Month: July 2023

A rare snowfall dusted Johannesburg and other high-lying parts of South Africa on Monday, with weather services warning of potential road closures and dangerously cold temperatures. Residents in the business hub woke up to snowfalls lightly covering rooftops and gardens as a cold front that hit the country late last week morphed into a weather system called a “cutoff low.”

Source: France24.com

The Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) has encouraged employees to use the various online tools and measures it has introduced to help curb snaking queues at labour centres across the country.

According to UIF Director of Compliance, Malesela Makgamatho, the online tools include the uFiling system, which allows employees to submit claims, check their status and submit enquiries from the comfort of their homes. The system can be accessed on https://ufiling.labour.gov.za/uif/ .

Makgamatho was addressing members of organised labour on Monday at Bolivia Lodge in Polokwane during the UIF Commissioner’s Breakfast session.

The session was held in conjunction with provincial Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) members and affiliates in Limpopo.

The UIF is an entity of the Department of Employment and Labour.

The session was aimed at educating organised labour about UIF processes, criteria, benefits and general activities, with the view of improving customer experience of clients and stakeholders.

“For more convenience, the department has also introduced a free USSD service to make it easier for clients to check their UIF status. The USSD service only requires an active mobile number. This is especially beneficial for those who do not have direct internet access,” Makgamatho said.

To check your UIF status using the USSD platform, clients are encouraged to simply dial *134*843# on any mobile phone. This will open up a menu with several options to choose from, including claims and payment status, employee registration, payment continuation and general enquiries.

UIF Commissioner Teboho Maruping said the department has also introduced UIF mobile buses that move around provinces to assist clients in deep rural areas who are unable to visit labour centres in their nearest towns.

“Additionally, we have installed free Wi-Fi at all our labour centres so that clients can utilise the online system with ease when visiting our offices. Furthermore, 3 000 marshals and 3 000 officials have also been appointed to assist clients with online applications,” the Commissioner said.

He said the idea behind the online system is to give total control to the applicant so that they can take charge of every step of their application.

“The online system will help us to deal with the issue of incorrect documents, fraud and help applicants to keep their documents safe once they have submitted online. We want to take a different approach on how we work as a Fund. With the technology we have developed, we want to eventually eliminate visits to our offices entirely. We are in the process to improve these systems,” he said.

The commissioner said the department will in due course also introduce an employer driven process where the employer or even organised labour can be responsible to apply on behalf of the employees.

He explained that the intention for this engagement is for the department to work differently and see how best systems can be put in place to improve service delivery.

Source: South African Government News Agency

All eight police officers that were involved in the N1 assault case have been suspended in terms of the South African Police Service (SAPS) disciplinary regulations, as of Monday, 10 July 2023.

Last week, Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola announced that the eight members of the South African Police Service have been issued with suspension notices.

The officers were then temporarily removed from their posts pending investigation.

Masemola said no amount of provocation can ever justify or validate what was witnessed in the video clip.

“We generally follow a very stringent process to identify members that should be protecting our principals, so for those members to have conducted themselves in such a manner is quite concerning.

“We pledge to offer our full cooperation to the IPID [Independent Police Investigative Directorate] investigation, at the same time ensuring that our internal processes are not compromised in any manner,” Masemola said.

The police officers involved in the incident are said to be Deputy President Paul Mashatile’s protectors. He has condemned the incident in the strongest terms.

Source: South African Government News Agency

The Government of Ireland has invited South Africans interested in pursuing a Master’s degree in Ireland to apply for the Kader Asmal Fellowship Programme to study at Ireland’s world-renowned higher education institutions.

The Kader Asmal Fellowship Programme is a flagship programme of the Embassy of Ireland in South Africa offered to South African students.

The programme is part of the broader Ireland-Africa Fellowship Programme offered by the Government of Ireland.

Through the programme, professional women and men, with leadership potential from South Africa will avail of relevant postgraduate study opportunities in Irish higher education institutions.

“The scholarship broadly supports leadership for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and supporting the development of women’s leadership capacity, and women’s participation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) are key priorities.

“In addition, the Kader Asmal Fellowship Programme aims to support students who would not otherwise have the opportunity to pursue Master’s level education in Ireland. Graduates of Universities of Historical Disadvantage and Universities of Technology in particular are encouraged to apply,” the Ireland Embassy said.

The Embassy said the programme offers selected students the opportunity to undertake a fully-funded one-year master’s programme at a prestigious higher education institution (HEI) in Ireland.

“The award covers course fees, accommodation, living costs, and flights. Applicants can choose from almost 200 postgraduate programmes especially selected to enhance capacity in line with stated country development goals and the strategy of the relevant Irish Mission.

“On completion of their studies, graduates will have acquired relevant skills and knowledge and be better capacitated and positioned to influence the advancement of national social, economic and development priorities,” the Embassy said.

A full list of eligible courses is available on the website “Directory of Eligible Postgraduate Programmes in Irish Higher Education Institutions”.

Eligibility Criteria for the Kader Asmal Fellowship

To be eligible for a Kader Asmal Fellowship Programme commencing at the beginning of the academic year 2024 applicants must:

• Be a South African citizen.

• Have a minimum of two years relevant work experience.

• Hold an Honours degree from a recognised public university, with an average of at least 75%. It must have been awarded in 2012 or later (within the last 12 years).

• Not in possession of a Master’s degree or higher level qualification.

• Be able to take up fellowship in August/September 2024 academic year.

• Be able to demonstrate leadership abilities and aspirations, as well as commitment to the achievement of the SDGs within your own country.

• Have identified and selected two relevant courses from the Ireland-Africa Fellows Programme Directory of Eligible Courses.

• Have a clear understanding of the academic and English language proficiencies required for both courses chosen.

• Should not have applied for the Kader Asmal Fellowship Programme on more than one previous occasion.

The applications for the 2024-2025 Kader Asmal Fellowship Programme open on 3 July and close on 31 July 2023.

For more information on the Kader Asmal Fellowship Programme, please visit https://canoncollins.org/scholarships/kader-asmal-fellowship-programme/.

Source: South African Government News Agency

One of the world’s most influential leaders of all time has proven that great leadership begins with a servant heart. Nelson Mandela’s legacy is characterised by his humility, passion for people, equality and serving.

Not only did Mandela serve the nation as South Africa’s first democratic president but he also played an instrumental role in fostering a spirit of nation building and togetherness.

Madiba encouraged every individual to take responsibility and be the change they want to see. One area we can bring about positive change is through our fight against climate change which is impacting numerous areas of life including food security.

Climate change threatens to reverse the progress we have made towards eradicating hunger and malnutrition. The increased frequency of heat waves, droughts, floods, cyclones and wildfires make it difficult for farmers to grow food.

This year’s emphasis for Mandela Day, under the theme “It is in your hands”, focuses on how we can harness our individual strengths and work together as a nation to create a climate-friendly environment as well as address food insecurity.

Your actions this Mandela Day can build the necessary impetus to fight climate change and ensure food security. Together we can change our climate trajectory by adapting a more climate-friendly lifestyle.

We can take practical steps to reduce our carbon footprint and save the earth through simple actions in our own homes. This includes turning off lights and devices not in use, taking shorter showers, avoiding the use of plastic bags and recycling. By recycling we re-use materials which means less energy is required and less pollution is created.

To reduce the emission of harmful greenhouse gases that damage the environment, we can utilise public transport, a bicycle or car-pool more often. As we transition into a greener environment, we can switch to energy efficient products in our homes and utilise solar power.

Another way to reduce our carbon footprint is through planting trees in our communities which helps reduce carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. This Nelson Mandela Day targets the planting of one million trees, 60 per cent of which are fruit trees.

By planting a tree this Mandela Day, we not only respond to climate change, but also to the challenge of food security. When trees are planted, the soil structure improves, creating an environment for fresh agricultural produce to flourish.

South Africans can play their part in securing our food supply through home or community food gardens. Our country is rich with various indigenous foods and leafy vegetables such as Amaranthus, African nightshades, pumpkin, cabbage and spinach which can be planted and cultivated at home.

Moreover, fresh organic vegetables are a central part of a healthy diet and home grown foods that are free from pesticides play a vital role for our health. Apart from health benefits, a home or community garden can save you money on your monthly grocery bill and minimise food wastage as you use only what you need.

We also encourage citizens, especially those who are in rural farming to consider indigenous food crops such as Dried Cowpea, Wild Medlar, Delele and Morula fruit. These foods offer a good alternative to maize, wheat, rice, potatoes and beans.

If every person plants a small garden in their home it can snowball into communities across the country providing for themselves and meeting their substance needs. Your garden can also provide fresh nutritious produce for those who may not otherwise afford it, and in doing so helps relieve hunger.

These simple actions of every individual can pave the way for food security. By planting trees and lending a helping hand this Mandela day, we can slowly uplift our communities out of poverty and transform our environment.

“It is in your hands” to make a difference and leave a positive impact on the earth. We call on all South Africans to heed to the call to action and make this Mandela Day a fruitful one, as we honour the legacy of Madiba.

Source: Government of South Africa