Updated news from South Africa!
The National Head for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, Lieutenant General (DR/Adv) Godfrey Lebeya and his management will on Friday, 10 March 2023 hold a media briefing to outline and take stock of milestones achieved since the previous quarter.
The National Head will also announce the new Deputy National Head of the DPCI as he highlights the National Priority Offences depicting DPCI successes and high profile cases investigated.
Source: Government of South Africa
Minister Simmers to visit Overstrand Municipality and deliver new houses at Masakhane as well as Blompark projects
On Friday 10 March, beneficiaries from Masakhane in Gaansbaai will receive keys to their new homes from the Minister of Infrastructure Tertuis Simmers. With 150 units completed thus far, the R98 Million project will see the first group of beneficiaries move into their homes tomorrow.
This historical ceremony will be followed by another housing handover at the Blompark housing project. A sum of 100 units has already been handed over and is well on track to deliver the targeted 150 houses before the end of the 2022/23 fiscal year.
Speaking ahead of the visit Simmers said: “This scheduled visit, will highlight the Western Cape Government’s ongoing delivery of projects. In under two years of turning the sod, these projects have delivered over 250 units, respectively. An exemplary model for collaborations between the spheres of government.”
Source: Government of South Africa
Former Limpopo Health Department HOD, Dr Thokozani Mhlongo, has lost an application to reconsider an order authorising the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to freeze her pension benefits.
The corruption busting unit obtained the order in the Special Tribunal last year after she was implicated in alleged irregularities related to the procurement of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and the procurement of communication equipment for field workers during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago explained that Mhlongo resigned in the face of the allegations and a pending internal disciplinary hearing against her.
“The SIU investigations have uncovered irregularities in the appointment of service providers Clinipro Pty Ltd, Pro Secure Pty Ltd, and Ndia Business Trading (Pty) Ltd for the supply and delivery of PPE items, which resulted in the department incurring irregular expenditure and/or a fruitless and wasteful expenditure of approximately R182 million.
“Furthermore, the SIU investigation revealed that Dr Mhlongo, as the accounting officer, allegedly exposed the department to a wasteful expenditure when she authorised the procurement and payment of 10 000 cell phones to the value of R10 million for COVID-19 household screening.
“The department could only manage to distribute 388 of the 10 000 cell phones between September 2020 and March 2021, and the cell phones were distributed without the required screening application. After the physical counting of cell phones in storage by SIU investigators in March 2021, the department distributed 9 588 cell phones to community health workers for COVID-19 vaccination without the required application installed,” Kganyago said.
Source: South African Government News Agency
Impact of unmanaged migration on municipal limited resources in the spotlight at SALGA’s National Summit on Migration, Polokwane, Limpopo
The changing population dynamics and geographic boundaries imposed by unmanaged migration have sparked renewed calls for more resources to be considered for municipalities and for a more concerted effort to effectively manage migration.
The impact of unmanaged migration in municipalities took centre stage during the deliberation at the SALGA’s National Migration Summit which is taking place in Polokwane, Limpopo, 8 -9 March 2023, where stakeholders across all spheres of government have gathered with the common purpose; to coordinate all partners to effectively manage migration and agree on a government cooperation agreement.
Addressing delegates on Thursday, SALGA Cllr President Bheke Stofile said there was an urgent need to consider the fluid population into the resources of municipalities.
“There is a dire need for more effective cooperative governance, collaboration to managing the borders of the country by the different sectors of government, business, civil society and communities,” Stofile said.
Local authorities are responsible for not only the changing geographic boundaries, but also the changing populations within them.
“Illegal Migration presents unique challenges to municipalities and affects the processes of the municipalities differently. There are municipalities with highly fluid populations, particularly those with international borders whose capacity to render services is severely strained by the increased numbers. This ranges from spatial planning, economic growth, safety and security, provision of services to other constitutional requirements that are expected from the local government sector,” he said.
“The resources, both human and financial do not address these challenges. The equitable allocation is based on population size and revenue base of a municipality,” he added.
The two-day SALGA National Migration Summit which is still underway in Polokwane is deliberating on the impact of the current policies on the management of migration, how best can management of migration be governed, how best to address cross-border crimes which impact South Africa negatively, and how best to alleviate the burden of border control and documentation of immigrants, among others.
