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Human Settlements Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi has challenged estate agents and property managers to improve the ease of doing business through digitisation.

“We can’t be doing things manually in this day and age. We need to move all our interactions  online -- from exams, payments, applications and renewal of Fidelity Fund Certificates (FFC),” Kubayi said.

Kubayi made the remarks during a stakeholder engagement with property practitioners and real estate companies in Johannesburg on Tuesday.

The engagement aimed at providing a platform between sector stakeholders and government to discuss areas of partnerships and improvements to provide sustainable human settlements.

The engagement follows the launch of the Property Practitioners Regulatory Authority (PPRA) last year, which replaced the Estate Agency Affairs Board (EAAB).

The launch of the PPRA marked the coming into operation of the Property Practitioners Act, which aims to strengthen the regulatory aspect of the human settlements sector. 

Kubayi commended the PPRA for its good working relationship since its launch.

“The feedback that I have been receiving is that the PPRA has been working together with the sector. Not to say there are no challenges and there isn’t room for improvement but the revival of this working relationship is something we should nurture and strengthen.

“I have been getting feedback that the entity is indeed turning a new leaf. I believe that we now have good leadership that has stabilised the entity and they need all our support to continue on this path,” Kubayi said.

The PPRA has three main functions, which include regulating the affairs of all property practitioners; driving transformation in the property sector, and providing consumer protection.

She warned that the PPRA cannot achieve these functions by itself, as it requires partnership and collaboration with the sector, especially the private sector, to be able to fulfil its mandate.

The 2021 Property Sector Charter Council (PSCC) report revealed that the financial, real estate and business services sectors accounted for 22% of the country's real value added, generated by producing goods and services.

The PSCC study also showed that South Africa’s property market contributed R5.8 trillion to the gross domestic product (GDP).

“In 2018, one of the South African Reserve Bank’s reports also estimated that SA’s total fixed capital stock is worth R7.6 trillion. This means that property accounts for 76% of SA capital stock outside of machinery and transport.

“As you can see with the numbers, this is a very important sector of our economy. The wealth that it generates needs to be shared equitably and I think working together, we can grow this pie and share it,” the Minister said.

While acknowledging that the property market is still reeling from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kubayi said there are great signs of recovery. In the first quarter of 2023, the finance, real estate and business services grew by 0.6%.

Kubayi said there are opportunities in areas including student accommodation, social housing, amongst others.

She said other areas to look at that are critical for growing and transforming the sector include:
•    Capacitation and enterprise support for historically disadvantaged property practitioners.
•    Support of existing SMMEs owned by historically disadvantaged property practitioners.
•    Promotion of the standard of training and development of historically disadvantaged property practitioners.
•    Supporting existing historically disadvantaged property practitioners to become principal property practitioners and owners of business property practitioners.
•    Facilitation of ownership of and participation in property investment enterprises.
•    Enabling the transformation of property ownership in South Africa by providing grant support (through the Transformation Fund) to historically disadvantaged property practitioners, who are in the business of developing residential properties in the affordable and secondary housing markets.
•    How to work together to accelerate the first home finance programme so that all market segments receive the quality of service that the higher segments of the market receive. – SAnews.gov.za

Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga on Tuesday said she was gravely concerned about the torching of trucks on South African roads, describing the incidents as an “act of economic sabotage”. 

This comes after trucks ferrying goods were set alight recently in KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Limpopo.  

Meanwhile, four more trucks have been torched on Wednesday morning on the N2 between Piet Retief and Ermelo in Mpumalanga. 

According to reports, this brings 20 trucks in total that have been burned down. 

“This is criminality that will not be tolerated. These criminals are committing an act of economic sabotage, which must attract the harshest penalties permissible in law,” said Chikunga. 

“Our road network is the lifeblood of our economy and transports valuable cargo that keeps the wheels of our economy turning,” she stressed.  

According to the Minister, road traffic law enforcement authorities, working under the coordination of the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) continue to work closely with other law enforcement authorities to maintain maximum vigilance and to bring perpetrators to book.

“The ability of trucks to transport freight is an enabler of economic activity and trade with other markets, which is critical for our economy, as the road freight transports more than 80% of all country’s cargo,” she explained.  

