Day: June 23, 2022

Taxpayers are encouraged to file their returns for the 2022 tax filing season which will open from 1 July to 24 October 2022.

Speaking during a post Cabinet media briefing on Thursday, Minister in the Presidency, Mondli Gungubele, said that taxpayers are encouraged to use eFiling (www.sarsefiling.co.za) or the South African Revenue Service (SARS) MobiApp.

This year, SARS will continue with the auto-assessment of individual taxpayers, which is a pre-populated income tax return to help simplify the submission process. In 2021 more than three million taxpayers were auto-assessed.

“The timely and accurate submission of tax returns not only ensures taxpayers remain compliant, but it also helps government to deliver services to South Africans who need them most,” Gungubele said.

Economic Governance Winter School

The National School of Government (NSG) will host its third Economic Governance Winter School Programme for Political Executives in Johannesburg from 27 June to 1 July 2022.

The programme will be attended by Ministers from Côte d'Ivoire; South Sudan and South Africa; and Directors-General from Lesotho, Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania and Ghana.

South African mayors, as well as members of mayoral committees and executive councils, will also attend.

The political executives from different countries are expected to share ideas and lessons from different scenarios that they experience in their day-to-day work.

The NSG designed the annual programme for members of the executive in 2020, as part of its support to government’s commitment to build a capable state.

“It seeks to, among other things, equip executives within the three spheres of government with enhanced leadership and oversight capabilities to be able to re-examine governance challenges that constrain inclusivity and sustainable economic growth,” Cabinet said.

Nelson Mandela International Day

This year’s Nelson Mandela International Day which will be on Monday, 18 July 2022, will be celebrated under the global theme: “Do what you can, with what you have, wherever you are”.

It is a clarion call for people to support and participate in the campaign by contributing sustainable interventions with a lasting impact.

“One such sustainable intervention is the annual Nelson Mandela Youth Dialogue and Ethical Leadership Programme focusing on topical issues concerning young people in South Africa and across the globe,” Cabinet said.

Source: South African Government News Agency

POTCHEFSTROOM - The police in Bedwang would like to request the community's assistance in locating Ndomba Jonas Mvubu (58), who is residing at Ruigtesloot, close to Bedwang.

According to information received, he was last seen on Friday, 17 June 2022, at about 09:00. It alleged that on the said day he was on his way to a funeral in Soweto and he was dropped at the taxi rank in Moretele village and never reached his destination.

A search was conducted around the area of Bedwang without any success.

At the time of his disappearance, he was wearing a black jacket, brown boots and carrying a black school bag. He has a fair complexion, average in height, medium body structure with a scar on the neck and he is limping.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts can contact the Investigating Officer, Detective Sergeant Maledi of Bedwang Detectives on the following cellphone number: ?082 642 1941. Tip-offs can be communicated via MySAPS App or Crime Stop on ?08600 10111.??

Source: South African Police Service

The Department of Basic Education has welcomed the repealing of regulations relating to the wearing of face masks when entering and when being inside an indoor public place.

The Department of Health published the regulations on 22 June 2022.

In a statement on Thursday, the Department of Basic Education said it aligns itself with the new development.

Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga said she supported the repealing of the mask mandate for learners.

“In line with this decision to repeal the regulations, wearing of face masks by learners in classrooms, and indoor gatherings is no longer a requirement. Those learners and staff who wish to continue to wear a face mask in schools will be allowed to exercise this option,” said the Minister.

She said the department will continue to support the COVID-19 vaccination of all learners aged from 12 years, with parental consent.

Source: South African Government News Agency

DURBAN – Special Investigations and Tracking Task Team as well as the Organised Crime Unit have been working around the clock to ensure that the perpetrators of crime are brought to book. In the early hours of this morning at 01:30, police conducted a multi-disciplinary operation at Macambini Reserve in Nyoni where they arrested a 45-year-old suspect for unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition. The suspect is appearing before the Nyoni Magistrate’s Court.

The team received information about the suspect who was in possession of a firearm. They proceeded to the house in Macambini Reserve and conducted a search. A firearm with 12 rounds of ammunition were recovered. The suspect was arrested and detained at Nyoni SAPS.

On Monday, 20 June 2022, police arrested two suspects aged between 47 and 39 for unlawful possession of firearms. The first suspect was arrested at Kwathoyina in Umbumbulu and appeared at Umbumbulu Magistrate’s Court where he was remanded in custody. He will appear before court on 26 June 2022 for a bail application.

The second suspect was arrested at Emakholweni in Camperdown. He appeared before the Richmond Magistrate’s Court and he was granted bail. He will appear in court again on 25 August 2022.

Source: South African Police Service

Cabinet at its meeting welcomed the outcomes of the WTO MC12 held in Geneva, Switzerland, from 12 to 17 June 2022, in particular the decision that eligible countries could override COVID-19 vaccine patents until 2027.

