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Serenity Hills – the R800m eco-estate near Margate on the KZN mid-South Coast – has been included in the South African Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan after being honoured by President Cyril Ramaphosa at the 5th South African Investment Conference (SAIC) in April this year. Following up on this national recognition, Deputy Ministers in the …
Women have fought for their rightful place in society
The Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Director General, Advocate Mikateko Joyce Maluleke, says democracy has ensured that women occupy their rightful position in society.
“Sometimes when there are women in a leadership position, some will attribute it to affirmative action and women empowerment. No! Women fought to be where they are. It was not just given to them,” Maluleke said on Tuesday in Cape Town.
Addressing young women at Transnet’s Cape Town Harbour, Maluleke said women fought for the struggle of emancipation.
“Women have been involved in the struggle for freedom since 1912. In 1956, women marched to the Union Buildings. They were brilliant.
“People do not usually talk about the strategy that women engaged in order to go to the Union Buildings. They could have been arrested before they could get far but because they worked as domestic workers, they had their bosses’ children on their backs and walked to the Union Buildings,” Maluleke said.
South Africa commemorates Women’s Day annually on 9 August to pay tribute to the more than 20 000 women who marched to the Union Buildings on 9 August 1956 in protest against the extension of pass laws to women.
Women’s Month is a tribute not only to the thousands of women who marched on that day in 1956, but also a tribute to the pioneers of the women’s movement in the country
This year’s Women’s Month takes place under the theme, ‘Accelerating Socio-Economic Opportunities for Women’s Empowerment’.
This theme highlights the need to ensure that all women have access to participate equally in all areas of human endeavour.
As part of Women’s Day build-up activities, the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities (DWYPD), in partnership with Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA), hosted an outreach programme with women in logistics at the Cape Town Harbour in the Western Cape.
Established in 2000, TNPA operates container terminals in Durban, Ngqura, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town.
With the many challenges that women face in society, women occupying leadership positions at Transnet encouraged the young women from various schools across the country to work hard in school and believe in themselves.
Spreading their wings
Transnet Specialist Planning and Development Manager, Zanele Dywibaba, is a qualified town planner. Dywibaba has described the port space as a “dynamic” one that has given her room to thrive.
“The introduction into the port space was something new but I have realised that it’s a dynamic space. I started at Transnet in 2016.
“I have found there is a balance between men and women who occupy leadership positions because the organisation ensures that it meets its Employment Equity targets. They also prioritise women being in the operational space, which historically was male dominated.
“Women are taken seriously at Transnet. We can offer capability than what traditionally women were not seen to be able to handle.”
As someone who grew up in a home where she was raised by her mother, this experience demonstrated to Dywibaba that women are strong and capable of doing anything.
“My mother raised five children single-handedly as a domestic worker. That is where I got my strength. My siblings and I have all gone to tertiary because my mother used to encourage us to follow our dreams.
“She would tell us to dream big and not be discouraged that she is a domestic worker. She made us believe that we would occupy big spaces. Your circumstances do not determine who you become,” Dywibaba said.
Transnet Academy Head, Captain Theresa Williams, narrated her life journey, which begins with her being born in a caravan to parents who did not have an education.
“My mother taught me how to sew clothes at the age of 12 and I was selling them at the flea market and the train station.
“Transnet advertised a bursary and I applied. My bursary covered my university fees. It did not cover my travel so I continued while I was studying to sell clothes so that I have money for toiletries.
“I didn’t allow my birth [circumstances] to define my future. I grabbed the opportunities I was given and I did not waste them. I continuously studied,” Williams said.
She is a marine pilot and is capable of captaining vessels.
“I am one year short in my studies to captain a vessel of any size in the world. I am still studying. Whatever you are going through, everyone has a story. Live a life of no excuses,” Williams said. – SAnews.gov.za
nosihle
Tue, 08/08/2023 - 16:45
Amid a volatile global economy, weak rand, and interest rates at a 14-year high, South Africans are struggling with mounting financial hardships due to skyrocketing debt, higher electricity tariffs, food inflation, and steadily decreasing household income. South Africans face a debt crisis as several SA banks see credit impairments soar amid high interest rates and …
Chiloane saddened by two learner suicides
Gauteng Education MEC, Matome Chiloane, has expressed sadness over two reported learner suicides in the province.
