Service Issue 87 by Global Africa Network Media

SERVING EDUCATION

Nobuhle Nkabane, Minister of Higher Education

Graduating ethical leaders

Wits Business School aims to equip leaders with the skills and competencies to drive change, generate opportunity and provide innovative solutions to global issues. Service speaks to the school’s director of executive education, Leoni Grobler.

Please share your career trajectory to this point.

I’ve worked in the higher education sector for almost 27 years. Before joining Wits Business School (WBS) as Director of Executive Education in 2021, I was appointed as CEO of Regenesys Business School. I’m a Certified Associate in Banking (CAIB SA), completed my MBA in 2014 and am currently registered for the Doctor of Management in Technology and Innovation at the Da Vinci Institute.

What is WBS’s vision and mission?

Vision. WBS will be a leading African business school embedded among the best business schools internationally. Mission. At the heart of WBS is a mission to graduate agile and ethical leaders who will positively impact the world. We will achieve this through empowering education, relevant research and impactful public discourse. This is why we ensure that everything we do at the WBS is guided by three principles: critical thinking, innovation and sustainability.

How do you translate this mission at WBS?

All programmes offered at WBS are underpinned by the following graduate competencies and reinforce what we aim to achieve:

• Entrepreneurial, innovative and creative in solving organisational and societal problems.

• Drive sustainable solutions for society, our planet and business.

• Lead with purpose, integrity and accountability.

• Sensitive and personally responsive to the needs of society and their organisations as change agents for the common good.

Why choose WBS?

WBS has transformed the lives and careers of thousands of graduates and is one of the most recognised schools in Africa. Under the leadership of our head of school, Professor Maurice Radebe, significant strides have been made to improve the growth and transformation of the school. The enduring “Wits” brand, recognised internationally, continues to symbolise academic rigour, research excellence and thought leadership on the African continent.

What programmes does WBS Executive Education offer?

We offer both open enrolment and customised programmes targeted at senior executives, managers and new managers. Our insightful programmes are designed to address organisations’ immediate and future needs by empowering employees to drive change, manage and lead teams, and adopt innovative approaches to solving complex problems. Our growing client base is a testament to a quality offering that impacts personal and organisational performance.

Please talk to us about the importance of lifelong learning. How do we embrace ever-changing business trends and find comfort in the unknown? I believe everyone should be given a chance to

secure a new career or explore opportunities to upskill themselves towards a better and brighter future.

Complacency is the biggest threat to professionals and their careers. The world is forcing us to be far more fluid in how we think, and nobody can afford to resist change. For this reason, we see lifelong learning as a critical focus area for those wanting to remain relevant and succeed in life.

Business leaders require specific skills and competencies which allow them to adapt to internal and external disruptions; therefore flexibility, agility and resilience are important skills which require continuous improvement.

What skills are required for the new world of work?

Thriving in the new world of work requires a blend of technical, interpersonal and adaptive skills. At WBS, we consider digital literacy, critical thinking, ethical judgment, flexibility, emotional intelligence,

Wits Business School, Director of Executive Education, Leoni Grobler.

Wits Business

School has transformed the lives and careers of thousands of graduates.

collaboration, leadership influence and sustainability as the key skills to be improved.

The Management Advancement Programme (MAP) for Future Change Leaders caters for managers and future leaders, equipping them to deal with the changing global environment.

WBS has positioned itself as a centre of discourse on a range of socio-economic issues facing Africa. Please expand. Research is inextricably linked to nurturing critical thinkers and, in business, it’s an essential management skill needed to identify and solve problems. Our students learn to collect, analyse, organise and critically evaluate information. They also access, analyse and debate up-to-date research and real-life case studies as part of their rich experience at WBS. As a business school, we pursue new, highimpact, forward-thinking and relevant research that contributes locally and globally to knowledge and teaching about business, management and economics.

WBS seeks to have a meaningful and positive impact extending beyond the classroom. Under the Directorate of Development and Partnerships, the school hosts regular public events such as panel discussions, conferences and dialogues. The WBS Leadership Dialogue series features some of South Africa’s most influential business leaders who are invited to talk about their leadership lessons and philosophy for a public audience.

Please tell us about WBS’ Women in Leadership programme. The number of women in executive positions globally remains disturbingly low. The Women in Leadership programme has been designed to address this issue by exploring the South African workplace paradigm and the delegate’s own identity and emotional intelligence to develop higher communication levels and leadership skills.

Besides an increased self-awareness regarding their attributes as a leader, our delegates enhance their leadership skills and learn how to apply new tools for effective workplace communication, negotiation and conflict resolution. Each delegate works on their personal

leadership quest during the course using the skills and knowledge developed to design a personal brand and leadership plan.

How has this programme impacted women’s lives?

In December 2022, WBS and the Finance and Accounting Services Sector Education and Training Authority (FASSET) signed a threeyear partnership agreement to transform the careers of black female leaders in the sector.

The customised Women in Leadership programme targets executive, middle and junior management level positions of FASSETrelated qualifications/skills and those employed in various sectors including Post School Education and Training (PSET) institutions. Over 520 female delegates have graduated from the Women in Leadership programme.

What about companies wishing to change the narrative of executive gender imbalance?

I have some ideas that companies could potentially consider should they wish to change the narrative:

• Promote gender-sensitive leadership development programmes tailored to specifically address women, focusing on barriers such as limited access to networks and mentorship. This type of programme creates a pipeline of qualified women ready to step into executive roles, challenging the narrative that women are less suited for leadership.

• Highlight success stories of female leaders by showcasing women executives in the media, internal communication and public platforms. By celebrating the achievements of female leaders, companies can inspire others and demonstrate that women can thrive in executive roles.

• Engage men as allies by educating male leaders and employees on gender issues and involve them in initiatives aimed at promoting gender balance.

Please share a message with women wishing to develop themselves personally and professionally.

Your personal and professional development is a testament to your resilience and unwavering commitment to growth. In every challenge lies an opportunity, in every setback a lesson. Embrace each experience as a stepping stone towards your greatness. Never underestimate the power of your voice, ideas and unique perspective. You can influence change, break barriers and lead with integrity.

As you continue to develop yourself, know that you are not alone. You are part of a global sisterhood of rising women, transforming the world with their intelligence, creativity and compassion. Draw strength from this collective energy and let it propel you forward. S

Partnering for a better future

As the world continues to navigate the rapidly changing business landscape, it is more important than ever for organisations to focus on sustainable solutions that drive financial success and positive social impact.

AAs the world changes, moving towards the harmonisation of human and machine intelligence, organisations need employees with the appropriate skills and expertise to drive digital transformation and sustainable development. By leveraging digital transformation and technology, businesses can streamline processes, increase efficiency and improve decision making.

And when done with sustainability in mind, digital transformation can also reduce waste, minimise environmental harm and promote social well-being.

Investing in digital transformation skills for business leaders is more than just a trend, it is necessary for a sustainable future and success. By embracing digital transformation and making sustainability a top priority for your organisation, you can achieve business and societal success.

At the Johannesburg Business School (JBS) we believe in the power of digital transformation to drive sustainability and create a better world for humanity. That is why we partner with organisations from the private and public sectors to design and deliver tailored programmes and learning solutions that develop existing and future leaders.

We co-create executive education programmes with companies, philanthropists and the government to significantly improve individual and organisational performance.

JBS also understands that real progress means empowering all members of society, so we are in the business of reimagining your future.

Partner with us and elevate your organisation, employees and South Africa to the next level.

JBS. The business of reimagining your future.

The business of reimagining your future.

THE JOHANNESBURG BUSINESS SCHOOL IS A THOUGHT LEADER IN LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, OFFERING POSTGRADUATE QUALIFICATIONS RELEVANT TO THE DYNAMIC FUTURE THE WORLD IS FACING.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

TO ALL MINING QUALIFICATIONS

AUTHORITY STAKEHOLDERS

THE MQA HAS OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED ITS NEW LOGO AND CORPORATE IDENTITY

NEW MQA LOGO

The Mining Qualifications Authority (MQA) is a Sector Education and Training Authority that facilitates skills development under the Department of Higher Education and Training. The organisation supports mine health and safety under the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources for the mining and minerals sector under Skills Development Act 97 of 1998, and the Mine Health and Safety Act 29 of 1996, respectively.

The Mining Qualifications Authority would like to inform its stakeholders that the new MQA logo (Logo 2) and corporate identity were officially unveiled and launched at the MQA’s Head Office in Parktown on Friday, 16 August 2024.

Since the mining sector knows the organisation as MQA first and the Mining Qualifications Authority second, the new official Wordmark only includes the acronym. The Wordmark has been altered to include circular elements that represent the inclusive offerings of MQA to the mining and minerals sector

This effectively means that the triangular logo (Logo 1) will no longer be in use.

To ensure a seamless transition to the new corporate identity, the organisation will be implementing a phasing out plan of the old logo.

Stakeholders are advised to be on the lookout for pertinent announcements on various MQA channels that will elaborate further on this phasing out process.

For more information on these learning opportunities, please contact the Mining Qualifications Authority.

Telephone : 011 547 2600

E-mail : info@mqa.org.za

Website : www.mqa.org.za

•Facebook : Mining Qualifications Authority

•X (Twitter) : @MQA_SA

•Instagram : @mqa_sa

• YouTube : Mining Qualifications Authority

Turning over a GNU leaf

SSouth Africa’s 2023 Governance, Public Safety and Justice Survey reveals a troubling decline in public trust in essential services such as transport and clinics, a stark contrast to the more favourable perceptions reported in 2019. This drop in satisfaction, evident across various provinces, underscores pervasive issues such as subpar service quality, extended wait times, and unhelpful public servants. Although the Government of National Unity (GNU) offers a glimmer of hope for improvement, there is an urgent need for immediate and effective solutions (page 52).

GNU has placed inclusive economic growth at the centre of its work and at the top of the national agenda. A centrepiece of President Ramaphosa’s plan to grow the economy and create jobs involves targeting reforms to municipalities nationwide. The seventh government administration will focus on fixing municipalities so that they can “achieve rapid, inclusive growth.”

“Growth happens at a local level, where people live and work. Our municipalities must become both providers of social services and facilitators of inclusive economic growth. They must work to attract investment,” Ramaphosa says (page 34).

He explains that fixing municipalities can “encourage businesses to expand and create more jobs in municipal areas. Investors are attracted to areas with reliable and modern infrastructure”.

No sector exists in isolation – transportation included. How towns, cities and countries move people, goods and services from place to place impacts how they function socially and economically. It affects infrastructure planning, housing development, healthcare and education (page 48). South Africa’s shared vision for education should be to “improve the quality of life of all citizens and free the potential of each person” – a statement directly from the preamble of our Constitution, says Mary Metcalfe, professor of practice at the University of Johannesburg (page 22).

The Department of Higher Education and Training has its footprint in all provinces through institutions of higher learning and SETAs aiming to develop a skilled and capable workforce to support the economic growth path. The placement of unemployed TVET graduates into work-integrated learning opportunities remains one of the department’s priorities. The Minister of Higher Education and Training encourages colleges to seek placement opportunities with both public and private sector institutions and with NGOs (page 24).

Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities minister, Sindisiwe Chikunga, says the Public Procurement Bill provides an opportunity to advocate and mainstream tangible models and interventions to redress the ongoing socio-economic exclusion of women, youth and persons with disabilities. He commends the significant efforts by Ramaphosa after signing the Bill in July, which aims to create a single framework that regulates public procurement, including preferential procurement, by all organs of state, with the necessary efficiency, cost-effectiveness and integrity.

“As a department, we will be bringing forward tangible interventions through which this legislation will serve to redress the longstanding and ongoing socio-economic exclusion of women, youth and persons with disabilities,” Chikunga says (page 16).

The Department of Tourism is finalising its five-year plan which will align with the GNU priorities, the National Development Plan (NDP), the Tourism Sector Master Plan and the National Tourism Sector Strategy. The department will also work to increase the number of jobs created in the tourism sector.

Enjoy this issue!

Alexis Knipe Editor

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Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulations

1 GRADUATING ETHICAL LEADERS

Service speaks to Leoni Grobler, head of executive education at Wits Business School

2 PARTNERING FOR A BETTER FUTURE

Johannesburg Business School drives success and positive social impact

4 IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

For all Mining Qualification Authority stakeholders

8 SERVE AND DELIVER News and updates

11 CLEAN-UP & RECYCLE SA WEEK 2024

Plastics SA designates September a testament to environmental stewardship

12 SERVING THE PEOPLE AND OUR NATION

The Chartered Institute of Government Finance, Audit and Risk Officers (CIGFARO) celebrates its 95th Anniversary

14 WOMEN POWER IN PARLIAMENT

Women in the new National Executive

18 ENTREPRENEURSHIP LIFTS WOMEN OUT OF POVERTY

Through collaboration between private and public sectors and with the backing of labour and civil society, entrepreneurship is a powerful tool for poverty

19 SKILLS DEVELOPMENT FOR THE PUBLIC SECTOR

The Public Service Sector Education and Training Authority is a cornerstone of South Africa’s skills development framework

20 TRANSFORMING THE EDUCATION ECOSYSTEM IN SOUTH AFRICA

Mary Metcalfe,

Professor of Practice at the University of Johannesburg

22 THE SKILLS REVOLUTION

Address by Minister of Higher Education and Training Dr Nobuhle Nkabane

24 CENTRAL UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY MAKING GIANT LEAPS

The inauguration of Dr Vincent Maphai as Chancellor is a significant milestone for the Central University of Technology

28 EDUCATION WITH HEART

Octomate, the education and training company, places its clients at the heart of its business

32 FIXING MUNICIPALITIES AND THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE

President Ramaphosa’s plan to grow the economy targets reforms to municipalities

36 WHAT HAPPENS TO WASTE IN A CIRCULAR ECONOMY?

Investing in the circular economy offers a multi-decade structural growth opportunity

38 WATER AND SANITATION FIX

Minister of Water and Sanitation, Pemmy Majodina, emphasises new measures to ensure municipalities meet national standards of water quality

42 SAVING FOR A RAINY DAY

Non-revenue water remains South Africa’s biggest water-use challenge

44 INTEGRATED TRANSPORT

Why it matters and how it can be achieved

48 REVOLUTIONISING PUBLIC SERVICE

How AI can boost efficiency

50 TOURISM IS A KEY ECONOMIC DRIVER And it is on the rise

53 AGRI-ECOSYSTEM COLLABORATION SHOWS TRANSFORMATIVE VALUE

Collaborative stakeholder engagement is an essential driver of inclusivity in the South African agricultural sector

54 PROVINCIAL OVERVIEW

Northern Cape Province: the land of diversity

60 GOOD NEWS

Western Cape wins UN award

GOVERNMENT, BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP BEGINS TO FLOURISH

According to a statement released by the presidency and Business for South Africa, the government and business partnership to resolve South Africa’s challenges is beginning to bear fruit, although much more needs to be done. The partnership was established last year in a bid to work together to resolve the question of inclusive and economic growth. The collaboration targeted three areas of interest:

Energy

“The energy workstream was reported to have had the most impact, achieving a dramatic reduction in loadshedding, in collaboration with Eskom (over 140 days without loadshedding so far this year), and significant grid capacity recovery (with more than six gigawatts of new energy generation added) through investment in additional technical support and capacitation from 57 companies investing over 9 000 hours at five power stations. The energy availability factor is currently tracking above 60% vs 54% in 2023.

“However, we still face multiple challenges, including rapidly rising electricity costs, unsustainable municipal utilities, complex market reform, a constrained grid with delayed expansion and stalling investment in new generation.

“Significant investment will be required for the energy sector reform over the next five to 10 years, and there was strong consensus that it is critical to pave the way now to address the challenges.

