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Higher Education, Science and Innovation Deputy Minister, Buti Manamela, says a sharp focus on artificial intelligence, machine learning and future skills is needed to enhance the objectives of the Young Scientist Forum (YSF). 

“Further to this, we also believe that consideration must be given to the human and social sciences. 

“We believe that all these areas of focus are critical for the development of all BRICS countries and essential for their resilience and the long-term psychological well-being of their respective populations,” the Deputy Minister said on Wednesday. 

Manamela was speaking in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape, where he was delivering the closing remarks at the BRICS YSF. 

The three-day event is a platform where participants zoom into transforming skills development for the future, climate change and environmental sustainability, and the future of society.

Organised by the Department of Science and Innovation’s entities, the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) and the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), the forum also hosted the Young Innovators Prize from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa to reward innovations with societal benefit. 

Fifty South African scientists under the age of 40 were among 200 Master’s and PhD students discussing themes aligned with South Africa’s societal challenges. 

“The BRICS Young Scientist Forum has become an important platform for critical reflection by young scientists, researchers, innovators and entrepreneurs on some of the most urgent challenges of our time.

“As South Africa, we are particularly pleased that this year’s BRICS forum upheld the tradition of focusing on such critical global issues as climate change, environmental sustainability, the future of education, mindset, and skillset, and the future of society,” Manamela said.

Another issue he believes deserves attention is the creation of strong YSF engagements with current and past cohorts. 

The Deputy Minister also proposed the establishment of an alumni forum of YSF participants from BRICS countries.

He said he was also pleased that the five installments of the BRICS Young Innovator Prize have been held successfully. 

“This prize has become an important stage for young people in BRICS countries to showcase their innovation talents and strengthen exchanges and cooperation with peers.”

The winners, he said, will be announced and awarded at a dinner by Higher Education, Science and Innovation Minister, Dr Blade Nzimande. 

The winner will walk away with US $25 000 (R463 926), while the second prize is $15 000 (R278 356) and the third prize is $10 000 (R 185 571). 

“To enhance the prestige of this prize, it is important that we continually improve the resourcing of this initiative in support of innovation improvement in the BRICS countries,” Manamela said.

He is also of the view that there is a need to increase the scope and thematic areas to resonate with the economic development of the BRICS countries and identify thematic areas that support developmental growth, especially the alleviation of poverty.

Manamela thanked the TIA and ASSAf for the sterling work of organising this year’s forum and innovation prize.

“Our gratitude also goes to the representatives of the various BRICS countries and our various esteemed guest speakers, who enriched our understanding of a number of critical issues that face our various countries and humanity today.

“It is our hope that the outcome of the 8th YSF BRICS Forum and the ideas presented by our young innovators will enhance the resolve of BRICS countries to improve the quality of life of the people in the global south.” 

The YSF precedes the 2023 BRICS Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Ministerial Meeting, which takes place on Friday, 4 August, under the theme ‘BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development, and Inclusive Multilateralism’.

The BRICS STI Ministerial Meeting is part of a series of activities leading up to South Africa's hosting of the 15th BRICS Summit in August 2023. – SAnews.gov.za

 

Former SABC Group Executive for Legal Governance and Regulatory, Advocate Ntuthuzelo Vanara, has been appointed as the Special Investigating Unit’s (SIU) Chief Legal Counsel.

The unit said Vanara’s appointment is in line with strengthening its “implementing business process improvements that are result driven”.

“The strategy places emphasis on the positive impact of the SIU work, improving turnaround time of investigations, reaching expected legal outcomes, and ensuring the implementation of SIU investigation outcomes and consequence management,” the SIU said.

Vanara has legal expertise spanning over two decades, including his work at the public broadcaster.

“He has also worked at the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa as Acting Registrar of Members’ Interest, Chief Director: Legal Advisor and has occupied other legal positions. He holds a B. Proc through Vista University, LLB and LLM through the University of the Free State.

“The SIU looks forward to Advocate Vanara leading our legal team and strengthening our Civil Litigation Division to achieve even greater milestones,” the unit said. – SAnews.gov.za

 

ABB's Longmeadow campus in Modderfontein, Johannesburg, has invested just over R10 million to complete its additional technology transfer and strengthen the local manufacturing of its UniGear ZS1 medium voltage switchgear facility.