According to the Gauteng Department of Education, one of the incidents occurred at Soshanguve Secure Centre, where a Grade 10 boy learner was discovered hanging in a dormitory during lunch on Monday.
It is reported that the learner had been taken to the juvenile centre about two weeks ago and was awaiting trial.
In a separate incident, a Grade 9 boy learner from Kgetsi Ya Tsie Secondary School tragically took his own life at home on the same day.
The GDE said its Psycho-Social Support Unit will be dispatched to provide assistance in both instances.
“These incidents serve as a grim reminder that the emotional well-being of learners is a shared responsibility that requires immediate attention from all of us. As we mourn the loss of young lives, there is a growing determination to prevent future tragedies and to foster a culture of support, compassion, and understanding within the educational community. We wish to extend our condolences to families and school communities,” Chiloane said.
For immediate assistance and support, learners are encouraged to contact Childline by dialing 116. The Childline toll-free Helpline is available 24 hours a day (free from all networks) and what you talk about is confidential. However, if learners want to reveal their identity and see a counsellor they can request for such accordingly. – SAnews.gov.za
DikelediM
Tue, 08/08/2023 - 12:42
Over 53 000 appeals approved for 2023 academic year
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) says a total of 53 206 student appeals have been approved for the 2023 academic year, pending registration at a public university or Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college.
Briefing media on the 2023 academic year current state of affairs on Monday, NSFAS Board Chairperson, Ernest Khosa, said a total of 6 107 appeals have been rejected for either financial or academic ineligibility, and those students cannot submit any further appeals.
“About 27 791 are awaiting supporting documents and messages requesting these have been sent to applicants and institutions. Other appeals are still in progress and all appeal decisions are subject to budget availability,” Khosa said.
The NSFAS appeals option allows individuals whose financial standing could have changed between the time of processing the application and finalisation of the funding decision.
The financial standing may also change if a key contributor to the applicant’s household income may become incapacitated or is deceased since the submission of the application.
It may also change if the parents of a student/applicant are divorced, and in terms of the divorce decree, a court has determined that the responsibility for child maintenance, including the responsibility for the cost of education, is restricted to one parent.
Khosa said in February 2023, NSFAS established an Independent Appeals Tribunal, including individuals in the higher education and training sector; officials from universities and TVET colleges, and members of student leadership, to deal with special or complex cases of appeals.
“Examples of these (special or complex cases) would be applicants who have exceeded the N+ rule however, only have one or two modules to complete their degrees or applicants belonging to a household of more than R350 000, with more than one student in an institution of higher learning.”
The N+ rule refers to the number of years students will receive funding to obtain a qualification. The N+2 rule currently used makes funding provision to students for a minimum number of years allocated to the qualification “N” plus an additional two years N+2.
State of student accommodation
Giving an update on student accommodation, Khosa said, the NSFAS Board and management conducted site visits to the universities and TVET colleges across the country to assess the state of student accommodation for NSFAS funded students.
He said during the site visits, some of the challenges were identified and these included insufficient beds to accommodate students.
“The state of these accommodations is not conducive for student accommodation and learning. The cost structure for accommodation is not properly regulated and the accreditation process is fraught with inconsistencies. It is susceptible to fraud and corruption,” Khosa said.
Following this, Khosa said it was necessary for NSFAS to streamline student accommodation and optimise the process of providing housing for students in a way that is efficient, cost-effective, and conducive to a positive living experience.
“NSFAS then built an online student accommodation portal wherein all accommodation providers, who wish to provide accommodation to NSFAS beneficiaries, should register their properties, including institutions.
“NSFAS also then appointed 38 accreditors to accredit and grade the loaded properties. Once properties have been cleared and deemed fit for student living, the portal will be opened for students to apply for accommodation near them,” Khosa explained.
To date, Khosa said, a total of 41 245 beds have been registered and 24 784 across the country have already been accredited.
He said NSFAS has commenced the process of piloting the new system, with 18 selected TVET colleges.
“It is envisioned that after evaluating the pilot project and mitigating challenges encountered, the portal will be opened fully for both providers and students in all institutions.”
