Category: General

The human settlements sector will soon have a revised framework to guide the municipalities’ administration of national housing programmes.

This follows the approval of the 2023 Revised Accreditation Framework for municipalities to administer the National Housing Programmes, and ensure municipalities’ progressive capacitation to perform the delegated functions without compromising delivery capacity in the short-term.

The framework was approved on Friday, 15 September following a presentation tabled at a meeting between Human Settlements Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi, Deputy Minister Pam Tshwete and provincial MECs of Human Settlements (MINMEC), where it received resounding support.

Kubayi said the approval of the framework is a big step towards the creation of objective criteria for accrediting municipalities with a clear accreditation process timetable.

“Allowing municipalities to progressively build implementation capacity bolsters our long-term objective of creating a fully enabling environment for our municipalities to be self-sufficient in human settlements delivery. This way, we are capacitating them while ensuring that we reach our targets,” Kubayi said.

The Minister noted that the implementation of the 2012 Accreditation Framework faced several implementation challenges in some provinces.

She said the 2023 Revised Accreditation Framework introduces, among others, a programme-based incremental approach, wherein municipalities are to be accredited for implementing a programme or mixture of programmes that are relevant to their capacity and priority needs.

“Another major intervention in the revised framework is the role of intermediate city municipalities or secondary cities, which are considered crucial catalysts for more balanced and dispersed growth across the country,” the Minister said.

Title Deeds Programme remains priority

The MINMEC also agreed that the Title Deeds Programme must be prioritised through several interventions, including embarking on weekly roadshows to issue the 234 757 available title deeds nationally.

The discussions focused on the turnaround time by municipalities to declare townships, with an agreement to collaborate on cross-border demarcation, particularly as it impacts on the title deeds roll out programme.

The issuing of title deeds across provinces is an apex priority for the department, and as part of efforts to clear the backlog, the municipalities were urged to refrain from storing them in their offices and make concerted efforts to ensure that people become the rightful owners of their homes.

“The department has been incorporating the issuing of title deeds with housing handovers, given the urgency by government to significantly unlock economic benefits,” Kubayi said.

Source: South African Government News Agency

Government will this week raise awareness on the important services that Thusong Centres offer to communities across the country.

This year’s Annual Thusong Service Centre Week will place from 18 – 22 September under the theme: ‘Building a Professional Public Service for Quality Service Delivery’.

Thusong Service Centres ensure that communities can access information and government services in line with the Batho Pele principles, and is part of government’s commitment of taking services to the people.

“During this period, Thusong Service Centres will also be used to encourage South Africans to get involved in clean-up campaigns and start community gardens to alleviate food insecurity.

“The week overlaps with Public Service Month, which recognises the work of public servants, their contribution in the development of the country and encourage the brightest in the country to pursue careers in the public sector,” Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) said.

Source: South African Government News Agency

More than 60 suspects arrested over the weekend are expected to appear before the Sabie Magistrate’s Court today on charges of illegal mining, among other things.

In total, 68 male suspects, aged between 19 and 54, were arrested in connection with illegal mining activities in Mpumalanga.

Amongst them, two were nabbed for human trafficking, meanwhile two others were charged for possession of unlicensed firearms with ammunition, while eight were nabbed for alleged kidnapping.

The successes are part of Operation Shanela in the province, which was carried out at Sabie on Saturday. All arrested suspects are facing charges relating to the contravention of the Immigration Act of South Africa.

According to the police report, the operation was conducted by a team consisting of members of the police from Provincial Organised Crime, members from Sabie Vispol, members from the Local Criminal Record Centre in Lydenburg, Lydenburg K-9 Unit, Department of Home Affairs, Department of Minerals and Resources, personnel from the Emergency Medical Services (EMS), and guards from Phoenix Security and Amandla Security.

An operation was carried out after a victim from Lesotho came to the Sabie police station last month to report a case of kidnapping.

An investigation was thoroughly conducted and information was gathered. The investigating team coordinated and executed a sting operation in the early hours on Saturday.

When members arrived at the site, they managed to arrest the alleged illegal miners, well known as ‘zama zamas’, where two firearms with ammunition were found amongst the suspects.

The members also nabbed eight individuals, who are suspected to have been behind the kidnapping of the Lesotho national.

A preliminary investigation by the police revealed that two of the suspects are allegedly involved in the human trafficking of people from Lesotho, who were used for illegal mining in Sabie.

Two suspects face charges of human trafficking and more charges could possibly be added against them as the investigation continues.

The investigators are adamant that there could be more criminal activities that these men might be involved in. A probe is underway, where other stakeholders are assisting to ensure that the law take its course.

The confiscated firearms will be taken for ballistic testing to determine whether they were used previously in the commission of crime.

The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela, has commended the outstanding work that has been done by the collaborative team.

“We are very glad that not only was a huge number of suspects arrested, but two firearms were discovered.

“The issue of illegal mining is a concern in our country and we are happy that the public can see that the state, in conjunction with the private sector, is working hard to address the challenge, hence this success,” she said.

Source: South African Government News Agency

Gov. Dikko Radda of Katsina State has commended the Nigerian Army for the efforts of troops in tackling insecurity and restoring peace and stability in the state.

Radda gave the commendation, when he paid a courtesy visit to the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, on Monday in Abuja.

He said that the 17 Brigade in Katsina had been supportive to his administration in managing and tackling insecurity that had affected the state.

The governor said the visit was to seek for more support and discuss better ways to collaborate to tackle banditry, kidnapping and criminality in Katsina State.

According to him, Katsina is such a vulnerable state because it borders Niger Republic for a span of over 200 kilometers and over 200 kilometers of forest in about eight frontline local government areas.

