Category: Government Opinion Pieces

President Cyril Ramaphosa says “significant progress” has been made to implement government’s plan in relation to the recommendations set out by the State Capture Commission.

The President was addressing the nation through his weekly newsletter on the eve of the second anniversary of the final public hearing of the commission.

Some 205 investigative and prosecutorial recommendations were given by the commission.

“To undertake this huge amount of work, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and the Hawks set up an Integrated Task Force to coordinate investigations and prosecutions. There are currently nine cases in court, involving 41 accused people and 12 companies.

“Significant progress has also been made in recovering the proceeds of crime. Freezing orders to the value of R13 billion have been granted to the NPA. A total of R5.4 billion has been traced and returned to the State. The South African Revenue Service has collected unpaid taxes as a result of evidence before the State Capture Commission,” he said.

President Ramaphosa added that “far reaching legislative and institutional changes to reduce the potential of corruption” are also being undertaken.

“Eight of the 14 new laws or legislative amendments identified in our implementation plan have been approved by Cabinet and tabled in Parliament. These address areas such as public procurement, the involvement of politicians in administrative matters, the conduct of public servants, the intelligence services, money laundering and electoral reforms.

“A further six draft laws are in the process of public consultation with stakeholders. Further research is being done on some of the recommendations of the Commission, such as making the abuse of political power a criminal offence,” he said.

Furthermore, the draft Public Procurement Bill and State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) bills are also in the pipeline to increase transparency in procurement processes, and how boards and executives at SOEs are appointed.

To deal with corruption, the State Capture Commission recommended that additional anti-corruption bodies be formed and according to the President, part of that work “is being led by the National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council, which is working across society to build ethical values and mobilise the nation against corruption”.

Whistle blowers

President Ramaphosa thanked the individuals who exposed State capture at the commission and through other means.

“Corruption is one of the greatest challenges our country confronts as we strive to improve the lives of all our people. State capture is one of the worst forms of corruption our country has experienced in recent times. State capture was the orchestrated theft of billions of rand through the capture of state institutions.

“Our country is grateful to the actions of many South Africans who, acting as individuals and through various organisations across society, exposed state capture and in many ways ensured that decisive steps are taken to end it,” he said.

The President emphasised the importance of having whistle blowers who bravely – and sometimes to their own detriment – revealed wrongdoing.

He added that government is working to ensure that whistle blowers are protected.

“While many people contributed to exposing and ending State Capture, the role of whistle blowers was particularly important. Many of the people who revealed wrongdoing suffered victimisation and hardship due to their courageous actions.

“We have put forward clear and effective recommendations on whistle blower protection and incentives. These recommendations propose a range of measures, such as criminalising threats against whistle blowers, creating a fund for whistle blowers dismissed because of their disclosures, and providing State protection for whistle blowers and their families where necessary,” he said.

The President reiterated that government is persevering in its commitment to rid the country of corruption and cut off the tentacles of State Capture.

“In the coming months, many of the processes underway will be completed and much more progress will be recorded.

“While tangible progress is being made, it is clear to me that we will only be able to put state capture firmly behind us if all South Africans work together to rid our society of corruption in all its forms,” President Ramaphosa concluded.

The Department of Employment and Labour has encouraged domestic employees who were injured or contracted occupational diseases while on duty from 27 April 1994 to come forward and claim their benefits.

This follows the corrective legislative measures to amend the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act, No 130 of 1993 (COIDA) legislation to include domestic employees.

The corrective legislative measures were undertaken due to the 2020 Constitutional Court order, which declared section 1(xix) (v) of the COIDA invalid, with immediate and retrospective effect to 27 April 1994.

“We are encouraging all our stakeholders to inform their family and friends who might have been injured or contracted occupational diseases from 27 April 1994 to come forth and claim for their benefits.

“We are encouraging employers to not pre-judge a claim but rather submit it to the [Compensation] Fund so that we can make our own discretion,” Department of Employment and Labour Deputy Director of employer registrations and compliance Jan Madiega said on Thursday.