R45 000 accommodation cap under review
Meanwhile, Khosa said NSFAS has requested institutions that are negatively affected by the newly introduced R45 000 accommodation cap, to make their submissions and negotiations with private accommodation providers to adjust their rental rates to accommodate the cap.
He announced that there is a task team led by the Department of Higher Education and Training that is reviewing the R45 000 cap.
“NSFAS is constantly looking at ways to amend its funding policies to accommodate the dynamic conditions of the students’ life cycle and banks the success of these policy implementations on collaborative efforts with sector stakeholders.
“We are always open to healthy engagements with our colleagues in the higher education sector, as well as student leadership in ensuring that the journey of our beneficiaries in learning is as comfortable as possible. We remain committed to enabling success and access in higher education sector in a responsible and sustainable manner,” Khosa said. – SAnews.gov.za
GabiK
Tue, 08/08/2023 - 10:26
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Universities called to collaborate with NSFAS to address students’ issues
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has called on institutions of higher learning and student leadership to come on board and make constructive inputs on how to address issues facing students.
The scheme made the call during a media briefing held on Monday, where its executive management gave an update on the 2023 academic year’s current state of affairs.
NSFAS Board Chairperson, Ernest Khosa, said a number of things have been happening in the past few days, with most of the blame placed on NSFAS.
Khosa said it would be incorrect to make assumptions that universities are not part of the problem, noting that one of the biggest contributors, which is not only specific to the direct payment system, has been institutions' non-compliance in submitting registration data.
Khosa said the registration data is either submitted late or incorrectly, and this disarms NSFAS, as it "can’t pay students whose registration has not been confirmed”.
“NSFAS policy requires institutions to send updated registration monthly, therefore any wrong payments, such as those paid to students who have dropped out or not attending classes, would be as a result of institutions not alerting NSFAS through this process.
“We remain committed to having a collaborative relationship with the leaders of higher education institutions and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges,” Khosa said.
A total of R608 601 526 has been paid to NSFAS qualifying beneficiaries at public universities, while a total of R383 671 046 was paid to TVET colleges for the month of August alone.
A total of 355 270 paid students, which constitutes 86% of the paid students, have also been able to successfully authenticate themselves and receive their allowances.
Khosa said NSFAS is reviewing and assessing the remaining students who were paid but were unable to access their funds because they had not fully authenticated themselves.
“We do note that some students have been unable to authenticate themselves due to connectivity issues and NSFAS has sent teams to campuses to assist students with their authentication and verification process.
“We have also noted that closer to payment dates, the system experiences technical glitches caused by high internet traffic due to students registering at the same time. Onboarding for TVET college students continues on an ongoing basis as new students enrol,” Khosa said.
The chairperson acknowledged that, as with any introduction of new systems, there have been some teething issues and genuine cases of students who have not been able to access their allowances via the new solution.
He said this can be mainly attributed to issues of data integration with institutions and system glitches caused by too many students/traffic seeking to register onto the system at the same time.
“We have also had reports of students struggling with the authentication process and requiring assistance, hence we swiftly deployed officials across various campuses.”
Verification of information submitted
To ensure the correct processing of these applications, Khosa said, NSFAS has partnered with other entities, including the South African State Security Agency, South African Revenue Service (SARS) and the Department of Home affairs to verify information submitted by individuals during the application stages.
“These partnerships have proven to be fruitful in helping NSFAS make informed decisions. We have had instances where information received through third parties is either outdated or inaccurate. We have been in constant engagements with the said parties in a bid to get real-time data,” Khosa said.
He said a total of 45 927 students were defunded after it was discovered that they did not qualify for funding.
Khosa said after thorough investigation, improved relationships with third party data sources, including SARS, and engagements with the Auditor General South Africa, NSFAS sought to re-evaluate some applications whose funding had been approved.
After this exercise, he said, investigation results indicated that some applicants were not deserving of the funding and had submitted falsified or fraudulent documents. These had to be instantly defunded, as funding individuals who do not meet funding requirements would be going against the provisions of the funding policy, while depriving deserving students.
“For example, students would provide correct parental relationships in their first application attempt, and when they get rejected due to the financial status of those parents, and when they reapply, they submit different parental relationships. When we did re-evaluation, our system picks up the original information previously submitted.
