study

6 October 2024

SIU to probe academic fraud at Fort Hare

Location: News

SIU to probe academic fraud at Fort Hare

President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed six new and two amended proclamations authorising the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to investigate allegations of corruption and maladministration at various institutions.

The SIU has on Friday been given the green light to probe several provincial government departments and the affairs of the University of Fort Hare.

According to the SIU, the agency’s investigation period for the university has been extended to start from 1 January 2004 until 4 October 2024. The new scope allows the unit to probe the registration or admission of non-eligible people to enrol for, study for or be awarded degrees, including Bachelor’s, Honour’s, Master’s and PhD degrees.

“Without limiting the scope of non-eligibility grounds, this includes persons who did not have the requisite degrees or matriculation results to enrol for, study for or be awarded the degrees in question,” the SIU explained.

Investigators will probe the maintenance of the university’s infrastructure from 1 January 2022 to 31 March 2023 and zoom in on the installation of CCTV cameras and associated security features at the staff village in Alice in the Eastern Cape from 18 March 2022 to 2 June 2022.

They will also look into the refurbishment and maintenance of student residences at the university’s Alice campus in 2009 and the Capacity Building Programme for the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature.

The SIU will further investigate the appointment of a Head of Department and the affairs of the university in the Nguni Cattle Development Trust.

“Serious maladministration and malpractices, as well as conduct which may seriously harm the interests of the public in the affairs of the university regarding the administration and payment of allowances for food, accommodation, books, stationery, cash and study-related costs to qualifying students.”

In addition, investigations will cover the university’s Faculty of Health Sciences’ Albertina Sisulu Executive Leadership Programme in Health and the Master of Public Health Programme including the registration or admission of non-eligible people to enrol for, study for or be awarded degrees.

Further, the provincial Departments of Transport will be put under the microscope.

According to the agency, the SIU’s investigation will continue to probe the registration and licensing of motor vehicles, registration of motor vehicle ownership or licensing details, issuing of driving licences, learner’s licences or professional driving permits, conversion of foreign driving licences and military driving licences to driving licences, and issuing of roadworthy certificates.

The state agency will investigate conduct at the Limpopo Department of Sports, Arts and Culture and provincial Health Departments in KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and the Eastern Cape.

The SIU will also probe the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality and Tlokwe Local Municipality.

In the provincial departments and the municipalities, the matters are mostly related to tenders and contracts.

The SIU will examine if the contracts adhered to National Treasury guidelines and ascertain whether the payments were irregular, fruitless, and wasteful expenditures or financial losses for the department or the State.

“Beyond investigating maladministration, corruption and fraud, the SIU will identify systemic failures and recommend measures to prevent future losses.”

In line with the SIU Act, the agency said it would refer any evidence of criminal conduct uncovered during its investigation to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for further action.

Meanwhile, the agency is also authorised under the SIU Act to initiate a civil action in the high court or a special tribunal in its name to address any wrongdoing identified during its investigation resulting from acts of corruption, fraud, or maladministration. – SAnews.gov.za

Gabisile
Sun, 10/06/2024 - 11:29

277 views

5 October 2024

President Ramaphosa calls on all to support BELA Act

Location: News

President Ramaphosa calls on all to support BELA Act

President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on everyone to put their weight behind implementing the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act so that all children receive a good quality education regardless of their circumstances.

“The passage of the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act is part of ongoing efforts to build an education system that is more effective and more equitable.

“Among other things, the Act provides for early learning foundations to be strengthened, promotes greater accountability of parents for their children’s learning and promotes inclusivity in the classroom,” the President said on Saturday.

President Ramaphosa was speaking at the 24th instalment of the National Teaching Awards as the globe commemorates World Teacher’s Day at the Birchwood Hotel and OR Tambo Conference Centre in Ekurhuleni, Gauteng.

He explained that the spirit and purpose of this new legislation was to ensure there was uniformity and fairness in educational standards between schools and across the country.

Last month, President Ramaphosa signed the Bill into law but delayed the implementation of two clauses 4 and 5, which deal with school admissions and language, by three months to make room for more discussion and deliberations after it received some opposition.

“In the interests of inclusivity, we have created space for engagement among some concerned parties on aspects of the legislation. But that process cannot undermine the transformational nature of this law.”

Meanwhile, the President told the people gathered at the conference centre that in order to produce more learners who excel in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, South Africa needs to invest more in supporting and upskilling its teachers and arm them with necessary resources.

“In some schools, resources are plenty, the schoolyard is safe, there are basic amenities, the pupil-teacher ratio is appropriate, and learning takes place in good conditions. But in others, educators struggle to obtain even the most basic resources for teaching, schools lack safe toilets and running water, and crime and violence from outside the school inevitably finds its way in.”

However, according to the President, South Africa has made much progress in narrowing the gaps between schools.

He said government was working to strengthen the foundations of early learning to ensure successful education outcomes in the future.

The President announced that the education curriculum was being revised, updated and reformed to meet the needs of a rapidly changing world.

“With the high rate of youth unemployment in our country, educators need to ensure that our schools are producing the skills our economy needs. They need to ensure that every school leaver has the confidence and capabilities that enable them to study further, find employment or be self-employed.

“We are working to fully implement the three-stream model, which offers academic, vocational and occupational pathways for learners. Educators play an important role in identifying the best course for a learner.”

Shifting his focus to the National Teaching Awards, he noted that the enduring commitment to honouring educators speaks to their unique and treasured place in the country.

“All of us are who we are because of the teachers we once had. I have the fondest memories of my own teachers at Tshilidzi Primary School in Soweto and Mphaphuli High School in Sibasa, Venda… All these years later, they still hold a special place in my heart,” he told the room full of teachers.

The President described a good teacher as a role model who encourages a child to achieve their potential.

He took the time to congratulate those who were awarded today and acknowledged teacher unions and School Governing Bodies (SGBs) who are working with government to build a resilient education system that meets the challenges of the future.

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube thanked President Ramaphosa for his unwavering support not just for her but the sector.

“The future leaders of our country deserves our fervent leadership.” – SAnews.gov.za

Gabisile
Sat, 10/05/2024 - 13:15

165 views

4 October 2024

Mining’s potential remains high: Mantashe

Location: News

Mining’s potential remains high: Mantashe

Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources, Gwede Mantashe, has told an indaba that there is evidence to suggest that mining is “the bedrock of our economy” and that the country is an attractive investment destination for mining.

According to the Minerals Council of South Africa, the industry contributed some 6.3% to South Africa’s nominal Gross Domestic Product (GDP) last year.

“There is a strong case emerging out of the study on ‘The State of Mining’ that the South African mining industry not only remains the bedrock of our economy, but an attractive investment destination for mining.

“Coupled with the draft South Africa’s ‘Critical Minerals Strategy’, the study points to the reality that the South African mining industry is diversifying from the gold mining era to an industry with wide-ranging mineral resources, including the world’s largest known deposits of platinum group metals (PGMs), manganese, chrome, coal, gold, copper, vanadium, and other natural resources that are considered critical for the just transition,” the Minister said at the Annual Joburg Indaba in Sandton on Thursday.

He added that with the diversification of the industry, its potential to continue growing remains high.

“Notwithstanding the challenges faced by the gold mining sector, including deep level mines and heightened safety concerns, the 2023 gold production statistics positioned South Africa as the world’s thirteenth and Africa’s fourth largest gold producer.

“Despite the fluctuating prices of palladium and rhodium, of which South Africa supplies 38% and 81%, respectively, to the global commodities market, the PGMs sector is poised to play a catalytic role in sustaining the South African mining industry, and in the growth of our economy.

“Considering South Africa’s reserves of known manganese and chrome deposits, as well as being the largest producer and exporter of manganese and chrome ore, the South African manganese and chrome sectors are poised to continue playing a significant role globally driven by their use in the automotive and construction industries,” Mantashe said.

Addressing challenges

He acknowledged that during last year’s Joburg Indaba, industry players raised issues that “we needed to resolve for the sector to thrive, including the need to ensure the necessary policy and regulatory certainty for investment”.

“Although the South African mining industry’s regulatory framework is stable and predictable, the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources is drafting amendments to the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA).

“This is so as to address its shortcomings and ensure that areas that have been challenged legally are strengthened against international best practice. The amendments will further improve the business environment while keeping in sync with our socioeconomic fabric.

“The completion of the migration process to the new efficient and transparent mining licensing system, in June next year, is poised to modernise our licensing system, ensure regulatory certainty, and the sustainability of the South African mining industry.

