Day: July 27, 2022

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Security officials and police officers commended following shootout on N2

DURBAN – The KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has commended security companies and police officers who responded to a request for assistance as armed robbers were fleeing on the N2 freeway this morning.  Speaking to role-players at the crime scene, the Provincial Commissioner personally thanked them for their bravery and determination in pursuing the armed gang who opened fire at security officials. “This incident demonstrates the need for police to work very closely with other force multipliers including security companies and the business sector,” he said.

In the early hours of this morning, a gang of eight men arrived in two vehicles at a mall in Empangeni. They held up the security guard and broke into a shop at the mall. The suspects stole clothing and various other items before fleeing the scene. A security company in the area was notified and immediately alerted all other role-players to indicate that the vehicles were travelling towards Durban. At the Tongaat toll plaza, other security companies and police officers joined in the chase. The suspects opened fire on their pursuers and there was an exchange of gunfire.

Both vehicles lost control and overturned along the N2 freeway near the King Shaka International Airport. Five suspects died in both vehicles whilst two were found with serious injuries and transported to hospital. Police arrested the eight suspect as he fled the scene. Three firearms as well as house breaking equipment and other exhibits were found in both vehicles. The suspects will be profiled to establish if they are linked to other crimes in the province. Dockets for armed robbery, attempted murder as well as illegal possession of firearms and ammunition will be opened against the men. Two suspects remain in a critical condition in hospital whilst the third is expected to appear in court soon.

Source: South African Police Service

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521 people confirmed to have contracted COVID-19

South Africa recorded 521 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, pushing the total to 4 003 502.

According to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), Gauteng reported 238 new infections, followed by 97 in the Western Cape, 79 in KwaZulu-Natal, 43 in the Eastern Cape, 21 in Mpumalanga and 20 in the North West. Meanwhile, the latest data shows that the rest of the provinces logged less than 20 cases.

The Department of Health said seven more people lost their lives to COVID-19, of which two died in the past 48 hours.

This means the country’s death toll now stands at 101 962 since the outbreak.

In addition, hospital admissions currently stand at 1 011, of which 12 patients were admitted on Tuesday.

The information is based on the 25 948 518 tests conducted in both public and private sectors.

Meanwhile, the department reported that it administered 15 703 COVID-19 vaccine doses since the last reporting cycle.

Data also shows that 20 242 420 adults are jabbed in South Africa, of which 18 456 377 are fully vaccinated.

Meanwhile, 2 624 917 children aged between 12 and 17 are vaccinated.

Globally, as of 726 July 2022, there have been 568 773 510 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 6 381 643 deaths, reported to the World Health Organisation.

Source: South African Government News Agency

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Eskom welcomes President’s measures to tackle electricity crisis

Eskom says it welcomes the announcement of further reforms and fully supports measures announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday to address the long-running electricity crisis.

The President announced urgent measures in the next three months to accelerate efforts to add new generation capacity to its faltering grid.

As part of addressing the shortage of megawatts, Eskom will purchase additional energy from existing private generators such as mines, paper mills, shopping centres and other private entities that have surplus power.

According to the power utility, these reforms will go a long way toward easing the power generation constraints the country has been grappling with for some 14 years.

Eskom believes the measures will also accelerate the end of load shedding and expand the electricity generation industry in South Africa through structural changes.  

“Particularly pleasing to Eskom is that government has made these moves to empower Eskom to speedily acquire additional generation capacity from existing IPP with excess capacity, to acquire spares and equipment from original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and indeed, the resources to increase the funding of the maintenance budget.”

To this end, Eskom said it is engaged in efforts with all interested stakeholders to introduce the necessary skills where it currently has gaps.

Meanwhile, the utility said it has already reached out to the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) to ascertain if their members are interested in assisting Eskom to bolster its skills.

In the statement, Eskom said it was also placing significant emphasis on recovering its Energy Availability Factor (EAF), especially its coal plants, where performance has been disappointing.

“The measures announced by the President will enable Eskom to intensify its maintenance efforts to drive improvements in EAF.”

In addition, the State-owned entity’s efforts to acquire battery energy storage systems are already at an advanced stage, with further tranches of BESS rollout to follow imminently.

“Furthermore, as the President announced, Eskom has already released land with grid connections for long-term leases by independent power producers, with more to follow soon.”

Meanwhile, Eskom said removing limits to private sector investments in electricity generation capacity would help unlock investments and create jobs during the construction of the projects, while helping to lower the cost of electricity in the long-term.

“Eskom has significantly shortened the time required for IPPs to obtain cost estimate letters and budget quotes for grid access and is committed to optimising this process even further.”

