Experts say while it may be too early to say conclusively whether a second person has been cured of HIV, it gives researchers clues regarding the next step and is a reassuring breakthrough nonetheless.

A London patient appears to have been cured of HIV after a bone marrow transplant from a donor with a special genetic mutation.

Since his bone marrow transplant in 2016, to treat cancer, there has been no sign of HIV.

This is the second time a person has been cleared of HIV following a bone marrow transplant, also from a donor with this specific genetic mutation.

The ‘Berlin patient’ has now been HIV free for over a decade.

Professor Salim Abdool Karim from the Centre for the Aids Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), says the second patient has only been monitored for 18 months, so it’s still too early to say whether he’s been cured.

He says however that the evidence certainly suggests that this is the case.

He says it’s reassuring to know that if you do the same experiment it has the same benefit.

“It’s not that we are now going to do wide-scale bone marrow transplants, but what it is, it’s telling us that if we can find the way to change that receptor, we can cure patients with HIV.”

To read more about the case click on the link HERE

The MEC for Finance Ivan Meyer tabled the Western Cape Government’s 2019 Provincial Budget today.

In his address, Meyer says this budget provides opportunities for the youth; supports the creation of a safe and secure Province for the citizen; provides an enabling environment for job creation and skills development; builds and maintains economic and social infrastructure; and applies good governance standards to maximise service delivery and citizen impact.

In aggregate, the 2019 Provincial Budget provides for total expenditure amounting to R67 billion in 2019/20.

Some of the key allocations over the medium term (MTEF) include:

• 75 million towards the promotion of economic development and job creation opportunities.
• R91 million for Rural Development Initiatives
• R1 billion is allocated towards successful land reform.
• 5 million is allocated towards the coordination, facilitation and implementation of skills development initiatives in the Province. These include, apprenticeships, artisan development, skills for the digital economy, and financial and business sector skills.
• 8 million is assigned to the Saldanha Bay Industrial Development Zone as a key catalytic driver for economic growth within the West Coast District.
• 5 million is allocated towards the Atlantis Special Economic Zone, for the manufacturing of green technologies and related services.
• The Education sector receives R75.2 billion over the medium term.
• billion is allocated over the 2019 MTEF for Health which includes an additional R511 million towards managing the increased service load pressures on the health system.
• 7 million is allocated towards piloting the Sanitary Dignity Project and to provide sanitary products to young women and girls.
• 9 million goes towards enabling the promotion and stimulation of a greener economy and water secure Province.
• 9 million is allocated to Local Government for the appointment of capacity towards the management of the drought crisis.
• R25 million is allocated to address the drought and the exploration of new wellfields in the Central Karoo District area.
• 1 million goes towards the Breede River Environmental Resource Protection Plan, The Berg River Improvement Plan (BRIP) and the Sustainable Water Management Plan (SWMP).
• 4 billion is allocated to Human Settlements. Key projects over the 2019 MTEF include the Better Living Model.
• The Centre for e-Innovation in the Department of the Premier is allocated R3 billion over the 2019 MTEF to enable service delivery through Information Communication Technology and to drive the e-Government agenda.
• 3 billion goes towards the implementation of the Broadband Strategy which includes the contribution towards e-Learning.
• The Provincial Treasury is allocating R1.1 billion to drive good financial governance in the Province.
• A Good Governance Grant of R30 million is introduced in 2019/20 to reward performing municipalities.

Christel House South Africa raised R150 000 at its annual charity golf day in Stellenbosch on 1 March, to help fund the school’s feeding program, Feed A Future.

A total of 20 teams, from local businesses to regular golfing supporters, swung away at a Stableford 4-ball Alliance competition at the picturesque Stellenbosch Golf club to raise the money.

Grade 6 student, Mvano, who’s also the face of the Feed A Future campaign, greeted all supporters on arrival.

The aim of the campaign is to raise R1 million to help feed the school’s 750 students for the 2019 academic year.

Christel House is a non-profit school in Cape Town that offers no-fee scholarships to 750 children
from twenty disadvantaged communities in the Cape Flats.

To feed one child at Christel House costs R20 a day. Given the severely impoverished homes that its students come from, the meals received at the school are usually the only food the child will receive that day.

Adri Marais, Christel House’s Chief Executive Officer, says the R150 000 raised through the charity golf day will help to provide hundreds of nutritious meals to our students and ensure that they are ready to learn every single day.

“We thank all the corporates and members of the public for making the day such a huge success and affording our students the opportunity to reach their fullest potential”.

Members of the public who wish to donate towards the school’s Feed A Future fundraising
campaign, can do so at www.sa.christelhouse.org/donate or by contacting Louanne Mostert at
lmostert@sa.christelhouse.org/021 704 9408.

Get ready for an evening of fun as Smile 90.4FM and Stellenbrau present Watershed, Live in Concert, at Root 44.

On Friday, 5th April 2019, Watershed will be officially launching their brand new album, Harbour. Join us as we are spoilt with all of Watershed’s hits from the past 20 years!

Date: Friday, 5 April 2019

Time: Doors open at 16h00

Price: R150pp (kids under 12 are free)

Watershed live on stage from 19h00.

Food and Beverages will be available at Root 44 – All food and drinks need to be purchased on site

Buy your tickets now: http://qkt.io/DYvdp9

Tickets are also available for sale at Stellenbrau and Root 44 Market.

The Mother City will be putting her best foot forward this week, as influential global leaders have arrived for the YPO Global Leadership Conference.

This conference is seen as a feather in the cap for Cape Town, with the Young Presidents Organization hosting it for the first time, on such a big scale.

The event sees more than 3000 top CEOs come together in the City over a 4-day period, at the CTICC. It is estimated that the event will contribute more than R80 million to the City’s economy.

The training and education conference is happening at the moment and from Wednesday, the EDGE Conference, with speakers, will take place.

The SA comedian, and host of The Daily Show, Trevor Noah, will be addressing delegates on Thursday.

The host city chair of the YPO Global Leadership Conference, Paul Berman says this is a milestone conference for the city, the country and the continent.

“Cape Town is the ideal host city for YPO EDGE. The city is a renowned gateway to the worlds of business, technology, culture and innovation, and we are delighted for this opportunity to showcase all that the city has to offer to the talented group of global leaders who will be attending this premier event. YPO EDGE presents a very tangible way to showcase our country and the exciting future we have ahead of us to some of the world’s most influential business leaders.”