“Having completed the first phase of the project, which included the assessment of the current environment to establish the baseline and its readiness, and the requirements with respect to system hosting, software integration, and the enhancement of cybersecurity, the development of the new system is therefore progressing very well,” the Minister explained.

READ | Presidency transfers Department of Mineral Resources and Energy legislation

Furthermore, the Minister told the industry leaders that between April 2023 and March this year, the department has processed and finalised 127 mining rights, 1 527 prospecting rights, and 2 313 mining permits and ancillaries.

There are no backlogs in the Western Cape and the Free State while backlogs in the Northern Cape, Limpopo, North West, Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal have been significantly reduced. Mpumalanga is the only province with a significant backlog.

“As we come to the end of this year’s Indaba, we wish to encourage the South African mining industry to continue sharing insights about the realities of this industry, advance beneficiation at source, and support our exploration initiatives.

“We further encourage junior miners to take up the opportunities presented to them in order to transform the industry and ensure that the people of South Africa derive value from their country’s mineral endowment,” Mantashe concluded. – SAnews.gov.za

NeoB
Fri, 10/04/2024 - 10:09

547 views

3 October 2024

Inmates ready for upcoming National Senior Certificate exams

Location: News

Inmates ready for upcoming National Senior Certificate exams

Matriculants from Correctional Services schools are fully prepared for the upcoming National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations, set to run from 21 October to 27 November 2024.

A total of 173 inmates will sit for these exams, marking an important step in their pursuit of a Senior Certificate.

In a statement, the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) said it was pleased with the level of preparedness, as inmates have completed the academic syllabus on time and have undergone various assessments throughout the year.

Educators from the department's 18 schools remain optimistic, having made significant efforts to ensure that all candidates are thoroughly prepared.

Additionally, the department ensured that all required textbooks and stationery were delivered to schools timeously.

Correctional Services National Commissioner Makgothi Samuel Thobakgale has praised the educators for their dedication and hard work in preparing the inmates for this important milestone.

“Education not only empowers offenders with knowledge but also offers them a path to a new life. It remains our commitment to provide growth and development opportunities for every inmate, as we believe in the power of education to transform lives,” he said.

Formal education plays a crucial role in rehabilitating offenders while they are in correctional centres.
In collaboration with the Department of Basic Education, DCS has consistently produced strong academic results, often exceeding the national pass rate.

In 2023, DCS schools achieved an impressive 93% overall pass rate, with nine schools attaining a 100% pass rate.

READ | Correctional Services class of 2023 achieves 93.2% pass rate

The department attributed the results to the conducive learning environment it fosters within correctional centres, as well as its commitment to providing offenders with education and skills that will help them reintegrate into society after their release.

The department has also embraced technological advancements in education. In 2024, the Intelsat Telematics System was introduced at the Johannesburg Correctional Centre, offering both inmates and educators access to valuable study materials.

The department is proud to maintain an incident-free record for NSC examinations, reflecting the professionalism and dedication of the officials, as well as the strict adherence to exam protocols set by the Department of Basic Education.

“We encourage all matriculants in our schools to seize this opportunity as part of their personal development journey,” Thobakgale concluded.

READ | Countdown to final exams for Class of 2024

– SAnews.gov.za

Edwin
Thu, 10/03/2024 - 09:56

131 views

1 October 2024

Weather Service warns of severe weather conditions

Location: News

Weather Service warns of severe weather conditions

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has encouraged the public to remain vigilant as the upcoming months of October and November could be affected by heatwaves, severe storms and the possibility of damaging winds.

Addressing a media briefing on Tuesday in Pretoria, SAWS Senior Manager: Disaster Risk Management, Rudzani Malala, said the highveld region, which encompasses the northern Free State, Gauteng and the eastern highveld of Mpumalanga, is well known to be associated with severe storms and the possibility of damaging winds.

“Moreover, given the expectation of a relatively hot summer over much of the country, communities should also be mindful of the likelihood of sustained spells of hot, dry weather, as well as the possibility of heatwaves. During such events, the aged, infirm, as well as infants and toddlers are particularly susceptible to dehydration.

“The SAWS therefore strongly recommends that everyone take care to stay hydrated and to support and assist the elderly and small children at such times. It is an unfortunate but well-documented reality that heatwaves often lead to numerous fatalities, if no mitigative steps are taken,” Malala said.

He explained that South Africa experiences varying weather conditions in different seasons, due to its unique geographical location and set up.

“The two distinct oceans surrounding the country, i.e. the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, play a significant role that influences the typical weather conditions that we experience from season to season.

“The uniqueness of South Africa is such that at one end of the country, the public may experience extreme cold temperatures, whilst at the other end, communities may experience hot temperatures,” Malala said.

During the recent onset of this year’s 2024 spring, many South Africans experienced very hot conditions, with some parts experiencing heatwave conditions. However, the onset of a cold frontal system and a cut-off low system changed everything,” he said.

Snow events

Malala said the extremely cold conditions and snow event of 19 - 22 September 2024, that wreaked havoc on roads between the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape were accurately predicted by the Weather Service.

SAWS also issued a preemptive media release on the event of the past weekend, which warned of a drop in temperature and light snow conditions.

At the time, SAWS noted that the system was significantly different from the previous snow event, hence its impact was not as significant as the snow event of 19 – 22 September 2024.

“Snow in later winter and early spring is not unusual or rare at all. In fact, the more intense, extreme snow systems tend to affect southern Africa in very late winter, especially over the eastern provinces. We have even had snow in Johannesburg as late as October 2011.

“Snow is a phenomenon not restricted to winter months. On rare occasions (three times in the past century), snow has occurred on New Year’s Day in KwaZulu-Natal's Drakensburg [region],” Malala said.

In the study of Stander et al. 2016, snow events over South Africa during the period of 1981 to 2011 were investigated.

“In this study, 60 significant snow events were identified, with strong seasonality in the frequency of occurrence of these snow events. These events occurred from March (just more than 5%), through to October (less than 5%).

“The months of June and July had the highest frequency of significant snow events (25% and about 35% respectively), whilst August accounts for just less than 20% and September just less than 15% of significant snow events,” SAWS Lead Scientist, Dr Christien Engelbrecht, said.

From the historical view of the frequency of occurrence of significant snowfall events, Engelbrecht said it can be seen that snowfall in the month of September is not rare.

“[The] 19 - 21 September 2008 heavy snowfall necessitated roads to be closed in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape. Significant snow events have occurred in the month of October, although not frequently,” she said. - SAnews.gov.za

nosihle
Tue, 10/01/2024 - 12:19

6429 views

1 October 2024

New Plan for Cape Town Inner-City Housing

Location: News

City centre should accommodate up to 50,000 people by 2040

30 September 2024

Northern Cape records second-lowest HIV prevalence rate in SA

Location: News

Northern Cape records second-lowest HIV prevalence rate in SA

The Northern Cape had the second-lowest HIV prevalence at 8.9% in 2022, the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) said on Monday.

This means an estimated 120 000 people living with HIV (PLHIV) in the province, which is 21 000 more PLHIV compared to 2017.

The information is based on the HSRC’s key findings of the Sixth South African HIV Prevalence, Incidence and Behaviour Survey (SABSSM VI) for the Northern Cape.

SAnews reported last week that the Western Cape had the lowest HIV prevalence (7.4%) in 2022 and second lowest in 2017 (8.6%).

READ | W Cape records lowest HIV prevalence rate in SA

According to the overall principal investigator of the study, the HSRC’s Professor Khangelani Zuma, the survey showed that in 2022, HIV prevalence in the Northern Cape was 3.3% among those aged 15 to 24 overall, and higher among females (5%) than males (1.8%) in this age category.

Among those aged 25 to 49, HIV prevalence was 12.6% overall, and higher in females (14.9%) than males (9.6%).

HIV prevalence was also higher among those residing in urban areas (9.6%) and lower among those residing in rural informal or tribal areas (7.6%) and rural formal or farms (6.2%).

“HIV prevalence peaked at 25.7% among those aged 35 to 39 years in 2022 compared to 26.1% in 2017 among those aged 40 to 44. HIV prevalence increased from 24.3% among 30 to 34-year-olds in 2017 to 25.7% among those aged 35 to 39 in 2022.

“There was a notable downward shift in the epidemic curve in 2022 among the age categories between 20 to 34 years,” Zuma said.

Antiretroviral treatment

Data show that antiretroviral treatment (ART) coverage in the Northern Cape increased from 54.9% in 2017 to 86.2% in 2022.

This translates to an estimated 103 440 PLHIV in the province receiving ART in 2022.

In 2022, ART use among all PLHIV in the province was 82.6% among those between 25 and 49 years.

