Re-Working Black Economic Empowerment

By Thandisizwe Mgudlwa

In a move to improve the lives of the masses left out of the main stream of the South African economy because of historical injustices, there’s clearly a need for a more integrated and effective approach to “grass-rooting” the transformation programme of Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment  (B-BBEE), so that the deserving masses can rightly have a share in their country's wealth.

A good example of this is the National Empowerment Fund (NEF) and the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) partnership, which was born in 2011 to launch the GIBS Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) Unit and the GIBS/NEF Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) Thought Leaders Dialogue.

Established by the National Empowerment Fund Act No 105 of 1998, the NEF is a driver and a thought-leader in promoting and facilitating Black economic participation through the provision of financial and non-financial support to Black empowered businesses, as well as by promoting a culture of savings and investment among Black people.

The GIBS B-BBEE Unit was launched to focus on the following areas, Research & Development, to establish best practice in Broad-Based Black  Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) in South Africa (rather than the narrow  approach which is predominantly focusing on the ownership aspect of the score card); the introduction of academic and executive programmes at GIBS, including a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) Elective Module in BEE, a Certificate Programme and an Executive Programmes Short Course; ensuring that B-BBEE issues and their effect on society are  researched by members of the GIBS faculty; and hosting of Forums and Conferences: GIBS running a series of B-BBEE forums, workshops, and seminars as well as an annual conference to generate interest in B-BBEE  stakeholders.

According to the Unit, the goal of the Thought Leaders Dialogue, a major initiative of the Unit,  is to explore and influence the perception, design and implementation of B-BBEE in the South African economy. It brings business leaders and other stakeholders active in transformation together to vigorously debate the shortcomings and best practices in B-BBEE.

This group of experienced BEE thought leaders acts as a catalyst to influence and undo the unintended consequences of BEE, and point the way to a more integrated and effective approach to “grass-rooting” B-BBEE.

Ultimately, the B-BBEE Thought Leaders Dialogue may serve as a bridge between academia (in partnership with the private sector) and the Government leadership of the day.

South Africa’s entrepreneurial guru and founder of Black Like Me, Herman Mashaba was elected as the first Patron of the B-BBEE Thought Leadership Dialogue.

Meanwhile, the B-BBEE Act established a legislative framework and proposed establishing an advisory council.

And the Act’s preamble acknowledged that Apartheid excluded the majority of South Africans from accessing skills and ownership of productive assets.

Also, the Act would provide a framework to overcome this legacy by promoting the achievement of the constitutional right to equality.

Economic transformation would be achieved through various means such as changing the racial composition of enterprise ownership, management and skills acquisition.

Furthermore, the South African President would chair the BEE Advisory Council, which would include Cabinet ministers, academics and representatives of business, trade unions and community-based organisations, ( including Community Development Forums, Trusts, Councils and Associations among others).

And the Minister of Trade and Industry was empowered to issue a BEE strategy and Codes of Good Practise and publish Transformation Charters.

Codes of Good Practice would provide definitions and guidelines for implementing BEE.  While, Sectoral Transformation Charters would be developed by major stakeholders in each sector.

Notably, "the BEE Act and its associated Codes of Good Practice are legally binding on government departments, state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and other public entities. They have to apply the Act and Codes when making decisions regarding procurement, licensing and concessions, public-private partnerships and the sale of state-owned assets and businesses."

However, "the Act and Codes are not legally binding on the private sector, but they may find their business shrinking if they do not promote BEE.  For example, a 100% white-owned mining company that does not promote Black staff, or make any attempt to uplift poor communities where its mines are located, could experience difficulty getting its mining license renewed."

Similarly, "a large state-owned enterprise advertising a tender for supply of goods or services could award the tender to a private company that promotes Black Economic Empowerment (BEE), even if this company’s price is higher than another company that makes no attempt to do so."

The BEE legislation adds, “State contracts can be worth millions and this provides an incentive for private companies to change.  For many companies, transformation becomes an economic imperative.”

In order for all this to exist the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) as a South African socio-economic policy framework implemented by the African National Congress (ANC) government of Nelson Mandela in 1994, would need to be revived. 

