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Basic Education Minister Angie Mothsekga has received COVID-19 supplies on behalf of specials schools. The supplies were donated by short-term insurance company, Santam.

Among the items donated are a motorised, pressurised sprayer, gloves, sanitisers, as well as other essential items.

“Santam has donated sanitisers and equipment that should be used when an area has been contaminated. This is very important because in the past, we have seen schools highly disrupted because they did not have their own equipment to disinfect when there is a case of COVID-19 infection.

“It will help us to manage schools. Schools are being trained to use the equipment to disinfect, so there won’t be any major disruptions,” said the Minister.

While the donation is a result of a public-private partnership with Santam, which has a longstanding experience in the space, it also follows the release of a report by the South African Human Rights Commission around issues of safety in special schools.

“It is part of a broad intervention arising from the report that was released by the South African Human Rights Commission on issues of safety, particularly at hostels in special schools.

“Santam was already working in this space and we thought they could be part of the intervention to look broadly at how we could respond to safety issues,” said Jabulani Ngcobo, the Basic Education’s Director for Inclusive Education.

Ngcobo said the initiative, which involves around 81 schools in various provinces, aims to not only  improve the safety in specialised schools but also to combat Coronavirus.

With the costs of decontamination for a school at around R10 000 – R20 000, Ngcobo said this initiative will see schools manage disruption, while saving money.

The Gauteng Provincial Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) and Human Settlements has launched an investigation over the illegal allocation and sale of government houses in Ekurhuleni.

The investigation pertains to government houses in Clayville Extension 45 Ward 1, Ekurhuleni and Extension 71 Ward 92, Tembisa.

The committee made shocking discoveries when committee Chairperson Kedibone Diale was conducting unannounced oversight visits to government housing developments in the Ekurhuleni and City of Johannesburg regions on Wednesday.

The committee decided to conduct the oversight visits to verify allocation of RDP houses, in an effort to ensure the Fleurhof crisis does not repeat itself.

During an inspection in Extension 45 Ward 1, the committee learnt that from 2017, government officials allegedly sold houses to desperate South Africans in need of shelter, despite being on the waiting list for government houses.

Out of desperation, residents bought the houses and have been occupying them illegally as no title deeds were issued.

However, the residents of Extension 45 Ward 1, have recently experienced intimidation and threats of eviction from various sources – all outside of the lawful processes.

Last week, community members were allegedly harassed by members of a local taxi association, and ordered to vacate the government houses they are currently occupying by the end of the month.

The committee also discovered that in Extension 71 Ward 92, some occupants were lawfully allocated houses during lockdown, where they were moved from their shacks in different informal settlements to the government houses.

However, it is alleged that some of government houses are sold, and of late, there has been an influx of occupants who bought units.

Diale has strongly condemned the alleged acts of corruption in the allocation of houses in Extension 45 ward 1, and Extension 71 ward 92.

Diale said that though the committee is against the illegal occupation by residents of Extension 45 ward 1, it is more appalled by the violent acts of intimidation and abuse, allegedly by members of the taxi association.

In light of the threats made hereto, Diale said that the committee will, in consultation with the Community Safety Portfolio Committee, ensure there is policing of the area and protection offered to residents while government processes unfold to resolve these issues.

“The committee will promptly engage with the Head of Department: Human Settlements and ascertain the validity of these allegations. Furthermore, upon conclusion of a brief investigation process, the committee will lay criminal charges against all public officials involved in these unlawful processes.

“This will send a strong message to others conducting similar acts of corruption, as well as give hope to the community that indeed legislative process are effective in resolving their challenges. It is the committee’s responsibility to oversee the work of the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements, and ensure that services are being delivered to the people of Gauteng in a transparent, credible and lawful manner,” Diale said.

The Minister of Women, Children and Persons with Disabilities, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, has called on government departments to incorporate a plan aimed at tackling gender-based violence (GBV) into their annual performance plans.

The Minister said this when her department briefed Parliament’s multi-party women’s caucus on Thursday.

Nkoana-Mashabane said the National Strategic Plan (NSP) on GBV and femicide – approved by Cabinet in March this year – is still being developed and progress has been made in finalising it.