He was addressing the Compensation Fund Roundtable Stakeholder Engagement session held at Bolivia Lodge in Polokwane, Limpopo.

Right to claim

Madiega said a right to claim in terms of the Act shall lapse if the accident that happened or the disease that commenced on or after 27 April 1994 is not brought to the attention of the Commissioner or of the employer or mutual association concerned, as the case may be within 36 months from the date of signature on the amendment Act 10 of 2022.

All employers of private domestic employees are obliged to register with the Compensation Fund, submit the Return of Earnings (ROE’s) and make payments.

Those who had employees prior to 19 November 2020 will be required to indicate as such, however the Fund will regard their commencement date as 19/11/2020 unless claim liability is accepted for years prior.

“If the person gets injured, and it is found that you are employing an illegal foreign national you will be prosecuted for harbouring an illegal immigrant in your household. However, whether the domestic employee is a foreign national that is immaterial. As an employer, you have a duty to register your domestic employees. The Fund upon receiving a claim will request for relevant documents,” Madiega said.

As per amendments in the COID Act 10 of 2022, failure to register employees, pay and submit the ROE’s within a reasonable period will result in a penalty of 10% of actual or estimated annual earnings.

In addition, an employer who fails to pay a penalty or instalment is liable to a penalty of 10% of actual or estimated annual earnings.

Inspectors

According to Compensation Fund Legal Services, Irish Lephoto, the amended Act gives powers to the Commissioner to appoint inspectors to enforce compliance to the Act.

These inspectors will be provided with a signed certificate confirming that they are inspectors and the certificate shall state which legislation they are monitoring or enforcing.

“The inspectors may enter a home or other workplace with the consent of the owner or occupier. The Labour Court may authorise entry upon the application by the inspector and if practicable, the employer and trade must be notified of the inspection and the reason thereof.

“The changes in the amendment act will affect everyone and change the way we do business. All workers have a right to social security, which is our priority. The inclusion of domestic employees in the Act is very crucial to all of us hence we are taking steps to enforce compliance,” Lephoto said.

The Compensation Fund was established in terms of section 15 of the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act as amended.

The main objective of the Act is to provide compensation for disablement caused by occupational injuries or diseases sustained or contracted by employees or for death resulting from such injuries or diseases and provide for matters connected therewith.

Communities in the Eastern Cape are set to benefit from a digital literacy programme, which will provide digital skills training.

Launched by the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Mondli Gungubele, this initiative is aimed at reducing the digital divide in communities.

“The intention is to extend it to as many municipalities as possible. It also offers an entry point towards higher order skills that are so much needed for entrepreneurial or work opportunities.

“In the absence of such understanding, it is difficult to devise relevant and appropriate digital skills interventions and support strategies for meaningful outcomes,” the Minister said on Thursday in the Buffalo City Metro.

When he delivered his remarks, the Minister noted studies that indicate that more technology advances introduced into society, the more widespread and pervasive the digital divide.

According to a 2022 World Bank report, the digital divide is a stark reality in South Africa, affecting all generations.

“It is a striking symptom of socioeconomic challenges associated with being the most economically unequal country in the world. Therefore, the discourse on digital inclusion has broadened to consider additional critical factors for ensuring digital equality. Digital inclusion is as such more complex.

“The digital inclusion requires access to learning with age-friendly design and relevant, ethical and safe for digital environments that are at play. What is also required is an informed understanding of skills needs towards the use of emerging technologies,” the Minister said.

He said digital literacy should be delivered in a strategic manner to target the different age groups, genders, and people in different socio-economic positions.

“It is therefore critical that our approach consider challenges such as language and cultural realities when the training is done for them. We should continue to ensure that digital inclusion is not inclusion without women.

“We should also find ways to effectively and strategically use digital technologies to Gender Based Violence and Femicide ((GBVF) in South Africa and the world,” the Minister said.

The Digital Ambassadors initiative provides digital skills training to members of the community, especially focusing on locally relevant digital content and services.

It will improve the skills, capacity, and employment prospects of beneficiaries.

“It will further demonstrate the worth of utilizing modern technology to the broader communities. We therefore call on members of the society, in particular young people of Mdantsane, Duncan Village, King Williams Town and East London and the Eastern Cape to join this digital revolution and involve themselves in these initiatives by enrolling with National Electronic Media Institute of South Africa (NEMISA) and take part.

Higher Education, Science and Innovation Minister, Dr Blade Nzimande, has cast the spotlight on investing in young scholars, as a number of academics in public universities are nearing retirement.

Citing the 2023 Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Indicators Report, Nzimande noted that the proportion of staff over the age of 60 increased from 7.3% in 2011 to 10.4% in 2020.

“This trend implies that public universities will lose about 10% of permanent staff with doctoral qualifications due to retirement within the next five years,” he said on Thursday.

The report found that the percentage of staff aged 20 to 29 declined from 7.9% in 2011 to 5.8% in 2020.

“Although there is an increase in the proportion of staff aged 30 to 39, this increase is lower than that of staff aged over 60. Therefore, there is a need to intensify support to young academic staff through instruments such as the New Generation of Academics Programme,” Nzimande said.

He was speaking at the launch of the annual STI Report in Pretoria.

Commissioned by the National Advisory Council on Innovation (NACI), the report examines investment in research, development and innovation, STI human resources, innovation in manufacturing, digital competitiveness, and the distribution of research and development (R&D) in provinces.

NACI is a leading advisory body to government on science, technology and innovation, and provides evidence-based advice to the Minister.

Because of the department’s various programmes aimed at developing future generations of academics and building staff capacity, Nzimande said the gender gap among academic employees is gradually closing.

“The proportions of male and female researchers are approaching parity,” the Minister said.

However, he noted that the proportion of staff in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields has remained consistent over time.

“This finding is, on reflection, not surprising.

“South African academics, once appointed on a permanent basis, cannot easily be replaced. Given that the typical academic career is around 40 years, universities have often been compared to large tankers, which change course slowly, and with difficulty.”

For the percentage of staff in the STEM fields to increase in relation to non-STEM employees, the Minister believes it would require many universities to change their organisational design, creating more medical schools, engineering faculties, and larger science faculties.

He told delegates that the establishment of the new University of Science and Technology in Ekurhuleni, Gauteng, is an example of the type of intervention that is required.

“The goal of increasing the numbers of graduates in science, engineering and technology (SET) has been stated and repeated in multiple national policy documents since 1994.

“Despite various initiatives over the years to increase the output of SET graduates, the percentage of SET graduates, as a proportion of all graduates, has remained unchanged over the past 12 years.”

On a positive note, indicators show some growth in black doctoral graduates in STEM fields, constituting an increase of about one-third of all doctoral graduates in 2010 to 44% in 2020.

Nzimande said the university would play a leading role in enhancing the growth of critical skills in the STEM fields needed to create jobs, boost the economy, and improve the lives of citizens.

“One manifestation of the multiple crises of social reproduction is that of gender-based violence and the subordinate position of women in society generally.

“The interrelated crises of unemployment, poverty, inequality, and social reproduction also manifest in high incidents of criminality and different forms of violence afflicting many of our communities.”

South African scientists, Nzimande said, have increased their research collaborations with other countries.

He noted that about 20% of the country’s population was counted as “extremely poor” in 2021.

Nzimande is of the view that the STI, with the country’s policy agenda, will require developing solutions to these socio-economic challenges.

“I can assure you today that through our new ten-year plan for STI, we will respond to these challenges.”

Cabinet has directed the Minister of Transport, Sindisiwe Chikunga, to ensure that any taxi operating in contradiction with the laws of the Republic is removed from the road.

This follows the ongoing impasse between the SA National Taxi Council (SANTACO) Western Cape and the City of Cape Town, which has escalated into a violent strike due to the impounding of taxi vehicles by the City of Cape Town.

While Cabinet noted that there have been no violent incidents in the last 48 hours, Minister in The Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, said Cabinet condemned the violence and anarchy in Cape Town.

Cabinet also called on SANTACO to ensure that its protest action is peaceful and does not interfere with the rights of others.

“Members of the South African Police Service and other law-enforcement agencies have been directed to ensure the violent situation is under control to allow residents safe movement to school, work and their normal daily activities.

“Cabinet was also briefed about the City of Cape Town’s imposing of taxi operating conditions which are at variance with both the National Road Traffic, 1996 (Act 93 of 1996) and the National Land Transport Act, 2009 (Act 5 of 2009), which regulate  traffic offences and the applicable penalties, including the impounding of vehicles,” Ntshavheni said on Thursday.

She was briefing media in Pretoria on the outcomes of a Cabinet meeting that was held on Tuesday.

The National Treasury has launched the Energy Bounce Back Loan Guarantee Scheme (EBB) – an initiative aimed at alleviating the impact of continuing difficulties resulting from unreliable power supply for small businesses and households.

This follows President Cyril Ramaphosa’s commitment in his 2023 State of the Nation Address to adjust the bounce-back loan scheme (BBS) to enable small businesses to invest in solar equipment. Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana has provided detail on the adjustment of the Bounce-Back Loan Scheme.

“The EBB aims to generate 1000MW in additional generation capacity as well as facilitate resilience to loadshedding for micro and informal businesses. Resilience measures include power storage assets without generating capacity, like batteries and inverters. The EBB is a complementary intervention to the tax measures announced in the 2023 Budget Speech. Applicants may therefore apply for both tax and EBB measures,” the National Treasury said on Tuesday.

Pricing of the loans will be capped at the repo rate (at the commencement of the loan) plus a maximum of 6%.

Households and Small and Medium Enterprises (SME’s) will have the option of approaching any participating bank. Participating banks, Development Finance Institutions and non-bank SME finance providers will compete subject to the product terms, conditions, and pricing cap. The EBB will be available until 30 August 2024.

To facilitate investments, government will, through a government guarantee administered by the South African Reserve Bank, assume the initial losses (20%) with finance providers assuming the risk for remaining losses for SME’s and households’ rooftop photovoltaic solar investments (rooftop solar). The EBB will operate through three mechanisms.

The loan guarantee for rooftop solar for SMEs and households’ investment facilitates loans to SMEs and households for investments related to rooftop solar generated energy.

This investment includes solar panels, batteries, inverters, and other installation related costs.

Loan guarantee for rooftop solar for Energy Service Companies (ESCOs) facilitates loans to ESCOs who provide leasing, instalment sale, and power purchase contracts to SMEs and households.

“This mechanism will allow businesses and households to switch to ESCO service providers for more reliable and cleaner energy without the need for loans to finance the full upfront costs of rooftop solar equipment themselves.

Support from the EBB, which will be provided to the ESCOs to enable them to scale up and expand leasing services to households and small businesses, will require ESCOs to assess the individual need of households or businesses, the implementation of a suitable solution, and the conclusion of a leasing, instalment sale, and power purchase contract between the ESCO and applicant,” National Treasury said.

Working capital loans for businesses in rooftop solar supply chain will facilitate working capital loans for those businesses that supply rooftop solar to meet increased demand.

“This mechanism will increase the supply of rooftop solar solutions allowing businesses to source rooftop solar equipment with minimum delays.

“An additional mechanism will be concluded with the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) to facilitate new ESCO entrants, as well as scale up existing ESCO’s through a mezzanine finance instrument.

“The IDC and National Treasury will provide details of this instrument once concluded. Participation in the EBB will be facilitated through commercial banks on an opt-in basis. Non-bank finance providers, including wholesale retailers who provide lending products to SMEs for EBB eligible related loans, can access the scheme through participating commercial banks,” National Treasury said.

Participation through commercial banks will be subject to basic requirements, such as tax compliance and adherence to other legal and regulatory requirements.

Any business borrowing under the EBB will be expected to meet the participating bank’s specific requirements, be registered with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission or be registered for Value Added Tax in terms of the Value Added Tax Act, 89 of 1991 with the South African Revenue Service.

Eligible businesses must have a maximum turnover of R300 million. DFI’s and non-bank lenders, which include wholesale retailers offering credit products servicing informal traders, can also access the scheme through a commercial bank up to a maximum of R300 million per entity.

The maximum amount a business can borrow is R10 million. Businesses can also borrow a maximum of R30 000 through the scheme, for resilience measures.

This is to enable access for micro, informal businesses that may require portable batteries or similar equipment to these assets.

For households, a maximum loan amount, for the purchasing of rooftop solar, will be R300 000 per household.

For the leasing mechanism, prospective customers would also need to comply with the requirements set out by participating banks and the ESCO providing the leasing service.

Businesses in the rooftop solar supply chain, those importing batteries, investors and panels will be able to borrow up to R100 million for working capital to ensure that wait times are reduced. Installers can borrow a maximum of R100 million.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has welcomed the review report of the National Development Plan (NDP) presented by the National Planning Commission (NPC) on Tuesday, at the Union Buildings, in Tshwane.

The NPC briefed the President about their findings having reviewed the country’s progress against the objectives and targets of the National Development Plan: Vision 2030 (NDP) in the past decade.

President Ramaphosa said that the 10 Year Review of the NDP will help in identifying the underlying challenges that hinder the state and its social partners from achieving greater progress effectively.

“The 10 Year Review of the NDP will assist us in identifying the systemic issues that limit the effectiveness of the state and its social partners in making greater progress. We need to be able to plan better, to integrate and coordinate the work of different departments and institutions, and to ensure that we are using our limited resources most effectively.

“It is important that the State has the capacity to meet its developmental responsibilities, that it is appropriately structured that has the right people in the right places with the appropriate skills and ethos,” President Ramaphosa said.

President Ramaphosa committed his administration’s support to the commission and to ensure that the proposals presented are incorporated into government across all departments and spheres.

The President further underscored the importance of strong leadership and partnership with labour, civil society, communities and business in effecting the envisaged change.

The NDP, which was drafted by the first Commission in the 2010-2012 period and adopted by all parties represented in Parliament in 2012, is the long-term plan for national development. It provides guidance for all Government policy formulation and implementation.

In this regard, government uses the Medium-Term Strategic Framework in order to implement the NDP in a structured manner, across Government departments and spheres. It is also used to mobilise all South Africans to take ownership of the country’s long-term plan, its objectives, and targets.

One of the main findings made in the Ten-Year Review of the NPC was that the economy was not only failing to grow at the rate required for the objectives of NDP to materialise, but the economy was also not structured to serve the interests of all South Africans, resulting in poverty and inequality remaining extremely high and persistent.

The report further stated that the economic, social, and spatial legacies of apartheid, inappropriate economic policies that prevent redistribution, and the hollowing out of state capacity during the state capture years continue to undermine both South Africa’s competitiveness and the potential of its people.

The review recommended that planning be institutionalised and made a cross-cutting imperative across the state and government sector to enable the country to make the necessary progress towards the attainment of the NDP goals and targets.

“We need to embark on a course of action to get the country back on the developmental path envisaged by the Plan and place more focus on resolving key issues related to the provision of energy, addressing infrastructure backlogs including transport and freight, building state capacity, and addressing the apartheid spatial legacies,” Prof Tinyiko Maluleke, Deputy Chairperson of the Commission said.

Minister in The Presidency responsible for Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation and Chairperson of the Commission, Maropene Ramokgopa, said that although the country has faced various difficulties, it is crucial that the primary focus remains on achieving the goals of the NDP.

“Despite the challenges experienced, the objectives of eliminating poverty, and reducing unemployment and inequality, which are the overarching goals of the NDP, should and must remain the country’s priority if it is to uplift the conditions of its people,” Ramokgopa said.

The NPC is an independent planning body, comprising a diverse group of experts in various fields, appointed by the President to advise government on the country’s long-term development as contained in the National Development Plan.

The chairperson of the Commission for Employment Equity (CEE), Tabea Kabinde, has lamented the slow pace of transformation in the workplace for designated groups, especially for people with disabilities.

Kabinde was addressing the Employment Equity roadshow in Pretoria on Wednesday.

Conducted under the theme, ‘Real transformation makes business sense’, the Employment Equity roadshows by the Department of Employment and Labour, in collaboration with the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), create awareness on the recently promulgated EE amendments, sector targets and regulations.

The workshops further aim to deal with the impact of EE in the labour market by sharing the results of the 23rd CEE Annual Report.

“Out of 27 532 reports received, covering a total of 7 215 960 employees, only 1.2% are persons with disabilities. We are now stretching it to only 2% as a proposed target. Please do not overlook people with disabilities,” Kabinde said.

The chairperson told the gathering that while there are employers who are transforming their workplaces in terms of hiring people with disabilities, very few go beyond the 1.2%. She said there must be a demonstrable commitment to employ those with disabilities.

Kabinde said anyone can have disabilities due to an accident or illness and “this does not mean the end”.

On the issue of sector targets, the CEE chairperson told the meeting that a lot of noise in the media is created by misunderstandings.

“When we start fighting, we forget that we are talking about the Economically Active Population (EAP). The EAP focuses only on people who are working, looking for work and are employable,” she said.

She told the workshop that it cannot be that a group with a small EAP continues to occupy top management level posts, whereas racial groups with a higher percentage of the EAP occupy a small fraction of top management posts.

Part of the session was also spent on a demonstration of the online EE system with the incorporated amendments to reporting on the system and how certificates of compliance will be generated.

There was also a presentation of the CCMA’s case law related to EE, professionally done by a Commissioner from the CCMA.

The national series workshops/roadshows started on 18 July and will conclude on 29 August 2023. The remaining August workshops are as follows:

Gauteng
• Johannesburg (2 August 2023)

Mpumalanga
• Witbank (Emalahleni) – (15 August 2023)
• Nelspruit (Mbombela) – (16 August 2023)

Western Cape
• George (15 August 2023)
• Cape Town (16 August 2023)

Eastern Cape
• Gqeberha (22 August 2023)
• East London (23 August 2023)
• Mthatha (24 August 2023)

Free State
• Welkom (22 August 2023)
• Bloemfontein (23 August 2023)

KwaZulu-Natal
• Durban (29 August 2023)

The EE workshops are targeted at employers or heads of organisations, academics, senior managers, consultative forum members, human resource practitioners, trade unions, employees and other interested stakeholders.

Deputy President Paul Mashatile on Tuesday endorsed the five strategic areas recommended by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to fight the scourge of youth unemployment.

The report, developed by UNDP and the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), highlights that youth unemployment is a defining development challenge that limits the earning potential of youth, stymies economic growth, threatens social cohesion, and puts pressure on public resources.

The South Africa National Human Development Report (SANHDR) 2022, highlighted the escalating youth unemployment, which stood at 61% for youth aged between 14 and 24 and 39.9% for those who are 25 to 34 years old, according to the latest data.

This is while the overall national unemployment rate is sitting at 32.7%.

However, figures mask significant disparities among provinces, with rates ranging from 22.5% in the Western Cape to as high as 42.4% in the Eastern Cape.

Speaking at the launch of the report named ‘Harnessing the Employability of South Africa’s Youth’, the Deputy President said it was obvious that government’s efforts to empower young people must be premised on a growing and inclusive economy.

He told the delegates the state approves the comprehensive strategies proposed in the report to tackle youth unemployment.

These include urgent prioritisation of public sector investment in education and skills development as well as scaling up initiatives that harness youth participation in the economy.

The document has also called for developing one-stop job services that consolidate existing tools and services, expanding youth entrepreneurship in technology-based and green industries, women’s economic empowerment and strengthening and expanding the National Youth Service to bridge the school-to-work gap.

“We agree with the UNDP when you say, ‘There is no doubt that the high unemployment rate is a ticking time bomb’,” he said.

“Accordingly, in addressing youth unemployment, the country will simultaneously address poverty and income inequality. Addressing and tackling youth joblessness is not only sound economics but also a development imperative.”

He assured the guests that the government was pursuing several youth empowerment programmes.

These, according to the country’s second-in-command, include the Youth Employment Service Programme, part of the Presidential Youth Employment Intervention, which has already provided over 100 000 jobs.

He also spoke about the Presidential Youth Employment Intervention (PYEI), the Public Service Graduate Internship and Learnership Programme and the National Rural Youth Service Corps Programme.

“Evidently, the challenge is not one of a lack of programmes. It is one about the effectiveness, acceleration and massification of our programmes.”

He acknowledged that government needs to address “leakages” throughout the public policy system.

“For example, the report we are launching found that those without a matric qualification make up a significant proportion of the youth unemployment rate at around 40%, in contrast with only 13% of graduates who are unemployed.”

Meanwhile, he said government still needs to understand factors that lead to dropouts throughout the schooling system.

“Implicit in this fact is a deficit of skills and exposure for the young person who does not possess a matric. This means that our interventions have to be more specific and targeted, considering the urban-rural divide, race, gender and the availability of opportunities.”

He believes that the quality of the tuition in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges also needs to be examined.

“To derive maximum benefits to the enormous public resources we are expending into this important sector. None of us needs any tutelage about the importance of skills development.”

He pointed out that South Africa will host the BRICS Future Skills Challenge, in which young people from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa will compete to show solutions to the 21st century’s most pressing challenges.

The skill areas include aircraft maintenance, building information modelling, cyber security, data science, drones, robotics, mobile app development, renewable energy and robotic process automation.

“It goes without saying that to compete amongst the BRICS nations and the world on a sustained and sustainable basis, we cannot but empower the youth with the wherewithal to acquire the skills of the 21st century.”

The Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) says the Competition Tribunal’s conditional approval of the Takatso Consortium’s intention to acquire 51% of South African Airways (SAA) is a significant step in making the state owned airline competitive and profitable.

The tribunal announced its decision on Tuesday “subject to conditions involving a moratorium on retrenchments and divestiture of the shareholding by the minority shareholders in the Takatso consortium”.

DPE Minister Pravin Gordhan has hailed the decision.

“The approval by the Competition Tribunal also sends a very strong message about the extent of the hard work that has gone into this transaction, considering that SAA was on the brink of liquidation. The steps we have taken will ensure that SAA is returned to profitability and sustainability,” the Minister said.

Gordhan highlighted that a well capacitated SAA has the capability of boosting the country’s economy.

“With this decision, the Competition Tribunal has affirmed our belief as government that a revitalised and a well-capitalised SAA presents the country with significant opportunities to boost economic connectivity and strategic reach that should benefit our economy and our people for years to come,” he said.

The Minister emphasised that the airline’s turnaround serves as a beacon for what state owned companies can achieve when given the right framework.

“I am confident that the repositioning of SAA sets a very good example of what can be achieved when the right financial and operational framework is given to state owned companies so they can fulfil their mandate to advance our economic transformation and development as a country.

“It is very gratifying to see that we are on the verge of having SAA finally infused with the requisite strategic vision, expertise, and capital by Takatso,” Gordhan said.