Public Sector Leaders | March 2023

MARCH | 2023

Meet servant leader Kedibone Madiehe, CEO of the Government Pensions Administration Agency

THE BUDGET SPEECH

TRAILBLAZER

WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP

Everything you need to know

Founder of the Gift of the Givers, Dr Imtiaz Sooliman - serving humanity

Professor Advocate Thuli Madonsela Creating equality through social justice

Contents

March 2023 | ISSUE 25

Editorial

18

18 | Budget Speech 2023

Navigating a tough fiscal climate with policies for economic growth

36 | Political Participation Increasing women’s roles in decision-making

10

38 | Partnering with government

Working towards developing a social compact

12

44 | The value of water

SA making progress towards achieving SDG6 on water and sanitation

Features 10 | Addressing The Nation

President Ramaphosa on the recent cabinet reshuffle

12 | Cover Story

32 40 | In Other News

A new TB vaccine? - New research brings hope

42 | Regional Focus

Limpopo at the centre of hydrogen-first plans

46 | Legal Matters

Human rights in the workplace

Interview with the CEO of the Government Pensions Administration Agency

48 | Financial Fitness

32 | Trailblazer

50 | Lifestyle

34 | Women in Leadership

52 | Upcoming Events

Gift of the Givers CEO, Dr Sooliman, on his calling to serve

Thuli Madonsela - Creating equality through justice

4 | Public Sector Leaders | March 2023

Your rights and responsibilities as consumers

“Simplicity can result in the sublime.”

March is about what we do for others

40

48

42

50

creditS PubLic Sector LeaderS The Digimag For Leaders In The South African Public Sector Fully Accredited Member of ABC

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6 | Public Sector Leaders | March 2023

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Editor’s LEttEr

By Fiona Wakelin

Letter from the

Editor

I

Welcome to the March edition of public Sector Leaders (pSL)

n his letter to the country on 13 March, His excellency Cyril ramaphosa focused on the recent cabinet reshuffle and how this relates to building a capable and developmental state. H.e. explained that increasing the number of ministries from 28 to 30 had drawn some criticism about the size of the executive while missing the point of why these changes had been necessary as a response to the current needs of the country. “the new ministries i announced last week respond to our current specific needs. As i explained in the State of the Nation Address, we need a Minister to coordinate and drive our response to the electricity crisis. this is a temporary position and the Minister will remain in office only for as long as it is necessary to resolve the crisis. the second new ministry, for planning, Monitoring and evaluation, arises from an appreciation that we need a dedicated focus on ensuring that government effectively implements the programmes that underpin our priorities and is able to fix problems as they arise,” – president ramaphosa. it is a busy month for public sector leaders with our president receiving president Museveni of the republic of uganda for a State Visit; His excellency addressed the presidential High-Level Advocacy breakfast, gender pre-Summit in Addis Ababa, ethiopia ahead of the 36th Au Summit. president ramaphosa is Au Champion on the CoVid-19 pandemic response, and H.e. delivered a report on the Au

of the National development plan, which is to eradicate the triple challenge of unemployment, inequality and poverty,” Kedibone Madiehe.

response to the CoVid-19 pandemic in Africa during the Au Summit in ethiopia; he also delivered the Solidarity Message at the high-level breakfast meeting of Heads of State and government on Africa Centres for disease Control. the month of March celebrates Human rights and it was our privilege to interview our front cover icon, servant-leader, government pensions Administration Agency Ceo, Kedibone Madiehe, whose focus on improving performance is done with the knowledge that working in the public sector is about service: “it’s important to be humble. that’s number one.

Be a servant-leader and let’s all be accountable. As a government component, we’re also responsible for directly and indirectly achieving the goals in the National development plan 2030. We are also responsible for the achievement of the medium-term strategic framework and its priorities.

We must never forget that we are contributing towards the greater goals

8 | Public Sector Leaders | March 2023

in this bumper edition of public Sector Leaders, we unpack the budget speech and take a very interesting look at the percentage of women heads of State in Africa and the rest of the world. our regular features include the calendar of upcoming events and this month we celebrate as our trailblazer dr imitaz Sooliman, Founder of gift of the givers Foundation, the largest disaster response non-governmental organisation of African origin on the continent. in keeping with the theme of Human rights, the Women in Leadership spotlight falls on professor thuli Madonsela who currently holds the Law trust research Chair in Social Justice at Stellenbosch university, and in our Legal Matters section we take a look at Human rights in the workplace. the regional Focus this month zooms in on Limpopo – the province at the heart of the government’s hydrogen-first plan and In other News we bring you an update on tB in South Africa focusing on high burden areas and strategic plans.

Whether you are in the public sector, the private sector, supply chain or an interested individual, pSL has something for you.

We hope you enjoy the read.

Fiona Wakelin | group editor

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Addressing the nAtion

By Fiona Wakelin

The size and form of government should be guided by the country’s needs

10 | Public Sector Leaders | March 2023

I

n his letter to the country on 13 March, His Excellency Cyril Ramaphosa focused on the recent cabinet reshuffle and how this relates to building a capable and developmental state.

H.E. explained that increasing the number of ministries from 28 to 30 had drawn some criticism about the size of the executive while missing the point of why these changes had been necessary as a response to the current needs of the country.

“The new ministries I announced last week respond to our current specific needs. As I explained in the State of the Nation Address, we need a Minister to coordinate and drive our response to the electricity crisis. This is a temporary position and the Minister will remain in office only for as long as it is necessary to resolve the crisis. The second new ministry, for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, arises from an appreciation that we need a dedicated focus on ensuring that government effectively implements the programmes that underpin our priorities and is able to fix problems as they arise.

“At this moment in our country’s history, when we have vast urgent and pressing developmental needs, when we have to undo the devastating and enduring legacy of apartheid, we need an active and capable, developmental state.

It needs to have the resources and ability to tackle challenges like poverty, joblessness, homelessness, illiteracy, lack of social infrastructure and a significant burden of disease,” – President Ramaphosa.

His Excellency went on to say that countries with developed economies do not face these problems and therefore do not need such an active state. As the country’s needs change over time our government will adapt and be responsive – for example at the start of this administration the ministry of human settlements was combined with the ministry of water and sanitation - however, as the burden on the country’s scarce water resources continued to increase, in 2021 the ministries were once again separated.

In 2019 a number of ministries were combined - trade and industry with economic development, higher education and training

with science and technology, environmental affairs with forestry and fisheries, agriculture with land reform and rural development.

In his 2023 State of the Nation Address, H.E. announced that the Presidency and National Treasury would work with other departments to develop a proposal that could be implemented over the next three years. The Presidential State-Owned Enterprises Council is undertaking a similar exercise. It is conducting an in-depth review of all key SOEs. The Council is guided by the needs of the country and the efficient use of available resources.

“We are forging ahead with the process we embarked upon at the start of this administration to build a capable state with entities that add value to government’s programme of action.

“In all this work, we are informed by evidence, experience and the availability of resources. We agree that we need an efficient and lean government, but if we become fixated by head counts, we may lose sight of the point of having a capable state in the first place,” – President Ramaphosa.

March 2023 | Public Sector Leaders | 11

COVER STORY GPAA

12 | Public Sector Leaders | March 2023

LISTENING TO THE VOICE OF THE CLIENT Conversation with servant-leader GPAA CEO, Kedibone Madiehe

“I’m a typical example of a person that made a career out of client services because I grew up in the ranks,” says Kedibone Madiehe, the CEO of the Government Pensions Administration Agency (GPAA). Her journey began in the private sector, where she spent 12 years, before joining the public sector as a General Manager for Client Relations Management. She’s been in the public sector for 9 years and in November 2022 she was appointed Chief Executive Officer of GPAA.

March 2023 | Public Sector Leaders | 13

COVER STORY GPAA

TAKING CARE OF MEMBERS The GPAA is tasked with the administration of pension benefits, funds and schemes on behalf of its customers, which are National Treasury and the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF).

The core business of GPAA is mainly rendering services such as disbursement of military pensions, post-medical retirement subsidies, special pensions and payments for injury on duty as well as administration of government employees’ pension benefits on behalf of its customers.

Before becoming CEO, Kedibone led a Client Relationship Management business unit, which is responsible for managing relationships with stakeholders, including clients (members and beneficiaries), customers (National Treasury and GEPF) and employer departments, which Kedibone describes as being at the coalface of GPAA’s operations.

BROKER CONSULTANT TO CEO Kedibone originally comes from a small town in the eastern Free State called Bohlokong. Her mother was a radiographer, making a living in the city, and Kedibone joined her in Pretoria as a pre-teen as she was raised by her late grandmother. She matriculated from Iona Convent School for Girls - which happens to be down the road from the GPAA offices. It is an Irish Catholic School and she was taught by nuns and priests and her religious background is still solid due to Catholicism teachings which are similar to the Anglican teachings, although she is Anglican by religion.

After her matric, she enrolled at the University of Cape Town, completing a degree in International Relations and Public Administration. Once she completed her undergraduate degree she enrolled for a postgraduate diploma in Organisational Management, followed by her Honours degree in International Relations, still at the University of Cape Town. She later graduated with her Masters in Business Administration (MBA) in 2015. Her dream as a teenager was to become a Diplomat / Ambassador, but she soon realised that getting her qualifications was not enough for her to just join the Department of International Relations upon graduating. Her career began as a Broker Consultant at Momentum.

She was later appointed as the Client Services Manager in the Call Centre on the medical side of the conglomerate, MMI Holdings, and later became a Senior Manager in Customer Experience focusing as an Administrator for Government Employees Medical Schemes (GEMS). “When I started I worked in employee benefits and retirement investments, you know, shortterm and long-term investments,” explains Kedibone. “But when I became a Client Services Manager and later a Senior Manager Customer Experience, I started in a completely different environment.”

The opportunity to be the CEO of the GPAA was a challenge that Kedibone did not shy away from. Instead, her approach was to ask herself what it was that she could do better at the organisation, knowing that she could make a difference.

14 | Public Sector Leaders | March 2023

Her leadership style is fluid, which sees her adapting to the requirements of the situation.

Some situations call for a more direct, autocratic approach.

Other situations may require a more hands-off, laissez-faire approach. One must leave room for compromise, but there are certain areas where a firmer stance is needed.

“I don’t compromise when it comes to work ethics. But when a person gives so much and achieves their targets, it means they love their work and take accountability,” work . explains Kedibone.

THE GPAA’S MANDATE The GPAA is responsible for the administration of pension benefits, funds and schemes on behalf of its customers, which are National Treasury and the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF).

GOING A STEP FURTHER “I had my own vision that I had to sell: what the difference would be,” she says. “You have to look at people, process and technology.”

She explains using a phrase inspired by the call centre environment and regional and mobile offices environment, where agents interact with members daily: “The voice of the client”. Kedibone appreciates the importance of the feedback they receive from clients.

“You hear the complaints and you have to ask yourself, ‘what is it that

March 2023 | Public Sector Leaders | 15

COVER STORY GPAA

we’re doing wrong?’ Then you realise that there are areas of improvement, in terms of people, process and technology.”

It’s her responsibility to ensure that the administration system is reliable and capable of meeting requirements. “How do we do that?”

