AMC

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has decided it will not prosecute former Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Fikile Mbalula in relation to his family holiday in Dubai.

This matters relates to the Public Protector's report, released on 19 December 2019, that the NPA should look into the allegation that Sedgars Sports funded the Mbalula family holiday in Dubai between December 2016 and January 2017, when he was the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture.

The referral from the Public Protector was to investigate whether the trip was proceeds of money laundering, with the view to prosecute anyone who may have been involved in criminal activities.

A police docket was registered at Brooklyn police station, CAS 158/08/2019.

“After police investigations, guided by the prosecutors in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crime Unit office, and the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) office, a decision to decline to prosecute anyone in this matter was taken, as there is no evidence supporting allegations of criminal activity,” the NPA said on Wednesday. - SAnews.gov.za

 

A multimillion rand project set to establish two Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) hardware mass production facilities and 13 distribution satellite warehouses is to be rolled out nationwide.

The project will be administered and managed by Madinda Utilities, a Pretoria-based AMI hardware manufacturer and utilities diagnostics specialist company that has over 25 years of industrial experience in utilities cost-optimisation, diagnostics, sustainable renewable energy resources hardware distribution, installations and administration. 

The company pledged an investment of R600 million at the South African Investment Conference that was hosted by President Cyril Ramaphosa in Johannesburg in April.

Madinda Utilities is engaged in the deployment of the African Utilities Distribution Industry – Growth Portfolio Investment (AfUDI-GPI) project aimed at reducing municipal utilities’ revenue collection and distribution losses, token identifier (TID) rollover deadline readiness calibration, distribution asset acquisition and asset exponentiation through the South African Municipal Bond market.

According to the Managing Director of Madinda, Ogi Madinda, the purpose of the project is to roll out advanced metering infrastructure nationally.

“The end product consists of tamper-proof, state-of-the-art electronic/digital hardware and software, which combine interval data measurement with its continuously available remote communications. 

“The system is the quintessential full measurement and collection system that includes meters at the customer site, communication networks between the consumer and their distributor, such as an electric, or water utility/distributor, and data reception and management systems that make the information available to both consumers and suppliers,” Madinda said. 

He added that the system will allow consumers to receive real-time energy pricing and offers from the utility to manage their meter. This will enable them to benefit from lower bills, while utilities benefit from a stable load on the grid and less need to invest in expensive new capacity. 

“This is a turnkey solution for efficiency in the energy sector in South Africa. The project will enable South Africa to manufacture its own smart-grid hardware, which is currently designated for local manufacturing and content and only available through importation, solve a national utilities distribution problem and enable the country to join the global supply chain in this sector by establishing its own mass production plant for DLMS/COSEM compliant AMI hardware,” he said. 

He explained that ultimately it will prevent outages, massive revenue collection losses and excessive load shedding with long-term benefits. 

The long term benefits include utilities diagnostics integrity, distribution assets security and longevity, revenue collection protection and enhancement, increase in operational efficiency and performance, enhancement of customer service, demand response, demand-side management including outage detection and service restoration, enablement of customer engagement as well as reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. 

The project's deployment is the African Electro-technical Standardisation Commission’s (AFSEC) recommended solution to prevent the distribution system’s demise resulting in regular and intermittent black-outs, outages, massive revenue collection losses and excessive load shedding. 

Gaps to be addressed will include AMI migration, supplier development and localisation contribution, unemployment, skills development contribution and sustainable energy renewable resources distribution and installations, amongst others. 

According to Madinda, the AMISA project has already been approved for grant funding from COP24's Sustainable Development Goals to the value of more than $126 million.

The project will be rolled out in two phases, with the first phase expected to create 1 225 direct jobs, 2 770 indirect jobs in construction as well as 2 775 direct operational jobs with 26 576 indirect jobs. Humanitarian benefits will include directly addressing 15 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. 

