Basetsana

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) says it is considering its legal options following a High Court judgement which declared as invalid the unit’s authorisation to investigate the affairs of Telkom.

The unit was authorised through a proclamation by President Cyril Ramaphosa to investigate allegations of “serious maladministration, malpractice, and possible corruption” in the affairs of the telecommunications company.

According to the unit, the court’s Gauteng Division in Pretoria found that Telkom is not a state institution and therefore, the SIU could not probe its affairs.

“The SIU has studied the judgment and is considering legal options available to it to clarify what constitutes a state institution. The judgment has considered the question of what constitutes a State Institution.

“In terms of the Special Investigating Units and Special Tribunals Act 74 0f 1996, the SIU is empowered to investigate allegations of corruption and maladministration in the affairs of state institutions like government departments, municipalities, and state-owned entities; to recover financial losses suffered by the state and prevent further losses,” the unit said.

The SIU added that clarification is needed by the courts to thrash out what a state institution is.

Currently, government directly holds a 40.5% shareholding in Telkom with a further 15.3% shareholding through the Public Investment Corporation.

“Considering the judgement, the SIU is of the view that a clarification on what constitutes a state institution is important and will further strengthen the work of the SIU in rooting out corruption and maladministration in the administration of all state institutions.

“We further believe that there are grounds justifying an appeal and that the issue of the ‘state institution’ must be decided and settled by a higher court. If this is not clarified, it may create an unwelcomed precedent that some public institutions may inadvertently be shielded from investigation by the SIU,” the unit said. – SAnews.gov.za

 

South Africa’s BRICS “Sherpa” Anil Sooklal announced on Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin will participate in the upcoming summit virtually. 

This comes after President Cyril Ramaphosa’s statement that Putin will not be attending the BRICS Summit “by mutual agreement”, adding that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov would lead his country’s delegation. 

“But he will attend the summit virtually. He will be involved in all of the sessions that the leaders are partaking in the traditional summit of BRICS leaders,” Sooklal told the press. 

In addition, the Russian President will also deliver his closing remarks virtually at the BRICS Business Council and all the other deliberations of the conference. 

“Although Minister Lavrov will be physically present, President Putin will participate virtually,” he stressed.

This is after the International Criminal Court (ICC) judges issued arrest warrants against Putin and Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova in March for allegedly being responsible for the war crime of unlawful deportation and transfer of children from Ukraine to Russia.

According to the Sherpa, who is a representative of the Head of State tasked with preparing for international summits, this was “unusual”. 

He reminded the media that last year, he also did not attend a gathering of leaders from the Group of 20 (G20) nations in Jakarta, Indonesia. 

“It was because of the good relationship that he has with Indonesia and President Joko Wododo. He didn’t want to collapse that summit because there was a threat that if he attended the summit, certain leaders would walk out and the summit would collapse,” he explained. 

“He considered that he wanted Indonesia to have a successful conference and he sent Minister Lavrov.”

Sooklal believes that the agreement that has been reached by BRICS leaders reflects President Ramaphosa’s job well done. 

“He has engaged all parties and not just President Putin. This decision wasn’t just taken between President Ramaphosa and President Putin.”

He added that the country’s First Citizen in the past several months has engaged all BRICS leaders. 

“He has spoken to them personally several times, discussing this issue. As I said, BRICS is a consensus-based entity,” he explained. 

“President Putin not being physically present in the summit impacts all the other leaders as well and I think it shows the maturity and the strength of the partnership and that collectively, we could come to a decision.

“President Putin understands the dilemma South Africa faces and didn’t want to jeopardise the summit or create problems for South Africa and this is the strength of BRICS cooperation.”

Meanwhile, he believes this demonstrates President Putin’s desire for South Africa, as a BRICS chair, has a successful summit and all the issues set on the agenda are discussed collectively. 

“We’re confident that the summit will be a success. There’s no threat of a walkout by anyone like in G20. All the BRICS leaders will fully embrace the summit and so are the leaders of the Global South.” 

