The final notice and regulations that allow for the introduction of Tax Free Savings and Investment Accounts (TFSAs) have been approved by Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene. This will come into effect from 1 March 2015, the start of the new tax year. The incentive, said National Treasury in a statement on Friday, is an important [...]Regulations for tax free savings is a post from: South Africa Business
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South Africa – Eastern Cape Premier Phumulo Masualle says the province will focus on creating jobs and sustainable livelihoods in 2015. The province has set a target to create 129 597 Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) job opportunities and 37 000 through the Community Works Programme. “We have to do this against an economic outlook […]Job creation, sustainable livelihoods 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 Development Plan, are on track, Cabinet has heard.

Cabinet was briefed on the progress made with Operation Phakisa’s oceans economy lab at its ordinary meeting in Cape Town this week.

“The operation has now entered an implementation phase, which involves monitoring and project managing the implementation,” Minister in the Presidency, Jeff Radebe, said during the post-Cabinet briefing in Cape Town on Thursday.

Operation Phakisa’s oceans economy lab is estimated to have the potential to contribute up to R177 billion to the Gross Domestic Product and create just over one million jobs by 2033.

The oceans economy lab has four priority areas, which include marine transport and manufacturing, offshore oil and gas exploration, aquaculture as well as marine protection services and ocean governance.

“Delivery units have been established and monitoring and escalation mechanisms and processes are in place,” the Minister said.

He added that the planning phase of the oceans economy lab took place in Durban during July and August 2014 and resulted in the production of detailed plans to grow the ocean economy.

Operation Phakisa (“phakisa” meaning “hurry up” in Sesotho) was launched by President Jacob Zuma in July last year and is an adaptation of the Big Fast Results methodology that was successfully applied by the Malaysian government in the delivery of its economic and government transformation programmes.

Operation Phakisa consists of two projects aimed at growing the economy by taking advantage of the ocean’s untapped resources and transforming all public sector clinics into ideal clinics, which provide good quality care to all communities.

The second phase of Operation Phakisa, which is led by the Department of Health, was launched by President Zuma in November last year. – SAnews.gov.za

The Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training has identified at least six key areas that the Department of Higher Education and Training needs to deal with in order to address insufficient student funding and limited access to tertiary education.

This emerged when the department and the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) briefed the portfolio committee in Cape Town on Wednesday.

The committee said the department needs to take immediate action to increase NSFAS funding from the current R9.5 billion allocation for 2015; exercise control over university fees; investigate cost drivers at institutions of higher learning; monitor infrastructure development at universities and improve student enrolment processes and systems.

The meeting was attended by, among others, Higher Education and Training Minister Blade Nzimande, Deputy Minister Mduduzi Manana and NSFAS CEO Msulwa Daca.

The department briefed the committee on the enrolment and registration processes for the 2015 academic year, while NSFAS briefed them on the allocation of funds for students.

Portfolio committee chairperson Yvonne Phosa commended the department on the increase of funds for higher education and training. She, however, noted that the budget was still insufficient.

“While we agree that there has been some progress made with regards to both student access and funding at tertiary institutions, regardless of the challenges that have confronted the department, we are saying that this is a new year and we need to make further progress,” Phosa said.

She also stressed the need for the department to have some level of control over university fees.

“The fee structures of some universities are a stumbling block as the more fees grow, the more students cannot access higher education opportunities. Furthermore, we would like the department to speedily look at the cost drivers at universities because this leads to high fees.

“We would also like to have the department closely monitoring infrastructure development at universities. There needs to be infrastructure expansion so that universities can take more students in the coming years and such students have to be accommodated at university residences.”

Phosa said NSFAS must have an effective fundraising strategy. She also called for the timely payment of funds from the department to NSFAS and from the financial aid scheme to institutions.

“We would like to have NSFAS providing us with their fundraising strategy because we will use it as a measuring tool to monitor this area and to determine progress as far as fundraising is concerned.

“All these gaps need to be closed and we trust that the department will find a way so that we can have smooth running of the higher education system.” – SAnews.gov.za

ITU recently announced that it is accepting applications for the 2015 Team ITU, which is dedicated to offering support, resources and expertise to athletes from emerging National Federations who show a potential to compete at the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games. The project will see a maximum of eight athletes given the opportunity to [...]2015 Team ITU Applications open is a post from: Time-to-Tri


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The Department of Labour and the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) will today kick off with their road show to educate… GlobalBuzz-SA – Your Employment and Recruitment Road show on new labour laws kicks off is a post from: JobnSpireRoad show on new labour laws kicks off is a post from: JobnSpire


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Water and Sanitation Minister Nomvula Mokonyane has welcomed 34 Cuban water experts, who are in the country to share their skills to improve the quality of water.

