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Dear Editor The panicked response by the Minister of Electricity, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, and the Eskom Board Chair, Mteto Nyati, to the opinion piece by DA Leader John Steenhuisen – in which the DA called for honesty on loadshedding suspension, created much confusion and left many questions unanswered. For starters, both Ramokgopa and Nyati did not …
With over 100 first class appearances behind him in the United Rugby Championship and in Europe, Davies brings with him a wealth of experience at the highest level. “We are delighted to announce the appointment of Ian Davies as the WRU National Elite Performance Match Official Manager,” said Welsh Rugby Union performance director, Huw Bevan. …
Cape Town, 23 April 2024 – Delivering on its promise of a festival to be remembered and celebrating its 21st milestone, the Cape Town International Jazz Festival (CTIJF), today announced two further acts who will be performing on 3 and 4 May 2024 at Africa’s Grandest Gathering, and the news has been worth the wait. …
Worker share ownership schemes important to economic transformation
President Cyril Ramaphosa says giving workers a seat at the table where strategic corporate decisions are made fosters good morale and innovation and also builds a resilient economy.
The President said this when he delivered the keynote address at the inaugural Worker Share Ownership Conference held in Johannesburg on Tuesday.
The conference serves as a platform for advocacy for Employee Share Ownership Plans in private companies.
“This conference is an opportunity for meaningful dialogue among a diverse array of participants, including trustees, CEOs, labour and business representatives, and company chairs. It is an opportunity to develop a model of worker ownership that can serve the needs of our economy.
“When workers participate as owners, the workers also develop a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities that face their own companies, enabling more fruitful partnerships to unlock opportunities for growth, investment and job creation.
“This is a paradigm shift, which aims to empower workers not only as wage earners but also as partners, as stakeholders with ownership in capital,” he said.
President Ramaphosa added that beyond social justice “worker ownership initiatives make sound business and economic sense”.
“They are key to building a more resilient economy whose benefits flow equitably through society. Worker share ownership initiatives boost morale and productivity.
“Workers who feel valued and respected by their employers are more likely to contribute ideas for improving processes, products and services. It is human nature that one is more inclined to contribute one’s best efforts when one has a vested interest in the success of that particular venture,” he said.
Economic transformation
The President emphasised that government has done much to improve transformation of the economy following devastating apartheid legislation which deliberately excluded black South Africans from “participating meaningfully in the economy of their own country”.
The democratic government has done this through enacting laws in competition to bolster small and medium-sized enterprises, introducing labour legislation to ensure decent working conditions and the promulgation of the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) Act.
“Yet, despite the measures of successive democratic administrations that we have introduced to transform patterns of ownership in the economy, we still have much more to do.
“This is therefore a good time to collectively assess the impact of the enabling legislative environment to examine the learnings over the past two decades. A vital measure of economic empowerment is the extent to which ownership and control of the economy is broadened, particularly among black and women South Africans.
“Worker [share] ownership schemes are valuable instruments to broaden ownership and, with time, to enable greater control of the economy. Also known as Employee Share Ownership Programmes, these schemes are underpinned…by the [BBBEE] Act, together with the Competition Act, the Companies Act and the various number of others,” he said.
Shared commitment
The President highlighted that government plays an important role in providing guidance on the design and implementation of these programmes through the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition and also provides catalytic funding through the Industrial Development Corporation, the National Empowerment Fund and others.
He added, however, that a shared “commitment to economic transformation” is imperative.
“It is vital that we harness the spirit of partnership as we chart the course for the future of these programmes and for an even better, more sustainable worker shareholder regime.
“By championing worker ownership, we are building a future where every employee has a stake in the success of their company. Together, we are paving the way for a more equitable and prosperous society in which no-one is left behind,” President Ramaphosa said. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Tue, 04/23/2024 - 12:46
A leading pharmaceutical company, Pharma Dynamics, has joined hands with the Youth Employment Sector (YES), a private sector led initiative, with the aim of unlocking South Africa’s demographic dividend by investing in skills development and job creation initiatives for the youth. The company has committed an initial R6 million towards the human capital investment that …
The Hot Dip Galvanizers Association of South Africa (HDGASA) plays an important role in ensuring safety and risk mitigation within the galvanizing sector and champions best practice amongst its own members and the steel value chain in general, according to Executive Director, Robin Clarke. “The galvanizing process is relatively straightforward, and the industry is not …
Club centurion and Scotland internationalist Magnus Bradbury will return to Edinburgh Rugby this summer, penning a deal that will keep him in the capital for at least two years. Bradbury, 28, makes the move back from Bristol Bears whom he joined in 2022. The back-row previously spent eight years in the Scottish capital, a period …
Dear Editor In response to a parliamentary question, the DA can reveal that Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital amassed R210 711 151 in medical accruals to 357 suppliers last year. Of these claims, more than half (53.4%) are outstanding beyond two months and more than a fifth (22.1%) beyond four months. This is shocking, considering …
Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu is back at the top of the ICC Women’s ODI Batting Rankings after a superb 195 not out in the third ODI against South Africa in Potchefstroom that helped her team level the ICC Women’s Championship Series 1-1. Athapaththu’s ninth ODI century, which is the highest score in a successful …
In a bold move to accelerate Africa’s entrepreneurial trajectory and empower a new generation of agile startups with 21st-century digital capabilities, ALX an award winning tech training and career acceleration provider, announces the rollout of ALX Ventures in South Africa (SA). Already launched in two other African markets, Lagos and Rwanda, the first cohort in …
Unrealistic budgeting, an overpaid mayor, unexplained additional positions, expensive new prepaid power charges and inadequate spending on essential infrastructure add up to a failed budget The City of Johannesburg draft budget and draft Integrated Development Plan (IDP) for 2024/25 are not in line with the law, do not adequately address the needs of a city where …
JOHANNESBURG: Cricket South Africa (CSA) has today announced the intake for the 2024 CSA Emerging Academy. The Emerging Academy, formally known...
The post CSA ANNOUNCES 2024 EMERGING ACADEMY INTAKE first appeared on Cricket South Africa.
Pretoria, South Africa, 23 April 2024: Range Rover Electric will lead the way for electric propulsion capability, refinement and luxury travel, with the first vehicle prototypes now deployed at some of the world’s most challenging test locations. The all-electric drivetrain is now being put through its paces at extremes of temperatures, from -40°C in the …
Pesach is a celebration of freedom, and commemorates the liberation of the Jewish people from slavery.
President Ramaphosa said: “The Jewish community is an important and deeply valued part of our diverse society. As we reflect on the story of Exodus, let us take this moment to appreciate the freedoms we enjoy and commit ourselves to the value of Tikkun Olam, healing the world.”
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Presidency of the Republic of South Africa.
The officers were arrested on Monday, five months after Juma Igiranieza was brutally assaulted at his workplace
PRASA’s efforts to ensure trains run on time
The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa's ongoing efforts to re-signal its network in phases will go a long way to improving efficiency and making sure that commuter trains are reliable and punctual.
PRASA embarked on a journey to upgrade its near obsolete and outdated signalling system.
“When PRASA suffered massive theft and vandalism of the rail infrastructure, the newly installed state-of-the-art electronic interlocking and signaling equipment was not left unscathed. In rebuilding the rail infrastructure, PRASA is re-installing the stolen and vandalized signaling equipment. Through a project that would take seven years to complete, PRASA is re-signaling the network in phases. Nationally, PRASA has re-signalled six of the lines recovered,” Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga said on Tuesday in Cape Town.
The Minister made these remarks during the launch of the train production of 200 modern high-tech Electric Multiple Units (EMUs), which are manufactured locally in Gauteng.
The launch marked significant progress towards PRASA's overarching goal of producing 600 X’Trapolis Mega Trains.
“PRASA is installing a state-of-the-art signaling system, including PRASA train control systems in line with the European Rail Traffic Management System. This will ensure that PRASA runs trains more efficiently, improving service frequency and enhancing the safe passage of trains on the rail network.
“PRASA has re-signaled 24 of the 39 stations from Cape Town to Simonstown. This means the train speed has been increased from 30km/hr to 75km/hr and commuters getting to their destination much faster. When there was no signaling on the line, trains were running every 90 minutes and the trip to Cape Town station was one hour and ten minutes. PRASA has reduced the journey time to 45 minutes and trains run every 20 minutes,” Chikunga said.
In real terms, this means that PRASA has now increased the number of trains it runs during peak from three to nine trains.
“No more will a commuter who missed a train, have to wait for one-hour and ten minutes to catch the next train, because another train will be available within 20 minutes. We are improving efficiency and making sure that PRASA delivers a reliable and punctual commuter rail service that commuters can depend on, improve on-time performance and minimize disruptions,” the Minister said.
The six re-signalled in the country include, Mabopane – Pretoria; Saulsville – Pretoria; Pretoria – De Wildt; Cape Town – Simonstown; Mutual – Langa and Umlazi – Reunion.
“Work is underway to upgrade signaling in KwaZulu Natal. The installed signaling nationally is the latest state of the art compatible with automatic train protection (ATP) systems, GSM-R/FRMCS Digital Radio Network Communication.
“The organization is also working on installing its own PRASA Train Control System (PTCS) for the KwaZulu-Natal Region. This system will bring the operations of the Region in line with the modern urban railways around the World,” the Minister said.
This morning Chikunga was accompanied by the PRASA Board of Control and Management during a train ride on the Southern Line in the Western Cape from Fish Hoek to Cape Town Station.
“PRASA is making significant strides in restoring passenger rail services. To date, 31 of the 40 lines it operates in have been partially recovered. The region has 14 lines across five municipalities, not just in the City of Cape Town. To date, PRASA has partially recovered 12 of the 14 lines.
“Of the 39 stations on the corridor, only 13 stations were operational. To date, all the 39 stations are operational, with a full train service. To date, PRASA has transported over 13 million commuters, with more than half (57%) transported on the Southern Line.
“Progress is being made to recover the Central Line from Phillippi to Nolungile and trains are expected to run by the May this year, adding to the services already running from Cape Town to Nyanga on the Central Line. At that time, trains will be running from Cape Town to Nyanga and all the way to Nolungile,” the Minister said. – SAnews.gov.za
nosihle
Tue, 04/23/2024 - 12:51
A strong determination to succeed, a mentoring nature and her grounding in humility are the attributes that have contributed to Nozipho Ngobese’s rise from junior clerk to Head of Operations during three decades at Ithala SOC Limited. Despite a passion to become a chartered accountant after matriculating at Bhekuzulu College in Nongoma, Ngobese’s parents could …
The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Minister Pandor, will co-chair the VII Session of the South Africa-Brazil Joint Commission (JC) on 23 April 2024 in Brasilia, Brazil, with her counterpart, Minister Mauro Vieira, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federative Republic of Brazil.
On 13 December 2003, South Africa and Brazil signed an agreement to establish a Joint Commission. A Declaration on Strategic Partnership and an Action Plan was signed in 2010.
The Joint Commission serves as a mechanism to monitor and facilitate the implementation of the Action Plan in several areas such as agriculture; defence; economic and commercial relations; environment; health; higher education and technical cooperation; justice and correctional services; minerals and energy; science, technology, and communications; sports, arts, and culture.
The Joint Commission is composed of 10 sectoral Working Groups (WG).
A Senior Officials Meeting was held on 10 April 2024 to review the work done by the working groups in preparation for the JC.
South Africa shares a common history and cultural heritage with Brazil's over 100 million population of African descent (African Diaspora), the second largest African Diaspora in the Americas region.
Brazil will host the Sixth Region Diaspora Conference in the state of Bahia on 20-22 May 2024 as one of the preparatory meetings for the Ninth Pan African Conference that will be held in Togo in October 2024.
South Africa and Brazil as member countries of the Global South, actively advance the developmental agenda of the South through, amongst others, the UN, IBSA, BRICS, G20, WTO, and International Financial Institutions.
Brazil is currently holding the IBSA Chair, G20 Presidency and in 2025 will chair the BRICS Plus as well as COP30. On 1 December 2023, South Africa became a member of the G20 Troika, with India and Brazil and will assume the Presidency of G20 in 2025
Brazil is South Africa's largest trading partner in Latin America and is the second largest trading partner in the Americas after the USA. South Africa is Brazil's second largest export partner in Africa.
The resumption of LATAM Airlines' and SAA's direct flights between Sao Paulo and Johannesburg in 2023 has opened opportunities to scale up tourism, trade, and people-to-people relations.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: Department of International Relations and Cooperation.
PRASA reaches milestone with production of 200 trains
The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) has achieved a significant train production milestone with the 200 modern high-tech Electric Multiple Units (EMUs) manufactured in Gauteng.
“The first train set hit our railway tracks in February 2017. Today, we celebrate this progress made towards the overarching goal of 600 trains. With these new trains, we are contributing towards the reduction of carbon emissions and the promotion of sustainable transportation alternatives,” Minister of Transport Sindisiwe Chikunga said on Tuesday in Cape Town.
These efforts are part of PRASA’s Rolling Stock Fleet Renewal Programme which will, among other things, see the manufacturing of new trains. The programme is expected to create approximately 1 500 direct and 8000 indirect jobs over the 10-year period.
“As part of the first phase of the programme, 1 631 direct jobs have been created during the construction phase of the R1 billion factory, and Gibela has now employed over 1 198 full time employees.
“As this government we understand the need to create jobs that will benefit local communities. The workforce comes from local communities such as Duduza, Vosloorus, Katlehong, Kwa-Thema, Tsakane and Alfra-Park have benefitted from this project,” the Minister said.
In addition to the construction jobs, Gibela has employed a total of 1 205 people for both manufacturing and maintenance activities, 37% of those 1 205 come from immediate communities.
“Skills development and knowledge transfer is key for this government. About 20 000 training programmes have been established to enable the transfer of skills and development of employees from top management to unskilled employees.
“In 2019 Gibela Rail in partnership with Small Enterprise Development Agency and City of Ekurhuleni established a multi-sector business incubator, the doors opened in 2020 in the Kwa-Thema Township,” she said.
To date there are 140 Small Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) that were trained, mentored and coached. A total of 193 SMMEs also accessed Business Development Support.
“Gibela provides bursaries for universities and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges, internships, learnerships, apprenticeships, a railway introduction course and other relevant programmes.
“Through these interventions, we are helping to nurture the next generation of skilled and capable individuals who will not only improve their own futures, but also the futures of their families, communities, and our larger society.
“Since the inception of the programme, we have contracted 1 665 bursars and spent over R127 million towards their studies,” Chikunga said.
Not only is government revitalising the railway and manufacturing industry through skills development that will reignite the industry at large, PRASA is also changing the lives of the previously disadvantaged people and the livelihoods of communities.
“Our young people are now trained as artisans, engineering technicians, technologists and designers, just to name a few. The investment made includes R135 million invested in Enterprise and Supplier Development initiatives, developing SMMEs.
“A total of R743 million has been invested in skills development to support inclusion in the rail sector. Over this 10-year period, Gibela has committed to train and develop 19 500 individuals in various skills such as engineers, artisans, technicians, and technologists.
“These were the contractual obligations that Gibela had to undertake as part of this 10-year project,” the Minister said. – SAnews.gov.za
nosihle
Tue, 04/23/2024 - 13:08
[Johannesburg April 2024] Smoke Customer Intelligence, a leading provider of Customer Experience and Employee Engagement solutions, today announced a restructuring of its operations, resulting in the formation of distinct companies under the umbrella of The Smoke Group. This strategic move aims to streamline operations, enhance focus on core competencies, and drive growth in key market …
Deputy President in the United Arab Emirates for a working visit
Deputy President Paul Mashatile is undertaking a working visit to Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The Deputy President arrived in the UAE yesterday and will wrap up his visit on Friday, 25 April 2024.
According to the Presidency, the UAE visit is aimed at building and strengthening bilateral relations, particularly increasing economic and knowledge exchange between the two States.
The country’s second-in-command and his delegation will engage with experts in the telecommunications and digital economy, in line with South Africa’s goals related to expanding technological and digital infrastructure towards Meaningful Universal Connectivity.
“Countries are moving towards digital sovereignty and South Africa, as one of the leading nations in the sector within the continent has the opportunity to spearhead initiatives in this regard towards strengthening public service delivery and enhancing participation in the digital economy. This working visit is as such, integral to building capacity towards digital sovereignty,” the Presidency explained.
During the visit, the Deputy President will interact with the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Applications as well as other relevant national and regional entities within the UAE.
The UAE, according to the Presidency, is a competitive market for the information and communication technology (ICT) sector in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
The UAE public sector investment helps drive demand for Information and Communications technology (ICT) products and services in sectors such as healthcare, aviation, defence, transportation, financial services and others linked to the UAE’s economic diversification plans.
The visit by the Deputy President provides an opportunity for the South African government to increase knowledge and expertise in the ICT sector towards the improvement and expansion of public services and governance systems through digital economy channels.
International Relations and Cooperation Deputy Minister Candith Mashego-Dlamini, Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Mondli Gungubele and Justice Minister Ronald Lamola, will accompany the Deputy President to the UAE. – SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Tue, 04/23/2024 - 10:56
Dignity for those in need: Gauteng launches mobile shower facilities for homeless people
The Gauteng Department of Social Development, Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment has unveiled mobile shower services for homeless people in the province.
MEC Mbali Hlophe said the services are aimed at restoring dignity for people who find themselves homeless in the province.
“It’s about giving them warm food and a shower. It’s also about ensuring that our social workers have access to them and they are able to direct them to the broader services that we have. That’s about family reunification, which is really an ideal one because we want to make sure that we are able to unify families.
“But where we can’t, we are able to place them within our shelters where they are provided with skills to make sure that they are able to take care of themselves and to be sustainably out of the streets,” Hlophe said.
According to the department, the mobile shower service is in line with “Pillar 1 of the Gauteng City Region Strategy on Street Adult Homelessness, which is advocacy, awareness, and prevention of crisis and early intervention”.
“The service, which will go out to locations daily, will provide access to bathrooms, ablution facilities, laundry services and linking the homeless with other services such as access to shelters and social work interventions,” the department said in a statement.
The mobile wash services will go to areas where homeless people can be found.
“The wash trailer and office will be towed by a vehicle to the identified homeless hot spots. The proposed locations for the service are parks, open areas, under bridges, and on streets where the homeless community sometimes reside.
“The mobile services have separated showers and ablution facilities and an office. The wash trailer, which is 6m long, with an estimated weight of 2 800 kilograms, has three showers and three toilets, and the estimated office weight is 1 800kg,” the department said.
According to the department, the launch is “an expansion to an already existing package of assistance to the homeless” in the province.
This includes homeless shelters in regions; provision of daily meals for the homeless; social work services; link to skills development; substance abuse rehabilitation, and family reunification.
New lease on life
At shelters, homeless people are afforded an opportunity to learn skills, including basic computer skills, construction skills, including brick laying and agricultural skills.
A resident at a homeless shelter, Michael Rasebokoa, said the opportunities he gained at the shelter have given him the restart he needed.
Rasebokoa holds a Business Administration qualification but found himself homeless when he lost the job he had.
However, through a non-profit organisation at the shelter, he was linked to a new job opportunity.
“I am grateful for the opportunities that the Gauteng Department of Social Development has afforded me.
“The NPOs that are funded by the department has made it possible for me to secure a job. I am currently working as a Financial Advisor in Sandton,” Rasebokoa said. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Tue, 04/23/2024 - 10:35
Stillwater Sports is thrilled to welcome Castle Lite as the official Beer Partner of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series, one of South Africa’s most iconic road running series. “The partnership between Castle Lite and the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series brings together two iconic brands to enhance the experience for participants and spectators alike …
Nompumelelo Nene failed in her bid to halt her disciplinary hearing