Eskom said it is looking forward to playing its part in the rapid and effective implementation of the President’s plan and will collaborate with government, regulators, labour and the private sector to bring an end to load shedding soon.  Source: South African Government News Agency

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UIF audits companies that claimed COVID-19 TERS monies

Companies that are not complying with legislation of the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) are being dealt with, says the Department of Employment and Labour.

In a statement on Wednesday, the department said that Phase two of the UIF’s “Follow the Money Project” which started this month has its sight set on employers that have not declared employees and kept COVID-19 Temporary Employer-Employee Relief Scheme (COVID-19 TERS) monies to themselves instead of paying their workers.

Speaking at a breakfast session with employers in Mafikeng, North West, on Tuesday, UIF Commissioner Teboho Maruping said the Fund is implementing an on the spot as well as an overtime recoupment process.

The Commissioner said that the former process will apply where, prior to March 2020, employees were not declared by employers. In such instances, he said 70% of the two percent contributed by the Fund will be recovered immediately.

“In these cases, only 30% will be recouped over a period of time, from employers. In cases where monies were claimed from the UIF but did not reach the intended employees, 50% will be immediately recouped by our teams,” Commissioner Maruping told employers.

This initiative forms part of Phase 2 of UIF’s “Follow the Money Project” that has already recovered over R900 million.

The project saw the UIF employ six audit companies to follow all COVID-19 TERS monies to ensure that the correct amount was paid to the workers at the right time.

Maruping said that the six auditing companies are now being bolstered by a team from the Fund that is currently visiting employers to conduct an internal verification of the declared employees.

“We are checking all the companies that were paid COVID-19 TERS but at the moment we are focusing on the ones that have been the focus of the Auditor General of South Africa. Once that is done, we will visit all the other companies that were paid by the UIF.

“When we visit you for the “Follow The Money Project”, we are checking the information you declared with us, the number of employees and figures that an employer has declared with the Fund is what we will look at,” he said.

Maruping also spoke about the importance of complying with the Fund’s laws.

“Employers are obligated by Section 56 of the Unemployment Insurance Act (UIA) and Chapter 2 of the Unemployment Insurance Contributions Act (UICA), to register and declare their workers to the Fund, as well as pay monthly contributions,” Maruping said.

UIF Deputy Director of Compliance, Siphamandla Gumede, called on employers to comply with the law, warning companies about the legal risks they can encounter if they don’t comply with the UI Act. 

Source: South African Government News Agency

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KZN reaffirms commitment to clean government

KwaZulu-Natal Premier, Sihle Zikalala, has reaffirmed his office’s commitment to beef up the state’s capacity and capability to become an ethical developmental state that is able to provide strong support to the objective of clean and accountable government that spends taxpayers’ funds responsibly.

Zikalala made the remarks following the news that the Office of the Auditor-General (AG) has given the Office of the Premier a clean audit for the financial year ending March 2022.

Zikalala said the clean audit outcome represents a major achievement for the administration and a demonstration of persistent commitment to clean government.

“We welcome this great achievement by the administration at Office of the Premier. It is an outcome of hard work, commitment and dedication to lead by example from the Office of the Premier team.

“The focus is now to sustain the clean audit and translate it into clean governance. A clean audit should be the standard achievement for all government departments and state-owned enterprises, nothing else,” Zikalala said.

Working together with Director-General at the Office of the Premier, Dr Nonhlanhla Mkhize, Zikalala has over the past three years championed improved audit outcomes.

The interventions included addressing material non-compliance issues raised by the AG, while improving service delivery and decreasing irregular, wasteful and fruitless expenditure, among others.

The Premier said the high-level improvement measures adopted by his office over the years, included the development of an Audit Improvement Plan to adequately address all non-compliance relating to Supply Chain Management (SCM), contract management and any other issues that gave rise to irregular expenditure. 

In addition, the Premier said the interventions have been implemented to improve the overall control environment and to avoid the recurrence of adverse audit findings.

“In continuation of the fulfilment of its transversal role, the Office of the Premier will continue to beef up the state’s capacity and capability to become an ethical developmental state that is able to provide strong support to the objective of clean and accountable government that spends every cent of taxpayers’ funds responsibly. This is what the citizens of KwaZulu-Natal expect and that is what this province remains committed to,” Zikalala said.

Source: South African Government News Agency

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President Ramaphosa calls for equal pay in sports

President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for equal pay in the various sporting codes following Banyana Banyana’s victory in winning South Africa’s first ever Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).

“I do believe that you deserve equal pay for the work that you do. I have been told that you get ten times less than what the men get when they play and that has to come to an end,” President Ramaphosa said on Wednesday.

The President recognised Banyana Banyana’s victory during a ceremony at the Union Buildings where he said government must demonstrate its appreciation to the team by adding on the R5.8 million contribution, which was announced by Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Nathi Mthethwa, on Tuesday.