Data for youth and adolescents aged between 15 and 24 years and among males aged between 25 and 49 could not be analysed owing to a small sample size.

The SABSSM VI survey, conducted between 2022 and 2023, aimed to maintain surveillance of HIV infection and behaviours in South Africa, evaluate the progress of the South African National HIV and AIDS, STI and TB Strategic Plan, and monitor HIV indicators for national and international reporting.

Knowledge of HIV status

Zuma expressed concern that PLHIV aged 25 to 49 accounted for the majority of PLHIV in Northern Cape who were unaware of their HIV status (62.4%), those who were aware of their HIV status but not on ART (72.7%) and those who were on ART with no VLS (73.1%).

However, adolescents and youth aged between 15 and 24 contribute disproportionally to gaps in treatment, accounting for just 8.1% of all PLHIV.

People residing in urban areas accounted for the majority of PLHIV and most of those gaps along the clinical cascade.

Sexual debut

Regarding the key drivers of the HIV epidemic, Zuma noted that the Northern Cape had the second-lowest prevalence of early sexual debut among the nine provinces.

The proportion of adolescents and youth aged between 15 and 24 years who reported having sex before the age of 15 decreased from 11.4% in 2017 to 8% in 2022.

Sexual debut before the age of 15 among adolescents and youth between 15 and 24 years in 2022 was higher among males (10.2%) than females (5.1%).

Multiple sexual partners

The survey revealed that 11% of people aged 15 years and older reported having multiple sexual partners in 2022, compared to 8.4% in 2017.

The proportion of people aged 15 and older, who reported having multiple sexual partners was 11.2% higher among males compared to females (5.4%).

The proportion who reported having multiple sexual partners was highest in urban areas, sitting at 9.2%.

Condom use with recent sexual partner

Regarding condom use, the survey revealed that 30.4% reported using a condom with their most recent sexual partner in 2022, compared to 39.9% in 2017.

Condom use with their most recent sexual partner among people aged 15 and older was higher among males (34.9%) than females (25.7%), and lower among those aged 25 to 49 (27.8%) compared to those aged 15 to 24 (64.3%).

Condom use was substantially lower among those residing in rural formal or farm areas (14.6%) compared to those living in urban areas (32%).

Condom use with their most recent sexual partner among people 15 years and older was 40.2% in Frances Baard.

Nationally, more than 70% of individuals aged 15 and older had never or sometimes used a condom with their most recent sexual partner.

In the Northern Cape, a higher proportion (52.3%) also reported that they had never used a condom with their most recent sexual partner. Only 7.6% reported that they had used condoms almost every time.

Consistency of condom use with their most recent sexual partner among people aged 15 and older in the province was lowest among those aged 25 to 49 (15%) compared to adolescents and youth aged 15 to 24 (41.2%).

However, less than 50% of adolescents and youth reported using a condom sometimes or never using a condom.

“We also recommend a continued focus on increasing coverage and demand for medical male circumcision among males aged 15 years and older. We must also enhance public awareness and uptake of effective HIV prevention measures, such as regular HIV testing, condoms and PrEP [pre-exposure prophylaxis],” said Zuma. – SAnews.gov.za

Gabisile
Mon, 09/30/2024 - 12:56

430 views

30 September 2024

Government registers 217 Fire Protection Associations to deal with veld fires

Location: News

Government registers 217 Fire Protection Associations to deal with veld fires

In an attempt to be proactive in managing uncontrolled fires, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) has to date registered 217 Fire Protection Associations (FPAs).

“The department is empowered by the National Veld and Forest Fires Act, 1998 (NVFFA) to prevent and combat veld, forest and mountain fires throughout the Republic, and provides for a variety of institutions, methods and practices for achieving this purpose,” the Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Bernice Swarts, said on Monday.

Addressing the closing of the 2024 Arbor Month Campaign, Swarts said one of the biggest threats to natural vegetation, property and valuable life is uncontrolled veld and forest fires.

“Some areas in the country are rated as extremely high veld risk areas due to the fact that more than 90% of the area is covered with woodlands. Every year, many lives are lost and millions of rands worth of damages are caused to property, livestock, the environment and the livelihoods, especially that of the rural poor,” Swarts said.

The department is in a process of aligning the FPAs to municipal boundaries to ensure effective use of resources and increased participation and inclusivity, especially for previously disadvantaged communities.

“To ensure that the FPAs are functional, the DFFE provides financial support to FPAs through the Working on Fire Programme and is in the process of transferring vehicles to district municipalities for use by FPAs.

“This will be done in phases, noting that that there are certain requirements that must be met by the FPAs for benefiting from this support. We are aware of other challenges and the department will work closely with Umbrella FPAs to ensure that such challenges are addressed,” the Deputy Minister said.

The responsibilities of FPAs include developing and applying a veld fire management strategy for an area, identifying natural conditions that can cause fire, and regularly communicating fire danger ratings to members in a designated area.

Forestry Sector Masterplan

Meanwhile, government has developed the Forestry Sector Masterplan as a growth, transformation and investment plan for the sector, which is a collaborative effort of government.

One of the key deliverables of the masterplan is the New Afforestation Programme, which refers to the establishment of new plantations on virgin land (undisturbed soil).

“For one to establish plantations, a licence is required in terms of the provisions of the National Water Act, 1998, National Environmental Management Act, 1998 and the Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act, 1983. The process involves satisfying the issues of water availability, undertaking costly Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) studies and issues related to soil conservation.

“The DFFE, through the then Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, undertook a study to assess the potential for afforestation in the country, except in the Western Cape. The results reflected an opportunity of 100 000 hectares in the Eastern Cape and 39 000 hectares in KwaZulu-Natal,” Swarts said.

The department has been playing a role of streamlining the afforestation licensing process by paying for the costly EIA studies on behalf of communities.

“This ensures that delays in afforestation are reduced, and communities are supported in obtaining licences. Currently, the period for issuing licences from the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) is 90 days.

“The department has about 44 000 hectares worth of licences in the pipeline, which are due for EIAs. The department is in the process of finalising the appointment of Environmental Assessment Practitioners (EAPs) to conduct the studies,” Swarts said.

The masterplan had set a minimum investment target of R16.5 billion, with a maximum target of R30 billion for the year 2025/26.

“Currently, the Rand value of private sector investment has reached R33.2 billion, clearly indicating that the sector has well exceeded the R30 billion target set for the 2025/26 financial year.

“Ensuring that the plantations under the management of the department are brought back into production is high on the agenda of the masterplan. Currently, about 6213,58 hectares have been transferred to communities through the Community Forestry Agreement Model, in line with Section 29 of the National Forests Act, 1998.

“This translates to 27 plantations transferred to communities through the signing of 23 Community Forestry Agreements. Plans are in place to continue with this process, including the leasing of the remaining plantations in the Western Cape.

“As these transfers take place, it is important for the industry to work closely with the department in ensuring that post settlement support is provided for these communities so that they can thrive in the sector,” the Deputy Minister said. - SAnews.gov.za

nosihle
Mon, 09/30/2024 - 14:01

221 views

30 September 2024

R2 000 Unconditional Grant Improves Lives, Kzn Study Finds

Location: News

The Unconditional Cash Transfer Project gives monthly cash transfers to 100 unemployed graduates

27 September 2024

Fairtrade Suspends Local Producer

Location: News

Women on Farms is calling for better policing of the Fairtrade standards on certified farms

27 September 2024

PROTEC and GE Vernova Celebrate Inaugural Next Engineers: Engineering Academy Class

Location: News

Next Engineers, a global college-and career-readiness programme working to increase the diversity of young people in engineering, celebrated the graduation of its first-ever Engineering Academy learners in Johannesburg, South Africa on Friday, September 27. The graduation ceremony marked the programme's contribution towards bridging the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) skills gap in the country through exposing learners to hands-on engineering experiences and career pathways.

The 37 learners from 15 high schools across Johannesburg who completed the programme, many of whom plan to study towards an engineering-related qualification at university or technical higher learning institutions, were joined by their families at University of Witwatersrand, Sturrock Park Sports Hall, to celebrate their achievements. Launched in 2022, PROTEC, University of Witwatersrand, and Kutitiva Foundation are the educational partners for the local Next Engineers programme, and local GE Vernova engineers and employees actively engage with Academy participants through hands-on, skill-based volunteering.

“We are proud to see our first cohort of learners graduating and wish them all a successful learning trajectory in the next stage of their education journey,” said Matsi Eseu, South Africa HR Director for GE Vernova. “At GE Vernova, we believe education is a significant driver of economic inclusion and it's inspiring to see the positive impact the Next Engineers programme is having, not just in empowering tomorrow's engineers who will solve society's most pressing challenges but also in increasing the diversity of young people, particularly females, in the engineering sector. We extend our gratitude to all those involved in the Engineering Academy.”

