The Gauteng Department of Education has suspended its plans to withdraw the licence of Curro Roodeplaat School, in Pretoria, pending the implementation of interventions by Curro Holdings. Briefing media on Friday, Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi said that while he took a decision last week to close...

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Acting Minister of Public Service and Administration, Nathi Mthethwa, has welcomed the revised public sector wage agreement, as well as the conclusion of the wage agreement.

Government and labour unions representing public servants met and agreed to a 7% salary adjustment for the 2015/16 financial year and CPI plus 1% in 2016/17 and 2017/18 financial years.

The department said all COSATU unions had signed the agreement, which enjoys a 56% majority.

The agreement takes effect from 1 April 2015.

“Clauses 3.5 and 3.6 of the 2012 agreement have been removed. Accordingly the 0.6% deducted from the adjusted salaries of public servants will be paid back to public servants backdated to 1 April,” said the department.

The settlement reached earlier this year was abandoned by unions when government as the employer indicated its intention to increase salaries by 6.4% instead of the agreed 7%.

Minister Mthethwa said at the time the adjustment was to take the accurate CPI figures into account as a result of over-projection in the last round of negotiations three years ago. – SAnews.gov.za

Walvis Bay - The level at which South Africans are embracing digital migration indicates their eagerness to get decoders known as Set Top Boxes (STB’s) to enjoy crystal clear quality pictures, says Communications Minister Faith Muthambi.

“It is encouraging to note that wherever we go across the country, we are approached by our people who are unable to hide their excitement about digital migration.

“People want to know when they are going to purchase their STBs. We know that the success of digital migration is mainly on a massive consumer awareness campaign, so it is exciting to see how South Africans are already embracing digital migration.

“We’ve been saying to South Africans that we anticipate to expedite the rollout of STBs to be completed in the coming 18-24 months so that we can switch off analogue signal and begin to realise the benefits of digital dividend to allow for the rollout of Wireless Broadband Services.

“However, we are still going to roll-out our massive campaign on digital migration to all our nine provinces since inclusive communication service remains our cornerstone,” she said.

Minister Muthambi was speaking exclusively to SAnews upon her arrival on Wednesday in Walvis Bay, Namibia, where she is going to hold bilateral engagements to eliminate the risk of digital terrestrial television (DTT) transmissions interfering with the analogue transmissions on the two countries’ border areas.

Minister Muthambi is scheduled to engage her counterpart, Information Communications and Technology Minister Tjekero Tweya, especially with regard to potential cross-border frequency spectrum interference post the DTT migration deadline of 17th June 2015, as set by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU).

Ahead of the ITU deadline last Wednesday, the Minister had already consulted her counterparts in Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland and Mozambique on this issue. The ITU is no longer providing any protection to broadcasters who failed to migrate from analogue to digital broadcasting.

DTT refers to the broadcast of the terrestrial television in digital format and local households need to purchase decoders known as STBs in order to switch from analogue to digital television as analogue has been switched off by the ITU on June 17, 2015.

Minister Muthambi is accompanied by technical experts from SENTECH (Transmitter Network Management) and ICASA (Spectrum Management), Department of Communications DTT Programme team and the technical team of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC).

The Minister will conclude her visits to neighbouring countries with a meeting in Zimbabwe, but on a date yet-to-be announced.

After the bilateral engagements with Minister Tweya, Minister Muthambi is scheduled to join the annual Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Communications, Information Communications and Technology (ICT) and Postal Ministers two-day meeting, starting on Thursday at Walvis Bay.

Namibia’s first ever DTT transmitter was switched on for trial purposes in September last year, in Klein Windhoek, a gap filler site in Windhoek. The DTT transmission standard selected by Namibia is DVB-T2 with MPEG-4 compression.

Once Namibia switches off the analogue signal in March 2016, 65 DTT transmitters will provide coverage for 80% of the country.

The South African government will provide free STBs to five million poor TV-owning households and this shift is a reflection of government’s commitment to ensure that digital migration happens within the shortest time possible. - SAnews.gov.za

Knysna, South Africa - The fast-paced PUMA Nightcat Dashreturns tothe majesticPezula Field Of Dreams (Knysna) on Wednesday, 08 July 2015. Adventure...

