Durban’s Super Giants back to winning ways at Newlands
Bonus point victory moves DSG back to second on the table Tuesday, 23 January 2024: Durban’s Super Giants (DSG) returned...
South Africa
Investment in transmission critical
Investment in transmission critical
Minister in the Presidency for Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, says on boarding new generating capacity – particularly renewable energy – is critical to ensuring that additional capacity is added to the national grid.
He was speaking during an update on the implementation of the Energy Action Plan on Tuesday.
The expansion is critical to on boarding new generating capacity – particularly renewable energy – onto the national grid to relieve pressure on the electricity system.
Ramokgopa explained that “tremendous progress” is being done to ensure that solutions are found for transmission.
“As the President said last week, the Minister in the Presidency responsible for Electricity is now given the responsibility to ensure that we are able to go into the market to procure or to access the financing in relation to the transmission side.
“We have been doing an extraordinary amount of work. The team was [at the World Economic Forum annual meeting] in Davos. Part of those conversations was to enter into bilateral discussions with some of the potential financiers.
“We have...financing. That is private sector willing to come into the space of transmission. We had conversations...with the heads of missions that are represented here in the country and they did confirm that availability of that financing,” he said.
Ramokgopa assured that although private sector participation is being encouraged in the transmission space, the South African government will remain the owner of the grid through the Eskom owned and newly established National Transmission Company of South Africa.
“What we have been doing is to find an architecture and legal configuration on how best we are going to access [funding] and one of the areas that is receiving attention is the possibility of us putting together…something that is akin to the IPP [Independent Power Producer Procurement] office on the generation side…an Independent Transmission Project office.
“[This is] to ensure that we are able to procure with speed, agility, applying some degree of innovation and ensure that we are able to access that liquidity that’s sitting with the private sector without relinquishing state ownership of the grid,” he said.
The minister acknowledged that transmission expansion is facing challenges. However, he emphasised that government is tackling these challenges.
“The challenges on the transmission side are almost equivalent to the ones on the generation side and in fact, if they are not tackled immediately they are likely to be even more catastrophic compared to the challenges on the generation side because those are likely to undermine our ability to maintain the integrity of the system.
“We are not waiting for the crisis to confront us. We are going to address that situation immediately. This is in support of Eskom’s work…consistent with their transmission development plan which advocates for the expansion of the network,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Tue, 01/23/2024 - 14:41
308 views
Termite Prevention and Treatment
Johannesburg, South Africa – As the silent destroyers of homes and businesses, termites pose a significant threat to property owners in South Africa, where the warm and humid climate creates a favorable environment for multiple termite species. Pest Control WR, a leading pest control company in Johannesburg with 15 years of hands-on experience, is committed …
Pollard calls on MI Cape Town to secure up for DSG clash
Both teams in need of a win at Newlands Tuesday, 23 January 2024: MI Cape Town host Durban’s Super Giants...
South Africa: Tourism opens application for Green Tourism Incentive Programme
The Department of Tourism invites all eligible tourism enterprises to take part in the Green Tourism Incentive Programme's (GTIP) 9th application window, opening on 25 January until 31 March 2024.
The development of the GTIP was informed by escalating electricity prices, the intensifying pressure on the national energy grid and negative impacts of load-shedding, as well as water scarcity and drought conditions which negatively impact the tourism sector. This programme encourages private sector tourism enterprises to move towards the installation of solutions for the sustainable management and usage of electricity and water resources.
For this financial year, the Department has set aside R199 151 179 to disburse to successful GTIP applicants. GTIP has already assisted 173 tourism businesses across the country with electricity and water solutions to the total grant value of R104 285 673. The solutions that were installed as part of this process helped reduce input costs and increase operational sustainability and competitiveness. A further 419 active applications are at various stages of processing.
The Department has worked closely with the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) to develop the GTIP for the sector to ensure an enhanced and uninterrupted visitor experience for tourists.
Funding applications and approvals for the GTIP are managed by the IDC.
Eligible applicants are able to qualify for the full cost of a new energy and water efficiency audit or the review of an existing audit. Furthermore, eligible applicants are also able to qualify for grant funding of between 50% and 90% (capped at a maximum of R1 million per applicant) on the cost of approved solutions that will improve energy and water efficiency and reduce the costs of their tourism operations.
Minister of Tourism, Patricia de Lille said: “This programme is one that I am most proud of that the department is able to offer the tourism sector where by going green, tourism establishments are able to offer an uninterrupted visitor experience and ensure that the sector can continue to operate despite energy and water constraints. This initiative is also vital to our efforts to adapt and mitigate the impacts of climate change by helping businesses use water wisely and use clean forms of energy thereby reducing carbon emissions. I encourage businesses to apply for this support by the Department of Tourism so that we can keep the tourism sector green”.
