Month: February 2024

President Cyril Ramaphosa says the Welisizwe Rural Bridges Programme remains one of government’s top priorities as these bridges improve the safety, well-being, and access for communities in rural areas.

On Wednesday, the President handed over complete bridges at the rural area of Mkhambathini in KwaZulu-Natal.

The Welisizwe Rural Bridges Programme is a result of the objectives announced in the 2023 State of the Nation Address that outlined government’s plan to construct at least 96 bridges during the 2023/24 financial year.

Some 11 bridges have been completed in KwaZulu-Natal with at least 58 other bridges currently under construction throughout the country.

‘Because of climate change, extreme weather events like flooding are becoming increasingly common. Communities living along and close to rivers are particularly vulnerable. That is why we see building more Welisizwe rural bridges as a priority.

‘The purpose of the programme is to improve safety and well-being for rural communities who have to cross
rivers on a daily basis, to boost the local economy by making mobility easier, and to create jobs and support local businesses.

‘The bridges that have been handed over today will make it easier for communities to get to the clinic and hospital, to school, to town and to places of work. It will make it easier for them to fetch supplies and to take produce to market,’ President Ramaphosa said.

The President said that during the construction of these bridges, community members benefitted through the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP).

The EPWP is a medium-to long-term government-funded programme that promotes the use of labour-intensive methods to create work opportunities for poor and unemployed South Africans.

‘In addition to these workers, each bridge site uses SANDF [South African National Defence Force] engineers and artisans who do work such as welding, groundwork, earth moving and soil retention.

‘Since its inception, this programme has supported skills development by appointing graduates to work
in bridge assessment, project management and maintenance, as assistant engineers and as candidate construction project managers.

‘The bridge components are all locally sourced from South African companies that specialise in the manufacture and supply of steel-modular type bridges. Local suppliers have also benefitted through the supply of materials such as stones, cement, concrete, road sign paint and personal protective equipment,’ he said.

Historical mission

The President reflected that since the dawn of democracy some 30 years ago, government has built bridges ‘as we work to overcome the divisions of the past’.

‘Over centuries of colonialism and decades of apartheid, the needs of the majority of South Africans were deliberately neglected, especially in our rural communities. Infrastructure was built for the benefit of a privileged minority.

‘The historical lack of infrastructure in black communities contributed to the deep levels of poverty and inequality that we continue to grapple with today. We rem
ain determined to correct the imbalances in infrastructure.’

He urged community members to protect the bridges from vandalism and destruction.

‘It is time to build bridges, not to destroy or burn them. It is time to build together a South Africa that we will be proud to leave for future generations.

‘Today, the children of these areas can safely cross flooded rivers and attend school. Today, our grandparents can safely travel to health care facilities or to access government services,’ President Ramaphosa concluded.

Source: South African Government News Agency

WINDHOEK: The Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Fund on Wednesday announced that it recorded 158 road crashes, 335 injuries and 29 fatalities in its year-to-date statistics for the 01-28 January 2024 period.

According to a media statement issued by MVA Fund Chief Executive Officer Rosalia Hausiku, 89 people were injured and 16 people lost their lives in road traffic crashes in the past week alone.

‘MVA Fund extends its deepest condolences to the families affected by the tragic crash which occurred on the gravel road near Okashandja village, resulting in the death of eight people and injuries of many others. The safety of road users is of paramount importance to the MVA Fund as road crashes have devastating consequences that affect families, communities, and the nation at large,’ Hausiku noted.

The affected families were urged to contact the MVA Fund service centre in Ongwediva for funeral and other benefits offered by the fund.

It further said these crashes are often predictable and preventable through conscie
ntious driving, strict adherence to road traffic rules and regulations, planning long journeys and avoiding driving at night when there is limited visibility on the road.

The MVA Fund thus called for enhanced vigilance and responsible road user behaviour from all drivers.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) board has extended the deadline for applications for student financial aid to 15 February 2023.

The decision was taken during a meeting between the NSFAS board and the South African Union of Students (SAUS).

The NSFAS board, led by Acting Board Chairperson Professor Laurens Van Staden, met with the South African Union of Students (SAUS) Executive, led by President Yandisa Ndzoyiya, to discuss NSFAS’s state of readiness for the beginning of the academic year, where the parties agreed on the extension of the 2024 bursary application period.

The meeting also agreed that the NSFAS Loan Scheme will be opened on 2 February 2024 and close on 15 February 2024.