“The project will effectively revive the revenue collection systems of municipal distributors to profitability and liquidity; conduct continental hardware calibration and security compliance for the TID Rollover Deadline increase job opportunities, skills transfer and defuse poverty and achieve utilities distribution efficiencies for 186 municipalities and Small Scale Embedded Generation Interconnection Projects that will improve their category grading, rendering municipalities equitable, profitable and sustainable to their constituencies - allowing even the smaller municipalities to benefit from the South African Municipal Bond Market,” Madinda said. – SAnews.gov.za

 

Higher Education, Science and Innovation Deputy Minister, Buti Manamela, says a sharp focus on artificial intelligence, machine learning and future skills is needed to enhance the objectives of the Young Scientist Forum (YSF). 

“Further to this, we also believe that consideration must be given to the human and social sciences. 

“We believe that all these areas of focus are critical for the development of all BRICS countries and essential for their resilience and the long-term psychological well-being of their respective populations,” the Deputy Minister said on Wednesday. 

Manamela was speaking in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape, where he was delivering the closing remarks at the BRICS YSF. 

The three-day event is a platform where participants zoom into transforming skills development for the future, climate change and environmental sustainability, and the future of society.

Organised by the Department of Science and Innovation’s entities, the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) and the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), the forum also hosted the Young Innovators Prize from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa to reward innovations with societal benefit. 

Fifty South African scientists under the age of 40 were among 200 Master’s and PhD students discussing themes aligned with South Africa’s societal challenges. 

“The BRICS Young Scientist Forum has become an important platform for critical reflection by young scientists, researchers, innovators and entrepreneurs on some of the most urgent challenges of our time.

“As South Africa, we are particularly pleased that this year’s BRICS forum upheld the tradition of focusing on such critical global issues as climate change, environmental sustainability, the future of education, mindset, and skillset, and the future of society,” Manamela said.

Another issue he believes deserves attention is the creation of strong YSF engagements with current and past cohorts. 

The Deputy Minister also proposed the establishment of an alumni forum of YSF participants from BRICS countries.

He said he was also pleased that the five installments of the BRICS Young Innovator Prize have been held successfully. 

“This prize has become an important stage for young people in BRICS countries to showcase their innovation talents and strengthen exchanges and cooperation with peers.”

The winners, he said, will be announced and awarded at a dinner by Higher Education, Science and Innovation Minister, Dr Blade Nzimande. 

The winner will walk away with US $25 000 (R463 926), while the second prize is $15 000 (R278 356) and the third prize is $10 000 (R 185 571). 

“To enhance the prestige of this prize, it is important that we continually improve the resourcing of this initiative in support of innovation improvement in the BRICS countries,” Manamela said.

He is also of the view that there is a need to increase the scope and thematic areas to resonate with the economic development of the BRICS countries and identify thematic areas that support developmental growth, especially the alleviation of poverty.

Manamela thanked the TIA and ASSAf for the sterling work of organising this year’s forum and innovation prize.

“Our gratitude also goes to the representatives of the various BRICS countries and our various esteemed guest speakers, who enriched our understanding of a number of critical issues that face our various countries and humanity today.

“It is our hope that the outcome of the 8th YSF BRICS Forum and the ideas presented by our young innovators will enhance the resolve of BRICS countries to improve the quality of life of the people in the global south.” 

The YSF precedes the 2023 BRICS Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Ministerial Meeting, which takes place on Friday, 4 August, under the theme ‘BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development, and Inclusive Multilateralism’.

The BRICS STI Ministerial Meeting is part of a series of activities leading up to South Africa's hosting of the 15th BRICS Summit in August 2023. – SAnews.gov.za

 

Former SABC Group Executive for Legal Governance and Regulatory, Advocate Ntuthuzelo Vanara, has been appointed as the Special Investigating Unit’s (SIU) Chief Legal Counsel.

The unit said Vanara’s appointment is in line with strengthening its “implementing business process improvements that are result driven”.

“The strategy places emphasis on the positive impact of the SIU work, improving turnaround time of investigations, reaching expected legal outcomes, and ensuring the implementation of SIU investigation outcomes and consequence management,” the SIU said.

