The City of Ekurhuleni tabled a R46.6 billion budget on Thursday amid COVID-19 pandemic and a negative economic outlook.
Inside Education spoke to Member of the Mayoral Committee for Finance and Economic Development Nkosindiphile Xhakaza and the city’s youngest Chief Financial Officer, Kagiso Lerutla.
City of Ekurhuleni’s 2020-2021 Budget
Wits Appoints Professor Zeblon Vilakazi As New Vice-Chancellor
THE Council of the University of the Witwatersrand on Thursday announced the appointment of Professor Zeblon Vilakazi as the new Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University from 1 January 2021.
He takes the reins from Professor Adam Habib, who leaves Wits at the end of the year to lead the School of Oriental and African Studies in London.
Vilakazi is the current Vice-Principal and Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research and Postgraduate Studies at Wits.
Under his leadership, Wits’ research output has more than doubled, with the University increasingly producing more research with impact.
He is widely published (325 papers) and highly cited with an h-index of 70.
“Professor Zeblon Vilakazi is the epitome of a world-class researcher who is globally recognised for his scientific work, and for his contribution towards developing higher education in Africa. He is a truly talented individual who is an inspiring exemplar for all Africans,” says Mr Isaac Shongwe, Chairperson of the Wits Council, the highest decision-making body of the University. “We are confident that Professor Vilakazi will ably lead Wits to its centenary in 2022 and beyond, steward a new vision for the academy, and reinvigorate the academic project in a higher education context that is rapidly changing,” said the university council in a statement.
(Compiled by Inside Education staff)
Ekurhuleni Gives R1bn Tax Incentives To The Indigent Despite COVID-19 Induced Revenue Losses
THALIA HOLMES
AS THE City of Ekurhuleni Finance and Economic Development Mayoral Committee Member (MMC) Nkosindiphile Xhakaza delivered his 2020 budget speech to a masked audience spaced widely apart in the legislature with several of his colleagues looking on via Microsoft Teams, the moment could not have been more aptly described than the words chosen by the MMC himself: “We have a new normal”.
COVID-19, Xhakaza said, “has had major health, economic and social effects on every human being from here in Ekurhuleni throughout the rest of the world”.
Not least of all for the man in charge of the city’s coffers, those effects have made themselves felt on the city’s finances.
The impact of the lockdown has resulted in a drastic reduction of revenue collection, an increase in accounts disputes, and requests for new payment arrangements and extensions, among others, said Xhakaza.
In addition, the city anticipates a leap in the number of indigent applications due to projected job losses and salary adjustments.
The overall impact? A R1.2 billion revenue loss for the city in the current financial year.
Already strained municipal revenues have taken a further knock, with the MMC stating that the current grant system will not provide municipalities with the financial allocation needed in order to confront the service delivery challenges confronting them. The city needs funds. But, says the MMC, so does its residents.
Softening the blow from the pandemic
So, despite its revenue woes, the city has taken the decision to keep the municipality charges that it has control over, unchanged for the upcoming financial year. This means that assessment rates, sundry tariffs, refuse removal, burial and cemetery costs and municipal bus services will see no cost increases.
Tariffs that are not under the control of the city will, however, be hiked up: the water tariff will climb by 15%, sanitation will likely see an 11% increase, and the city will purchase electricity from Eskom at a 6.9% increase; however, the city will only pass on an increase of 6.23% to the consumer. “This means the city will absorb the difference,” said the MMC.
The city has also put a raft of other relief measures in place for its residents, including payment programmes for those who have lost income due to COVID-19; no interest charged for municipal bills that are in arrears for the six months surrounding the COVID-19 period, and payment incentives for residents to pay outstanding debts, with the city saying in some cases that it will provide discounts to those wishing to square off their debts.
“Ours is to alleviate the pressure, hence we have announced no increases in terms of the property rates,” said Xhakaza in an interview following the budget speech.
“This is to give people an opportunity to come back; to look at turning around their production activities, and to contribute positively to the entire production chain.”
There were painful pay-offs in order to stay within budget though; for example, the city adjusted its medium-term capital expenditure budget of R7.4-billion in the current financial year to R4.9-billion for 2020/21: “a move that has massive impact on the City’s infrastructure delivery programme,” said the MMC.
The city’s Chief Financial Officer Kagiso Lerutla said that they lost about R1-billion in offering this reprieve to residents.
“It means certain capex projects will be deferred, but we thought that in this point in time it’s very important to make sure that the residents are able to service those rates,” he said in an interview after the speech. “It doesn’t make sense to put an increase when you know that it is an artificial increase, because in light of the current economic conditions it’s very difficult for any person to service their current obligations.”
‘We do not spend money we don’t have’
In the wake of the national treasury’s supplementary budget speech, which outlined that the nation’s debt to GDP ratio is expected to rise to 81.1% in the current financial year, the MMC emphasized the city’s desire to avoid similar debt afflictions.
“It must be emphasised that this government will not spend money it does not have, and increasing the level of indebtedness will simply make us vulnerable and threaten our transformation agenda,” said Xhakaza. “Reducing the overall burden of debt to release more resources for development remains our key objective.”
The city will use the almost R37-billion revenue generated internally and the R4.8-billion it receives in grants from the national treasury in order to find its operational expenditure.
Xhakaza highlighted that there would be “no borrowings to fund Opex (operational expenditure).”
The administration has embarked on a wide internal cost-cutting mission to try and balance its books.
“Our approach is to say we want to save jobs for our own employees, but importantly we must also continue to deliver services,” said the MMC after the speech.
In order to drive down costs, “we must look at other issues that are not directly linked to service delivery, issues like travelling, issues like catering … telephone calls or stationery costs; just to ensure that we don’t pass those costs to communities.”
These accounting decisions take place against the city’s boasted back-to-back clean audit findings issued by the Auditor-General.
“We continue to maintain an unqualified audit opinion,” said Xhakaza.
This means “that the quality of information that we report out there is reliable: our communities, the investors, the business communities can look at that information and say indeed this city is reporting according to the set standards, it’s transparent and there’s no hiding of any information.”
Spending priorities
Despite a rein-in on finances, the city will continue to spend in the areas of its priority. First up on that list is its social package, which will increase from R3.8-billion to R4.1-billion for the upcoming financial year.
The package offers things such as free refuse removal, the first 100kWh of electricity free every month and the first 9kilolitres of water and sewage free, to indigent residents.
Other spending highlights earmarked for 2020/21 include:
- R116.6-million in the next financial year is allocated to economic development projects such as the Reiger Park Enterprise Hub; the Ekurhuleni Fresh Produce Market; the Katlehong Automotive Hub and the Labore Industrial Park.
- R206-million will be spent on wastewater treatment and plant upgrades, with a further R470.1-million allocated to the upkeep of the water network and clearing sewer blockages.
- R503.7-million towards electrifying and maintaining electricity and lights infrastructure in the city
- R562-million towards roads refurbishment
- R274.3 million on projects such as the development and upgrading of cemeteries and the rehabilitation of the Boksburg Lake
- R243-million towards Enterprise Resource Planning, which ensures data integrity for the city; and
- R270 million towards repairing and maintaining the city’s ICT infrastructure.
Lastly, the MMC highlighted that despite the current tightness of the budget, the city’s mega-investment “dreams” are still on the cards: things such as the Botanical Gardens, Formula 1 Racecourse, the Zoo, Ekurhuleni International Convention Centre and Disney Africa.
“Once realised, Ekurhuleni will never be the same,” said Xhakaza.
“Nigerian billionaire businessman Aliko Dangote captures this moment factually when he says, “’If you do not have ambition you should not be alive.’”
(Compiled by Inside Education staff)
Tito Mboweni Caught Between A Rock And Many Hard Places
THALIA HOLMES
THE BREVITY of Finance Minister Tito Mboweni’s Wednesday supplementary budget speech gives insight into the amount of fiscal wiggle room he currently has at his disposal: very, very little.
The national debt to the GDP ratio has risen by over 15 percentage points since the last estimate, from 65.6% to 81.8%; South Africa’s unemployment rate tipped 30% in the first three months of the year; tax collection is disastrously low; and the Gross Domestic Product is expected to contract by 7.2% this year.
That constitutes the largest contraction in almost 90 years, and it could be significantly greater, depending on the effects of Covid-19.
It’s safe to say that Mboweni is between a rock and many, many hard places.
THE DEBT AND TAX CRISES|
Gross tax revenue collected during the first two months of 2020/21 was R142-billion, compared to treasury’s initial forecast of R177.3-billion.
As a consequence, gross tax revenue for the current fiscal year is revised down from R1.43-trillion to R1.12-trillion.
“That means that we expect to miss our tax target for this year by over R300-billion,” said Mboweni.
Thanks to these low collection figures, extra government spending around COVID-19, and a massive economic slowdown, South Africa’s debt level has seen a steep, unexpected increase.
Current forecasts are that it will reach close to R4-trillion this year, or 81.8% of our GDP.
“Debt is our weakness,” said the minister in his speech.
“We have accumulated far too much debt; this downturn will add more. This year, out of every rand that we pay in tax, 21 cents goes to paying the interest on our past debts. This indebtedness condemns us to ever higher interest rates.”
While acknowledging the current debt hole, Mboweni said that the government would need to borrow more in order to stay functional.
“Without external support, these borrowings will almost entirely consume all of our annual domestic saving, leaving no scope for investment or borrowing by anyone else,” said Mboweni.
“For this reason, we need to access new sources of funding. Government intends to borrow about US$7-billion from international finance institutions to support the pandemic response. We must make no mistake, these are still borrowings. They are not a source of revenue. They must be paid back.”
However, he did not give any updates on the roughly R4-billion loan that he previously indicated was up for grabs by the International Monetary Fund loan, or the funding that the country planned to apply for from the World Bank.
In addition, we don’t know many details about the US$-1billion loan that has been approved by the New Development Bank (formerly known as the BRICS bank).
The government has come under fire from the likes of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) for considering such funding.
“The IMF and World Bank loans come with restrictive conditions, which will deprive South Africa of its fiscal and monetary policy in the future,” said the EFF in an April statement.
However, many analysts have said that the country has little choice other than to accept the funding on offer.
COVID-19 SPENDING|
While trying desperately to shore up debts, the government has had no choice but to spend significant amounts of money dealing with the health, social and economic implications of the COVID-19 virus.
The supplementary budget puts aside R21.5-billion for COVID-related spending on things such as hospital beds and testing; an additional R25.5-billion for a Special Relief of Distress grant for the poor; and R23-billion has already been paid out by the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) to employees affected by COVID-related company closures.
R19.6-billion will be added to the existing R6-billion put aside this year for the Presidential Youth Employment Intervention, rolled out earlier this year.
The Economic Support Package sets aside R100-billion “for a multi-year, comprehensive response to our jobs emergency,” said the minister.
In addition, R200-billion has been set aside for the COVID-19 loan guarantees scheme.
Overall, the government’s COVID-19 fiscal package identifies R500-billion in economic relief, “one of the largest economic response packages in the developing world”, said the minister.
The budget details say this includes R190 billion in main budget spending – of which R145 billion is allocated immediately – to protect lives and support livelihoods, R70 billion in tax policy measures and a R200 billion loan guarantee scheme to support short-term economic activity.
“In addition, the Reserve Bank has reduced interest rates and provided additional support to the bond market, financial-sector regulations have been eased to support the flow of credit to households and businesses, and commercial banks have introduced temporary payment holidays,” reads the detail.
SOUTH AFRICAN PUBLIC REMAINS HUNGRY FOR DETAILS|
February’s 2020 budget speech faced an already very tough economic climate, and yet did well to address many of the hot potatoes faced by the Treasury at the time.
Whilst it must be conceded that the economic circumstances have spiralled significantly since then, it’s difficult not to compare how comparatively little this supplementary speech did to address many of the bugbears of the electorate.
The annual budget speech made bold assertions around slashing the public wage bill by R160.2-billion over the next three years, but this topic was almost a non-item on Wednesday’s agenda. Mboweni hinted at the political deadlock the government faces with the unions, and said that labour minister Zenzo Mchunu is negotiating with labour partners to find a balanced solution that sets compensation at an appropriate, affordable and fair level. “We wish him well,” said Mboweni; the simplicity of the statement belying the enormous complexity of the task.
With Eskom hinting earlier this week that load-shedding could be back on the cards, and the current restructuring of the power utility lumbering under R43-billion in debt, South Africans were looking forward to more details about expenditure here, but received little. “Provisional allocations to Eskom were made on the understanding that Government’s Electricity Roadmap would be implemented. Progress is slow,” said the Minister.
“Eskom will need to show progress in meeting the milestones as laid down in the Roadmap. This is non‐negotiable.”
