FEBRUARY FEBRUARY| 2022 | 2022
SONA 2022
President Cyril Ramaphosa delivers his State of the Nation Address
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Contents
FEBRUARY 2022 | ISSUE 12
Editorial 32 | Social Justice National Prosecuting Authority acts to prevent future state capture
20
56 | Focus on Sonke Gender Justice Working for Justice across Africa
34 | COVID-19 Update Vaccine booster shots - Bolstering South Africa’s Covid-19 response 38 | Education The top 3 STEM fields to study 42 | DFFE Focus Green jobs - Building a workforce to fight the effects of climate change
60
46 | DALRDD Focus Good news from the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development 48 | Corporate Social Investment SA companies devoting resources to aid the poor 52 | Wetlands in South Africa A taste of South Africa’s wonderful wetlands
28
Features 20 | Cover Story State of the Nation: Building the economy for a better future
30 | Women in Leadership Justice Yvonne Mokgoro - One of South Africa’s best and brightest
14 | Addressing The Nation President Ramaphosa addresses South Africa’s role on the continent
36 | Regional Focus Northern Cape – Provincial Overview
28 | Trailblazer Hon. Ronald Lamola is doing the unbelievable
60 | Financial Fitness Tips to save on your water and electricity bills
4 | Public Sector Leaders | February 2022
62 | In Other News The South African Bone Marrow Registry - Saving lives, one donor at a time 64 | Legal Matters Remotely Yours - The Engagement Rules of Remote Working 66 | Upcoming Events February is about planning, promoting and protecting
Public Sector Leaders | February 2022 | 5
48
52 56
CREDITS
6 | Public Sector Leaders | February 2022
Not for persons under the age of 18. Please drink responsibly
EDITOR’S LETTER BY FIONA WAKELIN
Letter from the Editor Welcome to the February edition of Public Sector Leaders (PSL).
I
n his first letter to the nation for the month of February, His Excellency, Cyril Ramaphosa focused on South Africa’s two-year chairship of the African Peer Review Forum - which came to an end recently during the 35th African Union Assembly of Heads of State and Government. “Just as South Africa’s fortunes are inextricably tied to those of the continent, we are also inevitably affected by political, economic and other forms of instability in Africa. This makes our participation in the African Peer Review Mechanism all the more critical. “We share a responsibility, alongside our sister countries, to strengthen good governance in Africa. After all, good governance brings investment, development, peace, progress and, ultimately, shared prosperity,” – President Ramaphosa It is a busy month for public sector leaders with our President attending the 31st African Peer Review Forum of Heads of State and Government and participating in the 35th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Head of State and Government of the African Union. President Ramaphosa received a courtesy call from President Hichilema of the Republic of Zambia and addressed me mbers of COSATU, FEDUSA and NACTU at the Annual NEDLAC Organised Labour School. His Excellency also officiated at the launch of the NantSA vaccine manufacturing campus in Brackengate, Cape Town. The month of February celebrates social justice and the environment. On Feb 10, H.E. Ramaphosa delivers the SONA, which we cover as the lead story in this edition of Public Sector Leaders. The bumper edition includes: A COVID update, a look at conservation efforts across the provinces and a focus on social justice and economic inclusion in South Africa. We zoom in on the top 3 study fields in the country and celebrate our booming agricultural sector in the article “Growing the economy” as well as the importance of CSI, especially in these tough times. Our regular features include the calendar of upcoming events and this month Former Justice Yvonne Mokgoro takes centre stage as our “Woman in Leadership”. The regional focus for February is on Northern Cape and in Legal Matters we look at the ins and outs of working remotely. 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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Public Sector Leaders | February 2022 | 9
ADVERTORIAL NOMAXABISO MATJILA
Supporting the advancement of education IN THE ERA OF A PANDEMIC Mathematics and Science! For some learners they just click and become a lifelong fascination. For others these subjects are the most dreaded part of the school curriculum. But whichever side you find yourself on, it’s undeniable that Maths and Science are more important than ever. Even if you aren’t aiming to enter the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) field, there are a surprising number of other careers that still require Maths and Science. From attorneys to architects, air traffic controllers to political scientists, the critical thinking skills and numerical literacy that come with these subjects are essential. The COVID-19 pandemic has been brutal on our education system. Since the announcement of the pandemic in 2020, schooling has been interrupted, with pupils unable to go to school for months on end. Many teachers and schools struggled to gather
resources for online learning; and for those that did, learning these new processes was a significant challenge.
We have been able to deliver 113 504 video lessons to learners countrywide Even before the pandemic, there was a worrying drop in academic performance, particularly in Maths and Science across the country. But then, 2020 proved even worse, and it was heartwrenching to see most learners struggle with their education – particularly the learners from previously disadvantaged communities, whose futures would otherwise have been brighter. 2021 saw us and our partners putting into action ways in which technology can be used to bridge the gap of face-toface learning. For example, through our partnership with Primestars Digital, free lessons
10 | Public Sector Leaders | February 2022
were also placed online (and were zero-rated by Cell C) and free revision notes were provided through a WhatsApp service. In 2021, we reached over 24 977 matriculants, 50 999 WhatsApp revision notes requested and 850 online engagements. This is why we at Liberty decided to double down, spending R44.9-million on CSI initiatives in 2021. Most importantly, we knew that we would have to find new ways to help those whose schools were suffering. The landscape of education was already changing, but the pandemic sent this trend into overdrive. Digital solutions had to be embraced, and they had to be engaging, aimed at the next generation of leaders who needed to be inspired. Naturally, for many of South Africa’s learners, the struggle for data, equipment and even basic infrastructure is continuous and ever growing. This was why we had to strike partnerships that could create accessible and
affordable solutions. Firstly, our face-to-face initiatives had to keep going, just with more COVID-friendly measures, supplemented by online learning. The Kutlwanong Centers for Maths, Science and Technology, which Liberty has worked with for eight years, were able to continue operating when lockdown alert levels allowed. However, the programme was transformed into a hybrid model. A new online platform, under Promaths, was developed, enabling learners to connect with their teachers and continue their studies, when the lockdown levels were raised. Despite the challenges brought about by the pandemic, loadshedding and other social factors, in 2021 the Liberty funded Kutlwanong initiative achieved a 100% pass rate for hundreds of pupils across 63 schools. Their determination to learn was inspiring. Our partnership with education NGO Mindset Africa allowed us to broaden our reach by creating new Maths and Science educational TV shows, and the new TenFold Education app gave learners access to educational opportunities such as revision papers and peer-to-peer learning support. Thanks to a zero-rating agreement with cellular service providers, we were able to reach thousands of learners countrywide.
To date we have been able to deliver 113,504 video lessons to learners countrywide' - which is an increase of over 400% from the period prior to covid and zero rating. An earlier partnership with Primestars, originally had a focus on financial literacy at a high school level, but due to the sporadic school closures, we realised that helping our matrics to catch up on the Maths and Science curricula would be a better use of the platform. The Primestars initiative used Ster-Kinekor cinemas to create a free and accessible extracurricular learning space – all following COVID protocols, of course. For a period of 10 weeks, on weekends in all nine provinces, learners were able to attend recorded tutorial sessions, with teachers available to answer all followup questions. Ultimately, this worldwide health crisis has exposed some of the resource issues and systemic failings in our education system – but it has also helped inspire us to develop new ways to fill these gaps. Our education sector is struggling, and it is up to CSI initiatives, and private-public partnerships to bring it back to a point where we can be proud.
Nomaxabiso Matjila, LeadA Specialist: Group CSI at Liberty Group
CONTACT Address: 3rd Floor, Liberty Building, Century Blvd, Century City, Cape Town, 7441 Tel: +27 860 456 789 Web: myliberty.liberty.co.za. Email: info@liberty.co.za Social Media: @LibertyGroupSA
By promoting education, we can create financially literate and economically savvy future leaders. n
Public Sector Leaders | February 2022 | 11
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ADDRESSING THE NATION BY FIONA WAKELIN
Addressing The Nation
President Ramaphosa addresses South Africa’s role on the continent In his first letter to the nation for the month of February, His Excellency, Cyril Ramaphosa focused on South Africa’s two-year chairship of the African Peer Review Forum - which came to an end recently during the 35th African Union Assembly of Heads of State and Government.
14 | Public Sector Leaders | February 2022
“The Forum is one of the structures of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), which aims to promote and protect human rights, consolidate democracy and advance good governance and the rule of law among African countries.
We share a responsibility, alongside our sister countries, to strengthen good governance in Africa “Of the African Union’s 55 member states, 42 are now members of the APRM. In the last two months, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi became the most recent countries to join the mechanism. Efforts are underway to encourage all remaining AU member states to join by the end of this decade. “The APRM encourages best practice for political, social and economic stability, while helping to address governance deficiencies by providing a National Programme of Action for each state concerned,” H.E. Ramaphosa Membership of the APRM is voluntary - and by joining, states agree to independently review their compliance with continental and international governance commitments. Nineteen years ago South Africa was one of the first countries to become a member of the APRM and we have undergone two assessments since then
– the most recent being conducted in 2021, where we were assessed on democratic and political governance, economic management, corporate governance, socioeconomic development and state resilience - for which we received favourable reviews. Particular mention was made of the management of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the APRM Review Mission commended South Africa for publicising its detection of the Omicron variant late last year, “despite the risks to its economy”. There were also several areas of concern, which included rising inequality and unemployment, corruption, incidents of xenophobia and poor service delivery. The Mission recommended that the government develop a barometer to measure inequality and tools to measure the efficacy of transformative programmes such as broadbased black economic empowerment, employment equity and land reform. “As a country, we are taking these recommendations on board and exploring areas of alignment between the APRM National Programme of Action and the work of our National Planning Commission. “It is greatly encouraging that despite pockets of instability, we have come a long way in consolidating democracy and good governance on the continent.
“The Africa Governance Report 2021, which South Africa presented to the AU Assembly over the weekend, noted progress in consolidating democracy and moving towards economic integration through the African Continental Free Trade Area. At the same time, it recommended that leaders take urgent steps to address drivers of instability, such as growing youth unemployment, extremism, mass migration and deepening inequality,” – President Ramaphosa Although the APRM is not a punitive body, the African Union has taken decisive action regarding countries whose actions undermine the principles of the AU Charter and the AU’s Agenda 2063: after the 3 coups last year in Mali, Guinea and Sudan, membership of the AU was suspended; as was Burkina Faso’s membership following a coup in late January. “Just as South Africa’s fortunes are inextricably tied to those of the continent, we are also inevitably affected by political, economic and other forms of instability in Africa. This makes our participation in the African Peer Review Mechanism all the more critical. “We share a responsibility, alongside our sister countries, to strengthen good governance in Africa. After all, good governance brings investment, development, peace, progress and, ultimately, shared prosperity,” – President Ramaphosa n
Public Sector Leaders | February 2022 | 15
ADVERTORIAL BY SAB FOUNDATION
SAB Foundation Impact investment needs to be measured to be sustainable
T
he South African corporate sector invests millions each year to support community development and social programmes. Many corporations, however, often lack the tools to measure and report on the impact of these initiatives. Often organisations report on the actions taken, input and investment rather than the outcomes. Along with this, every organisation has its own success metrics and some of these are challenging as they do not measure true impact. “It is vital that organisations track the ongoing impact of their social investments,” says Bridgit Evans, Director of the SAB Foundation. “By doing this, it means that social issues can be accurately identified and addressed.” “It also makes it possible for other organisations to benchmark their performance, share best practice and collectively enhance their impact,” she continues.
“In a country with such high unemployment, and so much investment going into entrepreneurship, gathering and sharing data really needs to become the norm.” “To effectively measure the impact of our entrepreneurship programmes, each year we release an impact report that summarises the achievements of each of the entities that we support,” explains Evans. “Drawing on information gathered from participants of our key programmes, we outline progress that they have made, as well as areas for improvement. Through this, we aim to promote transparent reporting while also ensuring that our efforts remain relevant.” Since inception, more than R425-million in grant funding, business development support and interest-free loans has been invested in entrepreneurs by the foundation. A total of 2 843 rural micro-enterprises, 173 social innovators and 996 entrepreneurs have been
16 | Public Sector Leaders | February 2022
supported, with 94% of these businesses still in operation. “Interestingly, responses from our annual surveys have indicated that each entrepreneur lives with between one and eight people who are financially dependent on the income that their businesses bring in every month,” says Evans. “As such, we conservatively estimate that, if each of the 9 036 people employed by our entrepreneurs supports four people, a total of 36 144 people have indirectly been supported.” “The COVID-19 pandemic was devastating for many entrepreneurs. We decided that it was our duty to protect the investments we had already made into so many entrepreneurs and social innovators,” says Evans. “In 2020 we made R20-million in relief funding available to 90 entrepreneurs and provided useful information, hosted webinars and assisted with supportive mentors.