He also outlined the three-day programme of the 15th BRICS Summit in South Africa that will take place from 22 to 24 August 2023 at the Sandton Convention Centre.

This includes a media briefing led by the Heads of State, dinner, and cultural activities. 

For the first time, he said the summit, will incorporate the participation of the youth.  

The Sherpa also said that they have invited a total of 69, including Global South leaders and believes that this year’s gathering will be the largest yet.

“President Emmanuel Macron has also asked to attend the summit. There’s a high interest in the summit.” 

Sooklal said Ministers in BRICS, a group of emerging markets — Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, will soon deliberate on the issue of expansion. 

The Sherpa said 22 countries have formally approached BRICS nations to become members of the group. 

“There’s no area of the world where a country hasn’t formally asked; from the Middle East, Latin America, Asia, Europe and all the major players from the Global South.” – SAnews.gov.za
 

Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DJCOD), Minister Ronald Lamola, is expected to address the Public Service Commission’s (PSC) symposium into the protection of whistleblowers.

The symposium is expected to be held on Tuesday at the Government Communication and Information System head office, Tshedimosetso House in Pretoria.

According to the PSC the symposium aims to, amongst others:

• Create a platform for participants to reflect on the challenges confronted by whistle-blowers
• Deliberate on tools and measures to enhance the Protected Disclosure Act of 2017 with a view to achieve an ethical and corrupt-free environment and to ensure effective and efficient performance in public administration
• Establish a whistleblowers support programme including confidentiality of whistleblowers
• Promote a high standard of professional ethics in the public service

“Fraud and corruption in South Africa continues to undermine the government’s efforts to deliver quality services to its citizens. Although efforts are being intensified to prevent and combat corruption in state institutions and ensure that perpetrators are brought to book, there is still concerns on the extent of the protection of whistle-blowers.

“To this end, as part of safeguarding the protection of whistle-blowers and to enhance the integrity of the country, the Public Service Commission in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme will host a Whistle-blower Symposium … under the theme “the extent and nature of the protection of whistle-blowers in South Africa,” the PSC said in a statement.

Recently, the DJCOD released – for public comment – reforms for whistleblowing legislation which proposes several measures to enhance the protection of whistleblowers.

The whistleblowers document can be accessed on https://www.justice.gov.za/legislation/invitations/invites.htm and the deadline for comments is 15 August 2023. – SAnews.gov.za

The Presidential Climate Commission (PCC) has welcomed the publishing for comments of the draft South Africa Renewable Energy Masterplan (SAREM).

The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy published the draft masterplan for comments on Monday.

The SAREM is a document 18 months in the making with the DMRE holding extensive consultations with stakeholders, industry experts, labour and other government departments.

“The SAREM heralds a new impetus  for our country’s renewable energy drive and ambition. To this end, as PCC we welcome the four priorities as outlined in SAREM being: Supporting the local demand for renewable energy by unlocking market demand and system readiness, driving industrial development by building renewable energy value chains, and supportive trade and industrial policy, fostering inclusive development through transformation, supporting the development of emerging suppliers and building local capabilities in skills and innovation and associated industrial development.

“The PCC therefore acknowledges the SAREM as a catalytic contribution to our country’s transition to a net zero carbon future and provides a baseline for social consensus and further detailed planning and implementation of essential projects and programmes to achieve our objectives by 2030,” the commission said.

The PCC emphasised that although the SAREM is a step in the right direction, resolving South Africa’s current energy crisis remains a top priority.

“The commission reiterates that the immediate challenge remains the current energy crisis and reaffirms its support for the Energy Action Plan, and the broader reforms to the energy sector particularly, the lifting of the cap on embedded generation, and enabling household roof-top solar systems through incentives and feed-in tariff regime as announced previous by government.

“The Commission believes that the Masterplan should contribute to the achievement of a just transition and supports the shift of South Africa’s electricity supply and reiterates the need of a ‘transition-capable’ developmental state to navigate the complexities of transition and in moving forward, the PCC will submit additional comment on the SAREM to the DMRE for consideration by government on the implementation of the SAREM in line with our recent pronouncement on the energy mix,” the PCC said. – SAnews.gov.za

The recent publishing for public comments of the intention to designate the Namakwa Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in the Northern Cape is a critical milestone, says Trade, Industry and Competition Deputy Minister Nomalungelo Gina.