GTIP has yielded many success stories. Mr Mpho Marothi from Kgarebana Boutique Guesthouse near KwaMhlanga township in Mpumalanga stated that the solar system which was installed in November 2023, was an early Christmas gift as his establishment was fully booked this festive season.
“My guesthouse is now able to operate 24-hours without any hassles of loadshedding, because of the solar system which was installed by the Department of Tourism. The solar system assistsin providing power supply for air-conditioning, heating of geysers and other household purposes in my guesthouse and as such, I can recommend the GTIP to emerging and existing tourism establishments,” said Mr Marothi.
Ms Ingrid Young of Cliffhanger Cottage from Rheenendal, Knysna, is one of the guesthouse owners the Department assisted with water tanks and installation of a solar system for generating energy as well as pumping water in her establishment through the GTIP. She confidently said she is now able to accommodate her customers as she can operate her business with ease at all times.
Thanking the Department, Ms Maureen Mehlomakulu from Fort Hook Guesthouse in Phelandaba outside Sterkspruit in the Eastern Cape said: “This programme installed a solar system which is assisting me in heating geysers, cooking as well as pumping of water from the borehole. I am content as my tourism business is now booming, because of the number of bookings I receive.”
The owner of Teniqua Tree Tops Guesthouse situated between Thatchfield and Knysna, Mr Anthony Maitland stated: “The water pumping system in my guesthouse as well as frequent loadshedding in the area used to be a huge problem until the installation of a solar system which is assisting with the water pumping system as well as curbing loadshedding in my guesthouse. I am now at ease to operate the business without any fear of energy outages. I can recommend this programme to emerging and existing tourism establishments.''
The GTIP does not only assist in reducing pressure on the national electricity grid and water resources of the country, but also reduce operational input cost and facilitate increased competitiveness and operational sustainability in the tourism sector. The Department continues to advance climate action in tourism for the resilience of the sector as well as strengthening adaptive capacity.
For more information or to apply for the GTIP programme, visit www.Tourism.gov.za
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Department of Tourism, Republic of South Africa.
Electricity system performance ‘exceeding expectations – Minister Ramokgopa
Electricity system performance 'exceeding expectations - Minister Ramokgopa
The health of South Africa’s electricity system is continuing to show improvement despite the continued implementation of load shedding.
This according to Minister in the Presidency for Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, who was the media on the implementation of the Energy Action Plan on Tuesday.
“We have really turned the corner and I’m not suggesting that we have ended load shedding. I’m simply saying that we can see that there’s light at the end of the tunnel and this is not an oncoming train but it’s a system who’s health continues to improve and improve at levels that even exceeded our projections and expectations.
“With the average unplanned capacity loss factor [generating unit breakdowns], we were sitting at about 14 100MW and then it went to 13 000MW the past week but what is important is that it’s only on the 16th of January where were above 15 000MW…now today, we are at 12 700MW. That shows an area…that the team has invested in and we are beginning to see those returns,” he said.
The minister revealed that over the past two weeks, available capacity has “consistently” exceeded peak demand.
However, there are reasons that load shedding continues to be implemented.
The first of those is that at least 3000MW of available capacity is drawn from open cycle gas turbines “which are burning on diesel so we have reduced our consumption of diesel…so essentially it’s the true health of the system”.
“The second one is that…planned maintenance still is significantly high. We are hitting about 8000 to 9000MW of planned maintenance.
“Even with that scale of planned maintenance we still have a situation where we are able to keep load shedding at the levels of the worst, Stage 3 [or] oscillating between no load shedding to Stage 3 at the worst moment,” he said.
The Minister emphasised that work continues to be done in the area of partial load losses – that is, when generating units do not produce the full capacity they were intended to.
“The area that is receiving attention is the partial load losses of 6700MW. It is our collective view…that we can do much better here. Of course some of it is a function of us exceeding our license parameters, those are areas that require attention.
“So…the net message that I am conveying is that the system continues to improve. It has exceeded our expectation if the unit measure of the expectation is the unplanned capacity loss factor of 14 500MW…we are way below that by about 1000MW despite the fact that planned maintenance is sitting at 8337MW,” Ramokgopa said. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Tue, 01/23/2024 - 14:26
13 views
David te Roller Dux scholar at SACS in Cape Town, achieves an aggregate of 96.1%
South African College School (SACS) is the oldest high school in South Africa and 2023 was the school’s largest matric class in the history of the school. 178 candidates wrote matric last year with a 100% pass rate achieved. Congratulations to David te Roller the school’s Dux scholar, who achieved an overall aggregate of 96.1%. …
Navigating the Labyrinth: A Guide to South African Online Business Directories
Box with Heavyweights Dance with Stars Bedazzled with Choices In the age of digital dominance, online visibility is the oxygen for any South African business. But with a plethora of online business directories buzzing in the ecosystem, finding the right platform to amplify your brand’s voice can be a daunting task. This article unravels the …
Why listing on the MyPR.co.za Directory is a ‘good thing’?
