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Inter-faith leaders called to work with govt in dealing with social ills

Location: News

Inter-faith leaders called to work with govt in dealing with social ills

Deputy President Paul Mashatile has called on the faith-based community to partner with government to make tangible contributions towards addressing the social ills facing the country. 

Mashatile convened an engagement between government and inter-faith leaders on Tuesday to strengthen existing partnerships towards the country’s social cohesion and nation-building project.  

“Not a day goes by that we are not confronted by acts of violence and criminality. This is not the South Africa we fought for. It is certainly not the South Africa we want ourselves and future generations to live in,” he said. 

The country’s second-in-command raised his concern at the deterioration of the social and moral fabric, including gender-based violence and femicide, poverty, unemployment, drug and substance abuse, child abuse, crime, corruption, teenage pregnancy, and the high rate of HIV infection among young people. 

“It is disheartening that the women and girls of our country no longer feel safe in their homes, on the streets, in public transport and at their places of work. 

“Many of our people are abusing alcohol and using drugs, which is causing numerous social problems such as unsafe behaviour on our roads, violence, crime, and truancy.” 

The Deputy President also raised concerns about youngsters who are still engaging in unsafe sex, leading to high rates of teenage pregnancy and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.

To address these difficulties, he believes a collaborative effort must be employed involving governmental entities and all segments of society, of which inter-faith communities are an essential component. 

“Inter-faith efforts, like community service, can be used to effect societal change. Now, more than ever, we must join forces to counter what has grown to threaten our communities.” 

The Deputy President reiterated that the State is committed to addressing social ills and improving lives. 

He also took the time to talk about how South Africa transitioned from an oppressive State machinery to a democratic nation, where all people enjoy equal rights and protection before the law.

“Today, our churches, our mosques, our synagogues and our temples are pillars of society doing valuable work in education, in feeding the poor and the needy, and in being a consistent and powerful voice that speaks out against injustices in our country.” 

He expressed his appreciation for the role of faith-based communities in guiding the nation when it strayed from its mission to unite and develop the country. 

“It is the excellent work you are already doing in our communities that we want to harness and build upon. Whether it is in providing education and awareness around alcohol and substance abuse, in offering counselling and support to couples and families, or in mobilising people around anti-crime initiatives, you have been our valued partners as we seek to address these social problems.” 

He called on leaders to safeguard the significance of religious and sacred sites, as these sites hold immense cultural value, and are crucial to ensuring traditions are not eroded over time. 

“As we all know, our nation thrives in its cultural richness and religious diversity.”

Despite the many challenges, he is of the view that South Africa can emerge strong if it embraces its diversity. 

He also lauded the role played during apartheid by faith leaders like Beyers Naudé, Desmond Tutu, Peter Storey, Allan Boesak and Dr Martin Luther King Jnr. 

“Reflecting on this history and also acknowledging the temporal disparities and distinct challenges of our current era, we must draw from the lessons of the past, and use them as a compass for addressing some of the social challenges that exist in our modern culture.” – SAnews.gov.za

Gabisile
Tue, 09/26/2023 - 11:38

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Government concludes 2023 Annual Thusong Service Centre Week

Location: News

Republic of South Africa: Department of Government Communication and Information System
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Government concludes this year's Annual Thusong Service Centre Week, which took place from the 18 - 22 September 2023 and was commemorated under the theme: “Building a Professional Public Service for Quality Service Delivery”.

The Thusong Service week formed part of the Integrated Public Service Month and it sought to promote the Thusong Programme by showcasing the integrated mobile outreach programme and its effectiveness in responding to the needs of the citizens. 

The 2023 in-week activities of the Thusong Service Week profiled the work of public servants particularly front line officials based at Thusong Service Centres and their contribution to the envisioned efficient Public Service which is putting people first.  

On Tuesday, 19 September 2023, the Deputy Minister in the Presidency, Kenny Morolong, led the opening of the 2023 Annual Thusong Service Centre week at the NG Church Hall, in Rawsonville, Western Cape Province who lauded that to date there are 121 operational centres which continue to bring services closer to the communities by housing different government departments and entities.

During the opening event a food security dialogue was held with a focus on the promotion of backyard gardens, sustainability, and integration into the local economy. The dialogue was led by the University of the Western Cape through their study conducted within the Municipality on food security. Dedicated public servants were also presented with certificates of appreciation, followed by an integrated outreach wherein various government departments and entities showcased their exhibitions and provided services to the citizens.

During the week, various Thusong Service Centres across the country hosted 88 activities with 26 of these focusing on cleaning and food security campaigns with an emphasis on backyard gardens. The aim is to encourage citizens to participate in cleaning communities as part of persevering the environment and establishing backyard gardens as another way of combating poverty, hunger and food insecurity in communities.

The, the closing event of 2023, took place in the Northern Cape Province at Loeriesfontein Hub. The closing event promoted food security, with a bias to the establishment of food gardens at the Thusong Service Centre as well as the planting of trees. 

“South Africans can play their part in securing food supply through their homes or community food gardens. If every person sets up a small garden in their home it will go a long way to ensuring that individuals and communities meet their sustenance needs. Through our collective actions we can ensure that no South African goes to bed hungry.  It was heartening to see that the Thusong Service Centres continue to play a part in this vital campaign.  The continued offering of services and information from government departments, bodies of civil society and community organizations, through the Thusong Centres, show well how these centres play a key role in bettering the lives of South Africans”, said GCIS Acting Director-General, Nomonde Mnukwa.