She quickly realised that, when it comes to how the GPAA is structured, the organisation is centralised, with much of its work taking place in their offices in Pretoria. With the majority of the GPAA’s employees being in the regional offices, decentralisation is key to the GPAA improving on its already splendid performance.

But that doesn’t mean too much has to be decentralised - certain aspects of payments need to be decentralised to ensure they are efficient.

Where decentralisation can play a pivotal role is in the area of unclaimed benefits. Kedibone’s first priority was to fund the implementation of a strategy to deal with unclaimed benefits, which she points out is a huge challenge in the pension industry at large.

It’s important for beneficiaries to receive what they’re entitled to, unfortunately they don’t always know that there are benefits they can claim. The plan she implemented was designed to deal directly with the factors that lead to benefits not being claimed.

“Data cleansing is an example. We prioritise all the data cleansing because if we don’t have clean data, we can’t communicate effectively to our members.”

“We’re going to expand our mobile offices outreach for unclaimed benefits, and we’re going to

16 | Public Sector Leaders | March 2023

invigorate communication.” The GPAA is already in the process of finding regional service agents across the country.

“Secondly, we are currently automating a lot of our processes, such as the scanning of documentation and ensuring we have a state-of-the-art workflow distribution process to ensure member first contact resolution,” says Kedibone. “We are busy with the replacement of the legacy system that we have within the institution. And we’ve gone out in the market and benchmarked ourselves - seeing what other pension funds are doing in terms of system automation, workflow automation, distribution etc.”

The priority at the moment is to use automation to make their processes more efficient than what a manual approach can offer.

“They say it’s better to send five lions to the battlefield than five hundred sheep. That’s what automation is all about. Instead of having five hundred people do the job, just get five lions - which are state-of-the-art systems.” With excess capacity we are able to deploy excess resources to provide one-on-one engagement with employer departments and unclaimed benefits.

Next up on her list of priorities is improving the internal turnaround time. Part of this is finding solutions to the challenges related to documentation that needs to be supplied by the employer which can lead to delays in payment of pension benefits. The GPAA has been engaging with the employer, the Department of Public Service Administration, to address this challenge and continues to engage with other stakeholders.

“We started to have constructive engagements with various regulatory bodies like the Public Service Commission, to see how they can assist us,” says Kedibone.

At the heart of this is her emphasis on client-centricity, which requires a shift in thinking, keeping in mind that failure to perform has real-world consequences such as members being unable to provide for their families.

Another priority Kedibone mentions is curbing fraud from external parties. The GPAA is looking into a biometric system to deal with the use of fake identification documents and the Department of Home Affairs is integral to reducing such cases.

HIGH STANDARDS “Don’t fix it if it’s not broken,” says Kedibone. “There are a lot of things that are being done very well in this institution.”

“We measure our success through the achievement of our annual performance plan. We measure our success through service level agreements. And, most of all, we measure our success through the voice of the customer.”

“If you contact our call centre, you have the opportunity to give us a client satisfaction survey. If you go visit our walk-in centres, you can measure our service.”

The GPAA has designed the survey to not only measure performance based on individual cases, but the whole end-to-end process.

Kedibone is happy to share that 94% of the members are giving brilliant ratings.

“We always say one complaint is one too many.”

When analysing the negative feedback, the GPAA finds that most are about benefits not being paid on time. “What I do with my team, to ensure we do not get found wanting, when we do our operational and strategic plan, we say ‘let’s concentrate on all the cases that are about to be out of the service level agreement and ensure that we process older cases first.’”

But some delays are merely due to the fact that the GPAA has rigorous processes, with checks and balances, which ensure that

payments are accurate with a very small margin for error and immunity to fraudulent attacks This focus on improving performance is done with the knowledge that working in the public sector is about service.

Kedibone calls on us all to be servant-leaders: “It’s important to be humble. That’s number one. Be a servant-leader and let’s all be accountable. As a government component, we’re also responsible for directly and indirectly achieving the goals in the National Development Plan 2030.

We are also responsible for the achievement of the medium-term strategic framework and its priorities.

“We must never forget that we are contributing towards the greater goals of the National Development Plan, which is to eradicate the triple challenge of unemployment, inequality and poverty.

“We are serving that mandate and it’s important to stay grounded and always do the right thing.”

CONTACT INFORMATION Address: 34 Hamilton Street, Arcadia Pretoria

Tel: +27 12 319 1911 Website: www.gpaa.gov.za E-mail: enquiries@gpaa.gov.za

March 2023 | Public Sector Leaders | 17

NavigatiNg a tough fiscal climate with policies for economic growth finance minister enoch godongwana said in the 2023 budget that the government faces a difficult domestic and global economic environment. he said that households are under pressure from the rising cost of living, and unemployment remains stubbornly high.

March 2023 | Public Sector Leaders | 19

Budget Speech

By Jessie taylor

“W

e are navigating this difficult environment with policies that support faster growth and address fiscal risks. Our pursuit of higher growth remains anchored on three pillars,” he said. “firstly, we are ensuring a stable macroeconomic framework to create a conducive environment for savings, investment and growth. secondly, we are implementing growth-enhancing reforms in key sectors, particularly in energy and transport. and thirdly, we are strengthening the capacity of the state to deliver quality public services, invest in infrastructure and fight crime and corruption.” minister minster godongwana said that in the 2023 Budget, the government is allocating additional resources towards these endeavours without compromising the sustainability of public finances.

Fiscal outlook South Africa’s economy grew by around 2.5% in 2022 - an upward revision from the 1.9% projected last year. This is despite global growth estimates for 2023 being revised lower. On the global scale, the International Monetary Fund projects global growth to slow from an estimated 3.4% in 2022 to 2.9% in 2023.

At R4.6-trillion, the size of the economy in 2022 was bigger than the prepandemic levels in real terms, which indicates a robust economic recovery, said Minister Godongwana.

However, the medium-term growth outlook has deteriorated, and real GDP growth is projected to average

1.4% from 2023 to 2025, compared with 1.6% estimated in October.

“In these conditions, government must maintain a prudent fiscal stance. The fiscal consolidation strategy we adopted several years ago has restrained growth, mainly in consumption expenditure, and allowed us to use part of higher-than-expected revenues to reduce the deficit,” said Minister Godongwana.

“As a result, we are bringing the fiscal deficit down without resorting to tax increases or further cuts in the social wage and infrastructure. A primary fiscal surplus will be achieved in the current financial year, and this will be maintained over the medium term.

This is a critical policy stance.”

The consolidated fiscal deficit is projected at 4.2% of GDP for 2022/23, and this will reach 3.2% in 2025/26.

Minister Godongwana said that government debt remains high: • The gross debt stock is projected to increase from R4.73-trillion in 2022/23 to R5.84-trillion in 2025/26 • Debt-service costs are projected to average R366.8-billion annually over the medium term, reaching R397.1-billion in 2025/26.

Finding solutions to energy challenges Minister Godongwana said that the government would be taking over a portion of Eskom’s debt in an effort to ease the pressure on the power utility’s finances and to free up funds for investment into transmission and distribution infrastructure as well as maintenance.

20 | Public Sector Leaders | March 2023

Minister Godongwana added that the lack of reliable electricity supply is the biggest economic constraint facing the country.

“In response, we are acting decisively to bring additional capacity onto the grid. We are also working to transform the electricity sector to achieve energy security in the long- term,” he said.

In addition, R337-billion of Eskom’s debt is already government guaranteed. Taking on this debt will reduce fiscal risk and enhance longterm fiscal sustainability, said Minister Godongwana.

The debt-relief arrangement for Eskom is as follows: • The total debt-relief arrangement for Eskom is R254-billion • R184-billion represents Eskom’s full debt settlement requirement in three tranches over the medium term • R70-billion will be a direct take-over of up to R70-billion of Eskom’s loan portfolio in 2025/26 • Due to the debt relief, government debt is expected to stabilise at a higher level of 73.6% of GDP in 2025/2026 • Because of the debt relief structure, Eskom will not need further borrowing during the relief period The government has announced two tax measures to encourage businesses and individuals to invest in renewable energy and increase electricity generation.

From 1 March 2023, businesses will be able to reduce their taxable income by 125% of the cost of an investment in renewables. There will be no

Minister Godongwana added that the lack of reliable electricity supply is the biggest economic constraint facing the country

March 2023 | Public Sector Leaders | 21

Budget Speech

By Jessie taylor

Our focus is not only on building new infrastructure, but also on maintaining existing infrastructure

thresholds on the size of the projects that qualify.

There will also be a new tax incentive for individuals to install rooftop solar panels to reduce pressure on the grid and help ease loadshedding. Individuals who install rooftop solar panels from 1 March 2023 will be able to claim a rebate of 25% of the cost of the panels, up to a maximum of R15 000. This can be used to reduce their tax liability in the 2023/24 tax year. This incentive will be available for one year. inFrastructure and expenditure The public sector is projected to spend R903-billion on infrastructure over the medium term. Around R448-billion will be spent by state-owned companies, public entities and through publicprivate partnerships.

These spending plans are mostly for strategic projects: • Transport and logistics will spend an estimated R351.1-billion, including for SANRAL to improve the road infrastructure network • Water and sanitation are planned to spend R132.5-billion over the next three years, mainly by the water boards

•

Repairs to the Riverton Water Supply Scheme, which is the only water source and supply system to Kimberly

“Our focus is not only on building new infrastructure, but also on maintaining existing infrastructure. We do this to ensure that it lasts long and performs to the required standard,” said Minister Godongwana.

The government’s expenditure proposals reflect its priorities by making targeted allocations for specific programmes, said Minister Godongwana. Over the medium term, more than 60% of non-interest expenditure goes to the social wage, while spending on buildings and other fixed structures – such as roads and dams – will increase from R62-billion in the current year to R104.2-billion in 2025/26.

Other infrastructure projects include: • The 488-bed Limpopo Central Hospital will begin construction in March.

• Phase 2 of the Welisizwe Rural Bridges programme, which will break ground in April

The 2023 Budget allocates additional funding totalling R227-billion over the medium term. There are several priorities that will be funded through this: • R66-billion is allocated to Social Development

22 | Public Sector Leaders | March 2023

• • •

•

•

R36-billion to fund the extension of the COVID-19 social relief of distress grant until 31 March 2024 R30-billion will be used for inflation-linked increases for other social grants R7.8-billion has been allocated to the South African Police Service to appoint 5 000 police trainees per year The National Prosecuting Authority receives R1.3-billion to support the implementation of the recommendations of the State Capture Commission and the Financial Action Task Force The Special Investigating Unit is allocated R100-million to initiate civil litigation in the special tribunal, flowing from proclamations linked to the recommendations of the State Capture Commission

revenue and tax proposals Tax revenue collections for 2022/23 are expected to total R1.69-trillion. This exceeds the 2022 Budget estimate by R93.7-billion.

Over the medium term, revenue projections are R6-billion higher than the estimates of the 2022 MTBPS, and as a result, there are no major tax proposals in this budget.

