Category: Business & Finance

Media statement on the allegations regarding the lack of qualifications of the Head of Department of Social Development

The Office of the Premier has received numerous inquiries regarding the allegations of lack of qualifications of the Head of Department of Social Development. 

We wish to state that over the past year, the North West Provincial Government has filled five (5) vacancies of Heads of Departments of Health, Public Works & Roads, Arts, Culture, Sport & Recreation, Agriculture & Rural Development and Social Development. 

All these appointments including that of HoD of Social Development were done in line with the Public Service Act, and with concurrence of the Minister of Public Service and Administration.

Allegations against the appointment and qualifications of the HoD for Social Development surfaced in 2021 and the matter was reported to the Public Protector of South Africa (PPSA) for investigation.

We cooperated with the PPSA throughout and made sure that all available documentation on the appointment of the Social Development HoD were shared.

At the point of the appointment of the HoD, the information available to the Premier as verified both by the Office of the Premier, SAQA and the Department of Public Service & Administration confirmed Mr Mafokane’s qualifications and required experience to occupy the position of the Head of Department and concurrence was obtained from the Minister of Public Service and Administration following further scrutiny by Department of Public Service and Administration.

We view the persistent allegations in the media very seriously. We are committed to the professionalisation of the Public Service through the appointment of suitably qualified people, and the appointment of Heads of Departments is central to this commitment.

We urge all to wait for the PPSA final report on this matter of which we will make its contents public. We will also engage the PPSA to close this matter as soon as possible. 

Source: Government of South Africa

The Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF), an entity of the Department of Employment and Labour, will be hosting an employer advocacy session in Rustenburg, North West Province, on Tuesday, 8 November 2022.

The session’s purpose is to educate and engage employers about the UIF’s systems, benefits, services, processes, and compliance with applicable legislation. The session will also address issues that employers face with the UIF in order to improve service delivery.

The discussions will focus on the following topics:

• UIF Electronic Declarations;
• UIF Compliance;
• Employer Audit Services;
• Covid-19 TERS “Follow the Money Project”; and
• Inspection and Enforcement services.

Source: Government of South Africa

SASSA grants payments systems glitch resolved, says Postbank  

SASSA social grants recipients using the SASSA gold cards can now collect their grants monies at ATM’s and retailers nationwide as the system glitches that impacted payments have been resolved.

The payments system challenges have been resolved from Saturday afternoon (5 November 2022), and we have since been recording stability with successful transactions over the ATM and retailers.  

The majority of the more than 7m social grants beneficiaries using the Postbank issued SASSA gold cards withdraw their social grants via ATMs and retailers. 

SASSA social grants recipients are therefore advised to proceed to withdraw social grants at ATMs and retailers outlets nationwide that provide the cashback functionality which includes Shoprite, Checkers, Usave, Pick n Pay and Boxer.

SASSA grants recipients can also use the SASSA gold cards to make purchases at any place that accepts bank card transactions as the SASSA gold cards functions fully within the national payments system similarly to any other bank card.  

Postbank is monitoring the system performance within Post Office branches today, 7 November 2022, and advise beneficiaries of any developments.  

Postbank apologises to our SASSA social grants beneficiaries for the inconvenience caused due to these system challenges. We know that social grants are important to the livelihood of the most vulnerable in our community and we sincerely apologise for the inconvenience experienced during the system glitch. 

Source: Government of South Africa

In South Africa, a country where ‘braai’ all-day barbecuing is a national pastime, plant-based substitutes are making surprising inroads despite a deep cultural love of meat and hostility from the regulator.

That could be heartening for climate scientists, who say shifting diets from emissions-heavy meat and dairy towards more plant-based foods is vital to the fight against climate change.

Plant-based meat substitutes are growing by 6.5% a year and sales are expected to reach $561 million by 2023, according to Research and Markets – more than half Africa’s share of a global market forecast to hit $162 billion by 2030.

That is still pretty niche – South Africans spent $15 billion on meat products in 2018 and is now the world’s 9th biggest per capita consumer of beef.

But the popularity of veggie alternatives would have been unthinkable even a decade ago and the market is outstripping forecast growth for meat. The shift has so unnerved South Africa’s processed meat industry that in June it lobbed for – and got – a government ban on plant-based products using words like ‘nugget’, ‘sausage’ or ‘burger’ on packaging.

The agriculture department at the time said the move was aimed at preventing consumer confusion. A spokesperson did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

Food producers remain undeterred.

At meat processor Feinschmecker, staff pour powdered soy and pea protein into vats and rehydrate them to make its plant-based ‘deli slice’ – called so in anticipation of a ban on labeling it ‘ham’.

“A lot of it’s driven by flexitarianism. People who want to make a bit of an effort to eat less meat,” Alistair Hayward, Feinschmecker managing director, told Reuters.

Top food producer Tiger Brands TBSJ.J bought a stake in meat-substitute start-up Herbivoire in March, while supermarkets like Woolworths WHLJ.J have introduced their own ranges.