All citizens are invited to visit www.gov.za to locate the Thusong Service Centre near them and encouraged to make use of their centres frequently.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: Department of Government Communication and Information System.

Read moreGovernment concludes 2023 Annual Thusong Service Centre Week

Public Service Month

Location: News

Public Service Month

By Nomonde Mnukwa

Local government has long been recognised as the sphere of government that is closest to the people and crucial in improving their lives. It is responsible for the provision of basic services such as water, electricity and sanitation.

This year marks 23 years since local government was established under a democratic government to ensure that basic services are provided in an impartial, fair and equitable way. This milestone would not have been possible without the commitment of public servants, throughout the country, who serve selflessly with dignity and respect.

To mark this milestone, September is recognised annually as the Public Service Month (PSM) to recognise men and women who serve the nation with pride and distinction. These include doctors, nurses, police officers, teachers and many others who play an invaluable role in delivering services and building the country as envisioned in 1994.

This year’s commemoration comes less than a year before we observe 30 years of freedom and democracy. The commemoration will provide us with an opportunity to reflect on the contribution of public servants in building the South Africa we want.

It is also an opportune moment for public servants to interrogate what has worked and what needs improvement as we build on the achievements of the last 30 years.

As government, we know that the majority of public servants are committed to the cause of improving the lives of people and go beyond the call of duty. These public servants understand that to be a public servant is an honour and privilege and an opportunity to change our society for the better.

We have seen these dedicated public servants during our fight against the COVID-19.  Most of them ventured onto the streets every day while other citizens were at home under lockdown because their job and calling in life is to protect and serve. They were first in the line to keep us safe and provided much needed services.

Public servants have showed us during COVID-19 that they have what it takes to provide better services and improve the lives of people. Our challenge now is to extend that commitment, professionalism and selflessness to our daily interactions when serving citizens and contribute to making South Africa great.

It is not simply enough for public servants to wake up and say they are going to work to earn a salary. We should find joy in serving people, it should be about improving the quality of life of the citizens, fixing traffic lights and roads or doing anything else that makes a difference in people’s lives and help us grow our country.

This year’s PSM is held under the theme: “Building a Professional Public Service for Inclusive Quality Service Delivery” which is the foremost priority of the administration. However, building a capable state that will improve the lives of the people of this country starts with having a professional and competent public service in line with the National Development Plan and Batho Pele principles.

The National Development Plan serves as a blueprint for the work that needs to be done to achieve a prosperous society for our country, while Batho Pele guides how public servants must conduct themselves especially when they serve the public.

The vision of building a capable and developmental state has been advanced by various administrations since 1994 and in 2020, Cabinet approved the National Framework Towards the Professionalisation of the Public Service aimed at ensuring that only qualified and competent individuals are appointed into positions of authority.

The empowerment of public servants is also being done through the National School of Government, which is working with the Public Service Sector Education and Training Authority and the Department of Public Service and Administration to provide appropriate training and learning pathways to public servants.

During Public Service Month we strive to showcase the many services offered by government and therefore the Thusong Service Week recently took place to raise awareness of the important services that are offered in Thusong Centres across the country. At the centres, people can access government services including  application for identity documents,  birth, death and marriage certificates.

They can also get office services such as phone, fax, scan, copy, print and postal services, including advice for small business development and accessing applications for services that are offered by the South African Social Security Agency. Communities can obtain copies of the government newspaper, Vuk’uzenzele and they also are exposed to the other programmes that allow for interaction between government and South Africans.

As we conclude the Public Service Month, we call on public servants to continue to ensure that their professional ethics are beyond reproach. This is the only way we can build a country that works for everyone as envisioned by our founding fathers.

*Nomonde Mnukwa is Acting Director General of GCIS 

Janine
Tue, 09/26/2023 - 10:54

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Mashatile to speak at Africa Oil Week

Location: News

Africa Oil Week
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South African Deputy President, Mr Paul Mashatile, is scheduled to speak at Africa Oil Week (AOW) (www.Africa-OilWeek.com) on Tuesday 10 October, in Cape Town.

The gathering is the continent's leading event in the upstream oil-and-gas energy space, and it sees representatives of more than 25 African governments coming together with energy policymakers, financiers and dealmakers to share insights and to map a sustainable roadmap for the development of Africa's natural resources.

Deputy President Mashatile's attendance at the continental showpiece comes at a time when energy is a primary concern of national policymaking in South Africa and elsewhere on the continent.

Announcing Deputy President Mashatile's participation, Yemi Ibidunni, Event Director of event organiser Hyve Events said that the presence of a government representative as senior as Mr Mashatile confirmed the importance the South Africa's government attached to oil and gas planning.

“There have been exciting offshore discoveries in South African territorial waters, which may herald a new dawn for the country's oil and gas sector,” says Ibidunni. “At the same time, there have been significant discoveries in Namibia and elsewhere in Africa. This emphasises the importance of Africa's government and business leaders coming together to discuss partnerships for energy security while enhancing regional economic development.'

Ibidunni said AOW provides the ideal platform to facilitate such discussions, as well as enabling deals, and positioning the continent as a stable destination for international investment.

This year's AOW takes place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre 2 in Cape Town, from October 9 – 13, with the theme “Maximising Africa's Natural Resources”.

AOW will connect more than 50 ministers and government leaders, 125 expert speakers, and 1500 senior delegates across five days of industry-leading insight and elite networking opportunities, designed to drive deals and investments for the betterment of the continent.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Oil Week.

