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Higher Education, Science and Innovation Minister, Dr Blade Nzimande, has called upon students and staff members in higher learning institutions, to consider the value proposition that HIGHER HEALTH’s co-curriculum is bringing to the development of the country.

Nzimande made the call when he was unveiling the National Civic Education and Health Skills Programme at the Tshwane North TVET College Mamelodi Campus on Thursday.

The National Civic Education and Health Skills Programme will, for the first time, see young people participating in the programme, have a recognised certificate affirming their readiness to play a role in improving their communities and building the nation.

Nzimande noted that it is the first time that a civic education skills programme has attained a nationally recognised accreditation in South Africa and Africa in general.

This was through a collaboration effort between the department’s entities, including HIGHER HEALTH, Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO), and the Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority, that led to the development of the accredited co-curriculum. 

Nzimande explained that the curriculum, to be accredited at National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Level 5, will be available for all students and staff registered in all Post School Education and Training (PSET) sector. Students do not need to be at NQF Level 4 for them to enrol for the course.

The modules to be offered in co-curriculum will include, Civic Education; Gender-Based Violence (GBV), Gender Equality and Diversity, Transforming MENtalities; Mental Health; Disability; Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE); Alcohol and Substance; and Abuse and Building Resilience.

The co-curriculum, which will be offered in all 12 official languages, including Sign Language, is different from any other, because it is based on the interactive participatory pedagogy, centred on the approach of “EACH ONE! TEACH TEN” (Teach at least ten people in your lifetime). 

“The co-curriculum will include top 10 soft skills required by employers, which include active, empathic listening and counselling; civic responsibility; conflict resolution; creativity; decision making; digital literacy; presentation skills; public speaking; teamwork; organisational and leadership skills; as well as time-management.

“It is this kind of innovation, and the social transformation that comes with it that will contribute to the overall process of building good citizenship in our country. This unique co-curriculum will instil the values of respect and compassion for one another, community building, volunteerism and unshakeable commitment to advancing social causes,” Nzimande said. 

Building strong democratic institutions

The Minister also highlighted that one of the greatest benefits of this civic education co-curriculum is to contribute towards voter education amongst the youth.

With South Africa’s youth accounting for more than 20.6 million of the population, Nzimande said, increasing their civic involvement and political participation is crucial to building an inclusive society and strong democratic institutions.

“For South Africa’s political system to be representative, all parts of society must be included. When young people are disenfranchised or disengaged from political processes, a significant portion of the population has little or no voice or influence in decisions that affect them.

“This is amongst the reasons that this co-curriculum has been designed to tackle a wide range of health, mental and social challenges facing our youth today,” Nzimande said. 

He added that through the curriculum, issues of GBV within the PSET sector, will be able to be addressed, and the module that deals with issues around gender issues, will be aimed at transforming MENtalities, by raising awareness about the role of men in changing their own attitudes and ending GBV.

“Our module on mental health will be an appropriate response to the reality that one in five young South Africans in higher education suffer from moderate to severe mental health issues, according to the World Health Organisation.

“Soon, we will be including to our curriculum, issues of climate change. This module will be included to address the dire need to counter the disastrous impact of climate change such as floods, fire and famine that devastate regions hit by unprecedented adverse weather patterns,” Nzimande said. – SAnews.gov.za

 

The Bracken Nature Reserve Visitor Education Centre in Cape Town has been awarded a five-star rating from the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA) for its public and education building design.

This comes after plans to redevelop its historic buildings into a community multipurpose venue made with an industrial-type steel portal frame, brick infill walls and a facade that will be a combination of face brick and plaster. 

The City of Cape Town's Acting Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Eddie Andrews, said the recognition from the GBCSA signifies that the building design has met stringent environmental standards and demonstrated a high level of sustainability. 

Andrews congratulated the team for coming up with such an innovative redesign.

“This is a fantastic achievement for the city. It shows the city’s commitment to reducing environmental impact, promoting access to efficient facilities, and leading by example in project planning and green building design,” Andrews said.

He said the design of the centre’s features support the city’s goal for all new and existing municipal buildings to be net-zero carbon by 2030, as outlined in the City’s Climate Change Action Plan.

The centre is also designed to encourage alternative modes of transport to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and foster healthier lifestyles.

The project, which is scheduled to start in October 2023 and planned for completion in July 2025, will be able to accommodate up to 100 visitors simultaneously, whereas the old building could only accommodate small groups of 20 people at a time.

The sustainable building features of the redeveloped centre will include:

•    Lighting that uses a motion sensor-controlled system and LED-efficient fittings;

•    High-performance internal vision glazing designed to take advantage of natural daylight;

•    Mechanically assisted fresh air ventilation systems that will filter fresh air to enclosed offices and multipurpose venue, using weather louvres and occupancy sensors;

•    50kWp (Kilowatt peak) Photovoltaic grid-tied system with two 25kVA (Kilo-volt-amperes) inverters;

•    3kW backup element for 200-litre solar geyser;

•    Rainwater harvesting;

•    Waste recycling storage facilities for sorting and collecting operational waste; and

•    Black water treatment system and black water harvesting system.

Andrews highlighted that water-efficient fittings will be fitted onto all taps, waterless urinals will be installed, and toilets will be flushed using recycled water from the black water harvesting system.

He said there was no requirement for landscaped irrigation and the local weather-wise indigenous ground cover, plant and tree species, will be watered during the winter months’ natural rainfall.

“Access to water and energy consumption data by means of display screens for all occupants and visitors. This will offer insight into the sustainable operations of the building,” Andrews said.

“Preferential parking bays have been allocated for fuel-efficient transportation, and secure bicycle storage provided. There are also cyclist facilities including showers and lockers on site,” the Acting Mayor said. – SAnews.gov.za

 

 

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) says it is considering its legal options following a High Court judgement which declared as invalid the unit’s authorisation to investigate the affairs of Telkom.

The unit was authorised through a proclamation by President Cyril Ramaphosa to investigate allegations of “serious maladministration, malpractice, and possible corruption” in the affairs of the telecommunications company.

According to the unit, the court’s Gauteng Division in Pretoria found that Telkom is not a state institution and therefore, the SIU could not probe its affairs.

“The SIU has studied the judgment and is considering legal options available to it to clarify what constitutes a state institution. The judgment has considered the question of what constitutes a State Institution.

“In terms of the Special Investigating Units and Special Tribunals Act 74 0f 1996, the SIU is empowered to investigate allegations of corruption and maladministration in the affairs of state institutions like government departments, municipalities, and state-owned entities; to recover financial losses suffered by the state and prevent further losses,” the unit said.

The SIU added that clarification is needed by the courts to thrash out what a state institution is.

Currently, government directly holds a 40.5% shareholding in Telkom with a further 15.3% shareholding through the Public Investment Corporation.

“Considering the judgement, the SIU is of the view that a clarification on what constitutes a state institution is important and will further strengthen the work of the SIU in rooting out corruption and maladministration in the administration of all state institutions.

“We further believe that there are grounds justifying an appeal and that the issue of the ‘state institution’ must be decided and settled by a higher court. If this is not clarified, it may create an unwelcomed precedent that some public institutions may inadvertently be shielded from investigation by the SIU,” the unit said. – SAnews.gov.za

 

Justice and Constitutional Development (DJCOD) Minister, Ronald Lamola says the protection of whistleblowers from retaliation and vengeance remains an imperative which would honour the legacy of former President Nelson Mandela.

The Minister was speaking at the Public Service Commission’s (PSC) symposium into the protection of whistleblowers held on Friday.

“As we reflect on the profound legacy of President Mandela, we must acknowledge that his unwavering commitment to justice and equality must serve as an inspiration for us all.

“In order to uphold these values, we must prioritise protecting those who speak out against wrongdoing. Whistleblowers play a critical role in promoting accountability and transparency and we must ensure that they can do so without fear of retaliation,” he said.

Legislation

Currently, South Africa’s whistle-blower legislation is the Protected Disclosures Act (PDA). However, it only refers to employer-employee relations and does not extend protection beyond that relationship, does not require confidentiality nor does it offer legal and financial assistance to whistleblowers.

To improve on this, the DJCOD has released – for public comment – a document with proposed reforms for South Africa’s whistleblower regime.

According to Lamola, this document proposes several measures to enhance protections.

“According to the report, it is recommended that any provision in a contract that attempts to exclude the Protected Disclosures Act should be prohibited. Furthermore, it should be considered a criminal offence for an individual to seek retribution against a whistle blower who has made a protected disclosure.

“Moreover, the state should offer protection to whistleblowers and their immediate family members if their safety or property is at risk. Finally, whistleblowers should be recognised as witnesses under the Witness Protection Act.

“We eagerly anticipate the contributions of society to create a society where morality and integrity are matched by enthusiasm for justice and not vengeance,” Lamola said.

He explained that while work to strengthen whistleblower legislation continues in the background, government is working on how it can help those speaking out right now.

“The question we currently grappling with is what happens in the interim, whilst we are reviewing the act, whistleblowers are being victimised now.

“We are working with the private sector players and civil society to navigate this difficult conundrum. Since as we speak now one can only exercise a power or action empowered by law,” Lamola said. – SAnews.gov.za

 

The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) has appealed to residents, especially in informal settlements, to prioritise safety, amid a severe cold front in the Midlands.

The department noted that during this period, there has been an increase in fire disasters, often resulting in tragic loss of life.

“The use of candles, gas and paraffin stoves, izimbawula and electric appliances must be closely monitored at all times and should never be left unattended,” the department said in a statement.

The department also warned residents, particularly in the Midlands areas of an incoming snowfall expected to impact the south-western part of the province.

“The weather condition may lead to icy roads, resulting in traffic disruptions and isolated loss of vulnerable livestock and crops,” the department said.

The South African Weather Service has forecasted that a cold front associated with an upper trough will bring significantly low daytime temperatures over the province on Thursday and Friday. 

The department said the freezing levels are dropping significantly, potentially resulting in snowfalls over parts of Harry Gwala, western uMgungundlovu and uThukela Districts.

Areas likely to be affected by the snowfall include Ladysmith, Underberg, Greater Kokstad, Impendle, Escort, Sobabili, Giants Castle, Mooi River, Okhahlamba, uMngeni and Umzimkhulu Local Municipality. – SAnews.gov.za
 

Following the explosion at Bree Street in Johannesburg on Wednesday, Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Sihle Zikalala has called on teams of professionals in the built sector to stand ready to support initiatives led by the Gauteng Premier and City of Johannesburg leadership.

These are the Council for the Built Environment, a DPWI entity to mobilise the sector, professionals, engineers, geologists and other specialists.

Minister Zikalala is the custodian of the built environment.

According to the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, the mobilisation of the professionals is aimed at restoring normalcy, protecting the public and rebuilding of Infrastructure.

Eyewitnesses and people living near the explosion site have reported a strong smell of gas lingering in the air, long after the explosion.

One person was killed, and 41 others injured in a blast during rush hour that overturned vehicles and destroyed sections of Bree Street and Rissik Street.

Most streets have been cordoned off due to the effects of the blast. – SAnews.gov.za

A Saldanha Bay businesswoman has appeared in the Vredenburg Magistrates’ Court on fraud charges relating to a R26 million Saldanha Bay Local Municipality security tender.

According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Eric Ntabazalla, businesswoman Wanda McCarthy allegedly misrepresented her company when bidding for the tender some five years ago.

“The winning company was required to provide 77 security guards to the towns, inclusive of day and night shifts. The security guards were required to be qualified to level-C and possess legitimate PSIRA certificates. The company was also required to provide labour and transportation, with 10 vehicles registered in the service provider’s name at the time of bidding.

“Scrutiny of the company found that the accused had made misrepresentations, stating that her company had a workforce of between 400 to 600 employees and a registered fleet of over 10 vehicles.