The most heartwarming takeaway from this process was how innovative our entrepreneurs were and how quickly they pivoted and adapted.” “As we look back at the past two years, we are humbled by the resilience shown by our entrepreneurs and continue to support them to ensure that they achieve their goals,” says Evans.
14% of businesses were able to respond to the pandemic by providing services such as medications, personal protective equipment and community patrollers “Through the ongoing mentorship and business support services offered through our programmes, we hope to continue to equip businesses and individuals to grow and be confident about their future.” “It is our genuine hope that many more companies and organisations that work with entrepreneurs start measuring their impact. By learning from each other, we can fast track our progress towards successful interventions, accelerate job creation and, by extension, bring about an improvement to the overall quality of life for all South Africans,” says Evans. “We remain open to supporting any organisation that wants to start measuring its impact
in this space and will make all of our tools available to them. We will also host a series of webinars through the course of this year, to assist businesses to understand impact measurement.” concludes Evans. To access the latest SAB Foundation impact report, visit: sabfoundation.co.za/resources COVID-19 RELIEF FUNDING IMPACT The SAB Foundation followed up the funding process by tracking the impact of COVID-19 on businesses. One year after the entrepreneurs received the relief funding, they were asked to complete a survey reporting on their results. “The percentage of businesses that were negatively impacted by the lockdowns was 84%. 91% saw a decrease in turnover and 54% had to decrease the number of people they employed,” reports Evans. “However, it was encouraging that 14% of businesses were able to respond to the pandemic by providing services such as medications, personal protective equipment and community patrollers.” According to Evans, in addition to the funding provided, 57% of businesses were able to access other relief funding through TERS, UIF and the IDC. “Despite the effects of the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, we were very pleased to see that all of the businesses that we invested in had survived twelve
months later. In addition, 85% entrepreneurs said that they would not have survived without the relief funds,” she added. ABOUT THE SAB FOUNDATION Founded in 2010, the SAB Foundation provides funding for small, medium and micro-sized enterprises in order to contribute to the economic and social empowerment of historically disadvantaged persons through entrepreneurship development. The SAB Foundation’s primary beneficiaries are women, youth, people living with disabilities and people living in rural areas, from low-income backgrounds. More than R425-million to date has been invested in social innovation, disability empowerment and SMMEs. n
FIND US ONLINE: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram: @sabfoundationsa Website: sabfoundation.co.za
Public Sector Leaders | February 2022 | 17
Compiled for the period January 2015 to December 2020 THE SAB FOUNDATION’S OVERALL IMPACT
JOB CREATION AND TURNOVER
(AS AT DECEMBER 2020)
R324 - R565 million
R425 million
an annual turnover increase of 74%
3 228 jobs sustained
9 036 people employed
Grant funding, business development support and interest-free loans.
41%
R105 million Business support
R295 million Grant funding
5 808 new jobs created
R26 million Interest free loans
seasonal
49% micro-
555 jobs
2 843 jobs
10%
permanent
2 410 jobs
ENTITIES SUPPORTED
enterprise
Limpopo
232
NATIONAL FOOTPRINT Gauteng
372
NorthWest
13
Mpumalanga
232
Free State
161 Northern Cape
28
94% Operational business
Eastern Cape
1 563
Western Cape
202
ENTREPRENEUR DEMOGRAPHICS
l
iv i
0%
2%
4%
6%
8%
18 | Public Sector Leaders | February 2022
10%
12%
14%
4%
n g w it h di
sa
omen
16%
sl
n
p e o ple
61% w
b iliti e s
46% y h p e rs o
Social services Banking Horticulture Software development Housing Recycling Energy Human rights Finance Sustainable agriculture Information technology Professional services Catering Business services Manufacturing
81%
iv in
r
al
SECTORS SUPPORTED
a re a s
1 169 Entrepreneurs
2 843 Rural micro-enterprises
KwazuluNatal
1 209
g in ru
o ut
Public Sector Leaders | February 2022 | 19
COVER BY JESSIE TAYLOR
State of the Nation: Building the economy for a better future The state of the nation is linked inextricably to the state of our economy. These were the words of President Cyril Ramaphosa as he delivered the State of the Nation Address in Cape Town on Thursday, 10 February. During his address, President Ramaphosa outlined several measures to reignite South Africa’s economy after the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The country’s priorities will remain to overcome the pandemic, roll out infrastructure, increase local production, stimulate employment, and expand energy generation capacity.
20 | Public Sector Leaders | February 2022
PUTTING SOUTH AFRICANS TO WORK The pandemic has put more than two million South Africans out of work. However, President Ramaphosa said the country is moving towards a new phase in its management of the pandemic. “It is our intention to end the national state of disaster as soon as we have finalised other measures under the National Health Act and other legislation to contain the pandemic. Nearly all restrictions on economic and social activity have already been lifted,” said President Ramaphosa.
The key task of government is to create the conditions that will enable the private sector – both big and small COVID-19 - along with the divides of race, geography and education – has deepened the divide between those with jobs and those without. This was made evident in 2021 when South Africa’s employment level reached a record high, said President Ramaphosa. To bolster employment, the Government will be expanding public and social employment. This includes the Presidential Employment Stimulus programmes, launched in 2022, which has created over 850 000 work opportunities. “The total number of direct beneficiaries will soon rise to over one million South Africans. This includes over half a million young people appointed as education assistants, making it the largest youth employment programme
ever undertaken in our history,” said President Ramaphosa. The employment stimulus will also enable the Department of Home Affairs to recruit 10 000 unemployed young people to digitise paper records, enhance their skills, and contribute to the modernisation of citizen services. In addition, the Social Employment Fund will create a further 50 000 work opportunities in areas such as urban agriculture, early childhood development, public art and tackling gender-based violence. “As we work to grow the economy and create jobs, we will expand support to poor families to ensure that no person in this country has to endure the pain and indignity of hunger,” said President Ramaphosa. He announced that the Social Relief of Distress Grant, which has provided support to more than 10 million unemployed people, has been extended by another year. CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT FOR BUSINESS The private sector remains essential for increasing job creation, with around 80% of all the people employed in South Africa working in the private sector.“We all know that Government does not create jobs. Business creates jobs,” said President Ramaphosa. “The key task of government is to create the conditions that will enable the private sector – both big and small – to emerge, to grow, to access new markets, to create new products, and to hire more employees.” He said that fundamental reforms would need
to be implemented to revive economic growth after the pandemic. This requires a consensus among South Africans that recognises a shared responsibility in transforming the economy. At the same time, the State must work to create an environment in which the private sector can invest. The Government has given itself a deadline of 100 days to finalise a comprehensive social compact to grow our economy, create jobs and combat hunger. “This work will build on the foundation of the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan, which remains our common programme to rebuild the economy,” said President Ramaphosa. In its plans to revive the economy, the Government will be taking measures to unleash the potential of small businesses, microbusinesses and informal businesses. “These are the businesses that create the most jobs and provide the most opportunities for poor people to earn a living. We have started discussions with social partners as part of the social compact process to review labour market regulations for smaller businesses to enable them to hire more people while continuing to protect workers’ rights,” said President Ramaphosa. One of the measures that will come into effect is a new, redesigned loan guarantee scheme. This will help small businesses to bounce back from the pandemic and civic unrest. The new scheme will involve
Public Sector Leaders | February 2022 | 21
development finance institutions and non-bank SME providers offering finance, expanding the types of financing available and adjusting eligibility criteria to encourage greater uptake. In addition, the Business Act and other legislation that affects SMMEs will go under review to reduce the regulatory burden on informal businesses. “There are too many regulations in this country that are unduly complicated, costly and difficult to comply with. This prevents companies from growing and creating jobs. We are therefore working to improve the business environment for companies of all sizes through a dedicated capacity in the Presidency to reduce red tape,” said President Ramaphosa. BUILDING BLOCKS OF THE ECONOMY To encourage companies to invest in the economy, the Government has several infrastructure projects planned to improve ports and railways. “Our economy cannot grow without efficient ports and railways. Over several years, the functioning of our ports has declined relative to ports in other parts of the world and on the African continent. This constrains economic activity,” he said. Industries, such as the agricultural sector, rely on well-run ports to export produce. Transnet is focused on improving operational efficiencies at the ports through procuring additional equipment and implementing new systems to
22 | Public Sector Leaders | February 2022
reduce congestion. The Durban and Ngqura Container Terminals will be the initial focus, and Transnet plans to request proposals from private partners. Transnet will start the process of providing third-party access to its freight rail network from April by making slots available on the container corridor between Durban and City Deep in Gauteng.
Focusing on manufacturing and exports is essential now that trading can begin under the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement The Government is also rehabilitating the passenger rail network in 10 priority corridors. “Infrastructure is central to our economic reconstruction and recovery. Through innovative funding and improved technical capabilities, we have prioritised infrastructure projects to support economic growth and better livelihoods, especially in energy, roads and water management,” said the President. Central to this effort is the Infrastructure Fund, which has a R100-billion allocation from the fiscus over ten years. The Fund works with state entities to prepare a pipeline of projects with an investment value of approximately R96-billion in student accommodation, social housing, telecommunications, water and sanitation and transport. Several catalytic projects to the value of R21-billion are expected
to start construction this year. The Government will make an initial investment of R1.8-billion in bulk infrastructure, which will unlock seven private sector projects to the value of R133-billion, said President Ramaphosa.
said president Ramaphosa. “We will continue to pursue Africa’s health sovereignty, working with other African countries and international partners to support the strengthening of the continent’s capacity to respond to pandemics.”
REVIVING INDUSTRY At the core of the country’s Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan is a drive to increase manufacturing and exports. This has seen new master plans in the steel industry, furniture and global business services launched in the last year.
A key focus in the manufacturing sector is the production of vaccines. The country has two companies – Aspen and Biovac – with contracts to produce COVID-19 vaccines. Two additional vaccine projects have also been announced. There is also full local production capability for ventilators, hand sanitisers, medical-grade face masks and gloves and therapeutic drugs and anaesthetics.
“Through these plans, business, government and labour are working together to increase production and create more jobs in the sector,” said President Ramaphosa. The agriculture sector has significant potential for job creation in crops such as citrus, table and dried grapes, subtropical fruit, avocadoes, berries and nuts. The President said that masterplans in the sugar and poultry industries contribute significantly to increased investment, improved production, and transformation. Focusing on manufacturing and exports is essential now that trading can begin under the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement. “South African companies are poised to play a key role in taking up the opportunities that this presents for preferential access to other African markets. The Free Trade agreement is about Africa taking charge of its destiny and growing its economies faster,”
“This production capability, worth many billions of rands of production annually, has been put in place in less than two years. South African products have been exported to other African countries, securing vital supplies [for them] and expanding jobs for young South Africans,” said President Ramaphosa. TACKLING CLIMATE CHANGE South Africa is one of the regions of the world that is most affected by climate change. During the last year, extreme weather events associated with global warming have taken place in KwaZuluNatal, Gauteng, and the Eastern Cape.However, the Government has made important strides in the fight against climate change. For the first time, South Africa’s climate targets are compatible with limiting warming to 1.5°C, as per the commitment made under the Paris Climate Agreement.
Public Sector Leaders | February 2022 | 23
The country has also struck a historic deal with the European Union, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States. The R131-billion deal will involve repurposing and repowering some coal plants that are reaching the end of their lives and creating new livelihoods for workers and communities most impacted by this change. Former Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank, Daniel Mminele, has been appointed as Head of the Presidential Climate Finance Task Team to mobilise funds for the country’s just energy transition. “Properly managed, the energy transition will benefit all. Renewable energy production will make electricity cheaper and more dependable and will allow our industries to remain globally competitive,” said President Ramaphosa. The mining sector will be able to expand to strategic minerals that are crucial for clean energy, like platinum, vanadium, cobalt, copper, manganese and lithium. There are also opportunities in green hydrogen, given our world-class solar and wind resources and local technology and expertise, said President Ramaphosa. “All of these measures – from structural reforms to support for SMMEs, investments in infrastructure and the emergence of new sectors – will drive a turnaround in economic growth driven by the private sector growth over the coming years.”
CREATING A CORRUPTION-FREE SOCIETY “None of our efforts to revive our economy will succeed if we do not tackle the scourge of corruption once and for all,” said President Ramaphosa.
Prosecuting Authority will carry out the further investigations that the Commission has recommended and that it will bring the members of the criminal network that infiltrated Government and captured the state swiftly to justice,” he said.
He referenced the work of the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture headed by Acting Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, saying the reports generated by the Commission clearly showed ‘state capture’. Some of the organisations targeted included SAA, Transnet, Denel, South African Revenue Service and Government Communications.