The ongoing question about South African Airways continues to hang in the air as well. In fact, there was very little mention of state-owned entities overall, other than an announcement that the government would be allocating R3-billion to recapitalise the Land Bank.
“This Bank holds 29% of South Africa’s agricultural debt,” said the Minister. “The National Treasury is supporting the Land Bank find a solution to its default and craft a long‐term restructuring plan.”
One arguably bold undertaking was made by the minister, likely in an effort to appease ratings agencies and foreign investors.
The minister stated that the government undertakes to stabilise the debt to GDP ratio at 87.4% by 2023/24.
When the South African debt-to-GDP ratio hovered around 60%, analysts highlighted that the main issue was not that South Africa’s debt to GDP ratio was unacceptably high – being comparable with some other emerging markets – but that there was no demonstrable pathway to drive down the debt over the medium term.
The minister’s announcement curtailed some analysts’ speculations that it could continue to rise every year over the decade.
Investec’s chief economist Annabel Bishop said, however, that this would not be enough to put the country into positive ratings territory.
“While South Africa projecting a peaking, and hence stabilisation of debt is positive, it will not be enough to avoid South Africa being pushed into the single B credit rating categories over the course of the next few years, with 87.4% still a huge figure for an emerging market’s government debt, and one which does not tally with debt sustainability.”
AN OMEN OF THINGS TO COME?
The minister did not mince his words in spelling out the ominousness of South Africa’s current situation. In particular, he warned about the devastating effect of a sovereign debt crisis.
“The results are devastating,” said the minister.
“We are still some way from that. But if we do not act now, we will shortly get there.”
Mboweni said that, in order to avoid this, the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework process will be guided by the principles of zero‐based budgeting.
“This means that we will try to reduce all expenditure that we thought we can no longer afford,” he said.
“After all, we are not as rich as we were ten years ago.”
His words may be an effort to prepare the public for some very tough news in the budgets to follow.
Yolandi Esterhuizen, tax practitioner and Compliance Manager at Sage Africa & Middle East, said that tax increases are likely to follow.
These would have been complex to implement in the middle of a tax year, she said, so “it’s not surprising that we did not hear anything today for that reason. However, tax increases are necessary to stabilise debt, and we are likely to see an increase in personal income taxes announced in the February 2021 budget speech.”
CRITICS CLIMB IN|
Political opponents have been highly critical of Mboweni’s speech.
The Democratic Alliance’s federal leader John Steenhuisen tweeted that it was a “speech that could have been a WhatsApp.”
Founder of The People’s Dialogue Herman Mashaba said that it was “an insult to the South African people, who are enduring the hardships of declining household income.”
In Mashaba’s opinion, the Minister’s greatest failure “lies in the unwillingness to make the necessary budget cuts within government to reduce the need for international loans and allow for real measures to stimulate our economy.”
Mashaba said that in his former role of mayor of Johannesburg, “we were able to cut-back on non-essential expenditure to the tune of R2 billion. These funds were re-directed towards infrastructure and pro-poor priorities. If this can be done in Johannesburg, it can be done nationally with vastly larger sums being freed up.”
(Compiled by Inside Politics staff)
COVID-19 Pandemic Threatens Future Of 600 Million Kids In South Asia
THE CORONAVIRUS pandemic is profoundly impacting the future of 600 million children in South Asia, UNICEF warned in a report.
The UN agency called on governments to take immediate action to protect millions of children and families in the region.
“The COVID-19 pandemic is unraveling decades of health, education and other advances for children across South Asia, and governments must take urgent action to prevent millions of families from slipping back into poverty,” said the report.
It said immunization, nutrition, and other vital health services have been severely disrupted, potentially threatening the lives of up to 459,000 children and mothers over the next six months.
A UNICEF survey in Sri Lanka showed that 30% of families have reduced their food consumption, while some of the poorest families in Bangladesh are unable to afford three meals a day.
With schools closed, more than 430 million children have had to rely on remote learning, which has only partially filled the gap since many households – especially in rural areas – have no electricity, let alone internet access.
There are concerns that some disadvantaged students may join the nearly 32 million children who were already out of school before COVID-19 struck, UNICEF warned.
Pakistan
In Pakistan, the COVID-19 pandemic has also hurt the long-running campaign to eradicate polio, as house-to-house immunization campaigns had to be suspended due to lockdown measures.
Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two countries where polio is still endemic, according to the UN.
“The direct risk to children from the virus is much less than that from the disruption to routine health services,” said Paul Ruttner, UNICEF’s health advisor for South Asia.
“It is crucial that childbirth, child health, and nutrition services remain available for families during the time of COVID-19.”
India
Malnutrition is a grim fact of life for children in South Asia, with over 56 million children in the region experiencing stunted growth.
Of these, 40 million children live in India alone; another 20 million children under the age of five are suffering from wasting [low weight or height] and more than half of Indian women aged between 15 and 49 years are anemic.
According to the UNICEF report, up to 300,000 children could die in India due to disruption in life-saving immunization activities and an increase in child wasting over the next six months.
In India, it said, school closures have impacted 247 million children enrolled in elementary and secondary education, and 28 million children attending pre-school education in Anganwadi centers [government child care centers in rural areas].
This is in addition to the more than six million girls and boys who were already out of school prior to the COVID-19 crisis, the report added.
“The most vulnerable families need to be protected by shock-absorbent social protection schemes that can help them access healthcare, schooling for children, and afford nutrition and other essential services,” said Dr. Yasmin Ali Haque, UNICEF representative in India.
“These can only be ensured by a firm commitment from the governments and all stakeholders coming together to reimagine a better world for every child.
Bangladesh
UNICEF expressed concerns over the possible transmission of coronavirus among Rohingya children in Bangladesh.
“Despite all the work being done by UNICEF and partners to maintain services in [Rohingya refugee] camps and to reach them with information about how to protect themselves against COVID-19, they [Rohingya refugees] are still fearful,” said UNICEF Regional Director for South Asia Jean Gough.
He said a survey among Rohingya children showed that 64% feared to get infected and 48% were distressed because their child protection and learning centers were closed.
“And 39 percent fear they would die of COVID-19,” he added.
At present, there are around 500,000 Rohingya children in Bangladesh’s southern district of Cox’s Bazar, which is home to over 1.2 million Rohingya refugees who fled the 2017 military crackdown in Myanmar.
(Source: Anadolu Agency)
SADTU Condemns Killing Of Two Learners In Western Cape
NYAKALLO TEFU
THE South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU) in the Western Cape has reiterated its call for no-bail for perpetrators of rape and femicide following the killings of two learners in the province.
This follows the rape and murder of 17-year old Amahle Quku, a Grade 11 learner at Sinethemba High School in Phillipi, last weekend.
Her body was found dumped, naked and bruised in the early hours of Saturday June 20.
Seven-year-old Raynecia Kotjie of Belhar, a Grade 1 learner at Belhar Primary School, was also murdered at the weekend in the Western Cape.
“It is indeed sad that as we are engaged in a war against COVID -19 to save lives, men in South Africa have declared war on women and children of South Africa, causing immeasurable pain to families, friends and the school community at large. It cannot be correct that fear and anxiety should be part and parcel of the everyday lives of girls and women in South Africa”, said the union in a statement.
This week, learners from Quku’s school took to the streets to protest against the brutal murder of their fellow learner, calling for justice to be served.
“As the Union we vow to pursue a relentless battle to eradicate this scourge of GBV in our schools and communities and we call upon the Department of Justice to leave no stone unturned in ensuring that the perpetrators are brought to book and justice is served for Amahle, Raynecia and all other victims of these horrendous crimes”, said the union.
(Compiled by Inside Education staff)
Motshekga: 204 Learners Test Positive For COVID-19 at Eastern Cape Boarding School
NYAKALLO TEFU
BASIC Education Minister Angie Motshekga is racing to control the coronavirus outbreak at schools in the Eastern Cape after 204 learners and hostel assistants tested positive at Makaula Secondary School in KwaBhaca, providing government with the biggest challenge since the reopening of schools in June.
While Motshekga is fanning out over the boarding school premises and hostels and visiting surrounding neighbourhoods to question residents on whether they’ve been in contact with anyone who’s visited the school, the South African Democratic Teachers Union has called on the Department of Education to shut down all schools in the Eastern Cape as a precautionary measure.
“We call upon our Eastern Cape department of education to close the schools with immediate effect until the department is ready, as life matters to most of us,” the teachers’ union wrote in the letter signed by its provincial secretary, Chris Mdingi.
