Considerable attention has been paid to the matter of school violence over the past five years, the Department of Basic Education says.

The department is in the process of reviewing and amending the Regulations for Safety Measures at Public Schools, which says safety risk assessments must be conducted twice a year, school safety plans must be developed by all schools, there must be supervision of learners during and after official school activities and access control measures must be in place.

The National School Safety Framework (NSSF) was approved in April 2015 and the training of identified provincial master trainers in all nine provinces commenced on 29 June and will be completed by the end of August 2015.

The NSSF provides an important instrument through which minimum standards for safety at school can be established, implemented and monitored.

Also, an exemplar code of conduct has been developed by the department and distributed to all provinces to serve as an example for schools to develop their own context specific codes of conduct for learners.

Drug testing guidelines have been developed through support of UNICEF and distributed to all provinces for implementation.

Deputy Director General for Care and Support at the department, Granville Whittle, said this when he briefed the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education about violence in schools on Tuesday.

He said while the department was dealing with the issue of violence in schools, achieving safe school environments would only be likely to happen when school safety was integrated as a fundamental component of local safety strategies.

“School violence is undergirded by a myriad of individual, school, family and broader community-level risk factors that coalesce to create vulnerability for violence. Any attempt to curb violence occurring in schools needs to extend beyond the school itself.”

He said parental and community support, including prevention and early intervention, were the most reliable and cost-effective ways to support school safety.

There should be a commitment of parents and community members, with defined roles and responsibilities, to monitor boundaries, entrance and egress points at specific times of days.

He told Members of Parliament that experiences of violence at school, and related to the school environment, were common throughout the country.

The presence of police in schools had been shown to increase mistrust in the police, undermine respect for authority, negatively affect concentration and school performance, as well as often leading to profiling and targeting of certain at-risk learners who require interventions other than those bringing them into contact with the law.

Whittle said armed security guards often assumed the role of police and had no effect in identifying and mediating potential conflict, and have been shown to have little effect in preventing gun violence.

He said the zero-tolerance approaches to drugs, alcohol and violence also did not address root causes.

“Zero tolerance approaches are more likely to exclude children from the formal education system, increasing risk of further and more serious contact with the law.” – SAnews.gov.za

South Africa needs to raise the level of economic growth and promote inclusive growth if it is to win the battle against poverty, inequality and unemployment, says Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies. Addressing China’s electronics manufacturer HiSense’s two-day export strategy conference in Cape Town, the Minister said industrialisation was fundamental. “For us as a […]
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You would have been forgiven if you thought the third race of the Spur Cape Winter Trail Series™ took place on a summer’s day as the sun shone down on over 900 trail runners at the Taal Monument in Paarl. Traditionally known as the fastest course of the Series, this year was no different with [...]
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South Africa needs to raise the level of economic growth and promote inclusive growth if it is to win the battle against poverty, inequality and unemployment, says Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies. Addressing China’s electronics manufacturer HiSense’s two-day export strategy conference in Cape Town, the Minister said industrialisation was fundamental. “For us as a [...]
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Pretoria – Government has come to the aid of 4 021 families living in De Doorns in the Western Cape, whose bread winners are mostly seasonal farm workers.

The assistance being provided includes the supply of seed and seedlings for family gardens and funding for the establishment of community-based organisations and cooperatives, among others.

The people of De Doorns are mostly unemployed and find seasonal employment in the area’s farming sector only during September and April, leaving them without income for the remainder of the year.

Minister of Social Development, Bathabile Dlamini, who held a community imbizo in De Doorns on Sunday, announced that SASSA had rolled out an extensive social relief of distress programme aimed at providing food and other necessities, such as school uniforms for children from struggling families.

She said the National Development Agency (NDA) has provided grant funding of R1 083 160 to support 11 non-centre based Early Childhood Development (ECD) playgroups.

Minister Dlamini’s visit to De Doorns was part of Project Mikondzo, a service delivery initiative aimed at expanding the reach of social services in the poorest communities of the country, as identified by Cabinet.

Investment proving worthwhile

The department said this investment was already proving worthwhile, with 975 children now attending ECD centres in the area and 789 of them benefiting from the government’s ECD subsidy.

In October 2013, the Minister visited the area, where she found that children in De Doorns attend ECD centres only during the part of the year when their parents are employed and thereafter pulled out because of their parents’ inability to pay for the service.

The NDA has also helped to establish a sewing cooperative of nine members through funding to the value of R363 661.

“The funds have been used for the procurement of sewing machines, ironing boards, a blind stitch machine, a lockstitch machine as well as other essential equipment,” Minister Dlamini explained.

Four other De Doorn cooperatives have also benefited from the NDA’s capacity building programme.

Other interventions that have been rolled out in the area include the establishment of a community nutritional and development centre for older persons, which is located at an older persons’ multipurpose centre.

A winter feeding project, which targets unemployed seasonal farm workers, was also launched in July. It serves meals to about 200 people per day, from Monday to Friday.

A youth development initiative, which was established has resulted in young people accessing job opportunities through a workforce recruitment programme and the extended public works programme. – SAnews.gov.za

Rio de Janeiro – In preparation for paratriathlon’s debut next summer at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Paralympic Games, paratriathletes tested the course on Saturday and scored points that go towards making their Paralympic dreams come true. PT4 Great Britain’s George Peasgood took a commanding lead in the men’s race, dominating both the swim and [...]

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South Africa has embarked on pension reforms to support investment and economic growth, Finance Deputy Minister Mcebisi Jonas said on Monday.

“South Africa has embarked on pension reforms to boost the national savings rate to support investment and economic growth. We have a worrying low savings rate when compared to other developing and emerging market economies,” said the Deputy Minister.

Speaking at the 5th Annual Audit Committee Conference on Monday, the Deputy Minister said the country had experienced a decline in the national savings rate over the past decades.

Gross savings declined from a peak of 33.6% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 1980 to 18. 9% in 1990 declining further to a level 14.9% in 2014.

With pension fund reforms being a topical issue in most countries including South Africa, the Deputy Minister said a review of the country’s financial sector regulatory system included the reform of the pension funds industry.

The key drivers behind the reforms include fiscal pressure, an ageing population, market imperfections, a lack of consumer protection and low levels of financial literacy and low savings, among others.

The Deputy Minister said that when smartly invested, pension funds provide a mechanism for unlocking savings, stimulating economic growth and ensuring that pensioners are provided for in retirement.

Another key reason for pension reform is to ensure that individuals have adequate retirement provision and do not default to the state after having had an opportunity to work.

When coming to the governance of pension funds, the country relies on the system of trustees to manage and govern retirement funds.

“South Africa relies on the system of trustees to manage and govern retirement funds, with assets worth over R3 trillion as at 2013, according to the Financial Services Board.

“It is imperative that retirement funds be governed and run by sufficiently trained and skilled trustees who are able to properly manage conflicts of interests and take decisions which benefit the members of the funds,” explained Deputy Minister Jonas.

The Deputy Minister said that government recognised that trustee education was a key aspect in the governance of pension funds.

He added that not only do the trustees have an almost unlimited fiduciary responsibility placed on them by law, but they also have a moral obligation to act in the best interest of fund members. - SAnews.gov.za

The City of Johannesburg’s drive to promote recycling moved up a gear, when a R16-million multipurpose Pikitup waste management depot was opened in Orange Farm, Region G.

Member of the Mayoral Committee for Environment and Infrastructure Services Councillor Matshidiso Mfikoe officially opened the depot on Monday.

Pikitup, the City’s waste management company, has embraced Executive Mayor Cllr Parks Tau’s vision to promote the green economy.

It has been spearheading several campaigns to preserve and improve the environment.

The construction of the depot started in 2011 to cut the cost of moving waste from Orange Farm to the Avalon depot 18km away, according to Ika Magasa, Pikitup’s Chief Operating Officer.

The depot will service about 60 000 households.

Cllr Mfikoe thanked Mayor Tau for his vision and urged the community to support the City’s development efforts.

She praised the community for buying into the recycling project, run at the depot by the Siyaphumelela Cooperative.

She said as society changed and technology improved, waste management would no longer be business as usual.

“We need to rise to the challenge and develop innovative ideas to improve waste management systems in order to drive the recycling economy.

“We have built a fully equipped buy-back and multi-recycling centre that handles paper, plastic, cans and glass. This is a direct cash payment and the centre has created scores of jobs,” said Cllr Mfikoe.

On average, 150 people bring their recyclables to the depot daily, she said.

“Waste is a treasure. Look after this depot, be vigilant and don’t allow people to illegally dump their waste and rubble here,” Cllr Mfikoe said.

The green depot has solar panels and rain water is also harvested at the depot.

Mapitso Kgoale, the depot’s Operational Manager, leads a team of six executives and 72 staff members – all from Orange Farm and nearby Poortjie, one of the most economically deprived areas in the region.