Vanara has legal expertise spanning over two decades, including his work at the public broadcaster.

“He has also worked at the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa as Acting Registrar of Members’ Interest, Chief Director: Legal Advisor and has occupied other legal positions. He holds a B. Proc through Vista University, LLB and LLM through the University of the Free State.

“The SIU looks forward to Advocate Vanara leading our legal team and strengthening our Civil Litigation Division to achieve even greater milestones,” the unit said. – SAnews.gov.za

 

ABB's Longmeadow campus in Modderfontein, Johannesburg, has invested just over R10 million to complete its additional technology transfer and strengthen the local manufacturing of its UniGear ZS1 medium voltage switchgear facility.

ABB (ABBN: SIX Swiss Ex) is a technology leader in electrification and automation, enabling a more sustainable and resource-efficient future.

The product was previously fully imported from the Czech Republic, or other countries when needed. This investment will now mean that 60-70% of the technology will now be manufactured locally.

“South Africa Switchgear Market size is projected to register growth. The increasing number of investments for sustainable power generation coupled with growing population is expected to drive the growth of the market,” said Yunus Hoosen, Head Invest SA of the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition.   

“This illustrates both the importance of the domestic sector to multinationals and the strategic location of South Africa to a rapidly growing African consumer market,” he said.

The Distribution Solutions factory now employs around 120 people, ten of whom employed due to this investment.

There is also a plan to increase these numbers by employing additional permanent engineers, contractors, and graduates through its graduate programme in which over 70 graduates currently participate. 

ABB has further started the process of increasing the localization of its Compact Secondary Substations (CSS), which is due for completion by October 2023. 

“Utilities are increasingly looking to implement smart solutions to solve complex energy challenges. The creation of job opportunities for local engineers and contractors demonstrates our long term commitment as a partner of Government,” said Egon Worthmann, MV Primary AIS Switchgear Manager for ABB Electrification’s Distribution Solutions division.  

Built in 2009, ABB South Africa headquarters demonstrates the company’s early adoption of more sustainable manufacturing approaches, with the site boasting a 760kWp array of rooftop solar panels, which generate enough solar energy to cover around 30% of the site’s annual energy consumption of 2400MwH.  

The Distribution Solutions factory serves customers in South Africa and other sub-Saharan countries.   

"The ABB investment further signifies that South Africa remains an attractive investment destination across all sectors including the Advanced Manufacturing sector," Hoosen said.

"InvestSA remains ready and committed to assist foreign and domestic investors in realizing their investment in South Africa with localisation being a key component of economic reconstruction and recovery," he said. – SAnews.gov.za

The chairperson of the Commission for Employment Equity (CEE), Tabea Kabinde, has lamented the slow pace of transformation in the workplace for designated groups, especially for people with disabilities. 

Kabinde was addressing the Employment Equity roadshow in Pretoria on Wednesday.  

Conducted under the theme, ‘Real transformation makes business sense’, the Employment Equity roadshows by the Department of Employment and Labour, in collaboration with the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), create awareness on the recently promulgated EE amendments, sector targets and regulations.

The workshops further aim to deal with the impact of EE in the labour market by sharing the results of the 23rd CEE Annual Report. 

“Out of 27 532 reports received, covering a total of 7 215 960 employees, only 1.2% are persons with disabilities. We are now stretching it to only 2% as a proposed target. Please do not overlook people with disabilities,” Kabinde said.
 
The chairperson told the gathering that while there are employers who are transforming their workplaces in terms of hiring people with disabilities, very few go beyond the 1.2%. She said there must be a demonstrable commitment to employ those with disabilities. 

Kabinde said anyone can have disabilities due to an accident or illness and “this does not mean the end”.

On the issue of sector targets, the CEE chairperson told the meeting that a lot of noise in the media is created by misunderstandings. 

“When we start fighting, we forget that we are talking about the Economically Active Population (EAP). The EAP focuses only on people who are working, looking for work and are employable,” she said.
 
