Author: Agency

A court challenge by the former chairman of the National Lotteries Commission (NLC) Alfred Nevhutanda has delayed the forfeiture of millions of rands in assets by the state. Nevhutanda is challenging the legality of the proclamation giving the Special Investigating Unit the powers to investigate the affairs of the NLC. Included in the assets, currently being preserved as “proceeds of crime”, are a R27-million Pretoria mansion allegedly owned by Nevhatunda, bought with Lottery funds. In total the Asset Forfeiture Unit has preserved assets worth more than R344-million, including other properties, luxury vehicles and two Ocean Basket franchises owned by people implicated in…

Vehicle owners are increasingly abandoning the long queues at vehicle licensing centres and opting to renew their vehicle licences online to save time. An analysis of the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) online platform, online.natis, shows that more than 2.5 million vehicle owners have opted for the convenience of the online platform since its launch in 2022. “Monthly average online renewals on the natis platform have increased from 44 802 in August 2022 to 222 606 last month with an average daily renewal of 7 181. “To access the service which offers motorists the convenience of renewing the vehicle licence…

South Africa is expected to receive some R628 million in European Union (EU) grant funding in support of its green hydrogen agenda. This was announced during a media briefing with the Minister of Energy and Electricity Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau and European Union (EU) Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson. “The [first] European Grant is close to R100 million. It will be [used] in the implementation of the strategy for Transnet. The other European Union Grant of almost half a billion Rand will go to the development and construction of infrastructure in the South African green…

President Cyril Ramaphosa says the relations between South Africa and China have entered a new “era of opportunity”. The President was addressing the nation through his weekly newsletter following an official State Visit to the People’s Republic of China last week. “During the state visit, China and South Africa agreed to upgrade our relationship to an All-Round Strategic Cooperative Partnership in a New Era. This signifies the strengthening of the political, economic and social ties between the two countries. “The strengthening of ties with major trading partners like China continues to yield benefits for the South African economy and people.…

By Nosihle Shelembe Beijing, China – President Cyril Ramaphosa has appealed to the business sector in China to invest in South Africa and make use of the great opportunities that exist for growth and development. “South Africa presents a great opportunity for companies in Shenzhen to deepen their global value chains,” the President said on Tuesday. The President made the remarks during the Shenzhen Business Roundtable at the occasion of the State Visit to China. “With the capabilities that your companies have, we encourage you to play a more active role in our economy for mutual benefit,” he said. Impressed by…

Municipalities are at the centre of government’s efforts to move towards clean energy and fulfil the country’s commitment to global climate change. This is according to President Cyril Ramaphosa, who was addressing the opening ceremony of the Municipal Just Energy Transition (JET) Conference held in Johannesburg on Monday. The President highlighted that South Africa’s 257 metropolitan, district and local municipalities “own and operate approximately half of South Africa’s electricity distribution grid and facilitate universal access to electricity”. “One hundred and sixty five municipalities are electricity service providers. Through the Integrated National Electrification Programme grant, municipalities are responsible for addressing the…

Consistent electricity supply in South Africa is now “one step closer” due to the diligent and dedicated implementation of the Energy Action Plan (EAP). This is according to Minister in The Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, who on Thursday briefed members of the media on the outcomes of the Cabinet meeting held on Wednesday. The country has not experienced load shedding for more than 130 days. “The supply of consistent electricity is now a step closer due to the steadfast implementation of the EAP announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa in July 2022. The EAP’s consistent focus on planned maintenance and work to…

Telecommunications giant MTN has lost a Special Tribunal exception application in connection with the alleged irregular supply of mobile devices for COVID-19 screening to the Limpopo Department of Health. This after the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) launched an investigation into the affairs of that department which – the unit insists – “revealed that MTN made an unsolicited proposal to supply the department with 10 000 cell phone devices intended for COVID-19 mass screenings” in that province. “This proposal cost the department R10 million. This falls outside the prescripts of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA). The Department of Health accepted…

The Gauteng Provincial Government has officially launched its e-Panic app (Gauteng e-Panic) as part of the province’s commitment to prioritise the safety and security of citizens and communities. The panic button has been created to fight against crime and the persistent issues of domestic violence in Gauteng. It is a free to use service and, according to the provincial government, the response team is fully equipped to assist residents in their time of need. The Gauteng MEC of e-Government, Bonginkosi Dhlamini, has encouraged all residents to use this free resource. “The Gauteng Panic Button is a testament to the progress…

President Cyril Ramaphosa says South Africa aims to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Speaking at the Climate Resilience Symposium underway at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) International Convention Centre in Pretoria, President Ramaphosa said the revised Nationally Determined Contribution balances the country’s developmental needs and economic realities. “It takes into account the feasibility of undertaking a climate response through a set of just transition pathways. Importantly, it notes carbon tax as a vital component of our mitigation strategy to lower greenhouse gas emissions,” President Ramaphosa said. By internalising the cost of carbon emissions, the President said the…

President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on black business and black industrialists to be part of efforts to rebuild the country’s economy. President Ramaphosa made the call at the Black Business Council (BBC) gala dinner held at Kempton Park in Johannesburg on Tuesday night. He warned that without investment there can be no jobs, and without job creation on a large scale “our prospects for achieving full economic transformation are diminished”. “By strategically investing in the economy we are laying the groundwork for prosperity, connectivity, and opportunity across our nation. Green industrialisation is an area of opportunity for black business,” President…

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has invited public comments and written submissions on draft amendments to the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Control Regulations. “The draft amendments aim to strengthen South Africa’s system to combat money laundering and terrorist financing by enhancing the reporting of the conveyance of cash or bearer negotiable instruments into or out of the Republic,” National Treasury said on Tuesday. The invitation for comments was published on 8 April 2024 via Gazette Notice 50450 no 4712. The draft amendments are in terms of section 77(5)(a) of the Financial Intelligence Centre Act, 2001 (Act No. 38 of 2001…

Lizette Marielle Steyn, 56, has been sentenced to at least 12 years imprisonment after being found guilty of 85 counts of theft. The former Finance and Administration Manager of AgriCAD was sentenced in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court. National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana explained that Steyn was arrested in July last year. “Steyn was employed by AgriCAD [and her] responsibilities, amongst others, were to load the creditors for payment on the business bank account monthly and do the day-to-day bookkeeping and accounting. As such Steyn had full access to the AgriCAD ABSA bank accounts. “During her employment, Steyn…

The luxury home and two vehicles belonging to former Eskom official, Duduzile Moyo, and her husband Mmoloki, are set to be auctioned off to recover losses suffered by Eskom after she allegedly received kickbacks from a supplier amounting to at least R24 million. The Special Investigating Unit (SIU), through the Asset Forfeiture Unit, obtained a forfeiture order for the assets in the Pretoria High Court. According to the SIU, the order is in addition to a preservation order to freeze Moyo’s pension benefits after she resigned at Eskom. “She had allegedly received almost R25 million from an Eskom vendor, Tamukelo…

The Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) has secured a R43 million preservation order emanating from a case of fraud and theft opened by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Embassy against that country’s former Defence Attaché to South Africa, Brigadier Ngoy Timothee Makwamba. The order was handed down in the Pretoria High Court and is to preserve four properties and two bank accounts. According to the National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson, Lumka Mahanjana, one of Makwamba’s duties as the defence attaché was to purchase weapons from South Africa’s state-owned defence, security and related technology company, Denel. “The DRC embassy then made a…

President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to officially open the Newlyn PX Terminal and the Tetra Pak Manufacturing plant in KwaZulu-Natal on Thursday as part of South Africa’s investment drive. These entities made pledges through the South African Investment Conference, an initiative led by President Ramaphosa with the ambitious goal of attracting R1.2 trillion in investments over five years. “The multi modal rail terminal in Bayhead next to the port of Durban pledged R2 billion for the development of the largest multi modal rail terminal in Africa and has completed the last phase of the development exceeding the initial pledge by…

Home Affairs Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi has clarified allegations that his department is “chasing away tourists from South Africa” following an internal circular that was issued by the department on 21 December 2023. Briefing media on Sunday in Pretoria, Motsoaledi explained that the circular was directed to the Commissioner of the Border Management Authority (BMA), as well as managers of ports of entry. The circular was also sent to Provincial Inspectorate and Visa Facilitation Centres. Motsoaledi said the circular was meant to guide BMA officials at the ports of entry on what to do when they encounter nationals of other…

The Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant – popularly known as the R350 grant – is expected to be raised to R370 from April this year. This was announced by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana in the National Assembly on Wednesday. “His Excellency, the President, in his State of the Nation Address, said that the [SRD grant] is going to continue, and the R350 will be improved. My colleague, the Minister of Social Development, is going to publish for comments a comprehensive social security programme and that… will define a better platform and a future for the social security net in…

President Cyril Ramaphosa says there is great potential to unlock economic opportunities through investment-led trade initiatives aimed at increasing the trade of value-added products between South Africa and Ghana. “We need to move beyond trade in commodities and on to the purchase of job creating agricultural goods, and advanced manufactured and value-added products,” President Ramaphosa said. Addressing the SA-Ghana Business Forum held at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand on Tuesday, President Ramaphosa said South Africa and Ghana share a long and rich history defined by the struggle for freedom. “This history provides a firm foundation to forge closer economic…

The Mpumalanga provincial government has introduced coding and robotics in 128 schools, as part of its pilot programme. “That pilot is progressing well and 128 schools, from Grade R to 3 and Grade 7, are currently doing coding and robotics,” Mpumalanga Premier Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane said on Friday when delivering the State of the Province Address (SOPA). Since 2022, in its quest to improve learner performance, the provincial government is providing all Grade 12 learners and teachers in Quantile 1 to 3 schools with tablets and laptops respectively. These devices, the Premier said, are loaded with e-content and will be provided…

The health sector is expected to receive an allocation of R848 billion over the Medium Term Expenditure Framework with at least R1 billion directed to the National Health Insurance (NHI). This was announced by Minister Enoch Godongwana during the 2024 Budget Speech on Thursday. “These allocations include R11.6 billion to address the 2023 wage agreement, R27.3 billion for infrastructure, and R1.4 billion for the NHI grant over the same period. “The allocation for the NHI is a demonstration of the government’s commitment to this policy. There remain a range of system-strengthening activities, that are key enablers of an improved public…

A combination of high debt servicing costs and a higher budget deficit has led to the introduction of a new reform of the Gold and Foreign Exchange Contingency Reserve Account (GFECRA). The reform is aimed at mitigating fiscal risks by reducing government borrowing in the medium-term and will allow government to draw down from its GFECRA held at the Reserve Bank. This was announced by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana during the tabling of the 2024 Budget Speech held in Cape Town on Wednesday. GFECRA is a Reserve Bank held account which captures gains and losses on South Africa’s foreign currency…

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana says although structural reforms have made “good progress”, load shedding and freight rail challenges remain an obstacle. He was speaking during the Budget Speech held at the Cape Town City Hall on Wednesday. “We have embarked on a broad structural reform agenda that aims to address the challenges that have held back our growth. “This agenda has included areas like electricity, logistics, water, telecommunications and visa reforms. The Budget Review details the good progress that has been made in these areas over the past few years. But, obstacles remain and let me focus on the two…

New retirement reforms that will allow access to a portion of one’s retirement savings before retirement will be effective from 1 September 2024, says Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana. “Progress has been made on the two-pot retirement system since I last addressed you during the Medium Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS).  Contributions to retirement funds will be split, with one-third going into a ‘savings component’ and two-thirds going into a ‘retirement component.’ “The two-pot system ensures that we strike a balance between preserving contributions to safeguard a better retirement for members, while addressing the plight of the people to access some…

Some R765 billion has been allocated to the security cluster to up the ante in Government’s fight against crime and to support the defence forces. This was revealed during Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s Budget Speech delivered in Cape Town on Wednesday. “In the coming financial year, 10 000 new police recruits will be trained. As part of the country’s responsibility to promote regional peace and stability, this budget will also allocate funding for the deployment of soldiers in Mozambique and the DRC. “Work on costing and identifying the needs for these critical missions will continue throughout the year and funding…