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- SANRAL SAYS CONSTRUCTION TENDERS IN KZN, EASTERN CAPE HELP WITH ECONOMIC RECOVERY
Schalk Burger | 1 February 2023 Photo by Creamer Media he South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) has awarded four major construction tenders collectively worth nearly R7-billion for projects in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, which will help boost the construction sector and should be seen as part of the broader national effort by government to invest in economic infrastructure, it said. Additionally, in line with its commitment to the economic development of black businesses, at least 30% of the contract value of each tender will be subcontracted to small, medium-sized and microenterprises (SMMEs). Stakeholder engagement sessions will also be prioritised in the affected communities to ensure that local business and jobseekers have access to relevant information that will enable them to pursue and participate in the economic opportunities flowing from these tender awards and projects. “Through the establishment of project liaison committees, we will also ensure fairness and transparency in all the appointments of subcontractors and the engagement of local labour. We want to see meaningful transformation that truly changes people’s lives for the better,” says Sanral chairperson Themba Mhambi. In the Eastern Cape, the construction of the N2 Wild Coast Highway from the Msikaba Bridge to the Mtentu Bridge was awarded to construction company WBHO H&I joint venture (JV) at a cost of R25-billion. On this 54-month project, which includes three months of site mobilisation, no less than 35% will be subcontracted to black-owned SMMEs, exceeding Sanral's transformation targets. Further, the rehabilitation of the N2 from Mt Frere to Ngcweleni river was awarded to construction company Rumdel Construction Cape at a cost of R1.2-billion, and the 45-month contract will see SMMEs benefit from 30% of the subcontracting. Additionally, the construction of the N2 Wild Coast Highway from Lingeni Intersection to the Msikaba Bridge in the Eastern Cape was awarded to WBHO-Edwin Construction JV, valued at R2.2-billion. This project, which spans 45 months, will see SMME project participation at 35%, also exceeding Sanral's transformation targets. In KwaZulu-Natal, the upgrade of the N11 from the N11/R103 Interchange to Elandslaagte, with a contract value of R864-million, was awarded to construction company Raubex Construction. The contract, which will span 39 months, will see more than R250-million, or 30%, subcontracted to SMMEs. “Over and above the substantial subcontracting, which is collectively worth R2.1-billion, these projects are a platform for large-scale job creation, skills development, knowledge transfer and poverty relief, especially in the rural communities of South Africa. The significantly long construction periods afford sustained economic opportunities for these communities,” says Mhambi. “When the Sanral separately funded community development projects are factored into the equation, the number of SMME opportunities as well as training and job opportunities for ordinary members of our communities significantly increases, thus tangibly reducing unemployment, inequality and poverty,” he adds. “We are alive to the cries from our industry for more projects to be put out to tender, but we are equally committed to fair and transparent procurement processes, as well as the need to prioritise the economic development opportunities for historically disadvantaged people on Sanral projects. “Moving forward, striking a balance between safeguarding our big and established companies and creating opportunities for black businesses at higher and lower industry standards organisation Construction Industry Development Board grades will be a material deliverable within Sanral,” Mhambi notes. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/sanral-says-construction-tenders-in-kzn-eastern-cape-help-with-economic-recovery-2023-02-01/rep_id:4136
- QUARTERLY INDUSTRY NORMA STATISTICS PUBLISHED
Statistics South Africa is the source used to determine the Net Profit After Tax (NPAT) for calculating the targets for Enterprise Development, Supplier Development and Socio-Economic Development. The latest statistics were published during December 2022. The statistics in this version will be for the3rd quarter of 2022. Any B-BBEE Verification from hereon would most commonly apply the latest Industry Norm published by Statistics South Africa. For example, if a B-BBEE Verification takes place in January 2023, the latest published stats to be used would be those posted during December 2022. Technical Compliance Services is available to guide members in calculating their Targets.
- SANAS ACCREDITATION WITHDRAWAL
From time to time, SANAS publishes a list of B-BBEE Rating Agencies that no longer have SANAS accreditation due to it being withdrawn voluntary or involuntary, or due to its expiry. The core aim of publishing the list is to assist those receiving B-BBEE Certificates in identifying invalid credentials. This list will further assist B-BBEE Rating Agencies when verifying the element of Enterprise and Supplier Development. It is vital to take note of the date of withdrawal or expiry as a B-BBEE Certificate will remain valid for 12 Months if issued before the date that a B-BBEE Rating Agency lost its accreditation. B-BBEE Certificates issued by SANAS Accredited B-BBEE Rating Agencies must contain the unique SANAS Accreditation Symbol to ensure that the B-BBEE Certificate is valid. Members are welcome to contact the Certificate Collection Service Desk to confirm the credibility of a supplier’s B-BBEE Credentials.
- CLAIMING EARLY PAYMENTS
The 2013 amendments to the Generic Codes closed a loophole that allowed early payment terms for 'Black'-owned businesses in exchange for Preferential Procurement points The amendments mean that an organisation may only claim early payment terms from Supplier Development Beneficiaries. Therefore, the following applies to an invoice on which a claim for early payment is going to be made: The invoice payable for goods or services must appear in an organisation’s TMPS; Only the amount for early payment terms must reflect. The Enterprise & Supplier Development Service Desk is available to guide organisations in allocating their spend within this element.
- TBWA\SA BOASTS A SUCCESSFUL DATA AND INSIGHTS INTERNSHIP PROGRAMME
Tshepiso Seopa | 31 January 2023 TBWA\South Africa, a brand experience company, has announced the 2023 launch of its cutting-edge and innovative data and insights internship programme. According to the company, staying ahead of the digital curve means ensuring talent keeps up with the demands of the modern-day workplace, such as requirements for data and digital analytical ability. The company says that the 2022 group has successfully completed the programme and is set to advance their careers within the organisation and in the industry; the company is looking forward to welcoming the interns of 2023. TBWA\SA Group CEO Luca Gallarelli adds that the result has been tremendous, opening up a healthy and fast-growing pipeline of fit-for-purpose digital and data talent while also helping accelerate the transformation of the agency collective and industry at large. "Being the disruption company demands that we live in a constant state of restlessness with our orientation always being to reach higher. We realised that getting the right candidates on board with such specialist and rare skills is difficult and expensive, with poaching and competition on the rise. The current problem is that there is a shortage of quality digital and data talent," says Gallarelli. The need for performance marketing, end-to-end measurement, e-commerce and other solutions saw agencies scrambling to meet demand, according to TBWA\South Africa. Gallarelli adds, "I think agencies were in a bit of trouble, but across the TBWA\ collective, we decided to think differently about an old problem. Within a few short months, we recruited our first five candidates who have successfully completed the programmes, and some have gotten jobs with TBWA agencies, while some went on to further their studies." "It's an achievement we are immensely proud of. And we're seeing other businesses in the collective requesting the same process, tools and training to drive their future talent objectives," says Gallarelli. The TBWA\SA approach relies on bringing talent into a fully immersive experience where they attend essential meetings, briefs, pitches and strategy development and shadow only the best. Interns are not given the standard mundane jobs; they meet with leaders rather than middle managers. Critical thinking and soft skills are also developed — key but often forgotten parts of traditional training programmes. "The TBWA\SA internship helped a lot. I have learned valuable skills, soft and hard, and I better understand the brand communications industry. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity that TBWA\SA has given me," concludes Cherezaad Samuels, one of the 2022 interns. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’ https://www.mediaupdate.co.za/marketing/153334/tbwasa-boasts-a-successful-data-and-insights-internship-programme
- ANC IN KZN SUPPORTS BBB-EE
