Latest news with #TransformationFund
The Citizen
10 hours ago
- Automotive
- The Citizen
Santaco wants faster progress on infrastructure and licensing reforms
Santaco wants faster progress on commuter support, infrastructure, and licensing reforms The South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) has responded with cautious optimism to the 2025 National Transport Budget Vote. It welcomed key commitments while urging the government to act more decisively on long-standing industry challenges. Santaco's delegation, led by first deputy president Mazwe Nkonki, attended the budget vote tabled by Transport Minister Barbara Creecy in Cape Town on Wednesday. While acknowledging some progress, the council stated that critical issues facing the taxi industry remain unresolved. Road safety targets Santaco endorsed the Department of Transport's target to reduce road fatalities by 45% by 2029, describing it as 'a commendable ambition'. Although the council stressed that reaching this goal would require concrete actions such as round-the-clock traffic law enforcement and intensified public awareness efforts. 'We call for increased 24-hour traffic visibility and awareness campaigns to support this goal,' Santaco said in a statement. 'Poor road conditions continue to damage vehicles and endanger lives. We urge government to implement regular monitoring and maintenance of all roads, especially because the taxi industry's routes move from the very rural areas to the most urbanised areas.' Minister Creecy confirmed in her speech that Sanral had taken over 3 099km of provincial roads and would reprioritise maintenance efforts through its Route Road Maintenance Programme. ALSO READ: DA demands full AGSA report on R400m driving licence tender Growing frustration over commuter subsidy delays One of Santaco's strongest criticisms was the continued exclusion of taxi commuters from public transport subsidies. 'While we note the intent to explore a subsidy model, the pace is too slow. 'With taxis transporting over 60% of commuters daily, a fair, inclusive subsidy system must be urgently introduced to ensure affordability and equity,' said Nkonki. Although Creecy said her department is committed to working with the industry to reduce vehicle repayment costs and align operating licences with financial terms, Santaco stressed that 'intent alone is not enough'. ALSO READ: Outa calls for no fines during driver's licence backlog Implementation lags The council applauded the taxi industry's inclusion in government transformation and decarbonisation efforts, including the Transformation Fund, which aligns with the 2020 National Taxi Lekgotla resolutions. 'This assures the industry that government supports our idealised socio-economic development of the sector in collaboration with government,' Santaco said. However, they flagged that the implementation has been sluggish. Santaco said it supports Creecy's plans to streamline operating licence issuance and tie licence validity to vehicle finance terms. 'This will support compliance and financial sustainability for taxi owners,' the council stated. ALSO READ: Three teachers dead, two injured in horror Eastern Cape crash Industry urges accelerated action While expressing cautious optimism, Santaco outlined urgent priorities: Fast-tracking a taxi commuter subsidy model Improved maintenance of roads and taxi ranking facilities 24-hour traffic enforcement Accelerated operating licence reforms aligned with loan repayment terms 'Santaco remains committed to constructive engagement and a transport system that is fair, safe, and inclusive for all,' it said. NOW READ: Transport minister has big hopes for big plans
Daily Record
a day ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
South Lanarkshire gyms to undergo £2.74 million upgrade
Starting on July 7, the initiative will begin with Biggar Sports Centre and Strathaven Leisure Centre, with improvements scheduled to roll out across 11 additional sites throughout the year. Gyms and studios across South Lanarkshire are to be given a £2.74 million makeover. South Lanarkshire Council's Transformation Fund will see extensive refurbishment and upgrade work take place at a number of South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture (SLLC) facilities over the coming months. The project will include new flooring, painting and equipment including group cycle bikes, cardio equipment, fixed resistance equipment and accessible equipment. Council Leader Joe Fagan said: 'This investment reflects our continued commitment to supporting the health and wellbeing of our communities. 'By modernising these facilities and ensuring they are inclusive, accessible, and future-ready, we're helping more people across South Lanarkshire to lead active, healthier lives. 'These upgrades also align closely with the council's broader priorities around tackling inequality, supporting mental health, and providing high-quality local services for residents of all ages.' Starting on July 7, the initiative will begin with Biggar Sports Centre and Strathaven Leisure Centre, with improvements scheduled to roll out across 11 additional sites throughout the year. They include: John Wright Sports Centre, Carluke Leisure Centre, Eastfield Lifestyles, Lanark Lifestyles, Dollan Aqua Centre, Blantyre Leisure Centre, Coalburn Leisure Complex, Hamilton Water Palace, Blackwood and Kirkmuirhill, Willie Waddell Sports and Community Centre and Fairhill Lifestyles. Nick Lansdell, Head of Strategy and Governance at South Lanarkshire and Culture, said: 'We are thrilled to launch this significant investment in the refurbishment and upgrading of our gyms and studios. 'These improvements are a vital part of our commitment to delivering high-quality, inclusive and modern facilities. 'This programme directly supports our strategic goals of improving health and wellbeing, tackling inequality, and building a more sustainable future for our services. 'By creating spaces that are more welcoming, efficient, and fit for purpose, we are ensuring that everyone in our communities has the opportunity to live healthier, happier, and more connected lives.' *Don't miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here.