Read moreMashatile to speak at Africa Oil Week

Have your say on draft conservation policy

Location: News

Have your say on draft conservation policy

Members of the public are invited to submit their comments on the draft Policy Position on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Elephant, Lion, Leopard and Rhinoceros.

This after the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Barbara Creecy, published the draft policy in the Government Gazette.

“The draft Policy Position is informed by the White Paper on Conservation and Sustainable Use of South Africa’s Biodiversity, which was published for implementation on 14 June 2023, under Government Notice No. 3537, Government Gazette, No. 48785; the High Level Panel (HLP) report; the recommendations of the Committee of Inquiry (CoI) that was appointed to advise on the possibility of proposing legal interventions on international trade in rhino horn to the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), and the Colloquium Report on captive lion breeding for hunting.

“The draft Policy Position focuses primarily on correcting unsustainable practices, promoting conservation and sustainable use of the five species (elephant, lion leopard, black and white rhinoceros), and providing policy direction for international commercial trade,” the department said.

According to the department, the draft policy proposes “three conservation and sustainable use policy objectives to enhance species management”, as well as three international commercial trade-related policy objectives.

These are:

  •  To end the captive keeping of lions for commercial purposes and close captive lion facilities, put a halt to the intensive breeding of lion in controlled environments, and end the commercial exploitation of captive and captive-bred lions.
  • To phase out the domestication and intensification of management of rhinoceros.
  • To enhance the conservation and sustainable use of leopard.
  • To promote live export of the five species only to range States or any other appropriate and acceptable destinations with suitable habitats on the African continent.
  • South Africa will work with range States to support a proposal for international commercial trade in rhinoceros horn from protected wild rhinoceros, for conservation purposes, when conditions become favourable.
  • Consider international commercial elephant ivory trade only when conditions become favourable.

Members of the public are invited to submit, within thirty (30) days from the date of publication of this Notice in the Government Gazette or in the newspaper, whichever date is the last date, written comments to this Notice, to any of the following addresses: 

By mail: The Director-General: Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment

Attention: Dr Tsepang Makholela

                        Private Bag X447

                        PRETORIA

                        0001

By hand at: Environment House, 473 Steve Biko Street, Arcadia, Pretoria, 0001

By e-mail to: policyposition@dffe.gov.za 

Any inquiries in connection with this notice or in connection with obtaining a copy of the Socio-Economic Impact Assessment Study (SEIAS) on the draft Policy Position, can be directed to Dr Tsepang Makholela at 071 608 4556. – SAnews.gov.za

NeoB
Sun, 09/24/2023 - 15:09

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Read moreHave your say on draft conservation policy

Deputy President to open UNESCO engineering conference

Location: News

Deputy President to open UNESCO engineering conference

Deputy President Paul Mashatile is expected to deliver a keynote address when engineers from across the globe gather from Monday at the UNESCO 9th Africa Engineering Week and 7th Africa Engineering Conference at the CSIR in Pretoria.

According to the Presidency, the event will be held under the theme, 'Celebrating and Growing Engineering Excellence in the African Region' and seeks to celebrate engineering excellence prevalent in the African continent.

“The Deputy President will be supported by the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Sihle Zikalala, as the host department; Minister in the Presidency for Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa; Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation,  Bhuti Manamela, as well as Governors and Ministers from the African continent.

“The event will feature the who is who of the engineering fraternity in Africa and abroad, who will be attempting to solve the world and the African continent’s pressing challenges.

“Furthermore, scores of aspiring engineers from South Africa will also get the opportunity to obtaining knowledge and skills,” the Presidency said.

Meanwhile on Tuesday, the Deputy President is expected to convene an engagement with inter-faith leaders to “strengthen existing partnerships with the faith sector towards the country’s social cohesion and nation-building project”.

“The engagement will consider practical steps towards institutionalising partnership between government and inter-faith leaders as part of the Deputy President’s delegated responsibilities. It will also address the challenges and seek to resolve issues raised by the inter-faith community. 

“The Deputy President will be supported by the Ministers of Social Development and Sport, Arts and Culture; Deputy Minister of Social Development, Premier of Gauteng Province and senior government officials,” the Presidency said. – SAnews.gov.za

NeoB
Sun, 09/24/2023 - 08:48

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Learnerships will access South Africa Working

Location: MyPR

Delivering Accessible Learning Environments and Job Opportunities for School Leavers In the lead-up to the Matric class of 2023’s final exams, anxiety looms. While some will pursue tertiary education, the majority face the highly competitive job market and the harsh prospect of unemployment. Rajan Naidoo, Managing Director of EduPower Skills Academy, says that in this …

Read moreLearnerships will access South Africa Working

Mashatile to address Youth Economic Council gala dinner

Location: News

Mashatile to address Youth Economic Council gala dinner

Deputy President Paul Mashatile is expected to deliver the keynote address at the South African Youth Economic Council’s second annual business gala dinner to be held on Tuesday.

The Presidency said the focus of the gala dinner will be the mining and energy, agriculture, finance as well as the information and communication technology sectors.

“The South African Youth Economic Council (SAYEC) is an economic and legal policy advocacy group that promotes youth participation and integration in the economy. The council aims to promote a transformed economy where the youth become actively involved in economic growth and job creation in South Africa.

