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News, Directory, Events and Other Stuff
As Women’s Month draws to a close, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the progress we’ve made and the challenges that still lie ahead. Join us for a groundbreaking webinar that delves deep into a critical issue affecting our workplaces and society: Unveiling Gender Disparity: Breaking Barriers. Date: Wednesday, 30 August 2023 Time: 10:00 …
Sewage oozes onto the streets and there are holes in the main roads
Ghanaian artisanal chocolate brands went to The Plant Powered Show in Johannesburg to explore new African commercial linkages for their plant-based chocolate and cocoa.
About 70% of the world's cocoa is produced in Africa – mostly Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana. But in the global chocolate industry, their market share is less than 6%.
Fairafric Ghana aims to change this narrative by adding value to Ghanaian cocoa beans at origin and to offer ‘made in Ghana' chocolate to European and African markets, boosting local job creation and incomes along the way.
Meanwhile, Amonu Chocolates is working hard to develop the demand for locally produced chocolate in Ghana. Their products are proudly wrapped in traditional Ghanaian Akan Adinkra symbol designs to promote choco-tourism and honor the role Ghana has historically played in the cocoa sector.
It is in this spirit that the two brands travelled to The Plant-Powered Show in Johannesburg, South Africa, earlier this month with support from the Ghana Export Promotion Authority and the International Trade Centre's Alliances for Action, under the Netherlands Trust Fund V programme in Ghana. Some 5,000 people attended the event, offering a key visibility opportunity to the growing brands.
The goal? To tap into the health and wellness market and bring Ghanaian products to a new African market.
Aimed at those looking to live and enjoy a healthier, more conscious and sustainable lifestyle with a smaller environmental footprint, the three-day Plant Powered Show features top chefs and mixologists hosting live cooking demos and masterclasses. Health and wellness experts also spoke, while a marketplace filled with plant-based food, drink and lifestyle products were available to test, sample and buy.
Leveraging the ‘made in Africa' movement to enter the South African market
Chef Greg Henderson, executive chef of the Royal Portfolio Collection, specializes in indigenous foods and the culinary heritage of African products. At the show, he gave a masterclass on product development and was excited to have the opportunity to work with Ghanaian chocolate. Fairafric and Amonu Chocolates' plant-based products were successfully integrated into his recipes, with 30 class participants looking on.
‘The question I've been asking myself throughout this event is, why didn't we do this a long time ago?' said Michael Marmon-Halm, managing director of Fairafric Ghana. ‘South Africa is clearly a great market for Fairafric, and we're gearing up to establish our made in Africa brand there soon.'
Both brand representatives attending the event mentioned that the show opened their eyes to the demand for African origin chocolate products. They received encouraging feedback from consumers at their stand, which attracted marked interest from the show's crowds. A highlight of the event was the Chefs Association of South Africa expressing interest in potential collaborations.
Amonu Chocolates is well-established in Ghana, and currently stocked in London by My Runway Group (Black in Carnaby). They aim to increase their export ranges and activities. Attending The Plant Powered Show will go a long way in extending their export footprints in South Africa, said Lucia Acheampong, Amonu's general manager.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Trade Centre.
South Africa is not only known for its stunning coastlines but also for its commitment to preserving them. Plastics SA’s annual Clean-Up & Recycle SA Week, which will take place this year from 11-16 September 2023, plays a pivotal role in promoting environmental sustainability and combating the waste crisis plaguing our beautiful country. “Plastics SA …
Deputy President Mashatile arrives in South Sudan
Deputy President Paul Mashatile arrived in Juba on Monday to assess the latest developments in the implementation of the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS).
According to a statement released yesterday, the visit aims to also strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries.
“Deputy President Mashatile’s visit is an opportunity to continue engaging parties to the R-ARCSS as well as reaffirm South Africa’s support to the full implementation of all outstanding provisions of the R-ARCSS,” the statement read.
He, according to this Office, will further call for a strengthened commitment by all international partners and friends of South Sudan to support the process.
This includes directly resourcing some of the critical mechanisms of the roadmap towards a peaceful and democratic end to the transitional period, and humanitarian assistance.
