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SA News | 13 September 2024 Trade, Industry and Competition Minister, Parks Tau, has approved the Legal Sector Code in terms of section 9(1) of the B-BBEE Act which aims to accelerate the transformation of the legal sector. “This administration has committed itself to accelerating transformation, guided by the preamble of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa which emphasises the need to correct the injustices of the past. This is captured in the statement of intent of the Government of National Unity (GNU),” Tau said. Tau said the process of drafting the Legal Sector Code commenced in the previous administration led by the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, together with the Legal Practice Council. The process has paved the way for the sector to achieve its Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) objectives of the following: an ownership target of 50% and black women ownership of 25% over 5 years. a management control (executive and board participation) target of 50% representation of black practitioners and a target of 25% for black women practitioners, particularly as equity partners and associates. a skills development target of 3.5% expenditure on training programmes for black candidates. The aim is also to ensure training in specialised skills for black legal practitioners, candidate legal practitioners, candidate legal practitioners and black junior advocates within the following designated categories: black women, black youth, black people with disabilities and black people from rural areas. a procurement target of 60% by the private sector, and there is a target of 80 % to be achieved through the specialised procurement scorecard applicable to the public sector. This will ensure fair and equitable access to specialised areas of law and complex matters when the state procures legal services from black Legal Sector Measured Entities (LSMEs) and ensure the sustainability of LSMEs. “The implementation of the Legal Sector Code is in line with the objectives of B-BBEE and will enhance inclusive growth in line with the transformation objectives of the Government of National Unity (GNU). “There is strong evidence to support the transformation of the legal sector which this sector code will help accelerate. We look forward to the speedy implementation of the Legal Sector Code,” Tau said. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/minister-approves-legal-sector-code

Shawn Hagedorn | 16 September 2024 If we don’t integrate our young adults into global supply chains, South Africa’s potential will remain largely unemployed. Peter Drucker, the legendary management guru, is credited with coining the adage, “You can’t manage what you can’t measure.” Quite possibly the best measure of a country’s economic dynamism in today’s rapidly evolving and highly integrated global economy is the portion of its young adults who add value to exports.  The nature of their jobs is also telling. The value added by employees tends to be quite modest with tourism jobs and lower still with commodity exports. South Africa’s manufacturing export jobs are concentrated in the sectors most distorted by government policies, such as automotive, pharmaceutical, steel and aluminium production.    South Africans steadily spurring innovations creates the impression that our economy is dynamic. Yet, alongside our having entrenched the world’s most severe youth unemployment crisis, hardly any of our twentysomethings add meaningful value to exports destined for first-tier markets on terms which haven’t been influenced by commercially distorting government interventions.  Innovate and integrate As a vanishingly small portion of our young adults adds value to exports on purely commercial terms, we mustn’t delude ourselves into thinking we have a dynamic economy. That isn’t to say that we don’t have innovative people and companies. But our leading companies that have successfully expanded internationally, such as Investec, Discovery and Nandos, serve foreign markets by employing people in those markets. We don’t innovate while integrating globally in ways which propel growth and employment in South Africa. The Cold War ended amid advances in communication and transport technologies that encouraged extraordinary expansion of global supply chains largely indifferent to national borders. This unleashed the extraordinary global upliftment of many hundreds of millions of previously disadvantaged people. Meanwhile, our ruling elites steered us from externally imposed sanctions to domestically enforced localisation regulations.  Africa is the least developed region due to geography, geology and domestic politics. Transportation costs would be sharply lower if this region had Europe’s, let alone North America’s, network of navigable waterways. Rather, Africa is cursed by geological riches wreaking domestic political havoc in an economic era increasingly dominated by digital services and international trade. Most commodity-dependent nations are poor and most poor countries are commodity dependent. Geological wealth mixed with geographic isolation invites predatory politics − as we know well. Sub Saharan Africa is, by far, the least lucrative regional market. South Africa’s long-stagnating economy largely reflects combining localisation policies with meagre discretionary income. This won’t be remedied by exporting to neighbours with faster growth rates but extremely low per capita incomes. Our extreme levels of unemployment and poverty trace to localisation policies amid an era of intense globalisation and rapid-paced innovation. South Africa lacks sufficient consumer spending power to employ a healthy majority of school leavers and the region is even worse off in this regard.  