“Held under the theme, 'Accelerating Economic Growth & Growing Investments for Youth Job Creation', the gala dinner will focus on the need for labour intensive industries and businesses to stimulate job creation, particularly among young people. It is also envisaged that insights will be gained from the participants as to what policy measures can be put in place to facilitate investment into the economy in a number of critical areas.

“Both SAYEC and government are concerned that South African youth unemployment for people between the ages of 15 and 34 currently stands at around 4.9 million, at 46.5%, well above the national average of 32.9%. The largest proportion of the young people who make up this percentage, are low to semi- skilled labour,” the Presidency said. – SAnews.gov.za

NeoB
Sun, 09/24/2023 - 09:08

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Mashatile: Work underway to resolve service delivery issues in local govt

Location: News

Mashatile: Work underway to resolve service delivery issues in local govt

Deputy President Paul Mashatile has assured Members of Parliament (MPs) that the State is attending to issues facing local government. 

The Deputy President on Friday said the challenges are multi-dimensional and primarily rooted in governance, institutional capacity, poor financial management and political instability. 

“To this end, we have conducted oversight visits to six provinces to ensure that we resolve the challenges of poor governance and lack of service delivery in these areas,” he said. 

The Deputy President was responding to questions in the National Assembly on a range of issues facing the country.

Mashatile said outreach programmes were conducted in North West, Gauteng, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and the Northern Cape. 

“This was to ensure that we resolve challenges of poor governance and lack of service delivery in these areas,” he explained, adding that they also identified areas of improvement for coordinating service delivery related to infrastructure backlogs and essential services. 

The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) has identified 66 out of 257 municipalities as those that need support. 

The State, Mashatile said, is also working through the District Development Model (DDM) to improve intergovernmental relations on policy planning, budgeting and execution. 

“Together with the Department of COGTA, we established what we call the Result Management Office (RMO), which will be used to strengthen this work.” 

The RMO will focus on ensuring that municipalities improve service delivery with support and capacity from the war room.

It will also act as an engine for integrated service delivery that links to the community, coordinates profiles and integrates service delivery. 

The State is also looking at addressing resources, capacity and skills in the local government space. 

It also plans to facilitate improvements in planning, coordination, execution, monitoring and reporting on the delivery of projects. 

“We aim to create resilient, sustainable and cohesive communities, where municipalities serve as catalysts and enablers of development,” said the Deputy President.

In addition, he said government will be looking at the hardships facing the City of Johannesburg. – SAnews.gov.za

Gabisile
Fri, 09/22/2023 - 11:57

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On World Rhino Day, The United States (U.S.) Celebrates its Propitious Conservation Partnership with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Government of Namibia

Location: News

U.S. Embassy in Namibia
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The population of black rhinos declined dramatically in the 20th century at the hands of European hunters and settlers. Between 1960 and 1995, black rhino numbers dropped by a sobering 98%, to less than 2,500 individuals. Since then, the species has made a tremendous comeback from the brink of extinction. Thanks to persistent conservation efforts across Africa, black rhino numbers have doubled from their historic low 20 years ago to more than 6,000 today. However, the black rhino is still considered critically endangered, and a lot of work remains to bring their population up to even a fraction of what it once was—and to ensure that it stays there. Wildlife crime—in this case, poaching of rhinos for the illegal international market for their horns—continues to plague the species and threaten its recovery.

The Namibian government and its partners in conservation, including communal conservancies have been at the cutting edge of efforts to relocate, protect and expand the range of rhinos in the country. While the threat of poaching persists, the impact of these efforts is dramatic. Namibia is now home to the largest population of black rhino left on earth.

TACKLING WILDLIFE CRIME

Poaching remains the deadliest and most urgent threat to black rhinos. WWF is working with government agencies, local communities and other partners in Namibia, Kenya, and South Africa to support law enforcement agencies, develop and build on innovative tech solutions, and equip and train rangers to stop poachers.

In Namibia, WWF, with support from the USAID funded Combatting Wildlife Crime Project and INL projects, is working across sectors, agencies, and borders to help implement the country's ambitious law enforcement strategy to combat wildlife trafficking. WWF also supports the Namibian government in the implementation of its national black rhino strategy, in part by moving rhinos from parks with significant populations to other areas that historically held rhinos but currently do not—a process known as translocation. WWF is also working with the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism and other conservation partners to protect both black and white rhinos, including the maintenance of a comprehensive DNA databank used for forensic investigations and research, and the use of sniffer dogs.

PROTECTING AND MANAGING KEY POPULATIONS

WWF supports aerial population surveys at key sites such as Etosha National Park in Namibia. The surveys are critical for evaluating breeding success, deterring poachers, and monitoring rhino mortality. WWF is also working with partners to develop and implement cutting-edge technologies in range states to closely monitor key populations. When paired with boots-on-the-ground, innovative solutions like electronic identification and tracking tags, radio and satellite collars, night vision cameras, and camera traps provide critical data that is used to make important decisions for black rhino populations going forward.

COMMUNITY-BASED CONSERVATION

Namibia was the first African country to incorporate protection of the environment into its constitution. In 1996, the new Namibian government granted communities the right to create conservancies — areas with defined borders and governance and management structures outside of parks — where communities have the right to manage and benefit from their natural resources. With long-term support from IRDNC, NNF, SRT, WWF and other NACSO partners, robust conservation efforts including community game guards, monitoring, community engagement campaigns, partnerships between the communities and private sector tourism, and translocation projects, which relocate species into new habitats so that they have more space to breed, have made enriched landscapes and lives in rural Namibia.

