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Legislative Environment News

South Africa’s labour law architect Mboweni sees need for change

By: Bloomberg 18th June 2021 Tito Mboweni, the architect of many of South Africa’s labour laws, said it may be time to review them to ensure they aren’t impeding economic growth. South Africa’s current finance minister told an investment conference on Thursday that when he served as the first post-apartheid labour minister... →

Association offers value to stakeholders

By: Nadine Ramdass 18th June 2021 Stakeholders in the biofuels and biogas industry can advocate for better legislation and connect with other stakeholders by being active members of associations such as the Southern African Biogas Industry Association (SABIA). The association also makes it possible for stakeholders and interested... →

BIOGAS FACILITY ON FARM Anaerobic digestion converts hazardous organic waste

APDP Phase 2 to take effect on July 1

By: Marleny Arnoldi 15th June 2021 Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Ebrahim Patel has advised that amendments to the Automotive Production and Development Programme (APDP) will be gazetted on June 25 and implemented from July 1. The APDP is an automotive industry support policy consisting of rebates and refunds of... →

SAHPRA registers Janssen Covid-19 vaccine with conditions

By: Sane Dhlamini 7th June 2021 The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) announced on Monday the registration of the Janssen Covid-19 vaccine on March 31, with conditions. SAHPRA CEO Dr Boitumelo Semete-Makokotlela explained that one of the conditions is that the vaccine be manufactured under conditions... →

Sub-Saharan Africa rebound significantly lower than globally

By: Halima Frost 4th June 2021 A smaller contraction in 2020 and a sharper growth rebound in 2021 have led to predictions of a global rebound of about 5.6%; however, sub-Saharan Africa will lag behind, with the slowest recovery rate of about 3%, said data research and analytics company Fitch Solutions Country Risk & Industry... →

PLUGGED IN The sub-Saharan Africa recovery is on on trend with the rest of the world

Sakeliga starts court proceedings to realign municipal administration

By: Donna Slater 31st May 2021 Independent business community Sakeliga has instituted court proceedings to reverse municipal decline throughout South Africa, proposing a new form of municipal administration, with independent control over electricity and other service charges. In court papers currently being served on two... →

Mboweni appoints ombud council leaders

By: Donna Slater 24th May 2021 Finance Minister Tito Mboweni has appointed the first Ombud Council board and council Chief Ombud, independent consultant Eileen Meyer, giving effect to the new financial ombud system in terms of the Financial Sector Regulation Act. Meyer will serve in her position as a transitional measure,... →

Critical structural reforms taking too long – BLSA

By: Donna Slater 24th May 2021 The structural reform required to transform South Africa’s economy has “frustratingly” progressed very little, even with the establishment of Operation Vulindlela, Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) CEO Busi Mavuso asserts. She says organised business has consistently argued that South... →

Photo by Creamer Media's Donna Slater
BLSA CEO Busi Mavuso

Busa welcomes BBBEE practice note clarifying collective enterprises

By: Schalk Burger 21st May 2021 Business organisation Business Unity South Africa (Busa) on May 21 said it welcomes the recent publication of the Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) Act practice note for rules for discretionary collective enterprises, which clarifies how discretionary collective enterprises,... →

DTIC trade policy statement addresses green, labour opportunities

By: Marleny Arnoldi 21st May 2021 The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) on May 20 issued a Trade Policy Statement that reflects its policy objectives for international trade in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. The policy objectives also address emerging opportunities which stem from the signing of the... →

Geospatial issues impact inequality levels in Southern Africa

By: Sane Dhlamini 21st May 2021 Professor Vimal Ranchhod from the Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit at the University of Cape Town (UCT) says data show there is a strong geospatial component when it comes to serious inequality in Southern Africa. He was addressing a virtual debate organised by the Embassy of... →

Construction sector builds hope

By: Darren Parker 21st May 2021 Although there is uncertainty regarding the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the economy and the construction sector, hope remains as long as South African policy makers continue to recognise that the built environment sector is an important pillar in terms of stimulating the economy, says... →

Photo by Adobe
BLUE SKIES AHEAD Hope remains for the construction sector as policy makers seem to be committed to infrastructure spend

Collaborative vision required to overcome current lack of cohesion – WCPDF

By: Donna Slater 20th May 2021 South Africa’s government and private sector need a clear agreement on their collective to bring an end to the trend of working in silos and “talking past each other”, nonprofit property development organisation Western Cape Property Development Forum (WCPDF) chairperson Deon van Zyl has said.... →