Eyewitness News
5 days ago
- Business
- Eyewitness News
Axed deputy DTIC minister, Whitfield, says he was sidelined by Tau for last 6 months
JOHANNESBURG - Fired deputy minister of trade and industry, Andrew Whitfield, said that he had spent the past six months being sidelined by Minister Parks Tau. Whitfield, who said that he received no reason for his axing by President Cyril Ramaphosa, insisted that he acted in good faith during his time in government. He told 702 that he assumed he was fired because of a trip he took to Washington on behalf of his political party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), in March. Whitfield said that he had never undermined the minister. "I have objected and opposed to a number of issues. I have done that discreetly within the department, in fact through writing to the minister, whether it's on the legal sector codes, the broad-based economic empowerment legal sector codes, whether it's the Transformation Fund or a range of other issues around governance, board appointments, cadre deployments, you name it." Whitfield's political party argued that he was fired for succeeding at his job, which included opposing some appointments, halting what they claim would have been looting from the Transformation Fund and keeping an eye on the national lottery tender. Whitfield said that he still had questions about some of the processes that had unfolded. "And so the minister included me at the end of last year and I was then sidelined for the last six months. So, I have had no line of sight of the process, but certainly have had some questions, which I would like to pose to the minister if given the opportunity, which I have not yet had."
The Citizen
18-06-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Concerns over Mantashe's changes to draft mineral resources bill
Mantashe's changes to mining legislation have provoked backlash for favouring the industry over public interest. Minerals and Petroleum Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe was lashed for omitting a requirement for Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) participation in applications for prospecting rights. Mantashe recently gazetted two corrections to the Draft Mineral Resources Development Bill and also nullified a provision for ministerial approval for change of control in listed companies that own mining rights. Mining expert David van Wyk asked why the minister backed down. Environmental concerns 'The prospecting companies make huge profits after prospecting reports are out. They sell the prospecting reports to the highest bidder. 'We have a serious problem with the change of control in listed companies. It is what ultimately allows mining companies to walk away from their environmental responsibilities and their responsibility to close and rehabilitate mines,' said Van Wyk. 'This is why we have more than 6 000 abandoned mines. When control of companies changes and the minister, as the custodian of the minerals which, according to the Act, belongs to the public, is not informed of these changes, he is unable to assign responsibility to the owners as he will not know who they are.' ALSO READ: 'Is it greed or jealousy?': Ramaphosa fires back at critics of BEE, Transformation Fund Call for state-led mining and revenue transparency The solution to the problems of environmental and social responsibility, as well as mine closure and rehabilitation, was to establish public ownership not just of the minerals in the ground, but also of the mining process and the extracted minerals, with the state as the custodian and the revenue accruing in a sovereign fund, Van Wyk said. South Africa does have a stateowned mining company and a sovereign fund, but the share of that company in the overall mining sector is minimal. There was no account of how much money has accrued in the sovereign fund since its inception, Van Wyk said. Christopher Rutledge, director at the Mining Affected Communities in Action, said the organisation was concerned. 'Pressure of elite interests' 'Following a mere signal of dissatisfaction from the mining sector, Mantashe swiftly amended the draft of the Bill, specifically the removal of the requirement for B-BBEE participation in prospecting rights and the omission of provisions for ministerial oversight of changes in control of listed companies holding rights. 'As we have previously warned, the main purpose of the Amendment Bill represents a further retreat from the constitutional mandate of transformation, accountability and justice for mining-affected communities. 'Rather than correcting the draft Bill, the minister has capitulated even further to the pressure of elite interests, in particular the Minerals Council South Africa, confirming the extent to which the state has aligned itself with industry over people.' Rutledge said the removal of BEE from the prospecting regime was not a technical correction, but a political decision to sell-out transformation. ALSO READ: Starlink proposal: Mashatile says Cabinet holds final say on policy changes Prospecting was the gateway to mining and excluding it from transformation requirements ensures the ownership and control of mineral resources remains concentrated in the hands of historical beneficiaries of apartheid-era privilege, he said. 