Public Sector Leaders | March 2022

MARCH | 2022

CHIEF JUSTICE

Honourable Raymond Zondo appointed as South Africa’s new Chief Justice

BUDGET SPEECH Interesting figures from the budget speech

PROVINCIAL FOCUS Billions of rands to be invested in KZN

HUMAN RIGHTS MONTH Minister Nathi Mthethwa launches Human Rights Month

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Contents

MARCH 2022 | ISSUE 13

Editorial 20 | Budget Speech 2022 Interesting figures from this years budget speech 30 | COVID-19 Update Is there light at the end of the tunnel 34 | International Women’s Day Unlocking economic growth by including women in the workforce 38 | World Water Day Partnering for cleaner water sources

26

40 | World Glaucoma Week How testing can reduce the impact of glaucoma

32

42 | Human Rights Month Minister Nathi Mthethwa launches Human Rights Month

13

Features 18 | Cover Story Hon. Raymond Zondo is the newly appointed Chief Justice 12 | Addressing The Nation President Ramaphosa addresses the conflict between Russia and the Ukraine 26 | Women in Leadership Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane is fighting for the rights of the vulnerable

28 | Trailblazer Dr. Valanathan Munsami shapes South Africa’s space and research policy 32 | Regional Focus KZN Premier delivers the State of the Province Address 44 | Financial Fitness Increased online activity makes South Africans more at risk for cybercrime

4 | Public Sector Leaders | March 2022

46 | In Other News Healthcare looks to advances in vaccine development 48 | Legal Matters Intellectual property rights in the workplace 50 | Upcoming Events March is all about rights and awareness

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EDITOR’S LETTER

BY FIONA WAKELIN

Letter from the Editor Welcome to the March edition of Public Sector Leaders (PSL).

In his first letter to the nation for the month of March, His Excellency, Cyril Ramaphosa focused on conflict resolution between Ukraine and Russia, with a firm belief in the value of negotiation and dialogue. His Excellency recalls our own history and how the principle of negotiation has been a cornerstone of South African foreign policy since our first democratic elections.

“We all call upon Russia and the Ukraine to subject this conflict to mediation and do everything in their power to reach an agreement that will lead to the cessation of hostilities.

“The peoples of Russia and Ukraine – two neighbours whose histories, peoples and fortunes are inextricably bound together – deserve a peace that is durable, sustainable and lasting,” President Ramaphosa.

It is a busy month for public sector leaders with our President paying a working visit to the DRC and co-chairing the roundtable discussion at the 6th meeting of the AU-EU annual summit taking place in Brussels, Belgium where he also addressed a media conference at the launch of the SA Tech Hub. Our lead article in the March edition of Public Sector Leaders is a summary of the important 2022 Budget Speech by the Minister of Finance Mr Enoch Godongwana on Wednesday 23 February - all you need to know is right here, right now in this edition.

March is Human Rights month and as such was launched by Honourable Nathi Mthethwa, Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture.

Our Trailblazer in this edition is out of this world - Dr. Valanathan Munsami who shapes South Africa’s space policy and research.

It is also TB month in South Africa and the focus of our regular feature, In Other News, is the advances in TB vaccine development.

Our Women in Leadership for March is Minister Maite Nkoana Mashabane and we look at how her department is fighting for the rights of vulnerable South Africans.

PSL also brings you the latest COVID coverage - a jab analysis - is there light at the end of the tunnel? We also take a look at Whaling and Phishing 2.0! - everything you need to know about online fraud.

Our regular features include the calendar of upcoming events - and this month the regional focus is on KwaZulu Natal, while in Legal Matters we look at Intellectual Property – who owns what in an organisation.

Whether you are in the public sector, the private sector, supply chain or an interested individual, PSL has something for you.

We hope you enjoy the read

FIONA WAKELIN | GROUP EDITOR

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Newly appointed Clicks Group CEO, Bertina Engelbrecht, aims to continue the Group’s transformation and localisation journey.

qualified attorney with a master’s degree in commercial law and a background in human resources, Engelbrecht is the first to concede that her career journey has not been that of a typical CEO. Prior to joining Clicks in 2006 as Group HR Director, Engelbrecht worked for Spoornet, South African Airways, Transnet Group, Sea Harvest and Shell SA, the latter as an executive director. She was Group Corporate Affairs Director at Clicks before assuming the role of CEO earlier this year.

“From the outset, my job at Clicks has always been broader than the traditional HR remit,” Engelbrecht explains. She attributes both of the Group’s previous CEO’s for this, as they actively championed for the people agenda to be integrated into the business and for HR to have a seat at the decisionmaking table. This philosophy facilitated her progression to the most senior leadership position.

Over the years, she has methodically set about shifting the employer brand by addressing the Group’s existing employer value proposition gap. Today, the Clicks Group is consistently rated as the top employer in the retail space.

Clicks continues to embrace its heritage as a proudly South African company. From being a laggard in the empowerment space, it was the most empowered retailer by 2015, integrating transformation into its overall business.

BERTINA ENGELBRECHT CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER CLICKS GROUP

What Engelbrecht is most proud of, however, is Clicks’ employee share scheme. In 2018 the scheme vested fully,

resulting in the first 50% pay-out of R1,3 billion to employees. A final pay-out of R1,5 billion was made in February 2019. The Clicks Group boasts one of the most successful employee share schemes to date.

Transformation is an ongoing journey for Clicks Group rather than an end-destination.

“Clicks is heavily focused on preferential procurement - by supporting local suppliers, black and female-owned enterprises and investigating how we can advocate for equity equivalence programmes that benefit local suppliers,” she says.

“

Clicks is heavily focused on preferential procurement - by supporting local suppliers, black and female-owned enterprises...

She aims to maintain Clicks’ positioning as the leader in the health and wellness sector.

“We will be strengthening our engagement with all stakeholders to share much more of the work we do particularly insofar as our localisation strategy, empowerment and sustainability commitments are concerned,” she says.

Clicks sources more than 90% of its products locally, a strategy which she intends to continue driving forward.

Public Sector Leaders | March 2022 | 9

ADVERTORIAL INTERVIEW NOMAXABISO AYANDA NGCOBO MATJILA

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INTERVIEW WITH AYANDA NGCOBO, DIRECTOR AT METGOVIS Please describe your role as Director at MetGovis.

I have always wanted a management position as it was portrayed as fancy suits, shoes, and ties. When I accepted the position of director, I soon realised that there is no time for suits and ties, especially if you work in our pressured industry.

My role at MetGovis is focused on client liaison, technical support, sales, and marketing.

I am also responsible for our technical consulting team that engages directly with all our clients. In addition, I participate directly in the development and enhancement of our suite of software solutions. Fetching business is the most exciting aspect of my work. This includes a range of activities including following up on new leads, preparing customised proposals, responding to bids, and presenting to prospective and existing clients. Being in a managerial role unfortunately comes with other

less enjoyable responsibilities like handling disciplinary procedures and hearings.

What have been the major highlights for you since joining the organisation?

I joined MetGovis after working in the public sector as an IT Technician. As the Discovery advert says: It didn’t change one thing, it changed everything. When I started, learning about the various systems including our flagship system, the MetVal Valuation Roll Management System, the Local Government: Municipal Property Rates Act (MPRA) and the work processes associated with municipal valuation and rating was overwhelming. General Valuation Rolls were a nightmare.

I often used to ask myself if this is really what I wanted to do. I remember my colleagues talking in a strange discourse, they spoke in acronyms: “GV”, “SV” “Section 49”, “Section 53” and “Section 78’’. I would panic and wonder how long it

10 | Public Sector Leaders | March 2022

would be before I was asked to go.

My greatest highlight was “graduating” from the MetGovis school. Once I had achieved the required level of competency, I was permitted to visit clients unaccompanied. By achieving the required tasks, including troubleshooting and balancing the valuation rolls with the financial system, I was able to build relationships and provide excellent service to our clients. When my friends queried their rates accounts, I was now able to explain the prescribed processes. They would stop me and ask “what is a GV, what is a Section 49 notice?”

I realised that I had started speaking the same dialogue as my MetGovis colleagues - this was a real milestone.

What services does MetGovis provide?

MetGovis is the industry leader in property and revenue management solutions. Our

products and solutions provide the relevant and appropriate information needed to unlock municipal revenue. MetGovis provides a valuation roll management system called MetVal. This is a comprehensive end-to-end valuation roll management system that enables compliance with the Local Government: Municipal Property Rates Act and National Treasury’s Municipal Standard Chart of Accounts, mSCOA.

Programming Interfaces (APIs) as prescribed by National Treasury. MetGovis is recognized by a recent National Treasury system evaluation as being amongst the top 10 municipal systems used around the country. This showed us that we are making a difference to the local government landscape.

We will continue to do so, using smarter technical solutions and better customer relationships.

MetGovis also provides specialist consultancy services on municipal rating and valuation issues to all levels of government, ratepayer associations and other interested stakeholders. Our valuation services include market value determination for finance purposes, income tax, investment, municipal rates, equity and shareholding, rental review, etc.

Our products and solutions provide the relevant and appropriate information needed to unlock municipal revenue.

MetGovis also provides property valuation services along with GIS services. We also have other property software solutions that can assist municipalities such as MetLease, a municipal lease management system.

What have been some of the milestones MetGovis has achieved when working with municipalities?

We have assisted municipalities with the Municipal Standard Chart of Accounts, mSCOA. Our Valuation Roll Management System (MetVal) integrates with the different financial systems through Application

What are some of the benefits of MetVal software?

As well as being able to integrate with the different financial systems through the Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), MetVal can manage the entire valuation and rating process from data collection to successful billing and online viewing.

MetVal enables compliance with the Local Government: Municipal Property Rates Act, 6 of 2004, as well as meeting the governance and IT requirements of the Auditor-General. MetVal has a built-in GIS functionality that allows users to work on a geospatial platform.