Government, Chikunga said, has also provided a platform of engagement for any party aggrieved by working conditions in the road freight industry and that progress is being made in addressing the issues on the table.  

The Ministry said it continues to work as part of the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) to address the challenges facing the sector. 

“Behaviour by any party that is outside of that agreed framework will neither be condoned nor tolerated. We call upon law enforcement authorities to unleash the full might of the law in dealing with those who think they can sabotage our economy with impunity.  

“We equally appeal to other road users and communities to work closely with law enforcement authorities and report suspicious conduct on our roads.  We will not allow our roads to be used as an arena to commit crime,” she stressed.  SAnews.gov.za 

Former Northern Cape MEC for Transport, Roads, and Public Works, John Block, has appeared before the Kimberley Magistrate’s Court in relation to the R51 million fraud case against him and two other accused.

The co-accused are the department’s former HOD, Patience Mercia Mokhali, engineering company Babereki Consulting Engineers CC and the company’s director Tshegolekae Motaung.

The case relates to the construction of the new Kimberley Mental Hospital.

National Prosecuting Authority regional spokesperson, Mojalefa Senokoatsane, said the three face charges of fraud, money laundering, corruption and contravention of the Engineering Professions Act.

“It is alleged that in 2003, Babereki Consulting Engineers CC was fraudulently awarded a tender as a structural and civil engineer, as well as a project manager within the mental health hospital construction project.

“The accused, as the political head, and the former HOD [Mokhali], appointed Babereki Consulting Engineers CC, whose director is Tshegolekae Motaung, even though the company did not meet the requirements. The actual amount involved is approximately R51 million,” Senokoatsane said.

Block appeared in the court virtually on Tuesday, as he is currently serving a 15-year jail sentence at the Upington Correctional Services facility for other charges, including corruption.

“During their appearance, Block, through his legal representative, informed the court that he will be applying for bail. The bail application was set for the date of 1 August 2023. The case was remanded to 10 August 2023 for further investigation,” Senokoatsane said. – SAnews.gov.za

Department of Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan has announced a new board of directors for state freight rail, port and pipeline company, Transnet.

The new board will include nine new appointments as well as two re-appointments who are expected to serve for a three year term.

“As the Government’s shareholder representative, it gives me great pleasure to announce these new appointments as they will ensure strategic alignment in Transnet’s pursuit of its mandate as a key lever and driver of our economic engine, development and transformation.

“These appointments will put Transnet on a firm strategic path that provides critical expertise, experience and acumen for Transnet to optimally and strategically execute on its roadmap, business plan, improve governance and optimise performance,” Gordhan said.

The new appointments are:

• Andile Sangqu is the new chairperson of the board. Sanqu is the former Vice President of the Minerals Council South Africa and former Executive Head for Anglo American.
• Lebogang Letsoalo is a global supply chain coach and CEO of Sincpoint.
• Martin Debel is an Executive Director at Experion Global with in-depth knowledge of the maritime industry due to proven working experience in various sectors and educational background.
• Dipak Patel joined the South African Presidential Climate Commission (PCC) in June 2021 as Head: Climate Finance and Innovation.
• Busisa Jiya is the CEO of Association for Savings and Investment SA (Asisa), with experience in savings, Asset Management, Collective Investment Schemes, Retirement Funds, Banking, and Insurance.
• Mosadiwamaretlwe Pearl Zambane is a legal consultant with a strong Legal background backed by strong risk management experience.
• Boitumelo Sedupane is an Executive Committee member, with extensive experience in Human Resource leadership spanning six mining operations.
• Refilwe Buthelezi is the current President of the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA).
• Elias Monage has extensive experience in the labour movement for over 20 years as the National Collective Bargaining Negotiator for the National Union of Metal Workers of South Africa (NUMSA), the second biggest affiliate of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU).
• Returning to the board is former board chairperson Dr Popo Molefe.
• National Security Advisor to the President, Dr Sydney Mufamadi also returns to the board.

The Transnet Board will now have 13 directors comprising  11 Non-Executive Directors and two Executive Directors, being the GCE and GCFO. – SAnews.gov.za

President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed his sadness at the passing of veteran anti-apartheid activist, Blanche La Guma, at the age of 95.

