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The Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) has been commended for delivering on its mandate in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Communications said this when the GCIS presented its special adjustment budget for the 2020/21 financial year.

The adjustment budget presented on Wednesday is in line with the 2020 Revised Fiscal Framework and the Adjustments Appropriation Bill, tabled by Finance Minister, Tito Mboweni, to the hybrid sitting of the National Assembly on 24 June 2020.

“The committee believes that GCIS is doing good work with regard to delivering on its mandate during this pandemic, and that it is doing so while ensuring good governance,” said committee chairperson Boyce Maneli in a statement.

The adjustment budget is presented in line with the 2020 Revised Fiscal Framework and the Adjustments Appropriation Bill, tabled by the Finance Minister on 24 June.

In May, the GCIS presented the annual performance plan (APP) and budget of R720.5 million for the current financial year.

However, through the special adjustment budget, National Treasury has appropriated to the GCIS an additional R60 million to strengthen government communication, and to raise awareness about the COVID-19 pandemic.

As of Wednesday, South Africa’s confirmed COVID-19 cases stood at 224 665.

The GCIS undertook to spend the additional budget as follows: R50.1 million on electronic and print media, R3.9 million on print products and distributions, and R6 million on advertising.

The committee encouraged the entity to channel an equitable share of the additional budget to community media.

It further welcomed the GCIS’s idea to procure a Sentech line for community radio broadcasts.

In May, the GCIS presented the annual performance plan (APP) and budget of R720.5 million for the current financial year.

Additionally, the committee agreed with President Cyril Ramaphosa’s determination to freeze at 0%, an increase on salaries of the chairperson and councillors of the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa).

The Gauteng Health Department has signed the statute paving the way for the establishment of a single government-operated nursing college in the province known as the Gauteng College of Nursing (GCoN).

Following the signing of the statute on Wednesday, the GCoN forms the umbrella organisation for known nursing colleges such as Chris Hani Baragwanath, Bonalesedi, Rahima Moosa, Ann Latsky, SG Lourens and Garankuwa.

Under this new arrangement, the various provincial nursing colleges will be regarded as campuses under GCoN administration.

The responsibilities of the college will be to ensure standardisation of systems and procedures including standard operation procedures for staffing, recruitment of students, curriculum development and implementation, targets and quality assurance.

“Although the Gauteng College of Nursing will be launched in due time, there has been an urgency for the statute to be signed to allow the processes of centralising functions of the campuses into one central unit.

“I look forward to the transformation of nursing practice in Gauteng and I am convinced that the Gauteng College of Nursing is an important step towards this transformation. More so, as this relates to the strengthening of Primary Health Care in preparation for the roll-out of the NHI [National Health Insurance],” said Gauteng Health MEC Bandile Masuku at the signing of the statute in Johannesburg.

The GCoN stems from the National Strategic Plan for Nurse Education, Training and Practice Strategy compiled by Ministerial Task Team appointed in 2011 by the Health Minister.

In the nursing strategic plan, it was recommended that nursing education should offer higher education programmes in line with the National Qualification Framework Act 67 of 2008, to bring nursing professions in line with other professions.

The GCoN has received the full accreditation from the Council of Higher Education, South African Nursing Council, and has been registered by South African Qualification Authority (SAQA). The signing of the statute is in line with Higher Education Act 101 of 1997.

“This commitment reflects how as a department we have prioritised improvement of patient’s experience of care in our facilities, a priority that is intertwined with the nursing practice, nurses are mainly first point of contact with the department that the public interfaces with.

“We recognise that although the nursing practice is one of oldest professions, it is still very important that it continuously evolves to meet the needs of the professions specifically as this relates to quality assurance and providing quality healthcare services to those we serve,” said Masuku.

With Gauteng producing 600 and 950 professional nurses every year, the college is expected to lead to better output in terms of the quality of healthcare workers that are trained at the institution.

Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize says the department is implementing interventions aimed at addressing COVID-19 infections among healthcare workers.

The Minister said this while giving an update on the COVID-19 pandemic to the National Assembly on Wednesday.

Mkhize said as at 30 June 2020, 4 821 healthcare workers in both the public and private healthcare facilities were reported to have been infected with the virus across the country.

The Western Cape continued to account for the majority of infected health care workers with 3 285 infections, or 68%, as at 29 June 2020.

“The leading number of infections are amongst nurses with 2 473 infections followed by other health professionals including community health workers reporting 1 971 and doctors recording 377 infections.”

The Minister said interventions have been put in place to address infections among healthcare workers.

“Guidelines to support all health workers across the continuum of care were developed. A targeted training programme has been designed and implemented to enhance the understanding of the pandemic and facilitate application of these guidelines.

“[This] primarily includes infection prevention and control as well as case management. In-service training of all health care workers to ensure that workers can cope with the management of the pandemic relative to their scope of work has been initiated.”

Use of PPEs

Meanwhile, the use of personal protective equipment (PPEs) remained a challenge facing healthcare workers during the pandemic.

Since the arrival of the pandemic, PPE supply chains have become severely constrained both globally as well as in South Africa and limited imports and shortages of raw materials adversely affected local production.

Mkhize said through the generosity of donations made by South Africans, the Solidarity Fund was able to commit a total of R815 million towards the procurement of urgently needed PPEs for South Africa.

The country also received generous donations of PPE from several countries, foundations, businesses and churches.

“We are happy that the Solidarity Fund has indicated its willingness to support the immediate distribution of PPE in its possession to various provinces”

The Minister said the rational use of PPEs is the greatest challenge facing the country.

“The rational use of PPE’s is the greatest challenge facing us during this pandemic. Healthcare workers, labour unions, and professional associations, due to the concern for the safety of themselves and their members are expecting to be provided with the full spectrum of PPEs.”

“In determining the PPE requirements for health care workers, we are guided by the advice from infection prevention and control experts. We want to assure frontline healthcare workers that the PPE requirements for health workers at different levels of risk are informed by evidence,” he said.

Mkhize said as of 7 July 2020, the department’s own assessment points to the fact that there is sufficient PPE stock available to meet the requirements of frontline healthcare workers.

“We endeavour to ensure that the appropriate PPE is made available to protect frontline healthcare workers from getting infected by the Coronavirus.”

Condolences

Meanwhile, Democratic Alliance MP Siviwe Gwarube conveyed her condolences to South Africans who have lost their loved ones over the past four months, describing COVID-19 as one of the most destructive and deadliest pandemics in recent history.

“As we gather here today, there are people who are languishing in hospitals, fighting for their lives and their homes and over 3500 people have lost their lives. To many these are not just fatalities – it is a family member, a friend or a colleague.”

She thanked healthcare workers for their service.

“All the while healthcare workers are throwing their bodies on the line working in the most impossible conditions. Siyababulela ngomsebenzi wabo (we thank them for their service),” she said.

A partnership between the Department of Social Development has resulted in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in South Africa donating $1.4 million that will go towards the procurement of 20 000 food relief packages.

The contribution comes as the global Coronavirus pandemic takes its toll on the most vulnerable across the country.

The $1.4 million donation for the procurement of food relief packages including 2 000 baby packs for eligible individuals and households.

The church has committed to support the department’s efforts to enable vulnerable individuals and households affected by COVID-19 pandemic to access food using the existing provincial food distribution networks structures.

The food packages will contain essential supplies to the value of R1 500.

The department will today sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the church during a ceremony to be held at the department’s office in Tshwane.

Trade, Industry and Competition Deputy Minister, Nomanlungelo Gina, is set to address a virtual Trade and Investment seminar with Zambia.

The two-day session, which gets underway today, is held under the theme, ‘Developing Afrocentric solutions and forging partnership in response to COVID 19’.

Gina said the seminar will focus on trade and investment opportunities available in both Zambia and South Africa.

It will also provide a platform to discuss strategic issues regarding Zambia’s investment plans to stimulate that country’s economic growth in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The two countries will also discuss mineral beneficiation.

“The ultimate goal is to mobilise South African and Zambian business communities to consider taking up investment opportunities in both countries and to build-up on previous Outward Trade and Investment Missions held in Zambia between 2015 and 2019.

“These missions yielded significant results in exposing South African companies to the Zambian market, deepening bilateral trade relations, creating greater knowledge of South African opportunities, and improving awareness of investment opportunities,” said the Deputy Minister ahead of the start of the session on Thursday.

South Africa’s main exports to Zambia include machinery and mechanical appliances, base metals, mineral products, products of the chemical or allied industries. South Africa also exports plastics and articles thereof, vehicles, aircraft, vessels and associated transport equipment.

The seminar will conclude on Friday, 10 July 2020.

African Union Chairperson, President Cyril Ramaphosa, will on Wednesday participate in the International Labour Organisation (ILO)’s Global Summit on COVID-19 and the World of Work.

The virtual COVID-19-focused Summit will build on the ILO’s 2019 International Conference which adopted the Centenary Declaration for the Future of Work.

“The Summit will expand on the transformation the world of work is undergoing, driven by technological innovation, demographic shifts, climate change, globalisation – and in the current context, a global threat to public health and economic activity,” the Presidency said.

The virtual Summit will also set out a road map of action for the International Labour Organisation and its tripartite constituents of workers, employers and governments to shape and direct these changes.

“The ILO is championing a human-centred approach to the future of work in the context of the persistent poverty, inequalities, injustices, conflict and disasters that continue to threaten shared prosperity and decent work for all,” the Presidency said.

The President’s participation will form part of the Global Leaders Day which is a component of the Summit programme.

The ILO‘s virtual Global Summit on COVID-19 and the World of Work is being held under the theme “Building a Better Future of Work.”

The forum brings together workers, employers and governments from all around the globe to discuss challenges and opportunities around the economic and social impact of the worldwide pandemic.

Shared global and South African good practices and lessons learned in developing a strategic vision, and management of industrial spaces will form part of discussions at a webinar hosted by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC).

The DTIC is set to host Industrial Parks Revitalisation webinar this afternoon, together with National Treasury and its stakeholders.

“The webinar will also explore key components of an eco-system in designing and developing industrial spaces, and explore how green competitiveness can be integrated into the design of greenfield industrial spaces and retrofitted into existing brownfield industrial spaces,” said the DTIC ahead of Wednesday’s webinar.

Speaking ahead of the session that will get underway at 2pm, Deputy Minister Nomalungelo Gina, said National Treasury is implementing an Industrial Parks Revitalisation Programme in partnership with municipalities.

“The National Treasury through the Cities Support Programme is also implementing an Industrial Parks Revitalisation Programme in partnership with municipalities. The initiative entails implementing a business retention and expansion survey, developing and packaging projects and action plans, and implementation and institutionalisation of proposed interventions.”

“The programme also aims at working with the various national and subnational government and private stakeholders to address some of the policy issues around this topic,” said Gina.

The Deputy Minister said work done by both departments in the space of industrial parks highlights the importance of strong and visionary governance and management arrangements within industrial parks.

The then Department of Trade and Industry (dti) launched its industrial park revitalisation programme in 2015, with a focus on infrastructure provision within the older industrial parks throughout the country.

These industrial parks are recognised as catalysts for broader economic and industrial development in their host regions.

The programme focuses on both the physical infrastructure and other support requirements with the objective of enhancing industrialisation.

North West Premier Tebogo Job Mokgoro has tested positive for COVID-19 and is effectively in self-isolation.

The Premier made the announcement during the virtual Special Provincial Executive Council (EXCO) meeting held on Tuesday.

Mokgoro took the COVID-19 test on Monday following the passing of the Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs MEC Mothibi Gordon Kegakilwe.

The MEC passed away on Monday after a short and serious COVID-19 related illness.

“However, Premier Mokgoro is not incapacitated to carry out his duties as he was only presented with only one symptom – which is cough – although he tested positive.

“The Premier will therefore continue to discharge his duties albeit remotely and has instructed members of the Premier’s Support Staff who have worked with him closely in the last two weeks to test; while taking the necessary precautions,” said the Premier’s Office on Tuesday.

The provincial department has already begun with contact tracing.

The Public Works and Roads MEC Saliva Molapisi has also tested positive and is in self-isolation.

Molapisi is however, not incapacitated to discharge his duties as well and actively participated in the virtual Special EXCO meeting on Tuesday.

Furthermore, the EXCO resolved to write to President Cyril Ramaphosa to request him to declare MEC Kegakilwe’s funeral as a Provincial Official Funeral Category 1, in line with government’s funerals policy.

“As soon as the President has responded to the request, more information regarding the date and venue of the funeral will be made public,” said the Premier’s Office.

The National Assembly’s Ad Hoc Committee on the Appointment of the Auditor-General invites suitably qualified South Africans to submit applications to fill the position of the country’s Auditor-General, when the term of the current Auditor-General ends in November.

The Auditor-General of South Africa is appointed for a fixed, non-renewable term of between five and 10 years.

Chairperson of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Appointment of the Auditor-General, Sisisi Tolashe, said the applicants must be South African citizens, be fit and proper to hold the office of the Auditor-General, and comply with any other requirements prescribed by national legislation, in particular the Public Audit Act.

“The person who will be recommended for this position must be a chartered accountant or possess equivalent qualifications, with the following attributes: specialised knowledge of, or experience in auditing, state finances and public administration; be impartial and able to exercise his or her powers and perform his or her functions without fear, favour or prejudice; and maintain high ethical standards,” Tolashe said.

Tolashe said the committee will ensure fairness and transparency in the process, in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa.

The committee hopes to present its recommendation to the National Assembly before the end of August, Tolashe said.

Applications must reach Committee Secretary Peter-Paul Mbele via email at pmbele@parliament.gov.za by no later than 17 July 2020 at 4:30pm

World Health Organization (WHO) experts have travelled to China where they will work together with their Chinese counterparts to prepare scientific plans to identify the zoonotic source of COVID-19.

The experts will develop the scope and terms  of reference for a WHO-led international mission.

“The mission objective is to advance the understanding of animal hosts for COVID-19 and ascertain how the disease jumped between animals and humans,” said the WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus on Tuesday.

To date, there have been 11 500 302 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 535 759 deaths reported globally.

COVID-19 affects access to HIV treatment

With the 23rd International AIDS Conference taking place virtually this week, Ghebreyesus expressed deep concern about the impact of COVID-19 on HIV treatment.

A new WHO survey showed access to HIV medicines has been significantly curtailed as a result of the pandemic with 73 countries reporting that they are at risk of stock-outs of antiretroviral medicines (ARVs).

To mitigate the impact of the pandemic on treatment access, WHO recommended that all countries prescribe ARVs for longer periods of time.

“Up to six months while supply chains for all medicines are fully functioning.

“Similarly, shortages of condoms and pre-exposure prophylaxis can prove costly and WHO calls for countries to ensure uninterrupted prevention, testing and treatment services for HIV,” said Ghebreyesus.

The disruptions in access to life-saving commodities and services come at a critical moment as progress in the global response to HIV stalls.

Over the last two years, numbers of new HIV infections stabilised at 1.7 million annually and there was only a modest reduction in AIDS-related deaths.

While more than 25 million people now have access to ARVs, WHO said global targets for prevention, testing and treatment are off target.

“Progress is stalling because HIV prevention and testing services are not reaching the groups that need them most,” said Ghebreyesus.

Going forward, WHO urged countries to expand access to services for vulnerable groups through stronger community engagement, improved service delivery and tackling stigma and discrimination.