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Fight against TB gets $94 million boost
South Africa’s ongoing efforts to respond to Tuberculosis (TB) have been strengthened with funding of $94 million for the next five years.
“Just over R4 billion was budgeted in the 2024/2025 [financial year], meeting the projected needs for implementing the National Strategic Plan (NSP). Seventy-one percent of the TB budget is from domestic sources, 21% from Global Fund and 8% from United States government commitments,” Minister of Health, Dr Joe Phaahla said on Sunday in Sedibeng.
The Minister was addressing South Africa’s commemorations for World TB Day, which is being observed under the theme: “Yes! You and I Can End TB”.
“We applaud the announcement by National Department of Health and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) of the award of the Accelerate Tuberculosis Elimination and Program Resilience Activity (referred to as ACCELERATE) in the amount of $94 million for the next five years.
“As government, we welcome the generous support from Global Fund and the United States government and appreciate their continued support towards HIV, TB and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) response,” Phaahla said.
In addition, the TB Programme of the National Department of Health has developed a comprehensive TB Recovery Plan dashboard, which is used by provinces and districts to monitor the progress of the TB programme.
The department has also developed an HIV and TB dashboard in the Health Information Centre.
“The South African National AIDS Council (SANAC) Situation Room is a state-of the-art data consolidation and visualisation hub built at the SANAC offices in Pretoria but can be accessed virtually from anywhere in the world.
“There is an enormous quantity of data that is generated in many parts and entities of South Africa. It exists in silos and that fragmentation is due to the lack of a central data repository and management point.
“This has made monitoring and evaluation of the country’s efforts against HIV, TB and STIs rather difficult. These new data visualisation dashboards have been set up precisely to address that challenge,” the Minister said.
Progress in fight against TB
Although South Africa remains among the TB high burden countries, there has been notable progress in the country’s fight against the disease.
“A steady decline has been noted in the number of people diagnosed with TB each year since 2007 where the figure was 644 000 compared to 280 000 in 2022. TB-related deaths are falling, but at a much slower rate,” the Minister said.
At last year’s commemoration South Africa launched the NSP for HIV, TB and STIs for the period 2023 to 2028 with ambitious targets for TB and the other two epidemics.
“The National Department of Health has further developed a TB Strategic Plan, which lifts our very pertinent actions that must be taken to address the TB specific challenges as we go towards the end date. This TB strategic plan is fully aligned with our NSP for HIV, TB and STIs and it will inform the content of the annual TB Recovery Plans for the period 2023 to 2027.
“The successful implementation of the NSP relies on several critical enablers such as the proper implementation of the National TB Recovery Plan, which is one of the tools we have to mitigate against the impact of COVID-19 on the national TB programme.
“We must scale up the implementation, use, and rapid uptake of new tools and innovations – these include GeneXpert; shorter and oral regimens for drug-resistant TB, as well as routine testing of TB contacts and at-risk populations,” the Minister said.
He said the collective counter-response to TB must focus on strengthening early case detection through targeted testing initiatives, particularly among vulnerable populations like men.
“There has been demonstrable will and desire by this government to use all innovations and technology to confront this challenge. As we all know, South Africa has been and remains the world leader in the introduction of new tools to test TB and to treat TB.
“The introduction of the new World Health Organization (WHO) approved Rapid Diagnostic tests for TB has been done as early as 2010. To date we are looking forward to targeted new generation sequencing.
“The introduction of new and repurposed TB drugs has helped significantly improve the proportion of cured drug resistant (DR-TB) patients. We have rolled out shorter regimens with better drugs for the treatment of drug resistant tuberculosis, with the notable launch of the bedaquiline-pretomanid-linezolid-levofloxacin (BPAL-L) programme in September 2023, that has almost 2,000 patients on a six-month DR-TB regimen,” the Minister said.
South Africa has been part of a vaccine development programme, which is conducted by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).
