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Minister Tolashe wishes social grant beneficiaries well in matric exams

Location: News

Minister Tolashe wishes social grant beneficiaries well in matric exams

Social Development Minister Sisisi Tolashe has sent well wishes to the beneficiaries of social grants who will be writing their National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations.

According to the records of the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) there are 696 886 social grants beneficiaries writing the NSC exams which commenced on Monday.

The department has, through SASSA, invested R46 677 286 420 in the Class of 2024 from 1997 to current financial year to support the learners.

In the 2023 academic year, 556 133 social grant beneficiaries wrote their final matric exams and 451 578 passed, achieving an 81.3% pass rate.

The Minister said this success rate is testament to the substantive positive impact and outcomes of comprehensive social security on the health and well-being of children.

“Social assistance is the biggest government programme to deal with poverty. As the class of 2024 sits for the final examination, we understand the path that you have travelled, and we wish you the best of luck as you write your examinations,” the Minister said.

Social grants beneficiaries are encouraged to apply to the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) for assistance with tertiary education. – SAnews.gov.za

DikelediM
Tue, 10/22/2024 - 14:39

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Social Development commemorates International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

Location: News

Social Development commemorates International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

The Department of Social Development (DSD) will today commemorate the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, commonly known as End Poverty Day, raising awareness about the ongoing global fight against poverty and mobilising collective action to eradicate it in all its forms.

In a statement on Thursday, the department highlighted that the commemoration comes at a time when South Africa is grappling with the cost-of-living crisis and rising inequality.

“The goal of eradicating poverty is at the heart of the core mandate of the Department of Social Development,” the department said. 

To mark this day, Deputy Minister of Social Development, Ganief Hendricks, will lead the Integrated Community Registration Outreach Programme (ICROP) at Cofimvaba, within the Intsika Yethu Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape. 

“The municipality is largely rural and characterised by underdevelopment and high levels of poverty. The outreach programme will focus on promoting access to services such as birth registration and social grants applications to address issues of child poverty and malnutrition in the area,” the department said. 

As part of the programme, Deputy Minister Hendricks will distribute school uniforms to learners at Intlangano and Sentile Primary Schools, ensuring that children from poor households remain in school, helping to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty.

In the North West province, MEC of Social Development, Basetsana Sussana Dantjie, will also lead the commemoration by handing over a cheque to the Thota Ya Tau Fish Harvest Primary Cooperative in the Dr. Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality. 

This National Development Agency (NDA) supported cooperative will receive R321 225.58 in grant funding to purchase essential equipment, including a fishing boat, mobile cold-room trailer, and a generator.

These investments will help the cooperative expand its fishery operations, create sustainable jobs for its 10 members, and boost local economic development.

These outreach programmes are part of the department’s broader initiatives under Social Development Month, aimed at showcasing and promoting access to services that alleviate poverty and hunger among the country’s most vulnerable communities. – SAnews.gov.za

DikelediM
Thu, 10/17/2024 - 09:47

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Call to declare crypto assets with SARS

Location: News

Call to declare crypto assets with SARS

The South African Revenue Service has encouraged taxpayers with various digital currencies, which includes crypto assets, to declare these with its Voluntary Disclosure Programme (VDP) to facilitate compliance.

This comes as the South African Revenue Service (SARS) has noted the phenomenal growth in the use of various digital currencies by many South Africans.

Prominent amongst these is the prevalence of crypto assets. A staggering number of more than 5.8 million South Africans hold a crypto asset, with Southern Africa boasting the largest uptake of Bitcoin in the world.

SARS Commissioner Edward Kieswetter once more reminded taxpayers to honestly and dutifully honour their legal obligations by declaring all their income.

“SARS has been working ceaselessly to ensure compliance by all taxpayers, and those who are evading their responsibility make the burden of compliance difficult for compliant taxpayers.

“This is not only unfair to honest taxpayers but affects the vulnerable in society disproportionately by limiting the state’s ability to deliver social grants and other much needed social benefits. 

“Let all know that technology has enhanced SARS’ ability to root out non-compliant taxpayers. Be warned, SARS will pursue all without fear, favour or prejudice,” the Commissioner said on Wednesday.

SARS is legally obligated to account for any income or assets held by taxpayers and had previously invited crypto exchanges and those involved in trading or holding crypto assets to disclose related activities on a voluntary basis.