Interview with Ayanda Ngcobo, Director at MetGovis

CONTACT Address: 1st Floor, Building 4 39 Hilton Avenue, Hilton P O Box 562, Hilton 3245, South Africa Tel: 033 343 2868 Web: www.metgovis.co.za Email: admin@metgovis.co.za

The MetVal system can generate all statutory notices in accordance with the legislative requirements. n

Public Sector Leaders | March 2022 | 11

ADDRESSING THE NATION

BY FIONA WAKELIN

12 | Public Sector Leaders | March 2022

Addressing the Nation:

President Ramaphosa addresses the conflict between Russia and Ukraine

I

n his first letter addressing the nation for the month of March, President Ramaphosa focuses on conflict resolution between Ukraine and Russia, with a firm belief in the value of negotiation and dialogue.

His Excellency recalls our own history and how the principle of negotiation has been a cornerstone of South African foreign policy since our first democratic elections.

In his letter our President unpacks the reason why South Africa abstained from voting in the United Nations resolution on the escalating conflict between Russia and Ukraine: this was because the resolution did not foreground the call for meaningful engagement instead, the call for peaceful resolution through political dialogue had been reduced to a single sentence close to the conclusion of the final text.

“There have been some who have said that in abstaining from the vote condemning Russia’s military operation in Ukraine, South Africa has placed itself on the wrong side of history. Yet, South Africa is firmly on the side of peace at a time when another war is something the world does not need, nor can it afford.

The results of these hostilities will be felt globally and for many years to come,” – President Ramaphosa His Excellency emphasises that calling for peaceful negotiation is aligned with the UN founding values: “The UN Charter enjoins member states to settle their disputes by peaceful means in the first instance, stating explicitly that parties to any dispute should first seek a solution by negotiation, enquiry, mediation, conciliation, arbitration and similar mechanisms. Since the outbreak of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, South Africa’s position has been to affirm this call.

“A cessation of hostilities may indeed be achieved through force of arms or economic pressure, but it would be unlikely to lead to a sustainable and lasting peace.

“The historical tensions between Russia and Ukraine make it all the more important that whatever agreements are brokered are sustainable in the long run and address the concerns of both parties to the conflict,” – H.E. Ramaphosa

This call for a negotiated settlement does not undermine our country’s commitment to human rights - indeed President Ramaphosa cites those countries whose fundamental freedoms we are committed to, including Palestine, Western Sahara, Afghanistan, Syria and across Africa and the world – and he calls on the entire international community to be united in supporting the talks which will bring the two sides together.

“South Africa is greatly encouraged by the words of the UN Secretary-General António Guterres who said last week he would do everything in his power to contribute to an immediate cessation of hostilities and urgent negotiations for peace.

“We all call upon Russia and the Ukraine to subject this conflict to mediation and do everything in their power to reach an agreement that will lead to the cessation of hostilities.

“The peoples of Russia and Ukraine – two neighbours whose histories, peoples and fortunes are inextricably bound together – deserve a peace that is durable, sustainable and lasting,” President Ramaphosa. n

Public Sector Leaders | March 2022 | 13

ADVERTORIAL NISSAN

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Nissan invests in skills development as a driver of sustainability within the automotive sector

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ver the last few decades, the African automotive industry has been evolving, with inclusive integration across all disciplines propelling the industry forward. Africa is gaining traction in the development of flexible workforces, advanced manufacturing, openness to creativity and innovation, and shared equity despite the challenges around sustainable skills development.

As a result, through strategic partnerships with governments and meaningful private-sector participation, Nissan believes that the African manufacturing sector is poised to innovate and create industrial manufacturing experience, ultimately resulting in solutions that can help communities and local economies grow.

Nissan first invested in Africa’s growth more than sixty years ago when Nissan Motor Limited opened its Rosslyn manufacturing operations in South Africa. In 2019 it reaffirmed its commitment to the continent with its recent R3bn investment to upgrade its Rosslyn plant and continues efforts to uplift and upskill not only its own staff, but to also nurture the growth of whollyblack-owned suppliers through its BBBEE start-up programmes and incubation hubs.

INVESTING IN OUR PEOPLE The South African Automotive Masterplan (SAAM) 2035 aims to have the local automotive industry producing 1.4 million vehicles a year by 2035. This target is partly achievable through further financial investment in the industry, upskilling to reduce the shortage of technical and engineering skills in the automotive industry and the strength of private public partnerships.

14 | Public Sector Leaders | March 2022

Nissan’s modernisation of the Rosslyn plant has seen further investment in their people. In preparation for the Navara’s local production, for example, they invested R190 million in re-skilling and training Nissan South Africa’s (NSA) employees to expand their knowledge and expertise. To achieve this, NSA tapped into key global markets like Japan, the United Kingdom and Mexico to offer training and enable skills transfer to the local team.

Once a new model is contracted for local production, Nissan Japan provides that market with technical experts as part of its commitment to upholding global quality standards. This process was fortunately uncompromised despite the unprecedented change brought on by COVID-19 travel restrictions. Nissan used technology to its advantage to offer the company’s production trial engineers three months’ virtual training from Nissan Japan in preparation for implementing the new Navara model here in South Africa.

WOMEN DRIVING CHANGE As a global entity, Nissan understands the importance of diversity and inclusion. This is evident in the increase in female management the company has seen globally, from 6.7% in 2008, to 13.9% in 2020. In South Africa, Nissan achieved a 50/50 gender split with the engineering trainees who participated in their skills development programme at the Rosslyn plant.

Beyond this, Nissan is focused on providing female employees with the support they need to continue to grow through the ranks.

She encourages other women to follow their passion, to believe in themselves, and to continue to achieve success within the technical environment.

Vhutshilo Dzhivhuho is a Vehicle Quality Engineer at NSA’s Engineering Department.

She joined the company as a graduate in 2017 and has since rotated through various roles.

As a result of her extensive experience at Nissan, her daily routine includes measuring, analysing, researching, and resolving concerns about vehicle quality, a component that has a significant impact on the Nissan customer experience.

Mellissa Steele shares her commitment towards selfimprovement and knowledgesharing with the young women whom she has had the opportunity to work with.

She joined NSA in 2019 as an Outbound Supply Chain Engineering Manager, being part of the team developing and implementing the outbound supply chain strategy to deliver vehicles to customers in the

South African and Sub-Saharan African markets.

Steele feels empowered by Nissan because she has authority over how she does her work and is able to make decisions that support the company’s goals. Nissan has also provided her opportunities to display her work and has invested in her development as a woman in the automotive sector, both on the job and through formal education.

She aspires to elevate the young women she works with by providing coaching and career advice, as well as growth prospects through projects.

Through strategic communications and employee engagement programmes, Vuyokazi Quphe, Nissan Africa Regional Business Unit’s Corporate Communications Lead has been part of the team that galvanised the Nissan South African team to deliver on the local production goal. Through informative, exciting, and relevant executions, the former

Mmathapelo Selwana joined Nissan in 2012 as a graduate in the Quality Department. In 2013 she was appointed as a Parts Quality Assurance (PQA) Technician and was promoted to PQA Senior Engineer in 2018.

Today, Selwana’s key focus is on ensuring that the parts used are to the correct specifications and that they are free of defects.

Public Sector Leaders | March 2022 | 15

magazine editor and journalist together with her team played an important role in keeping employees focused despite operating during a pandemic, to deliver on their common goal whilst also creating awareness about the locally produced new Nissan Navara.

INCUBATING WHOLLY BLACKOWNED AUTOMOTIVE SUPPLIERS TO SUPPORT OEMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY Following the successful incubation of eight new component manufacturers and related companies, in their BBBEE start-up programme, NSA has continued with its strategic partnership and works closely with the Gauteng Growth and Development Agency to further develop the company’s skills development programmes and has established the second Automotive Incubation Centre at their Rosslyn premises.

Managed by the Automotive Industry Development Centre (AIDC), the seven-year programme now includes 15 black-owned suppliers who are being empowered to become self-sufficient stand-alone units, who will be able to service not only Nissan, but other original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) as well. Once this cohort has graduated, they will make way for a new group of wholly owned black suppliers to enter the training programme – actively demonstrating Nissan’s commitment to positively impacting lives through the empowerment of SMMEs. Such programmes can only

be successful if the OEMs are purchasing locally sourced parts. Nissan has committed to using locally sourced parts in production as part of their commitment to build the new Navara at its Rosslyn plant, which rolls off the production line alongside the popular NP200 half-ton pickup.

SKILL AND ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT GO BEYOND THE NAVARA Since the announcement of the investment in 2019, the Rosslyn plant, which employs approximately 1800 employees, has been a hub for skill development across the entire manufacturing process.

“Nissan recognises that building a sustainable industry and developing our economy is brought about through investment in skills and knowledge transfer, and that it needs to continue beyond the expansion and training completed for the Navara.” said Nissan Country Director, Kabelo Rabotho If all OEMS continue to invest in skills development, they will not only increase their own competitiveness, but will also contribute to providing South Africa with a competitive edge as a strategic player in the continental automotive industry.

The importance of Africa as the last automotive frontier cannot be understated. With the AfCFTA in place and new, stronger trade agreements and partnerships across the continent formed, this industry is well positioned to see greater economic and societal impact. n

16 | Public Sector Leaders | March 2022

Kabelo Rabotho Nissan South Africa Country Director

CONTACT Nissan South Africa PTY Ltd. Address: Ernest Oppenheimer St Rosslyn, Akasia, 0200 Tel: 0800 NISSAN (647726) Web: Nissan South Africa Social: Twitter: @nissanza Facebook: @nissansouthafrica LinkedIn: Nissan Motor Corporation YouTube: Nissan South Africa

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DALRRDSTORY COVER FOCUS

BY KOKETSO JESSIE TAYLOR MAMABOLO

Justice Raymond Zondo appointed Chief Justice The start of a new era

“We, the people of South Africa, recognise the injustices of our past; honour those who suffered for justice and freedom in our land; respect those who have worked to build and develop our country; and believe that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, united in our diversity,” reads the preamble to the Constitution.