In a statement on Tuesday, the President extended his condolences to the family, friends, comrades and associates of the late veteran in South Africa, the United Kingdom and Cuba, where she lived at various stages of her life.

President Ramaphosa said La Guma was in the vanguard of a succession of activists who mobilised communities on the Cape Flats against apartheid.

“She was a health professional who contributed to the development of her profession in her home city and the United Kingdom where she worked in exile.

“Blanche La Guma’s sacrifices and impact should inspire all of us to take a deeper interest in the history of our liberation and to develop a greater appreciation of the extraordinary roles ordinary played to fight for change in our society in the world. May her soul rest in peace,” the President said. 

The anti-apartheid heroine, who was a midwife by profession, was instrumental in the formation of the Federation of South African Women and conducted underground political activity as a member of the Communist Party in the 1950s.

She was detained in 1957 for mobilising 300 nurses in a protest against the Nursing Act and was later banned.
La Guma and her husband, intellectual and author, Alex La Guma, went into exile in 1966 and she returned to South Africa after the unbanning of the liberation movement. – SAnews.gov.za

 

As South Africa joins the world in commemorating Nelson Mandela Month this July, government has called on citizens to contribute to turning the tide against food insecurity and climate change in honour of Nelson Mandela’s legacy.

The Government Communication and Information System (GCIS), in a statement, described former President Nelson Mandela as a leader who abhorred injustice. 

“He is largely known for the personal sacrifices that he and fellow freedom fighters made towards the attainment of democracy in South Africa. 

“Even outside of prison, Mandela continued the fight against injustice, especially poverty, through various means, including mobilising local and international friends to support fundraising efforts for food insecurity and education, among others,” the statement read. 

According to government, Mandela viewed anti-poverty efforts as the protection of human rights.

“He once said, ‘Overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is an act of justice. It is the protection of a fundamental human right, the right to dignity and a decent life’.

“As such, South Africans will do well to honour him by emulating these ideals not only during Mandela Month but make them part of their daily lives.”

As he was affectionately known, the Father of the Nation was born on 18 July 1918. 

The year 2023 marks his 105th birthday. 

The 18th of July is now known as International Nelson Mandela Day, and it is dedicated to acts of service by both local and international citizens who greatly admired and respected what he stood for.

The South African government has since dedicated July to the commemoration of Mandela, thus naming it Mandela Month. 

This year’s commemoration takes place under the theme, 'It is in your hands'. 

Mandela made the declaration, “It is in your hands to create a better world for all who live in it” during his July 2007 speech delivered at the 46664 AIDS benefit concerts held in his honour by local and foreign musicians between 2003 and 2008.

During this month, government will host several events led by Ministers, Premiers, Deputy Ministers, Directors-General and public servants in all provinces.

These events include the planting of trees and the donation of blankets, clothes and food. 

The programmes will also support communities by starting food gardens. 

Acting government spokesperson, Nomonde Mnukwa, said there is no doubt that South Africa is already experiencing the effects of climate change.  

“The devastating floods of April 2022 and recent ones have worsened our food insecurity challenge, as many farmers could not produce. 

“Due to food shortages, the floods did not only push prices higher, they also left many in dire poverty and without shelter. Consequently, in the true Madiba spirit, as we commemorate Mandela Month and Mandela Day, we urge you to look around your neighbourhood and identify those that may need your help and do something to better their lives,” Mnukwa said. – SAnews.gov.za
 

The Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) has encouraged employees to use the various online tools and measures it has introduced to help curb snaking queues at labour centres across the country. 

According to UIF Director of Compliance, Malesela Makgamatho, the online tools include the uFiling system, which allows employees to submit claims, check their status and submit enquiries from the comfort of their homes. The system can be accessed on https://ufiling.labour.gov.za/uif/ .

Makgamatho was addressing members of organised labour on Monday at Bolivia Lodge in Polokwane during the UIF Commissioner’s Breakfast session.

The session was held in conjunction with provincial Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) members and affiliates in Limpopo.

The UIF is an entity of the Department of Employment and Labour.

The session was aimed at educating organised labour about UIF processes, criteria, benefits and general activities, with the view of improving customer experience of clients and stakeholders.