On World Rhino Day, we join our Namibian partners in recognizing their efforts to protect black rhinos – against tremendous odds. Not only does Namibia have the largest population of black rhinos in the world, but communal conservancies have allowed rhinos to roam free, outside of national parks. These communal conservancies—working with the government, nonprofit organizations and others—have restored populations of black rhinos, creating a rhino-based economy that benefits both people and wildlife!

For more information on WWF Programs in Namibia, visit https://www.wwfnamibia.org.

For more information on U.S. global climate and environmental priorities, visit Climate and Environment – United States Department of State.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of U.S. Embassy in Namibia.

Read moreOn World Rhino Day, The United States (U.S.) Celebrates its Propitious Conservation Partnership with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Government of Namibia

Land claim issues should be treated as a matter of urgency – Mashatile

Location: News

Land claim issues should be treated as a matter of urgency - Mashatile

Deputy President Paul Mashatile has labelled the issue of land claims as sensitive and one that needs to be treated with the utmost urgency it deserves. 

The Deputy President was on Friday responding to questions in the National Assembly on progress achieved by government in resolving land claims, as part of the land reform programme.

Speaking to Members of Parliament (MPs), he said as of June this year, there were 5 407 outstanding old order claims instead of the 6 600, as indicated by a Parliamentarian, who had posed a question to the Deputy President.  

“There has been some movement now that is taking place,” he assured MPs. 

Meanwhile, the Deputy President said government has since adopted several interventions to support the acceleration of land reform programmes. 

This, according to Mashatile, includes the Expropriation Bill that is currently being considered by the National Council of Provinces. 

“The Land Court Amendment Bill, which includes provisions for communal land transfer, registration, title and appointment of a land rights enquirer, has been sent to the President for assent.” 

The bill, Mashatile explained, aims to regulate the administration and use of communal land by communities within the framework of the applicable laws, including spatial planning and land use management. 

The Deputy President noted the revision of the Property Valuation Act to provide for the precise scope of the Office of the Valuer-General and methodology to determine just and equitable compensation. 

In addition, the State is identifying land needs within cities and towns to inform the land reform programme, prioritising land needs for human settlements, and industrial, economic and urban agricultural development. 

This move, the Deputy President, aims to change spatial patterns and enhance socio-economic advancement. 

He told MPs that the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Land Reform and Agriculture will continue to review the best plausible options to improve the overall financing of the Backlog Reduction Strategy, as introduced by the Commission. 

The Deputy President believes that this will help to accelerate the settlement of old order claims so that government can resolve this matter within a reasonably shorter period. – SAnews.gov.za

Gabisile
Fri, 09/22/2023 - 12:26

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Read moreLand claim issues should be treated as a matter of urgency – Mashatile

Tourism Committee Expresses Concern over Appointments of Acting Chief Financial Officer and Chief Executive Officer

Location: News

Republic of South Africa: The Parliament
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The Portfolio Committee on Tourism received a briefing from the Department of Tourism and South African Tourism on Tuesday on the implementation of the Budget Review and Recommendation Report (BRRR) recommendations for the 2021/2022 financial year and implementation of the recommendations made in the Limpopo and North West oversight visits reports.

Responding to the presentations delivered by the department and the South African Tourism (SAT), the committee expressed its dissatisfaction with how the recommendations have been implemented. The committee was of the view that the department did not respond to the recommendations as it provided general responses to specific recommendations.

In some instances, the department just indicated that the recommendation was noted without tangible explanation of its translation into action. The committee said the responses were incomplete and lacked detail. The committee called on the department to furnish it with a comprehensive report that addresses matters raised in the BRRR and given it until Friday, 22 September 2023 to submit adequate responses to the committee.

The committee will also afford the department an opportunity, in a closed meeting session, to provide an update on the outcomes of its forensic audits and consequence management taken against companies and officials who have been found to have committed financial malfeasance in the implementation of tourism infrastructure projects and other departmental programmes. This decision was taken after relentless, but futile efforts by the committee to get an update on the forensic audit report commissioned by the department.

The committee expressed its concern and shock when it was informed that the moratorium has not been fully lifted on the appointment of staff at SAT. The committee was assured by the Minister of the department that the moratorium had been lifted and that the entity will be able to start the recruitment process. However, on Tuesday 19 September 2023, it emerged that the moratorium has only been lifted on critical posts only.

The committee learned that the former Acting CEO was removed by the board based on the whistle-blower alert that led to an investigation. The committee acknowledged that the whistle-blower information was about an alleged bribe taken by the former Acting CEO. The committee accepted the decision of the board in bringing somebody without a cloud hanging above to allow a full investigation. However, the concern is not about the replacement of the former CEO, but rather about appointing the CFO as an Acting CEO of the organisation.

The Chairperson of the committee, Ms Tandi Mahambehlala, voiced her concern after the committee learnt that the Acting CFO at SAT, Ms Nombulelo Guliwe, has been appointed as Acting CEO at the entity. She said: “There is something problematic about this appointment and arrangement.” The committee raised an issue with financial delegations of the CFO as an Acting CEO in that there will be no clear demarcation if the Acting CEO who is the CFO takes financial decisions with organisational implications.

Ms Mahambehlala said the appointments of the CFO and the CEO should be corrected. She said good governance does not allow the CFO to act as CEO. “It is a wrong practice and as a committee we will stand by our conviction. This is an unfortunate situation where governance has been compromised at SAT, where someone is a referee and a player something which compromises the entity. We are a committee vested on knowledge and education, hence today we can refer to King IV report on the principles of governance.”