"The RDP came into being after months of discussions, consultations and  negotiations between the ANC, its Alliance partners the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party, and "mass organisations in the wider civil society."

The ANC's chief aim in developing and implementing the Reconstruction and Development Programme, was to address the immense socioeconomic problems brought about by the consequences of the struggle against its predecessors under the Apartheid regime. 

Specifically, it set its sights on alleviating poverty and addressing the massive shortfalls in social services across the country, something that the document acknowledged would rely upon a stronger macroeconomic environment.

"Achieving poverty alleviation, and a stronger economy were thus seen as deeply interrelated and mutually supporting objectives, development without growth would be financially unsustainable, while growth without development would fail to bring about the necessary structural transformation within South Africa's deeply inequitable and largely impoverished population."

"Hence the RDP attempted to combine measures to boost the economy such as contained fiscal spending, sustained or lowered taxes, reduction of government debt and trade liberalisation with socially minded social service provisions and infrastructural projects. And as commentators then remarked that in this way, the policy took on both socialist and neo-liberal elements, but could not be easily categorised wholly in either camp."

Facing this "deep-seated structural crisis of The Reconstruction and Development Programme(RDP) Policy Framework,the government attempted to put together a policy framework that could begin to address the variety of problems being faced economically.The RDP White Paper,(which was presented to the Parliament of South Africa in 1994),identified economic, social, legal, political, moral, cultural and environmental problems that the country faced.

While the RDP White Paper outlined around six major principles that would guide and give substance to the remainder of the programme, the RDP would be integrated, well coordinated and a sustainable programme, to be conducted in and integrated amongst all three spheres of government, along with civil society, business companies and parastatals; the RDP would be 'people-driven'.

"Here, the programme noticed that development is not about the delivery of goods to a passive citizenry, it is about active involvement and growing empowerment. In taking this approach the Government will build on the many forums, peace structures and negotiations that our people are involved in through the land; the RDP attempted to play a role in ending the endemic violence within South Africa by embarking on a national drive for the peace and security of the country.The Programme would also help to encourage investment, thus feeding back into the drive towards economic expansion and greater development; the commitment of all parties to the RDP would encourage the grand project 'Nation-Building'. "

The Programme noted, "We are a single country, with a single economy, functioning within a constitutional framework that establishes provincial and local powers, respect and protection for minorities, and a process to accommodate those wishing to retain their cultural identity. It is on the basis of our unity in diversity that we will consolidate our national sovereignty."

Furthermore, the RDP would link growth, development, reconstruction, redistribution and reconciliation into an unified program, held together by a broad infrastructural programme that would focus on creating and enhancing existing services in the electricity, water, telecommunications, transport, health, education and training sectors.

"And the programme will pay close attention to those economic factors inhibiting growth and investment and placing obstacles in the way of private sector expansion."

In addition, "The success of the first five principles would in turn facilitate the sixth, democratisation. Here the document made note of minority control and privilege within the economy as a major obstacle to the achievement of an integrated developmentally orientated economy. It also acknowledged that the people most affected by economic policy should participate in the decision-making, and that the government would also have to be restructured to fit the priorities of the RDP."

To compliment the above mentioned factors who be the Batho Pele (People First), a South African government's political initiative. The initiative was first introduced by the Mandela Administration on October 1, 1997 to stand for the better delivery of goods and services to the public. It is also now used to imply the dissolvement of government organizations deemed corrupt or obsolete.

The Batho Pele initiative aims to enhance the quality and accessibility of government services by improving efficiency and accountability to the recipients of public goods and services.

Batho Pele requires that eight service delivery principles be implemented, regularly consult with customers; set service standards; increase access to services; ensure higher levels of courtesy; provide more and better information about services, increase openness and transparency about services; remedy failures and mistakes; give the best possible value for money.

So clearly the B-BBEE Thought Leadership Dialogue project must be deepened and spreaded across the country for the participation and involvement of all our people. More so, at the early stages of the implementation of the National Development Plan. BEE provides the economic balance in the NDP, a Vision 2030 programme.

South Africa: Football More Than A Game

The Evolution of South African Football: Celebrating The Beautiful Game in South Africa

Football first arrived in South Africa through colonialism in the late nineteenth century, as the game was popular among British soldiers.

From the earliest days of the sport in South Africa until the end of apartheid, organised football was affected by the country's system of racial segregation.

The all-white South African Football Association (SAFA), was formed in 1892.

While the South African Indian Football Association (SAIFA), the South African Bantu Football Association (SABFA) and the South African Coloured Football Association (SACFA) were founded in 1903, 1933 and 1936 respectively.

However, it should also be noted that football was played widely outside this federations were became formalized.

The original South African Football Association was established in 1892 and became affiliated to FIFA in 1910.

According to soccer history records, the SAFA of 1892 was the first association on the African continent to become affiliated to FIFA.

SAFA withdrew from FIFA in 1924 and later regained full membership in 1952.

In 1932, the South African African Football Association (SAAFA) was formed and a year later the South African Bantu Football Association (SABFA) and the South African Coloured Football Association (SACFA) followed suit. In September 1951, the three merged to form the anti-apartheid South African Soccer Federation (SASF).

SAFA were expected to play in the newly formed Confederation of African Football's 1957 Africa Cup of Nations, however they did not. The minutes of the meetings between SAFA and their counterparts from Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan were lost to fire and so the official reason for their non-appearance is unknown.

Fred Fell, SAFA's representative at FIFA said that SAFA withdrew because of the conflict at the Suez Canal. There were are also rumours that they were expelled from the initial competition due to their favourable stance on apartheid.

In November 1954, the SASF attempted to join FIFA. In May 1955, FIFA concluded that SAFA does not have "the standing of a real national association" because it did not control all clubs, there were more clubs and players with SASF than SAFA. SASF's application was rejected because there were no white players. In 1956, FIFA chose to accept SAFA's stance that segregation was a "tradition and custom" in South Africa.

The South African Football Association were renamed to the Football Association of South Africa (FASA) in 1957. The newly renamed association also removed a clause from its constitution excluding non-whites. In his book African Soccerscapes, Professor Peter Alegi says this was to "create the perception of substantive change while maintaining the status quo".

In 1959, the SASF successfully managed to have a FIFA sanctioned game between Brazilian club Portuguesa Santista and white South Africa cancelled, as the Brazilian club had agreed to withdraw its black players from the game. The SASF had complained to the Brazilian consul in Cape Town, the Brazilian government prevented the club from taking part.

At FIFA's 1960 Congress in Rome, there were calls from the Soviet bloc and Asia for the South African Soccer Federation (SASF) to become a member of FIFA in place of FASA. The calls were rejected as FIFA's own statutes stated that "a National Association must be open to all who practice football in that country whether amateur, 'non-amateur', or professional and without any racial, religious, political discrimination".




In September 1961, FASA were suspended from FIFA because of their pro-apartheid stance and refusal to field non-white players. Also, in 1961 the white-South Africa sympathiser Stanley Rous was elected as FIFA President. Rous and United States citizen Joseph Maguire would later visit white South African officials for two weeks. Rous reported to FIFA that there was no wilful discrimination within FASA and on the basis of his report, FASA were allowed back in to FIFA in September 1963.



At the Tokyo Congress, the Confederation of African Football members were lobbying for the expulsion of the FASA unless its "obnoxious apartheid policy [was] totally eliminated". They had retained the support of Soviet and Asian National Associations and held meetings with South African Soccer Federation in Durban and the South African Non-Racial Olympic Committee in London. CAF had already expelled South Africa from its own membership. The request for expulsion from FIFA was downgraded to suspension and it was passed by a majority of associations at the 1964 FIFA Congress.

Following the suspension, South Africa were also not allowed to partake in the 1964 and 1968 Olympics and were expelled from the Olympic movement in 1970. During this time Rous had been lobbying to have South Africa re-instated into FIFA and the Olympics. In 1973, Brazilian FIFA President candidate Joao Havelange withdrew Brazil from the 1973 South African Games to curry favour with the anti-apartheid national associations and went to beat Rous in the FIFA Presidential Election. At the FIFA Congress on 16 July 1976 in Montreal, FASA were formally suspended from FIFA. Members of FIFA had voted to exclude South Africa 78 votes to 9.

The South African Football Association was founded on 8 December 1991, the culmination of a long unity process that was to rid the sport in South Africa of all its past racial division.

A delegation of the SAFA received a standing ovation at the congress of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) inDakar, Senegal a month later, where South Africa were accorded observer status. South Africa’s membership of the world governing body FIFA was confirmed at their congress in Zurich in June 1992.

Membership of CAF followed automatically and South Africa was back on the world stage, and were awarded the right to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

Within a month the country hosted their first international match as World Cup quarterfinalists Cameroon came to play in three matches to celebrate the unity process. In September 1992, South Africa played its first junior international againstBotswana at under-16 level in Lenasia and to date the country has entered a team in each of FIFA's and CAF's competitions, from under-17 to national team level, and also for the women’s team.

In the short space of six years, SAFA has achieved remarkable success with qualification for the World Cup finals in Francein 1998, the title of African champions at the 1996 African Nations Cup finals, which the country hosted, and the runners-up berth in Burkina Faso two years later.

At under-20 level, South Africa were runners-up at the 1997 African Youth Championship in Morocco and qualified to play at the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship in Malaysia.

At club level, Orlando Pirates won the prestigious African Champions Cup in 1995, the first club from the southern African region to take the title in more than 30 years of competition. Pirates were playing in the event for the first time and won the title away from home in the Ivory Coast to further amplify the magnificence of the victory.

Behind the scenes, SAFA has worked long and hard to provide the structures to take football to all levels of the South African community. There are now national age-group competitions from under-12 level up, qualified coaches working around the country and nine provincial affiliates, who are further divided into 52 regions.

The current national executive of SAFA consists of:

President: Dr Danny Jordaan
Vice-President: Chief Mwelo Nonkonyana
Vice-President: Mandla 'Shoes' Mazibuko
Vice-President: Dr Irvin Khoza
Secretary General: Leslie Sidibe

And the national teams include:
Under-12 (Tsetse-flies)
Under-15 (Flying Birds)
Under-17 (Amajimbos)
Under-20 (Amajita)
Under-23 (Amaglug-glug)
Senior National Team (Bafana Bafana)
Under-17 Women
Under-20 Women
Under-23 Women
Senior Women's National Team (Banyana Banyana)

Regions:
SAFA's 9 Provinces and 52 Regions

SAFA Eastern Cape (Regions: Alfred Nzo, Amathole, Cacadu, Chris Hani, Nelson Mandela Bay, OR Tambo, Ukhahlamba)
SAFA Free State (Regions: Fezile Dabi, Lejweleputswa, Motheo, Thabo Mofutsanyana, Xhariep)
SAFA Gauteng (Regions: Ekurhuleni, Johannesburg, Metsweding, Sedibeng, Tshwane, West Rand)
SAFA KwaZulu-Natal (Regions: Amajuba, Ethekwini, iLembe, Sisonke, Ugu, Umgungundlovu, Umkhanyakude, Umzinyathi, Uthukela, Uthungulu, Zululand)
SAFA Mpumalanga (Regions: Ehlanzeni, Gert Sibande, Nkangala)
SAFA Northern Cape (Regions: Frances Baard, Kgalagadi, Namakwa, Pixley-Ka-Seme, Siyanda)
SAFA Limpopo (Regions: Capricorn, Mopani, Sekhukhune, Vhembe, Waterberg)
SAFA North-West (Regions: Bojanala, Bophirima, Central, Southern)
SAFA Western Cape (Regions: Boland, Cape Town, Central Karoo, Eden, Overberg, West Coast).

Meanwhile, in 2003 AMOS MANANYETSO reported in the CITY PRESS newspaper that barely a year after their return to football, sweet and chocolate giant Cadbury are not regretting their move to sponsor the United School Sport Association of South Africa (Ussasa) as they are on their way to rewriting the history books.

The Chappies Little League, which was relaunched this year with a R3 million per year sponsorship, surpassed the initial target to register about 2 500 primary schools around the country and amassed 6 023 schools.

As a result of that early success, veteran sports sponsorship consultant Geoff Wald flew to London this week to register the tournament with the Guinness Book of Records as the biggest soccer tournament ever.

The current record-holder listed by the Guinness Book of Records is a tournament held in South Korea that drew 5 000 teams.

"The response by schools was overwhelming and it gives us courage to think what we can do to expand and cover almost every school-going kid in the country," said Wald.

Chappies brand marketing manager Moshe Kola said his company was delighted at the overwhelming success of the competition and were looking at expanding next year's event.

"When we signed the contract with Ussasa, our target was to reach at least 2 500 of the 18 000 primary schools in the country and grow gradually with time. What happened is like a miracle.

"That is why we want to register the tournament in the Guinness Book of Records . If our registration is accepted, not only will it make us and Ussasa proud, but mostly the children who kicked the ball during the games," said Kola.

Kola said his company was looking at involving the girls when the school soccer season began next year or launching a regional tournament that will include winners from South Africa, Botswana and Swaziland.

Ussasa soccer secretary and SA Football Association/Transnet Sport School of Excellence manager Steve Pila was also excited about the latest developments.

"This is a confirmation that South Africa is one of the best footballing nations in the world.

"The Chappies Little League is not a new concept and we all know its successes during the 1980s before it was terminated ," Pila said.

Among top players who once played in the tournament are Junaid Hartley, Thabo Mooki and Brian Baloyi. - SOURCE: CITY PRESS SPORT

In 1991, when the apartheid system was beginning to be demolished, a new multi-racial South African Football Association was formed, and admitted to FIFA. On 7 July 1992, the South African national team played their first game in two decades, beating Cameroon 1–0. Since the integration of the country, it has developed the most sophisticated Professional Football Structure in Africa, the Premier Soccer League. South Africa qualified for the 1998 and 2002 World Cups, but failed to progress past the group stage both times. They hosted (and won) the 1996 African Cup of Nations and hosted the 2010 World Cup, the first African nation to do so.

Thusong Service Centres Need To Be More Connected To Their Communities

Department of Communications -

The Thusong Service Centre (formerly known as Multi-Purpose Community Centres — MPCCs) programme of government was initiated in 1999 as one of the primary vehicles for the implementation of development communication and information and to integrate government services into primarily rural communities. 

This was done to address historical, social and economic factors, which limited access to information, services and participation by citizens, as they had to travel long distances to access these services.

Thusong Service Centres are one-stop, integrated community development centres, with community participation and services relevant to people’s needs. They aim to empower the poor and disadvantaged through access to information, services and resources from government, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), parastatals, business, etc. enabling them to engage in government programmes for the improvement of their lives.

Government’s vision for Thusong Service Centres is to provide every South African citizen with access to information and services within their place of residence and in each local municipality by 2014 with the purpose of improving the quality of their lives through integrated service delivery.

By the end of March 2012, 171 Thusong Service Centres were in operation, making a crucial contribution to the expansion of infrastructure for access to information and services that citizens can use. 

Typical services found in these centres include those from the departments of Home Affairs, Labour, South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), Social Development, Government Communications and Information Systems (GCIS), and the department of Health as well as telecentres, the Post Office, libraries, agricultural extension offices and municipal services. Community Development Workers, the South African Police Service, NGOs and community-based organisations, also offer services through the centres.

Thusong Service Centre Partners

Harnessing the energy of partners is key to the programme

Building partnerships is a major focus of the Thusong Service Centre programme. Strong partnerships guarantee sustainable and effective service delivery at Thusong Service Centres. Partners support all aspects of the programme, from funding to enhancing the services provided.

Although the programme is driven by government, Thusong Service Centres are ideal platforms from which businesses and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) can offer their services and reach a wide sector of the market.

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Partners at Thusong Service Centres are:

• service providers (government, civil society and private sector)
• government strategic planners/policy-makers (national, provincial and municipal)
• local communities benefiting from Thusong Service Centres
• development agencies
• parastatals
• funding partners

Participation and firm commitment are integral to the Thusong Service Centre programme. Consequently, partners have the following critical roles to play:

• Political spheres: Influencing efficient service delivery and participatory partnership
• National, provincial and local government: Strategic planners implement the programme, line departments ensure service delivery
• Parastatals: Critical to infrastructural process
• Civil society, community-based organisations and NGOs: Providing services and resources
• Private sector: Providing services and contributing broader resources.

The Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) provides overall co-ordination and support, reporting to the Governance and Administration Cluster and Cabinet Committee. Other government partners and roles are listed below:

Partners in national government

• National Treasury
  • Funding options and strategy
  • Alignment of funding
  • Public Private Partnership (PPP) strategy for Thusong Service Centres
  • Technical assistance with business planning
• Department of Provincial and Local Government
  • Co-ordination at provincial, local and district level
  • Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG)
  • Alignment of Integrated Sustainable Rural Development Strategy/Urban Renewal Programme with Thusong Service Centres
• Department of Public Service and Administration
  • E-government strategy through E-Gateway Portal
  • Legislation re: access strategy, service level agreements, human resources
  • Community Development Workers’ alignment strategy
  • Thusong Service Centre co-ordination
• Department of Public Works
  • Infrastructure advice and roll-out
  • Lease agreements at centres
• Department of Trade and Industry - Local Economic Development co-ordinators
  • Provision of economic opportunity projects and programmes
• Departments of Home Affairs, Social Development, Labour, Agriculture, and Minerals and Energy
  • Roll-out alignment (budgets and infrastructure)
  • Service delivery plan at provincial and district levels
  • Resource deployment plan at district level (human resources and tools)
  • Reporting to national co-ordinator

Partners in provincial and local government

• Premier’s offices
  • Co-ordination and governance at provincial level
  • Co-ordinate establishment and management of PPP at provincial level
  • Alignment with provincial growth and development summits
  • Report to national co-ordinators
  • Development of proper structures and systems, service level agreements, monitoring, evaluation and support of the programme
• South African Local Government Association
  • Co-ordination of district and local municipalities
• District and local municipalities
  • Co-ordination and governance of implementation at district and municipal levels
  • Provision of centre management and staff
  • Alignment with integrated development plans
  • Development and implementation of district and local promotional and marketing plans

Other partners

• Department of Communications, South African Post Office, Sentech, National Electronic Media Institute of South Africa, Telkom
  • Information and communications (ICT) strategy
  • Community radio stations
  • Public Information Terminals (PiTs)
  • Contribute to intersectoral steering committees
• Universal Service Access Agency of South Africa (USAASA)
  • ICT strategy
  • Establishment of telecentres
• State Information Technology Agency
  • ICT strategy
  • Connectivity
• South African Management Development Institute (SAMDI)
  • Capacity-building strategy

Many other government departments (national and provincial), NGOs and private-sector stakeholders support this programme as it intensifies. Partnership in the programme is worthwhile because:

• information needs of citizens are placed first in the communication process
• people are empowered through participation
• development is based on consultation and strong networks at community level
• a wide-level commitment is followed rather than a top-down process
• you find improved access to services
• there is face-to-face interaction between government and the people
• the centre model suits community needs: hubs for large centres, satellites for smaller centres and mobile units for vast/inaccessible geographic areas.

SOURCE: Department of  Communications (South Africa)

South Africa's Educational Dream Rising

BUSINESS DAY

National / Education

SA to embark on a further education revolution

BY THANDISIZWE MGUDLWA, JULY 07 2015, 17:11

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Picture: THINKSTOCK

THE South African government seems to be going on an all out educational revolution. Last week‚ the government revealed it intended to provide education to about 12-million adults and youth with a qualification lower than a Grade 9 (formerly standard 7) by opening Community Education and Training Colleges (CETC).

According to the national policy on CETC‚ published in the Government Gazette on Friday‚ "The CETC are intended to provide ‘second-chance learning opportunities for out-of-school youth and adults’."

The intention is for these institutions to provide education and training for those unable to get into universities or Technical and Vocational Education and Training colleges (TVTC).

Meanwhile‚ according to the FET Colleges website‚ the South African education system is administered by the Department of Basic Education and the Department of Higher Education and Training. The Department of Basic Education‚ administers school education from Grade R to Grade 12‚ while the Department of Higher Education and Training administers post-school education and training.

Post-school education and training includes universities and private higher education institutions‚ TVET colleges and private colleges‚ soon to be established community colleges‚ Sector Education and Training Authorities‚ regulatory bodies such as the South African Qualifications Authority‚ and quality councils.

Technical and vocational education and training comprises vocational‚ occupational and artisan education‚ and training as offered by TVET colleges.

Also revealed was that the programmes on offer would be determined by community needs and the needs of the state.

"They will include early childhood development‚ entrepreneurship‚ motor mechanics‚ plumbing‚ construction‚ carpentry‚ electricity‚ welding and auto body repair‚" government communications said.

One such college will be established as a pilot project in each province but with no timelines given as yet. In the short-to medium term‚ they are to operate out of schools‚ vocational education colleges and faith-based organisations.

RDM News Wire

LINK: http://www.bdlive.co.za/national/education/2015/07/07/sa-to-embark-on-a-further-education-revolution

Access to low-income houses made easy by moladi

Access to low-income houses made easy by moladi in Africa

low-income houses in Africa 

Access to low-income houses in Africa made easy by Moladi

By Thandisizwe Mgudlwa on March 11, 2013 in General News

Moladi, a South African based company established in 1986, makes housing accessible to low-income people through innovative and eco-friendly technology.

Decent housing is one of the key factors in the fight against poverty and social exclusion. It is not just about putting a roof over someone’s head – development experts attest.

Academic research proves that access to a clean and stable home implicates an improvement in security, health and education.

The Moladi system consists of a reusable and recyclable plastic formwork mould, which is filled with stone-less concrete and a special chemical additive. This additive ensures that, once the mortar is set, the formwork can be removed – and reused up to 50 times.

According to founder Hennie Botes, the brickless walls can withstand all types of weather. The formwork is lightweight allowing easy transportation. Due to the simplicity in design and the repetitive application scheme, construction costs can be reduced significantly.

The Moladi model is not only cost-effective but fast too. Botes further commented that the wall structure of a house can be completed within one day. A further plus point, especially in remote areas, is that the construction does not require heavy machinery or electricity.

With the motto “Train the unemployed to build for the homeless”, Moladi combines construction with economic development. The company also offers training locally for the unemployed thereby creating jobs and empowering the community as a whole.

Due to the simplicity of the approach, construction techniques and skills can be transferred in a short time. In this way, the communities benefit from affordable shelter and skilled entrepreneurs (in the area of low-cost housing) at the same time.

Moladi’s success in over 20 countries shows that affordable housing is an important key in finding solutions to promoting security and alleviating poverty.



Affordable Housing Production System - moladi

For more information on Access to low-income houses made easy by moladi - visit www.moladi.net

Keywords - moladi, Access to low-income houses made easy, low-income housing, Africa, affordable housing, Hennie Botes, formwork, building system, construction techniques, entrepreneurs

SOURCE: http://moladi.blogspot.co.za/2013/03/access-to-low-income-houses-made-easy.html

Posted 12th March 2013 by Moladi Formwork

Labels: Access to low-income houses made easy affordable housing africa building system construction techniquesentrepreneurs formwork hennie botes Low-Income housing moladi

  

Buy Back South Africa, save and create jobs

 20 November 2013

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Rob Davies, minister of the Department of Trade and Industry, launching the Buy Back South Africa campaign in Sandton on Tuesday 20 November.
(Image: DTI)

MEDIA CONTACTS
• Sidwell Medupe, spokesperson
Department of Trade and Industry
+27 12 394 1650
+27 79 492 1774

Mary Alexander

South African consumers and procurement managers at large companies are being urged to fight back against cheap, subsidised imports and help create and save more jobs by buying locally produced manufactured goods, in a new campaign, Buy Back SA, launched by Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies on Tuesday 19 November.

The 2008 global crisis hit South African manufacturing hard, and cost the country round 300 000 jobs. In the last few years South Africa has suffered the double whammy of substantially reduced external demand for products and fierce competition from other manufacturing countries. Difficult economic conditions in the US and Europe – South Africa’s principal export markets – have been a severe knock for local manufacturers.

The Buy Back SA campaign, announced at the Industrial Development Corporation offices in Sandton, Johannesburg, has been funded by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Manufacturing Circle, Absa and Proudly South African. 

A key part of the venture is a video featuring veteran South African actor John Kani urging support of localisation and the manufacturing sector, which will be aired on national television.

Watch the Buy Back SA campaign advert:

The ad was paid for by both the government and private sector. “This is a clear sign of the close working relationship that is in the process of being built between government and industry, and one that we think can be strengthened and deepened in a number of ways,” Davies said.

Festive season spending

“We are launching the first phase of this campaign before the festive season because we want to impress upon consumers and stakeholders in the private and public sectors the importance of buying locally manufactured goods and products,” Davies said.

South African manufacturers, he said, made products of good quality, available at reasonable prices.

“We want to encourage people to buy these products because this has significance in terms of job creation, revenue generation and service delivery improvement.”

The South African government has developed a number of policy instruments to support localisation, the minister said. These include local sectors and products – including clothing and textiles, buses, rolling stock and power pylons – the DTI has designated for government procurement under the Preferential Public Procurement Finance Act.

“We have also reviewed and put in place a new policy framework for the National Industrial Participation Programme to oblige overseas companies that have benefitted from state contracts above $10-million to invest a percentage of the contract directly into the productive sectors of the economy, wherever possible in the sector in which they are involved,” Davies said.

Company procurement is key

The minister said buying local is not only for consumers.

“It is also crucially about companies – especially large retailers with large procurement budgets and supply chains – supporting local manufacturers – not only because this is in the national interest but because there are very often sound commercial reasons for doing so related to total cost of ownership: after-sales service, quick response, security of supply, niche product requirements, quality assurance and so forth.”

The Manufacturing Circle represents many big South African manufacturing concerns. About 80% of the country's manufacturers procure some 40% of their input locally. Coenraad Bezuidenhout, executive director of the body, said at the campaign launch that South Africans had stopped giving preference to local goods.

“For manufacturers, the last couple of years have been quite difficult,” he said.

After the Manufacturing Circle, Proudly South African and Absa bank contributed the initial funding, Buy Back SA will now need another R12-million to continue the campaign.

"I want to appeal to the private sector," Davies said. "We need to expand this campaign." He invited companies to register by emailing info@buybacksa.co.za.

International precedent

Davies said the Buy Back SA campaign, while a government initiative, was not inappropriate for a free market economy.

In the US, the Buy America campaign was an integral part of efforts to rebuild that country's economy after the 2008 crisis. A close partnership between the government, private sector and further education institutions, Buy America was also an effort to save and create jobs.

“The US economy has reportedly created 500 000 new high-quality jobs in the manufacturing sector since 2010, with 50 000 of these directly attributable to those efforts,” Davies said.

International and local competition

Many African countries are rich in commodities, but development is held back by an inability to turn those commodities into manufactured goods. The more resources countries take out of the ground and export, unprocessed, to foreign buyers, the more intrinsic capital is lost.

Manufacturing creates jobs and skills, and established manufacturing industries create a base of skills, capital and production infrastructure that can cushion country against the often irrational shocks inflicted by the global economy.

Other than the 2008 meltdown, the over-valuation and volatility of the rand has also undermined South Africa’s manufacturing competitiveness, as have higher electricity, transport and labour costs, and strike action.

Manufacturing has also suffered from local competition. Over the past two decades, the sector’s contribution to the South African economy has been gradually eroded by other industries, particularly the services sector. In 1994, manufacturing’s contribution to GDP at market prices was 20.9%. In 2012 it was 12.4%.

Read more: http://www.mediaclubsouthafrica.com/economy/3561-buy-back-south-africa-save-and-create-jobs#ixzz3r5N1IItY