1 February 2023 | Fever Reporter The national government will be lobbied to move with speed to ensure the passing of the new Public Procurement Bill. The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal said it is firmly behind the broad-based black economic empowerment (BBB-EE). The party’s provincial secretary, Bheki Mtolo said BBBEE is an instrument designed to fast-track the entry of indigenous people into all sectors of the economy as owners and creators of wealth. Mtolo said the ANC has noted comments on various social media platforms that the ANC government is abolishing BBB-EE. “Unless otherwise stated, the ANC understands that Public Procurement Bill, which the National Treasury submitted to the President and Parliament repeals the Preferential Procurement Policy Framework, or Preferential Procurement Regulations of 2017. The Bill is aimed at unifying the currently fragmented laws dealing with public sector procurement by creating a single regulatory framework for local, provincial and national governments, as well as State-owned enterprises. The 2017 regulations under the Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act were in contravention of Section 217 of the Constitution,” said Mtolo. He added that the Constitution is very clear regarding the role of the state. It says: “The State must implement a preferential procurement policy that advances people who have been disadvantaged by unfair discrimination.” Mtolo said the new Preferential Procurement Regulations are therefore aimed at addressing these issues. “Regarding BBB-EE, for our part as the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal we have resolved that the national government will be lobbied to move with speed to ensure the passing of the new Public Procurement Bill, rollout of province-wide awareness roadshows to explain and promote the implementation of the new preferential procurement regulations, ensure that stricter measures are put in place to deal decisively with corrupt elements involved in the looting of state resources using new Preferential Procurement Regulations, ANC will mobilize communities and all stakeholders to join hands and fight the practice of fronting using BBB-EE. Fronting is not only unethical but is fraudulent and a criminal offence. We have witnessed the practice of using domestic workers to sustain this practice. We want law enforcement agencies and the court of law to come down hard on those who are defrauding government through this practice,” said Mtolo. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’ https://southcoastherald.co.za/488190/anc-in-kzn-supports-bbb-ee/
- CLOSING THE CIRCLE: INVESTING IN SA’S PROPERTY LEADERS THROUGH THE SAPOA BURSARY FUND
31 January 2023 | PropertyWheel “No society can expect to grow or thrive when the vast majority of its young people are out of work” – a comment made by President Cyril Ramaphosa shortly before SA’s 15 to 24 year old’s recorded an unemployment rate of 59.6% during Q3 2022, with 25 to 34 year old’s at 40.5%. Of the 10.2 million South Africans within the younger age group, 34.5% were registered as unemployed or not enrolled in education or training according to Stats SA. Of more concern is that 10.7% of graduates were without work during this period too. This, coupled with a critical skills shortage, paints a picture of an institution that has systematically degraded over the years, failing to produce on its promises of transformation, free education, and job creation. Like many other organisations in the private sector, SAPOA, the voice of SA’s commercial property industry, stepped up to the plate by launching the SAPOA Bursary Fund in late 2009 in aid of previously disadvantaged individuals, many of whom are the first generation within their families to enrol for higher education. Since welcoming its first cohort of students in 2011, the SAPOA Bursary Fund has granted R27.6 million in sponsorships to well deserving individuals who do not have the financial means – like Philani Mzila, one of the programme’s original bursars and a success story worth mentioning. Born in KwaMashu township in Durban, Philani was raised by his single mother in Johannesburg who worked two jobs to support him, and his brother. Through his academic achievements, he attended Jeppe High School for Boys on a scholarship where he completed his Matric and when he set his sight on studying finance, he applied – and was awarded – a bursary through SAPOA’s Bursary Fund. Post-graduation, he started his career in 2013 with the Public Investment Corporation (PIC), a member of SAPOA. Today, he works as an Investment Manager at Founders Factory Africa, focussing on investing in and scaling FinTech, HealthTech, and AgriTech ventures in Sub-Saharan Africa. He is a Chartered Development Finance Analyst (CDFA), an alumnus of the World Economic Forum Global Shapers Community and he has contributed to academia through papers focused on behavioural finance and savings behaviour in Sub-Saharan Africa. Philani holds a BCom (Hons) in Investments and Corporate Finance from the University of Witwatersrand and a