The arrival of the experts follows a bilateral agreement between South Africa and Cuba in 2014 on cooperation in the fields of water resources management and water supply.

In October 2014, Water and Sanitation Deputy Minister Pam Tshwete went to Cuba on behalf of Minister Mokonyane to ratify the agreement and to appoint the water experts.

The specialists have been contracted to work in South Africa for two years, with the possibility of extending their stay by another year.

The recruited Cuban specialists include civil, electrical, hydraulic and mechanical engineers, and irrigation and drainage specialists.

The recruitment of the engineers also involved the participation of a South African organisation of engineers, which helped the department to identify the specialists.

“The specialists will be deployed at the department’s head office in Pretoria as well as in rural parts of South Africa where there is a shortage of skill. The experts are recruited at a middle management level (deputy director) in terms of the remuneration levels of government, costing the government less than R500 000 per person per annum.”

Speaking at the welcoming ceremony held on Sunday afternoon at Sheraton Hotel, Minister Mokonyane said even though Cuba was a small country, it was a country with a big heart.

“South Africans would not forget the many Cuban soldiers who sacrificed their lives in Angola and Namibia for the sake of the freedom of the Southern African nations. Even though referred to by some historians as the forgotten war, South Africa did not forget and we shall never forget.

“We still cherish the passion that was displayed by Fidel Castro and Che Guevara for their determination to liberate our nations. We also appreciate the fact that Cuban doctors are working with our national Department of Health to improve the quality of life of our people,” Minister Mokonyane said.

She said the Cubans should engage South Africans politically during their stay in SA.

“It’s all about development and the strengthening of relationships between South Africa and Cuba. Some of you will work in far flung rural areas where the nearest town is 70 kilometres from where you live.

“Your passion to serve and the pride to maintain your national identity is inspirational to us. We encourage you to establish new friendships and new relationships because it’s in the nature of human beings to establish relationships wherever they go,” the Minister said. - SAnews.gov.za

The Department of Labour and the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) will today kick off with their road show to educate the public about amended labour laws.

The road show is aimed at employer organisations, trade unions, academics, human resource practitioners and the public, they aim to create awareness of the amendments to the labour law.

They also aim to inform the public of the main amendments and their intentions.

According to the Department of Labour spokesperson Mokgadi Pela, the Acts in the spotlight include the Basic Conditions of Employment Amendment Act (BCEA), Employment Equity Amendment Act, Labour Relations Amendment Act and the Employment Services Act.

“The brief of the presentations during the national road shows will focus on aspects such as broad changes on the protection of employees earning up to the BCEA threshold of R205 433 30 and the regulation of temporary employment which is now limited to a period not exceeding three months,” said Pela on Monday.

The presentations will also focus on the unionisation in vulnerable sectors; improving the functioning of labour market institutions such as the CCMA, bargaining and statutory councils; addressing current problems in industrial disputes and dispute resolution; enforcement and enhancing compliance; disputes concerning discrimination and issues of pay for work of equal value.

The national labour law amendments road shows will begin today in Cape Town, at the Fountains Hotel, then move to the Protea Hotel Big Hole West Circular Road in Kimberley on Tuesday; Wednesday they will be held at President Hotel, 1 Union Avenue in Bloemfontein. On Friday they will be at the Sandton Convention Centre.

The road show will end on 6 March 2015 in Pretoria. – SAnews.gov.za

South Africa’s unemployment rate decreased from 25.4% in the third quarter to 24.3% in the fourth quarter, Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) said on… GlobalBuzz-SA – Your Employment and Recruitment Unemployment decreases in fourth quarter is a post from: JobnSpireUnemployment decreases in fourth quarter is a post from: JobnSpire


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New Zealand has welcomed the dawn of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 with a magical evening of family fun, and a spectacular show of colour and culture. Kia Ora from New Zealand On a warm New Zealand summer’s evening in North Hagley Park, Christchurch thumped out the good vibes. It was party time and [...]ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 opens is a post from: Time-4-Sport


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