Self-imposed barriers Formation of our government of national unity (GNU) presents an opportunity to overcome the self-imposed barriers which have constrained our economy. But, as this happened swiftly and unexpectedly, our national dialogue hasn’t yet caught up. Our public discourse is slowly acknowledging that we have two overarching economic goals: reducing unemployment and growing GDP. However, we have not begun to acknowledge the fact that GDP cannot grow fast enough to adequately reduce unemployment. Nor are we confronting the reality that reducing unemployment is actually far more important than growing GDP.  Our households are many decades away from being able to spend enough to support a healthy level of workforce participation. The only way we can achieve that is to follow the lead of the dozens of emerging economies which have integrated extensively into global supply chains by carving out small niches which they can defend. SA-based companies are constrained from doing this by a slew of anti-business regulations. China fervently pursued this path and yet, after four decades of roughly 10 percent annual growth, that country’s domestic spend remains woefully inadequate to support full employment. The ANC can be persuaded to provide special exemptions from such anti-competitive regulations for value-added exporters, as this costs them nothing and our obscene level of unemployment threatens the party. But the ANC isn’t going to initiate such an effort. The impetus must come from within the GNU or from a focused public outcry. The next step hinges on identifying niches for South Africans to add value within global supply chains. This is the central component of 21st century economics which we have ignored. As most people are restrained by outdated notions and focus excessively on obstacles, it is essential that entrepreneurs lead the charge by ferreting out myriad international opportunities of all shapes and sizes. This very special role explains why entrepreneurs are revered. To create a dynamic economy we must integrate many of our young adults into global supply chains. This is also the only way to overcome our unemployment crisis. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://dailyfriend.co.za/2024/09/16/creating-a-dynamic-economy/

Robin-Lee Francke | 12 September 2024 President Cyril Ramaphosa appeared before the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) on Thursday for an oral reply to questions posed by the delegates of the house. This was the President’s first session in the NCOP since the establishment of the seventh administration. During the briefing, a number of issues were highlighted. Presidential Health Compact Ramaphosa was asked to address the concerns of stakeholders regarding the signing of the second Presidential Health Compact. The Presidential Health Compact initiative was launched in 2019. It is a framework of cooperation between critical sectors in South Africa to improve health outcomes. Among the sectors involved in the Presidential Health Compact are the government, business, labour, civil society, academia, traditional health practitioners, allied health practitioners and patient user groups. “In 2023, we convened the second Presidential Health Summit and produced a second Presidential Health Compact for 2024 to 2029. “On August 22, Deputy President Paul Mashatile signed the compact on my behalf at a signing ceremony at the Union Buildings, together with signatories representing various sectors. The compact aims to ensure multisectoral involvement in health systems, strengthen the healthcare system and prepare it for the implementation of National Health Insurance. Some stakeholders – specifically from business – chose not to sign the second Presidential Health Compact. They cited their concerns with the National Health Insurance Act and references to NHI in the compact,” Ramaphosa said. He said they believe there is a good reason for these stakeholders to be involved in the work needed to achieve the aims of the compact. Through the compact, they aim to invest in a capable, compassionate, fit-for-purpose workforce in the health sector. “Importantly, the compact aims to ensure the NHI is implemented affordably, deriving value for money and eliminating corruption. These are objectives which all stakeholders can support and work towards. We therefore encourage all role players to be involved in pursuing these objectives even if they chose not to sign the compact. The implementation of the compact is overseen by a Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Steering Committee that brings together all the stakeholders. All those who