Pros of Listing on MyPR Cons of Listing on MyPR Pros and Cons of Business Directory Listings in General Not all directories are created equal Whether or not listing on the MyPR.co.za Directory or any directory at all is a “good thing” for you depends on a number of factors specific to your business and …
Reddam House Umhlanga celebrates Sam Mdakane’s remarkable matric achievements
In the wake of the recent announcement of the Independent Examinations Board (IEB) National Senior Certificate (NSC) results, Reddam House Umhlanga proudly presents another Class of 2023 achiever, Samkelo Mdakane. Having secured an outstanding five distinctions, Sam’s journey is nothing short of inspiring. Discovered singing in a rural school by Georgie Carter, his benefactor, Sam’s …
Tough economic headwinds provide exciting opportunities for agile, customer-centric fintechs (By Andy Jury)
By Andy Jury, CEO at Mukuru (www.Mukuru.com)
Taking stock of fintech in the broader African context while looking forward to opportunities in the year ahead.
At this time of the year there is usually a flurry of articles attempting to lay out trends to look out for in various industries over the coming months. This is a good exercise as it gets one thinking about industries broadly and technology specifically. However, it would be remiss to embark on this exercise without first taking stock of where we are now. The fintech ecosystem is currently in a period of stress, less so for incumbents but noticeably for newcomers.
This stress is a direct result of macroeconomic pressures piling up to generate headwinds for new market entrants. As we all know, when the macro picture is less than rosy it affects play out on the ground. In summary, there is less money floating around – less money from investors and most notably, less disposable income in the hands of consumers.
Let's take a moment to appreciate how this looks in the broader African context. Firstly, it means there is significantly less money knocking on the doors of new and innovative businesses that need investors.
Just recently, a payments processor headquartered in France lost 53% of its value - this kind of scenario has a knock-on effect across borders. However, there is a massive opportunity for fintechs that have bootstrapped themselves up in the uniquely African context.
What does this opportunity look like? For starters, there continues to be a great deal of disruption in the market. Fintechs, mobile network operators (MNOs) and banks will approach the challenges and opportunities differently. The ones that emerge from this phase in a strong position will be those that have thought about the economics of their proposition carefully, because the opportunity that presents itself in tough times is likely more scalable from an addressable market perspective.
On the other hand, those who react will focus on price. A war on price is a race to the bottom. On the contrary, the businesses and fintechs that get through the tough times will be those that focus on customer experience (CX). It may be considered an intangible that sits between the bricks and cogs of a business, but it is crucial.
In difficult conditions, every business focuses on customers returning and using their products and services more frequently. This isn't easy, or everyone would be getting it right. Customers with less money in their pockets become more discerning, and in our experience are looking for a full basket of genuinely personalised customer experience where affordability is a crucial component, but most certainly not the only one.
We have learnt that speed, access, trust, convenience and safety in the payments space continue to be exceptionally important drivers in customers' decision making on where to spend their hard-earned money. At Mukuru we build very tight feedback loops with our customers and the feedback we get time and time again is speed, ease of use and safety is primary to how they develop their consideration set.
Looking ahead, regulation will continue to play an important role in how the industry evolves. The FATF's greylisting earlier this year has had a significant impact on businesses such as ours. We are under increasing scrutiny, not because anyone thinks we present any more risk than before, but because accountable institutions must demonstrate that they are confident money isn't being laundered or used for nefarious purposes. The result is that fintechs need to spend more time thinking and planning their products and must be tight in terms of the relationships they build with their customers.
Regulation is also expected to present immense opportunities, especially in Southern Africa. South Africa, for example, lags other regions in the realm of mobile money. Legislation which is expected to come into play in 2025 will effectively form the framework within which e-money capabilities will be governed. This moment will be a significant game changer for the region. The ability for more people to use e-wallets more frictionlessly will add immense value in the South African context and will fundamentally change the landscape of how money is stored, used and moved.
Looking toward this big disruption on our doorstep, businesses will approach the opportunity differently. There will be those who throw mud at the wall and see what sticks, whereas we believe the real winners will be those that remain crisp and precise with their customer propositions. In this context, we believe partnerships will be vital for stability and growth, where partners enter mutually beneficial symbiotic relationships. These can take many shapes and forms, such as payment providers bridging the gap between the informal and formal sectors solving a problem for fintechs who need ways to enable their customers to pay for goods and services, and where the payment provider gets access to millions of previously unreachable customers.
Digitisation and diversification will continue to be important trends in the coming months and years. Take a moment to consider the power that MNOs and banks have traditionally exerted in the formal payments ecosystem – fintechs who are agile can enter into partnerships with other fintechs to offer similar one-stop solutions to those currently offered by the MNOs and banks. This trend will see an equalisation of influence.