18 | Public Sector Leaders | March 2022

“We therefore, through our freely elected representatives, adopt this Constitution as the supreme law of the Republic so as to h ­ eal the divisions of the past and establish a society based on democratic values, social justice and fundamental human rights…”

Bartolomé de las Casas coined the term human rights in 1550, where a debate was taking place over the right to self-government.

In Valladolid, Spain, de las Casas said, “All the peoples of the world are humans, and there is only one definition of all humans and of each one, that is that they are rational.”

All human beings are rational but few are as rational as newly appointed Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, who President Cyril Rampahosa has tasked with leading the judiciary for the next 12 years, in a role that will see him as the leading guardian of the Constitution and protector of the rights enshrined within it.

Starting from April the 1st, the Deputy Chief Justice, who has been serving as the Acting Chief Justice since the early departure of former Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng.

President Ramaphosa will exercise his discretion in appointing Judge Mandisa Maya as the Deputy Chief Justice to fill the void that will be left by Acting Chief Justice Zondo when he takes up the permanent position at the helm of the court.

“The position of Chief Justice carries a great responsibility in our democracy. As the head of the judiciary, the Chief Justice is a guardian of our Constitution and the laws adopted by the

this appointment. Chief justice Zondo brings years and years of experience to this position. The Constitutional Court has been without a permanent leader for some time now. He will bring stability and direction into that bench. We are very happy, we warmly congratulate him,” said Honourable Glynnis Breytenbach, a Member of Parliament on the opposition bench.

freely elected representatives of the people. The Chief Justice stands as the champion of the rights of all South Africans and bears responsibility for ensuring equal access to justice. I have every confidence that Justice Zondo will acquit himself with distinction in this position,” said the President in a statement.

"We are very delighted with this appointment. Chief justice Zondo brings years and years of experience to this position.."

ACJ Zondo’s appointment follows interviews conducted by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) in February. Judge Mandisa Maya was the JSC’s preferred candidate but the final decision lies slowly with the Head of State.

Judge Maya is currently serving as the Judge President of the Supreme Court of Appeal, and her move to the Constitutional Court will require the President to appoint a new head of the Supreme Court of Appeal.

Opposition parties have welcomed the decision for ACJ Zondo to fill the role permanently, recognising him as a judicial officer with integrity and a level of skill and experience which will enhance not only the apex court but the judiciary at large.

“We are very delighted with

ACJ Zondo’s appointment has also been welcomed by civil society, most notably by Judges Matter and Corruption Watch.

The incoming Chief Justice has been firmly in the public eye since his predecessor seconded him to lead the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture. The Commission’s work took place over four years, giving the public plenty of time to see ACJ Zondo in action. One of the hallmarks of the Commission was ACJ Zondo’s calm and measured approach which was punctuated by carefully considered questions informed by legal reasoning.

ACJ Zondo’s career as a judicial officer began at the Labour Court where he was appointed as a judge in 1997. He held the position of Judge President of the Labour and Labour Appeals courts for a decade. He joined the Constitutional Court in 2012 and has been the Deputy Chief Justice since 2017. n

Sources: www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2022-03-10-ramaphosas-appointment-of-zondo-as-chief-justice-shows-strategic-smarts-at-last www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2022-03-10-eff-slams-zondo-appointment-as-chief-justice-but-other-parties-approve www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2022-03-11-good-move-or-nah-sa-split-over-zondo-getting-the-chief-justice-job www.moneyweb.co.za/news/south-africa/ramaphosa-appoints-raymond-zondo-as-top-judge

Public Sector Leaders | March 2022 | 19

BUDGET SPEECH 2022

BY JESSIE TAYLOR

The budget speech All you need to know right here, right now 20 | Public Sector Leaders | March 2022

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outh Africa’s economic recovery has been uneven, and risks remain high, said Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana during the 2022 Budget Speech. This requires a cautious approach in which growth and fiscal sustainability remain a focus.

The 2022 Budget aims to reduce the budget deficit and stabilize debt while increasing income and employment options for the most vulnerable.

However, these interventions cannot replace the structural changes our economy needs.

Difficult and necessary trade-offs are required.

of our economy, saving lives and restoring livelihoods, as well as securing the long-term prosperity of our nation,” said Minister Godongwana.

Economic growth was hampered by the global pandemic, slowing commodity prices, violent unrest in parts of the country, and load shedding.

South Africa’s economic growth estimate is 4.8%, with a real GDP of 2.1% is projected for 2022.

Growth is expected to average 1.8% over the next three years.

Government debt has reached R4.3-trillion and is projected to rise to R5.4-trillion over the medium term.

“I would like to reiterate our commitment to the reconstruction and recovery

THE FOLLOWING PUBLIC SPENDING HAS BEEN ALLOCATED IN THE 2022 BUDGET:

Over the medium term, R76-billion is allocated for job creation programmes. In this Budget, an additional R18.4-billion is made available for the Presidential Employment Initiative.

R24.6-billion will be added for provincial education departments to address the shortfalls in the compensation of teachers.

Over the next three years, R3.33-trillion will be allocated to the social wage to support vulnerable and low-income households.

This is approximately 60 % of non-interest spending.

R44-billion is allocated for a 12-month extension of the R350 social relief of distress (SRD) grant.

R15.6-billion is allocated to provincial health departments to support their continued response to Covid-19 and to bridge shortfalls in essential goods and services.

R3.3-billion is allocated to absorb medical interns and community service doctors.

R308-billion has been directed towards bailing out failing state-owned companies

R28.9-billion is added to the local government’s equitable share to give basic municipal services more support.

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R

FOR CONSUMERS

TAX RELIEF MEASURES

The Budget includes R5.2-billion in tax relief to help support the economic recovery, provide some respite from fuel tax increases, and boost incentives for youth employment.

•

• FOR THE BUSINESS SECTOR

• •

• •

The employment tax incentive will be expanded through a 50% increase in the maximum monthly value to R1 500.

The corporate income tax rate will be reduced from 28 % to 27% for companies with years of assessment ending on or after 31 March 2023.

The carbon tax rate will increase from R134 to R144, effective from 1 January 2022.

As required by legislation, the carbon fuel levy will increase by 1c to 9c per litre for petrol, and 10c per litre for diesel, from 6 April 2022.

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• •

The personal income tax brackets and rebates will be adjusted by 4.5%, in line with inflation. The annual tax-free threshold for a person under the age of 65 will increase from R87 300 to R91 250.

No increases will be made to the general fuel levy on petrol and diesel for 2022/23. This will provide tax relief of R3.5-billion to South Africans.

There will also be no increase in the Road Accident Fund levy.

“Households and businesses are still under financial pressure and are coping with higher obligations, the effects of COVID-19 and increased fuel prices. Now is not the time to increase taxes and put the recovery at risk,” said Minister Godongwana.

ECONOMIC RECONSTRUCTION AND RECOVERY The implementation of several critical structural reforms contained in the ERRP is being accelerated, said Minister Godongwana.

This includes the infrastructure projects, with The National Treasury to implement the results of a recently completed review of the Public-Private Partnerships framework.

“As we upgrade roads, bridges, water and sewer, transport, school infrastructure and hospitals and clinics, the aim is to unlock higher levels of employment for those involved in the projects,” Hon. Godongwana.

Value for money and quality of delivery is the top priority in the development of the project pipeline.”

“A provisional allocation is set aside in this Budget for R17.5-billion over the MTEF for infrastructure catalytic projects.

We look forward to engaging with specific proposals in this regard. Value for money and quality of delivery is the top priority in the development of the project pipeline.” n

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ATTENTION ALL GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS At any given time the Saartjie Baartman Centre for Women cares for 120 women and children. Since opening our doors we have assisted 160 000 survivors of Gender Based Violence.

To this end the Centre is looking for long term partnerships and sponsorships.

OUR PROGRAMMES

OUR BACKGROUND:

• Substance Abuse Unit

The Saartjie Baartman Centre

• Child Protection Programme • Legal Protection Programme • Economic Empowerment Programme

for Women and Children (SBCWC) was opened in 1999 in response to the high rates of violence against women and children on the Cape Flats near Cape Town. We provide

• Psychosocial Programme

essential, cost-free services 365

• EPWP Programme

days a year to abused women

• ECD Centre • Second Stage Housing

and children employing a comprehensive range of services for the effective treatment and

• Advocacy and Lobbying

prevention of violence against

• Outreach Programme

women and children.

BANKING DETAILS: Name of Account: Saartjie Baartman Centre for Women and Children Name of Bank: First National Bank | Type of Account: Current account Account Number: 62028179415 Branch: Rondebosch | Branch Code: 201509 Branch address: Fountain Centre, Main Road, Rondebosch, 7700 Website: www.saartjiebaartmancentre.org.za | Telephone: 021 633 5287

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N E W

N I S S A N

M A D E

F O R

Y O U R

N A V A R A J O U R N E Y

RUGGED REDEFINED nissan.co.za

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WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP

BY JESSIE TAYLOR

Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane

Fighting for the rights of vulnerable South Africans

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reating an equal society hinges on including vulnerable groups in social and economic activity. This is the key work of the Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, as she oversees the country’s programmes to create an inclusive society in which all South Africans have access to their rights.

LEADING THE WAY TO INCLUSION Minister Nkoana-Mashabane was appointed as Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities on 30 May 2019. She has had extensive experience running government ministries, having held the position of Minister of International Relations and Cooperation from 2014 to 2018 and Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform from 2018 to 2019.

She has been a member of the ANC national executive

committee and national working committee since 2007. She has been a provincial convener of the Progressive Women’s Movement in Limpopo since 2007.

Before democracy, Minister Nkoana-Mashabane was a member of the United Democratic Front and served on various underground structures of the Mass Democratic Movement and ANC. After 1994, she served on the ANC Women’s League and was made a Member of Parliament. She served in the diplomatic service and was high commissioner to Malaysia, servicing the Philippines and Brunei from 1995 to 1999.

Minister Nkoana-Mashabane’s Department tackles three vulnerable groups in society, driving programmes to increase their participation in the economy and integration into society.

