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News, Directory, Events and Other Stuff
Dear Editor The coalition in Langeberg between the DA and the Freedom Front Plus has been dissolved. This follows a dispute that the DA lodged against the Freedom Front Plus as a result of their refusal to support the coalition’s budget in the Council on 30 May 2024. This constitutes a material breach of the …
Rael Kassel is alleged to have attacked his partner in June
Imagine being under 122cm tall, stepping up from karting into mainstream circuit racing, and becoming one of the youngest drivers in South Africa at the Volkswagen Rookie Cup, all before your 14th birthday. This is exactly what Gqeberha-born karting champion Joshua Moore has achieved, and he’s just getting started… Just exactly when the driving bug …
[Listen to Alexandra Abrahams MP – DA Deputy Spokesperson on Social Development speak on this] Dear Editor The DA is alarmed by the report that more than 122 000 teenagers gave birth this past financial year, with 2 716 young girls aged 10 to 14 and 119 587 teens aged 15 to 19 facing parenthood …
President Ramaphosa's public programme for August
Fresh off the formation of the Government of National Unity (GNU) and the delivery of the Opening of Parliament Address, President Cyril Ramaphosa will embark on several local and international duties this month.
The President’s public programme for the next month was released by Presidential Spokesperson Vincent Magwenya during a media briefing on Wednesday.
The President is set to visit Angola for a working visit on Thursday, 8 August.
“The two heads of state will use the occasion of the working visit to reflect on the bilateral relationship between the two countries, who share very deep historical ties that are rooted in the liberation struggle against colonialism and apartheid.
“The leaders will also share perspectives on issues of regional mutual interest, including the situation in the DRC [Democratic Republic of Congo] and on regional and continental efforts aimed at resolving the conflicts that are plaguing the continent. The President will be accompanied by the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola and the Minister of Defense, Angie Motshekga,” Magwenya said.
Wednesday, 13 August 2024
President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to meet with Cabinet members, senior business leaders, and technical experts from government and business to discuss a new era of collaboration for a partnership launched over a year ago to address barriers to growth in South Africa.
Thursday, 15 August 2024
President Cyril Ramaphosa, will host a public signing of the Health Compact. The signing of the compact is expected to be held at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, at 1:30 pm.
Saturday, 17th August 2024
President Cyril Ramaphosa will attend the 44th Ordinary Summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Heads of State and Government, hosted the Republic of Zimbabwe. The SADC Summit is responsible for the overall policy direction and control of functions of the Community, ultimately making it the policy-making institution of SADC.
Friday, 23 August 2024
The President will embark on the District Development model oversight visit and Presidential Imbizo to the City of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality in Gauteng.
Monday, 26 August 2024
President Ramaphosa will address the JET Municipal Conference. The aim of the conference is to convene key stakeholders within the municipal space to chart the way forward for the effective implementation of the JET Municipal Portfolio set out in the JET Implementation Plan (JET IP) which was approved by Cabinet in November 2023.
Wednesday, 28 August 2024
President Ramaphosa will deliver the keynote address at the Business Unity South Africa (BUSA) Annual General Meeting (AGM).
Thursday, 29 August
President Cyril Ramaphosa will appear in the National Assembly’s hybrid plenary session to provide oral replies to questions from the NA Members of Parliament at 2pm.