Lastly, those that prioritise customer needs and wants will emerge stronger. There are two schools of thought on how you digitise money. The first is that you place a wallet in someone's hands and encourage them to use it. This would be the traditional approach. The Mukuru approach, and certainly the approach of the more agile players, is to find a way to help people with their payment and remittance needs and then graduate them towards using a digital store of value as they develop trust in the brand and the technology.
These are divergent approaches, but in difficult economic conditions our experience – which has seen us sign up 14-million customers across many countries – says it is better to listen to what customers want and then walk a journey with them as they become more sophisticated in their digital journeys. Our approach is to solve a problem and then gradually build trust and extend the services and products we offer, as opposed to building a shiny product and waiting for customers to arrive.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Mukuru.
About Mukuru:
Mukuru is a leading next generation financial services platform in Southern Africa that offers affordable and reliable financial services to a customer base of over 13 million across Africa, Asia and Europe.
With over 100 million transactions to date, our core was built providing international money transfers and from this base, we've developed a set of services to address the broader financial needs of our customers. We now operate in over 50 countries and across over 300 remittance corridors.
We are a business that puts the customer at the centre of everything we do, and for that reason, we serve clients across physical and digital channels, by various payment methods (cash, card, wallet) as well as a range of engagement platforms including WhatsApp, USSD, contact centre, App, website, agents and a branch and booth network.
Mukuru has, for the fourth consecutive year, been listed as one of the top 100 Cross Border Payments businesses in the world in the 2023 FXC Intelligence Top 100 Cross-Border Payment Companies (https://apo-opa.co/48HwI0k), one of only six African companies to receive this accolade.
In April 2023, Mukuru officially ranked sixth on the 2023 LinkedIn Top Companies List in South Africa.
Mukuru was also celebrated for innovation and excellence at the 2023 Africa Tech Festival Awards, receiving the Fintech Innovation of the Year Award - an acknowledgment of the transformative power of financial technology in driving economic growth, financial inclusion, and digital transformation.
Further information can be found at www.Mukuru.com.
Avalanche stuns Savanna Origin of Trails rider with a current bicycle
Panorama local Tsidiso Motsoahae was excited to spend two thrilling days alongside his best friend at the Savanna Origin of Trails MTB Experience, South Africa’s “MTB Party of the year” in Stellenbosch at the close of 2023. The excitement soared to new heights when Avalanche, the event partner, pleasantly caught him off guard with the …
Strengthening Macro-fiscal and Budgeting Functions in Southern Africa
Being a budget director, or the head of a macro-fiscal unit (MFU) of a ministry of finance, is a demanding job. So, it was an impressive combination of logistical ingenuity and good timing that brought together heads of budget and macro-fiscal functions from 11 Southern African countries for a regional workshop on ‘Strengthening the macro-fiscal function in ministries of finance'. The event was organized by the IMF's Regional Technical Assistance Center for Southern Africa (AFRITAC South). The countries participating were Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
The objective of the workshop was to equip these senior officials with strategies for effectively managing macro-fiscal functions and integrating these strategies with the budgeting process. It aimed to build networks, share experiences, and identify good practices. Topics discussed included macro-fiscal forecasting and analysis, medium-term fiscal frameworks (MTFFs), efficient organizational arrangements that improve decision-making within finance ministries, nurturing effective working relationships with other stakeholders, and building teams of motivated and capable technical staff.
Whilst each of the 11 countries faces its own unique set of challenges, some common themes emerged:
- The need to strengthen the analysis and publication of information on fiscal risks.
- Countries' fiscal objectives are often considered either ineffective, unclear, or entirely missing.
- Several of the countries are seeking to improve the quality of their MTFFs and, generally, introduce a more strategic approach to fiscal policy-making and annual budgeting.
- Coordination within the finance ministry and with other ministries (including a planning ministry in some cases) is often difficult.
- Staff training and high turnover rates are frequently a cause of concern.
- Whilst many countries can generate good quality policy analysis and advice, communicating that advice to politicians and top management and influencing decisions can be a challenge.
On staff training, the most cited skills gaps relate to problem solving, quantitative analysis and report writing. A few participants shared positive experiences about partnering with local universities to help build skills, making use of free online training for staff and promoting staff development programs as a non-monetary incentive to retain them. The use of training needs questionnaires and staff training plans was also encouraged. Many countries included the need for more formalized staff training plans and including managerial and soft skills development in those plans.
High levels of staff turnover are a concern for many countries. Coping mechanisms include documenting processes and encouraging ‘twinning' arrangements to minimize situations where only one staff member understands a model or technical process that underlies macroeconomic forecasting and fiscal analysis. Specific induction training and mentoring processes can be useful. An alternative to writing lengthy user manuals (for which there is rarely the time) is to ask staff to record “how to” videos that describe how a forecasting model or other technical process works. These videos can be stored on a private YouTube channel for new staff to watch.