attended the recent meeting of the committee agreed on its terms of reference, which includes strengthening the health system in preparation for NHI implementation,” Ramaphosa said. Poverty and unemployment Ramaphosa was asked whether the government was making progress in the fight against poverty and unemployment. “Much higher levels of inclusive growth are needed to achieve sustainable employment. That is why this seventh administration made up of the Government of National Unity (GNU) has placed inclusive economic growth as its apex priority. However, it will take time for such growth to meet the scale needed. This is why a range of complementary measures are required to address poverty and enable economic participation. “The Presidential Employment Stimulus enables support to public employment, livelihood support and enterprise development. The Presidential Employment Stimulus has contributed to over 2 million jobs and livelihood opportunities since its inception in 2020. The Social Employment Fund, which is implemented by the Industrial Development Corporation under the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, has created over 100,000 jobs,” he responded. Government of National Unity Ramaphosa was asked to outline the key constitutive ideas for the Government of National Unity (GNU). “The key constitutive ideas of the Government of National Unity are set out in the Statement of Intent that was signed by all the constitutive parties. The 10 GNU parties agreed to certain basic principles, including a firm commitment to respect the Constitution and the rule of law. “The principles included a commitment to promote accountability, transparency, integrity and good governance. The parties agreed on a Minimum Programme as the foundation of the work of the Government of National Unity. These were developed into priority actions that will form the basis for the Medium-Term Development Plan of government,” he responded. As indicated in the Opening of Parliament Address, Ramaphosa said the GNU will dedicate the next five years to actions that advance three strategic priorities: “Firstly, to drive inclusive growth and job creation. Secondly, to reduce poverty and tackle the high cost of living. Thirdly, to build a capable, ethical and developmental state. We will pursue growth that is inclusive and transformational. We have said that inclusive growth must support the empowerment of black South Africans and women. “We will continue to pursue programmes that encourage broad-based black economic empowerment, employment equity and support to small- and medium-sized enterprises. We will continue to protect and uphold the hard-won rights of workers and continually strive to improve the conditions in which they work and live. In advancing our three strategic priorities, we will, among other things, massively increase the scale of investment in infrastructure,” he said. Extortion Ramaphosa was asked whether the government has considered the negative impact of the growing trend of protection fee and business extortion to the economy and the delivery of services such as schools and state infrastructure projects that has left many communities at the mercy of ruthless and unscrupulous gangs and criminals “The growth of criminal extortion in several parts of the country is contributing to a climate of lawlessness and fear. Extortion has a great economic cost, disrupting business activity, delaying or halting the construction of infrastructure, and generally raising the cost of doing business.The South African Police Service is directing its response to these crimes to areas where they are most prevalent,” Ramaphosa responded. The SAPS has established the Eastern Cape Provincial Extortion Forum specifically to address extortion-related issues in the province. An Organised Crime Task Team has also been established to investigate all extortion cases reported in the province. A multi-disciplinary approach has been adopted that includes Crime Intelligence and the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (known as Hawks). “A modus operandi and target analysis has been conducted. This has confirmed that the identified gangs are operating in syndicates to commit organised criminal activities. The cases are, therefore, being dealt with in terms of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act. This focuses on the identified gang leaders to neutralise the activities of the syndicates. The investigation is conducted in collaboration with the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and other relevant stakeholders,” Ramaphosa said. An Extortion Hotline has been established in the Eastern Cape and this will soon be rolled out nationally. “The hotline enables community members to report any form of crime or violence perpetrated by these criminal gangs to ensure a rapid and focused response. The Extortion Hotline has received approximately 1,300 calls. These calls have resulted in 36 cases and 11 enquiries being registered for investigation by the Organised Crime Task Team,” Ramaphosa said. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/these-are-the-big-takeaways-from-ramaphosas-q-and-a-at-the-ncop-1c7b429b-1f78-48e7-8647-4223f93ec78a