“After re-evaluation, funding was reinstated for 14 703 students, and 31 224 remained unsuccessful, with most first-time entering students having a household income of more than 350 000 and returning students either not meeting the required academic progression, which is 50% of all registered modules or exceeding the N+ rule,” Khosa explained.
The N+ rule refers to the number of years students will receive funding to obtain a qualification. The N+2 rule currently used makes funding provision to students for a minimum number of years allocated to the qualification “N” plus an additional two years N+2. – SAnews.gov.za
GabiK
Mon, 08/07/2023 - 15:35
A strong contingent of female elite athletes will commemorate National Women’s Day on Wednesday 09 August 2023 by participating in South Africa’s largest Women’s Day celebration, the Totalsports Women’s Race in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban in support of PinkDrive. Somerset West based athlete Kyla Jacobs will make her Totalsports Women’s Race debut in Cape …
Leaders of African Peace Initiative makes progress
The Leaders of the African Peace Initiative have recognised progress achieved since the proposals discussed with Russian President Vladimir Putin at their first meeting on 17 June 2023 in St. Petersburg.
The leaders made proposals on humanitarian issues, in particular, related to the rights of children in areas of armed activities and prisoner exchanges between Russia and Ukraine, and agreed that humanitarian efforts would continue to bring further results.
The seven African leaders issued a joint Statement on Thursday following the engagement between them and the President of the Russian Federation on 28 July in St. Petersburg, in the Russian Federation.
At that engagement last week, the leaders continued their discussion on the African Peace Initiative, which they started on 17 June 2023.
“The Leaders recognised progress achieved since then on proposals they discussed at the first meeting on 17 June 2023 on humanitarian issues, in particular, related to the rights of children in areas of armed activities and prisoner exchanges between Russia and Ukraine, and agreed that humanitarian efforts would continue to bring further results.
“The Leaders called for specific steps to remove obstacles to Russian grain and fertilizer exports, thus allowing the resumption of the full implementation of the Black Sea package initiative of the United Nations Secretary-General as endorsed on 22 July 2022 in Istanbul,” the statement read.
The leaders further called upon the United Nations to take necessary action in order to release 200 000 tons of Russian fertilizer blocked in European Union seaports for immediate and free delivery to African countries.
The leaders have agreed to continue their dialogue on the African Peace Initiative so that a door to peace can be opened.
African Leaders attending the meeting on 28 July 2023 were:
- President Azali Assoumani of the Comoros in his capacity as Chair of the African Union;
- President Cyril Ramaphosa of the Republic of South Africa;
- President Denis Sassou Nguesso of the Republic of the Congo;
- President Abdel Fattah-el Sisi of the Arab Republic of Egypt;
- President Macky Sall of the Republic of Senegal;
- President Yoweri Museveni of the Republic of Uganda;
- Foreign Minister of Zambia, Stanley Kakubo.
Advancing SA's international interests
President Cyril Ramaphosa has welcomed the 2nd Russia-Africa Summit Declaration that included cooperation in a number of strategic areas, including Science and Technology, Energy, Trade and Investments, and Defense and Security Cooperation.
This after he concluded a successful working visit to the Russian Federation where, together with Leaders of African countries, a clear call for tangible and mutually beneficial and effective cooperation between Russia and the countries of the African Continent was made, during the summit which took place in the country's cultural capital, St. Petersburg.
President Ramaphosa highlighted the importance of a monitoring and evaluation mechanism that will assess the level and pace of implementation of the Summit commitments.
He concluded his working visit to Russia with a meeting at the Konstantinovsky Palace where the two Presidents discussed South Africa and Russia’s bilateral relationship, which is built on strategic partnerships in several areas of cooperation, including energy, industry, and agriculture.
“The discussions further sought to strengthen the two countries’ cooperation in the areas of education, science and technology, with a particular focus on space and satellite technology development,” Magwenya said.
Telephone call with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Meanwhile on Wednesday, President Cyril Ramaphosa held a telephone discussion with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada.
The Prime Minister expressed his deep appreciation for the 600 South African firefighters that demonstrated excellence and diligence during their support in extinguishing the wild fires that ravaged parts of Canada.
