JULY | 2021
PRINCIPAL SANELE MLOTSHWA Reaching greater heights together with Majuba TVET College
FREEDOM AND TRIUMPH
The Untold Story - The day Nelson Mandela walked out of prison
MADIBA MAGIC A look at some of the highlights during Mandela’s lifetime
PROVINCIAL FOCUS North West - Ensuring water security for all
COVID-19 UPDATE Partnering to get vaccines to the public - Reaching vulnerable sectors
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Contents
J U LY 2 0 2 1 | I S S U E 6
Editorial 26 | Madiba Values Top 5 Madiba Values - How To Align Yourself
28 | Stepping Towards A Peaceful Democratic Future In his time, Madiba was the epitome of self-healing, self-empowerment & self-liberation 34 | Freedom & Triumph The Untold Story - The day Nelson Mandela walked out of prison 42 | Madiba Magic A Leading Legacy - A look at some of the highlights during Mandela’s lifetime 56 | A Legendary SA Style Icon Taking a look back at Madiba’s strategic expression of individuality
66 | Rooting Out Corruption A year into his presidency, President Mandela spoke boldly & decisively about corruption in SA. 72 | Ministers In The Spotlight Cabinet Movers & Shakers - Four of our ministers driving economic growth 84 | Fighting The Winter Chills Powering Up For Colder Days - New electricity reforms to spark sector growth 88 | Mandela Day Feature Remembering Nelson Mandela - Joining hands to overcome food insecurity
62 | Doing Business With Government Building The Economy Through PublicPrivate Partnerships - Five reasons to do business with our government
Features 10 | Addressing The Nation Ensuring Economic Survival - Some good news for our road to recovery 12 | Cover Feature Principal Sanele Mlotshwa - Reaching great heights together with Majuba TVET College 20 | Trailblazer Ms Konehali (Kone) Gugushe - A new day for the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund
4 | Public Sector Leaders | July 2021
10 48 | Women in Leadership Hon. Ndabeni-Abrahams is navigating communications in SA
86 | In Other News Scaling Up - South Africa joins the vaccine technology-transfer hub
52 | Women in Leadership Prof. Mamokgethi Phakeng, UCT Vice Chancellor is making education her mission
90 | Legal Matters Mandatory Workplace Vaccinations - What are your constitutional rights?
78 | Covid-19 Update Partnering to get vaccines to the public - Reaching vulnerable sectors 80 | Provincial Focus North West - Ensuring water security for all
94 | Upcoming Events South Africa and the rest of the world celebrate Nelson Mandela’s legacy this month
THA 13-2021
Supporting industry to return to business unusual There is no better time to implement changes that can make your operations more efficient and sustainable. As industry gears up, the National Cleaner Production Centre South Africa (NCPC-SA) is there to help through the and advise.
implementation of resource efficient and cleaner production (RECP), companies can increase efficiencies and lower utility costs. Assessing your operations or production processes can lead to much-needed improvements:
• RECP stimulates innovation i.e. new solutions that have substantive benefits; • Resource savings translate directly into a reduction in production costs; • Sustainability initiatives open up new markets; and • Quality and safety can be improved through systems such as an ISO 50001 energy management system.
ServiCeS Are SubSidiSed ANd AdviCe CoStS NothiNg resource and energy efficiency training offered online and in-house
www.ncpc.co.za We are currently not all in the office so please email us on ncpc@csir.co.za. For more information, visit www.ncpc.co.za. The NCPC-SA is a programme that promotes the uptake and implementation of resource efficient and cleaner production (RECP), funded by the dtic and hoisted by the CSIR.
the dtic Department: Trade, Industry and Competition REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
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CREDITS PUBLIC SECTOR LEADERS The Digimag For Leaders In The South African Public Sector Advertising Sales, Distribution and Subscriptions Top Media & Communcations (Pty) Ltd Tel: 086 000 9590 Info@topco.co.za | www.topco.co.za CEO Ralf Fletcher TOPCO STUDIO Production Director Van Fletcher van.fletcher@topco.co.za Group Editor Fiona Wakelin fiona.wakelin@topco.co.za Assistant Editor Charndré Emma Kippie charndre.kippie@topco.co.za Contributors Silke Rathbone Jessie Taylor Glenda Nevill
Roxanne Joseph Raymond Joseph Njongonkulu Ndungane Thuli Madonsela Designer Nasreen Emeran Domingo Subscriptions and Distributions Daniel Bouwer artwork@topco.co.za SALES National Project Manager Emlyn Dunn Tel: 072 1263962 emlyn.dunn@topco.co.za Brand Coordinator Sidney Phiri sidney.phiri@topco.co.za Printers CTP Printers Cover Photography Supplied by EWSETA Images iStock
Gallo images Unsplash Pexels Head Office Top Media & Communications (Pty) Ltd T/A Topco Media Elkay House, 186 Loop St Cape Town Tel: +27 86 000 9590 Fax: +27 21 423 7576 Email: info@topco.co.za Website: www.topco.co.za DISCLAIMER All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written consent of Top Media & Communications (Pty) Ltd T/A Topco Media. Reg. No. 2011/105655/07. While every care has been taken when compiling this publication, the publishers, editor and contributors accept no responsibility for any consequences arising from any errors or emissions.
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EDITOR’S LETTER BY FIONA WAKELIN
Letter from the Editor Welcome to the July edition of Public Sector Leaders (PSL).
In his letter to the country this week - From the Desk of the Presidency - President Ramaphosa celebrated the good news that the South African Revenue Service (SARS) had announced another record trade surplus in May, to the value of R54.6-billion - due to a 1.5% increase in exports between April and May. Which means that our trade balance surplus has been increasing year-on-year. Further good news for our economy is the rise, globally, of metal prices - which has beneficial knock-on effects for mining and our economy. “Let us grasp the opportunities that exist in this sector so that mining can help guide our path to a more inclusive and equitable economy.” – President Ramaphosa. It is a busy month for public sector leaders with our President attending the G7 Summit in England, the SADC Extraordinary Summit in Maputo, the funeral of former President Kenneth Kaunda in Zambia and a visit to the Cape Town port where he announced the establishment of the Transnet National Port Authority as an independent subsidiary of Transnet. The month of July celebrates Nelson Mandela and the principles he stood for. In this bumper edition we look at Madiba as statesman, global icon and how the world is celebrating July 18th – his birthday. As our lead article we feature the Rector of Majuba TVET College, a leader who truly epitomises the Mandela legacy of dedication to education and the youth. We turn the spotlight onto 4 of our leaders who have great scorecards and the article on winter chills celebrates the progress being made in opening up the power sector. This month our Legal Wise feature focuses on employers and employees, their rights and responsibilities during COVID. The regional focus is on North West and water security - and “In other news” we celebrate the fact that South Africa is all set to become the continent’s first mRNA Vaccine Manufacturing Hub. 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
Everything by focus and design The Inzalo Group is a strong network of leading B-BBEE Level 1 industry players whose technologies are purpose-built to be agile and resilient. We partner with local government to optimise the complete municipal revenue cycle. From our expertise, and data-driven insight, to our proudly South African manufactured products, we focus on what matters: futureproofing South Africa’s public sector.
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INZALO UTILITY SYSTEMS uses data driven technology to help municipalities and water service providers better manage water supply, while optimising their revenue collection. Their world renowned Water Management Device (WMD), at the core of their smart water management solution, was recognised by the Global Water Awards in 2019, as playing a pivotal role in rescuing the City of Cape Town from reaching Day Zero – a testament to its mission of encouraging the smart management of the world’s most valuable resource... water.
INZALO EMS advocates for the public sector. Its technologies aim to streamline business processes, improve productivity, and elevate people. It has developed a standardised ERP system that assists municipalities attain mSCOA compliance. Their bespoke system has been built from the ground up. They took no shortcuts and added no third-party plugins. The system is purpose-built to preserve data integrity in strict accordance with National Treasury’s requirements.
INZALOPAY offers the ease and convenience of paying for water and electricity online. There is no need to frequent the municipality to buy prepaid utilities or settle accounts - it can all be done on the website, InzaloPay app or local participating retailer. The Standard Transfer Specification (STS) is an international accreditation, which certifies that InzaloPay’s technology continuously adapts to meet with the growing demands for improved functionality and system security.
We focus on future-proofing the public sector by narrowing in on, and optimising, the complete municipal revenue cycle www.inzaloems.co.za
Public Sector Leaders | July 2021 | 9
ADDRESSING THE NATION JULY 2021
Ensuring Economic Survival Some good news for our road to recovery
I
n his letter to the nation during the first week of July, President Ramaphosa shared some good news concerning the country’s economic recovery. Trade Surplus News Last week, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) announced that South Africa recorded another record trade surplus in May, to the value of R54.6-billion - due to a 1.5% increase in exports between April and May. This means that our trade balance surplus has been increasing year on year.
10 | Public Sector Leaders | July 2021
South Africa’s trade surplus is primarily driven by mineral and precious metal exports, as well as exports of vehicle and transport equipment, chemical products and agricultural products. High commodity prices and rising global demand is good for our economy, particularly the mining sector. What is also good for our economic recovery, is the rise in global metals prices – which in turn will bring new opportunities in the mining value chain – particularly for beneficiation.
Mining Making An Impact The President continued this good news with an analysis of the dual role mining has played in our economy and society. “On the one hand, mining contributes over half of our goods exports, around 10% of GDP and 5% of employment. It is a pillar of our capital goods industry. “It is not a coincidence that when global metals prices peak, our economy and job creation also surge.
“On the other hand, mining has historically been central to South Africa’s deep inequalities. Ownership is concentrated in a few huge companies, while workplaces, pay-scales and communities around the mines are still largely shaped by discriminatory relationships established under apartheid. “The challenge is to benefit from the mining boom while laying the groundwork for more diversified, inclusive and environmentally sustainable growth.
Mining is vital to our economy, and will continue to be for the foreseeable future. “We need to ensure that the returns from mining are used to promote more employmentfriendly activities, and that they empower mineworkers and mining communities. We have to direct investments in infrastructure and a more efficient regulatory framework to both take advantage of new opportunities in mining and to support overall growth once the upward cycle in commodity prices ends.” Metal Exports Increase Further good news is that in constant dollar terms, prices for most of our metals exports – led by platinum, gold and iron ore – are now as high as they were at the peak of the last commodity boom in 2011. Which means our growth has recovered far better
than we thought possible at the beginning of the pandemic. And the mining “boom” has far reaching prospects in terms of job creation, small business development, localisation, beneficiation and growth in new industries. Infrastructure Demands Hand in hand with the growth in the mining sector is government’s investment in infrastructure - think Kumba Iron Ore, which would not exist without Transnet’s bulk ore lines from the Karoo to the coast; and the new mining developments in the Waterberg in Limpopo which depend on the state for efficient and low-cost transport and energy. But this is not where the infrastructure demands end – the range of requirements include providing basic services for communities hit by the COVID-19 crisis, to upgrading industrial sites for manufacturing, to fixing the national electricity system.
and also empower smaller businesses- leveraging our mineral riches to support broadbased industrialisation. “In 1965, independent Ghana’s first President Kwame Nkrumah exhorted parliamentarians to use the country’s natural resources as a catalyst for development. He said: ‘We have the blessing of the wealth of our vast resources, the power of our talents and the potentialities of our people. Let us grasp now the opportunities before us and meet the challenge to our survival.’ “As South Africa we too now face a challenge to our economic survival. Mining is vital to our economy, and will continue to be for the foreseeable future. Let us grasp the opportunities that exist in this sector so that mining can help guide our path to a more inclusive and equitable economy.” – President Ramaphosa. n
Speaking of electricity, the recent decision to facilitate private generation of power up to 100 MW crowds in investment from the mines and refineries for renewable generation, helps to stabilise the electricity supply for producers across the economy and gives Eskom space to improve maintenance on its own plants. Mining projects can also help pay for bulk water developments which support new economic activities in agriculture, manufacturing and services
Public Sector Leaders | July 2021 | 11
Reaching Greater Heights Together
SANELE
MLOTSHWA
PRINCIPAL | MAJUBA TVET Leading Majuba TVET to success, Mr. Mlotshwa is dedicated to ensuring that the standard of teaching and learning remains high.
M
ajuba TVET College is one of 50 public Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Colleges in South Africa, and is overseen by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET). The College is one of the largest Technical and Vocational Education and Training service providers in the country, specialising in priority skills development. At present, the College is performing exceptionally well under the wing of Principal Sanele J. Mlotshwa – a man of true authenticity and excellence – who was appointed as President of the South African College Principals Association in 2019. On A Mission: Enhancing Learning Opportunities in SA Majuba TVET College is the key service provider for Technical and Vocational Education and Training in the Amajuba and Umzinyathi Districts. It services major industries in these areas, in the sectors of iron and steel manufacturing, mining (mainly coal), textile and clothing production, cement chemical manufacturing, tyre production, engineering and primary agriculture. There are 7 Campuses, spread over
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a wide geographical area that includes Newcastle, Madadeni and Dundee. The College offers a diverse range of nationally recognised vocational and occupational programmes. Majuba TVET College is committed to education and training, using cutting edge technology and innovative teaching methodologies, to enhance and optimise teaching and learning opportunities. Situated in Newcastle, Northern KwaZulu-Natal, the College plays a significant role in the holistic development of our students, as part of preparing them for the world of work.
Empowering our nation through quality education, training and development. In addition to the Ministerial programmes, namely, the National Certificate (Vocational) and Report 191 (N1-N6); the College offers NQF-aligned Learnerships (in collaboration with Business and Industry), Skills Programmes and Apprenticeship Training. The College regards itself as an important social partner in realising the shared socioeconomic objectives of the local, provincial and national government. To this end, the College creates access to education and training opportunities; and empowers our students with the relevant knowledge and skills to become economically active citizens.
The Story Behind the Logo The name Majuba is derived from the Battle of Amajuba that took place during the Anglo Boer War. The white doves – the emblem of the residence – represents the mountain of Amajuba, famous for its white doves. In Zulu, Majuba means the mountain of the doves. The doves therefore represent ambition and the mountain represents aspiration. The Majuba TVET College logo with its colours and fonts were uniquely designed for maximum legibility and impact. The subtext “reaching greater heights together” forms part of the complete logo. When presented consistently, our logo ensures that we are always recognised.
The Majuba TVET College logo is the single most important visual representation on any material that it is used on. It is very important that the logo remains constant and should never be altered, substituted or re-proportioned in any way. Artwork for the Majuba TVET College logo is available in electronic format. Kindly contact the Marketing and Communications Department at our Central Office for authorisation, should you need to use any of these elements.. Majuba TVET College’s Core Identity VISION: Empowering our nation through quality education, training and development. MISSION: Providing responsive and relevant education, training and
development to cater for the needs of businesses, industries and communities. VALUES: Majuba’s motto “Reaching Greater Heights Together” guides its values which are: (CRISP) Creativity: To be resourceful, innovative and unconventional thinkers in what we do Respect: To accord dignity to all those whom we serve and work with Integrity: To demonstrate a sense of justice and honesty in everything we do Service: To respond efficiently and effectively to the needs of our staff and clients Perseverance: To continuously apply ourselves to the best of our abilities
The Man Behind the Institution Mr. Sanele Mlotshwa, the Principal of Majuba TVET College, is the epitome of professionalism and prides himself on excellence in all that he commits to. His journey in the education landscape has been one of conscientiousness, tenacity and pure dedication. Mr SJ Mlotshwa also serves as the President of SAPCO (South African Public Colleges Organisation and serves as Board member of the following key national bodies:
Public Sector Leaders | July 2021 | 13
• • • •
Higher Health National Skills Authority (NSA) Human Resource Development Council (HRDC) Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO)
Born and bred in a town near Pietermaritzburg called Howick, Sanele Mlotshwa completed his schooling in his hometown. When he was completing Matric, his father sadly passed away, leaving a major gap in his life and the lack of a solid support structure. He then went on to work in a supermarket in 1988. Thereafter, he was afforded the opportunity to take on a temporary teaching position at Enzimane Combined school (off which he become principal in 2000), in Utrecht - a town in the foothills of the Balele Mountains, in the northwestern corner of KwaZulu-Natal. Gaining this opportunity set Mlotshwa up for future success. Compelled to improve his life and the lives of the learners he taught, Mlotshwa began pursuing his tertiary education.
Youth development is close to my heart. It is a passion of mine to see people excel. Principal Mlotshwa completed a Human Resource Management Diploma, in 1998, at Damelin. He then obtained a Diploma in Education, in 1999, from the South Africa College for
14 | Public Sector Leaders | July 2021
Teachers’ Education. In 2002, he completed his Higher Diploma in Education. And in 2006, Mlotshwa obtained a Bachelor of Education Honours degree, from North West University. He has also successfully completed a Diploma in Theology, as well as an Advanced Diploma in Theology, at Glory to God Bible College, and obtained a Bachelors Degree in Public Management from Richfield Graduate Institute, in 2018. Other qualifications that he holds include a certificate for Computer Literacy (from Majuba TVET College), and another for HIV/AIDS care and counselling, which he obtained from Unisa. In 1995, Mlotshwa joined the South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU), and between 2006 and 2009, Mlotshwa served as the Northern Natal Regional Secretary for SADTU, where he serviced the Amajuba, Umzinyathi and Uthukela regions. Then, in 2007, Mlotshwa was appointed to the Majuba TVET Council by former MEC Ina Cronje. Joining Majuba TVET College Mlotshwa was promoted to Chief Education Specialist, in the Circuit management for uMzinyathi region, in 2009. This promotion meant he’d be responsible for the success of 200 schools. Mlothshwa’s main objective during this time was to ensure that pass rates rise – which he achieved. Just within the Nquthu area, the pass rate jumped from 40% to 70%. Then, in 2014, Mlotshwa was
appointed as Principal of Majuba TVET College. As a prominent member of the Newcastle community, Principal Mlotshwa is regarded as a man who is deeply invested in the power of education and allegiance. He has played a pivotal role in uplifting the education institute to an esteemed level of greatness, whilst eagerly motivating students to hone their craft in order to reach their full potential. “The College is performing exceptionally well, our standards of quality are high, but there is always room for improvement and we will up our passion for our College; for our students; and most of all for the quality of education we offer at Majuba TVET College”, said Principal Mlotshwa. “It is also very important to keep our lecturers up to date to ensure that the standard of teaching and learning remains high. Our students are our main priority and we are ready to face any obstacles that might arise to ensure their success.” Building a Coherent Post-School System In 2015, TVET Colleges in South Africa were fully put under the management of the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET). Formerly established FET Colleges were transformed into institutions that prospective students turned to due to not gaining access to University. This posed a significant issue for the nation’s education system and development,
as the economy depends greatly upon the Vocational programmes offered by Colleges. Speaking on Majuba College’s solutions to this issue, Principal Mlotshwa commented: “Corrective actions will be taken to ensure that students feel that they are entering useful educational institutions. The integration of these institutions into a coherent post-school system means among other things that College qualifications must be recognised by Higher Education institutions in order to ensure articulation between the institutions.” “Youth development is close to my heart. It is a passion of mine to see people excel. The country has a severe shortage of skilled workers”, he continued. “It is an honour and privilege for me to be part of the process of educating young people and sending them into the workforce
armed with the skills they need to excel at their jobs. In this way, we are not just providing one person with a future, we are providing that person’s family with a future and we can take it further by saying we are creating a better future for all South Africans by putting skilled people into the necessary places. This is good for the economy and in turn good for the country.” Empowering South African Students for the Future Majuba TVET College is one of the largest colleges in the country. Thus, it currently makes provision for approximately 30 000 students studying within its doors. Dedicated to stimulating SA’s youth through quality education, the institution’s main goals are to ensure that its students successfully complete their qualifications and enter the workforce as proficient, skilled individuals, and to make employment achievable.
“For this reason, we engage with the major industries to employ our students and this is also so that the hard work our lecturers put into our students does not go to waste”, Principal Mlotshwa expressed.
Recently, the institution launched its newest Campus in Dundee (Dundee Technology Centre), which has garnered exciting new tidings for the College. This newer Campus offers access to both Engineering and Business – utilising current structures to be able to make accommodations for more students. “The main focus is on all post-school students...bridging the gap between simple skills and College students”, said Principal Mlotshwa. “We humbly appeal to stakeholders to fully support the new Campus, extending thanks to the SAPS and all contributors for their service. Local government and businesses can work together and make this new Campus a profound success.”
Work Integrated Learning Unit Majuba TVET College has a dedicated Work Integrated Learning Unit established to support students with Exit Support Programmes. This unit was established to respond the mandate by the National Government to prioritise scarce skills development programmes in critical areas of the country’s economic drivers.
Public Sector Leaders | July 2021 | 15
Basis for Workplace Based Learning at Majuba TVET College: • Work Integrated Learning is a mandatory requirement in the TVET Sector. • Learnerships / Apprenticeships /N6 Experiential Training for Diploma requirements all requires the workplace for certification. • The White Paper for Post School Education and Training has a strong focus on Linking Education and the Workplace. • Workplace Based Learning is at the forefront of skills development. • The White Paper for Post School Education and Training makes provision for funding from SETA’S for Public TVET Colleges for Occupationally Directed Programmes and Work Integrated Learning. • SETA’S also therefore play a pivotal role in linking Colleges and the Workplace.
Mr. P Ntshangase
Focus Areas of Exit Support Programmes under Work Integrated Learning: • Workplace Exposure – 1 day (excursion) • Workplace Based Exposure – 5 to 10 days • Work Integrated Learning – 18-24 months (Report 191) to qualify for diploma NQF 6 & NCV 6 – 12 months • Apprenticeships – 24 to 36 months – trade test • Learnerships – 12 months – Occupational Certificate How are students selected for a work integrated learning opportunity? • Once the College receives a signed SLA Agreement from a SETA to recruitment process can start. • Each SETA will have its own requirements in terms of the Programmes to be targeted, dependent on each SETA Critical Skills to a particular Sector e.g. BANK SETA will only
Deputy Principal Innovations and Development
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•
• • •
fund Finance Students to be placed within BANKING Sector. College has a Database from TVETMIS System for student information and use of Campus HOD’S to obtain credible lists. Start from most recent academic year. Academic Performance is used as one of the criteria. Students must have N6 or NCV Level 4. College has an Active database of potential partners or companies both private and public sector.
Majuba’s Newcastle Training Centre – NTC The Newcastle Training Centre has, since its inception, always been at the forefront of the South African Training and Development landscape. The Centre is situated on 2 HJ Van ECK Drive, Barryhertzog Park Newcastle. With more than 40 years of pioneering experience in Artisan Training, and over 20 years Trade Testing experience, NTC continues to produce qualified artisans. NTC extends their experience in training high school teachers in the practical component of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS). The Centre is proud to announce it has been recognised by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) as the Centre of Specialisation for Boilermaking in the KwaZulu-Natal Province. It is also a QCTO accredited Artisan Recognition of Prior Learning (ARPL) Centre. Majuba College provides access to various trade disciplines for artisans. Institutional training is provided for
multiple trades, via the medium of Apprenticeships or Learnerships, such as boilermaking, electrician qualifications, plumbing, automotive mechanic qualifications and refractory masonry, for example.
Trade Disciplines for Artisans Institutional training is provided for the following trades via the medium of Apprenticeships or Learnerships: • Boilermaker • Electrician • Electro-Mechanician (Millwright) • Fitter • Fitter and Turner • Turner • Instrument Mechanic • Rigger • Welder • Plumber • Bricklayer • Carpenter • Diesel Mechanic • Automotive Motor Mechanic • Refractory Masonry NTC Contact number: 03431 82021
Occupational Programmes Unit (OPU) Majuba TVET College has a flourishing Occupational Programmes Unit that offers a range of accredited skills programmes and Learnerships which is situated at the CPD Campus, Dr. Nelson Mandela Drive, Section 2 Madadeni. The objectives of the Occupational Programmes Unit is to offer occupationally directed qualifications that can contribute towards skills development. Focus is on: • Learnerships (Legacy Qualifications): Employed and Unemployed • Skills Programmes • Apprenticeships • Non-Credit Bearing Programmes Short Accredited Skills Programmes offered: • End-user computing (MS Word, Excel, Powerpoint, internet, email) • Garment Making • Furniture Making • Retail Skills Programmes • Insurance Skills Programmes Community Outreach Programmes: • Hand Sewing • Hides and Skins • Agriculture • Candle Making OPU Contact number: 03431 41045
Public Sector Leaders | July 2021 | 17
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he ancient Greeks did it. So did the people of the Indus valley and the imperial dynasties of China. They all understood the importance of managing wastewater - notably sewage. But it was only around the rise of industrialisation that modern wastewater management became a concept. “There’s no doubt that modern sanitation practices have created a better world,” says Chetan Mistry, Marketing and Strategy Manager at Xylem Africa. “Cities are no longer dangerously septic, and clean water is something available to most people on the planet. But there are still many improvements that we can make. For example, the idea of pollution dilution is completely outdated.” Modern environments pose new problems to water cycles. A common misconception is that dilution takes care of waste. Yet waste contains previously undetected contaminants, such as medical waste, microplastics, endocrine plastics, and hormone disruptors. These are not diluting in the ecosystem, nor do they need large quantities to be a risk factor for humans. These
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newly discovered types of waste need tertiary steps to remove, often mandated by national and international laws governing water quality. It’s an opportunity to systematically improve the entire treatment cycle through better tracking and measurement, more visibility and control, optimisation through analytics and data, improved maintenance and new sanitation technologies.
wastewater management facilities have access to some terrific optimisation services, such as BLU-X. Xylem’s BLU-X Wastewater Network Optimisation technology delivers greater visibility into the performance and capacity utilization of sewer system assets, allowing utility leaders zto optimise levels of service while saving CapEx, reducing risk, and protecting the environment.”
Xylem has pioneered improvements and new technologies that reinforce those steps while helping to maintain the value of existing wastewater facilities. For example, ozone treatment can be added to current chlorine cycles, reducing the side effects of chlorine and hugely improving the quality of processed wastewater.
Xylem is a pioneer and leader of water-based technologies across the public and private sectors. Your wastewater treatment facilities still have a lot of life left in them. However, they need to shape up for the demands of a modern and growing urban world. Talk to Xylem Africa today and get even more out of your wastewater treatment while improving services and still saving money.
Operational costs can come down by using variable speed drive (VSD) pumps, and damage caused by objects and fibres is avoided with Flygt’s new nonclogging impellers. Even just greater visibility can present many areas for improvements and efficiencies, says Mistry: “The best place to start is creating visibility. Fortunately,
Contact
Address: Xylem Water Solutions South Africa (Pty) Ltd, MultiPark Block E, Spier Street, Plumbago Business Park, Glen Erasmia, Kempton Park, Gauteng, South Africa Website: xyleminc.com Phone: 011 966 9300
25 Years on the Front Line of Local Democracy November 22, 2021 marks the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) and the national voice of South Africa’s 257 municipalities is as relevant today as when it was founded. Since inception, SALGA has been playing an increasingly important role in the provision of leadership for the local government sector and its range of policy, legal and technical advisory and capacity building services to its member municipalities has benefitted communities and residents across the length and breadth of the nation. Officially founded in November 1996, the organization was formed against the backdrop of the Organised Local Government Act, a product of the White Paper on Local Government - and in January 1997, the Minister of Constitutional Development recognised SALGA as the national organisation representing local government. Twenty-five years later, SALGA’s impact in local government continues to be felt in six broad focus areas: lobby, advocate and represent, employer body, capacity building, support and advice, strategic profiling and knowledge and information sharing.
Financial stewardship excellence SALGA is immensely proud to be recognized for financial management excellence by South Africa’s supreme audit institution, the Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA). The financial year 2019-20 saw the organization sustain a clean audit outcome for a consecutive eight-year period.
SALGA’s high level of commitment to financial stewardship of public resources and its adherence to best practice in its corporate and financial governance is the result of the integrity, commitment, and experience of its financial management staff and all SALGA employees. SALGA’s clean bill of health from the AG also sets an inspiring example for municipalities to follow and the organisation will continue to provide its members with platforms for the exchange of experiences and best practices in local government financial management.
Equal Opportunity Employment SALGA is intentional about bringing equality, diversity and inclusion to the workplace. Among SALGA’s strengths is its workforce and an organisational culture that is built on a diverse range of beliefs and values that foster a sense of belonging for its employees. As of 2020, SALGA has a staff complement of 390. Broken down by gender, 250 (64.1%) are female and 215 (55.1%) are black African. SALGA also believes that young people will ultimately shape the future of the nation. The average age profile of SALGA employees is 38 years, with the majority between 30-39 years. This indicates that SALGA is not only committed to hiring a diverse workforce but also enabling them to reach their full potential. SALGA is proud of its 25-year history and the organisation is looking forward to what it can accomplish in the years to come. w w w. s a l g a . o rg . z a
E
YEARSof DEMOCRATIC LOCAL GOVERNMENT
AR S
Celebrating
Y
Years of Local G ove r n m e n t
TRAILBLAZER BY CHARNDRÉ EMMA KIPPIE
A new Day for the
Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund Passionate about African Development & Youth Empowerment, Ms Konehali (Kone) Gugushe takes on the role of CEO at the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund From Finance To African Youth Development Born in Zinyoka Village, just outside of King Williams Town, Ms Konehali (Kone) Gugushe is dedicated to making a positive contribution to African development, community development and youth empowerment. Her journey, thus far, has taken the path towards successfully developing corporate governance and social responsibility. Her efforts are geared towards uplifting children and communities all over the nation. Kone has emphasised the importance of taking a ‘peoplecentred approach to leadership’. Her determination has led to the cultivation of significant relationships throughout her professional career, whilst navigating numerous diverse roles over the past 20 years. However, before starting this journey, Kone became a qualified development Chartered Accountant (SA). In the last two decades, she has taken on many roles spanning over the financial services sector and development finance, and has previously worked for companies such as the Standard Bank Group, Nedbank and The Land Agricultural Development Bank of South Africa. She has acquired valuable expertise in Credit Risk Management, Investment Analysis, Business Process Improvement and Business Strategy.
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List of Qualifications • Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) - Rhodes University • Post graduate Diploma in Accounting (PGDA) - University of KwaZulu-Natal • Certificate in Theory & Practice of Auditing University of KwaZulu-Natal • Strategic Leadership Development Programme (Business/Commerce) - GIBS Business School • Executive Leadership Development Programme - GIBS Business School After graduating from Rhodes University and University of Natal, Kone began her career with articles at the audit firm Moores Rowland in Cape Town. Thereafter, she worked at their New York branch and gained international experience in US auditing. After completing her articles, Kone worked at various banks. In addition, she gained experience in private equity management during her time working for Safika Holdings. Leadership & CSI Involvement Kone quickly developed a keen interest in development, spending five years leading the Nedbank Foundation - the primary CSI division of the Nedbank Group. Here, she drove the CSI strategy of the bank, which was geared towards making the group a key driver for upliftment in South African communities. A significant emphasis was placed on sustainability.
Throughout her journey, Kone has cultivated a broad wide range of practical expertise and robust leadership traits. Adopting a holistic understanding of governance and risk issues that organisations face, Kone has dedicated her career to active stakeholder management, being a leader with integrity, and good governance. Her overall vision is to be an active agent in creating a brighter future for generations to come through fostering optimal social cohesion and strengthening communities. Inspired by her
As the CEO of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund, Kone oversees and contributes to the organisation’s work in uplifting South African children and its Youth.
• • •
A member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network Emerging Old Rhodian Award (2014) Council member of the University of Johannesburg
The Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund As the CEO of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund, Kone oversees and contributes to the organisation’s work in uplifting South African children and its Youth. The Fund leads various programmes and initiatives, such as Child Survival and Development, Child Safety and Protection, a Youth Leadership Programme, and the Sustainable Livelihoods Project.
mother’s work in the NGO sector, assisting local communities with self advancement, Kone is committed to selfless work and assisting South Africans. “I found a lot of inspiration in this [her mother’s] selfless work. It really gave me a great appreciation of what can be achieved if the right resources are channeled to help people advance themselves and not depend on the state”, she said. Gugushe’s Accolades • Fellow of the African Leadership Initiative (ALI)
Public Sector Leaders | July 2021 | 21
In a release by The Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund, Kone was commended for her expertise and devotion to serving young people: “We are confident in Ms Gugushe’s wealth of experience and reputable leadership qualities will guide the Fund’s strategic focus...This will include strengthening Madiba’s vision for his legacy organisations for children (the Fund, the Trust and NMCH) by promoting synergies, collaboration, sustainability and alignment.” About The Fund VISION The Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund strives to change the way society treats its children and
youth. This long-term vision captures the central role society plays in shaping children’s lives. MISSION To give voice and dignity to the African child by building a rightsbased movement Organisational Values The absolute belief that all children should enjoy the absence of hunger, abuse, exploitation and homelessness, underpinned by a clear notion that the eradication of poverty and its systemic causes are the ultimate desired change as opposed to ameliorating difficult circumstances in which targeted beneficiaries find themselves. The belief that it is possible to have a world where children live with dignity, are safe, nurtured and
their voices heard and that the transformation needed to create such a world needs every part of society to play its role. A commitment to applying holistic and integrated approaches that recognise and treat children as part of families and communities, with institutional placements applied as the exception. Children, youth and communities must participate in making decisions that affect their lives. The viable application of service delivery approaches that are informed by children’s constitutional rights and, specifically with reference to the notion that all children have dreams and aspirations and should thus be afforded the opportunity to reach their full potential. The promotion of a culture of best practices, innovation and openness to new learning and professionalism in achieving targeted, measurable results. n
Contact
Physical Address: 21 Eastwold Way, Saxonwold 2196, Gauteng P.O. Box 797 Highlands North 2037 Email : info@nmcf.co.za Tel: (+27) 11 274-5600 Fax (+27) 11 486-3914
22 | Public Sector Leaders | July 2021
CLICKS GROUP
ACCELERATES
ADVERTORIAL
BY CLICKS GROUP
local SMME support
C
licks Group has ramped up its incubation support for local black-owned businesses, with the launch of a new SMME supplier listing portal. This forms part of a raft of measures taken to support small-, mediumand micro-enterprises across the Group’s supply chain, says Clicks Group Corporate Affairs Director Bertina Engelbrecht. The Clicks Group has invested over R500 million in SMME suppliers in the past year and is working closely with the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition to accelerate local procurement. Committed to Building a Healthier Economy “The Clicks Group recognises that SMME development is critical in creating jobs and building a healthier economy,” Engelbrecht says. “We are committed to removing barriers and have worked hard to implement a SMME trading framework that will ease entry into the Clicks eco-system.” The SMME trading framework offers commercial and business support in the form of marketing, promotions, shared shelf space and business mentorship.
The Clicks Group has been supporting local SMMEs for the past ten years and is a longstanding advocate for multicultural hair care products. Growing local hair care brands “Since 2005 to date, we have grown local hair care brands on shelf by over 743% percent, with a significant investment in black women-owned businesses,” Engelbrecht says.
PORTIA MNGOMEZULU PORTIA M
“It has been extremely rewarding to see local brands such as AfroBotanics, AfriBerry and Portia M become established and enjoying success in the local market. In fact, Portia M has experienced rapid exponential growth to the extent that it can no longer be classified as an SMME,” explains Engelbrecht. The Clicks Group intends to target over R4,5 billion worth of procurement spend with black-owned SMMEs over the next three years.
NTOMBENHLE KHATHWANE
AFROBOTANICS
Since January 2021, Clicks has helped to bring six new black-owned suppliers in the haircare and personal care sectors to market, including Masodi Organics’ range of natural hair and body products and AfroBotanics’ new multicultural hair range, Kaio. A further 12 suppliers are planned for launch by the end of 2021. This is over and above the existing eight black-owned SMMEs that are currently listed in these categories.
BERTINA ENGELBRECHT
CORPORATE AFFAIRS DIRECTOR | CLICKS GROUP
RELEBOHILE MOENG AFRI-BERRY
Contact us
Supplier Portal: www.clicks.co.za/ supplier-development Email: NewBusiness@clicksgroup.co.za Customer care: 0860 254 257 Website: www.clicks.co.za
Public Sector Leaders | July 2021 | 23
Worried about ransomware? (you should be)
47%
of South African organisations suffered a ransomware attack in the last year.
Prevent ransomware, maintain productivity and eliminate data loss with Mimecast’s advanced ransomware protection solution.
Read more: info.mimecast.com/PSL_Ransomware
What to know about ransomware attacks (and how to stop them) By Brian Pinnock, cybersecurity expert at Mimecast Even as the world remains in the grip of a global pandemic that is showing no signs of abating, another threat is vying for the crown of number one risk to the global economy. In scenes reminiscent of action thrillers, high-tech criminal organisations are targeting high-value organisations and critical national infrastructure. Data is being locked away in encrypted formats and criminals are demanding ransoms for millions in exchange for the release of data or, in some cases, the promise to not release sensitive customer and company information such as passwords and ID numbers publicly (in what is known as double extortion attacks). These ransomware attacks are forcing organisations offline, which can lead to major disruption of an organisation and its supply chains. Downtime means organisations are unable to deliver services which could be catastrophic when it affects critical national infrastructure Following a series of highly publicised ransomware attacks on businesses and critical US infrastructure, the US Department of Justice has announced it is elevating investigations of ransomware attacks to a similar priority level as terrorism. Recently, a successful ransomware attack on a US IT management software firm, Kaseya, put more than 1 000 businesses - all customers of the firm - at risk. What distinguished the perpetrators of this latest attack from historic ransomware attackers is that they offer ransomware-as-a-service, suggesting that anyone who was willing to pay it for its services could launch similar attacks against businesses or critical infrastructure. In fact, one report found that nearly two-thirds of ransomware attacks in 2020 employed a ransomware-as-a-service model.
attack paid the ransom, but only 60% actually recovered their data. Forty percent never got their data back despite paying the ransom. However, in a twist of irony, ransom payments are playing into the hands of criminals. When an organisation suffers a ransomware attack and makes the payment, they become prime targets for future attacks. And cyber insurance is no longer the silver bullet: many insurance firms no longer cover the cost of ransomware payments.
A layered security strategy approach for best protection
What can organisations do in response to the growing threat of ransomware attacks? 1.
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Local organisations targeted
In South Africa, organisations face the dual challenge of securing against ransomware attacks and avoiding regulatory penalties should they fail to take all reasonable steps to protect against data breaches. The Protection of Personal Information Act has raised the stakes for businesses who already face a growing volume of increasingly sophisticated attacks. In Mimecast’s State of Email Security 2021 Report, 47% of South African respondents stated their organisations were hit by a ransomware attack in the past 12 months, with seven days being the average amount of downtime. Common consequences for affected organisations include data loss (66%), business disruption (53%), damage to their reputation (45%), loss of productivity (38%), financial losses (38%) and negative impact on regulatory compliance (30%). Recent research by the Ponemon Institute also brings into stark relief the cost of data breaches to local organisations. According to the latest data, it took South African organisations an average of 177 days to identify a data breach and 51 days to contain it, costing them on average $2.14-million, or around R30-million, per breach. Organisations, desperate to get their data back and avoid downtime as well as damage to their customers and reputations, are paying huge sums to these criminal organisations. Mimecast research found that 53% of South African organisations that suffered a ransomware
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Harden the email perimeter. Email remains the most attractive attack vector. Using a mature, cloud-based secure email gateway with advanced inbound and outbound scanning remains the most effective way to do that. Deploy a layered email security strategy to augment the built-in email security of solutions such as Microsoft 365. Recent Mimecast research found that 95% of South African IT decision-makers use additional third-party solutions to better secure their business email platforms. Forty seven percent of respondents identified ransomware as a reason for deploying third-party solutions for email security, while nearly a third (31%) said ransomware was one of the primary reasons. Thirty eight percent suggested their email platform’s built-in security does not have adequate ransomware tools. Protect and preserve corporate data by archiving to an independent, separately secured environment. This allows organisations to recover their data in the event of a successful ransomware attack while also maintaining a lean amount of data that reduces the organisation’s exposure and attack surface. Our research found that 45% of respondents deployed third party solutions for email as they required reliable and robust back-up solutions in the event of a breach. Establish an email continuity plan that allows you to continue operating in the event of a cyberattack or other disruption. As the lifeblood of modern business productivity, email is essential to keeping the business running in the wake of a disruptive event, including ransomware attacks. Support end-users by empowering them with regular and effective cybersecurity awareness training. This helps strengthen overall organisational defences and removes opportunities for threat actors to breach the perimeter due to human error or negligence. Employ new technologies such as AI and machine learning to bolster the capabilities of security teams. Such tools can be invaluable in helping recognise patterns for detecting threats or vulnerabilities, equipping security teams with greater visibility over potential risk areas. Finally, organisations must monitor and control shadow IT. With the rise of the hybrid digital workplace, the lines between employees personal and professional lives are increasingly blurred. Unsecured Wi-Fi, public file sharing services and insecure website access all increase the risk to the user and, by effect, the organisation. By gaining greater visibility over applications, security teams are better able to monitor which apps are being used and block those that pose a risk to organisational defences.
MADIBA VALUES BY CHARNDRÉ EMMA KIPPIE
Top 5 Madiba Values:
How To Align Yourself Embodying values of human dignity and peace, Nelson Mandela paved the way for South Africans and the global community.
A
lmost 8 years since his passing, Nelson Mandela’s legacy and values continue to live on to this day, inspiring the lives of millions around the world. The key message he left behind was one of freedom, peace and justice - an all-inclusive lifetime endeavour that people of all races, cultures and creeds could support. As we celebrate Madiba this month, it is an opportune time to reflect and undergo introspection surrounding the values Madiba instilled in our country, and the rest of the world. Building peace and social solidarity “If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner.” – Nelson Mandela Madiba was known as a peacemaker across Africa. The trial held at Rivonia in 1964 bears testament to his continual fight against tyranny, corruption and oppression. A true leader, Madiba displayed intense commitment to social justice, and never lacked
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courage, dignity or political astuteness. In this way, he remains an iconic role model for us and future generations in terms of maintaining peacebuilding initiatives and unifying communities. As citizens of South Africa, and the world, it is our duty to continue this legacy by upholding this value of peace and solidarity. We can do this by living consciously and remaining respectful of all human beings.
If people can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite Here, collaboration between leaders and citizens is an essential relationship that needs to be nurtured for stronger bonds to be formed and maintained. Only then will we be able to truly redress the many social injustices our people are faced with.
Freedom for all “For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” – Nelson Mandela A freedom fighter unlike any other, and civil rights advocate, Nelson Mandela will always be known as a South African anti-apartheid revolutionary who dedicated his life to eradicating racism and fostering reconciliation in our nation. Embracing his enemies, Mandela taught us about forgiveness and fighting the good fight - a fight for freedom and inclusivity for all. Aligning ourselves with such wisdom and the ability to understand that all human beings deserve to be free from injustice, will go a long way in continuing to heal South Africa and further Madiba’s footprint. This means respecting and safeguarding one’s freedom and that of others too. Freedom and security of the person, of religion, belief, opinion and expression must be ensured for all.
Raising Institutions of Democracy “A critical, independent and investigative press is the lifeblood of any democracy...It must enjoy the protection of the constitution, so that it can protect our rights as citizens.” – Nelson Mandela
number of years Mandela fought for human rights and the end of apartheid. The idea is that by doing something in service of others for just 67 minutes of your day, you could make a difference for a lifetime.
The word democracy itself means ‘ruled by the people’. Madiba was our country’s very first black head of state and the first elected in a fully representative democratic election. His contribution to fighting for democracy is unprecedented. His belief in the collective peoples’ right to choose and have a say regarding leadership and governance was highly impactful across the globe - not just in South Africa.
Service and sacrifice are strong values that have accelerated the growth of our country thus far, and have been essential to individuals who need assistance. The idea of ‘love thy neighbour’ plays a huge role in building our communities in need of better infrastructure and supplies. By helping one person in need today, you’d be contributing to bettering the country for tomorrow.
As we forge a better future for our country, it is essential that we remain committed to upholding democratic values, whether this be in our own personal lives, at work or within our communities. People have a right to speak up for themselves and address concerns they may have. As we approach the municipal elections later this year, let us keep working towards free and fair elections for all citizens.
Respecting Human Rights & Dignity “If people can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.” – Nelson Mandela From being sent to prison for 27 years for conspiring to overthrow
the state, following the Rivonia Trial, to enduring discrimination and prejudice throughout his political career, Nelson Mandela faced many hardships in his time. Even in the face of these challenges, he never stopped the fight for human rights and protecting the dignity of his people. For Mandela, respect and dignity of all was of top priority – values that will forever remain imperative. Leading the fight for human rights across the globe, Madiba spent much of his time reiterating that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. We as South Africans need to continue to build upon the foundation Madiba laid for us. This requires following the stipulations of Human Rights laws, but also adjusting policies and procedures to move with the times to ensure that no one’s rights are infringed upon, and that no citizen gets left behind. n
Service & Sacrifice “Poverty is not an accident. Like slavery and apartheid, it is man made and can be removed by the actions of human beings.” – Nelson Mandela Noted for his 67 years in Service of Humanity, Madiba emphasised service to one’s fellow man, stating that we as human beings should live to serve every day, in whatever we do. This is why the 67 minutes for Mandela campaign is so symbolic, a it represents the
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EDITORIAL BY NJONGONKULU NDUNGANE
Stepping towards a peaceful democratic future N
egotiation, consultation, diplomacy, peaceful democratic future. These are some of the words that come to mind when casting one’s mind back to the late 1980s. South Africa was on the boil in the cauldron that diehard white nationalist politicians had perpetuated. The white oppressors, through President FW de Klerk, had finally recognised that the time had come to throw in the towel. No doubt they were seeking more than they eventually got from the negotiations of the early 1990s, but they had not reckoned with the intellect and graciousness of the dynamic Nelson Mandela. Add to that their innate fear and suspicion of anything different to the narrow political culture that created the ‘baaskap’ mentality and practices that alienated
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them from black people. Their fear was unfounded. For the man who would emerge from Robben Island and then walk free from Victor Verster Prison in Paarl, into the glare of an expectant world, was a man with a heart big enough to embrace the universe.
Mandela saw only possibilities and the richness of our land, yearning to share in the lifegiving waters of freedom With his characteristic broad smile and familiar wave, he walked into the streets of Cape Town a free man – and the world stood still, awaiting perhaps an avalanche of unknown proportions. Instead, what they witnessed was the beginning of one of the greatest journeys of reconciliation in history.
That February day in 1990 is a day that will forever seem like a tidal wave of beauty had been unleashed on the southern tip of Africa, in the Cape of Good Hope, washed ashore from the turreted and barbed wire fortress of Robben Island. Those of us who were privileged to be part of this moment of history surely never fully realised the magnanimous and politically savvy nature of this man. He was an icon, of course, when he was released. Mandela saw only possibilities and the richness of our land, yearning to share in the life-giving waters of freedom. Now, as the greatest statesperson ever produced by South Africa, he is rightly memorialised annually on his birthday – a testament to a greatness that some of the current leaders in the political parties on our landscape regularly, and repeatedly, fail to
emulate. But the icon now lives on, a lodestar for all. When Nelson Mandela emerged from prison, he was, at the same time, emerging from a collective leadership that had been able to strategise together and workshop with one another in a closeness that may not have been possible outside the walls of a prison. Not that they wished to be there – and it is important, speaking as someone who spent time on Robben Island, that South Africans should not romanticise the island prison. It was an awful, dreadful place of severe hardship. I was among a group who arrived on Robben Island in 1963, before the arrival of Madiba. We were put to building the very cells in which Mandela would live for nearly three decades of his life. When he and others arrived a year later, the jail now built, we immediately became aware of the towering figures that had come to the Island.
brooding omnipresence of Sobukwe, and the manner in which Alexander imparted knowledge to us all had a huge influence on the young group of activists of which I was part. We had arrived on the island full of zeal for and belief in the causes for which we had been jailed. It gave us strength to endure the hell on earth that was Robben Island. With the influence of these great men permeating the precincts of the prison, and with our inquisitive minds seeking every morsel of information, we found that our zeal for the cause of the freedom of South Africa was fuelled even more. It strengthened our view that no one who struggles for freedom would ever come back emptyhanded. History speaks for itself
in this respect. As many have said in the past, Robben Island was a special kind of ‘university’. The quality of the ‘teachers’ was unparalleled. The studiousness of those of us who sat at their feet never wavered. The ‘prisoners’ who landed at Robben Island were men of the highest calibre. The newly graduated, freedom-loving fighters for justice who emerged were of an even better calibre. We were all strengthened in our resolve. And so, Mandela’s own journey from Robben Island was, in some ways, of a similar nature. He emerged as someone who had taken time to reflect, deepened his spiritual life, and had recognised that the “winds of change” of which British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan had spoken in parliament in Cape
This was the crème de la crème of the leadership of the banned movements. Among them was Neville Alexander of the NonEuropean Unity Movement (NEUM) and, of course, the leader of the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC), Robert Sobukwe. Sobukwe was confined to his own quarters, in a separate building, away from the others, imprisoned in terms of a specially created law of parliament – ‘the Sobukwe clause’ – because his jailers were petrified of allowing anyone else to have contact with him. No matter. The presence of this collective leadership, the
Public Sector Leaders | July 2021 | 29
Town in February 1960 were blowing a gale in South Africa. The nation was ready, in all its pain and anguish, amid the bloodied battles in the townships and offensive oppression of apartheid which had caused the violence in the first place, for a new life. Mandela knew that. His personality enabled him to seize the moment. He could point the way forward, end the conflict, end the burning of the townships and lead us to complete freedom. He emerged from prison an apostle of reconciliation and forgiveness, a pilgrim along a road on which he built milestones of democracy, culminating in our great constitution. Here is the rub. Many may have thought Mandela (and others) would emerge bitter and twisted. But he didn’t. And certainly, Mandela showed
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the simple way, the way that Christ taught. He came out with the power to forgive and to find reconciliation. He practised the greatest powers of all, those of self-healing, self- empowerment and self-liberation. As South Africans, we were privileged to have a man who showed us how to practise them. He shared this strength, generously, with all South Africans, no matter their history or political persuasion – powers that still need to be embraced by each one of us if we believe in South Africa. He came out of his incarceration believing in the worth of all people, and even more tellingly, in the intrinsic humanness and value of all South Africans. He set to work with those against whom one would have thought his heart may have hardened. He was a man of his
time, for his time and for all people. Mandela led South Africa down the path of ensuring that its impact on Africa in particular, and the world in general, was enormous. Today we are members of the United Nations Security Council. We are one of the powerhouses of Africa – but we must strive to be a powerhouse that shares and not seeks simply to overpower. Mandela provided the foundation. More than that, he provided, and still does, inspiration for young people throughout the world. I recall being in Switzerland on one occasion with a group of young people and asking them what Mandela’s first name was. The answer from one little boy was ‘Release’, because the “Release Mandela” posters had been most prevalent in the run-up to my visit at the time. His was, indeed, a
presence in the world long before he was released. Madiba roared with laughter when I recounted this anecdote to him after his release. And when he guided the ship of state from 1994, he held on to those qualities of freedom he had fine-tuned behind prison bars. He did not agree with everyone, but, as a true democrat, he recognised their right to disagree and practised consultation throughout.
With Mandela at the helm, it seemed as if nothing could go wrong. I remember him calling me and asking what I would be doing for breakfast the next morning, saying he needed to discuss something. Then we would sit down and he would consult me as his leader, as the then Archbishop of the Anglican Church, seeking all the time to listen to my counsel, to digest my views and make reasoned conclusions. He listened to the views of everyone. This was the man of reflection and action. He was known to encourage all people and not least those who had become leaders in their own right. His gift of mentoring, which fellow inmates felt on the island, did not end at the prison gates. He brought his wisdom and vision and shared them with us all in the new South Africa. It was through such consultations and
interactions, for example, that as Chair of the Religious Leaders Forum at the time, we were able to work with the government of Mandela. Our jubilation when we commemorate and celebrate our liberation from the oppressor must nevertheless be tempered with realism. With Mandela at the helm, it seemed as if nothing could go wrong. Our recent history tells us otherwise: we are now a far cry from the promise of 1994, and much hard work remains to be done to recapture some of the gains we have lost in order to hold out a bright future for our young people and look after the dispossessed and poor, the marginalised and lost in our society.
in a generation; they come once every century or two. We need to more than just lionise him; we need to emulate him in his graciousness, far-sightedness and spirit of reconciliation. We should not mark each anniversary without looking as far ahead as possible to cherish, protect and live out his legacy. The lasting legacy of Mandela is that he recognised that while he could not change the past, he could change the way in which to build the future. And he did. Ours is the challenge to live up to all that he has left us and not to squander our opportunity. n
During his tenure, South Africa wrote and adopted a Constitution that should be defended with every fibre of our being. It is a Constitution that protects the very people of whom I have just written, and guarantees justice and happiness for all who would abide by it. It is this Constitution that is part of the Mandela legacy that we celebrate. Nelson Mandela is often portrayed as a saint, someone who could do no wrong. But he would have been the first to have scoffed at this thought. He was a man who could get angry. He had blind spots; he had a troubled domestic life; he suffered illness. All the issues you and I have. But what was different about him? He was Leader, with a capital ‘L’. They don’t come once
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ADVERTORIAL BY LIZL BUDHRAM
Trim your budget
to grow your savings W
hile you know you need to save, it may be a difficult concept to relate to while you are caught up in simply making ends meet each month. Saving can be compared to losing weight or getting fit. Although you start out with the best intentions, you tend to fall off the wagon, because the timelines or goals you set for yourself, are not realistic. When it comes to saving, people typically save for three months or six months and then run into problems because they don’t have an emergency savings fund or they don’t have a proper budget in place. This means they give up without establishing a long-term savings habit. Here’s how to get started and stay on track with your savings plan.
is set up for failure. You either end up bingeing on the wrong foods or you give up because it is not sustainable. Similarly, you need to be realistic when you draw up your budget. Instead of cutting out all magazines, include a line item in your budget for just one magazine a month and stick to that. Be flexible so you are not setting yourself up to fail. Be accountable Just as you would use a food diary that makes you think twice before you eat something, being accountable for every cent you spend will give you pause for thought before you make impulsive purchases. There are several ways to do this.
Start with the basics Draw up a budget. This is like planning your meals in advance to avoid compulsive eating. Use your last three months’ bank statements and list your income and expenses. Understand your spending patterns and behaviour. Include every single expense – even the chocolates that go into your trolley at the till point.
The 22seven app can give you that automated assistance. The app allows you to see all your money in one place by linking your bank accounts, credit and store cards, investments, loans and rewards. It generates a budget based on your own, actual spending and you see exactly how much you spend and on what each month. You can also work with a financial adviser to help you stick to your budget.
Be realistic A diet that aims to cut out entire food groups or even all chocolate
Use an Excel spreadsheet on your laptop, or you could just go back to basics with a little notebook and
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Lizl Budhram
Head of Advice | Old Mutual Group Contact Website: www.oldmutual.co.za Phone: 0860 60 70 00
pen that you use to jot down your purchases as you make them. Keeping track of your expenses in real time will also keep bringing you back to how much money you actually have in your account. Budgeting is so simple that it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking you can keep it in your head and unfortunately, it’s easy to lose track of the numbers. Make some kind of commitment that you can track –paper or electronic. This makes it easier to go back to and see how you are doing compared to the budget you drew up.
Review and adjust When you’re dieting or exercising, you may have days where you fall off the wagon. It’s really important not to give up entirely when you have a setback like this. You simply regroup and start again the next day. Similarly, your budget is not static but is a working document that you must review regularly. What may seem completely workable on paper when you start out doesn’t always translate well in practise. You may have once-off expenses that you didn’t initially account for, such as an excess
amount for an insurance claim. Revise your budget every three months at the least. Finally, realise that short-term planning and daily financial habits do impact on your long-term financial independence. Whether you are saving for your child’s tertiary education, a deposit on a house or for when you retire, your daily spending habits play a huge role in realising these goals. Start with a budget and make every cent count! n
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Public Sector Leaders July 2021 PROUDLY BROUGHT TO| YOU BY | 33 media
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EDITORIAL BY RAYMOND JOSEPH
Freedom Triumph
&
The Day Nelson Mandela Walked Out Of Prison
O
n 11 February 1990, the day that millions of South Africans had dreamed of for years – and many had fought and died for – had finally dawned. Tens of thousands of people in Cape Town streamed into the city for a rally on the Grand Parade in front of City Hall to welcome Mandela and listen to the struggle icon’s first public address as a free man. Activist Vanessa Watson had decided to stay home and watch the historic event on television rather than make her way to the Parade because she had one-year-old twins. As she sat watching TV and waiting for the newly released struggle icon to address the rally, however, a friend knocked on her door. He told her that Mandela was outside her home. “We were expecting him to appear on TV any moment, so I couldn’t believe he was outside my house. I assumed my friend was mistaken,”
34 | Public Sector Leaders | July 2021
said Watson, now Professor of City and Regional Planning at the University of Cape Town. When she went outside, she saw Mandela sitting in a car looking “relaxed and pleased”. The car that had driven him from Victor
Mandela’s great love for children, his humility and his gift for connecting with ordinary people – traits that were to become the hallmarks of his presidency. Verster Prison in the nearby town of Paarl had been forced to divert because of the huge crowds, and his small convoy had regrouped in the street outside Watson’s home in a suburb close to Cape Town, to decide what to do. When Watson greeted Mandela, with one of her twins balanced on her hip, he asked her if he could hold the young boy. This was an early insight into Mandela’s great
love for children, his humility and his gift for connecting with ordinary people – traits that were to become the hallmarks of his presidency. “I was amazed and delighted; first that he was outside my house, and secondly that he just wanted to hold a baby. I couldn’t believe this was happening. He didn’t seem at all awkward – he seemed very comfortable to hold a child. He asked the name of the first one (Simon) and why we had called him that, and then asked the name of the second one (Daniel) when he held him.” It was Mandela’s second close encounter with children that day after his long years in prison, surrounded by fellow adult prisoners and their jailers. As his convoy drove along the back roads through sprawling farmlands a few hours earlier, heading for Cape Town, hundreds of people of all races had gathered along the route to greet him. Trade unionist Whitey Jacobs,
who was a passenger in the car with Mandela and his wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, said: “We set off down back roads, driving through the farming areas of Paarl. They were lined with people, many of them Afrikaans-speaking farmers and their families, and Madiba remarked on how many white people had turned out. “We saw Afrikaner farmers as very conservative at that time and to this day I cannot get out of my head how he ordered us to stop so he could talk to a white woman and her two kids. I thought ‘what is he doing with these people’. But that day I realised that South Africa’s people are not what we think, that we had been divided into colours by the law and what you saw was not what you got. I will never forget the lesson Madiba taught me that day.”
a Member of Parliament, drove Mandela to Cape Town. He said the decision to travel along back roads was made to avoid the huge crowds that had gathered outside the prison. “As we drove through the farmlands, Madiba remarked on what a lovely day it was and how beautiful the farms and flowers were. He spoke about the people lining the roads and the number of white people there were who had come out to welcome him. He also commented on things we were seeing as we drove down the N1 highway towards Cape Town, the throngs of people lining the road and those on the bridges who were waving flags and holding banners saying ‘Welcome
Madiba’. He was amazed that they were such a mixed crowd, black, white, coloured and Indian.” But things turned chaotic as they approached the City Hall and the traffic police car leading them took them into the assembled crowds on the Parade. “People surrounded us and were pushing the car and jumping on it and banging on the windows calling for Madiba. One man was on the bonnet, banging on the windscreen. They were doing it out of excitement and love for Madiba, but it was very scary and I was terrified that he could get hurt,” Sonto said. “People were chanting ‘We’ve got him, he’s back’, and the crowd
In his autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom, Mandela also wrote about his journey to Cape Town. “I was totally surprised at the number of whites who seemed to identify themselves with what is happening in the country today among blacks. I expected that response from blacks, but the number of whites who feel that change is absolutely imperative, surprised me.” As Mandela mixed freely with people for the first time in decades, there was an undercurrent of fear within the ranks of the African National Congress (ANC), which did not trust the government or the police to ensure his safety. Roseberry Sonto, who retired recently as
Public Sector Leaders | July 2021 | 35
just kept converging. After what seemed to be a lifetime I knew I had to get out of there and when marshals cleared a path for us through the crowd I just put my foot down and forced my way out. “I was happy to be driving Madiba to freedom, but you have no idea how scared I was that something could go wrong. My driving skills were tested that day and I remember thinking that if something does go wrong, it will be better for me to die with him, than to survive knowing I had been the one driving him.” South African policeman Major General Andre Lincoln, a former commander in the ANC’s armed wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), and later bodyguard to Mandela, remembers the day and his own fears about an attempt on Mandela’s life clearly. At the time of Mandela’s release, Lincoln was working as part of a special tactical unit of the ANC’s Department of Intelligence and Security, which was still operating underground. “My brief on the day of his release was to gather intelligence, both outside the prison and on the Parade. We were dealing with a ‘what if there is someone in the crowd who might...’ scenario. Before Mandela’s release, the head of the ANC’s tactical unit came to Cape Town to establish a special bodyguard unit for him. “Everyone thought he was walking out without protection, but the truth is there was lots of security as he stepped out of the gates
36 | Public Sector Leaders | July 2021
of the prison that day ... The last thing the government wanted was for someone to kill him,” said Lincoln. “But I was paranoid that here was our president, yet his security was in the hands of the boere – the enemy. They had shotguns, FN semi-automatic rifles and teargas. I was worried that it would take just one cop prepared to become a martyr ... and to this day I sometimes look back and think about what could have gone wrong that day.” Lincoln was one of several heavily armed ANC operatives in the crowd outside the prison, ready to spring into action if Mandela was threatened. “I was on the fringes of the crowd, behind the line of police, with an AK47 hidden under my jacket, slung down my back, and a Tokarev pistol in my belt. I expected trouble; I just didn’t know where it was going to come from. It was a huge relief when Madiba finally got into the car and he was whisked off.” The very
same fears were going through the mind of political prisoner Jeremy Vearey as he sat locked up in the prison on Robben Island watching events unfold on TV. It was the same prison off the coast of Cape Town where Mandela was incarcerated for many years. Vearey, like Lincoln, now holds the rank of general in the South African police force. Both went on to serve as members of an elite group of highly trained bodyguards who guarded Mandela during the turbulent and dangerous years leading up to the historic 1994 elections. “We heard from the warders that Mandela would be released the next day and on the day we sat around a TV, watching. There was no excitement and we did not share the euphoria and jubilation of those on the outside. Some of us watching believed it was a setup and that they were going to kill him. I was worried about his security, which depended on the enemy, and feared the worst.”
Vearey said he was “hugely relieved” when Mandela finally got into the car outside Victor Verster and left. “But when they showed the huge crowds gathering at the Parade, I was worried from a safety and military point of view. And then he just disappeared and the hours dragged on, but he did not appear at the Parade. I was from Cape Town and knew how long the journey should take. We kept asking each other where he was and what they had done to him? It was a huge relief when Madiba finally appeared on the balcony of the City Hall and addressed the crowds.”
We heard from the warders that Mandela would be released... Some of us watching believed it was a set-up and that they were going to kill him Despite having no security experience at all, Lumko Huna, a leading member of the ANC’s Reception Committee for Mandela, was put in charge of security on the day of his release. “I was told on the day before Mandela’s release that I would be in charge of security,” Huna said in an earlier interview. “I was worried because I knew nothing about security. To tell the truth, none of us involved in security that day were qualified to be doing that job,” said Huna who, as an MK operative, smuggled ANC operatives in and out of South Africa. Huna headed for
Paarl very early in the morning on the day of Mandela’s release. “All the way there, people had started gathering along the road and on the bridges, and when I saw how many there were already I was worried. My mind was racing and I was thinking ‘Are they going to try and assassinate him?’” At Mandela’s prison home, his then wife Winnie was insisting that he get straight on a plane and fly to Johannesburg, said Huna. “But people were arguing that he had to go to the Parade so people could see him, otherwise there would be chaos. I said nothing, but inside I hoped he would just leave, get out of Cape Town.” As Mandela’s convoy left the prison, Huna was in the lead car, which was closely followed by Mandela’s vehicle. “My eyes were peeled looking for anything suspicious and I was terrified that something could go wrong.” As the convoy got close to the Parade, crowds started pressing
in on the convoy, Luna said. “Madiba’s car was just behind us and I watched in horror as people started swarming around it, hitting it and banging on the windows, the doors and the roof in excitement. After what seemed like an eternity, Rose [berry] managed to get out of the crowd. They left the area to regroup and returned a few hours later, entering the City Hall via the heavily-guarded rear entrance. “When Madiba was finally safely inside the City Hall, I was extremely relieved. I remember standing on the pavement outside and thinking that the whole thing was chaotic. When I look back to that day my memories are of constant fear and apprehension and worrying about whether things would work out.” Activist Willie Hofmeyr, then leader of the United Democratic Front (UDF), was in charge of security at the Parade even though, like Huna, he had no
Public Sector Leaders | July 2021 | 37
security experience. With less than 24 hours’ notice, he and other volunteers had worked through the night preparing for the rally, including designing and printing posters and pamphlets, and then distributing them. “We prepared for a normal rally, organising transport, sound systems, marshals to control the crowd…all the usual things.
people desperate for better vantage points had climbed the roofs of kiosks, which caved in under the weight “I left the office and drove into town just before noon the day that Mandela was released. I realised that this would be a huge event when I saw how many cars there were on the road to town on a
Sunday morning – it was busy like on a normal working day. People turned out on a scale we had never before seen and had not thought possible. I estimate that there were well over 100 000 people on the Parade. “The crowd was growing by the minute and our marshals, who were unarmed, formed a semicircle in front of the steps of the City Hall to keep the area clear,” said Hofmeyr. “But the crowd kept growing and we battled to maintain our line.”The marshals also found themselves dealing with large numbers of armed “gangsters” who had turned out in large numbers to see Mandela. “They were very aggressive about getting to the front... Soon it turned into combat as we tried to keep them at bay. Marshals
were physically harassed and threatened with knives,” said Hofmeyr. “It was not very long before our cordon collapsed and even though we were able to keep the front of City Hall secure, some gangsters managed to force their way in at the back. It was surreal, chasing gangsters through the passages of City Hall to get them out.” With the crowds pouring in, chaos reigned as people pushed and shoved to get closer to the steps where Mandela would address them. “By about 2.30pm there was a massive crowd. There was a huge crush in front, with people unable to move and just being swept along by waves swirling through the crowd. It was also very hot and from the balcony we could see people passing out in the crush. The only way to retrieve them from the crowd was for them to be passed over the heads of the crowd and dragged up onto the balcony. “On the Parade, people desperate for better vantage points had climbed the roofs of kiosks, which caved in under the weight. Scaffolding erected to allow the press a vantage point also collapsed as hundreds of people brushed marshals aside and scaled it. “The mood was expectant and euphoric, but the crowd was getting impatient with the long delay, and we realised that people may die if we did not do something drastic,” said Hofmeyr.
38 | Public Sector Leaders | July 2021
“We persuaded Allan [Boesak, a priest and leading anti-apartheid activist] and Archbishop Tutu to lead people on a march to District Six, where we told them Mandela would address them. Thousands followed them and it helped a lot to dissipate the pressure of the crowd, but they all came back when they realised they’d been tricked. “At some stage, some of the gangsters started looting a few shops at the back edges of the Parade. It became even more chaotic when the police started firing with shotguns, but the looting was brought under control fairly quickly.
“His car was trapped in the crowd for what seemed like an age and could barely move as people were crushed against the vehicle by the crowd,” said Hofmeyr. “Somehow the driver managed to get out and drive away. Madiba, who had not been in a crowd for 27 years, was very upset and they took him out of the city to regroup. He later had to be persuaded to return when he was finally tracked down via the radio of the traffic cops who were with him.
“We were terrified that the city was going to burn that night if he did not come back to address the crowd. By the time Madiba arrived and addressed the rally it was already becoming dark and well over half the crowd had given up and left. “But when he finally appeared and spoke, it was like a dream come true. His speech was very dignified and considered. For me, it was a moment of complete euphoria unlike anything I had ever experienced.” n
when he finally appeared and spoke, it was like a dream come true. His speech was very dignified and considered. For me, it was a moment of complete euphoria “When we finally got a message that Mandela was approaching, we had a quick meeting. We decided to try and delay him as there were problems with the sound system and we did not know what would happen if he appeared and there was no sound for his speech.” Hofmeyr managed to intercept the convoy and told them to divert to the Civic Centre and wait there until the sound system was working. But the traffic police vehicle leading the convoy instead led Mandela’s car straight into the swirling crowd in front of the City Hall.
Public Sector Leaders | July 2021 | 39
IF I AM IN A POLYGAMOUS MARRIAGE, WILL ALL MY SPOUSES RECEIVE A SPOUSE PENSION WHEN I PASS AWAY? GEPF Spouse Pension Benefit provides for a monthly pension annuity (payment) for life to the member’s surviving spouse/s. The GEP Law recognises civil marriage, registered life- partner and customary marriage. A life partner or spouse will receive the Spouse Pension benefit until they pass away. For a spouse to claim Spouse Pension benefits, they have to fill all the relevant forms and attach a recognised marriage certificate or lobola letter to the GEPF. In a case where there is no lobola letter, the affected spouse must submit affidavits from both families stating that they were married to the deceased member.
HOW TO REGIS FOR A CUSTOM MARRIAGE?
Customary marriages must be registered within t taking place. This can be done at any office of th Home Affairs or through a designated traditional where there are no Home Affairs offices.
The following people should present themselves Home Affairs office or a traditional leader in orde customary marriage:
REGISTER YOUR CUSTOMARY MARRIAGE
•
The Fund is often confronted with disputes related to marital status of deceased members. This is because many of our members and pensioners, particularly those who were married under customary law have not officially registered their marriages at the Department of Home Affairs (DoHA).
• • •
This can present many problems and may be difficult for the Fund to determine the validity of the marriage and who the lawful beneficiaries are so that they can pay what is due to them. It is even more difficult in instances of very old marriages where the lobola letter has been lost and there isn’t sufficient proof available for the Fund to validate the marriage. It becomes even more complex when the two families don’t co-operate to provide affidavits supporting the existence of the marriage. The South African Constitution makes provision for and recognises customary marriages. A
customary marriage is defined as “one that’s negotiated, celebrated or concluded according to any of the systems of indigenous African customary laws which exist in South Africa”. In keeping with this provision, the GEPF recognises customary marriages. GEPF members who are married under customary law are urged to register their marriages as this prevents delays in the payment of benefits. The Recognition of Customary Marriages Act became effective in November 2000.
the two spouses (with copies of t identity books and a lobola agree available); at least one witness from the brid at least one witness from the groo And/or the representative of each families.
In the event that the spouses were minors (or on at the time of the customary marriage, the paren be present when the request to register the marr
Customary marriages are registered by completin and paying the required fees. An acknowledgeme BI-1700 will then be issued by DoHA. It is import members who are married under Customary Law formally register their marriages.
This will help the Fund to pay out t benefits to the right beneficiaries w time comes.
STER MARY
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CHECK YOUR PENSIONABLE SERVICE START DATE Your pensionable service start date and your employment date are not the same thing. Your employment date is the date on which you were appointed at your employment, that is, the date on which you started to work for your employer. A pensionable service start date is the date on which you and your employer started to contribute financially to the GEPF towards your pension benefits. The difference between the two dates is due to two possible reasons. Firstly, you might have been working in the public service for a while but under a non-permanent contract/s, therefore you did not qualify for GEPF membership. This means you were not contributing to the Fund during this period. You might have later become a permanent employee, joined the GEPF and consequently became a contributing member. The date on which you started contributing is the beginning of your pensionable service.
We encourage our members to remember their pensionable service start date by safely keeping their first pay slip, which shows their first contributions to us. The pay slip also shows the service date.
CONTACT DETAILS You can also use any of the following contact details to get in touch with the GEPF: Website: www.gepf.co.za Postal address: Private Bag X63, Pretoria, 0001 Email: enquiries@gpaa.gov.za Toll free no.: 0800 117 669. All calls from a Telkom line to the Call Centre are free of charge. Twitter: @GEPF_SA Facebook: Government Employees Pension Fund Self-service system: Access the link from our website <www.gepf.co.za> Mobile App: Huawei App Gallery and Google Play Store. A process to make it available on the Apple App Store is underway.
EDITORIAL BY ROXANNE JOSEPH
Madiba
magic
A look at some of the highlights during Mandela’s lifetime.
N
elson Rolihlahla Mandela is known predominantly for his role as a revolutionary who dedicated his life to creating a democratic South Africa free from racial segregation and inequality. It is impossible to list each and every highlight during Mandela’s lifetime, which spanned close to a century. He was a beacon of hope, and represented change and reconciliation, but he meant very different things to different people. He was an activist, a freedom fighter, political leader, family man and father to a broken nation, with a lifelong mission to help mend it.
Mandela’s younger years One of the first highlights of Mandela’s younger years was when, at around the age of 25, he became involved with the Student Representative Council at Fort Hare University, where he was studying at the time. This was perhaps the first public
42 | Public Sector Leaders | July 2021
view of his inclination towards political activism and it eventually resulted in his being asked to leave the university. It was also here that he met his lifelong friend Oliver Tambo.
He was so much more than the man who lifted the shroud of darkness that was apartheid Although Mandela’s principles had always been aligned with those of freedom and equality, it was really his time as a law student at the University of the Witwatersrand (where he was exposed to black consciousness, African nationalism and desegregation) that galvanised him. In 1939, he completed his studies and, five years later, joined the African National Congress (ANC), taking his place alongside the elite group of young, black
intellectuals (Tambo, Walter Sisulu and Anton Lembede, among others) who would go on to lead the country in later years. The group – loudly – voicing their dissatisfaction with the way the ANC was being run, formed the ANC Youth League (ANCYL) in April of that year. For the next decade, Mandela would focus on using the law to wage war on apartheid. While this new generation of black leadership quickly began to formalise their ideas for the way forward, the rest of the world watched as World War II drew to a close, the first electronic digital computer was introduced and the United Nations was established. Several years later, in 1948, the apartheid policy of segregation was implemented across South Africa under the Nationalist Party (NP). One of the party’s first actions was to pass the Prohibition of Mixed Marriages
Act in 1949, which outlawed marriages between whites and non-whites. This was followed by more legislation which dictated where people could live and restricted their ability to work, all according to race. Mandela’s response to apartheid was, in 1952, to open the first black law firm in South Africa with Tambo; the two provided free or cheap legal aid to the black population. They joined Sisulu and Communist Party General-Secretary Moses Kotane in forming the Congress Alliance; they embarked on national campaigns against specific apartheid laws and encouraged passive resistance. That same year, they started the two-year long Defiance Campaign, which transformed the ANC into a mass-based and militant organisation, growing from 7 000 to over 100 000 volunteers by the time the campaign ended. During this time, Mandela emerged as one of the most influential leaders of the liberation struggle as he recruited volunteers and spent several short stints in jail.
were declared illegal after the Unlawful Organisations Act came into effect. Under this act, any organisation deemed a threat to the public could be banned by the government. Just as Mandela went into hiding, the United States of America sent troops into Vietnam for the first time, 15 African countries gained independence and a referendum of white South Africans voted in favour of leaving the Commonwealth and becoming a republic. While Mandela was being arrested for conspiring to overthrow the state and preparing to stand trial, Cliff Richard, Elvis Presley and Frank Ifield were topping the charts with songs about love and heartbreak. The Rivonia Trial, where 10 leading opponents of apartheid appeared in the Pretoria Supreme Court, began in 1963. Then President Hendrik Verwoerd was hoping for the death penalty, but when the trial ended on 12 June 1964, the court sentenced eight of the accused, including Mandela, to life imprisonment. The trial was significant not only because of whom it centred on, but also
because of its media coverage; the resulting international pressure was immense. In the aftermath, various sports bodies (including FIFA and the Olympic Committee) terminated the country’s membership, and by the 1970s South Africa was largely isolated from participating in world sport and other cultural events. But the fight inside Mandela did not dwindle, even while imprisoned. For 18 long years, he was incarcerated on Robben Island, a mere 12-kilometres off the coast of Cape Town. The prison was a harsh place and had a reputation for banishment that went as far back as the 17th century. During his time there, Mandela (or prisoner 46664) was forced to work at the limestone quarry under the scorching sun for several hours each day. After his release in 1990, Mandela asked that photographers avoid using flash photography at a series of press conferences he attended because his eyes had been severely damaged by the bright reflection of the sun from the stones. On 16 June 1976,
Imprisonment Anti-pass campaigns intensified as 1960 rolled around, and tensions between the black population and government reached a climax following the death of 69 people and wounding of 186 more during the Sharpeville Massacre. This was the start of armed resistance in South Africa, and the ANC and the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC)
Public Sector Leaders | July 2021 | 43
tens of thousands of students took to the streets of Soweto to oppose the use of Afrikaans as the language of instruction in black schools. Although initially peaceful, the protests turned violent as police fired at participants, leading to months of violence and hundreds of people dead. This is considered a turning point in the history of black resistance to apartheid. In 1985, three years after he was
Mandela dedicated his efforts to the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund, starting with donating a third of his salary throughout his term in office to its formation moved from Robben Island to Pollsmoor Prison in the southern suburbs of Cape Town, Mandela began secret talks with the government. These negotiations continued for years without the public knowing, and during this time Mandela was taken on secret excursions so that he could reconnect with the world. A year later, in June 1986, the government declared a nationwide state of emergency and, with it, implemented curfews, banned the promotion of unlawful strikes, boycotts and protests, and restricted the press. Freedom In 1989, the first publicly acknowledged meeting between Mandela and then President PW Botha took place. The meeting was characterised by Justice
44 | Public Sector Leaders | July 2021
Minister Kobie H Coetsee as “pleasant”, but he denied rumours of Mandela’s possible release. A series of important events followed: after Botha suffered a stroke, FW de Klerk was sworn in as acting president and pledged to phase out apartheid; eight of the country’s most prominent political prisoners were released; and the 30year ban on the ANC and other political organisations was lifted.
On 11 February 1990, Mandela was freed without conditions. Instead of being taken to his home in Soweto, he insisted on walking, hand-in-hand with his second wife, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, through the gates of Victor Verster Prison. It had been 27 years, six months and four days since the country’s most wanted man, aged 44, was arrested at a roadblock outside the town of Howick; the father of five entered into freedom as a 71-year-old grandfather.
And so, as the Berlin Wall was falling and the Hubble Telescope began orbiting, the ANC suspended its guerilla campaign against apartheid, and deliberations over an interim Constitution – one based on full political equality – began. South Africa’s power shift was hastened by the death of popular black leader Chris Hani, who was shot and killed on 10 April 1993. Mandela appealed to the country for calm and urged a stronger commitment to negotiations from all sides.
The ANC, meanwhile, reacted confrontationally after a massacre in Boipatong township in 1992 left more than 40 dead. That same year, Mandela and De Klerk were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, and black and white leaders endorsed the interim constitution that attempted to balance majority rule with safeguards to reassure whites and other minorities. On 27 April 1994, for the first time in South African history, black people were allowed to vote in the general elections. Despite months of violence leading up to this moment, a peaceful election ensued and the ANC was named the ruling party; as a result, Mandela became the first black president of the country. Reconciliation Finally, South Africa found itself on the path to reconciliation. But reconciliation was not without further pain and suffering. It began with one of Mandela’s greatest achievements during his time as president: the formation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). The TRC was a court-like body that heard testimonies from the victims of apartheid and perpetrators of violence; the former had a chance to be heard and the latter had the opportunity to give testimony and request amnesty from prosecution. The formal hearings began in April of 1996 and were crucial to the transition to a full and free democracy in South Africa. The TRC presented its report
almost two years later, and in it, condemned both sides for committing atrocities. One of the most significant sporting events for South Africa during the 1990s was the 1995 Rugby World Cup, when the national team won. The previously all-white team had long been seen as a symbol of oppression by many black South Africans and had been banned from international competition until 1992. Mandela called for everyone – including the black population – to support the team and, for many, this move was seen as yet another step towards racial reconciliation. The 1990s saw the rise of multiculturalism and alternatives – grunge, rave and hip hop spread globally, and genocides devastated Rwanda and Bosnia. Technology enabled information and communication. Wars in the Congo, Iraq and Chechnya broke out. For much of his term as president, Mandela dedicated his efforts to the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund, starting with donating a third of his salary throughout his term in office to its formation. From 1996 to 1998,
the fund mobilised nearly R40million, which went to almost 800 projects. Mandela’s love of children is a quality he was always known for, and to him the fund spoke to his resounding faith in the country’s future generations as leaders of further reconciliation. He emphasised this at the launch of the fund: “Our children are the rock on which our future will be built, our greatest asset as a nation. They will be the leaders of our country, the creators of our national wealth who care for and protect our people.” Mandela’s first and only term in office ended on 14 June 1999, when he was succeeded by Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki, who went on to lead the country for almost a decade. Mbeki was one of the first to boldly contradict Mandela’s sanitised rainbow nation when he described South Africa as two nations: one poor and black, and the other rich and white. After leaving office, Mandela continued to lend support to the fight against social injustice, poverty and inequality in South Africa and across
the continent. He persevered with diplomatic efforts he had initiated in government, working to mediate in Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo, among others. While retirement may have slowed Mandela down slightly, his activist instincts never dwindled – he became an advocate in the fight against HIV and Aids, which quickly became an epidemic as the years went by. In June 2004, at the age of 85, Mandela announced he was “retiring from retirement” to spend more time with family and friends, and told journalists, “Don’t call me, I’ll call you.” Mandela was a quirky man who loved brightly coloured shirts, boxing and dancing (he will forever be remembered as using the “Madiba dance” or “Madiba magic” to help dissolve tense and difficult situations). He was so much more than the man who lifted the shroud of darkness that was apartheid, the man that led the nation – alongside his comrades and generations to come – into the light. n
Public Sector Leaders | July 2021 | 45
WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP BY JESSIE TAYLOR
Hon. Ndabeni Abrahams
NAVIGATES COMMUNICATIONS IN SA
Creating economic growth through connectivity The information and communication technology (ICT) sector is changing faster than ever, with rapidly evolving technology regularly providing innovative communication methods.. This advancing technology brings with it enormous potential for any developing country. But to tap into the advantages of this new era of communication, the nation’s policies need to embrace this fast-paced change. Harnessing untapped ICT potential The task of guiding South Africa’s navigation of this ever-evolving landscape falls to Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams. Hon. Ndabeni-Abrahams was appointed to the position in 2018, a move that was welcomed by both government and opposition parties. She brings with her numerous qualifications in the field: an advanced certificate in project management from Rhodes University; a Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation diploma in telecommunications and management systems; a certificate in telecommunications and policy and regulation management from Witwatersrand University, and a project management diploma from Cranefield College in Tshwane. Minister Ndabeni-Abrahams has identified the technology sector as a key factor in helping South Africa’s
post-Covid-19 recovery, as well as offering potential employment opportunities. To harness this untapped potential, the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies has devised a Digital Economy Master Plan and is currently engaging various stakeholders to ensure the plan’s implementation.
The Digital Economy Master Plan will see the achievement of economic contribution upwards to 4.5% of GDP per annum “The Department’s vision is to see all South Africans digitally empowered to create and participate in tech-enabled opportunities that drive inclusiveness, employment and economic transformation across our cities, towns and provinces,” – Hon. Ndabeni-Abrahams.
under the Department’s Digital Economy Master Plan and the 4IR Programme. Together with the industry, we have identified a number of products that can be locally produced: these include phones and accessories; manufacturing of components for infrastructure/5G network expansion; sensors and telematics which includes lidar, smart metres for water and electricity and other tracking applications; and satellites and drone components.” To ensure the development of locally manufactured products, the Department plans to boost the ICT sector through the creation of a special economic zone (SEZ). SEZs are geographically designated areas of the country set aside for specifically targeted economic activities, supported through special arrangements and systems that are often different from those that apply in the rest of the country. The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition is the custodian of the Special Economic Zones
programme and aims to use these SEZs to increase trade, investment and jobs through special incentives such as a preferential corporate tax rate, employment incentives and relief from VAT and customs and excise duties. The creation of an ICT SEZ is expected to boost the local production of technology and products such as cellphones, tablets and related components. “As part of the implementation of these programmes, the Department is working with the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) to facilitate the establishment and operationalisation of an ICT Special Economic Zone. To date, suitable land has been identified where this SEZ will be situated. The two Departments are working towards the digital products for local manufacturing, with government procurement capacity being utilised as a lever to enable the sector,” - Hon. Ndabeni-Abrahams.
“It is envisaged that the implementation of the Digital Economy Master Plan will see the achievement of economic contribution upwards to 4.5% of GDP per annum, creation of 1 million jobs over the next 10 years, [and] create massive opportunities for SMMEs.” Zoning for sector growth According to Minister NdabeniAbrahams, developing the ICT sector to produce locally manufactured products is a key focus for the Department: ‘The sourcing of locally manufactured products remains a key priority focus
Public Sector Leaders | July 2021 | 49
Creating a skilled youth But to grow the sector, skills development will remain at the forefront of the Department’s plan. To keep up with the speed of change in science and technology, the Department has developed the National Digital and Future Skills strategy. This strategy aims to establish an education and skills development ecosystem that provides all South Africans with the required skills to create and participate in the digital economy. “We are partnering with both the public and private sector, with the intent to bridge the digital divide. For this reason, our training programmes will be conducted everywhere in South Africa including the remote areas”, Minister Ndabeni-Abrahams commented. To this end, the Department will collaborate with the Department of Higher Education and Training to train around 20 000 young people in the Fourth Industrial Revolution and related skills. Over the next year, six Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleagues in the Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, North West and KwaZulu-Natal will be included in the training programme. “We are deliberate in exposing and stimulating the young minds in these TVET colleges to be innovators and not just endusers of technologies”, said Hon Ndabeni-Abrahams. “We are also working with the Department of Employment and Labour to train 73 000 unemployed youth. Our
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model pools together a given craft, skill and entrepreneurship such that every learner finishes their training already having an exit strategy.” To bolster these efforts, a partnership with the Digital Council for Africa will see young people from Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga and Limpopo trained in fibre splicing. “Never again, shall our youth be only trench diggers. Already we have trained 12 young people, and the Council is in a process of placing them in various companies. More of these young people will be benefiting from this partnership,” – Minister Ndabeni-Abrahams.
The South African ICT industry contributes an estimated 4% of the country’s GDP Building a connected economy Training the youth to take up jobs in the industry is essential for future economic performance, as the sector holds the key to creating numerous job opportunities. To encourage this growth, Hon. Ndabeni-Abrahams has announced that R27-billion has been pledged collectively by the operators and vendors to expand the 4G network and to deploy the 5G and fibre technologies in South Africa. “This network expansion is also extending to rural and
underserved areas, which will benefit communities and create jobs”, she said. “In line with the government’s vision of connecting 80% of public buildings by 2024, our entities will connect 6687 sites across the country. Through investment in digital infrastructure expansion, 5920 jobs have already been created by the sector and it is envisaged that there will be an increase of at least 25% of this target.” While the ICT sector holds great promise for creating future job opportunities, it holds the promise of aiding in the country’s economic recovery after the effects of Covid-19. The sector has proven itself to be reasonably resilient in light of the pressures caused by the pandemic, compared to other sectors relying on consumer activity. This resilience is no doubt rooted in the role connectivity plays in supporting economic and social activity across the country. But even before the pandemic, the sector played a vital economic role. The South African ICT industry contributes an estimated 4% of the country’s GDP, which equates to around R194-billion. Encouraging growth in the ICT sector will not only lead to a more robust industry, capable of supporting high levels of employment and creating significant economic revenue but will also enable other industries to grow by providing a foundation for e-commerce and connectivity. n
ADVERTORIAL HUAWEI
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M
ost organisations understand that the cloud is foundational to digital transformation. As with any new technology. However, it’s important to balance client expectations with the reality of what can be delivered. This balance can easily be disrupted when the customer adopts the cloud but isn’t digitally mature enough to get the most out of it and ends up thinking it isn’t worth the investment.
To this end, Huawei works closely with its local IT partners to consistently deliver new technologies and solutions to the end-customers.
To achieve true value, suggests Stone He, President at Huawei Cloud (Southern Africa), one needs to effectively link the end-customer with the cloud service provider and the local systems integrator (SI).
Building skills To that end, Huawei has stepped up and provides training to SIs.
“It’s a bit like a passenger choosing an airline to fly – while the passenger may be smart enough to find out which airline is the best, the true value they get from the flight ultimately depends on the aircraft crew, which in this example are the equivalent of the local SI,” he says. “Similarly with the cloud, exceptional benefit can only be gained from the public cloud when all three are working in unison to enable value.”
While the cloud remains a vital technology for SIs, they don’t always have the skills and training needed to use the public cloud as a tool to design a solution, nor those required to leverage the platform to deliver services effectively to the end-customer.
“We want our partners to have more freedom, so that when they move a client’s legacy solution to the cloud, they have the skills and the confidence to design a solution on our platform,” He says. “Additionally, once they have designed the solution, we allow them to test it on the platform – without charging them – to ensure it works properly and effectively before taking it into the customer’s environment.”
charge and assists its partners with marketing to their endcustomers. An ecosystem of partners He also points out that Huawei sees the massive potential of the cloud for South Africa’s small and medium enterprise (SME) space, where there are a number of solutions that can be switched on and off as needed.
But, He says, helping them achieve that potential means Huawei working in an ecosystem of partners. “In the more than 20 years that Huawei’s been in South Africa,” He says, “we’ve realised how critical it is that we concentrate on building a long-term, sustainable ecosystem of partners and customers, who can then grow from here to cover the rest of Africa as well.”
Contact
Email: huaweicloudsa@huawei.com
Huawei also provides the training required for partners to become comfortable using the Huawei Cloud free of
Public Sector Leaders | July 2021 | 51
WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP BY CHARNDRÉ EMMA KIPPIE
UCT VICE CHANCELLOR IS MAKING EDUCATION HER MISSION
Prof. Mamokgethi Phakeng
TIRELESS ADVOCATE FOR SOUTH AFRICA’S CUTTING EDGE RESEARCH A Leading Woman in Academia Prof. Mamokgethi Phakeng is a highly celebrated B2 NRFrated scientist who has completed more that 80 research papers, as well as five published edited volumes. Prof. Mamokgethi Phakeng participated in around 30 plenary talks which have taken place at international conferences, and has been invited as a visiting professor in universities around the globe. An award-winning academic, she has been awarded a plethora of awards for her valuable research and community work, such as the Order of the Baobab (Silver) which was conferred by the President of South Africa, in 2016. As the Founder of the Adopt-a-Learner Foundation – an NPO launched in 2004 which provides educational and financial assistance to learners from rural and township communities to obtain their higher education qualifications – Prof. Mamokgethi Phakeng is especially passionate about mathematics. Her vision for the Foundation began with a need to empower mathematics educators in underprivileged communities, whilst providing learners from such communities with access to quality mathematics education. “I started this Trust because while I was the first to obtain a PhD in mathematics education, I do not want to be the last”, she explained.
“I started this Trust because while I was the first to obtain a PhD in mathematics education, I do not want to be the last”, she explained. UCT’s Newest Vice Chancellor In July 2018, Prof. Mamokgethi Phakeng was appointed as the new Vice Chancellor for The University of Cape Town, taking over the reins from Dr Max Price (who served as Vice-Chancellor since 2008). At the time of her appointment, she was the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (DVC): Research and Internationalisation. Since taking on this new role, she has made it her mission to embody academic excellence and instill the highest standards in her staff and students. With much work to be done on South Africa and Africa’s Education Sectors, she believes that improving curricula and research methodologies will empower future generations.
international experience for our students, an experience that is profoundly embedded in academic excellence and that is uniquely African – an experience positively unforgettable. We will rethink curricula and make sure we broaden our pursuit of excellence in research, teaching and learning and in all our activities. There is a lot to do and I look forward to beginning this task.” Award-Winning Communication and Leadership Just last year, Prof. Mamokgethi Phakeng was celebrated by Toastmasters Southern Africa, receiving the Communication and Leadership Achievement Award during a momentous virtual ceremony, which was held on the 8 August 2020. Each year, this prestigious award is bestowed upon a nonToastmasters member who has consistently shown commitment to making significant contributions within the fields of communication and leadership, in Southern Africa. This honorary award was first
given to Dr Anton Rupert in 1974, and has since been awarded to the likes of Yusuf Abramjee, Basetsana Kumalo, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and Prof. Thuli Madonsela, to name a few. “I am especially proud to receive this award because it connects excellence in leadership with excellence in communication. These are important skills, especially in this year of dramatic change,” said Prof. Mamokgethi Phakeng upon receiving the award. Thus far, Prof. Mamokgethi Phakeng has proven her ability to lead the University of Cape Town (UCT) with integrity, clear vision and learning agility. Under her wing, UCT has continued to soar to great heights, and has since been ranked as the leading African university in all of the five major world university rankings. As part of her winning leadership strategy, she remains focused on maintaining excellence and fostering transformation, whilst placing the sustainability of the university at the forefront of her mission.
“I know that the task that lies ahead is a mammoth one and I do not underestimate its complexities. In every challenge we face there are also opportunities”, she commented on her appointment. “I will work tirelessly to enhance our cutting-edge research, which speaks directly to the challenges of our country, region, continent and the world. We will grow and develop talented academics, other staff and students from South Africa, elsewhere on the continent and internationally. I wish UCT to become a phenomenal
Public Sector Leaders | July 2021 | 53
“My biggest goal is to shift the exclusionary institutional culture of UCT”, Prof. Mamokgethi Phakeng expressed.
Awards & Honours • 2020: Toastmasters Southern Africa Communication and Leadership Achievement Award
“My time here is limited and I must do a good job while they allow me to be here. I must do what I know as a scholar, as an academic, as an executive ... what I know as a woman and what I know as a black person.”
•
As she continues on this path of academic excellence and exemplary leadership, Prof. Mamokgethi Phakeng joins the cohort of five top-tier speakers as per the re-launch of the Life Science Across the Globe (LSAG) as a monthly seminar series. The LSAG was originally launched on 1 July 2020 by The Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine (IDM), housed within UCT’s Faculty of Health Sciences, in collaboration with Janelia campus of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, as well as six other leading global research institutes.
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Images from http://www.news.uct.ac.za/
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•
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2014: CEO Magazine award for being the most influential woman in education and training (Academic) in Africa 2013: CEO Magazine Award - Most influential woman in education and training in SA 2011: NSTF Award - Most Outstanding Senior Black Female Researcher for last 5-10 years 2009: Association of Mathematics Education of South Africa (AMESA) Honorary life membership
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2003: Prestige National Award South Africa’s Inspirational Women Achievers Award - Conferred by RCP Media
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2001/2003: National Research Foundation/National Science Foundation USA/SA fellowship
Academic Positions • 2018-Present: Vice Chancellor, UCT •
2016-2018: Deputy Vice Chancellor: Research and Internationalisation, UCT
•
2011-Present: President: Convocation of Wits, University of the Witwatersrand
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2011-2016: Vice Principal: Research and Innovation, Unisa
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2006: NRF - Recognised as one of top three NRF Top Women in Research
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2008-2013: Honorary Professor of Mathematics Education, University of the Witwatersrand
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2004: Outstanding Service Award (Education) Conferred by the Sunday Sun and Christ Centred Church
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2007-2009: Professor Extraordinaire, Tshwane University of Technology
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2003: SA Woman of the Year in Science and Technology
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2007-Present: Trustee, FirstRand Foundation Board of Trustees
ADVERTORIAL ICEBOLETHU GROUP
Arise and rebuild the
Province of KwaZulu-Natal In light of the recent devastation caused by the civil unrest within the province of KwaZulu-Natal, Icebolethu Group called on all stakeholders and local businesses at large to mobilise in support of the local communities affected by this unforeseen tragedy through the “Arise and Rebuild” campaign Twenty-one Icebolethu Group branches across the province were looted and demolished during the unrest. Nomfundo Mcoyi, Group Chief Executive of Icebolethu Group said that “The Icebolethu Group has been a significant player as far as employment in KwaZulu-Natal is concerned. We purposefully hire people from previously disadvantaged backgrounds and reinvest in the communities we serve. The recent protests have unfortunately destroyed twentyone establishments, compromising not only the business but also job security. However, through the “Arise and Rebuild” campaign, we are committed to gradually restore all that has been lost”. The “Arise and Rebuild” campaign kickstarted in Umlazi Mega City where Icebolethu Group and local businesses started clearing the rubble within the mall’s vicinity. About fifty Icebolethu Group staff members and management pulled their sleeves and got down and dirty; sweeping and mopping floors.
The group then moved to KwaMashu center where a similar clean-up was done. Amongst stakeholders who reached out to assist rebuild the province was Jacinta Ngobese; a radio producer, DJ and MC. Jacinta Ngobese noted that, “Icebolethu Group by nature provides an essential service to communities, and having it not operating to its full capacity, especially during the third wave of Covid-19, is amiss. As fellow citizens and business associates of Icebolethu Group, we are here to support the ‘Arise and Rebuild’ campaign to ensure damaged branches can open soon”. The campaign will continue throughout the province until all Icebolethu Group branches are fully operational and all employees are reinstated back to their working stations/areas. “We did not predict such an unfortunate situation while in the fight of Covid-19. We are, however, very hopeful for a brighter tomorrow as we navigate through these uncharted waters. In the famous words of Winston Churchill, ‘never let a good crisis go to waste’ which is why we will use this opportunity to rebuild and reconnect with our communities in order to grow and develop more local communities through employment”, said Mcoyi.
Icebolethu Group empathises with other businesses that have suffered a similar fate, but also encourages them to continue rebuilding despite the current situation. On the other hand of a storm is the strength that comes from having navigated through it. We will rebuild and maintain that which bears us fruit.
Nomfundo Mcoyi Founder and CEO Icebolethu Group
Contact Address: 277 Umbilo Road, Congela, Durban, 4013 and 397 Surrey Avenue, Ferndale Randburg, 2194 Website: www.icebolethugroup.co.za Email: info@icebolethugroup.co.za Phone: 081 313 8551
Public Sector Leaders | July 2021 | 55
EDITORIAL BY GLENDA NEVILL
Madiba’s strategic expression of individuality
Fashion, some believe, is a frivolous affair. Others understand, as Mark Twain did, that clothes make the man. Strategically powerful style Nelson Mandela truly believed in the power of clothes. From his days as a student at Fort Hare University, and as a young lawyer working in Johannesburg, to when he danced with Queen Elizabeth II wearing a distinctive black silk shirt, Mandela understood that “clothes can be a strategic expression of individuality, even for a politician.” His close friend, comrade in arms and co-founder of the ANC Youth League Joe Matthews recalled Mandela and his cousin Matanzima’s dress sense in an interview with John Carlin on PBS’s Frontline. He said they were “tall, handsome Thembu gentlemen, always well-dressed ... they were very striking, even as young men.” Later, Matthews was to share a room with Mandela (he was expelled from Fort Hare in 1940 and moved to the then Transvaal in 1941) in Johannesburg. As young men, they threw their lives into the struggle for South Africa’s freedom. Even then, said Matthews, Mandela was “meticulous” about his clothes. “What I can tell you is that a white silk shirt on Nelson Mandela is different from a white silk shirt that we have. His is really white, and yours is not quite the right white. He is a meticulous dresser and he picks his clothes, so it means he gives it thought. Whereas most of us, you go into a shop, you buy a suit.” Matthews said even when Mandela was “supposed to be casually wearing a khaki trouser, it would be a ‘khaki’ trouser. It wouldn’t be gabardine. It would be the genuine thing.” Matthews was mystified as to how Mandela had become so clothes conscious. “Where he picked it up, I don’t know, because you wouldn’t regard Transkei as the kind of environment in which people would be looking out for the best kind of clothes. I think it’s just a characteristic of his, and maybe it reflects a kind of ego as well, wanting to be the best dressed”, he told Carlin.
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Making a statement Another late comrade from those years (and the advocate who was Mandela’s legal adviser), Sir Bob Hepple, recalled how when Mandela arrived in court for the Rivonia Trial, he was wearing tribal dress, including a kaross, a bead necklace and the green, gold and black colours of the African National Congress. “My reaction was that of a white left-winger who viewed tribal dress with suspicion. This, I thought to myself, is how the Afrikaners want to portray Africans: as still living in a tribal state and not as citizens of a modern, industrial society.” Hepple came to realise later that it was Mandela’s strategic mind at play. Not only did his choice of clothing show a “sign of contempt for white justice”, as he wrote in Long Walk to Freedom, but it also showed his comrades the ANC wasn’t under the domination of “white communists.” When Mandela walked out of jail on 12 February 1990, he was wearing a dark grey suit, white shirt and grey tie. It was made by his trusted tailor, Yusuf Surtee, whose father had owned Grays where Mandela bought his suits in the 1950s. Surtee had received a phone call: “He told me: ‘I’m going to be released soon and I need a suit and some shirts.’” And suits and shirts are what he wore... for a while, until the worldfamous ‘Madiba shirt’ came into being and stayed as a longterm testament to the former President’s style. “Fortunately, by 1994, Mandela had not only rediscovered his fashion sense, but after an encounter with the then Indonesian president, Suharto, who was partial to
patterned shirts, he evolved a signature style that not only rallied against the conventions of his presidential appointment and position, but expressed a new identity befitting the new nation he had helped birth,” wrote contemporary African art specialist, Mary Corrigall, in a piece for the Sunday Independent.
He is a meticulous dresser and he picks his clothes, so it means he gives it thought A fashion-forward leader After Mandela died in December 2013, former Vice President of Indonesia Jusuf Kalla credited him with making batik designs internationally famous. “He dared to wear batik in the UN chamber. If it was me, I would hesitate to wear batik and speak in the UN General Assembly, but he did not.”
newspaper. And so the relationship began. She was responsible for the iconic black silk shirts Mandela wore to meet the Queen. Sonwabile Ndamase was another of Mandela’s shirt designers who had made clothes for Winnie Mandela and was introduced to Madiba by his daughter Zindzi. Ndamase recalls Mandela saying, “A Pondo who designs clothes? Ah, what can you do for me?” He gave Ndamase a few guidelines, including that the shirt should not be a dashiki, as worn by OR Tambo, and should be light and distinctive. “Tata’s lung illness meant I would have to design something that was not too heavy, yet still dignified, that he could wear in formal meetings at top government level. I then designed a shirt made from limited edition African- inspired prints to be worn over slacks, something stylish without being stifling. n
How the Madiba shirt came about has its genesis in several stories. In 1994, Cape Town shirt designer Desre Buirski heard Mandela would be visiting her synagogue in Cape Town. She wanted to give him something to thank him for the sacrifices he’d made for South Africa. She found a shirt she’d made, black with gold and cream patterns, extra large with long sleeves. She thought to herself, if he didn’t wear it, he could give it away. After wrapping it up and writing a note, she managed to give it to one of Mandela’s bodyguards. A short while later, a friend called to tell her a photograph of Mandela wearing her shirt at the practice for his inauguration had appeared in the
Public Sector Leaders | July 2021 | 57
ADVERTORIAL SAICA
THE POWER
OF PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS One of the most powerful tools, when it comes to helping an organisation achieve its aims, is partnerships.
I
n the case of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA), these aims include working towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS), particularly those focused on quality education (SDG 4), and decent work and economic growth (SDG 8). SAICA’s Gugu Makhanya explains that SETA support has been central to the success of Thuthuka - the organisation’s vehicle for transformation and skills development. “We have a drive to transform, grow and own the accounting education landscape in South Africa, and Thuthuka helps us get closer to achieving this objective by getting involved from school level, right up to professional qualification level,” Makhanya explains, noting that Thuthuka’s endeavours have helped to build a pipeline of future business leaders. Goals of this magnitude could not be achieved working in isolation. This where the SETAs have a key role to play. This partnership is a natural one as the SETAs are mandated to contribute to skills development, especially amongst individuals who are already employed or seeking employment. Makhanya says that the SETAs’ greatest contribution towards Thuthuka, since its inception, has been their generous funding, which is “the lifeline of Thuthuka”.
Ayanda Mafuleka CEO | FASSET
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Focus on the financial and accountancy sector Ayanda Mafuleka, CEO of the Financial and Accounting Services SETA (FASSET) says that, as a former beneficiary of a SETA funded programme, she has personal experience of the value of the body’s work with Thuthuka: “The skills needed by the financial industry remain scarce, especially amongst people from previously disadvantaged communities. And yet, they are crucial: Chartered Accountants [CAs(SA)] have the competencies required to drive and manage our country’s financial reserves. Without them, there is little hope of keeping on track either to grow the economy or to move away from the informal sector which currently accounts for many jobs in South Africa.”
FASSET’s role in the partnership extends to offering support at all stages of prospective accountants’ careers, starting with career guidance to increase the throughput rate of learners with pure Mathematics and Accounting as subjects of choice, to a bursary scheme to fund undergraduate studies. The SETA also funds postgraduate studies in the form of the PDGA qualification, one of the minimum requirements for sitting for the ITC exam, and provides academic support for those writing the exam. This is important in helping to address high failure rates, Mafuleka says: it’s not uncommon for learners who have done well in their under- and postgraduate qualifications to find this part of their journey especially challenging.
“This is why we work to cement all learnings up until this point. We place special emphasis on supporting students who have had to repeat the work, so that when the time comes to sit the APC exams, they’re ready.” In 2019 and 2020, FASSET allocated more than R41-million – enabling academic support as well as bursaries to around 945 learners. Mafuleka says she hopes more of these future professionals consider the public sector as an employment option, as the sector needs CAs(SA), their skills and their moral compass. FASSET’s support of Thuthuka is set to continue in the long term, she adds. Going forward, the SETA would like to see a greater emphasis put on assisting students who have graduated
We have a drive to transform, grow and own the accounting education landscape in South Africa Because it is not a tertiary institution or education service provider, FASSET relies on other organisations to implement projects that help it meet its objective of increasing the flow of new accountants, particularly African black accountants, into the sector. “Thuthuka has done exceptionally well in this regard. The demographic profile of the sector has changed dramatically over the past two decades”, Mafuleka notes.
UniZulu celebrated SAICA accreditation thanks to the funding of the BANKSETA
Public Sector Leaders | July 2021 | 59
from TVET colleges. She also feels that significant benefits could be derived from formalising FASSET’s funding programme through the implementation of an MOU with stated targets. “This would be sure to boost throughout”, she says. Bank on sustainable programmes The Banking Sector Education and Training Authority (BANKSETA), which focuses on education and training in the banking sector, is another SETA that has contributed to the Thuthuka programme. Mia Makhanya, Chairperson of the BANKSETA’s Board, explains that BANKSETA’s ambit encompasses other commerce related fields too, including ICT and Engineering fields, which is why there is strong alignment between its goals and those of Thuthuka. “Both entities are geared towards upskilling people so that they can contribute as economic agents, not only in the banking sector but in the greater economy”, she observes. As part of this, BANKSETA collaborated with Thuthuka, along with the University of Johannesburg, the University of Venda (Univen) and the University of Zululand (UNIZULU), in a multi-million-rand project, equipping the latter two tertiary institutions with the ability to offer a professional accounting science degree.
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This has helped to make education more accessible, by paving the way for both Venda and Zululand universities to receive SAICA accreditation in 2018. “These institutions are now able to welcome learners wishing to study for an accredited B. Com, so that they can go on to qualify as CAs(SA)”, Makhanya says.
“We feel that partnerships such as this are critical. Skills development cannot be left to the government alone”, concludes Makhanya. n
The number of students who took advantage of the universities’ new status is proof of the need for the programme: around 400 students enrolled in UNIZULU’s accounting undergraduate programme following its accreditation.
around 400 students enrolled in UNIZULU’s accounting undergraduate programme following its accreditation
Mia Makhanya
Chairperson | BANKSETA’s Board
Furthermore, at Univen, 37 students went on to receive awards of excellence for their performance in various modules. Although the four-year project came to an end in 2018, BANKSETA has continued to support strategic projects that have the potential to develop appropriate skills, and is eager to do more work of this nature – especially in areas where factors such as geography impeded access to education and, by extension, industry transformation.
To Partner with Thuthuka contact Address: 17 Fricker Road Illovo, Sandton, Johannesburg, 2196 Website: https://www.saica.org.za/ initiatives/thuthuka Phone: 0861 072 422 Email: saica@saica.co.za
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Public Sector Leaders | July 2021 | 61
BUILDING THE ECONOMY BY JESSIE TAYLOR
Five
Reasons to do business with government
S
Building the economy through public-private partnerships: 5 reasons to do business with our Government
outh African has faced several economic challenges over the last year, but several new reforms and initiatives by the government are showing strong political will to create a climate in which businesses can thrive. This new sentiment is seeing business confidence soar – even though the country has a high unemployment rate and is currently fighting a third wave of the pandemic. At the moment, business confidence is higher than prior to the pandemic, according to two separate indexes, and the economy appears to be accelerating, with gross domestic product expanding at a faster pace than forecast in the first quarter. This revival in economic activity brings with it a plethora of opportunities for businesses,
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as well as new incentives to consider taking on the South Africa Government as a business partner. Here are five reasons why you should be doing business with the government: 1. Regional positioning Developing and emerging markets have become major drivers of economic growth, and South Africa has long been earmarked as an economic powerhouse on the continent. Partnering with the government can give businesses access to other countries on the continent – the country has a leading role in SADC negotiations and is a member of the African Continental Free Trade Area, which creates a market of more than one billion people. The county also has several
trade agreements to facilitate exports to global markets. As a leader on the continent, the South African Government has been instrumental in creating business opportunities.
Government has launched a website under its Ease of Doing Business programme, which will assist companies with updates, offer tools to SMMEs The most recent example of these lies in the development of vaccines, following the global demand for supplies to fight the Coronavirus pandemic. South Africa has been lobbying for a temporary waiver of intellectual property rights for Covid-19 vaccines and treatment. This would allow developing nations
to assist in developing research, manufacturing of essential products and supply chains. South African pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies and universities have also recently partnered with the World Health Organization, COVAX partners and the Africa Centres for Disease Control to establish the continent’s first Covid-19 mRNA vaccine technology transfer hub. Opening up manufacturing opportunities related to the development of vaccines promises to create several new markets for local businesses. 2. BizPortal Under its Ease of Doing Business programme, which will assist companies with updates, offer tools to SMMEs as well as help to make doing business in South Africa easier, the government has established an information portal.
Africa is currently ranked 84 out of 190 countries but this is one of several plans underway to move up the rankings. Several other reforms have been adopted and recognised by institutions including the World Bank. These include a move to make enforcing contracts easier through the introduction of a specialised court dedicated to hearing commercial cases and the introduction of a national minimum wage. These reforms were implemented from May 2018 to May 2019. These reforms, along with plans for the next few years, could move South Africa back into the top 50 of the World Bank 3. New reforms to create and maintain markets Some of the new reforms implemented by the government aim to make doing business easier, while others look to open up markets with significant
potential for both local and international companies. One of the reforms aimed at facilitating business includes reducing the amount of time needed to audit a business by the South Africa Revenue Service (SARS). This would free up time for business owners to focus on their core work and paired with a shortened time to receive tax funds – could significantly improve South Africa’s ranking on the world index. Another way the government has been looking to develop more streamlined business partnerships is through addressing local government procedures. Metropolitan municipalities are particularly important for this process, as they create more than half of the country’s GDP. Municipalities deal with three core areas that affect most businesses - construction
This website aims to offer entrepreneurs and SMMEs essential information to assist them in establishing their companies and facilitate business with the public sector. Developed by the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC), BizPortal offers company registration and related services digitally, intending to improve the ease of doing business. The South African Government has announced an ambitious goal to be ranked as one of the top 10 countries in the World World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Index. South
Public Sector Leaders | July 2021 | 63
permits, registering property and supplying electricity. Electricity production has been earmarked as a key area for economic reform. Recently, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that independent power producers will now be allowed to generate up to 100 MW of electricity.
South African Government is dedicated to taking decisive action against state capture and corruption. Under the amendments to the Electricity Regulation Act, the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA)’s licencing threshold for embedded generation projects will increase from 1MW to 100MW, creating new opportunities for companies to produce electricity. 4. Taking control of corruption Over the last few years, President Ramaphosa has put various anticorruption measures in place. These serve not only as a guard for the public service but also create a competitive climate for businesses to partner with the government. In his State of the Nation Address earlier this year, Ramaphosa said corruption is one of the greatest hurdles facing the country’s growth and development. He reiterated that the South African Government is dedicated to taking decisive action against state capture and corruption. To support this decision, the government has introduced
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the National Anti-Corruption Strategy, which was approved by Cabinet in 2020. This strategy looks to create an independent statutory structure that will report directly to parliament. There are several examples of this strategy already in place. Among the anti-corruption initiatives introduced by the president are the formation of the Special Investigative Unit (SIU). The SIU carries out forensic investigation and civil litigation services to combat corruption, serious malpractices and maladministration to protect the interest of the State and the public. Another example is the recent signing of the Auditing Profession Amendment Act into law. This Act will offer additional controls for the auditing profession and gives greater power to the Independent Regulatory Board for Auditors. It is expected the Act will be a critical tool in the fight against state capture and corruption. 5. Infrastructure needs As a developing economy, with a history of economic challenges, South Africa finds itself in need of numerous infrastructure upgrades and development. This is a key focus area for the government, and it is actively working to strengthen public-private partnerships in infrastructure development. These projects include the construction and upgrade of roads, schools, dams, hospitals, clinics and human settlements.
Not only are the projects vital for social upliftment and job creation, but they also offer the potential for businesses to through a partnership with the government. The government has also indicated a need for larger projects such as energy plants, transportation, telecoms, and fibre optics. There is also extensive funding available for these projects, which was made available in 2019. At the time the presidency announced R100 billion would be set aside over 10 years for the National Infrastructure Fund, to leverage further investment from private investors and international financial institutions. n
The following services are available on BizPortal: Company Registration
Tax Registration Domain Name Registration B-BBEE Certificates Compensation Fund (Cf) Registration Unemployment Insurance Fund (Uif) Registration Business Bank Accounts *For more information, visit bizportal.gov.za
The Top Women Virtual Conference 06 & 07 October 2021 Get Tickets at topbusinesswomen.co.za
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EDITORIAL BY THULI MADONSELA
Rooting Out
corruption Less than a year into his presidency, President Nelson Mandela spoke boldly and decisively about corruption in SA.
N
elson Mandela’s concern about corruption was immediate and his actions to curtail it swift and decisive. Less than a year into his presidency, President Nelson Mandela spoke boldly and decisively about corruption. In his closing address following the debate on his State of the Nation Address (SONA) in February 1995, Mandela said: “The threat that corrupt norms implanted by apartheid may survive and overwhelm us as we set about building on new values, is one that alarms us. It is a threat that, as a government, we are determined to forestall. The Cabinet is finalising a Code of Conduct for its members, a code that shall be firmly applied.
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“However, if the sanctions against corrupt practices are not carried out in every corner with equal fervour – government and civil service, political parties, private business and non-governmental organisations – this scourge will remain with us.”
It is our time to step up and show up to fix the challenges of our time.
It’s worth noting that Mandela understood that the inherited system had seeds of corruption, which, if not rooted out, were bound to poison the future. He also understood that corruption was linked to ethical lapses and
that members of the executive were not immune to it, hence the prioritisation of the Code of Conduct for Cabinet members. This is in contrast to anticorruption pronouncements and efforts at the highest political level in the last few years. Such pronouncements and efforts have tended to focus on the conduct of public officials with concomitant measures incorporating the prohibition of public servants from doing business with the state. As Public Protector for seven years, I was exposed to a lot of looting of state resources through proxies and kickbacks that include donations to organisations and foundations linked to politicians or their family members or partners.
As evidenced in his address to the Business Initiative Against Crime, Mandela understood that impunity undermines anticorruption efforts. Linked to this was his appreciation that corruption is a systemic problem that pervades all areas of society; hence, the clean-up process must cover every corner or the battle would be lost. During his presidency, the predecessor of the Hawks, the Scorpions, did exactly what Mandela promised. It ensured that corruption was cleaned out from every corner and sanctions against it were carried out with equal fervour. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and the Scorpions netted a number of crooked politicians, earning enemies in the process. This eventually led to a smear campaign against Mandela’s appointee, Bulelani Ngcuka, the first National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) in democratic South Africa.Having taken to his job enthusiastically and tackling each corruption allegation without fear or favour, Ngcuka was branded a spy – a strategy used more frequently recently to attempt to delegitimise administrative anticorruption agencies and judicial officers.
showing conclusively that the information was false surfaced later. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention two incidents that are often cited as ethical lapses on the part of Mandela regarding the quest against corruption. The one is the firing of General Bantu Holomisa from his post as a Deputy Minister after whistleblowing against the Cabinet Minister Stella Sigcau regarding alleged corruption while she was still in the former Transkei administration. The other is the Sarafina! scandal involving the irregular issuing of a multimillion AIDS awareness contract by the Department of Health to the producers of the iconic anti-apartheid movie. Regarding the Sarafina! matter, the criticism may be warranted if we apply integrity rules in mature democracies. In such
cases, a whiff of a scandal is usually enough for the captains of institutions to fall or be encouraged to fall on their own swords. It is my considered view that in this case Mandela deferred to the law enforcement processes and when these did not assign blame to the captains involved, there was no room for him to act. We also have to take into account that although firm, Mandela was a compassionate leader. In this case, he may have taken into account that the Minister and Director General concerned were new and novices on what was and was not permissible regarding public procurement. On the Holomisa saga, it is my belief that Mandela could have handled the matter better and more in line with his undertaking in the SONA of February 1995.
The investigation against him by a commission of inquiry yielded inconclusive results. This, I believe, favoured the information peddlers as it left the public in doubt, thus diminishing his credibility. Though evidence
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Sadly, it is a common strategy for organisations to seek to protect their brand or ‘upright image’ by leaning on opacity. I remember a complaint lodged to my office as Public Protector by a former councillor who had been dismissed by his party for whistleblowing to the media about what he regarded as corruption by the chairperson of his political branch.
confuse “unquestionable loyalty” with “unquestioning loyalty”. The reaction by the Executive and Parliament to the opulent and irregular expenditure of a quarter of a billion rand on aesthetical improvements to former President Jacob Zuma’s private homestead in Nkandla is an example of a mixture of a clumsy attempt at brand protection and misplaced loyalty.
The wrongdoing, which was eventually confirmed by the Public Protector, involved rushed foreclosures on council debtors with small debts, then auctioning their land or other immovable property for a song, with the council debt collector and lawyer’s business partner buying such properties, reselling them at market value and making enormous profit.
The result was an epic tongue lashing by the Constitutional Court in a seminal judgement delivered by Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng in the EFF v the Speaker of the National Assembly. Needless to say, the brand was dented significantly.
When it came to his own accountability as a state functionary, Mandela resolutely sought no special treatment. In the end though, the brand suffered damage not because of the whistle-blowing but because of the failure to arrest apparent corruption. Sometimes it’s a mixture of brand protection and misplaced loyalty. Misplaced loyalty is the kind of loyalty that Oliver Tambo reportedly referred to as “unquestioning loyalty”. He is said to have advised his subordinates to give his organisation’s leaders unquestionable loyalty but not to
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When it came to his own accountability as a state functionary, Mandela resolutely sought no special treatment. He was willing to comply fully even if the experience appeared humiliating. This was the case when he was personally hauled before Pretoria High Court and presented himself for alleged interference in rugby administration. His philosophy in this regard is apparent in his globally celebrated assertion that: “Even the most benevolent of governments are made up of people with all the propensities for human failings. The rule of law as we understand it consists in the set of conventions and arrangements that ensure that it is not left to the whims of individual rulers to decide on what is good for the populace.
The administrative conduct of government and authorities are subject to scrutiny of independent organs. “This is an essential element of good governance that we have sought to have built into our new constitutional order. An essential part of that constitutional architecture is those state institutions supporting constitutional democracy. Amongst those are the Public Protector, the Human Rights Commission, the Auditor-General, the Independent Electoral Commission, the Commission on Gender Equality, the Constitutional Court and others. “It was to me never reason for irritation but rather a source of comfort when these bodies were asked to adjudicate on actions of my government and office and judged against it. One of the first judgments of our Constitutional Court, for example, found that I, as President, administratively acted in a manner they would not condone. From that judgment my government and I drew reassurance that the ordinary citizens of our country would be protected against abuse, no matter from which quarters it would emanate. Similarly, the Public Protector [Ombudsman] had on more than one occasion been required to adjudicate in such matters.” Mandela refused to behave like an absolute monarch or pharaoh whose actions are beyond public scrutiny. It is said that the fish rots
from the head down. The tone Mandela set for anti-corruption and integrity was clear and devoid of ambiguity. We all knew that clean government is what was expected from all, not just some of us, and followed the lead.
Mandela refused to behave like an absolute monarch or pharaoh whose actions are beyond public scrutiny On a personal level, Mandela oozed integrity, which is essential for combating corruption. An authentic leader who said what he meant and meant what he said, I had the privilege of serving under his leadership and
interacting with him during the Constitution drafting process, both as one of the 11 Technical Advisers to the National Assembly and, much earlier, when we initially advised the ANC on the Constitution as a Wits University cohort led by Firoz Cachalia and part of a local government advisory group that drove local government transition legislation under the leadership of Dr Mathole Motshekga. In September 1995, I joined the public service through the Department of Justice under the leadership of Advocate Dullah Omar, whose values were very much attuned to those of Mandela. I can say without fear of contradiction that there wasn’t a single issue of corruption. To be honest, scandals remained an oddity
and not a norm throughout Mandela’s presidency.Mandela was particularly conscious that his organisation was there to introduce and uphold higher standards and that it was not open for him and his colleagues to benchmark or justify their conduct on the impugned standards and conduct of their apartheid predecessors. In 2001, he accordingly said: “Little did we suspect that our own people, when they got a chance, would be as corrupt as the apartheid regime. That is one of the things that has really hurt us.”I wonder what Madiba, as we fondly called Mandela, would say about the national governing party’s initial hesitancy to investigate state capture until
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the Public Protector’s “State of Capture” report – and the ground lost due to the delay. What would he make of the fact that those implicated in looting during the systemic state capture years continue to live luxurious lives freely while poverty has shot to 50.5%, unemployment to more than 27% and the health system is falling apart? What would he do in response to the fact that the hungry and angry masses are unleashing their anger on the very limited infrastructure for their transport, education, health and other essential needs? Where would he stand on the land question and land expropriation without compensation being dangled before the poor as a diversion and an illusory promise to break the poverty cycle without a comprehensive overhaul of land reform and anti-poverty strategies? What would he say about politicians implicated in state capture who continue to be allowed to peddle lies that they are persecuted for land reform and other transformation issues that they only started talking about after the state capture investigation? In his famous ‘Make Poverty History’ speech, Mandela warned about the importance of ending poverty. Recent developments have proved that we must deal with social justice to foster uprightness, as the prevalence of social injustice is leveraged by the thieves who lean on the very public they steal from for support. This we saw happening during the state capture investigation.
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As we celebrate a hundred years of Mandela, the best tribute we can pay to him and the colleagues with whom he put (and left) our country on the pedestal of hope, is to sustain that pedestal of hope and raise it even higher.
Democracy can’t work for all where there is corruption, as corruption corrodes all that is good To do so, we must ensure that democracy works for all. Democracy can’t work for all where there is corruption, as corruption corrodes all that is good, particularly social justice and the rule of law. Mandela and his contemporaries resolutely
stepped up and showed up to fix the pressing challenges of their time and yielded democracy. It is our time to step up and show up to fix the challenges of our time. Key is to sustain and make democracy work for all. Combating corruption and advancing social justice are essential to making democracy work for all. If we falter, not only will we fail those who gave us the gift of democracy, but all will, as Madiba warned, amount to “a little more than the shifting sands of illusion” because as long as some are not free, none can be truly free. I have faith though that the worst years regarding corruption are behind us and that tomorrow will be better than today. n
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MINISTERS IN THE SPOTLIGHT BY JESSIE TAYLOR
Cabinet Movers & Shakers
Four of our ministers driving economic growth
A
s South Africa faces down its third wave of Coronavirus, the hard work of getting our country’s economy back on track requires input from all departments and members of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Cabinet. We chose to spotlight four amongst those playing key roles in the governance of South Africa, implementing policies that can help rebuild the economy and shape South Africa’s role on the global stage.
Hon. Ebrahim Patel In the face of the global pandemic, Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Ebrahim Patel has faced a challenging last 15 months. The pandemic and necessary restrictions on business activities requiring and resulted in an economic downturn that has required an active response from his department. During the lockdown, the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) oversaw the registration of essential goods during the five-week Level 5 lockdown and was instrumental in having the competition commission act against companies overcharging for personal protective equipment. Just one of the ways Minister Patel’s department has been encouraging local economic growth has been through the procurement of goods from local manufactures, to fight the Covid-19 pandemic. Global supply chains broke down during the initial months of the pandemic, and South Africa took the opportunity to procure and manufacture
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Covid-19 supplies locally. The manufacture of medical-grade facemasks, for instance, doubled month on month, offering local manufacturers an unforeseen business opportunity.
He has championed the creation and growth of special economic zones (SEZs) and industrial parks The minister has also been driving the development and finalisation of departmental master plans, which are key to the revival of industry and feed into the president’s Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan (ERRP). The ERRP maps out the government’s plan to stabilise and build the country’s
economy following the downturn caused by the pandemic and aims for increased localisation for reindustrialisation and growth. Just some of the industries that have seen master plans finalised include the vehicle production, sugar, poultry, and clothing and textile industries. Master plans of the furniture and steel industry are also in development. These are master plans are expected to support SMMEs, adding to job creation. He has also championed the creation and growth of special economic zones (SEZs) and industrial parks. Minster Patel has been outspoken about his goal of getting South Africa to reach a R1.2-trillion investment target within five years, and he has been focused on continuing the momentum of
investments made in 2018 and 2019 despite the pandemic. This investment will continue to be a focus for the DTIC as the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement comes into effect. The Trade, Industry and Competition Minister has been outspoken about his goal of getting South Africa to reach a R1.2-trillion investment target within five years, and he has been focused on continuing the momentum of investments made in 2018 and 2019, despite the pandemic. He has also been an advocate for Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) policies, saying the current policies require review to ensure they benefit a wider segment of society. He has committed to establishing a review panel for this task.
Hon. Tito Mboweni Another key department in securing growth for the economy is the finance ministry, through monitoring government spending and making funds available to bolster employment and support businesses affected by Covid-19. Finance Minister Tito Mboweni has been at the helm of the country’s financial performance in what may have been one of its most challenging economic climates. The Covid-19 saw a global economic downturn,
Public Sector Leaders | July 2021 | 73
bring with it an increased
small and medium enterprises.
corruption and a rocky
South Africa and the urgent
constant pressure to reduce
However, he has successfully
unemployment rate in
reprioritising of budget to fight
the pandemic. Minister Mboweni was instrumental in launching the R500 billion Covid-19 relief package. The package, which
was announced once Covid-19
started to spread in South Africa, one of the largest in Africa. The finance minister has a
reputation for working well with Treasury, the South African
The finance minister faces state spending while
stimulating the economy, especially following the pandemic.
The finance minister has been outspoken in his views on reviewing labour laws to encourage economic growth
Reserve Bank and South
But the challenges of his
the package was evidence
before the global pandemic.
African Revenue Service, and of this good relationship. He
also announced a R200-billion guaranteed loan scheme for
relationship with trade unions. negotiated a number of loans
with organisations such as the International Monetary Fund
and has stood firm in the face of trade union pressure.
The finance minister has
been outspoken in his views on reviewing labour laws to
encourage economic growth and as well as reforms like a
global corporate minimum tax.
position were evident even
As the Minister of Labour from
Minister Mboweni inherited a
is well placed to navigate the
national fiscus that had been
drained by poor management,
1994 to 1998, Minister Mboweni demands of industry and the needs of the public sector.
Hon. Barbara Creecy While the country focuses on its post-pandemic recovery plan; it will need to find solutions to environmental pressures and
as the goverwnment grows the economy.
Carrying this burden
is Environmental Affairs Minister Barbara Creecy. Her mandate includes reducing the impact of climate change, restoring the ecosystem and ensure economic inclusion.
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As well as the pandemic, over
to have no new coal plants
and Minister Creecy has aimed
the ever-present effects of
country’s carbon emissions
jobs in a year, as well as make
the last year, the country faced climate change with several areas experiencing drought
built after 2030 and slash the by 2025.
and wildfires. But Minister
Minister Creecy’s department
the country’s response to
developing critical policies to
Creecy has continued to drive climate change.
Minister Creecy has aimed to create more than 16 000 jobs in a year This has culminated in a new
set of ambitious climate change goals, with the government planning to generate more
than 17 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2030 and plans
has been hard at work
steer South Africa’s climate change response, and
these include the drafting of
to create more than 16 000
R1-million in funding available to support young green
entrepreneurs. She has also
focussed on the fishing industry, awarding 15-year fishing rights
to small fishing cooperatives in the Western Cape.
strategies such as the National
The Environmental Affairs
Strategy, Low Emissions
for championing waste
Climate Change Adaption
Development Strategy, National Protected Areas Expansion Strategy and the revised
National Biodiversity Framework. The work of the department goes hand in hand with the economic reforms,
Minister has become known management, having
proposed to have plastic
carrier bags made entirely
of recycled material by 2027,
prioritising the circular economy and pushing new regulations
for the management of waste.
Hon. Naledi Pandor As South Africa’s top diplomat, International Relations and Cooperation Minister Naledi Pandor’s work is essential in securing the country’s place on the global stage.
How the country is viewed by, and its relationship with, other nations, can have farreaching implications on trade agreements, foreign investment and financial rankings. Her department has facilitated South Africa holding a chair as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security
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Council, as well as the seat of chairperson of the executive council of the African Union, a challenging post as the continent grappled with the pandemic and sought to implement Joint AU Continental Strategy to contain the virus and the establishment of the Africa Covid-19 Fund. The Fund offered additional financial support to boost the capacity of the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. Minister Pandor recently travelled to Italy to represent the country in meetings with other G20
foreign ministers, where global strategies to combat the Covid-19 pandemic have been a key topic.
We are working hard to raise South Africa’s global visibility, promoting our strengths as the best place to be, to do business South Africa, with Minster Pandor at the right hand of President Ramaphosa, has led the way in negotiating access to Covid-19
vaccines for developing nations, as well as lobbying for a temporary waiver of intellectual property rights for Covid-19 vaccines and treatments. The department has negotiated several treaties and trade agreements, furthering South Africa’s footprint on the continent and in Asia. “We are working hard to raise South Africa’s global visibility, promoting our strengths as the best place to be, to do business, to visit, to work, to study and to live,” said Hon. Pandor. n
Each of these ministers may have a very specific role to play in South African politics, but their individual parts add up to a united front in revitalising South Africa’s economy and creating new opportunities for economic growth.
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COVID UPDATE BY JESSIE TAYLOR
Partnering to get vaccines to the public
I
n the next step towards increasing the number of South Africans vaccinated against Covid-19, the South African government has expanded the vaccination programme to include over 500 000 teachers. This is the first step in protecting essential workers outside of the healthcare sector against infection, creating safer workplaces and reducing the impact of staff illness. Reaching vulnerable sectors The vaccination of teachers is scheduled to run until 8 July 2021 to coincide with the end of the second school term. Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga said 582 000 people are to be vaccinated over 10 to 14 days. “Those to be vaccinated are all PERSAL staff (as of April 2021) in DBE (educators, administrative and support staff) at all public schools; irrespective of their age; School Governing Body
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(SGB) appointed teachers, and those teachers employed by independent schools registered in terms of the South African Schools Act,” Minister Motshekga said. The programme also looked to cover staff who transport children to and from schools; support the school feeding scheme; do remote learning programmes; and staff of teacher unions and other contracted staff who provide security, do cleaning, and other functions at school.
South African businesses have been forming partnerships to assist the government in administering vaccines
“Vaccination is voluntary but highly recommended so that everybody can be protected. Let us work together on this fight against Covid-19 in our spaces,” she said.
Protecting the education sector The education sector will primarily be receiving a consignment of Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccines, as Aspen has made 300 000 doses available. Teachers are one of the first groups of essential workers to be prioritised for vaccination. Department of Health’s DirectorGeneral, Dr Sandile Buthelezi said those who work in sectors such as education, public service and administration, agriculture, forestry and fishing, electricity and transportation, are more susceptible to contracting the virus. The rollout to teachers comes shortly after a significant setback in the country’s vaccination rollout. South Africa has procured around 31 million J&J vaccines. The first two consignments – totalling two million doses – had been manufactured and were ready for distribution from pharmaceutical company Aspen when contamination concerns
were raised. The two million J&J vaccines at Aspen’s Gqeberha plant had to be destroyed because they contained an ingredient produced in a factory in Baltimore, where at least one batch was found to be contaminated. This delay in delivering vaccines had dramatically slowed down the country’s vaccination rate, as supply shortages have made it difficult to vaccinate more than 80 000 people a day. This means South Africa is likely to fall short of the goal of vaccinating 90% of people 60 and older (roughly five million people) vaccinated by the end of June. Building on business relationships However, despite the setback in vaccine procurement, South African businesses have been forming partnerships to assist the government in administering vaccines. Business for South Africa (B4SA) has been driving the collaboration of the public and private sector. Business for South Africa (B4SA) is an alliance of South African volunteers working with the South African government, other social partners, and various stakeholders to mobilise business resources and capacity to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.
and the City of Cape Town to manage a mass vaccination site at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC). This site, which can vaccinate around 4000 people a day, is expected to open at the end of July Ryan Noach, CEO of Discovery Health, said: “Discovery has worked closely with the National Department of Health and B4SA to support various aspects of South Africa’s Covid-19 response and the National Mass Vaccination Programme. We are delighted to further this work by partnering with the Western Cape Government and the City of Cape Town to accelerate the rollout of the vaccination campaign in Cape Town. We are particularly proud that this site will provide access to vaccines for all residents, including Discovery Health members, members of other medical schemes and people who do not have medical aid.”
Private vaccination sites In addition, more than 110 private vaccination sites have come online, and some of South Africa’s largest employers are now looking to open at least 90 workplace sites. This could vaccinate an additional 24 000 people a day, depending on vaccine supply. The mining industry is expected to be the most significant contributor initially, with more than 40 workplace sites planned to administer around 17 500 doses daily. These sites will be joined by other businesses in the agriculture and industrial sector once the department of health has received approval. These vaccines are not only vital in ensuring South Africans are protected against infection but will also have far-reaching economic impacts – reducing the number of hours lost to staff being booked off and associated medical costs in caring for them. n
Large-scale partnerships with pharmacy groups and medical aids have already come online. Recently, Discovery Health entered an agreement with the Western Cape Health Department
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PROVINCIAL FOCUS BY JESSIE TAYLOR
North West Ensuring water security N
orth West contributes 7% to the national GDP – and the mainstay of the economy in the province is mining. This industry produces more than half of the province’s gross domestic product and provides jobs for a quarter of its workforce. But other key industries have the potential to create jobs and generate revenue for the province, including agriculture and agro-processing. The province is considered to be an important contributor to the Southern African food basket with an estimated 43.9% of the province categorised as arable land. This sector sees a range of livestock and crops farmed, and the province produces more than 20% of South Africa’s maize crop and is the biggest contributor to the poultry industry in South Africa. Other agricultural products
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produced in the North West include sunflower seeds and oils; nuts; citrus and tobacco. Reliance on Water Security This sector is reliant on water supply, as are the province’s other top-performing industries: tourism, construction and manufacturing.
The province has been making water infrastructure a priority for some time. The tourism spend along contributed around 7% to the province’s economy in 2018, while the sector employed around 33 000 people, showing that failing to secure adequate water supply to these areas could have devastating effects on economic performance. Ensuring access to water goes beyond meeting the basic needs of
residents in the province. The province’s economy relies on sectors that are all dependent on water supply – and in turn, boosting economic activity will require an investment into water infrastructure. Water security: The role of keeping economic activity flowing Access to water supply is a basic human right, but ensuring homes in rural and inaccessible areas of the country have a stable supply has proven challenging to government departments. However, a R40-million investment plan will help improve access to water in several areas in the North West. Not only will this improve the quality of living for many families living in rural villages, but investments into water infrastructure have the potential to bolster the province’s economic performance.
Investing in infrastructure The North West Department of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs recently announced that it had secured R40-million from local mining companies to address water shortages in several villages near Rustenburg. The province does not have an abundance of water sources, and communities in rural areas have struggled for decades to access clean drinking water – despite a programme run by the government to transport water tankers to hard-to-reach areas and a network of reservoirs. The provincial government has since appointed a task team to investigate the water-related challenges in villages such as Maumong. Maumong, as with many other villages in the area, is sitting on large mineral reserves and supports significant mining activity. But encouraging this economic activity relies on a stable supply of water. This has given birth to the partnership between the provincial government and mining companies to dedicate R40-million towards solving the province’s water problems. Cooperative Governance MEC Mmoloki Cwaile has committed to increase the temporary supply of water as well as investigate sinking new and rehabilitating old boreholes in the area, as part of the project. The province has been making water infrastructure a priority for some time. Last year,
MEC Cwaile announced that water infrastructure grants would be made available to finance projects aimed at alleviating water shortages in the province. He has called on stakeholders to review their plans and adjust their budgets to urgently respond to their communities’ needs for clean, good quality water. The renewed focus on water infrastructure stems from the department‘s Integrated Development Plan (IDP), which forms part of the District Development Model (DDM). “With the establishment of District Multidisciplinary Task Teams, we are making an effort to coordinate and integrate our responses. The teams will coordinate water development plans, service delivery response plans, water infrastructure procurement plans and provide intervention strategy guidance,” said MEC Cwaile.
access to water and electricity. Clover employs more than 300 permanent workers. However, the fact that water is not naturally found in abundance in the North West also creates opportunity – there is a market for investment into water-efficient technologies to meet the needs of the agricultural and other sectors, as well as household water demands. Embracing this opportunity could not only secure the performance of key sectors but could potentially open up other manufacturing and technologybased industries, in turn reducing poverty in the province and further ensuring the basic human rights of its residents continue to be met. n
Cwaile added that municipalities must be capacitated to act swiftly and respond to emergencies in water provision, provide immediate relief and implement medium- and long-term plans successfully. Keeping business activity flowing The risks at stake were recently sharply highlighted when Clover announced that it would be closing its Lichtenburg production facility and moving to KwaZulu-Natal. The reason behind the move was stated as service delivery issues, including
Mmoloki Cwaile
North West MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs
Public Sector Leaders | July 2021 | 81
Empowering Africa. Nelson Mandela’s message to Topco in the first edition of Impumelelo Top Empowerment
The arrival of a long-dream-of democracy has given us the chance to build a South African Nation. The raw materials of freedom, of justice, of equality before the law, have become part of the fabric of our lives. For South Africans, this is, and will always remain, a moment of profound importance in our lives.
82 | Public Sector Leaders | July 2021
v i rt ua l s um m i t & awa r d s
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PROUDLY BROUGHT TO YOUPublic BYSector media Leaders | July 2021 | 83
FIGHTING THE WINTER CHILLS BY JESSIE TAYLOR
Powering up for colder days
New electricity reforms to spark sector growth Increased need for electricity supply As winter sets in across the country, individuals and businesses increase their reliance on electricity – for light, warmth and other necessities. This increased demand creates more pressure on South Africa’s power grid and can increase the likelihood of load shedding. South Africa has a ‘peak’ electricity demand profile in winter, with demand showing a rapid increase in electricity usage of approximately 4000 megawatts (MW). This is usually due to the increased use of space heating, geysers, pool pumps and cooking appliances. The electricity demand reaches a maximum during the evening, which is the greatest increase and risk period of load shedding. The increased electricity usage can see household energy costs rising by as much as 15%. However, a recent decision taken
84 | Public Sector Leaders | July 2021
by the South African government aims to secure the health of South Africa’s electricity sector, by freeing up the market and taking the first step in lifting the country out of a worsening electricity crisis.
Loadshedding has been cited as one of the biggest constraints in stimulating economic growth in South Africa Power to independent producers President Cyril Ramaphosa recently announced that independent power producers will now be allowed to generate up to 100 MW of electricity. The amendments to the Electricity Regulation Act will allow companies to produce their own electricity, up to 100 MW, without a licence. Under the amendments, the National Energy Regulator of South Africa
(NERSA)’s licencing threshold for embedded generation projects will increase from 1MW to 100MW. New generation projects up to 100 MW in size will be able to connect to the grid, President Ramaphosa explained. Generation facilities will still need to have their registration approved by the regulator and meet all of the associated requirements, including grid connection approval from the network provider. However, they will be able to sell electricity to one or more end-use customers, on the condition that they are registered, and have secured grid connection approval. “This decision reflects our determination to take the necessary action to achieve energy security and reduce the impact of load shedding on businesses and households across the country.”
The increase is higher than that lobbied for by the business sector, which has been calling for the government to increase the threshold on embedded power generation from 1MW to 50MW. Reform for economic recovery Electricity reform has been on the cards for South Africa for some time, as the government grapples with creating reform at the embattled Eskom. The impact of load shedding has been significant over the last few years – in 2019 alone, it was estimated that South Africa’s GDP was reduced by more than 0.3% due to inconsistent electrical supply, or by around almost R9-million. Loadshedding has been cited as one of the biggest constraints in stimulating economic growth in
South Africa – especially in the wake of the economic crisis triggered by the Coronavirus pandemic. “As a country, however, our challenges predate the pandemic. We have experienced low economic growth and high levels of unemployment for many years, due to the structural constraints that hold our economy back,” says President Ramaphosa. “There is no doubt that the prospect of a continued energy shortfall and further load shedding presents a massive risk to our economy.” Electricity supply plays a key role in the country’s Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan, with energy security listed as a priority intervention. “Our ability to address the energy crisis swiftly and comprehensively
will determine the pace of our economic recovery. Resolving the energy supply shortfall and reducing the risk of load shedding is our single most important objective in reviving economic growth,” says President Ramaphosa. Despite a recent spate of load shedding, the electricity supplier is working hard to improve the performance of its existing fleet of power stations, reduce its debt burden and complete its restructuring process, President Ramaphosa says. “This measure will be crucial in developing a response to the energy crisis that is ambitious enough, bold enough and urgent enough,” President Ramaphosa says. n
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Public Sector Leaders | July 2021 | 85
IN OTHER NEWS BY CHARNDRÉ EMMA KIPPIE
Scaling Up:
SA joins vaccine
technology-transfer hub South Africa is all set to become the continent’s first mRNA Vaccine Manufacturing Hub A turning point for SA At the end of June, President Cyril Ramaphosa made the announcement that South Africa would be getting a new hub intended for manufacturing vaccines. This good news comes just as French President Emmanuel Macron pledged his support for the concept of the hub and future initiatives geared towards combating the global pandemic we are currently facing.
To date, around 3.2-million South Africans have been vaccinated, thus far. Hon.Ramaphosa has expressed that even though this is a truly historic moment for our nation, specifically, this will not deter South Africa from pushing the waiver of the agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) in order to sanction the manufacturing of vaccines in less developed countries. The President conveyed the news and
86 | Public Sector Leaders | July 2021
his sentiments during a joint press conference with French President Macron on Monday, 21 June. The conference was facilitated by the World Health Organisation (WHO). During the conference Macron indicated that he and Ramaphosa had now forged a good ‘friendship’, expressing that this collaboration came as a result of his state visit to South Africa at the end of May.
conveyed that the hub was just the beginning of a process in which we are now forging a clearer path for health security for the global communities’ most vulnerable citizens. H.E. Ramaphosa indicated that “We would like the negotiations taking place [on the TRIPS waiver] to proceed with speed.”
Partnering for acceleration South Africa’s Biovac Institute already partners with France, and has now also partnered with Afrigen Biologics and Vaccines a large nexus of universities.
“People in Africa are facing a rising wave of infections. In South Africa we are facing a third wave which seems to be more severe than the first and the second one and the only defence that we have is that we have vaccines.”
Our country has, in addition, partnered with the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. The coming together of all partners is geared towards establishing Africa’s first Covid messenger RNA vaccine technology transfer hub.
The idea behind founding technology transfer hubs is for these hubs to act as training facilities where the technology is set up at an industrial scale and for clinical development to be performed.
On 16 April this year, the The World Health Organisation (WHO) called for an Expression of Interest to form such hubs in order to step up production and access to Covid-19 vaccines. President Ramaphosa
“Interested manufacturers from low- and middle-income countries can receive training and any necessary licenses to the technology. WHO and partners will bring in the production know-
how, quality control and necessary licenses to a single entity to facilitate a broad and rapid technology transfer to multiple recipients”, stated a recent WHO release. Bringing down the infection rate At the briefing, many WHO officials highlighted the fact that current social prevention measures, such as regular handwashing, the wearing of a face mask and steering clear of crowds and closed spaces with bad ventilation, are still among the most effective actions for decreasing the possibility of furthering infections. President Ramaphosa added that the launch of this new initiative should not merely be viewed as benefiting South Africans, but instead the entire African continent and its people. “The Covid-19 pandemic has revealed the full extent of the vaccine gap between developed and developing economies, and how that gap can severely undermine global health security”, said Hon. Ramaphosa. “This landmark initiative is a major advance in the international effort to build vaccine development
and manufacturing capacity that will put Africa on a path to self determination...South Africa welcomes the opportunity to host a vaccine technology transfer hub and to build on the capacity and expertise that already exists on the continent to contribute to this effort.” Support from France French President Macron agreed that it was indeed a step in the right direction for Africa and for all the individuals actively working towards garnering even-handed access to beneficial health products. Macron also expressed that France would continue to support initiatives in the future. “I am proud for Biovac and our South African partners to have been selected by WHO, as France has been supporting them for years”, he said. Official members from the WHO were unable to stipulate a conclusive timeline for how long it would take for the first vaccines to be manufactured through this new hub. However, it has been estimated that it could take 9 to 12 months to get the initiative off the ground.
Fast Facts on Covid in SA Today •
Africa’s low manufacturing capacity has previously been viewed as one of the biggest roadblocks to inoculating the continent.
•
South Africa currently relies on around 31 million single-dose Johnson & Johnson ordered vaccines, all of which are said to be delivered throughout the course of 2021.
•
To date, around 3.2 million South Africans (of SA’s 60 million people) have been vaccinated, thus far.
•
As part of Phase 2 of the national vaccination drive, South African residents aged 50 and above are now able to register and enrol to receive their jab via the Electronic Vaccine Data System (EVDS).
•
Last month it was announced that the Delta variant of Covid-19 had reached South Africa soil - which was first detected in India in late 2020. n
Public Sector Leaders | July 2021 | 87
MANDELA DAY FEATURE BY JESSIE TAYLOR
Remembering Nelson Mandela Mandela Day: Join hands in overcoming food insecurity
J
uly brings with it an opportunity for South Africans, and the world, to reflect on ways of improving our fellow citizen’s lives with the annual remembrance of former president Nelson Mandela. In the wake of the Covid-19, many South Africans have been left without income and job security, due to the economic burden created by the pandemic. The enduring effects of the pandemic Madiba, as South Africa’s first democratically elected president in 1994, is known as a champion of reconciliation. After retiring, Madiba continued his humanitarian work, advocating on issues such as global peace, children and the fight against HIV and AIDS. In 2010, the first Mandela Day was held and citizens were called to donate 67 minutes of their time to community service – one minute for every year Madiba spent fighting for social justice.
88 | Public Sector Leaders | July 2021
This Nelson Mandela International Day, which is celebrated annually on the late statesman’s birthday of 18 July, South African’s are called to work together in tackling food insecurity.
The culture of giving back is strongly rooted among South African corporates, even in times of economic hardships. For Nelson Mandela International Day 2021, the Nelson Mandela Foundation has called attention to patterns of poverty and inequality that have been deepened by Covid-19 – especially as the numbers of those going hungry have increased. Estimates say that almost half of adult South Africans surveyed in late 2020 said that their households had often gone to
bed hungry during the Covid-19 pandemic. This was as a result of not having enough funds to purchase food. One of the factors impacting household wealth has been the high unemployment rate, or people being unable to attend work, due to the pandemic. These statistics are compounding a problem faced by South Africans before the pandemic. Research indicates that before Covid-19, one in four six-year-olds in South Africa suffered from stunting due to malnutrition. “While the Mandela Day call to action remains a general call to reach out to those in need, this year, our focus will be on the challenge of food security,” the Foundation said. “By harnessing our Each1Feed1 programme to Mandela Day and developing the 4Cans4MandelaDay campaign, we aim to ensure that basic foodstuffs reach the most
vulnerable communities this July. In the longer term, we are committed to using our research and advocacy capacity to address the systemic issues which cause food insecurity in our country.” Creating value to donations Nelson Mandela International Day gives companies a chance to channel their funds towards, and encourage their employees to participate in, social organisations in need of assistance. The culture of giving back is strongly rooted among South African corporates, even in times of economic hardships. The amount local businesses put towards Corporate Social Investment (CSI) in 2020 increased, despite the economic downturn. Many businesses stepped up in response to Covid-19, offering relief through donations to government programmes and community outreach initiatives. But
businesses are not always sure where to channel their funding to create an impact, which is why partnering with organisations such as the Nelson Mandela Foundation can offer real value. Each 1 Feed 1 Programme The Foundation’s Each 1 Feed 1 programme was launched in 2020 to meet the immediate needs of vulnerable communities deeply affected by Covid-19. This will continue to be a focus this year, with partnering businesses able to address the immediate challenge of families that do not have access to food. Beneficiaries have included child-headed households, orphaned families, the elderly, people who are informally employed in the ECD workforce as well as people living with disabilities. The food pack has historically been robust and nutritious, capable of supporting a family of five for at least a month. On Mandela Day, the
Nelson Mandela Foundation will be at the Ikageng Itereleng Aids Ministry, a social welfare centre in Soweto, Johannesburg for another Each 1 Feed 1 distribution. Companies and individuals can also donate to #4Cans4Mandela Day, by donating non-perishable food items at all participating malls for Mandela Day. These will be supplied to the Each 1 Feed 1 food network for donation. But various independent organisations can benefit from assistance this Mandela Day – ranging from school feeding programmes to soup kitchens – that offer assistance to communities in which your business may operate. Each donation – of time, money, or food – will go towards reducing the impact of Covid-19 on vulnerable communities and those who may have lost their livelihoods due to the pandemic. n
Public Sector Leaders | July 2021 | 89
LEGAL MATTERS BY SILKE RATHBONE | PRINCIPAL PARTNER, LABOUREXCEL
Mandatory Workplace
Vaccinations T
Can your employer force you to take the vaccination and how does this affect your constitutional rights?
he world has gone mad, or so it seems. We have been taken over by a virus – the stuff of movies, right? Well, it’s not a movie - it is very real – and we need to treat it as such.
only be viewed as conspiracy theories, have been thrown about. But, whatever you may think, this is an option we need to consider if we want to keep this nasty virus at bay.
Within a few short months, we have come to realise that life as we know it will never be the same again.
How this affects businesses Employers worldwide have also had to consider how to keep their businesses afloat during this pandemic and how to keep their employees safe.
We walk around with masks, we need to be aware of how close we are to others, and we need to consider that in order to survive, we must look at a solution. That solution, or at least preventative measure, is a vaccination. Many have been sceptical about taking the vaccination. Talk of chips being implanted, making things worse and many other, what can
90 | Public Sector Leaders | July 2021
As a result, many have resorted to remote working, asking their staff to stay indoors and work via online methods and tools with them and their clients and customers. This has worked to a degree, but for some businesses, they need to get back to the office, to the factory, to the shop,
or to a place where everyone is together. Whether employers can force their employees to take the vaccination has come up and has been heavily debated. If some employees are worried about taking the vaccination then their employers are also concerned because if they don’t get their employees to take it, they then risk infecting other employees or, alienating them and risking candidates not wanting to apply for significant positions in the business. They are also worried that if the employees take the vaccination and have adverse effects, they may blame and even sue the employer.
Consultation is necessary At the end of the day, what needs to happen first is a one on-one consultation with each employee, a conversation as it were, and the employer needs to know their facts to make it clear that: They are implementing the compulsory vaccination project for the safety of their employees, suppliers and clients alike; The business’ future success and sustainability rests on having a healthy workforce and that the vaccination presents a way to ensure this;
The employer understands that the employee has freedom of choice, human rights and religious beliefs- and that they are open to understanding where the employees views stand;
and risks associated with the vaccines.
The employer must take into account these factors when considering a mandatory workplace vaccination policy: age, comorbidities, risk of transmission due to job role, and any collective agreement in place on the subject.
•
Not supersede or undermine any collective agreement on the matter;
•
Be general and broad in nature and deviation may be required based on the specific workplace;
Further, the employer must educate the employees with regards to the nature, benefits
•
Be based on mutual respect and striking a balance between public health imperatives, employees’ constitutional rights, and the efficient operation of the employers business.
The guidelines And, the objectives of these guidelines should:
The policy must include: •
A notice addressed to the employees that they must be vaccinated as and when vaccines and safety committees are available;
•
Where possible, transport to vaccination sites;
•
Allowance for an employee to take sick leave or paid time off should they suffer side effects after receiving the vaccine, alternatively claim on behalf of the employee regarding the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act.
Public Sector Leaders | July 2021 | 91
Should the employee refuse, the following needs to happen: •
•
•
Counsel an employee and allow them to speak with a trade union representative, a worker representative or a member of the health and safety committee Refer the employee for further medical evaluation where the objection is on medical grounds. This will require the consent of the employee Take steps to reasonably accommodate the employee by making amendments to their role or work environment in one or more of the following ways:
•
•
Allow them to work from home where possible, require that they self-isolate in the workplace; or require the employee to wear an N95 mask while in the workplace Perhaps rather include a “opt out” clause instead of making the policy mandatory.
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.
The services Silke offers are: Human and Industrial Relations Related Services
Retrenchments – assisting with everything relating to the restructuring of a business
Unfair dismissals cases
Unfair discrimination cases
Drafting of employment contracts
Transferring of a business as a going concern
Labour Law Statutory Compliance – audit Monthly retainer packages for IR advice; Outsourced HR services
COVID – 19 and Vaccination policies. n
92 | Public Sector Leaders | July 2021
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UPCOMING EVENTS BY CHARNDRÉ EMMA KIPPIE
WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR
01 Nelson Mandela Month From the 1 to 31 July, our nation celebrates former President Nelson Mandela’s birthday. The 18 July has historically been deemed Nelson Mandela International Day, but as South Africans we take this opportunity to honour Nelson Mandela’s legacy and impact on our community for the entire month. Now is the time for citizens to become more conscious of their individual power to make a positive impact and contribute to the transformation of the country. As a global movement for positive change, each of our small steps in the right direction fuels momentum towards incredible change, raising awareness and expanding the reach of Madiba’s values – fighting injustice, helping people in need and practicing reconciliation.
Moral Regeneration Month Coincidentally, July also marks the period in which South Africans commemorate Moral Regeneration Month, which is an initiative of the Moral Regeneration Movement (MRM). This movement is geared towards encouraging people to commit to building up communities founded on positive values, and dedicate themselves to fostering a solicitous society in the pursuit of maintaining lasting peace and prosperity in our nation. This day coincides with the celebration of Mandela Day on 18 July and the birthday month of Madiba - an icon and leader in the formation of the Moral Regeneration Movement who marked the adoption of the Charter for Positive Values on 28 July 2008.
94 | Public Sector Leaders | July 2021
Virtual Political Consultations between South Africa and the Czech Republic, Pretoria, South Africa: This day marks a critical time in our history - Deputy Minister Alvin Botes holds important Political Consultations with the Deputy Foreign Minister of the Czech Republic, Mr Martin Tlapa. The Political Consultations will take place as countries across the world forge a means of re-engaging internationally as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Our nation is also considering re-engaging international partners in pursuit of the priorities of the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan - emphasizing the need to accelerate growth in our country’s economy. The Consultations will enable both countries to boost their bilateral economic and political relations, affording South Africa the chance to advance the Government’s priorities - as identified in the National Development Plan and the African Union’s Vision 2063.
South Africa celebrates
Nelson Mandela’s L EG AC Y
11 World Population Day In 1989, in its decision 89/46, the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme suggested that, in order to zoom in on the importance of the planet’s population issues, in light of global development plans and programmes and the need for urgent solutions, 11 July should be observed globally each year as World Population Day. In 2011, the world population jumped to 7 billion people (up from 2.5 billion in 1950). This has had weighty implications for development. On this day we take the opportunity to raise awareness around sustainability, access to health services, urbanisation and youth empowerment. With the impact of Covid-19, this is sure to be top of the agenda for campaigns this year.
18 Nelson Mandela Day Nelson Mandela International Day was launched in commemoration of Nelson Mandela’s birthday on 18 July 2009. This was a decision made by the UN General Assembly based on his massive global impact. The UN’s decision was influenced by a call made by the late Madiba regarding the next generation taking on the heavy load of leadership in addressing global social injustices. This special day is a joyous celebration of Madiba’s life and legacy; it is a global movement to honour his life’s work, fight for freedom and to change the world for the better. Education and Literacy, Food and Nutrition, Shelter, Sanitation and Active Citizenship are the key themes that will be focused on as we celebrate Nelson Mandela this year.
28 World Hepatitis Day Every 30 seconds, someone dies from a hepatitis related illness – even in the current Covid-19 crisis – we can’t wait to act on viral hepatitis. This is the theme for World Hepatitis Day this year. Hepatitis A kills around 1.45 million people every year. Marked by the World Hepatitis Alliance in collaboration with patient groups, this day is commemorated to draw attention to the need for increased awareness and understanding of viral hepatitis and the diseases that it causes. Key actions that will be emphasised are strengthening prevention, screening and control of viral hepatitis, enhancing hepatitis B vaccine coverage, and integration into national immunisation programmes coordinating a global response to hepatitis.
Public Sector Leaders | July 2021 | 95
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you need to do is list via a simple, interactive n watch as verified dealers bid on your vehicle during the sale only going through once your reserve price nthto e, you can sell for more than you 000 alers keep bidding beyond your asking price.
Woodford Bid will continue to update the platform and develop solutions that are aimed at providing the best experience and results for the public.
Now you can If you would like to auction your car on the Woodford Bid platform, all you AUCTION YOUR CAR TOneed OVER to do visit www.woodbid.co.za and select the “Sell Your Vehicle” tab. 1000 TRUSTED DEALERS You can also contact Anton at Woodford Bid for further information: and get the price you want anton@woodford.co.za
e ample, who successfully auctioned her 2017 Ford in d Woodford Bid platform.
nk around R350 000, she made the tough decision to s only being offered between R300 000 and R310 000 d it’s private buyers. After spending considerable time , she decided to load her car via the Woodford Bid ics ofdays, the car was sold for R358 000. three
d and auction your car is not only simple and easy, it’s e from the hassle that’s associated with the logistics of
O D B I D.CO. Z A
Now you can AUCTION YOUR CAR TO OVER 1000 TRUSTED DEALERS and get the price you want Visit Woodford Bid
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Log On, Load, SELL Visit Woodford Bid www.wood b i d .co. z a
Public Sector Leaders | July 2021 | 97
Now you can AUCTION YOUR CAR TO OVER 1000 TRUSTED DEALERS and get the price you want
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W W W.W O O D B I D . C O . Z A 98 | Public Sector Leaders | July 2021