This as the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) through Minister Ebrahim Patel published the announcement in terms of section 24(1) of the Special Economic Zones Act No 16 of 2014, aiming to designate a certain portion of land for ‘strategic national interests’.

The project is expected to inject over 3000 permanent jobs into the South African economy.

The proposed SEZ comprises of 1270.06 hectares of land and is located in Namakwa in the Northern Cape. It is bordered on the north by the N14 road which links to the town of Pofadder to the east and the town of Aggeneys to the west.

Gina who is a national champion of the Namakwa One Plan District Development Model (DDM), says the SEZ is one of key economic development programmes in the district.

She said the SEZ currently has an investment pipeline of over R29 billion that will result in the creation of 3250 jobs during the various phases of development.

“The overall current investment pipeline boasts of small to medium-sized investment companies with activities in green hydrogen and ammonia fuelling, refurbish and repairs, energy and petro chemical for local mobility, manganese sulphate and mineral beneficiation. 

“The SEZ will logically connect with another project being built in Ritchersveld Municipality, the Boegoe Baai deep sea port which will be the epicentre of green hydrogen generation in South Africa,” she said on Tuesday.

Vendata Zinc International is an anchor investor with R16 billion earmarked for its operations in the Namakwa SEZ.

Members of the public have until 22 August 2023 to submit comments or objections to Patrick Mlangeni at SEZEquiries@thedtic.gov.za – SAnews.gov.za

 

The Presidency has confirmed that President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin will not attend the 15th Summit of BRICS - however, the Russian Federation will be represented by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

“By mutual agreement, President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation will not attend the Summit but the Russian Federation will be represented by Foreign Minister, Mr Sergey Lavrov,” the Presidency said on Wednesday. 

President Ramaphosa has in recent months and weeks held a number of consultations on the hosting of the Summit. The President’s most recent consultation in this regard took place on Tuesday night at the BRICS Political Party Dialogue in Gauteng.

President Ramaphosa confirmed South Africa’s readiness to host the historic 15th Summit of the BRICS nations – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

This will be the first BRICS Summit to be hosted in person since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent global restrictions. 

“President Ramaphosa is confident that the Summit will be a success and calls on the nation to extend the necessary hospitality to the many delegates who will arrive from various parts of the continent and the globe,” the Presidency said. 

The Presidency added that a comprehensive statement on the substantive issues to be covered at the Summit and other related foreign policy matters will be issued in due course. – SAnews.gov.za

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has warned of a dramatic drop in temperature, with snow in places for the southern half of the country this week.

The weather service said a cut-off low is expected to develop over the southern interior of South Africa, resulting in a sudden and widespread lowering of maximum temperatures, especially over the Cape as early as Wednesday.

“Apart from the impact of widespread, bitterly cold and showery conditions setting in over the Cape provinces, the South Africa Weather Service (SAWS) expects snowfall to occur over the higher mountains of the Cape provinces tomorrow, spreading to include the Drakensberg Mountain peaks of Lesotho and KwaZulu-Natal on Thursday.

“As the cut-off low develops further and intensifies during the week, cold weather, accompanied by overcast, rainy conditions, can be expected to set in over parts of the Northern Cape, North West, Gauteng, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and Mpumalanga,” SAWS said.

This weather will persist during Friday, when heavier falls can be expected over the western and central parts of the above-mentioned provinces.

“Persistent rainfall is therefore likely to lead to localised flooding and minor disruptions of road traffic. Moreover, there is also the possibility of a few thunderstorms developing, some of which may become severe.

“Large amounts of small hail as well as strong, gusty surface winds may also contribute to icy roads and hazardous driving conditions. Motorists encountering such conditions are advised to reduce speed and to observe safe following distances in traffic,” the weather service said.