Vice President of South Sudan, James Wani Igga, International Relations and Cooperation Minister Naledi Pandor, and the South African Ambassador to South Sudan Mahlodi Muofhe received the Deputy President.
In May this year, the Deputy President said South Africa would continue to support peace missions in South Sudan.
He explained that the mandate of the Special Envoy to South Sudan differs from that of South Africa’s Ambassador.
“The latter deals with normal bilateral relations between the two countries. The Special Envoy on the other hand is tasked with assisting in the search for durable peace in South Sudan.”
The immediate task of the Special Envoy, he said, is to help the parties to the Transitional Government of National Unity in South Sudan with the implementation of the R-ARCSS.
The power-sharing agreement was signed between the warring parties in August 2018 in a bid to end the five-year civil war.
“The work of the Special Envoy contributes to the effort to silence the guns.” – SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Tue, 08/29/2023 - 09:08
Episodes to air daily from Monday 2 October at 22:00 premiering on Telemundo Africa with episodes available immediately after on Universal+ NBCUniversal International Networks & Direct-To-Consumer today announced the return of Lord of the Skies, with Season 8 premiering on Monday 2 October 22:00 (CAT) on Telemundo Africa, with episode available immediately after on Universal+. …
The Houghton Hotel, a 5-star urban resort in Johannesburg renowned for its commitment to excellence in hospitality, proudly continues its ongoing partnership with Afrika Tikkun to offer the Youth Employment Services (YES) Hospitality programme. Since its inception in 2019, the initiative has provided invaluable opportunities for 88 young individuals to gain hands-on experience in the …
Tourism Minister to give update on tourism safety measures
Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille and representatives of the private sector will this afternoon give an update on tourism safety measures.
This as the Minister will convene the second National Tourism Safety Forum which includes all Tourism MECs, the South African Police, the National Prosecuting Authority, the Departments of Tourism and Transport, the Tourism Business Council of South Africa and the South African Tourism Services Association.
It will also include the Airports Company South Africa, Federated Hospitality Association of South Africa (FEDHASA), the South African Township and Village Tourism Organisation (SATOVITO) and other tourism sector bodies.
The previous National Tourism Safety Forum meeting held in May saw all representatives agreeing on clear actions to address tourism safety.
Earlier this year, Minister de Lille said safety is one of the major issues affecting growth in the tourism sector.
“Tourism is not only an economic activity but an essential vehicle that promotes a mutual understanding between a tourist and host community. Tourism is recognised for its immense potential and its significant contribution to the economy.
“Safety is one of the major issues affecting the tourism sector and as partners, government and the private sector agreed tourism safety is a priority that we need to address collectively so that we can grow the sector and remove any obstacles standing in the way of that objective,” Minister de Lille said at the time. -SAnews.gov.za
Edwin
Tue, 08/29/2023 - 09:19
Industry involvement needed in TVET curriculum review process
Higher Education and Training Minister, Dr Blade Nzimande, has underscored the need for additional industry involvement in the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college curriculum review process.
“What is also critical is the need for more substantial industry involvement in the TVET curriculum review process to enhance responsiveness to industry needs and requirements,” the Minister said.
He was addressing the TVET Curriculum Transformation and Innovation Summit, currently underway at Vodaworld Dome in Midrand.
Nzimande said the (TVET) college curriculum reform has the potential to contribute in various ways to improving the employability, productivity and success rates of college graduates.
“In order for us to be successful in bringing these changes, there is also a need for change in the management strategies to prepare for current and future TVET curriculum challenges. Furthermore, we need to develop leadership programmes to help leaders within the TVET sector to bring about the necessary curriculum change,” Nzimande said on Monday.
Highlighting some of the progress made in building a sustainable TVET sector, Nzimande said South Africa is producing on average 20 000 qualified artisans per year.
“Ours is to ensure that the number increases significantly to meet our National Development Plan (NDP) target to produce 30 000 qualified artisans per year by 2030.”
Nzimande also highlighted that the number of Centres for Specialisation has been expanded to 34 at 27 TVET colleges, to enhance workplace linked training of artisans and related occupations.
A further investment of R68 million has also been allocated in 16 colleges, who now have 33 trade test centres.
“These trade test centres have trade tested over 600 apprentices of which over 500 have qualified as artisans. Currently 26 of our colleges are engaged in entrepreneurial training through our entrepreneurship hubs.”
The department is hard at work to ensure that all the colleges are involved in some form of entrepreneurship training and also plans to, through the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), introduce innovation hubs in TVET colleges.
The Minister said, the department has to date, opened up 14 954 TVET placement opportunities to the value of R726 million. It has also committed to achieving a target of 20 000 placements of TVET graduates in work placements, as per President Cyril Ramaphosa’s commitment at this year’s State of the Nation Address.
Establishment of 4IR centres
The importance of responsiveness of TVET colleges to 21st century conditions, both locally and globally was also emphasised and various initiatives are underway to achieve this. These include the establishment of seven Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) centres.
“These centres, with the support of stakeholders such as the ETDP SETA (Education, Training and Development Practices Sector Education and Training Authority), aim to scale up digital skills among students and staff.
“Leveraging the potential of the digital economy to reduce youth unemployment is a priority, and we are grateful to our partners such as HUAWEI, Cisco, GIZ, IYF, and others for their contributions to our digital skilling mission,” Nzimande said.
The Minister also expresses his appreciation to the department’s partners, including the Allan and Gill Gray Foundation, the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) for their support in assisting the department to produce young entrepreneurs.
“The Vhembe TVET College in Limpopo has reported producing three millionaires through this development initiative,” he said.
The three-day summit which started on Monday, is being held under the theme: “TVET curriculum transformation: a key to unlock skills development for the modern economy”.
The summit brings together various role players in the TVET sector under one roof to engage and take to higher levels the curriculum transformation and innovation challenges of the TVET sector. – SAnews.gov.za
GabiK
Tue, 08/29/2023 - 12:35
Nzimande calls for BRICS commitment implementation
Higher Education and Training Minister, Dr Blade Nzimande, says he would like to see implementation of the BRICS TVET Cooperation Alliance Charter.
Nzimande said the recent and highly successful BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) Summit held in South Africa last week, placed the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system at the centre of skills development co-operation by members states.
Addressing the TVET Curriculum Transformation and Innovation Summit, currently underway at Vodaworld Dome in Midrand, Nzimande noted that BRICS had committed to strengthen collaboration in TVET amongst BRICS Member States through the hosting of a seminar to provide an overview of the TVET education systems and foster closer collaboration.
“BRICS emphasise that the TVET programmes and projects should be coordinated by relevant BRICS senior TVET officials and focal points assigned by their respective Ministries. This places TVET education at the centre of the developmental agenda of governments, supporting initiatives and interventions to revive and enhance the economy.
“As a result, TVET curriculum transformation is a crucial step towards unlocking skills development for the modern economy. As industries evolve and technology advances at an unprecedented rate, it becomes essential for TVET institutions to adapt their curricula to meet the changing needs of the job market,” Nzimande said.
The Minister argued that the traditional approach to TVET education, which focused solely on providing students with specific trade skills, is no longer sufficient in today's dynamic and globalised economy.
Therefore, he said, to bridge the skills gap and equip individuals with the competencies required for the modern workforce, a comprehensive curriculum transformation is necessary.
“This transformation involves a shift from a narrow focus on technical skills to 21st century skills which advocates for a broader emphasis on critical thinking, problem solving, creativity and adaptability.
“By integrating these 21st century skills into TVET curricula, students will be better prepared to navigate the complexities of the modern economy, where job roles are constantly evolving, and cross-disciplinary expertise is highly valued,” Nzimande said.
He said the inclusion of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, robotics, and data analytics in TVET curricula, will further equip students with the necessary digital skills.
Having regular curriculum reviews of TVET programs and qualifications aligned with the current needs of industry and society, was among the resolutions taken at the TVET Imbizo held in 2017.
Nzimande emphasised that the focus is on updating the content of current programs, by introducing modern delivery methods, integrating digital skills, and rationalizing outdated programs that no longer serve their intended purposes.
“In line with this objective, over 70 subjects in the NATED (National Accredited Technical Education Diploma) Report 191 programs have been reviewed since 2018. Additionally, in January this year, we introduced a new NCV (National Certificate Vocational) program in IT (Information Technology) and Computer Science focusing on Programming and Robotics.
“Ten of our TVET colleges are currently offering this program and more of our colleges are planning to offer this program from 2024. As a department, we are collaborating with the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) in reconstructing curricula for Engineering Studies to align with the rapidly changing industry needs and professional standards,” Nzimande highlighted.
He added that the prioritised fields currently undergoing reconstruction, include Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Civil Engineering.
The Minister also announced that the NATED N1 to N3 programs will be phased out from January 2024. – SAnews.gov.za
GabiK
Tue, 08/29/2023 - 13:22
Boys and men key in fighting GBVF
South Africa’s men and boys are a crucial part of combatting the scourge of violence against women and girls.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said this in his address at the Presidential Young Men and Boys Indaba on Tuesday.
“As young men, you may be tired of being told you are a problem. You want your dignity respected and upheld. You want your good qualities to be recognised. We are here to tell you that we see you as not the problem, but as the solution. It is in your hands to bring about a new generation of South African men,” the President said.
At the session held at Maponya Mall in Soweto, learners who took part in the indaba were given a chance to ask the President questions which led to a fruitful engagement.
“From what I have heard today, I am more confident than ever that the boys and men of this country are an essential part of our struggle to end all forms of violence against women in our society.
“Your views, thoughts and ideas have enriched our understanding of the challenges young men face and how you are taking responsibility for yourselves and your society,” the President said.
In his address, the President said that “because it is men who are responsible for this scourge [violence against women and girls], men need to be part of bringing it to an end”.
“This young men’s dialogue is very important. To end gender-based violence, we must focus on prevention. We must stop this violence before it even happens.”
The President emphasised that there must be an open and honest conversation about what contributes to violence against women and girls.
Toxic masculinity
He strongly advised boys and men to talk about patriarchal attitudes and practices. Men were also urged to challenge toxic masculinity, which is the idea that being a man means one must dominate and demean women.
The conversation must include the influence of culture and media depictions of men and women.
Raising good men
“What about the Boys?” brings together government, the private sector, academia, civil society, the media and other stakeholders in a collaboration towards raising a nation of good men.
“What About The Boys?” is a gender-based violence and femicide(GBVF) prevention initiative to raise a nation of good men and is an outcome of a 2022 social compact, led by youth organisations and stakeholders in the public and private sectors.
“We have just seen the video and listened to the voices of participants, and it is clear that this programme continues to be well-received and has had a positive impact.
“We are correct to ask the question, “What about the Boys?”, because young men and boys must not be left behind.”
In addition, he emphasised that boys must be part of the journey towards a South Africa free of gender-based violence. They must be encouraged and supported to be change-makers in society.
He told the indaba that it is not easy to be a boy or a man in today’s era.
He highlighted that men and boys face a lot of pressure in in their peer groups, their families, in relationships, with friends, at school and places of higher learning and in society as a whole.
In South Africa today he said, young black men are most vulnerable to violence.
“As young men, you are vulnerable too. You also experience depression, loneliness, and frustration. These can sometimes manifest in aggressive behaviour, especially towards women and girls, problematic relationships, and violence. We must talk.”
He said the new generation of men are respectful, masculine in a positive way and sensitive.
“They would never think of a woman as less than a man. They would never think about raising their hand against a woman.”
Safe spaces
The first citizen said the dialogue was convened because government recognises that it must engage men and boys separately from women and girls.
This as government wants to create more safe and open spaces where boys can talk about their feelings, share with each other and collaborate on strategies that help them advance through different stages of their lives.
He emphasised that the focus of the programme is to reimagine and reinvent masculinities in sensitive, kind, respectful, accountable, expressive and nurturing ways.
“It is about working with young men and boys through theatres of learning to influence how they view themselves and the kinds of men that they grow into.
“As government, civil society, business and social partners we are committed to supporting you in your journey to becoming better men,” he said.
The President extended his gratitude to the Department of Basic Education, Primestars, SterKinekor and all the partners of the programme for taking the initiative to design such a positive and uplifting programme, and for their commitment to being part of change. – SAnews.gov.za
DikelediM
Tue, 08/29/2023 - 14:29
Correctional Services warns of fake purchase orders
The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) has warned all suppliers within the departmental database linked to the Central Supplier Database of fraudulent purchasing orders.