To help improve macro-fiscal and budgeting functions, participants prepared plausible action plans and presented them on the final day of the workshop. Suggestions included:
- Establishing long-term fiscal frameworks to assess fiscal sustainability based on demographic changes.
- Introducing clearly defined and monitorable fiscal objectives and targets.
- Institutionalizing work on fiscal risks and scenario analysis.
- Using analytical tools to promote evidence-based macro-fiscal policy decision making.
- Creating Macro Working Groups to improve coordination and information sharing for preparing macro-fiscal forecasts.
Participants committed to maintaining the network with counterparts to continuously exchange knowledge and the sharing of experiences.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Jumpstart your 2024 fitness regime with the Absa SPRINT YOUR CITY Series’ SPRINT.CLIMB.RUN Challenge on Strava
The Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series will launch its 2024 Strava Challenge Campaign this upcoming Sunday, January 28, featuring its infamous RUN.CLIMB.RUN Challenge as the first exciting activity. By completing the Challenge, runners from across the country will stand a chance to win a fantastic prize compliments of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series and …
Congratulations Dricus du Plessis for winning UFC
Congratulations Dricus du Plessis for winning UFC
Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Zizi Kodwa has congratulated mixed martial artist, Dricus du Plessis, for winning the United Fighting Championship (UFC) Middleweight title.
Du Plessis made history on Sunday as South Africa’s first UFC champion when he defeated American Sean Strickland.
“Du Plessis has flown the South African flag high with his performances in the UFC. I congratulate him on the remarkable achievement of being the first South African to be crowned UFC Champion.
“It has been particularly special to see South Africans unite in their diversity to support their own, as Du Plessis made history. This once again shows the power of South Africans when uniting and supporting their own. Let us carry this spirit, as South Africans continue to make history on global platforms in sport, arts and culture,” Kodwa said. – SAnews.gov.za
nosihle
Mon, 01/22/2024 - 08:58
461 views
Infinite Family Provides Matrics 2023 Video Mentoring With Record 97% Pass Rate
Johannesburg/New York 22 January 2024: Infinite Family (IF), South Africa’s primary video mentoring organisation, delivers a 90% Bachelors and Diploma pass rate to their 2023 Matrics. “Out of a total of 18 matric ‘Net Buddies’ across all three video lab sites, we have 14 who have achieved Batchelors qualifications, and two with Diploma status,” says …
Education is the most powerful weapon against poverty, says President Ramaphosa
Education is the most powerful weapon against poverty, says President Ramaphosa
As the nation commemorates three decades of democracy this year, President Cyril Ramaphosa has commended the accomplishments of the class of 2023 matriculants, saying their success bears testament to the strides taken to enhance accessibility and equality in education.
“This year marks 30 years since South Africa became a democracy with equal rights, dignity and freedoms for all. The achievements of last year's matriculants show the progress we have made not only in making education more accessible, but also in making it more equal,” the President said in his weekly newsletter on Monday.
President Ramaphosa said the matric exam pass rate has been consistently improving over the past decade, from 78% ten years ago to 80% in 2022, with a new record now set by the class of 2023.
He said the country has high expectations of young South Africans who hope to sit for the National Senior Certificate (NSC) exam this year. He encouraged this year's cohort to draw inspiration from their predecessors, and challenged them to set their sights even higher.
“The class of 2023 has made our nation proud. The matric results released last week showed an 82.9% pass rate for the cohort of matriculants who sat for the NSC exam last year. This is the highest pass rate obtained since the NSC was introduced in 2008 and is a stellar achievement,” he said.
The President said by 2010, South Africa had attained the Millennium Development Goal of universal primary education. Since then, the country has made steady progress in improving secondary school and post-school outcomes.
The President asserted that education is about so much more than personal betterment or obtaining a qualification to seek gainful employment. He said it is a ladder out of poverty.
“In a country such as ours, universal access to education is by far the most impactful intervention in breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty. It is our most effective weapon to overcome the effects of centuries of racism, discrimination and marginalisation of the black majority.
“To support young people on their learning journey and increase their prospects of completing school, the democratic State provides various forms of social protection to cushion vulnerable and indigent learners from the worst effects of poverty.
“These interventions include, among others, Early Childhood Development, social grants, a nationwide school nutrition programme and no-fee schools,” the President said.
Government also continues to invest heavily in improving school infrastructure, including school sanitation, and in the provision of teacher and learner support materials to schools in poor districts.
To enable eligible young people from poor families to further their studies, the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) funds the costs of their education.
“While we are proud of all our matriculants, we are particularly proud of the young people who have succeeded in the face of great hardship and adversity.