Minister of Home Affairs Aaron Motsoaledi told the Executive Mayors, municipal managers, civil society, and business that the summit was being convened at a time when things have already “gone sour”, citing various documented problems that have come as a result of unmanaged migration in the country.
Motsoaledi said he had agreed to speak at the summit because of its promise to draw a common programme of action for all government spheres and stakeholders for effective management of migration. Motsoaledi said the summit was aligned with the objectives of his department and supported the calls for a coordinated approach and an end to working in silos.
Motsoaledi says at his department he was rooting out corruption and dismissing officials who are implicated in criminal activities and guilty of colluding with criminals to obtain fraudulent identification and South African passports.
“We have declared a war on this,” he said.
The SALGA National Conference which took place in March 2022, resolved that SALGA must facilitate the establishment of an intergovernmental program that will seek to address challenges related to illegal migration affecting municipalities. This was brought about by municipalities along the country’s borders raising difficulties on a range of issues associated with population movement and settlement within their boundaries, of undocumented individuals.
“SALGA has deemed it necessary to host a National Summit on Migration with the purpose of developing a government cooperation agreement to address migration issues,” Stofile said.
SALGA Limpopo Chairperson & Polokwane Local Municipality Mayor Cllr Makoro Mpe who earlier delivered a welcome address summit said the summit was meeting on a matter that has caught lobal attention.
“Polokwane being a border city is also ceased with migration issues. This summit comes at a time when we are exploring ways to use our limited resources to manage migration. In many of our communities, there are foreign nationals making meaningful contributions while others are involved in criminal activities. We need to be frank in addressing all-encompassing challenges,” said Mpe.
Day one of the summit included two panel discussions, one on Policy and Governance, and the second one focussed on Cross Border Crime; their effects on local government and the value of cross border collaborations. The South African National Defense Force (SANDF) provided an informative presentation on the SANDF’s role in controlling illegal immigration and discussed possible areas of cooperation amongst border municipalities to strengthen border security.
Source: Government of South Africa
Former Limpopo HOD fails to convince tribunal to consider releasing her pension benefits
The Special investigating Unit (SIU) welcomes the Special Tribunal order dismissing, with costs, an application brought by a former Head of Department of the Limpopo Department of Health, Dr Thokozani Florence Mhlongo, to reconsider an order authorising the Unit to freeze her pension benefits.
In October 2022, the SIU obtained a preservation order from the Special Tribunal to freeze Dr. Mhlongo’s pension benefits and interdicted the Government Employees Pension Fund from paying out or transferring any benefits due to Mhlongo. Dr Mhlongo unsuccessfully approached the Special Tribunal to reconsider the order.
The SIU applies for preservation orders early in its investigations when it uncovers prima facie evidence against officials until proved otherwise. This makes it easier for the SIU to recover financial losses suffered by the State when the need arises.
The SIU approached the Special Tribunal to freeze pension benefits of Dr Mhlongo after she resigned with immediate effect in June 2022, in the face of a disciplinary hearing, which emanated from SIU investigations in the affairs of the Department relating to the procurement of personal protective equipment (PPE) in response to Covid-19 pandemic.
The SIU investigations have uncovered irregularities in the appointment of service providers Clinipro Pty Ltd, Pro Secure Pty Ltd, and Ndia Business Trading (Pty) Ltd for the supply and delivery of PPE items, which resulted in the Department incurring irregular expenditure and/or a fruitless and wasteful expenditure of approximately R182 million.
Furthermore, the SIU investigation revealed that Dr Mhlongo, as the accounting officer, allegedly exposed the Department to a wasteful expenditure when she authorised the procurement and payment of 10 000 cell phones to the value of R10 million for Covid-19 household screening. The Department could only manage to distribute 388 of the 10 000 cell phones between September 2020 and March 2021, and the cell phones were distributed without the required screening application, SIU investigation revealed. After the physical counting of cell phones in storage by SIU investigators in March 2021, the Department distributed 9588 cell phones to community health workers for Covid-19 vaccination without the required application installed.