“For more convenience, the department has also introduced a free USSD service to make it easier for clients to check their UIF status. The USSD service only requires an active mobile number. This is especially beneficial for those who do not have direct internet access,” Makgamatho said.

 
To check your UIF status using the USSD platform, clients are encouraged to simply dial *134*843# on any mobile phone. This will open up a menu with several options to choose from, including claims and payment status, employee registration, payment continuation and general enquiries.

 
UIF Commissioner Teboho Maruping said the department has also introduced UIF mobile buses that move around provinces to assist clients in deep rural areas who are unable to visit labour centres in their nearest towns.

 
“Additionally, we have installed free Wi-Fi at all our labour centres so that clients can utilise the online system with ease when visiting our offices. Furthermore, 3 000 marshals and 3 000 officials have also been appointed to assist clients with online applications,” the Commissioner said. 

He said the idea behind the online system is to give total control to the applicant so that they can take charge of every step of their application. 

“The online system will help us to deal with the issue of incorrect documents, fraud and help applicants to keep their documents safe once they have submitted online. We want to take a different approach on how we work as a Fund. With the technology we have developed, we want to eventually eliminate visits to our offices entirely. We are in the process to improve these systems,” he said.

 
The commissioner said the department will in due course also introduce an employer driven process where the employer or even organised labour can be responsible to apply on behalf of the employees.

 
He explained that the intention for this engagement is for the department to work differently and see how best systems can be put in place to improve service delivery. – SAnews.gov.za

The Government of Ireland has invited South Africans interested in pursuing a Master's degree in Ireland to apply for the Kader Asmal Fellowship Programme to study at Ireland’s world-renowned higher education institutions.

The Kader Asmal Fellowship Programme is a flagship programme of the Embassy of Ireland in South Africa offered to South African students. 

The programme is part of the broader Ireland-Africa Fellowship Programme offered by the Government of Ireland.

Through the programme, professional women and men, with leadership potential from South Africa will avail of relevant postgraduate study opportunities in Irish higher education institutions.

“The scholarship broadly supports leadership for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and supporting the development of women’s leadership capacity, and women’s participation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) are key priorities.
  
“In addition, the Kader Asmal Fellowship Programme aims to support students who would not otherwise have the opportunity to pursue Master’s level education in Ireland. Graduates of Universities of Historical Disadvantage and Universities of Technology in particular are encouraged to apply,” the Ireland Embassy said.

The Embassy said the programme offers selected students the opportunity to undertake a fully-funded one-year master’s programme at a prestigious higher education institution (HEI) in Ireland. 

“The award covers course fees, accommodation, living costs, and flights. Applicants can choose from almost 200 postgraduate programmes especially selected to enhance capacity in line with stated country development goals and the strategy of the relevant Irish Mission.

“On completion of their studies, graduates will have acquired relevant skills and knowledge and be better capacitated and positioned to influence the advancement of national social, economic and development priorities,” the Embassy said. 

A full list of eligible courses is available on the website “Directory of Eligible Postgraduate Programmes in Irish Higher Education Institutions”.

Eligibility Criteria for the Kader Asmal Fellowship

To be eligible for a Kader Asmal Fellowship Programme commencing at the beginning of the academic year 2024 applicants must:
•    Be a South African citizen.
•    Have a minimum of two years relevant work experience.
•    Hold an Honours degree from a recognised public university, with an average of at least 75%. It must have been awarded in 2012 or later (within the last 12 years).
•    Not in possession of a Master’s degree or higher level qualification.
•    Be able to take up fellowship in August/September 2024 academic year.
•    Be able to demonstrate leadership abilities and aspirations, as well as commitment to the achievement of the SDGs within your own country.
•    Have identified and selected two relevant courses from the Ireland-Africa Fellows Programme Directory of Eligible Courses.
•    Have a clear understanding of the academic and English language proficiencies required for both courses chosen.
•    Should not have applied for the Kader Asmal Fellowship Programme on more than one previous occasion.

The applications for the 2024-2025 Kader Asmal Fellowship Programme open on 3 July and close on 31 July 2023.

For more information on the Kader Asmal Fellowship Programme, please visit https://canoncollins.org/scholarships/kader-asmal-fellowship-programme/. - SAnews.gov.za