“Included in the cohort of successful matriculants from last year are young people with disabilities, childcare grant beneficiaries, learners from child-headed households, orphans, those from informal settlements and those from some of the poorest districts in the country,” the President said.
Of the 110 top performing learners in last year's NSC exam, 62 were social grant beneficiaries. In 2023, matriculants, who receive some form of social grant, together achieved more than 160 000 distinctions, and more than 200 000 qualified for university entrance.
Learners from no-fee paying schools constituted more than 65% of the total Bachelor passes obtained. Three of the country's most rural provinces - Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo - contributed 59% of total passes with distinction.
“Of those who have now completed their secondary education, some will go on to further their studies and others will seek employment. I encourage all of society to reward the achievements of the many young people who have successfully passed secondary school by making more opportunities available to them.
“As government we have made the call for businesses to invest in our nation's future by employing more young people and, where possible, to do away with the requirement of prior work experience.
“I encourage companies to use the Employee Tax Incentive to hire more young job-seekers, to make more training and mentorship opportunities available, and to sign up with the Youth Employment Service and other initiatives being rolled out in partnership with government,” President Ramaphosa said.
For the many young people from disadvantaged backgrounds who passed matric this year, the President emphasised that being given an opportunity to work or study further is a way out of poverty. He further urged that these young people must be given the hope and chance they need.
“As a country, we have laid the important groundwork for equitable access to education and ensured that young people are supported to finish school. It is now up to all of society to work together to ensure that every South African, young and old, is lifted out of poverty, given access to decent work and an opportunity to fulfil their true potential,” the President said. – SAnews.gov.za
DikelediM
Mon, 01/22/2024 - 09:08
750 views
Zulu congratulates social grant beneficiaries for passing Grade 12
Zulu congratulates social grant beneficiaries for passing Grade 12
Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu has praised the Grade 12 students, who benefit from Social Development services and have successfully completed the 2023 National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams.
Of the 897 775 Grade 12 learners who wrote their NSC, 543 786 full-time learners were social grant beneficiaries, with 62 out of 110 social grant beneficiaries amongst the top performing learners in different categories, as awarded by the Department of Basic Education (DBE).
According to the department, social grant beneficiaries formed the largest number of learners who wrote their 2023 National Senior Certificate and 441 871 learners passed the NSC examinations which is an overall pass rate of 82.9%.
About 202 156 received a Bachelor's pass, which gains them access to institutions of higher learning, with 160 326 distinctions.
The Minister said that the child support grant formed the biggest grant type received by these learners, with the majority of them from KwaZulu-Natal, the second-best performing province after Free State.
The South African Constitution, through the Child Justice Act, also obligates the state to provide care and support services to children in conflict with the law, including educational opportunities.
According to the data from the Departments of Basic Education and Social Development, 1 630 children in conflict with the law registered for the 2023 NSC.
“Providing educational opportunities for children in conflict with the law is a key element of rehabilitating and re-integrating them back into society. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (the CRC), which South Africa ratified in 1995, recognises the importance of education for children in conflict with the law,” Zulu said.
The Minister detailed that the Social Development sector has been integrating the social protection administrative data system to ensure better coordination of services and tracking of health and educational outcomes for beneficiaries of various government services aimed at tackling child and adult poverty.
She asserted that the linking and sharing of administrative data systems within the social cluster departments - Social Development, SASSA, Department of Basic Education, and NSFAS - ensure information is shared on the academic performance of social grant beneficiaries.
“One such success story of the benefits of linking and sharing of data systems was the agreement between Social Development and NSFAS on the exemption of social grants beneficiaries from the means test, a decision that has significantly bridged the higher education gap as it opened the doors of learning for many, regardless of their socioeconomic background,” the Minister said.
Zulu emphasised that education has the power to break the cycle of poverty and transform lives. By accessing education opportunities at institutions of higher learning, she said, many social grants beneficiaries have succeeded in creating a better future for themselves and their families, thus breaking the intergenerational cycle of poverty and inequality.
“The benefits of social grants extend beyond individual beneficiaries to broader society. Our government’s pro-poor policies such as our social assistance programme, no-fee schools, school nutrition, school uniforms, free health care including sanitary dignity packs have made significant impact over the past 30 years in reducing poverty by bridging the education gap for learners from impoverished backgrounds. We will continue to build on the success of these impactful interventions that have lifted many of our people out of poverty," Zulu said. – SAnews.gov.za
DikelediM
Mon, 01/22/2024 - 12:10
268 views
South Africa concludes tough but productive trip to World Economic Forum (WEF) 2024
South Africa's delegation to the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2024 Annual Meeting in Davos used the platform to meaningfully engage investors, civil society, businesses and governments, and drove home the message that the country remains a top destination for growth and investment. The delegation was led by the Minister of Finance, Mr Enoch Godongwana and comprised of Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition Mr Ebrahim Patel, Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation Dr Blade Nzimande, Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Mr Mondli Gungubele, and Minister of Health Dr Joe Phaahla, Brand South Africa, business executives, entrepreneurs and civil society leaders.