There are also discussions underway with the Judiciary to create special court rolls for state capture and corruption cases.
“This means that public institutions and state-owned enterprises were infiltrated by a criminal network intent on looting public money for private gain,” he said. “State capture had a direct and very concrete negative impact on the lives of all South Africans, but especially the poorest and most vulnerable members of our society. It has weakened the ability of the state to deliver services and to meet the expectations and constitutional rights of people.” The president has vowed to present an action plan in response to the Commission’s recommendations by the end of June, as well as strengthen the system to protect whistle-blowers. “Many individuals and companies that the Commission has found were responsible for state capture must now be held to account. I have every confidence that the National
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“The fight against corruption will take on a new intensity thanks to the outcomes of the State Capture Commission, the strengthening of law enforcement agencies and the implementation of new anticorruption practices in the public service,” President Ramaphosa said.
PUTTING PUBLIC SERVICE FIRST The Government has embarked on several immediate measures to restore State-owned enterprises (SEOs) to health, including reforms that will make these companies more efficient, competitive, accountable and sustainable.
South Africans have the potential to transform their economy and create a society in which equality exists at every level. “State-owned enterprises play a vital role in our economy. From water and roads, to energy and ports, to defence and aviation, these strategic assets are necessary to keep our country running. It is essential that we reverse their decline and position them to contribute positively,” said President Ramaphosa.
Presidential SOE Council is preparing recommendations on state-owned entities to be retained, consolidated or disposed of,” the president said. In addition, the Government will soon be finalising a framework for the professionalisation of the public service. This will include tighter measures for recruitment of public servants, continuous professional development through the National School of Government and partnerships between state bodies, professional associations and universities. Lifestyle audits are already being implemented across the public service. “Government must work for the people. That is why our foremost priority is to build a capable, ethical and developmental state,” said President Ramaphosa. The District Development Model (DDM),
which brings all three spheres of Government together with other social partners in every district to grow inclusive local economies and improve the lives of citizens, will continue this year. The DDM facilitates integrated planning and budgeting across spheres of Government and improves the integration of national projects at a district level. Despite the challenges of the last few years, South Africans have the potential to transform their economy and create a society in which equality exists at every level. “Our country has suffered several damaging blows in recent times. A confluence of forces, many of them outside of our control, has brought us to where we are now. We face steep and daunting challenges.
The Presidential SOE Council has recommended that Government adopt a centralised shareholder model for its key commercial stateowned companies. This would separate the state’s ownership functions from its policy-making and regulatory functions, minimise the scope for political interference, introduce greater professionalism and manage state assets in a way that protects shareholder value. “As part of this, preparatory work has begun for the establishment of a state-owned Holding Company to house strategic SOEs and to exercise coordinated shareholder oversight. To ensure that stateowned enterprises are effectively fulfilling their responsibilities, the
Public Sector Leaders | February 2022 | 25
Indeed, we are engaged in a battle for the soul of this country. But there can be no doubt that we will win,” said President Ramaphosa. “I ask every South African to rally together in our fight against corruption, in our fight to create jobs, in our fight to achieve a more just and equal society.”
A FOCUS ON ENERGY South Africa’s electricity crisis is one of the greatest threats to economic and social progress, said President Cyril Ramaphosa. The country has an electricity shortfall of around 4,000 MW, which the Government plans to address with several new energy generation projects over the next few years. These include:
WATER SECURITY COMMITMENTS The Government has prioritised institutional reforms to ensure water security, investment in water resources and maintenance of existing assets. These include:
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An institutional reform process to capacitate the Department of Water and Sanitation
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2,600 MW from Bid Window 5 of the programme, which will soon be opened
Reviewing water boards and their mandates to ensure service delivery to municipalities
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2,600 MW from Bid Window 6 of the programme, which will soon be opened
Over 500 MW from the remaining projects in Bid Window 4 of the renewable energy programme, which are at advanced stages of construction
The water licence application process is to be streamlined through a comprehensive turnaround plan A National Water Resources Infrastructure Agency will be established, with a white paper published for public comment within the next month The water quality monitoring system has been reinstated to improve enforcement of water standards at a municipal level The uMzimvubu Water Project, which includes infrastructure, a hydro-electric plant, Ntabelanga water treatment works and bulk distribution infrastructure at Ntabelanga Dam and Lalini Dam.
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800 MW from risk mitigation power projects
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3,000 MW of gas power and 500 MW of battery storage, for which requests for proposals will be released later this year
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4,000 MW from embedded generation projects in the mining sector
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1,400 MW secured by various municipalities
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In addition, the unbundling of Eskom is expected to be completed by the end of the year, and Cabinet has approved amendments to the Electricity Regulation Act for public comment. n
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Public Sector Leaders | February 2022 | 27
TRAILBLAZER BY KOKETSO MAMABOLO
Minister of Justice and Correctional Services “If you had said to my mother and father, farm workers, in a Bantustan in the Eastern Transvaal as it was called then, that in just over two decades, one of their children would be serving a democratic government as a minister, they would have probably not believed that,” said Honourable Ronald Lamola in his virtual address commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Constitution.
The DCS aims to ensure that conditions of detention are safe and secure The young minister has left a fiery trail which is only just beginning. An important part of leadership is knowing when to lean on young people to add a fresh perspective to the table of experience, which is what President Cyril Ramaphosa did when he appointed Hon. Ronald Ozzy
Lamola as the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services in May of 2019. Born in Bushbuckridge, the 38 yearold lawyer has settled into the role like a seasoned professional. LEGAL BACKGROUND One could say Minister Ronald Lamola was groomed to lead the Justice and Correctional Services Ministry. After graduating from Mchaka High School at the start of the new millennium, Hon. Lamola pursued legal studies, obtaining his LLB from the University of Venda in 2005. The Minister did not rest on his laurels, furthering his studies through UNISA and at the University of Pretoria with post-graduate certificates in areas such as banking law and telecommunications policy, regulation and management. Hon. Lamola has completed not one, but two Masters degrees. The first was in corporate law, completed over
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two years at the University of Pretoria. He completed the second one in just a single year, in extractive law, also from the University of Pretoria. Hon. Lamola was admitted as an attorney at the High Court of South Africa in 2007. Honourable Lamola’s career began as a professional assistant at TMN Kgomo and Associates, straight out of University. At TMN Kgomo and Associates he provided the Govan Mbeki Municipality with legal advice, practising civil litigation, labour law, commercial litigation and drafting contracts. Hon. Lamola’s work with the municipality continued when was appointed the Transversal Unit Manager from March to June of 2009. He moved onto Mpumalanga’s Department of Culture, Sport and Recreation where he spent two years as a Director in the office of the MEC. Minister Lamola’s service to the
Mpumalanga Province continued for most of 2011 in the office of the Premier as the Acting Spokesperson. After a short transition Hon. Lamola pivoted back to the legal profession, starting his own law firm, Ndobela and Lamola Incorporated Attorneys in March of 2012. UPHOLDING JUSTICE The Ministry which Hon. Lamola leads became what it is today in 2014, when the Department of Justice and the Department of Correctional Services were merged at the ministerial level after they were separated in the late 90s. The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DoJ&CD) is responsible for setting up the courts and offering the necessary support for the independent judicial officers who are appointed. The Department conducts criminal proceedings, providing legal aid, working on reforming laws, crafting rules and advising government departments on legal matters. Some of the bodies which fall under this department are the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and the Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) which is responsible for the seizing of assets on behalf of the state. The GCIS’ 2019/2020 Yearbook on the Ministry explains: “The National Development Plan (NDP) sets out a vision for building and maintaining safe communities in South Africa through, among other things, strengthening the criminal justice.” “The work at the DoJ&CD is directly aligned with this priority in that a well-functioning criminal justice system provides relief to victims of
crime, protects vulnerable groups and swiftly acts against perpetrators of corrupt activities.” The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) is responsible for housing offenders and rehabilitating them before they are released back into society. “The DCS aims to ensure that conditions of detention are safe and secure, and to maintain the human dignity of inmates, the department’s personnel and members of the public.” The DCS manages correctional facilities which includes the day-today operations and security where inmates, convicted or in remand, are held. They take a needs-based approach to rehabilitation which involves “... correctional and skills development programmes, and psychological, social and spiritual care services.” Speaking to Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services in November 2021, Minister Lamola highlighted the improvements the Ministry has made since his appointment in 2019. “Despite this harsh terrain and reality, these departments have not folded their arms, they have been innovative where possible to ensure that which can be done, is fulfilled,” said the Minister. Under Hon. Lamola’s leadership, the DCS reported an unqualified audit for the first time in four years. “The improvement is due to the effective implementation of processes to ensure that irregular expenditure is identified and disclosed without material errors,” wrote the Minister in the DCS’ 2020/2021 annual
report. “The audit outcome marks a significant achievement for the Department despite the uncertainties brought about by the [COVID-19] pandemic.” The importance of proper procedures and the attention to detail is not surprising coming from a trained lawyer who understands rules and regulations. When he was called before the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services, the Minister announced three Justice Department reforms which are geared towards further improving performance. Firstly, efforts will be made to modernise services at the first point of contact with people living in the country. The second will be creating an effective state litigation system. The third relates to the recruitment and training of highly-skilled personnel within the departments. “On the balance… we can see that [the] rapid decline that we found has been arrested. Whilst there is still a lot of work to be done. We have said to the department [that] the upward trend must continue. The department’s performance was previously standing at 43%, having implemented some of the interventions, the Department achieved a performance of 67% in the last financial year.” Honourable Ronald Lamola is only 38 years-old, and with only two full years in office his appointment as the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services could be justthe start of even more impressive achievements. n
Public Sector Leaders | February 2022 | 29
WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP EDITORIAL
All rise
Justice Yvonne Mokgoro - one of South Africa’s best and brightest
T
he Standard Bank Top Woman Lifetime Achiever Award 2020 went to Justice Yvonne Mokgoro who was recognised for her lifetime of service in the legal profession, wherein she rose to being a judge of the Constitutional Court of South Africa from its inception in 1994 until the end of her 15 year term in 2009. An inspiration to all, Justice Mokgoro has provided critical thought leadership and applied her astute legal mind to nation building in our country. Justice Yvonne Mokgoro was born in Galeshewe near Kimberley, in Northern Cape, and matriculated at the local St. Boniface High School in 1970. She studied part-time, obtaining a Bachelor of Jurisprudence (B Juris) degree at the then University of Bophuthatswana (now North-West University) in 1982, a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) two years later, and a Master of Laws (LLM) degree in 1987. She also studied at the University of Pennsylvania in the United States of America (USA), where she obtained
a second LLM degree in 1990. Justice Mokgoro started her work experience as a nursing assistant and later as a retail salesperson before her appointment as a clerk in the Department of Justice of the erstwhile Bophuthatswana. After completing the LLB degree she was appointed maintenance officer and public prosecutor in the then Mmabatho Magistrate’s Court. In 1984 she was appointed lecturer in law in the Department of Jurisprudence, University of Bophuthatswana, where she rose through the ranks to become Associate Professor and served in that position until 1991. From 1992 to 1993 she served as Associate Professor at the University of the Western Cape, and later served as a Specialist Researcher (Human Rights) for the Centre for Constitutional Analysis at the Human Sciences Research Council, and also lectured part-time at the University of Pretoria, until her appointment to the Constitutional Court in October 1994. Throughout her
30 | Public Sector Leaders | February 2022
legal career she has taught a number of courses, including, Constitutional Law, Human Rights Law Jurisprudence, History of Law, Comparative Law, Criminal Law, Private Law and Customary Law at a number of universities in South Africa, the United Kingdom, the USA and the Netherlands. She has written and presented papers, and participated in a myriad of national and international conferences, seminars and workshops in South Africa and internationally, mainly in sociological jurisprudence and particularly on human rights, customary law, focusing on the impact of law on society generally, and on women and children specifically. In December 2015 Justice Mokgoro received the Order of the Baobab in Bronze for “her excellent contribution in the field of law and administration of justice in a democratic South Africa”.
Honourable Mokgoro, you are an inspiration to us all. n
Public Sector Leaders | February 2022 | 31
SOCIAL JUSTICE BY JESSIE TAYLOR
Social Justice and Economic Inclusion in South Africa National Prosecuting Authority acts to prevent future state capture
F
ollowing the release of a report by the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture, Corruption and Fraud in the Public Sector including Organs of State (Zondo Commission), a specialised task team will be established by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). The NPA is the organisation mandated by the Constitution to institute criminal proceedings on behalf of the State and to carry out any necessary functions incidental to instituting criminal proceedings. REFLECTING ON PAST FAILINGS The Zondo Commission was established to investigate widespread and high-level corruption allegations among government agencies. The hearings, which lasted for more than 400 days, included testimony from almost 280 witnesses and
collected materials amounting to a petabyte of data, equivalent to roughly 500 billion pages of printed text, on corruption, fraud and related offences. This evidence includes affidavits, investigative reports and other evidential material. The first part of the report identified several public figures the NPA can act against in the upcoming months, as evidence is readily available. Some of the charges include contravening the Public Finances Management Act and perjury. The Commission's work documents the extent of state capture that befell South Africa and how such capture occurred, said NPA spokesperson Advocate Mthunzi Mhaga. "The Commission must be commended for this important work that demonstrates that South Africa has the political maturity and wherewithal to mount an
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effective enquiry into one of the darkest periods of the postapartheid era. The Commission's recommendations will allow for the strengthening of the rule of law in South Africa, ensuring that no one, irrespective of their power, position or wealth, is above the law. South Africans deserve nothing less," said Advocate Mhaga. The report also recommended further investigation and prosecution against several individuals. A second and third part of the report will be handed over to President Cyril Ramaphosa by the end of February. President Ramaphosa said: "This is a defining moment in our country's effort to definitively end the era of state capture and to restore the integrity, credibility and capability of our institutions, but more importantly, our government. The formal handover of the first
part of the report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture, Corruption and Fraud in the Public Sector takes place nearly four years since the establishment of the Commission." RESOLUTIONS FOR A JUST FUTURE One of the findings in the first part of the report was that the NPA had failed to respond sufficiently to state capture and suffered institutional weaknesses. "The NPA takes note of the Commission's finding that it failed to respond adequately to state capture and that the NPA's institutional weaknesses need to be addressed. In this regard, the National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) has publicly acknowledged the challenges facing the NPA, including in its efforts to prosecute high-level corruption matters," said Advocate Mhaga. "Rebuilding the NPA after years of being undermined by state capture actors was never going to be quick or easy. Yet, significant progress has been made, and the NPA is slowly but surely being rebuilt to enable it to deliver on its vital mandate. The NPA will also continue prioritising internal processes to ensure that any prosecutors engaged in acts of criminality or improper conduct, including in the context of state capture, are dealt with effectively and fairly."
those already proclaimed by the NPA's Investigating Directorate (ID). The Hawks are mandated to deal with priority offences such as corruption, commercial crime and organised crime.
This is a Herculean task given the volume of materials and the finite human and financial resources available to our law enforcement and criminal justice agencies," said Advocate Mhaga.
“The NPA and the Hawks are systematically reviewing the Commission's findings and recommendations, to investigate and build cases for criminal prosecution against those who broke the law,” said Advocate Mhaga.
The Task Force will build on the work done within the NPA over the past few years, collaborating with the Zondo Commission and other law enforcement partners. But it is not just the judiciary and law enforcement agencies that must implement the report's findings, said President Ramaphosa. He added that all of society is responsible for working toward a corruption-free future.
"This will include, where appropriate, the freezing and forfeiture of the proceeds of crimes. It's, however, important to note the differences between the evidence presented before a commission of enquiry and evidence required to meet the standard of proof for prosecutions. In the case of the latter, criminal investigations will be conducted so that evidence can be presented in criminal matters in accordance with the South African law of evidence.
"We have a collective responsibility to ensure that the findings and recommendations of the Commission not only mark a decisive break with the corrupt practices of the past but that they provide the foundation for greater transparency, accountability and ethical conduct within all state institutions and across society," he said. n
The NPA's dedicated task force will work with the Hawks to review all cases covered in the first part of the Commission's report, including
Public Sector Leaders | February 2022 | 33
COVID UPDATE BY JESSIE TAYLOR
Vaccine booster shots Bolstering South Africa’s Covid-19 response
A
s South Africa begins to exit its fourth wave, citizens are encouraged to bolster their immunity against Covid-19 with booster shots. Evidence gathered during the fourth wave, driven by the Omicron variant, has shown the effectiveness of vaccines in reducing the risk of severe illness. With encouraging data emerging on vaccine effectiveness, Health Minister Dr. Joe Phaahla has reiterated that full vaccination of at least 70% of South Africa’s adult population remains the Department of Health’s “main priority”. ROLLING OUT ADDITIONAL PROTECTION The Department of Health has made booster shots available for the two COVID-19 vaccines available in South Africa. The booster shots have been approved by the South African
Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA). They are available two months after the first Johnson and Johnson (J&J) vaccination and six months after the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine. Booster doses are the same vaccine in the same dose administered to people who have had a primary vaccination series and are administered to allow the body to boost its immunity to the COVID-19 virus. Those in older age groups will be the first to qualify for their booster shots, as they were the first to receive jabs during the initial rollout of the vaccination programme. According to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases of South Africa (NICD), vaccines have been shown to reduce severe disease and mortality from COVID-19 by up to 95 to 97%.
34 | Public Sector Leaders | February 2022
“This life-saving effect has continued, even as variants have emerged. Taking a vaccine will protect you and your loved ones from a devastating illness or death,” the NICD says. “Booster vaccination with the J&J or Pfizer vaccine is a reliable and safe way of increasing antibody levels.”
There is unequivocal evidence that vaccines protect against severe illness and death Those eligible for a booster shot will not be sent an SMS from the health department, as with their primary vaccination. Instead, they will need to present themselves at any vaccination site for their additional dose. However, their Electronic Vaccination Data System (EVDS)
record will remain open, and the system will allow you to get the booster shot. Once administered, this information will be captured on the system and recorded on your existing or a new vaccination card. You will be required to get the same vaccine as your primary dose, as SAHRPA has not licensed mix-and-match vaccines. GROWING EVIDENCE OF VACCINE EFFECTIVENESS The rollout of booster shots is likely to make a critical difference in the country’s response to the Omicron variant. The variant has been found more likely to cause illness in people with immunity from prior infection or vaccination.The variant has been found to partially evade the immunity provided by vaccines, but booster shots have shown promise in providing additional protection. The Honourable Dr. Phaahla says there is unequivocal evidence that vaccines protect against severe illness and death. The department has been collating evidence that shows that vaccines are still effective against severe illness and death, with the majority of those hospitalised with COVID-19 being unvaccinated. He has urged the public to receive their COVID-19 jabs after a drop off in vaccine uptake over the festive season. “The protection of vaccines against severe illnesses is uncontested, as we can see now with the fourth wave, and as we saw with the protection of health workers and educators in the third wave.”
Minster Phaahla adds that the power to dull the impact of the virus rests with the public and that vaccination remains the tool to return our lives to normality. “We have seen that while we cannot predict the future trajectory of the COVID-19 virus and its variants but learning from the way we have been able to deal with the fourth wave and the protection of vaccines, the future does look brighter if we all do our best – that is to be vaccinated.” HOW DO BOOSTER SHOTS WORK? Booster shots work like your primary vaccine doses. The vaccines contain genetic material from the virus that causes COVID-19. This gives our cells instructions for making a harmless protein that is unique to the virus. After our cells make copies of the protein, they destroy the genetic material from the vaccine. Our bodies then make the antibodies to this protein, which can be used to fight COVID-19 infection.
SOUTH AFRICA’S COVID-19 VACCINATION AT A GLANCE More than 29.3 million vaccine doses have been administered in South Africa. Of the almost 40 million adults in South Africa, 46% have received at least one vaccine dose, and 40% have been fully vaccinated with their primary vaccine doses. The 60 years and older age group has had the highest vaccine uptake, with 67% having received at least one vaccination. The 50 to 59 age cohort has the second-highest uptake, with 63% of those in this age group receiving at least one vaccine dose. Half of all the women in the county have had at least one jab, while 42% of all men have had at least one vaccine dose. More than one million vaccine doses have been administered to children older than 12. n
Booster shots increase your antibody levels and ‘T-cell responses’ to COVID-19. Laboratory testing has shown that high antibody levels are more effective at neutralising COVID-19 variants, such as Omicron. This means that booster vaccines will improve your protection against infection and will reduce your chances of developing severe illness should you become infected.
Hon. Dr. Mathume Joseph Phaahla Minister of Health
Public Sector Leaders | February 2022 | 35
REGIONAL FOCUS BY FIONA WAKELIN
Northern Cape – Provincial Overview
Northern Cape is, at the same time, the biggest and the smallest province in South Africa – biggest in terms of area, covering more than 372 000 kms and smallest in terms of population, which totals just over 1.3 million.
36 | Public Sector Leaders | February 2022
N
orthern Cape is, at the same time, the biggest and the smallest province in South Africa – biggest in terms of area, covering more than 372 000 kms and smallest in terms of population, which totals just over 1.3 million. The economy relies heavily on mining and agriculture, with the Big Hole in Kimberley, the provincial capital, recalling the 1870s diamond rush. SKA The remoteness of its location resulted in the Northern Cape being selected as the setting of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project - an international effort to build the world’s largest radio telescope, with a collecting area that will eventually cover a square kilometre (one million square metres).
The Northern Cape achieved a 71.4% pass rate in the 2021 National Senior Certificate exams
PLACES TO VISIT •
Tankwa Karoo – think AfrikaBurn
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Orange River - kayaking
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Witsand – home to the roaring Sands of the Kalahari
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Augrabies Falls National Park
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Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
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Kleinzee – oysters and abalone
ON THE GROUND In November last year the Premier of the Northern Cape, Dr. Zamani Saul, together with the MEC for Roads and Public Works, Ms. Fufe Makatong, welcomed 98 learners from the Pixley Ka Seme District into the Construction Road Maintenance Short Skills Programme. The Premier and MEC were accompanied by the MEC for Sports Arts and Culture, Ms. Desery Finies, as they tackled employment head on.
Both South Africa’s Karoo region and Western Australia’s Murchison Shire were chosen as co-hosting locations for many scientific and technical reasons, from the atmospherics above the sites, through to the radio quietness, which comes from being some of the most remote locations on Earth.
This forms part of the Construction Road Maintenance Short Skills Programme which was launched in Keimoes by the Premier. The main objective of this programme is to train unemployed youth which will meaningfully contribute towards the maintenance of road infrastructure in the Pixley Ka Seme District and in the Province.
The radio telescopes will be able to provide information about the origin and evolution of the Universe.
This is a 3-month programme, in partnership with the Construction Education and Training Authority (CETA).
The Accredited Training Provider and the Department of Roads and Public Roads have entered into a Service Level Agreement (SLA), which will ensure that quality training is delivered and to clearly outline the obligations of all role players to this agreement. Learners will receive credits towards achieving a qualification. After concluding the 3-month programme, learners will be enrolled into a 12-month learnership and a 36-month apprenticeship. In his address to the learners assembled at the town hall in Phillipstown, the Premier Dr. Zamani Saul urged the learners to take up the opportunity and not take it for granted because the aim is to take young people out of the pool of unemployment. GOOD NEWS! The Northern Cape achieved a 71.4% pass rate in the 2021 National Senior Certificate exams, an increase of 5.4% from 2020, making it the mostimproved province in terms of its percentage increase. n
Hon. Dr. Zamani Saul Premier of the Northern Cape
Public Sector Leaders | February 2022 | 37
EDUCATION FOCUS BY KOKETSO MAMABOLO
Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics The top 3 STEM fields to study
With unemployment surging, it’s important to approach the job market knowing what skills are most in-demand, what they involve and the places where you can study them. Here are three of the top science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields to study, with some paths one can take, as well as the centres of learning where you can study them.
38 | Public Sector Leaders | February 2022
SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT
Computer science breaks into different branches, one of them is software development, which is fundamental, and one the most indemand skills in South Africa. It involves producing, designing, implementing and maintaining software. Software is the set of commands which give a computer direction. It can be broken down into three types: system software, programming software and application software. Software Engineer Software engineers use principles developed in engineering to solve problems. To solve these problems they create software and systems. As with the other engineering disciplines, software engineering is practical. They have to deal with the real world, like civil engineers who work with buildings and roads.
There are two types of software engineers, those who work with applications and then those who work with systems. Application engineers have the responsibility of putting together applications with the end-user in mind. They drive the process, all the way from conceptualising and building the application, to testing, installing and maintaining it. System engineers manage an organisation’s computer systems. One of their roles is setting up the network which links the organisation’s computers.
Places to study: Centre for Software Engineering (CENSE) - UNISA Email: cense@unisa.ac.za Website: cs-cert.unisa.ac.za Academy of Computer Science and Software Engineering - UJ Tel: +27 (0) 11 559 2967 Email: gndevu@uj.ac.za Website: uj.ac.za Joburg Centre for Software Engineering - Wits University
UJ Faculty of Engineering
Tel: +27 (0) 11 717 6390 Email: info@jcse.org.za Website: jcse.org.za
Systems Analyst Sometimes called system architects, system analysts study an organisation’s IT systems in order to find ways to improve them. Their responsibility is creating IT solutions which they implement in order to increase productivity and improve an organisation’s efficiency. The simple way to put it is that they are problem-solvers. They take the end-users experience, their needs and wants, and find technical solutions for issues that need to be resolved. System analysts are involved at every point in the development process, working with everyone along the way, from the clients using the platforms, to the programmers and developers who create them.
