Month: September 2023

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana is expected to deliver the Medium Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) on November 1.

“The Medium Term Budget Policy Statement sets government policy goals and priorities, forecasts the macro-economy trajectory, and projects the fiscal framework over the next three years by outlining spending and revenue estimates, among others,” National Treasury said on Monday.

Meanwhile, the 2023 Public Financial Management (PFM) conference is expected to be held from 20 – 22 September.

The conference will be held under the theme: ‘Innovative and Ethical Public Finance Management in Challenging Times’.

According to National Treasury, the key objectives of the conference include:

Building a culture of accountability in specific PFM sectors.

Creating a platform for PFM officials to update their knowledge and awareness of the latest trends and developments in the financial management space.

Identifying new and improved practices and workable solutions that could assist PFM officials in performing their work smarter.

Profiling National Treasury, and its units, as important resources in achieving and sustaining PFM excellence.

Showcasing available PFM resources and training, and how to access them.

Highlighting good practice.

Building communities of practice.

“The 2023 PFM conference will serve as a platform to create awareness of some of the latest PFM reforms led by National Treasury. The conference aims to cover the nine PFM disciplines, which include, among others, Financial Accounting, Revenue Management, Expenditure Management, Supply Chain Management, and Budgeting.

“The conference will target all spheres of government. Delegates will include Chief Financial Officers, Provincial Accountant-Generals, heads of PFM disciplines, and other relevant stakeholders responsible for overseeing the implementation of the financial disciplines. In addition, development partners, members of the higher education section and relevant professional bodies,” Treasury said. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: South African Government News Agency

As South Africa marks Public Service Month, President Cyril Ramaphosa has placed a spotlight on the vital role of individuals, who work in the country’s administration, in improving the well-being of citizens.

In his weekly newsletter to the nation on Monday, the President said the task of building a better South Africa is enabled by the diligence, care, ethical conduct and innovation of the country’s 1.2 million public servants.

The President highlighted that public servants are expected to observe Batho Pele principles such as courtesy, openness and transparency, maintaining service standards and giving best value, as they deliver on government’s mandate.

Public servants must uphold the standards expected of them, especially at points of service. The President said that they are expected to advance social and economic development through the services that they provide to citizens.

“We often think that public servants are lacking in the provision of services to citizens and yet there are areas of distinction in the public service that don’t make the headlines.

“One speaks here about the committed civil servants behind frontline service counters, in our community clinics, at our border posts, in our foreign missions around the world, in our police stations and in our classrooms, and at the forefront of scientific endeavour in our various institutions.

“These public servants get on with their tasks in relative anonymity, serving the South African people with diligence. One hears about situations when things go wrong, but one doesn’t hear about the thousands of people who every day apply for ID cards and passports at Home Affairs offices around the country, and who receive their documents in less than two weeks. Little is reported about the improvements brought about by the new Branch Appointment Booking system and e-service,” he said.

The President emphasised that work must continue because “we cannot build an accountable, professional civil service, as long as there are individuals who see public office as a vehicle for self-enrichment”.

At the same time, he said, credit must be given where it is due to the vast majority of civil servants who “rise each day to prepare to go to work, serving the South African people with honesty and integrity”.

“While many citizens daily experience the orderliness, professionalism and courtesy of frontline service officials, the headlines and online debates are often reserved for public servants involved in corruption or mismanagement. It is correct that these activities be exposed and action taken against those responsible.

“We also need to recognise where progress is being made,” the President said.

Professionalising the public service

Last week, President Ramaphosa highlighted in Parliament the commendable work underway in departments to discourage corruption, including the completion of over 11 000 lifestyle audits of public servants in national government.

Later this year, government will gazette several regulations to guide the implementation of the framework for the professionalisation of the public service that was adopted by Cabinet last year.

The President said these regulations will contribute to greater stability in the leadership ranks of the public service, ensure that recruitment processes are more rigorous, and that prospective public servants undergo competency testing before taking up positions.

“The implementation of the framework will improve the conditions of service for public servants and bring stability to departments that have undergone prolonged periods of uncertainty and flux. A better trained civil service, which attracts suitably qualified individuals, will engender greater public confidence,” he said.

While recognising the critical work of the public service and commending the many public servants who diligently serve the nation, the President acknowledged that there is much room for improvement.

“It is for this reason that we have embarked on far-reaching public service reforms that will help build a State that is both capable and developmental; a State that both provides citizens with efficient frontline services and improves the quality of their lives,” the President said. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: South African Government News Agency

Government has called for an end to the stigmatisation and discrimination of people with albinism, as South Africans observe National Albinism Awareness Month.