ABB (ABBN: SIX Swiss Ex) is a technology leader in electrification and automation, enabling a more sustainable and resource-efficient future.

The product was previously fully imported from the Czech Republic, or other countries when needed. This investment will now mean that 60-70% of the technology will now be manufactured locally.

“South Africa Switchgear Market size is projected to register growth. The increasing number of investments for sustainable power generation coupled with growing population is expected to drive the growth of the market,” said Yunus Hoosen, Head Invest SA of the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition.   

“This illustrates both the importance of the domestic sector to multinationals and the strategic location of South Africa to a rapidly growing African consumer market,” he said.

The Distribution Solutions factory now employs around 120 people, ten of whom employed due to this investment.

There is also a plan to increase these numbers by employing additional permanent engineers, contractors, and graduates through its graduate programme in which over 70 graduates currently participate. 

ABB has further started the process of increasing the localization of its Compact Secondary Substations (CSS), which is due for completion by October 2023. 

“Utilities are increasingly looking to implement smart solutions to solve complex energy challenges. The creation of job opportunities for local engineers and contractors demonstrates our long term commitment as a partner of Government,” said Egon Worthmann, MV Primary AIS Switchgear Manager for ABB Electrification’s Distribution Solutions division.  

Built in 2009, ABB South Africa headquarters demonstrates the company’s early adoption of more sustainable manufacturing approaches, with the site boasting a 760kWp array of rooftop solar panels, which generate enough solar energy to cover around 30% of the site’s annual energy consumption of 2400MwH.  

The Distribution Solutions factory serves customers in South Africa and other sub-Saharan countries.   

"The ABB investment further signifies that South Africa remains an attractive investment destination across all sectors including the Advanced Manufacturing sector," Hoosen said.

"InvestSA remains ready and committed to assist foreign and domestic investors in realizing their investment in South Africa with localisation being a key component of economic reconstruction and recovery," he said. – SAnews.gov.za

An investigation has found that methane gas was the cause of the deadly Lillian Ngoyi Street (formerly known as Bree Street) explosion that rocked the Johannesburg city centre last month.

This was revealed by City of Johannesburg City Manager, Floyd Brink, during a media briefing on Wednesday.

The explosion killed one person, injured several others, caused infrastructure damage and disrupted services in the area.

“Methane is lighter than air so usually methane…will go up. It travelled up all along the service tunnel from an unknown source to the crest of the tunnel near the Von Brandis Street. There were always questions around why did we not see any fire…if you look at the low explosive level, there’s a threshold of between 5 and 15%. If it’s between 5 to 15% it will be an explosion, anything above 15% will then create a fire.

“This one was between the threshold of between 5 to 15%, therefore it was an explosion. As we flew…our drones into those tunnels, we could not pick up any indication of black scorch from a fire,” he said.

Brink added that the investigation ruled out several other suspected causes – including that the explosion was caused by a gas leakage, illegal mining underground or negligence.

The city manager said repair work to rehabilitate and reconstruct the area is currently estimated to stand at more than R100 million.

“Our rough estimate at this point currently sits around R178 million and that is based on work that has been done but it’s based on preliminary designs. We will indicate…as we are moving closer with detailed designs. That amount may increase based on the designs that we will have.

“That is preliminary to look at what it will cost us for the road, what it will cost us for any other infrastructure damages and also to reconstruct that particular tunnel,” Brink said.

He revealed that following the explosion, the City of Johannesburg spent close to R4 million on “professional experts, services, the cordoning off of the site, technology that we’ve used and the provision of temporary relief”.

Brink said the city has learnt several lessons following the explosion with plans coming to avoid future reoccurrence.

“The tunnel designs will be upgraded based on current international codes for tunnels to reduce the risk of severity for these types of explosions. We will also introduce continuous gas detection, alarms, sensors and monitors for all staff working in the tunnels.

“As we move forward to reconstruct and to upgrade these particular areas, we would need to upgrade to ensure that we use technology. Our tunnels designs will be based on international relevant standards… that focusses specifically on tunnels and explosion prevention with accidental combustible gas release in tunnels and/or cavities,” he said.

Brink emphasised that the work to secure the tunnel will not only be concentrated on Lillian Ngoyi Street but other projects will also commence at other streets in the area to “look at gas detection and any other issues”. – SAnews.gov.za

The chairperson of the Commission for Employment Equity (CEE), Tabea Kabinde, has lamented the slow pace of transformation in the workplace for designated groups, especially for people with disabilities. 