The improvement in revenue is due to higher collection in corporate and personal income taxes and in customs duties

“The improvement in revenue is due to higher collection in corporate and personal income taxes and in customs duties. This partially offset the lower value-added tax estimates,” said Minister Godongwana.

Consumers will see the following effects: • The fuel levy and Road Accident Fund levy will not be increased for two years from April

•

•

•

•

Personal income tax brackets will be adjusted for inflation, which will increase the tax-free threshold from R91 250 to R95 750 Medical tax credits will also be adjusted by inflation to R364 per month for the first two members and R246 per month for additional members The retirement and withdrawal lump sum tax table will be adjusted upwards by 10%. This means that at retirement or retrenchment, the once-off taxfree amount will increase to R550 000 Transfer duty will be increased by 10%, allowing properties valued under R1.1-million to avoid any transfer duty payments

There will be an increase in the excise duties on alcohol and tobacco of 4.90% which is in line with inflation.

This means that the duty on: • 340ml can of beer increases by 10 cents • 750ml bottle of wine increases by 18 cents • 750ml bottle of spirits increases

by R3.90 • 23g cigar increases by R5.47 • A pack of 20 cigarettes increases by 98 cents.

Minister Godongwana concluded: “Our economy is facing significant risks. Uncertainty is on the rise. It requires us to do bold things. To put the fear of failure aside and execute the difficult trade-offs needed to get from where we are now, to where we want to be in the future. The measures in this budget reflect these realities and the need to act boldly.”

Sources: SA Gov

March 2023 | Public Sector Leaders | 23

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IntervIew POLMED

Interview with Neo Khauoe, Principal Officer, POLMED Neo Khauoe Principal Officer, POLMED

26 | Public Sector Leaders | March 2023

T

he South African Police Service Medical Scheme (“POLMED”/” Scheme”) is one of the medical schemes established in 1964 by laws for security services.

POLMED is established in terms of the South African Police Service Act, 1995 (Act 68 of 1995) (“SAPS Act”) as amended.

PLEasE unPack thE histOry Of POLMED anD thE sErvicEs thE cOMPany OffErs.

In 2000, POLMED registered with the Council for Medical Schemes (“CMS”) as a closed medical scheme under the Medical Schemes Act (Act 131 of 1998).

Only employees of the SAPS appointed under the SAPS Act, their dependents and continuation members are eligible to be members of POLMED. POLMED, in line with the definition of “business of a medical scheme in the Medical Schemes Act”, raises its revenue through premiums collected from its members.

POLMED, in return for premiums, must provide relevant health care or pay on behalf of a member for relevant health services in line with POLMED’s approved Scheme rules.

POLMED’s Board of Trustees (BOT) approved a medium to a longterm strategic objective to change the Scheme’s business model from a fully-fledged insurance scheme to one where aspects of a Health Maintenance Organisation (“HMO”) will be included. The primary feature of HMO and an insurance health model is that the HMO insources and focuses more on primary and preventative measures to ensure members

remain as healthy as possible for as long as possible and prevent costly hospital admissions.

•

POLMED’s members have access to wellness programmes where primary and preventative measures are accessed via annual health risk assessments including the full immunisation schedule as defined by the National Department of Health.

•

A new Member Engagement and Experience division has been created in POLMED to focus on educating members in selfmanaging their specifically identified diseases based on the members’ claims profiles and geographic distribution.

POLMED’s website assists members with most administrative and logistical information such as a provider search tool where members can search for a network provider closest to their residence.

This is one of the ways POLMED harnesses technology to improve access to health.

What arE thE cOMPany’s fLagshiP PrOgraMMEs? POLMED has two benefit options, namely the Aquarium and Marine plans.

The Marine plan is the largest of the two plans, attracting 61% of the 178 809 Principal members that are registered on POLMED. The Marine plan is POLMED’s flagship programme where members enjoy benefits in excess of the minimum requirements as stipulated in the Prescribed Minimum Benefits, for example:

•

• • • • • •

Chronic medication to chronic diseases Specialised medication (biologicals) Continuous glucose monitoring devices Open hospital network (members are not restricted to accessing certain hospitals) Cochlear implants Home-based care Motorised wheelchairs Extensive specialised dentistry Ex Gratia benefits

as PrinciPaL OfficEr What arE yOur kEy rEsPOnsibiLitiEs? I am the accounting officer of the Scheme and therefore, accountable for the following: • All statutory and administrative functions of the Scheme to ensure the carrying out of all duties as required for the proper execution of the business of the medical Scheme.

• The supervision of the officers employed by the Scheme.

• The collection of and accounting for all monies received and payments authorised by and made on behalf of the Scheme.

• To keep full and proper records of all monies received and expenses incurred by, and of all assets, liabilities and financial transactions of the Scheme.

• Ensure that annual financial statements are prepared and are in compliance with all applicable statutory requirements.

• To effectively manage the investments, other assets and liabilities of the Scheme to take all reasonable steps to protect the confidentiality of medical records concerning a beneficiary’s state of health.

March 2023 | Public Sector Leaders | 27

IntervIew POLMED

With MOrE than 25 yEars Of ExPEriEncE, What, in yOur OPiniOn, havE bEEn thE biggEst changEs in thE hEaLthcarE inDustry?

The biggest change that has had the most profound impact on patient outcomes is the introduction of new technology across all clinical specialities. Diseases that were deemed fatal a few years ago are now being treated like any other chronic disease. Here I am referring to HIV treatment.

Diabetes mellitus is considered to be one of the most prevalent diseases in the 21st century with approximately 422 million sufferers worldwide.

Management of the disease has changed dramatically over the last two decades. Artificial pancreas that detects abnormal sugar levels and automatically adjusts Insulin secretion are implanted in Type I diabetics patients with excellent results.

Continuous glucose monitoring devices that measure one`s glucose level without requiring finger pricks are readily available even though they are currently not as affordable for the majority of members.

An implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) is a small battery-powered device placed in the chest to detect and stop an irregular heartbeat and deliver electric shocks when needed to restore regular heart rhythm.

There is an enormous amount of resources being pumped into research to treat cancer and auto-immune diseases. Amongst the research being conducted in the implementation of nanotechnology

28 | Public Sector Leaders | March 2023

and genetic modification with excellent results. However, it must be pointed out that this new technology and advances come at a cost that is in most cases not affordable to most patients.

What havE bEEn yOur MOst MEMOrabLE MiLEstOnEs as PrinciPaL OfficEr at POLMED? In 2015, when I joined POLMED the Scheme was battling with stakeholder relations at all levels.

POLMED as a result had tumultuous Annual General Meetings (AGMs).

Despite good solvency and the fact that I was the new Principal Officer, and the Board of Trustees was new, the regulator attempted several times to place POLMED under the control of a curator. With studious patience and effort, performance over the years has drastically improved, growth in member funds despite lower-than-inflation member contributions increasing annually. POLMED has also strengthened its provider network and draws on this support to treat POLMED members.

Stakeholder relationship improvement across all spectra including hosting successful AGMs after many years of challenging times around that area is a testimony of this milestone.

During the State of Disaster, Police were required to be on duty to enforce the lockdown.

However, unlike health workers, Police were not prioritised as frontline responders and were not among the first to be vaccinated.

POLMED successfully championed vaccination of its members at their respective work areas and succeeded in boosting many of

its members’ immune systems by providing multivitamins.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, POLMED members had quarantine and isolation sites for their exclusive use, this eased the infection rate from members to their families.

We also participated in the KZN flood drive, providing relief to 100 members and their families after they were adversely affected by the devasting floods. As part of innovative care, the Scheme implemented weight loss and smoking cessation programmes in 2022. These unique activities are intended to empower and equip members to live healthier lives.

In October 2022, the Scheme hosted a health symposium for its members and stakeholders.

PLEasE sharE With us What ExcitEs yOu abOut What yOu DO. I entered the healthcare industry driven by love and compassion for people. I thought nursing would be the perfect opportunity to lend a helping hand. I still cherish my experience of working with the most vulnerable in society and it has given me rich insights into what the majority of our people have to go through in life and how they need to be supported.

This sense of love and compassion continues to drive me every day and makes me love what I do. When I see how our police officers work tirelessly to protect and serve our country and its people, I count it as a privilege and honour to be the accounting officer responsible for putting together the health benefits

that will take care of them in times of need.

Furthermore, it is gratifying to head a Scheme with a model whose basic premise is to create value for stakeholders without motivation for profit, and yet we continue to show impressive growth. Starting with 235 940 insured lives in 2000, the Scheme now covers 492 508 lives, an increase of around 100.8%, making it the fourth largest medical Scheme in South Africa.

Even in the challenging economic environment, POLMED still offers comprehensive benefits and cost-effective contributions.

Based on an independent actuarial analysis that was performed in 2022 utilising the Signal model tool, the Aquarium plan was identified as the most cost-effective plan in the country, taking into consideration the premiums that members pay versus the benefits that they have access to. POLMED is proud of being one of the medical schemes with the lowest non-healthcare expenses of 3.61% in the country. The Scheme is in a good financial position which is evident based on the relatively low member contribution increases that were approved by the BOT for 2023/2024.

March 2023 | Public Sector Leaders | 29

Understanding the risks that the police face and balancing access, cost and affordability are interesting aspects of my role.

When I resolve complex medical issues, leaving our members delighted, I become elated too and wish there were 36 hours in a day so that I could deliver even more service to members. Having worked for more than 11 years with POLMED members in different roles is one of the highlights of my career. hOW iMPOrtant arE Esg PrinciPLEs tO POLMED anD What arE sOME Of thE kEy POLiciEs that rEfLEct a cOMMitMEnt tO thE sustainabiLity Of thE EnvirOnMEnt, sOciaL issuEs anD gOOD, cLEan gOvErnancE? As a non-profit organisation, POLMED appreciates the role it plays in ensuring a safe environment as part of its social responsibility and sound governance principles in business operations.

As a result, ESG is embedded in the Scheme through our responsible business practices and initiatives, to highlight a few: • Reducing our paper usage by issuing all trustees with the necessary hardware and software to conduct their duties electronically without the need to print any documents.

• Providing relief services and support to members during natural disasters and flooding.

• Providing internship opportunities to the children of “Fallen Heroes” (SAPS members that passed on while on duty).

• Empowering black-owned

•

•

enterprises, and specifically black women-owned enterprises within our supply chain.

Empowering women in the workplace, with almost 70% of the POLMED workforce being female.

Working closely with SAPS and labour unions (POPCRU and SAPU) to understand the demanding realities of police work and to serve as a community anchor not only for our members’ medical needs but their holistic well-being.

DO yOu havE Exciting PLans fOr 2023?

POLMED’s BOT has approved three strategic themes that will be considered and implemented for the medium to long term namely: • Repositioning of the Scheme as an exempted Security Services Medical Scheme from the Medical Schemes Act and NHI Bill in compliance with Section 199 of the Constitution.

• Migrating from an outsource to insource business operating model (Vertical Integration) -Self Administration, Data Warehouse solution, Wellness Health Centres and Health Maintenance Organisation.

• Investigate introducing an efficiency discount option (EDO) for cost containment.

• Continue to lobby for an increase in employer contribution in line with medical inflation and member growth.

As we continue to implement the new structure, it is exciting to observe the capabilities of

30 | Public Sector Leaders | March 2023

the new employees that we have employed. Most of whom are highly qualified, driven, hardworking and curious to change how POLMED members’ quality of life can be improved.

POLMED strives for high performance, ethical behaviour, and a culture of zero tolerance for fraudulent activities. Our values of respect, care, response and collaboration are central to our daily activities.

Lastly, we look forward to an improved and collaborative relationship with our regulator.

PLEasE sharE a MEssagE Of insPiratiOn With Our rEaDErs. My advice would be that everyone should strive to have a curious mind, be inquisitive, and challenge the status quo. For us to change the goal post and stretch ourselves, we must endeavour for constant innovative improvement.

We need curious minds that are determined to bring out change.

CONTACT INFORMATION Tel: 0860 765 633 or 0860 POLMED Email: polmed@medscheme.co.za Fax: 0860 104 114 Website: http://www.polmed.co.za Polmed ZA @Polmedza Polmed_za

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Kapitol Industrial Supplies & Services

Your Industry, Our Niche

K

apitol Industrial Supplies & Services is a black, youth, woman-owned B-BBEE Level 1 contributor offering services to surrounding companies and mines focusing on the employment, training and skills development of previously disadvantaged women, producing a quality service while integrating both financial and social community impacts. We base an emphasis on cranes and heavy lifting equipment as our main business model.

We are committed to providing our customers with the best possible service in a manner that is safe and environmentally friendly for our employees and the surrounding community. Project delivery is guided by our unique process-oriented planning, implementation and evaluation methodologies. Our team strives to create solutions that provide our customers with not only lasting environmental benefits, but financial ones too.

OUR MISSION The core objective of the business is to exceed quality standards as a local supplier in order to strongly compete with large cooperatives thus contributing to and transforming economic development of surrounding communities and

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OUR VISION We aim to build, grow and sustain a scalable and profitable venture which supports and transforms operational effectivity and efficiency while prioritising health, safety and environmental impacts.

PLANT HIRE When you’re looking for plant hire, you want a well-maintained piece of machinery, quality service and competitive prices. We use modern equipment and work with a personal approach to meet your requirements.

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ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS Since the company’s formation, we have supported our clients by providing a team of skilled fully-mobile service engineers based around Mpumalanga and surroundings. This enables us to attend most breakdowns within 24 hours, as we fully understand the importance of maintaining production.

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SITE MAINTENANCE SERVICES Our extensive range of industrial cleaning services is designed to maintain your equipment and facilities in a safe, environmentally sustainable and responsible way.

We are also equipped to safely and efficiently manage all industrial and commercial site clean-ups including provision of full supervision, labour and equipment.

CONTACT DETAILS Web: kapitolindustrial.co.za Email: admin@kapitolindustrial.co.za Address: 6 Elande Street, Reyno Ridge Emalahleni 1034

March 2023 | Public Sector Leaders | 31

Trailblazer

By Sinazo Mkoko

O

ne of the greatest writers of all time, Leo Tolstoy once said: “The sole meaning of life is to serve humanity.”

This has been the case with the Founder of the Gift of the Givers, Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, who gave up his career as a medical doctor to start a non-profit organisation which has, over the years, brought a ray of hope to millions of people across the world irrespective of race, religion, culture, class and geography.

Called to serve humanity “Whatever you do, is done through you and not by you.”

32 | Public Sector Leaders | March 2023

Hailing from the “city of expertise”, Potchefstroom, in the North West, Dr Sooliman says forming the organisation wasn’t his idea. He shares that it all started in August 1991 when he first met his spiritual teacher in Istanbul, Turkey at a place of spirituality and he liked what he saw there - the harmony between races, religions, nationalities, colours, cultures and classes at a Muslim place - a place of spirituality.

The following year, Dr Sooliman was in the same place again. At 10 pm on that Thursday night, after a prayer session, his spiritual teacher looked into his eyes and said; “My son, I’m not asking you, I’m instructing you to form an organisation, the name of the organisation will be ‘Waqful Waqifin’, translated into ‘Gift of the Givers’.

“You will serve all people of all races, of all religions, of all colours, of all classes, of all political affiliations and of any geographical location. You will serve them unconditionally, you will expect nothing in return, not even a thank you, this is an instruction for you,

for the rest of your life. Serve people with love, kindness, compassion and mercy and remember the dignity of man is foremost.

“Clothe the naked, feed the hungry and forward water to the thirsty and in everything that you do, be the best, not because of ego but because you’re dealing with human life, human emotion and human suffering. My son, remember that whatever you do, is done through you and not by you.”

Dr Sooliman says it was on that night that the Gift of the Givers was formed and ever since, he’s followed that path for the last 30 years.

Touching on the impact that the organisation has had across the globe over the years, Dr Sooliman says he doesn’t attribute that to himself and he knows that things are done through him and not by him.

“Everything feels so spiritual, on many occasions, whenever I met the teacher, he told me that the organisation would grow. I never understood at that point, but today, 20 years later, I’ve seen the growth - it’s exponential and we’ve reached millions of people every year in difficult situations. I’m extremely pleased to see this growth, it means we’re making a difference in the lives of people in this country, on the continent and across the world,” he said.

He sees great hope for South africa as it is a country of people with a spirit of resilience, who want to build, fix, invest and help

Dr Sooliman says he doesn’t describe himself as a philanthropist as the money doesn’t directly come from him but more of a humanitarian as he gives his entire self, his being, heart and soul to the cause, not purely because of instruction but as means of gratitude to God he and his family are not on the other side.

“We’ve assisted 45 countries, including South Africa and it’s painful on the other side - it’s hardship, suffering, difficulty, sadness, grief and tragedy. And the fact that we’re not on the other side is a huge sense of gratitude and that gratitude has to be manifested in service to people on the other side,” he said.

The great work that the organisation has done over the years continues to be recognised by millions of people with many, finding the organisation and him, as the beacon of hope that could save South Africa from its socioeconomic challenges and calling him to run for president. Dr Sooliman says it’s sad that people want him to be president. “It means they’ve lost total faith in the ruling party, government.

It’s an indictment on the government and the ruling party that they’ve failed the people and they want someone from outside to run the country.

“I can’t be president, the spiritual teacher had the foresight and he told me that you’ll never be in government, politics but you’ll always work with government and for 30 years, we’ve been working with government,” he says.

He adds that apart from the spiritual side, there’s too much obstruction in the government and working from the outside, they manage to bypass all those hurdles.

Touching on the challenges that they encounter in this line of work, Dr Sooliman says the immense needs in every province of this country in various fields and the biggest challenge is how they get to everyone that needs help, in the country, continent and beyond. “The reality is, we can’t help everything, so we learn to be realistic and we do the best we can.

Fortunately, in most cases, we’re called by the government and given an open way to do what’s necessary. Yes, we stand up and criticise the government but at the same time, we don’t leave it at criticism, we encourage what’s good within them, hold their hand and try to do things the right way,” he said.

On the hopes that he has for South Africa, and the world at large, he says he sees great hope for South Africa as it is a country of people with a spirit of resilience, who want to build, fix, invest and help. “We need decisive leadership, a government that can set an example, clear corruption and create opportunities. We need discipline in every structure of the government, once the community sees that, they will follow leadership and discipline. All aspects in every sector of society, we need four critical elements; spirituality, morality, values and ethics.

“We need to upskill people, we need to take people who are skilled to help build the country, and skilled people need to create opportunities for the unskilled to get skilled and create jobs. We need our lawyers, doctors, accountants, engineers and more to come back and contribute in a meaningful way without being obstructed. There’s enough goodwill from corporates, individuals, and professionals who want to make a difference,” he said.

March 2023 | Public Sector Leaders | 33

Women in Leadership

By Jessie Taylor

Thuli Madonsela

- Creating equality through social justice

a

s one of the most unequal societies in the world, south africans grapple with the enormous differences between the haves and have-nots. at the heart of addressing this inequality, is the concept of social justice. The country’s foremost champion for social justice is Professor advocate Thuli Madonsela, law Trust Research Chair in social Justice at stellenbosch university.

FighTing For change Prof. Madonsela conducts and coordinates social justice research and teaches constitutional and administrative law. She is also the founder of the Thuma Foundation, an independent democracy leadership and literacy social enterprise.

An advocate of the High Court of South Africa, Prof. Madonsela has been a lifelong activist on social justice, constitutionalism, human rights, good governance and the rule of law. She is one of the drafters of the Constitution and co-architect of several laws, such as the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act, the Employment Equity Act and the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act.

in her role at stellenbosch University, Prof. Madonsela has become one of the most eminent advocates for social justice

In 2014, she was named one of TIME100’s most influential people in the world. In 2016, she was named Forbes Africa Person of the Year 2016. Prof. Madonsela has been awarded several Lifetime Achievement Awards and has five honorary doctor of law degrees.

Prof. Madonsela previously held a seven-year term as South Africa’s Public Protector and has served as a full-time Commissioner at the South African Law Reform Commission. She was one of the founding members of the South African Women’s Lawyers Association. In her role at Stellenbosch University, Prof.

Madonsela has become one of the most eminent advocates for social justice.

The formal definition of social justice explains it to be, “the equal enjoyment of all rights and freedoms regardless of human

34 | Public Sector Leaders | March 2023

diversity reflected in the fair and just distribution of all opportunities, resources, benefits, privileges and burdens in a society or group and between societies.”

Implementing this is simple, says Prof. Madonsela. It means finding a way to make a difference, finding a way to help those in need.

“We need to make the lofty ideals of our wonderful Constitution part of the lived reality of all people. We urgently need to bridge the divide between the haves and the havenots and that is where the idea of social justice comes to the fore. I believe that poverty and inequality operate exponentially and if they are not arrested significantly, they are bound to increase rather than decrease,” she says. inclUding all soUTh aFricans in social JUsTice reForMs One of the ways to address this divide is through increased access to education, says Prof. Madonsela “What is telling is the youth unemployment rate, which currently sits at 59% but for graduates in the same group is at 33%. Education is a key driver to South Africa’s economic prosperity and the ability of the country’s citizens to create and partake in a mobilised economy,” says Prof.. Madonsela “As a community, we need to be actively involved in supporting students and help in tackling the education funding crisis we find ourselves in. This is one of the steps

we can make to ensure social justice is a lived reality for more people in our nation.”

Another way to increase equality is through social welfare. This includes the rollout of the Social Relief of Distress Grant, which Prof.

Madonsela believes, at R350, is not a feasible amount in comparison to the cost of living. She says that a conversation about social development needs to be ignited so that the potential of people is realised, that those who wish to earn their own income can do, and those that want to be self-sufficient are enabled to do so, she says.

Prof. Madonsela has also stated that a focus needs to be placed on righting the wrongs of the past by giving back resources that were taken from communities during apartheid and colonialism.

“Part of the reason our GDP is not growing and collectively we’re not moving forward is that so many people are tied up in the shackles that were imposed on them by colonialism, apartheid, and patriarchy,” she says.