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A SAFER SOCIETY FOR WOMEN One of the biggest challenges facing women in South Africa is gender-based violence. The World Health Organisation estimates that more than 12 women in every 100 000 are victims of femicide in South Africa each year. Alongside this, almost half of women have reported experiencing emotional or economic abuse at the hands of their intimate partners.

Minister Nkoana-Mashabane’s Department has been working to implement the National Strategic Plan (NSP) on genderbased violence to reduce violence against women.

The plan outlines a comprehensive strategic response to gender-based violence. To strengthen the NSP, President Cyril Ramaphosa recently approved the amendment of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment

Act Amendment Bill, the Criminal and Related Matters Amendment Bill, and the Domestic Violence Amendment Bill.

hiring by smaller businesses. This has proven an effective way to encourage companies to hire new work seekers.

“The implementation of this legislation will go a long way to ensuring that cases are successfully prosecuted, that survivors are protected and that there are more effective deterrents in place,” said President Ramaphosa.

“We are calling on the private sector to support these measures – and, wherever possible, to drop experience as a hiring requirement – to give as many young people as possible their first job,” says President Ramaphosa.

“However, the fight against gender-based violence will never be won unless, as a society, we mobilise all formations and all citizens behind a sustained programme of social action.”

Other measures include the Presidential Employment Stimulus programmes, which has created over 850 000 opportunities, most of them among the youth, as well as the appointment of 10 000 unemployed young people by the Department of Home Affairs to digitise their systems.

BUILDING A FUTURE FOR YOUTH One of the most significant issues the youth faces is unemployment, with an estimated one in every two people between the ages of 15 to 34 years without work.

The persistently high youth unemployment rate is driven by, among other factors, a lack of sufficient skills and previous work experience in young people. To address this skills gap, President Ramaphosa has announced measures by the Department to support young people to prepare them for work and link them to opportunities.

This includes increasing the value and expanding the criteria for participation in the Employment Tax Incentive, which will encourage

In addition, a revitalised National Youth Service will recruit its first cohort of 50 000 young people during the next year, creating opportunities for young people to contribute to their communities, develop their skills and grow their employability.

Increasing access to rights for people with disabilities People with disabilities have greater healthcare needs and are more likely to experience poor health than persons without disabilities. The Covid-19 pandemic created significant challenges for this group of South

Africans to fill their healthcare requirements. Research by the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with disabilities and the United Nations Regional Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights (OHCHR) found that many rights, such as the right to healthcare, had been limited during the pandemic.

People with disabilities experienced difficulties following mandatory Covid-19 guidelines such as social distancing and wearing of PPE; accessing healthcare including therapy, medication, specialist care and assistive devices; communication and care from healthcare workers.

The Department has embarked on a process to establish empowerment programmes and projects for the disability sector, and Minister Nkoana-Mashabane has stated that the rights of persons with disabilities remain a priority for the government.

“It takes each and every one of us to remember that persons with disabilities are not to be sidelined in any area. We must adjust our attitudes and perceptions towards disabilities and understand that many people face mental health challenges daily. We must be more understanding towards each other to ensure a more caring society,” she says. n

Sources: www.statssa.gov.za/?p=14415 www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/south-africa-adopts-three-new-gbv-laws www.gov.za/speeches/women-youth-persons-disabilities-inclusion-disability-sector-17-nov-2019-0000 www.iol.co.za/news/international-day-of-persons-with-disabilities-call-to-adjust-attitudes-in-sa-5577d8da-980e-4c6b-a621-dfacfe5fc398 www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/nkoana-mashabane-emphasises-importance-of-economic-participation-for-women-to-end-gbv www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/government-intensifies-fight-against-gender-based-violence www.thepresidency.gov.za/profiles/minister-maite-nkoana-mashabane%3A-profile www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2021-11-28-minister-maite-nkoana-mashabane-on-16-days-of-activism-lets-all-make-sure-gbv-is-history/

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TRAILBLAZER

BY KOKETSO JESSIE TAYLOR MAMABOLO

Above and beyond

Dr. Valanathan Munsami shapes South Africa’s space policy and research

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hen you look up at the stars, you may not realise that a complex network of satellites is gathering data that informs government policy and decision making. Those satellites, and various other technologies, form part of South Africa’s space science and research programmes managed by the South African National Space Agency (SANSA). The man at the helm of this mission to learn more about the skies above us is Dr. Valanathan Munsami.

LOOKING TO SPACE Dr. Munsami oversaw the establishment of the South African National Space Agency (SANSA) and today holds the position of its CEO in 2017.

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He holds a PhD in Physics and a Masters of Business Leadership, and a Space Studies Program Diploma.

He also possesses a Certificate in International Air, Space, and Telecommunications Law. The Academy’s International Board of Trustees is a dedicated governing body of distinguished members from various fields.

These include diplomacy, business, science, education, philanthropy and the arts.

Trustees believe in the power of international understanding to promote peace across the world. The IASL is a unique platform responsible for promoting international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space.

Dr. Munsami is no stranger to the complexities of international relations and space policymaking. In 2007, Dr. Munsami joined the Department of Science and Technology as Director for Space Science and Technology.

He was later promoted to Chief Director. In this position, he was involved in developing South Africa’s National Space Strategy and National Space Policy.

When South Africa won the bid for co-host intergovernmental radio telescope project the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) in 2012, he became the Chief Specialist for Astronomy and African Space Science.

He was involved in developing South Africa’s National Space Strategy and National Space Policy.

He led the development of South Africa’s Multi-Wavelength Astronomy Strategy and the SKA Readiness Strategy. Dr. Musami has held several positions that deal with space exploration and research, including a seat on the South African Council for Space Affairs (SACSA). He has held the position of vice president of the International Astronautics Federation (IAF) for Developing Countries and Emerging Nations and served on the Advisory Boards of the Global Space Congress (GSC) and the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC). SGAC is a global non-governmental, non-profit organisation and network which aims to represent university students and young space professionals to the United

Nations, space agencies, industry, and academia. He has also chaired the African Union Space Working Group, which was tasked with developing the African Space Policy and the African Space Strategy that was approved by the African Union Heads of State in January 2016.

GUIDING SPACE RESEARCH EFFORTS South Africa has been involved in space research and activities for many decades. The country assisted with early international space efforts in the second half of the 20th century and observed the Earth’s magnetic field at stations around Southern Africa.

But in 2010, The South African National Space Agency (SANSA) was created to promote the use of space and strengthen cooperation in space-related activities. The Agency also plays an important role in fostering research in space science, advancing scientific engineering, and supporting industrial development in space technologies. Much of SANSA’s work involves monitoring the Earth and our surrounding environment. The data from these observations is used to ensure that navigation, communication technology and weather forecasting services function as intended.

SANSA OPERATIONS FALL INTO FOUR PROGRAMME AREAS: The Earth Observation programme processes Earth observation data, collected primarily from satellites, to support policymaking, decision-making, economic growth and sustainable development in South Africa.

The Space Engineering programme develops, builds and tests systems and subsystems for satellites. Space Operations provides state-ofthe-art and globally competitive ground station facilities and services for global launch activities. This includes satellite tracking, telemetry and command, launch support, in-orbit testing, mission control and space navigation.

The Space Science programme operates a wide range of infrastructure across southern Africa and Antarctica, all dedicated to studying the Earth’s magnetic field, the Sun, and the near-space environment. The Space Science programme also hosts the only Space Weather Warning Centre in Africa, providing early warnings and forecasts on space weather activity.

Dr. Munsami’s role is essential in guiding South Africa’s space research and exploration fields, ensuring that the country generates and processes data essential for policy-making at government level. n

Dr. Valanathan Munsami CEO | SANSA

Public Sector Leaders | March 2022 | 29

COVID-19 UPDATE

BY JESSIE TAYLOR

A jab analysis

Is there light at the end of the tunnel?

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outh Africa’s vaccination programme has been boosted, with the waiting period between vaccine doses reduced. This will allow citizens to become fully vaccinated and bolster their immunity even faster.

According to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases of South Africa (NICD), vaccines have been shown to reduce severe disease and mortality from Covid-19 by up to 95 to 97%.

Since South Africa’s vaccine rollout programme, more than 31 million vaccine doses have been

administered. Of the almost 40 million adults in South Africa, 47% have received at least one dose of vaccine, and nearly 43% have been fully vaccinated with their primary vaccine doses. More than one million booster doses have been administered across the country.

According to the NICD, booster vaccination with the J&J or Pfizer vaccine is a reliable and safe way of increasing antibody levels.

Booster vaccine shots have been found to improve protection against Covid-19 infection and will reduce your chances of

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developing severe illness should you become infected. Because our immunity – both natural and from vaccines – wanes over time, it is essential to use booster shots to keep us protected against new variants of Covid-19, such as the Omicron variant. Reducing the

Vaccines have been shown to reduce severe disease and mortality from Covid-19 by up to 95 to 97%. time between doses ensures that South Africans have increased protection without delay.

REDUCED WAITING PERIODS In a recent statement, the Department of Health announced a reduction in the time between the administration of primary vaccine doses and booster shots.

A second dose of the Pfizer vaccine can be administered 21 days after the first dose from the end of February. This has been reduced from the waiting period of 42 days.

Pfizer booster shots will be administered three months after a second dose, instead of six months previously used by the Department.

The Department also announced a significant change to its vaccination programme: vaccine makes can now be mixed to improve immune response. This means that booster doses of a different vaccine to that which was administered as the primary dose can now be administered Adults who received primary vaccination of the Johnson and Johnson (J&J) vaccine will now be able to have a booster dose of Pfizer. In addition, anyone who has had a primary vaccination of two doses of Pfizer will be able to have a booster dose of J&J. This method is called heterologous

booster vaccination.

The vaccine availability at vaccination centres will guide the decision regarding which vaccine to administer as a booster. If both vaccines are available at a vaccination centre, homologous boosting will be used - unless the vaccinee requests to receive a heterologous or different booster dose or has a history of experiencing an adverse event following immunisation.

In addition to boosting immunity, mixing vaccines provides the additional benefit of reducing the demand on vaccine stocks and could potentially prevent vaccine resistance of future Covid-19 variants.