Kabinde was addressing the Employment Equity roadshow in Pretoria on Wednesday.  

Conducted under the theme, ‘Real transformation makes business sense’, the Employment Equity roadshows by the Department of Employment and Labour, in collaboration with the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), create awareness on the recently promulgated EE amendments, sector targets and regulations.

The workshops further aim to deal with the impact of EE in the labour market by sharing the results of the 23rd CEE Annual Report. 

“Out of 27 532 reports received, covering a total of 7 215 960 employees, only 1.2% are persons with disabilities. We are now stretching it to only 2% as a proposed target. Please do not overlook people with disabilities,” Kabinde said.
 
The chairperson told the gathering that while there are employers who are transforming their workplaces in terms of hiring people with disabilities, very few go beyond the 1.2%. She said there must be a demonstrable commitment to employ those with disabilities. 

Kabinde said anyone can have disabilities due to an accident or illness and “this does not mean the end”.

On the issue of sector targets, the CEE chairperson told the meeting that a lot of noise in the media is created by misunderstandings. 

“When we start fighting, we forget that we are talking about the Economically Active Population (EAP). The EAP focuses only on people who are working, looking for work and are employable,” she said.
 
She told the workshop that it cannot be that a group with a small EAP continues to occupy top management level posts, whereas racial groups with a higher percentage of the EAP occupy a small fraction of top management posts.

Part of the session was also spent on a demonstration of the online EE system with the incorporated amendments to reporting on the system and how certificates of compliance will be generated.
 
There was also a presentation of the CCMA’s case law related to EE, professionally done by a Commissioner from the CCMA. 

The national series workshops/roadshows started on 18 July and will conclude on 29 August 2023. The remaining August workshops are as follows: 

Gauteng 
• Johannesburg (2 August 2023) 

 Mpumalanga 
• Witbank (Emalahleni) - (15 August 2023) 
• Nelspruit (Mbombela) – (16 August 2023) 

Western Cape 
• George (15 August 2023) 
• Cape Town (16 August 2023) 

Eastern Cape
• Gqeberha (22 August 2023) 
• East London (23 August 2023) 
• Mthatha (24 August 2023) 

Free State
 • Welkom (22 August 2023) 
• Bloemfontein (23 August 2023) 

KwaZulu-Natal 
• Durban (29 August 2023) 

The EE workshops are targeted at employers or heads of organisations, academics, senior managers, consultative forum members, human resource practitioners, trade unions, employees and other interested stakeholders. – SAnews.gov.za

The Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (AARTO) Act is expected to play a role in changing the behaviour of South Africa’s road users for the better.

“More than 12 000 road users perish on our roads annually. AARTO will play a critical role in changing the behaviour of road users for the better. We all need to strive towards zero fatalities in our roads. One road death is one too many,” says Monde Mkalipi.

Mkalipi is the spokesperson of the Road Traffic Infringement Agency (RTIA) which has been given the mandate to continue with the implementation of the AARTO Act.

This comes after the Constitutional Court confirmed the legality and validity of the Act and the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences Amendment Act 4 of 2019.

Government has welcomed the July judgement on the constitutionality challenge brought by civil action group, OUTA (Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse). The OUTA brought an application calling on the highest court in the land to confirm the Pretoria High Court’s 2022 judgement which found the AARTO legislation to be unconstitutional and invalid.

According to OUTA, the legislation “unlawfully intrudes upon the exclusive executive and legislative competence of the local and provincial governments envisaged in the Constitution, preventing local and provincial governments from regulating their own affairs.”

However, in its judgement, the Constitutional Court disagreed. In welcoming the court’s July judgement, Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga said the ruling affirms government’s long-held view that this is a necessary law to advance the state’s efforts in arresting the carnage on the country’s roads.

The Minister said the implementation of this law across the country has been pending for 25 years, with pilots in place in the Cities of Johannesburg and Tshwane.

The Amendment Act intends to establish and administer rehabilitation programmes; to provide for the apportionment of penalties; to provide for the establishment of the Appeals Tribunal and add to the functions of the RTIA among others.

Speaking to SAnews, Mkalipi added that it is government’s long held view that AARTO is a necessary road safety intervention to curb fatalities.

How it will work

The ruling paves the way to penalise drivers and operators of motor vehicles who are guilty of traffic or road infringements through a system of demerit points, which may result in the suspension or cancellation of driving licences.

Chikunga said government would move with speed with the implementation of the demerit system which is an important cornerstone of the AARTO Act.  The system will involve demerit points being allocated according to the severity of infringements committed.

The AARTO Act provides for a system whereby a person, operator or juristic person who is not an operator, pays the penalty and incurs points when a traffic infringement is committed.

Under the demerit system, vehicles are not punished by the system, but the operator /juristic person is held responsible for the use of the vehicle.

Upon implementation of the demerit system, everyone will commence with zero points.

A 2020 government gazette details the Schedule 3 demerit points and penalties and according to the document, an offender will receive a penalty, and in addition to the penalty, the offender also receives demerit points to the specific infringement or offence.

If the demerit points exceed the maximum 15 points, a person, operator or juristic person who is not an operator will be disqualified from driving or using the vehicle for three months for every point surpassing the 15 points.

According to the gazette’s Explanatory Memorandum on Schedule 3 demerit points and penalties, points for offences and infringements range between one and six.

If demerit points are allocated to a person or vehicle and no further demerit points are accrued in three months after receiving the previous demerit point, a reduction of one point on the total number of demerit points will be recorded on the system.

A person's driving licence card and the operator card of a motor vehicle must be handed in for the disqualification period. Upon a third disqualification, the licence will be cancelled.

This then means that an individual must apply for a new learner's licence and driving licence once the disqualification period ends.

Clarity on function

The judgement provides clarity on Schedule 4 matters of concurrent function between the national and provincial sphere as well as on Schedule 5.

Schedule 4 of the Constitution lists the functional areas in which Parliament and the provincial legislatures jointly have the right to make laws. Schedule 5 of the Constitution lists the functional areas in which only the provincial legislatures may make laws.

Mkalipi clarifies that the AARTO Act will by no means displace national and provincial laws and municipal bylaws.

“But [it] will rather encourage compliance with these laws. Voluntary compliance with traffic laws is the new culture AARTO seeks to instil among our road users.”

Compliance

As an entity of the Department of Transport which is mandated with assisting motorists in managing and resolving AARTO fines, the RTIA says the AARTO seeks to encourage compliance with road traffic laws.

“It is our hope that [the] reduction in traffic violations will automatically also result in reduction of road crashes, injuries and fatalities,” he said.

The agency offers road users the various legislated AARTO elective options ranging from a 50% discount, nomination of driver in charge of vehicle, submission of representations to dispute an infringement and the request to pay in instalments.

Implementation

In addition, the agency is reviewing its AARTO Master Implementation Plan to determine the shape and form of the AARTO national rollout. Previously, the department had said implementation would follow a phased-in approach.

“Currently consultations are underway with members of the AARTO National Steering Committee who are representing various issuing authorities (national road traffic agencies, provinces and municipalities) to determine the most feasible way to kick-start the AARTO national rollout,” said Mkalipi.

At a recent media briefing, Chikunga said motorists can expect the nationwide full implementation of the AARTO Act in July 2024.

The agency said the testing of the implementation of the AARTO Act in Gauteng’s Tshwane and Johannesburg in 2008, has provided a firm commitment that the agency is ready to rollout AARTO throughout the country.

While the agency continues to engage with stakeholders to ensure that they have a thorough understanding of how the act and its amendment will work, it will also continue educating road users on the legislation and its implications for those who do not comply.

While there has been some sentiment that the AARTO will be hard to implement, the RTIA is of a different view.

“With the eagerness to rollout AARTO by various partners, the RTIA strongly believes the AARTO rollout will be a great success. As we speak, we have the NaTIS [National Administration Traffic Information System] that is active in all municipalities across the country. Since AARTO is a highly automated system, the RTIA should be able to rollout AARTO with existing network on the NaTIS.

“We have prepared so well for the implementation of AARTO which includes the Points Demerit System and the Rehabilitation programme. All these elements of AARTO are being packaged for automation and loading into the NaTIS,” Mkalipi explained.

The rehabilitation programme will see habitual infringers who have their licenses cancelled, attending rehabilitation programmes to be allowed back into the driving fold. –SAnews.gov.za