The new Comprehensive Student Funding Model aims to support students including those currently not supported by NSFAS bursary and funding policy.

This category includes students who come from families who have a total income of more than R350 000, but not more than R600 000 per annum.

In a joint statement
issued on Thursday, the parties agreed that students who have already applied for the NSFAS bursary scheme need not submit a new application for the student loan scheme.

‘All students who did not meet the bursary scheme eligibility criteria, however, meet the loan scheme eligibility criteria, will be automatically offered a loan for their consideration,’ the statement said.

Prospective loan scheme applicants can apply through an online application form, where they create a profile, apply, and submit the application.

The application form can be accessed on the NSFAS website on www.nsfas.org.za.

In order to qualify for the loan, students should meet the following criteria:

Students whose annual household income is between R350 000-R600 000;

TVET and university (public) students;

Undergraduate or postgraduate students;

70% Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programmes (which

may be adjusted to include commercial programmes that are in demand in the labour

market or entrepreneur
ial programmes);

30% Social Sciences programmes; and

Students willing to sign a loan agreement.

NSFAS reminded all applicants for both the bursary scheme and the loan scheme to submit a consent form to verify relevant information from third parties.

‘The information is required to verify the employment status and income level of the parents, guardians, or spouses of the applicant. It is mandatory for applicants to download and upload a completed Consent form on the NSFAS website, portal, or mobile app,’ Van Staden said.

1 745 applications received

Meanwhile, NSFAS has received 1 745 226 applications, as of 30 January 2024.

The scheme said of the 1 745 226 applications, 940 682 are provisionally funded, 269 915 are awaiting evaluations, while 48 643 have been withdrawn by the student; 232 559 are in in progress, and 136 531 applications on the not-started status, as applicants only created profiles and did not submit applications.

‘NSFAS has rejected 102 201 applications;1 093 appeals have been lodge
d so far,’ Van Staden said.

The meeting agreed that funding decisions will continue to be communicated, as and when applications are processed, and that the application portal will continue to be updated upon confirmation of the funding decision.

Institutions have been encouraged to continuously check the updates on the NSFAS applications portal on funding decisions, which will also cover allowance types that students have qualified for.

‘NSFAS will upon making the funding decisions commence with the appeals process in order to ensure that appeals decisions are communicated to students and the institutions on time.’

Source: South African Government News Agency

The Minister of Human Settlements, Mmamoloko Kubayi, along with Ekurhuleni Executive Mayor Sivuyile Ngodwana and Gauteng MEC for Human Settlements, Lebohang Maile, have distributed houses to first time homeowners in Clayville in Tembisa.

In a statement released by the office of the Executive Mayor of the City of Ekurhuleni on Wednesday, the project in Clayville will see just under 500 houses handed over to new owners in the future.

According to the statement, five houses were handed over to senior citizens with the oldest recipient being 91 years old.

‘This is the best day of my life. At my age I was even beginning to think that I would die without having had to own a proper house,’ said one of the beneficiaries, Christina Ndou.

The leadership later moved to Palm Ridge in Katlehong where 100 title deeds were handed over giving first time homeowners security of tenure.

Minister Kubayi expressed delight at the rate at which the government was delivering houses around the country.

‘We have been crisscross
ing the country inspecting and handing out houses, and yes the progress is quite impressive,’ the Minister said.

Meanwhile, Mayor Ngodwana said that it was ‘very progressive’ that all three spheres of government work together to provide a better life for the people of the Republic.

Source: South African Government News Agency

With the term of the sixth administration coming to an end, government leaders are discussing the implementation and progress of the priorities that it set to achieve at the beginning of its term.

‘This is the final Cabinet Lekgotla for the term of the sixth administration. It will look at the work done on the Medium Term Strategic Framework (MTSF), which is a government programme that sets priorities that we had to implement in this administration,’ Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said on Thursday in Pretoria.

??The MTSF 2019-2024 is both a five-year implementation plan and an integrated monitoring framework, which focuses on the seven priorities and related interventions of the sixth administration of government, and the integrated monitoring framework focuses on monitoring outcomes, indicators and targets towards the achievement of the priorities.

The priorities of the MTSF include building a capable, ethical and developmental state; economic transformation and job creation; education,
skills and health and consolidating the social wage through reliable and quality basic services.

It further prioritises spatial integration, human settlements and local government, social cohesion and safe communities as well as a better Africa and world.