Lee-Yandra Paulsen | 11 September 2024 The Do More Foundation’s Township Economy Programme is making significant strides in empowering female entrepreneurs in South Africa’s townships, helping to address the gender disparity in unemployment. Women in the country consistently face higher unemployment rates than men across all education levels. According to Statistics South Africa, from Quarter 2:2014 to Quarter 2:2024, unemployment among women with tertiary qualifications rose sharply from 15.1% to 26.9%. Women with matric qualifications saw a similar increase, with their unemployment rate rising from 28.8% to 39.5%. The Do More Foundation said it is actively working to bridge this gap. The Foundations Partnerships Manager Iris Naidoo explained, “Our programme has been operational since 2019, and the core objective is to empower young women in rural communities as sustainable business owners.” She noted that the initiative provides women with practical skills and essential business knowledge, allowing them to navigate and overcome challenges such as poverty, social barriers, poor infrastructure, and limited resources.“By fostering resilience and self-confidence, the programme enables participants to become the primary breadwinners in their families,” Naidoo added. She stated that the success of the Township Economy Programme is largely due to its collaborative approach. The foundation works closely with a range of stakeholders, including the government, the private sector, businesses, and local communities. Naidoo emphasized that these partnerships are critical for the programme’s success. “The involvement of these stakeholders ensures effective delivery on the ground and provides the necessary support tailored to the needs of the candidates.” Naidoo further highlighted the importance of cooperation and communication in ensuring the programme’s impact. “The emphasis on partnership over ownership is what sets this initiative apart. Acknowledging the complexity of development and maintaining open and honest communication about the challenges we face is crucial to our success,” she concluded. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://vocfm.co.za/npo-empowers-female-entrepreneurs-in-south-africa/

Jan Vermeulen | 11 September 2024 For South Africa to become competitive in a global technology economy, major intervention is needed in the country’s basic education system. “Teaching our kids Maths Literacy and allowing them to pass at 30% doesn’t help drive the agenda of digital and economic inclusion,” says Busi Mavuso, CEO of Business Leadership South Africa. Mavuso spoke on a panel at a media event for the  Our Digital Horizons  report, produced by the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection (MISTRA) in partnership with Naspers. The report found, among other things, that South Africa must double its current level of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) graduates to become globally competitive in the digital platform economy. Citing a World Economic Forum article produced by Statista, the report said STEM graduates make up only 18% of the total in South Africa. This figure exceeds 30% in technology leaders like India, the United Arab Emirates, and South Korea. “I really hope that, from a government perspective, we’re looking at addressing the standards and quality of basic education,” Mavuso said. Mavuso echoed a sentiment expressed by the event’s programme director, businessman Andile Khumalo. “We don’t have an unemployment problem. We have an unemployability problem,” Khumalo said. South Africa’s unemployment has reached crisis levels, with Stats SA most recently reporting that the portion of the population without work has risen to 33.5%. Under the expanded definition of unemployment, which includes discouraged jobseekers, the figure is 42.6%. Bloomberg has reported that South Africa’s unemployment figure is the highest among all the countries it tracks. Youth unemployment has also reached desperate levels in South Africa. The percentage of people aged 15–34 who are unemployed and not in education or training has reached 35.2%. Mavuso and Khumalo argue that these figures are so high because job seekers have not been equipped with the skills to be employed in the formal sector. “It can’t be right that in South Africa today, we still have schools that don’t teach maths and science because they don’t have maths and science teachers,” said Mavuso. “We’re never going to be able to get that 18% STEM to 30% if you don’t actually address that,” she added. “If there’s one big takeout from this report, it’s really trying to ensure that our education system responds to where the country, the global economy, the world is going.” The Department of Basic Education has previously hit back at criticism of South Africa’s 30% matric pass mark, saying it’s an oversimplification of how it really works. “If you get 30% in all the subjects, then you don’t pass. That’s why we are saying the 30% is not a pass,” basic education spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga said. “It’s conditional… if you look at the complex requirements that are there for everyone to enable them to pass at different levels.” Mahlanga explained that  South Africa