“This gives us hope that indeed, we will end TB, by working with all role players, opinion makers, scientists, academics, politicians, and general population,” the Minister said. – SAnews.gov.za
nosihle
Sun, 03/24/2024 - 15:12
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Though TB is preventable and treatable, more than 50,000 people died of it in South Africa in 2022
S Africans urged to participate in the upcoming elections
Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister, Thembi Nkadimeng, has urged South Africans to vote in the upcoming elections.
“Your vote is not merely a mark on a ballot paper; it is a voice – a voice that speaks volumes, resonating with the hopes, dreams and aspirations of our society.
“It is a symbol of your commitment to the principles of democracy,” she said.
Nkadimeng was addressing a conference on the impact of the upcoming General Elections on intergovernmental relations at the University of the Western Cape.
The National Research Chair organised the Multilevel Government, Law, and Development event at the Dullah Omar Institute.
The conference addresses critical questions regarding governance, particularly concerning the challenges posed when different parties or coalitions govern at various levels of government.
Nkadimeng used her platform to call on South Africans to unite in their diversity and go to their designated voting stations with purpose and conviction.
“Regardless of your political affiliations or beliefs, your vote is a precious right – one that countless individuals have fought and sacrificed for throughout our history.
“It is a privilege denied to many worldwide yet bestowed upon us as South Africans. Let us not take this privilege for granted, but rather cherish it and wield it wisely.”
This as the country is set to go to the polls on 29 May 2024.
Coalitions
Nkadimeng touched on the instability caused by coalitions since the local government elections have underscored that some political parties are struggling to cope with the delicate demands and dilemmas of coalition politics.
She highlighted the complexities involved and emphasised the importance of cooperation and coordination among government spheres, acknowledging the strain caused by conflicting agendas and ideologies.
These include “unscrupulous manipulation” by smaller parties to have governance by a small unrepresentative group of individuals and bribes with little thought on the impact of the same on the municipality and its ability to deliver services.
Another hurdle, she said, is the infighting in councils characterised by walkouts, leading to an inability to adopt budgets, resulting in an administration that cannot spend its budget to address service delivery backlogs.
The Minister spoke of the lack of due diligence when making key appointments, which results in compromised individuals appointed in critical positions.
“Yet, it is precisely during these moments of divergence that the resilience of our intergovernmental relations system is put to the test.
“How do we navigate the waters of political pluralism while upholding the principles of cooperative governance? How do we bridge the divide between divergent political entities to ensure the seamless delivery of services and the pursuit of shared objectives? These are questions that demand thoughtful consideration and innovative solutions.”
She also discussed lessons learned from the 2021 Local Government Elections, emphasising the need for coalition regulation to maintain stability.
Nkadimeng stressed the significance of legal frameworks, institutional mechanisms, and fostering dialogue and collaboration.
She reiterated the constitutional principle of cooperative government and intergovernmental relations, regardless of electoral outcomes, emphasising its importance for effective governance.
Central to the notion of intergovernmental relations, according to Nkadimeng, is the recognition of the interdependence among the three spheres (national, provincial and local) of government.
She explained that each sphere possesses distinct powers, functions, and institutions, yet they are inherently interconnected.
“Therefore, all spheres of government have to respect each other's autonomy while keeping one another informed of new policies and developments.”
Intergovernmental relations extend beyond mere cooperation. However, according to Nkadimeng, they encompass a complex network of interactions involving government institutions and civil society.
Effective coordination of public policies among national, provincial, and local governments is essential for ensuring coherent and impactful governance.
Regardless of the electoral outcomes when the South Africans go to the polls, she said she believes that it is important for all political parties to adhere steadfastly to the principles outlined in the Constitution of the country.
“Upholding the ideals of cooperative government and intergovernmental relations is not contingent upon political affiliation but is a shared responsibility integral to the fabric of our democracy.”
She concluded by outlining measures to maintain resilience in the face of political changes, including promoting continuity, trust, cooperation, and building institutional capacity within the intergovernmental relations framework. – SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Wed, 03/20/2024 - 15:07
Government working on reforms to develop sustainable infrastructure - President
President Cyril Ramaphosa says government is working on reforms to develop sustainable infrastructure, boost business confidence and encourage investment.