The King IV code of governance and principles assist the country and everyone in public administration for effective governance. National Treasury subscribes to these codes and implements them accordingly. “We now have an entity that disregards such important aspects as if it has no capacity. We take this matter seriously,”  said Ms Mahambehlala.

On continued underperformance by SAT, the committee was concerned that although the entity has developed an audit action plan and a monthly dashboard to track performance, it was still underperforming whilst incurring over expenditure.

Regarding the first presentation that was delivered by the National Heritage Project Company, which has a monumental procession of 100 life size bronze statues located at Century Cit, Ms Mahambehlala said: “We note what the Director-General of the department suggested, in saying the government cannot fund establishments if the land of the tourist attraction or business is being run and operated privately.”

She added: “For the state to be able to assist, the Heritage Monument Project needs to have land that is leased by government. The committee will advise the National Heritage Project Company to approach the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure to identify and provide a suitable land to support the project."

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.

Read moreTourism Committee Expresses Concern over Appointments of Acting Chief Financial Officer and Chief Executive Officer

Minister Barbara Creecy invites comments on draft Policy Position on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Elephant, Lion, Leopard and Rhinoceros

Location: News

Republic Of South Africa: Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
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The Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Ms Barbara Dallas Creecy, hereby gives notice of her publication of the draft Policy Position on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Elephant, Lion, Leopard and Rhinoceros (the draft Policy Position), in the Government Gazette 49322 (Notice No. 3889). A copy of the Government Notice is available at  www.gpwonline.co.za(link is external) or https://www.gov.za/sites/default/files/gcis_document/202309/49322gon3889....

The draft Policy Position is informed by the White Paper on Conservation and Sustainable Use of South Africa's Biodiversity which was published for implementation on 14 June 2023, under Government Notice No. 3537, Government Gazette, No. 48785; the High Level Panel (HLP) report; the recommendations of the Committee of Inquiry (CoI) that was appointed to advise on the possibility of proposing legal interventions on international trade in rhino horn to the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES); and the Colloquium report on captive lion breeding for hunting.

The draft Policy Position focuses primarily on correcting unsustainable practices, promoting conservation and sustainable use of the five species (elephant, lion leopard, black and white rhinoceros), and providing policy direction for international commercial trade. It proposes three conservation and sustainable use policy objectives to enhance species management as follows:

(a)    To end the captive keeping of lions for commercial purposes and close captive lion facilities, put a halt to the intensive breeding of lion in controlled environments, and end the commercial exploitation of captive and captive-bred lions; 
(b)    To phase out the domestication and intensification of management of rhinoceros; and
(c)    To enhance the conservation and sustainable use of leopard.

The draft Policy Position also proposes three international commercial trade-related policy objectives as follows:

(a)    To promote live export of the five species only to range states or any other appropriate and acceptable destinations with suitable habitats on the African continent;
(b)    South Africa will work with range states to support a proposal for international commercial trade in rhinoceros horn from protected wild rhinoceros, for conservation purposes, when conditions become favourable; and
(c)    Consider international commercial elephant ivory trade only when conditions become favorable.

Members of the public are invited to submit, within thirty (30) days from the date of publication of this Notice in the Government Gazette or in the newspaper, whichever date is the last date, written comments to this Notice, to any of the following addresses: 

By post to: The Director-General: Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
Attention: Dr Tsepang Makholela
Private Bag X447
PRETORIA
0001 
By hand at: Environment House, 473 Steve Biko Street, Arcadia, Pretoria, 0001
By e-mail to: policyposition@dffe.gov.za(link sends e-mail)

Any inquiries in connection with this Notice or in connection with obtaining a copy of the Socio-Economic Impact Assessment Study (SEIAS) on the draft Policy Position, can be directed to Dr Tsepang Makholela at +27 71 608 4556. 

Comments or inputs received after the closing date may be disregarded. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic Of South Africa: Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment.

Read moreMinister Barbara Creecy invites comments on draft Policy Position on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Elephant, Lion, Leopard and Rhinoceros

Natural gas set to ignite African economies

Location: News

Africa Oil Week
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The recent signing of an agreement to develop what has been called South Africa's largest liquified natural gas project in Mpumalanga province has emphasised the potential of natural gas as a viable energy source for the country.

The agreement, a “non-binding term sheet” (https://apo-opa.info/3PN65zR), is a partnership between South Africa's Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) and Afro Energy, a subsidiary of Australian gas explorer Kinetiko Energy. The initiative is projected to generate 50MW of equivalent energy, growing to 500MW over time. There are also options for the development of further LNG gas equivalent projects.

The deal comes amidst renewed interest in onshore gas, as South Africa's power crisis shows few signs of easing. TotalEnergies has won approval (https://apo-opa.info/48phiOs) to search for oil and gas off South Africa's west coast, and in May, the South African government even announced plans to revisit the idea of shale-gas exploration in the Karoo region.

The Mpumalanga discovery is relatively advanced, and involves an innovative public-private partnership approach. However, the resource – estimated at 3.1 billion cubic feet of natural gas – pales in comparison to the gargantuan gas reserves in other parts of Africa.

Africa's natural-gas reserves have been estimated at around 620 trillion cubic feet (https://apo-opa.info/46iQ4qU), with the largest resources in Nigeria, Algeria and Senegal.