“There are perpetual challenges of ablution facilities, personal protection equipment [PPE], water supply and water tanks and non-availability of health officials as promised.”
SADTU said it was concerned about the shortage of personal protection equipment (PPEs) and water supply at various schools in the Eastern Cape.
In a letter, Mdingi said SADTU is demanding the following at schools in the Eastern Cape:
- That Grade 12 final exam question papers be reviewed in the light of the circumstances;
- That pupils and teachers start receiving the psychosocial support promised by the department; and
- That reliable thermometers are made available at all schools.
On Tuesday evening, Motshekga confirmed that indeed 204 learners and hostel assistants were infected at the school, adding that the department was working together with the Eastern Cape’s Department of Health to support the learners, educators and parents affected by the coronavirus.
Motshekga urged members of the community around KwaBhaca to desist from visiting schools as that also increased the risk for more infections.
“We will continue to work hard in schools to make sure that we protect our learners, teachers and employees within schools. It is important to work together to ensure that we beat the virus,” she said, adding that the department is working hard to make sure that all schools are COVID-19 compliant before it can receive learners.
“What is also important is to ensure that even during schools hours and beyond we stick to the basic requirements of wearing the mask, sanitize, wash hands and keep physical distancing.”
Motshekga said the confirmed COVID-19 cases were picked up as a result of the stringent measures put in place in all schools to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
Eastern Cape health spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo said the department has deployed a team of doctors and tracers to the Makaula Secondary School.
Kupelo also said Department of Health was looking into possibly converting the hostel into an isolation facility as another measure of preventing the further spread of the coronavirus.
“This is so that those who came into contact with the 204 people who have tested positive can be traced, screened and tested so that we stop the spread of the virus. A team of clinicians have been sent to the school to ascertain if the hostel meets the Department’s minimum standards for quarantine and isolation facilities, which include, but not limited to lighting, well ventilated rooms and sanitation services,” said Kupelo.
“Those that have tested positive are in isolation within the Alfred Nzo District Municipal area. Initially 24 learners tested positive last week with 180 others, which include hostel assistants testing positive this week. We would like to call on everyone to continue adhering to the lockdown regulations by practicing good personal hygiene by washing their hands with soap and water or sanitiser regularly, keeping at least a 1.2 metre distance between them and other people, wearing mask at all times when out in public and if possible, stay at home.”
The reopening of schools in the Eastern Cape has been dealt with mixed reaction from unions, parents and educational NGOs.
The bone of contention has been complying with COVID-19 safety precautions that include the constant washing of hands, donning of face masks and social distancing as the nature of schooling environment is open to cluster outbreaks of the virus.
Motshekga was intensely criticised for allowing the resumption of teaching and learning amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Eastern Cape has the second number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country behind the Western Cape.
Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize, who attended the opening of a field hospital in the province on Tuesday, said the country is moving into a devastating storm with regards to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Our testing strategy has enabled us to complete over 1.2 million tests in just under four months. We’ve been able to implement a strategy to effectively deal with each area. We’ll focus on the Eastern Cape and Gauteng after moving from the Western Cape, prioritising the elderly, the vulnerable and those with symptoms,” said Mkhize at the VW Manufacturing Plant in the Eastern Cape to open a 3 300 bed capacity field hospital.
“We then resolved to embark on what is called the differentiated approach. Now that we have reduced the restrictions and started opening up, we are seeing that the numbers have started to increase. We are moving towards a devastating, decimating storm. There was no way we could keep a perpetual lockdown forever.”
(Compiled by Inside Education staff)
Coronavirus Breakthrough: Trials For New Vaccine Set To Begin From Wednesday, Says Wits Scientists
NYAKALLO TEFU
WITS SCIENTISTS have revealed that the university is set to launch the first clinical trials of a potential COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday this week.
Wits University, in partnership with the University of Oxford and the Oxford Jenner Institute, said the first participants in South Africa’s first clinical trials for a vaccine against the novel coronavirus strain would be enrolled.
“This is a landmark moment for South Africa and Africa at this stage of the Covid-19 pandemic. As we enter winter in South Africa and pressure increases on public hospitals, now more than ever we need a vaccine to prevent infection by Covid-19,” said Shabir Madhi, Professor of Vaccinology at Wits University and Director of the South Africa Medical Research Council (SAMRC).