By Saturday, much of the rainfall will be in the process of shifting to the eastern and northeastern provinces. The majority of the inclement weather is expected to clear by Sunday.

The public and small stock farmers have been advised that the very cold, wet and windy conditions may pose a risk to livestock, vulnerable crops and plants. The public is also warned to keep warm during these cold conditions.  

“A Yellow level 2 warning has been issued for possible disruptive snow over the mountains of Eastern Cape, valid for 19 to 20 July 2023. Accumulation of snowfall is expected to particularly affect the Dr Beyers Naude Local Municipality (LM).

“Graaff Reinet is expected to be significantly affected as well as the Chris Hani District Municipality. Similarly, the mountain pass in the Barkly East area will be affected from Wednesday evening into Thursday morning.

“The other areas that will be affected are the Raymond Mhlaba LM, Elundini LM and Matatiele LM.  This weather system is also expected to be accompanied by strong waves and winds along the south-western and southern coast of the Western Cape,” SAWS said.

Consequently, a Yellow level 2 warning for waves leading to difficulty in navigation at sea for small vessels and personal water craft has been issued for the coastline between Cape Columbine and Plettenberg Bay on Tuesday 18 July through to Wednesday 19 July 2023. 

The public is urged and encouraged to regularly follow weather forecasts on television, radio as well as social media platforms. Updated information in this regard will regularly be available at www.weathersa.co.za as well as via the SA Weather Service Twitter account @SAWeatherService. – SAnews.gov.za

 

Deputy President Paul Mashatile has described Nelson Mandela Day as a call to action for all citizens to lend a helping hand to those less fortunate.

The Deputy President was leading the commemoration of Nelson Mandela Day at the Morris Isaacson High School at Jabavu in Soweto on Tuesday.

The day is an annual global celebration in honour of Former President and struggle icon Nelson Mandela.

This year, the day was observed under the theme ‘Climate, Food and Solidarity’ – in a call to respond to the impact of climate change, addressing the challenges of poverty and inequality.

“Nelson Mandela Day – when it was founded by the United Nations – was to say that on this day, for even a few minutes, do something to better the life of others. On Nelson Mandela Day, we work,” he said.

Addressing learners at the school, Deputy President Mashatile explained the importance of choosing the Morris Isaacson High School as the site of this year’s celebrations.

“We chose to come to your school because today we’ll be honouring Tsietsi Mashinini. We thought it’s important to come to the school where he used to attend.

“You are following on the footsteps of a very important cadre of our movement. Tsietsi Mashinini and his generation started the protest in 1976 against Afrikaans. But it was not just against Afrikaans; it was the beginning of a struggle to bring about not only better education but a better South Africa.

“So we are today in this South Africa because of…the work of Tsietsi Mashinini, the struggles that he fought with his generation made us to be where we are today. So we honour them and that generation of young leaders who went to the front and said: We will bring about change in this country,” he said.

The Deputy President planted seeds at the school for a vegetable patch which is envisioned to give vegetables for the school and learners who need it most.

He also laid a wreath at the Tsietsi Mashinini memorial. – SAnews.gov.za

President Cyril Ramaphosa has unveiled two statues of the late former President Nelson Mandela, one in Mthatha and the other in Qunu in the Eastern Cape, as part of Nelson Mandela Day celebrations.

The two statues unveiled at Bhunga Building in Mthatha and Youth and Heritage Centre in Qunu, serve as a tribute to Nelson Mandela's enduring impact on South Africa and the world.

They further commemorate the 67 years he dedicated to the fight against apartheid and racism.

Unveiling the statue in Qunu, President Ramaphosa noted that while there are many monuments paying tribute to Madiba across South Africa, as well as across Africa and many parts of the world, for South Africans to be able to honour the father of our nation at his place of birth, meant a lot.

The President said the making of the statues was something that government has been working towards for some time.

“Since 2021 the Eastern Cape Provincial Heritage Resource Agency, the Mandela family, the Nelson Mandela Museum and the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture have been driving this process – a process that included public consultation,” President Ramaphosa said.

The statue in Mthatha depicts Madiba in the role for which he was most well-known, a statesman, while the statue in Qunu depicts him in the attire of his Xhosa-Tembu culture, “reminding us of the traditional values he lived by and that shaped his consciousness”.

“It is our hope that this homage to Madiba in his final resting place will serve as an inspiration, especially to the young people in the community. It is to remind you that the seeds of greatness lie dormant within each one of us, and that it is up to us to make them germinate and bloom.

“It is to remind you that being born in a rural area, or having humble beginnings, is no obstacle to achieving greatness, and to fulfilling your destiny. It is to remind us of all our duty to do what we can to make the world a better place,” President Ramaphosa said.

He said the two statues were beacons of hope to individuals and communities that were still suffering from the evils of marginalisation and the scourges of poverty, inequality and underdevelopment.

“Monuments, statues and museums have a key role to play in the political and cultural life of any country. They are a means of giving recognition to those who suffered hardship, repression, exile, or death in pursuit of universal ideals such as human freedom. 

“Monuments such as this one is the struggle of memory against forgetting. This statue should serve as reminder to those of us elected to serve the South African people that we must redouble our efforts to build a better South Africa that leaves no-one behind,” President Ramaphosa said.

The President called on the people of Qunu to protect and look after the sites of memorialisation and commemoration, adding that he has no doubt they have the potential to attract tourists, which will in turn support business and job creation. 

He encouraged South Africans to do their bit of good today by dedicating 67 minutes to performing acts of goodwill towards others, as part of making the world a better place.

“Madiba built bridges of peace and mobilised people of the world to fight against social injustice and oppression. Let us strive to emulate his example, today and every day,” the President said. – SAnews.gov.za

 

Minister for Women, Youth and People with Disabilities, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, has called on young people to lead the charge against all forms of exploitation.

“You need to imagine a society where everyone has basic socio-economic security. You also have the intellectual responsibility to break society from their seeming acceptance of rentier capitalism as an accepted orthodoxy,” Dlamini Zuma said on Tuesday.

The Minister was addressing the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) Youth Summit in Durban, which was attended by BRICS Youth leaders in Durban.

She encouraged young people to establish an alternative public banking and finance system that will fund development initiatives.

“I expect your summit to reimagine an Alternative Banking and Financing Architecture for the global south. Productive societies require productive sectors of the economy, industrialised around manufactured finished goods and away from the shipping of raw materials.

“We currently have a structural problem of a banking industry that is not only greatly concentrated and monopolised, but also in many ways does not serve our interests. Those who prefer us shipping raw materials will not fund our manufacturing plants. They will not fund a rail system that connects the content for the movement of people, goods and services.

“The New Development Bank is thus a step in the right direction but we need to domesticate alternative banking as a matter of urgency,” the Minister said.

She warned that without control over finance and banking, only those projects that converge with the interest of private interests will be funded while the interests of the communities takes a backseat.

“As BRICS Youth Leaders, you are responsible for writing a new developmental script, which must include a blueprint for integration and interconnection of people and systems across the BRICS nations and its partners.

“Integration should mean integrated Finance, Information and communication technologies (ICT) for communication, trading, and accessibility of public health services by bridging the distance between national systems.

“Our integrated ICT strategies should connect our youth digitally, enable cultural exchanges and leverage the power and ability of the creative industry to generate millions of jobs across BRICS,” the Minister said.

She described the space that young people were in as the verge of a geopolitical revolution, which will jolt the global community from its slumber.

“What we make of BRICS and what becomes of this alliance has the potential to change the course of history and accelerate the downfall of an unjust imperialist world order. BRICS is a breakaway from the past.

“You have the responsibility to make the concept of BRICS relatable to people from all walks of life, particularly those who remain at the margins of society. The BRICS concept must not be an elite one,” the Minister said.

She said BRICS and its multipolar outlook is fundamentally about repairing an unjust past and preparing for a future of collective well-being and prosperity among equals.

“Multipolarity is a departure from the dominant reality of a unipolar world order, in which there is only one dominant power. The rationale behind multipolarity is that it promotes stability and reduces the likelihood of conflicts.

“Our passion for BRICS must run alongside our drive for the integration of both Africa and Africans, those at home, and in the diaspora.  Through African integration, we should seek to take back the slavery, colonialism, and neo-colonialism that took away from us,” the Minister said.

Dlamini Zuma said the leaders have the responsibility to end the manufacturing of consent through media monopolies, which are currently engaged in mainstream misinformation and disinformation campaigns.

“I expect you to take this matter very seriously. Ongoing misinformation about and against BRICS itself should motivate you all to imagine new and alternative media platforms and narratives that do not reduce us into subjects or even objects. We need alternative forms of conscious journalism out of this summit,” the Minister said.

National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) Executive Chairperson, Asanda Luwaca, said South Africa's membership in BRICS amplifies the country’s voice on important global issues.

“We can address challenges such as poverty, unemployment and inequality coupled with sustainable development, climate change, and social inequality more effectively when working with those who share a common vision.

“Through collaboration, we can share best practices, exchange knowledge, and create innovative solutions that benefit not only amongst the youth of South Africa but also those across the BRICS community,” Luwaca said.

She said BRICS could serve as a launch pad for entrepreneurship and innovation amongst young people.

“By creating platforms for collaboration and knowledge sharing, we can foster an environment that nurtures creativity, supports start-ups, and promotes technological advancements. Access to funding, mentorship programs, and incubation centres within the BRICS framework can provide young entrepreneurs with the necessary resources and networks to turn their ideas into successful ventures,” Luwaca said. – SAnews.gov.za

President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Wednesday sign into law the South African Sign Language Bill during a ceremony at the Union Buildings, in Pretoria. 

On 2 May 2023, the National Assembly approved that Section 6 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, be amended to include South African Sign Language (SASL) as an official language to promote the rights of persons who are deaf and hard of hearing.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Presidency said the recognition of South African Sign Language (SASL) as the 12th official language is an important step towards the realisation of the rights of persons, who are deaf or hard of hearing.

“South African Sign Language is an indigenous language that constitutes an important element of South African linguistic and cultural heritage. It has its own distinct grammatical structures and lexicon and it is independent of any other language,” the Presidency said. 

The new legislation seeks to:

• Advance the cultural acceptance of SASL; 
• Ensure the realisation of the rights of persons who are deaf and hard of hearing to equal protection and benefit of the law and human dignity; and 
• Promote inclusive and substantive equality and prevent or eliminate unfair discrimination on the grounds of disability, as guaranteed by Section 9 of the Constitution.

With this initiative, South Africa becomes the fourth country on the African continent to recognise sign language as an official language. Other countries are Kenya, Zimbabwe and Uganda. – SAnews.gov.za

Deputy Minister of Transport, Lisa Mangcu, is leading the South African delegation on a lobbying mission for International Maritime Organization IMO Council membership.

“The election of South Africa to the body will strengthen Africa’s position and will ensure the representation of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) sub-region on the Council,” the Ministry of Transport said on Monday.

The Deputy Minister started his campaign with South Africa’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland by hosting a dinner for the members of the diplomatic community accredited to the Court of St James.

The dinner will be hosted at the South Africa House where the Deputy Minister will deliver a key lobby statement motivating strongly for the support of the diplomatic community for South Africa’s candidature.

The Deputy Minister is already attending the 129TH Session of International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Council taking place at the headquarters of the IMO from Monday until Friday.

“The significance of this session of the IMO Council is the election, later in the week, of the Secretary General who will succeed the current incumbent Kitak Lim whose term will end by the end of 2023.

“Also significant in this regard is that for the first time in the history of the IMO, three of the contestants for the post of Secretary General are women, one of whom is Ambassador Nancy Karigithu of Kenya,” the Ministry of Transport said.

The attendance and participation of Deputy Minister in the Council is to strengthen Africa’s influence and support during the consideration of the IMO’s Strategic Plan for the 2024 to 2029 period as well as during the elections of the future Secretary General.