Clearly, ethical food choices are a luxury of the relatively well-to-do – a quarter of South Africans struggle to put any food on the table.

Consumer climate

Evidence is accumulating that curbing consumption of meat and dairy – which the latest estimates put at around a fifth of all emissions – is key to meeting U.N. climate goals.

A paper in Science in February said ending animal agriculture could stabilize greenhouse gas levels for 30 years and offset 68% of CO2 emissions this century; another in 2018 showed switching the world to a purely plant-based diet could slash food-related emissions – which are about 30% of the total – by nearly half.

Yet forgoing cheeseburgers is not something governments, many of which dole out billions of dollars to livestock farmers, are likely to propose at this month’s climate talks in Egypt.

Lowering animal consumption, then, may boil down to consumers – like Angie Raphalalani, 57. She gave up meat over climate concerns and her diabetes.

“My immediate family … were shocked,” she said, after lunching at plant-based restaurant Lexi’s Healthy Eatery in Johannesburg. “But probably they’ll follow me. I’m quite influential in their lives.”

Source: Voice of America

A ground-breaking Inclusionary Housing Policy Framework, developed by the Western Cape Government, has been approved. This Policy Framework will help municipalities in the Western Cape to facilitate the inclusion of more affordable housing units in developments in our urban centres. This will be done in partnership with the private sector, creating more opportunities for people to live in better locations.

 Anton Bredell, Western Cape Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, said the provincial government is working hard to tackle the challenge of housing and spatial inequality. “We want more affordable and inclusionary housing in well-located areas within our municipalities. Lower income households and lower to middle income households, including many of our essential workers, need easier access to economic opportunities and social amenities in our towns and cities. This is the foundation upon which the province has based its innovative new policy.”

The Policy Framework explains what inclusionary housing is, how it can support spatial transformation, where it can be utilised in the province, what the processes to follow are, who is responsible for what, and what the various policy considerations are.

Bredell said: “The introduction of inclusionary housing is complex, and it involves several role-players and stakeholders with consequences which are difficult to predict. There are currently no tried and tested models of inclusionary housing in South Africa to learn from. However, for the Western Cape Government the need to transform our cities and towns is non-negotiable. We are determined to be bold, whilst recognising the risks and uncertainties. It is not only a question of spatial transformation but also of economic growth. While not the only mechanism to promote well located affordable housing, this Policy Framework is an important first step for inclusionary housing and will most certainly evolve over time. We will look to municipalities, developers, landowners, civil society, academia, and non-governmental organisations to contribute towards its improvement as we build a body of evidence,” Bredell said. The Policy can be downloaded at: https://tinyurl.com/WCInclusionaryHousing

Source: Government of South Africa

Department of Local Government provides crucial support to municipalities.  

Anton Bredell, Western Cape Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning presented the Annual Report for the Department of Local Government (DLG) for 2021/22 in the Provincial Parliament today.

“The DLG performed exemplary during the year under review.  This is evident in the fact that most of the councils in the Western Cape are stable, with critical positions, such as Municipal Managers, filled with competent staff, and basic services being delivered to residents throughout the Province,” Bredell said.

Bredell said the DLG was instrumental in making government accessible to citizens with its Thusong Centres. “1.3 million people accessed government through Thusong Centres throughout the province during the past year. Given our large rural areas, this service has proven to be invaluable in our efforts to bring government closer to the people.”

Progress was also made with the Joint District and Metro Approach (JDMA) initiative, which provides a framework for different spheres of government to plan and work together in a collaborative manner. Projects successfully developed include:

• High mast lighting installed in Grabouw, with a reduction in the crime rate by 15 % within the 3 months after installation, according to crime statistics from the South African Police Service.
• In the Cape Winelands District Municipality, a new Thusong Satellite Centre was built and equipped, creating a hub for the youth to have a safe place to gather and develop skills within the De Doorns area. This was done with the financial support from private sector partners Santam and Sasria of R4.5million.
• In the Overberg District Municipality, a network of safe houses and soup kitchens are being established to provide safe spaces for woman, children, and vulnerable people.
   

Bredell said that all indications point to continuous population growth in the Western Cape. “These new citizens will reside in municipalities, and it is the responsibility of local authorities to plan and invest in infrastructure to meet the demand for basic services to all its residents. If managed well and planned for, more people will result in more opportunities for economic development and job creation.”

Bredell said the local government elections from 2021 resulted in several coalition councils, and this presented new challenges in terms of municipal oversight and governance responsibilities. “It is crucial that councillors understand the difference between being an elected councillor, in contrast to an appointed official working in the administration of a municipality. When these roles are blurred, we encounter problems with accountability, financial management and weak service delivery,” Bredell said.

Bredell thanked the Disaster Risk Management unit for the work it did during the floods in KwaZulu Natal (KZN). “Thank you for your unselfish, brave, and professional conduct in KZN. It not only me saying this. MEC Hlomuka, the KZN MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs came to visit us personally earlier this year to thank the whole team.”

Source: Government of South Africa