“Between February and March 2018, the company’s bank statements reflected payments to 27 employees for February 2018, 90 employees for March 2018 and 90 employees for April 2018, with a total of R357 273.00. This meant that the company had an average of 69 employees between March and April 2018,” Ntabazalla said.

He added that further investigations found that she had also allegedly misrepresented the number of vehicles that the company owned.

The tender was subsequently cancelled two years after it was awarded having already paid some R13.8 million to McCarthy.

“The State alleges that the accused’s actions were both unlawful and intentional to the extent that the unsuccessful service providers were prejudiced, and incurred a substantial amount of money to pursue the appeal which was fraudulently awarded to the company. As a result, other prospective tenderers and the municipality suffered actual loss and prejudiced in the amount of R13.8,” Ntabazalla said.

She was released on R20 000 bail and is expected back in court on 21 August.

Meanwhile, two suspects have appeared in the Rustenburg Magistrates’ Court also on charges related to fraud in a tender for high mast lights awarded by the Rustenburg Local Municipality.

NPA regional spokesperson Henry Mamothame said the two, Obakeng Mokgale and Orebotse Tlale, are former employees of the municipality and were arrested and face four counts of fraud.

The two have since been dismissed from the municipality.

“All procurement processes were duly followed for the tender to be awarded. Investigations reveal that the tender was awarded to a company that was not compliant, owing to the fraudulent documents that were submitted in order to be awarded the tender. The two were notified of the noncompliance but continued to recommend for the tender to be awarded to the said company.

“The company is said to have also submitted fraudulent invoices amounting to more than R1.7 million for a service that was not rendered. The accused continued to sign the procurement documents, pretending to have seen the service that was rendered, for payment to be processed,” he said.

The two were granted R30 000 bail and are expected back in court on 15 August. – SAnews.gov.za

South Africa’s BRICS “Sherpa” Anil Sooklal announced on Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin will participate in the upcoming summit virtually. 

This comes after President Cyril Ramaphosa’s statement that Putin will not be attending the BRICS Summit “by mutual agreement”, adding that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov would lead his country’s delegation. 

“But he will attend the summit virtually. He will be involved in all of the sessions that the leaders are partaking in the traditional summit of BRICS leaders,” Sooklal told the press. 

In addition, the Russian President will also deliver his closing remarks virtually at the BRICS Business Council and all the other deliberations of the conference. 

“Although Minister Lavrov will be physically present, President Putin will participate virtually,” he stressed.

This is after the International Criminal Court (ICC) judges issued arrest warrants against Putin and Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova in March for allegedly being responsible for the war crime of unlawful deportation and transfer of children from Ukraine to Russia.

According to the Sherpa, who is a representative of the Head of State tasked with preparing for international summits, this was “unusual”. 

He reminded the media that last year, he also did not attend a gathering of leaders from the Group of 20 (G20) nations in Jakarta, Indonesia. 

“It was because of the good relationship that he has with Indonesia and President Joko Wododo. He didn’t want to collapse that summit because there was a threat that if he attended the summit, certain leaders would walk out and the summit would collapse,” he explained. 

“He considered that he wanted Indonesia to have a successful conference and he sent Minister Lavrov.”

Sooklal believes that the agreement that has been reached by BRICS leaders reflects President Ramaphosa’s job well done. 

“He has engaged all parties and not just President Putin. This decision wasn’t just taken between President Ramaphosa and President Putin.”

He added that the country’s First Citizen in the past several months has engaged all BRICS leaders. 

“He has spoken to them personally several times, discussing this issue. As I said, BRICS is a consensus-based entity,” he explained. 

“President Putin not being physically present in the summit impacts all the other leaders as well and I think it shows the maturity and the strength of the partnership and that collectively, we could come to a decision.

“President Putin understands the dilemma South Africa faces and didn’t want to jeopardise the summit or create problems for South Africa and this is the strength of BRICS cooperation.”

