Day: July 19, 2022

The Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) Amos Masondo has unveiled his Parliamentary Constituency Offices (PCOs) in Soweto, to enable Members of Parliament to interact with the people they represent.

The newly remodelled PCO, which belongs to Masondo, was unveiled at Entokozweni Community Centre in Moletsane on Monday, as part of Parliament’s Nelson Mandela Day goodwill activities and outreach programme to communities needing developmental interventions to improve the quality of their lives.

Masondo said the activity represents the opening of a new chapter to improve the orientation of PCOs and their value to the communities.

“It is a small but significant step that must see us agreeing on what will constitute an ideal PCO, and on how to work collaboratively to achieve that,” Masondo said.

Masondo said the PCOs are, among other things, meant to provide a point of leadership interaction with the community.

“PCOs are designed to provide a platform to educate and empower people with information, and on how to take part in processes pertaining to how they are governed. They are part of a structural framework developed to enable Members of Parliament to engage people in an unmediated dialogue on their concerns and aspirations,” Masondo said.

He added that over the years, there have been many efforts and ideas on how the PCOs could be strengthened.

“One of the innovative ways of equipping the PCOs to meaningfully discharge their services was bringing the representatives from national Parliament, the provincial legislature, and the municipal council, under one roof and in communication with the people.

“We do not have perfect solutions, and we do not believe there are. Our attitude is that improvement can result from taking one step in the right direction, learning from the impact of one’s action, and using that to make further improvements as one moves forward,” the chairperson said.

Masondo noted that the remodelling of PCOs came as a result of an extensive consultation with the members of the public on how they would want Parliament to serve them better.

“Having learnt from the feedback derived through surveys of the views of the members of the public and the stakeholders, Parliament revised its approach to public participation and placed at the centre the reimagining, repurposing and remodelling of PCOs.

“This is in order to enable the PCOs to truly serve as our extension offices that are accessible and alive with activities that advance our democracy,” he explained.

Parliament spokesperson Moloto Mothapo said the launch of Masondo's PCO is part of an ongoing implementation plan.

“Sections 59 and 72 of the Constitution enjoin Parliament to promote public access to and meaningful participation in parliamentary processes and activities to strengthen South Africa's participatory democracy and help accelerate the development of the people,” Mothapo said.

The launch of the remodelled office in Soweto follows the Speaker of the National Assembly, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula’s launch in Makanda in April 2022.

Mothapo said Parliament plans to roll out a programme for all Constituency Offices.

Source: South African Government News Agency

BackOnTrack: Western Cape students will spend 60 extra learning hours on Maths and Reading

The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) will be taking decisive action over the 3rd and 4th term to address severe learning losses in the Foundation Phase (Grades 1 to 3), by enabling an increased time allocation for Mathematics and Reading each week. These are the grades that were most severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, and we must do everything we possibly can to ensure that our youngest students are not disadvantaged in later grades.

The intervention will see an extra 2 hours per week allocated to reading and 1 extra hour per week for Mathematics, for all Foundation Phase students in the province – amounting to an increase of at least 60 learning hours per student in the subjects over the remainder of the year. The intervention will support other recovery plans that are already underway.

These increases will be accommodated by adjusting the amount of time allocated to Life Skills, so the intervention will not increase the length of the school day. We recognise the importance of Life Skills teaching in the development of our students. It is therefore important that the remaining time for the subject be used effectively within the new timetables.

2021 Systemic Test results

The Western Cape is the only province to undertake standardised systemic testing in Mathematics and Languages, and we therefore have a comprehensive understanding of the scale of the learning losses caused by the pandemic.

Earlier this year, we announced that the results of the 2021 systemic tests reveal severe learning losses associated with the pandemic. While we had previously made great progress with a steady increase in performance in years preceding 2020, these gains have unfortunately been reversed.

The greatest learning losses can be seen in the Foundation Phase. We have always maintained that the loss of contact (face-to-face) teaching time would affect our youngest students the most as they do not have the same self-discipline, maturity or structure that our older students would have to cope with rotating timetables and learning at home.

Comparing the 2021 and 2019 Systemic Test results, Grade 3 pass rates in Mathematics dropped by 13.8 percentage points, and in Language by 8.0 percentage points. These learning losses will have serious knock effects as these students progress through their school careers.

Foundation Phase intervention

The pandemic derailed our steady progress, so we must take immediate action to get #BackOnTrack in these subjects. Education experts recommend the allocation of additional time for the teaching and learning of Mathematics and Reading, more teacher support and improved teaching practices, and encouraging parental support and involvement to catch up the time and learning lost.