Thanks to its proximity to Europe, and well-developed LNG infrastructure, Algeria is currently Africa's largest exporter of natural gas, and the fourth largest gas export in the world (https://apo-opa.info/46m7Zgw), with the 10th largest proven natural gas reserves on the planet.

As Europe looks to wean itself off Russian energy, following that country's invasion of Ukraine, North and West Africa are well positioned to fill the gap. Established trans-Mediterranean gas pipelines can facilitate this, and several more pipelines are in the planning stages.

Supply bottlenecks and political challenges need to be resolved, but the upside for African oil-and-gas exports to Europe is enormous.

Natural gas has also long been heralded as a “transition fuel”, that can help ease the move from oil and coal towards renewable energy. By some measures (https://apo-opa.info/3sZeMy5), gas is a cleaner-burning, efficient fuel that produces fewer carbon-dioxide emissions than other fossil fuels.

It is abundant, and can be compressed, liquified and stored. This storage capability gives natural gas the advantage over forms of renewable energy like solar and wind, which are less easily dispatchable. Storing and providing renewable energy as and when required necessitates complementary technology like batteries, hydrogen or pumped storage.

Gas resources can simply be integrated into the well-developed global natural-gas infrastructure – through pipelines, and the international shipping. This means frontier natural-gas territories – such as South Africa – would be able to “plug in” to this system and begin supplying gas to where it is needed relatively soon after fields are established.

Ghana provides an instructive example of what is possible. The country's oil-and-gas industry launched with its first discoveries around 2006, and it was able to produce its first product within 40 months (https://apo-opa.info/3rkEXz1). In 2021, the country produced 2,4 million metric tons of gas (https://apo-opa.info/3PY0as9).

The imperative to minimise global greenhouse gas emissions to meet Paris 2050 commitments and to reverse climate change is a serious concern, which must be balanced against Africa's development imperatives.

Almost half of Africa's people remain without electricity (https://apo-opa.info/48BiLS2). The Africa Energy Commission (https://apo-opa.info/3ZtYv0d) has confirmed that it still sees a role for natural gas in the continent's evolving energy mix.

In a context where Africa still generates only four percent of global carbon emissions, and the majority (https://apo-opa.info/46oImM7) of its people still rely on biomass to meet their energy needs, a move to natural gas would still represent a net improvement (https://apo-opa.info/3RzRGIH).

That is the domestic scenario. Globally, the planet is hungry for natural gas. Africa is sitting astride enormous resources, but currently only provides 6% of global gas exports (https://apo-opa.info/46ioryf).

The opportunities are significant. There is worldwide gas activity going on, and Africa needs to come to the party. 

  • The continent's energy leaders will convene to discuss emerging energy opportunities at Africa Oil Week (https://apo-opa.info/466pce3), “Africa's leading upstream event” from 9-13 October in Cape Town. The event is a global platform for deals and transactions, bringing together governments, national and international oil companies, independents, investors and service providers for the betterment of the African continent. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Oil Week.

Read moreNatural gas set to ignite African economies

Urgent need to address Eskom transmission to deal with load shedding

Location: News

Urgent need to address Eskom transmission to deal with load shedding

Electricity Minister, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, has described load shedding as an economic problem that government is urgently addressing, as his department relentlessly tackles generation and transmission challenges. 

“It's a structural constraint to the economy of the country and therefore it's indispensable to the resolution of the economic question in the country,” he said on Thursday. 

The Minister is hosting a Transmission Financing Seminar with the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE).  

The gathering will discuss the financing of South Africa’s Transmission Development Plan, which seeks to expand, support and secure the sustainability of South Africa’s energy mix and electricity supply.

The seminar brings together government, energy industry veterans and potential private sector investors to engage in a critical conversation on South Africa’s energy crisis. 

Ramokgopa touched on the country’s Energy Action Plan (EAP), a comprehensive response by government to address the challenge of power cuts. 

“In 1997, we were told that at the rate at which you are connecting households to the grid and the economy is growing, you're going to run into a generation problem, a capacity problem 10 years later, and we know that we ran into that problem.” 

This is the reason he believes the country needs to speedily attend to transmission with the same vigour it is handling generation capacity. 

“We are saying also now if you don't resolve the issues on the transmission side, having that problem today might not be as pronounced and I want to argue that it will be pronounced in the next six to 12 months. 

“The similar amount of effort and exertion you’re placing on the generation side requires that they be placed also on the transmission side.” 

Eskom's transmission has the mandate to reliably control, maintain, plan, expand and provide access to an interconnected transmission system.

Ramokgopa told the summit that part of the problem that is confronting Eskom is structural constraint primarily presented by two issues – energy deficit and issues of logistics. 

The Minister spoke frankly about the impact of load shedding. 

He highlighted agriculture and manufacturing as sectors that are heavily impacted by severe shortages in power generation capacity.  

“And what this does really borrows from the modelling that has been done by the South African Reserve Bank, which begins to illustrate the kind of injury that is inflicted by load shedding on the South African economy, potentially contracting the economy.”

The Minister has since called for all hands on deck to contribute towards the resolution of this “bleak picture”.  

Ramokgopa, who has visited all power plants to better understand the challenges, said there are communities and businesses that have not had electricity for about six years. 

“This is not an exaggeration. And so as a result of the failure of the distribution infrastructure, I'm talking about transformers and substations, and this comes about as a result of municipalities being financially unviable.”

The Minister said he will introduce regular updates on the transmission side. 