Negotiations for new metals, engineering wage agreement to start in June

By: Donna Slater 19th May 2021 With the current wage and working condition agreement in the metals and engineering sector close to expiration, it was agreed at the Metal and Engineering Industries Bargaining Council management committee meeting on May 18 that the main agreement wages and conditions of employment negotiations... →

Elidz hopeful new SIU probe will end corruption, maladministration allegations

By: Donna Slater 19th May 2021 The East London Industrial Development Zone (Elidz) says it “welcomes” a probe into allegations of corruption and maladministration by the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) if the authorities “deem it worthwhile to put resources into these allegations once more”. The new SIU investigation comes a... →

Western Cape asks public for input on Inclusionary Housing Policy Framework

By: Marleny Arnoldi 14th May 2021 The Western Cape government on May 14 published an Inclusionary Housing Policy Framework for public comment. The framework will help municipalities in the Western Cape facilitate the inclusion of more affordable housing units in developments in their municipal areas. →

Raising distributed generator licence-exemption cap to 10 MW ‘does not go far enough’

By: Terence Creamer 3rd May 2021 Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) says a proposed amendment to Schedule 2 of the Electricity Regulation Act, which would raise the licence exemption threshold for private distributed-generation plants from 1 MW to 10 MW, “does not go far enough”. Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede... →

Low price could boost LNG development

By: Cameron Mackay 23rd April 2021 A decrease in oil demand and, consequently, in prices last year because of Covid-19 also resulted in lower prices for liquefied natural gas (LNG). Business research consultancy Birguid associate researcher Patience Panashe argues that LNG buyers can take advantage of this to import LNG into South... →

GAS CEILING Given the increased LNG exploration in Africa, more acquisition transactions are expected to occur. This will consolidate the African LNG market, bolstering growth and production

Amendments to plastic bag regulations published for comment

By: Simone Liedtke 19th April 2021 Amendments to the Plastic Carrier Bags and Plastic Flat Bags Regulations have been gazetted by Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Barbara Creecy on April 7, in terms of the National Environmental Management Act and the National Environmental Management: Waste Act. The amendments... →

Public have until month-end to comment on new lighting lamp specifications

By: Schalk Burger 14th April 2021 South Africans have until April 30 to comment on the recently gazetted specifications for general service lamps. The specifications are aimed at improving the safety, performance and energy efficiency of lightbulbs approved for use in South Africa by phasing out inefficient and environmentally... →

Sars revenue boost a result of good luck and not good policy, says BLSA CEO

By: Donna Slater 6th April 2021 The announcement last week by the South African Revenue Service (Sars) that it had managed to exceed revised budgets for tax collections, with the collection of R38-billion more than had been estimated in the February budget for the 2020/21 year, is “very welcome”, says Business Leadership South... →

Industry can grow with diverse solutions – institute

By: Cameron Mackay 26th March 2021 The best growth scenario for the local sugar industry is to diversify its products to create multiple revenue streams, says research organisation the Sugar Milling Research Institute NPC (SMRI) strategic research group leader Dr Kitty Foxon. Biochemicals and bio-materials from sugar cane-derived... →

Master plan to help industry diversify

By: Cameron Mackay 26th March 2021 The implementation of South African Sugarcane Value Chain Master Plan can help the sugar industry diversify its revenue streams and build support for local sugar production, according to local sugar producer Tongaat Hulett’s Sugar MD Simon Harvey. The sugar master plan seeks to create diversified... →

MAKING ENDS SWEET This creation of new revenue streams will help sustain the local sugar industry and can potentially increase employment

Master plan boosting limping industry

By: Cameron Mackay 26th March 2021 With the sugar industry starting to show signs of recovery after years of decline, South African Sugar Association (Sasa) executive director Trix Trikam says the implementation of the South African Sugarcane Value Chain Master Plan to 2030 will further help the industry stabilise. The master plan... →

Industry master plan supported

26th March 2021 Non-profit trade organisation FairPlay Movement enthusiastically supports the South African Sugar Master Plan as a mechanism to stabilise and rebuild the industry after devastating and predatory imports have gained market share and killed local jobs for years. “Like the poultry sector master plan... →

South Africa’s updated climate pledge to be released for comment after Cabinet approves NDC draft

By: Terence Creamer 25th March 2021 South Africa’s Cabinet has approved the country’s updated draft Nationally Determined Contribution in response to climate change, which will be released for public consultation next week. The updated NDC outlines South Africa’s target for limiting greenhouse gas emissions as required in line with... →

Information Regulator finalising guidance notes as PoPIA compliance nears

By: Schalk Burger 25th March 2021 The Information Regulator (IR) of South Africa is processing public comments received on the draft guidelines for registration of information officers under the Protection of Personal Information Act (PoPIA), and the Guidance Note on Information Officers and Deputy Information Officers will be... →

Changes to water-use licence issuing powers to help agricultural industry, says AgriSA

By: Schalk Burger 23rd March 2021 Agricultural industry organisation AgriSA has welcomed the decision by the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) acting director-general Deborah Mochotlhi to give regional DWS offices and catchment management agencies the power to issue water-use licences for low-risk and low-volume... →

Calls for professionalisation of water management

By: Cameron Mackay 12th March 2021 There is an urgent need to ensure that appropriately qualified and experienced water professionals are appointed to plan, develop and manage South Africa’s water resources and services, says Water Institute of Southern Africa (WISA) technical director Mike Muller. “Water management is complex.... →

Pandemic stresses need for conservation

By: Cameron Mackay 12th March 2021 With Covid-19 further emphasising the importance of water and water conservation in South Africa, water tank storage solutions provider Abeco Tanks has supplied water tanks to several hospitals and facilities in the country to ease the impact of the pandemic. “The best defence against the... →

MANNIE RAMOS JNR As we brand ourselves as a water bank, businesses to store water for when water supply is unavailable in order to have continuity of service

Opinion: Ignorance is bliss - but not for patent infringement

11th March 2021 In this opinion piece, Spoor & Fisher South Africa senior associate attorney Yogani Reddy writes about whether 'innocent infringement' can be used as a form of defence in patent law. In 1742, poet Thomas Gray wrote, “Where ignorance is bliss, ‘tis folly to be wise”. →

Covid-19 impacting females more, notwithstanding Rwanda being a beacon on gender equality

By: Donna Slater 8th March 2021 Although the Covid-19 pandemic has brought with it unprecedented challenges, its initial consequences have had a ripple effect on all socioeconomic sectors and has threatened to bring nations and communities to a standstill, as well as negatively impact women and girls more than men and boys,... →

NSFAS still faces funding shortfall, cannot yet accommodate first-time university students

By: Simone Liedtke 8th March 2021 The National Student Financial Aid Scheme is facing a shortfall on its funding for this year and it has, therefore, been unable to confirm funding eligibility for first-time university students. This does not apply to returning NSFAS beneficiary students who meet the academic and other relevant... →

Mavuso lauds reform implementation progress on public service

By: Marleny Arnoldi 8th March 2021 The last week has brought about a boost in confidence for Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) CEO Busi Mavuso in government’s ability to start delivering on reforms. She says in the organisation’s latest newsletter that President Cyril Ramaphosa’s weekly letter had fostered optimism, since... →

Photo by Creamer Media's Donna Slater
BLSA CEO Busi Mavuso

Labour Court dismisses SAAPA's application for leave to appeal lawfulness of pilots lockout

By: Donna Slater 4th March 2021 Labour Court judge Andre van Niekerk on March 3 dismissed the South African Airways Pilot’s Association’s (SAAPA’s) application for leave to appeal the Labour Court’s December 2020 judgment, with a costs order in favour of South African Airways (SAA) and the business rescue practitioners (BRPs).... →

Suspended Eskom procurement chief raises allegations against De Ruyter in letter to MPs

By: News24Wire 3rd March 2021 The Standing Committee on Public Accounts has received a letter from Eskom's suspended chief procurement officer Solly Tshitangano which levels allegations against CEO André de Ruyter. As a result the committee decided not to proceed with a scheduled meeting on Wednesday, in which it was to be... →

Photo by Donna Slater
Eskom CEO André de Ruyter

BLSA backs Ramaphosa’s commitment to fight corruption in public service

By: Sane Dhlamini 2nd March 2021 Business Leadership South Africa CEO Busi Mavuso has welcomed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement of a new policy document to ensure that the public service is free of corruption. She stated that the public sector had a pervasive skills shortage that, in turn, affects the efficient and... →

President Cyril Ramaphosa

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