“As a follow up, SARS will be including crypto assets into its compliance programmes. Consequently, SARS is engaging with the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) regarding the provision of information on registered Crypto Asset Service Providers (CASPs). SARS is also receiving information directly from the local exchanges.

“Importantly, it must be underscored that through multilateral agreements SARS is exchanging information with other tax authorities globally,” SARS said.

The provision of offshore crypto accounts will be the subject of a multilateral agreement to be signed by Ministers of Finance in November 2024, which will catalyse the cross jurisdictional exchange of such information in respect of South African taxpayers.

“SARS believes that most taxpayers and traders are honest and that they expect to be assisted to fulfil their legal obligations. Pursuant to our legal mandate, SARS provides certainty and clarity about all legal obligations for taxpayers and traders.

“SARS is also working assiduously to make it easy and simple for taxpayers and traders to seamlessly comply with their obligations.

“Critically, it is our strategic objective to make it hard and costly for those who are willfully non-compliant. These efforts are intended to support our Strategic Intent of fostering a culture of voluntary compliance,” SARS said.

Resultantly, in addressing crypto compliance SARS is increasing capability in its audit teams to support enforcement initiatives.

SARS has resorted to greater use of artificial intelligence, machine learning and algorithms to process its work.

“In implementing our mandate, SARS has recently issued query letters to taxpayers with crypto assets. These letters aim to gain an insight into taxpayers’ investment in crypto assets and the trades undertaken to enable SARS to assess taxpayers’ compliance in this regard,” the revenue service said. 

SARS warned taxpayers that the VDP, which facilitates compliance, has strict conditions.

“One being that taxpayers must approach SARS first. Once SARS has identified the taxpayer for audit, they are precluded from applying for the VDP,” the revenue service said.  -SAnews.gov.za

nosihle
Wed, 10/09/2024 - 09:58

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SASSA reminds citizens of October payment dates for social grants

Location: News

SASSA reminds citizens of October payment dates for social grants

The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has reminded social grant beneficiaries of the payment dates for its various social grants for the month of October.

The older person’s grants will be paid from Wednesday this week, while disability grant beneficiaries will be paid on Thursday. 

“There is no need to rush to withdraw cash on the first day. Once the money is in the account, it will remain there until it is needed,” the agency said.

Here are all social grant payment dates for October:
• Older Persons/Pensioners' Grant: Wednesday, 2 October
• Disability Grant: Thursday, 3 October
• Children’s Grant: Friday, 4 October

The agency further emphasised that they will be “paying the right social grant, to the right person, at the right time and place”.

SASSA beneficiaries can receive their SASSA payments from selected supermarkets, such as Pick n Pay, Boxer, USave merchants, Checkers and Shoprite, and obtain this through their SASSA card or by getting the amount directly transferred into their bank account. – SAnews.gov.za

DikelediM
Mon, 09/30/2024 - 11:00

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The Maternity Support Grant is a government initiative

Location: News

The Maternity Support Grant is a government initiative

By Lumka Oliphant

Government remains committed to building a better South Africa for all, as envisaged by former President Nelson Mandela.

The more we get things right and strengthen legislation and policies, the more the target seems to outpace the five years of any single administration.  One such example is anything related to social assistance or social grants.

Last week, two things caught my eye around social assistance that I think we need to talk openly and honestly about: 
1. The maternity benefits or pregnancy grant as it was framed, and 
2. The supposed underspending by the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) of R4 billion on the grant – the second one being the most contentious one.

Let us deal with the first one quickly. I would  have loved to delve deeper on the R4 billion supposed underspending but it is a subject of a court challenge and these facts will be part of the court case.

So, it would be premature to discuss these in the public domain.

The Maternal Support Grant (MSG) Draft Policy has been in the making by the Department of Social Development since 2012, when the department commissioned a study on the feasibility of introducing maternity benefits in South Africa.

At the time, the study sought to investigate state support options for vulnerable pregnant women.

The study was necessitated, amongst others, by the acknowledgement and recognition of the constitutional provision that everyone has the right to have access to social security and that those who are unable to support themselves and their dependents should access appropriate social assistance (Section 27, (1) (C) of the Constitution).