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Department of Trade and Industry (dti) Minister Rob Davies has welcomed the launch of Toyota’s Quantum Ses’fikile Complete Knock Down (CKD) plant. “As government, we want to convey our support to the Toyota South Africa motor company on this R476 million project to migrate your production process to CKD. This is a step in the […] Dti welcomes launch of Toyota plant is a post from: JobnSpire
The post Dti welcomes launch of Toyota plant appeared first on JobnSpire.


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Pretoria - South African youth ought to be more entrepreneurial in their employment outlook, as opposed to merely being job seekers. On Wednesday,...

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Pretoria – Students have raised their concerns regarding access to financial aid and studying and living conditions at the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) during a visit by President Jacob Zuma to the university’s Soshanguve campus.

The President’s visit to the campus, north of Pretoria, on Tuesday falls under the Siyahlola Presidential Monitoring Programme. The visit was aimed at assessing the effectiveness of government interventions aimed at supporting youth to acquire higher and post-school education and skills.

The programme for the day included a visit to one of the student residences and an address by President Zuma at the university’s hall.

Lindokuhle Manne, 18, a first year Business Communication student told SAnews her main concern was financial aid.

“Not many students get (access to the National Student Financial Aid Scheme) here. It is a big issue that has been overlooked countless times.

“This affects us in a big way. Earlier in the year there was a strike about this and our tests were rescheduled, and as a result our yearly programme has been compromised just because of a minor issue that can be easily dealt with,” said Manne.

Twenty-one year old Silas Moleele was happy the President visited the campus and said such visits should be done on a regular basis.

“It is important for the President just to come and check – it shows responsibility and we thank the Department of Higher Education and Training for that.”

The Educational Studies student, however, was not happy with the poor state of the residential accommodation, including the bedrooms, kitchens and shower facilities. Also, the laboratories on campus were not of the best quality.

“There are also a lot of taverns around here which I believe should be banned from operating during school hours,” said Moleele, adding that enough funds should be made available through NSFAS to avoid strikes such as the one by students earlier in the year.

Another student, Thulani Hleo, 20, said he was happy to see such an initiative taking place in his university.

“This shows that they are not only promising to deliver, but they make an effort to come and check how far they have progressed in terms of the promises that they made to us,” said Hlelo, who is doing his second year in Educational Studies.

Robert Makhubu told SAnews that he wanted to request the President to take education seriously. He said the President, when reporting to Parliament, should tell them that the students of TUT are struggling to pay their fees.

“They need to invest in education. I am one of those students who are struggling to pay fees. I do not have NSFAS,” said Makhubu.

President Zuma, in his address to students in the hall later in the day, said his visit came as a result of him receiving complaints about dilapidated bathrooms in the female residences, some students not having accommodation and using a disused primary school, disturbances caused by shebeens and security on campus.

He said some of the issues had been attended too, for example the bathrooms have been refurbished and students who were “squatting’’ at Botho Centre have been relocated.

He said the taverns located opposite the university was a cause for serious concern and the Gauteng Provincial Government was attending to it.

“I have been informed that one tavern was found to be lawfully licensed. The owner has given an undertaking to close earlier than before in light of the location of his tavern. Another tavern has been shut down while another owner is making presentations at the Gauteng Liquor Board,” said the President.

He said drugs and substance abuse destroyed the youth and “we do not take kindly to people who deliberately seek to destroy the future of our youth”.

President Zuma said he was happy that the outstanding uses raised by students earlier in the day would be addressed by Chairperson of the Student Council, Bandile Masuku.

He urged the students to study and work hard and succeed.

“The economy of this country needs your skills and expertise. Your country needs you,” he added. – SAnews.gov.za

Pretoria – The Gauteng Department of Health has asked the Kalafong Hospital to investigate the state of cleanliness at its facilities.

The investigation comes after pictures went viral on social media showing blocked sinks, linen strewn in what appears to be a toilet and a general state of filthiness in a room believed to be near a ward at the hospital.

“The pictures were posted on twitter by one ‘PI Forensic’ on Thursday (18 June 2015),” department spokesperson Steve Mabona said on Tuesday.