Places to study: Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) Tel: +27 (0) 21 959 6767 Email: info@cput.ac.za Website: cput.ac.za INTEC College
CPUT Campus
Tel: +27 (0) 21 417 6700 Email: info@intec.edu.za Website: intec.edu.za
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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Information Technology (IT) essentially involves using technological solutions to solve an organisation’s problems, from the simple and small, to the big and complex. IT has three branches: governance, operations and hardware & infrastructure. IT governance encompasses the procedures and policies which ensure efficiency and cater to the requirements of the organisation. IT operations involve the day-to-day aspects, the role most people think of when IT is mentioned. Operations include maintenance, technical support, testing and managing the
organisation’s devices. Hardware and infrastructure is where the machines come in. IT professionals responsible for infrastructure deal with the physical components the computers, laptops, routers, telephones and servers which an organisation uses. Computer Network Architect As with buildings and infrastructure, an architect needs to design what the engineer builds. Computer network architects work closely with systems engineers to design an organisation’s data communication networks, which include Local Area Networks (LAN), Wide Area Networks (WAN) and intranets. up the network which links the organisation’s computers.
Network Administrator A network administrator manages an organisation's computer networks, which the network architect designs and the system engineer builds.
Damelin College Tel: 0860 326 354 Email: customercare@damelin.co.za Website: damelin.co.za Central University of Technology Tel: +27 (0) 51 507 3911 (Bloemfontein campus) +27 (0) 57 910 3500 (Welkom campus) Website: cut.ac.za
Places to study:
Their role involves troubleshooting, network maintenance and securing the network. In smaller organisations the role can be combined with that of a system administrator. Systems administrators focus on the servers and computer systems, while network administrators work specifically with matters relating to the network and the equipment it is made of, this can include routing and IP addresses.
Places to study:
Academic Institute of Excellence Tel: Johannesburg +27 (0) 11 262 5115 Cape Town - +27 (0) 21 000 0462 Email: info@aie.ac Website: aie.ac
College of Cape Town Tel: +27 (0) 21 404 6700 Email: info@cct.edu.za Website: cct.edu.za College of Cape Town City Campus
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ENGINEERING The Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) defines engineering as “...the practice of science, engineering science and technology concerned with the solution of problems of economic importance and those essential to the progress of society.”
engineers. They provide the engineering expertise required in production, processing and the distribution of agricultural products and consider the sustainability of the supply chain and its impact on the environment. The role of an agricultural engineer can encompass the designing of equipment, buildings and dams.
Places to study: ARC Institute for Agricultural Engineering
ECSA goes on to list some of the responsibilities that engineers generally have, including “designing materials, components, systems or processes” and “planning the capacity and location of infrastructure.
Tel: +27 (0) 12 842 4017 Email: stoltze@arc.agric.za Website: arc.agric.za
Agricultural Engineer Agricultural engineers are also known as natural resource
Tel: +27 (0) 15 268 2599 Email: yvonne.maboya@ul.ac.za Website: ul.ac.za
Civil Engineering Technologist Research is a significant part of civil engineering. In order to have all the required data, civil engineers require researchers who can go on-site and gather information which the civil engineer can use to inform their processes.
University of Limpopo Agricultural Engineering Department
UL Faculty of Science and Agriculture
The researchers who work closely with the engineers are called civil engineering technologists. Not only do they collect the data but they also interpret it to offer advice to the engineer and then implement the required systems for safety, examination, maintenance and repair of current and past projects.
Places to study: Vaal University of Technology (VUT) Tel: +27 (0) 16 950 9336 Website: vut.ac.za Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) Tel: 086 110 2421 Email: general@tut.ac.za Website: tut.ac.za
Vaal University of Technology (VUT)
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DFFE FOCUS BY JESSIE TAYLOR
Green jobs
Building a workforce to fight the effects of climate change
I
n a world that is increasingly witnessing the effects of climate change, it’s becoming essential that creating employment opportunities comes at a benefit to the environment. It’s this sentiment that drives the creation of green jobs in South Africa, through a series of programmes by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment. However, the programmes are not simply about creating work opportunities, they also aim to protect some of South Africa’s most important environmental resources. A ROAD MAP TO EMPLOYMENT Over the last several years, the Department has made a significant contribution to employment creation and skill development
opportunities through its environmental sector programmes. The programmes form part of interventions to support the National Development Plan (NDP). A core focus of the NDP is tackling poverty, inequality and unemployment, and it looks to see 11 million jobs created between 2012 and 2030.
The afforestation projects address the critical shortages in forest products It is a roadmap to a South Africa where all will have water, electricity, sanitation, jobs, housing, public transport, adequate nutrition, education, social protection, quality healthcare, recreation and a clean environment.
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The Department’s green economy interventions aim to support this roadmap, through programmes that create employment and protect the integrity of our environment. THE DEPARTMENT RUNS THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMMES: WORKING FOR FORESTS This programme aims to create employment while developing and rehabilitating government-owned plantations, as well as managing them. The programme is centred around more than 100 000 hectares of new afforestation in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. The afforestation projects address the critical shortages in forest products, such as saw timber,
and improve livelihood options for rural communities. Working for Forests looks to fill the shortfall in the supply of woodland and natural forest resources, which incentivises emerging black growers to invest in long-rotation saw timber crops. WORKING FOR ECOSYSTEMS With an estimated six million hectares of untransformed land in South Africa having been degraded, the Working on Ecosystem programme looks to restore lands, especially where the dependence on natural resources, high population densities and unplanned extraction and management of natural resources has reduced livelihood options. The programme is focused on poor, energy and food insecure communities, such as those in the former homelands, who have relied heavily on biomass for survival over many decades. This led to rural communities being caught up in a seemingly ever-worsening poverty-degradation spiral. Many of these areas are inherently attractive, or close or adjacent to an existing national park, and restoring them could increase tourism and recreation business opportunities for local and investors. Working for Ecosystems has the potential to break the poverty cycle, by restoring the social and financial capital of rural communities.
for Land programme, which encourages sustainable landuse practices and promotes resource conservation ethics, through community partnerships. Desertification, along with climate change and the loss of biodiversity, is one of the greatest challenges to sustainable development. Working for Land aims to empower communities to rehabilitate areas of land by planting trees, protecting grasslands, reducing soil erosion due to storms and educating the public on the unsustainable cutting of firewood. Working for land intends to make more land productive for the communities to sustain their livelihoods, and the programme seeks to address the issues of poverty through job creation by implementing various natural resource rehabilitation and conservation projects.
WORKING FOR WATER Invasive alien species are causing billions of rands of damage to South Africa’s economy every year. They are the single biggest threat to the country’s biological biodiversity and pose a significant threat to water security. Invasive plants can divert enormous amounts of water from more productive uses and invasive aquatic plants, such as the water hyacinth, affecting agriculture, fisheries, transport, recreation, and water supply.
There are currently around 200 invasive plants in the country. The fight against invasive alien plants is spearheaded by the Working for Water programme. The programme works in partnership with local communities, providing around 20 000 jobs through short-term contract jobs. The programme includes
WORKING FOR LAND South Africa is committed to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, with a long-term strategy to address issues relating to desertification. Part of this strategy is the Working
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skills training. Working for Water has more than 300 projects in all nine provinces and has cleared more than one million hectares of invasive alien plants.
The programme drives employment through the government’s Expanded Public Works Programme WORKING FOR WETLANDS Studies in several areas have suggested that between 35% and 60% of South Africa’s wetlands have already been lost or severely degraded. But the Working for Wetlands programme is built on the growing recognition that wetland degradation is not necessarily permanent. Working for Wetlands focuses on the rehabilitation, wise use and protection of wetlands to maximise employment creation, supports small businesses and transfers relevant and marketable skills to beneficiaries. The programme drives employment through the government’s Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP), which draws significant numbers of unemployed people into the productive sector of the economy, gaining skills while they work and increasing their capacity to earn income. The programme targets those groups most excluded from the mainstream economy, with particular emphasis on women, youth and people with disabilities. WORKING ON WASTE Working on Waste is one of the initiatives by the Department of Environmental Affairs implemented
under the auspices of the EPWP. The programme aims for the proactive prevention of pollution, through waste management services. It looks to prevent litter, which could lead to health hazards and environmental degradation. Ineffective waste management practices can affect the well-being of communities, and often leads to illegal dumping and littering. The programme seeks to ensure that both social and ecological sustainability is achieved through the implementation of sustainable waste management practices. WORKING ON FIRE Estimates have calculated that the damage to the forestry industry through the major fires is worth about R3.6-billion, but this could have doubled had it not been for the Working on Fire programme. Working on Fire prevents and controls wildland fires. The programme aims to protect life and property, as well as the environment. The governmentfunded, job creation programme also looks to alleviate poverty. Impact studies looking at the programme have found significant changes to the lives of beneficiaries and their families’ living standards. Firefighters in Working on Fire are recruited from marginalised communities and trained in fire awareness, education, prevention and suppression skills. These young people form veld and forest firefighting ground crews, stationed at bases around the country to help stop the scourge of wildfires which costs the South African economy billions of rands annually.
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Working on Fire employs more than 5000 people, all of whom have been fully trained as veld and forest firefighters and are stationed in more than 200 teams throughout the country. WORKING FOR THE COAST South Africa’s coastlands regularly feel the effects of inland resource practices. High population densities, construction, mineral exploration and urban expansion can have significant impact on coastal resources, endangering pristine areas along the coastline. The country’s coastal areas also face the threats of coastal sedimentation, environmental pollution, destruction of coastal habitats, urbanisation, and tourism impacts. The Working for the Coast programme was established to help deal with some of these challenges in line with the Integrated Coastal Management Act. The programme is informed by the EPWP and uses labour-intensive methods in its implementation, to encourage job creation while protecting the country’s coastline. LOOKING TO THE ECONOMIC FUTURE The Department’s programmes have had a far-reaching impact. In total, the various programmes have created more than 65 000 job opportunities, of which 34 000 have been full-time employment. Those prioritised for jobs include women, youth and people living with disabilities. The jobs have been created to fulfil the department’s mandate and have seen 105 wetlands rehabilitated, more than
2 100 kilometres of coastline cleaned, estuaries and dunes rehabilitated, boardwalks constructed, trees planted and the removal of alien species. Creating these green jobs is essential to support South Africa’s economy and reduce poverty levels in the country, says Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Hon. Makhotso Magdeline Sotyu. “[A] critical challenge facing the world and developing countries is the high unemployment rate with associated issues of some citizens being food insecure, especially at the household level. A key issue to be addressed in this regard is the creation of economic and employment opportunities, especially where the majority of the population comprises of the youth,” says Hon. Sotyu. “Social measures and safety nets for the most vulnerable in communities still play a role in
alleviating the plight of those who do not have the means of survival. However, putting a heavy burden will be unsustainable on these social support mechanisms without stimulating economic growth and creating economic and employment opportunities.” Investing in environmental management and integrated development planning will enable the building of a low carbon economy that supports resilient ecosystems and economies. Healthy and intact ecosystems provide more options for responding to climate change, alleviating poverty and building a green economy. ABOUT THE EXPANDED PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME Created in 2012, the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) is one of the government’s key programmes aimed at providing poverty and income relief through temporary work for the unemployed. EPWP projects employ workers on
a temporary or ongoing basis with government, contractors, or other non-governmental organisations. The EPWP also provides training and enterprise development support. The programme employs around 1.4 million people a year, and pays our wages of more than R900-million, according to the State of the Expanded Public Works Programme in South African Cities 2019/20 Report. The report is created by the South African Cities Network EPWP Reference Group, a peer-based platform that consists of key officials from eight respective cities whose knowledge and experience is used to contribute significantly to job creation in South Africa. “This positive activity is taking place against a flat economic backdrop: South Africa is currently experiencing year on year GDP growth of only 0,2%... Given this operating environment, the EPWP plays an important role in creating job opportunities in cities for semiskilled and unskilled workers in various sectors for the benefit of the poor and unemployed, especially when coupled with the reduced public-sector wage bill,” said Sithole Mbanga, South African Cities Network CEO. In the 2019/20 year, there were more than 1500 EPWP projects implemented across the country. The majority of these were in the environment, culture, infrastructure and social sector. More than half of those employed by the programme are youth, while 55% are women. n
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DALRRD FOCUS BY JESSIE TAYLOR
The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development BUMPER HARVEST BRINGS HOPE FOR ECONOMIC RECOVERY The agriculture sector recorded a bumper harvest in the 2020/ 2021 season. The successful year not only added to the economy but also created jobs and optimism among agribusinesses and brought with it hope of strong economic recovery after the pandemic -an endeavour in which the agricultural sector has a strategic role to play. REAPING THE REWARDS OF A HEALTHY HARVEST The agriculture sector is one of the few that has proven itself resilient despite the pandemic – highlighted by the year's excellent performance - and has been earmarked as a key focus in South Africa's economic recovery. Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development Minister Thoko Didiza says the agricultural sector had proven to be one of the industries that had bolstered the economy and created job opportunities. The increased exports have set a strong benchmark for this year, and experts anticipate it could bring record export and production numbers. It is anticipated that the sector could reach a record export of R173-billion this year – higher than the R167-billion generated in 2018 and R160-billion in 2020. In addition, the Agbiz/IDC Agribusiness Confidence Index reached a new high during the last quarter of the year – a result of the favourable outlook generated by the production season.