MPhil in Development Finance from Stellenbosch Business School. “SAPOA’s bursary fund was amazing from an overall support perspective,” he says. “It covered my tuition, residence and text books costs which allowed me to take my mind off of the pressure and the impact this would have had on my family. I was able to fully immerse myself in the university experience, both academically and from a social perspective.” Investing in SA’s property leaders Over the many years, the programme’s model has developed and while it has moved away from sponsoring ‘general’ qualifications within the property sector, such as Philani’s, it has shifted to home in on industry-focused qualifications in advocation of “circling back” into the real estate industry, says Moeketsi Moshata, Bursary and Career Specialist at SAPOA. “Initially, the bursary fund also only focused on sponsoring tuition. We quickly realized that there are a number of ad-hoc expenses that students are faced with and now, we also cover our students’ accommodation and text books.” The programme has also incorporated mentorship, bringing together various professionals from within the industry including tutors, to assist students with subjects that they struggle with, HR practitioners, who play a part in preparing the graduates for interviews, and psychologists who support students on a psycho-social level. “While we have found that our students do well from an academic perspective, they often aren’t equipped with the necessary skills when going for a job interview. We have come across situations where the psycho-social morale of our students is bad, and we have worked tirelessly to ensure that we do not lose anyone half-way through the programme. The gap between high school and university is large – other graduates, from other universities, are their competition and it is essential that they are equipped to stand above the rest.” Preparing for the world of work Most of the programme’s sponsors are industry members of SAPOA and outside of their financial support, these partnerships have evolved to fuse with various independent graduate programmes, including Vukile Property Fund’s initiative, The Vukile Academy which was launched in 2019 as driver for the REIT’s skills development and transformation strategy. Historically, three or more graduates from SAPOA’s programme have been accepted into the academy’s twelve-month internship programme every year where individuals gain professional experience within the working environment. “Our internship focuses on employing new graduates with applicable property related qualifications. It is not a requirement for the applicants to have prior working experience. We look for dynamic individuals with a strong work ethic, who are eager to learn and passionate about making an impact in the sector,” says Nomsa Kole, HR, and Transformation Manager for Vukile Property Fund. “Access to quality education and youth unemployment are concerning issues that our country is facing and contributions to programmes like the SAPOA Bursary Fund and the Vukile Academy are not only important but should be a requirement for our country’s benefit.” Applying to the bursary fund For individuals wanting to apply for 2024’s intake, there are three main criteria that need to be considered: applicants must be accepted and registered with the university of their choice outside of the degrees that fall within the bursary fund, they must require financial assistance, and they need to be hard workers. “Applicants do not necessarily need to be ‘A’ students – we have the right support via our tutors to assist them along their journeys. What we do look at are things like extra-curricular activities during Matric. I have always told our students that when they work hard, the opportunities will be there. Your academics need to be good; you need to be persistent and to possess curiosity to learn new skills. You need to enter the room to learn, to grow and most importantly, to ask the right questions.” “We have to think towards the future and to implement solutions that can assist our youth in advancing, especially with the high youth unemployment rate. As an industry, we need to come together with the resources we have. Past graduates of our programme have gone on to become mentors and tutors over the years which has helped to close the circle and a way in which to pay back the support that they received.” Applications for 2024’s intake open on the 1st of July 2023 and close on the 15th of September 2023. All successful candidates will be notified by November 2023. Keep an eye on our website and social media platforms for more information. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://propertywheel.co.za/2023/01/closing-the-circle-investing-in-sas-property-leaders-through-the-sapoa-bursary-fund/
- EXCITEMENT BREWING AMONG PRINCE ALBERT YOUTH