The President was addressing the National Assembly during an oral reply session on Tuesday.
“One of the most important pillars of government’s economic recovery plan is a significant increase in infrastructure investment. This has meant that we have had to give specific attention to effective project preparation and the mobilisation of funding on a far larger scale.
“We have amended the Division of Revenue Act to provide for the pledging of future infrastructure grants to crowd-in private sector finance and to leverage external technical capacity,” he said.
The President said this will facilitate integrated planning and implementation. It will also enable the development of a funded maintenance programme, a monitoring and evaluation framework, and a governance structure to manage the programme delivery.
He highlighted that he previously spoke about the Northern Cape and Eastern Cape as pilot provinces to address the social infrastructure backlog in schools as well as in housing.
He told the National Assembly that Infrastructure South Africa (ISA) is making use of its project preparation facility to support the two pilot provinces to develop quality business cases for submission to the Treasury Loans Coordinating Committee and the Budget Facility for Infrastructure.
“Through this mechanism we will ensure that social infrastructure, particularly health and education infrastructure, is delivered in a manner that is cost-effective and rapid.
“It will also help to increases the participation of the private sector, both in terms of financing this build programme and also drawing on its expertise and capabilities,” he said.
As part of capacity building, he said, the Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent (MISA) is developing guidelines for municipalities to use for project scoping and packaging. Importantly, the Municipal Infrastructure Grant makes provision for a portion of the grant to be utilised for refurbishment.
The President said through these efforts, the infrastructure build programme is starting to gain momentum.
Infrastructure projects worth over R230 billion are currently in construction, including in energy, water, roads, rural bridges, human settlements and student accommodation.
“These projects are contributing to greater economic activity and creating employment while improving the lives of South Africans and expanding the capacity of our economy,” the President said. – SAnews.gov.za
DikelediM
Wed, 03/20/2024 - 10:15
Comprehensive intervention to address Johannesburg water challenges
The City of Johannesburg has presented a comprehensive intervention plan to address ongoing water supply challenges in the city.
Water and Sanitation Minister, Senzo Mchunu, together with his Deputy Ministers, David Mahlobo and Judith Tshabalala, met with Johannesburg City officials, led by Executive Mayor Kabelo Gwamanda, to receive an update on the city’s plans to deal with the current water challenges and future water supply sustainability plans for the metro.
The meeting held this week was a follow-up to a meeting held on 5 March 2024, where the department presented a comprehensive assessment report on the state of water provision in the city amid regular water supply interruptions experienced by residents.
At the meeting held on 5 March, the city was requested to come back with an action plan to address all the issues raised in the report, including how it will deal with the infrastructure challenges and non-revenue water, which is contributing to the water supply challenges.
During this week’s meeting, the city presented a wide-ranging plan on immediate, medium- and long-term measures to ensure a sustainable water supply. These include infrastructure projects to refurbish, upgrade and construct new storage reservoirs and pump stations, as well as associated infrastructure to augment storage capacity.
The plan also includes addressing non-revenue water through the implementation of water conservation and demand management technical interventions to reduce demand.
The city also presented technical interventions, which include repairing leaking reservoirs and tower infrastructure; replacing water pipes, domestic and large consumer meters; retrofitting and removal of wasteful devices, and enforcement of by-laws, including removal of illegal connections and customer bypass connections.
Gwamanda said these projects are at various stages of implementation, while others still require funding.
The meeting also heard that the city infrastructure backlog is estimated at around R27 billion but agreed that focus should be on what can be done with the current and upcoming budget in July.
Gwamanda commended the support from Water and Sanitation Ministry, saying that the city is looking at various options to mitigate water supply interruptions.
“We have set aside about R100 million for the electricity supply entity, City Power, to put alternative power supply infrastructure to key infrastructure that contributes to the water supply network,” Gwamanda said.
Mchunu acknowledged the efforts of the city’s water entity, Johannesburg Water, to deal with infrastructure backlogs, and various interventions implemented to deal with the current recurring water outages.
Mchunu urged the city to work on its turnaround time in responding to pipe bursts and leaks in their distribution network, as this contributes to the high physical water losses.
