Treasury launches portal to register businesses affected by unrest

Businesses affected by the devastating public violence and looting that swept across Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal in July have until 30 September 2021 to apply for government financial relief.

This comes after the National Treasury on Monday launched a registration portal for the registration of businesses that suffered losses.

The intervention forms part of the relief package announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa on 25 July 2021. As part of the package, a range of measures were being implemented by national and provincial governments to assist small and medium businesses that suffered damage or losses to rebuild.

In a statement, Treasury said the registration portal would collect data from affected businesses to better coordinate relief measures as well as to inform future interventions.

“It will provide a single governmental entry point for businesses to indicate the extent of losses they have suffered, and to access available facilities.

“The government calls on all business owners who were affected by the unrest between 9 and 19 July 2021 to register on the portal.”

The portal can be accessed on https://www.relief4sa.co.za .

Alternatively, business owners who experience problems accessing the portal may contact the toll-free call centre on 080 006 00850. With the exception of public holidays, the call centre will operate between 8am and 5pm on weekdays.

Treasury said data collected through the portal will be kept secure and would only be used to improve the delivery of support measures being administered through various national and provincial government entities.

“All businesses affected by the unrest are encouraged to register. The portal and call centre will remain open for affected businesses to register until Thursday, 30 September at 5pm,” it said.

Source: South African Government News Agency

Child maintenance payments delayed

The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development has informed beneficiaries of child maintenance that payments will be delayed due to departmental systems, including MojaPay, not being accessible.

MojaPay is the system the department utilises to administrate maintenance payments.

While the department is not able to determine the exact date when the required systems will be restored, the department will ensure that all child maintenance money is kept secure for payment to the rightful beneficiaries when the systems are back online.

The current system challenges do not affect the receipt of child maintenance money from the maintenance paying parent or employers who deduct these from the paying parent’s salary.

The monthly child maintenance deductions will go ahead as scheduled.

“IT experts from the department, Industry partners and selected organs of the State are working together to urgently restore the systems affected by the ransomware attack, including MojaPay.

“The MojaPay system will be given the utmost priority to ensure that any inconvenience to maintenance beneficiaries is minimised,” the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development said in a statement.

“The IT experts have thus far managed to come up with an alternative email system for better coordination of the department’s crisis response plan.

“Staff members at various levels have been migrated into the new email solution. The departmental website had also been restored, so as to be able to publish updates regarding services to the public,” the department said.

The Masters Offices are currently, as interim measure, using a manual process to provide bereaved families, in exceptional cases, where there is a need to access funds from the deceased’s banking account for burial costs. No manual letters of executorship or authority will be issued in this crisis period.

“The department would once again like to extend its profound apologies to all users of justice services who have been negatively affected by the current system challenges. More updates on progress in restoring the IT system will be provided as soon as they’re available,” the department said.

Source: South African Government News Agency

Premier Sihle Zikalala: Peace Walk in Phoenix

Programme Director and MEC for Arts, Culture, Sport and Recreation, Ms H.G.S Mavimbela;

MEC for Education, Mr Kwazi Mshengu;

All MECs present;

The Mayor of EThekwini, Cllr. Mxolisi Kaunda;

The Director-General of KwaZulu-Natal, Dr Nonhlanhla Mkhize;

Deputy Chair of the Social Cohesion and Moral Regeneration Council, Bishop Rubin Philip;

Representatives of Faith- Based Organisations;

Community Leaders;

Our Artists and Sports Ambassador;

Members of the Fourth Estate;

Distinguished Guests;

Ladies and Gentlemen;

Sanibonani! Namaste! Salaam!

The late American peace warrior, A.J. Muste lived by the conviction that, “There is no way to peace. Peace is the way”.

If we agree that peace is the way to peace itself and development, we equally affirm that peace and justice should be seen as reinforcing each another, not as mutually exclusive.

Peace, whatever its cost, must remain our foundation, virtue, and ideal if we are to speed up social transformation and bring justice to all.

Only through sustained peace, not through repression, violence, or the barrel of the gun can we manifest the promise of a free, united, non-racial, non-sexist, equal and prosperous society.