“Business, Eskom and the presidency have agreed that the priorities of the National Energy Crisis Committee should include a focus on transmission, market reform, municipal utilities and new energy generation,” the statement read.

Transport and logistics

“Business has provided significant technical support and resources to Transnet Freight Rail, including procurement and operations expertise, and port maintenance support for Transnet Port Terminals. The Transnet Board and management team are implementing the Transnet recovery plan. Despite the significant efforts by the partners, there is broad acknowledgement that

SUSTAINABLE WATER SUPPLY

The massive population increase in South Africa over the past decades and failing water infrastructure have compounded the current water crisis in the country, says Hans van Kamp, CEO of Kampwater, a Stellenbosch-based water treatment supplier.

“Water supply systems and the distribution networks are high on maintenance. In Gqeberha, it is estimated that 40% of the municipal water is lost due to leaking pipes.

“In the rest of the country, large amounts of treated drinkable water is lost daily because of the thousands of leaks that characterise South Africa’s water piping system.

“A major part of the maintenance budget should be spent on the infrastructure, the current pipework network. However, most municipalities are struggling to keep up and prevent the system from collapsing. There are some exceptions but not many,” says Van Kamp.

Transnet requires substantial interventions to improve performance to meet the needs of its customers and the market demand necessary for sustainable economic growth.

“The rapid implementation of structural reforms and strict adherence to the Freight Logistics Roadmap deadlines are crucial to facilitate the participation of and investment by the private sector to help address our national logistics challenges.

“This is crucial to ensure that our commodities and manufactured products can be competitively sold into the local market and exported to meet demand. Resolving these issues will promote job retention and job creation,” the joint statement said.

Crime and corruption

When the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey listed South Africa in 2023, it adopted a jointly agreed action plan containing 22 action items linked to the eight strategic deficiencies identified in the country’s anti-money laundering and the combating of the financing of terrorism regime. The joint statement said that an “immediate joint imperative” is to support South Africa’s removal from the list. Key to this is demonstrating the law enforcement agencies’ ability to successfully prosecute complex crime and corruption cases and recover assets.

“The promulgation of the NPA Amendment Act is key to bolstering the ability of the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption to effectively deliver on its mandate.”

“For now, unlocking a few key policy, regulatory and funding bottlenecks could accelerate existing short-term interventions across four areas, including new work opportunities in tourism and global business services; skilling that creates new jobs (particularly in digital skills); providing additional public sector first loss funding to crowd in private sector capital to increase affordable debt available for SMMEs, and institutionalising, expanding and strengthening the SAYouth platform to facilitate access to opportunities for young people,” the joint statement said.

SAnews.gov.za

“In 1994, Cape Town had 2.384-million residents and water usage of roughly 300 megalitres per day (MLD). This year, there are 4.760-million people in the same area and water usage of 769 MLD. That is more than a 100% increase in 28 years with a system that did not grow at the same rate to provide for this increase,” says Van Kamp.

He says if all the new dams identified by the government are built as promised, it will help to alleviate the pressure. These include the dam on the Mzimvubu River (Eastern Cape), the expansion of the Clanwilliam Dam (Western Cape), Nwamitwa and Tzaneen dams (Limpopo), Hazelmere Dam (KwaZuluNatal) and Polihali Dam (Lesotho), which will provide water to Gauteng. But, says Van Kamp, for at least the next six years, water supply will get tighter.

“People need to know that there is going to be a squeeze on water supply. This information is essential if communities and households are to play their part. People will not change their behaviour unless they are told what is happening and how to avoid a crisis,” says Van Kamp.

The North West MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs, Gaoage Oageng Molapisi, has announced decisive measures to improve governance and financial management across all municipalities in the province.

During the tabling of the Departmental Budget Speech for the 2024/2025 financial year at the North West Provincial Legislature, MEC Molapisi highlighted several key initiatives to enhance municipal administration, integrity and financial health.

To strengthen municipal governance, MEC Molapisi announced that the department issued a directive last year to all municipalities to fill all senior management and critical vacant posts.

“Out of the 22 municipalities in the province, only Madibeng and Lekwa-Teemane are yet to appoint municipal managers. This process is receiving the highest priority to ensure effective municipal administration,” said MEC Molapisi.

SERVE AND DELIVER

public confidence in local government, ensuring no-one is left behind,” MEC Molapisi added.

He indicated that municipalities have significantly contributed to Eskom’s financial challenges, currently owing the power utility R5.4-billion.

In pursuit of a clean administration, a training programme on the Municipal Integrity Management Framework (MIMF) will be rolled out for councillors, officials and community members.

“The MIMF sets high standards of integrity and ethical behaviour guiding municipalities in conducting their services. This initiative aims to restore

PRESIDENT RAMAPHOSA’S FOCUS ON THE NDP

The National Planning Commission (NPC) welcomes the president ’s focus on the NDP as the country ’s lodestar. We want to remind the people of our country that when the NDP was tabled in Parliament in 2012, it was adopted by all the political parties represented at the time and there was the clear message that it was not only a plan for government but for all of society. This message remains as true as ever. In this period where we all must contribute to making this country work, the objectives of the NDP must act as a unifier across political parties and sectors within society and be the basis of a national dialogue to arrive at a social compact.

The NPC recognises that, since its tabling, we have made insufficient progress in meeting the NDP ’ s objectives. We confirmed this in our 10-year review of the NDP, released in 2023.

It is important to note that the NPC’s unwavering commitment to the NDP goals extends beyond reviews and comments: we have embarked on a process to ensure that the main NDP goals per chapter are incorporated into government’s medium-term planning in a manner that will have multiplier effects. It is also worth reiterating that the Commission has initiated the work on the country’s next long-term plan beyond 2030.

“To tackle this issue, the department, in partnership with the Provincial Treasury, has facilitated a programme on debt relief for municipalities. This initiative has assisted municipalities in meeting their contractual obligations with Eskom,” MEC Molapisi said.

He announced that the department has implemented a robust monitoring and evaluation mechanism and introduced revenue enhancement policy interventions to help municipalities improve revenue collection and meet their credit obligations.

“These interventions will be closely monitored to ensure their effectiveness and sustainability. The department will continue to provide capacity support to municipalities, ensuring they prepare annual financial statements following the Municipal Financial Management Act (MFMA). The department will also continue to empower committees such as the Municipal Public Accounts Committees through various interventions to strengthen and enhance their effectiveness,” he concluded.

We are, therefore, excited that this new government has similarly placed its faith in the NDP. We want to use this opportunity to call on all of society regardless of sectoral interests to support the implementation

of the NDP and this government ’s approach – it is our country; we must make it work!

SERVE AND DELIVER

Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) welcomes Gauteng Premier, Panyaza Lesufi’s support of the company’s infrastructure development programme that will be rolled out across the network including OR Tambo International Airport (ORTIA) over the next four years. Premier Lesufi delivered the 2024 State of the Province Address in August in Katlehong, Ekurhuleni, wherein he highlighted ACSA’s intended capital investment programme aimed at positioning ORTIA as a gateway for development in the heart of the country’s regional economic hub.

Earlier this year, ACSA announced R21.7-billion budget permission for an extensive capital expenditure programme to be implemented across the airport network. Part of the comprehensive infrastructure development plan focuses on air cargo, which undoubtedly has the potential to be a significant driver of socio-economic growth and development.

ACSA aims to enhance its role in air cargo traffic growth in Africa with the construction of the mid-field cargo terminal at ORTIA, which will allow the airport to accommodate 750 000 metric tons of cargo annually. The new terminal is designed to ease congestion and expand warehouse space in the short and long term, making ORTIA globally competitive in air cargo facilitation.

ACSA welcomes Premier Lesufi’s mention of Transnet’s proposed construction of the PL6 Pipeline extending from Jameson Park in Heidelberg to ORTIA. The pipeline, vital for securing the airport’s fuel supply, seeks to avert anticipated jet fuel shortages by 2028.

WINNING THE ILLEGAL DUMPING BATTLE

South Africa’s high level of industrialisation directly correlates with its high waste generation. We currently generate around 122-billion tons of waste per annum. According to the World Bank, South Africa produces 54 425 tons of waste per day, which is the 15th highest in the world.

While the majority ends up in our fast-diminishing landfill airspaces, the good news is that there has been a diversion of waste away from landfill sites due to increased levels of recycling, says Mervin Olivier, Eastern Cape Chair of the Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa (IWMSA). “The passing of recent regulations to prevent the disposal of liquid waste, electronic waste and tyres from landfills is a positive trend, placing an increased need for waste produces to manage waste effectively.

We particularly note with excitement news of the Gauteng Government’s R120-billion investment in the expansion of Gautrain over five years. The expansion into Soweto, Mamelodi, Atteridgeville, Lanseria and Springs marks a significant milestone in extending the rail system’s reach across the province and for partners and stakeholders such as ACSA in making air travel even more accessible to residents. This seeks to make airports more accessible to the public including those in townships and rural areas.

The infrastructure development programme will create significant economic value for airport communities, enabling local trade and attracting new high-value industries.

“According to the CSIR, we unfortunately, see approximately 10-million tons of foodstuffs still going to landfills per annum, which equates to around 30-billion meals per annum.”

Illegal dumping

Insufficient waste management facilities, poor landfill practices, modest collection rates and the distance required to travel to dispose of recyclables exacerbate illegal dumping in urban areas. Waste is disposed of in our streets and ends up in the stormwater drains, rivers and the sea. Olivier says enforcement has improved, mainly because of the appointment of environmental management inspectorates, increased convictions, the threat of punitive fines and even imprisonment. The maximum imprisonment is for a period not exceeding 10 years.

Local governments must develop Integrated Waste Management Plans and revise them every five years. Several have established multi-recycling centres, for the buying, sorting and resale of various recyclables.

Suitable solutions

Innovative waste management technologies can be employed to improve efficiencies, increase diversion rates and reduce transport and disposal costs to landfills. If options are available and readily accessible, it will promote responsible waste management practices among the public and reduce illegal dumping. Collaborative partnerships among civic organisations can help raise public awareness of the importance of waste minimisation and reducing waste-to-landfill.

Clean-Up & Recycle SA Week 2024

Join the movement to make a difference

As the calendar turns to September, South Africans are gearing up for the annual Clean-Up & Recycle SA Week, scheduled to take place from 16 to 21 September 2024.

TThis year marks the 28th consecutive year that Plastics SA will coordinate South Africa’s participation in the International Coastal Clean-Up, the world’s largest volunteer effort dedicated to ocean health.

According to Douw Steyn, sustainability director at Plastics SA, the entire month of September will be a testament to environmental stewardship, with a focus on cleaning up our surroundings and promoting recycling. “The theme for this year’s event is ‘Making a Difference,’ and we call on South Africans from all walks of life to contribute to the beautification and health of our environment. Whether at work, home or play, everyone is encouraged to actively participate in eliminating visible litter and promoting a culture of recycling.”

Together, we can make a significant difference and a lasting impact on our environment, one piece of litter at a time.

“Clean-Up & Recycle SA Week is a powerful reminder of the impact we can make when we come together for a common cause. Each piece of litter removed and every recycling effort contributes to the greater goal of preserving our environment for future generations. This year, we aim to inspire even more volunteers to join us in this vital endeavour,” Steyn says.

In conjunction with the clean-up activities, Plastics SA is also excited to announce the launch of a nationwide competition. Open to individuals, groups and organisations, participants are encouraged to submit before and after pictures of their clean-ups, along with details on the number of participants and bags of litter collected. Additionally, there is a special category to honour and reward those who establish effective recycling systems at home, school or at their workplace. The competition features generous prizes totalling R9 000 per section, with R5 000 for first place, R3 000 for second place and R1 000 for third place.

“We look forward to making this our most successful event yet, with the largest number of volunteers participating,” adds Steyn.

“Whether you’re joining a beach or river clean-up, organising a neighbourhood effort or committing to recycling, every contribution counts. Together, we can make a significant difference and a lasting impact on our environment, one piece of litter at a time,” Steyn concludes. S www.cleanupandrecycle.co.za www.plasticsinfo.co.za

HIGHLIGHTS OF CLEAN-UP & RECYCLE SA WEEK

Clean-Up and Recycle SA Week: 16-21 September

National River Clean-up Day: 18 September

National Recycling Day: 20 September

World Clean-Up Day: 20 September

International Coastal Clean-Up Day: 21 September

Serving the people and our nation

The Chartered Institute of Government Finance, Audit and Risk Officers (CIGFARO) is celebrating its 95th anniversary. The institute advocates the much-needed demand for competent public sector officials to establish a professionalised public sector to set the trajectory for transforming its governance and financial management. Service speaks to CIGFARO’s newly elected president, Dr Emmanuel Ngcobo.

CCongratulations on your election. Please tell us about your journey to this position.

I started my career without exposure to other work environments besides the local government space. As I progressed by getting involved in several initiatives that included private and other spheres of government, I realised I was “called” into local government. I knew this was the domain I belonged to and would have the most impact in. Apart from enjoying the fulfilment of knowing that someone directly or indirectly receives basic services through my actions, I realise that through my skills and experiences, I have something to offer in addressing the daily challenges faced in local government which you won’t find anywhere else.

There are several role-players with different objectives but ultimately the common goal is to render community services and to render them well. Being exposed to different people and ways of operating helped build and shape me. I believe that public service is an honourable service because it is a necessary service. I focus on what I believe I was born to do: serve people and the nation, which gave rise to a sincere love and passion for local government. When you remove the drive to act diligently on your calling, it can lead to frustration, but I have passed such a stage and it’s surely one of the best spaces to be in.

We need to complement one another to reach the desired objective of a professionalised public sector.

What are your priorities for your term of office?

The resuscitation of our nine provincial branches and giving priority to the youth. I have a huge passion for our future leaders and as an institution if we are to remain effective we must be able to impact future leaders and craft a new calibre of professional public servants. We need to mould and prepare them for the future. They need to be exposed and well-equipped to handle the future.

CIGFARO Free State is holding a Young Professionals Summit with a focus on interns: is that something that CIGFARO does regularly?

Yes, our Young Professionals Summit is an annual event that is hosted in our various branches across the country. In addition to this summit, we have recently started a Youth in Leadership Forum with hopes of bringing all the young people in our institute together and

Let us not be myopic in our service to the people – we all can do our part.

get them more involved in the business advancing in our different fields of expertise and let them take charge of the challenges they face as the youth.

We have hosted similar engagements in Limpopo, the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal and plan on relaunching our African countries chapters. We will be relaunching our Swaziland branch in August which promises to be the right step for the future and growth of our institute.

Is the world of finance and auditing welcoming to young people?

There is a saturation of finance professionals in the private sector which inadvertently creates the challenge of employability in the private sector. This however has opened the space within the public sector and all its opportunities hence, making it more attractive to

PUBLIC SERVANT IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT

DR EMMANUEL NGCOBO

Current

- President of the Chartered Institute of Government Finance, Audit & Risk Officers (CIGFARO)

- Chairperson of the Centre for Municipal Asset Management (CMAM-SA)

- Chairperson of the Advisory Board for the Durban University of Technology (School of Public Management and Economics)

Sector contribution

Dr Ngcobo has published several articles about the local government sphere and is a frequent subject matter presenter at government finance and asset management conferences worldwide.

Written books

- The Road to the CFO Position

- Practice Guide to Foster Excellence in Municipal Asset Management

- Building a Sustainable Local Government Revenue Model

- The Essentials of Municipal Asset Management

- Auditing Municipal Asset Management Guide [Currently in progress]

PERSONAL MOTTO

“Serve people wholeheartedly and people will elevate you to serve more people.”

young graduates. So it is now not so difficult to persuade young professionals to take up careers in public finance and auditing.

The finance field is perceived to be professional due to being mainly office-based with a formal dress code. What we stand for goes beyond this limited perspective of professionalism. CIGFARO stands to inculcate a culture of professional conduct in its members and the public finance sector, setting a higher standard than that associated with government, ensuring adherence to the applicable laws and regulations. Professional conduct further means that practice leads to ethical behaviour as the set rules and organisational processes are respected.