Friday, 30 August
The President will honour the invite from Zimbabwe President, Emmerson Mnangagwa. and embark on a working visit to Zimbabwe to attend the official opening of the 114th edition of the Zimbabwe Agricultural Show. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Wed, 08/07/2024 - 15:01
In celebration of the Paris 2024 Olympics, Total Ninja South Africa, Africa’s largest Inflatable and Adventure Park, is offering all Ninja warriors the opportunity to experience the excitement firsthand with their 2024 Olympic Challenge that will be hosted nationwide on Friday, 09 August across all Total Ninja venues. The park will further introduce guests to …
[Listen to Tsholofelo Bodlani MP – DA Spokesperson on Communications and Digital Technologies praise the Minister] Dear Editor The DA welcomes the recent announcement by Solly Malatsi, Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, on the overhaul of the DigiTech platform. Minister Malatsi’s decision to appoint a new service provider to manage, redesign, host, and maintain …
Dear Editor The DA will refer the management of the Nasi iSpani programme and Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s irresponsible promises to the Public Protector for investigation. This comes after thirty-two thousand teacher assistants who were employed on a contractual basis through the Nasi iSpani programme are now left destitute after Premier Lesufi could not keep his …
Aleph is announcing a sales partnership that will expand Pinterest’s digital advertising solutions to 11 new markets across LATAM, Asia, the Middle East and Africa: Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, India, Israel, Morocco, Nigeria, Peru, South Africa and Turkey. Aleph will also now serve as Pinterest’s sales partner in countries across Central and Eastern …
An invaluable relationship-building opportunity and a successfully completed project is how Cousins Steel International (CSI) Director, Adam Oldfield, describes a warehouse and distribution centre that was recently completed for a popular beverage manufacturer at Phoenix Industrial Park to the north of Durban. A natural progression from significant upgrades to this plant in 2016, the project …
In an era where energy efficiency and smart technology go hand in hand, automated lighting and shading systems have emerged as a revolutionary solution for both residential and commercial spaces. These systems are not only designed to reduce energy consumption but also to enhance comfort and convenience. By leveraging smart switches, smart light switches, automatic …
[Listen to why Michele Clarke MP – DA Spokesperson on Health says this] Dear Editor The Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi’s announcement of a “massive roadshow” to consult with stakeholders on the National Health Insurance (NHI) Act is nothing more than an expensive swindle. The truth is that the NHI has been signed into …
Roadshows to address outstanding student accommodation payments
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) will be hosting roadshows across the country to engage directly with the landlords affected by outstanding payments of student accommodation allowances.
NSFAS Administrator, Freeman Nomvalo, said that in response to accommodation providers’ concerns, NSFAS has in the past two months processed bulk catch up payments of accommodation allowances for all legitimate claims.
Nomvalo said that as at 31 July 2024, NSFAS disbursements for private student accommodation had reached R1 billion.
However, Nomvalo acknowledged that there are some landlords who still remain aggrieved.
The important issue to be addressed now is to ensure that all payments are done on time as this is the main remaining “pain point for accommodation providers.”
The Administrator announced that the roadshows will kick off in KwaZulu-Natal on Wednesday, 07 August 2024.
“I will be taking all critical functions responsible for student data and private student accommodation. I have also extended invitations to our colleagues at universities and Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector, to ensure we all work together in resolving these challenges experienced by our beneficiaries and the landlords,” Nomvalo said.
In response to the challenges and stabilising the organisation, Nomvalo highlighted some of the projects that have been launched, including the Organisational Re-engineering and Re-alignment Project; ICT and Business Processing Review Project; making NSFAS accessible to students and stakeholders; and planning for 2025 and beyond.
“The conclusion of Organisational Re-engineering and Re-alignment Project will result into a new resource allocation model fit for the purpose and function of the size and shape of NSFAS. It will also provide a greater alignment of functions to improve the efficiency of NSFAS.
“The conclusion of the ICT and Business Processing Review Project will deliver a more efficient ICT system that provides for a seamless interface and data sharing between NSFAS and its key stakeholders including universities and TVET’s. The newly envisaged system is also intended to improve the management of applications for bursaries, loans, and appeals,” Nomvalo said.
He said a feasibility study is intended to consider various regionalisation models and cost implications looking at the location of beneficiaries.
“The appointed team will also be engaging with the PSET (Post School Education and Training) stakeholders to determine the most feasible model. The intention is to make NSFAS more accessible and responsive to its stakeholders,” Nomvalo said.
Alleged procurement irregularities
The Administrator announced that NSFAS is following up on various alleged procurement irregularities, including the direct payment mechanism.
Nomvalo acknowledged the support provided by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) regarding this issue.
“To address capacity challenges in the Procurement Unit, I am currently engaged with the National Treasury with the intention of drawing in a secondment from Treasury for the period of six months to also help us with the review of SCM (Supply chain management) policies, as well as procurement processes at NSFAS,” Nomvalo said.
Fruitless and wasteful expenditure registers
The Administrator further announced that the scheme has put measures in place for the 2024/25 financial year, to implement the irregular expenditure and fruitless and wasteful expenditure registers.
“We will also implement the non-compliance register. These registers will not only ensure compliance with the PFMA (Public Finance Management Act) but will also enhance transparency on the use of public resources by NSFAS,” Nomvalo said. – SAnews.gov.za
GabiK
Wed, 08/07/2024 - 11:20
[Listen to Karabo Khakhau MP – DA National Spokesperson, speak on this] Dear Editor The DA welcomes the City of Tshwane’s recent launch of the new e-Commence and Procurement (e-CP) portal. This initiative marks a significant step forward in our shared bid to eradicate corruption and ensure transparency in government operations. The e-CP portal keeps …
Johannesburg, South Africa – 06 August 2024 – Hidden Xhosa, also known as Luyolo Beku, released his new single “Xelel’ilizwe” featuring Nue Sam on Friday, August 2, 2024. This marks a significant milestone in Beku’s career, as he transitions from a behind-the-scenes figure to taking center stage as a solo artist. “Xelel’ilizwe,” which translates to […]
Top Click Media, a global leader in digital marketing, proudly announces its selection as a Google Premier Partner in South Africa for the eighth consecutive year. This prestigious recognition reaffirms Top Click Media’s outstanding performance and leadership in Google Ads and SEO services, reflecting the company’s unwavering commitment to delivering top-tier digital marketing solutions. …
The big interschool derbies just keep rolling on, and on the 10th of August, we’re treated to the much-anticipated agricultural clash between Boland Landbou from Paarl and Oakdale from Riversdale. These two schools, renowned for producing teams of outstanding quality from a small player pool, embody the spirit of dedication and commitment to their teams …
On Thursday, 11 July 2024, K’li Scott and Claudia Garella of the Treverton Equestrian Centre embarked on an equestrian journey to Windhoek, Namibia. Both representing South Africa, K’li as a rider on two horses in the South African Adult Shield Team, and Claudia Garella as the Chef d’equipe of the South African Adult & Junior …
Dialogue to assess women’s impact in the community media
As part of Women’s Month celebrations, the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) together with the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) will host a panel discussion on 30 years of women excellence in community media.
Themed “30 Years of Women Excellence in Community Media Sector,” Thursday’s panel discussion under the Annual Women in Media and Communication flagship project, brings together women in the community media sector to share their experiences and reflect on how they have overcome certain barriers and progressed to make a success of their careers.
The project aims to advance issues affecting women in the media and community media sector since 2019.
The 2024 Women’s Month coincides with the country's commemoration of 30 years of freedom and democracy, making this year's Women's Month an important juncture for collective reflection on how the country has empowered and advanced the rights of women in our democratic journey.
This year’s Women’s Month commemoration held under the theme: “Celebrating 30 Years of Democracy Towards Women’s Development,” marks the 68th anniversary of the historic march, where more than 20 000 women marched to the Union Buildings on 9 August 1956 in protest against the extension of Pass Laws to women.
The panel discussion will be held at Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria Campus. – SAnews.gov.za
GabiK
Wed, 08/07/2024 - 12:49
The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) provides essential social assistance to millions of South Africans. To ensure beneficiaries stay informed about their applications and benefits, SASSA offers a convenient status check service. Here’s a detailed guide on how to use it effectively. What is the SASSA Status Check? The SASSA status check is a …
South Africa faces a youth unemployment crisis with a staggering rate of 45.5%, the highest in the world in 2023 per www.statista.com. Empowering entrepreneurs and driving micro business development is crucial for economic growth, addressing unemployment challenges and lack of income opportunities, reducing financial inequality, and ultimately uplifting communities. Job scarcity, lack of skills, educational …
Today, leading African venture capital firm, Founders Factory Africa (FFA), has announced its rebrand and name change to 54 Collective (https://54Collective.VC/), evolving its business model to better support transformative technology ventures across the continent through catalytic capital and value-add support through its Venture Success Platform.
Download document: https://apo-opa.co/4diDADB
54 Collective, builds on its exceptional track record of investing in and scaling early-stage ventures in Africa. The new name, 54 Collective, reflects the firm's ambitious pan-African vision, aspiring to help entrepreneurs grow their businesses to serve all 54 African countries.
The firm is a commercial-first investor and embeds impact in everything it does. 54 Collective invests in ventures from idea to Pre-Series A stage by offering catalytic capital, and value-add support through its Venture Success Platform.
"Our catalytic capital and value-add support to founders, through our Venture Success Platform, signifies our evolution and ongoing mission to support entrepreneurs across Africa and enable them to build without boundaries to drive commercial and impact returns. Our name change to 54 Collective communicates our continued commitment to African founders. We are more supportive than ever of unlocking opportunities for entrepreneurs and ensuring a level playing field for youth and women founders,” commented 54 Collective CEO Bongani Sithole.
Investment strategy
54 Collective, offers equity and non-dilutive capital up to a total of $500k, enabling founders to scale their ventures across the continent. To break barriers of access, female founders receive an additional $150k, to their male counterparts, in the form of a non-dilutive capital.
The Venture Success Platform is made up of a team of highly experienced venture specialists who provide tailored support. This is in the form of product, growth, commercial relationships, business strategy, talent, technology and data to build ventures for scale. The team also ensures that founders have access to the right funding by preparing them for investor readiness, investor access, fundraising strategies, unlocking debt and impact capital. The Venture Success Platform empowers founders to succeed globally by facilitating networking and community building opportunities.
This unique combination of significant funding and comprehensive support distinguishes 54 Collective as the only Venture Capital firm in Africa offering early-stage founders with the highest amount of catalytic capital and support from the largest Africa-based venture capital team with over 70 staff members in Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria and the UK.
The firm has evolved from investing only in the Agtech, Fintech, and Healthtech sectors to being sector-agnostic in its investments, supporting more founders across many sectors on the continent. 54 Collective helps founders navigate complex challenges to achieve commercial success and make an impact on the continent through economic growth and job creation.
In 2023, Founders Factory Africa was named one of the top venture capital investors in Africa, with an active portfolio of over 50 ventures across 10 countries. To date, the firm has supported more than 70 ventures across Africa and helped its portfolio startups to raise nearly $140 million in follow-on capital.
A future of empowerment
With seven of the world's fastest-growing economies in Africa, the continent's venture capital sector is rapidly expanding, with $6 billion invested annually. However, this represents less than 1 percent of global venture funding, indicating a significant unmet need for smart capital.
“We are pursuing opportunistic investments in different sectors across the continent where there are uniquely large opportunities for startups to scale and create sustainable impact in these sectors. Our goal is to invest in 105 startups across Africa in the next five years, enabling entrepreneurs to provide solutions to the continent's biggest challenges and transforming lives and industries,” concluded Sithole.
The firm is well on its way to achieving many of its five-year goals which range from enhanced financial inclusion, improved healthcare access, and creating dignified and fulfilling work to creating a gender forward portfolio. 54 Collective is targeting a portfolio where 50% or more of its startups are founded by women. Currently, from the 17 investments made between January 2023 and July 2024 in its portfolio, 45% of them are founded by women. The firm's investments are also creating social economic impact in the wider economy. For example, Asaak, a vehicle asset financing company has improved financial inclusion for over 11,000 bodaboda drivers. An impact study uncovered that 79% of these drivers improved their quality of life significantly and 80% increased their income after receiving credit from Asaak.
Speaking on the significance of the brand evolution and future ambitions, 54 Collective's Executive Chairman and UTOPIA CEO Roo Rogers said, “54 Collective is a powerful economic and social force in the African economy. It is anchored with strong roots on the continent and exceptional network and reputation across the globe. Together with our sister funds, we continue our mission to redistribute investment and knowledge pathways towards a more inclusive, relevant, and equitable future for the Global South.”
54 Collective's vision is to create a future where African entrepreneurship drives generational progress and prosperity across the continent. The firm's new name, catalytic capital, and value-add Venture Success Platform offering, marks a new era for the venture capital ecosystem. 54 Collective is redefining investing across Africa, enabling its founders to build without boundaries and solve some of Africa's biggest challenges.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of 54 Collective.
For more information please contact:
Adam Wakefield - 54 Collective, Managing Editor
Tel: +27820490381
Email: adam.wakefield@foundersfactory.co
OR
David Mbai
Tel: +254716811083
Email: 54COmms@webershandwick.com
54 Collective social media handles:
Instagram: 54collective_vc
X: 54collective_vc
LinkedIn and Facebook: 54 Collective VC
About 54 Collective:
54 Collective is a Venture Capital firm dedicated to redefining investing across Africa. By offering catalytic capital and value-add tailored support through its Venture Success Platform, 54 Collective empowers entrepreneurs to build without boundaries. With a presence across Africa, 54 Collective leverages local expertise to help startups scale and achieve commercial success while creating systemic social and economic impact.
Join us in this exciting journey of transforming Africa's entrepreneurial landscape. For more information, visit (https://54Collective.VC/) https://54Collective.VC/ and become a part of 54 Collective's (https://54Collective.VC/) mission to help early-stage African startups grow and thrive and ‘Build without Boundaries' to empower Africa's next generation of innovators and leaders.
August marks Women’s Month in South Africa, a time to celebrate the incredible contributions of all women in society and reflect on their ongoing journey towards gender equality. This special month is an opportunity for businesses, communities, and individuals to honor the women who drive change and progress in the workplace. At Isilumko Staffing, we …
NSFAS processes payment for qualifying beneficiaries
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) Administrator, Freeman Nomvalo, says the scheme has been able to constantly process payments for all the beneficiaries who have submitted their banking details.
Addressing the media on the developments in the implementation of his mandate on Tuesday, Nomvalo highlighted that one of the urgent interventions made by the new Administrator was to migrate the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) NSFAS beneficiaries into a direct payment system through their banker.
This follows frustrations experienced by students in receiving their allowances.
Nomvalo said from the data received, about 6% of students are not receiving their allowance because they either failed the verification process due to incorrect information they provided, while some did not capture their banking details.
Nomvalo said, despite various efforts made by NSFAS to get these students to capture their banking details, the students have not responded.
“There are possible two scenarios; one that, these students have no means to reach us, possibly the messages did not reach them or regrettably, some of these could be non-existent students. What is more worrying is that to date we have not received complaints from students who may have not received their allowances,” Nomvalo said.
He said NSFAS will continue to engage with institutions and students to submit their details for their allowances to be paid in the next payment run, while investigating the validity and existence of these students.
On the university payments, Nomvalo reported that the administration has taken a decision to extend the current arrangement with universities facilitating payment of allowances to NSFAS beneficiaries.
He said the arrangement, which follows consultations with the South Africa Universities South Africa (USAF), is extended until the end of the 2024 academic year.
“This decision arrived in response to USAF and in support of the beneficiaries, as well as the stability of the Post School Education and Training (PSET) system,” Nomvalo said.
The Administrator added that the scheme also intends to migrate the university allowances to a more cost effective and efficient payment system.
“The planning for the migration of universities was halted by the interdict warded in favour of Ezaga and others by the Western Cape High Court on 12 July 2024, which NSFAS is appealing,” he said.
ICT system delays conclusion of student appeals
Meanwhile, Nomvalo said the delays in finalising student appeals, loans, and the 2023/2024 funded lists, is directly connected to the current NSFAS ICT system.
Nomvalo noted that the only default position at this stage is to constantly introduce a manual process of verification, which is “completely cumbersome and over overstretching staff.”
He said in 2023 alone, NSFAS received about two million applications.
“It is almost impossible to expect NSFAS staff to manually conduct verification of these applications at some point in the value chain [and] such a work environment is undoubtedly prone to errors,” Nomvalo said.
He announced that with additional capacity acquired, NSFAS will be communicating with universities, including TVET colleges and students on final lists, not later than end of August 2024.
“On behalf of NSFAS we wish to express our sincere apologies to the affected students and our colleagues in the PSET system. We are working hard to ensure the 2025 academic year is less burdened with the same issues,” Nomvalo said. – SAnews.gov.za
GabiK
Wed, 08/07/2024 - 10:03