31 January 2023 | Monique Mortlock-Malgas Western Cape Minister of Social Development, Sharna Fernandez, joined dozens of young people from Prince Albert, Leeu Gamka, and Klaarstroom on 28 January 2023 for a Youth Indaba hosted by the Prince Albert Community Trust (PACT). PACT is a Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) providing services to uplift, empower, and transform communities in the Prince Albert Municipality. Its three focus areas are: education, health and well-being, and youth and skills development. The purpose of the Youth Indaba was to share information about job opportunities that will arise from the maiden Journey to Jazz Festival, taking place from 03 to 07 May 2023 in Prince Albert. The Indaba also had experts in the fields of events management, videography, photography, and the performing arts sharing their knowledge with the youth. “Prince Albert’s saviour is eco-tourism. I’m hoping the Journey to Jazz Festival will open us up to a global audience and grow the economy of the town. I hope the youth walks out of this Indaba excited and wanting to be part of this, wanting to be part of the history of the town. But we still need a buy-in from the private sector, to really make this a success,” said PACT executive trustee, Ingrid Wolfaardt. Prince Albert Mayor Linda Jaquet said: “This is an opportunity for young people to learn valuable skills in the lead up to, during, and after the festival. My dream is that Prince Albert will be the festival capital of the Central Karoo, and these skills will be used all the time.” When speaking to the youth, Minister Fernandez shared her experiences in the Kannaland Municipality, where she’d recently conducted a visit. Here Minister Fernandez joined Western Cape Department of Social Development social workers on site visits to clients. She saw first-hand the immense challenges facing communities, especially the youth, like a lack of job opportunities, substance use disorders and abuse. “When I was in Kannaland, I met a young woman who has had nearly every obstacle thrown at her from an early age. She’d just found out she’s been accepted into the university of her choice, and she was so excited about what this meant for her future. She told me she wants to be successful, not just for herself, but for her family and the rural community she lives in. Her story filled me with so much hope, and I want to encourage you as young people to keep hope alive, no matter your circumstances. Embrace opportunities like this Youth Indaba, because you are the drivers of change, you are the future of this country,” said Minister Fernandez. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.westerncape.gov.za/news/excitement-brewing-among-prince-albert-youth
- Understanding the Y.E.S Initiative Webinar - Jan 31
Thank you for attending the session we hope to see you again soon. for upcoming events follow this link https://www.bee.co.za/training
- WHY ENTREPRENEURSHIP SHOULD BE A PRIORITY FOR YOUTH IN 2023
BR Reporter | 1 February 2023 Didi Onwu, managing editor of the Anzisha Prize. Image: Supplied. With South Africa’s high unemployment rate and harsh economic conditions, many turn to entrepreneurship to help carve out a living. The youth have been particularly hard hit by economic uncertainty in the labour market, as they mark an unemployment rate among the highest in the world. According to Statistics South Africa’s Quarterly Labour Force Survey for the first quarter of 2022, the unemployment rate sat at 63.9% for young people between the ages of 15 to 24; and 42.1% for those between the ages of 25 and 34. This is against a current national unemployment rate of 34.5%, translating to only 2.5 million of South Africa’s more than 10 million youth aged 15 to 24 participating in the labour force. This is worrying as the country’s youth population will only continue to grow at a rapid pace. It’s also a concern since this phenomenon can only exacerbate youth unemployment, if nothing is done urgently. “The worsening unemployment situation has left so many young people discouraged and feeling like they have lost any hope of finding not just a job, but meaningful work that suits their interests, skills and capabilities,” said Didi Onwu, managing editor of the Anzisha Prize. The initiative is a collaboration between the MasterCard Foundation and the Africa Leadership Academy, and provides a venture-building fellowship programme for businesses started by young entrepreneurs between the ages 15 and 22 in various African countries. Onwu noted that while things might seem dire, this is not a dead end for South Africa’s youth as there is another avenue open to young people. She believes that entrepreneurship will enable them to build their career pathways, create their own opportunities, and gain financial independence. “Young