Why are so few municipalities achieving clean audits?

There are many complex factors in a municipal environment that largely contribute to this, for example the political environment that is constantly changing which affects administration as well as factors like minimal focus or priority placed on proper oversight. Rebuilding South Africa requires every person to do their part professionally, be innovative in their space and strive to do all things excellently. Excellence will ensure that all can live in a prosperous country now and for future generations. No-one is insignificant in their role, and all can contribute towards building a better, stronger and more beautiful nation. So let us not be myopic in our service to the people – we all can do our part.

Is it possible to change this scenario? If so, how?

The possibility of change is always present, it is just a matter of how much we are willing to change. So, to answer this let me start by saying this, Yes it is possible!

As government financial resources are continually depleted and must be spread across more items due to several factors and effects, this opens an opportunity for all of us to be innovative within the environment that we are in. This is the time when we throw away the same-as-last-time (SALT) approach. We cannot be doing the same thing and expect a different outcome, therefore innovation is vital to improve the standard of governance and service delivery.

What can I do differently to accomplish more results for my municipality or department with the same, if not less, resources I have? We have been given the powerful tool of thought, where you allow yourself to distance yourself from everything else and think of how to improve where you are. You will be surprised at the potential outcomes and how we can implement transformational systems and strategies.

How important are the various indabas, seminars and conferences that you hold?

The public sector sphere, especially local government institutions are perceived to be a space of inability and incompetence. CIGFARO intends to break this status quo with through the

various initiatives we host, thus being an important part of

Emmanuel Ngcobo, President of CIGFARO.

Women power in parliament

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the new members of the National Executive for the seventh administration in June 2024, which includes all the parties to the Government of National Unity. Meet the women who serve our nation.

WOMEN IN THE NEW NATIONAL EXECUTIVE

Acting President and Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Angie Motshekga.

Deputy Minister of Basic Education, Reginah Mhaule.

Minister of Employment and Labour, Nomakhosazana Meth.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Rosemary Nokuzola Capa.

Deputy Minister of Electricity and Energy, Samantha Graham.

Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour, Phumzile Mgcina.

Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube.

Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Nomalungelo Gina.

Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Bernice Swarts.

Minister of Higher Education, Nobuhle Nkabane.

Deputy Minister of Human Settlements, Tandi Mahambehlala.

Deputy Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources, Judith Nemadzinga‐Tshabalala.

Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Mimmy Gondwe.

Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Tandi Moraka.

Minister of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Maropene Ramokgopa.

Minister of Human Settlements, Mmamoloko Kubayi.

Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Thembi Nkadimeng.

Deputy Minister of Police, Polly Boshielo.

South Africa celebrates Women’s Month in August to honour the more than 20 000 women who marched to the Union Buildings on 9 August 1956 in protest against the extension of pass laws to women.

Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni.

Minister of Small Business Development, Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams.

Deputy Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Peace Mabe.

Deputy Minister in the Presidency, Nonceba Mhlauli.

Minister of Water and Sanitation, Pemmy Majodina.

Deputy Minister of Small Business Development, Jane Sithole.

Minister of Tourism, Patricia De Lille.

Deputy Minister of Public Service and Administration, Pinky Kekana.

Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga.

Minister of Social Development, Sisisi Tolashe.

Deputy Minister of Tourism, Maggie Sotyu.

Minister of Transport, Barbara Creecy.

Deputy Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Mmapaseka Steve Letsike.

PUBLIC PROCUREMENT BILL TO REDRESS EXCLUSION OF WOMEN

Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Minister, Sindisiwe Chikunga, says the Public Procurement Bill provides the department with an opportunity to advocate and mainstream tangible models and interventions to redress the ongoing socio-economic exclusion of women, youth and persons with disabilities.

Chikunga commended the significant efforts by President Cyril Ramaphosa after signing into law the Public Procurement Bill in July, which aims to create a single framework that regulates public procurement, including preferential procurement, by all organs of state, with the necessary efficiency, cost-effectiveness and integrity.

Deputy Minister of Correctional Services, Lindiwe Ntshalintshali.

THE GOVERNMENT OF NATIONAL UNITY

The 11 parties to the GNU include the ANC, Democratic Alliance, Patriotic Alliance, Inkatha Freedom Party, Good Party, Pan Africanist Congress of Azania, Freedom Front Plus, United Democratic Movement, Al Jama-ah, Rise Mzansi and the United Africans Transformation.

The president said given the challenges that the country faces and considering the electoral mandate this government must implement; he has decided to make certain changes to the national government portfolios. In the course of the sixth democratic administration, we indicated our intention to reduce the number of portfolios in the National Executive. However, due to the need to ensure that the National Executive is inclusive of all the parties to the Government of National Unity, this has not been possible.

“In some instances, we have considered it necessary to separate certain portfolios to ensure that there is sufficient focus on key issues,” Ramaphosa said at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.

Addressing a dialogue on Women, Democracy and Leadership in South Africa at the University of South Africa (UNISA), Chikunga also commended President Ramaphosa, as the Chairperson of the African Union in 2020, for putting forward a number of recommendations for the advancement of women on the continent, which have been adopted by AU Heads of State.

Increase in support for women entrepreneurs

Chikunga also acknowledged a surge in the establishment, growth and support of womenowned businesses in key sectors, including energy, tourism, agriculture, the ocean economy and manufacturing. According to the most recent Mastercard Index of Women Entrepreneurs (MIWE), South Africa ranks as the second-highest country in Africa in terms of its proportion of women-owned businesses and the formal support available for women entrepreneurs. The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) Women’s Entrepreneurship Report also revealed that women in countries like South Africa are among the most innovative and high-growth entrepreneurs in the world.

Women economic advancement in the continent

Chikunga further underscored the importance of the adoption of the Decade for African Women’s Financial Inclusion and Gender Equality, 2020-2030.

“This is a critical initiative for the women of Africa, given that the lack of access to finances hinders their socio-economic progress and thwarts their ability to have ownership and control over resources such as land, businesses and property,” Chikunga said. She added that women’s access to markets continues to be a challenge for women on the continent, especially access to trade and global markets. The minister argued that the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA) will open doors for global trade and markets for women, and “this is of huge importance to the women in South Africa to leverage on the opportunities this AfCTA promises for the economic empowerment and wealth creation for women in Africa”.

“Africa must be Africa’s biggest trading partner and demand for products across the continent offers African women the opportunity to be suppliers to this demand. Joint initiatives of pooling resources in this regard will help grow women businesses, provide the necessary skills and training required for this, and open markets and export trade opportunities,” Chikunga said. S

Entrepreneurship can be used to lift more women out of poverty, says president

President Cyril Ramaphosa has emphasised that through stronger collaboration between government and business, along with the backing of labour and civil society, entrepreneurship can be a powerful tool to lift more women out of poverty.

PPresident Ramaphosa said the private sector is playing an important role in guiding these entrepreneurship journeys through startup incubators, women entrepreneurship awards and programmes such as the Youth Employment Service. With the help of the Social Employment Fund and others, government is enabling women entrepreneurs to employ workers and provide mentorship to trainees.

“There is much more that the private sector can do. Access to financial resources, including credit lines, is vital to the viability of women-owned businesses.

“Another important area is access to tools of financial inclusion like bank accounts and mobile money and payment technologies. It will be critical to broaden the reach of financial services to include women in the informal sector and in rural areas. Empowering women contributes to thriving economies, spurs productivity and boosts economic growth,” President Ramaphosa said.

On Women’s Day, the country commemorated the Women’s March to the Union Buildings on 9 August 1956. This historic protest by more than 20 000 South African women was a response to the cruel and dehumanising practices of the apartheid regime.

Thirty years into democracy, the president highlighted that government has made impressive strides in advancing gender equality across society; however, we still have a long way to go in broadening women’s economic participation. This is borne out by a recently published Gallup study titled Gender Power in Africa. The report analyses the disparities and imbalances that shape the lives of women in five African countries, including South Africa.

South Africa ranks the highest of the countries surveyed with respect to the rate of female participation in political decisionmaking, low rates of child marriage and the participation and completion rates of girls in primary and secondary education. However, of the countries surveyed, South Africa has the highest rate of unemployed women and women not in the workforce. The

percentage of South African women considered to be self-employed or entrepreneurs is the lowest, at 5%.

“In this respect, we lag the rest of the continent. According to the World Economic Forum, women constitute 58% of self-employed people across Africa.

“In a country such as ours, with a high unemployment rate, entrepreneurship is an important tool to empower more women and broaden their participation in the economy. This includes in the informal sector, which accounts for 18% of total employment in the country,” the president said.

Through its various departments and entities, the president highlighted that the state provides financial support to women to enable them to start their own businesses and to sustain existing businesses.

Women-owned businesses are also able to access training in business and project management, IT and other skills.

“We have set a target to allocate at least 40% of public procurement spend to women-owned businesses. In 2021, we launched a Women’s Economic Assembly to enable women-owned enterprises to participate in local industry value chains. Since its inception this programme has yielded promising results in several key economic sectors, notably the automotive sector,” he said.

He further highlighted that government is striving to expand women’s access to economic activity through land ownership, enabling female farmers to own land through the state’s land redistribution programme and supporting them with equipment and other agricultural inputs.

“From citrus farmers in the North West, cooperatives making affordable school furniture in KwaZulu-Natal, to cosmetics companies and tech startups in the Western Cape, womenowned enterprises all across the country are benefiting from an integrated approach to supporting small businesses,” the president said. S

PSETA’s skills development for the public sector

The Public Service Sector Education and Training Authority (PSETA) is a cornerstone of South Africa’s skills development framework, particularly for the public sector.

EEstablished under the Skills Development Act, PSETA’s mission is to enhance the capabilities of the public sector workforce through targeted education and training initiatives. These initiatives are crucial for ensuring public service employees have the skills to deliver effective and efficient services to the South African population.

The role of PSETA in public sector capacity-building PSETA’s mandate is to address skills gaps within the public sector by developing and implementing training programmes that align with the sector’s strategic objectives. This involves identifying critical skills needed to improve service delivery and ensuring public servants have access to quality education and training opportunities. The goal is to create a professional and responsive public service capable of meeting the challenges of governance and service delivery.

PSETA collaborates with various government departments, public entities and stakeholders to fulfil its mandate to develop relevant and impactful skills programmes. The organisation conducts extensive research to identify the specific skills needs of the public sector, which informs the development of occupational qualifications and learning programmes. These programmes aim to build capacity across all levels of the public service, from entry-level positions to senior management.

Strategic priorities and focus areas

One of PSETA’s key strategic priorities is enhancing the quality of education and training within the public sector. This involves developing new qualifications and ensuring existing programmes align with the sector’s evolving needs. PSETA is committed to continuous improvement of education and training standards through rigorous quality assurance processes and the accreditation of training providers.

PSETA also emphasises the importance of workplace-based learning. Recognising that practical, on-the-job training is crucial for applying theoretical knowledge effectively, PSETA supports various forms of workplace learning, including internships, learnerships and apprenticeships. These programmes provide public service employees with hands-on experience essential for their professional development and career advancement.

Additionally, PSETA focuses on leadership and management development. Effective leadership is vital for driving public sector performance, and PSETA has developed specialised programmes

to enhance the leadership capabilities of senior public servants. These programmes emphasise strategic management skills, ethical leadership and fostering a culture of continuous learning within public service.

Funding challenges and their impact

One of the most significant challenges PSETA faces is funding. Unlike other Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs), which receive a 1% payroll levy from employers in their respective sectors, PSETA does not receive this from government departments. This lack of direct funding severely limits PSETA’s ability to implement and expand its skills development initiatives.

Without the levy, PSETA relies heavily on allocations from the National Treasury, National Skills Fund and other funding mechanisms that are often insufficient. This financial constraint impacts PSETA’s ability to reach its full potential in addressing the skills gaps within the public sector. The limited funding affects the scale and scope of training programmes that PSETA can offer, particularly in critical areas such as ICT, financial management and project management.

The funding challenge exacerbates the difficulty of making training programmes accessible to all public servants, especially those in rural and under-resourced areas. Expanding PSETA’s reach through online learning platforms and partnerships with local training providers is essential, but financial limitations often hinder these efforts.

Collaboration and outlook

The organisation recognises the importance of collaboration and works closely with other SETAs, government departments, public sector unions and academic institutions to align its programmes with national priorities and the specific needs of the public sector.

Addressing the funding challenges will be crucial for PSETA to carry out its mandate effectively. Securing more consistent and reliable funding sources, potentially through policy, adjustments or increased support from government departments could enable PSETA to expand its programmes and significantly impact public sector capacity-building. As PSETA continues to navigate these challenges, its commitment to improving public sector skills development remains unwavering, positioning it as a vital player in the ongoing transformation of South Africa’s public service. S

Transforming the education ecosystem in South Africa

South Africa’s shared vision for education should be to “improve the quality of life of all citizens and free the potential of each person” – a statement directly from the preamble of our Constitution, said Mary Metcalfe, professor of practice at the University of Johannesburg, in her keynote address at the Trialogue Business in Society Conference.

WWith more than 50 years of experience working in education, Metcalfe reminded delegates that young people are not accessing their potential, and we need to do better to deliver the change that is necessary in the sector. She says that companies and non-profit organisations need to make every cent count as they operate in a resource-constrained environment in which the triple ills of poverty, unemployment and inequality are not being addressed.

Metcalfe began her talk by reviewing basic education and said a disproportionate amount of money was being spent on grades 10 to 12 when “the immediately recognisable right to basic education” from Grade R to Grade 9 needed to be prioritised. “Constitutionally, this is immediate – we can’t say ‘We’ll get there’,” said Metcalfe, drawing attention to recent court cases about pit latrines, access to textbooks and others.

The challenge is to work where it’s not easy to work.

The provinces in the country that experience the greatest inequality are the least likely to receive support and yet this is where the bulk of pupils are. “Learners in Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and the Eastern Cape are in conditions of poverty, but we don’t invest to undo inequality. The challenge is to work where it’s not easy to work,” Melcalfe said. “We must also address issues such as high failure and dropout rates. The Zero Dropout campaign is already doing good work in this area.”

Metcalfe said that corporate giving should examine the phenomenon of “vanity projects”, since there are simply insufficient resources for these. Instead, companies need to ask of their projects: “What will I learn from this approach that will assist my partners and government to address inequality inefficiencies and poor quality?”

Metcalfe’s recommendations for this sector include:

• Commit to a rigorous, evidence-based approach to learning what “works”.

• Understand impact, scale and replicability.

• Pursue designs that are replicable on cost structures that are sustainable within available resources.

• Locate responsibility where it must be maintained to sustain change.

• Build technical capacity.

• Share learning by connecting and collaborating.

• Invest in the capacity of the instructional core for sustainability.

EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT

Metcalfe said early childhood education centres did not provide early childhood development (ECD), which begins at conception and involves issues of maternal health, child hunger, malnutrition, stunting, caregiving and safety and protection.

“The Department of Basic Education does not fund early childhood education centres – instead, the government provides a subsidy of R17 a day to the most vulnerable children in each centre. These centres are primarily funded by communities, so corporates should consider funding this crucial area. SmartStart, for example, takes a fee from the community to provide an early learning environment.”

Metcalfe’s recommendations for this sector include:

• Support system learning to build replicable models.

• Support capacity building.

• Support private sector coordination.

• Support NPOs that back the development and sustainability of community-based centres on evidence-informed strategies.

Metcalfe called for better coordination in the sector. “We need to support collaborative learning initiatives, so we do not duplicate our efforts, and we have to build on what works,” she said.