“One of the ways in which the scammers operate is by means of requesting an upfront payment or seeking quotations for various goods from potential service providers.
“At times, they send a fictitious request for quotation (RFQ) from what would seem to be a Correctional Services email address, use a fake RFQ form with a logo and contact details of the contact person,” the statement read.
The requests, the department said, are usually “urgent” and the whole process is concluded within a short period.
“The department distances itself from this practice and advises all suppliers not to render services telephonically, without having the original purchasing order.
“No upfront payments are to be requested. Rather confirm the legitimacy of purchasing orders with the department’s supply chain unit, prior to processing and purchasing goods,” the department added. – SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Tue, 08/29/2023 - 13:32
South Africa’s leading sports betting operator, Hollywoodbets, is excited to announce its landmark sponsorship agreement with the South African Football Association’s Men’s Regional League in a ground-breaking partnership that marks a significant step towards the development of men’s football. The announcement took place at SAFA House in Gauteng, and was attended by members of the …
Dear Editor “We hold the view that none of the candidates interviewed are suitable for appointment, given the enormous responsibility this position holds. The candidates all showed an alarming lack of basic knowledge of the legal framework in which they would be required to operate. We further hold the view that an appointment should not …
Dear Editor Parliament agreed with the DA today that the thousands of email submissions yet to be analysed as part of the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill must be processed. The DA has always maintained that the public participation process cannot be minimised and that no submissions can be discarded, and we are gratified …
CSIR appoints industry advisory panel to help steer digital transformation
The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has announced the appointment of an industry advisory panel in the digital transformation space.
“This signifies the organisation’s efforts to align with industry-specific priorities in the quest to achieve digitalisation for greater societal and industrial impact.
“Utilising its robust science, engineering and technology capabilities, the organisation seeks to establish a balance between scientific and industrial development,” the organisation said on Monday.
Meanwhile, CSIR believes that a greater understanding of industry needs is vital to achieving these strategic objectives.
The Executive Cluster Manager of CSIR NextGen Enterprises and Institutions, Dr Lulama Wakaba, explained the purpose of the industry advisory panel, which is to provide advice on strategic issues to the cluster’s leadership and researchers in the digitalisation domain.
“It is guided by the CSIR’s mandate of contributing to improving the quality of life of the people of South Africa through directed multidisciplinary research and technological innovation. All clusters of the CSIR have important contributions to make to this mandate,” Wakaba added.
He also noted that the panel members bring a wealth of experience, which will be invaluable in gaining insight into market operations.
The panel comprises 12 members and Mamello Selamolela, who has been appointed Chairperson to lead the team.
The other members include Bronwyn Williams, Nomso Kana, Dawood Patel, Paul Mashegoane, Envir Fraser, Wakaba, Dr Ntsibane Ntlatlapa and Anne Gabathuse.
Group Executive for CSIR Smart Society, Dr Sandile Malinga, said he was looking forward to innovative insights and approaches based on the panel’s extensive experience and exposure.
“The newly established industry advisory panel not only strengthens the CSIR’s commitment to achieving strategic objectives but also underscores its dedication towards fostering industrial development and digital transformation within government, public institutions and the industry at large.”
The panel’s view, according to CSIR, is that the cluster’s impact ought to reflect the important pillars of society understanding the core of national societal needs and ensuring that the response harnesses digitalisation for the benefit of South Africa.
The CSIR, an entity of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, is one of the leading scientific and technology research, development and implementation organisations in Africa.
CSIR undertakes directed and multidisciplinary research and technological innovation, as well as industrial and scientific development to improve the quality of life of all South Africans. – SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Tue, 08/29/2023 - 09:33
In a matter of seconds, it is possible to hold your phone up to your face and see what you will look like in 40 years. Or you could fuse the image of your face with that of a celebrity. You could even record a birthday song for a friend in the voice of their favourite artist. With deepfake technology, it is simple and possible to edit a person's facial and vocal likeness with alarming accuracy. For the most part, this can be seen as harmless entertainment. But what if your likeness was used to drain your savings or commit fraud? As the technology to create deepfakes becomes easier and cheaper, the need to guard against these cybercrimes have come to the forefront.
