Business - Page 51

The City of Cape Town has made paying municipal bills easier for its residents by introducing QR codes on invoices. By scanning the QR code with their smartphones, customers can quickly access the payment portal, making the process more accurate, efficient, and secure. The City also encourages residents to sign up for emailed accounts for added convenience, but traditional payment methods are still available for those who prefer them. The integration of QR codes is a significant milestone in the City’s pursuit of excellence, offering a userfriendly payment option for its residents.

Coalition governance in South Africa allows for collaboration among different parties and voices, promoting inclusiveness in the political sphere. However, unprincipled manipulation and difficulties in adapting to coalition dynamics can impact service delivery and weaken municipal administrations’ capacity to provide essential services. The Department of Cooperative Governance is pursuing legislative reforms to manage coalition governments more effectively and create a more stable and equitable environment. Despite its challenges, coalition governance reinforces the principles of a true democracy, with inclusivity and knowledgesharing among diverse parties serving as driving forces for a brighter, more united future.

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s upcoming public engagements will encompass diverse aspects of governance, including enhancing service delivery, attending international sports events, and fostering economic partnerships. These endeavors illustrate the President’s dedication to forging stronger ties within South Africa and beyond its boundaries.

South Africa’s National Labour Migration Policy seeks to harmonize the expectations of the populace, labour market demands, migrant worker protection, and regional integration. The policy has three critical intervention areas, emphasizes collaboration, and aims to address specific issues faced by migrant workers through data collection and analysis. A Labour Migration Policy and Governance dialogue was hosted in Mpumalanga, drawing diverse stakeholders from various sectors, and the Department of Employment and Labour is committed to developing a wellinformed NLMP that addresses concerns and benefits all parties involved.

Barbara Creecy, South Africa’s Minister of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment, gave opening remarks at the National Stakeholder Consultations for COP28, emphasizing the country’s commitment to sustainable development and the need for inclusive negotiations. COP28 is the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), where countries gather to discuss global efforts to combat climate change. Key agenda items include establishing a global fund for loss and damage, increasing climate finance goals, and assessing collective progress through the Global Stocktake. South Africa is actively preparing for the critical COP28 conference in December, aiming to shape the country’s negotiating position while addressing the challenges posed by climate change.

The newly enacted MHI Regulations of 2022 aim to improve workplace safety by refining and broadening protective measures related to handling bulk hazardous substances. A significant change in the updated regulations is the expectation for MHI facilities to selfregulate, which includes the adoption of incorporated standards and creation of a Major Prevention Incident Policy. The event will bring together a diverse array of stakeholders, and media participation is encouraged.

The Digital and Future Skills National Conference in South Africa addressed the urgent need for skills development to support innovation and digital transformation. With a young population, the country has immense potential to leverage the Fourth Industrial Revolution, but also a pressing need to skill, reskill, and upskill the workforce to meet the demands of the digital economy. A comprehensive strategy for digital skills development that includes both technical and soft skills is essential, along with investment in innovation hubs and publicprivate partnerships to drive innovation and bridge skills gaps.

Community Development Practitioners in South Africa were recently celebrated in a graduation ceremony organized by the Department of Social Development and the Health and Welfare Sector Education Training Authority (HWSETA). The event recognized the essential role these practitioners play in society as they provide crucial services to underprivileged rural and township communities. The initiative, known as the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), aims to professionalize Community Development Practice, contribute to a more skilled and employable workforce, and foster overall economic growth in the nation. Through their dedication, Community Development Practitioners facilitate sustainable change and development in impoverished communities and combat poverty and other social challenges.

Deputy President Paul Mashatile participated in a National Council of Provinces (NCOP) plenary sitting, addressing important national and international issues, such as enhancing the distribution of social grants and revitalizing infrastructure in the agricultural sector to improve food security. The NCOP event is one of the ways Parliament holds the Executive accountable for their performance. The National Assembly also held a hybrid plenary session, reviewing committee reports, and the media and public can access these meetings through various channels.

The CSIR Technology Commercialisation Enterprise is a new initiative launched by the Department of Science and Innovation in South Africa to promote the growth of technologies and socioeconomic prosperity. The launch represents a significant milestone in South Africa’s quest for a more prosperous, equitable, and sociallyjust society. The initiative underscores the importance of socioeconomic development in technological progress and promotes inclusive development, intellectual property exploitation, and the commercialization of grassroots innovation. It aims to foster innovation, strengthen institutions, and support homegrown technologies for implementation in government departments and communities.

Get ready for another economic winter in 2024, warns Maarten Ackerman, Chief Economist at Citadel. The global economy, still recovering from the Covid19 pandemic, will slow down further, marking the start of a winter cycle before spring arrives in 2025. South Africa is expected to face a colder economic winter compared to other parts of the world, due to structural factors such as an unreliable electricity supply and dysfunctional rail systems. Private sector investments are crucial to turning this economic winter into spring, and investors should maintain a proportion of cash and bonds in their portfolios as the riskreward balance in equities becomes less rewarding.

The AGOA Forum Made in Africa Exhibition is an exciting event that creates opportunities for businesses to connect with African exporters and establish international partnerships that contribute to growth and success. Held in Johannesburg, attendees can network, explore new markets, and contribute to the advancement of global trade and investments. The event embodies the objectives of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), and its B2B Sourcing and Investment Programme enables the exploration of new products, broadens market access, and endorses international partnerships. Businesses will build lasting partnerships and shape the global landscape, contributing to a brighter future for Africa and beyond.

Electricity wheeling is an innovative technique that allows power producers to transmit electricity through the grid to endusers without generating it onsite. It is being incorporated into the operations of Eskom, South Africa’s utility company, through a wheeling framework, which is expected to contribute significantly to the cessation of load shedding. The 28th Energy Digicon event explored the potential of virtual wheeling in South Africa’s energy landscape, with valuable insights from Onicah Rantwane, a senior advisor to Eskom on electricity pricing. The event highlighted the advantages of virtual wheeling, including greater market competition, potential cost savings for consumers and promoting renewable energy.

The South African province of Free State, led by Premier Mxolisi Dukwana, is preparing for a groundbreaking Energy Security Summit taking place in Bloemfontein on November 2, 2023. With its theme “Energizing the Future,” the summit strives to discover lasting energy answers and stimulate economic growth by encouraging cooperation between the government, higher education institutions, and private businesses. Over 500 delegates are anticipated to attend, providing an exceptional chance for specialists, academics, policymakers, and potential financiers to participate in productive discussions and establish partnerships for a cleaner, more thriving tomorrow.