Accordingly, the WCED will implement an additional 2 hours of group-guided reading per week, and an additional hour of Mathematics per week.

We have engaged with union representatives, principals’ associations, WCED officials and senior Foundation Phase teachers who are supportive of this intervention. We all recognise that we cannot afford to wait until next year to address learning losses. A minute will be sent to schools outlining what is required and providing suggested timetables when implementing the intervention. All Foundation Phase teachers will participate in a webinar on Monday 25 July 2022, to take them through the intervention before it is implemented.

The intervention will be monitored over the remaining weeks of the school year, and a review report will be produced to inform the steps we will take in 2023. Schools that have already made their own adjustments to address learning losses in this phase will have the opportunity to request exemption from the change, if they can demonstrate that they are effectively addressing the losses.

We appeal to all teachers and parents to support us as we ramp up our efforts to reverse the impact of the pandemic. We will need to work together to ensure that Foundation Phase students receive quality education in the Western Cape.

Source: Government of South Africa

Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula has expressed heartfelt condolences to Deputy Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga who lost her eldest son, his wife and their four children in a car accident on the N11 outside Ladysmith, KwaZulu-Natal.

The crash occurred on Sunday night when the family was involved in a head-on collision with another car, whose driver sustained serious injuries and is being treated in hospital.

“The tragic loss of a son and his entire family has left us all numb with disbelief and pain. I have reached out to the Deputy Minister in this hour of sadness and conveyed my heartfelt condolences for her loss.

“While words do little to console a bleeding heart and pain, I trust that she will find comfort in our support and strength to honour the memory of her son, daughter in law and grandchildren,” Mbalula said on Tuesday.

The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) will investigate the cause of the crash and the report will be made available once the investigation has concluded.

“Theirs are lives that were taken too soon, candles whose flames were extinguished in the prime of their lives. This tragic loss has strengthened our resolve to redouble our efforts to arrest the scourge of fatalities on our roads. One live lost is one too many.

“The Deputy Minister is a staunch champion for road safety and there is no better fitting tribute to the memory of her beloved than saving lives on our roads,” the Minister said.

Source: South African Government News Agency

DWS reiterates plea of water conservation at Nelson Mandela Bay Metro and calls for the prevention of water pollution during Mandela Day

The Department of Water and Sanitation in the Eastern Cape reiterated its pleas to Nelson Mandela Bay Metro residents to use water sparingly while also calling for communities to prevent the pollution of water sources.

This is as President Cyril Ramaphosa commemorated International Nelson Mandela Day in the Metro where he spent the day with Minister Senzo Mchunu, Premier Oscar Mabuyane and Councillor Eugene Johnson, cleaning up the Swartkops River at Emlotheni Township in Veeplaas.

The Department, with the support of the office of the Presidency, has once again committed to working tirelessly to prevent taps from completely drying out while working collaboratively with the provincial government and several organisations, both NGOs and the private sector in the province.

Intervention efforts include the need for wise use of water and reduction of water demand, the early detection and repair of leaks (domestic and municipal), optimisation of groundwater use through the drilling and management of boreholes (where we have seen activities of the private sector, NGOs, and government through the Metro funded by COGTA), and water infrastructure being brough on stream like the upgrade of the Nooitgedacht Water Treatment Works funded by the DWS and done by Amatola Water.

“Second to drought and its effects, of which many of us have witnessed in the province and some parts of the country, water pollution poses a serious threat to water security in the country,” said Minister Mchunu.

Minister Mchunu said communities in the province and across the country should practice active citizenry by leading activities of cleaning up water sources. “We should just not do it because it is Mandela Day, but because we want to keep a clean and healthy environment and also to secure water supply where we live,” he said.

President Ramaphosa also addressed residents after cleaning up the Swartkops River and assured that the Department and the provincial government are doing their best to ensure water supply in the Metro and across the province.

Residents responded with loud cheers and a renewed hope of positive change to come in their community.

The river clean-up coincided with the Department’s Clear Rivers campaign which takes place in the month of July and is a clarion call of action to prevent the pollution of water. This year’s theme is “South Africa is a water scarce country, clean up and protect water resources”.

For more information, contact Sputnik Ratau, Spokesperson for the Department of Water and Sanitation on 082 874 2942

Source: Government of South Africa

MOUNT FLETCHER - SAPS members’ continuous efforts in the proliferation of illegal firearms yielded positive results when a 44-year-old suspect was arrested and detained on a charge of illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.

