Day: May 14, 2024

President Cyril Ramaphosa has congratulated the Springbok Women national rugby team on winning the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup and advancing to the 2025 Rugby World Cup in England.

‘Well done to our Springbok Women for adding another trophy to our national trophy cabinet,’ the President said on Tuesday.

The Springbok Women beat Madagascar 46-17 at home in Antananarivo at the weekend to retain their African championship.

This victory qualifies Africa’s top team for next year’s Rugby World Cup and the WXV 2 tournament, which South Africa will host in September 2024.

Organised by World Rugby, this tournament will see South Africa compete against the national teams of Scotland, Italy, the United States, Japan and Samoa in the second tier of this three-tier international competition.

‘Alongside the Springboks and Banyana Banyana, our Springbok Women make us proud on the field of play and showcase the strides we have made in the development of the women of our nation during our 30 years of freedom. Congratulation
s once more to the team on the field, the technical staff and SA Rugby,’ President Ramaphosa said.

Source: South African Government News Agency

President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed his condolences to the Motsuenyane family following the death of Nomgcibelo Jocelyn Motsuenyane.

She died a day following the funeral of her husband, Dr Sam Motsuenyane.

‘As South Africans, we stand by the Motsuenyanes in your moment of compounded loss.

‘Sam and Jocelyn Motsuenyane are icons of their generation whose belief in education and entrepreneurship as keys to self-realisation and reliance sustained communities and contributed to the inclusive economy we continue to build today.

‘May they rest together in peace at the end of a life of service and upliftment and a union they shared for 70 years,’ President Ramaphosa said on Tuesday.

Ma Motsuenyane was an anti-Apartheid activist listed in the records of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission as someone who suffered gross violation of human rights under that regime.

Her home was petrol bombed – and subsequently lost in March 1986 – by members of the Bophuthatswana Police at Winterveld in the Bophuthatswana h
omeland.

She was part of a group attempting to organise a meeting between the community and the Winterveld Community Council to address grievances relating to police harassment.

Her husband, Dr Sam Motsuenyane, was a revered black business pioneer.

He was the co-founder of the pivotal National African Federated Chamber of Commerce (NAFCOC) and played a leading role in the establishment of African Bank – both at the height of apartheid.

Ma Motsuenyane is expected to be buried later this week.

Source: South African Government News Agency

Higher Education and Training Minister, Professor Blade Nzimande, has reiterated his commitment to working with the Council of the University of Fort Hare and all key university stakeholders to ensure clean governance at the university.

This comes after Nzimande held a special meeting with the Council of the University of Fort Hare.

The meeting, which was held last Friday, forms part of Nzimande’s continued interventions to ensure stability and clean governance at the University of Fort Hare.

The purpose of the meeting was for the Council to provide the Minister with a progress update on specific governance issues and the disturbing recent events, including the arrest of senior university employees, with some employed in the Vice Chancellor’s office.

Reporting on the outcome of the meeting, the department disputed media reports suggesting that Nzimande’s meeting with the university council collapsed.

According to a statement issued by the department, some members of the Council had initially expressed co
ncern that a detailed agenda was not distributed before the meeting.

However, after a brief break that was mutually agreed to, the meeting continued and the Minister then tabled his set of concerns about the recent developments at the university.

Nzimande also indicated that he would like the Council, as the highest decision-making body, to respond to the concerns raised.

‘After tabling his concerns, it was agreed that the Council will not respond immediately to the issues raised by the Minister and that the Minister will communicate his list of concerns to the Council, in writing.

‘The Minister’s concerns will form the basis for the next meeting with the Council, which will be a physical meeting, to be convened by the department within several days,’ the department explained.

The department said Nzimande is pleased with the outcome of the meeting and remains committed to working with the Council and all university’s key stakeholders to ensure that clean governance is restored, and that the proud history
of the university is protected.

Source: South African Government News Agency

Rescue and recovery efforts are ongoing into the second week after the collapse of the George building, with the death toll standing at 32, as at 9am on Tuesday.

According to the latest statistics released by George Municipality, out of the estimated 81 workers who were on site at the time of the incident on 6 May, 61 have been rescued and/or recovered, while 20 are still unaccounted for.

‘The primary focus continues to be on rescue efforts. With this in mind, we are also proactively setting up plans to expedite the identification of the deceased,’ the statement read.

This is being done by the Forensic Pathology Service (FPS) and the South African Police Service (SAPS).

‘We, therefore, endeavour to fast-track the process to help bring closure to families. Fingerprints, DNA testing and photographs of unique markings, such as tattoos and clothing items, are some of the methods used to identify the deceased.’

READ | Public Works Minister to visit George building disaster site

Meanwhile, six of the deceased
have already been positively identified.

Since the first call for support, the municipality confirmed that adequate numbers of fluent practitioners in Chewa, Portuguese and Shona languages are all at the scene to address the emotional, social, and overall mental health needs of those affected by the building collapse.

However, the municipality said it was having trouble obtaining accurate names of missing people or the deceased.

‘We urgently request families who have lost contact with their loved ones to come to the George Civic Centre on York Street. This will enable the Department of Social Development to collect detailed and precise information, ensuring that all records are accurately documented.’

Investigations

The Western Cape MEC for Infrastructure, Tertuis Simmers, visited the site in George and expressed his sincere gratitude to the rescue workers, who have been on site for over 187 hours, as well as the support personnel and the Joint Operations Centre for their dedicated work since the tragedy
occurred.

Simmers confirmed that the Western Cape Government (WCG) has launched an independent investigation into the collapse.

‘We want to make sure that we fully investigate and understand what happened so that a tragedy like this does not occur on any construction site in this province.