Learners who complete the Engineering Academy program and enroll in a qualified engineering or engineering-related degree programme receive financial aid to support them as they continue on their paths to becoming engineers.

Balan Moodley, CEO of PROTEC, said, "I extend my heartfelt congratulations to each and every graduate in this programme. Their commitment and hard work inspire us all, and I have every confidence they will continue to make a positive impact in the field of engineering and beyond. I also want to express my sincere gratitude to GE Vernova in Johannesburg for their unwavering support and partnership throughout this journey. Together, we have laid the groundwork for a brighter future in engineering, and I am excited to see the continued success of Next Engineers in empowering young minds."

The Next Engineers: Engineering Academy is a transformative learning experience designed for learners aged 15 to 18. Through a rigorous curriculum, immersive design challenges, and career coaching, participants learn to think and act like engineers.

Key programme highlights:

Dedication: The Engineering Academy spans three years, with learners dedicating 220 hours outside of regular school hours to participate.
Design challenges: In small teams, learners tackle increasingly complex design challenges, mastering the engineering design process.
Foundational skills: Beyond technical knowledge, learners develop essential skills such as communication, teamwork, persistence, time management, and presentation abilities.
Education and career exploration: Workshops and activities prepare learners for their next steps, including university campus tours and interactions with company volunteers.
Scholarships: Learners who complete the program and enroll in post-secondary engineering degree programs receive partial scholarships. Next Engineers anticipates granting at least $2 million in scholarships to the inaugural classes of Engineering Academy learners worldwide.

Johannesburg, South Africa, was among the first four locations to launch Next Engineers, with a $2.5 million (R44.6 million) investment from the GE Foundation in 2021. To date, Next Engineers, which also includes programming for learners in grades 8-12, has reached more than 3,500 learners across Johannesburg.

STEM training and education, such as Next Engineers, is helping to solve global challenges while also lifting up communities through economic opportunities. Next Engineers is not the only way GE Vernova in South Africa has committed to supporting the next generation of STEM talent. GE Vernova's South Africa External Bursary Programme has offered comprehensive bursaries to the tune of $5.4 million (R95.6 million) to support over 648 beneficiaries pursuing a Bachelor of Science, Commerce or Arts qualification from 2020 to date. The bursaries are aimed at alleviating the financial strain of tertiary students and covers the tuition, accommodation, textbook costs, and a monthly stipend over the period of study.

For more information about Next Engineers and the Engineering Academy, visit http://apo-opa.co/3BmFfKp.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of GE.

Media contacts:
GE Vernova
Kashumba Macombe
Communications Specialist
GE Vernova
Kashumba.Macombe@ge.com

PROTEC
Annette Reed
Fundraising and Business Development
Programme for Technological Careers (PROTEC)
+27 82 334 2939
annette@protec.org.za

About Next Engineers:
Next Engineers, a program originally funded by the GE Foundation in 2021, now known as the GE Aerospace Foundation, is a college- and career-readiness program dedicated to inspiring and preparing the next generation of engineers. Through innovative programs, mentorship, and community partnerships, we empower young minds to shape a better future through engineering.

About GE Vernova:
GE Vernova Inc. (NYSE: GEV) is a purpose-built global energy company that includes Power, Wind, and Electrification segments and is supported by its accelerator businesses. Building on over 130 years of experience tackling the world's challenges, GE Vernova is uniquely positioned to help lead the energy transition by continuing to electrify the world while simultaneously working to decarbonize it. GE Vernova helps customers power economies and deliver electricity that is vital to health, safety, security, and improved quality of life. GE Vernova is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S., with approximately 75,000 employees across 100+ countries around the world. Supported by the Company's purpose, The Energy to Change the World, GE Vernova technology helps deliver a more affordable, reliable, sustainable, and secure energy future. Learn more: www.GEVernova.com and LinkedIn (http://apo-opa.co/3zwmm7b).

About PROTEC:
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26 September 2024

W Cape records lowest HIV prevalence rate in SA

Location: News

W Cape records lowest HIV prevalence rate in SA

Out of the nine provinces in South Africa, the Western Cape had the lowest HIV prevalence (7.4%) in 2022 and second lowest in 2017 (8.6%).

According to the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), this translates to 540 000 people living with HIV (PLHIV) in the Western Cape, which was a decline from 560 000 PLHIV in 2017.

The information is based on the findings of the Sixth South African HIV Prevalence, Incidence and Behaviour Survey (SABSSM VI) for the Western Cape, which was released by the HSRC on Thursday.

According to the overall principal investigator of the study, the HSRC’s Professor Khangelani Zuma, the survey showed that in 2022, HIV prevalence in the province was higher among those aged 25 to 49 (10.8%) for both females (14.6%) and males (5.8%).

Meanwhile, HIV prevalence was higher among females (9%) compared to males (5.6%).

“HIV prevalence peaked at 12.9% amongst those aged 35 to 39 in 2022 from 23.4% in 2017 within the same age group.

“There was a decrease in HIV prevalence in 2022 among all age groups younger than 30 to 34 years compared to 2017, apart from the age groups zero to 14; 15 to 19, and those 50 years and older.

“The worsening prevalence among those younger than 24 years is deeply concerning, as it shows continued new infections from both horizontal and vertical transmissions,” Zuma said.

SAnews reported last week that Mpumalanga now has the highest HIV prevalence at 17.4% in 2022, which translates to an estimated 890 000 (PLHIV) in the province, followed by KwaZulu-Natal.

READ | Mpumalanga records highest HIV prevalence rate

Antiretroviral treatment

Antiretroviral treatment (ART) coverage in the Western Cape increased to 76.8% in 2022, from 54.4% in 2017.

This translates to an estimated 360 000 PLHIV in the province receiving ART in 2022.

In 2022, ART use among all PLHIV in the province was lower among those aged 15 to 49 (76.5%) compared to other age groups.

ART use was also lower among males (75.3%) compared to females (77.1%).

In addition, ART use was 76.2% amongst respondents who reside in urban areas and 81.4% in the City of Cape Town.

The SABSSM VI survey, conducted between 2022 and 2023, aimed to maintain surveillance of HIV infection and behaviours in South Africa, evaluate the progress of the South African national HIV and Aids, STI and TB Strategic Plan, and monitor HIV indicators for national and international reporting.

Viral load suppression (VLS)

The survey further revealed that in 2022, among all provinces, the Western Cape had the seventh highest proportion of PLHIV with VLS (78.4%), having increased from 2017 (54.6%).

Overall, VLS was also lower among males (76%) compared to females (79.7%).

VLS was also lower among those aged 50 and older (69.4%) compared to other age groups.

Knowledge of HIV status

The professor expressed concern that PLHIV between 25 and 49 years accounted for the majority of PLHIV in the Western Cape, who were unaware of their HIV status (59.1%); aware but not on ART (64.7%), and on ART but not VLS (66.7%).

Adolescents and youth aged between 15 and 24 contributed disproportionally to gaps in treatment, accounting for just 9.5% of all PLHIV.

Regarding the key drivers of the HIV epidemic, Zuma noted that in the Western Cape, there was an increase in the proportion of adolescents and youth aged 15 to 24, who reported sex before the age of 15 in 2017 (14%), compared to 2022 (16.3%).

Sexual debut before the age of 15 among adolescents and youth aged 15 to 24 in 2022 was higher among males (21.5%) than females (11.3%).

Multiple sexual partners

The survey revealed that in the Western Cape, 6.7% of people aged 15 and older reported having two or more sexual partners in 2022 compared to 7.6% in 2017.

The proportion of people aged 15 and older who reported having multiple sexual partners was two-fold higher among males (8.9%), compared to females (4.4%), and higher among those aged 15 to 24 (19.1%) compared to other age groups.

Condom use

The survey revealed that 22.1% reported using a condom with their most recent sexual partner in 2022 compared to 26.6% in 2017, representing a 4.5% decline.

Condom use with their most recent sexual partner among people who are 15 years and older was higher among those 15 to 24 years (39.9%) and in the urban areas (22.5%), while it was similar by sex.

A higher proportion also reported that they had never or sometimes (81.4%) used a condom with their most recent sexual partner. Only 13.4% reported that they had used condoms almost every time.

Consistency of condom use with their most recent sexual partner among people aged 15 in the province was higher among youth aged 15 to 24 (24%). – SAnews.gov.za

Gabisile
Thu, 09/26/2024 - 12:51

234 views

25 September 2024

KZN reports second-highest HIV prevalence rate in SA

Location: News

KZN reports second-highest HIV prevalence rate in SA

KwaZulu-Natal has recorded the second-highest HIV prevalence rate at 16% in 2022, down from 18% in 2017.