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The survey, which measures agribusinesses sentiment about the South African business landscape, was carried out in November among businesses in all agricultural sub-sectors across South Africa.
The strong performance of the sector also led to increased employment opportunities. The index's results reached 74, the second-highest level since its inception in 2001. Any level above the 50-point mark (neutral) implies that agribusinesses are optimistic about operating conditions in the country. The strong performance of the sector also led to increased employment opportunities. Agricultural employment increased by 3% year-on-year, in the third quarter of 2021. This translated to 829 000 jobs – significantly higher than the longterm agricultural employment of 780 000, said Hon. Didiza. GROWING THE ECONOMY The Minister says her department aims to build on the sector's success in the coming year through the Agriculture and Agroprocessing Master Plan. She says several rounds of negotiations and consultations have taken place between government, business, and labour bodies and should conclude in the first quarter of 2022. The Master Plan forms part of the country's Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan. It will identify industries
that can play a critical role in bolstering economic performance. The agriculture sector has, for long, held promise as a driver of economic activity. Gross farming income earned from all agricultural products increased by 15,8% to R327-million in 2020, compared to R282-million in 2019. This was due to the 37% increase in income from field crops, 18% in horticulture and 6% in animal products. The Minister’s Master Plan for the sector could create around 317 000 new jobs, most of which will be in the private sector among producers of fruits, nuts, wine and vegetables, and agro-processing. Expanding production and promoting export is expected to contribute around R80-billion in gross production value. In addition to the Master Plan, Minister Didiza says her department is working to establish a body that will drive inclusion in the sector. "We are moving towards establishing the Land Reform and Agriculture Agency, which will be instrumental in driving progress on land redistribution and post-transfer farmer support. The details of this agency will be announced in the coming year. We have made progress in conceptualising its structure," says Minister Didiza. THERE ARE SEVERAL SUCCESS STORIES FROM THE INDUSTRY OVER THE LAST YEAR: An agreement was concluded with The Philippines, which has seen 65 471 cartons of citrus exported. The new market has the potential
for the export of 20 000 tons of citrus fruit, valued at around R205-million, annually. There has been improved market access of exported lemons to China. With local lemon production expected to grow by 175 000 metric tons by 2024, this protocol comes at an opportune time for South African farmers. In December, South Africa also signed a protocol with China on the export of pears. In 2021, 22% of South Africa's total pear exports landed in the Far East and Asian markets, and this is likely to increase with the new agreement. Trade started under the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement, which holds the promise of enhanced trade, cooperation and investment for the agricultural sector. Prior to the agreement, South Africa sent 41% of its agricultural exports to African countries, bringing in around R130-billion a year. The continued demand for South African produce and the increased production and healthy harvests promise to drive the economy and bolster the country's recovery plans. n
Hon. Thoko Didiza Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development
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CSI FOCUS BY MASENYANE MOLEFE
SA companies devoting resources to aid the poor COVID-19 IMPACT Although South Africa's economy is starting to show green shoots of recovery – as the government gradually lifted restrictions, the road ahead is uncertain, steep and bumpy. To compound this situation, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on lives and livelihoods. Even more worryingly – according to a report by the United Nations (UN), which describes the pandemic as "a crisis with a woman's face" – most women work in sectors that are hardest hit by the pandemic, with 24% more likely to lose their jobs, suffer income falls and exacerbate the widening gender pay gap. The big question remains what civil society, the government and individuals can do to alleviate the impact of COVID-19 deepening unemployment and poverty. VACCINATION DRIVE The first obvious solution has been and is still for people across the country to get vaccinated because the vaccine is our only tool to manage the virus. Since the first COVID-19 vaccines became available, we have seen how they have dramatically reduced severe illness, hospitalisation and death across the world. To support efforts to get the country to ramp up vaccinations and mobilise citizens to act and stop the virus, corporates have allocated money to initiatives such as the Solidarity Fund, which is designed to fund impactful initiatives that will augment the national
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health response, contribute to a national humanitarian effort. According to the most recent stats provided on the COVID-19 South African Online Portal (sacoronavirus.co.za), over 41% of South Africa's adult population are fully vaccinated.
Corporates and notfor-profit organisations are driving programmes that enable students to continue with studies We need to quadruple our efforts to get as many people as possible vaccinated in support of the government's well-laid-out plan to ramp up vaccinations.Corporate social investment. There is pressure on corporates to effectively address social biases within the communities where they operate. It is good to give, particularly to those who have meagre resources, to keep the wolf from the door. The 24th edition
of the annual Trialogue Business in Society Handbook states that although Corporate Social Investment (CSI) dipped slightly to an estimated R10.3-billion during 2021 from R10.7-billion spent in 2020, it is praiseworthy that during these tough times, companies did not dramatically reduce spending due to COVID-19 and a decrease in corporate profits. The handbook also shows that companies diverted their spending to food security, agriculture and disaster relief during 2021. EDUCATION Trialogue, a CSI consultancy producing the handbook, says education remained the most popular cause, benefiting mainly previously disadvantaged students, who were the hardest hit by the pandemic. In 2020, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's white paper found that students from privileged backgrounds – supported by their parents and eager and able
to learn – could find their way to alternative learning opportunities, whereas those from disadvantaged backgrounds often remained shut out when academic institutions were no longer able to carry out physical lectures. The pandemic, related lockdowns and physical distancing measures caused not only unprecedented disruption in the provision of education and training but also catalysed innovation in distance learning. While access to learning was maintained in some contexts through a rapid shift to distance learning in universities, the pre-existing social and digital divides have deprived the most marginalised groups of continued learning and put them at risk of falling further behind. It is pleasing that through some of the corporate interventions to those in need, many students felt that the impact of COVID-19 was moderate, with 41% indicating that they battled with no contact during the hard lockdown, 30%
Deputy Minister Thembi Siweya conducts a Back to School campaign at Nteteleng Primary School in Manotolwaneng Village
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felt more anxious, and 34% found the shift to e-learning challenging according to the PPS 2021 Student Confidence Index (SCI) survey. The PPS SCI saw 3 304 respondents – all tertiary students – participate in the survey. While 26% of the students said mobile data was expensive, things are improving. Regarding the preferred learning approach, 48% of respondents said they preferred a hybrid learning approach.
young people are developed. Therefore, the importance of uninterrupted education has never been more prevalent, and without deliberate interventions such as the prioritisation of education, lifelong learning, job training, skills development and social-economic development strategies, and embracing new normal activities like remote working, the situation may deteriorate further.
This could be as a result of interventions by not-for-profit organisations such as the PPS Foundation. Cognisant of these challenges, the PPS Foundation provided several higher learning institutions with funds to buy digital devices and internet data for students during the crossover to e-learning. However, the harsh reality is that the pandemic has added more pressure on students, causing massive anxiety. The SCI survey revealed that 51% of tertiary students are more anxious about the future impact of COVID-19 compared to 2020.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP The National Development Plan (NDP), the government's bold and ambitious blueprint for reviving all key aspects of South Africa, envisioned that by 2030, small businesses would contribute 6080% to the gross domestic product increase and generate 90% of the
Corporates and not-for-profit organisations are driving programmes that enable students to continue with studies, educational institutions to facilitate lectures, and recent graduates to transition smoothly from student life to the world of work. Acquainted with the challenges of companies, the PPS Foundation provides several programmes aimed at arming students and young professionals with the necessary skills, tools and mechanisms to help address the critical skills gap. These resources are made available, and through partnering with like-minded individuals and organisations,
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11 million jobs. Looking at where we are now, it will take a herculean effort to achieve this. One sure way to stamp out unemployment is by creating a policy and operational environment where entrepreneurs and small businesses can thrive. Entrepreneurship can also be supported through companies' CSI budgets. According to the Trialogue survey, there is massive room for improvement here as only 30% of corporates spent an average of 6% of CSI expenditure on supporting entrepreneurs. Interestingly, the PPS SCI survey shows that a rising number of students are pursuing entrepreneurship and have embraced the freelance and side-hustle economy with both
arms. One in three students has a side hustle, with 31% intending to grow these once employed. This is the most important upside of the COVID-19 pandemic. Technological advancements have made the ability to work from anywhere in the world possible and opened many other digital opportunities.
The hard lockdown has motivated people to take stock and identify other ways to give back to and support communities COP26 Organisations from around the world – including activists and scientists – gathered at the United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland, in November 2021 to continue the global wrangle over emission-reduction commitments. Thankfully, the debate has shifted away from whether global heating is a reality or not. The focus is on developing climate-change solutions. There is a drive towards innovation to minimise the impact and to limit disruptions to economies emanating from climate change. COP26 recently documented that collectively there needs to be a focus that looks beyond safeguarding lives and livelihoods to bettering them. The hard lockdown has motivated people to take stock and identify other ways to give back to and support communities who are affected by the pandemic and climate change.
Wayne Elsey, Founder & Head Coach/CEO, The Funds2Orgs Group posts that companies and businesses do not have much choice. "Consumers understand that we are in trouble, and they are increasingly spending their money on companies that deliver on sustainability. For instance, as someone in the shoe business, I see how brands such as Stella McCartney and Nike shifted toward sustainability," he explains. Moreover, it may feel like a distant memory now, but a mere four years ago, Cape Town was on the cusp of an apocalyptic "dayzero", where the city would be without water due to drought. From the airport to hotels and farms, everyone came together to find solutions. What the country feared the most was that Cape Town would lose its status as a premier tourism destination, decimating jobs in the sector that the city's economy so much depends on. South Africa is also vulnerable to climate change from extreme
weather events such as flooding and wildfires. Without intervention by civil society, corporates and the government through legislation and CSI budgets to drive education and the fight against pandemics such as COVID-19 and global heating, the poor are becoming poorer and more adversely affected when compared to those with the means. This may result in deterioration of underlying socio-economic and political risks that could lead to events such as the July riots becoming a regular occurrence. We are now aware of the economic impact such uprisings have on the economy, including more than R32 billion paid to insurance claimants. The bulk of this money came from the budget and could have been used for the country's economic benefit, such as investing in infrastructure and providing support through grants. Kudos to the corporates who are socially aware and use their financial muscle to create a cushion for those without the means. n
By Masenyane Molefe, Executive Trustee at PPS Foundation
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FEATURE BY FIONA WAKELIN
A taste of South Africa’s wonderful wetlands With the travel ban at the end of 2021, many end of year holiday plans changed to staycations - which gave us a chance to experience the stunning natural beauty which is South Africa. Here are 4 of our wetland wonderlands…
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ISIMANGALISO WETLAND PARK KwaZulu -Natal
DE MOND NATURE RESERVE Western Cape
On 1 December 1999 the Greater St Lucia Wetlands Park - now known as the iSimangaliso Wetland Park - was declared South Africa's first Natural World Heritage Site. “iSimangaliso” means “miracles” and this, South Africa's third largest park, stretches from Mapelane (Cape St. Lucia) in the South, to Kozi Bay Nature Reserve in the North.
De Mond is a 954-hectare coastal nature reserve which lies at the mouth of the Heuningnes River on the southwestern Cape coast, between Arniston and Struisbaai. It is a sanctuary for marine life and seabirds, and its coastal vegetation, ranges from dune milkwood forests to salt marshes teeming with life.
A Ramsar site is a wetland which is considered to be of international importance; South Africa currently has 27 Ramsar sites and iSimangaliso contains four of them:
The reserve includes former sections of Zoetendals Vallei and Bushy Park farms. De Mond was established in 1986 and supports several species of small mammals such as grysbok, steenbok and grey duiker. It has rich and varied birdlife, making it popular among bird enthusiasts.
