on club performance in national and international tournaments.

Sundowns Ladies coach Jerry Tshabalala said this is testament to the commitment of the players and technical team.

“Our collective performance across the three competitions we participated in last year was crucial to this decision. This award serves as an external recognition and validation of the hard work and dedication of everyone associated with Mamelodi Sundowns. But we will not be

dwelling too much on this award because we have another opportunity this year to surpass our 2022 achievements,” Tshabalala said.

Ghana’s Ampem Darkoa Ladies and Tanzania’s Simba Queens completed the top five. South Africa’s University of Western Cape and the Tshwane University of Technology ladies were placed in the seventh and ninth places respectively.

Sundowns Ladies clinched their third consecutive Hollywoodbets Super League last season, racking up 27 wins out of 30 games, scoring 126 goals and conceding only 13 times.

The team finished as runners-up in the CAF Women’s Champions League and COSAFA regional qualifiers to Morocco’s As Far and Zambia’s Green Buffaloes.

Best in Africa - the Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies team