Day: March 6, 2023

Home Affairs Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, on Monday officially opened the new Home Affairs office at the Menlyn Park Shopping Centre in Pretoria.

This, according to the department, is in fulfillment of a commitment to making Home Affairs services more accessible to people.

Speaking at the launch, Motsoaledi said more offices are set to be opened at malls, including at Cresta Mall in Johannesburg, the Pavillion in eThekwini,

and Tygervalley in Cape Town; in the hope of being functional before the end of the next financial year.

“We want to ensure that we bring services to the people. We want people to access services were they are with ease,” Motsoaledi said.

Motsoaledi said they have reached an agreement with the centre management that his department will not pay for rental for the next five years.

The Minister said people will come to the mall and do their shopping and again also apply for their documents.

“We want people to have a good experience when they visit Home Affairs offices. Our plan is that we don’t want people to queue when they visit Home Affairs offices in the malls.

“It is a beneficial situation for all,” he said, adding that the Home Affairs Menlyn office is expected to take off pressure from high-volume offices around Tshwane and

this includes at Byron’s Place in the city center, Mamelodi, and Centurion.

“Our ambition is to find innovative solutions. We wanted to pilot and make sure that the system works very well,” Motsoaledi said.

In his Budget Vote Speech, Motsoaledi announced that his department wants to create multiple platforms to assist people with applications for their IDs, Passports and other essential documents.

At today's launch, the department showcased its new mobile offices - fully kitted with all the equipment needed to ensure the processing of IDs and Passports.

The new Menlyn offices began servicing clients today, who have the convenience of applying for their documents and visiting the center at the same time to do their shopping. One can quickly pop into the Home Affairs Office, get a ticket number, and even go grab a coffee until its your ticket call.

Home Affairs Menlyn Office is expected to take off the pressure from high-volume offices around Tshwane, such as Byron’s Place in the city center, Mamelodi and Centurion.

After the launch, Motsoaledi conducted a walkabout at the new office - interacting with the staff and clients. He gave the initiative a thumbs-up saying it is a good initiative to have the office at the mall.

SAnews spoke to Cornelius Tawana who came to apply for his Smart ID at the new office.

“I am happy at the department’s initiative to have the office here at the mall because from here I am going to do my shopping without having to spend money on transport,” he said.

Tawana said more offices should be opened in other malls.

According to Motsoaledi, the Department of Home Affairs signed a mutually beneficial partnership with the owners of the Menlyn Park Shopping Centre.

In 2015, the Department of Home Affairs officially launched a pilot project which saw two major banks, First National Bank and Standard Bank, issuing smart ID cards.

Since then, more banks joined in to assist people to apply for their IDs.

Source: South African Government News Agency

DOHA, By leveraging science, technology and information, least developed countries must be transformed into knowledge societies, speakers at the second high-level thematic round table emphasized as the fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries began its second day.

Opening the meeting, Lotay Tshering, Prime Minister of Bhutan, noted that his country is excited to graduate from the least developed country category at the end of the year. Highlighting the role of digital literacy in development, he said that Bhutan has taken major initiatives to review the national education curriculum to ensure that “everyone is ICTized”. Investing in youth and education is crucial; even schools in remote areas have science and technology labs. Further, the King of Bhutan has gifted coding packages to every child in the country. Bhutan might be small, but it is doing its best, he said, adding that the country is on the verge of completing a digital identification system. About two weeks ago, one of the crown princes of Bhutan became the first digital citizen of the country. In addition, the Ministry of Finance is rolling out a digital system for taxation while a newly designed electronic health record system will serve each citizen from the womb to death.

Édouard Ngirente, Prime Minister of Rwanda, commending Bhutan’s success story, cited comparative statistics regarding development expenditure on information and communication technologies (ICT) in least developed countries versus the rest of the world. He also noted their low number of patents and the relative shortage of researchers. Partnership and cooperation are essential to improve this situation, he said, adding that inclusive economic growth and development in these countries depends on access to finance and strengthening the ecosystem for intellectual property. These countries are not just consumers; they should also become producers of technology and technological knowledge. To this end, his Government has launched various research and innovation funding programmes, he said, adding that these programmes have started to pay off in terms of improved services for citizens. Calling on the international community to establish centres of excellence in least developed countries, he also stressed the need for a framework to ensure that intellectual property benefits humanity, especially in crisis situations such as pandemics.

Titled “Leveraging the power of science, technology and innovation for the sustainable development of least developed countries”, the round table featured a keynote address by Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). She stressed the need to unleash the power of digital technologies in order to transform lives and create opportunities. Technology alone is not enough, she said, adding that a holistic approach is crucial to ensure that digital technology cuts across every sector. Governments must establish regulatory frameworks that are reliable while fostering innovation. Highlighting the need to keep services and devices affordable, she called on States to work with the private sector on cost. “We need advanced skilling,” she said, adding that information and technology ministries must work with education ministries. Least developed countries need to build a pool of digital skilled professionals, especially in emerging sectors such as cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. Pointing out that only 1 in 5 women in those countries have access to the Internet, she called on the international community to close the digital gender gap. She also highlighted her organization’s initiatives to ensure the development of science and technology in least developed countries, including a digital platform for Government services called GovStack.

The panellists for the round table included: Omran Hamad Al-Kuwari, CEO of Qatar Foundation International; Vellamvelly Muraleedharan, Minister of State for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs of India; Maikel Wilms, Partner and Director, Boston Consulting Group; and Mohamed H.A. Hassan, President of the Sudanese National Academy of Sciences (SNAS) and Chair of Council of United Nations Technology Bank.

Mr. Al-Kuwari said that his organization was set up over 25 years ago to advance science and technology in the region. The impetus for its establishment was the need to transition away from fossil fuels and move towards a knowledge-based economy. Noting that the Foundation runs a dozen high-quality schools, he also pointed to its collaborations with libraries, institutes and technology parks. The Foundation is focused on research, development and innovation, and has incubated a national research fund to support homegrown universities and enable entrepreneurs to develop and commercialize ICT products. Least developed countries can learn many lessons from his country’s experience, he said, adding that they must invest in education and training to enable people to adapt and localize technology. Science and technology must also be embedded into other sectors such as tourism, sports and creative industries.

Mr. Muraleedharan said that digital technologies are transforming how the international community mobilizes solutions to poverty and economic inequality. People who lack opportunities to engage fully with digital technologies face increasing disenfranchisement. Noting how the pandemic exposed the digital gaps between countries, he said that technology should be a tool for inclusion and not exclusion. E-commerce and e-governance must be deployed in sustainable and inclusive ways, he said, noting that his country has developed several education programmes and courses on cybersecurity, data science, quantum computing and cyberpsychology. His Government is also bringing together global South leaders around this issue during its Group of 20 presidency. The international community must tackle its greatest challenges through partnerships, he stressed, adding that India stands ready to share its experience in financial inclusion, digital public goods and leveraging technology.

Mr. Wilms highlighted various examples of technological innovations in least developed countries, including mobile money applications that were used in Uganda to identify and support those who lost income. He also pointed to the use of detailed satellite imagery to predict flooding in the Congo. Beyond such examples, there are numerous e-commerce enterprises in least developed countries, each of which has an impact on reducing poverty, not only for the entrepreneur but also for the whole village. Stressing the role of locally driven innovation, he said, countries will need to facilitate digital ecosystems to harness the full potential of technology. Each country must ensure that it has core infrastructure in place. Horizontal platforms are essential to ensure that digital transactions are safe and private, with secure payment and data exchange. Stressing that States must invest in building digital skills, he said that vertical applications in digital health and education cannot thrive without Government support. While building such digital ecosystems can look daunting, it is easy to start with basic devices and local adaptations, he said.

Mr. Hassan, noting that 60 per cent of least developed countries are in Africa, said that science and technology will play an essential role in transforming their economies. A clear example is agriculture, he said, pointing to the need for satellite information for crop growth, as well as mobile and drone technology for farmers. Solar energy is extremely important, yet half of the population in least developed countries have no access to electricity. Electricity is a human right and one cannot have digital access without it. Highlighting the role of the African Union, he pointed to the establishment of the Great Green Wall, which aims to combat desertification in the continent. The desert energy initiative will connect 250 million people to electricity, he said. Highlighting various challenges, he said that the quality of education needs to increase. There isn’t a single university in least developed countries that ranks among the top 500 in the world, he pointed out, underscoring the need for inquiry-based education.

Taking the floor next were the lead discussants, including Mariin Ratnik, Deputy Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development of Estonia, and Hasan Mandal, President of the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TÜBITAK).

Ms. Ratnik said a forward-looking mindset is crucial and highlighted the cooperation between private and public sectors in her country. Strong political leadership can help to create the necessary environment for this, she said, adding that 99 per cent of her Government’s public services are available online, which helps save time and money. Estonia’s ID card solution was inspired by Finland but adapted to the local situation in the country. Her country is a strong believer in co-creating and reusing existing technology applications, she said, adding that Estonia’s digital Government code repository is a public good that is available for other countries to use. The open Government data portal has helped bring the public and private sector closer and boost innovation. She also highlighted the electronic procurement register, which is mandatory for the public sector to use and popular with businesses. Technology can foster trust, she said, stressing the importance of “human centricity” of digital services. If the services are not easy and safe to use, they will not be used, she said, adding that sharing and cooperation is about emphasizing local empowerment.

Mr. Mandal highlighted the importance of a multidimensional approach, stressing that least developed countries can save valuable time by ensuring a green and digital transition. Boosting access to modern technologies for sustainable development means building human capital, infrastructure and institutions. Highlighting recent initiatives of the Technology Bank in Türkiye, he pointed to the Technology Makers Lab and its pilot implementation in Niger. This important initiative will support synergies based on skilled human resources. Also noting the post-harvest management project in the Gambia, established in cooperation with TÜBITAK, the Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and research institutes, he said it focused on technology transfer to ensure the preservation, storage, processing, packaging, distribution, marketing and use of key agricultural products. The wealth of young human resources is an opportunity for many least developed countries, he said, calling for co-creation and collaboration.

When the floor opened, many Heads of State, ministers and delegates expressed optimism about the possibilities of science and technology in improving living standards in their countries. However, they also voiced fear about the increasing digital gap between wealthy and low-income countries. Especially, many delegates expressed concern about women being left behind in science and technology education and spoke of measures adopted by their Governments to enhance women’s participation in science, technology, engineering and math education. Many also described examples of technological innovation in public services.

The representative of Sierra Leone said science and technology is crucial for sustainable development. Noting the limited fiscal space in many least developed countries and structural challenges such as lack of access to electricity, he said that his Government is providing certifications to accelerate workforce development in technology. Countries with developed economies should support research in countries such as his, he said, adding that Governments must adapt to e-services in order to diffuse technology among their populations.

The representative of Maldives highlighted the risk of many least developed countries being left behind. The digitalization of the world is a good thing, but there are many who are not even aware of the parallel world of electronic services. Noting that he, himself, is not a citizen of the digital world and is doing his best to come up to speed, he said that the rapid changes may often leave people confused.

The representative of Sweden, noting that her country is a global leader in technological innovation, said that its partnership with least developed countries benefits from this. Emphasizing that better data collection is crucial for health system management, she pointed to a groundbreaking interactive application that Sweden has made available to many such countries.

Responding, Mr. Muraleedharan reaffirmed his country’s commitment to least developed countries while Mr. Hassan called for education partnerships between India, Brazil and China and such countries. Mr. Wilms called for a common understanding of collaboration between the global South and North. Offering closing remarks, Mr. Ngirente stressed the importance of closing digital gaps, while Mr. Tshering underscored that whatever is given to least developed countries will be used wisely and efficiently.

Also speaking were Heads of State, ministers and delegates of Sao Tome and Principe, Togo, Slovenia, Bahamas, Spain, Latvia, Singapore, Niger, Zambia, Greece, Sweden, Kazakhstan, Cuba and Israel.

Representatives of civil society organizations, including Action Group on Erosion, Technology, and Concentration, as well as the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), also spoke.

Source: United Nations

Government sends its deepest condolences to MEC Tate Makgoe’s family, his colleagues and friends, following his tragic passing during the early hours of Sunday morning. Government also sends its condolences to the family of Warrant officer Piet Mdi, who also tragically passed away in the accident. He served as MEC’s Makgoe’s VIP police protection officer.

Minister in the Presidency, Mondli Gungubele expressed his shock and sadness, saying, “MEC Makgoe was a visionary. He has served in various portfolios as a Member of Free State Executive Council since 1994 and was appointed in 2009 as Free State education MEC. Since his appointment, the Free State province in Matric performance became the best in the country. The MEC will be remembered for his confidence that he displayed in the learners, in that he boldly declared in 2022 "We are destined to succeed. Nothing will stop us." That is the spirit and determination that he left behind, and one that we must embrace as government leaders.”

Makgoe is known for strategizing, identifying the gaps, and ensuring all role players, including teachers, leadership, learners and administrators. He firmly believed in raising the bar higher, and that very child has the potential to achieve anything. As such, part of the focus of his strategy to improve education sector in the Free State was on rural and township-based schools. Under his leadership, the department had also adopted chartered accountants, economists and engineers to assist township and rural schools.

MEC Makgoe is an engineering graduate from Technikon Vaal Triangle and holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from University of South Africa (UNISA). He later obtained an Honours degree in Bachelor of Commerce from the University of the Free State and a Master’s degree in Business Leadership from UNISA. In 1984 he left South Africa to join the African National Congress’s (ANC) military wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe in exile. “He lived a life of sacrifice, was devoted to the disadvantaged and marginalised, and was passionate about eradicating poverty. He served the Free State province and South Africa with distinction.”

Source: Government of South Africa

Umalusi has learnt with shock and great sadness about the untimely death of Mr Tate Makgoe, the MEC of Education in the Free State Province and his bodyguard, Mr Vuyo Mdi. MEC Makgoe was counted amongst the longstanding servants of the people of South Africa in general, and the Free State in particular.

The Free State Department of Education became a shining example of performance in the National Senior Certificate (commonly called Matric) under his stewardship. After learning about the passing away of MEC Makgoe the CEO of Umalusi, Dr Mafu Rakometsi, said: “We have been robbed of a gem in the education fraternity. It is hard to process the tragedy.

It is really hard to take it. May the families of Ntate Makgoe and Mr Mdi be comforted during these difficult times. We wish the driver of the vehicle, Mr Pule Nkopane, speedy recovery.”

The Free State has lost one of its servant leaders. Mr Makgoe was a hardworking, dedicated and committed political leader in the field of education. As the MEC of Education, he discharged his duties diligently by taking the Free State Province from where it was in 2009 to where he left it in 2023. Having transformed the face of education in his province, Umalusi believes that the system has much to learn from the Free State regarding the improvement of the quality of education.

Umalusi extends its heartfelt sympathy to the bereaved Makgoe family, friends, and colleagues in government and politics. Deepest condolences are extended to the Mdi family and friends.

Source: Government of South Africa

The Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, is scheduled to officially open a new Home Affairs office at the Menlyn Park Shopping Centre in Tshwane on 6 March 2023.

This is in fulfillment of a commitment to making Home Affairs services more accessible to people. The new office will offer application and collections services for IDs and passports. Clients will have the convenience of applying for these services when they visit the center for their shopping.

Home Affairs Menlyn Office is expected to take off pressure from high-volume offices around Tshwane, such as Byron’s Place in the city center, Mamelodi and Centurion.

The Department of Home Affairs has signed a mutually beneficial partnership with the owners of the Menlyn Park Shopping Centre. This partnership is expected to blossom.

Source: Government of South Africa

Fellow South Africans,

Today, I am announcing a number of changes to the National Executive.

The purpose of these changes is to ensure that government is properly capacitated and directed to give effect to the commitments made in the State of the Nation Address and the Budget Speech.

We have said that the people of South Africa want action, they want solutions and they want government to work for them.

All members of the Executive have been directed to focus on those agreed actions that will make a meaningful difference now, that will enable real progress within the next year and that will lay a foundation for a sustained recovery into the future.

All parts of government are focused on addressing those issues that concern South Africans the most: load shedding, unemployment, poverty and the rising cost of living, and crime and corruption.

There has been some concern expressed by South Africans about the amount of time it has taken to finalise these changes to the Executive.

This delay is the result of a number of processes that needed to be followed, some of which relate to the requirements of the Constitution relating to the appointment of members of the National Executive.

The President appoints the Deputy President, Ministers and Deputy Ministers from among members of the National Assembly. The President may appoint no more than two Ministers and two Deputy Ministers from outside the National Assembly.

Understanding that just over one year remains in the term of this 6th administration, these changes are not about overhauling the National Executive.

The changes that I am announcing now are intended to fill vacancies that have occurred in the Executive and to direct government more effectively towards the areas that require urgent and decisive action.

I have sought to balance the need for new skills and capabilities to drive the agenda that we outlined in the State of the Nation Address with the important task of ensuring stability and continuity in the work of government.

In the course of attending to current challenges, we are establishing two new ministries.

The first of these is the Minister for Electricity to deal with the immediate crisis of load shedding.

The second is the Minister with specific responsibility for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation to focus greater attention on the performance of government.

While this will result in an increase in the number of ministries in the short term, as indicated in the State of the Nation Address, I have instructed the Presidency and National Treasury to develop a proposal to rationalise government departments, entities and programmes to ensure greater efficiency.