A deepfake is a video, visual, or audio recording that has been distorted, manipulated, or synthetically created using deep learning techniques to present an individual, or a hybrid of several people, saying or doing something that they did not say or do. These deepfakes are often used in digital injection attacks which are sophisticated, highly scalable, and replicable cyberattacks that bypass the camera on a device or are injected into a data stream.
Murray Collyer, Chief Operating Officer of iiDENTIFii (http://www.iiDENTIFii.com/), says, “Digital injection attacks present the highest threat to financial services, as the AI technology behind it is affordable, and the attacks are rapidly scalable. In fact, a recent digital security report by our technology partner, iProov (http://www.iProov.com/), illustrates how, in an indiscriminate attempt to bypass an organisation's security systems, some 200-300 attacks were launched globally from the same location within a 24-hour period. As more and more South Africans embrace digital banking, deepfake technology is a serious threat.”
Recent research (https://apo-opa.info/3L09o3T) by Discovery Bank and Boston Consulting Group (BCG) into the future of retail banking in South Africa found that most (86%) South Africans are ready to do all their banking digitally, particularly via an app. Much of this trend stems from previously unbanked people. The Covid-19 pandemic naturally accelerated the trend.
As more South Africans set up digital accounts and do their banking online, financial crime and cybercrime have become more inextricably linked than ever before. Interpol states that financial and cybercrimes are the world's leading crime threats and are projected to increase the most.
Collyer adds, “Deepfake technology is one of the most rapidly growing threats within financial services, yet not all verification technologies are resilient to it. Password-based systems, for example, are highly susceptible to fraud. South Africa needs to strengthen their technology to outwit cyber criminals.”
While deepfakes are a severe threat, the technology and processes exist to safeguard financial services companies against this method of fraud.
A growing percentage of face biometric technology incorporates some form of liveness checks - such as wink and blink - to verify and authenticate customers. Liveness detection uses biometric technology to determine whether the individual presenting is a real human being, not a presented artefact. Therefore, this technology can detect a deepfake if it were to be played on a device and presented to the camera.
While many liveness detection technologies can determine if someone is conducting fraud by holding up a physical image (for example, a printed picture or mask of the person transacting) to the screen, many solutions cannot detect digital injection attacks.
Collyer says, “Specialised technology is required to combat deepfakes. Within iiDENTIFii, we have seen success with the use of sophisticated yet accessible 4D liveness technology, which includes a timestamp and is further verified through a three-step process where the user's selfie and ID document data are checked with relevant government databases. This enables us to accurately authenticate someone's identity.”
Collyer will be part of the speaker panel that will present to delegates at the 8th instalment of the AML, Financial Crime Southern Africa Conference (https://apo-opa.info/3KYm7Ec), that also includes representatives of companies such as Financial Intelligence Centre South Africa, Investec, Sanlam, Stanlib, Albaraka Bank, Standard Bank Mozambique, iiDENTIFii, Nice Actimize, SABRIC, Rand Merchant Bank, S & P Global Intelligence, FirstRand Namibia, Corruption Watch and many more.
The high-level conference will be hosted on 6 & 7 September at the Indaba Hotel Fourways South Africa and is attended annually by professionals from banks, insurance and investment companies, service providers, government, and MLCO's from non-designated financial service providers.
“With the right technology, it is not only possible to protect consumers and businesses against deepfake financial crimes but also create a user experience that is simple, accessible and safe for all,” Collyer concludes.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of iiDENTIFii.
About iiDENTIFii:
iiDENTIFii is a world-leading remote face authentication and automated onboarding technology platform. It fulfills the needs of customer-focused organisations that are required to authenticate and onboard customers. Using a frictionless and non-invasive automated proven process that meets customer intelligence and risk and compliance goals, iiDENTIFii ticks all the boxes from a governance and legislative perspective. https://iiDENTIFii.com/
Timothy Dunn, an attorney in the River Club dispute, does not have the master’s degree he claims to have
To celebrate and highlight the vital role that our tourism and hospitality industries play in the Western Cape, provincial Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities, which includes Tourism, Mireille Wenger kicked off her Tourism Month 2023 programme in Plettenberg Bay this week. Minister Wenger was joined by Plett Tourism CEO, Patty Butterworth, Plett Tourism Association …
Dear Editor The collapsing postal service has left thousands of workers across Dr Beyers Naude Local Municipality (DBNLM) unable to access their government stipends. Marginalised youth, who are supposedly being empowered through the National Youth Service learnership with the Department of Transport, are instead entering their second month of not being paid for services rendered. …
Dear Editor The DA will write to the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee of Mineral Resources and Energy, Sahlulele Luzipo, requesting that the committee adopts a resolution condemning the unethical conduct of the Minister of the Minister of Energy, Gwede Mantashe, for deliberately delaying the tabling of the Electricity Regulation Amendment Bill (ERA) in an …
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Economic reforms to create growth, jobs
Through economic reforms implemented through Operation Vulindlela, President Cyril Ramaphosa says government is steadily laying the foundation for a revival of economic growth.
In his weekly newsletter, the President noted the release of a progress report, which highlights a number of key milestones that have been reached during the past quarter.
“Since Operation Vulindlela was established, we have built significant momentum in economic reforms to create growth and jobs.
“Through these reforms we are steadily laying the foundation for a revival of economic growth. By restructuring our network, industries like energy, telecommunications, ports and rail, we are opening the space for investment and a renewal of our nation’s infrastructure,” the President said.
The President highlighted that the first of the reform milestones was the digital migration process which government implemented by switching off analogue transmission for all frequencies above 694 MHz on 31 July 2023.
“This marks a significant step in migration from analogue to digital signal. This means that radio frequencies that were being used for television broadcasting can now be used for mobile telecommunications, which will make network communications more accessible and increase the speed and reduce the cost of data. The implementation of this reform will bring new investment in the telecommunications sector,” he said.
President Ramaphosa told citizens that work is underway to implement necessary reforms in the logistics sector to address the challenges that have held back the growth of South African exports.
He highlighted that the lack of investment and the increased cost of doing business have added to the many challenges that need to be addressed.
Another key milestone was reached with the selection of an international terminal operator to partner with Transnet at the Durban Pier 2 container terminal. This terminal handles close to half of South Africa’s port traffic.
“This partnership will increase investment for upgrading equipment and expanding terminal capacity. A key aspect of this partnership is that port infrastructure will remain state-owned and all jobs will be protected,” he said.
The President further highlighted that two critical pieces of legislation were tabled in Parliament this month, that will advance economic reform.
The Electricity Regulation Amendment Bill will support the restructuring of Eskom into three separate companies owned and controlled by Eskom Holdings, including an independent grid operator.
“Through this bill we will introduce competition in electricity generation, enabling a number of independent generators, alongside Eskom, to produce electricity to meet our country’s demand. This reform will fundamentally transform, modernise and improve South Africa’s energy sector to ensure energy security into the future.
“Meanwhile, the reforms we have implemented through the Energy Action Plan have unlocked new investment in renewable energy sources, both to end load shedding and to use our unique wind and solar resources to power economic growth,” he said.
One of key reforms that government has prioritised is in the water sector. Government has introduced the South African National Water Resources Infrastructure Bill to establish a dedicated national water agency to design, plan and finance water resource infrastructure.
This agency will enable significantly greater investment in bulk water infrastructure to guarantee water security in the years and decades to come, while creating jobs and unlocking new agricultural potential.
“We are implementing a range of other reforms to unlock economic growth, from creating an enabling regulatory environment for hemp and cannabis production to eradicating the backlog of title deeds for subsidised housing,” he said.
Despite difficult global conditions, the President said investors continue to see value in the South African economy and the benefit of the reform agenda government is pursuing.
He added that he is pleased that the BRICS Business Forum held last week was attended by 1 500 investors and business people from all five member countries.
The President said the Summit was able to showcase the potential of South Africa and the African continent as the next frontiers of productivity and growth.
“Many of the participants remarked on the enormous potential of our economic reform agenda to drive growth in the green economy, the digital economy and other key sectors.
“In all of the work that we do, our ultimate goal is the same: to build an inclusive, fast-growing and dynamic economy and thereby create a better life for all South Africans,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za
DikelediM
Tue, 08/29/2023 - 09:57