“[This] is after we've gone to Cabinet [to present] the options that are available to us. Once that is adopted, then we will give feedback and then we're doing a significant amount of work on the distribution side (sic).”

These interventions will see the country significantly strengthen and increase South Africa’s electricity supply and capacitate the energy sector in meeting global decarbonisation targets, thereby ensuring South Africa’s long-term energy security and energy sovereignty. – SAnews.gov.za

Gabisile
Thu, 09/21/2023 - 11:17

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Officials working to ensure smooth payment of grants in October

Location: News

Officials working to ensure smooth payment of grants in October

Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Mondli Gungubele says officials are working around the clock to ensure that next month, social grant beneficiaries are not affected by payment delays experienced this month. 

Gungubele said that the two departments -- Social Development, and Communications and Digital Technologies -- and their agencies, understand the regrettable strain that the grant payments challenges experienced this month has caused the most vulnerable in society. 

In this regard, he reiterated government’s sincerest apologies to all social grants beneficiaries, who have encountered difficulties accessing their social grants this month.

The Minister said he was pleased to report that Postbank assured them that all South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) grant beneficiaries, who were affected by the system challenge, have now been corrected. 

“Today, we are delighted to report that Postbank has provided us with the assurance that, according to their records, all SASSA grant beneficiaries, whose accounts were adversely affected by these system challenges on the 5th and 6th of September, have now been corrected. 

“These funds are readily available in the accounts of these beneficiaries and if not withdrawn, can be accessed through bank ATMs, retailers and Post Office branches,” the Minister said. 

Gungubele said once the beneficiaries’ money is paid into their Postbank bank accounts, they can access the money at any time convenient to them. 

He said that this is a normal bank account and clients do not need to withdraw their money all at once. Clients can also use the SASSA gold card to purchase goods at merchants.

Responding to a question on why other beneficiaries remain without their September payments, the Minister said they are going to follow up on the recipients that have not received their grants. 

Hijacking grant challenge for personal gain

Gungubele addressed numerous accounts and statements circulating on various platforms, misrepresenting the root cause of the Postbank system challenges that affected social grant recipients’ Postbank accounts this month.

“We want to place it on record that these stories are false and generally fabricated. The root cause of Postbank’s system challenges that affected the September social grants payments to some beneficiaries, which have now been resolved as of the 6th of September, relate to Postbank’s migration to a new system,” he said. 

The Minister said Postbank’s systems upgrade programme, of which the recent migration forms a component thereof, has been unfolding for a while in line with its 2022/23 as well as 2022/23 Corporate Plans, and it is also a South African Reserve Bank requirement, as part of Postbank’s banking license application process.

“Social grant beneficiaries are also urged to ignore the false information that the September payments challenges are as a result of the expired SASSA card. The Reserve Bank has granted extension for the SASSA cards to continue to work until December 2023, so beneficiaries can continue to use the same cards,” he said. 

The Minister said that the departments and their entities will regularly update SASSA beneficiaries on the details of the card replacement programme.

New Postbank Board to be appointed

Gungubele has assured social grant beneficiaries and the nation that the changes in the Postbank Board will not have an impact on any of the banking operations or the capacity of the Postbank.

Gungubele explained that the Postbank Board is an oversight body appointed by the Minister as non-executive directors, so they are not involved with the executive level of decisions or day-to-day operations of the bank.

“The ministry has already commenced with the process of filling the vacant Postbank Board vacancies, and an advertisement for nominations has been issued.

“In the interim, and to ensure that decisions that reside within the delegation of authority of the board are enabled, the ministry has appointed Khayalethu Ngema as the Postbank Administrator until a new Board is appointed,” Gungubele said. 

The Minister concluded that they are actively taking measures to prevent future challenges in the banking ecosystem, and in particular for social grant account holders. 

“Our commitment to the welfare and well-being of our social grants beneficiaries remains unwavering.

“We are investing in robust technology infrastructure, enhancing communication and collaboration among relevant agencies, and strengthening oversight mechanisms to ensure the uninterrupted flow of grant payments to those who depend on them most,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za

DikelediM
Thu, 09/21/2023 - 14:28

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Read moreOfficials working to ensure smooth payment of grants in October

Mashatile to brief MPs on land claim, South Sudan peace talks 

Location: News

Mashatile to brief MPs on land claim, South Sudan peace talks 

Deputy President Paul Mashatile will on Friday, 22 September 2023, brief Members of Parliament (MPs) on the progress achieved by government in resolving land claims as part of the land reform programme. 

He will also, according to The Presidency, talk about efforts to find lasting peace for the people of South Sudan, among others, during oral replies to questions in the National Assembly.

“In his capacity as Chairperson of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Land Reform and Agriculture, Deputy President Mashatile has been leading initiatives that support the acceleration of land reform in the country,” a media advisory read. 

During this session, the Deputy President will update members on government's commitment to ensuring equitable access to land, to reverse apartheid spatial planning and to increase participation of historically disadvantaged communities in agriculture and other land-based industries.  

“Deputy President Mashatile is also leading the implementation of rapid response interventions in municipalities to improve service delivery to communities.

“In this regard, the Deputy President will further apprise members of government programme to bring stability within identified dysfunctional municipalities that require immediate support from the government.”

Following his recent successful Working Visit to South Sudan, the Deputy President will brief MPs on the latest developments and progress in the implementation of the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan. – SAnews.gov.za

 

Gabisile
Thu, 09/21/2023 - 11:26

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