Because vaccines trigger different immune responses, mixing vaccine brands could offer different ways to stimulate your immune system, giving you a stronger immune response than using only one make.

The changes to the vaccination programme come as a way to increase uptake of Covid-19 vaccines in South Africa, said Health Minister Joe Phaahla.

“Covid-19 vaccines remain the most effective weapon against the pandemic and provide protection against Covid-19 infection,” Minister Phaahla said.

Sources: www.businesstech.co.za/news/government/560658/updated-covid-vaccine-rules-for-south-africa www.news24.com/health24/medical/infectious-diseases/coronavirus/covid-19-boosters-mixing-andmatching-pfizer-and-jj-vaccines-what-you-need-to-know-20220222-2 www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/ramaphosa-tech-billionaire-open-new-covid-19-vaccinemanufacturing-laboratory-20220119 www.nicd.ac.za/covid-19-vaccine-booster-shot-frequently-asked-questions

HOW DOES A VACCINE WORK? The vaccines contain genetic material from the virus that causes Covid-19. This genetic material delivers instructions to our cells, telling them to make a harmless protein that is unique to the virus. Once the cells have made copies of the protein, our bodies develop antibodies to this protein. Once this process is done, our bodies destroy the genetic material from the vaccine, and the antibodies are used to fight Covid-19 infection.

Booster shots work in exactly the same way.

BUILDING A VACCINE

MANUFACTURING HUB South Africa has been selected by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as one of six African nations to receive vaccine technology transfer hubs. This technology will enable the country to produce mRNA vaccines at a scale that’s needed for the continent.

To kickstart this industry, President Cyril Ramaphosa and South African-born health technologies billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong, opened the NantSA vaccine manufacturing facility in the Western Cape.

This facility will interact with the hub, providing the RNA enzymes they need to produce vaccines, said President Ramaphosa.

The goal is for NantSA to generate a billion Covid-19 vaccines a year by 2025 n.

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REGIONAL FOCUS: KZN

BY KOKETSO MAMABOLO

Billions for KZN Premier Sihle Zikalala highlights investments in his State of the Province Address The double blow of a pandemic accompanied by civil unrest has left many provinces depleted.

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n his State of the Province Address, KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala began by paying tribute to the Zulu King and Queen Regent, who both passed away in 2021. Notwithstanding the challenges faced by his administration, Honourable Zikalala was optimistic about a route to recovery. He quoted lines from American poet Winona Montgomery Gilliland’s “Tears for My Country”:

Our vision is dimmed; we are tired And long for ease.

We neglect our vital spark--That burning love for freedom which once lit Our blackest nights--and now we fumble, Confused and fearful, hearing our foundations crumble.

The Premier’s address detailed his administration’s plans for 2022, and reflected on the year that has passed. The push for efficiency underpins this year’s priorities.

Basic amenities, public safety and the creation of jobs are some of the areas the Provincial Government will focus on.

Hon. Zikalala was the bearer of good news on the housing and job creation front. During his address, the Premier announced wonderful news on the investment front.

Trade Investment KwaZulu-Natal (TIKZN) has drawn in investments of R5.3-billion, with a potential for 8554 jobs to be created. An export strategy has been developed and implemented to offer businesses

with access to the African market through the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).

THE 6TH ADMINISTRATION Hon. Zikalala’s administration has eight priorities as outlined at the beginning of their term and highlighted once again in the Premier’s address: •

Provision of basic services

•

Job creation

•

Growing the economy

•

Growing SMMEs and cooperatives

•

Human beings are blessed with the necessity of transformation.”

Residents of the province have the power to realise the KZN of their dreams, says the Premier.

“Turn in the direction of the future that beckons so that we may all grow and prosper.”

INVESTMENTS ANNOUNCED IN THE PROVINCE •

Investec Property R6-billion investment 16 000 jobs

Education and skills development

•

Toyota South Africa R2.6-billion investment

•

Human settlements and sustainable livelihoods

•

•

Build a peaceful province

Pepkor Group R1.5-billion investment R1-billion expansion

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Build a caring and incorruptible government

•

Blythesdale Coastal Resort R800-million investment 2000 jobs

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Tetra Pak R500-million investment 420 jobs

•

Webhelp Call Centre R500-million 2000 jobs n

“Ours is a vision based on the aspirations of the Freedom Charter, the Reconstruction and Development Plan (RDP), the National Development Plan Vision 2030, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and our own Provincial Growth and Development Strategy,” said the Premier. Hon. Zikalala ended off his speech with another quote from a poet, this time it was the Nigerian poet and novelist Ben Okri: “The fact of possessing imagination means that everything can be redreamed.

Each reality can have its alternative possibilities.

Hon. Sihle Zikalala KwaZulu-Natal Premier

Sources: www.tellersofweirdtales.blogspot.com/2013/02/winona-montgomery-gilliland-1891-1960.html www.www.kznonline.gov.za/images/Downloads/Publications/SOPA_Layout_22-1.pdf

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INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY

BY JESSIE TAYLOR

International Women’s Day

Unlocking economic growth by including women in the workforce

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nternational Women’s Day takes place in March every year and is a time to reflect on the role women play in society and how they can be empowered further. One of the critical challenges facing women is economic inequality, which hampers economic growth and social change.

South Africa ranks 18th out of 156 countries assessed for gender equality in the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Report for 2018. This comes while the country’s economy is at a tipping point, and

greater economic participation by women could unlock the economic recovery needed. The empowerment of women is an integral part of South Africa’s effort to achieve inclusive growth, create jobs and expand economic opportunities for all.

WOMEN’S WORK According to statistics published

by Stats SA, the South African labour market is more favourable to women than men. Women face additional challenges that hinder them from accessing employment,

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promotions and certain sectors.

Men are more likely to be in paid employment than women, and women are more likely to be carrying out unpaid work. The rate of unemployment among women was almost 37% in women, compared to 32% in men, based on 2021 statistics.

Women of colour are even more severely affected, with 41% of black women unemployed and 30% of coloured women unemployed, compared to 8% of white women.

However, even when women are employed, they face challenges.

They are less likely to be promoted to managerial positions, with only a third of managerial positions in South Africa being filled by women.

Men are more likely to have their employers contributing to their retirement fund than women, and the share of men who were entitled to paternity leave (89%) was higher than the share of women who were entitled to maternity leave (77%).

According to statistics published by Stats SA, the South African labour market is more favourable to women than men.

Women fill most domestic work roles, and women occupy only 12% of craft and related trade jobs. They are underrepresented in several industries in South Africa. There is one woman for every seven men employed in mining, one of every six men working in construction and one woman for every three men in agriculture.

In addition, female entrepreneurs also face challenges. Not only are women are less likely than men to have access to financial institutions, but they are also less likely to be entrepreneurs and face more disadvantages when starting businesses. In fact, in 40% of economies, women’s early-stage entrepreneurial activity is half or less than half of that of men.

HEAVIER BURDENS The global pandemic created additional challenges for women in the workplace. PwC’s Women in Work Index found that around five

years of empowerment progress was lost due to the pandemic and increased the unequal burden of care carried by women, causing more women than men to leave the labour market.

Bhushan Sethi, Joint Global Leader, People and Organisation at PwC, says: “Women carry a heavier burden than men of unpaid care and domestic work. This has increased during the pandemic, limiting women’s time and options to contribute to the economy. In the labour market, more women work in hard-hit human contactintensive service sectors - such as accommodation and food services and retail trade. With social distancing and lockdowns, these sectors have seen unprecedented job losses.”

skills and perspectives to the workplace, including different attitudes to risk and collaboration.

This has been found to increase the financial performance of companies. At a national level, closing the gender gap could increase GDP by an average of 35%, according to the World Economic Forum.

Research has shown that women and men complement each other in the production process, creating an additional benefit from diversifying the labour force. Higher productivity has been recorded in teams with more women in them, resulting in increased wages for both men

Although PwC’s study focuses primarily on women in OECD countries, there are similar patterns in South Africa. The pandemic has disrupted hundreds of thousands of women’s lives, as well as putting a damper on years of progress around gender equality.

“Improving female participation in the labour market will significantly impact the economy.

There are huge benefits from getting more women in productive, well-paid jobs,” says Sethi.

Benefits of female employment Gender inequity has significant economic benefits. Research by Accenture found that by upskilling more women and creating a culture of equality, South Africa could unlock R319 billion into its GDP. For a start, women bring different

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and women. However, female economic empowerment has farreaching implications. It increases women’s rights and gender equality, allowing them access and control of resources; control their own time, lives and bodies; and increased agency and meaningful participation in economic decision-making.

In addition, better opportunities for women to earn and control income could contribute to broader economic development.

According to the International Labour Organization, women’s work may be the most important poverty-reducing factor in developing economies.

Women are more likely than men to invest a large proportion of their household income in their children’s education.

This has enormous potential to change the poverty cycle, as increasing women’s and girls’ educational attainment contributes to women’s economic empowerment. Education is critical

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for women’s and girls’ health and well-being and their incomegeneration opportunities and participation in the formal labour market. Increased educational attainment accounts for about 50 per cent of the economic growth in OECD countries over the past 50 years. Women’s economic participation is an important factor in reducing gender-based violence, says Minister for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane.

“We are fighting for women to get more economic employment to access that which makes them do the things they do best. As a government, we have committed to taking tangible action to ensure that 2026 economic justice and rights are granted to women and girls. Women’s effective economic participation is integral in ending the scourge of gender-based violence,” she says.

According to the International Labour Organization, women’s work may be the most important povertyreducing factor in developing economies.

Women’s economic empowerment is one of the pillars of South Africa’s National Strategic Plan of Gender-Based Violence and Femicide.

MAPPING OUT ECONOMIC PARTICIPATION President Cyril Ramaphosa has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting and growing female participation in the workforce.

“We are focusing on the economic empowerment of women. Not only is this an important part of

the fight against gender-based violence. It is also a fundamental matter of social justice and essential if our economy is to draw on the potential of all our people,” says President Ramaphosa The president has also committed to making greater progress in awarding at least 40 per cent of government procurement for women-owned businesses.

