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The South African Post Office has introduced a system to reduce the waiting time for beneficiaries collecting the R350 social relief of distress grant.

The system, which has been introduced in the Free State, North West, Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces, will also make it easier for beneficiaries to comply with COVID-19 social distancing requirements.

In a statement, the Post Office said each day of the week is reserved for different beneficiaries, depending on the last three digits of their ID numbers. Monday is reserved for 083 and 088, Tuesday 084 and 089, Wednesday 080 and 089, Thursday 081 and 086, and Friday is reserved for the 082 and 087 last three numbers.

“The first week of the month is reserved for paying grants to the elderly, disability and child grants. The Post Office has introduced separate queues at its branches to reduce waiting time and to ensure social distancing.

“One queue is reserved for beneficiaries of the R350 grant, while the other queue is for all other transactions. There will be queue walkers, who will check ID numbers to ensure that the system is implemented,” the Post Office explained.

For more information, clients are encouraged to call South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) on 0800 60 10 11 from 8am to 4pm, Monday to Friday. Alternatively, they can visit the SASSA website on www.sassa.gov.za.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed South Africa’s continued commitment to fight against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and to advance the economic inclusion of women.

He made these remarks on Tuesday during a virtual bilateral discussion with Her Majesty Queen Máxima of the Netherlands to deepen cooperation on advancing economic inclusion for women in Africa.

Queen Máxima participated in her capacity as the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development (UNSGSA).

The President highlighted four main challenges African women face in relation to financial inclusion.

These include the lack of suitable and affordable financial services for women on the margins of society; the significant challenge of COVID-19, which has been a setback for both women as well as the roll-out of African Union (AU) programmes.

He said GBV continues to be an impediment to women’s empowerment in the region and a lack of access to technology and digital infrastructure for women on the margins.

“The President conveyed some of the fundamental steps that South Africa has embarked on, including the development of the Financial Inclusion Policy as a national policy that will ensure that 40% of public procurement is in favour of women,” the Presidency said.

The leaders also discussed tangible actions to accelerate digital and financial inclusion for women in Africa as a cornerstone of COVID-19 response and recovery.

“UNSGSA Queen Máxima sought to understand what key challenges African women face in accessing financial services, and what programmes South Africa and the AU were currently implementing to address these challenges.

“Queen Máxima stressed her keenness to advance the agenda for women’s financial and economic inclusion in her capacity as UN Special Advocate; as well as in relation to the G7 Partnership for Women’s Digital Financial Inclusion in Africa,” the Presidency said.

The UNSGSA emphasized the importance of digital public goods to accelerate women’s financial inclusion in Africa. Examples of such goods include connectivity, regulation supportive of digital financial services, digital ID, and robust financial consumer protection measures.

President Ramaphosa and UNSGSA Queen Máxima agreed on the need to work together to achieve their shared goal of women economic and digital emancipation and committed to meet again to further concretise collaboration and coordination.

Queen Máxima intends to work with the President and other AU leaders to champion and address key challenges to the empowerment of women in Africa.

The price of petrol is set to increase by 65 cents a litre as of Wednesday, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) said.

In a statement on Tuesday, the DMRE said the prices of 93 (ULP and LRP) and 95 (ULP and LRP) will rise by 65 cents a litre.

A litre of 95 ULP in Gauteng, which currently costs R15.67, will increase to R16.32 a litre.

This is the third fuel price increase this year.

Meanwhile, diesel (0.05% Sulphur) will increase by 54 cents a litre, while the price of diesel (0.005% Sulphur) will increase by 56 cents a litre.

The price of illuminating paraffin (wholesale) will increase by 47 cents.

The price of illuminating paraffin (SMNRP) will increase by 63 cents, while the Maximum Retail Price for LPGAS will increase by 87 cents per kilogram.

“The rand appreciated, on average, against the US dollar during the period under review, when compared to the previous one. This led to lower contributions to the Basic Fuel Prices of petrol, diesel and illuminating paraffin by around 14 cents a litre,” said the department.

South Africa has recorded 1 513 959 COVID-19 cases, with 566 new cases identified in Monday’s report.

The cumulative total tests conducted to date is 9 090 273 with 12 794 new tests recorded since the last report.

“Regrettably, a further 84 COVID-19 related deaths have been reported, which brings the total to 50 077 deaths,” Minister of Health, Dr Zweli Mkhize, said.

The deaths were reported in Eastern Cape (2), Gauteng (19), North West (36), Northern Cape (6) and Western Cape (21).

“We convey our condolences to the loved ones of the departed and thank healthcare workers who treated the deceased patients.

Our recoveries now stand at 1 431 336, representing a recovery rate of 94.5%

The number of healthcare workers vaccinated under the Sisonke Protocol is 73 047 as at 6:30pm on Monday.

eThekwini Municipality is taking the reins in getting its tourism sector back on track after being derailed by COVID-19 restrictions.

On Wednesday, eThekwini Municipality Mayor, Mxolisi Kaunda, will host a virtual Durban Tourism Imbizo, which is expected to come up with ideas to rebuild the country’s tourism sector during COVID-19 and beyond.

The imbizo follows President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement of adjusting the country to level 1 lockdown, and permitting visitors from any country, provided they follow health and safety guidelines.

The tourism sector has welcomed the announcement of easing international travel restrictions under level 1, and expects to see an increase in business.

Spokesperson for Kaunda, Mluleki Mntungwa, said as the tourism sector seeks to recuperate from the devastating effects of COVID-19, the imbizo will bring under one roof all tourism role-players to collectively deliberate on steering the sector towards recovery and growth in 2021.

“The imbizo will also reflect on the impact of COVID-19 on the sector through data from the 2020 Socio-Economic Impact Assessment Annual Report.

“The municipality will further use the platform to update industry players on milestones achieved to date on the city’s Economic Recovery Plan, under which tourism is reflected as pillar number three,” Mntungwa said.

KwaZulu-Natal Social Development MEC Nonhlanhla Khoza has made an impassioned plea to provincial citizens to play their part and protect government employees from falling victim to a spate of hijacking of state vehicles.

Khoza said she was very concerned about the high incidents of hijacking of state vehicles which cripple service delivery.

This follows hijacking of two department’s vehicles within two successive days, last Thursday and Friday.

The incidents include a social worker who was assigned to Inanda, who was hijacked at gun point on his arrival on local service office premises on Thursday.

In another incident, two social workers from Harry Gwala District Office were hijacked on the R56 near Richmond in the Midlands, while en route to Pietermaritzburg on Friday.

Addressing the community of Ward 07 and 08 of Ubuhlebezwe Local Municipality, Khoza said it is very disturbing that government employees who were providing such a much-needed service to communities had to keep on looking over their shoulders.

“Our communities should play their part in saving the lives of government employees whose responsibilities are to ensure service delivery to the needy. These people put their lives at risk to ensure that our communities get service as per the directive of government,” Khoza said.

She noted that the hijacking of state vehicles has a negative impact on all government campaigns to change the lives of the people for the better.

High incidents of GBVF

The MEC also warned communities about the high incidents of gender-based violence (GBV) that also affect the well-being of people.

“We want to see community members in KwaZulu-Natal being the one leading campaigns to end GBV. Importantly, we urgent men to be the ones who stop violating the rights of women and children. No one deserves to be called a man when they violate the rights of women and children,” Khoza said.

The MEC further urged communities to protect themselves from COVID-19 pandemic, adding that the department is going to all different municipalities across the province to ensure that the communities understand the danger of COVID-19 currently facing the country.

“We also want to ensure that our social workers are able to help needy communities. The outbreak of COVID-19 has resulted in a number of people losing their jobs. As the department, we have been mandated by our President Cyril Ramaphosa and Premier Sihle Zikalala to conduct an oversight on the provision of Social Relief of Distress (SRD) vouchers to our communities.

“Our government committed itself to ensuring that no one sleeps on an empty stomach. We have to monitor the assessment or profiling of beneficiaries that it is done within the ambit of the law. The department conducts oversight on the provision of SRD to ensure that each and every cent spent on the programme derives value for money and properly accounted for,” Khoza said.

She said government also wanted to encourage people to stand on their own, and start projects that will change their lives for the better.

“We want to end dependency in our communities. Therefore, as the department we want to encourage communities to decide what government can help them with to lift them out of poverty,” she said.

Induna [headman] Sipho Mkhize from Empunga clan, acknowledged government for continuously protecting the people and providing for them.

Mkhize called committed the communities to the protection of government employees, as per Khoza’s appeal.

“We want to see communities in our clan being developed and we should not hide criminals that hijack state vehicles. These vehicles are tools to ensure service delivery reaches our communities.”

A South African Social Services Agency (SASSA) employee in Mpumalanga faces the grim prospect of jail time for allegedly falsifying her qualifications.

On Monday, Alina Dimakatso Nkwanyana Selepe was released on R3000 bail after she was arrested on Friday by the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation unit in Mpumalanga.

In a statement, the Hawks said the Volkrust resident is facing fraud charges.

“It is alleged that in 2006 there was an advertised post for team leader: administration in the department of SASSA. In applying for the said position, the suspect submitted a fraudulent matric certificate, which was one of the requirements for that job. As a result, the suspect was employed and appointed as a team leader: administration at SASSA, Volkrust in Mpumalanga,” said the Hawks.

The Hawks said the SASSA office vetted the qualifications with the Department of Education. It was during this process that it was discovered that her matric certificate was fraudulent.

The matter was reported to the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation unit in Nelspruit in December 2020. A subsequent investigation revealed that the suspect prejudiced the government over R4 million in salary between 2006 and 2020.

The case was postponed to 26 March 2021.

The Electoral Commission has welcomed the announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa of the country’s return to Alert Level 1 which allows the resumption of some political activities.

“The relaxation of the restrictions paves the way for the holding of by-elections for municipal ward vacancies which arose since the last by-election in early December,” the IEC said in a statement on Monday.

The President made the announcement of the move to Level 1 in an address to the nation on Sunday.

Under the eased restrictions, political activities including political gatherings of up to 100 people in an indoor venue and 250 people in an outdoor venue are now allowed.

According to the IEC, the outstanding by-elections scheduled to be held on 21 April and 19 May will help to “clear the decks” of vacancies ahead of the Local Government Elections scheduled for between 4 August and 1 November.

A total of 45 by-elections across 37 municipalities in all nine provinces are scheduled affecting 362 431 registered voters.

Under the current Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, the cut-off for the filling of ward vacancies ahead of the elections is 1 May (six months from the latest possible date for the Local Government Elections).

The nine-month deadline for the cessation of by-elections in the case of dissolved municipal councils (1 February 2021) has already passed.

‘The resumption of by-elections is therefore one of the final opportunities ahead of the Local Government Elections for the Electoral Commission, political parties, independent candidates and other stakeholders to test their protocols for campaigning, voter registration, voting and counting of ballots while maintaining COVID-19 safety measures,” said the Commission.

Meanwhile, the Electoral Commission was able to conduct free, fair and safe by-elections in November and December last year during the previous Alert Level 1 phase of restrictions. The Commission remains confident that it can conduct further by-elections under the same conditions.

The following by-elections will be held on 21 April 2021 with voter registration planned for 13 – 14 March 2021:

Province                           Municipality                    Ward number/s                            Registered voters

Eastern Cape                   BUF – Buffalo City                          20                                      8 798

KwaZulu-Natal                 ETH – eThekwini                            6                                         18 116

KZN292 –                           KwaDukuza                                    5                                         4 350

KZN294 – Maphumulo                                                             5 & 7                                 8 993

KZN434 –                           uBuhlebezwe                                 4                                         4 754

KZN435 –                           uMzimkhulu                                   20                                      4 765

Limpopo                            LIM332 – Greater Letaba              15                                      3 856

Mpumalanga                   MP305 – Lekwa                              11                                      4 930

North West                      NW372 – Madibeng                       40                                      6 724

Northern Cape                 NC062 – NAMA KHOI                     2                                         3 067

NC452 –                             GA-SEGONYANA                            2                                         3 952

Western Cape                  CPT – City of Cape Town               20                                      17 861

WC048 –                            Knysna                                             11                                      2 810

WC053 –                            Beaufort West                                4                                         3 276

7 provinces                       14 municipalities                           15 (71 VDs)                      96 252

The following by-elections are scheduled for 19 May 2021 with voter registration being planned for 10- 11 April 2021

Province                           Municipality                                  Ward/s                             Registered voters

Eastern Cape                    EC122 – Mnquma                          28                                      4 345

EC124 Amahlathi                           11                                      3 204

EC135 – Intsika Yethu                   17                                      3 325

EC154 – Port St Johns                   09                                      3 450

EC157 – King Sabata Dalindyebo 34                                      5 673

EC441 – Matatiele                         11                                      3 698

NMA – Nelson Mandela Bay        17                                      6 857

Free State                         FS184 – Matjhabeng                     35                                      5 630

FS194 – Maluti a Phofung             25                                      4 322

Gauteng                            EKU – Ekurhuleni                           43                                      17 285

JHB – City of Johannesburg          7, 17, 18, 23                     74 933

TSH – Tshwane Metro                   3, 58, 88, 92                     55 768

KwaZulu-Natal                 ETH – eThekwini                             110                                    19 190

KZN282 – uMhlathuze                  15                                      6 442

KZN242 – Nqutu                             11                                      5 707

KZN262 – uPhongolo                     14                                      3 877

KZN282 – uMhlathuze                  15, 22, 30                         16 164

Limpopo                            LIM344 – Makhado                       38                                      5 663

LIM367 – Mogalakwena               23                                      5 704

LIM476 – Fetakgomo Tubatse     13                                      6 429

Mpumalanga                   MP312 – Emalahleni                      33                                      4 731

MP313 – Steve Tshwete               22                                      3 646

MP325 – Bushbuckridge               21                                      6 578

6         provinces            23 municipalities                           30 wards (184 VDs)            266 179

The Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSiRA) has condemned incidents of brutality allegedly meted by security officers.

This comes after videos recently went viral in various social media platforms.

In a statement, the authority said it had in the past two weeks received several reports of security officers allegedly killing and/or brutally assaulting members of the public.

“Amongst the incidents that were reported in the mainstream media and on social media platforms were of a 52-year-old woman in the Cape Winelands, Witzenberg Local Municipality,” reads the statement.

In Johannesburg, two people were also allegedly beaten by security officers.

There were further reports of two separate incidents, one in Somerset West, Western Cape and another in KwaZulu-Natal where security officers allegedly shot and killed members of the public.

“The Authority strongly condemns these incidents of brutality allegedly committed by security officers. What makes it worse is that such senseless acts are not only against the industry’s Code of Conduct for Security Officers and values, but, they also go against our people’s constitutional rights as enshrined in the Bill of Rights,” said PSiRA Chief Executive Manabela Sam Chauke.

In the statement, Chauke vowed that PSiRA would leave no stone unturned in ensuring that those who are behind these acts of criminality face the full might of the law. “In collaboration with other Law Enforcement Agencies, our investigations are underway and action will be taken against the implicated security officers who shall be found to have contravened the Code of Conduct for Security Officers,” he said.

With a fall in new COVID-19 cases, South Africa will move from Level 3 to Level 1 of the Risk Adjusted Strategy tonight.

Addressing the nation on developments in the country’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic on Sunday, President Cyril Ramaphosa said Cabinet had taken this decision earlier today.

Under Level 1 of the lockdown, the country’s curfew will move from 11 pm to 4am, to midnight to 4 am.

The move will also result in gatherings– including religious, social, political and cultural gatherings–being permitted, subject to limitations on size, adherence to social distancing and other health protocols.

Gatherings, sale of alcohol

The maximum number of people allowed at any gathering is 100 people indoors or 250 people outdoors. However, where the venue is too small to accommodate these numbers with appropriate social distancing, then no more than 50 per cent of the capacity of the venue may be used.

Under the new regulations, night vigils or other gatherings before or after funerals are still not permitted while the doors of nightclubs will remain shut.

The sale of alcohol will be permitted, according to normal licence provisions.  In addition, no alcohol may be sold during the hours of curfew.

Facemasks, border posts

President Ramaphosa stressed that the wearing of masks in public places is still mandatory, with the failure to wear one remaining as an offence.

As the country prepares for a new week, the President said the 33 land border posts that have been closed throughout this period will remain closed, while the other 20 will remain open.

For those travelling, only five airports will be open for international travel with standard infection control measures. Namely these are: OR Tambo, Cape Town, King Shaka, Kruger Mpumalanga and Lanseria airports.

Vigilance

President Ramaphosa warned that the easing of restrictions does not mean that the public should let their guard down.

“As we ease restrictions, we cannot let our guard down. The few remaining restrictions under Alert Level 1 are meant to maintain low levels of infections and, in particular, to prevent super-spreading events.”

The President’s comments come as South Africa emerged from the second wave of infections that caused a greater loss of life than the first wave.

“The country has now clearly emerged from the second wave. New infections, admissions to hospital and deaths have fallen significantly and continue to decline steadily.

“In the week that has just passed, the country recorded just under 10,000 new infections,” he said adding that in the last week of January, the country recorded over 40,000 new cases.

He attributed the decline in infections to a combination of public health measures introduced, changes in behaviour and accumulating immunity in those who became infected in our communities.

The President said the new virus variant known as 501Y.v2,is now the dominant variant in the country which is transmitted more easily.

The variant has the potential to infect more people, place a greater strain on the health system and lead to a greater loss of life.

He stressed the importance of social distancing, the wearing of masks and avoiding of crowds.

Vaccines he said of which the country has already taken delivery of, should be seen as one of the measures available in the Coronavirus toolkit.

Green shoots

The President who last addressed the nation on 1 February, spoke of the importance to grow the economy and get people back into work.

The importance of economic reforms, the rollout of the employment stimulus and infrastructure investment programmes came to the fore.

“Many people still do not have their jobs back and many households are still feeling the effect of having lost much of their income. As I announced in the State of the Nation Address, we have therefore extended the period for the Special COVID-19 grant by a further three months, until the end of April.”

The move to Alert Level 1 means that most of the remaining restrictions on economic activity have been removed.

“We expect this to lead to higher consumption spending, bolstered by the steady recovery in employment. We expect businesses to implement the plans they may have been put on hold.

“As we undertake further structural reforms, this will entrench the green shoots we have begun to see in the economy.”

While restrictions have been eased, precautions should continue to be adhered to – this as a threat of a third wave is constantly present, as is the threat of yet more new variants.