The department has expressed concern at the neglect of linen and unhealthy environment.

Mabona said the department promotes “a microbaly safe environment in all health care facilities” as part of its Infection Control Policy.

“The goals of the Policy are to encourage and improve effective prevention and management of hospital acquired infections for both the public and staff as well as to prevent and minimise environmental hazards associated with microbes for in and out patients, health care workers and visitors of health care institutions,” he said.

Mabona said the department is awaiting a full report and measures to be taken to correct the situation at the Kalafong Hospital.

“Management and healthcare workers have a common law duty of care; to take all reasonable steps to safeguard patients, staff and the general public from infection,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za

Pretoria – Students have raised their concerns regarding access to financial aid and studying and living conditions at the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) during a visit by President Jacob Zuma to the university’s Soshanguve campus.

The President’s visit to the campus, north of Pretoria, on Tuesday falls under the Siyahlola Presidential Monitoring Programme. The visit was aimed at assessing the effectiveness of government interventions aimed at supporting youth to acquire higher and post-school education and skills.

The programme for the day included a visit to one of the student residences and an address by President Zuma at the university’s hall.

Lindokuhle Manne, 18, a first year Business Communication student told SAnews her main concern was financial aid.

“Not many students get (access to the National Student Financial Aid Scheme) here. It is a big issue that has been overlooked countless times.

“This affects us in a big way. Earlier in the year there was a strike about this and our tests were rescheduled, and as a result our yearly programme has been compromised just because of a minor issue that can be easily dealt with,” said Manne.

Twenty-one year old Silas Moleele was happy the President visited the campus and said such visits should be done on a regular basis.

“It is important for the President just to come and check – it shows responsibility and we thank the Department of Higher Education and Training for that.”

The Educational Studies student, however, was not happy with the poor state of the residential accommodation, including the bedrooms, kitchens and shower facilities. Also, the laboratories on campus were not of the best quality.

“There are also a lot of taverns around here which I believe should be banned from operating during school hours,” said Moleele, adding that enough funds should be made available through NSFAS to avoid strikes such as the one by students earlier in the year.

Another student, Thulani Hleo, 20, said he was happy to see such an initiative taking place in his university.

“This shows that they are not only promising to deliver, but they make an effort to come and check how far they have progressed in terms of the promises that they made to us,” said Hlelo, who is doing his second year in Educational Studies.

Robert Makhubu told SAnews that he wanted to request the President to take education seriously. He said the President, when reporting to Parliament, should tell them that the students of TUT are struggling to pay their fees.

“They need to invest in education. I am one of those students who are struggling to pay fees. I do not have NSFAS,” said Makhubu.

President Zuma, in his address to students in the hall later in the day, said his visit came as a result of him receiving complaints about dilapidated bathrooms in the female residences, some students not having accommodation and using a disused primary school, disturbances caused by shebeens and security on campus.

He said some of the issues had been attended too, for example the bathrooms have been refurbished and students who were “squatting’’ at Botho Centre have been relocated.

He said the taverns located opposite the university was a cause for serious concern and the Gauteng Provincial Government was attending to it.

“I have been informed that one tavern was found to be lawfully licensed. The owner has given an undertaking to close earlier than before in light of the location of his tavern. Another tavern has been shut down while another owner is making presentations at the Gauteng Liquor Board,” said the President.

He said drugs and substance abuse destroyed the youth and “we do not take kindly to people who deliberately seek to destroy the future of our youth”.

President Zuma said he was happy that the outstanding uses raised by students earlier in the day would be addressed by Chairperson of the Student Council, Bandile Masuku.

He urged the students to study and work hard and succeed.

“The economy of this country needs your skills and expertise. Your country needs you,” he added. – SAnews.gov.za

A triumphant Serbia brought the curtain down on the FIFA Under-20 World Cup 2015 with a 2-1 final victory over Brazil in Auckland, New Zealand on Saturday (20.06.15). The jubilant team beat the tournament favourites to hold aloft the trophy for the first time as an independent nation. Â* FIFA Under-20 World Cup 2015 Final [...]Serbia claims FIFA U-20 World Cup is a post from: Time-4-Sport


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