Prof. Madonsela believes social justice ideals can be taught and has suggested using platforms such as the Social Justice Explorer- a game aimed at systematising the implementation of a Social Justice Impact Assessment Matrix (SIAM). The SIAM allows the government to

assess the impact of planned laws, policies and social schemes to predict whether they will reduce or exacerbate existing inequalities.

“I [recommend] that we explore serious gaming to enhance the appreciation of modern inequality, particularly among legislators and policymakers. This should provide the tools to predict the likelihood of innocuous laws, policies and social schemes exacerbating inequality when implemented, in the betrayal of social justice commitments in domestic constitutional and international treaties,” she says.

But ultimately, Prof. Madonsela believes the power to create social justice is in the hands of all of us.

“This journey towards the achievement of social justice … starts, I believe, in the way we live our lives each day. Find the ways – big or small – in which you can help your neighbour.

Every contribution and every bit of effort will make a difference,” she says.

As a community, we need to be actively involved in supporting students and help in tackling the education funding crisis

Source: Feenix| WorldJusticeProject| CapeTalk| News24

March 2023 | Public Sector Leaders | 35

RepResentation in GoveRnment

By Jessie Taylor

Political participation Increasing women’s roles in decision-making

D

espite the wide acknowledgement of the importance of women’s involvement in political leadership, women remain underrepresented in decision-making roles worldwide. Increasing women’s participation in politics is at the core of the Sustainable Development Goals – but at the current rate, we will be hard-pressed to make the 2030 targets.

a way To go To reach gender pariTy African countries, in particular, are struggling to reach parity in participation in political decision-making. According to the first Women’s Political Participation (WPP) Africa Barometer 2021, women constitute 24% of the 12 113 parliamentarians in Africa.

They make up a quarter of the representatives in the lower houses and a fifth in the upper houses of parliament – below the global average.

Local governments don’t fare much better, with women making up only 21% of the councillors in the 19 countries with data available.

The Barometer found that women were missing in cabinet roles (with only 22% representation) and other top decision-making positions

- women held only 7% of the executive political posts (presidents, vice presidents, prime ministers and deputy prime ministers) across the continent. However, female representation in African politics varies drastically from region to region. The Barometer found 33% in the Horn of Africa but only 16% in West Africa. Women’s representation in African parliament ranged from 61% in Rwanda to Nigeria, with only 6% women in parliament. While the gender gap may be stark in parts of Africa, the lack of female representation in the political sphere is a global concern. According to data from the United Nations (UN), fewer than 30 countries have women holding a head of government or state position.

At the current rate, gender parity in ministerial positions will not be achieved before 2077, the UN has estimated, and gender equality in the highest positions of power will not be reached for another 130 years.

Creating a better society for all There are numerous barriers to women’s political participation.

Many African cultures include elements of patriarchy, which has seen women’s cultural role limited to wives, mothers and homemakers.

There is also often a cultural belief that women are supposed to be led but not to lead.

36 | Public Sector Leaders | March 2023

The burden of household chores and child care often limit women’s access to the political sphere and have less access to education than men. Women also often face a lack of economic resources, which prevents them from paying nomination fees as political candidates and other costs associated with political campaigns.

Women also face discriminatory attitudes and norms, and in some countries, they are limited by threats of political violence. Political instability in some African countries has also prevented women from participating in politics.

Women have the right to equal participation in political decisionmaking. At the heart of democracy is the fair representation of all groups in society. The non-representation of women in the political sphere violates this principle.

However, there is also growing evidence that women’s increased political participation can benefit society as a whole – it has been shown to improve political decision-making processes and increase collaboration across party lines. A higher number of women in parliament has also been shown to bring more attention to women’s issues, including gender-based violence.

women and The susTainaBle developmenT goals The Sustainable Development Agenda, adopted by UN Member States in 2015, set a 2030 deadline for the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls. At a global level, the Sustainable Development Goal 5 on gender equality provides for the increase and meaningful participation of women in political decision-making.

This goal seeks to create, among other forms of equality, balanced political participation and power-sharing between women and men.

African nations have also committed to gender equality through the Protocol to the African Charter on the Rights of Women in Africa (‘the Maputo Protocol’), which was adopted in 2003. The Maputo Protocol guarantees extensive rights to African women and girls, including roles in political processes, economic empowerment, reproductive health and rights and ending violence against women However, most countries in the world have not achieved gender balance, including many African nations. Some African countries have surpassed the 50% mark of women in political decision-making at a parliament level, but there still remains inequality from the local government level to the cabinet level.

30 counTries (5 in africa)

how many countries are there in the world?

15%

- 197

of the world’s countries have female leaders. how many counTries in The world have Female leaders?

Bangladesh: Sheikh Hasina (Prime Minister) Barbados: Mia Mottley (Prime Minister) and Sandra Mason (President) Bosnia and herzegovina: Borjana Krišto (Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers) denmark: Mette Frederiksen (Prime Minister) equatorial guinea: Manuela Roka Botey (President) estonia: Kaja Kallas (Prime Minister) ethiopia: Sahle-Work Zewde (President) Finland: Sanna Marin (Prime Minister) France: Élisabeth Borne (Prime Minister) georgia: Salome Zourabichvili (President) greece: Katerina Sakellaropoulou (President) honduras: Xiomara Castro (President) hungary: Katalin Novák (President)

iceland: Katrín Jakobsdóttir (Prime Minister) india: Droupadi Murmu (President) italy: Giorgia Meloni (Prime Minister) Kosovo: Vjosa Osmani (President) lithuania: Ingrida Šimonytė (Prime Minister) moldova: Maia Sandu (Prime Minister) nepal: Bidya Devi Bhandari (President) peru: Dina Boluarte (President) samoa: Fiamē Naomi Mata‘afa (Prime Minister) serbia: Ana Brnabić (Prime Minister) singapore: Halimah Yacob (President) slovakia: Zuzana Čaputová (President) slovenia: Nataša Pirc Musar (President) Taiwan: Tsai Ing-wen (President) Tanzania: Samia Suluhu Hassan (President) Togo: Victoire Tomegah Dogbé (Prime Minister) Trinidad and Tobago: Paula-Mae Weekes (President) Tunisia: Najla Bouden (Prime Minister)

Sources: UN Women | OECD | Brookings | Equality Now | Idea

March 2023 | Public Sector Leaders | 37

RepResentation in GoveRnment

By Jessie Taylor

Political participation Increasing women’s roles in decision-making

D

espite the wide acknowledgement of the importance of women’s involvement in political leadership, women remain underrepresented in decision-making roles worldwide. Increasing women’s participation in politics is at the core of the Sustainable Development Goals – but at the current rate, we will be hard-pressed to make the 2030 targets.

a way To go To reach gender pariTy African countries, in particular, are struggling to reach parity in participation in political decision-making. According to the first Women’s Political Participation (WPP) Africa Barometer 2021, women constitute 24% of the 12 113 parliamentarians in Africa.

They make up a quarter of the representatives in the lower houses and a fifth in the upper houses of parliament – below the global average.

Local governments don’t fare much better, with women making up only 21% of the councillors in the 19 countries with data available.

The Barometer found that women were missing in cabinet roles (with only 22% representation) and other top decision-making positions

- women held only 7% of the executive political posts (presidents, vice presidents, prime ministers and deputy prime ministers) across the continent. However, female representation in African politics varies drastically from region to region. The Barometer found 33% in the Horn of Africa but only 16% in West Africa. Women’s representation in African parliament ranged from 61% in Rwanda to Nigeria, with only 6% women in parliament. While the gender gap may be stark in parts of Africa, the lack of female representation in the political sphere is a global concern. According to data from the United Nations (UN), fewer than 30 countries have women holding a head of government or state position.

At the current rate, gender parity in ministerial positions will not be achieved before 2077, the UN has estimated, and gender equality in the highest positions of power will not be reached for another 130 years.

Creating a better society for all There are numerous barriers to women’s political participation.

Many African cultures include elements of patriarchy, which has seen women’s cultural role limited to wives, mothers and homemakers.

There is also often a cultural belief that women are supposed to be led but not to lead.

36 | Public Sector Leaders | March 2023

The burden of household chores and child care often limit women’s access to the political sphere and have less access to education than men. Women also often face a lack of economic resources, which prevents them from paying nomination fees as political candidates and other costs associated with political campaigns.

Women also face discriminatory attitudes and norms, and in some countries, they are limited by threats of political violence. Political instability in some African countries has also prevented women from participating in politics.

Women have the right to equal participation in political decisionmaking. At the heart of democracy is the fair representation of all groups in society. The non-representation of women in the political sphere violates this principle.

However, there is also growing evidence that women’s increased political participation can benefit society as a whole – it has been shown to improve political decision-making processes and increase collaboration across party lines. A higher number of women in parliament has also been shown to bring more attention to women’s issues, including gender-based violence.

women and The susTainaBle developmenT goals The Sustainable Development Agenda, adopted by UN Member States in 2015, set a 2030 deadline for the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls. At a global level, the Sustainable Development Goal 5 on gender equality provides for the increase and meaningful participation of women in political decision-making.

This goal seeks to create, among other forms of equality, balanced political participation and power-sharing between women and men.

African nations have also committed to gender equality through the Protocol to the African Charter on the Rights of Women in Africa (‘the Maputo Protocol’), which was adopted in 2003. The Maputo Protocol guarantees extensive rights to African women and girls, including roles in political processes, economic empowerment, reproductive health and rights and ending violence against women However, most countries in the world have not achieved gender balance, including many African nations. Some African countries have surpassed the 50% mark of women in political decision-making at a parliament level, but there still remains inequality from the local government level to the cabinet level.

30 counTries (5 in africa)

how many countries are there in the world?

15%

- 197

of the world’s countries have female leaders. how many counTries in The world have Female leaders?

Bangladesh: Sheikh Hasina (Prime Minister) Barbados: Mia Mottley (Prime Minister) and Sandra Mason (President) Bosnia and herzegovina: Borjana Krišto (Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers) denmark: Mette Frederiksen (Prime Minister) equatorial guinea: Manuela Roka Botey (President) estonia: Kaja Kallas (Prime Minister) ethiopia: Sahle-Work Zewde (President) Finland: Sanna Marin (Prime Minister) France: Élisabeth Borne (Prime Minister) georgia: Salome Zourabichvili (President) greece: Katerina Sakellaropoulou (President) honduras: Xiomara Castro (President) hungary: Katalin Novák (President)

iceland: Katrín Jakobsdóttir (Prime Minister) india: Droupadi Murmu (President) italy: Giorgia Meloni (Prime Minister) Kosovo: Vjosa Osmani (President) lithuania: Ingrida Šimonytė (Prime Minister) moldova: Maia Sandu (Prime Minister) nepal: Bidya Devi Bhandari (President) peru: Dina Boluarte (President) samoa: Fiamē Naomi Mata‘afa (Prime Minister) serbia: Ana Brnabić (Prime Minister) singapore: Halimah Yacob (President) slovakia: Zuzana Čaputová (President) slovenia: Nataša Pirc Musar (President) Taiwan: Tsai Ing-wen (President) Tanzania: Samia Suluhu Hassan (President) Togo: Victoire Tomegah Dogbé (Prime Minister) Trinidad and Tobago: Paula-Mae Weekes (President) Tunisia: Najla Bouden (Prime Minister)

Sources: UN Women | OECD | Brookings | Equality Now | Idea

March 2023 | Public Sector Leaders | 37

Social compact

By Jessie Taylor

Working towards developing a social compact

P

resident Cyril Ramaphosa has vowed to continue work on social compact initiatives to reduce unemployment and drive economic growth meaningfully.

During his State of the Nation Address (SONA) in February, President Ramaphsoa said the government had spent a year working towards forging a comprehensive social compact that would join all social partners in a common programme to rebuild our economy and enable higher economic growth.

including social parTners for economic soluTions Over the last year, the government has been working with social partners to finalise a comprehensive social compact to grow the economy, create jobs and combat hunger. This has seen a team led by the ministers of Employment and Labour, Trade, Industry and Competition, and Finance meeting with social partners to map out the priorities that must be reflected in the new social compact.

A framework for a social compact is under development and will identify priority actions to achieve

38 | Public Sector Leaders | March 2023

We have seen the benefits of this approach to promote investment and to develop master plans in sectors of the economy

higher levels of investment and growth, increase employment, unleash the dynamism of the private sector, protect the rights of workers, expand support for the unemployed and tackle extreme poverty, said President Ramaphosa.

a framework for a social compact is under development and will identify priority actions

“The proposed compact builds on many of the key tenets of the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan, such as job creation, accelerating structural reform and growth-enhancing measures, the expansion of mass public employment and social protection, and driving economic inclusion through greater entrepreneurial activity,” he said.

President Ramaphosa said that while much had been done in creating the social compact, the government’s work was not yet complete.

“We were not able to conclude a social compact in the timeframe we had envisaged because a number of new circumstances emerged that made it difficult for social partners to forge a consensus,” the President said.

“The social partners have expressed their intention to conclude a social compact and have continued to work on a framework to enable joint action in key areas such as energy, transport and logistics, employment creation and skills development, investment and localisation, social protection, crime and corruption.”

However, a number of other compacts have been concluded among social partners, said President Ramaphosa.

“We see the commitment of all social partners in the compacts that have been forged to fight the COVID-19

pandemic and undertake the largest vaccination programme in our history. We have seen it in initiatives like the Solidarity Fund that mobilised society, citizen activism and funding to achieve common goals, and in partnerships to end gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), and to respond to the effects of climate change,” he said.

“We have seen the benefits of this approach to promote investment and to develop master plans in sectors of the economy such as automotive, clothing and textiles, poultry, sugar, agriculture and global business services.”

A focus on creating employment President Ramaphosa added that the master plans that have been concluded are supporting the revival of their sectors, the injection of investment by the private sector and the creation of new jobs and livelihoods.

“We are pleased that social partners, particularly business, has [sic] been providing support to implement the Energy Action Plan in the spirit of social compacting. Similarly, we have developed a close working partnership with both labour and community in supporting other aspects of the energy crisis response,” he said.

Adding to the President’s sentiments during the SONA debate, Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi said social compact initiatives are critical to promoting job creation.

Minister Nxesi said that there is a broad agreement from the social partners on eight priority interventions, and they anticipate that five or more

economic sector compacts will come out of this process, as with the Eskom social compact.

Minister Nxesi added that the department is in the process of establishing an Employment Creation Coordination Committee. The committee is to be chaired by the Deputy President and will include Economic, Infrastructure and Employment Ministers, organised business and labour, and community organisations.

The committee will be tasked with ensuring intergovernmental alignment, guided by pro-employment policies; a relevant skills and educational framework; the extension of social protection to workers, and support for work-seekers.

“The committee will further be tasked with ensuring an ecosystem that promotes sustainable enterprise development, self-employment and positive regulation for the informal sector, and a labour migration policy and a legislative framework that manages migration to and from South Africa to benefit the economic needs of our country,” said Minister Nxesi.

In the meantime, the implementation of the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan will continue, the president has stressed.

“The work to grow the economy and create jobs is going ahead with the support of all economic stakeholders.

There has been significant progress … in implementing economic reforms, expanding public and social employment programmes in an unprecedented manner, working to bring new electricity generation capacity online and mobilising new investment,” he said.

Sources: ISA Gov | SA News

March 2023 | Public Sector Leaders | 39

In Other news

By KoKetso MaMaBolo

A new TB vaccine?

New research brings hope

A

ccording to TBFacts.org, 80% of the South African population is infected with TB bacteria. The good news is the majority have latent, rather than active TB. This means the number of bacteria is small enough for your immune system to handle and for no symptoms to surface.

The bad news is that South Africa has a high prevalence of active tuberculosis cases, but recent developments from the University of Cape Town suggest we’re getting closer to more solutions.

Hope at tHe end of tHe tunnel Part of the University of Cape Town’s Health Sciences Faculty, the South African Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative (SATVI) has the singular focus of developing a vaccine for tuberculosis. “A new, effective vaccine has the potential to save hundreds of thousands of lives worldwide,” according to SATVI. “We are testing multiple new vaccine candidates in clinical trials. We are also completing projects to address critical clinical, epidemiological, immunological and human genetic questions in TB vaccine development.”

40 | Public Sector Leaders | March 2023

Dr Munyaradzi Musvosvi, TB research officer at SATVI, recently told an NPR reporter about a breakthrough they had made in finding that could aid the development of an mRNA vaccine for TB. The current vaccine only works for children, and the latest progress could lead to people of all ages receiving the necessary protection.

Using blood samples from high school students that had been frozen for years, Dr Musvosvi and other researchers went about trying to find out what the difference was between those who had shown signs of exposure to TB, without getting sick, and those who did fall ill.

“This year the team was able to publish their findings in the journal Nature Medicine. Just as they’d hoped, they discovered several T-cells that were far more common to people who are able to control TB. And they’ve been able to determine several TB proteins that these T-cells focus on,” continues Azienman. “... and what we’re trying to do here is to identify priority targets that vaccine developers could then use to develop a TB vaccine that is more efficacious,” says Dr Musvosvi.

we are testing multiple new vaccine candidates in clinical trials

Although it will take years for a prototype vaccine to be developed using the research from SATVI, the for-profit and nonprofit efforts could prove a telling breakthrough.

According to the World Health Organisation’s annual Global Tuberculosis Report from last year, South Africa recorded 304 000 TB cases in 2021, 56 000 of which resulted in death.

“Did the exposed students who never got sick have a different set of immune cells [sic]. And, if so, were those immune cells – they’re called T-cells – latching on to different, presumably more vulnerable, parts of the TB bacteria?” writes NPR’s Nurith Aizenman, who Dr Musvosvi took through the facility where the samples were kept.

tB around tHe world

Stanford researcher, Huang Huang came up with an innovation which allowed SATVI researchers to find out more about the behaviour of T-cells when they were responding to proteins. A partnership was born.

Of great concern is that more than half of the people who fell ill were also HIV-positive, resulting in 33 000 deaths, almost 60% of the total number of TB-related deaths in the country.

10.6 Million fell ill in 2021 1.6 Million deaths in 2021 (Source: WHO)

“If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that with solidarity, determination, innovation and the equitable use of tools, we can overcome severe health threats.

Let’s apply those lessons to tuberculosis. It is time to put a stop to this long-time killer.

Working together, we can end TB,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the DirectorGeneral of the WHO, after the release of the report.

national strategic plan for HiV, tB & stis 2023 - 2028 Cabinet recently published the NSP for HIV, TB & STIs for the next five years. “... this NSP outlines comprehensive strategic objectives and priority interventions to be carried out to get the HIV, TB and STIs response on-track to eliminating these diseases as public health threats by 2030,” reads the outline to the document.

The NSP sets out four goals: 1. Break down to achieving HIV, TB and STIs solutions 2. Maximise equitable and equal access to HIV, TB and STIs services and solutions 3. Fully resource and sustain efficient NSP led by revitalised, inclusive and accountable institutions 4. Build resilient systems for HIV, TB and STIs that are integrated into systems for health, social protection and pandemic response.

March 2023 | Public Sector Leaders | 41

Regional Focus

By Jessie Taylor

Limpopo

At the heart of the government’s hydrogen-first plans

M

ore than R1.5-trillion is expected to be invested into the renewable energy sector over the next five years through the government’s Just Energy Transition Investment Plan.

Among the investments will be the unlocking of key green hydrogen routes, which will see significant economic growth in the Limpopo province.

supporTing The TransiTion To renewaBle energy The Hydrogen Valley initiative, raised by President Cyril Ramaphosa in his State of the Nation Address, looks to partner with the private

sector to transition to renewable energy options in the transport and mining sectors.

The Hydrogen valley will stretch from the mineral-rich bushveld area of Limpopo, through the country’s industrial centre and to the busy ports of Durban and Richards Bay. Starting in Mokopane – where platinum group metals are mined – the valley will stretch approximately 835 kilometres.

It is likely to bring significant employment and investment opportunities to the province while reducing the mining and transport sectors’ dependence on coal.

42 | Public Sector Leaders | March 2023

The concept is being driven by a collaboration between the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), the South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI), Anglo American, Bambili Energy and ENGIE. It is envisaged as a means of kickstarting the hydrogen industry in South Africa.

a Just energy Transition Centre is to be established with the aim of reskilling workers to participate in renewable energy industries

The Hydrogen Valley Initiative will see the establishment of several green hydrogen hubs, in partnership with the private sector, in Limpopo, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.

The Mogalakwena and Limpopo hub will encourage the use of green hydrogen in the mining industry, starting with using it in the fuel of mining trucks.

The corridor’s focus will include switching heavy-duty diesel trucks to heavy-duty fuel cell trucks. The aim is to encourage the transport sector to be fuelled by hydrogen.

The initiation is expected to contribute between R50-billion and R131-billion to the country’s GDP by 2050. Between 14 000 to 30 000 jobs could be created every year.

The Hydrogen Valley project in South Africa has the potential to boost the country’s economy significantly. A feasibility study showed that the project could add anywhere between R70-billion to R160-billion to South Africa’s GDP. The plan to increase the demand for hydrogen could see the planned hubs increasing production by 80% to 185 000 tons by 2030.

Building a workforCe To supporT The move To renewaBles The plans for the Hydrogen Valley have been in the pipeline for several years, and the initiative will form a key part of the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan.

The government has released the Hydrogen Society Roadmap, which acts as a framework for driving economic recovery by using

hydrogen technologies. It sets out the government’s plans for the industry over the next decade.

The roadmap shows the government’s ongoing support of research, development and innovation in the green hydrogen sector.

Part of supporting this industry is developing the skills necessary to drive its growth, which has been driven by the Hydrogen South Africa programme and other bursary schemes, including from the National Research Foundation.

Last year, Cabinet approved the continued support of the Hydrogen South Africa programme for another ten years after an initial 15 years.

Studies have also been commissioned to look into how Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges can support skills development for the hydrogen economy, and short courses have already been developed to train unemployed TVET graduates in the installation, operation and maintenance of hydrogen and fuel cells.

Under the roadmap, a Just Energy Transition Centre is to be established with the aim of reskilling workers to participate in renewable energy industries such as hydrogen.

With the right investment, South Africa has the potential to be a global leader in the hydrogen market. The country has significant natural renewable resources and mineral reserves that can support the demand for green hydrogen.

Increasing the demand for hydrogen locally, as well as seeking

out export markets, will help support the economic growth and job creation that the sector promises.

The Hydrogen Valley initiative is just one of the new frontiers the government is championing under the Just Energy Transition Investment Plan. Several projects are already underway, including the development of a new facility by Sasol at Boegoebaai in the Northern Cape and the Prieska Power Reserve in the Free State.

whaT is green hydrogen?

Green hydrogen is a zeroemissions fuel produced through electrolysis. The process uses renewably generated electricity (such as solar or wind) that splits water into hydrogen and oxygen.

Green hydrogen holds significant promise to help meet global energy demand while contributing to climate action goals by providing sectors such as mining, transport, manufacturing and electricity generation with a renewable energy option.

The potential use and demand for hydrogen are increasing, with more sectors looking at green options amid falling renewable energy prices and the growing commercial viability of green hydrogen production.

Sources: World Bank | Business Tech | SA Gov | News24 | South African Business

March 2023 | Public Sector Leaders | 43

The Value of WaTer

By Sinazo Mkoko

SA making progress towards achieving SDG6 on water and sanitation

O

n 22 March, the world will mark World Water Day. The day is aimed at encouraging efforts to accelerate change to solve the water and sanitation crisis across the globe. This year’s global campaign is “Be the change”, and it encourages everyone to take action in their lives to change how they use, consume and manage water.

Delivering his Budget Speech in February, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana said climate change poses considerable risks

and constraints to sustainable economic growth in South Africa and recent events have shown that extreme weather events such as floods, heatwaves and drought are occurring more often.

It’s a well-known fact that South Africa is a water-scarce country and loadshedding amongst other challenges also adds to the pressure.

In the Western Cape, the City of Cape Town has said that loadshedding is having an impact on water supply operations in Cape

44 | Public Sector Leaders | March 2023

Town, notably in higher-lying areas where water needs to be pumped to get to properties.

The City urged residents to play their part in reducing water usage so the City can maintain the supply during prolonged high stages of loadshedding and reduce the collective water use to 850 million litres per day.

Acting Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation, Councillor Siseko Mbandezi, said the reservoirs are not able to fill up “fast enough because of the prolonged period of load-shedding.”

Meanwhile, the Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation, Ms Dikeledi Magadzi, has expressed confidence in the work being carried out by the department, along with key several stakeholders in the sector towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG6) on water and sanitation.

Deputy Minister Magadzi was delivering a keynote address during a two-day Midterm Review workshop on the Sustainable Development Goals in Pretoria on 22- 23 February 2023.

She told the delegates that, through the country’s National Water & Sanitation Master Plan and the National Water Resource Strategy in particular, South Africa has developed arguably the most effective operational structure for the implementation of SDG6 on the African continent.

“Using less water will help deal with operational challenges, notably due to heavy load-shedding, which are impacting on our water treatment plants and ability to convey good quality drinking water to reservoirs and areas across Cape Town, especially to high-lying areas where the water has to be pumped.

“The National Water & Sanitation Master Plan and the National Water Resource Strategy are logical designs that include experts that cover all the different disciplines required to achieve Target and Indicator objectives and implemented with a systematic approach that identifies respective gaps and offers interventions to closing those gaps,” the Deputy Minister said.

‘While City teams are monitoring the water supply operations and usage very closely and doing all they can to maintain supply, we also need our residents to help us during this time by using less water,’ he said.

Magadzi went on to say that there is still much more to be done and urged sector role players to work collaboratively with the Department towards successfully attaining SDG6 by 2030 and beyond.

Using less water will help deal with operational challenges, notably due to heavy load-shedding

“The SDG6 is a sector programme and not just a programme of the Department, and without the right commitment, investment, delivery, and performance of all sector role players, then South Africa will not be where it should be by 2030. It is for this reason that we should work closely and collaboratively going forward,” she said.

“In this SDG6 programme, we can either win together or we can lose together, and for the Department of Water and Sanitation, and the sector in its entirety, the latter cannot be an option,” she said.

She added that some of the tangible progress made towards attaining SDGs include the implementation of a National Groundwater Monitoring Programme which is the feeder to the assessment of SDG targets/ indicators as far as groundwater quality is concerned.

“The Department recognises the significance of water conservation and demand management and its contribution towards water use efficiency.

By minimising non-revenue water such as high leakages, it removes the burden and capital expenditure of new infrastructure requirements,” she added.

Sources: ISA Gov | DWS | CoCT

March 2023 | Public Sector Leaders | 45

LegaL Matters

By Jessie Taylor

H

uman Rights Month is commemorated in March to remind South Africans about the sacrifices that accompanied the struggle for democracy. It serves as a reminder of the rights that are enshrined in South Africa’s Constitution.

Every person in the country is able to enjoy these human rights and there are various pieces of legislation that protect them, whether it is in the public domain or in the workplace. Worker rights are the cornerstone of a fair, just and prosperous society as they ensure that employees have access to safe working conditions, and the opportunity to build an economically-resilient society.

WhaT legislaTion proTecTs your laBour righTs? South Africa has a past in which workers were often exploited. From early settlers relying on slave labour, to the workers being subjected to the migrant labour system, passes and influx control, job reservation, poverty wages and apartheid oppressive laws.

This is why their rights are not protected by several pieces of legislation.

Human Rights in the workplace Know your rights in the workplace

46 | Public Sector Leaders | March 2023

The Constitution ensures that every employee has the right: • Not to be unfairly dismissed • To be treated with dignity and respect • To be paid the agreed wage on the agreed date and at the agreed time • To be provided with appropriate resources and equipment to enable him/her to do the job • To have safe working conditions

• • •

To fair labour practices To non-victimisation in claiming rights and using procedures To all the protection and benefits of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act.

However, there are also two key pieces of legislation that expand on these basic rights: The Labour Relations Act and the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA). These two acts provide minimum standards for employment and seek to protect vulnerable workers.

The legislation allows employees to refuse to comply with an instruction or conditions of employment that is contrary to the BCEA. The BCEA limits the hours that may be worked in a week and regulates meal breaks and rest periods. The Act also sets entitlement to annual leave, sick leave, maternity leave and familyresponsibility leave. It explains what workers can expect if their employment is terminated.

This legislation prohibits forced labour and the employment of children under 15 years old.

The Labour Relations Act intends to bring labour law into conformity with the Constitution and with international law. It recognises and regulates the rights of workers to organise and join trade unions, and the right to strike, as well as prevent unfair dismissals and discrimination.

The Act also established a number of important bodies, such as the Commission for Conciliation,

Mediation and Arbitration - which creates simple procedures for the arbitration and resolution of labour conflict - and the Labour Court and Labour Appeals Court, which adjudicate disputes.

These are The righTs you are enTiTled To as an employee: The right to a fair wage The South African government has set a national minimum wage, which sets a baseline for earnings across all sectors. An increase to the minimum wage is effective from 1 March 2023 and will move it from R23,19 per hour to R25,42 per hour (an increase of almost 10%). The minimum rate for farm workers and domestic workers is on par with the national minimum wage.

The right to fair labour practices For most employees, legislation states the maximum normal working time allowed is nine hours per day (excluding lunch break) if the employee works a five-day week. Employees are not obligated to work more than 45 hours per week. If a worker clocks for more than 45 hours per week, they are entitled to claim overtime compensation.

In addition to fair compensation, workers are entitled to a minimum of 21 consecutive days or 15 working days’ annual leave on full pay.

Annual leave is accumulative, meaning for every 17 days worked, one day of leave is granted. In every 36-month cycle, employees are

entitled to the number of sick days equal to the number of days they would normally work six weeks.

The right to not be discriminated against The Constitution states that no person may unfairly discriminate, directly or indirectly, against an employee in any employment policy or practice. This includes job applicants and former employees.

The right to safe working conditions Employees have the right to safe working conditions, which is prescribed in the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA). Some of the rights include proper toilets, first aid, drinking water, changing facilities, protective clothing, ventilation, lighting and temperature. Workers are also entitled to compensation should they be injured, killed or become ill due to a workplace accident or work-related disease.

The right to organise The Constitution gives every worker the right to participate in trade unions and to strike. Every employee has the right to make a complaint to a trade union representative, and every trade union representative has the right, at the request of an employee, to inspect any record that relates to the worker’s employment.

The legislation also allows trade unions to determine their own administration, programmes and activities; to organise; and to form and join a federation. They also have the right to engage in collective bargaining.

Sources: Concourt | Gov.za | Labourguide| IRS

March 2023 | Public Sector Leaders | 47

Financial Fitness

By Jessie Taylor

Your rights and responsibilities as consumers Know your rights and responsibilities

C

onsumers are protected by the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008 (CPA), and this piece of legislation governs, among other things, how shoppers can access refunds or return items.

The CPA applies to any business that is marketing, distributing, manufacturing, or selling goods and services in South Africa, irrespective of size or if it operates in the formal or informal sector. It regulates the transaction between consumers and businesses, ensuring that consumers’ rights are protected.

The Consumer Protection Act recognises eight fundamental consumer rights, in line with the Constitution, which every consumer of goods and services is entitled to, regardless of the monetary value of a transaction or the significance of the commodity.

These rights consumers are entitled to are: • The right to equality: • The right to privacy • The right to choose • The right to disclosure of information • The right to fair and responsible marketing

48 | Public Sector Leaders | March 2023

• The right to a fair and honest dealing • The right to fair, just and reasonable terms and c onditions; and • The right to safe and good quality goods As part of the protection the CPA offers, consumers are protected against defective items. However, the CPA does not allow consumers to simply change their minds about a purchase and expect a refund.

The CPA ensures that consumers have the right to receive goods that are reasonably suitable for the purposes for which they are

The naTional Consumer Commissioner Consumers may direct complaints that they have regarding suppliers or refund policies to the National Consumer Commissioner (NCC). The NCC is the primary regulator of consumer-business interaction in South Africa.

The NCC exists to promote a fair, accessible, and sustainable marketplace for consumer products and services, establish norms and standards relating to consumer protection, prohibit unfair marketing and business practices, and promote responsible consumer behaviour.

The NCC registers and assesses complaints, investigates alleged misconduct by businesses, refers individual complaints for resolution, and represents consumers in the Consumer Tribunal amongst other things.

A consumer may approach the NCC for guidance or assistance with a dispute that cannot be amicably resolved. The NCC provides its services free of charge to all consumers.

For more information, visit https://www.thencc.gov.za/

generally intended, are of good quality, in good working order, free of defects, and will be usable and durable for a reasonable period of time.

If the goods do not meet these specifications, consumers may return them to the supplier or manufacturer within six months after the date they were delivered or purchased. They may return these goods for a refund, replacement or repair.

However, if a consumer changes his or her mind about a purchase and wishes to return it, the terms and conditions of that return will depend on what the retailer has set out and are not prescribed in the Act. The product will have to be returned with a receipt, in the original packaging, with the tags attached to it.

Consumers shoulD Be aware of The following: online transactions When something is bought online, the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act takes preference over the CPA. This legislation allows the consumer seven days to return a ‘change of heart’ product for a full refund.