We have come to Phoenix today as a statement of our commitment to peace and social cohesion.

We have come to Phoenix to reach out to each other across the historically imposed barriers of race and ethnicity.

We do not come out of blindness or obliviousness.

During the tragic events of July where 300 people lost their lives in the looting and violence across KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, much attention was focused on Phoenix.

Law abiding citizens correctly came forward to protect their stores and amenities.

Criminal elements also exploited the situation to kill and maim.

That criminal intent had a racial bent and we must say with one voice – African and Indian, young and old, Christian, Muslim and Hindu – that we condemn that without any reservation.

To paraphrase Dr Martin Luther King Jnr: “Peace is not merely the absence of tension, but the presence of justice.”

Those persons charged with the killings must be dealt with appropriately and sternly in our criminal justice system.

Wounds will never heal until and unless there is demonstrable justice in all its facets. We walk these streets today in the belief that peace and justice is possible. That peace and justice will not come about simply because we proclaim it.

Our history both in the struggle against apartheid and in the 27 years of democracy is that peace, reconciliation and unity is the product of daily hard work on the ground.

In this regard we must acknowledge the peace-loving people of Phoenix, Bhambayi, Inanda, Zwelisha, Amouti and surrounding areas for coming together in forums, dialogues, prayer meetings and sporting events.

The clear message is that the peace-loving people in these communities stand firmly against violence, killing, looting, racial profiling or any other negative attitude that risks dividing people.

We applaud you for the peace structures that have been set up organically from among the people.

We applaud the activists, religious leaders, traditional leaders and ordinary men and women who immediately rallied to calm the tensions and have sanity prevail.

We applaud those who rallied to protect their neighbours and to make our streets safe for everyone whatever their race.

We express our gratitude to the organizations which came forward with medical assistance, trauma counselling and food support in the days following the distressing events of July.

Those structures have worked closely with national, provincial and local government departments in ensuring that all the necessary remedies are put in place.

We are aware of the continuing work of NGOs, the Department of Justice and Ethekwini Municipality to respond to the needs of victims of violence.

Like the proverbial Phoenix rising from the ashes we must rebuild of communities and our economy.

Covid-19 and the distressing events of July have devastated our economy and society.

Poverty, inequality and unemployment has risen to crisis levels.

We must work together to pull our country back from the brink.

We must work together for social cohesion, inclusive growth and mutual prosperity.

The prognosis for the global economy is that very much more difficult times lie ahead.

We are however not a people to wallow in pity or distress. Crisis must be a clarion call to mobilize and summon our finest energies. We can rebuild working together.

In defeating apartheid, we have shown the world the art of the possible, of rising from centuries of division into a bold and courageous nation.

We must turn to each other. If we don’t turn to each other, we will turn on each other.

In the work that has been already done in the partnership between community structures and government, peace and prosperity is a promise we must embrace.

Let us continue to strengthen those structures by active participation.

Let us work to strengthen local government by ensuring that we empower those who have worked among us in these distressing times.

The latest Global Peace Index report was released on 17 June 2021. Some of its findings are:

The average level of global peacefulness deteriorated by 0.07 per cent. This is the ninth deterioration in peacefulness in the last thirteen years.

A new wave of tension and uncertainty as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and rising tensions between many of the major powers.

The full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on peacefulness is still unfolding. Growing unease with lockdowns and rising economic uncertainty resulted in civil unrest increasing in 2020.

Over 5,000 pandemic-related violent events were recorded between January 2020 and April 2021.

Violence is seen as the biggest risk to daily safety in 49 of the 142 countries in the risk poll. Over 50 per cent of people in Afghanistan, Brazil, South Africa, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic see violence as the greatest risk they face in their daily lives

The five countries with the largest proportion of people who experienced violence or know someone who had are all in sub-Saharan Africa. Namibia has the highest rate in the world, at 63 per cent, followed by South Africa, Lesotho, Liberia, and Zambia

The economic impact of violence to the global economy in 2020 was $14.96 trillion in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms. This figure is equivalent to 11.6 per cent of the world’s economic activity (gross world product) or $1,942 per person. The economic impact of violence increased by 0.2 per cent during 2020.