Following the conclusion of the study, an interdepartmental task team (IDTT) was formed.  It was led by the departments of Health and Social Development, and included the SASSA, and the departments of Basic Education, Higher Education, Home Affairs, Justice and Labour, among others.

The team was also supported by national and international organisations with a particular focus on addressing stunting in South Africa – they provided technical support.

A workshop held in 2015 acknowledged all the pregnancy-related services offered across government, coming to the conclusion that there was a need to link them, hence the institution of the task team.

The central objective of the MSG Draft Policy is to provide comprehensive support to vulnerable pregnant women who are unable to support or take care of themselves.

It intends to introduce a state social assistance provision for vulnerable pregnant women in order to improve the health and wellbeing of vulnerable mothers and their unborn children.

The draft policy also aims to provide an MSG linked to related services from the first trimester up to the first 1000 days of a child’s life.

It is also expected to assist the Department of Home Affairs in its effort to register all births in South Africa within 30 days of birth.

Policy-making is a very rigorous process, which begins with research to gather evidence, developing a discussion document and subsequently a policy document.

This policy is no exception, and to this end, the discussion and draft policy document were extensively consulted across government, civil society, organised labour as well as potential beneficiaries.

Subsequent to having extensively consulted the discussion paper prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the department conducted extensive consultations around the country – between May 2022 and March 2023, wherein a total of 27 consultations were completed.

The draft policy has already been taken to the Social Protection, Community and Human Development Cluster – a normal government policy process – and has been given the green light for tabling at Cabinet for consideration for public comments.

It should be noted that this is a policy of government and should be contextualised as such.

Should Cabinet support the draft policy for public comments, we will encourage all interested parties at the right time to raise their voices so that we can strengthen our child protection services within the first 1000 days of a child.

Lumka Oliphant is the Acting Deputy Director-General for Corporate Support Services at the Department of Social Development.

 

Neo
Thu, 09/19/2024 - 08:38

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Gauteng municipalities to launch online indigent register

Location: News

Gauteng municipalities to launch online indigent register

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has announced that an e-indigent register – which will assist to register those who are in need and qualify for free government services – will be launched in municipalities in the province.

He was speaking at the District Development Model (DDM) Presidential Imbizo that is being led by President Cyril Ramaphosa at the Tsakani Stadium in Ekurhuleni, Gauteng.

“There are many people who are unemployed, but they can’t get the benefits of free electricity and water because they are not properly registered so that they can be [classified as] indigent. We have now agreed with all executive mayors in our last lekgotla, we are introducing an e-register from October,” he said on Friday.

The Premier said the register will link up with all of government’s databases and retail stores.

“This is so that whoever is employed, whoever that is hiding their employment, must not benefit for free benefits that are due to our people. In Ekurhuleni in particular…they have introduced a new threshold which does not exclude those who are getting social grants and does not exclude those who are unemployed. 

“What it means is that if you are poor and we have registered you, we have checked the database, you will receive all free services without being asked who you are in all municipalities in our province,” he said.

READ | District Development Model ensures government works as a team 

Lesufi also announced that the provincial government has committed to bringing free WiFi connections to at least 26 townships in Gauteng.

“We are bringing something so important, especially to young people in our province. We have identified 26 townships…to make the townships access reliable, dependable free WiFi, so that all our people are in a position to connect.

“Children of the poor have a right to do their homework at home using free WiFi so they can access these services. The future is no longer about water and electricity only. The future is about data so that those who are unemployed can send their CVs utilising free WiFi,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za

NeoB
Fri, 08/23/2024 - 13:24

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President Ramaphosa pays tribute to women

Location: News

President Ramaphosa pays tribute to women

President Cyril Ramaphosa has paid tribute to South Africa’s women, saying that they have played their part in building the country.

“We salute their resilience and their dignity,” he said on Friday.

Addressing the Women’s Day celebration at the Dennis Nel Stadium in Pofadder, Northern Cape, President Ramaphosa said each year on Women’s Day, government commemorates the historic march of more than 20 000 women to the Union Buildings on 9 August 1956. The women were protesting against the pass laws of the apartheid era.

“Today, as we celebrate 30 years of freedom and democracy, we should take stock. We should reflect on how far we have come, and we should deliberate on the challenges that stand in the way of the emancipation of South Africa’s women.”

President Ramaphosa said to move forward as a country, the nation must understand its past.