According to the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), this translates to 1 980 000 people living with HIV (PLHIV) in KwaZulu-Natal, which was a decline from 1 990 000 in 2017.

The information is based on the findings of the Sixth South African HIV Prevalence, Incidence and Behaviour Survey (SABSSM VI).

SAnews reported last week that Mpumalanga now has the highest HIV prevalence at 17.4% in 2022, which translates to an estimated 890 000 (PLHIV) in the province.

READ | Mpumalanga records highest HIV prevalence rate

HIV prevalence was also higher among those residing in rural formal or farm areas (20%).

“HIV prevalence peaked at 44.5% among those aged 45 to 49 in 2022 from 39.7% in 2017 among those aged 35 to 39, indicating a possibility of continuing infections among older people. HIV prevalence had decreased by 2022 among all age groups younger than 40 years compared to 2017,” Zuma said.

By district, in 2022, HIV prevalence was highest in uMgungundlovu (19.5%).

The data presented are for eight priority districts within KwaZulu-Natal namely, eThekwini, Harry Gwala, King Cetshwayo, Ugu, uMgungundlovu, uThukela, Zululand and uMkhanyakude districts, as per the study protocol.

Antiretroviral treatment

Antiretroviral treatment (ART) coverage in KwaZulu-Natal increased to 87.3% in 2022, from 71.2% in 2017.

The ART coverage estimate translates to an estimated 1 609 000 PLHIV in the province receiving treatment in 2022.

In 2022, ART use among all PLHIV in the province was lowest among adolescents and youth aged 15 to 24 (62.8%) compared to other age groups.

ART use was also lower among both males (58.8%) and females (64%) in this age group compared to other age groups.

Among children aged zero to 14, ART use among males was 83.5% compared to females (65.9%). Among rural formal areas, ART use among males (93.3%) was comparable to females (93.6%).

The SABSSM VI survey, conducted between 2022 and 2023, aimed to maintain surveillance of HIV infection and behaviours in South Africa, evaluate the progress of the South African national HIV and AIDS, STI and TB Strategic Plan, and monitor HIV indicators for national and international reporting.

Viral load suppression

On the viral load suppression, the survey further revealed that, in 2022, among all provinces, KwaZulu-Natal had the highest proportion of all PLHIV with VLS (86.8%), having increased from 2017 (67.8%).

Knowledge of HIV status

The professor expressed concern that those aged between 25 and 49 accounted for the majority of PLHIV in the province (68.3%) who were unaware of their HIV status (54.5%), aware but not on ART (63.5%), and on ART but not virally suppressed (66.4%).

“However, adolescents and youth aged 15 to 24 contribute disproportionally to gaps in treatment, accounting for just 8.5% of all PLHIV, but 28.4% of those unaware of their HIV status, 19.1% of those aware but not on ART and 15.7% of those on ART but not virally suppressed.”

Sex debut

Regarding the key drivers of the HIV pandemic, Zuma noted that, in KwaZulu-Natal, there was no change in the proportion of adolescents and youth aged 15 to 24 who reported having sex before the age of 15 in 2017 (8.2%) compared to 2022 (8.6%).

However, sexual debut before the age of 15 among adolescents and youth between 15 and 24 years in 2022 was higher among males (12.3%) than females (4.8%).

The survey revealed that 11% of people aged 15 and older reported having multiple sexual partners in 2022 compared to 9.4% in 2017.

The proportion of people aged 15 and older who reported having multiple sexual partners was five-fold higher among males (18.6%), compared to females (3.5%), and 1.5-fold higher among those aged 15 to 24 (16.3%) compared to those aged 25 to 49 (10.9%).

The proportion of people who reported having multiple sexual partners was highest in Harry Gwala (14.1%) and lowest in uThukela (7.6%).

Condom use

Regarding condom use, the survey revealed that 32.8% reported using a condom with the most recent sexual partner in 2022 compared to 44.9% in 2017, representing a 12.1% decline.

In KwaZulu-Natal, a higher proportion also reported that they never (45.2%) used a condom with their most recent sexual partner.

“Only 9.3% reported that they used condoms almost every time.”

Meanwhile, consistency of condom uses with the most recent sexual partner among people aged 15 and older in the province was higher among adolescents and youth aged 15 to 24 (26.7%) compared to those aged 25 to 49 (16.5%).

“However, nearly 60% of youth reported only using a condom sometimes or never.”

Zuma recommended a long-term strategy to care for people in an ageing HIV epidemic as well as tailored interventions to address gaps in the “clinical cascade”.

“We also recommend a continued focus on increasing coverage and demand for medical male circumcision among males aged 15 and older. We must also enhance public awareness and uptake of effective HIV prevention measures, such as regular HIV testing, condoms and PrEP [pre-exposure prophylaxis],” Zuma added. – SAnews.gov.za

Gabisile
Wed, 09/25/2024 - 11:12

488 views

23 September 2024

Using Carbon Dating to Stop Elephant and Rhino Poaching

Location: News

But even a controlled ivory trade may send the wrong message

22 September 2024

Countdown to final exams for Class of 2024

Location: News

Countdown to final exams for Class of 2024

With just under a month to go to the start of this year’s National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams, matrics all around the country will put shoulder to wheel in preparation for the final exams of their basic education careers.

The examinations are set to run from 21 October to 27 November 2024, and marking will commence immediately thereafter.

READ | Basic Education ready for 2024 matric examinations

According to the Western Cape Education Department, over the school holiday, matrics across the province will be attending Spring School to revise their work and prepare for the final exams ahead.

“Matric learners will have the opportunity to attend walk-in classes at their school, or a hub with learners from several schools attending,” said Western Cape Education MEC David Maynier.

Meanwhile, the Eden and Central Karoo, and West Coast education districts will also host residential camps for some of their learners.

The department is appealing to the public to support Grade 12s, as the countdown to the exams is a stressful period for the learners and they need to be given the best possible opportunity to achieve their goals without any added anxiety.

“I encourage any matric learner who feels overwhelmed to reach out to their teachers and school for support. Help is available, and we will do everything we can to support you.

“This will also be an anxious time for our matric teachers, who have supported our learners throughout the year,” said Maynier.

He also took the time thank the educators for the many hours they have put into preparing matric learners for the final stretch.

“To our matrics, you have made it this far, and worked so hard to prepare for this moment, so this is the time to make your efforts count. We can’t wait to see what the #ClassOf2024 will achieve.”

Maynier expressed his appreciation for the tutors’ willingness and schools to host these vital revision classes over the holiday period.

“We have also collated a variety of eLearning resources specifically for our matrics on our ePortal, including video lessons, past papers, study tips and revision notes.”

The MEC is encouraging learners to make use of these resources, which can be found on https://wcedonline.westerncape.gov.za/matric-support. – SAnews.gov.za

Gabisile
Sun, 09/22/2024 - 13:54

151 views

20 September 2024

NSFAS 2025 application cycle opens

Location: News

NSFAS 2025 application cycle opens

The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has officially opened the 2025 application process.

Higher Education and Training Minister, Dr Nobuhle Nkabane, launched the opening of the application process during a media briefing held in Pretoria on Friday.

Applications are now open and will close on 15 December 2024.

Nkabane said since its inception, NSFAS has supported more than five million beneficiaries, producing hundreds of thousands of skilled professionals, especially from within the poor and working-class sections of society.

“Those are the motivating forces that must be mobilised to contribute to the ongoing transformation of our country. The social transformation entails changing the material conditions of all South Africans for the better and education plays a vital role in ensuring that this becomes a reality,” Nkabane said.

NSFAS has been an instrumental vehicle in making sure that government produces the necessary labour force for a capable state.

In this year alone the scheme is supporting about 1.2 million students, with the number anticipated to grow in 2025.

“This demonstrates the role that the scheme has played in trying to change the structural colonial apartheid system that we have inherited, whose legacy persists even in the 30 years of democracy. NSFAS is the only tool we have at our disposal for the total liberation of children of historically oppressed people.

“As from this year, we have also decided to introduce measures to support students who are currently not supported by the NSFAS bursary and funding policy. We successfully did this through the implementation of the first phase of the Comprehensive Student Funding Model, which ensures that the missing middle students access financial support from government in a form of a loan to pursue their studies,” Nkabane said.

How to apply for funding

To apply for funding, applicants should visit the NSFAS website at www.nsfas.org.za or my.nsfas.org.za, using a cellphone, tablet or computer and follow the easy steps.