“It is clear that the city requires serious interventions and funding to deal with its water infrastructure renewal programme, and the department will work with Joburg Water in packaging some of their key infrastructure projects that require blended finance, including from the private sector.
“We have agreed, collectively, that over and above the technical interventions to address non-revenue water, there is a serious need for a compressive public awareness campaign to conscientise residents on the importance of water conservation and water use efficiency as part of the Water Conservation and Water Demand Management Strategy,” Mchunu said.
The metro’s non-revenue water currently sits at 46.1%, while the consumption rate is at 280 litres per capita per day. – SAnews.gov.za
GabiK
Wed, 03/20/2024 - 10:27
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Infrastructure investment central to achievement of SA’s development goals
President Cyril Ramaphosa says investment in infrastructure is central to the achievement of the country’s development goals.
“Infrastructure is an enormous economic multiplier, providing dividends for an economy long after the infrastructure has been built,” President Ramaphosa said.
Addressing the 2024 Sustainable Infrastructure Development Symposium of South Africa (SIDSSA) currently underway at the Century City Conference Centre in Cape Town, President Ramaphosa said the symposium is an important part of government’s effort to close the infrastructure spending gap in the country.
“It is estimated that to achieve our infrastructure goals, we need an additional R1.6 trillion in public sector infrastructure investment and a further R3.2 trillion from the private sector by 2030,” President Ramaphosa said.
A number of bold initiatives are being implemented to deliver infrastructure at the required scale and pace.
“We are working on reforms to develop sustainable infrastructure, lift business confidence and encourage investment.
“These reforms include the amendment of the Division of Revenue Act to enable provincial governments to use their infrastructure grants and budget allocations to crowd-in private sector finance for large social infrastructure programmes,” President Ramaphosa said.
READ | National Assembly approves Division of Revenue Amendment Bill
The President said amendments to the public-private partnership regulations, which have recently been published for public comment, are part of broader reforms to mobilise and pool public and private sector resources for infrastructure.
“The operationalisation of the Infrastructure Fund has seen a steady growth in the portfolio of blended finance projects that use relatively small fiscal allocations to de-risk public infrastructure projects and raise finance in debt capital markets.
“Through the work that has been done in transforming the infrastructure landscape, the total value of the country’s Strategic Integrated Projects has grown from R340 billion in July 2020 to R540 billion now.
“Eighteen projects, valued at around R10 billion, have been completed, covering human settlements, roads, water and sanitation,” President Ramaphosa said.
According to the President, the value of projects currently in construction is over R230 billion.
“Projects worth nearly R170 billion are currently in procurement. In this calendar year, 11 such projects, with a total investment value of R45 billion, are expected to reach financial close.
“To date, Infrastructure South Africa has unblocked a total of R25 billion worth of projects in the renewable energy space using the Infrastructure Development Act to fast-track government authorisations,” the President said.
Hosted by the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI), the symposium, in its third iteration, is intended to shape the conversations about regulatory and policy reforms, among them, innovative funding models for infrastructure development.
Ministers and Deputy Ministers are expected to anchor various panel discussions and technical discussions throughout the symposium.
SIDSSA 2024 will showcase the following outcomes :
- Launch of the construction book: a repository of infrastructure projects going into procurement/construction in the 2024/2025 financial year.
- Leaders forum: A gathering of South African Ministers with 22 participating Ministers from the African continent.
- Top 12 Infrastructure project priorities: These projects will receive project preparation funding from Infrastructure South Africa.
- Signing of MOU’s with important partners and stakeholders.
The Symposium will also provide the following updates:
- Update on the gazetted Strategic Integrated Projects.
- Update on the projects already receiving project preparation support.
- Infrastructure Fund Project Pipeline.
- SAnews.gov.za
Edwin
Tue, 03/19/2024 - 12:05
Municipalities’ expenditure on infrastructure grants low
National Treasury has expressed concern at the low expenditure on infrastructure grants by municipalities during the second quarter of the 2023/24 financial year.