“We need to give added remuneration to these young women who have made our country so proud. Even in the various sporting codes that we have, I would like us to embark on a programme that is now going to recognize equal pay for equal work so let us do everything we can.

“We are a non-racial, democratic and non-sexist country. I am hugely opposed to unequal pay and it must come to an end. We must demonstrate our appreciation for you with regard to the pay that you get and everyone in the country supports that you should be given what you deserve,” the President said.

President Ramaphosa said unequal pay is unfair and unjust.

“We must make sure that we eliminate the whole process of unequal pay out of our system. When men and women do equal work, the remuneration must be the same. We cannot continue treating the women of our country in an unjust and unfair manner like that,” the President said.

He paid tribute to Banyana Banyana for representing South Africa with distinction at the WAFCON.

“With your victory in Morocco, South Africa has become widely recognized with regard to women’s football. You have put South Africa on the map once again,” President Ramaphosa said.

The President thanked the champions for inspiring many young girls around the nation.

“You fired up the dreams of young girls all over the country. You have made us proud. Five times, you have come close but you were denied the victory that you deserved and now you have claimed it and by so doing you have reached the real pinnacle of women’s football on our continent,” President Ramaphosa said.

The President also thanked national coach, Desiree Ellis, who led the team in winning 2-1 against Morocco at the 2022 WAFCON finals that took place at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium on Saturday, 23 July 2022, in Morocco.

“We thank you for your skills, professionalism, cool and your integrity. You led Banyana Banyana with a great deal of dignity and we want to thank you as you led them to victory.

“Thank you to the captains for your abled leadership and for keeping the team focused and united. We are pleased that you provided this type of leadership.

“We stand proud as a nation on the African continent. We have no doubt that you will do us proud next year in the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Women’s World Cup. You will have all of us behind you once again and we will wish you the very best there,” the President said.

Source: South African Government News Agency

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Employers called to open work placement for TVET college students

Higher Education and Training Minister, Dr Blade Nzimande, has called on all employers to open their workplaces for the placement of Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college students.

“The National Development Plan (NDP) emphasises the importance of workplace-based training in job creation and the need for TVET colleges to become preferred institutions for vocational education and training. It also stresses the role of Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) in supporting the development of relationships between educational institutions and employers,” Nzimande said.

The Minister was speaking at a Ministerial Summit on Strategic Industry Partnerships with TVET Colleges, currently underway at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.

The two-day summit, which started on Wednesday, brings together the Post School Education and Training (PSET) sector, government departments, non-governmental organisations, labour and business to discuss how to strengthen TVET colleges partnerships, particularly work-based learning.

Nzimande noted that the expansion of workplace-based learning opportunities for students has proven to be a challenge in the TVET college sector.

He said that in response to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address, the department has made a commitment to ensure that 10 000 TVET college graduates are offered workplace experience so that they can complete their qualifications, thus improving their prospects for employability or starting their own small businesses.

“The primary aim of placements is to assist the transition of our young people from learning to working,” the Minister said.

He added that he had previously stated on numerous platforms that TVET college management, especially principals, must know that they are not running TVET colleges unless they prioritise building partnerships with industry.

The Minister has given a directive that all TVET college principals should sign new performance agreements that include industry partnerships as one of their key performance indicators.

“This decision was informed by the White Paper for Post-School Education and Training which requires Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) to be a central component of the college programmes and that the extent to which students are able to get placements in the workplace must be used as an important indicator for assessing the performance of the management of institutions.

“As TVET college principals, you owe it to the youth and the country to manage student admissions with the end in mind and this call for the establishment of strategic partnerships with industry. It will indeed be a travesty of justice and a serious indictment on us, as leaders, if we were to allow our inaction to cause TVET colleges to become a dead-end for students,” Nzimande said.

One of the leaders’ core responsibilities is to break down barriers to opportunities by creating pathways for young people to access skills training programmes and workplace-based training, articulate into higher education, and pursue self-employment without any hindrance.

Supporting TVET colleges innovation programmes

Meanwhile, Nzimande has asked the Department of Science and Innovation to assist by supporting innovation programmes and initiatives in TVET colleges, and the Higher Education and Training to help in introducing entrepreneurship programmes in the country’s colleges.

“Our vision remains that of providing an integrated, coordinated and highly articulated Post-School Education and Training System for improved economic participation and social development of our youth and adults.

“Our TVET colleges cater for many South Africans who need to improve their educational levels and/or acquire a skill. To this end, the ability of TVET college principals to lead the forging of partnerships with industry and/or workplaces is of critical importance,” the Minister said.

He added that by 2030, TVET colleges must be strong differentiated institutions, offering a range of high-quality programmes preparing students for the world of work and entrepreneurship.

“They must offer qualifications that are responsive to the needs of students, as well as regional and national skills demand”. 

Source: South African Government News Agency