She said the plan sets out to provide a cohesive strategic framework to guide the national response to the gender-based violence crisis.

“The department has called on all government departments to integrate these NSP targets into our annual performance plans and their strategic plans, as they reprioritise their budgets due to COVID-19.

“We are committed to ensuring that departments remain gender sensitive, while implementing interventions in response to COVID-19,” Nkoana-Mashabane said.

The Minister said the plan envisions a South Africa free from GBV and femicide directed at women, children and LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, and asexual or allied) persons.

To achieve this vision, South Africa will need to centre its efforts on bringing about specific changes around the six pillars of the plan.

This includes accountability, coordination and leadership; prevention and rebuilding social cohesion to try to stop violence before it happens, and a national drive towards shifting away from toxic masculinity; restoring women dignity and rebuilding a social fabric; sufficient and sensitive cardinal justice; adequate care for support and healing; building women’s economic power and better information management to inform action.

“To achieve this vision, South Africa will have to use its efforts to move forward with the implementation of the National Strategic Plan.

“The Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, together with the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, has developed a monitoring and evaluation implementation plan.

“As of 30 June 2020, we submit weekly progress reports, co-signed by government and civil society, to the President,” Nkoana-Mashabane said.

Cabinet has thrown its weight behind Ministers Angie Motshekga and Dr Blade Nzimande as they work tirelessly to ensure that schools and higher learning institutions do not lose the 2020 academic year.

“…Teachers can bank on us, students at universities can bank on us and all our people at various schools…” Minister in the Presidency, Jackson Mthembu, said on Thursday.

Mthembu was addressing the media on the outcomes of Cabinet’s meeting held on Wednesday.

The executive has welcomed the reopening of schools.

Grade 6 and 11 learners returned to class on Monday, while their peers in Grades 7 and 12 went back last month following the temporary closure of public schools to prevent the further spread of COVID-19.

“Cabinet also welcomed the announcement that under alert level 2 lockdown, all universities will be allowing the controlled return of students to campus-based institutions, in line with criteria published in the government gazette,” Mthembu said.

SAnews reported this morning that a maximum of 66% of students would be allowed to resume their studies at university campuses.

Meanwhile, Technical and Vocational Education and Training college students will return to campus in a staggered fashion.

“We also welcome the reopening of Community Education and Training Centres, and the return of staff to their workplace,” Mthembu said.

The reopening of higher learning institutions will be done in terms of the detailed COVID-19 management plans in place across the sector.

This is to ensure the continued safety of students and staff, while allowing greater access to campus teaching and learning for more students.

“The Department of Basic Education has also put in protocols to [prevent] teachers and learners from contracting Coronavirus at our basic education institutions,” said Mthembu.

Cabinet has reiterated its commitment to ensure that allegations of corruption relating to COVID-19 procurement are swiftly investigated by law enforcement agencies.

The commitment was confirmed by Minister in the Presidency, Jackson Mthembu, during a post-Cabinet briefing on Thursday.

“Those implicated will be severely punished, and money stolen from the State by unscrupulous companies and individuals by inflating the prices of personal protective equipment will be recovered,” said the Minister.

Mthembu said Cabinet is also pleased with the progress made by the Committee of Ministers, chaired by Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola.

The committee was appointed early this month to look into corruption in the procurement of goods and services sourced for the purpose of containing and responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Ministers of Justice and Correctional Services; Presidency; Finance; Police; Public Service and Administration,and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs are part of the committee.

The team of Ministers is expected to coordinate the compilation of all the COVID-19 procurement and make it accessible to the public.

In the interest of transparency, Mthembu said, National Treasury on Wednesday published information from most of the departments and entities that have fully complied.

“National Treasury will continue with additional work to refine the submitted information for further processing. Cabinet reaffirms that law enforcement agencies will continue to be responsible for the investigative work,” said Mthembu.

The Fusion Centre, he said, which coordinates the work of all law enforcement agencies, remains on track to present its first six-weekly report (in the first week of September 2020) to President Cyril Ramaphosa.

“Cabinet will give the necessary support to all law enforcement agencies. This will include giving them the resources they need to function optimally, independently, without fear, favour and prejudice in facilitating the investigation and prosecution of corruption-related cases without any further delay,” said Mthembu.

“The scourge of corruption, which manifests itself in the blatant theft and looting of State resources, is the biggest societal cancer that has the potential to erode public trust in government’s concerted efforts to improve the lives of the people.”

Cabinet during its meeting – held on Wednesday – also condemned all alleged acts of corruption and is confident that all wrongdoers will eventually be prosecuted, without fear or favour.

Cabinet has also urged South Africans to report corruption to the National Anti-Corruption Hotline on 0800 701 701.

While there is a delay in the procurement of devices for students, proper administrative processes were followed, says Higher Education, Science and Innovation Minister, Dr Blade Nzimande.

“Although the provision of devices is extremely urgent as part of the government’s response to COVID-19, a formal, transparent, competitive tender process was followed,” Nzimande said on Wednesday.

The Minister said this as he responded to complaints regarding the delays in procurement of laptops.

Nzimande said he had tasked the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), with the procurement process of the digital learning devices for NSFAS funded students currently registered at universities and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges.

He said the department adopted this route instead of an emergency tender process to avoid any deviation from the normal competitive procurement process.

“The reason for this was our serious concern that the process must be beyond reproach given recent experiences of reported corrupt practices experienced around COVID-19 procurement of personal protective equipment (PPEs).

“The Administrator of NSFAS informed me on Tuesday that none of the bids competing for the supply of learning devices as specified in the bid process, had achieved the mandatory requirements as required in the bid document. For this reason, no tender was awarded,” Nzimande explained.

While acknowledging that this is unfortunate and regrettable, in the sense that the procurement of learning devices will not take place right now, Nzimande insists that “the rules of good governance and due process must be followed to ensure a judicious outcome in the public interest.”

“Government policy is clear that our procurement process must promote an inclusive economy with diverse players, with specific priority given to credible broad-based black economic enterprises to ensure we that broaden the base of our economy,” Nzimande said.

Briefing the media on his department’s response to South Africa’s move to lockdown alert level 2, Nzimande said he has instructed that all institutions falling under his two departments to publish a full list of all companies that have benefited from procurement initiated in response to COVID-19.

“Once a service provider has been appointed, the learning devices will be delivered directly to the student as per address provided on the acknowledgement of debt or request for digital learning device form,” Nzimande said.

NSFAS has issued guidelines to outline process to be followed to enable students to receive these laptops.

Over 89 000 NSFAS applications received

Meanwhile, NSFAS has received over 89 547 applications for 2021. The NSFAS 2021 application cycle opened on 3 August 2020 and will close on 30 November 2020.

“Given current extreme circumstance as a direct result of COVID-19, we are anticipating an influx of applications by the closing date of applications, with predictions of a higher number of applications compared to the previous years,” Nzimande said.

Legal action against fraudulent NSFAS students

In addition, Nzimande has warned that legal action will be taken against students, who attempted to defraud NSFAS by misrepresenting their financial status.

This follows the removal of 5 000 students from NSFAS list, who were incorrectly funded on the basis of providing incorrect information for the 2020 academic year, on the basis of in accurate information supplied in the original applications.

Nzimande said NSFAS has issued communique to all affected students notifying them of termination of their funding status, and the process to follow if they dispute the findings.

“The affected students will have 14 days from the date they received the SMS communication to petition this decision by submitting proof of family income or change of income to NSFAS for review. These documents need to be submitted to NSFAS via email at IncomeReview@nsfas.org.za,” Nzimande said.

The African Regional Certification Commission (ARCC) on Tuesday declared the continent free of Wild Poliovirus.

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) said this milestone is a big stride towards achieving the goal of global Polio eradication.

According to NICD, Polio is the second human disease after Smallpox, to be globally wiped out through vaccination.

The contagious disease is a viral illness that can cause sudden weakness and permanent paralysis or death in previously healthy individuals, often children.

The institute said Polio, which is preventable through immunisation with a vaccine, used to cause large outbreaks throughout the world and in Africa.

“In 1988, when the Global Polio Eradication Initiative was launched, polio was found in more than 125 countries of the world and paralysed more than 350 000 people that year,” said the NICD.

For the last three decades, every African country has devoted enormous effort into keeping immunisation coverage high, conducting surveillance to look for Polio in every child paralysed for any reason and submitting data to the ARCC.

“The decades of work have come to fruition in this landmark achievement. It is a celebration of a global concerted effort towards a common goal, in which we acknowledge participation by every mother and guardian who has taken their child for routine immunisation.”

ARCC Chairperson, Professor Rose Gana Fomban Leke, said 25 August 2020 is a historic day for Africa.

“The ARCC for Polio eradication is pleased to announce that the region has successfully met the certification criteria for wild polio eradication, with no cases of the wild poliovirus reported in the region for four years,” said Leke.

The ARCC also heaped praise for former President Nelson Mandela who supported Rotary International that jumpstarted Africa’s commitment to Polio eradication with the launch of the Kick Polio Out Of Africa campaign in 1996.

At that time, Polio was paralysing about 75 000 children, annually.

The commission said Mandela’s call mobilised African nations and leaders across the continent to step up their efforts to reach every child with the polio vaccine.

Since 1996, Polio eradication efforts have prevented up to 1.8 million children from crippling life-long paralysis and saved approximately 180 000 lives, ARRC said.

The last case of Wild Poliovirus in the region was detected in 2016 in Nigeria,  the ARCC said.

“This is a momentous milestone for Africa. Now future generations of African children can live free of Wild Polio,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, World Health Organisation Regional Director for Africa.

“This historic achievement was only possible thanks to the leadership and commitment of governments, communities, global Polio eradication partners and philanthropists. I pay special tribute to the frontline health workers and vaccinators, some of whom lost their lives, for this noble cause.”

Vigilance

However, Moeti said the continent must remain vigilant and keep up vaccination rates to avert a resurgence of the wild poliovirus and address the continued threat of vaccine-derived polio (cVDPV2).

“While the eradication of Wild Poliovirus from the WHO African Region is a major achievement, 16 countries in the region are currently experiencing cVDPV2 outbreaks, which can occur in under-immunised communities,” Moeti added.

The NICD said Polio must not be allowed to return.

“We must not let down our guard and allow polio to return. Immunisation against Polio remains the foundation of protecting our communities against outbreaks. The declaration of Africa as free of Wild Poliovirus shows that we have the prospect of global Polio eradication within our grasp,” said the NICD.

Finance Deputy Minister, Dr David Masondo, says government will implement departmental budget cuts and bolster revenue collection to stimulate economic growth.

Masondo said this when responding to oral questions when the economic cluster departments appeared before the National Assembly on Wednesday.

This is at the back of projections that the country’s economy is set to contract by 7.2% in 2021.

Masondo said government was aiming to stabilise debt in 2023/24 through a combination of reforms that will boost economic growth, and measures to increase revenue collection and lower expenditure.

“This will require spending reductions and revenue adjustments amounting to approximately R250 billion over the next two years, beginning in 2021/ 22.

“Work is underway to ensure that fiscal consolidation and debt stabilisation is achieved,” he said.

Masondo said as Treasury implements budget cuts, there should be no holy cows and no spending items will be automatically protected from possible downward adjustment.

“The details of the spending reductions and revenue measures will be presented in the 2020 Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) and the 2021 Budget Review,” he said.

Countercyclical approach to support the economy

Masondo said, meanwhile, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit SA shores, government adopted a countercyclical approach [reducing spending and raising taxes during a boom period, and increasing spending and cutting taxes during a recession] to support relief efforts when economic activity took a knock.

“The short-term fiscal measures adopted are meant to provide support to the economy by maintaining the spending envelope in the context of falling revenue, redirect funds towards the response to COVID-19 interventions and to provide support to business by raising the contingent liabilities of the State.

“In this regard, government has undertaken a counter-cyclical approach in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, in which the main budget deficit is projected to widen to 14.6% of GDP and the debt to reach 81.8% of the GDP.

“Cabinet endorsed an active approach that will adjust expenditure to a sustainable level, as well as a target of a primary surplus by 2023/ 24,” said Masondo.

Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi says his department is looking into the non-payment of relief funds by employers to their employees.

Nxesi said this when Ministers in the economic cluster appeared before the National Assembly to field oral questions.

Addressing the house via a virtual link, Nxesi said around 700 000 beneficiaries have indicated that they have not been paid by their employers, who submitted claims on their behalf.

“…We are following up on employers who have not paid. We have made an undertaking that no matter how long it takes, if people are owed their monies, they will have to be paid after we have done proper investigations, and we have satisfied ourselves of the proper documentation, because it is equally dangerous to simply pay if the documentation is not proper,” Nxesi said.

Nxesi had been asked how his department was dealing with the challenges of employers, who have received the Temporary Employer-Employee Relief Scheme (TERS) benefits, but have not passed on the money to their employees.

The Minister was also asked what further steps would be taken to hold those involved in alleged corruption accountable for placing the livelihood of employees at risk.

To date, some R34 billion in benefits has been distributed through employers in 7.4 million payments to recipients, in line with a commitment to provide income support for three months.

During the same period, a further R4 billion was disbursed in normal UIF benefits in 677 000 payments to beneficiaries.

Addressing the house on Wednesday, Nxesi said the non-payment of TERS benefits was being followed up.

Nxesi said in some instance, employers received the money but have not handed it over to employees.

In other instances, employees are foreign nationals, whose documentation is not sorted out because of their identification.

“We are trying to work with employers collaboratively, to deal with those issues,” the Minister said.

The National Assembly has passed the Disaster Management Tax Relief Bill and the Disaster Management Tax Relief Administration Bill.

The bills were approved during the National Assembly’s hybrid plenary held on Tuesday.

The bills provide for the deferred payment of taxes, a skills development levy payment holiday, and increasing the tax-deductible amount of donations to the Solidarity Fund from 10% to 20%, amongst others.

The two bills, commonly referred to as the COVID-19 Tax Bill and the COVID-19 Tax Administration Bill, were introduced by the Minister of Finance, Tito Mboweni, together with the Special Adjustment Budget on 24 June 2020.

The adjustment budget was promulgated to deal with and minimise the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown, and the resultant economic downturn.

Parliamentary spokesperson Moloto Mothapo said before passing the bills, the National Assembly first had to adopt a resolution to suspend Rule 290(2)(a), which provides, inter alia, that the debate on the Second Reading of the Bill may not commence before at least three Assembly working days have elapsed since the committee’s report was tabled.

“The Standing Committee on Finance, following careful consideration and public participation, adopted and tabled its reports on the two bills with amendments on Friday, 21 August,” Mothapo said.

The two bills will now be sent to the National Council of Provinces for concurrence.

Finance Minister Tito Mboweni has welcomed the passing of the two bills, noting that the collaboration between the Ministry of Finance and the Department of Health has been very productive and helpful.

“We have managed to bend the curve of infections, improving recoveries through the process. An economic system is about production, it’s about distribution, it’s about exchange and it’s about oiling the wheels of the economy.

“When we talk about economic transformation, we talk about what we do in agriculture, mining, finance, transport, logistics, government and community services. Therefore, all South Africans need to participate in all the activities.

“In the process of all these economic activities, taxation needs to be raised to finance the major needs and demands of the country. But when we are in crisis, we should also consider how we can use the tax system to support the economy as a whole. This is what we are trying to do by these interventions,” Mboweni said.

Many comments on the bills, said Mboweni, requested additional support, which was followed by the President announcing an expansion of the quantum of the tax relief, which would also apply to a greater number of companies.

“Specifically, the additional employment tax incentive amount was increased from R500 per month to R750 month, and the amount of monthly pay-as-you-earn (PAYE) tax that could be deferred was increased from 20% to 35%.

“The gross income threshold for which companies could apply for PAYE and provisional tax deferrals was increased from R50 million to R100 million,” Mboweni said.

While the additional employment tax incentive could be claimed for all employees who earned below R6 500 per month, this greatly expanded the number of employees who were eligible, as it removed the age requirement and the criteria for how long the individual had been employed.

“This was on top of a four-month exemption of the skills development levy, a delay in payments for the carbon tax, 90-day deferrals for excise duties for companies in the alcohol and tobacco industry, additional tax deductions for donations to COVID-19 relief organisations and greater access to living annuity funds.

“All companies, including those with gross incomes greater than R100 million, were able to apply to the South African Revenue Service on a case-by-case basis to potentially defer tax payments,” Mboweni said.