has three levels of matric pass : bachelor’s, diploma, and higher certificate. For a bachelor’s pass, matriculants need at least 50% in four subjects. They can still pass with 40% in two subjects and 30% in one subject. This is supposed to grant entry into research universities. To get a diploma pass, school students must pass four subjects at 40%. The others can be at 30%. This is supposed to grant entry into technical universities and colleges. At higher certificate level, matrics pass if they achieve 40% in three subjects, so long as the others are at least 30%. Mhlanga said South African matriculants are not only obtaining entry into local universities, but also higher education institutions around the world. “The standard of education here equips the young person to go anywhere in the world,” stated Mhlanga. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://mybroadband.co.za/news/technology/559985-maths-literacy-and-30-pass-rate-causing-a-skills-crisis.html

Parliament of the Republic of South Africa | 10 September 2024 Parliament, Tuesday, 10 September 2024 – The Portfolio Committee on Tourism today met with the National Empowerment Fund (NEF) and the Small Enterprise Finance Agency (SEFA) to discuss the different tourism development programmes the two entities are implementing on behalf of the Department of Tourism. The NEF gave an update on the Transformation Fund, a funding initiative targeting tourism businesses in previously disadvantaged communities. The entity’s Acting Chief Executive Officer, Mr Mzwamadoda Dayimani, explained that the partnership and co-funding arrangement between NEF and the department applies to all transactions supported under the programme. “The department funds through a grant, limited to R5 million per transaction and if a transaction value is more than R10 million, the NEF funds the excess. The NEF portion is funded through a repayable loan,” Mr Dayimani said. A number of the projects supported through this Fund are still in the development stage and servicing their loans. After paying off the loans, the projects are expected to be self-sustainable and create more jobs. The funding also comes with post-investment support to ensure they meet their financial targets and repay the loans. SEFA Acting CEO, Mr Nkosikhona Mbatha, presented a progress report on the Tourism Equity Fund (TEF) to the committee. This Fund seeks to increase growth and transformation and stimulate more inclusive participation in the tourism sector in line with the Tourism BBBEE Sector Codes. It also addresses funding challenges faced by enterprises in the tourism sector. TEF’s core funding activities focus on accommodation, hospitality and related services, travel and related services, and tourism-related products that support the development of the tourism sector in South Africa. The committee Chairperson, Ms Lungi Mnganga-Gcabashe, said the department should provide additional funding for the programme to accommodate increasing demand, implement awareness programmes, and strengthen post-funding support to ensure the funded projects are sustainable. “NEF must also increase its own funding because it is clear that there is a demand for this support and should consider stretching the repayment period because tourism projects take long to break even,” said the Chairperson. Commenting on the SEFA presentation, Ms Mnganga-Gcabashe, said the entity should expedite processing applications for funding as there seems to be slow progress. She also advised the two agencies and the department to consider the quality of jobs created through these programmes versus the quantity of menial jobs. “We also need to ensure equitable geographical share of the programmes. Instead of approving projects in more developed areas, we must spread to previously disadvantaged communities,” she said. ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON TOURISM, MS LUNGI-MNGANGA-GCABASHE For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact the committee’s Media Officer: Name: Sakhile Mokoena Cell: 081 705 2130 E-mail:  smokoena@parliament.gov.za ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.parliament.gov.za/press-releases/media-statement-funding-agencies-brief-committee-about-tourism-business-development-programmes

The B-BBEE Commission has over the years continued to be inundated with requests from various stakeholders to confirm validity of B-BBEE Verification Certificates, Sworn Affidavits and CIPC EME B-BBEE Certificates, which process has resulted in the B-BBEE Commission issuing a number of advisory letters to the affected entities to advise of invalidity of such documentation and the need to withdraw the invalid B-BBEE Verification Certificates, Sworn Affidavits or CIPC EME B-BBEE Certificates.   Thus, the purpose of this Practice Guide  was to set out the approach for stakeholders to determine the validity of B-BBEE Verification Certificates, Sworn Affidavits and CIPC EME B-BBEE Certificates for consistency.   This Practice Guide replaced Practice Guide 01 of 2018 as of 01 November 2022.   Certificate Collection Services  a re available to in understanding the validity of B-BBEE Verification Certificates, Sworn Affidavits and CIPC EME B-BBEE Certificates.