people simply cannot rely solely on the idea of being employed by someone else anymore, but by shifting their efforts from looking for conventional employment towards entrepreneurship they will be able to create new marketable opportunities for themselves,” she said. “To ensure that entrepreneurship is a truly viable alternative to traditional employment options, we need to empower young people with the relevant knowledge, resources and tools they need to succeed.” Providing young entrepreneurs with the support they need to run successful businesses is the primary mission of the Anzisha Prize. The organisation’s three-year programme focuses on assistance in key areas such as business development and personal leadership through the codification and automation of key operations, funding, mentorship, and skills training workshops. Every year, 20 to 30 young entrepreneurs are selected to take part in the fellowship programme and receive guidance to unlock their full entrepreneurial potential. This year’s winning candidates include an array of entrepreneurs who are bringing their innovations to life, such as 22-year-old Gaoagwe Jeje who founded the farming business, Kgosi Poultry, which produces chickens and eggs for consumption. Jeje created Kgosi Poultry as he had realised that chicken production was exceptionally low in South Africa, with a heavy reliance on imports. While he currently runs the business with the help of one other part-time employee, Jeje plans to expand the business to employ over 300 employees in more than eight branches across South Africa. Meanwhile, driven by her own struggles with STEM subjects in school, Anzisha Prize winner Noreen Mutavhatsindi created Phindulo Tutoring when she was a final-year student at the University of the Witwatersrand to help learners improve their grades. With the goal of encouraging more students to go into STEM careers, Mutavhatsindi hopes to become a leading provider of maths and science tuition in South Africa, and build a network of over 500 tutors. Lastly, 22-year-old founder of restaurant and catering company, Athinga’s Corner, Athingahangwi Ramabulana has always had an enterprising spirit and started her business when she was just 18, with the aim of providing nutritious food to university students daily – particularly those living in self-catering residences. Not only has the company developed an online ordering system and made use of platforms like UberEATS to cater to customer delivery needs, but Ramabulana hopes to expand the reach of her business in the future by opening branches at several universities in South Africa. “Through the achievements already marked by these young entrepreneurs and their ambitions yet to be reached, we can clearly see that entrepreneurship has real power to help young people. “This is not just in determining their own futures but also significantly, and positively by creating impact beyond themselves through service to their communities via the innovations and businesses they create. These also help in the creation of new employment opportunities, and contribute to the development, growth, and competitiveness of the economy as a whole,” said Onwu. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.iol.co.za/business-report/entrepreneurs/why-entrepreneurship-should-be-a-priority-for-youth-in-2023-cf303930-b9f0-4a2d-9a7d-140904171355
- 10 FEMALE-FOUNDED START-UPS GIVEN GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY
Staff Writer | 31 January 2023 The 10 selected start-ups of the first GrindstoneX all-female founders accelerator. Business accelerator Grindstone and Naspers Labs have selected the first 10 female entrepreneurs to benefit from the GrindstoneX female entrepreneur accelerator programme. The successful female-founded tech start-ups are: Africa Beyond 4IR, Blushproof, Chicken Bar, Four Minute Medicine, Seponono Africa, Abaguquli, Thetha Digital, Tsehla Holdings, Wisi-oi Marketplace and Young Rebels Marketing. According to a statement, the selected businesses are active in a wide range of sectors, including hydroponics, branding and web development, fashion, online educational content, as well as digital empowerment through animation, gaming and virtual reality. “We have been intentional in our recruitment approach in all our Grindstone programmes to ensure we increase the number of businesses who are female-founded and -led,” says Catherine Young, partner at Grindstone. “This enables us to provide direct support to improve entrepreneurial opportunities equally, and to provide further springboards for investment-ready female-founded businesses in South Africa.” Officially launched in September, the three-year accelerator programme aims to empower female-founded businesses to become more investible, scalable and exit-ready. It is made possible by funding support from