In KwaZulu-Natal, we are still counting the financial cost in billions and untold human suffering it brought on people. Families lost their loved ones. Some, like here in Phoenix, were not a threat to anyone’s safety or property. We must not take these wounds for granted and we must remain seized to heal them.

The overwhelming majority of South Africans want a peaceful country where they can raise their children in conditions of peace, comfort, security.

They want a country that accords respect for human life and property. Our government has every desire to maintain our country’s standing as a hospitable nation that welcomes visitor and investors. We can never be proud as a country and a province to be known globally as one of the most violent countries in the world.

We must be concerned that past global reports and indices on peace and violence put Cape Town, Durban, and Pietermaritzburg as among the most violent cities in the world. Everybody must come on board to help our nation get rid of the culture of violence itself that has its roots in our violent past of colonialism and apartheid.

Tough policing, tougher legislation, and long sentences alone will not get rid of the deep seated roots of violence. We need to return to the source and begin to promote the sanctity of human life in our families and communities. And the people of KZN must rise to embrace peace as the only way to their development and prosperity.

During heritage month, we challenge South Africans to take a leaf in history to find examples of legendary peaceful protests that changed the world. When they do so, they will learn about Gandhi and his tradition of Satyagraha which influenced the ANC and the shaped India’s liberation struggle against the British.

In the 60th year when Inkosi Albert Luthuli became the first African to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, we must also be inspired by the popular, mass Defiance Campaign under Chief Albert Luthuli in 1952-53 which was influenced by the traditions of non-violent protest by the South African Indian Congress. Even the civil rights movement led by Dr Martin Luther King Jr in the US was inspired by this powerful tradition of non-violent mass protest. Leaders in these successful resistance campaigns did not say burn everything into ashes and build from scratch.

The appreciation that peace is the only way is even more crucial to today’s youth since the terrain of struggle, unlike in 1976 and the eighties, has fundamentally changed demanding that our youth, in their militancy and activism, become even more creative when they exercise their right to protest.

Today, unlike in the past, South Africa belongs to all of them. To burn community assets and destroy social infrastructure is no different from committing suicide while wasting limited public funds. Today’s youth in particular carry a special responsibility to be champions of peace and non-violence since it is them who are going to inherit this country.

After 342 years of violent colonial and dehumanising apartheid oppression, South Africa’s developmental challenges remain complex, multi-layered, and unique. When the architects of our freedom embraced a negotiated, peaceful settlement in 1994, they understood that protracted conflict and the unending spilling of innocent blood was not in the best interest to speedily bring apartheid on its knees; and to begin the more difficult task of forging national unity, building peace, as well as reconstruction and development.

The ANC-led Congress Alliance and Mass Democratic Movement always extolled the virtue of peace. In the context of the arms race and serious threats to global peace and the sovereignty of nations, the drafters of the Freedom Charter included the clause, “There Shall Be Peace and Friendship”.

The clause states that, “Peace and friendship amongst all our people shall be secured by upholding the equal rights, opportunities and status of all.” The ANC’s CJ Mayekiso and Rev DC Thompson, a radical Marxist priest and leader of the South African Peace Council, are among those who contributed to the peace clause and were scheduled to lead the discussion on its adoption in Kliptown in 1955.

We remember too that the peaceful Congress of the People campaign which collected the Freedom Charter demands took nearly two years and was driven by many young people. Moosa ‘Mosie’ Moola who was part of the Secretariat had just turned 21 years old during the adoption of the Freedom Charter. Dorothy Nyembe was only 24 years old, Billy Nair 26 years old during the adoption of the Freedom Charter. Ben Turok, who led the discussion on the economic clause, “The People Shall Share in the Country’s Wealth” actually turned 28 years on the 26 of June 1955 during the adoption of the Freedom Charter in Kliptown.

At this historical juncture, we look to the youth to also develop creative, dynamic, and viable campaigns to bring lasting peace in our country. A pro-poor, human rights-based social ethos and sustainable development is dependent on achieving lasting peace and entrenching it as part of our social fabric. And the ANC has been blessed to have in its ranks national and global icons that have always championed peace, development, and justice.

On the 10th of December 1993 ANC President Nelson Mandela, jointly received with National Party leader, FW De Klerk, the Nobel Prize for Peace in Oslo, Norway. Two other South Africans had earlier received the honour – ANC President Chief Albert Luthuli and freedom stalwart and Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

Mandela asserted that the value of the honour had to be measured by the happiness and welfare of the South African children. He said: “the children must, at last, play in the open veld, no longer tortured by the pangs of hunger or ravaged by disease or threatened with the scourge of ignorance, molestation and abuse, and no longer required to engage in deeds whose gravity exceeds the demands of their tender years.” He proclaimed: “Let a new age dawn.” And embedded in his vision of the new dawn was “the renewal of our world so that none should, in future, be described as the wretched of the earth.”

In KwaZulu-Natal we have declared poverty as public enemy number one, and we fully support President Ramaphosa’s vision that in a generation South Africa must proscribe poverty to the dustbin of history.

Our province has crafted the ambitious KwaZulu-Natal Reconstruction and Transformation Plan to reignite our economy, create jobs, and fight hunger. But our bold plan will remain a pipedream or partially realised if we fail to achieve a broad consensus and forge a social compact with our citizens and stakeholders, including big business and labour, to accelerate inclusive growth and radical socio-economic transformation.

One of the challenges that will risk economic development in KwaZulu-Natal and other parts of the country is the rising social discord, crime, and violent protests. In the minds of the public, KZN is increasingly becoming synonymous with images of violence and destruction of life and property.

It was ANC President Dr Dube who said, “Isitha somuntu uye uqobo lwakhe”, meaning that man can become his own worst enemy. Martin Luther King Jr also cautions us that we must learn to live together as brothers and sisters or perish together as fools. Everybody must lend a hand to put an end to this dangerous habit that is sabotaging our growth and development

In our homes, schools, social clubs, on the factory floor, and boardrooms – everywhere – we must speak with one voice that the destruction of clinics, burning of schools, blockading of roads, sabotaging municipal infrastructure during strikes, and setting alight factories and businesses – as we saw in 2019 KwaSithebe at Mandeni and now recently in July has no place in KwaZulu-Natal and indeed in our country.

We make a special appeal to our media to lend a hand and work with us in developing messages and campaigns that will discourage lawlessness and the sabotage of our development. It can never be correct that to get a bridge or a road or a raise in salary, protesters should destroy public assets.

Our schools, learners, and teachers are crying for peace and we need evidence- based research that will tell us what we need to do now to exorcise violence, bullying, sexual abuse, and murder at our schools.

We must intensify our efforts to promote positive social values and build a model citizen in partnership with the KZN Social Cohesion and Moral Regeneration Council which we launched in July 2019.

We call also on all our artists, writers, performers, and local icons to play their part in generating messages, songs, artworks, theatre, and campaigns that will help root out the endemic culture of violence in our nation.

We must inculcate this message of peace to the point that each morning every citizen of KZN asks himself or herself what will be their contribution to building and sustaining it.

Big business carries a responsibility to partner with government and civil society to grow the economy, create jobs, and offer business opportunities to the majority that was historically excluded. As partners in national development, we expect business to contribute resources to support the provincial peace and social cohesion initiatives.

Peace and enduring stability is good for business and the future we share. A former American slave, Frederick Douglass, has an important warning for all of us. He said: Where justice is denied, where poverty is enforced, where ignorance prevails, and where any one class is made to feel that society is an organised conspiracy to oppress, rob and degrade them, neither persons nor property will be safe.

It does not have to be this way.

It is in our hand to make sure, as Mandela wished, that “the children must, at last, play in the open veld, no longer tortured by the pangs of hunger.”

Let us make peace our only way and justice our daily creed.

And let a new age of shared prosperity dawn upon the beautiful face of our land.

While we march together to build peace, unity and social cohesion we must be mindful that we are in the midst of a global pandemic.

Covid-19 is real. Covid-19 is infecting our people and taking lives everyday.

We must minimally follow the health protocols of masking, sanitizing and social distancing.

Most importantly we must vaccinate. Vaccination is not a guarantee against Covid-19 but it will reduce the severity if we become infected and drastically improve our chances of survival.

KwaZulu-Natal has conducted just over 2.2 million vaccinations.

We must meet the target of population immunity.

The Department of Health is now bringing the vaccinations to our taxi ranks, shopping centres, schools and other nearby facilities. When we vaccinate we protect ourselves. We also protect those around us – our loved ones and colleagues.

Being unvaccinated means that we can easily infect others close to us if we contract Covid-19. Let us each be responsible for our health and protecting those close to us.

Vaccinate today. Do not let another day go by. Life and time is too precious to wallow in doubt.

Let us express our gratitude to each of you who have come together to march for peace. This is a symbolic act but much more work lies ahead in sustaining the peace .

We are stronger together.

We can be a more prosperous society working together.

Let us rebuild a peaceful society and a prosperous economy together.

Let freedom reign.

Let peace reign and let it be our only way of living.

Together Growing KwaZulu-Natal!

Source: Government of South Africa

Widows, partners suffer when there’s no will left behind

Widows and the partners of deceased men are still being side lined when it comes to inheritance and succession after their partners pass away.

This is according to the South African Women Lawyers Association’s Chuma Hlengane.

Hlengane was speaking during the Department of Justice’s virtual dialogue marking the commencement of the annual Wills Week campaign.

During this week, members of the public will be assisted to draw up their wills for free at all provincial Masters of the High Court offices, private law firms, private practice attorneys all supported by the department and the Law Society of South Africa.

A will is a legal document which sets out what should happen to a person’s assets and personal belongings when they die.

Hlengane said in the association’s experience, women and sometimes their children, are being left with nothing when their partners die because there is no will to protect them.

“In many parts of the country, women are still fighting the same battle of not being recognised when it comes to succession and inheritance especially in rural areas. You will discover that widows in these areas are still being abused by their in-laws because their right to inherit their husband’s properties, estates or their marital estates is being infringed because they are being sidelined by male family members when their spouses die,” she said.

Hlengane emphasised that it is not only assets that can be declared in a will but succession issues as well.

“Female heirs, as well, in the villages are suffering the same when it comes to leadership positions and chieftancy. When you are a female, you need to fight twice the battle (to succeed your parent) because there are people who will…try to take over merely for the fact that you are a woman.

The Law Society of South Africa’s Ugeshnee Naicker said National Wills Week provides an opportunity for citizens to have legally binding wills which will declare what should happen to their assets when they pass away.

“If you die without leaving a will…your assets may not go to the person of your choice, it can take a longer time to have an executor appointed, there could be extra and unnecessary costs, there could be unhappiness and conflict amongst members of your family because there are no clear instructions on how to distribute assets,” Naicker said.

Source: South African Government News Agency

MEC Debbie Schäfer on vaccination of matric learners

With matric exams just around the corner, I want to encourage as many of our matric learners aged 18 and over to receive the Covid-19 vaccine as soon as possible in time for their National Senior Certificate examinations.

Some of our learners have already been vaccinated, and I thank the schools that have already taken the initiative to communicate, inform and encourage vaccination. We have seen some positive and informed responses from young adult matrics who have opted to get vaccinated. We hope that other candidates that qualify, also take up the opportunity afforded to them.

For those that haven’t yet, the WCED has made it easier for eligible learners who wish to be vaccinated to get their vaccine quickly and efficiently. We are again being assisted by the provincial Department of Health (DoH) to make specific arrangements to prioritise our learners at specific vaccination sites. Our departments have experience with arranging such slots cooperatively as a result of the basic education sector staff rollout earlier this year.

A letter from the Head of Department outlining the process was sent to schools last week explaining how schools can assist consenting matric learners to get vaccinated. Schools are to submit names and consent to the district, which will then arrange a timeslot for learners, accompanied by a school representative (teacher or staff member) at a vaccination site. Transport is also being arranged by the district to accommodate needs.

I would like to thank the DoH for their continued support, and the health workers of our province who have tirelessly fought this pandemic with professionalism and kindness.

Learners who have already taken up the opportunity emphasised the importance of getting the vaccine to ensure they don’t miss their matric exams:

“I decided to take the vaccine because I know I stand a better chance at surviving should I get the virus.” – Tiffany April, Ravensmead Senior Secondary School.

“I decided to get vaccinated because I have seen a lot of people who have been infected by COVID-19 and some of them succumbed to the virus. It’s important that I take the vaccine especially because I am in my matric year. I cannot afford not to go to school as this is an essential time in my school life.” – Likho Joja, Fairdale High School

“Getting the vaccine is the best solution to ensure that you are protected from the virus. I am scared that I might be infected by COVID-19 and miss some of my final exam papers. Getting the vaccine is the best option for me right now.” – Yonda Mzamo, Fairdale High School

“Getting the COVID-19 vaccine is very important for us doing matric this year as we will be writing the NSC exams later this year. We need to ensure that we protect ourselves in order to complete our matric year this year.” – Zinathi Mqombothi, Fairdale High School

These are wise and informed decisions made by the youth of our province. They know the importance of the vaccine, how it can benefit them, their friends and families, and their performance in the NSC. I sincerely hope others follow suit!

I encourage every eligible learner that qualifies in the Western Cape to register for the vaccine. We have less than seven weeks to go before they begin writing their examinations. Time is critical if they are to give themselves the best chance at being healthy during this period.

Vaccines really are the only way we are going to find our way back to some semblance of normality in our sector, and our society. It definitely adds another layer of protection for our learners who have worked so hard up until this point.

Source: Government of South Africa

Inanda drive-by shooting an attack on Constitution, says JCPS cluster

The drive-by shooting that claimed the lives of three women in Inanda, Durban, at the weekend was part of intimidation tactics devised to weaken and undermine the country’s Constitution ahead of the 1 November municipal elections.

This is the firm position of the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) cluster, said Police Minister Bheki Cele and Zizi Kodwa, the Deputy Minister in the Presidency, responsible for State Security.

Accompanied by Police Deputy Minister Cassel Mathale, Cele and Kodwa on Tuesday visited the area to assess the situation.

Ncami Shange, 34, Beatrice Nzama, 60, and Philisiwe Jili, 37, were killed on Saturday when a black Opel Corsa bakkie, with five occupants opened fire on a group of people waiting outside a local primary school ahead of a community meeting.

A further five people were injured and taken to hospital.

Kodwa said: “This is nothing but an act of intimidation and attack on the country’s Constitution.

“The [victims were] people who [were] exercising their right to elect a leader of their choice and to participate in the elections, which will strengthen democracy.”

Speaking on behalf of the JCPS cluster, Kodwa urged the public not to be intimidated by such brazen criminality.

The cluster fleshed out a plan that would protect the upcoming Local Government Elections. The plan, Kodwa said, would not just protect political parties, but the entire system.

“It’s important that we guard the system against such acts of intimidation. It is the responsibility of the JCPS to ensure that such intimidation, at the end of the day, do not triumph over the Constitution and weaken our democracy,” he said.

From initial investigations, Cele said it was clear that the shooting was a tactic aimed at instilling fear.

“Clearly the person who committed this terrible crime was intimidating rather than targeting a particular person or candidate,” he said.

The matter has since been referred to the KZN SAPS Political Task Team.

“The matter is on the agenda of the JCPS cluster, but also is on the agenda of the… provincial Commissioner, [who is] working on prevention [of violence in during the… elections and] going forward,” said Cele.

Similar attacks, he said, have been happening in Gauteng and in the Western Cape.

“There have been a lot of problems in Gauteng, especially in the Tshwane area. We’re also having problems in the Western Cape, especially in the Gugulethu area. It’s a problem that is linked to the elections,” he said.

With regards to the Inanda incident, the Minister said it should be understood in the context that the area is already crime-ridden.

“It could be a combination of the two [crime and political intolerance], so those are the things that need to be looked at,” he said.

He said it was fortunate that members of the South African National Defence Force are still deployed in Gauteng and KZN, as this will assist the police to have a hold on the scale of such attacks.

The Minister said a SAPS budget to protect the elections will have to be found to safeguard the polls.

“We have made our budget [needs] known through the National Commissioner and the CFO, which will be presented to Cabinet and National Treasury,” he said.

Source: South African Government News Agency