Although Metcalfe decried vanity projects, she said we sometimes need “starfish” projects from which to learn, but when collaborating we must ask if we have listened and co-designed. “We need the courage to fund replicable models and capacity in the system,” she concluded. S

The skills revolution

Excerpts of the address made by the Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Nobuhle Nkabane, at the National Council of Provinces 2024 Policy Debate.

TThe Department of Higher Education and Training has its footprint in all provinces through our institutions of higher learning consisting of public universities; TVET colleges and Community Education and Training colleges as well as SETAs aiming to develop a skilled and capable workforce to support the economic growth path.

In this current financial year, our work will be supported by a budget amounting to R137.5-billion, with an annual average increase of 4.8% from R130.5-billion in 2023/2024 to R150.2-billion in 2026/2027.

Through our District Development Model, we aim to promote integrated planning and coordination for sustainable development. We will therefore continue to collaborate with Offices of the Premier to ensure that all our skills and training interventions provided through our institutions respond to provincial economic development and industry demands within specific districts.

We are working hard to address the current inefficiencies at National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS). However, we must also celebrate the successes of the scheme. From its humble beginnings in the early 1990s, NSFAS has grown from a budget of R33-million in 1991 serving 7 240 students to about R47.6-billion in 2023 supporting 1.1-million students.

Since its inception, NSFAS has supported more than five-million beneficiaries, producing thousands of skilled professionals and the

The Department of Higher Education and Training has its footprint in all provinces through our institutions of higher learning.

middle class, especially from within the poor and working-class sections of our society.

At a basic level, NSFAS represents the government’s deliberate intervention to broaden access to those sections of our communities who had no access to post-school education and training. Certainly, this is one of the most important achievements of this government over the past 30 years of our democracy.

Earlier this year, we committed a R3.8-billion initial capitalisation fund to support “missing middle” students effective this financial year. This is the category of students who come from families with a total income of between R350 000 and R600 000 per annum. At least 31 884 prospective learners stand to benefit from this investment.

As we gradually implement the Comprehensive Funding Model, we will continue to work with all funding stakeholders to ensure that multiple bursary schemes are consolidated.

We remain resolute to change the size and shape of our Post Secondary Education and Training system, particularly to expand the college sector. The National Plan for Post-School Education and Training directs that we should drastically increase intake in TVET and Community Education and Training colleges. We are therefore targeting one-million enrolments in Community Education and Training colleges and 2.5-million in TVET colleges by 2030.

Equally, we will continue to diversify our public universities based on their strengths and the needs of the communities in which they are located by targeting 1.6-million enrolments by 2030.

We are investing in research and development and advancing in the skills revolution to identify emerging skills gaps and trends in the labour market to ensure our artisans are equipped with relevant skills for the job market. It remains our target to produce 30 000 artisans per annum. In this regard, in 2022/2023 we produced 19 461 artisans – and our target for 2024/2025 is to produce 26 500 artisans.

The placement of unemployed TVET graduates into workintegrated learning opportunities remains one of our priorities. With support from the SETAs, we encourage our colleges to seek placement opportunities with both public and private sector institutions and with nongovernmental organisations.

The Centres of Specialisation at public TVET colleges have increased from 26 in 2019 to 53 in 2024. We have so far invested R238-million to upgrade the infrastructure at these centres. These

Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Nobuhle Nkabane.

centres play a critical role in producing more artisans required to grow our economy.

In the current financial year our total investment in infrastructure is R4.3-billion. We have completed the feasibility studies for the establishment of the University of Science and Innovation in Ekurhuleni and the University of Policing and Crime Detection in Hammanskraal. We intend to commence the construction of these two new universities in 2025. Furthermore, we have concluded a feasibility study for the establishment of a campus for the Tshwane University of Technology.

The Imbali precinct led by the Durban University of Technology is taking shape with targeted completion of the engineering building in the current financial year. Lastly, planning for the Ulundi Campus of the University of Zululand is also at an advanced stage.

CHIETA BACKS MINISTER IN SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

We are building and refurbishing our TVET colleges with modern facilities, updating the curriculum to align with industry needs and fostering partnerships with industry and business. We have increased our financial investment in TVET college education by allocating R2.6-billion to build 12 new college campuses. We have further identified 10 TVET colleges which have been allocated funding for improved ICT infrastructure in the current financial year.

Student accommodation has also received added attention in the last five years to increase access, success and safety for students. In this regard, the planning of new student accommodation in seven institutions including TVET colleges is at an advanced stage.

We have also commenced the planning for the construction of Community Education and Training colleges and allocated R1-billion over three years for this commitment. S

The Chemical Industries Education and Training Authority (CHIETA) welcomes the commitment to skills development by South Africa’s new Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Nobuhle Pamela Nkabane, in her Budget Vote speech.

“As CHIETA, we look forward to working with the Minister to create sustainable livelihoods, help create jobs, and alleviate poverty in South Africa. We are determined to provide South Africa with the skills needed to address unemployment,” says CHIETA CEO, Yershen Pillay. “We are inspired by her vision for the higher education and training sector, which aims to empower graduates to contribute to skills development while enabling the government to make informed decisions to tackle the country’s socio-economic challenges,” Pillay adds.

CHIETA also welcomes Dr Mimmy Gondwe’s appointment and Buti Manamela’s reappointment as deputy ministers of higher education and training, respectively.

Pillay says CHIETA is aligned to the Minister’s vision of leading postschool education and training which is more integrated, coordinated and articulated for improved economic participation and social development of youth and adults.

Pillay adds that CHIETA has taken a significant step towards bridging the digital skills gap by inaugurating the Modjadjiskloof Smart Skills Centre at the Letaba TVET College, Modjadi Campus in July. This cutting-edge facility is set to empower youth, particularly in rural areas, with essential digital skills and training relevant to the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR).

“As CHIETA, we are committed to taking Smart Skills centres to rural areas to ensure nobody is left behind in the digital space,” says Pillay. It brings to six the number of Smart Skills Centres opened in rural South Africa by CHIETA since October 2022, with the first in Saldanha Bay, followed by hi-tech centres in six provinces, the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, North West and now Modjadjiskloof.

“The opening of the Modjadjiskloof Smart Skills Centre is a landmark achievement in our mission to bridge the digital divide. Equipping our youth with essential digital skills is crucial for thriving in today’s job market,” Pillay concludes.

CHIETA CEO, Yershen Pillay.

CUT making giant leaps with a giant

The inauguration of Dr Vincent Maphai as Chancellor is a significant milestone for the Central University of Technology and marks its 20th anniversary.

CChancellor installation

Address by Dr Vincent Maphai at his inauguration

The primary function of a university is teaching and research, the second is to play an important role in society and the third is to produce leadership. Research and teaching are the central mandates of a university, they are its core purpose, but not the only purpose, a necessary condition but not a sufficient condition. We should not, however, succeed in everything else except in teaching and research because if we do, we are not a university, regardless of our pretences.

The centrality of quality and excellence in our first mandate, teaching and research, makes it easy for us to deal with our second mandate of society. Our role in job placement is a moral imperative because we are changing people’s lives: jobs will change lives; social grants will keep them quiet for a few weeks. As a society, we need to be very careful of the budget we put into social grants rather than the production of sustainable jobs because it changes the quality of people. The achievement of job placements is impossible without partnerships between business and institutions.

We live in a country where business and government passionately dislike each other and hope to take the country forward. That is a magnificent piece of self-deception. This partnership is critical. We

We are confident about the future, humble about our achievements, and honest about our challenges.

have a lot to teach one another, and we have a lot to learn from each other. Politically and socially now, in 2024, South Africa is exactly where it was in 1989. The good news is that we have a resource to look back on to find a way out. Our folly led us back to where we were. Many factors led us away from the way things were in 1989 but two were critical: the quality of political leadership and leadership in civil society. I don’t want to say much about the quality of leadership today.

What brings down great leaders often is not poor logic or low intellect, it is a major lapse in ethical judgement. If ethical issues are made about you as a leader, your first obligation is to step aside or step out. It doesn’t matter whether the allegations are true or false, what matters is if my continuance helps or disrupts an institution and, in most cases, it disrupts the institution. Even when you are innocent, step aside and let the due process follow. If you are innocent, you will be brought back and will return much stronger than before.

Our role, as a university, is to produce leaders but one of the striking things is that many of our leaders have come out of bush colleges. Bush colleges were politically discredited, poorly resourced and understaffed. Yet out of that hopeless situation emerged a high concentration of notable leadership. They were seamless, great thinkers and very academically committed. They did everything right. Think of Steve Biko, Dr Mamphela Ramphele, Ambassador Thenjiwe Mtintso and Henry Isaacs, among many others. As a country, it is a shame that academics have not tried to understand this exceptional phenomenon. Perhaps, we could learn from it.

Transformation is a tricky business. If you pursue it, as a leader, you are racist, and if not, you are an

Dr Vincent Maphai, Chancellor, Central University of Technology.

Uncle Tom. Transformation is divisive; it provokes unreasonable expectations and irrational fears, but does this have to be the case? Token appointments add no value and are difficult to get rid of because nobody wants them; they become disruptive to protect their positions. They know before us that they cannot do their work and are an embarrassment to the social group they are supposed to represent.

With the 2019 Rugby World Cup Springbok team, Rassie Erasmus spared us all of that by bringing the best he could find in our community. His message to us was: because I respect the country, I will only put the best people forward. To the old order he was saying you have skills and experience, we need those skills and experience. He was teaching us a fundamental thing about transformation; it is about who should be included and who has been left out and should have been included. It is not about who should be thrown out. Rassie does it very well. He replaces a bad player, a black player, with a white player, and nobody cries racism simply because he has established his credibility. The impact of that transition on me was significant. It taught us the centrality of merit, and that merit comes from a culture of excellence. If you believe in excellence, you place the right people in the right jobs. There is no sense of entitlement, the rules apply across the board. Rassie changed the quality of the team and counter-intuitively raised its standard. We believe transformation means a drop in standards, yet the standards were raised. We know leaders inspire and teams deliver: Rassie’ s

DR VINCENT MAPHAI

Dr Vincent Maphai’s career began in 1979 as a lecturer in Pretoria. Over the last 45 years, he has become a celebrated academic, business leader and public servant. After earning a Bachelor of Arts degree and a BA (Hons) in International Politics from the University of South Africa, Dr Maphai obtained a Bachelor of Philosophy (cum laude) and an MA in Philosophy (Magna cum laude) from the University of Leuven in Belgium and a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Natal.

By age 38, he was an associate professor at the University of the Western Cape. Two years later, he was appointed professor at the University of Cape Town and later an Extraordinary Professor of Political Science at the University of Pretoria. Dr Maphai’s dedication to academia led him to become a Visiting Professor in Massachusetts followed by an Honorary Professor of Philosophy and a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Johannesburg. Over the years, he has been a Visiting Research Fellow at Oxford, Harvard, Stanford and Princeton universities. He has held several significant business roles most notably as director of corporate affairs at South African Breweries and corporate affairs and transformation director at SABMiller. Currently, he is chair of Sibanye-Stillwater, a global mining company. He chaired the Presidential Review and South African Broadcasting Corporation in the public sector, after the appointments were made before by presidents Mandela and Mbeki, respectively.

whole environment where he was operating was conducive to what he approached and that is important.

Instead of an epilogue, I want to reiterate that just as Rassie created a successful and lethal team, it is within our reach to build a successful and powerful country. It is not out of bounds; we can do it and this is something that we should pursue. For us, at CUT, it means we must build a university with institutional core values that override our prejudices so that all of us can subscribe to those values. The creation of a new South Africa will not come by immaculate conception. We must be deliberate in that agenda because a house divided against itself cannot stand. Ironically, it is in civil society where the greatest ability to build that South Africa lies. Civil society can come together and begin to rebuild this country because if that is not our overriding objective, we are getting nowhere as a country.

The good news is that we have the people, resources and a longforgotten platform built years ago. That platform is found in our Constitution, which says, “We, the people of South Africa, recognise the injustices of our past, honour those who suffered for justice and freedom in our land, respect those who have worked to build and develop our country and believe that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, united in their diversity.”

Our challenge today is to find those leaders in civil society and tell them to bring us together to start thinking about building our country beyond our historical and personal prejudices.

TTwenty years is a significant milestone in the life of an institution, a testament to its resilience, growth and commitment to excellence. Universities in South Africa and beyond are struggling with many challenges that range from governance-related obstacles to the new digital age, from scrambling for funding to staying relevant, from a highly competitive environment overcrowded by private institutions to cultivating good relations with industry for placement of students for work-integrated learning opportunities.

We are privileged to welcome a person of Dr Vincent Maphai’s calibre, experience and gravitas as our steward. Dr Maphai brings to this tenure many experiences from academia, research and development, industry, business and entrepreneurship. He holds a PhD from the University of Natal and a master’s from the University of Leuven (Belgium), among other degrees. His academic career spans over 20 years, including serving on the councils of various universities in South Africa and as an academic professor locally and abroad.

Dr Maphai was chairman of the Presidential Review Commission, a body set up by then-President Nelson Mandela to investigate government restructuring and service delivery. Having previously served on the South African National Planning Commission, Dr Maphai is well-versed in our nation's critical development issues and the role that higher education has in uplifting our country to greatness.

In Dr Maphai, we have found a sage from who we can seek counsel. We must forge partnerships with industry to transfer skills and provide opportunities for our students to gain workplace experience. The success of an institution is largely dependent

South Africa belongs to all who live in it, united in their diversity.

on the merit of its leadership. Dr Maphai’s illustrious career, punctuated by extraordinary achievements, gives us hope for the future of our institution.

As CUT ’ s leadership collective and management, we pledge our support and commitment to working collaboratively under his ministration as we take this university to the next level.

Who are we?

CUT is an intellectual home to approximately 22 000 students and over 1 600 staff. We offer students diverse learning opportunities from our four faculties of (a) engineering, built environment and information technology, (b) management sciences, (c) humanities and (d) health and environmental sciences as well as the six multidisciplinary centres. We are growing our timber of academic and research staff. To date, an additional 134 of our academic staff have PhDs. CUT has 23 National Research Fund (NRF) rated researchers out of 234 across universities of technology.

CUT hosts the prestigious Department of Science and Technology NRF Chair Initiative in medical product development through additive manufacturing, led by one of our esteemed C1-rated researchers, Prof Deon J de Beer. Last year, the university was recognised by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, placing us at 41 in their Sub-Saharan Africa rankings. This is a significant achievement in our history. The research centre we are launching later this year reflects our resolve to embark on a multidisciplinary journey to promote human-centred approaches to the societal impact of technological innovations.

The newly established CUT Hub of the Artificial Intelligence Institute of South Africa (AIISA), the third that the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies is supporting after the establishment of the other hubs at the University of Johannesburg and Tshwane University of Technology, respectively, underscores the dedication of high-level partnerships to collaborate in this space.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution demands us to position ourselves strategically if we are to be key players and not spectators of the revolution. Rethinking curricula that produce technopreneurs.

The significance of our 20th Anniversary

Our university has passed its formative and youthful phases and is now maturing into an adult. This is the stage of big decisions with huge implications for the future. Who we fraternise, flirt or cohabitate with matters and will shape who we become. It is clear from the foundation we have built, the projects we have incubated and the strides we have made that we are an institution on the cusp of greatness. We are not the institution we were 20 years ago. This university is endowed with critical human capital, good infrastructure and a large student intake to accelerate its growth and multiply its research outputs.

We welcome Dr Maphai to the Central University of Technology, Free State, a place of learning where we shape the future through innovation and education. S

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Octomate prides itself on its well-motivated staff, experienced personnel and facilitators who have the interests of the learners at heart.

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Fixing municipalities and their crumbling infrastructure

A centrepiece of President Ramaphosa’s plan to grow the economy and create jobs involves targeting reforms to municipalities around the country.

By Ray Mahlaka

TThe seventh government administration, underpinned by a Government of National Unity of which 10 political parties are members, will focus on fixing municipalities so that they can “achieve rapid, inclusive growth” , Ramaphosa announced at the Opening of Parliament, 2024.

“Growth happens at a local level, where people live and work. Our municipalities must become both the providers of social services and facilitators of inclusive economic growth. They must work to attract investment.”

Ramaphosa said targeting municipalities and fixing them can “encourage businesses to expand and create more jobs in municipal areas. Investors are attracted to areas with reliable and modern infrastructure.”

The government has struggled to get infrastructure projects off the ground because of a lack of capacity. There have not been enough engineers and project managers in local government and provinces to initiate and manage projects. This has led to South Africa having few or no new infrastructure projects to fund or

showcase to private sector investors, who also want to put money into such projects through partnerships with the government.

INFRASTRUCTURE STRUCTURAL REFORMS

Ramaphosa might be successful this time in getting the government to execute infrastructure projects. The difference is that he has enlisted the help of the National Treasury, government officials in other departments and the private sector. By doing so, Ramaphosa has found refuge in Operation Vulindlela, which is targeting fixing local government on its next list of priority reforms.

Operation Vulindlela is a joint initiative between the Presidency and the National Treasury that sought to support and motivate government departments to change the fabric of the economy by implementing several pro-growth and investment reforms.

Operation Vulindlela lobbied for reforms that would reduce the cost of doing business in South Africa and promote productivity and competition by increasing the role of the private sector in all areas, including energy, telecommunications and logistics to lessen

Our municipalities must become both the providers of social services and facilitators of inclusive economic growth.

the state’s power over the economy. Since its inception in October 2020, it has notched up some wins.

After 18 years of inaction, digital spectrum was auctioned, regulatory changes were made to open up the electricity market to renewable energy sources and the backlog for water-use licence applications was cleared.

Ramaphosa said the next phase of Operation Vulindlela would focus on local government and improving the delivery of basic services, mainly infrastructure projects.

“Operation Vulindlela will focus on reforming the local government system and improving the delivery of basic services and harnessing digital public infrastructure as a driver of growth and inclusion.

“It will also focus on accelerating the release of public land for social housing and redirecting our housing policy to enable people to find affordable homes in areas of their choice,” he said.

ECONOMIC GROWTH

If Operation Vulindlela successfully reforms municipalities and the government delivers on its infrastructure promises, South Africa’s economic growth could improve over the next five years.

The Bureau for Economic Research’s model predicts that South Africa’s economy is expected to grow at a baseline average of just

under 2% in the next five years. However, growth could increase to 3.5% by 2029 if Operation Vulindlela reforms are further accelerated.

The biggest contributor would be investment, particularly by the private sector, as confidence rebounded.

Getting growth of more than 2% will also require South Africa to permanently end the electricity crisis and improve the rail and port network, operated by the state-owned transport group Transnet.

On energy, Ramaphosa said the government would lean on renewable energy projects to improve South Africa’s energy security profile. He said the country had a pipeline of renewable energy projects, “representing over 22 500 megawatts of new generating capacity” – enough power to electrify more than five-million homes a day.

Investments of more than R400-billion were required over the next 10 years to expand the country’s electricity infrastructure, which would then be able to transmit to the grid the electricity procured from renewable energy sources. This investment was expected to come from the private sector.

Transnet is embracing the private sector as a partner to fix its rail and port network. This is important as the ANC has long been distrustful of the private sector and pushed for policies that exerted state control over the economy.

GOVERNMENT FOCUS

As part of ongoing efforts to create an enabling environment for sustainable and inclusive growth, government will continue to focus on stabilising debt and debt-service costs, investing in infrastructure, as well as continuing to support the most vulnerable households.

“Our strategy for addressing the enormous challenges of accelerating growth, creating jobs and reducing poverty relies on a clear and stable macroeconomic framework, implementing structural reforms and investing in infrastructure,” says National Treasury Director-General (DG), Duncan Pieterse.

Pieterse says National Treasury believes these elements are crucial for boosting growth, enhancing inclusivity and setting the economy on a more sustainable trajectory.

“These efforts will also generate more fiscal space by increasing revenue, enabling private sector participation, lead to more productive public spending on infrastructure and create a virtuous cycle that supports inclusive economic growth,” he says.

Operation Vulindlela has taught us new ways of working to implement reforms quickly and collaboratively with public and private actors.

The DG was reflecting on South Africa’s economic landscape from the perspective of the National Treasury during the Bureau for Economic Research (BER) conference, which was held in Johannesburg in July.

The BER conference delved into the rich tapestry of South Africa’s economic history, drawing from seven decades of survey data.

Since its inception, the BER has been a stalwart in providing critical primary data, economic insights and forecasts, which play a pivotal role in shaping economic discourse and policy decisions.

Government intends to continue with its progress on the implementation of structural reforms to improve productivity and the competitiveness of the economy.

These reforms make it easier and cheaper for businesses to operate and invest in South Africa, employ people and support a growth in government revenue.

“Historically, we have seen strong linkages between microeconomic developments like energy provision and logistical capability and overall growth outcomes. We have witnessed declines in total factor productivity, which encompasses innovation, technological improvements and more because of these binding constraints to growth.

“To address this, our economic policy has been geared to directly tackle the microeconomic roots of the growth slowdown, particularly focusing on the drivers of productivity decline.

“Network industries like electricity, rail and telecommunications are a primary concern, as productivity shocks within these industries have significantly impacted the rest of the economy,” Pieterse says.

Courtesy of Daily Maverick

Estimates suggest that around 35% of the growth slowdown from 2007 to 2021 can be attributed to these network industries or the utilities sector.

“By the end of phase I of Operation Vulindlela, 94% of reforms were either complete or progressing well. And by our estimates, these reforms have generated investment potential of R500-billion. You will all be aware of the BER’s own estimates that confirm the large impact that these reforms can have on investment and Gross Domestic Product over time.

“Unlocking investment through reforms in the electricity sector is important to end loadshedding and achieve energy security and will be the main driver of economic growth in the decade to come,” he says.

Similarly, reforms in the logistics sector, which Phase 1 of Operation Vulindlela has pioneered, will enable greater investment in the rehabilitation of the rail network as well as in rolling stock, as we implement the freight logistics roadmap that will fundamentally change our logistics sector over time.

“We have also implemented reforms in the telecommunications sector to increase network speed and quality, expand broadband access and reduce costs.

“In addition, this first phase of Operation Vulindlela has taught us new ways of working to implement reforms quickly and collaboratively with public and private actors.

“As we move into Operation Vulindlela Phase II, a second wave of reform, it is important that we maintain the momentum already developed across the five key sectors identified in the first phase to realise their full impact as well as to look into new areas that will drive growth going forward,” he says.

INVESTMENT IN INFRASTRUCTURE

Government is also prioritising investment in infrastructure through improvements in the infrastructure pipeline, the execution of that pipeline and the financing thereof.

“Mobilising private sector resources to augment public sector capability and finances is necessary to fast track the provision of infrastructure and improve effectiveness. Government has initiated various reforms to systematically crowd-in greater private sector participation to improve spending and delivery outcome.

“Work is underway on capital budgeting reforms; strengthenin-g institutional arrangements and governance across the ecosystem

to enable the private sector to co-invest in public infrastructure,” Pieterse says.

These include the Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) regulations, changes to the Budget Facility for Infrastructure, accelerating private sector investment in transmission as well as driving private sector partnerships in several sectors.

“Currently in the fiscal framework, planned infrastructure budgets are expected to increase at 4.9% over the medium term, driven by energy and transport. And we intend to improve on these efforts going forward,” he concludes. S

What happens to waste in a circular economy?

Investing in the circular economy offers a multi-decade structural growth opportunity. It enables investors to gain exposure to companies that offer attractive growth and returns and have long-lasting positive outcomes for people and the planet.

By Schroders*

TThe circular economy is a change in the economic system. It means moving away from “take-make-waste” practices, where we buy, use and discard things. Instead, a circular system is one where products and materials are kept in use and production follows a sustainable path that reduces the consumption of raw materials.

The key aim of the circular economy is to decouple economic growth from virgin resource consumption. The simple reason is that the world is running out of resources.

We already use 1.7 times the resources that the planet naturally regenerates each year, and this figure will grow as the global population expands. We are living way beyond our means.

Why waste is a valuable resource

Waste is defined as “material or resources that are discarded, unused or considered to be of no value”. However, waste is but a lack of imagination. There is very little “waste” in the modern world that is of no value; it is more about having the right infrastructure, regulations and will to capture that value. This gives us hope that we can improve current waste management practices. On a global level, we currently sit at a powerful intersection of forces – affordable and efficient technology,

The best way to reduce the negative impacts of landfills is to avoid using them.

supportive regulations and consumer and business demand – that will work to improve circularity, albeit at differing speeds at a regional level. There are many sources of waste. In this piece, we will focus on municipal solid waste.

What is municipal solid waste (MSW)?

MSW is rubbish from households or businesses (restaurants, hotels, offices). It typically consists of papers, plastics, discarded food, garden waste and other discarded items. The world generates c.two-billion tons of MSW annually. This is the equivalent of 111-million rubbish trucks per day. As economies and incomes grow in emerging markets, this number increases rapidly. By 2050, with a global population of c. 10-billion, it is expected that the world will produce 3.4-billion tons of MSW annually (a 70% increase from today). This, however, doesn’t tell the entire story, as averages often hide the underlying dynamics. On one end of the spectrum, you have the North American region with c. 530kg per capita per annum and at the other you’ve got 168kg per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The issue therefore is that if everyone in the world produced waste at the same rate as the average person from North America, then global waste production would hit c. 4.1-billion tonnes pa (or 210-million rubbish trucks per day).

Waste generation per capita is very highly correlated with income levels. It is a problem if we cannot decouple economic growth from resource consumption. Countries low on the income scale have ambitions to move up, and it is these countries that tend to see the highest growth in populations as well.

Why is waste a problem?

The biggest issue is how waste is disposed of because that can generate negative impacts on climate change, pollution and biodiversity. There is also the issue that by not properly recycling our waste, we create demand for more virgin resources when we are already over-consuming.

Global waste treatment and disposal.

Composting

Incineration

Controlled landfill

Landfill (unspecified)

Sanitary landfill (with landfill gas collection)

Open dump

Other

Recycling

Source: World Bank, 2018 - A global snapshot of solid waste management to 2050. 610789

We can see from the chart that most waste globally is either openly dumped (c. 33%) or landfilled (c. 37%) with only 19% being either recycled or composted. About 11% of waste is disposed of via incineration (known as waste-to-energy).

Landfills alone account for c. 8% to 10% of human activityrelated greenhouse gases via the release of methane gas as waste decomposes. This is before considering the other negative externalities like water pollution, soil degradation and the impact on local wildlife and biodiversity. There is also the issue of resource wastage, as a lot of what goes to landfill is of value.

The best way to reduce the negative impacts of landfills is to avoid using them. However, this isn’t always possible. The next best thing is to ensure that the methane emissions aren’t released freely into the environment. There is increased focus in regions such as the US for this approach by capturing these landfill gases and converting them into renewable natural gas.

Regulations are forcing change in the industry

We see increasing “polluter pays” regulations to increase the costs of poor disposal methods (eg landfill). There is also the further development of “extended producer responsibility” across many waste sectors, which puts more of the burden of the cost of physical collection and disposal on the producer.

For example, the roll-out of deposit return schemes across the EU and parts of the US will help to improve recycling rates for single-use containers (eg plastic bottles, aluminium beverage cans).

A lot of regulation aims to either reduce waste at source (ie by

being more efficient) or to increase the use of recycled, recyclable or bio-based materials. This is creating a supportive regulatory environment for companies that can supply products based on sustainable biomaterials or ones that can offer a high degree of recycled materials.

We’ve also seen countries like China implement bans on the import of certain types of waste to ensure they are only importing higher-quality waste streams. No longer can countries as easily “export” their waste problems.

These factors result in the need for more developed waste management infrastructure in much of the developed world, with a particular emphasis on recycling capabilities.

Locally, the amended Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations, which became effective in late 2020, require manufacturers and product importers in the packaging industry to contribute towards the recycling of product packaging, with a significant impact on waste levels thus far. One area yielding positive outcomes has been the implementation of a 50% organic waste ban to landfill in the Western Cape, which is set to rolled out countrywide by 2027 and further increased to 100%.

According to a recent article, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment has included the ban as part of the licensing requirements of the landfill, to ensure compliance.

A $1.3-trillion investment opportunity

As investors in the circular economy, across both the listed and private markets, we recognise the enormity of the challenge that the global economy faces in changing our linear waste management practices to more circular ones. However, we are extremely excited by the significant investment opportunities arising from this challenge.

As of 2022, the global waste management industry was valued at $1.3-trillion and is expected to grow significantly over the coming decade.

The expansion in both recovery and recycling is creating growth opportunities for companies across the industrial spectrum. S

*Authors: Jack Dempsey, Fund Manager, Paul Lamacraft, Head of Sustainability Private Equity and Samuel Thomas, Sustainable Investment Analyst from Schroders.

W Water and sanitation fix

The new Minister of Water and Sanitation, Pemmy Majodina, acknowledges the decline in water quality over the past decade and emphasises new measures to ensure municipalities meet national standards.

By Julia Evans

“We are building on a good foundation that was put in place by my predecessor, honourable [Senzo] Mchunu. We are not going to change things, we are not in competition here, there’s only one government,” said Minister of Water and Sanitation, Pemmy Majodina, in July 2024.

In her first media briefing as Minister of the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), under the new Government of National Unity, Majodina outlined the department’s strategic efforts to address water pollution in the Vaal River and support municipalities in improving water and sanitation services.

When Majodina was announced as the new DWS minister a month ago, Mchunu and his team had made many positive strides, including the revival of the Blue, Green and No Drop reports and amendments to water-related acts. Majodina acknowledged that those reports, issued by the department in December 2023, indicated that the quality and reliability of municipal water and sanitation services had deteriorated markedly over the past 10 years.

“For example, the Blue Drop report found that the percentage of water supply systems with poor or bad microbiological water quality compliance (ie water that is not safe to drink) increased from 5% in 2014 to 46% in 2023, resulting in an increased risk of water-borne diseases,” she said.

Cleaning up the Vaal

Majodina highlighted the ongoing efforts to address pollution in the Vaal system, a critical water source for millions of South Africans.

Ongoing sewage spills into the Vaal River, predominantly from the Emfuleni municipal wastewater treatment system, have affected

Green Drop report found that 40% of wastewater treatment systems were in a critical performance state, compared with 30% in 2013.

Majodina said that in Emfuleni Municipality, her department will continue with Section 63 (of the Water Services Act) Intervention through Rand Water to address sewage pollution in the Vaal.

“Good progress has been made in refurbishing and repairing sewage pump stations, unblocking sewer lines, repairing collapsed sewer lines, as well as repairing and refurbishing wastewater treatment works,” said Majodina. “This has substantially reduced sewage pollution in residential areas in Emfuleni.”

She said the main remaining work was to upgrade the capacity of the major wastewater treatment works in the area, and these projects were currently in the procurement phase.

“Words need to become actual actions to try to ensure water security within the country.

Intervening to support municipalities

“Dysfunctional municipal wastewater systems are resulting in pollution of communities, rivers and the environment, leading to intolerable living conditions and increased risk of diseases such as cholera,” Majodina explained.

She emphasised that the provision of local water and sanitation services lay with municipalities, saying that “the national department cannot do maintenance or repairs to municipal infrastructure on

After being inundated with calls about local-level problems during her first month in office, Majodina said the DWS would launch community outreach programmes to correct this misunderstanding and to encourage communities and community leaders to hold their municipalities accountable. She explained that the role of the DWS was to oversee water resource management, set national standards and importantly, support municipalities.

“When we make interventions to municipalities, we are intervening to support,” said Majodina. “We support municipalities because we want them to comply [to minimal norms and standards].”

New measures for accountability

Despite the high level of support the DWS provides to municipalities, Majodina said, “In general, municipal water and sanitation services continue to decline.”

To address this, she said the DWS would soon present the Water Services Amendment Bill to Cabinet for approval to be submitted to Parliament. The Amendment Bill would introduce an operating licence system so that water services authorities could ensure water services providers had a minimum level of capability that met national norms and standards.

“The amendments propose that this should be done through the introduction of an operating licence requirement for water services providers to ensure that they have a minimum level of competency,” said Majodina.

“The Bill will also introduce measures to enable the national department to take regulatory action against municipalities which do not comply with national minimum norms and standards for water services.”

Financial sustainability

The financial viability of the water sector remains a pressing issue, with municipalities owing water boards R21.3-billion as of May 2024. This debt threatens the water sector’s financial health. Majodina reiterated that apart from national grants, the water sector had to be self-financing through water sales revenues. The Bill amendments will also allow the DWS to ensure municipalities enforce bylaws against local polluters.

“We want to be partners with municipalities to ensure our water boards don’t collapse,” Majodina said, highlighting the need for a clear payment plan. “Because if you don’t maintain, you will experience a collapse of infrastructure.”

Unblocking projects

Since 1994, the DWS has built 18 new dams, with 15 more major projects worth more than R100-billion in various stages of implementation.

“Many of these projects were delayed for a long period of time, but they have now all been unblocked, and it will be a priority for us to ensure that they are all implemented expeditiously,” she said.

Most of these projects are financed off-budget, through raising money in the financial markets. Majodina explained that to enable the DWS to increase this fund-raising, the previous Parliament passed the

National Water Resource Infrastructure Agency (NWRIA) Bill, which is now awaiting the signature of the president.

Notable projects include the new R26-billion uMkhomazi Dam to provide urgently needed additional water to eThekwini and surrounding areas in KwaZulu-Natal, and the new Polihali Dam – which forms part of the R42-billion second phase of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project – to provide water to Gauteng and parts of the Free State, Mpumalanga, North West and Northern Cape provinces.

Time to act

Professor Anja du Plessis, a water management expert at Unisa, says, “We need to start addressing issues such as increased pollution of both surface and groundwater sources, raw sewage running down streets and into our scarce water resources, neglected water infrastructure, theft and vandalism of water infrastructure, dysfunctional municipalities, poor water management as well as change our water-use behaviours and attitudes.

“Words need to become actual actions to try to ensure water security within the country. We cannot afford to keep on talking with no actual changes on the ground.” S

Smart water technologies

MMajor water infrastructure is breaking down in large metros such as Johannesburg and eThekwini, buckling under the dual strains of rapid population growth and underinvestment in maintenance. Innovation in engineering and digitisation has honed a range of smart water solutions that improve existing water systems without massive replacements, giving utilities time and space to scope their future improvements with the help of data-driven insights to improve efficiency, forecasting and demand prediction.

Chetan Mistry, strategy and marketing manager at Xylem Africa, says, “Smart water solutions deliver specific point results and large overhauls or start collecting and analysing rich data for planning. You can scale effort while keeping costs under control.”

Smart water technologies collect and leverage water performance data to improve results through better management and visibility. Examples include smart sensors that collect various data points, data analytics for planning and efficiency, predictive maintenance, integration of different infrastructures for improved performance and comprehensive real-time visibility through interactive dashboards (accessible anywhere via the cloud and an Internet connection).

THE ROI

These innovations have a lot to offer, and they are cost-effective. But, like all infrastructure solutions, there are still investment concerns. What is a smart water solution’s value, the return on investment? How can utilities invest in the right smart water technologies and start to get that momentum they can build on and modernise their sites?

The two crucial steps to realising healthy ROI from smart water are embracing a digital modernisation strategy and focusing on value beyond cost. Digital modernisation is neither a mere rip-andreplace strategy nor as simple as installing and linking a few sensors to software. To get good results, the vision must be more specific.

“Smart water systems take things to the next level because they enhance what you already have and introduce new methods and insights. This means you rely only on a technical or cost mindset. Smart solutions that work for a site’s strengths and enhance its requirements. Start with a plan, a vision for the site, then look for specific opportunities to apply smart water solutions.”

For example, a site might already generate useful data, but the overall management tools are isolated. Collecting information requires considerable time before one can predict consumption levels or maintenance demands. In this case, water managers unify water operations through cloud platform dashboards that securely consume the data, analyse results and deliver single-truth insights to authorised personnel wherever they may be.

DELIVER RESULTS

For a municipality to recoup costs, they must reduce non-revenue water. To do so, they use smart flow systems to measure water allocation and consumption, identifying where there are losses. They need to employ smart leak detection to pinpoint problem areas without shutting down the water pipelines for inspections.

Each site has unique needs and priorities. Smart water succeeds when there is a mindset for modernisation and a strategy to support that vision. These needn’t be massive projects – there are many lowhanging fruits that water utilities can exploit to see quick gains. S

Chetan Mistry, Strategy and Marketing Manager, Xylem Africa.

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Saving for a rainy day

Non-revenue water remains South Africa’s biggest water-use challenge.

S

South Africa’s non-revenue water is rising to unsustainable levels, with nearly half the water piped through the country’s infrastructure being lost through leaks, theft or nonpayment. “Water management is everyone’s problem,” highlights Jan-Willem van Huyssteen, director at globally trusted infrastructure consulting firm AECOM.

“The business of water to a large extent is broken. If we can somehow fix it, a great deal of the conflicts can be resolved with more money available for solutions,” he explains. The cost of abstraction, treatment and conveyance of water from source to tap is not being covered by the revenue being collected.

This results in budgetary constraints where many important new water infrastructure projects and continual infrastructure refurbishment and maintenance activities are delayed, further compounding the problem. “There is insufficient working infrastructure to serve our growing population. No business is sustainable if only half of the product being produced (like clean water) is being paid for,” argues van Huyssteen.

At present, non-revenue water is South Africa’s biggest water-use challenge. While there are many solutions available for alternative water sources, such as reuse and desalination, there is a need “to go back to the basics to conserve and manage our existing systems more effectively”.

Van Huyssteen believes that water can both spark conflict and create peace. “When people have unequal or no access to water, tensions can rise. However, eventually everyone realises that they have to work together. We saw this in the Western Cape with the looming Day Zero. Water management requires cooperation. It is in this spirit of collaboration that great solutions can be found.”

According to Jonathan Schroder, Technical Lead for Africa: Water Resources, AECOM, there can be different levels of conflict within a water system. “Unfortunately, not everyone in a water system is impacted equally. We are witnessing this in areas such as Johannesburg and Durban,” he notes.

When reservoirs run low, residents on hills or further downstream are likely to experience water shortages first. There can also be conflict in a catchment area where people upstream are either polluting water or are withdrawing higher quantities, negatively affecting people living further downstream.

Then there are catchments that cross borders where one country’s use of water in that catchment area can negatively impact on another country’s water use. “Water also often flows towards money. Projects that are deemed economically viable are regularly prioritised over projects that provide less economic benefit or appear difficult to sustain financially,” comments Schroder.

Addressing non-revenue water and leaks remains the lowest hanging fruit to ensure water security.

Instead of calling for more dams and treatment plants, a good starting point is greater public awareness and education around the business of water, as well as sustainable water conservation and water demand management. Unlike the electricity crisis, where one can install some solar panels on a roof, solving lack of access to water is a more complex problem.

Drilling your own borehole is a solution but groundwater is often not a sustainable source due to licensing constraints, water quality issues and a lack of access to suitable groundwater aquifers. Government remains the key provider of this service.

“The general public can get involved in many ways to ensure sustainable water supply. First, we must hold our government accountable through the various political structures to ensure proper management of our resources, but then also take personal responsibility to conserve water, repair leaks on our properties,

report leaks on public infrastructure and, most importantly, pay for our water,” says Schroder.

Van Huyssteen notes that even with full dams, there is not always infrastructure in place to transfer water from certain catchment areas to communities and treat it. “There are system constraints and system failures,” he points out.

Alternative water sources are available in the form of groundwater, desalination and water reuse. However, there are complexities attached with these sources regarding the high cost of treatment, the location of the source in relation to the demand, and negative public perception in the case of treatment of wastewater for potable reuse. “Addressing non-revenue water and leaks remains the lowest -hanging fruit to ensure water security,” concludes Van Huyssteen. S

Integrated transport: why it matters and how it can be achieved

By Bongani Mthombeni, Director of smart mobility at Royal HaskoningDHV, South Africa

TTransport either frees individuals and communities from poverty or further entrenches them within it, which has a knock-on effect on national economic growth and GDP. An effective integrated transportation system moves people, goods and services in an integrated way through roads, non-motorised transport, railways and ports. It means that everyone has several transportation options available to get them where they need to be safely and efficiently.

In the Netherlands, for example, residents can drive, walk or use the country’s vast and established cycle lanes. There are also well-running bus, metro and train networks. There are seamless links between these systems: bicycle racks are available at stations and the bus, metro and train lines all intersect at convenient points. Every single mode of transport that is available works together and works well. By extension, almost everyone has access to the broader resources they need.

South Africa’s transportation network is not as integrated – either within the different modes of transport it offers or in terms of its relationship to other sectors.

WHY IT MATTERS

Where integrated transportation systems work well, there is always an integrated transportation master plan in place. A living document that consistently addresses the maintenance and upgrade of existing types of transportation and connects the sector into those around it. In addition, it considers new capital projects that will feed into the integrated system. The absence of this plan in South Africa is perhaps the starting point of many of the country’s transportation challenges. From a policy and planning perspective, South Africa is a deeply siloed nation. Its road network has its plan, as do railways and ports. Plans for water and housing are also separate from transport

We need a holistic integrated national master plan that drives consistent evaluation and action.

and each other. And there are variations in approach between local, provincial and national governments. This decentralised, disconnected strategy makes it difficult to gain a holistic perspective and to introduce interventions that make a meaningful difference.

There are, of course, other challenges besides. Supply chain and procurement, the misappropriation of funds and corruption add to the complexity. Budgets don’t go where they’re meant to go. Maintenance systems regularly falter. Potholes deepen. Compound this with loadshedding, urbanisation and the severe congestion of major cities, getting people, goods and services from A to B is a serious problem.

All of this affects people’s mental health and their levels of participation and inclusion. Rural-to-city connections are often hardest hit, and the lack of safety and the inefficiency commuters experience takes its toll on social cohesion. It also impacts businesses’ ability to generate revenue and makes the economy sluggish. Born out on a national scale, the ramifications of not having an integrated transportation system in place are far-reaching.

A STEP-BY-STEP SOLUTION

So how do we move forward?

The first step is to evaluate the extent of the problem. Without truly knowing how severe it is, we don’t know how to fix it. This involves having accurate and up-to-date Visual Condition Index data on hand – data that offers a detailed picture of the state of South Africa’s transportation network, and where upgrades are required. The Western Cape and Mpumalanga provincial governments are leading the charge here and both have a thorough account of the condition of their roads. But this needs to be a countrywide phenomenon.

Then comes prioritising how budgets get allocated. The road infrastructure budget is substantial, but it needs to be adequately apportioned – and audited. Work often needs to be split between maintaining existing roads and developing new ones. This is especially so in light of the country’s current railway challenges, which are putting strain on the road network as long-haul trucks move heavy loads long distances.

Step three involves tightening our supply chain processes. At the moment, it takes between six and 18 months for transportationrelated tenders to be adjudicated and awarded. These drawn-out and troubled procedures are a breeding ground for corruption and financial misconduct.

Above all, we need a holistic integrated national master plan – a plan that drives consistent evaluation and consistent action. This must start at the top; it begins with leadership. In a democratic country, the master plan should apply no matter which political party or individual is at the helm. And it needs to be comprehensive, with an understanding of the wider forces of which it is a part.

South Africa has a long way to go. But if we prioritise the creation of an integrated transportation system that sees transport as a critical and enabling sector, we can start to shift the needle in other areas, too. S

NEW MODERN TRAINS FOR CAPE TOWN

The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) has announced the introduction of the new blue and white modern Electric Multiple Units on the Central Line, along with the extension of the service from Nyanga to Mandalay station in the Western Cape.

This is the first time PRASA has deployed the “People’s Train” on this corridor, following the completion of essential electrical and per-way infrastructure between Nyanga and Nolungile.

These state-of-the-art trains have advanced features such as automated doors, CCTV cameras and air-conditioning.

In addition to the new trains, the completion of signalling from Langa to Mutual Line marks a significant milestone in enhancing service safety and reliability. Work to re-signal the rest of the Central corridor continues. This modern signalling system will improve the frequency and punctuality of trains and reduce delays and congestion

“This important development in the region ensures we offer a dignified service to the 40% of Cape Town’s commuters who rely on this key route. Extending the service on the Central Line to Mandalay station should bring positive socio-economic benefits to Langa, Nyanga, Khayelitsha, Mitchells Plain and other areas along the line,” PRASA said.

Courtesy of SAnews.gov.za

Revolutionising public service: how AI can boost efficiency

Embracing generative AI could be the key to revitalising and modernising South Africa’s public service sector, addressing these critical challenges head-on.

By Junaid Kleinschmidt, Accenture, Africa

SSouth Africa’s 2023 Governance, Public Safety and Justice Survey reveals a troubling decline in public trust towards essential services such as transport and clinics, a stark contrast to the more favourable perceptions reported in 2019. This drop in satisfaction, evident across various provinces, underscores pervasive issues such as subpar service quality, extended wait times and unhelpful public servants. Although the newly formed Government of National Unity offers a glimmer of hope for improvement, there is an urgent need for immediate and effective solutions.

Generative AI, a subset of artificial intelligence, is revolutionising how we create content, from text and images to more complex outputs, based on extensive training data. Its transformative impact spans various sectors and governments worldwide are taking note.

Generative AI stands poised to revolutionise the public service sector.

According to Accenture’s report, Work, Workforce, Workers: Reinvented in the Age of Generative AI, 42% of all working hours in the global public sector could be enhanced or automated with generative AI. Examples of its application include the US State Tax Department, where AI replaced existing machine learning algorithms with a large language model (LLM) to improve incoming call intent discovery and efficiency. Additionally, a Federal Agency utilised an LLM to streamline processing and submission times, leading to an estimated annual saving of $150-million. Citizens are also catching on to its transformative potential and pushing for its implementation in the public service sector. The survey highlights this demand as 53% of citizens find accessing public services frustrating, and 39% desire more digital interactions with the government.

Generative AI stands poised to revolutionise the public service sector by dramatically boosting efficiency and effectiveness. This transformative technology can reinvent how public services operate, from personalising citizen engagement and enhancing call centres to accelerating workforce productivity. It also has the potential to make employees’ jobs that much easier, with 80% of public service leaders believing that intelligent technologies can enhance job satisfaction. By automating and augmenting a significant portion of language-related tasks, generative AI promises to disrupt up to 75% of traditional work activities. The result? More streamlined

operations, higher quality of service for the public, and freeing up more time for an already overburdened workforce.

Implementing generative AI comes with its own set of challenges. State and local governments face hurdles such as security concerns, software vulnerabilities and social biases. In South Africa, these issues are particularly pressing, as the government has increasingly become a target for cybercriminals – recently highlighted by a data breach at the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission, an agency of the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition,

that exposed vulnerabilities in government departments. To address these risks, it is crucial to upskill government employees, ensuring they have a comprehensive understanding of the technology and are prepared to handle any emerging issues. Additionally, in a country with deep-seated inequality, there is a significant concern that AI could inadvertently reinforce existing biases.