The overall WEF 2024 theme, Rebuilding Trust, underlined South Africa's continued role as a regional and global leader in the international community. Minister Godongwana said that South Africa's participation in global forums such as WEF Davos reinforced their belief in the value of multilateralism and the spirit of cooperation as a critical part of an overall strategy to lift economic growth. He added that countries stood to benefit from the common pursuit of a fairer, more inclusive, and representative global system.
The South African delegation tackled questions on the progress the country is making in economic reforms, particularly in areas of energy, transport and logistics, and fighting crime.
“We took the opportunity of the WEF Davos gathering to remind our partners around the world that South Africa has made tremendous progress in the past 30 years since we achieved democracy,” said Minister Godongwana. “Yes, we face a number of obstacles to achieving policy that balances fiscal sustainability, growth-accelerating reforms, and targeted spending on social services and infrastructure. We are forging ahead and making good progress.”
The Annual WEF meeting, which took place from 15 to 19 January 2024, offered South Africa's policymakers a genuine and rare opportunity to speak directly with a cross spectrum of stakeholders in global affairs, exchanging views on how to weather the rise in geopolitical and economic tensions that are shaping today's world.
Climate, technology, trade and multilateral cooperation were high on the agenda, as was South Africa's upcoming presidency of the G20 in 2025. In addition to its participation in the G20, the country is playing a key part in the expansion of the BRICS group, as well as the deepening of intercontinental economic integration through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Speaking at a panel on the BRICS in Expansion, which was inked in August 2023 at a summit in Johannesburg, Minister Godongwana stressed the importance the bloc is playing in reforming international decision-making bodies to better reflect contemporary power and economic realities.
“Although individual economic circumstances amongst BRICS+ will vary, there will be common interests that will allow the bloc to forge consensus on the urgency of sustainable economic development,” said Minister Godongwana. “The expansion will help the BRICS Group to be the voice of the global south.”
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of National Treasury, Republic of South Africa.
Minister Senzo Mchunu calls on water sector to prioritise providing adequate water and sanitation services to public
Minister Mchunu calls on the water sector to set aside egos and prioritise providing adequate water and sanitation services to the public
In a bid to improve performance of the water sector and its services to the public, Minister of Water and Sanitation, Senzo Mchunu, has called for the sector to suspend its ego and prioritise professionalism.
The Minister made these remarks during the two-day Water Services Authorities Summit held on Thursday 18 and Friday 19, January 2024 at the Emperors Palace, Kempton Park, Gauteng.
The purpose of the summit was to review the progress assessment reports, find the underlying reasons for poor and good performance, and collectively develop a plan to reverse the decline in performance.
Attending the summit were Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Thembi Nkadimeng, Water and Sanitation Deputy Ministers, David Mahlobo and Judith Tshabalala, as well as provincial and local government representatives including Mayors, MMCs, Municipal Managers and technical officials of the 144 Water Services Authorities across the country. Also, in attendance and participation were representatives from various institutions including the water boards, the Municipal Infrastructure Support Agency (MISA), National and Provincial Treasury, professional bodies, training organisations, whose wide range of support relate to funding, capacity building, professionalisation, engineering, financial management and governance. These institutions were critical elements in the process of developing and implementing improvement plans for the WSAs.
Setting the scene, Minister Mchunu gave an overview of the state of water in the country according to the previous Blue, Green, and No Drop reports released in December 2023.
He further highlighted that the Drop certifications were initially introduced 16 years ago in 2008, with annual reports being released from 2009 until 2014. These reports served as an effective regulatory mechanism, evaluating water and sanitation services, incentivising municipalities to improve their performance, and guiding areas for enhancement.
In recent years, the water sector in South Africa has faced numerous challenges, with reports showing a decline in the quality of drinking water and wastewater, as well as an increase in potable water losses. These issues have caused great concern among the public, particularly regarding the growing percentage of drinking water systems failing to meet both national and international compliance standards as revealed by these assessments.
“We have resuscitated the assessments and are committed to preventing similar mistakes in the future,” Minister Mchunu said.
Minister Mchunu's call for the water sector to suspend its ego stems from the need to prioritise professionalism and service delivery to the public to address the decline in performance.
The Minister emphasised that the non-provision of clean drinking water and a clean environment goes against people's basic human rights, as outlined in the Bill of Rights in the Constitution. It is therefore imperative that the water sector takes immediate action to address these challenges.
Following extensive discussions, several recommendations were put forward to improve the water sector and enhance water and sanitation services for the public. Notably, it was agreed that Water Service Authorities should make fundamental changes in the manner that they deliver water and sanitation services. This by either considering establishing their own entities or creating special-purpose vehicles as water service providers. This would allow for greater accountability and efficiency in the provision of water and sanitation services.
