The chairperson of the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence (JSCI), Cornelia September, has expressed concern about claims of leaked intelligence reports allegedly prepared by or on behalf of South African intelligence agencies.

September said the JSCI would enforce its legal mandate to initiate an investigation and call all relevant people to account.

She said the JSCI was concerned about maintaining national security and it would execute its mandate with this uppermost in its mind.

According to Al Jazeera, leaked documents show there was a plot to assassinate African Union Commission chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma in Ethiopia days after she assumed the position in October 2012.

Dlamini Zuma was a former Home Affairs Minister and prior to that served as Foreign and Health Ministers.

Al Jazeera also reported that former "Mossad spies" threatened a cyber-attack on South Africa, demanding an end to the Boycott Israel campaign.

The leaked documents also claimed that a secret security assessment by South African intelligence said foreign espionage was booming, with South Africa doing a "poor job" of protecting itself.

According to the report, over 140 foreign spies were estimated to be operating in South Africa, gaining access to government departments, ministries and "even the Presidency".

The report also states that the South African Security Agency (SSA) allegedly spied on Iran - SAnews.gov.za

Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini says Phase 3 of the Expanded Public Work Programme (EPWP) Social Sector must aim high and work harder towards increasing the current set targets for work opportunities.

Addressing the EPWP conference in Worcester on Tuesday, Minister Dlamini said in addition to more than four million work opportunities created during EPWP Phase 2, the emphasis should be more on the impact of the EPWP within the communities where these projects are being implemented.

She highlighted some of the key government priorities, which can be linked to the EPWP Social Sector, including creating work opportunities in the fields of education, health, rural development and social development.

“The social sector has a target of creating over one million work opportunities from the overall EPWP five-year target of six million work opportunities by 2019.

“These employment targets would be met through EPWP social sector programmes such as the early childhood development, school nutrition programme, home community based programme and pharmaceutical assistant programme,” the Minister said.

She said they will keep training people in the social sector to enable them to develop careers and mainstream issues of disability.

The three-day EPWP Social Sector conference, which ends on Thursday, will look at strategic policy initiatives, government priorities for the EPWP social sector, rooting EPWP in communities as well as the repositioning of Phase 3 of the social sector.

The conference will also engage extensively on challenges facing orphaned and vulnerable children and youth in South Africa and the role of the EPWP in addressing these challenges. – SAnews.gov.za

Unions linked to the SA Post Office (Sapo) have committed to support the administration technical team to deliver on its mandate of stabilising the organisation and turning the company around.

“I was sincerely encouraged by the commitment from the unions in relation to the envisaged future of Sapo and their frankness about the prevailing challenges,” Sapo Administrator Dr Simo Lushaba said.

On Monday, Lushaba had a meeting with the acting Group CEO, presidents of the South African Postal and Allied Workers Union (Sapawu) and the Democratic Postal and Communications Union (Depacu).

“Open engagements between management and the unions are essential prerequisites for stable and reliable operations of any entity and the SA Post Office requires more of these firm alliances to become a competitive service provider. We are grateful to have had this candid session,” he said.

He said the meeting was aimed at talking about the progress that the administration technical team has made thus far in relation to its mandate.

“We also committed to sharing comprehensive findings of our efforts with them and all the other stakeholders before the end of March, including agreeing a take-off point of their inputs on a turnaround strategy for the SA Post Office,” Lushaba said.

He reiterated his commitment to honour the agreement signed with labour last year, which includes the implementation of salary increases as well as the conversion of casual workers to permanent employees.

“We remain committed towards implementing this agreement. The sooner we improve our financial situation, the sooner we will be able to implement the agreement,” said Lushaba.

Sapawu president Andrew Sithole said the union was committed to playing its part in contributing positively to the current efforts of stabilising Sapo and making it profitable so that it can add value to the livelihoods of its union members.

Sithole said the union was prepared to conduct joint customer visits with Sapo to assure customers of their firm commitment to serve them by ensuring reliable services going forward.