Last year, President Ramaphosa said that the Presidency, along with departments such as the Department of Women, Social Development, Small Business, Rural Development and Land Reform, and the National Treasury, had mapped out a strategy to achieve 40 per cent preferential procurement in the public sector.

“Public procurement accounts for 9 %of GDP, which is about R500 billion annually. Of this amount, 12% went to women-owned enterprises in the first and second quarter of 2021. Government, working together with industry, has started building the capability of women-owned businesses to submit proposals to provide goods and services in the public and private sectors,” he said.

An example of this is a framework by the Western Cape Human Settlements Department. This initiative invites bids from

women and youth contractors in engineering and construction to quote for projects under the Department. These include general building; civil engineering; electrical engineering works, infrastructure; landscaping, irrigation and horticulture works; and steel security fencing or precast concrete fencing.

Women have also been given access to land to increase their participation in the agricultural sector. In 2021, 54 000 of the 206 000 hectares of state land released (78 farms) were made available to women beneficiaries.

The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development aims to allocate at least 50% of allotted state land to women.

“For as long as women shoulder the greatest burden of poverty, for as long as they are more likely to be unemployed, for as long as they are paid less than their male counterparts, for as long as they struggle to start businesses, for as long as they face discrimination in the workplace, for as long as women confront these and other challenges, our vision of an equal and just society will remain elusive,” said President Ramaphosa. n

Sources: www.statssa.gov.za/?p=14606 www.mg.co.za/opinion/2022-02-08-agritech-can-reduce-the-female-unemployment-rate-in-south-africa www.accenture.com/za-en/company-news-release-improving-gender-parity www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/494/224371.html www.brookings.edu/blog/africa-in-focus/2020/01/23/closing-the-gender-gap-in-african-labor-markets-is-good-economics www.gov.za/speeches/president-cyril-ramaphosa-inaugural-women-economic-assembly-6-oct-2021-0000 www.gov.za/speeches/president-cyril-ramaphosa-reply-debate-state-nation-address-16-feb-2022-0000 www.news24.com/fin24/economy/ramaphosa-full-economic-participation-of-women-needed-for-meaningful-gender-equality-20211004 www.pwc.co.za/en/press-room/women-in-work-index-2021.html www.sabcnews.com/nkoana-mashabane-emphasises-importance-of-economic-participation-for-women-to-end-gbv www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/economic-empowerment/facts-and-figures www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/12/economic-gains-from-gender-inclusion-even-greater-than-you-thought

Public Sector Leaders | March 2022 | 37

WORLD WATER DAY

BY JESSIE TAYLOR

Blue future

Partnering for cleaner water sources

W

ater is a fundamental resource to life, development and economic growth, yet many South Africans find it difficult to access this resource.

South Africa is a water-scare country facing the challenges of a growing demand for water alongside ageing infrastructure.

But a renewed focus will ensure that collaboration improves both access to water and the quality of the water in both taps and rivers.

CATERING FOR A GROWING WATER DEMAND Recently, the Water and Sanitation Ministry held a two-day National Water and Sanitation Summit at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand.

The summit followed several Ministerial Working Sessions undertaken by the Ministry,

aiming to assess, address challenges and find lasting solutions faced by the sector.

The summit aimed to draft immediate actions to improve water and sanitation services provision.

The event comes after a series of working sessions that Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu carried out after being appointed to the post in August 2021. He visited each province to understand the service delivery challenges they are facing and to unlock bottlenecks hampering the completion of projects.

South Africa’s water demand exceeds its supply, said Minister Mchunu. On average, water consumption in South Africa is 221 litres per person each day.

The world average is 123 litres.

Despite full dams and rivers,

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water often fails to reach communities and household taps, said Minister Mchunu. This is often a result of water losses and service delivery failures.

Minister Mchunu said municipalities lose as much as 60% of water due to failing infrastructure, low budgets and poor skills.

The average loss reported by municipalities was at 40%, the lowest level of losses sat at 26%.

The Department owns 323 of South Africa’s 5 641 dams. Other government departments own 86 dams, while water boards own 121. This requires municipalities to have arrangements with other entities, contributing to some of the country’s supply problems, as municipalities are responsible for reticulation. In contrast, other entities take care of bulk water supply.

WORKING TOWARDS A CLEANER FUTURE Addressing industry experts and stakeholders at the summit, Minister Mchunu emphasised a need for collaboration between the public and private sectors, communities and industry experts to ensure the country’s future water security.

Minister Mchunu says work was already under way to establish these partnerships.

“In addition to private-public partnerships, we have identified the need for all three spheres of government to work together because ultimately, we are in office through the will of the people, and we have to serve with honour.”

Essentially, the Green Drop programme measures water quality in South Africa’s rivers, while the Blue Drop programme measures water quality in the taps. This programme is vital for creating compliance in the industry, especially as 56% of municipal wastewater treatment works were considered poor or critical in 2019. More than 40% of water treatment plants were considered in poor or critical condition.

“As a sector regulator, we are focused on ensuring that compliance to legislation takes cause and remains dedicated to safeguarding those risks revealed through these programmes,” Minister Mchunu said.

who think it is okay to vandalise infrastructure. This comes to a stop now,” the Minister said.

SOUTH AFRICA’S WATER LANDSCAPE IN NUMBERS

5.3-MILLION

households don’t have access to clean water

290 000 KM

of pipelines make up South Africa’s water infrastructure

1/3

of all water leaks are due to broken pipes

962

water purification plants exist in South Africa

One of the Water and Sanitation measures implemented include the Blue and Green Drop Certification Programmes, which was disbanded in 2014. Through incentive-based regulation, these programmes will focus on providing good quality drinking water and managing wastewater quality.

The Department will also implement a review of Water Boards as a tool for them to improve performance and will establish a National Water Resource Infrastructure Agency. Water Boards must be economically viable to offer improved waters delivery to municipalities, explained Minister Mchunu.

The reports on the programmes are expected to be published later this month. These reports will allow the public to know the quality status of the water provided to them and discharged into their environment.

“We have scientific backing that South Africa is a water-scarce country, and it is for this reason that we all have to pull our weight to safeguard this precious resource. We will not hesitate to take stern actions against people

1150

wastewater treatment plants are found in the country n

Hon. Senzo Mchunu Minister of Water and Sanitation

Sources: www.mg.co.za/environment/2020-01-31-water-services-worse-than-in-1994 www.mg.co.za/environment/2021-02-17-why-we-need-the-blue-and-green-drop-reports-everyone-in-sa-lives-downstream-from-a-sewage-discharge-point www.mg.co.za/environment/2021-07-25-water-sector-to-clean-up-its-act www.mg.co.za/politics/2021-02-11-read-it-in-full-ramaphosas-2021-state-of-the-nation-address www.702.co.za/articles/439035/what-we-hope-to-learn-about-at-the-national-water-and-sanitation-summit www.citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/government/3032371/sin-to-not-provide-water-minister-mchunu-19-february-2022 www.devdiscourse.com/article/headlines/1930276-national-summit-underscores-importance-of-improving-water-security www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/summit-places-water-security-under-spotlight

Public Sector Leaders | March 2022 | 39

CSI FOCUS WEEK GLAUCOMA

BY JESSIE MASENYANE TAYLOR MOLEFE

A second look

How testing can reduce the impact of glaucoma

G

laucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in South Africa and the world.

However, this condition is often left undetected, leading to irreversible vision loss. Yet testing for this illness is quick and painless and can prevent permanent damage to the optic nerve.

This is the message that World Glaucoma Week aims to spread. The awareness week runs between Sunday the 6th and Saturday the 12th of March and is a clarion call to all South Africans to get tested for glaucoma and other eye diseases.

A GRADUAL PROGRESSION Glaucoma is the second most common cause of blindness worldwide, with around 4.5 million people suffering from the disease globally. In South Africa, it is estimated that about 200 000 people are affected.

Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that cause progressive damage to the optic nerve. The disorders affect the point of the optic nerve where it leaves the eye to carry visual information to the brain. The condition sees patients develop a specific pattern of progressive damage to the optic nerve. This usually begins with a slight loss of peripheral vision.

The eye has internal pressure, created by a clear fluid that flows through the eye which drains into the blood via an area called the anterior chamber angle. However, in glaucoma patients, this outflow is obstructed and this, in turn, causes increased eye pressure. This pressure can, over time, damage the optic nerve.

If left untreated, glaucoma can progress gradually towards blindness without giving any warnings or obvious symptoms to the patient

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Glaucoma is not preventable, and anyone can potentially develop it.

The disease is common in South Africa and particularly affects those of African descent. This is why it’s essential to have regular eye tests.

TESTING AND TREATMENT Because of the silent progression of the disease, especially in the early stages, almost half of all people in the developed world don’t realise they have glaucoma. In developing nations, this is insignificantly higher – as much as 90% of those with the disease don’t are undiagnosed.

While there is no cure for the damage caused to the optic nerve by glaucoma, cases that are diagnosed in time can be managed and controlled.

The recommended treatment will depend on the type of glaucoma, but most treatment plans aim to reduce the pressure in the eye.

Some treatment plans may include eye drops and medication to reduce the pressure in the eye or reduce the rate at which fluid is produced.

Laser treatment may also be used to open the drainage angle and to reduce intraocular pressure. As a last resort, surgery may be used to create a new passage for fluid drainage.

The vision loss caused by glaucoma is irreversible. This means that early detection is essential to limit the visual impairment caused by the disease and prevent its progression. Not

only will this ensure your visual health, but it will also reduce the impact of this disease on society.

The complications caused by glaucoma can be considerable by limiting the individual’s economic activity and creating a demand on healthcare.

WHAT CAUSES GLAUCOMA? Glaucoma can be caused as a complication of another disease, but most cases do not have a cause.

The most common types of adult-onset glaucoma are Primary Open Angle Glaucoma, which is found most frequently in Caucasian and African patients, while Angle-Closure Glaucoma is often found in Asian patients. The third type of glaucoma is AngleClosure Glaucoma - a chronic and sometimes acute condition that is often painful and leads to rapid vision loss.

