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January 18, 2018 Isolomzi Express
Pandor vows to assist unemployed graduates SIPHOKAZI VUSO TO voice out the challenges faced by unemployed graduates the #HireAGraduate movement launched its first dialogue under the theme, Graduate Unemployment: A Barrier to Socioeconomic Transformation, at the Miriam Makeba Art Centre in East London last Thursday. The dialogue was attended by Science and Technology Minister, Naledi Pandor, Minister of Labour, Mildred Oliphant and South African Youth Council (SAYC) president, Thembinkosi Josopu, who addressed the graduates and answered their questions. Chairperson of #HireAGraduate, Siphamandla Khashe, told Express that the movement, which was founded in February last year, was not a job-seeking channel but a movement that aimed to share new opportunities with unemployed graduates. “We started this movement to fight graduate unemployment as it is a socio-economic
crisis. There is an issue in our province of graduates migration, where graduates go to contribute to the economy of other provinces and it is our intention to contribute to the economy of our own province to curb the high rate of unemployment,” the chairperson said. She added that last year they had tried to grab the public’s attention in a form of flash mobs but the results weren’t as fruitful as their cries fell on deaf ears after handing over a memorandum to the office of the premiere. “It felt like the office of the premiere undermined our movement and what we are trying to do,” she said. At the dialogue, the graduates were given a chance to share ideas on how to curb the issue of unemployment and to ask questions to the panel. Sivenathi Gobidolo said after completing his diploma he started his own business but had to seek employment because he could not get funding for his business.
“We come from disadvantaged backgrounds where the family expects that when you graduate you are going to lift the weight off their shoulders and take care of them. “I know of so many graduates like me who had to do jobs they are overqualified for just because they have to take care of their family,” Gobidolo said. Pandor told the graduates that they should associate employment with enterprise formation as there is a need of services in the country. Pandor requested a database of the graduates, their qualifications and experience. “We are working on a strategy to expand youth employment but this is not a problem that only a government can solve as one of the ways to resolve the problem is to be fairly organised when approaching it. “This is only the beginning; I will come back and have a series of meetings in different sectors where we can sit, discuss and go to the heart of the matter,” Pandor said.
Science and Technology Minister, Naledi Pandor, attended the #HireAGraduate dialogue and engaged. PHOTO: SIPHOKAZI VUSO
Rumours about green ID books refuted REPORTER RUMOURS that the green barcoded ID book will be discontinued have surfaced again, prompting the Department of Home Affairs to refute the claims once more. During their first briefing of 2018 on January 10, Home Affairs director general Mkuseli Apleni expressed his concern over the continuous claims that the lifespan of the green ID book would be terminated on March 31 this year and the effect it has had on South Africans. In a state of panic, a large number of people have swarmed to Home Affairs offices to apply for smart ID cards. The false claims first started circulating late last year and are making the rounds yet again on social media. “At the time, we had responded swiftly to say such reports are false and do not come from us. We are again confronted with the same incorrect reports from the beginning of January, circulating largely on social media,” Apleni said. “We, therefore, call upon members of the public to ignore these mischievous messages. Responding with panic affects our systems negatively, thus, making it very difficult for us to deliver services as expected: professionally and in the most humane of ways.” According to Apleni, their offices refuse to turn anyone away and are, therefore, left battling with long queues and frustrated people. “This is a situation to which we do not want
to subject citizens and officials. It is in our interest that citizens should apply for and receive their secured smart ID cards; it is in their interest and in that of the country. But this has to be done systematically.” When the department rolled out the smart ID cards in 2013, their data showed that 38 million people were in possession of the green barcoded ID books and they then set out a strategy for a smooth roll-out. “We knew that one workstation can handle 28 card applications per day. It takes 17 minutes on average to finalise capturing an application. We were, therefore, able to estimate how many cards we could produce at a given time with the number of automated offices we had that were equipped with live capture. As a result, when we started, we had invited first-time applicants and senior citizens to be the first to apply for smart ID cards, free of charge,” Apleni explained. Over time, with more offices and automated systems, and reinforced by 14 bank branches on eHomeAffairs, they extended the coverage to other areas. “Of our 411 offices, 184 are currently equipped with live capture, which can process applications for smart ID cards and passports,” he said. “Discussions with participating banks are continuing to increase capacity through additional bank branches. “Participating banks are Absa, FNB, Nedbank and Standard Bank.”
Reconstruction surgery to restore dignity to maimed initiates ZAVELA MAKWABE OVER the years a lot of preventative measures were implemented by different stakeholders in an attempt to minimise injury and ensure that initiates come home alive from the bush. However a lot of these initiates have not been so fortunate and a lot of them have lost their manhood as a result of botched circumcision, something that has left them physically and psychologically scarred. The recent announcement by the Department of Health to try to help those who have had their manhood injured or amputated, so as to restore their dignity has been welcomed by many. Collen Konitshwe of the Medical Male Circumcision Programme said the Health Department had changed the approach they adopted at the beginning of the year when they could not offer any help, and are now seeking ways to assist initiates that are in need of medical attention. “We have started services in the Eastern Cape and we will go full scale this year where we have established partnerships with a local urologist and a plastic surgeon who are going to be helping us with penis
rehabilitation and reconstruction,” Konitshwe said. Nkululeko Nxesi of the Community Development Foundation of South Africa (CODEFSA) has welcomed the announcement by the department and said that this move would help initiates to try to live normal lives again. “Over a thousand boys are living without penises in the Eastern Cape alone and this is creating havoc in the communities because these boys become violent. This is a huge step in the right direction, and I think this is one of the glaring gaps in the programme,” Nxesi said. Social worker Mkhwanazi Xhaluva also reiterated the importance of helping the initiates because they become violent and dangerous when they come back to their communities without their manhood. “When there are penis amputations these initiates become less of a man. We met a few who have been amputated and it’s a traumatic experience for them. “One mother was relating how her son was so difficult when he came back from initiation school. He was beating her and his girlfriend up until one day he dropped his pants and showed his mother what was wrong with him,” Xhaluva said.
The department has encouraged those with access to the internet to apply for their smart ID cards and passports online, using the eHomeAffairs portal at www.dha.gov.za. “We really cannot afford disruptions arising from false messages on termination dates. We are working on getting our systems fully automated and are also developing a mobile solution to support the roll-out of smart ID cards. “Between 2013 and 2017, we were able to reach the seven million milestone on smart cards issued. While we have 38 million people to cover, it should be clear these messages making the rounds, that March 2018 is the cut-off date, are
devoid of truth and should, therefore, be ignored.” Beware of scams In addition to addressing the claims about the termination of the green barcoded ID book, Apleni also took the opportunity during the briefing to warn residents to be vigilant about scams. “We have noticed a spike in the number of incidents in which people use fake accounts to steal money from others. We urge people to be vigilant; they should not allow themselves to be conned, whether for tenders, IDs or other documents.”
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