“South Africa remains a highly unequal country. Poverty still has the face of a black woman. Black women are more likely to be unemployed, to be poor and to be unskilled.

“Apartheid broke up families. Men were recruited as migrant labourers, leaving women and children behind to fend for themselves. Young girls were brought up for marriage. They did not go to school. They were confined to the home.

“Over 30 years, through the struggles of women, we have done much to improve the status and circumstance of South African women. We have built on the struggles of many decades.”

Rights and freedoms

The President said that women now have the right to vote.

“They have the right to equal work for equal pay. They have the right to equality before the law. We have made great progress in providing for the protection of mother and child. As the Women’s Charter demands, we have worked to provide proper homes for all. But much is still to be done.

“Women in South Africa enjoy rights and freedoms under our Constitution. They benefit from progressive legislation. Women today are significantly represented in Parliament, in government and in the judiciary.

“Women in South Africa enjoy the right to quality healthcare, including reproductive health care. Millions of South African women are supported every month with social grants to enable them to care for their families and support their children,” the President said.

The President also added that South Africa has one of the highest rates of female literacy “in our region.” 

“There is parity between girls and boys in primary school enrolment.  Female learners achieve more bachelors passes. Young women make up the majority of students in higher education institutions.”

Improving the lives of women 

President Ramaphosa said that government has prioritised women and youth in its public employment programmes. This, as around 66% of participants in the Presidential Employment Stimulus are women.

“Yet, we still have much further to go. As the Government of National Unity, we are united across the political spectrum by our common commitment to improve the lives of South African women. 

“To grow our economy and accelerate development, women must take their rightful place as active participants in the economy.  Women must be business owners, producers, employers and employees.”

To support this effort, in 2021 government launched the Women’s Economic Assembly.

The Assembly aims to secure procurement opportunities for women-owned businesses in different industries.

Through the Women’s Economic Empowerment Programme approximately 8000 women have been trained to establish and manage businesses.

“With funding from government and development finance institutions, we are increasing the support provided to women-owned enterprises,” said President Ramaphosa.

Government is also working to ensure that more women can own land, especially in rural areas. 

This is so that they can farm and have assets they can use to build and grow businesses. - SAnews.gov.za 

Edwin
Fri, 08/09/2024 - 13:28

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Attachment of assets of BOSASA accused welcomed

Location: News

Attachment of assets of BOSASA accused welcomed

The Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development Chairperson Xola Nqola has commended the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for its continued work relating to corrupt activities, with the attachment of assets worth millions from the BOSASA accused and their families.

“South Africa has lost millions of rands due to corrupt activities that could have been used for the many challenges that still exist in the country. We note that this is a temporary attachment of assets and appeal to the NPA to speedily ensure that it follows all processes to ensure it becomes a permanent one,” Nqola said.

According to reports, corruption-accused BOSASA bosses and their families have had a temporary restraint placed on their properties, valuables and cars, all worth more than R53 million. 

The court order obtained by the NPA includes two apartments in north-eastern Italy worth an estimated R17 million.

“Our people don’t have houses, yet criminals have properties valued at millions, which were likely obtained with money stolen from government, money that was meant to go to health, education and social grants,” Nqola said.

He said the Zondo commission highlighted the large scale of the corruption perpetrated by BOSASA with officials of the Department of Correctional Services. 

READ | Agrizzi to appear in Pretoria High Court next week

“We want all those who benefitted from this corrupt relationship to know that South Africans want their money back. Furthermore, we applaud the NPA for the sterling work and encourage them to go after all corruption accused.

"The committee will fully support [the NPA in its] endeavour to obtain justice for the people of South Africa,” Nqola said. 

BOSASA was a South African company specialising in providing services to government, most notably correctional services. The company was liquidated in 2019 after revelations of malfeasance and corrupt activities, which were reported during the Zondo Commission of Enquiry. - SAnews.gov.za

nosihle

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Finding the right financial products to serve the underserved

Location: MyPR

Financial inclusion remains a key issue in South Africa, and promoting real inclusion is critical in enabling more people to improve their quality of life, says Simphiwe Phakathi, Executive Head of Sales and Distribution at EasyPay Everywhere. Financial exclusion is associated globally with persistent poverty. “At its most basic, the issue is that so many …

Read moreFinding the right financial products to serve the underserved