HOW DO I TEST FOR GLAUCOMA? A test for glaucoma can be done at any optometrist, using a machine to send a puff of air into the eye. This test determines the intraocular pressure of your eye. If your optometrist finds any irregularity, you will be referred to an ophthalmologist who specialises in eye and vision care.

The ophthalmologist will run tests for optic nerve damage, cornea thickness and loss of peripheral vision, among others.

If you are younger than 40, you should have your eyes tested every two to four years. Between the age of 40 and 54, this should increase to every one to three years. Tests should take place annually from the age of 55. n

A child may be born with glaucoma or develop it during childhood, but most cases develop later in life in adults who are over 40. Both men and women are affected equally.

One of the risk factors for glaucoma is high pressure within the eye (intraocular pressure), as well as advanced age, racial ancestry, family history and high myopia. Those with a family history of the condition; who are nearsighted; or who have medical conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and sickle cell anaemia should all undergo frequent testing as they get older.

Sources: South African Glaucoma Society Glaucoma Research Foundation Netcare Hospitals SA Government National Eye Institute (NHI)

Public Sector Leaders | March 2022 | 41

HUMAN RIGHTS MONTH

BY FIONA WAKELIN

Human Rights Month Launched by Honourable Minister Nathi Mthethwa

T

he 2022 Human Rights Month programme - “The Year of Unity and Renewal: Protecting and Preserving our Human Rights Gains” - was launched by the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture – Honourable Nathi Mthethwa.

Minister Mthethwa invited members of the media to the launch of the programme which took place on Tuesday, 01 March 2022 at the Kgosi Mampuru Museum in Pretoria.

The platform encouraged panelists to engage with and discuss a variety of human rights issues.

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“In ensuring that the historical genesis of Human Rights Day is not lost, we need to give a socio-historical context of the commemoration, tracing its origins way back to the tumultuous events in Sharpeville, on 21 March 1960,” – Hon. Mthethwa.

“We need to provide a bird’s eye view in terms of the gains made in engendering a human rights culture since the advent of democracy.

Women constitute a majority in the population, yet in many respects remain marginalised,” tweeted Minister Mthethwa As a precursor to the dialogue, Minister Mthethwa took part in the I Choose 2B Active virtual gym class to promote healthy lifestyles and the fight against obesity, heart problems and to promote a reduction in hospital bills. This was streamed live on Zoom and social media.

"If we are active we are contributing positively to our vision of seeing an active society. You don't have to go to expensive gyms, just a walk or jog instead of waking up and driving to the nearest mall." – Hon. Mthethwa The recognition and preservation of all official languages also falls under

the purview of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture and in February The Pan South African Language Board (PANSALB) together with Minister Mthethwa held a conference today to commemorate International Mother Language Day. In recognition of the importance of this event, Hon. Mthetwa tweeted:

THE VISION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF SPORT, ARTS AND CULTURE: A creative and inclusive nation

“Mother tongue is the true vehicle of transmission, which is fundamental to our identities, an inseparable part of our personalities and must never be lost. It should be preserved at any cost as it carries the rich cultural fabric of our existence”.

At the conference Minister Mthethwa stressed that a multilingual education based on mother tongue should be a cornerstone of the South African education system: “Technology has a great potential to address some of the challenges in our education today. It can accelerate efforts in ensuring lifelong equitable education for the inclusion of using mother tongue in our system because multilingual education based on mother tongue should be a key component of our education system. This goal is a national one.”

MISSION: Develop, preserve, protect and promote arts, culture and heritage

•

•

•

•

•

•

VALUE STATEMENT: The DSAC is committed to the following core values based on the principles of Batho-Pele: Patriotism: as loyal PATRIOTS, we passionately serve South Africa and its people to build a nation.

Ubuntu: CARE and concern for the wellbeing of our staff, customers and stakeholders is the foundation of our success.

Creative/Innovation: in everything we do, we strive for CREATIVE/INNOVATIVE approaches.

Integrity: in our day-to-day activities, our INTEGRITY shines through.

Professionalism: together, we act PROFESSIONALLY to deliver value to the South African economy, its people and ourselves.

Accountability: we are ACCOUNTABLE to the people of South Africa in our quest to provide them with high-quality services. n

Public Sector Leaders | March 2022 | 43

FINANCIAL FITNESS

BY JESSIE TAYLOR SAFEGUARDING AGAINST CYBERCRIME South Africa sits sixth in ranking among the countries with the most cybercrime and has shown the sharpest rise in cybercrime compared to any country in the world. According to research, South Africa has around 51 cybercrime victims for every one million internet users.

Whaling and Phishing 2.0!

Beware of online fraud Increased online activity makes South Africans more at risk for cybercrime

S

outh Africans lose more than R1.5billion in banking and card fraud in a year, according to estimates from the South African Banking Risk Information Centre (SABRIC). The country has one of the ten highest rates of cybercrime in the world, yet many of these crimes can be avoided, with just a few simple safety tips to protect your hard-earned money.

On average, three billion cybercrime attempts are sent out via email every day, and one in every 100 emails is a phishing attempt.

The three most common types of cybercrime are phishing, vishing, and whaling.

•

Phishing relies on the sending of emails, purportedly from reputable companies, to trick the recipient into sharing personal information, such as passwords and credit card numbers.

These emails often appear to be from recognised senders and may include malicious codes or links. This is the most common cybercrime.

•

Vishing is a form of crime in which fraudsters will attempt to seal private information during a telephone call. These criminals use social engineering tactics to convince victims to divulge their details, especially banking information, over the phone. Very often, these criminals will pose at a reputable institution, such as a bank, to request personal information from their victim.

•

Whaling involves business email compromise.

In these instances, cybercriminals use a compromised senior executive’s information to carry out fraud. The hacker will use the executive’s account to infiltrate a company, making use of personal information, for financial gain. This approach usually entices the receiver to click on a malicious URL or attachment to gain access to their personal information.

According to the Ombudsman for Banking Services Reana Steyn, fraud continues to pose a risk to banking customers with new scams launched every day. The ombudsman investigated more than R295 million worth of banking fraud in 2021 alone.

44 | Public Sector Leaders | March 2022

Based on the 2020 annual crime statistics, SABRIC said digital banking fraud increased by 33%. This was also fuelled by more people turning to online shopping and bill payments during lockdown.

SABRIC CEO Nischal Mewalall says that cybercrime and data breaches will represent a significant threat to customers and banks, because even the best security and technology can be compromised when criminals source and use legitimate data illegally, to carry out a crime.

Mewalall says: “Your personal data, when combined with technology has become the new key to the safe that holds your money in a bank, so you must safeguard your data to prevent criminals getting access to your safe.”

Mewalall also warns bank customers to never click on links in unsolicited emails as these links are used in phishing emails to drive people to “spoofed” websites that look like legitimate online retailers, complete with enticing images and convincing taglines.

“Criminals use these bogus websites to harvest bank card details to make online purchases using your account. We are still seeing lots of scam’s advertising seemingly incredible deals for personal protective equipment, sanitiser and fake vaccines that exploit people’s concern for their health and safety,” adds Mewalall.

TIPS TO PROTECT YOURSELF AGAINST FRAUD • Always protect your personal information, including usernames, passwords, and PIN numbers.

•

Regularly review your account statements and query disputed transactions with your bank immediately.

•

Implement dual authentications for all accounts and products, especially for financial services products.

•

Register for SMS notifications to alert you when products and accounts are accessed.

•

Do not click on links or icons in unsolicited e-mails, and do not reply to hem.

•

Type in the URL for your bank in the internet browser if you need to access your bank’s webpage.

•

Create complicated passwords that are not easy to decipher and change them often.

•

Banks will never ask you to confirm your confidential information over the phone.

•

If you receive an OTP on your phone without having transacted yourself, it was likely prompted by a fraudster using your personal information.

Do not provide the OTP telephonically to anybody.

Contact your bank immediately to alert them to the possibility that your information may have been compromised.

ABOUT THE FINANCIAL SECTOR CONDUCT AUTHORITY (FSCA) The FSCA was established as the conduct regulator of financial institutions that provide a financial product or a financial service. If you’re uncertain about the status of a financial service provider, the FSCA can confirm if it is authorised to render financial services. Contact the FSCA on 0800 110 443 or www.fcsa.co.za n

Public Sector Leaders | March 2022 | 45

IN OTHER NEWS

BY JESSIE TAYLOR

Reducing the burden of TB Healthcare looks to advances in vaccine development

S

outh Africa has the fifth-highest burden of Tuberculosis (TB) globally.

But with the Covid-19 pandemic requiring a large-scale healthcare response, the fight against TB has suffered at South African clinics and hospitals.

The disease, considered an epidemic, has a devastating impact on the country and is the leading cause of death. However, with the advances in vaccination development in response to the pandemic, hope has been ignited that TB may soon also see further vaccine development.

MOUNTING A RESPONSE AGAINST INFECTION TB is a serious public health issue in South Africa. Almost half a million people develop the disease each year – and more than half of these people are also living with HIV. The disease is the leading cause of death

in the country, and around 90 000 people die of the disease annually. South Africa’s over six million HIV patients have a higher risk of contracting TB and a greater chance of dying from the illness.

While there is a correlation between the spread of TB and the large number of people living with HIV in South Africa, the disease is also driven by poor living conditions and late presentation to health facilities.

Inadequate nutrition can also reduce the chances of patients recovering. While state facilities provide treatment for TB, the disease can lead to loss of earnings, creating an additional burden for those living in poverty.

Last year, the number of TB deaths worldwide rose for the first time in over a decade, according to a report by the

46 | Public Sector Leaders | March 2022

World Health Organisation (WHO).

According to WHO, there were 21% fewer people to receive care for TB in 2020 compared to 2019, with a correlation drawn to barriers caused by lockdowns and overstretched healthcare systems. And increased levels of poverty, malnourishment, and lung damage caused by Covid-19 are likely to make more people vulnerable to contracting TB. Launching a response to the disease comes with a significant price tag. The South African government, PEPFAR, and the Global Fund spend more than USD 1.5 billion annually on HIV and TB prevention, care, and treatment interventions.