Depacu president Alfred Msito said that the union was confident of a positive outlook for the SA Post Office, which was dependent on all role players.

“Our members have given us the mandate to stake our claim in ensuring that a lasting solution is derived for the SA Post Office, while also ensuring that they are in a better position to transform their lives and those of their families. With honest partnerships, all this is achievable,” Msito said. – SAnews.gov.za

SMMEs – Government has set aside 30% of all government contracts to support small businesses and co-operatives in a bid to boost township and rural economies. Rural Development and Land Reform Minister Gugile Nkwinti said this when he led a briefing of the Economic Sectors, Employment and Infrastructure Development Cluster on Tuesday. He said small [...]Measures to support SMMEs is a post from: South Africa Business
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Despite the slow rate of investment, India remains a key trading partner for South Africa, says Trade and Industry Deputy Minister Mzwandile Masina.

The Deputy Minister was speaking at the 6th India Investment and Trade Initiative (ITI) seminar held in Hyderabad, India.

The seminar, which was attended by more than 200 business people from both India and South Africa, is part of the Department of Trade and Industry’s export and investment promotion strategy to focus on India as a high growth export market and foreign direct investment source.

Deputy Minister Masina said he was pleased to see that investment between the two countries was growing, though the level was still very low given the size of the Indian market. He however said there was scope to do more to increase investment, hence South Africa is back in India for the 6th ITI.

“The emerging economies have become the new centres of economic growth. Our regions are designed to become global economic power centres. BRICS in particular is at the forefront of the leading economies of the future,” he said.

The Deputy Minister said both countries should take advantage of the BRICS membership and do more business with each other.

“Trade and investment should also be at the top of our agendas because it would contribute to creating more jobs and growth when we need it the most.”

He urged Indian business people to consider importing value added goods from South Africa.

Total trade grew from R80.9 billion in 2013 to R90 billion at the end of 2014. Out of this, South Africa exported R40.9 billion and imported R49.4 billion goods from India during 2014.

The ITI, which kicked off on Monday, is set to continue in Hyderabad and Kolkata until 27 February. - SAnews.gov.za

Just over 1200 multi-sport athletes and outdoor enthusiasts flocked to the picturesque Grabouw Country Club on Saturday, 21 February 2015 to partake in the adrenalin pumping TOTALSPORTS XTERRA Lite presented by REHIDRAT® SPORT. Michael Lord proved to be in a league of his own claiming victory in the men’s race in a mind-blowing time of [...]Lord, Preen win Grabouw Lite is a post from: Time-4-Sport


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Tension was rife in Grabouw on Sunday, 22 February 2015 when close to 800 eager sports enthusiasts lined up to partake in the multisport event of the year, the TOTALSPORTS XTERRA South African Championship presented by REHIDRAT® SPORT. Forming part of the XTERRA World Tour, competitors stood the chance to qualify for the world championship [...]Marais, Duffy win South African Champs is a post from: Time-to-Tri


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The 2015 PUMA Trail Run enjoyed a cool start at the Grabouw Country Club on Saturday, 21 February 2015, with just over 400 eager runners on the start line, ready to enjoy the XTERRA trail run routes. AJ Calitz conquers Grabouw 2015 South African ultra-trail champion AJ Calitz claimed victory in the 12.5km PUMA Trail [...] Calitz, Van Huyssteen win Grabouw 2015 is a post from: Trail Running South Africa
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The Department of Labour says temporary workers must be accorded the same treatment as permanent staff. Addressing a road show on Friday, the department’s Director of Collective Bargaining, Ian Macun, said a key aspect of the amended labour laws is that temporary and permanent employees must be treated equally, unless there is a genuine justification […]Labour dept pushes for better temp deals is a post from: JobnSpire


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Plans for the first phase of Operation Phakisa, which promotes economic growth and job creation in line with the goals outlined in the National… GlobalBuzz-SA – Your Employment and Recruitment Plans to tap into ocean’s resources on track is a post from: JobnSpirePlans to tap into ocean’s resources on track is a post from: JobnSpire


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