Create a myNSFAS account, then click on the ‘Apply’ tab and complete the online form, upload the required documents where applicable and then click on ‘Submit’.

Who qualifies for NSFAS funding

To qualify for NSFAS funding, an applicant must meet the following criteria:
• Be a South African citizen or permanent resident who comes from a home with a combined gross household income that does not exceed R350 000 per annum.
• Persons with disabilities qualify if their combined household income does not exceed R600 000 per annum.
• SASSA recipients automatically qualify for funding and need not submit any proof of income.

Loan scheme for the missing middle

The NSFAS Loan Scheme for the missing middle is open to all South African citizens and permanent residents from households with combined incomes of between R350 000 and R600 000 per annum.

For the list of qualifications covered in the NSFAS Loan Scheme for the missing middle, applicants should visit www.nsfas.org.za.

Applicants are reminded to provide the correct Identity Document (ID) numbers, name(s), and surname, as reflected in their South African ID.

NSFAS only funds individuals who are studying or intend to study at a public university or TVET college in South Africa.

Nkabane urged all students who wish to study in any of the public universities and TVET colleges to apply timeously and not to wait until the last day.

“Learners do not have to wait for matric results to apply for NSFAS. Apply now and avoid delays in the processing of your application!” the Minister said.

She said NSFAS will continue to have outreach programme in all provinces, targeting the rural and township communities. – SAnews.gov.za

GabiK
Fri, 09/20/2024 - 15:55

144 views

19 September 2024

Basic Education ready for 2024 matric examinations

Location: News

Basic Education ready for 2024 matric examinations

The Department of Basic Education (DBE) says all systems are in place for it to administer the National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations for the Class of 2024.

The department briefed the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education this week on a preliminary report regarding the state of readiness for this year’s Grade 12 final examinations.

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube, Deputy Minister Dr Reginah Mhaule and Director-General Mathanzima Mweli led the departmental delegation to Parliament.

The examinations are set to run from 21 October to 27 November 2024, and marking will commence immediately thereafter.

“There are 55 053 markers appointed, who will be stationed at 188 marking centres. The results will be released to candidates on 16 January 2025. The Minister will announce the results on 15 January 2024,” the department said.

Delivering opening remarks, Gwarube said the DBE had done a lot of work to prepare both the candidates and the system for this year’s examination. She said this was a pivotal moment for the learners, who are in their last weeks in the basic education system.

In terms of system readiness, the Chief Director for National Assessment and Public Examinations, Dr Rufus Poliah, reported that there were 732 448 full-time candidates enrolled for NSC examinations this year, which is 8 400 more than in 2023.

“KwaZulu-Natal has the largest Grade 12 population with 172 213 candidates, while Gauteng contributes the second largest number with 136 620. Eastern Cape has 103 975 and Limpopo has 94 236. Mpumalanga has 68 455 and the Western Cape has registered 64 552 candidates. The North West has 41 480, while the Free State has 37 737 and the Northern Cape has 13 180 registered candidates this year.

“There are 136 195 part-time candidates registered to sit for various subjects this year. The examinations will take place in 6 909 centres across the nine provinces,” the department said.

Poliah said a total of 162 question papers for the 2024 October/November examinations have been approved by Umalusi and are ready for handover to provinces for printing.

The Class of 2024 is the seventh cohort that will sit for South African Sign Language (SASL) Home Language (HL) examinations in November 2024. Twenty- three schools in nine provinces have 210 candidates registered for SASL HL, compared to 134 candidates in 2023.

In terms of learner readiness, the Deputy Director-General for Curriculum, Dr Barney Mthembu, highlighted several factors that need to be taken into account regarding the current cohort of Grade 12 learners.

“Firstly, the Class of 2024 was in Grade R in 2012, the year of implementation of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) in foundation phase. Secondly, they entered Grade 8 in 2020 at the height of COVID-19, which means their transition from primary to secondary school was seriously disrupted.

“Thirdly, their Grade 9 year (2021), which is crucial for subject selection in Grade 10, was also disrupted due to COVID-19,” Mthembu said.

He said learners experienced social distancing, which limited group work between teachers and group assessment activities. Rotational attendance affected coverage of the curriculum and created content gaps. At the height of COVID-19, teacher absenteeism affected teacher curriculum coverage negatively for this cohort.

In spite of these disruptions, the department said this cohort started to benefit from the Learning Recovery Programme at primary school.

“Strategies and interventions aimed at addressing the academic setbacks of COVID-19 were introduced. In Grade 10 (2022), the system was beginning to recover from the COVID-19 restrictions, which led to a return of the majority of learners to school.

“This saved this cohort from rotational attendance and loss of teaching and learning time. It also helped them to complete the Grade 10 Annual Teaching Plans (ATPs). In Grade 11 (2023) this cohort had an advantage of the removal of social distancing and other related restrictions. This helped it to cover the Grade 11 Annual Teaching Plans,” the department said.

This year, in Grade 12, they are benefiting from a wealth of resources that were developed to assist the classes of 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 with learning and studying. These include previous diagnostic reports, question papers and study material.

Mweli has visited 162 study camps in different parts of the country throughout the year to support the Grade 12 learners.

The department further highlighted that the Class of 2024 has also benefited from being taught by teachers who have improved subject results in 2022 and 2023, making them motivated to improve performance in 2024.

The Class of 2024 reached Grade 12 when schools had mastered the skill of using the diagnostic reports of the previous years for examination preparation. – SAnews.gov.za

DikelediM
Thu, 09/19/2024 - 10:23

681 views

19 September 2024

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

370 views

17 September 2024

Mpumalanga records highest HIV prevalence rate

Location: News

Mpumalanga records highest HIV prevalence rate

Compared to other provinces, Mpumalanga had the highest HIV prevalence at 17.4% in 2022, which translates to an estimated 890 000 people, living with HIV (PLHIV) in the province.

The key findings of the Sixth South African HIV Prevalence, Incidence, and Behaviour Survey (SABSSM VI) for Mpumalanga were released by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) on Tuesday.

According to the overall principal investigator of the study, the HSRC’s Professor Khangelani Zuma, the survey showed that, in 2022, HIV prevalence in the province was 7.8% among youth aged 15 to 24 overall, and 1.5-fold higher among males (9.8%) than females (6.3%) in this age group.

Among adults aged 25 to 49, HIV prevalence was 26.4% overall, and 1.6-fold higher among females (31.9%) than males (19.9%).

By locality, HIV prevalence was higher among those residing in rural formal or farms (21.1%) and rural informal areas (18.4%) and lower in urban areas (15.5%).

“A concerning state is that HIV prevalence peaked at 40.8% among those 45 to 49 years in 2022 compared to 39% in 2017 among those 35 to 39 years, suggesting a possibility of continued new infections.

“There was a notable downward shift in the epidemic curve in 2022 among respondents 15 to 44 years,” Zuma noted.

The data presented are for three priority districts in Mpumalanga, namely Ehlanzeni, Gert Sibande and Nkangala districts.

In 2022, HIV prevalence among all ages was highest in Gert Sibande (20.5%) and Ehlanzeni (16%) and lowest in Nkangala (13.1%).

Antiretroviral treatment

Meanwhile, according to the data, antiretroviral treatment (ART) coverage in Mpumalanga increased to 81.8% in 2022, from 65.4% in 2017.

This translates to an estimated 630 000 people living with HIV in the province receiving ART in 2022.

In 2022, ART use among all people living with HIV in the province was 56.4% among adolescents and youth 15 to 24 years and 83.9% among those 25 to 49 years.

Among females, ART coverage was substantially lower among those aged 15 to 24 (58.6%) than those aged 25 to 49 (85.2%).

ART coverage among males from 25 to 49 years was 81.6%, while it was 54.8% for male youth aged 15 to 24.

The SABSSM VI survey, conducted between 2022 and 2023, aimed to maintain surveillance of HIV infection and behaviours in South Africa, evaluate the progress of the South African national HIV and AIDS, STI and TB Strategic Plan, and monitor HIV indicators for national and international reporting.

Knowledge of HIV status

Zuma expressed concern that people living with HIV aged 25 to 49 accounted for most people living with HIV in Mpumalanga who were unaware of their HIV status (62.3%), aware but not on ART (63.5%), and on ART but not virally suppressed (63.4%).

However, adolescents and youth aged between 15 to 24 contributed disproportionally to gaps in treatment, accounting for just 9.4% of all people living with HIV.

In this age group, 16.9% knew their HIV status, 16.7% knew their HIV status but were not on ART, and 13.7% of those on ART were not on viral load suppression (VLS).

People residing in urban areas accounted for the most people living with HIV overall.