However, the consumer will have to return the items at their own cost.

The Electronic Communications and Transactions Act states that a consumer is “entitled to cancel without reason and without penalty any transaction and any related credit agreement for the supply of goods within seven days after the date of the receipt of Enquiring about a store’s Refund the goods; and of services within Policy before making any purchases is seven days after the date of the always a good idea. conclusion of the agreement.

Direct marketing If a consumer purchases goods or services as a result of direct marketing, the CPA allows for a five-day cooling-off period.

The consumer may then cancel an agreement made through an unsolicited phone call in writing or return the goods for a refund.

The retailer has 15 business days to process the refund. advertised products According to the CPA, all suppliers and retailers must have goods available a the advertised price and quantity. If the stock is limited, this much be disclosed in the advert. The supplier may offer to procure another supplier for the consumer with the same or equivalent goods as advertised, within a reasonable time, at the advertised price.

Deliveries Consumers have the right to timely performance and completion of services, as well as a timely notice of any unavoidable delays in delivery. The CPA also ensures consumers have the right to the use, delivery or installation of goods that are free of defects and of good quality. If a consumer did not have the opportunity to examine the goods delivered before the purchase, the consumer is entitled to inspect the goods upon delivery. If the consumer finds that the goods do not meet their reasonable expectations during this inspection, they may refuse delivery and receive a full refund.

Terroir in every bite: “The dishes I’m serving tell the story of Spier. From meat to vegetables, we use the very best ingredients from the pastures and gardens here. Every part of the animal is utilised; this both reduces waste and results in a broad and exciting spectrum of flavour and texture.”

March 2023 | Public Sector Leaders | 49

LifestyLe

By Sinazo Mkoko

“Simplicity can result in the sublime.”

Enjoy the finer things Cape Town has to offer 50 | Public Sector Leaders | March 2023

N

earing the end of bright and sun-filled summer days in Cape Town doesn’t mean that the fun is over.

Each season in South Africa and Cape Town, particularly, is filled with fun activities that one can indulge in whether solo or with friends, family and furry friends.

For the true lovers of finer things in life, being in the Western Cape in the month of March means abundant fun and endless activities that one can participate in as we slowly bid farewell to the beautiful warm days of summer, heading to the time of hot chocolate mornings, crisp air and, of course, shorter days and longer nights.

For the entire month of March, bon vivants in the Mother City will indulge in the amazing work of Chef Phil Carmichael. This as the talented Chef presents the first series of dinners, every Friday night at the Spier Wine Farm. Chef Phil will be serving up five-course feasts artfully paired with Spier’s flagship wines – “representing the very pinnacle of the artistry and craft of Spier’s winemaking,” according to Spier.

Carmichael served as the EDITION Hotel London Executive Chef from 2013 to 2021 and has extensive experience working in Michelin-starred kitchens.

As executive chef of MAZE Prague, he garnered a Michelin star within the first year of the restaurant’s opening.

The excellent chef has now settled on South African shores and is a permanent resident in the country.

This food and wine experience partnership couldn’t have come at

a better time as the venue for this series of experiences is the newly revamped Spier Manor House.

Situated at the very heart of Spier Wine Farm, the Manor House has been finely restored to host small, intimate food and wine experiences.

Spier’s family owner, Mariota Enthoven says this historic House will be a space in which conversations around food security and sustainability can take centre stage. “We’re serving up a unique sense of place, using each meal we make as an opportunity to tell stories about the food revolution Spier is proud to be a part of; stories about our regenerative farming, organically grown food garden, organic vineyards and carefully crafted wines.”

Mariota adds that Chef Phil is a natural choice to lead the food offering in this reinvigorated space.

“He really connected with our regenerative approach to farming on this land. He’s super excited about getting back to the basics – cooking with ingredients that are farmed with care, and in good soil. This makes him completely aligned with Spier’s food philosophy,”she says.

The Chef will be using ingredients sourced from Spier’s pastures and gardens.

Phil explains: “In my kitchen, there are no gimmicks or fussiness: we let exceptional ingredients speak for themselves through minimal intervention and simple, timeless cooking techniques. We use flame, smoke and embers to cook dishes. More than just a technique, fire is a key ingredient.” In his own words, the culinary artist promises foodies the following:

The perfect match: “Your five courses consisting of delicious canapés served in the drawing room, two starters, a main and a decadent dessert will be deftly paired with our Creative Block Wines.”

From the open hearth: “Forget foams or fussiness – simplicity can result in the sublime. We use flame, smoke and embers to cook dishes; more than just a technique, fire is a key ingredient.”

Terroir in every bite: “The dishes I’m serving tell the story of Spier. From meat to vegetables, we use the very best ingredients from the pastures and gardens here. Every part of the animal is utilised; this both reduces waste and results in a broad and exciting spectrum of flavour and texture.”

EXPERiEnCE DETaiLS: When: Every Friday from 3

March 2023 - 31 March 2023 Time: 06:00 pm - 09:00 pm Place: The Manor House, Spier Wine Farm Cost: R1 350 Per Person (includes wine pairing and gratuity)

March 2023 | Public Sector Leaders | 51

Upcoming EvEnts

By Sinazo Mkoko

March is all about

human rights 8 march international WoMen’S day

International Women’s Day is celebrated across the globe and is aimed at highlighting the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call-to-action for accelerating gender parity. Significant activity is witnessed worldwide as groups come together to celebrate women’s achievements or rally for women’s equality.

The 2023 global theme is #EmbraceEquity, which is part of an ongoing effort to raise awareness around “Why equal opportunities are no longer enough.”

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15 march

21 march

World ConSuMer rightS day

huMan rightS day (South afriCa)

Globally recognised and accredited by the United Nations, the World Consumer Rights Day is a day dedicated not only to raising global awareness about consumer rights and needs but to also demand that the rights of all consumers are respected and protected, and to rise against market abuses and social injustices which undermine those rights. The day is recognised and accredited by the United Nations.

For more than 40 years Consumers International has run the campaign, uniting the consumer movement to celebrate together.

It was Dr Rolihlahla Nelson Mandela who once said: “To deny people their human rights is to challenge their very humanity.”

This historic day in South Africa is grounded in the Sharpeville Massacre that took place in 1960, where the apartheid police shot and killed 69 people and wounded 180 that had gathered in protest against the pass laws. The day is commemorated as Human Rights Day as a reminder of the past and the cost paid for our treasured human rights.

22 march World Water day

Accelerating change to solve the water and sanitation crisis across the globe, this is what the World Water Day is all about. It was in 2015 when the world committed to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 as part of the 2030 Agenda – the promise that everyone would have safely managed water and sanitation by 2030. The global 2023 campaign, “Be the change”, encourages everyone to take action in their lives to change how they use, consume and manage water.

march 24

30 march

World tuBerCuloSiS day

international day of zero WaSte

World Tuberculosis Day marks the day in 1882 when Dr. Robert Koch announced that he had discovered the bacterium that causes TB - one which paved the way towards diagnosing and curing the disease. The 2023’s theme is: “Yes! We can end TB!” and aims to inspire hope and encourage high-level leadership, increased investments, faster uptake of new WHO recommendations, adoption of innovations, accelerated action, and multisectoral collaboration to combat the TB epidemic.

For the first time in history, the World will celebrate International Day of Zero Waste.

This comes after the United Nations General Assembly, on December 14, 2022, formally recognised the importance of zero-waste initiatives and proclaimed 30 March as the International Day of Zero Waste, to be observed annually starting this year. The day aims to promote sustainable consumption and production patterns and raise awareness about how zero-waste initiatives contribute to the advancement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Sources: International Women’s Day | Consumers International| SA Gov| UN| WHO|

March 2023 | Public Sector Leaders | 53

Who are the top 5 Wealthiest Women in africa?

By Fiona Wakelin

And who hAs tumbled from the top?

Top to bottom: Folorunsho Alakija; Ngina Kenyatta; Hajia Bola Shagaya; Wendy Appelbaum; Wendy Ackerman

Looking at the list of the richest women in Africa, what is striking is that acquiring billionaire status does not happen overnight. Everyone featured here has spent a lifetime investing in, and growing, their entrepreneurial empires. Silver hair and gold in the bank!

Topping The lisT oF WealThy poWerhouses in aFrica is: Folorunsho alakija - a nigerian billionaire Fifty years ago Folorunsho started out in the fashion industry and today her business interests include real estate, oil and gas and printing.

She is the owner of several groups of companies including Dayspring Property Development Company Limited, a real estate company which owns properties around the globe, as well as Rose of Sharon Prints and Promotions.

Folorunsho is also Executive Director of FAMFA Oil, her familyowned oil production company. nexT is: ngina kenyatta - the mother of current kenyan president, uhuru kenyatta Nearing her ninth decade Ngina Kenyatta is a billionaire with a portfolio which includes investments, banking, media and the dairy industry. “Mama Kenyatta” has a 24.91% share in the Commercial Bank of Africa (CBA) – she also owns shares in Media Max, a media company that owns K24 TV, Kameme Radio, and The People newspaper.

Third place goes To: hajia Bola shagaya who also hails from nigeria With a current net worth of almost a billion US, Hajia Bola started out as an auditor for the Central Bank of Nigeria and then her entrepreneurial verve kicked in! She started an empire by importing Konica photographic equipment for resale. Nearly 40 years later she is CEO of Bolmus Group International with interests in oil, real estate, banking, and photography. Hajia founded Practoil Limited, and in 2005 became its managing director.

Today Practoil is one of the largest importer and distributors of base oil in Nigeria today.

4Th and 5Th places are held By souTh aFrican poWerhouses: Wendy appelbaum is the richest woman in south africa and the 4th wealthiest on the continent Wendy Appelbaum is the daughter of Liberty Group founder Donald Gordon and the owner and Chair of De Morgenzon Wine Estate.

Previously, Wendy also served as the Deputy-Chairman of the Women’s Investment Portfolio Limited (Wiphold Limited), which is a renowned women’s investment holding company that is listed on JSE. Overall, Wendy is also a director of Sphere Holdings (Pty) Ltd, which is a black empowerment company

addressing financial services in mining sectors. In 2015, she was awarded both the Forbes Woman Businesswoman of the Year, and the Forbes Africa Woman of the Year.

Wendy ackerman – FMcg powerhouse Wendy Ackerman is one of the founders and an Executive Director of Pick ‘n Pay Stores.

Along with her husband Raymond Ackerman, Wendy has been a tremendous force in building up one of South Africa’s leading FMCG retailers, which, to date, consists of over 450 stores, with the inclusion of 121 supermarkets and 14 hypermarkets.

The company extends its food and retail services across South Africa, southern Africa and even Australia, and has employed an estimated 49,000 people over the years. Wendy received an Inyathelo Award for her family’s philanthropic efforts in 2007. a cauTionary Tale For many years Isabel Dos Santos, daughter of Angolan President, José Eduardo dos Santos, topped the list as the richest woman in Africa.

Currently in self-imposed exile in Dubai she is embroiled in legal battles while watching her empire implode.

March 2023 | Public Sector Leaders | 55

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