Naspers Labs. The female founders will undergo detailed assessments and analyses of their companies, followed by carefully structured interventions, as needed. Interventions include business strategy, go-to-market planning, funding readiness and networking, as well as expert business coaching, including mentorship and advice from Grindstone alumni companies that have successfully scaled or exited their businesses. “South Africa has a reputation for breeding innovative businesses, but there is still a lot of untapped potential among female entrepreneurs,” states Mapule Ncanywa, head of Naspers Labs. “Given Naspers Labs’ focus on addressing unemployment through digital skills training, this initiative is particularly exciting because not only are we helping to uncover female entrepreneurial talent, but we are also adding rocket fuel to South Africa’s economic growth and job creation.” Previous alumni of Grindstone’s programmes include on-demand grocery delivery provider OneCart, pre-owned designer luxury brand Luxity, delivery management platform Loop and visitor management start-up Wizzpass. “The South African start-up ecosystem is vibrant, creating innovative and purpose-driven businesses with the potential to make a powerful impact across South Africa – we really had our work cut out for us to select the final 10,” notes GrindstoneX programme director Nonceba Qabazi. “We were delighted to be presented with a number of amazing female candidates who were well-positioned to benefit from the support GrindstoneX offers. These start-ups have one thing in common – the ingenuity and drive of their female founders.” ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.itweb.co.za/content/lLn14MmQXPEMJ6Aa
- HERE’S HOW ESKOM MAY BENEFIT FROM A NATIONAL STATE OF DISASTER
Andile Sicetsha | 31 January 2023 A national state of disaster could go a long way in fast-tracking Eskom's recovery. Here's how. President Cyril Ramaphosa may turn to drastic measures and declare Eskom‘s energy crisis a national state of disaster, the public heard on Monday evening. Eskom could be declared a national state of disaster. As reported by Business Day, Ramaphosa made these remarks at the closing of the ANC’s Cabinet lekgotla. At this juncture, the president explained, there is a consensus among ANC leaders and alliance partners that extraordinary interventions may be necessary to save South Africa from a disastrous energy crisis, and the Disaster Management Act could hold the key to fast-tracking the government’s response to Eskom’s woes. “This lekgotla has agreed that the co-ordination of our response also needs to be escalated to the most senior levels of government and that we need to communicate more clearly and the message should be a singular message so that there is no confusion among our people,” the president explained. Eskom has been rotationally implementing loadshedding for more than 15 years consecutively, with no hope of an end in sight, as the utility battles internal leadership issues, skills shortages, corruption and a 10-figure debt backlog. Recently, the power utility had, after numerous attempts, strong-armed the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) into approving an 18.5% tariff increase, which, in the 11th hour, was intercepted by the president. It seems, the only way out of rampant loadshedding that has gotten so bad, Gauteng could suffer a reservoir blackout if outages continue at escalated stages, is declaring Eskom a national state of disaster. It remains unclear when this declaration will be made final, as Ramaphosa has yet to return with an update on Monday’s gob-smacking revelations. Here’s what it means for the electricity supplier The last time the Disaster Management Act was used to bypass bureaucratic hurdles was at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa, back in March 2020. At the time, Cogta Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma enacted Section 27(1) to “declare a national state of disaster having recognised that special circumstances exist to warrant the declaration…” The Act allowed the minister to bypass certain limitations contained in several Cabinet portfolios and have far-reaching access to the National Treasury. Quoted by Business Day, the DA’s shadow minister of public enterprises Kevin Mileham provided a clearer explanation of the impact such a declaration would have on Eskom. “The immediate outcome of a ring-fenced state of disaster is that it will enable the government to bypass its own self-imposed obstacles, bottlenecks and cost inflations in the form of unworkable labour legislation, localisation requirements, cadre deployment, and preferential procurement,” he explained. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://swisherpost.co.za/viral/heres-how-eskom-may-benefit-from-a-national-state-of-disaster/