Municipalities have been categorised into four groups based on their Drop scores during discussions on how to improve.
The first group comprised 67 municipalities that have an average 'critical' score in their water supply and/or wastewater systems in the 2023 and 2022 full Green Drop. The second group consisted of 38 municipalities that had an average 'poor' score in their water supply and/or wastewater systems in the 2023 and 2022 full Green Drop. The third group includes 27 municipalities that have an average 'average' score in their water supply and/or wastewater systems in the 2023 full Blue Drop and 2022 full Green Drop. Lastly, the fourth group comprised 12 municipalities that have an average 'good' or 'excellent' score in their water supply and/or wastewater systems in the 2023 full Blue Drop and 2022 full Green Drop.
The 105 municipalities who are in the critical, poor and average categories were urged to utilise consider appointing reputable, credible, and competent water service providers for the next two to three years. This move would help address the current gaps in service delivery and ensure that communities have access to clean and reliable water sources. This could be in a form of another municipality that performed well in their assessments scores in all reports, a water board or a competent private water services provider.
Another important area of focus is the review of implementing agents, with an emphasis on capacity building. The Directors- General of the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), COGTA, South African Local Government Association (SALGA), and the provincial and Local Government will collaborate to strengthen the capacity of implementing agents, the water sector will be better equipped to deliver on its mandate and meet the needs of the public.
Deputy Minister Mahlobo, who was also speaking at the summit, announced recommendations and a way forward on finance, security, and corruption.
One of the major recommendations made was the strengthening of the budget for water and sanitation services. This will include relooking at budget allocation to ensure that more funds are allocated towards provision of these services of the public.
Deputy Minister Mahlobo emphasised the importance of infrastructure security in ensuring uninterrupted water services. He urged all municipalities to develop and execute reliable infrastructure security plans, which should include the use of technology such as remote fencing and a rapid response system to combat theft and vandalism of infrastructure. These measures will not only protect the vital water infrastructure but also ensure a reliable supply of water to the public.
The Deputy Minister also announced the formation of a multi-disciplinary security cluster consisting of Ministers and Mayors. This cluster will be responsible for leading intelligence operations and prosecutions against elements that hinder service delivery such as vandals, mafia as well as saboteurs of water infrastructure. The team will also be tasked with screening technical division officials for lifestyle, integrity, morality, and community involvement, thereby ensuring that only the most qualified and dedicated individuals are entrusted with the responsibility of providing water services.
In his closing remarks, Minister Mchunu said the provision of reliable quality drinking water to citizens must be treated with priority and necessary urgency. The decline in water quality and increase in water losses were pressing issues that demanded immediate attention. By implementing the recommendations put forward, such as the establishment of dedicated entities or special purpose vehicles, and the appointment of reputable service providers, the water sector can make significant strides towards meeting the needs and rights of the public. Though the challenges are great, with a unified effort and a commitment to collaboration, a positive change is indeed possible.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Department of Water and Sanitation, Republic of South Africa.
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Team South Africa returns from tough, productive WEF annual meeting – Treasury
Team South Africa returns from tough, productive WEF annual meeting - Treasury
The South African delegation to the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting has returned back to SA, having driven home the message that the country remains a "top destination for growth and investment”.
This is according to a media statement released by National Treasury on Monday.
Team South Africa’s delegation was led by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana and comprised the Ministers of Trade, Industry and Competition, Ebrahim Patel; Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Dr Blade Nzimande; Communications and Digital Technologies Mondli Gungubele, and Health, Dr Joe Phaahla.
Godongwana said the message to investors, civil society, businesses and governments is that despite the many challenges it faces, South Africa is making progress.
“We took the opportunity of the WEF Davos gathering to remind our partners around the world that South Africa has made tremendous progress in the past 30 years since we achieved democracy.
“Yes, we face a number of obstacles to achieving policy that balances fiscal sustainability, growth-accelerating reforms, and targeted spending on social services and infrastructure. However, we are forging ahead and making good progress,” he said.
According to National Treasury, the annual meeting – held last week in Davos, Switzerland – offered an opportunity for South Africa to engage world leaders on a number of issues.
“[It] offered South Africa’s policymakers a genuine and rare opportunity to speak directly with a cross spectrum of stakeholders in global affairs, exchanging views on how to weather the rise in geopolitical and economic tensions that are shaping today’s world.
“Climate, technology, trade and multilateral cooperation were high on the agenda, as was South Africa’s upcoming presidency of the G20 in 2025.
“In addition to its participation in the G20, the country is playing a key part in the expansion of the BRICS group, as well as the deepening of intercontinental economic integration through the African Continental Free Trade Area,” the department said. – SAnews.gov.za
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Mon, 01/22/2024 - 14:46
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