“South Africa as a member state of the IMO has previously served on the IMO Council and will further contest a Council seat under category C of the IMO Council taking place later in the year. The IMO Council is the highest decision-making body in between the Assembly of the International Maritime Organisation,” the Ministry of Transport said.

South Africa has a long-standing relationship of cooperation as a member of IMO after its re-admission to the UN System in 1995. The country has continued to actively maintain its cooperative relationship with the organisation and its members beyond this period. – SAnews.gov.za

 

Water and Sanitation Minister, Senzo Mchunu, has commended the progress made on the construction of Masodi Waste Water Treatment Works in Mokopane, Limpopo.

Mchunu said the new project, which is currently 92% complete, will serve as a model for other municipalities to follow suit and embrace partnerships and collaborations with private sector for socio economic development of their communities.

He said he is confident that by the end of the year, the project will be commissioned, and Mogalakwena Local Municipality will be a model to many municipalities in the country in terms of management of waste water and effluent. 

“This waste water treatment works project should be a lesson for other municipalities that working with private sector is a way to go in order to improve our service delivery systems and socio economic development of our communities,” Mchunu said.

The Masodi Waste Water Treatment plant is a multi-year public private partnership project by Mogalakwena Municipality, fully funded and implemented by Ivanplats Proprietary Limited Mine.  

The plant is being upgraded to produce 10 megalitres a day (ml/d), which will improve sanitation provision to Mokopane and the surrounding areas. It will also enable local industries to have access to the grey water for reuse from the treated effluent released from the plant.

The construction of the biological nutrient removal (BNR) plant, which consists of the plant itself, booster pump station and the pipelines that link the new plant to the existing sewer system, started in 2015 by the municipality but was discontinued until 2021 when Mchunu intervened and enabled the project to resume. 

Mchunu acknowledged Ivanplats input in ensuring that the project is expedited and is finished on time. 

“The expediency and the precision that they apply on the work is quite commendable. They have managed to get the project to near completion even before the scheduled timeframes,” the Minister said.

The Municipality and Ivanplats have also signed another Memorandum of Agreement to replace the asbestos sewer pipelines that will connect to the existing Masehlaneng and Sekgakgapeng Oxidation Ponds. 

The old sewer system is currently, not efficient and prone to spillages which resulted in the municipality being taken to court by the department for non- compliance with waste water management.

Mchunu and Deputy Minister Judith Tshabalala conducted a site inspection at the Masodi Waste Water Treatment Works, as part of a two-day visit to Limpopo.

Mchunu’s visit on 12- 14 July 2023, aimed to assess the progress of the construction of the waste water treatment plant, and the preparation for the upgrade of Olifantspoort Water Treatment Works near Lebowakgomo in Capricorn District Municipality.

The Minister said they are happy with the planning and preparations to upgrade the water treatment plant.

“With Lepelle Northern Water as an implementing agent, we have come together and have finalised issues of planning, timeframes and funding of the project,” Mchunu said.

The much-anticipated Olifantspoort Water Treatment Works will undergo a series of refurbishment and upgrades from 60 to ultimately 280 ml/d, in order to improve its performance, capacity, and to meet current and future potable water demands. 

The water treatment plant forms part of the Olifants/ Ebenezer Water supply Schemes and serves as a one of the lifelines for drinking water to Polokwane in the Capricorn District.

The Minister warned that Polokwane is in deficit by 30 million litres per day, and Olifants water treatment plant capacity is now small and does not meet water demand anymore. 

Mchunu also met with Lebalelo Water User Association to assess progress on the Olifants Management Model (OMM) Programme, which is a 50/50 partnership Olifants River Water Resources Development Project between the department and association. 

The OMM Programme involves the development of additional water resource infrastructure, including the De Hoop and Flag Boshielo Dams along the Steelpoort River and a bulk distribution system to benefit the Sekhukhune District and Mogalakwena Local Municipality. – SAnews.gov.za