It is alleged that members were busy with crime prevention duties when they received information about a male who was in possession of a firearm without a license at Dinotsing locality in Mount Fletcher.

The members acted on the information and on searching the suspect, the 9mm Norinco pistol was found in his possession.

The suspect will appear at court on 18 July 2022.

The Acting District Commissioner Brig Asogran Naidoo commended the members on the swift reaction and keeping illegal firearms of the street.

Source: South African Police Service

Minister Senzo Mchunu applauds private companies for donations a fight against Day Zero in Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality

The Minister of Water and Sanitation, Senzo Mchunu inspected boreholes donated by the Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa and the Gift of the Givers in a bid to ensure water supply to communities of Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality amidst water supply challenges in the Municipality. Minister Mchunu was accompanied by the Premier of the Eastern Cape, Mr Oscar Mabuyane and the Executive Mayor of Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality, Ms Eugene Johnson.

Minister Mchunu however cautioned the community members not to over-use water because of water augmentation efforts through boreholes. He said the more the boreholes that are being donated, the more water restrictions will be implemented to ensure that there is a reduction of water usage in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan.

“The completion of these boreholes is merely a necessary security measure to preserve water. It doesn’t mean that people must now relax and use water wastefully because there are now boreholes that assist with water supply. This is exactly the opposite…the more the boreholes are being donated here in Nelson Mandela Bay Metro, it is the more water restrictions will be applied by the municipality. This is to ensure that there is enough water available in the Municipality than the water that is being consumed”, said Minister Mchunu.

Minister Mchunu inspected a borehole in Walmer Township in Q Section, donated by the Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa which envisages to drill nine more boreholes in Gqeberha which would generate 10 million litres of water per annum, with a capacity to benefit 500 households in those nine areas.

Ntsako Baloyi, Head of Sustainability at Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa says provision of water by the boreholes is at no cost to the communities. “The boreholes are not running with electricity and are purely dependent on the solar system. As a beverage company we take health and safety very seriously, and therefore all our water goes through thorough testing before it gets into the taps. The supply of water is at no cost to communities and we will be maintaining the boreholes for two years before we hand them over to the Municipality”, he said.

Minister Mchunu also inspected a borehole donated by Gift of the Givers at Elizabeth Donkin Psychiatric Hospital. The boreholes donated by the Gift of the Givers in various parts of Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan can augment water supply to the Municipality by six billion litres per day. This water is still to go through the required tests before being used for consumption. At the moment it is utilised for other uses.

The third borehole is at the Coegakop Ground Water Development Project and is a project of the Metro. The completion date for this project which includes treatment capacity on site, is 30 Oct. 2022. The project on completion will give the Metro a Yield of 12 MLD. Its design is such that it can raise the yield to 20 ML/D, which creates assurance of supply for the long term.

Minister Mchunu highlighted that despite the interventions made by the Department of Water and Sanitation to ensure water supply to the residents of Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan, the contributions made by the Non-Governmental Organisations and private sector have made a tremendous difference in the area.

“It is very important that we continue with the partnerships of this kind because government can’t make these kinds of interventions alone, and we have made it known that we are out there to promote partnerships in order to address water supply challenges in the country. I need to however emphasise that the augmentation of water to this Municipality by the boreholes does not mean that we have more water to waste. The more the boreholes generated here in Gqeberha, the more water supply restrictions there will be to ensure that there is enough water for everyone in the area”, said Minister Mchunu emphatically.

For more information, contact Sputnik Ratau, Spokesperson for the Department of Water and Sanitation on 082 874 2942

Source: Government of South Africa

NELSPRUIT - An incident regarding a 13-year-old girl who was allegedly abducted and raped in Witbank in the past week, has sent a shocking wave in the society.

The incident was vehemently condemned by the Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela but the General also applauded members for the arrest of a 28-year-old male who was earlier held up by the police from Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit (FCS) for questioning.

The suspect was charged with abduction as well as four counts of rape yesterday, Monday, 18 July 2022 and appeared in the Emalahleni Magistrate's Court today, Tuesday, 19 July 2022 where his case was postponed to 02 August 2022 for a formal bail hearing meanwhile he was remanded in custody. The investigation continues.

The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela further came out strong on perpetrators of Gender-Based-Violence. "A situation whereby women suffer violence under the hands of men who treat and regard women as objects will never be tolerated. The law should deal decisively with such perpetrators without fear or favour" said the General.

Source: South African Police Service