Day: February 26, 2024

The KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government is committed to supporting the Transnet Pipelines (TPL) in implementing interventions to address the challenges faced by the organisation.

KZN Premier, Nomusa Dube-Ncube, made the commitment during a meeting held with Transnet Pipelines Acting Chief Executive, Sibongiseni Khathi.

The focus of the meeting was to provide the Premier with a comprehensive understanding of TPL’s operations, emphasising the strategic significance of the fuel pipeline in safeguarding energy supply.

TPL, an operating division of Transnet SOC Ltd, owns, manages and controls South Africa’s network of 3 114 kilometres of high-pressure petroleum and gas pipeline network in South Africa.

The meeting also familiarised the Premier with the upcoming capital projects scheduled for commencement in KwaZulu-Natal, specifically the liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in Richards Bay and TM1 Accumulator Tanks in Island View.

The two projects are poised to make a substantial economic impact in the provi
nce.

During the engagement, held on Friday, Khathi presented the challenges related to fuel theft from the organisation’s pipelines and encroachments along the pipeline servitude.

Khathi also underscored the importance of securing necessary licenses and approvals, including Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) timeously for the upcoming projects.

‘Building strong relationships with the KZN government is fundamental to our commitment to sustainable development and community engagement. The discussions were insightful, and we are excited about the opportunities that lie ahead for collaborative efforts to growing the economy of the region.

‘TPL remains dedicated to fostering strong partnerships with key stakeholders, and the engagement with Dube-Ncube marks a significant step towards mutual understanding and cooperation,’ Khathi said.

The Premier said the collaborative spirit demonstrated during the meeting signifies a shared commitment to the success of TPL’s operations and the realisation of the upcoming
capital projects.

‘We have a vested interest in the resolution of these challenges because we appreciate that the province’s economic performance which translates to job creation and addressing unemployment, is determined by how well strategic entities like TPL operate,’ Dube Ncube said.

The meeting formed part of several engagements undertaken by the Premier with various stakeholders in different sectors, ahead of the State of the Province Address (SOPA) to take place on 28 February 2024.

Source: South African Government News Agency

Deputy President Paul Mashatile has called on global leaders to do whatever it takes to attract bright young minds to join the teaching profession and address the issue of teacher shortages.

‘To increase participation in this profession, we should provide competitive compensation and recognise teachers’ achievements,’ the Deputy President said on Monday.

The country’s second-in-command is of the view that this could be achieved through the promotion of excellence and creativity and cultivating a sense of pride and purpose among educators.

The Deputy President was speaking at the 14th Policy Dialogue Forum of the International Task Force on Teachers for Education in Illovo, Johannesburg.

The task force is a global platform for education stakeholders, which aims to foster advocacy, knowledge exchange, peer learning and monitoring progress towards Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 on quality education.

‘As we gather here today, we are faced with a stark reality, which is a shortage of qualified and motiv
ated teachers across the globe.’

This shortage, the Deputy President said, not only jeopardises the quality of education but also undermines collective efforts to achieve the SDG 4 goal of inclusive and equitable quality education for all.

‘Instead of disregarding the situation and continuing as if everything is going according to plan, we need to acknowledge the problem and devise a solution that is both effective and efficient.’

The value of teachers

He also took the time to acknowledge the worth of teachers and the crucial role they play in shaping the future of nations.

Besides teaching and imparting knowledge to the future generation, Deputy President Mashatile said teachers play a crucial role in nurturing, fostering critical thinking, inspiring dreams, and pushing the limits of human potential.

‘We thus owe it to these titans of our society to recognise, honour, empower, and value them as well as the job that they do.

‘Most importantly, significant consideration must be made on how we should imp
rove their working conditions and remuneration as a way of appreciating their hard work so that they can be able to fulfil their important task without getting discouraged.’

Shifting his focus to the digital age, he believes that governments should ensure that educators can effectively utilise new technologies to remain relevant and efficient in the current digital age.

The Deputy President also expressed his gratitude to the task force for recognising South Africa as a key player in the journey to achieving quality education for all by the year 2030.

‘As South Africa, we feel privileged to have been allowed to co-chair the steering committee of the Teacher Task Force in collaboration with Germany.’

Finding solutions

He said he hoped his home country would learn from the good practices that will be shared at this forum.

‘South Africa is optimistic that this Policy Dialogue Forum will untangle solutions for addressing the contents of the report.’

He also highlighted the issue of teachers assigned grades
for which they have inadequate training and qualifications.

‘More teachers are produced for the Further Education and Training (FET) band than for the General Education and Training (GET) band. This situation has necessitated the FET band teachers to migrate to the senior phase and teach Grades 7 and 8 classes.’

