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The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) has issued a warning to consumers to be aware of the risks associated with the use of instant electronic funds transfer (EFT) online payment services offered at e-commerce stores.

An instant EFT is a payment method offered by a third party, in partnership with e-commerce stores (stores which facilitate the purchase and sale of goods and/or services via the Internet), which automates the initiation of payments for consumers to e-commerce stores and also provides immediate confirmation of payment to the e-commerce store to enable them to dispatch the goods or services purchased.

Instant EFT payments use a method called ‘screen scraping’, which makes it possible for third parties to access bank account data and automate actions on behalf of a consumer using that consumer’s online banking access credentials.

The access to the consumer’s screen data is then used to facilitate payments.

In a statement on Thursday, the SARB, the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) and the Payments Association of South Africa (PASA) said they do not support the use of screen scraping to effect payments, given that it exposes consumers to the risks, including data privacy, fraud risk and breach of contractual agreements.

Data privacy

The SARB, FSCA and the payments industry said the method of using screen scraping to effect payments puts consumers’ access credentials at risk of being compromised.

“Consumers have no control over how their credentials, and any other data or personal information, are accessed and used by the third party, like account numbers and account statements can be stored and utilised without the consumer’s knowledge or consent,” SARB said.

Fraud risk

The SARB also warned that rogue entities might pose as third parties offering instant EFT services on fake ecommerce sites to capture consumers’ access credentials for their bank’s Internet banking websites.

“From there, such entities might impersonate the consumer and conduct any activity that the consumer would have access to on their online banking platform including, making real-time payments to themselves, applying for a personal loan, increasing transaction limits, and ultimately initiating payments to mule accounts.

“Rogue entities might also access relevant data and personal information such as account information and monthly statements from which fraudulent collections through debit orders might occur,” the Reserve Bank warned.

Breach of contractual agreements

The SARB further warned that by providing their Internet banking login credentials to a third party, consumers that use instant EFT products might be in breach of their banks’ terms and conditions which regulate Internet banking.

As a result, it said, knowingly or unknowingly, consumers might be giving up their rights of recourse and any legal protection in the event of suffering fraud and/or subsequent loss.

“Risk of financial loss and the goods purchased being lost EFT payments are final and irrevocable in nature, and consumers are unable to lodge disputes to reverse a transaction in the event of the online store not honouring their agreement (e.g. not delivering the goods or delivering counterfeit goods).

“Consumers might also be held liable for the interest payable on such amounts when payment was made from their credit card account or overdraft facilities,” SARB said.

As the global economy experiences an increase in the use of electronic payments and online shopping, and considering the growing role of financial technology (fintech) in payments, SARB noted that online crimes are increasing.

“It is becoming even more important for consumers to educate themselves on the risks and benefits of using online means to make payments or order goods and services. It is also becoming exceptionally difficult for regulators and the financial industry alike to keep up with such crimes before a loss is experienced by either party.”

Tips for consumers

• Consumers need to be extra vigilant. They need to do all their checks, including contacting their banks for advice, before proceeding with something marketed and disguised under the premise of convenience;
• Consumers should use industry-supported solutions, like paying with their cards (debit or credit cards);
• Consumers should not share their Internet banking logon credentials with any third party.

National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) students will now only receive their laptops next year owing to the delays in the tendering process.

Higher Education, Science and Innovation Minister, Dr Blade Nzimande, profusely apologised to those who have been affected by the hold-up following the re-advertisement of the tender to supply and deliver laptops in September.

The portable personal computers are aimed for the NSFAS students registered at universities and the Technical, and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges for the 2020 academic year.

Speaking during a media briefing on Thursday, Nzimande, said by the closing date of the tender on 21 September, 140 bid proposals were received.

“I am happy to announce that the NSFAS administrator subsequently approved the tender award on 2 November 2020 to five bidders, which will work with NSFAS and our institutions in the delivery of laptops to our students.”