• • • •
Turtle Beaches/Coral Reefs of Tongaland (Ramsar Site # 344) St. Lucia Lake System (Ramsar Site # 345) Kosi Bay Lake System (Ramsar Site #527) Lake Sibaya (Ramsar Site # 528)
The Park comprises 8 interlinking eco-systems with a 220 km coastline and ancient 25 000-year-old coastal forests. The interlinking ecosystems of grasslands, swamps, lakes, beaches, coral reefs, woodlands, wetlands, and coastal forests, results in a myriad of flora and fauna which people travel from all over the world to enjoy. These include hippopotami, elephant, rhino, buffalo, giraffe, kudu, hyena and water buck on land - and Nile crocodiles, whales, dolphins, turtles and a plethora of fish species in the water. It is also a bird watchers’ haven with over 520 bird species to tweet home about. Lake St Lucia is one of the most important breeding areas for water birds in South Africa The six settlements in the Park are in the Kosi Bay Coastal Forest Reserve and management at the provincial level is by KwaZulu-Natal Nature Conservation, working with the provincial administration in accordance with national and provincial legislation. The Park is also protected by the World Heritage Convention Act, 1999.
This beautiful stretch of coastline plays a particularly important role in the protection of breeding colonies of the threatened Damara and Caspian terns. Visitors can enjoy a peaceful picnic under shady trees along the banks of the river, or explore the reserve on one of the beautiful hiking trails. The 7km Sterna Trail winds through riverine vegetation, dune forest and stabilised dunes before following the coast to the river mouth and salt marshes. Fishing enthusiasts can enjoy De Mond’s prime freshwater and marine angling spots. HOW TO GET THERE 1.
From Cape Town, take the N2 to Caledon, before turning off on to the R316 to Bredasdorp.
2.
From Bredasdorp, the reserve can be approached from either the R319 to Struisbaai, or the R316 to Arniston.
3.
De Mond is approximately 200km from Cape Town. Cape Nature
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MAKULEKE WETLANDS Limpopo The Makuleke Contractual Park in the northern region of the Kruger National Park is the result of a groundbreaking land claim agreement between the Makuleke people and the South African National Parks Board in 1998. The “triangle” is a wedge of land created by the confluence of the Limpopo and Luvuvhu Rivers at the tri-point Crook’s Corner, which forms a border with South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mozambique along the Limpopo River. The Makuleke Wetlands received its Ramsar status as wetlands of International Importance on 22 May 2007. It was the first Ramsar site owned and co-managed by a community - not only in South Africa, but worldwide. The wetlands are an excellent example of a floodplain wetland type. Prominent features include riverine forests, riparian floodplain forests, floodplain grasslands, river channels and flood pans. Flood pans are depressions in the floodplains which are intermittently filled from floods and rains - they are of great importance in this ecosystem as they hold water right into the dry season, acting as a refuge point for wildlife and water birds during both winter and summer months. The floodplains reduce flood damage in downstream areas of Mozambique, are important for groundwater recharge, and maintain riparian and floodplain vegetation. - Saramsar
VERLOREN VALLEI NATURE RESERVE Mpumalanga The Verloren Vallei Nature Reserve is an internationally recognised wetland reserve with amazing biological diversity. It is part of the Highlands Meander and visitors often stay over at nearby Dullstrom, a charming small town which is en route to Kruger National Park. This 6 000-hectare grassland reserve is an interlinked series of over 30 wetlands which are home to significant birds, including red data species. It is one of the few places in the country to breed all three of the world’s endangered cranes and is also home to 55 different species of orchids which flower at different times from September to the end of April.
Sources iSimangaliso.com Cape Nature Saramsar
Mpumalanga.com Savenues Sowetan live
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Plan ahead of time, however: because it’s a closed reserve - appointments must be made - and visitors must be accompanied by a guide. n
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FOCUS ON SONKE GENDER JUSTICE EDITORIAL
Working for Justice across Africa
S
onke Gender Justice is a South African-based nonprofit organisation working throughout Africa, believing that women and men, girls and boys can work together to resist patriarchy, advocate for gender justice and achieve gender transformation. VISION A world in which womxn, children, men, and gender-non-conforming individuals enjoy equitable, caring, healthy, and happy relationships that contribute to the development of gender-just and democratic societies, free from poverty. MISSION Sonke strengthens the capacity of governments, civil society, and citizens to advance gender justice and womxn’s rights, prevent gender-based violence and reduce the spread of HIV and the impact of AIDS, and in this way contribute to social justice and the elimination of poverty.
ORGANISATIONAL PHILOSOPHY Sonke recognises that affecting sustained change to gender roles and relations requires addressing the forces that shape individual attitudes and community norms and practices – traditions and cultures, government policies, laws and institutions, civil society organisations, the media and the family – as well as underlying economic, political and social pressures. Effective responses to genderbased violence and HIV and AIDS require organisations to develop multifaceted strategies and build relationships with both traditional and non-traditional partners. Thus Sonke works closely with a range of organisations and individuals including women’s rights organisations, social movements, trade unions, government departments, sports associations, faith-based organisations,
56 | Public Sector Leaders | February 2022
media organisations, university research units and human rights advocates. In addition, Sonke is committed to ensuring that programmes are informed by the perspectives and priorities of those working to advance the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual and intersexual communities, people living with HIV and AIDS, and refugees and migrants. Women, sexual minorities, young people, refugees, migrants and other relevant stakeholders are represented in Sonke’s governance structures. Sonke recognises the importance of engaged and empowered citizen activism that can both support and hold the government accountable. Sonke currently co-chairs the MenEngage Alliance, and embraces the principles of the Alliance to guide the positive involvement of men in gender equality work.
SPECTRUM OF CHANGE •
Sonke utilises the ‘spectrum of change’ model, drawing on a broad range of social change strategies that include:
•
Partnering with government to promote policy development and effective implementation
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Advocacy, activism and community mobilisation
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Networking and coalition work, nationally and internationally
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Capacity building and training with partner organisations
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Innovative communication strategies for social change
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Community education
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Individual skills building
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Research and monitoring and evaluation
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Show the effects of gender norms and inequalities on men and women
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Exploe ways to transform gender relations by engaging both women and men
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Address structural and social determinants of gender inequality, first and foremost income inequality and the unequal division of labour.
AWARDS AND RECOGNITION On 1 December 2017, Sonke was awarded the Mail & Guardian Investing in the Future and Drivers of Change Health Award for our prison reform work. Shortly before, on 10 November 2017, we were honoured to receive the Overall Human Rights Award in the Foundation for Human Rights’ inaugural Mogambri Moodliar
HUMAN RIGHTS AWARDS. According to Dean Peacock, Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director of Sonke, “These awards are testimony to both the effectiveness of multi-pronged and ambitious strategy and a dedicated staff willing to stay the course over the long term no matter the challenges.” In November 2012, Sonke was listed as a runner-up in the Mail & Guardian 2012 Investing in the Future Awards for our One Man Can Campaign. We were also a runner-up in the Interpersonal/ Community Category at the 2012 AfriComNet Awards for Excellence in HIV and AIDS Communication in Africa. In January 2012 Sonke was recognised by the French National Consultative Commission on Human Rights as one of six
ORGANISATIONAL VALUES Sonke believes that gender transformational work must: •
Promote the rights of women and girls and link with efforts to empower them
•
Enhance the lives of boys and men and help them to see the benefits of transforming gender norms
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Include and respond to diversities among men – such as sexual, ethnic and class differences – and address, inter alia, the specific needs of male prisoners and migrants and men (and women) affected by conflict
Public Sector Leaders | February 2022 | 57
“distinguished” organisations out of 160 applicants. As a young organisation – established only in 2006 – Sonke was proud to be mentioned alongside organisations that are recognised globally for their pioneering work. Also in January 2012, Sonke was recognised by Philanthropedia as one of the top-performing organisations working globally to end violence against women. The recognition was created by a global survey of 80 experts from 60 NGOs, research institutions and philanthropic organisations.
Together we must end violence against women and girls and HIV and AIDS In 2007, founders and directors of Sonke, Dean Peacock and Bafana Khumalo, won the Men’s Health Best Man Award in the Public Service category. The award recognised the two men’s efforts to halt the spread of HIV and AIDS and to stop all forms of gender-based violence in South Africa. The Mail & Guardian recognised Sonke’s activists Thami Nkosi and Jean-Marie Nkurunziza in 2009 and 2011 respectively as young South Africans to watch out for. In a speech on 13 October 2011 in which he outlined the UK Government’s development priorities, the Department for International Development’s parliamentary representative, Stephen O’Brien, applauded the work of Sonke’s One Man Can campaign and voiced his support for the need to work with men and boys to promote gender equality.
RECOGNITIONS FOR PROMISING OR BEST PRACTICE •
World Health Organisation’s 2012 Male Involvement in the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV Paper
•
UNAIDS Innovative Approaches for Women And Girls Best Practices Report for the 2011 High-Level Meeting on HIV and AIDS
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UNAID Best Practices Report for 2011 International Aids Society Conference Community Innovation: Achieving Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights for Women And Girls through The HIV Response
•
•
•
•
and policy on gender equality, gender-based violence, sexual and reproductive health and rights (including HIV and AIDS) to empower and protect women, children and vulnerable men, and to cultivate positive masculinities. They offer technical expertise to national processes of drafting legislation and policies; use the courts and Chapter 9 institutions to hold public figures accountable for their actions; support communities to participate in public advocacy action; and lobby Government institutions to uphold the rights of all, but in particular marginalised. n
CONTACT
World Health Organisation 2010: Addressing violence against women and HIV/AIDS: What works?
122 Longmarket St, Cape Town City Centre, Cape Town, 8001
ACTION AID 2009 Compendium of promising practices: Together we must end violence against women and girls and HIV and AIDS: Emerging practices addressing the intersection
Johannesburg: +27 (0)11 339 3589
Global Business Coalition Healthy Women, Healthy Economies Initiative – Men as Champions for Family Health: A Workplace Initiative
Cape Town: +27 (0)21 423 7088
Bushbuckridge Satellite Office: +27 (0)13 795 5076 Gugulethu Satellite Office: +27 (0)21 633 3140 info@genderjustice.org.za genderjustice.org.za
USAID Report on Engaging Men for Gender Equality and Improved Reproductive Health
POLICY AND ADVOCACY Sonke’s Policy Development and Advocacy (PDA) Unit consists of policy analysts, researchers and lawyers who base their practice in activism and disrupting the status quo. They – and Sonke – advocate for progressive legislation
58 | Public Sector Leaders | February 2022
source: genderjustice.org.za
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Public Africology Sector Leaders | February Africology Skincare Skincare & Spa &2022 Spa | 59
FINANCIAL FITNESS BY KOKETSO MAMABOLO
A little goes a long way Tips to save on your water and electricity bills
W
ith rising electricity prices and the everpresent threat of droughts, saving water and electricity is one of the best things you can do for your household. Not only will you save money that could be spent elsewhere, you will also be contributing to efforts to address climate change as our well of fossil fuels diminishes with each passing day. We collected some tips to help you save water and electricity.
ELECTRICITY
Fridges and freezers Ideally your fridge should be set to 3 degrees Celsius. At this temperature perishable items will remain fresh without wasting power. Don’t use the fridge or freezers to full capacity. Only fill them around 90% and check the seals to ensure no air is coming in. You want to keep your fridge and freezer in a cool area, not exposed to the sun and away from stoves and ovens. Only open fridges and freezers when necessary. Stoves and ovens It’s tempting, but don’t open the oven until the food is done cooking. Besides ensuring the food cooks properly, it also saves on the cooking time and thus the amount of electricity. When cooking, match the pot to the plate. Use small pots on the small plates and large pots on the large plates. If you’re cooking something that takes a long time, consider using a pressure or slow-cooker.
60 | Public Sector Leaders | February 2022
Don’t defrost food in the microwave, rather move it from the freezer to the fridge ahead of time to allow it to defrost slowly. For hot drinks, boil water in a kettle rather than on the stove. Dishwashing machine To avoid using the dishwasher more than necessary, wait until you have a full load of crockery and cutlery. You need to get familiar with the settings and the eco-function, which will do most of the energy saving work for you. Consider replacing older dishwashers with the latest models, which are engineered to use as little as possible. Washing machines and tumble dryers As with dishwashers, wait for a full load of laundry before using the washing machine. You also need to be familiar with the settings and match them with load. The hot water setting is best for really dirty laundry, otherwise always use cold water. Try and use a washing line on sunny days instead of tossing your wet laundry in the tumble dryer.
Use excess water you collect in the house for your garden. Geysers Geysers can be the biggest users of electricity in your home and changing the way you use them can save you hundreds of rands. Try and have your geyser as close as possible to the places where you need hot water in your
home, such as the bathroom. Wrap the geyser in a geyser blanket which will keep the water hot for longer. You can also insulate the pipes so that heat doesn’t escape through them. Consider installing a timer which will switch the geyser on and off so that it’s not using power when necessary. You can then wrap the geyser in a geyser blanket to keep the water hot for longer
Swimming pools The water in your pool evaporates and you can prevent this by ensuring that it stays covered when it’s not in use. When filling it up, don’t fill it all the way to the top, so as not to lose any water when it’s displaced. For your kids, consider a shallow shell pool and collect rainwater in a tank, which can be fed to your pool through pipes.