There is a further burden created by multi-drug resistant TB, which drains around half of the government’s budget allocated to TB response.

Treating one of these cases can

reach around R115 000, compared to about R2 500 for a nonresistant case. At the financial burden of treating this disease, it is essential for the government to reduce the number of infections.

A TB-FREE FUTURE In South Africa, all children receive a vaccine against TB. Only the Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine has been licensed for use against tuberculosis.

The live vaccine stimulates the infant’s immune system to build antibodies to protect against TB. The vaccine is protective against more severe forms of TB. However, the BCG vaccine protection does not last against pulmonary TB in adulthood.

The rapid development of Covid-19 vaccines has given hope for future development in vaccination against TB. A century has passed since the BCG vaccine was introduced to combat TB more than 100 years ago, with no new vaccines approved for use since.

In 2019, the new M72/AS01E was shown to be 50% efficacious in preventing TB disease in subSaharan Africa during a trial.

However, these results need to be confirmed by a larger trial.

Pharmaceutical company GSK has licensed the vaccine to the Bill and Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute to drive further development. Modelling by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine has

suggested that this vaccine could help reduce the number of TB infections in South Africa, resulting in fewer infections and reduced treatment spending by the government. WHO is joining partners, civil society and affected people and communities worldwide in calling for increased and sustained investments in TB vaccine development.

“Comparing this to the rapid advances made in the development and roll-out of safe and effective vaccines for COVID-19, we can see that political commitment backed by massive investments in research can lead to faster access to lifesaving vaccines.

Unprecedented public and private financing has supported COVID-19 vaccine research, development and manufacturing scale-up. This clearly shows that we don’t need to wait for over 100 years to access new TB vaccines, but like with COVID-19, increased investments can be a game-changer and alleviate the suffering and deaths caused to millions due to TB – that remains one of the world’s top infectious killers,” says Dr Tereza Kasaeva Director, WHO Global TB Programme The rapid development of Covid-19 vaccines has given hope for future development in vaccination against TB. Reducing the number of transmissions is vital to improving healthcare in Southern

African nations and reducing TB’s financial and healthcare strain.

WHAT IS TUBERCULOSIS? TB is caused by a bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

It responds to antibacterial medications (antibiotics), but it requires treatment for at least six months with multiple antibiotics because it is very slow-growing.

The disease most commonly affects the lungs but can also cause disease in any other organ of the body, such as the lymph nodes, brain, skin and bone.

TB can occur in people at any age, from newborns to elderly adults. It affects people in all communities. TB is most often spread through coughing, as the droplets of sputum carry the bacteria and may be breathed in by a person nearby. Those with robust immune systems may fight off illness, but those with compromised immune systems (such as those with HIV, diabetes, cancer and other health conditions) may become ill and require TB treatment.

The bacteria that cause TB can develop resistance to the antimicrobial drugs used to cure the disease. Around 1.8% of new cases of TB in South Africa are multi-drug resistant.

Multidrug-resistant TB does not respond to the two most powerful anti-TB drugs. This is why it’s essential to complete the full treatment course of any TB medication to prevent Multidrugresistant TB. n

Public Sector Leaders | March 2022 | 47

LEGAL MATTERS

BY SILKE RATHBONE

Intellectual property rights in the workplace Who owns what?

I

t is all fair and well to think that, as an employer, you can tell your employees that everything and anything born from your offices during the course and scope of their employment belongs to you and your company … however, this might not always be the situation.

In essence, an employer will own the IP created by its employees, if the employee had a duty to create the IP and if it was created during the course of the employees employment.

However, IP created by an employee, outside the course of employment will belong to the employee.

When stepping into the zone of intellectual property, it is vital that you understand how one creates intellectual property, who

actually owns it, and what affects it, given that many employees work remotely nowadays as well.

Think about this – if your employee is tasked with coming up with a smart marketing package, where you are giving them the freedom to be innovative … who owns that piece of intellectual property? A small aspect like this can open you and your company up to many dilemmas and abuse.

WHAT ARE THE COMMON PIECES OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY? • Copyrights • Designs • Trade Marks • Confidential Information and Data • Trade Secrets • Know-how

48 | Public Sector Leaders | March 2022

COPYRIGHTS When something is created through a computer program, a musical layout, a literary piece of copy or any form of artistic creation, it is referred to as a copyright. Determining who owns these copyrights is the crucial part. A simple but effective clause to include in your employment contract would be to state that all work created during the course and scope of employment belongs to the employer.

DESIGNS The same would apply to designs; however, be sure to differentiate between an employee or an independent contractor when creating the design. In the case of an independent contractor who has been hired to design (note this

can pertain to copy work as well), where money changes hands for that specific design, generally, until the money has been paid in full, the design belongs to the designer. If the design it however created by your employee and it was created during the course and scope of the employees role, then the design will belong to the employer.

TRADEMARKS There can be both unregistered and registered trademarks.

Where a trademark is registered (you can see the little TM at the end of the design or word/s), then the owner of that trademark has full rights to it, and no one else does. Where a trademark is unregistered, however, it’s evident by way of public knowledge that the trademark belongs to, e.g. ABC Company, then generally that will stand up in court.

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION AND DATA | TRADE SECRETS | KNOW-HOW All of these relate to information that is not common knowledge to the general public and should be recorded in any legal agreement and contract so that it is clear that these cannot be used

elsewhere, shared with anyone or divulged for fear of affecting the competitiveness of the organisation.

Be aware, in all instances, that when you have employees, there is always the risk that they may unwittingly let your confidential and private data out into the public, e.g. Laptop is stolen; weak password use; casual conversation is had, etc so make sure you include this in their employment contracts.

Also make sure that their duties are clearly stipulated in their employment contracts and that you can show that they were directed/instructed to create the said IP.

THE SERVICES SILKE OFFERS ARE: • Human and Industrial Relations Related Services • Retrenchments – assisting with everything relating to the restructuring of a business; • Unfair dismissals cases; • Unfair discrimination cases; • Drafting of employment contracts; • Transferring of a business as a going concern; • Labour Law Statutory Compliance – audit; • Monthly retainer packages for IR advice; • Outsourced HR services. n

Should you need more insight into protecting your intellectual property, do reach out to Labour Excel.

LabourExcel specialises in offering a variety of Labour Law and HR Solutions. Silke Rathbone, one of the Principal Partners, has crafted and honed her skillset and assists corporates and individuals along the Labour journey to ensure they understand what is required of them at all levels.

Public Sector Leaders | March 2022 | 49

UPCOMING EVENTS

BY KOKETSO MAMABOLO

06 - 12 World Glaucoma Week Awareness is key for illnesses such as glaucoma, hence World Glaucoma Week which highlights this pernicious eye disease.

“World Glaucoma Week is a unique initiative that puts a spotlight on glaucoma as the leading cause of preventable irreversible blindness worldwide.

The prompt diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma can prevent needless vision impairment, however, so many are unaware they have the disease or may not have access to much-needed care.

As the numbers are expected to increase exponentially, it is a growing public health concern that needs more attention and effective eye health systems,” says the President of the World Glaucoma Association.

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08

15

International Women’s Day

World Consumer Rights Day

“Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow” is this year’s theme for International Women’s Day. The theme brings attention to the significant burden that climate change has placed on women, who are disproportionately affected by the crisis. Poverty affects women the most and their reliance on natural resources places them in a position where the current trajectory could leave millions destitute.

Is the customer always right?

What about their rights? What about the things they need?

World Consumer Rights Day seeks to raise “global awareness about consumer rights and needs. Celebrating the day is a chance to demand that the rights of all consumers are respected and protected, and to protest against market abuses and social injustices which undermine those rights.” reads the What We Do page of Consumers International.

The UN says: “Continuing to examine the opportunities, as well as the constraints, to empower women and girls to have a voice and be equal players in decisionmaking related to climate change and sustainability is essential for sustainable development and greater gender equality.

Without gender equality today, a sustainable future, and an equal future, remains beyond our reach.”

World Consumer Rights Day commemorates American President John F. Kennedy’s special message to the US Congress in 1962. This year is all about “fair digital finance''.

Themes in recent years have included “tackling plastic pollution” and the “sustainable consumer”.

March is all about

rights & awareness 21 Human Rights Day The 69 lives lost in Sharpeville just over half a century ago are remembered each year on this day. “This day marked an affirmation by ordinary people, rising in unison to proclaim their rights. It became an iconic date in our country’s history that today we commemorate as Human Rights Day as a reminder of our rights and the cost paid for our treasured human rights,” says the Government.

With this year marking 25 years since the adoption of the Constitution, Human Rights Day will be even more of a celebration of how far South Africa has come, and what we have achieved.

21

22

World Poetry Day

World Water Day

It is thought that poetry came long before writing, the same way music was made long before instruments. World Poetry Day is about recognising this age-old form of art. The day has been celebrated since UNESCO’s 30th meeting in 1999.

“The observance of World Poetry Day is meant to encourage a return to the oral tradition of poetry recitals, to promote the teaching of poetry, to restore a dialogue between poetry and the other arts such as theatre, dance, music and painting, and to support small publishers and create an attractive image of poetry in the media, so that the art of poetry will no longer beconsidered an outdated form of art, but one which enables society as a whole to regain and assert its identity.”

When scientists look for life on other planets they always look for the main clue: water. Without water there is no life and, in the case of humans, without water there isn’t much of the infrastructure we’ve put in place to make our lives easier. The day is especially important in water scarce nations like South Africa.

“Groundwater is invisible, but its impact is visible everywhere.

Out of sight, under our feet, groundwater is a hidden treasure that enriches our lives. Almost all of the liquid freshwater in the world is groundwater. As climate change gets worse, groundwater will become more and more critical. We need to work together to sustainably manage this precious resource. Groundwater may be out of sight, but it must not be out of mind,” reads the UN’s warning.

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52 | Public Sector Leaders | March 2022