“The performance of the infrastructure grants to municipalities during the second quarter was not satisfactory. Low expenditure on infrastructure grants is a source of concern because this slow performance may eventually lead to unspent conditional grants that have to revert to the National Revenue Fund (NRF),” National Treasury said on Monday.
National Treasury said the surrendering of unspent conditional grants to the NRF has negative consequences to the communities that must receive the services linked to the infrastructure to be built.
“The Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG) is the highest performing direct infrastructure grant to municipalities during the second quarter, with a performance of 49.3%, which is higher than the 37.6 % reported for the same period in the previous financial year.
“The Integrated Urban Development Grant Water (IUDG) is the second highest performing grant with a performance of 46.7%. The MIG grant has been the highest performing grant for the third consecutive time as at the end of the second quarter year-on-year,” National Treasury said.
National Treasury has released the local government revenue and expenditure report for the second quarter of the 2023/24 financial year (1 July 2023 -31 December 2023).
This report covers the performance against the adopted budgets of local government for the second quarter of the municipal financial year ending on 31 December 2023 and includes spending against conditional grant allocations for the same period.
As of 31 December 2023, R27.8 billion, or 63.5%, of the R43.7 billion allocated to municipalities in direct conditional grants for 2023/24 has been transferred to municipalities.
“The Municipal Disaster Recovery Grant (MDRG) had the lowest spending grant during the second quarter, with a 12.7% expenditure, equivalent to R40.1 million expenditure against the R320 million allocation.
“The Public Transport Network Grant (PTNG) is the second lowest performing grant with expenditure performance of 25%. It should be noted that the PTNG is an infrastructure grant allocated to metropolitan municipalities only and it is an observation that metropolitan municipalities are increasingly struggling to implement this programme,” National Treasury said.
Aggregate trends
Aggregate municipal consumer debts amounted to R338.2 billion (compared to R306.7 billion reported in the first quarter of 2023/24) as at 31 December 2023.
“A total amount of R6.4 billion or 1.9% has been written off as bad debt. The largest component of this debt relates to households and represents 72.7% or R245.8 billion (71.9% or R220.4 billion in the first quarter of the 2023/24 financial year). Debt owed to municipalities in the category of below 90 days, amounts to R43.1 billion,” National Treasury said.
The creditors’ age analysis shows that R104.3 billion is owed by municipalities as at 31 December 2023, an increase of R2.9 billion compared to the R101.4 billion reported in the first quarter of 2023/24.
“The analysis of the collection rates indicates that while municipalities’ year-to-date have budgeted for a 75.6% collection rate, aggregated actual collection performance against billed is only 58.4%. The underperformance of actual collections against billed revenue holds a significant risk for the liquidity position of most municipalities as the planned expenditure is based on a higher performance level,” National Treasury said.
As of 31 December 2023, aggregate municipal spending (for both operating and capital budgets) was 46.3% or R283.5 billion of the total adopted expenditure budget of R612 billion.
“Aggregated billing and other revenue was 50.3% or R310.9 billion of the total adopted revenue budget of R618.5 billion. Capital expenditure was R25.6 billion or 31.1% of the adopted capital budget of R82.5 billion.
“The adopted operating expenditure budget was R536 billion, of which R285.3 billion (53.2%) was spent by 31 December 2023. Municipalities adopted a budget of R154.5 billion for salaries and wages (including remuneration of councillors’ remuneration), representing a R7.9 billion or a 5.4% increase from the adopted budget of R146.6 billion for the 2022/23 municipal financial year,” National Treasury said.
As of 31 December 2023, R72.8 billion or 47.2% of the adopted salary budget, had been spent.
National Treasury said this information is published in terms of Sections 71 of the Municipal Finance Management Act, 2003 (Act No. 56 of 2003) (MFMA), and 30(3) of the Division of Revenue Act, 2023 (Act No. 5 of 2023) (DoRA).
The budgeted figures shown are based on the 2023/24 adopted budgets approved by municipal councils. This second quarter publication covers 257 municipalities on financial information and conditional grant information.