‘I received a briefing this morning from our independent investigator and at this stage, the team is still busy with information and fact-finding processes. This includes document analysis of plans, site records and the like,’ he said on Monday.

The MEC stated that specialist equipment, including ground penetration radar (GPR) is also used on-site, while investigators are also collecting material samples.

In addition, an independently appointed laboratory is working around the clock to analyse the material samples.

‘Not only did the WCG appoint an independent investigation, but we also supplied trucks and machinery and even hired an excavator to assist with bulk movement of material. We will continue to provide suppor
t until all workers are accounted for and we get to the bottom of this tragedy,’ said Simmers.

Meanwhile, the MEC said the WCG is working with the SAPS, the Department of Employment and Labour, National Department of Public Works and Infrastructure in their investigations.

‘On behalf of the WCG, I offer our sincere condolences to the bereaved families, and I wish those currently hospitalised a speedy recovery,’ the MEC added.

Source: South African Government News Agency

President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to sign the National Health Insurance Bill (NHI) into law on Wednesday, 15 May 2024.

According to the Presidency, the move will transform South Africa’s healthcare system and ensure universal coverage for health services.

Through this, the country will overcome critical socio-economic imbalances and inequities of the past.

The NHI Bill, passed by the National Assembly (NA) and the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) last year, will provide free healthcare at the point of care for all South Africans, whether in public or private health facilities.

The Bill currently only requires President Ramaphosa’s signature for enactment.

Speaking during the State of the Nation Address (SONA) in February, President Ramaphosa said the State was working tirelessly to improve healthcare quality and access equality, despite the country’s health system significantly impacting people’s lives.

During the debate on President Ramaphosa’s SONA, Health Minister, Dr Joe Phaahla, announced t
hat the NHI will be implemented in two remaining phases from 2024 to 2026, while between 2026 and 2028 government will focus on establishing the Board and CEO and several key committees of the NHI Fund.

‘We are confident that the innovative funding of infrastructure as stated by the President will also contribute to health facilities,’ he told Parliament at the time.

In the meantime, the Minister said his department was strengthening key delivery areas. These include the healthcare benefits design, digital health systems, and risk identification and fraud prevention.

The signing ceremony will take place at the Union Buildings in Pretoria at 2pm.

Phaahla will conduct a question-and-answer session with the media immediately after the ceremony.

Source: South African Government News Agency

The Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN), on Tuesday, tasked government at all levels to build an efficient and effective sustainable tax culture for sustainable economic development.

Mr Samuel Agbeluyi, President of the CITN, said this in Abuja, at the 26th Annual Conference, with a theme: ‘Sustainable Tax Culture and Economic Roadmap for Nation Building’.

Agbeluyi said that government at all levels have a great role to play, adding that taxation demands utmost level of professionalism due to its critical importance to economic sustainability.

‘In building a sustainable tax culture, government have a vital role to play. In furthering efforts at sustaining a tax paying culture, it is important to emphasise judicious use of tax revenue.

‘This is to engender trust between government and taxpayer, thereby entrenching a tax paying culture and by extension, contributing to nation building.

‘Taxation is not merely about revenue collection, it is about building a sustainable future for our country.

‘It is about creating a culture where every citizen understands the importance of contributing fair share toward national development.

‘It is more importantly about prudently using tax policies as a roadmap to drive economic growth, social inclusiveness and prosperity for all,’ he said.

Agbeluyi emphasised the need to invest in technology, adding that the efforts would help people to effectively track revenues in the digital space, including cryptocurrency to maximise government revenue flow.

He said that CITN converged tax experts to critically examine challenges in Nigeria’s fiscal and tax environment with a view to providing solutions for the consideration of policy makers in that regard.

He said that it was necessary to provide support to the revenue authorities by way of financial and administrative autonomy to empower them to effectively administer taxes.

According to him, as a commitment to fully enforce the implementation of Act No. 76 of 1992, redesignated as Cap. C10, Law of Nigeria, 2004, conf
ers on CITN the powers to regulate the taxation profession in all its ramifications in the country.

He, however, urged government at all levels to create career path for tax functions within Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to promote professionalism and efficiency.

Dr Yemi Sanni, the Chairman of the conference, said for Nigeria to achieve meaningful physical development, it is imperative to establish a tax culture that would withstand economic challenges.

Sanni said that government was prioritising the improvement of tax revenue for physical performance as the leading professional body in taxation in Nigeria.

According to him, the emphasis on ‘sustainable’ is deliberate, adding that it requires a concerted effort from all stakeholders including the government tax professionals and tax payers themselves.

‘It is our responsibility to support these efforts by convening gatherings like this conference.

‘We provide a platform for deliberation and collaboration with the aim of developing actionab
le recommendations that will help the government achieve its desired objectives.

‘As we delve into the intricacies of taxation and economic development, I encourage you all to take sometime to relax, network and enjoy the camaraderie of fellow professionals.

‘This conference offers opportunities for learning and building lasting connections and friendships. I want to assure you that we have assembled a line up of distinguished facilitators who are experts in their respective fields.

‘I urge you to actively engaged in discussions, share your insights and take advantage of the weight of knowledge that will be shared during this conference,’ he said.

Sen. Ibikunle Amosun, Special Guest of the occasion, encouraged government of all levels to be more committed in ensuring that people were more equipped with knowledgeable skills needed to build on effective tax system.

Amosun was also former Governor of Ogun State.

Alhaji Ahmed Aliyu, Governor of Sokoto, in his remark, said that the state generates about N3.4
billion internal revenue quarterly.

Aliyu said that the state was committed to collaborating with CITN and other relevant stakeholders to achieve a tax driven economy.

He appreciated members of the CITN and other stakeholders for working assiduously towards ensuring that the conference was a huge success.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria