Day: May 19, 2022

As part of Africa Month 2022 celebrations, the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) in partnership with the Department of Arts and Culture will host a panel discussion themed “Advancing Patriotism, Social Cohesion and Citizen’s Rights to Safeguard South Africa and Its Institutions”. 

Since the beginning of the year 2022, South Africa is experiencing a series of unsavoury incidents that relate to the destruction of public property, violent protests and burning of state institutions. All these have had a negative effect on service delivery and take away from the progress that the country has made in improving the delivery of services to the people such as the electricity supply and rail public transport system.

The discussion will explore the following:

• What needs to be done to foster patriotism, social cohesion and a respect for citizen’s rights amongst South Africans. 
• How can South Africans realise that the responsibility for safeguarding the country and its institutions is upon their shoulders as citizens.

We aim to: 

• Raise awareness on the importance of patriotism, promotion of social cohesion and safeguarding public institutions.
• Appeal to the conscience of South Africans to embrace their role towards the preservation of South Africa and its good.
• Provide a platform to discuss possible causes and solutions.

Source: Government of South Africa

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) welcomes the Special Tribunal order that declared the R4.8 million Covid-19 tender awarded by O.R. Tambo District Municipality IN THE Eastern Cape to Phathilizwi Training Institute, to conduct Covid-19 awareness, invalid and unlawful.

On Wednesday, 18 May 2022, the Special Tribunal set aside the tender and ordered the municipality not to pay two tax invoices in the amount of R3 036 000.00 and R1 821 600.00 for the service allegedly rendered by the training institute as part of the unlawful and invalid contract. The Special Tribunal also ordered Phathilizwi to pay for the SIU’s legal costs.

In January 2019, the Municipality awarded Phathilizwi a tender to conduct community education workshops within the Municipality for a period of 12 months. On 24 February 2020, the Municipality extended the tender by a period of six (6) months.

The original tender was in respect of a community outreach program aimed to encourage community members to participate in municipal programmes with full understanding of local government processes. The extended tender was for a completely different activity, namely a Covid-19 door-to-door campaign.

SIU probe revealed that, when extending the tender, the Municipality failed to comply with the emergency procurement process as set out in Treasury Regulations and as required by the National Treasury Practice Note 6 of 2007/2008. The regulations were promulgated to give effect to the values of fairness, equity, transparency, competitiveness and cost effectiveness in public procurement as mandated by section 217(1) of the Constitution.

The outcome of the Special Tribunal is a continuation of the implementation of SIU investigation outcomes and consequence management to recover financial losses suffered by State institutions and hold those responsible to account for the actions through a justice process in accordance with the SIU Act 74 of 1996.

Fraud and corruption allegations may be reported via the following platforms: siu@hotline.co.za

Source: Government of South Africa

The Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Barbara Creecy in partnership with South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) Chairperson, Professor Edward Nesamvuni, will mark the International Day for Biological Diversity (IBD) by launching the Thohoyandou National Botanical Garden, on Sunday, 22 May 2022, in Thohoyandou, Vhembe District Municipality, Limpopo.

Each year IBD has a specific theme that encourages the protection and conservation of biological diversity and this year’s theme is “Building a Shared Future for all Life”. Therefore, launching the country’s eleventh national botanical garden is a fitting action to celebrate the International Day of Biological Biodiversity. South Africa is considered one of the most biologically diverse countries in the world due to its species diversity and diverse ecosystems. While it occupies only 2% of the world’s land surface area, South Africa is home to 10% of the world’s plant species and 7% of its reptile, bird and mammal species. Furthermore, it harbours around 15% of the world’s marine species.

The South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), an entity of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) is mandated by the Minister to manage, control and maintain all national botanical gardens. SANBI manages the network of National Botanical Gardens (NBGs) spread across the seven provinces in South Africa.

The declaration of the Thohoyandou Botanical Garden (TBG) as an NBG in Limpopo will be the first in the province and will supplement the national network of botanical gardens in the country. The site is located in the major urban centre of Thohoyandou, under Vhembe Biosphere Reserve within the Vhembe District Municipality and the Thulamela Local Municipality. It includes a representative portion of the Soutpansberg Mountain Bushveld, a Vulnerable vegetation type with only 2.2% under protection.

The Thohoyandou National Botanical Garden (TNBG) will serve as a biodiversity centre for the province showcasing traditional botanical garden infrastructure and, biodiversity research facilities, which will be of benefit to the province. Serving as an additional nature-based, cultural and scientific tourism attraction, the garden will contribute to the area’s socio-economic development, and enhance tourism by linking with local and regional tourism initiatives. The developments to the garden are expected to increase its educational value, financial viability and the interest and support of visitors, tourists and the local community.

Source: Government of South Africa

Minister in The Presidency to deliver the Budget Vote Speech

Minister in the Presidency, Mr Mondli Gungubele, will be tabling the Budget Vote for the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation on Friday, 20 May 2022.

The Minister will be reflecting on the performance of the DPME over the past financial year, outline the programme for the 2022/23 financial year, targets and milestones that must be achieved towards the fulfilment of the DPME mandate.

Source: Government of South Africa

The Minister of Social Development, Ms Lindiwe Zulu has been appointed as a global champion for SheDecides, a global and diverse movement driving change to ensure that every woman, girl and young person has the right to decide about their body, life and future. The movement brings together government, civil society, media and donors to Stand UP and to Speak out for bodily autonomy and sexual and reproductive health and rights.

As the SheDecides Champion, Minister Zulu is expected to advocate for political action that advances the fundamental right of girls and women everywhere to enjoy their bodies, to make their own choices, to have access to comprehensive sexuality education and the full range of quality care that unite all parts of her sexual and reproductive life and health.

“I welcome the opportunity to join forces with other SheDecides Champions across the globe to advance an agenda that promotes and protects girls and women’s right to make their own choices, including exercising the right to gender identity without any fear of violence. I accepted the responsibility to be part of this global movement because its strategic focus complements ongoing initiatives by Government to address key population and development challenges such as the unacceptably high level of teenage pregnancies, gender-based violence and femicide, forced child marriages in some parts of our country and hate crimes against members of the LGBTIQ+ communities”, said Minister Zulu.

Minister Zulu will be officially introduced as a Champion at the SheDecides+5, an event to be held from 19-20 May 2022 at Egmont Palace, Brussels- Belgium to mark the 5th anniversary of the founding of the movement. Minister Zulu is attending the event in her other capacity as the Chairperson of Partners in Population and Development (PPD), an intergovernmental initiative created specifically for the purpose of expanding and improving South-to-South collaboration in the field of reproductive health, population, and development.

On Friday, 20 May 2022 Minister will chair the NEXUS Initiative Roundtable High-Level Discussion which is composed of regional intergovernmental groups to mobilise global support, strengthen advocacy and coordination on sexual and reproductive health and rights agenda.

Minister Zulu is currently a member of the High-Level Commission on Nairobi Summit on ICPD.

Media enquiries may be forwarded to Ms Sharlene Naiker 082 673 5849 or SharleneN@dsd.gov.za

Source: Government of South Africa

Extension granted for compliance to proposed amendments to the Financial Provisioning Regulations

The Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Ms Barbara Creecy, has granted a 15-month extension to holders of rights applied for before 20 November 2015 to comply with the 2015 Financial Provisioning Regulations.

The extension is subject to, amongst others, those holders complying with the provisions and arrangements regarding financial provisioning set in their respective rights as issued in terms of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, 2002. The affected holders of have until 19 September 2023 to comply.

This extension has been granted as the proposed amendments to the Financial Provisioning Regulations, 2015, gazetted on 27 August 2021 for public comment, are still being finalised.

As part of the “One Environmental System”, the requirements for financial provisioning for rehabilitation in the mining sector were transferred from the Minerals and Petroleum Resource Development Act to the National Environmental Management Act, 1998 through the Financial Provisioning Regulations, as of November 2015. These Regulations, which are implemented by the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, regulate the manner in which holders and applicants of various types of mining rights and permits must provide for and execute rehabilitation of the environmental impacts from mining activities.

Source: Government of South Africa

President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Friday, 20 May 2022, undertake an oversight visit to Carolina, Mpumalanga, to assess progress in service delivery in line with the One District, One Plan approach of the District Development Model (DDM).

The visit will form part of the Presidential Imbizo series under the theme “Leave No One Behind”.

The visit also follows an intensive period of work by the three spheres of government and stakeholders in Mpumalanga to address service delivery in the Gert Sibande District Municipality where Carolina is situated.

Imbizo is a two-way unmediated, direct and interactive information sharing platform that promotes active involvement of citizens in the implementation of government programmes.

The engagement in Carolina, which is in the Gert Sibande District Municipality, follows similar visits by the President to the North West and Free State in the past two months.
 
The Mpumalanga Imbizo will commence with a Presidential DDM Business Engagement at the Dutch Reformed Church in Carolina at 08h00.
 
This engagement will be followed by a mass event at the Silobela Stadium in Carolina where residents of the town and surrounding areas will be able to address the President and senior government leaders on developments or setbacks in the region and will be able to make proposals on how the development of the province can be advanced.

President Ramaphosa will be accompanied by members of his cabinet, the Premier of Mpumalanga and members of his Executive Council, Mayors and Councillors.

The President will use the visit to assess progress in relation service delivery and in the implementation of the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan. 

Communities will be updated on public and private sector initiatives to improve social and economic conditions in Mpumalanga.

Source: Government of South Africa