In terms of section 13F (3) Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act 53 of 2003 as amended by Act 46 of 2013, the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Commission, must increase knowledge of the nature and dynamics and promote public awareness of matters relating to Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment   One of the ways in which the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Commission delivers on the abovementioned mandate is by providing guidance to the public by issuing of non-binding opinions on the interpretation of any provision of the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act as directed by the provisions of section 13F(3)(b)(ii) of the same Act.   This Explanatory Notice  replaces Explanatory Notice 01 of 2016 effective from date of issue.   Technical Services  are available for Members who need assistance with understanding Advisory Opinions.

The Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Commission has recently published Explanatory Notice 01 of 2024.   This Explanatory Notice  is issued in terms of section 13F(3)(b)(i) of the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act to guide the parties/entities regarding the process and documents to be submitted in registering a Major B-BBEE transaction to comply with the requirements of the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act, including regulation 18 of the B-BBEE Regulations of 2016.   This Explanatory Notice  replaces Explanatory Notice 1 of 2017 effective from date of issue   Technical Services  are available for Members who need assistance with understanding Major B-BBEE Transactions.

Nelson Kgarose | 9 September 2024 By investing in innovative training solutions and ensuring access to quality education, this initiative stands to empower local communities, foster economic growth, and ultimately, secure a brighter future for South Africa’s workforce. In a transformative step towards bolstering skills development within South Africa, a partnership has emerged between the Chemical Industries Education and Training Authority (CHIETA) and the Services Sector Education and Training Authority (Services SETA). This collaboration aims to reshape the landscape of education and training across vital sectors, enhancing opportunities for individuals and communities alike. On August 27, an Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed at CHIETA’s office in Midrand by Yershen Pillay, CEO of CHIETA, and Andile Sipengane, acting CEO of Services SETA. This agreement signifies a shared commitment to fortify the skills landscape in the chemical and services sectors, promoting sustainable livelihoods and economic growth. At the heart of this partnership is the integration of CHIETA’s Smart Skills Centre technologies into the Services SETA Mkhuze Skills Centre. This move is not merely an upgrade, it is a transformation that elevates the facility into a state-of-the-art training hub, focusing on digital skills and Fourth Industrial Revolution (4-IR) training. Pillay emphasised that the MOU represents a pivotal moment in efforts to cultivate a workforce ready to drive economic growth. “By collaborating with Services SETA, we are confident that we can significantly impact the sectors we serve,” said Pillay. CHIETA envisions establishing automated, digitised Smart Skills Centres in every South African province by 2025, thus reinforcing its commitment to creating sustainable livelihoods. Collaborating with local governments, educational institutions, and industry leaders will further highlight the importance of uniting efforts to empower South Africa’s youth and close the digital skills gap. Sipengane remarked on the significance of the Mkhuze Skills Centre, stating it is a testament to the commitment to uplifting communities through focused skills development. “This partnership with CHIETA aligns perfectly with our mission, and we are particularly excited about the potential to transform the Mkhuze facility into a flagship centre for excellence.” Effective until March 31, 2030, the MOU establishes a clear framework for both SETAs to work collaboratively toward shared objectives. Key highlights of the MOU: • Introduction of Smart Technologies: The partnership will focus on equipping the Mkhuze Skills Centre with advanced technologies, creating a modern and innovative training environment that meets the industry’s evolving needs. •Future Collaborations: The MOU lays the groundwork for joint efforts, including developing the upcoming Prieska Skills Centre, another key initiative to drive skills development in South Africa. • Mutual Support and Co-operation: Both SETAs have committed to working together in mutual trust and good faith, ensuring the successful implementation of the projects outlined in the MOU. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.citizen.co.za/midrand-reporter/news-headlines/2024/09/09/integrating-innovation-for-impact/