Key drivers

Regarding the key drivers of the HIV pandemic, Zuma noted that Mpumalanga had the lowest prevalence of sexual debut among provinces.

The proportion of adolescents and youth aged 15 who reported having sex before the age of 15 years decreased from 13.3% in 2017 to 5.4% in 2022.

However, sexual debut before the age of 15 among adolescents and youth aged between 15 and 24 in 2022 was higher among males (6.1%) than females (4.8%).

The survey revealed that in the province, 5.1% of people aged 15 and older reported having multiple sexual partners in 2022 compared to 7.9% in 2017.

The proportion of people aged 15 years and older who reported having multiple sexual partners was almost three-fold (7.4%) higher in males than among females (2.7%) and was higher among those aged between 15 and 24 (6.2%) compared to other age groups.

Regarding condom use, the survey revealed that 46.1% reported using a condom with the most recent sexual partner in 2022 compared to 46.3% in 2017.

Condom use was substantially lower among those residing in rural formal or farm dwellings (26.0%) compared to those living in urban areas (50.1%).

Meanwhile, a higher proportion (32.4%) also reported that they never used a condom with their most recent sexual partner.

“Only 11% reported that they used condoms almost every time … Nearly 50% of youth reported using a condom sometimes or never using a condom.” – SAnews.gov.za

Gabisile
Tue, 09/17/2024 - 13:31

155 views

16 September 2024

SA students to study scarce skills in China

Location: News

SA students to study scarce skills in China

In a bid to address the skills mismatch, the Department of Higher Education and Training will send a number of local students to China to study scarce and critical skills of the future.

The department will send around 100 students to China next year.

Higher Education and Training Minister, Dr Nobuhle Nkabane made the announcement during a media briefing held in Pretoria on Monday.

This announcement followed the Minister’s return from China, as part of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s delegation to the recent Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit, held in Beijing, China.

READ | China looks to elevate relations with African countries

Nkabane noted that South Africa has a long-standing cooperation with the People’s Republic of China in various areas of higher education and training, which continues to grow and support South Africa’s knowledge and skills development.

“Our engagement during this visit aligns with South Africa’s strategic goals regarding technological advancement and international collaboration in education,” Nkabane said.

WATCH | Higher Education Minister Dr Nobuhle Nkabane briefs the media

The Minister, joined by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) Administrator, Freeman Nomvalo, held a joint media briefing to provide feedback on a four-day Ministerial Stakeholder engagement programme, which started on Thursday and concluded on Sunday.

Nkabane had an extensive consultation with stakeholders in the Post-School Education and Training (PSET) sector on Thursday to solicit inputs and proposals to policy positions on matters that affect the PSET system.

NSFAS participated in the stakeholder engagement meetings where student formations, universities, and Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges posed robust engagements and shared with the department, insights on how best they can turn around the institution.

The Minister also consulted extensively with PSET institutional governance structures, including the South African Union of Students (SAUS), South African Further Education and Training Student Association (SAFETSA), South African Public Colleges Organisation (SACPO), and Universities South Africa (USAF).

2025 NSFAS online applications

“It was due to these critical consultations that we have had to postpone the launch of the 2025 NSFAS online application launch, which is a significant concern for students nationwide. Another reason for postponing the launch of the 2025 NSFAS online application process was to allow NSFAS to do a dry run of the online application system to stakeholders,” the Minister explained.

Nkabane said the feedback received has already informed critical system changes to simplify the online application process making it accessible to all.

The stakeholder engagements also helped enrich the department’s understanding of matters, including addressing NSFAS inefficiencies, challenges confronting NSFAS, the student funding model and its interface with the Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs), safety and security of Vice Chancellors and students which remains a concern among others.

Having received a presentation during the stakeholder consultations, and having noted the comments received from stakeholders, Nkabane said she is now confident that NSFAS is ready to kickstart the 2025 online application process- effectively on Friday, 20 September 2024.

“I am therefore inviting all students who are siting for their matriculation this year to take this opportunity and apply for either the NSFAS bursary or loan. This invitation is also extended to learners from grade 9, 10, and 11, who would like to enter the Technical and Vocational Education and Training sector,” Nkabane said.

NSFAS is expected to brief the media on the opening of the 2025 online application process on Friday, where detailed information on the process will be shared.

Meanwhile, the Minister said the department intends increasing the intake of the college system by one million enrolments in community colleges and 2.5 million in public and private TVET colleges by 2030.

“In relation to our universities, we will continue to diversify them based on their strengths and the needs of the communities in which they are located by targeting 1.6 million enrolments by 2030. – SAnews.gov.za

GabiK
Mon, 09/16/2024 - 15:15

375 views

12 September 2024

Minister Buthelezi pledges to revitalise public service amid eroded trust and challenges

Location: News

Minister Buthelezi pledges to revitalise public service amid eroded trust and challenges

At a juncture when public trust in government institutions is tattered and pessimism is perverse, Public Service and Administration Minister Inkosi Mzamo Buthelezi, has the unenviable task of reversing the tide.

It is one that he does not consider insurmountable, mammoth as it is.

This much was apparent during an interview with Public Sector Manager (PSM) magazine at his Batho Pele House office in Pretoria.

September, celebrated as Public Service Month in South Africa, was a focal point of the discussion.

During the interview the Minister outlined his vision for the revitalisation of the Public Service, emphasising the need for the restoration of professionalism and ethical standards that have deteriorated in recent years.

With that said, he is adamant that the 30 days of September should not be used to admonish public servants, but rather to celebrate their efforts.

“We are not going to use Public Service Month to highlight the wrongs that are happening within departments, it is not about that... We must not create a perception ourselves that suggests that everything is rotten in the Public Service,” said the Minister.

He stated that the annual event will instead be dedicated to honour those who have taken a conscious decision to serve in the public sector even when more lucrative opportunities were in the offering in the private sector.

“They chose not to go that route... they chose a route that is serving their people. That is what we are going to do,” he said, adding that the period will also be used to ignite enthusiasm among public servants and revive commitment to service.

“Most of us when we take office, [whether] as a police [officer] or a nurse, there is an oath that you take which commits you to whatever work you are going to do. So, as we go, all those seem to fade into the background because of a number of challenges,” he reiterated.

He said that Public Service Month should serve as a reminder of the valuable contributions public servants make to the country and encourage them to persist in their efforts, even when faced with challenging circumstances.

Not shying away from endemic challenges that continue to plague the sector, the Minister said it was important to address these issues if meaningful progress was to be made.

Professionalising the Public Service

In February 2024, the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) released Volume 1 of the Directive on Human Resources Management and Development for Public Service Professionalisation. The initiative is designed to enhance the efficacy, integrity and accountability of the Public Service.

This is in line with the government's efforts to combat corruption in the country, including within the Public Service.

For Minister Buthelezi, the conversation starts with a question that has weighed heavily on many South Africans: “How did the country’s public service, once lauded for its professionalism and integrity, lose its way?”

For him, the answer is rooted in a gradual yet troubling shift in the relationship between politicians and public servants.

“The Public Service was professional,” the Minister recalls, with a mixture of pride and concern. “But somewhere along the way, we, as politicians, started to politicise public servants. Now, there is this call for professionalisation, as if the Public Service was never professional. I dispute that notion.”

For him, the decline in standards is not a reflection of a systemic failure, but rather the result of external pressures that have distracted public servants.

“Public servants were professional, they were ethical and had a keen interest to serve. That is why most of us when we were growing up, we aspired to be public servants,” he asserted.

His responsibility and that of the DPSA, he added, is to try and depoliticise the Public Service.

“That means we are not introducing something new but we are removing something that I consider alien, we are asking public servants to go back to their core values,” he said.

Rebuilding public trust

The Minister believes that the effective utilisation of the Public Service Commission (PSC) and the National School of Government (NSG) will go a long way in restoring the diminished trust in the Public Service.

While the PSC coordinates government’s efforts to eradicate corruption and maladministration in the State and develops and improves policy on ethics for the Public Service, the latter is tasked with ensuring that all public servants participate and complete education, training and development initiatives.

“The NSG comes to play a particular role when it comes to training public servants in a number of things, which includes ethics, among others. That is one initiative that the department has undertaken to make make sure that we professionalise the Public Service and bring back the public trust. If people are led by leaders who are unethical, who are not committed to the cause and leaders who neglect their duty and do not take serving people as a calling, that is a problem,” he said.

Lifestyle audits

Turning his attention to accomplishing an ethical public service, he is adamant that lifestyle audits are not the holy grail.

“All that I want to see happening is that, as we try to deal with corruption through lifestyle audits, people should be encouraged to do the right thing without there being someone following them. We must also try to develop a culture within the public service that repels such elements and only attract people who are interested in serving.”