'This opens the door to unchecked mergers, takeovers and asset stripping with no regard for affected communities, workers, or environmental responsibilities. We reject the illusion that deregulation is a form of reform,' Rutledge said. Industry engagements Union federation Cosatu spokesperson Mathews Parks said it was critical that legislation is in sync with B-BBEE to avoid contradictions. 'Cosatu will engage with the minister to get a better understanding of the objectives of the amendments.' Minerals Council South Africa Allan Seccombe said the organisation would continue to review the Bill and submit its perspectives by 13 August. 'The Bill in its current form does not encourage or sustain the growth and investment that the mining industry needs.' NOW READ: Cosatu says debate on B-BBEE is needed for beneciaries' benefit
Mail & Guardian
17-06-2025
- Business
- Mail & Guardian
Transformation Fund draft document lacks clear, outcome-driven goals, BLSA says
Business Leadership South Africa has criticised the recently launched Transformation Fund as being flawed because it was structured around input-based targets instead of clear, outcome-driven goals..(John McCann/M&G) Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) has criticised the recently launched Transformation Fund as being flawed because it was structured around input-based targets instead of clear, outcome-driven goals. It said effective efforts should be anchored in measurable objectives that justified the financial commitment required. According to a In 'The fund should use an outcome-based approach by specifying the expected transformation impact in tangible terms, such as the number of businesses it aims to grow, employment targets, or improvements in SME (small and medium enterprises) survival rates,' it said. 'For example, a goal of supporting 5 000 black-owned businesses with a 30% annual growth rate over five years would provide a more practical framework for assessing effectiveness.' Trade and Industry Minister Parks Tau published the fund's concept document — which envisages raising R20 billion annually for black enterprise development — in March, with a 28 May deadline for comments. Scrutiny of the draft comes amid tension over the government's Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Solly Malatsi, a DA cabinet member, recently President Cyril Ramaphosa has BLSA acknowledged the importance of redressing the structural economic imbalances created by apartheid, and commended the government for establishing the Transformation Fund, but bemoaned the lack of analysis about why previous state-led initiatives such as the National Empowerment Fund and the Small Business Fund had underperformed. 'The paper does not provide a comprehensive overview of these existing funding mechanisms, nor does it justify why a new R100 billion structure is necessary instead of enhancing existing models,' it said in its submission. It also expressed concern about institutional inflation, where new entities are created for the same purpose instead of supporting ongoing programmes, adding that access to funding alone would not resolve the systemic challenges and insufficient mentorship capacity had hampered black empowerment initiatives. 'Without targeted investment in mentorship infrastructure even significant financial allocations may fail to yield desired development outcomes,' it said. Labour union Solidarity and the Free Market Foundation estimate that black empowerment laws have incurred R145 billion to R290 billion in compliance costs since their inception, equivalent to between 2% and 4% of GDP. A report by the two organisations on the cost of broad-based black economic empowerment says the programme has imposed a substantial economic burden on high-intensity sectors such as mining and finance, attributing low employment numbers to racially motivated policies. 'While B-BBEE may have contributed to an increase in black ownership and supported some skills and SME development, those gains are overshadowed by elite capture, limited grassroots impact and persistent inequality,' the report said. BLSA said transformation efforts would improve with more private sector participation in the fund's financial disbursement and oversight. It argued that transformation is already happening in companies' enterprise and supplier development programmes, which have proved to be commercially viable in integrating small businesses. A joint fund management team between government and the private sector would allow businesses to share and 'codify lessons and best practices for the fund's design', the organisation added. 'We recommend that the Transformation Fund be designed with sufficient flexibility to align with existing industry master plans and accommodate the requirements of the fast-growing priority sectors,' it submitted.
