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The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has recommitted to restoring its institutional integrity and rebuilding capability.

This comes after the Full Bench judgment of the Gauteng Division of the High Court in the matter relating to the Public Protector Report on an investigation into Allegations of Violation of the Executive Ethics Code by Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan as well as the allegations of maladministration, corruption and improper conduct by the South African Revenue Services.

The revenue service welcomed the judgement.

“It is a seminal judgment that brings necessary closure to the unfortunate distracting narrative surrounding the establishment and functioning of the SARS High Risk Investigation Unit. Moreover, it confirms SARS’ powers to gather intelligence relating to tax offences,” said the revenue collector in a statement on Monday.

SARS said the judgement was a strong reminder to any incumbent, present or in the future, who occupies the important role as Commissioner of SARS as well as every SARS employee of their duty to be administratively fair, respect the institutional mandate, and always act in line with constitutional principles of rational decision making, unbiased conduct and hearing the other side.

“SARS is engaged in restoring institutional integrity and rebuilding capability, and this as an opportunity to refocus on the important work of collecting tax and customs revenues, improve tax compliance and restoring public confidence,” it said.

The local production of hand sanitisers in South Africa has contributed to saving lives and earning export revenues for the country.

This is according to data on South African exports of hand sanitiser products released by Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition Ebrahim Patel on Tuesday.

Between June and November 2020, permits for the export of hand sanitisers to 30 other African countries totalled R1.66 billion. These included exports to Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique and Botswana.

The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) said South African manufacturers for hand sanitiser have been building significant trading ties with other African countries during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“At the start of the pandemic, South Africa faced a shortage of hand sanitisers and industry worked with government to expand local production. Measures were put in place to regulate the export of hand sanitisers to ensure adequate local capacity and to encourage exports to other African countries.

“As soon as sufficient capacity was built up for local use, the International Trade Administration Commission (ITAC) issued permits to local companies to export product to other African countries,” Patel said.

The Minister said the pandemic disrupted global supply-chains, which encouraged local production and innovation.

“South Africa has the continent’s largest diversified industrial base and was able to use local know-how to roll out on scale the production of critical personal protective equipment, like sanitisers.

“As we build a more resilient economy, we will rely more on local innovation and industrial capacity. The legacy of COVID-19 is to underscore the importance of localisation, to create more jobs and enhance economic output,” Patel said.

This past weekend, the Assembly of the African Union, chaired by President Cyril Ramaphosa, agreed to commence trading under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) on 1 January 2021.

The AfCFTA Agreement, which will progressively reduce tariff and other trade barriers between African countries, is expected to boost manufacturing and trade across the continent.

The World Bank has estimated that successful implementation of the AfCFTA could increase African gross domestic product (GDP) by $450 billion or 7% per year and lift 30 million people across the continent out of extreme poverty by 2035.

“The work which South African manufacturers of COVID-19 essentials, like hand sanitisers, have done to build capacity and trading links across the continent during the pandemic will stand them in good stead as the AfCFTA comes into effect next month,” the dtic said.

The Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) has urged South African Airways labour unions to cooperate with the finalisation of the business rescue process, which includes the full and final settlement of deferred employee salaries.

In a statement on Monday, the department said while it is sympathetic and deeply mindful of the plight of South African Airways (SAA) employees, it considers the agreement reached with some unions on 4 December 2020 to be fair and equitable.

The agreement will see employees receive three months’ payment for outstanding salaries. SAA staff have not received salaries since March while the funds for the restructuring of the airline were being sourced.

“Certain unions are deliberately undermining the process and seem to be in alliance with opposition parties to undermine the business rescue process. The revised position by some unions demanding full settlement for outstanding salaries cannot be acceded to,” the DPE said.

The department said government had to make deep cuts to its delivery programmes to ensure the R10.5 billion released by National Treasury is realised.

In addition, the voluntary severance packages made available to departing SAA employees had ensured that these employees are not left destitute on leaving SAA.

“The unions are reminded that SAA had to reduce operations from March 2020 to preserve funds as the R5.5 billion post commencement funding that had been advanced by government were diminishing with COVID-19 wreaking havoc on the airline industry, eventually leading to the business being placed into care and maintenance.”

The department called on the labour unions to negotiate in good faith, not only to save the airline, but to enable SAA employees to receive their unpaid salaries in time for the coming festive season.

The DPE believes that the key to solving the difficulties facing SAA is the finalisation of the business rescue process.

“This will have to be achieved with the allocated funding – further concessions that will lead to increased demands on the fiscus will not be agreed to,” it said.

A 23-year-old man is expected to appear in the Seshego Magistrate’s Court in Limpopo today in connection with the murder of a 50-year-old woman.