South Africa is far from implementing comprehensive generative AI solutions in the public sector, but we’re taking steps in the right direction. Our legal sphere is evolving to tackle the legislative implications that come with this technology through the establishment of an AI Policy and Regulatory Framework.

To effectively navigate challenges and implement changes across the public service sector, a comprehensive strategy grounded in proven methods and expertise is essential. Accenture’s work with generative AI showcases its potential to significantly boost efficiency and reduce operational costs. Early trials have demonstrated impressive results, including a 10% to 40% increase in developer productivity and the elimination of delays in handling employee support queries. Productivity per employee is expected to rise by at least 25%, and data collection time has been reduced by 98%.

The introduction of new self-service capabilities further highlights these advancements.

Embracing generative AI presents a valuable opportunity to transform and enhance the delivery and management of public services in South Africa, paving the way for a more efficient and tech-savvy future. S

SSA HARD AT WORK TO COMBAT CYBER THREATS Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, says the State Security Agency is sharpening measures against cybersecurity threats in the country. She explained that the nature of threats was evolving with criminals using “sophisticated technologies and strategies that require agility and proactive response”.

“This requires specialised skills and coordination with various parties in and out of government. There has been an exponential increase in attacks on the organs of state ICT infrastructure, which pose a threat to individual targets and the economic value chain in the services these entities provide.

“In our efforts to strengthen cybersecurity, we are hard at work building and strengthening our capabilities and capacity to proactively combat emerging cyber threats and potential cyber-attacks on our communications environment.

“In this regard, we will be accelerating the implementation of the National Cyber Security Framework which incorporates the development of the cybersecurity legislative framework and the establishment of an integrated cyber capability and capacity,” she said.

The Minister said with the passing of the General Intelligence Laws Amendment Bill and the necessary organisational reconfiguration, “We will also undertake work to recalibrate and capacitate the National Communications Centre to be more responsive to cybersecurity threats”.

“Before the end of this financial year, we will commence with the legislative process to take the Cyber Security Bill for consideration by Parliament,” she said.

Ntshavheni said government is embarking on partnerships – both internationally and domestically – to sharpen the skills within the intelligence environment.

“The Intelligence Academy is already revising its curricula to focus on more relevant skills of the present-day intelligence environment. Some of this will be achieved through partnerships with reputable academic institutions as we work to ensure that the intelligence academy is SAQA accredited to ensure the portability of skills.

“In addition, the Intelligence Academy is exploring possibilities of establishing itself as a data institute that will serve the intelligence world and broader society as data is not only the new gold but an essential part of driving development and decision making.

“In this regard, investments in collaboration for technology and data sharing with global and local institutions transcends a strategic imperative. It is a transformative opportunity that can empower the organisation to leverage global expertise and harness the power of technology and data to address local challenges,” she said.

Tourism is a key economic driver, and it is on the rise

Excerpts of speech by Minister of Tourism, Patricia De Lille.

AAs we commence the seventh administration, our mission is to elevate the profile of tourism by supporting efforts to grow the sector and demonstrating this growth and the sector’s impact on the economy and communities. The Government of National Unity (GNU) has resolved to dedicate the next five years to actions that will advance three strategic priorities:

• Drive inclusive growth and job creation.

• Reduce poverty and tackle the high cost of living.

• Build a capable, ethical and developmental state.

We have placed inclusive economic growth at the centre of the work of the GNU and the top of the national agenda. The Department of Tourism is currently working on finalising our five-year plan which will align with the GNU priorities, the National Development Plan (NDP), the Tourism Sector Master Plan and the National Tourism Sector Strategy. As part of our plan, our target will be to increase arrivals to 15-million by 2030 as stated in the NDP.

To address the first two priorities of the GNU, we will also work to increase the number of jobs created in the tourism sector by driving greater implementation of programmes which support the private

sector to create more jobs. We will also be working with Operation Vulindlela in the Presidency and departments of Home Affairs, Transport and Sport, Arts and Culture to:

• Facilitate improvements in the visa regime.

• Grow the number of direct flights to and from South Africa.

• Implement a more seamless tour operator licence process.

• Invest in infrastructure and tourism sites that reflect and showcase our diverse culture and heritage.

In terms of the third priority to build a capable, ethical and developmental state, our five-year plan and targets will implement programmes for demand-led skills and a greater use of technology such as AI to enhance our tourism offering.

Importance of tourism in South Africa

Tourism is vital for South Africa for several reasons: Economic growth. Tourism is a major source of revenue, significantly contributing to the national GDP.

Employment. The sector supports thousands of jobs directly and indirectly, providing livelihoods for many South Africans.

Infrastructure development. The demand from tourism drives infrastructure development, benefiting other sectors.

As one of the world’s most diverse and beautiful destinations, South Africa offers a variety of experiences, from wildlife safaris and natural scenic wonders to vibrant cities and cultural heritage.

South Africa’s performance

In 2023, we welcomed around 8.5-million international arrivals – up by 48.9% from the 5.7-million arrivals in 2022, which contributed R95-billion in terms of spend. The R95-billion total tourist foreign direct spend was an increase of 92% in 2023, surpassing 2019 levels, a new all-time high for the destination. From January to May this year, we welcomed 3.8-million international arrivals, up by 9.7% compared to 2023. For the first quarter of 2024, total spend was R25.7-billion from foreign travel into South Africa.

The regional distribution of tourists into South Africa from January to May 2023 highlights the varied share across different markets: Africa land market. Dominated with 72% of arrivals (2.78-million) Africa air market. 3.1% (117 000) Europe.15.2% (578 000)

According to projections by Oxford Economics, arrivals by the end of 2024 are estimated to reach 10.7-million, surpassing 2019 levels. International arrivals to South Africa are expected to grow to 15.1-million by 2030.

Contribution to GDP

According to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), tourism’s contribution to South Africa’s GDP was 9.5% in 2019. Tourism’s contribution to the GDP naturally dipped during Covid-19 but recovered to 8.2% in 2023. It is estimated to rise to 8.8% by the end of 2024 and reach 10.4% of GDP by 2030.

The Americas. 5.3% (203 000) Asia, Australasia and the Middle East. 3.9% (149 000)

Tourism contributes more to GDP than transport, mining and agriculture, and nearly matches the government’s contribution to GDP.

Employment statistics

According to WTTC statistics, South Africa’s tourism sector employed 1.46-million people in 2023 and is expected to grow to nearly 1.7-million jobs in 2024. The WTTC further projects that employment in the tourism sector for South Africa is projected to grow to and 2.23-million jobs by 2030.

Domestic Travel

We also recorded 38-million domestic trips which contributed R121-billion in terms of spend for 2023. The domestic market’s spending was higher than international arrivals spend, underscoring the significant economic impact of domestic tourism.

Domestic air access

Domestic air travel has yet to return to 2019 levels in terms of the number of flights. In 2024, there are 143 000 flights compared to 167 000 flights in 2019. Although seat capacity has been increasing over the past three years, it reached 18-million seats in 2024, but it is still below the 22-million seats in 2019.

Several factors have contributed to the increase such as South Africa having a strong brand, and our country offers a unique and compelling destination with a diverse range of attractions that set it apart from other destinations. These efforts paid off as we saw arrival and domestic travel numbers increase through what we call revenge travel.

We have done well, but this is not enough, and we want to increase the arrival numbers substantially because that translates to more economic growth and job creation from the tourism sector.

Growth in arrival numbers translates to more people becoming economically active, more people being freed from poverty, and more people expanding their businesses because more people are travelling to and enjoying our beautiful Mzansi.

conferences and events

South Africa is known as a prime business travel destination and has improved its global ranking as a business event destination, moving up five spots in the 2023 International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) Global Ranking Report. We remain the number one meeting and conference destination in Africa and the Middle East, according to the 2023 ICCA ranking report. In 2023, South Africa hosted 98 international and regional association meetings and conferences that met the criteria set by the ICCA. These meetings contributed significantly to the South African

economy, with a total estimated economic impact of just over R2-billion.

For the 2023/24 financial year, through South African Tourism’s National Convention Bureau, we sourced and submitted 95 bids for international business events to be hosted in South Africa between 2024 and 2032. So far, South Africa has won 19 of the bids submitted, which have a combined economic contribution of R84.1-million between 2024 and 2025 and attract over 3 000 international and regional delegates.

According to Allied Market Research (AMR), South Africa’s Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Events industry was valued at an estimated R72-billion in 2022 and R122-billion in 2023 – a 69% increase.

Safety

To enhance tourism safety, the Department of Tourism invested R174-million to deploy more than 2 300 tourism monitors at key tourist sites to enhance visitor safety. The private sector has also made investment to enhance safety measures and this work together with the police and all partners will continue to ensure that all travellers are safe in South Africa.

Conclusion

There are significant opportunities to enhance the tourism sector, including especially since we are a value-for-money destination. In terms of innovation, for travel in the post-pandemic era, we must adapt to meet the needs of consumers who are more aware of their environmental and local economic impact, with increased access to information and implementing advanced technology such as AI in our tourism offerings.

It is up to all of us to take tourism to the next level and this will require a greater level of collaboration, working together each day and most importantly, increasing the level and standard of technology we are using to enhance the tourism sector’s work. S

Speech by Minister of Tourism, Patricia De Lille

“Economic Impact of the Tourism Sector: Tourism is a key economic driver and it is on the rise” . [6 August 2024].

Agri-ecosystem collaboration demonstrates transformative value

Collaborative stakeholder engagement is an essential driver of inclusivity and sustainability in the South African agricultural sector. At the 2024 Trialogue Business in Society Conference, industry actors and thought leaders demonstrated the trickledown effects of strategic collective efforts that create value.

AA sustainable and profitable agricultural sector that achieves national food security would contribute to the systemic change needed to reduce poverty in South Africa. Speaking of corporate social investment in agriculture, Gugushe explored some of the fundamental challenges facing the sector, particularly the need for greater inclusivity. “For our business prosperity we need to ensure that there is inclusive growth,” she said.

The advanced average age of South African farmers and lack of interest from young people in farming presents a significant future problem, particularly considering Africa’s future population projections. “If we are looking at how the population of Africa is going to grow, we must get young people interested in contributing towards the sustainability of Africa as a whole. Agriculture must be made more attractive,” she said.

DRIVING CHANGE

The financier, FirstRand, is strategic in its approach, partnering with association bodies to identify the crops and commodities most likely to achieve high impact, supporting mentorship and skills development to achieve meaningful change for black farmers. One of these is the Mohair Empowerment Trust (MET), which empowers emerging farmers to commercialise, strengthening the country’s mohair industry in the process. South Africa is currently responsible for 50% of the world’s mohair production.

Mokgwamme says FirstRand’s intervention has enabled, among other things, the supply of interest-free loans to emerging farmers to be paid back over five-year period. Their support has helped to speed up the work of the MET, leading to an overall improvement of the angora goat genetics in the local industry, capacity building through training and increasing attention to adherence to the internationally recognised responsible mohair standard.

Madlendoda noted the importance of support from industry stakeholders in helping farmers through the long profit turnaround times and external shocks that challenge farmers.

FirstRand’s involvement has also helped the trust to reach small-scale angora goat farmers who, while they do not qualify for commercialisation, can benefit from value adds that improve their profits. “It’s

a meaningful impact that we’ve seen in the lives of the people that we’re serving in this trust,” Mokgwamme commented.

BEYOND PRODUCTION

The panel also spoke to the broader challenge of food security facing South Africa, noting that food security is about more than agricultural production. Commenting on the greater importance of access to sufficient food and nutrition, Boraine said, “We have a national crisis. One in four children are malnourished in our country.” The long-term consequences of this reality for children’s lives, their ability to learn, their health and future employment prospects, together with the fact that South Africa has not managed to shift this reality in the past 30 years, points to a deep systemic problem in our food system, he explained.

Boraine urged stakeholders to consider the many facets affecting national food security, from packaging and processing, storage and distribution, retail mark-ups, formal and informal markets, consumer habits, food waste management (with 40% of our food going to landfill) and the current and future effects of climate change on crop and livestock production.

He reinforced the need for collaborative efforts in support of South African food systems, calling for more “transversal work” and the transformation of the system with a better governance framework to coordinate the food system, rather than leaving it to market forces.

Such an approach would demand a systemic change not only in how top-down authorising and bottom-up mobilising environments operate within themselves but in how they relate to each other. Any change demands that authorising systems become more collaborative, reduce the effects of rank and status and regulatory compliance paralysis and work towards a more accessible system for those outside it. Meanwhile, the mobilising environment would benefit from reducing internal competition and finding ways to work together as non-profits, businesses, funders or donors, reinforcing the idea that change starts from within. S

The panel included FirstRand Group Head of Social Investing, Kone Gugushe, Mohair Empowerment Trust (MET) Head, Beauty Mokgwamme, MET beneficiary and Geluk Farm Manager, Johnson Madlendoda, and Independent Partnering and Systems Change Practitioner, Andrew Boraine.

Northern Cape Province: the land of diversity

It is the biggest province yet has the smallest population, it offers the ocean and the desert, the old way of work, mining, and the new, renewable energy. It is a thriving business hub yet, has tranquil environmental beauty.

PROVINCIAL OVERVIEW

The mission of the Northern Cape Office of the Premier is to provide strategic leadership that will stimulate economic growth to its full potential and ensure high levels of social development. The Office of the Premier derives its mandate from the Constitution and is responsible for the implementation of provincial and national legislation within the functional areas and administering national legislation outside those listed which have been assigned to the province; the development and implementation of provincial policy; coordinating the functions of the provincial administration and its departments; and preparing and initiating provincial legislation.

Key policy focus areas derive from its legislative mandates and draw heavily from the Northern Cape Provincial Growth and Development Plan (PGDP). These include, among other things: providing strategic leadership for growing the provincial economy; ensuring that basic services are delivered speedily; promoting good governance; mainstreaming the rights of vulnerable groups across departmental policies; driving the implementation of the PGDP and monitoring and evaluating across the province; strengthening interand intragovernmental relations as well as international relations; and ensuring good fiscal discipline.

The powers of the legislature are set out in Section 114 of the Constitution. The Northern Cape Provincial Legislature appropriates the provincial budget and makes laws citizens must obey. The legislature plays an oversight role by carefully scrutinising the activities of the executive to ensure that services are delivered to citizens and that taxpayers’ money is spent wisely on public programmes and initiatives.

The Northern Cape Land Project has enabled the declaration of five new nature reserves and one new protected environment with several more in the pipeline.

The Northern Cape Provincial Legislature facilitates public involvement in all its processes, and those of its committees, through public education, participation programmes and public hearings. The mission of the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature is to serve the people of the Northern Cape by building a developmental institution for effective lawmaking, public participation, accountability and oversight over the executive and municipalities. The legislature’s strategic goals are to deepen and entrench a people-centred democracy in the Northern Cape.

CONSERVATION

Conservationists gathered in Namaqualand recently to celebrate a decade of successful expansion of protected areas within the Succulent Karoo biome of the Northern Cape. The celebration marked the closing out of the Northern Cape Land Project led by the Wilderness Foundation Africa (WFA) with funding from WWF South Africa through

Namaqua National Park Skilpad.

Andrea Weiss WWF South Africa

the Leslie Hill Succulent Karoo Trust, (LHSKT). Key partners included landowners, SANParks, the Northern Cape’s Department of Agriculture, Environmental Affairs, Rural Development and Land Reform (DAERL) and Conservation South Africa. Appropriately, the celebration was held in the town of Kamieskroon, a gateway to the Namaqua National Park which is world-renowned for its annual spring flower display.

Over the past 10 years, the Northern Cape Land Project has enabled the declaration of five new nature reserves and one new protected environment with several more in the pipeline. This conservation work is done primarily through stewardship agreements with landowners who retain ownership of their land but commit to managing it in conservation-compatible ways while continuing to derive economic benefit from it. Katherine Forsythe,

PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS

• The declaration of five new provincial nature reserves, including four reserves created to protect the Northern Cape’s unique “mountain islands” or inselbergs as part of the Karrasberge Protected Area. Another reserve is awaiting declaration and three more are under negotiation.