She told the workshop that it cannot be that a group with a small EAP continues to occupy top management level posts, whereas racial groups with a higher percentage of the EAP occupy a small fraction of top management posts.

Part of the session was also spent on a demonstration of the online EE system with the incorporated amendments to reporting on the system and how certificates of compliance will be generated.
 
There was also a presentation of the CCMA’s case law related to EE, professionally done by a Commissioner from the CCMA. 

The national series workshops/roadshows started on 18 July and will conclude on 29 August 2023. The remaining August workshops are as follows: 

Gauteng 
• Johannesburg (2 August 2023) 

 Mpumalanga 
• Witbank (Emalahleni) - (15 August 2023) 
• Nelspruit (Mbombela) – (16 August 2023) 

Western Cape 
• George (15 August 2023) 
• Cape Town (16 August 2023) 

Eastern Cape
• Gqeberha (22 August 2023) 
• East London (23 August 2023) 
• Mthatha (24 August 2023) 

Free State
 • Welkom (22 August 2023) 
• Bloemfontein (23 August 2023) 

KwaZulu-Natal 
• Durban (29 August 2023) 

The EE workshops are targeted at employers or heads of organisations, academics, senior managers, consultative forum members, human resource practitioners, trade unions, employees and other interested stakeholders. – SAnews.gov.za

The Special Investigating Unit will probe allegations of maladministration in the Office of the Premier of KwaZulu-Natal related to the appointment of a consultant to support the province’s six priority programmes.

The unit was authorised to investigate the office by a proclamation signed by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

“The investigation will also look to see if there was any unauthorised, irregular, or fruitless and wasteful expenditure incurred by the Office of the Premier in KZN, or losses suffered by the Provincial Office or the State.

“Furthermore, the SIU will seek to establish whether there was any irregular, improper or unlawful conduct by the contractors, employees, or officials of the Office of the Premier and the suppliers, service providers, or any other person or entity,” the unit said.

The SIU said the investigation will cover the period between April 2007 and 29 July 2023.

“In addition to investigating maladministration and malpractice, the SIU will also identify failures, and will also make systematic recommendations to improve measures to prevent future losses.

“The SIU is empowered to institute civil action in the High Court or a Special Tribunal in its name, to correct any wrongdoing uncovered during its investigations caused by acts of corruption, fraud, or maladministration. In line with the Special Investigating Units and Special Tribunals Act 74 of 1996, the SIU will refer any evidence pointing to criminal conduct it uncovers to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for further action,” the SIU said. – SAnews.gov.za

The Chief Director of Automotives at the the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic), Mkhululi Mlota says the Quality and Productivity Improvement (QPI) training programme will help give South Africa an edge over its competitors in manufacturing in the automotive sector. 

He was speaking at the launch of the QPI project, also known as Kaizen, in Johannesburg earlier yesterday.

The project was born out of a partnership and consolidated through a Memorandum of Understanding between the dtic and the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

It is mainly aimed at improving quality and productivity in South Africa on lower tier component products in the automotive value chain, which also extends to the plastics and metals sectors.

The training will be done across the country and will be implemented through a network of organisations that form part of the dtic’s National Quality and Productivity Network (NQPN).

Among these, are the training institutions and service providers that support business management and skills support for the companies.

Mlota said one of the key objectives of the project is to strengthen the competitiveness of the suppliers in the automotive sector, in line with the South African Automotive Masterplan 2035.

“To realise some of the benefits of the project, including strengthening business competiveness and creating job opportunities, it is imperative that all stakeholders and beneficiaries embrace the common values of QPI promotion in South Africa. 

“Kaizen is hands-on and practical expertise developed through a participatory, learning-by-doing, human-focused, and process-oriented approach.  I trust that participants will fully apply themselves and work hard to develop their own capabilities which will subsequently ensure that we improve competitiveness of the industry,” Mlota said. 

The Chief Representative of JICA in South Africa, Mr Karou Okada said improving productivity was critical in helping South Africa emerge from the current economic challenges, partly exarcebated by the COVID pandemic period.