The order by the Special Tribunal is the continuation of the implementation of the SIU investigation outcomes and consequence management to recover assets and financial losses suffered by State institutions and/or to prevent further losses. The SIU will continue to pursue officials who resign in the face of an investigation or in the face of a disciplinary action by freezing their pension benefits and institute civil litigation to recover financial losses suffered by state institutions.
Source: Government of South Africa
North West Legislature to Host Agriculture Sectoral Parliament at the North West Legislature Auditorium
On Friday, 10 March 2023, the North West Provincial Legislature will be hosting the Agriculture Sectoral Parliament under the theme: Climate Change and Environment Population in the North West: What Will It mean for Agriculture and Food Security in the Province at the North West Legislature Auditorium at 10h00.
The sectoral parliament discussions will focus on the following topics;
Climate Change and Environmental Population
Funding opportunities available for farmers
Mechanism and technology available to mitigate climate change and environmental population
Capacity Building for Farmers
The objective of the sectoral parliament is to ensure that oversight and public participation is enhanced by creating a platform for the relevant stakeholders in the North West province and to engage with Members of Provincial Legislature and the Executive on issues of agriculture as a significant contributor to the provincial economy. Furthermore it is to promote an understanding of climate change and environmental population impact as a threat to food security and mobilize support for farmers, as well to look at available mechanism and technologies that can be used to reduce the impact.
Agriculture is a complex activity in which the growth of crops and livestock have to be balanced perfectly. The process of agricultural pollution stems from the many stages its growth goes through. Poor land management also leads to an irreversible decline in soil fertility. Profound land management is crucial for keeping agricultural pollution to a minimum level. Therefore, farmers should have the awareness of how their actions can impact the environment pollution.
The MEC and HOD of the Department of Agriculture; Farmers Forums; Women in agriculture; Agricultural SMMEs; District Directors of the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Land Reform and Rural Development will form part of the event.
The event will be streamed live in the North West Provincial Legislature Facebook and other social media platforms such as YouTube Channel.
Source: Government of South Africa
Health Minister, Dr Joe Phaahla, confirmed on Thursday that preliminary figures show that four people are believed to have lost their lives “in a manner that could be directly attributed to the strike”.
“We have a legal team which we’re consulting to look at what our options are in that regard,” he told the journalists, adding that he will not go into too much detail.
The Minister and Gauteng Health and Wellness MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko were speaking at Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital in Johannesburg.
The officials were conducting site visits at various hospitals affected by the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) strike action, which threaten the lives of healthcare workers and patients.
Earlier in the morning, they were at Helen Joseph Hospital where protesters closed the main entrance of the health facility with burning tyres, preventing patients and families from entering the establishment.
The Gauteng Health Department has since instituted a court interdict against the Nehawu to stop their members from obstructing the rendering of health services to patients.
Despite the interdict, the Minister told the media that there are still challenges in some of the hospitals in Gauteng.
According to reports, workers are demanding a 10% salary increase, while government has offered 4.7%.
Phaahla said the department is coordinating a nationwide plan working with MECs to ensure that the situation returns to “normal” speedily.
“We again want to appeal to the leadership of Nehawu that while we don’t want to interfere with their rights as enshrined in the Constitution to withdraw their services, this must be done in the manner that respects that health services are essential services.”
He also pleaded with the union members to desist from violence, physical intimidation and disruption of services.
“Those who engage in these activities must also face the consequences. We’re not going to shy away from our responsibilities in that regard.”
Nkomo-Ralehoko announced that the province has put in place contingency measures and will ensure that the appointments that were cancelled due to disruptions are rescheduled especially surgeries.
The MEC said they are also working on a catch-up programme for chronic patients who may need to refill their repeat prescriptions.
“We’ve been really hit hard by the strike and you’ve been assisting us, Minister.”
Meanwhile, Nkomo-Ralehoko said no hospital does not have medication because the hospital CEOs are working together.
“Where there is a shortage of linen or medication, they’re able to reroute where it’s needed the most,” she added.
Phaahla has also expressed his gratitude to the healthcare workers across the country who have been holding the fort and are still able to go to work despite security risks.
“We thank them for their diligence and care and how they had to take all sorts of risks to make sure they come to save lives in hospitals.”
The Minister also stressed “no work, no pay”, while those who will be identified to have caused disruptions will be disciplined, the Minister added.
Source: South African Government News Agency