WATER
Garden Use excess water you collect in the house for your garden. Watering cans use less water than sprinkler systems and water hoses. Water your plants well but less frequently if you’re using a hose. Remove invasive plants, replacing them with indigenous species and plants which use less water. n
Toilets Try to only flush your toilet when it’s necessary and when you do, try to only flush with grey water, rain water and borehole or well-point water. Grey water is the water left from laundry, showers and baths. You can put a full glass bottle in your cistern to reduce the amount of water you use every time you flush. Try using less toilet paper as well. Hygiene It may take some time getting used to, but try short, stop-start showers. Turn the water on to wet yourself, then turn it off when you’re using soap, and turn it back on to quickly rinse yourself. Consider taking a sponge bath, and if you have to take a shower, try to collect the water and don’t let it run while you wait for it to get hot. Laundry As with saving electricity, wait until you have a full load before using a washing machine. Do as much hand washing as possible and use less soap to reduce the amount of water you need when rinsing clothes.
Public Sector Leaders | February 2022 | 61
IN OTHER NEWS BY JESSIE TAYLOR
The South African Bone Marrow Registry Saving lives, one donor at a time
E
very year, hundreds of South Africans with cancers and blood diseases, such as leukaemia, reach the stage where their only hope of survival lies in a bone marrow transplant. But 70% of these patients will need to rely on a donor network to find a matching donor. Pairing up these patients with a lifesaving donor and a second chance at life is the work of the South African Bone Marrow Registry (SABMR). LIFE-SAVING WORK The SABMR was established in 1991 in Cape Town. The registry was created to address a concern that although bone marrow transplants were a lifesaving treatment option, they were only available to patients with a matching donor in their family.Its mission is to save lives and provide hope for all
patients needing bone marrow transplants. SABMR does this by creating awareness, expanding the registry, embracing evolving technology, and enhancing stakeholder relationships to benefit the community. This work is essential: Each year, an estimated 4 000 new cases of blood disorders such as leukaemia and lymphoma are reported in South Africa. And finding matching tissue types to conduct the bone marrow transplant is often a challenge. The SABMR has facilitated more than 550 bone marrow transplants. The registry is required to undertake extensive collaboration with international registries and strictly adhere to universal standards of practice. The SABMR is an internationally recognised registry and is a
62 | Public Sector Leaders | February 2022
World Marrow Donor Association member. The organisation has a team of qualified and highly trained staff who work to maintain a registry of volunteer donors in South Africa and register newly recruited volunteer donors on its database. Today, the SABMR has over 73 000 donors on its database, around 0,2% of South Africa’s population. The SABMR searches both locally and internationally for donors. Through its collaboration with bone marrow registries worldwide, the SABMR has access to over 39million donors worldwide in 76 countries. But it’s no small task to match patients with a suitable, unrelated bone marrow donor: The chances of finding a match are around 1 in 100 000.
BUILDING A DIVERSE DATABASE The SABMR’s task becomes even more complicated when matching people of colour with life-saving donors. Currently, less than a third of all those on the registry are of colour, and 75% of the donors for South African patients come from other countries. This impacts the chances of a patient of colour finding a match, as donors are usually found within the patient’s population group. Increasing the bone marrow registry to include more people of colour is necessary because South Africans have diverse heritage. For a bone marrow transplant, the patient and the donor need to share the same human leukocyte antigens (HLA). There are thousands of variations of HLA, and they are hereditary – meaning the donor and patient will need to come from the same population group.
Donors go through a painless, non-surgical procedure when donating their stem cells. This becomes even more tricky when you consider the diverse heritage in South Africa: indigenous Southern African groups like the Khoi San, descendants of immigrants and slave groups from Indonesia, Malaysia, Madagascar, East Africa and India, black Africans and those of European descent. Because of this diverse heritage,
many South Africans will have HLA found nowhere else in the world. And without enough South Africans of colour registered to be donors, there is a smaller chance of finding a match. Farnaaz Bedford, a Harvest Coordinator at the SABMR, says: “If we have fewer people of colour on our database, then we won’t have a match for a patient of colour in desperate need of a transplant, and it minimises the chance of survival.” In South Africa, anyone aged 16 to 45 and in general good health can register to be a bone marrow donor. Bone marrow transplants successfully cure more than 60% of recipients. For more information, contact the SABMR on 021 447 8638 or visit www.sabmr.co.za HOW DOES A BONE MARROW TRANSPLANT WORK? Bone marrow is the tissue in the body where red blood cells, white blood cells and blood platelets are produced. For many people with immune deficiency syndromes and blood diseases like leukaemia, their bone marrow is not producing healthy blood cells. The procedure replaces the patient’s bone marrow with healthy bone marrow stem cells. This allows their body to begin producing healthy cells. Donors go through a painless, non-surgical procedure when donating their stem cells. It’s similar to donating blood: Some
blood is removed through a needle in one arm and is passed through a machine. This machine collects the stem cells, and the blood is returned to the donor’s body via a needle in their other arm. The donors’ bone marrow starts regenerating immediately. The SABMR coordinates the collection of stem cells and arranges their transport to transplant centres in South Africa. The organisation also follows up on the well-being of donors after the donation and the progress of patients who have received transplants facilitated by the SABMR. MORE THAN ONE WAY TO GIVE If you’re unable to register as a bone marrow donor, you can still support the work of the SABMR. Through its Patient Assistance Programme, SABMR assists patients awaiting transplants but cannot afford the costs involved. The search for a donor can become expensive, which is why the programme was created in 2018. Depending on the patient’s need, the SABMR can partially or fully cover the costs of the search for, testing, and verification of a suitably matched bone marrow donor at no cost to the patient. If a donor is found, the SABMR can also extend the approved funding towards the stem cell procurement process, the actual procedure of collecting a donor’s healthy stem cells for transplant. The SABMR runs a campaign to encourage the public to donate to this programme every year. n
Public Sector Leaders | February 2022 | 63
LEGAL MATTERS BY SILKE RATHBONE
Remotely Yours The Engagement Rules of Remote Working
While remote working is not a regulated form of working in South Africa, employers and employees alike need to tread through these grounds cautiously. No, remote working is not new to South Africa or the world; however, it has become front of mind over the last 24 months, in lockdown especially and following the aftermath of COVID-19. So, when I say tread cautiously, what do I mean? THE KEY ISSUES TO CONSIDER AROUND REMOTE WORKING First and foremost, while a remote working concept was, in many circumstances, a necessity over lockdown, it may not be such a good idea now that the dust has settled.
64 | Public Sector Leaders | February 2022
M
any employees, now used to the comfort of working from home or even at some remote location instead of a set office, have baulked at the idea of going back. While many have twisted their employer's arms into letting them stay remote, it may not be the most practical means anymore, both physically or financially. Weigh up whether having your employees away from the office still works, or if it would be more beneficial to the company to have them under one roof. The POPI Act, which became an official part of our lives in 2021, has brought about many data protection questions, even more so when staff are not being openly monitored in an office environment. Consider whether the remote working setup covers all aspects of the POPI Act. For example, is confidential and private information safeguarded and protected in the current working arrangement? This can be easily remedied by ensuring all your staff are on a safe and secure cloud-based platform, where all files are saved 24/7 and access is protected by secure passwords or 2-factor authentication. When it comes to your employee's health and safety, we need to bring in the Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993. This means that the employer, no matter where their employees are working, must ensure that the working environment and surroundings are safe and healthy. What constitutes a workplace? A workplace is described as any premises or place where a person performs work during their
employment. This means that remote working, whether at the person's home or in a coffee shop, falls under this description. So, how does an employer ensure the remote working location is safe, secure and healthy? An employer can put many risk assessments into place with a checklist to ensure the criteria are met. An employer can do this even after such a remote working arrangement has been going on for a while.
Schedule a monthly or more in-person meeting When your employees are at your own offices generally, depending on the contractual arrangement, you supply them with all the equipment, software and processes they need to perform their duties. That may mean a PC or laptop, tablet, stationery, platform software and anything else that aids them in being productive. Ideally, an employer should check whether employees working remotely have been sufficiently equipped.. Checking in with your remote working employee may prove a little bit more taxing than if they were in your office space. Virtual meetings can become tiring, and both employer and employee may find that much is lost over this online way of connecting. A suggestion is to schedule a monthly or more frequent inperson meeting. This may be at the employee's remote space or instead at a generic location, just to change it up a bit. Keep the connection going by encouraging employees
to set time aside to team up or connect with their colleagues. It can be a lonely existence when you are always alone. A regular checkin session can help fuel morale and creative juices. I recommend summarising your remote working conditions and putting a remote working contract or policy in place. This helps to clear the blurred lines and helps all parties involved breathe a little easier. IF YOU'RE IN NEED OF SUCH A POLICY, PLEASE DO REACH OUT TODAY. LabourExcel specialises in offering a variety of Labour Law and HR Solutions. Silke Rathbone, one of the Principal Partners, has crafted and honed her skillset and assists corporates and individuals along the Labour journey to ensure they understand what is required of them at all levels. n
CONTACT SILKE Address: Frazzitta Business Park 0A Langeberg Rd, Durbanville, Cape Town, 7550 Tel: +27 72 018 5827 Web: labourexcel.co.za Email: atlantic@labourexcel.co.za Social Media: @LabourExcel
Public Sector Leaders | February 2022 | 65
UPCOMING EVENTS BY KOKETSO MAMABOLO
February is all about
PLANNING, PROM 02
State of the Nation Address (SONA) The State of the Nation address is the President’s opportunity, as the Head of State, to give parliamentarians, and the millions of South Africans whom they represent, a broad update on the plans for the year. In the address, the President sheds light on the Executive’s focus areas, offering a roadmap for the year and beyond. This roadmap outlines policy objectives, whilst recapping what has been achieved and the obstacles faced by the state. The address is followed by an opportunity for the political parties to engage with the President’s speech in order to perform their oversight function.
World Wetlands Day This year’s commemoration is geared towards rousing the world into action. South Africa is one of the signatories of the Ramsar Convention. Our membership was formalised in 1975 and one of the obligations we are bound by is to celebrate World Wetlands Day, which is aimed at creating awareness of the pivotal role wetlands play in filtering toxic substances and sediment from water. They purify and manage the flow of water, and are home to various animal and plant life.
66 | Public Sector Leaders | February 2022
04 World Cancer Day With over 115 000 people in South Africa diagnosed with cancer each year, creating awareness is a constant imperative. Part of this are campaigns to encourage people to go for screenings, in order to get treatment as soon as possible. “World Cancer Day is the only day on the global health calendar where we can all unite and rally under the one banner of cancer in a positive and inspiring way,” says the South African government. Leading the global fight against cancer is the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), who bring the cancer community together, build its capacity and advocate for quality health policies.
MOTING AND PROTECTING 20 World Day of Social Justice This year the UN is calling for justice in the digital economy. On their website they state: “The crisis has also laid bare and exacerbated the growing digital divide within, between and across developed and developing countries, particularly in terms of the availability, affordability and use of information ICTs and access to the internet, deepening existing inequalities.” This is true of South Africa, too, where the government has made addressing inequality at the heart of recovery plans amid the COVID-19 pandemic, including a special relief of distress grant and efforts to regulate data prices and increase WiFi coverage.
21
21
International Mother Language Day
International Tourist Guide Day
Speaking one language helps communication, hence English is the language of business. But in finding common ground it’s important for mother language’s to not be lost for the sake of convenience. Mother languages carry with them humanity’s history, and International Mother Language Day seeks to preserve this history by reminding us to pass our mother language onto the next generation.
Tourism is a major part of the South African economy, contributing 3.7% to GDP in 2019, with a total of R209-billion, which is more than agriculture, construction and utilities. As such tourism has been identified as key to economic recovery. Once again International Tourist Guide Day falls in the middle of a pandemic which has limited domestic and international travel. Whether it be travel bans or concerns by tourists about contracting COVID-19, the lack of visitors left many tourist guides with no-one to guide.
In a country with eleven official languages, not to mention the unofficial ones, observing this day is even more important. Our identity as a rainbow nation is characterised not just by race but also by the kaleidoscope of languages spoken across the country.
Things are slowly getting back to normal with efforts to get South Africans to see more of their country, and to encourage tourists from overseas to come see what the nation has to offer. Tourism has been identified as key to economic recovery.
Public Sector Leaders | February 2022 | 67
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