“The Section 71 report facilitates transparency in reporting, better in-year management and the oversight of the financial performance of municipalities against their adopted budgets. This report is, therefore, a management tool that serves as an early warning mechanism for councils, provincial legislatures, and municipal management to monitor and improve municipal performance timeously.
“Improving the credibility of the data strings is a priority for national and provincial treasuries and the submitted data strings are analysed monthly and errors are communicated to municipalities for correction,” National Treasury said.
Further details on this report can be accessed on the National Treasury’s website: www.treasury.gov.za. – SAnews.gov.za
nosihle
Mon, 03/18/2024 - 14:46
More than four billion people (https://apo-opa.co/4aerFVs) worldwide will take part in elections this year, including in the US, UK, India, and South Africa. However, the increasing prevalence of disinformation, fuelled by the growing use of deepfakes and generative AI, means that politicians and voters alike will need to be on high alert.
In the 2024 Global Risks Report (https://apo-opa.co/3wRJRWs), the World Economic Forum identified AI-generated misinformation and disinformation as the second most significant global risk after extreme weather. This concern is well-founded, especially with the rapid rise of tools like generative AI empowered deepfakes, posing a threat to the integrity of democratic processes. Deepfakes, which are highly realistic fabricated videos or images, can deceive voters, manipulate public opinion, and tarnish the reputation of political parties and politicians.
Anna Collard, SVP Content Strategy and Evangelist at KnowBe4 AFRICA, a cybersecurity training organisation, says there has been a vast improvement in the quality of deepfakes over the past year, making them more convincing and difficult to identify. In a notable incident from October last year, cybercriminals used deepfake videos (https://apo-opa.co/4aewZYY) to impersonate African Union Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat during online conversations with European diplomats. Similarly, in December, Facebook removed over 100 deepfake paid advertisements (https://apo-opa.co/3TBfnkt) featuring British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak after nearly half a million people viewed them.
“Deepfakes pose major risks in the run-up to elections, both in the UK and South Africa,” says Collard. “Voters need to be aware of this risk and be proactive about mitigating their impact.”
Be aware of deepfakes
According to Collard, the initial step in combating the impact of misinformation and disinformation through deepfakes is raising awareness. “It's crucial for the public to be aware of the existence of this phenomenon,” she emphasises, adding, “The production of deepfake videos and images is cheap and easy.”
CounterCloud, a research project to showcase how easy it is to create fully automated (https://apo-opa.co/3wSNhZ0) disinformation campaigns, operated with a modest budget of only $400. Its goal was to counter negative depictions of the US propagated by Russian media. “If you're a politician, expect deepfakes impersonating you to appear in order to sway public opinion,” she asserts. “Similarly, voters should not believe everything they see or hear on social media to be true.”
Verify information
Apart from raising awareness, another crucial principle is to verify information. “If a politician purportedly said something that's deeply polarising, it's important to verify whether they genuinely said it.” To counter the risk of deepfakes, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), in collaboration with Media Monitoring Africa, has launched an initiative called Padre (https://apo-opa.co/3THIwux). This initiative allows voters to fact-check information regarding South African political parties and their recent statements.
Google's reverse-image search (https://images.Google.com/) is another helpful tool that enables you to check if an online image has been used elsewhere. Additionally, FotoForensics (https://FotoForensics.com/) provides a more in-depth analysis of images. However, despite these tools, verifying information remains challenging. “Deepfakes are becoming more convincing, making verifying information even harder,” states Collard.
Don't over-react
Lastly, when faced with inflammatory content, Collard stresses the importance of voters not overreacting. “Scammers want to whip up your emotions and get you in a state where you're unable to think rationally,” she says. “Stay calm and don't share content that is overly emotive. Whenever your emotions are triggered, slow down and verify, -it could be a hoax.”
Collard believes that it is every voter's responsibility to educate themselves about the dangers of deepfakes. “AI-generated fake content has huge implications for society, especially during election periods,” she says. “To combat this form of disinformation and safeguard the democratic process, social media platforms, political parties and independent watchdogs as well as us the public will all need to work together.”
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of KnowBe4.
Navigating mental health challenges in African traditional settings South Africa – Last year, Fort Hare University’s Psychiatric Nursing department found that not only was the country’s growing mental health crisis exacerbating the country’s substance and rising suicide levels[1], but it was a major contributor to increasing crime levels.[2] In the recently released National Crime Statistics[3] …
Spotlight on women empowerment at CSW68
National Council of Provinces (NCOP) Deputy Chairperson Sylvia Lucas has told delegates at the 68th annual Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68) that advancing gender transformation necessitates parliaments to regularly assess prevailing gender norms in communities.
This, she stated, will ensure that policy interventions are targeted for each community to improve the efficiency of policies.
Lucas addressed the second session of the gathering on the theme, 'Gender-sensitive Institutions to Break the Poverty Cycle'.
In her address, she said parliaments’ capacity to craft gender responsive law-making and policy interventions is a critical area that needs attention.
Parliaments should also continue to build women’s capacity to advocate for gender-responsive oversight and law-making processes across important sectors like development and transformation.
The Deputy Chairperson is accompanying National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula to the CSW68, which is organised by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and United Nations (UN) Women. It is taking place in New York until 22 March.
Lucas said parliaments have a critical role to play in reducing poverty through gender transformation by enacting laws that are gender-responsive and which are framed with dexterity to disrupt gender-regressive norms and behaviors across society at large.
“In working towards achieving gender transformation, we must continue to be guided by existing international and national protocols and legal frameworks, including prescribed norms of gender transformation, which can be used to strategically shape policy-making and promote gender equality,” she said.
Lucas told the session that South Africa has recently adopted the 2021 Women’s Charter for Accelerated Development. This charter is based on international best practice and mandated by South African women. It outlines critical areas for parliamentary intervention in policy, legislation and programming. The charter’s goal is to meaningfully advance gender transformation and reduce poverty.
“To this end, critical policy areas highlighted through our Women’s Charter Review process include the recommendation for the amendment of budget policies, money bills, fiscal policies and tax laws, including macroeconomic policies, which we view as critical areas for sustained and high-level analysis and amendment.
“If amended to make them more gender-responsive in their shape, form and content, these policies and legislative instruments will serve as enabling instruments to achieve poverty reduction and gender transformation objectives,” Lucas said.
Lucas said some of the capacities and resources parliaments should continue to invest in include gender-responsive budget analysis capabilities and law-making, gender-responsive oversight and oversight agenda-setting, and increasing capacity to use gender-disaggregated data to shape budget decisions and commitments. – SAnews.gov.za
DikelediM
Sun, 03/17/2024 - 14:59
City of Tshwane says it took over the project from the province before it could budget for it
Godongwana announces increase in R350 grant
The Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant – popularly known as the R350 grant – is expected to be raised to R370 from April this year.
This was announced by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana in the National Assembly on Wednesday.
“His Excellency, the President, in his State of the Nation Address, said that the [SRD grant] is going to continue, and the R350 will be improved. My colleague, the Minister of Social Development, is going to publish for comments a comprehensive social security programme and that… will define a better platform and a future for the social security net in South Africa.
“I am pleased to say that we have found consensus that in between, subject to the finalisation of the comprehensive social security [programme], we’ll increase the R350 to R370 by the 1st of April this year. That is part of the progressive realisation of the basic rights of our people,” he said.
In the Budget Speech delivered in February, Godongwana had announced that social grants across the board are set to increase over the course of 2024.
The increases to be implemented during this year are as follows:
“We are sensitive to the increase in the cost of living for the nearly 19 million South Africans who rely on these grants to make ends meet. In this regard, we have done as much as the fiscal envelope allows,” Godongwana said at the time. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Thu, 03/14/2024 - 12:36
The Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation has adopted the B-list version and committee report of the National Water Resource Infrastructure Agency (NWRIA) Bill, which brings to an end the committee's consideration of the Bill. Having adopted the Bill and a report, the committee will recommend that the National Assembly adopts the Bill.
The National Water Resources Infrastructure Agency Bill seeks to ensure a sustainable, equitable and reliable supply of water from national water resources infrastructure while meeting constitutional obligations, including the national and regional social and economic objectives of national policy. The Bill also seeks to address the current fragmentation of asset management and revenue collection functions for national water resource infrastructure. Currently, functions between the Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority, the Water Trading Entity and the department's infrastructure branch are fragmented.
As part of the process, the committee received 120 public submissions, with oral submissions received from the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac), the South African Local Government Association (SALGA), the National Treasury and the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU).
Some of the concerns raised during the public hearings included that there was no socio-economic impact assessment (SEIAS) on the Bill. The Department of Water and Sanitation has now confirmed that the Presidency approved the final SEIAS in June 2023, and the National Treasury has independently reviewed and assessed a business case for the NWRIA.
The portfolio committee proposed and adopted numerous amendments relating to the following clauses: 1, 3, 7, 9, 17, 34 and 35. Of critical importance to the committee was strengthening parliamentary oversight over the agency and critical amendments were made to ensure the submission of annual corporate plans and quarterly reports to Parliament, emphasising the role of the parliamentary committee in reviewing and engaging with these.
The Chairperson thanked Members of Parliament, departmental officials including legal officers, the Office of the Chief State Law Advisor and Parliament's legal unit for their help in enabling the committee to reach this point.
Meanwhile, the committee adopted its legacy report and is satisfied with the work it has undertaken in the sixth term of Parliament. This work includes the reintroduction of the Blue, Green and No-Drop reports, which were published following the committee's strong recommendations. Nonetheless, the committee remains cognisant of the enormous challenges facing the sector generally and emphasised that there should be more focus on service delivery in the seventh Parliament. This focus should emphasise strengthening the framework for intergovernmental relations to ensure that the provision of water and sanitation improves.
Furthermore, the committee highlighted the need to continue monitoring consequence management within the water value chain to ensure that individuals and companies found to have transgressed laws and regulations are held accountable. The committee remains of the view that the eradication of corruption is critical in achieving the mandate of water and sanitation provision to the people.
The committee has also highlighted the need to focus on monitoring the implementation of water and sanitation projects to ensure that projects are delivered on time and within budget.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.
Money to pay for them diverted from funding for dignity packs
The South African Local Government Association (SALGA) has called for more funding to improve the financial sustainability of municipalities. SALGA briefed the Standing Committee on Appropriations on the 2024 Budget and the Division of Revenue as part of the Money Bills and Related Matters Act on Tuesday, 12 March.
SALGA welcomed the increased allocation of R177 billion to local government. However, they argued that this still did not address the broader issue of inadequate funding at the local level. Ms Lerato Phasha, the representative from SALGA, highlighted the struggles many local municipalities face in covering their expenditures due to high levels of unemployment, poverty, and reluctance to pay for services by communities.
According to SALGA, the R484 million in conditional grants allocated for the financial year 2024/25 was inadequate considering the substantial infrastructure backlogs in municipalities. The organisation called for more funding for local government to address the infrastructure backlogs and cover expenditures in the face of high unemployment rates and poverty levels.
The committee, in response, recommended public-private partnerships with local spheres of government. This approach would involve redirecting revenue from companies operating in provinces toward the areas they operate in and in so doing, they contribute to local investment and development.
The committee also suggested that the local government sphere should not solely rely on the national government but should work towards revitalising and mobilising local businesses to attract local investment. By doing this, municipalities can strengthen their revenue streams and ultimately improve the quality of services they provide to communities. The committee told SALGA that a comprehensive strategy would help alleviate the financial burdens of municipalities and enable them to address their infrastructure backlogs more effectively.
Meanwhile, SALGA also welcomed the rollout of smart meters to the tune of R2 billion for its members in the local government sphere. However, SALGA wants all member municipalities to benefit from this rollout without restricting it to defaulting municipalities that fall under the Eskom debt relief package.
According to SALGA, the rollout should not be left to municipalities alone, but there should be end-to-end support until municipalities can run the installation themselves.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.
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Auditor-General red flags potential conflict of interest and oversight issues