The decision on whether to extend this to COVID-19 therapeutics and diagnostics was delayed for six months.

Addressing a post Cabinet media briefing held in Pretoria earlier today, Minister in the Presidency, Mondli Gungubele, said South Africa had been leading the call for the WTO to waiver intellectual property rights tied to COVID-19 vaccines that will ensure equal access to vaccines and enable countries that have the capability to manufacture vaccines to do so.

“The conference also committed to an open and inclusive process to reform all its functions and agreed to a package of trade deals addressing areas such as health, setting limits on fishing subsidies, a moratorium on e-commerce trade and food security,” Gungubele said.

The WTO's 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) began on 12 June 2022 at WTO headquarters in Geneva.

Round-the-clock negotiations among delegations produced the “Geneva Package”, which contains a series of unprecedented decisions on fisheries subsidies, WTO response to emergencies, including a waiver of certain requirements concerning compulsory licensing for COVID-19 vaccines, food safety and agriculture, and WTO reform.

The “Geneva Package” confirms the historical importance of the multilateral trading system and underlines the important role of the WTO in addressing the world’s most pressing issues, especially at a time when global solutions are critical.

Ministers from across the world attended the meeting to review the functioning of the multilateral trading system, to make general statements and to take action on the future work of the WTO.

Ministers agreed on a process for addressing longstanding calls for reform of the WTO.

The MC12 outcome document commits members to work towards reform of the organization to improve all its functions through an open, transparent and inclusive process.

Source: South African Government News Agency

WESTERN CAPE - Efforts to bring perpetrators of the law to book landed four suspects between 29 and 43 behind bars yesterday morning in Brackenfell. Members of Maitland Flying Squad followed up information about a suspicious vehicle and pulled it over and searched it. The members found counterfeit money in the vehicle. One of the suspect’s premises was also searched and ammunition and bank cards were confiscated.

The suspects are due to make their court appearance in the Bellville Magistrate’s Court once they have been charged.

In an unrelated matter members of the Anti-Gang Unit were deployed in the Manenberg policing precinct yesterday and conducted an intelligence operation at identified premises in Heideveld. These premises were searched and two 9mm pistols were confiscated respectively. Two males aged 22 and 25 were arrested and detained on charges of possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition.

The suspects are due to make their respective court appearances in the Athlone Magistrate’s Court tomorrow.

Source: South African Police Service

Cabinet has welcomed the 11-point action plan set up to deal with road blockages and the recruitment of foreign nationals as truck drivers.

The plan, which was developed by the Road and Freight Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) in partnership with road and freight industry stakeholders, promotes the enforcement of visa requirements and compliance with labour laws, among other things.

The IMC was formed to deal with the escalating road blockages and protests by disgruntled South African truck drivers.

“Protests and road blockages adversely impact mobility, scare foreign investors and most importantly, negatively impact the economy and essential supply chains which use affected corridors,” said Minister in The Presidency Mondli Gungubele at a post-Cabinet media briefing in Pretoria on Thursday.

At a media briefing on Monday, Minister of Employment and Labour, Thulas Nxesi, said the action plan was derived from a culmination of a series of meetings held with the industry and will form part of a blue print to be announced once approved by all parties.

The Implementation Plan consists of the following actions:

• Facilitate the appointment of the task team;

• Enforcement of the VISA requirements;

• Need for consideration of all foreign driving licenses;

• Registration and compliance with labour laws;

• Registration of operators in term of Section 45 of the National Road Traffic Act (NRTA);

• Review of the Traffic Register Number;

• Review of the Cross-Border Road Transport Legislation;

• Amendment of the National Road Traffic Regulation;

• Integrated joint multi-disciplinary law enforcement operations;

• Implement Driver Training Programme; and

• Consideration of the introduction of Operating Licenses for the industry.

Each organization participating in the process will be represented by two delegates and monthly report meetings will be held by the IMC to review progress on actions being implemented, Nxesi said.

The Department of Home Affairs have conducted over 21 joint multi-disciplinary law enforcement operations and inspections to assess the extent of use of foreign and at times illegal truck drivers.

“These multi-disciplinary and joint enforcement operations conducted across the country saw 213 arrests of foreign truck drivers found to be in contravention of immigration laws with 19 of those in possession of fraudulent documentations,” said the Minister.

Meanwhile, Cabinet welcomed the intervention by the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality in the Eastern Cape to avert “Day Zero” as the province is facing severe water shortages which started in 2015.

The department is working with the province to implement short, medium and long-term measures to address and mitigate the potential impact of the drought.

“Cabinet further urged the residents of NMB to adhere to water restrictions imposed by local municipalities to ensure water security.

“Overall, water use must be reduced by 50 million litres per day, from the current level of 280 million litres per day, down to 230 million litres per day,” Cabinet said.

Source: South African Government News Agency