“In turn, Prime Minister Trudeau offered Canada’s support in the event South Africa experiences any form of disaster in the near future.
“The Prime Minister also expressed his appreciation for South Africa’s contribution to the African Peace Initiative to Russia and Ukraine, and committed his support to search for a peaceful solution to the conflict.
Both leaders agreed to continue their bilateral cooperation and to further collaborate in 2025, when Canada hosts the G7 summit, while South Africa will be hosting the G20,” Magwenya said. – SAnews.gov.za
DikelediM
Fri, 08/04/2023 - 10:54
Nzimande calls on BRICS partners to invest in science, innovation
Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Dr Blade Nzimande, has called on his partners from BRICS to develop science and innovation capacities across Africa for the creation of a better future for all.
Nzimande was speaking on Friday at the 2023 BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India and China and South Africa) Ministerial Meeting on Science and Innovation in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape.
He told his counterparts from Brazil, Russia, India and China that one of the strategic objectives of the annual ministerial meeting is to provide an opportunity for a high-level exchange on science, technology, and innovation policy.
The platform is to also share information on priority investment areas, as well as national progress in the implementation of BRICS partnership initiatives.
He told delegates that in 2022, the country witnessed a historic milestone in science policy development with the adoption of the Decadal Plan.
The Decadal Plan, approved by Cabinet, focuses on growing South Africa by finding sources of new economic growth for a re-industrialised and modern economy.
“Although prepared by my department, it is not only a plan for the Department of Science and Innovation, or for government alone, but for all of South Africa,” he said.
The plan also seeks to put science, technology, and innovation at the heart of South Africa’s growth and development agenda.
Meanwhile, the Innovation and Skills Compact will undertake amongst others a regulatory reform to create a more enabling policy environment for innovation in South Africa.
It will also forge a closer collaboration between higher education and training bodies, and employers, to ensure that skills development better corresponds to the needs of the economy.
“Our plan does not identify priorities [of] scientific disciplines or technology platforms in their own right, but instead focus on the collective and holistic response of South African science and innovation on key societal challenges confronting South Africa.
“This approach notably foresees a central role by the social sciences and humanities, which remains a priority investment area.”
He also touched on the strengthening BRICS collaboration, namely vaccine manufacturing, the hydrogen economy, and the marine sciences.
“The Decadal Plan proposes a new dedicated programme on innovation for a healthy South African population.
“This programme will focus on both physical and mental health; build on our existing successes in for example the fight against infectious diseases such as HIV-AIDS, while also reinforcing our pandemic preparedness.”
The Minister said developing South Africa’s vaccine manufacturing capabilities will be a priority investment area.
“Our objective is to develop a viable local vaccine manufacturing industry in South Africa, which will notably address African concerns regarding the security of supply.”
The plan will also zoom into energy security as a priority, which has led to the implementation of South Africa’s Hydrogen Society Roadmap.
The roadmap also seeks to exploit South Africa’s unique comparative advantage, the endowment of 75% of global platinum metals group reserves.
“We have made excellent progress in developing new hydrogen and fuel cell technologies and are keen to join forces with BRICS partners in this enterprise.
“Opportunities abound in areas such as the decarbonisation of transport and the production of green hydrogen, including as part of a dedicated Platinum Valley, spatial and economic development initiative.”
Nzimande said the country is also committed to the marine sciences and the development of a blue economy.
He explained that cooperation with partners in the Global South and strengthening multilateralism and solidarity through our BRICS science, technology, and innovation partnership is a priority of the highest order.
“I, therefore, have every confidence that our BRICS partners will join us in an effort, within the spirit of generosity President Mandela spoke about, to also develop science and innovation capacities across Africa. This will be a lasting contribution of our shared objective to creating a better future for all, ensuring no one is left behind.” – SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Fri, 08/04/2023 - 13:50
Gugulethu Chess College under-11 team to go to provincial tournament
Vertiv joins leading data centre partners in UK-first curriculum at University Technical College UTC Heathrow is delighted to announce a partnership with global provider of critical digital infrastructure and continuity solutions provider, Vertiv (NYSE: VRT), which will see its people working alongside the UTC to deliver a co-teach programme of learning based on the data …