• The expansion of the Namaqua National Park that now stands at 170 000 hectares.

• The creation of an ecological corridor linking the Tankwa National Park with the Cederberg as part of a long-held dream that started in 2008 to connect these two great wilderness areas.

• The declaration of the Gys Wiese Protected Environment (PE) adjacent to the Namaqua National Park. Four other PEs are awaiting declaration.

• Sneeukop PE outside Kamieskroon that extends conservation across the N7 from the Namaqua National Park into the Kamiesberg.

WWF project manager with the LHSKT, said a key benefit of the project has been the support WFA has provided to DAERL and SANParks in fine-tuning and streamlining processes and mechanisms for protected area expansion. The work WFA has done in the Northern Cape has helped unlock doors and paved the way for biodiversity stewardship nationally.

Francois van der Merwe, chair of the LHSKT, noted that the threats to the Succulent Karoo were both “real and considerable”. In particular, he highlighted climate change which could see rainfall in the region decrease by some 40%, along with plant poaching and mining. This made the efforts to secure ecological corridors increasingly urgent.

Ben-Jon Dreyer, project manager with WFA, said, “Working on this project has been an eye-opener. There are so many landowners in the Succulent Karoo who realise the biodiversity significance of the land which has been entrusted to them and who strive to be the best possible stewards of it. It truly was a privilege to visit these stunningly beautiful and biodiverse landscapes, which will forever be etched in my memory.”

The work is a visible demonstration that land can remain in private hands and still be actively farmed while also contributing towards conservation targets, proving there need not be a trade-off between farming and conservation.

One issue that has hampered statutory protection of these areas, however, has been the slow processing of proposed protected area submissions with some 22 243 hectares awaiting declaration including one more nature reserve and four new protected environments.

A further eight sites are also under negotiation. Once completed this would contribute a total of 70 000 hectares to conservation. This work adds to South Africa’s protected area strategy and contributes towards the country’s international commitment to the Global Biodiversity Framework in Montreal in December 2022. Known as 30x30, this is a promise made by the international community to conserve 30% of terrestrial and marine environments by 2030. S

View from Sneeukop near Kamieskroon.

.Ben-Jon Dreyer_WFA

REGIONAL OVERVIEW

Investments have been flowing steadily into the Northern Cape as mining and renewable energy projects pique the interest of domestic and international companies. Our national, provincial and local governments are accelerating that flow by pouring resources into the province.

DDIGITAL CONNECTIVITY

The Northern Cape Provincial Government has been actively pursuing a digital strategy to expand access to the Internet. Examples of successful rollouts include free Wi-Fi hotspots at all youth centres and 91% penetration of connectivity at the province’s health facilities. Private companies are doing their bit too, as telecoms operators Vodacom and MTN redouble their efforts to extend the range and quality of their signals across South Africa’s biggest province.

INFRASTRUCTURE

The decision by Colossal Concrete Products to bring the precast concrete factory in De Aar back to life is a significant boost for infrastructure in the province. As the company’s CEO, Gwen Mahuma-Madida, said at the ribbon-cutting in October 2023,

“Africa is rich in natural resources, but much-needed growth and progress are often hampered by lack of finance and the required infrastructure. Colossal Concrete Products understands the pivotal importance of infrastructure development and the impact that this has on the economic development of any country.” With a brief from Transnet Freight Rail to make railway sleepers, Colossal Concrete Products will also be looking to expand into the renewable energy sector (wind towers) and the construction sector more broadly.

Presenting the provincial budget in 2024, Finance MEC, Abraham Vosloo, allocated R20-billion to health and R25-billion to education in a budget of R68-billion. These social services are the main responsibility of this level of government. Provincial priorities are health facilities, schools, roads, housing, energy, water and sanitation.

As Northern Cape Premier, Dr Zamani Saul, says, “Infrastructure investment is the backbone of a thriving economy.”

The Big Hole in Kimberly

At the heart of a modern, growing and successful province is education.

Two public infrastructure property projects that will be tackled in 2024 are a R30-million renovation of the Mayibuye Centre and a R10-million upgrade for the AR Abbass stadium in Kimberley.

Municipalities can receive help in rolling out infrastructure through the Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG) programme.

A Public Infrastructure Unit Cost Guideline has been developed by the Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent (MISA) to help municipalities control the expenditure of MIG money.

ROADS

SANRAL’s most recent work on the N14 involves a R60-million upgrade of three intersections between Olifantshoek and Kathu. This included increasing the size of roundabouts to allow for wider turning circles and improved traffic flow. This was in response to growing numbers of heavy vehicles passing through the Kathu South circle every day. The following roads-related projects also provide employment opportunities: Valazonke Projects, a labour-intensive programme to fix potholes; Welisizwe Programme, construction of rural bridges; S’hamba Sonke Projects, road maintenance on secondary and rural roads.

The Operation Vala Zonke programme had fixed 23 334 potholes at the time of the Premier’s State of the Province in February 2024. In addition, a pothole-fixing programme forms part of the curriculum of the staff taken on by the newly established Northern Cape Construction Company. In the course of studying for a Road Construction Level 3 learnership offered by the Construction Education & Training Authority (CETA), the group’s pothole repairs made a difference to the state of the local roads.

WATER

The Vaal Gamagara Water Supply Scheme (VGWSS) was originally built to supply water to the semi-arid areas of Kalagadi. It has been

expanded to supply to the Dikgatlong, Tsantsabane, Gamagara and Joe Morolong municipalities and nearby mines and farmers. The first phase of an upgrading and replacement project of a 75km between Roscoe and Blackrock has been completed, benefiting about 6 000 households, mines, municipalities, farmers and Transnet. However, the VGWSS has struggled to keep up with demand.

Minerals Council South Africa reports that more than 20 mining companies are paying a premium compared to other users for water in the scheme towards a capital-raising fee to pay for the second phase of the VGWSS. So far, R268-million has been raised from the premium and it is ringfenced for the second phase of the pipeline upgrades, which includes the 260km pipeline between the Vaal River extraction point and Roscoe near Kathu.

The Northern Cape’s biggest town and provincial capital, Kimberley, has been facing infrastructure challenges for some time, particularly regarding water provision. National Treasury has approved funding of R2.5-billion through its Budget Facility for Infrastructure (BFI) for the Sol Plaatje Municipality to repair and upgrade water infrastructure and to improve water quality.

EDUCATION

In 2023, Sol Plaatje University in Kimberley celebrated its 10th anniversary. The first student body was all of 124, but enrolment is now over 5 000 as the institution’s offering and reputation has also grown. Sol Plaatje University (SPU) is named after the great intellectual, writer and advocate for equal rights. One of Plaatje’s books, Native life in South Africa, tells the story in harrowing detail of how black South Africans were thrown off their land because of the 1913 Land Act. He was also a novelist, a translator and one of the founding members and first Secretary-General of the South African Native National Congress (SANNC), which became the ANC.

The Sishen Circle has been widened.

Water infrastructure is being installed where it is needed most. GIC engineers laying pipes in Kathu.

With a brand-new university in the province, it was fitting that the Premier elected to lead the province after the elections of 2019 should be Dr Zamani Saul. Already the holder of a PhD in law, two master’s degrees and a BProc, Dr Saul is studying towards a second PhD. On his watch, education has been a key priority. In his final State of the Province Address in 2024, Dr Saul reported that construction of 19 new schools began during his term of office, eight of which have been completed. R274-million was spent on refurbishment, upgrades and maintenance and 74 schools received sanitation upgrades.

Significantly, the Premier stated, “The proportion of persons aged five to 24 who attended an education institution increased from 64.2% to 70.3% in 2022 in the Northern Cape.” Dr Sauls also announced a skills development and bursary programme to the value of R210-million in partnership with MERSETA. Since 2019, the provincial government’s partnerships with SETAs have benefitted 14 800 young people.

Dr Saul says, “At the heart of a modern, growing and successful province is education. We won’t be able to modernise the province if we do not emphasise the education of our children.” Steps have been taken to modernise the sector, with tablets loaded with EduKite software being distributed to Grade 12 students in 2023, a coding and robotics pilot to be rolled out at 173 schools and another pilot that will see five classrooms around the province converted into cyber labs with modern equipment.

Corporate social investment (CSI) programmes of big solar park and wind farm companies are improving the conditions of educational facilities and giving opportunities where none existed before.

At the celebrations surrounding SPU’s 10th anniversary, Kumba Iron Ore and De Beers Group, two of the biggest mining companies active in the province, donated R20-million and R5-million towards the university’s Lesedi La Afrika Fund will support scholarships and social impact projects.

The fund has set a target of R100-million. Qondakele Sompondo, Director for Institutional Advancement at SPU, said the funding would make a significant impact on the lives of the youth of the Northern Cape.

In 2024, representatives from Kolomela Mine, one of Kumba’s properties, were investigating the possibility of SPU setting up a learning centre in the small town of Postmasburg. In addition to catering to existing SPU students, the centre will allow residents to attend SPU short-course offerings and participate in SPU’s online Talent Pipeline Programme.

SPU has a staff complement where 60% of its academics have PhDs. The academic programme is housed in four schools: education; humanities; natural and applied sciences; economic and management sciences. Bachelor’s degrees are offered in education, science, science in data, ICT, heritage studies, commerce and arts. A diploma in retail business management (three years) and a one-year higher certificate in heritage studies complete the prospectus.

Skills and TVET colleges

The Northern Cape Urban TVET College comprises three campuses in Kimberley: City Campus, Moremogolo Campus and Phatsimang Campus. At City Campus, students have access to three departments: business studies, engineering studies and a business

The Kumba CSI programme supports science education.

An ECD centre is supported by Noupoort Wind Farm.

Kathu campus of Northern Cape TVET College.

unit that organises short courses in partnership with various public and private partners.

The Northern Cape Rural (NCR) TVET College has campuses at Kathu, Upington, De Aar, Kuruman and Namakwaland. These colleges offer students courses in finance, economics and accounting; engineering; IT and computer science; management; hospitality; marketing; and tourism. NCR TVET College has a variety of part-time and short skills programmes delivered in the form of learnerships, internships or apprenticeships.

The Provincial Government of the Northern Cape runs several skills programmes, including the Artisan Construction Programme, a three-year incubation programme aimed at young people, the Phakamile Mabija Apprenticeship (artisan incubation programme) and the S’hamba Sonke Contractor Development Programme.

Sol Plaatje University is teaching data analytical skills to undergraduates and many of them are moving into the financial sector on graduation. Another area where these skills are in great demand is radio astronomy.

One of the world’s great scientific ventures, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) radio telescope project, has been established near Carnarvon and the amount of data that it will generate is so great that it is difficult to comprehend. Many data analysts will be needed. Artisan training has also benefitted from the presence of the SKA in Carnarvon. The new technical training centre has trained students as electricians, fitters and turners, in instrumentation, diesel mechanics, IT and boiler making, as well as in carpentry, plumbing, bricklaying and welding. With the support of the SKA, Carnarvon High School is the only school in the area offering mathematics and science. S

Sol Plaatje University in Kimberley.

Northern Cape Premier, Dr Zamani Saul.

Western Cape wins UN award for public service innovation

The Western Cape Government have been awarded the esteemed Public Service Innovation Award at the United Nations Public Service Forum, which took place in Incheon, South Korea. The provincial government clinched the award out of 400 entries from over 70 countries.

TThis accolade recognises the ground-breaking work the Western Cape Government (WCG) does in service of the residents of the province towards “citizen-centric digital transformation”.

“We have always worked extremely hard in developing and nurturing innovation in our government, which is a key value we hold in high regard. Only by embracing innovation can we continuously improve services, especially for the most vulnerable in our province. We know that sometimes we may not get it right, but you will not succeed if you are not willing to try, fail, try and ultimately succeed – that is at the core of innovation – being willing to try,” said Premier Alan Winde.

The United Nations Public Service Awards recognise excellence in public service. They reward the creative achievements and contributions of public service institutions that lead to a more effective and responsive public administration towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

Representing the WCG at the ceremony were the Department of the Premier’s Centre for e-Innovation (Ce-I) deputy directorgeneral, Hilton Arendse, acting chief director, Aneesa Basha, and director, Marc Cloete. “The successes achieved through this project emphasise our province’s commitment to improving the quality of life of our residents through the innovative and effective use of digital technologies,” Arendse stated.

He added, “This achievement is attributed to the commitment and competence of the more than 400 Ce-I team members who have collaborated across multiple departments to bring this vision to life.

We must also acknowledge our province’s political and administrative executive leadership who have fostered a culture of innovation that enabled us to responsibly explore and implement innovative solutions.”

IMPLEMENTATION PLANS

Implementing the Citizen-centric Digital Transformation Plan is a key programme of the WCG’s priority focus on innovation, culture and governance. The provincial government set ambitious goals to positively impact residents’ lives by leveraging digital technology.

Winde noted that the WCG is successfully transitioning service delivery from traditional methods to a more efficient, reliable and citizen-centred model. He said, “This shift has significantly enhanced the accessibility and quality of government services, particularly benefiting the 70% of the Western Cape’s population that is vulnerable.”

“Through our vision of achieving optimised, citizen-centred service delivery we have consciously shifted the focus from predominantly implementing internal-facing solutions to developing and implementing solutions that either directly or indirectly translate into value delivery to our residents,” explained Basha.

“While this award is a recognition of our past achievements it also serves as encouragement to continue striving towards excellence in achieving public value. This honour should be celebrated widely across the province as it highlights the significant progress we have made and the promising future ahead,” she added.

“Our digital infrastructure initiatives have played a crucial role in bridging the digital divide, ensuring that all residents, regardless of socio-economic status, have access to vital services.

“To this extent, our province’s investment in connecting all government sites to high-speed network connectivity and our large-scale cloud migration were key building blocks of our digital transformation process,” Cloete said.

The WCG remains committed to building on its sound digital government foundations to further improve public services.

The premier concluded, “As much as we pride ourselves on our increased emphasis on innovation, it is also the people behind the scenes, our WCG family of over 90 000 officials, who made this success possible. Thank you for all you do for the people of the Western Cape.” S

Premier

Premier Alan Winde.

People litter everywhere! This litter finds its w ay to the ocean, from streets and fields, via drains, streams and rivers. This w ay it all ends up in the ocean!

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PUBLIC SERVICE SECTOR your career of choice

WHO ARE WE?

The Public Service Sector Education and Training Authority (PSETA) is one of 21 SETAs in South Africa. SETAs are responsible for education and training in all sectors of the economy. PSETA operates in the public service sector and collaborates with national, provincial, and local governments, legislatures, and public entities.

VISION

To be the heart of developing a skilled, capable and innovative Public Sector workforce.

MISSION

• Researching skills demand and supply in the sector;

• Effective delivery of skills development interventions based on occupationally-directed qualifications;

• Monitoring, evaluating and reporting the implementation of Education, Training and Skills Development in the sector;

• A capable institution.

VALUES

• Honesty and Integrity

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• Fairness and Transparency

MOTTO

Developing and Growing People

OUR FOCUS

Transversal skills across all spheres of government. The term ‘transversal’ refers to skills that cut across different tasks and job roles.

TRANSVERSAL OCCUPATIONS WITHIN THE PUBLIC SECTOR (BUSINESS OF GOVERNMENT)

• Administration

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OUR PROGRAMMES INCLUDE:

• Learnerships

• Work Integrated Learning (WIL for TVET/ HEI/ HET)

• Internships

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• Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

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www.pseta.org.za

Tel: 012 423 5700

Please scan the QR code below for more information to access our detailed Career Guide.

Email: Communications@pseta.org.za