Innovation

The Minister said in his first two months in the role, he has been impressed by the innovation demonstrated by public servants.

“Public servants are coming up with new ways of how government can do things better and become efficient.”

However, he stressed that innovation should not leave behind the majority of the population.

Wage bill

In recent years, the general public has raised concerns on the country’s perceived “ballooning” public service wage bill. The Minister is , however, not convinced that this perception is accurate.

“I do not believe that the wage bill is ‘ballooning’. We must be very honest in analysing the status quo. You have almost 1.3 million public servants serving a population of over 60 million. You go to the police, and they will tell you [that] they should have one police officer serving a certain number of people, but that is not happening,” explained the Minister.

The genesis of the problem, for him, is the country’s stunted economic growth of recent years. However, he acknowledged that there are challenges within the system that need to be addressed.

“That (slow economic growth) should not be equated to the problem of the wage bill, because it is not. If the economy was growing as much as it should have, and if our population increase was not increasing in a manner that is not aligned with our economic growth, we would not be where we are,” he explained.

He noted that the public sector is not bursting at the seams with excess staff, instead the limited human resources are mostly being overstretched.

Suspensions

Another challenge within the Public Service is the issue of long-standing unresolved suspensions. This problem is widespread, yet there are no specific statistics available on the exact number of cases.

These include the number of staff members spending excessive time on suspension as well as deadwood in some departments.

“We are told that some of them are not even in the country; some have been on suspension for over a thousand days; some have gone on to study and obtain degrees; some are owning businesses elsewhere. There is a serious problem in relation to that.”

He mentioned that the DPSA is working on a report to determine the exact number of suspended staff members in an effort to finalise the investigations.

The Minister stated that he aimed to leave a legacy of public servants returning to basics, where the principles of Batho Pele are not merely displayed on the walls of government departments but are actively practiced.

“You will know that there is Batho Pele because of your personal experience with every public servant. I would like to leave behind public servants that keep keeping on, no matter what.”

This article first appeared in Public Sector Manager (PSM) Magazine

Janine
Thu, 09/12/2024 - 09:23

106 views

10 September 2024

At Least 116 Children Died From Malnutrition in the Eastern Cape in One Year

Location: News

Conference on hunger hears there’s more than enough food. Policy failures by both government and corporations are causing hunger.

9 September 2024

465 000 people living with HIV in the North West

Location: News

465 000 people living with HIV in the North West

The North West had the fifth highest HIV prevalence rate in the country at 12.3% in 2022, with HIV prevalence in the province at 20.8% among those aged 25 to 49 years old overall.

In addition, a large number of people living with HIV (PLHIV) in the province were women.

This is according to the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), which released the key findings of the Sixth South African HIV Prevalence, Incidence, and Behaviour Survey (SABSSM VI) for the North West on Monday.

According to the overall principal investigator of the study, the HSRC’s Professor Khangelani Zuma, the survey showed that in 2022, HIV prevalence in the province was 20.8% among those aged 25 to 49 overall and more than two-fold higher (29.0%) among females than among males (13.4%).

Among adolescents and youth, HIV prevalence was 2.5-fold higher among females (8.3%) than among males (3.3%) of the same age.

The survey revealed that the HIV prevalence peaked at 31.4% among those 40 to 44 years in 2022 compared to 36.8% among those 45 to 49 years in 2017.

However, there was a decrease in HIV prevalence in 2022 among those aged 30 to 39 and 40 to 49.

“Of great concern is the worsening situation among adolescents and youth, with HIV prevalence being worse or similar to that of 2017.

“The prevalence of HIV among adolescents 15 to 19 is higher (4.5%) in 2022 than in 2017 (3.2%), indicating continued infections among adolescents and youth,” Zuma noted.

The data presented are for three priority districts in North West namely, Bojanala, Dr Kenneth Kaunda and Ngaka Modiri Molema, where oversampling was undertaken to enhance the precision of the HIV prevalence estimates.

By district, in 2022, HIV prevalence among all ages was highest in Bojanala (15.4%), followed by Ngaka Modiri Molema (12.1%) and Dr Kenneth Kaunda (11.9%).

Antiretroviral treatment

Antiretroviral treatment (ART) coverage in North West increased from 60.7% in 2017 to 78.9% in 2022.

This means an estimated 324 000 people living with HIV in the province received treatment in 2022.

ART use among those 15 to 49 years was 76.1% overall, 81.8% among females, and 63.0% among males.

ART use was 73.8% in urban areas and at or above 85% in rural informal and formal or farm areas.

By district, ART use ranged from 81.5% in Bojanala to 84.9% in Dr Kenneth Kaunda.

Meanwhile, Zuma expressed concern that people living with HIV aged 25 to 49 accounted for most people living with HIV in the North West who were unaware of their HIV status (68.4%), aware but not on ART (70.1%), and on ART but not virally suppressed (71.3%).

However, adolescents and youth aged 15 to 24 contributed disproportionately to gaps in treatment, accounting for just 6.4% of all people living with HIV, but 15.8% of those unaware of their status, 15.6% of those aware but not on ART and 12.9% of those on ART but no viral load suppression (VLS).

Key HIV drivers

Shifting the focus to key drivers of the HIV pandemic, Zuma noted that in the North West, the proportion of adolescents and youth aged 15 to 24 who reported having sex before 15 years declined from 12% in 2017 to 8.8% in 2022.

In 2022, sexual debut before the age of 15 years among adolescents and youth aged 15 to 24 was four-fold higher among males (14.0%) than females (3.5%).

The survey revealed that in the North West, 9.5% of people 15 years and older reported having two or more sexual partners in 2022 compared to 11.1% in 2017.

The proportion of people aged 15 and older who reported having two or more sexual partners was higher among males (33.7%), compared to females (30.6%), and those 15 to 24 years (50.1%) compared to other age groups.

The proportion who reported having two or more sexual partners was highest in rural informal or tribal areas (34.8%) and in Bojanala district (12.7%).

Regarding condom use, the survey revealed that in North West, 32.2% of respondents reported using a condom with their most recent sexual partner in 2022, a 12.5% decline from the 44.7% reported in 2017.

Condom use with their most recent sexual partner among people aged 15 and older was similar among both females (30.6%) and males (33.7%), and higher among youth aged 15 to 24 (50.1%) than adults aged 15 to 49 (30.6%).

The professor recommended a long-term strategy to care for individuals in an ageing HIV epidemic as well as tailored interventions to address gaps in the clinical cascade by district, locality and subpopulation.

Gabisile
Mon, 09/09/2024 - 12:34

388 views

9 September 2024

SA to participate in WorldSkills International Competition

Location: News

SA to participate in WorldSkills International Competition

The WorldSkills Team South Africa has jetted off to France, where they will represent the country at the 47th WorldSkills International Competition taking place this week in Lyon.

The competition provides an opportunity to exchange skills, experience and technological innovations.
In South Africa, the WorldSkills initiative is championed by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET).

The competition serves as an effective platform to raise awareness about apprenticeships and artisanal skills, enhancing the standard of vocational education and training, and promoting artisanal skills.

The initiative aligns with the department’s Decade of the Artisan' programme, addressing the critical shortage of skilled artisans in the country.

The World Skills Competition aims to encourage young people, including high school learners, and tertiary students to consider artisanship as a career choice, thereby alleviating the skills shortage in the country.

The DHET said the South African competitors, under the banner of World Skills SA come from Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges or Technical High Schools, or students undertaking studies towards a Diploma at a University of Technology, and private training colleges.

The department said the 47th WorldSkills International Competition will feature over 1 500 competitors from 65 countries across the world, competing in 61 skills from 10-15 September.

The skills will be divided into six sectors, including construction and building technology, social and personal services, creative arts and fashion, information and communication technology, manufacturing and engineering technology and transportation and logistics.

The department highlighted that competitions offer participants, not only those from South Africa, huge benefits and opportunities.

“It is about more than just winning and taking the prize home. WorldSkills competitions in general, including the WorldSkills International Competition, create opportunities for learners to become the very best version of themselves possible.

“They offer life changing pathway and opportunities that involve additional study and work experience. The WorldSkills South Africa (WSZA) programme plays a critical role in building bridges between all stakeholders within the apprenticeship and artisan development arena,” the department said.

WSZA’s aim is to further develop the skills of the many young people who participate in WorldSkills South Africa events and to build their networking and communication skills. This is through taking direction from industry peers and benchmarking their skills against those they compete with in the industry. – SAnews.gov.za

GabiK
Mon, 09/09/2024 - 14:36

31 views