He said NSFAS is in the process of completing the contractual arrangements with all successful service providers, following which the details of the final mutually agreed guidelines will be communicated with all institutions.

“This will then lead to institutions commencing with the procurement of laptops required by the NSFAS funded students,” he said.

He thanked the scheme for finalising this process and congratulated all the companies who were appointed.

“However, given that the procurement process has been concluded much later than originally planned, the laptops will now be distributed in the new academic year, which will now also assist us to deal with severe financial challenges faced by NSFAS,” he said.

He told the media that the delay in providing these laptops is regrettable.

“I want to assure the students that it was not intended but it was very important to ensure that the procurement processes were followed strictly.”

NSFAS applications

To date, NSFAS has received 650 000 applications for 2021 of which over 69% applications are from females, with males accounting for 31%.

According to the Minister, the scheme is receiving a high volume of applications from South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) beneficiaries amounting to 330 000, as a result of the deaprtment’s Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Department of Social Development.

KwaZulu-Natal accounts to the highest number of applications as sitting at 157 252 (27%), followed by Gauteng with 119 410 (20%) and Limpopo with 95 091 (16%).

Meanwhile, applications from Western Cape and North Cape remains below expectations.

“We expect this number to increase quite substantially as past experience has shown that it is in the last two weeks of the application cycle when some students tend to apply in greater numbers.”

The department is predicting that applications will increase to over 800 000 for the 2021 cycle by the closing date at end of November 2020.

“However, we remain deeply concerned at the slow and low rate of applications from students with disabilities and I would like to urge them to use this opportunity and apply for a fully comprehensive bursary funding for 2021.”

Ford Motor Company South Africa (Ford) has agreed to compensate 56 drivers of its Kuga SUV that caught fire due to a mechanical malfunction between 2014 and 2017, with R50 000.

The development was confirmed on Thursday by the National Consumer Commission (NCC) after reaching an agreement with the company. The gutting fires originated in the engine compartment.

In a March order, two options were made available to the consumers.

The first option affected consumers who had to submit a claim for the payment of the R50 000 (with or without a claim for loss of any movables) against Ford in terms of Section 61 of the CPA. Advocate Terry Motau SC was appointed to provide alternative dispute resolution services.

Alternatively, the consumers could choose to proceed to prove damages in court at the consumer’s own expense.

A total of 76 affected consumers were engaged during the mediation, said the NCC.

During this period, 53 claims were resolved, in which 47 consumers elected the first option one, that saw R2 509 179 paid, which includes additional compensation for loss of movables.

The NCC said three consumers elected the second option and may take their cases further through assistance of their attorneys.

Three more consumers’ claims, said the Commission, were rejected as they could not prove that their loss fell within the parameters of the settlement agreement.

Acting Commissioner at the NCC, Thezi Mabuza, extended her appreciation to the affected consumers for their cooperation and their patience during this process.

She also extended her thanks to the Ford representatives and mediator, Adv Motau SC, for his professionalism in painstakingly going through each matter and providing guidance as to the resolve.

The Legal Practice Council (LPC) has joined the millions of South Africans in supporting the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children campaign.

The council said it is alarmed by the high number of gender-based violence and femicide cases. It called for a concerted effort from all sectors of society to ensure that lasting solutions are found to ensure that women and children are protected, and perpetrators are brought to book.

“The number of cases that are reported is abnormal. They challenge us as the legal profession to ensure that justice is served in all matters that are brought before our courts.

“One of the tasks that the LPC has is to ensure that access to justice happens in South Africa, and we need to work hard to ensure that every violation against women and children is reported to the police and is also brought before our courts.

“The abuse of the fundamental human rights of women and children cannot be tolerated,” said Kathleen Matolo-Dlepu, the chairperson of the Legal Practice Council.

Matolo-Dlepu said as the International Day for Women Human Rights Defenders approaches on 29 November, the LPC urges the legal profession to play a central role in assisting victims of abuse and to provide support, especially in the prosecution of abusers, as the law needs to be applied to its fullest when it comes to protecting those in society who are vulnerable.

The South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) has committed to joining government and citizens in the campaign to end Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF).

The council made the pledge during a virtual dialogue to mark the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children Campaign, held on Wednesday.

The virtual interactive session comprised President Cyril Ramaphosa, the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF), representatives from the men’s sector, survivors of GBV, leaders of faith communities and civil society organisations.

SANTACO President, Phillip Taaibosch, used the platform to convey an apology on behalf of the council, to all women, children and disabled people for not giving them the necessary support they deserve.

He said the members of the taxi industry will be taking to the streets to actively participate in the call for men to stop behaving “unmanly”.

“We will be embarking on a 365-day [campaign] where we will start with our own road safety programme.

“All hlokomela taxis will be branded with a message ‘Not In our Name in the Taxi Industry’. We want to send a message that it can’t be that women and children and disabled people are not safe in our vehicles,” Taaibosch said.

Taaibosch expressed the council’s appreciation to Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, who has helped taxi owners and drivers understand the impact and value of respecting women, children and disabled people, through training programmes hosted by the department.

“We behaved as if we were not part of South Africa. With the launch of 16 Days of Activism, we call on taxi drivers and owners to change the way and the manner in which we behave, so that we can build a very powerful and respected South Africa – where women feel safe in our taxis and on the road,” Taaibosch said.

Judy Nokwedi from the Black Business Council challenged CEOs and senior managers from all companies to ensure that the issue of GBVF is put high on the agenda.

“Pay parity should be a criminal offence if not implemented. We must teach young boys that violence is a choice… when we play our part, change happens,” Nokwedi said.

GBV survivor Nelisa Grootboom urged women to walk away from abusive relationships, explaining that the abuse never ends.

Psycho social support services

Meanwhile, Eastern Cape MEC for Rural Development and Agrarian Reform, Nomakhosazana Meth said 9 000 victims of GBVF have received psycho social support services early this year.

“Courts are beginning to prioritise cases of GBVF and we see more women breaking the silence by reporting these cases,” Meth said, adding that citizens cannot bury their heads in the sand and must take action.

At the virtual session, President Ramaphosa announced that government is in the process of drafting a Bill on the Gender-Based Violence and Femicide Council, which is expected to be in Parliament early next year.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced that government is in the process of drafting a Bill on the Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) Council, which is expected to be in Parliament early next year.

“I consider the establishment of this Council, which is part of the Declaration on Gender-Based Violence in 2019, to be critical in the implementation of the National Strategic Plan,” President Ramaphosa said.

President Ramaphosa was speaking during a virtual dialogue to mark the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children campaign, held on Wednesday.

This year’s 16 Days campaign will be observed under the theme “Women’s Economic Justice for a Non-Violent and Non-Sexist South Africa”.

The President called for an urgent need to address the poverty, exclusion and economic marginalisation facing millions of women.

He said that advancing women’s economic empowerment is fundamentally tied to the Constitutional right to dignity, and that empowering women financially gives them greater control over their lives.

“As part of this effort, earlier this year we announced that South Africa will be setting aside 40% of all public procurement for women-owned enterprises. A National Procurement Task Team has been set up to drive this process. It is already rolling out capacity-building programmes to prospective beneficiaries to ensure women business owners are equipped to participate in public procurement,” President Ramaphosa said.

Supporting women-owned businesses

As part of the Economic Recovery and Reconstruction Plan, the President said government is increasing its support to women-owned small, medium and micro enterprises to enable them to benefit from, among other things, the infrastructure development programme and opportunities in manufacturing, agriculture and tourism.

The President stressed that supporting women-owned businesses is crucial, if “we are to take full advantage of the opportunities arising from the African Continental Free Trade Area when it comes into operation early next year”.

“We are going to ensure that women benefit from government’s land reform programme and have more access to land that they can use to produce food and goods. We are going to improve women’s economic participation through the Presidential Employment Stimulus programmes, announced as part of the Reconstruction and Recovery Plan.

“Recruitment has already begun for a number of these programmes, which range from education support to early childhood development, to home based care, to the Expanded Public Works Programme,” President Ramaphosa said.

The President also emphasised a need for business to provide greater support to women-owned businesses, through supplier development, mentorship, training and financial assistance.

He said that government is engaging with the financial services sector to provide financial products that respond to the needs of women, whether it’s related to banking costs, finance support or access to credit lines.

Violence against women is not a women’s problem

President Ramaphosa further challenged men to take responsibility at a personal level for the protection of the women and children, reiterating that violence against women is not a women’s problem, but a men’s problem.

“It is men who can challenge harmful cultural and social practices that undermine women’s rights. It is men who can and must refuse to be part of criminal gangs that assault and rape women. It is men who can and must take responsibility for their own personal behaviour and understand that coercing a woman to have sex is rape, and that ‘no’ means ‘no’.

“It is men who must raise their sons to understand that women and men are equal, and lead by example. It is men who must repudiate the idea that a man must prove his manhood by abusing a woman. It is men who after being convicted and sentenced for violence can seek rehabilitation and not offend again.

“As men, we must say no. No, domestic violence is a not a private family matter. No, we do not have the right to discipline our children with violence. No, a woman is not inviting rape or sexual assault because of her personal life choices, where she chooses to socialise or how she dresses,” the President said.

It starts with accountability, Musida

Meanwhile, Miss South Africa Shudufhadzo Musida highlighted a need for a collective responsibility within society towards the fight against the scourge of GBVF.

“It [GBVF] needs to be dismantled. We can’t exclude certain members of our society from this conversation…it starts with accountability,” Musida said.

From Wednesday, the national flag has been flying at half-mast across the country in memory of the countrymen and women who lost their lives to COVID-19 and gender-based violence.

The Western Cape has expressed deep concern about the growing infection rate and has since confirmed that it is dealing with a resurgence.

This comes after the province reported a 52.1% jump in new cases over the last week alone, after recording a more than 20% increase week-on-week.

“A resurgence is when the number of active cases increases, week-on-week, by more than 20%.

“There is also now established community transmission of the virus again in this province, which means that it is spreading within communities at a faster rate,” the Western Cape Premier, Alan Winde, explained.

According to Winde, the resurgence is mostly sparked by two districts, the Garden Route and the Cape metro.

He said the surge continues to gain momentum, especially in the Garden Route after issuing a hotspot alert last week.

There are now more active cases in the George and Knysna sub-districts since the outbreak.

Winde noted that the City of Cape Town is also following a similar trajectory.

“We are therefore also issuing a hotspot alert for the metro,” he added.

However, he highlighted that the spike in the City of Cape Town is recorded in every sub-district and not confined to one area.

“While the growth in cases has mainly been driven by these two districts, we are also worried about the Cape Winelands, which is starting to record a concerning number of new cases,” said Winde.

The province is closely monitoring the Overberg, Central Karoo and West Coast districts due to their proximity to the hotspots.

According to the province’s latest data, there are currently 7 241 active infections, with a total of 126 362 confirmed cases and 114 548 recoveries.

Health system under pressure

Winde said the established COVID-19 resurgence is reflected in the proportion of positive tests, which has now grown to 16%.

“My biggest concern is for our health platform, which is under growing pressure.”

The biggest concern, according to Winde, is hospitalisations, which reached 904 on Wednesday, after recording a low of under 500 in September.

The Premier said 431 patients are receiving treatment in public hospitals, while 473 are in private hospitals.

“In the last 24-hour reporting period alone, the number of people being hospitalised for COVID-19 increased by a staggering 54 people.”

The Brackengate Hospital of Hope is now treating 109 patients after having a few patients in September.

“In fact, since the start of November, COVID-19 hospitalisations across the province have increased by 63%.

“The private sector has increased by 94%, while the public sector has increased by 39%,” said Winde.

Meanwhile, critical care admissions have risen by 75% since the start of November.

“This is particularly concerning, as an admission to a critical care unit is an indication of severe illness that might lead to death,” said Winde.

Lockdown

Winde called on everyone to prevent a hard lockdown, and to ensure that there are enough empty beds in hospitals for those who need them.

“We must be under no illusion as to how serious the situation is, and how quickly it can deteriorate further.”

The province said it has reintroduced key healthcare services to facilities, as it needs to provide comprehensive care to everyone who needs it, including non-COVID-19 patients.

“This means our hospitals are already fuller than they were earlier this year during the first wave of hospitalisations,” said Winde.

He said the province is trying to avoid “de-escalating” essential services because this will have a detrimental impact on people’s health.

“We have to save all lives, including those who don’t have COVID-19.”

He believes the situation can be under control through people’s actions.

“We also cannot afford a lockdown again, as is being witnessed in many European countries right now. Our economy simply cannot afford it. A lockdown would kill jobs and cause our humanitarian disaster to worsen. This will also cost lives in the future,” he stressed.

Keep safe

Everyone needs to remain safe and protect each other by following all the non-pharmaceutical protocols, he said.

“Every single resident should assume that COVID-19 is everywhere they go and take all the necessary precautions at every point along their journey.”

The Western Cape said it will drastically increase high visibility enforcement of the regulations to help slow down the spread of the virus through its Disaster Joint Operations Centre.

“We urge members of the public, businesses and other organisations to report violations of COVID-19 protocols immediately, so that our teams can take action immediately,” said Winde.

Deputy President David Mabuza has called on South Africans to wear a black armband, a ribbon, or any sign that signifies an act of mourning in order to demonstrate solemn respect for those who have passed away due to Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) and COVID-19.

“We call on all families, communities and organisations to set up memorial corners where flowers, lit candles and any appropriate form of memorialisation is observed to remember and honour those who have lost their lives,” the Deputy President said.

He made these remarks on Wednesday during an event to mark the beginning of the 16 Days of Activism for no Violence against Women and Children Campaign as well as the commencement of the five days of remembrance for the citizens who have lost their lives due to COVID-19.

The South African National Flag was flown at half-mast to symbolize the beginning of the five Days of Remembrance for citizens who have lost their lives through GBVF and COVID-19.

The President has directed that from 25 November until 29 November, the nation should embark on five days of mourning, particularly for the victims of COVID-19 and those who have lost their lives through GBVF.

“During this period, the flag will be flown at half-mast, throughout the country from 6am – 6pm. We will do this not only as a sign of solidarity with all families who lost their loved ones but to demonstrate our resilience and collective determination to overcome COVID-19 and GBVF,” Mabuza said.

The Deputy President called on churches, mosques, temples, synagogues and houses of prayer to hold prayer sessions to support surviving families to cope with the loss of their loved ones.

“Our response to GBVF must be emphatic and uncompromising. It is our commitment as government, civil society formations and all other social partners to work together towards a sustained programme of action to curb GBVF.

“As part of this comprehensive programme, today marks the official commencement of our 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children campaign, which is hosted nationwide under the theme: Women’s Economic Justice for a Non-Violent and Non-Sexist South Africa,” the Deputy President said.

He encouraged society to collectively rally behind all national efforts and programmes to empower, protect and promote the advancement and development of women and girl children.

“Together we must build a society that places an enormous amount of its resources to the protection and development of women, to their well-being and their due recognition as leaders of our nation in all facets of human endeavors,” the Deputy President said.

Mabuza said the 16 Days of Activism campaign should be about concrete and tangible progress to end violence against women and children.

“It should never just be a simple and annual ritual in our calendar of events. In a democratic and a human rights centred country like ours, patriarchy cannot be used as a cultural basis for the oppression of women.

“Women can no longer live in servitude to men that have disregard for their lives and their freedom, therefore we call on all our communities to condemn any acts of GBVF and where such acts manifest themselves they should be reported to the nearest police station,” he said.

Mabuza said the reported rising number of COVID-19 infections remains a major cause for concern.

“We should continue to behave responsibly to save lives and avoid any possible resurgence of COVID-19 infections that may result in further loss of lives,” he said.

The COVID-19 death toll has topped the 21 000 mark after 115 more people lost their lives on Tuesday.

Of the additional deaths, 45 were recorded in the Eastern Cape, 20 in Free State, 19 in Gauteng, 16 in the Western Cape, 10 in Kwa-Zulu-Natal and five in the Northern Cape.

This brings the total number of fatalities to 21 083 since the COVID-19 pandemic started in March.

Also, 2 493 people were confirmed to have contracted the virus, which brings the number of COVID-19 cases to 772 252 to date.

The Coronavirus continues to spread across the nation, with the Eastern Cape recording the most active actives.

According to the Health Minister’s latest statistics, the Eastern Cape has the highest number of active cases at 8 512, followed by the Western Cape 7 880 and Free State 7 280.

KwaZulu-Natal has 5 645 active cases, Northern Cape 3 269, North West 1 230, Mpumalanga 373, Limpopo 373 and Gauteng 243.

Meanwhile, 716 444 patients have been healed which translates to a recovery rate of 92.8%.

“The cumulative number of tests conducted to date is 5 325 631 with 20 288 new tests conducted since the last report,” said Minister Zweli Mkhize.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) is reporting 58 900 547 global confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 1 393 305 deaths.

Global view

According to WHO, the “rapid acceleration” of COVID-19 cases have slowed down, with about 4 million new cases reported in the past week.

However, not the same can be said about the death rate, which continued to surge, with over 67 000 new additional fatalities recorded.

“The European and South East Asia regions continued downward trends in weekly cases; however, the European Region remains the largest contributor to new cases and new deaths in the past seven days,” the WHO added.

In America, the agency noted a peak in both new cases and deaths, while the region continues to account for the greatest proportion of cumulative cases and deaths.

“While cases numbers remain relatively low, the African region reported the highest increase in new cases (15%) and deaths (30%) this week,” the WHO said, adding that the highest new case and death counts were reported in South Africa, Algeria and Kenya.

The Eastern Mediterranean and Western Pacific regions also reported a rise in new cases and deaths this week.

In the past week, the United States reported the highest number of cases (over 1.1 million cases, 14% increase from the previous week), India (over 280 000 cases, 8% decrease), Italy (over 230 000 new cases, 3% decrease), Brazil (over 200 000 new cases, 17% increase) and France (over 170 000 new cases, 16% decrease).

President Cyril Ramaphosa has condemned the recent arson attacks affecting the road freight industry.

A truck driver was shot and killed, another one injured, and a truck set alight in Leondale, east of Johannesburg, on Monday evening.

This is the latest incident of attacks that has engulfed the industry, which saw at least 30 trucks targeted last week.

“As South Africans, we cannot possibly tolerate the mindless and bloody lawlessness with which the road freight industry is being targeted,” said the President.

“We cannot tolerate this loss of life and destruction of property.”

The President has offered his sincere condolences to the families and colleagues of drivers who have lost their lives through the intimidation and violence perpetrated by criminals.

He has also wished drivers who have sustained physical injuries and psychological trauma during these incidents a speedy recovery.

President Ramaphosa also expressed his concern about the effect of this violence on owners and employees of the affected trucking companies and the economic disruption caused by these acts as the country focuses on rebuilding the economy.

He has since commended and welcomed the arrest of suspects in Gauteng in the past 24 hours following deadly assaults on truck drivers.

The President has since directed Ministers of Employment and Labour, Transport, Home Affairs and Police to submit a report on this matter.

The Presidency said the President is confident that perpetrators in all parts of the country will be brought to book.