The suspect was arrested in Moletjie outside Seshego on Wednesday after he was positively linked with the 14 October 2020 murder of estate agent Joyce Nomvula Shabangu-Monareng.

On that day, the deceased who was badly wounded from multiple stab wounds, emerged from her motor vehicle after it had stopped at an intersection and collapsed nearby.

An unknown man wearing yellow overalls jumped out of the vehicle and fled from the scene leaving the vehicle behind. The deceased was certified dead on the scene.

During the arrest, some of the deceased’s stolen items including a cellphone were recovered.

Provincial Commissioner of police in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Nneke Ledwaba, has applauded the Special Task Team comprising Provincial Investigating Unit, Crime Intelligence and Tracking Team for their meticulous investigation which led to Wednesday’s arrest.

“The arrest of the alleged suspect should send a clear message that the police will always be relentless when pursuing perpetrators of Gender-Based Violence,” said General Ledwaba.

The man faces charges of murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances.

The National Council of Provinces (NCOP) has approved four bills for submission to the National Assembly.

The four bills, the Local Government: Municipal Structures Amendment Bill, the Customary Initiation Bill, Traditional Courts Bill and Recognition of Customary Marriages Amendment Bill were approved at the NCOP’s virtual plenary held on Wednesday.

Local Government: Municipal Structures Amendment Bill

The Local Government: Municipal Structures Amendment Bill amends the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, 1998.

The bill seeks to among other things, prevent councillors who were removed from office for breaching the Code of Conduct and from becoming councillors for a period of two years; to require the municipal manager to inform the MEC for local government in the province; and provide that the MEC call and set the date for by-elections.

Customary Initiation Bill

The Customary Bill seeks to provide for the effective regulation of customary initiation practices; provide for the establishment of a National Initiation Oversight Committee and Provincial Initiation Coordinating Committee and their functions; provide for the responsibilities, roles and functions of the various role-players involved in initiation practices, as such, or in the governance aspects thereof; and to provide for the effective regulation of initiation schools.

Traditional Courts Bill

The Traditional Courts Bill seeks to provide a uniform legislative framework for the structure and functioning of traditional courts, in line with constitutional imperatives and values; and to provide for matters connected therewith.

The Bill deals with cultural matters, indigenous law and traditional leadership which are all functional areas of concurrent national and provincial legislative competence listed in Part A of Schedule 4 to the Constitution.

Recognition of Customary Marriages Amendment Bill

The Recognition of Customary Marriages Amendment Bill, 2019, aims to amend the Recognition of Customary Marriages (RCMA) Act, 1998 by further regulating the proprietary consequences of customary marriages entered into before the commencement of the RCMA, in order to bring the provisions of the Act in line with the judgments of the Constitutional Court.

The court found the Act to be constitutionally invalid because they discriminate unfairly against certain women in customary marriages.

“The effect of this amendment is that all customary marriages, whether entered into after, or before the commencement of the RCMA, will be marriages in community of property and of profit and loss unless the spouses decide to exclude that by means of an ante-nuptial contract,” Parliamentary spokesperson Moloto Mothapo explained.

The NCOP passed all four bills with amendments. The bills will now be referred to the National Assembly for consideration.

Committee adopts Electoral Laws Amendment Bill

Meanwhile, the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs has approved the Electoral Laws Amendment Bill (B22-2020) and will recommend that the National Assembly adopt it.

Committee Chairperson Advocate Bongani Bongo said various concerns were raised following an extensive public participation process.

The committee received 12 305 submissions from the public, a summary via the Dear South Africa website, and another 28 submissions from other stakeholders.

As a result of the public comments, Bongo said that the committee resolved to remove clauses 14 and 21 of the Bill, where it stated that the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) may prescribe a different voting method.

“The committee agreed that voting method is a policy matter that cannot be left to the IEC alone to decide, even though the IEC had mentioned that the intention was to only allow for testing of such alternatives,” Bongo said.

The Electoral Laws Amendment Bill seeks to amend three pieces of legislation, including the Electoral Commission Act, the Electoral Act and the Local Government: Municipal Electoral Act, in preparation for the forthcoming general local government elections in 2021.

“The committee is convinced that it has done justice to the work it was mandated to do and is hopeful that the National Assembly will concur,” Bongo said.

The South African Police Service (SAPS) has welcomed the heavy sentences handed to the accused in various sexual offences cases in the Eastern Cape over the course of the year.

SAPS said the quality investigative skills possessed by detectives in the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) unit have contributed to the successful prosecutions.

According to SAPS, 39 life sentences and 950 years of imprisonment were handed down to rape and sexual offences suspects from various parts of the Eastern Cape from 1 January 2020 to 30 November 2020.

The Eastern Cape Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Liziwe Ntshinga, commended FCS detectives for thoroughly investigating the cases and presenting well-prepared dockets to court, which led to the successful prosecution of sex offenders.

“The diligent work by FCS members played a crucial role in securing these sentences and making sure that perpetrators of these offences are removed from society.

“In the same light, we hope that the victims and their families will derive strength from the fact that those who inflicted such pain in their lives have been jailed for a long time,” said Ntshinga.

Rape cases

According to the police, a King William’s Town man, Monwabisi Mbonyuza, 39, was convicted and sentenced at the Bhisho High Court last month to four life terms and 97 years for eight counts of rape and three counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances.

“Mbonyuza was sentenced for rapes and a spree of robberies committed in the Zwelitsha and Bhisho areas from July 2011 to September 2015, where it is alleged he raped eight females aged between 14 and 21,” the SAPS said.

His modus operandi was to approach people walking at night and rob them of their cell phones and belongings at gunpoint.

He was identified through DNA linkage and arrested in 2019.

Meanwhile, another 27-year-old man, Ongeziwe Mtshizana, was sentenced to life imprisonment for rape and three years for kidnapping.

Ndumiso Ntsizi, 53, from Queenstown, was sentenced by the Grahamstown High Court to one life term for rape, 10 years for attempted murder, five years for assault GBH (grievous bodily harm), and 12 months for assault.

Ntsizi was found guilty for raping a 28-year-old woman from 2008 to 2018 while they stayed together.

The judge meted a life sentence for continued rape, while the 10-year sentence was passed for attempted murder, since the suspect raped the victim knowing that he was already HIV positive.

“Five years were handed for assault GBH for an incident where the victim was severely assaulted by the suspect, which left her with a broken arm. This allegedly happened after she was found to be romantically involved with a young man of the same age by the suspect,” said SAPS.

A 30-year-old foreign national, Adolf Vita, was found guilty for the murder, rape and assault. He was given 25 years for murder, 20 years for rape and five years for assault GBH.

“The sentence follows an incident on 2 September 2019, when information was received about the discovery of the body of a woman, estimated to be 30 years old, from Rabula Location,” said SAPS.

Vuyolwethu Ntsimbi, 21, from Mqanduli, was convicted and sentenced to 18 years imprisonment for raping a 67-year-old woman outside her house.

Meanwhile, the Bisho High Court gave Mdantsane serial rapist, Malibongwe Ncokolo, 46, with seven life sentences and 300 years imprisonment on 6 November 2020.

Deputy President David Mabuza says the COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative and cumulative effect on the mandate of the Human Resource Development Council (HRDC).

The mandate of the HRDC includes monitoring and reporting on the implementation of the Human Resource Development Strategy.

“We thus have a mammoth task, as the council, to recalibrate and return to the achievement of the goals of the Human Resource Development Strategy,” Mabuza said.

Addressing a virtual meeting of the Human Resource Development Council on Wednesday, Mabuza said it is critical to reflect on the implementation of the Human Resource Development Strategy, in light of the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan announced by the President to respond to the negative impact of COVID-19.

“Needless to say, the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan is not being implemented in a vacuum. It builds on the government priorities and plans articulated in the National Development Plan.

“We are confronted by objective conditions that make the work of the Human Resource Development Council important, inarguably, unlike at any other time in the democratic South Africa.”

Mabuza said COVID-19 has made more urgent the need to develop skills and training that is innovation-led, entrepreneurial-focused and technologically advanced.

“We live in a dynamic, fluid and fast-changing context, where life-long learning is a fact of life.

“We are called upon to adequately respond to young people who are digital natives, adept with Information and Communication Technologies, and are demanding skills and expertise that will enable them to adapt adequately to changing workplace and technological demands.”

Mabuza said addressing youth unemployment is in the best interest of the nation, if the country is to be globally competitive.

“We no longer exist in a time where a person can survive on knowing only one skill and occupy one career path.

“Instead, the 21st century requires people, who can transcend academic disciplines, transcend the artificial distinctions between the soft and hard sciences, bridge the divides between theory and knowledge, and match classroom learning with market demands,” Mabuza said.

He called on young people to assist government to popularise the occupations identified in the National List of Occupations in High Demand.

Mabuza said these professions, which are critical to lowering joblessness and growing the economy, are mainly those of artisans, including pressure welders, toolmakers and mechanics.

“While identifying vocational training and TVET colleges as strategic interventions, we are equally aware of the structural challenges at these colleges, including curricula, lack of resources and inadequate infrastructure.

“Therefore, the COVID-19 pandemic represents a new knowledge economy that demands new capacities, so-called e-skills or e-readiness to adequately build a capable state, an inclusive economy and fight poverty and inequality,” he said.

Mabuza said as HRDC members, their role extends beyond merely provision of oversight, coordination of programmes but also includes thought leadership.

“As the Presidential Employment Stimulus Package has demonstrated, there is appetite across South Africa to provide young people and young women with economic opportunities.

“This stimulus programme can grow if organised business, civil society and labour play an active role in efforts of rebuilding the economy.

“The private sector is a key partner in making local investment, helping small business to grow and thrive, and assisting to close the skills mismatch that disadvantages young people not in employment, education or training,” Mabuza said.

Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development Minister Thoko Didiza has announced that the country is currently experiencing outbreaks of locusts in the Free State, Northern Cape and Western Cape.

“Control measures are currently being implemented to curb the spread of the locusts. The current strong winds are aiding the fight and spread of the locusts,” Didiza said in a statement on Wednesday.

The Minister also urged the farmers and farmer organisations to alert the department whenever they spot a swarm of locusts, and work with the officials on the ground to curb the spread.

“The department has already dispatched a team of specialists to the affected provinces to work with the provincial departments of Agriculture and Rural Development officials and our entity, the Agricultural Research Council and farmer organisations,” Didiza said.

The department has advised farmers and members of the public to report the visibility of swarms of locusts in their areas to the following department officials: Gert Greyvenstein on 082 451 4860, Vuyokazi Mpumlwana 084 760 8176 and Dr Ikalafeng Kgakatsi on 072 198 9882.

Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Fikile Majola is satisfied at the level of readiness by the West Rand District Municipality for the implementation of the District Development Model (DDM).

Majola met with the executive leadership of the West Rand District Municipality, in his capacity as the DDM Model champion of the district on Wednesday.

Majola was furnished with presentations on the socio-political and economic situation in the district, including projects that are planned and some that are underway.

“We have now agreed that we will have a follow-up meeting and have asked all the officials from national and provincial spheres, and district municipalities to meet and prepare a more concise presentation on the projects that are implementable in the next financial year,” he said.

Majola has been designated the role of the District Development Model champion of the district by President Cyril Ramaphosa, and will oversee the Merafong, Mogale and Rand West district municipalities.

“I am quite happy. I think we’ve made substantial progress for a first meeting, and we had very useful presentations and I think that this district because of the level of cooperation between different municipalities will make a lot of progress in the Gauteng province,” said the Deputy Minister.

The DDM is a new integrated planning model for cooperative governance.

It is a district-based, service delivery approach, aimed at fast-tracking service delivery and ensuring that municipalities are adequately supported and resourced to carry out their mandate.

The DDM is also used as an intergovernmental vehicle for coordinated implementation of all the government COVID-19 and Gender-Based Violence Response Plans in all of the country’s 52 districts.

The Coronavirus continues to spread in South Africa as cases jumped to 796 472 after 4 173 people were confirmed to have contracted the virus on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the death toll has now risen by 65, bringing the tally to 21 709 since the outbreak.

Of the latest deaths, 30 were recorded in the Western Cape, 15 in Free State, 12 in KwaZulu-Natal and four in the Eastern Cape and Gauteng.

“We extend our condolences to the loved ones of the departed and thank the healthcare workers that treated the deceased patients,” said Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize.

NICD clarifies testing data

Meanwhile, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) has since rectified its testing data.

On 27 November 2020, the institute reported the total cumulative number of tests conducted as 5 350 076 which was 33 002 tests less than what was reported the previous day.

“From time to time, epidemiological centres undertake audits at various intervals to interrogate the efficiency of the data, clean up the data where necessary and implement improved systems for data collation,” the institute explained.

This is important to ensure an accurate epidemiological picture, particularly when the situation is rapidly evolving as with COVID-19, the NICD added.

According to the NICD, the change is related to testing numbers and does not affect the daily positive case numbers reported by the Minister.

The NICD has since submitted a report outlining the factors that led to this reduction in cumulative tests after consultation with the Incidence Management Team on Wednesday.

These include aligning the reporting of test data with the source of case data, prepare for the inclusion of antigen-based tests and improvement in the process for identifying and removing duplications of the same test from the same patient.

“Removal of samples that were collected outside of the country but tested in South Africa. This guarantees that the testing numbers only reflect South African samples (this ensures an accurate epidemiological picture in relation to the South African context),” the NICD added.

As of 2 December, the NICD is reporting 5 468 670 of which 32 846 were conducted on Wednesday.

The World Health Organisation is reporting 63 360 234 confirmed global cases of COVID-19, including 1 475 825 deaths.