However, he said the government is addressing this matter through the Fundza Lushaka Bursary Scheme which aims to attract young teachers into the teaching profession and improve teacher salaries and working conditions and use of contracted teachers to deal with immediate needs.

He also paid tribute to the Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga, who was selected to serve on a high-level panel convened by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, in 2022.

Source: South African Government News Agency

Deputy President Paul Mashatile is expected to deliver the keynote address at the official opening of the national conference on the implementation of the Integrated Criminal Justice System (ICJS) programme on Tuesday.

The Deputy President is expected to deliver the address on behalf of President Cyril Ramaphosa.

The event will also review the Criminal Procedure Act of 1977. Set for 27 to 29 February 2024, the conference is organised by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development.

The discussion will focus on strengthening the criminal justice system to keep people safe and secure.

‘The objective of the conference is to take stock of, and critically reflect on the progress achieved in the implementation of the Justice Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) seven-point plan which is aimed at promoting an integrated and modernised Criminal Justice System,’ the Presidency explained.

The conference will provide a platform for robust engagements on the criminal justice system and the review of the
Criminal Procedure Act of 1977.

As Chairperson of the Cabinet Committee on the JCPS, the Deputy President will join delegates from different walks of life.

They include the public sector, organised business, community, civil society, the judiciary, and the legal sector.

The attendees will critically engage the preliminary findings and the proposals of the Criminal Procedure Reform Project and propose recommendations to address the identified gaps and challenges.

The Minister and Deputy Minister of Justice and Correctional Services as well as senior government officials will support Deputy President Mashatile.

Source: South African Government News Agency

President Cyril Ramaphosa says the National Budget presented by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana last week shows that the country is ‘heading in the right direction’.

The President was addressing the nation through his weekly newsletter.

‘[The] Minister of Finance presented a National Budget that will help us to achieve more rapid and inclusive economic growth while supporting our developmental goals.

‘Over the last five years, we have taken several actions to get our economy back on track. We have implemented far-reaching reforms in the energy, logistics, water and telecommunications sectors to address the binding constraints on growth. We have created a stable macroeconomic environment to encourage investment. And we have expanded public employment and social protection to create jobs and provide an income for those who are unemployed.

‘This budget takes us further along the path of reviving our economy and rebuilding our institutions,’ he said.

The President set out three ways that the budget is help
ing to drive the economy.

In the first instance, according to the President, the budget is an indicator of government’s commitment to ‘a sustainable fiscal trajectory’.

‘Over the past 15 years, our debt burden has grown to a point where we are spending more on interest payments than we are on education or health care services. By reducing debt, we will create more space to spend on the things that matter – building our infrastructure, improving our schools and hospitals, and making our communities safer.

‘At the same time, the less the state borrows the more can be invested in the economy. This will help to create a virtuous cycle of investment and growth in the years to come,’ he said.

Second, the 2024 Budget protects critical services and social spending on important aspects like social grants.

‘We have allocated additional funds for service delivery. This year alone, we will spend more than R480 billion on education, R272 billion on health and R265 billion on other services like water, housing and pub
lic transport.

‘A further R7.4 billion will go towards the Presidential Employment Stimulus, which has already created more than 1.7 million opportunities for work and livelihoods over the last three years, ensuring that key programmes like school assistants will continue.

‘We are also increasing social grants to help the poorest households cope with the rising cost of living. Additional money has been allocated to the fight against corruption and state capture, following through on the commitment I made in the State of the Nation Address,’ he said.

The President added that in the third instance, the budget introduces measures aimed at supporting growth creating employment ‘while rebuilding infrastructure’.

‘A new R2 billion grant has been established to fund the rollout of smart meters in municipalities, which will help to modernise our electricity system and reduce load shedding.

‘A generous incentive will be introduced to support the manufacturing of electric vehicles from 2026 onwards, as part of our
commitment to position South Africa as a leading player in the green economy.

‘Innovative new funding instruments have been introduced for infrastructure projects, and the National Treasury has published revised regulations to make it easier to implement public-private partnerships. These measures will enable much greater investment in infrastructure,’ he said.

The President reflected on the challenges that the economy has faced over the last decade.

‘Our economy has been weighed down by more than a decade of low growth and rising debt, made worse during the state capture era as confidence was eroded. During the course of this administration, we have worked hard to change this and build a foundation for higher growth and more jobs.

‘The 2024 budget shows that we are heading in the right direction. We are determined to continue on this path, following through on economic reforms, getting our public finances in shape and protecting basic services for the poor. Working together we will ensure that better yea
rs lie ahead,’ President Ramaphosa concluded.

Source: South African Government News Agency