Chief Operating Officer Magasa praised the 26-member Siyaphumelela Cooperative for its efforts in educating and empowering the community about environmental protection.

Enock Malanda, a supervisor in the cooperative, said the community’s response was encouraging.

Established in 2012, the cooperative works closely with Pikitup, which provides it with transport to collect recyclable materials from the community.

The cooperative buys back 1 000 tons of waste a month.

“Most people are now aware of the importance of recycling. Some make up to R100 a day,” he said.

Local youth have been drawn into the project, according to its chairperson, Slindile Shongwe.

Seven of them established Zimele Cooperative to green open spaces and educate other young people about the importance of recycling.

Region G Regional Director Mickey Padiachee said the depot would succeed if the community worked closely with Pikitup and the City.

“This is a collective effort. It needs a consolidated approach to take care of our environment. We need to join hands to achieve our goals,” Padiachee said.

Every month Pikitup moves more than 1.7 million tons of waste, most of which ends up in landfill sites.

The entity also supplies bins and plastic bags to residents and encourages them to separate their waste at source. – SAnews.gov.za

The Basketball National League (BNL) has joined forces with the National Basketball Association (NBA) in hosting prominent NBA dignitaries and players on Friday as part of the South African legacy programme.

The whistle stop will take place at the Wembley Indoor Arena, in Turffontein, with the visit forming part of the BNL league games, said the Department of Sport and Recreation.

According to the department, the continuing support in growing basketball, in South Africa, mirrors the commitment undertaken by Minister Fikile Mbalula, who in 2013 gave an undertaking to the people of South Africa that it was the intention of the department to revive basketball in the country as a sport of choice among young people.

“With BNL now running for its third season, this commitment by the Minister has become a visible and tangible product in growing the basketball sport,” said the department.

Two key games have been lined up for Friday evening with North West Eagles up against Soweto Panthers at 4:30pm, followed by Tshwane Suns which will go up against Egoli Magic at 7:30pm.

“It is befitting that these clubs should be playing on this honourary evening as Tshwane Suns are the reigning BNL Champions, while Egoli Magic is noticeable a team in top form this season.”

The games will be broadcast live on SuperSport.

The whistle stop by NBA players on Friday at Wembley Arena enables prominent NBA players, as well as those forming part of the Africa Team to meet players from the BNL teams.

In addition, these NBA players will give basketball fans the opportunity to engage with some of the world’s top players at Wembley.

“The NBA’s hosting of its first game on the continent in South Africa puts South Africa on the global map as a destination of choice for major sports events and sports tourism,” said Minister Mbalula.

Forming part of the NBA’s whistle stop schedule will be an elite coaching clinic, which will take place on Thursday for 45 under 18 players, as well as local BNL Coaches and national team coaches at Wembley.

The partnership, which Sport and Recreation has forged with the NBA, is already starting to show results. “The NBA has also joined forces with Basketball SA in rolling out mini basketball in 40 primary schools as a pilot programme,” Minister Mbalula said.

Echoing Minister Mbalula’s sentiments, Chairman of BNL, Albert Mokoena, applauded the Department of Sport and Recreation as well as Basketball South Africa as integral partners in driving the growth of Basketball with both the local and international basketball communities.

The NBA’s first match on African soil signals more good things to come in promoting and advancing Basketball in South Africa.

“More important we are hopeful that this occasion will also help in the transfer of skills and expertise to our own basketball administrators as well as to the benefit of our basketball players,” said Minister Mbalula. - SAnews.gov.za

Gauteng Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation MEC Molebatsi Bopape has paid tribute to South African cricket legend, Clive Rice, who died yesterday after suffering from a brain tumour.

“A legend of the South African cricket has fallen. Clive Rice captained South Africa in their first historic series after the end of isolation in the 1991 Indian tour, which was a symbolic end of apartheid era in our country.

“It was during his (Clive Rice) era and the likes of Graeme Pollock, Jimmy Cook among others that many of us including myself started following the game of cricket,” said MEC Bopape.

He was a reflection of the sport, a true gentleman but fearsome in his game.

“We are indeed deeply saddened to hear of the passing of this giant who went on to play a significant role in developing cricket including (developing) players such as Lance Klusener, Shaun Pollock and Jonty Rhodes, among others.

“On behalf of the entire Gauteng government and its people, we’d like to express our sincerest condolences to the family and loved ones. May his soul rest in peace,” said MEC Bopape. – SAnews.gov.za