“There are more than 250 Japanese companies in South Africa and since this project is focusing on the automotive value chain, although not limited to, some of the training sites are those of suppliers of Japanese companies.

“This project will create a win-win relationship between the government of South Africa and Japanese private sector companies through the sharing of knowledge, skills and benefits,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za

 

International Relations and Cooperation Minister, Dr Naledi Pandor, is today hosting her Japanese counterpart Yoshimasa Hayashi. 

According to the department, the two Ministers will hold consultations focusing on various bilateral and multilateral issues of mutual interest. 

“The visit of the Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs marks the continuation of high-level engagements between South Africa and Japan on a bilateral level, and is a follow-up to a telephonic engagement between the two Ministers in early June 2023,” the department added. 

Japan, the department said, is one of the major investors with over R90 billion injected into the South African economy. 

The East Asian country also has a presence of 273 companies, sustaining over 200 000 local job opportunities. 

The department said investments by Japan in the automotive industry include Toyota’s R4.28 billion, Nissan’s R3.2 billion, and Isuzu’s R1.2 billion in the past two years. 

Meanwhile, Sumitomo Rubber, Komatsu, Kansai Paint, NEC, Lixel, Nomura Investment, and Tokyo Marine made several new investments. 

At the conclusion of the visit of the Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Pandor will launch the Mapungubwe Dialogues. 

It is expected that Ministers in the Presidency, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma and Maropene Ramokgopa, will be among the participants. 

Mapungubwe Dialogues is a series of dialogues and open discussions bringing together members of the Diplomatic Corps from the Continent that are based in Pretoria as well as think tanks and African Union Organs based in South Africa. 

The launch is timely as it takes place during the 10th anniversary of the adoption of Agenda 2063. – SAnews.gov.za
 

Over 52 000 households in the Moretele Local Municipality in the North West stand to benefit from a sustainable, reliable and continuous supply of potable water from the Moretele South Bulk Water Supply Scheme Project.

Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu visited the site of the a 25 megalitres per day (ml/d) reservoir in Dilopye village and a 36.2km bulk pipeline in Mogogelo on Saturday to witness the construction of the infrastructure, which started last month. 

Phase 3 of the project will ensure a reliable supply of potable water to the far west of Moretele Municipality. 

A total of R640 617 000 has been budgeted for the scheme from the department’s Regional Bulk infrastructure Grant (RBIG). 

Phase 1 of the project included the upgrade of the Klipdrift Water Treatment Works from 18ml/d to 42ml/d, which was completed in 2022. Phase 1 ensured that there is adequate potable water from the treatment plant that will be transferred to various networks of reservoirs and bulk pipelines, and ultimately to communities. 

Phase 2 included a 30km bulk pipeline from the treatment plant towards the far west end of Moretele, while Phase 3, which is currently under construction, started in June 2023. Its completion is anticipated for June 2024.

Mchunu said upon completion, Phase 3, which includes the construction of a reservoir and bulk pipeline, will ensure reliable supply of drinking water to, among others, seven villages identified in Moretele including Swartdam, Noroki, Ratsiepane, Moeka, Ga-Motle, Kromkuil and Mmakaunyana. 

While some of the villages have reticulation from Moretele Municipality, which is a water service authority, Mchunu said the villages depend on unreliable sources for drinking water, including boreholes, water sold from private water tankering and rainwater harvesting due to inconsistent provision from the current system. 

The Minister said the 25 ml/d reservoir will have capability to store excess water above the daily required demand and ensure sustained reliable supply to its network of communities uninterrupted.

Addressing the community at Mathibestad’s Lepono Sport Grounds, Mchunu urged the community to be patient, and assured them that water will soon be available in their households. 

“We went see the site where the reservoir and the trench of the 36km pipeline are being constructed and are satisfied with the progress. Although we would have loved to come and tell you that we have completed the work and water is being reticulated, we are happy that we are very close to that, Mchunu said. – SAnews.gov.za