National Albinism Awareness Month is dedicated to people with albinism, to highlight their pride, challenges and finding solutions.

“We have the opportunity to pause, reflect and remember that not all persons are treated equally, and that many people with albinism continue to suffer human rights abuses and violations, often invisibly and in silence,” the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities said in a statement on Monday.

The department said people with albinism continue to face an uphill struggle to attain a life with dignity and equality, and fight against injustice and multiple forms of discrimination because it is still profoundly misunderstood – socially and medically.

Albinism is a rare genetic condition that reduces the amount of melanin pigment formed in the skin, hair or eyes and occurs in all racial and ethnic groups throughout the world.

The department said during this month, all endeavours should be channelled towards the provision of information on albinism to create awareness.

The department, in collaboration with the National Albinism Task Force, will host an Albinism Community Outreach programme and webinar for youth with albinism to engage on pressing issues faced by youth and people with albinism in the country.

This year’s National Albinism Awareness Month is celebrated under the theme: ‘Inclusion is strength’, which builds from last year’s theme of ‘United in making our voice heard’.

The theme aims to ensure the inclusion of the voices of people with albinism in all sectors of life, and emphasises the importance of inclusion of a diversity of groups from both within and outside the albinism community.

“This will help people to understand people with albinism and the challenges they face. People must understand that albinism is a rare, non-contagious, genetically inherited condition which occurs worldwide regardless of ethnicity or gender.

“People with albinism are entitled to civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights recognised in the Bill of Rights and our Constitution in South Africa,” the department said.

The department called on people in communities and workplaces, both in the public and private sectors, to organise Albinism Awareness Month activities. These include organised talks about albinism, fun days, picnics, charity walks and fun runs.

White Paper on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

South Africa has a White Paper on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which is a call to action for government, civil society and the private sector to work together to ensure the social and economic inclusion of people with disabilities is achieved, and this includes people with albinism.

The department emphasised that the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities are particularly relevant, and both guarantee protection against discrimination.

“Equality and non-discrimination are essential human rights principles for people with albinism, owing to their vision impairment and their needs regarding preventive measures to address their vulnerability to skin cancer.” – SAnews.gov.za

Source: South African Government News Agency

The City of Tshwane has appealed to residents to use water sparingly as the city has experienced a sharp increase in water consumption beyond what can sustainably be supplied.

The city said the increase in water demand has resulted in some reservoirs within the city struggling and some areas being without water.

“The current high demand situation is putting customers at risk of having stringent restrictions imposed, which comes with additional costs for residents. Communities are implored to use water sparingly,” the city said in a statement.

According to the city, the areas where water consumption is significantly higher than what they should be consuming are Nellmapius; Leander Road Meter; Blair Athol Reservoir; Louwlardia Reservoir; Laudium Reservoir; Wonderboom Reservoir; Klapperkop H14; Lotus Gardens; Kosmosdal, and Doornkloof Reservoir.

Other areas with high consumption include Klapperkop Reservoir; Bakenkop Reservoir; Magaliesberg Reservoir; Garsfontein Reservoir; Soshanguve; Waterkloof Ridge Ext No 2; Constantia Park; Gastonbury Reservoir, and Grootfontein.

The city also noted that the Mooikloof Reservoir has been struggling with low to no water supply due to increased water consumption.

The city urged the residents to make the following water conservation measures part of their normal lifestyle:

• Do not water or irrigate gardens with hosepipes or sprinkler systems between 6am and 6pm;

• Do not wash vehicles with hosepipes; and

• Do not fill swimming pools.

“Furthermore, residents are urged to start using greywater to water gardens and flush toilets. Residents should report water leaks, burst pipes and all incidents where water is wasted. Where possible, water saving devices should be installed,” the city said.

Plan to respond to peak demand period

Water and Sanitation Deputy Minister, David Mahlobo, has given Rand Water and the City of Tshwane two weeks to put together a medium- to long-term plan on how they are going to respond to the peak demand period that is exacerbated by high temperatures, interruptions in storage capacity recovery due to load shedding, non-revenue water, as well as how the city will receive the extra water to be allocated from Rand Water.

Mahlobo gave the directive during a meeting between Rand Water and the City of Tshwane.

During the meeting, the technical team — led by the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) Provincial Head Justice Maluleke; Rand Water Chief Executive Sipho Mosai and the City of Tshwane’s Group Head for Water and Sanitation Stephens Notoane — presented a report back on progress made on the action plan.