‘We are also going to look at the progress that we have made in implementing the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan (ERRP) and the progress we are making in preparing for the National Health Insurance (NHI).

‘Given the lessons we have learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, we think it is a priority that it must be signed during this period so that the full implementation can be taken in the seventh administration. This is why we are looking at the progress of its implementation,’ the Minister said.

Work that has been done to deal with load shedding will also be discussed.

‘Due to the challenges in the freight and logistics, we are going to look at that in line with the work that we have done with the ERRP. We will also look at crime because we can
‘t rebuild the economy if we are not dealing with the crime,’ the Minister said.

She said the meeting would assess the impact of crime in terms of the vandalism of critical infrastructure whether it be electricity or the freight and logistics sector and any other infrastructure.

Ntshavheni was addressing members of the media on the sidelines of the Cabinet Lekgotla, which has been convened by President Cyril Ramaphosa from 1-2 February 2024.

Deputy President Paul Mashatile, Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Premiers, Directors-General and the leadership of the South African Local Government Association are in attendance.

The outcome of the meeting will chart a way forward for the year to be announced by the President during his State of the Nation Address (SONA) taking place on Thursday, 8 February 2024, at 7pm.

‘We will also discuss the safety of South Africans and critical to that is gender- based violence and femicide (GBVF). We will look at the progress we are making to address GBVF and whether we are suc
ceeding with the whole of society approach.

‘We are also looking at the progress that has been made in dealing with corruption in terms of putting together the Anti-Corruption Advisory Council (NACAC) and the work that is being done to support the establishment of the council.

‘We are looking at the integrated work that is be done to address with the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and the Fusion Centre,’ the Minister said.

Source: South African Government News Agency

Deputy President Paul Mashatile has held an interactive session with more than 50 business leaders at a Sandton event organised by The European House – Ambrosetti, a leading global think tank.

According to the Deputy President’s Office, Wednesday’s event was convened to strengthen the strategic relationships between industry and governments and promote growth through a multi-stakeholder approach.

Discussions touched on various topics, including economic priorities and reforms, tackling unemployment and poverty, building investor confidence in South Africa, and driving foreign direct investment into the country.

‘The closed session provided a platform for business leaders to engage with the Deputy President, who has been instrumental in courting investment to boost SA’s economy, as part of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s ongoing investment drive,’ the statement read.

Despite the challenges facing the country, the Deputy President expressed his optimism about the government’s willingness to change its fortunes
for the better.

He emphasised the need for public-private partnerships, such as those facilitated by the Southern Africa CEO Community – African Chapter, to help address the country’s challenges and provide support for businesses, and rural and township communities.

The forum also offered an opportunity for the Deputy President to listen to and collaborate with business leaders on key areas that the government defines as critical for the future of the country and the community.

‘It also served as a means to strengthen ties between the government and private sectors based on principles of mutual respect and shared interests and values.’

The Deputy President agreed with business leaders that there is a need to accelerate the resolution of challenges impacting key economic enablers, namely energy, transport and logistics, crime, and corruption.

‘We should work together to solve our economic difficulties while promoting greater social inclusion and sustainability. Through collaboration, we will be able to ma
ke South Africa a better and more prosperous nation,’ the Deputy President said.

Source: South African Government News Agency

The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Mosotho Moepya, is at the Zonderwater Correctional Services in Cullinan, east of Pretoria today, to oversee the inmates’ voter registration process.

The visit by the Chairperson forms part of the Electoral Commission’s voter registration drive for inmates.

The commission set aside the dates 30 January to 1 February 2024 for inmates’ registration ahead of the 2024 National and Provincial Elections.

‘The Electoral Commission has worked closely with the Department of Correctional Services since 1999 to provide voter registration and voting opportunities for inmates in line with the Constitutional right extended to inmates to vote,’ the Electoral Commission said in a statement.

The commission reiterated its call for all eligible inmates to participate in the upcoming elections by updating their voter registration details or register as voters.

The commission had earlier urged families of inmates to deliver identity documents (ID) to correctional centres.

It said
it acknowledged that many offenders do not keep ID documents in their possession and it is for this reason family members are requested to make the necessary arrangements by delivering any of the following forms of identification: green-barcoded ID, smartcard ID or temporary identification certificate (TIC) to correctional facilities.

The Department of Correctional Services indicated that it would put all necessary measures in place to ensure that IDs are kept safe.

Source: South African Government News Agency