Die Pos | 7 September 2024 The official unemployment rate has slightly decreased by one percentage point to 32.9% in the last quarter of 2022, with some 204 000 job gains during the last quarter – a year-on-year decrease of about two percentage points. This is according to Statistics South Africa’s Quarterly Labour Force Survey released by the agency on Tuesday. “The number of unemployed persons decreased by 269 000 to 7.7 million and discouraged work-seekers also decreased by 54 000 to 3.5 million in the third quarter of 2022 compared to the previous quarter. “The number of people who were not economically active for reasons other than discouragement increased by 264 000 between the two quarters, resulting in a net increase of 210 000 in the not economically active population. “The above changes in employment and unemployment resulted in the official unemployment rate decreasing from 33.9% in the second quarter of 2022 to 32.9% in the third quarter of 2022. “The unemployment rate, according to the expanded definition of unemployment, also decreased by one  percentage point to 43.1%. This is reflective of the fact that people were available for work but did not actively look for work. “All provinces recorded a decrease in the expanded unemployment rate, except in the North West, Limpopo and Free State, where it increased by 4.1 percentage points, 2.4 percentage points and 0.5 of a percentage point respectively. “The largest decrease was recorded in KwaZulu-Natal (down by three percentage points), followed by Western Cape and Gauteng (down by 1.8 percentage points each) and Mpumalanga (down by 1.6 percentage points),” Stats SA said. Stats SA emphasised that although youth unemployment also recorded a 1% decrease, this group still remains vulnerable. “The third quarter of 2022 results continue to show that the youth (aged 15-34 years) remain vulnerable in the labour market, with an unemployment rate of 45.5%. The total number of unemployed youth decreased by 182 000 to 4.6 million in the third quarter. There was an increase of 25 000 in the number of employed youth during the same period,” Stats SA said. According to Stats SA, employment gains were recorded in several industries, which brought the total number of employed persons in South Africa up to some 15.8 million. “[Some] 204 000 jobs were gained between the second quarter of 2022 and the third quarter of 2022. The total number of persons employed was 15.8 million in the third quarter of 2022. “[The] manufacturing (123 000), trade (82 000), construction (46 000) and transport (33 000) [industries] recorded the largest job gains, while job losses were recorded in [the] finance (80 000), private households (36 000) and mining and agriculture (1 000) [industries]. Sectors that recorded job increases were the formal and informal, with 235 000 and 6 000 respectively,” Stats SA said. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.citizen.co.za/die-pos/lnn/article/stats-sa-official-unemployment-rate-decreases/?amp

Bridget Mpande | 8 September 2024 'As the Legislature, we have held various campaigns and workshops to draw from the experiences of survivors.' .“We are still far from winning the battle against gender-based violence and femicide [GBVF] that is destroying the very fabric of our society.” These were the words of the Speaker of the Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature, Lindi Masina, during the 2024 Women’s Parliament and Awareness March against GBVF on Friday, August 30. “As the Legislature, we have held various campaigns and workshops to draw from the experiences of survivors. Therefore, the legislative sector and parliament have resolved to do more structural interventions against this abnormality. Our clear call is to ensure an end to any violation of women’s bodies as mere sites of exploitation and domination.” Masina also acknowledged all the work that had been done by the sixth legislature. She said a report was given in which the delegates were given feedback on the progress made in implementing the resolutions of the 2023 Women’s Parliament. The minister of women, youth and persons with disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga, acknowledged the women of 1956 for their bravery and leadership in setting the agenda towards the liberation of women from patriarchal domination. In emphasising the road travelled in achieving women’s emancipation, she highlighted the transformation in the judiciary, commending the recent appointment of Judge Mandisa Maya as the first woman chief justice, while also demonstrating improvements since the advent of democracy with a specific focus on the judiciary. Chikunga alluded to a number of the government’s achievements towards the development of women in the past 30 years as part of celebrating democracy. She further indicated that women’s empowerment is fundamentally about empowering society, maintaining that no country can successfully advance while paying lip service to the ongoing violence against women and their rights. She spoke about the issues of GBVF against women and children, with reference to the alarming statistics of cases in this regard. “Ladies, the struggle for women’s political, social and economic emancipation does not stop today. August may be over for the purpose of heightening awareness, but imbokodo must continue to grind 365 days,” Chikunga said. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.citizen.co.za/mpumalanga-news/news-headlines/local-news/2024/09/08/mpumalanga-women-speak-during-2024-womens-parliament-and-gbvf-awareness-march/