The plan had been presented and committed to by Rand Water and Tshwane, in order to restore water supply in areas that were experiencing challenges, and ensure sustainable and efficient supply in the city.

The meeting reported significant improvements, as water supply has been restored in most areas. However, it noted that some parts of the city, especially in high lying areas, are still grappling with water supply challenges as the system recovers.

Mahlobo expressed his appreciation to the city and water utility in how they handled the situation. He urged the two institutions to continue strengthening proactive cooperation and communication for the benefit of the citizens.

The Deputy Minister also reiterated the city’s call on residents to be considerate when using water, as some reservoirs in the city are experiencing slow recovery due to high water usage by people in low-lying areas.

He further urged the city to include in the plan how they will address the issue of leaks that is contributing to water losses in the distribution system. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: South African Government News Agency

The High Court in Pretoria has dismissed, with costs, an application by a doctor implicated in alleged wrongdoing at the National Lotteries Commission (NLC), seeking to interdict the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and compel it to change its team investigating the matter.

The SIU said Dr John Marite had also sought to “interfere in the way the SIU conducts its investigations”.

“In a judgment handed down on 5 September 2023, Acting Judge Hein Snyman said that the application against the SIU by Dr Marite amounted to an abuse of process,” the SIU said on Monday.

According to the corruption busting unit, an investigation revealed that Marite’s company – Right Play Health Services – had received approximately R7.2 million from non-profit organisation Zibsimode NPC, which has links to former NLC board chairperson, Alfred Nevhutanda.

“Zibsimode received grant funding of approximately R20.2 million from the NLC for the roll-out of a public campaign and culturally sensitive medical intervention projects aimed at achieving traditional circumcision practice. The non-profit organisation contacted Dr Marite, a medical doctor based in Pretoria, and his Right Play Health Services to perform the male circumcision service.

“On 31 May 2017, Dr Marite invoiced Zibsimode and a payment of R7 292 700 was made into the bank account of Right Play Health Services. Two days later, Right Play Health Services deposited approximately R2 009 700 to an entity called Ironbridge Travel Agency [linked to former NLC COO Phillemon Letwaba] without a sign of any work being done.

“On the same day, Right Play Health Services further transferred R2 013 000.00 to Ndzuku Trading entity owned by Malwandla Solly Siweya, a respondent in the Dr. Marite court application against the SIU. He wanted the court to order Siweya to stop harassing him. Siweya’s Ndzuku Training also received three payments from Zibsimode totalling R4.1 million,” the SIU said.

Upon investigation by the unit, Marite allegedly did not respond to questions sent to him and rather approached the courts.

“The SIU interviewed Dr Marite on the payment he received from Zibsimode, and payments he made to Ironbridge Travel Agency and Ndzuku Trading. When he failed to answer questions from SIU investigators, he approached the High Court to seek an order for the SIU to change its NLC investigation team and interfere in the way the unit conducts its investigations.

“The SIU welcomes the High Court’s ruling and views the court challenge by Dr Marite as an abuse of process, something the Judge agreed with, and an attempt to avoid accountability. The ruling paves way for the unit to finalise its investigation relating to R7.2 million received by Dr. Marite and ensures the independence of the SIU is not compromised,” the unit said. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: South African Government News Agency

Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi will this week launch a mobile employment centre at the Jobs Fair in Malelane, Mpumalanga.

The launch is set to take place on Thursday morning at the Paradise Creek Lodge in Malelane.

“Minister Nxesi will deliver a keynote address to stakeholders at the Employers’ Breakfast Session. Thereafter, he will address work seekers and exhibitors at the Jobs Fair and launch the Mobile Employment Centre of the Department of Employment and Labour,” the department said in a statement.

The Jobs Fair seeks to identify opportunities and solutions that can enhance the capacity of the department and its partners to deliver on its mandate of creating employment for unemployed people, especially the youth of Mpumalanga.

The Jobs Fair is designed to create a platform where employers and work seekers can interact with the purpose of ensuring that the unemployed and underemployed get access to both work and learning opportunities.

The event is targeted at work seekers and to draw employers, institutions and government departments that provide various services to the youth in particular.

The department will provide the following services during the event:

• Registration of unemployed work seekers on the Employment Services of South Africa (ESSA) database.

• Facilitating access to opportunities and employment counselling services to work seekers.

• Offer career information and study options from educational institutions within the province.

• Job hunting skills, interview preparation and work ethics.

Source: South African Government News Agency