Meanwhile, he believes this demonstrates President Putin’s desire for South Africa, as a BRICS chair, has a successful summit and all the issues set on the agenda are discussed collectively. 

“We’re confident that the summit will be a success. There’s no threat of a walkout by anyone like in G20. All the BRICS leaders will fully embrace the summit and so are the leaders of the Global South.” 

He also outlined the three-day programme of the 15th BRICS Summit in South Africa that will take place from 22 to 24 August 2023 at the Sandton Convention Centre.

This includes a media briefing led by the Heads of State, dinner, and cultural activities. 

For the first time, he said the summit, will incorporate the participation of the youth.  

The Sherpa also said that they have invited a total of 69, including Global South leaders and believes that this year’s gathering will be the largest yet.

“President Emmanuel Macron has also asked to attend the summit. There’s a high interest in the summit.” 

Sooklal said Ministers in BRICS, a group of emerging markets — Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, will soon deliberate on the issue of expansion. 

The Sherpa said 22 countries have formally approached BRICS nations to become members of the group. 

“There’s no area of the world where a country hasn’t formally asked; from the Middle East, Latin America, Asia, Europe and all the major players from the Global South.” – SAnews.gov.za
 

Deputy Minister in the Presidency, Kenny Morolong, has encouraged the youth to actively influence public policy decisions.

“As the youth, you should not just be passive recipients of public policy decisions; instead, you should and are actively influencing them, either directly through political participation or indirectly through civil society activism,” Morolong said.

He was speaking at the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) Youth Summit in Durban on Thursday.

Addressing the summit, Morolong said youth activism was a necessary pressure point that led governments to elaborate on policies that prioritise education, job creation, climate change, and social justice - issues he said “resonate with the broad section of our youth populace”.

Challenges of unemployment, including inadequate educational opportunities and social inequalities, are some of the pressing issues that define youth experience, especially in South Africa and Africa as a whole.

While the youth are digitally connected, Morolong said, there was an increasing danger of information overload and a spread of misinformation.

“I hope that this summit has had time to address these issues to provide governments with a policy platform fully to harness the potential dividends for the youth and frustrate its negative impact.

“On a global scale, you have the possibility to significantly impact the geopolitical landscape through the kind of actions you take; issuing out of the policy platforms on which you may have agreed.

“As the BRICS youth, you have to insist on contributing to the digital economic policy that drives more inclusion and cooperation, to enable you fully to participate in global competition.

“Your innovation and entrepreneurial spirit presents an opportunity for the creation of a south-south supply chain that could strengthen the BRICS nations' position in the global digital landscape,” Morolong said.

Beacon of hope

Morolong highlighted that BRICS is gaining more and more global significance, as a beacon of hope in the global South. 

He said the countries’ combined economic influence can play an important role in leading the global south towards a new era of finance and debt relief, focusing on sustainable growth, innovative financial mechanisms, and debt relief.

The Deputy Minister argued that sustainable growth is underpinned by not only economic expansion, but also by environmental preservation and social progress. 

By focusing on inclusive growth, BRICS can help reduce inequality within and between nations, thus creating a more balanced global financial structure.

“Significantly, what are the innovative financial instruments that can significantly reshape the financial landscape and secure youth participation on a grand scale? How can the youth of the BRICS countries and the global South more broadly benefit from the financing that emanates from the New Development Bank (BRICS Bank)?

“The New Development Bank is a significant step towards providing an alternative source of funding for development projects for BRICS and other emerging economies. Enhanced financial cooperation between BRICS and countries of the global South can foster a more equitable financial order,” Morolong said. 

He said that through bilateral or multilateral trade agreements, currency swap arrangements and collaborative investment projects, BRICS can help create a financial environment that supports the growth and stability of the global South.

In this regard, BRICS can help strengthen the economic resilience of the global South by sharing best practices in areas like financial regulation and fiscal management.

“As the world grapples with the economic effects of global challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change, the role of BRICS could be more critical than ever in building a more equitable and resilient global financial system,” the Deputy Minister said. – SAnews.gov.za