This work, which will result in the reduction of the number of Ministries, will inform the configuration of government going into the next administration.

We said in the State of the Nation Address that our most immediate task is to dramatically reduce the severity of load shedding in the coming months and ultimately end load shedding altogether.

Our focus is on the full and urgent implementation of the Energy Action Plan. As government, Eskom and other stakeholders, we remain committed to that plan.

I am therefore announcing the appointment of a Minister in the Presidency responsible for resolving the electricity crisis.

The primary task of the new Minister will be to significantly reduce the severity and frequency of load shedding as a matter of urgency.

To effectively oversee the electricity crisis response, the appointed Minister will have political responsibility, authority and control over all critical aspects of the Energy Action Plan.

This will help to deal with the challenge of fragmentation of responsibility across various departments and Ministers which, while appropriate under normal circumstances, is not conducive to a crisis response.

The Minister will be expected to facilitate the coordination of the numerous departments and entities involved in the crisis response, work with the Eskom leadership to turn around the performance of existing power stations, and accelerate the procurement of new generation capacity.

To enable the Minister to do this work, I will, in terms of section 97 of the Constitution, transfer to them certain powers and functions contained in relevant legislation.

In the State of the Nation Address, I announced that a national state of disaster had been declared to respond to the electricity crisis and its social and economic impact.

The recently published disaster regulations empower the Minister of Electricity to issue directions to, among others, exclude critical facilities from load shedding where technically feasible; expedite various regulatory processes for energy projects; and enable Eskom to undertake critical maintenance more quickly and efficiently.

The Minister in the Presidency for Electricity will liaise with other relevant Ministers to ensure coherence in the issuing of other directions during the national state of disaster.

The Minister in the Presidency for Electricity will remain in office only for as long as it is necessary to resolve the electricity crisis.

As I indicated in my reply to the State of the Nation Debate on the 16th of February, Deputy President David Mabuza asked to step down from that position.

I am grateful for his support over the five years of his tenure and for his dedicated service to the government and people of South Africa.

I have decided to appoint Mr Paul Mashatile as Deputy President of Republic. With respect to Ministers, I am making the following appointments:

Minister in the Presidency, Ms Khumbudzo Ntshavheni,

Minister in the Presidency responsible for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma,

Minister in the Presidency responsible for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Ms Maropene Ramokgopa,

Minister in the Presidency responsible for Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa,

Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Mr Mondli Gungubele,

Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Ms Thembi Nkadimeng,

Minister of Public Service and Administration, Ms Noxolo Kiviet,

Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Mr Sihle Zikalala,

Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Mr Zizi Kodwa,

Minister of Tourism, Ms Patricia de Lille,

Minister of Transport, Ms Sindisiwe Chikunga.

With respect to Deputy Ministers, I am making the following appointments:

Deputy Ministers in the Presidency, Ms Nomasonto Motaung and Mr Kenneth Morolong,

Deputy Minister in the Presidency responsible for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Ms Sisisi Tolashe,

Deputy Minister in the Presidency responsible for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Ms Pinky Kekana,

There will be two Deputy Ministers for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Mr Parks Tau and Mr Zolile Burns-Ncamashe,

There will be two Deputy Ministers for Water and Sanitation, Mr David Mahlobo and Ms Judith Tshabalala,

Deputy Minister of Public Works, Ms Bernice Swarts,

Deputy Minister of Small Business Development, Ms Dipuo Peters,

Deputy Minister of Public Enterprises, Mr Obed Bapela,

Deputy Minister of Transport, Mr Lisa Mangcu.

I wish to extend my appreciation to all outgoing Ministers and Deputy Ministers for their service to this administration and to the country.

I have instructed both new and existing members of Cabinet to act with speed and urgency to address the challenges that our country faces.

I expect them to fulfil their tasks with rigour and dedication, to adopt a zero tolerance approach to corruption wherever it exists, and to place the interests of the people of South Africa foremost in the work that they do.

This is the standard that I will hold them to,and I have full confidence that they will meet it. We must waste no time and spare no effort in restoring the promise of South Africa.

I thank you.

Source: Government of South Africa

The Acting Minister of Public Service and Administration, Mr TW Nxesi, will brief the media on the Members of Nehawu who embarked on illegal actions of blocking entry to government buildings.

The Minister will also brief the media on the labour court interdict of the indefinite strike and the urgent court action set for 09h00 today to enforce the court order issued on Saturday which interdicted the strike.

Source: Government of South Africa