“Because of the vulnerability and the number of the communities within those local governments in smaller unit, it makes it more easier for the bandits to attack.

“That has also moved down to about other 11 local government that borders those eight local governments that are also getting one kind of attack or the other through the forest.

“So, I think I will not ask for much but I want to urge the Nigerian Army to expand the operation in Katsina State to those local governments to help us to address the issue of insecurity,” he said.

Radda said the government had established the Community Watch Officers having considered the need to use the locals appropriately to share intelligence with the military and other security agencies to protect their communities against attacks.

According to him, the people are undergoing training at the moment by the military and the police towards engaging them in most civilised rules of engagement in whatever capacity.

“We realise that we need to use the locals to achieve the maximum security in our society because the villagers are very important in terms of engagement, local intelligence and community support.

“Without getting to the support of the locals, the military, police and the rest of them will not be able to function effectively.

“When there is synergy between the civilian and conventional security agencies, it will go a long way in helping to reduce the effect of the banditry in the society,” he added.

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Lagbaja, commended the governor for promoting excellent relationship with army formations and units in the state.

He noted that reports from the brigade had been cheering and encouraging.

Lagbaja also commended the initiative of the government to galvanise civilian contribution to the military efforts to combat the security challenges in the state, through the establishment of community watch officers.

According to the COAS, the position of the Nigerian army has always been to ensure that the community watch officers in Katsina are properly structured.

“I also want to pledge that the Nigerian army will work with this community watch officers.

”Because when they come on board, they will be a plus to the operations and activities of the army units,” he said.

Lagbaja also pledged to look into the request of the governor to expand the coverage of army operations in the state, as well as look at how army could provide the needed counterpart enablers.

He said the army had identified a need to expand the troops holding of operational data to enhance the effectiveness of its formations and units in the field.

“We have observed the gaps that need to be covered for our formations and units to be more effective in the field and I promise you that we will take appropriate actions going forward,” he added. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Office of the Public Utilities ( OPU) in Ondo State says it has concluded plans to power the 23 general hospitals in the state with solar energy.

Administrative Secretary of the OPU, Princess Abike Bayo-Ilawole, stated this during a meeting with heads of general hospitals and other major stakeholders on alternative energy for the state-owned hospitals on Monday in Akure.

“The Office of the Public Utilities, observed that this post-fuel subsidy removal era, people want to find ways of making things easy for themselves and the state government wants to make life easy for people.

“So, the state general hospitals have cancelled payment for hospitals registration cards and reduced some of the costs that may be putting agony on the citizens.

“ We are now looking at activities of the administrators of those facilities and we observed that the hospitals are always in the dark especially at night.

Even in the day, they are stuffy and they can’t keep some basic items that are needed to be frozen. At this level, we saw the need to come together and work. We have the human resources.

“ W realised that some hospitals already have little solar facilities and we need to improve on them and give to those that do not have.

“ Our office will train their officials on how to handle minor issues on installed solar facilities and they can call us when they have major issues with their solar system,” she stated.

Bayo-Ilawole assured the health facility managers that the solar system when installed would last long and be highly effective.

“ I can assure you that it will last long. Solar energy is easiest to maintain and we will give to individual hospitals according to their needs,” she said.

She also added that the Hospitals Management Board (HMB) would provide cost for maintenance of the renewable energy to the health facilities.

Also speaking, the Administrative Secretary, Ondo State Hospitals Management Board ( HMB), Dr Ayodele Adiji, described the initiative as superb, saying that government hospitals would surely key into it.

Adiji stated that the world is embracing renewable energy that is pollution-free, saying that it is less costly and more effective.

He explained that some public hospitals had already started using solar power for their services.

According to him, with the help of the state governor, Mr Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, the public health facilities in the state will wholly embrace the move.

The hospital managers unanimously embraced the idea and promised to work with government to achieve it.( NAN)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The new Chairman, Military Pensions Board (MPB), AVM Paul Irumheson, on Monday took over command of the board with a promise to improve on the recent progress made by his predecessor.

Irumheson took over from Rear Adm. Sabiru Lawal, whose tenure came to an end recently.

He also promised to operate an opened-door policy, urging retirees and prisoners to always feel free to come forward with whatever concerns they might have.

He pledged to consolidate on the successes made by the board and sustain timely payment of pension and gratuity of retirees.

He commended his predecessor on his achievements as the chairman of the board in the area of infrastructure and welfare of personnel, and have assurance of sustaining and improving on them.

Earlier, the outgone chairman, Rear Adm. Lawal, said the board had improved significantly from what it was when he assumed office as the Chairman of the MPB on Sept. 18, 2020.

He said the retirees/pensioners could attest to the promptness with which their gratuities and pensions were paid during his tenure, adding that pleasant working environment and policies had also been put in place for the improved wellbeing of staff.

He urged the staff to see their duty to retirees and pensioners as a call to serve, as someday they too would retire and become pensioners.

“In view of the fact that all of us will at one time or the other find ourselves on the payroll of the MPB-whether you are an officer or a soldier, please don’t do to the retirees and their NOKs, what you won’t want to be done to you,” he said.

Lawal urged his successor to key in to the already established processes for the payment of gratuities, death benefits and monthly pensions that had worked so efficiently for the board.

He, however, expressed regret that his intention of conducting an electronic verification exercise of retirees could not be actualised as a result of the challenges faced by the IT Company contracted to execute and midwife the project.

He added that the firm had gone back to the drawing board with assurances that it would be ready for the exercise in soon, and not later than the first quarter of 2024.

Lawal, therefore, implored the new chairman to follow up and ensure the exercise was conducted as planned. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria