SA News

Isivande Women’s Fund (IWF)

Isivande Women's Fund is an exclusive fund that aims to accelerate women's economic empowerment by providing more affordable, usable and responsive finance than is currently available. 

The IWF assists with support services to enhance the success of businesses. 

It pursues deals involving start-up funding, business expansion, business rehabilitation, franchising and bridging finance.

The Fund is managed by the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) on behalf of the dti through a development fund manager.

IDF Managers is an SME financier aimed at supporting the creation of self-sustaining black and women owned businesses in South Africa by providing primarily financial and non-financial support to our investee companies.

Fund Criteria

The women enterprises have to meet the following criteria:

• At least 6 months in operation;
• Requires early stage, expansions and growth capital;
• 50% plus one share owned and managed by women;
• Have potential for growth and commercial sustainability; and
• Improved social impact in the form of job creation.

Eligible business plans requiring funding of R30,000 to R2 million are invited to submit their applications for review by the IDF Managers.

Applications to the Isivande Women's Fund should be made through http://www.idf.co.za or call +27 (11) 772 7910.

Application forms can be downloaded from www.idf.co.za

SA News

National Rural Youth Service Corps programme

The National Rural Youth Service Corps (Narysec) is a youth skills development and employment programme.  It is the  youth fagship programme of the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform which also forms part of the CRDP.

It also provides character building programmes, soft and hard skills training and dispatch the youth to rural areas to undertake various rural infrastructure and other development projects. It transforms youth from rural areas, from being job seekers to become job creators in their own right, breaking the vicious cycle of social grants dependency.

In May 2013 some 13 000 participants in the Narysec programme were at various stages of their training as development agents. The Department of Rural Development and Land Reform (DRDLR) has partnered with the Agricultural Research Council to train 900 agri-paraprofessionals in smallholder livestock and dairy production, and 750 more in vegetable gardening and soil sampling. The Department has invested over R631 million in programmes to train and deploy rural youth.

A further 400 youth have received practical training in construction by Murray and Roberts. This is part of the collaboration with the private sector. Youth have also participated in construction projects in Worcester (housing construction), Beaufort-West (constructing a youth hub), and Limpopo (brick making and paving).

Source: Minister Gugile Nkwinti: Rural Development and Land Reform Dept Budget Vote 2013/14

Background

The objectives of Narysec are to:

• train youth through specifically developed programmes linked to community needs in rural areas
• develop youth with multidisciplinary skills through civic education
• capacitate youth in retaining knowledge and technical skills acquired during training
• increase the number of rural communities receiving support in their self-development through the CRDP.

The programme has been specifically designed as part of the National Youth Service and focuses on aspects of discipline, patriotism and service delivery in rural communities.

Recruitment is done through advertisements and selection by community structures.  Narysec participants are expected to stay in the programme for 48 months following their recruitment from rural communities. The frst two years of the programme is focusing on skills development while the latter two years focus on incubation of enterprises.

National Defence Force training

A total of 1 047 youth graduated at 3 South African Infantry Battalion in Kimberley on 29 May 2013.

The Department of Defence has successfully instituted a National Youth Service (NYS) training programme since January 2011 in collaboration with participating state departments.

A total of more than 5 000 youth from the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform (DRDLR), and 500 from the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government have participated in the DOD NYS programmes up to May 2013.

The curriculum of the DOD NYS programme provides subjects such as drill, physical training, leadership, civic education, life skills, youth regeneration, diversity management, environmental management, public service induction, communication and social responsibility.

The programme is focused on character building in order to deliver youth who have developed self-discipline, are proud South Africans and can take the lead in their communities. No combat skills are developed and the DOD NYS programme is thus non-military training.

Given the limited spare capacity of the SA Army, SA Navy and the SA Military Health Service to present and support the broader NYS programme, only a small number of youth may have been reached, but significant citizen building is offered. Each of these youths will have a significant impact on the socio-economical upliftment of their communities.

On conclusion of the DOD NYS programme, the participants return to their own departments to continue with their youth service programme.

Rural Development and Land Reform training

The skills development provided by DRDLR's National Youth Service Corps (NARYSEC) is in the domains of construction, agriculture, disaster mitigation, office management,
basic administrative skills, project administration and enterprise development. Construction in rural areas has been identified as an immediate focus area of skills development.

The skills-development phase will be followed by the community-service phase, where the youth will apply their newly acquired skills in rural communities under the leadership/mentorship of the responsible department.

The final phase or exit strategy of the Narysec will be linked to the maintenance and operations activities of local and district municipalities. The strategic outcomes of the programme in the long term are expected to be:

• a decline in the level of youth unemployment in rural areas
• an increase in literacy and skills
• an increase in disposable income of youth in rural areas as a result of employment and entrepreneurial opportunities
• decreased dependence on transfers from family members working in urban areas.

On conclusion of the four year NARYSEC programme, the participants are in positions to be employed, or to contribute to the economies of their respective communities through building enterprises.

In its initial phase, it enlisted 7 958 young people between 18 and 35 years of age, with a minimum educational standard of Grade 10. They were drawn from rural wards across the country, including farms, small rural towns and some peri-urban areas.

Application forms are avialable from the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform (DRDLR)

SA News

Comprehensive Rural Development Programme (CRDP)

Cabinet approved the Comprehensive Rural Development Programme (CRDP) on 12 August 2009.

The CRDP is premised on three phases:

• Phase One, which has meeting basic human needs as its driver
• Phase Two, which has large-scale infrastructure development as its driver
• Phase Three, with the emergence of rural industrial and credit financial sectors, which is driven by small, micro and medium enterprises and village markets.

The creation of decent work and sustainable livelihoods lies at the heart of the CRDP. The programme commits itself to ensuring that at least one person in each rural household is employed for a minimum period of two years.

To ensure sustainability, communal owner- ship, and effective contribution towards the overall objectives of developing rural areas, the department entered into social compacts with communities, as well as contractual relation- ships with unemployed community members.

The strategic objective of the CRDP is to facilitate integrated development and social cohesion through participatory approaches in partnership with all sectors of society.

This is done by:

1. contributing to the redistribution of 30% of the country’s agricultural land
2. improving food security of the rural poor
3. creating business opportunities
4. decongesting and rehabilitating over- crowded former homeland areas
5. expanding opportunities for rural women, youth, people with disabilities and older people.

Under the CRDP, 2 447 household food gardens have been established in the CRDP sites during 2012.

By January 2013, CRDP 2 656 beneficiaries were skilled and capacitated in technical enterprise development trade;  52  councils of stakeholders have been established as representative community forums; CRDP has been rolled out to 157 rural wards; 143 698 poor households were profiled to assess their needs; 692 km of fencing was erected in the CRDP wards; and 96 km of roads were upgraded.

The department contributed to the increased number of households with access to sanitation by 10%, 10,45%  access to electricity, 4% accesses to clean water, distributed 39 331 rainwater harvesting tanks and constructed 37 km of water pipeline in North West.

Bulk water and sanitation infrastructure have been constructed in KwaZulu-Natal, Northern Cape  and North West. Rain water harvesting tanks have been distributed throughout CRDP sites.

Earlier achievements

The community of Muyexe, an impoverished rural township in the Giyani District of Limpopo, reaped several benefits through the programme:

• 330 houses have been built
• boreholes have been equipped
• a water purification plant has been set up, underwritten by the Development Bank of Southern Africa
• internal water reticulation has been established
• 275 sanitation units have been provided
• a community centre with a post office, clinic, satellite police  station, drop-in centre and sports stadium have been built
• the local school was renovated and more classrooms and ablution facilities were added
• a new early childhood development centre with solar lighting was also constructed
• two village viewing areas enable the community to view major sporting events
• an I-school Africa Rural Development Programme at the secondary and primary school offers learners an opportunity to interact and forge skills in the use of new technology
• solar powered street lights are to be provided in Muyexe, Gonono and Dingamanzi.

Other communities also benefited under the programme:

• In Mkhondo in Mpumalanga,100 households were assisted with solar units. The local school was also renovated and boarding facilities were built.
• In Riemvasmaak, in the Northern Cape, 100 household gardens were established.
• In Vredesvallei in the Northern Cape, a one-hectare community garden was established; 22 livestock farmers were provided with grazing camps; a 37-km water pipeline was completed and solar lighting was provided to 100 households; two clinics have been constructed and are operational; and cattle- handling facilities and fencing have been completed.

The CRDP was extended to other communities including Schmidtsdrift in the Siyanda District, Heuningvlei in the John Taolo Gaetsewe District and Renosterberg in the Pixley Ka Seme District.
In the Ngaka Modiri Molema District, in the North West, a community of 800 people benefitted from a project in which they received 40 pregnant Bonsmara heifers to improve the quality of livestock for an enterprise development project and 12 Bonsmara bulls for breeding purposes. In addition, nine cooperatives in the district received 200 goats and seven rams. In KwaZulu-Natal, 780 households in Msinga received electricity. Bulk water infrastructure is also benefitting 720 households under the Ndaya Water Scheme.

The Malenge Irrigation Scheme in KwaZulu-Natal, consisting of 199 beneficiaries, received assistance in resuscitating production. They are producing vegetables and grain crops on 280 ha of land.

A total of 50 ha of dry beans have been planted at Nhlahleni in KwaZulu-Natal, while 200 ha of maize and sunflower production was established for 120 beneficiaries.

In the Free State, crèches, a school and clinics were built in Diyatalawa and Makholokoeng. Three hydroponic  tunnels  were  erected  for intensive tomato production in Makholokoeng. Another  success of  the  CRDP  was  the 258 vegetable gardens constructed in Mhlonto in the Eastern Cape. At least 15 of these gardens are selling to local retail shops. In Idutywa and Alice, 600 ha of maize were planted and two agri-parks were established.

The department contributed to the increased number of households with access to sanitation by 10%, 10,45% access to electricity, 4% accesses to clean water, distributed 39 331 rainwater harvesting tanks and  constructed 37 km of water pipeline in North West. Bulk water and sanitation infrastructure have been constructed in KwaZulu-Natal, the Northern Cape and North West. Rain-water harvesting tanks have been distributed throughout CRDP sites.

SA News: Operation Phakisa, In Operation

Foreword The National Development Plan is the country’s socio-economic development blueprint which enjoins us to create a better life for all citizens in an inclusive society.  We use the NDP to guide every sector plans and policies, programmes, projects and operations – including how budget and skills investment and other resources are allocated to move South Africa forward.  It provides the framework in which Government, organised business, labour and citizens can work together to accelerate economic growth and resolve the triple challenge of unemployment, poverty and inequality. Operation Phakisa is one of the mechanisms we have put in place to implement the National Development Plan come alive. Operation Phakisa is a fast results delivery programme that we launched in July 2014 to help us implement the National Development Plan, with the ultimate goal of boosting economic growth and create jobs.Operation Phakisa is a cross-sector programme where various stakeholders engage to implement initiatives and concrete actions to address constraints to delivery in a prioritised focused area for public accountability and transparency. Government welcomes the partnership with business and labour to rally around the NDP in ensuring that there is a collective effort in workplace conflict reduction and improved cooperation between government, organised business and organised labour.    Introduction Operation Phakisa is an initiative of the South African government.  This initiative was designed to fast track the implementation of solutions on critical development issues.  This is a unique initiative to address issues highlighted in the National Development Plan (NDP) 2030 such as poverty, unemployment and inequality.  Operation Phakisa is an innovative and pioneering approach to translate detailed plans into concrete results through dedicated delivery and collaboration. “Phakisa” means “hurry up” in Sesotho and the application of this methodology highlights government’s urgency to deliver.  It plays a crucial role in accelerating the delivery of some of the development priorities. Through Operation Phakisa, Government aims to implement priority programmes better, faster and more effectively.   Methodology Operation Phakisa is a results-driven approach, involving setting clear plans and targets, on-going monitoring of progress and making these results public. The methodology consists of eight sequential steps. It focusses on bringing key stakeholders from the public and private sectors, academia as well as civil society organisations together to collaborate in: detailed problem analysis; priority setting; intervention planning; and delivery These collaboration sessions are called laboratories (labs). The results of the labs are detailed (3 foot) plans with ambitious targets as well as public commitment on the implementation of the plans by all stakeholders. The implementation of the plans are rigorously monitored and reported on. Implementation challenges are actively managed for effective and efficient resolution.

SA News

Programme of Action

Government's Programme of Action reflects its strategic plan for the 2014-2019 electoral term, the Medium Term Strategic Framework (MTSF). 

The MTSF is the first five-year implementation phase of the National Development Plan (NDP). 

It is structured around 14 priority outcomes which cover the focus areas identified in the NDP and Government’s electoral mandate: education, health, safety and security, economic growth and employment, skills development, infrastructure, rural development, human settlements, local government, environment, international relations, public sector, social protection, nation-building and social cohesion. 

This website does not contain detail about any programmes, but updates the progress in achieving the goals set.

SA News

National Development Plan 2030

The National Development Plan (NDP) offers a long-term perspective. It defines a desired destination and identifies the role different sectors of society need to play in reaching that goal, Minister in The Presidency: National Planning Commission, Trevor Manuel, said at a media briefing on the implementation of the plan on 19 February 2013.

The NDP aims to eliminate poverty and reduce inequality by 2030. According to the plan, South Africa can realise these goals by drawing on the energies of its people, growing an inclusive economy, building capabilities, enhancing the capacity of the state, and promoting leadership and partnerships throughout society.

Minister Manuel highlighted the processes in the implementation of the plan:

• The NDP and its proposals will need to be implemented in the right order over the next 17 years. Three phases have been identified.
• Government has already started a process to align the long term plans of departments with the NDP and to identify areas where policy change is required to ensure consistency and coherence.
• The NDP is a plan for the whole country. Government will engage with all sectors to understand how they are contributing to implementation, and particularly to identify any obstacles to them fulfilling their role effectively.
• The Plan will shape budget allocation over the next 17 years.
• The Plan identifies the task of improving the quality of public services as critical to achieving transformation. This will require provinces to focus on identifying and overcoming the obstacles to achieving improved outcomes, including the need to strengthen the ability of local government to fulfil its developmental role.
• Planning and implementation should be informed by evidence-based monitoring and evaluation.
• The President and Deputy President will be the lead champions of the Plan within Cabinet, in government and throughout the country. Premiers and Mayors will need to be visible and active champions of the Plan, with their offices being the catalytic agencies to drive implementation at provincial and municipal levels.
• Read more about the implementation in Minister Manuel's statement.

Documents

• Executive Summary-National Development Plan 2030 - Our future - make it work [PDF], 15 August 2012
• National Development Plan 2030: Our future - make it work, 15 August 2012
• Minister Trevor Manuel: National Development Plan launch,15 August 2012
• President Jacob Zuma: National Development Plan handover, 15 August 2012
• Summary of the National Development Plan
• More speeches and statements

For more information

• E-mail: comments@npconline.co.za
• Tel: 012 308 1791
• Address: Union Buildings, Private Bag X1000, Pretoria, 0001
• Fax: 086 683 5479
• Twitter: @npcSA / http://www.twitter.com/npcSA
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/npcSA

SA News

Sustainable Human Settlements - Breaking new ground

By June 2011, the formalisation of 206 informal settlements had been completed. The number of informal settlements was reduced from 2 700 in 2009 to 2 450 in 2011.

Cabinet approved the Comprehensive Housing Plan (CHP) for the Development of Integrated Sustainable Human Settlements (Breaking New Ground [BNG]) that aims, among other things, to eradicate informal settlements in South Africa in the shortest possible time.

The BNG incorporates principles such as:

• integrating subsidised, rental and bonded housing
• providing municipal engineering services at a higher level and being applied consistently throughout the township
• providing ancillary facilities such as schools clinics and commercial opportunities
• combining different housing densities and types,ranging from single-stand units to doublestorey units and row houses.

The CHP provides for programmes that promote the development of the entire residential property market, including the development of low-cost housing, medium-density accommodation and rental housing; stronger partnerships with the private sector; social infrastructure; and
amenities.

The plan also aims to change spatial settlement patterns by building spatially economical and socially integrated human settlements. The CHP is being implemented through informal settlement-upgrading pilot projects in each province. These projects provide for phased, areabased development, and emphasise community participation and social and economic development as an integral part of housing projects. The goal of upgrading all informal settlements by 2014/15 is aligned to the United Nation's (UN) millennium development goals (MDGs) to improve the lives of 100 million slum dwellers worldwide.

The CHP focuses on:

• accelerating housing delivery as a key strategy for poverty alleviation
• using housing provision as a major job-creation strategy
• ensuring that property can be accessed by all as an asset for wealth creation and empowerment
• leveraging growth in the economy, combating crime and promoting social cohesio
• using housing development to break down barriers between the First-Economy residential property boom and the Second-Economy slump
• using housing as an instrument for the development of sustainable human settlements in support of spatial restructuring
• diversifying housing products by emphasising rental stock.

As part of the CHP, government provides a 40-m² house with two bedrooms; a separate bathroom with a toilet, shower and hand basin; a combined living area and kitchen with wash basin; and a ready-board electrical installation where electricity supply is available in the township, to qualifying households earning less than R3 500 a month.

The department developed and launched a number of instruments to guide the implementation of the comprehensive plan in all three spheres of government. These include the monitoring, evaluation and impact-assessment policy and implementation guidelines, and the operating system for the policy and guidelines. The department has also initiated a project-monitoring process to measure the performance of provincial housing departments against targets set in their business plans, to identify constraints and assist with addressing them swiftly.

Phase One of the Housing Demand Database has been completed, resulting in an integrated national database.

Progress made during 2011 included:

• Development on the N2 Gateway Project in the Western Cape being at different stages in each of the project areas. Considerable progress was made in providing bulk infrastructure, constructing houses, installing service connections to individual units and the handover of 7 887 houses by the end of 2011.
• The Zanemvula Housing Project that entails the upgrading of informal and formal settlements in the Soweto-on-Sea and Veeplaas areas, as well as greenfields housing developments in the areas of Chatty and Joe Slovo West in the Eastern Cape.
• 4 300 sites and 800 units in Duncan Village in the Eastern Cape.
• The initiation of the Lerato Park Housing Project in the Northern Cape.
• 5 500 units in the Khutsong Resettlement Project in Gauteng.
• Infrastructure and housing in the Klarinet Housing Project in Mpumalanga.
• The Emnambithi Urban Renewal Project in KwaZulu-Natal.
• 6 776 units in Grassland in the Free State.
• 341 units of the Morgan's Village III Affordable Housing Project in Mitchell's Plain, Cape Town.
• The Informal Settlement Upgrade Programme in Nelson Mandela, Joe Slovo, Phola Park and Chris Hani informal settlements and Ngangelizwe in the Eastern Cape. Phase One of this project will focus on the provision of interim services and planning for 6 600 units.
• Agreement to unblock eight housing development projects valued at over R85,7 million was reached between the North West Provincial Government and the Mahikeng Local Municipality for the construction of 2 481 housing units, including the building of 200 rental housing units.
• In total, 26 328 housing units have been completed, benefiting some 118 476 individuals in the Mabaso RHP, in KwaZulu-Natal.
• A housing project in Qolweni, Gaatjie, Bossiesgif and Pinetree in the southern Cape created denser settlement for people in the area. The high-density units are the first of their kind in the southern Cape. Higher-density settlements fulfil one of the department's strategic objectives of maximum use of resources and are important in creating integrated and sustainable settlements. The project will be developed in four phases, with Phase One (265 units) already completed. On completion it will consist of 1 420 units.
• Several mixed housing projects such as Lehae, Olieventhoutbosch, Lufhereng, Cosmos City, Chief Mogale and Chief Albert Luthuli, to relocate people from informal settlements, are being built in Gauteng.

Other housing programmes

• Community Residential Unit (CRU) Programme
• Integrated Residential Development Programme (IRDP)