“We began screening participants for the South African Oxford 1 Covid-19 vaccine trial last week and the first participants will be vaccinated this week,” said Madhi, who is also the National Research Foundation/Department of Science and Innovation SARChI (South African Research Chairs Initiative) Chair in Vaccine Preventable Diseases, based at the University of the Witwatersrand.
The vaccine was made by adding genetic material – called spike glycoprotein – that is expressed on the surface of SARS-CoV-2 to the ChAdOx1 virus.
The South African Ox1Cov-19 Vaccine VIDA-Trial aims to find a vaccine that will prevent infection by SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19.
In South Africa, at least 80,000 people have already been diagnosed with Covid-19 and more than 1,674 have died from Covid-19 since March, when President Cyril Ramaphosa declared a state of disaster and national lockdown.
By 17 June 2020, South Africa (population: 59 million) contributed to 30% of all diagnosed Covid-19 cases and 23% of all Covid-19 deaths on the African continent (population: 1.34 billion). These statistics emphasise the urgent need for prevention of Covid-19 on the continent.
In a statement, Wits University said the vaccine is already being evaluated in a large clinical trial in the UK where more than 4,000 participants have already been enrolled.
“The National Department of Health is excited at the launch of this vaccine trial, which will go a long way to cement South Africa’s leadership in the scientific space”, said Dr Sandile Buthelezi, the Director General of Health in the National Department of Health.
Prior to launch, the South African study was subject to rigorous review and has been approved by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) and the Human Research Ethics Committee of the University of the Witwatersrand.
After eliciting and considering public comment, the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) approved import of the investigational vaccine for use in the trial.
(Compiled by Inside Education staff)
EUSA Calls For Ramaphosa To Probe Looting Of Basic Education Funds Meant To Fight COVID-19 At Schools
CHARLES MOLELE
THE Educators Union of South Africa (EUSA) has written to President Cyril Ramaphosa asking him to launch an investigation into the alleged looting of funds by Department of Basic Education (DBE) in the procurement of Jojo water tanks across the country.
In a letter written to Ramaphosa, EUSA’s spokesperson Scelo Bhengu accused Department of Basic Education of embezzling up to R600 million to procure water tanks as part of government’s strategy to fight COVID-19 pandemic at several schools in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.
Rand Water was awarded a R600 million tender by the Department of Basic Education to supply water to schools in preparation for their reopening, which took place earlier this month. The union has also urged Ramaphosa to appoint a Commission of Inquiry into the allegations of fraud and corruption at DBE by July 2.
“The urgency of the matter is self-evident,” said Bhengu in a letter to Ramaphosa.
“The country is confronted by an invisible enemy, learners and teachers are losing their lives and more have been infected with the virus, which is the reason EUSA is calling for the establishment of the COVID-19 Commission of inquiry into funds allocated for the Department of Basic Education. Should the President decline this petition, we respectfully request that you furnish the reasons for your decision.”
EUSA said it suspected the element of fraud in the procurement because one 2000-litre of Jojo tank costs R1 995, 00 at the local market.
“The report of the KZN Department of Education, dated the 18th of June 2020, where the department says, it spent R28 000, 00 per 5000-litre water tank and R6 500 per hand washing station. EUSA believes that the abovementioned exorbitant prizes are way too high , since the local markets sell the same unit for +/- R5000,00,” according to Bhengu.
On Monday, Rand Water responded to allegations of corruption and alleged looting of funds after EUSA’s allegations that the Department of Basic Education did not follow due tender processes.
Rand Water’s spokesperson Teboho Joala said the company has noted with concern the misinformation quoted in the media about exaggerating the supplier costs for water tanks used during the intervention.
“The Implementation Protocol has a contractual value of R 600million to be payable by the DBE to Rand Water,” said Joala.
“To date the DBE has transferred an amount of R 200 million to Rand Water. The Implementation Protocol is for Rand Water to supply and install water tanks and to provide water-cutting services to the respective schools during the declared national disaster period. An important second phase of the intervention is the construction of sustainable water sources for the schools through borehole drilling and pumping, as well as the establishment of reticulation systems to the closest source of water wherever possible.
Addressing the fraud allegations in terms of cost per water tank, Joala said all the costs for the successful implementation of the intervention fell well within the market price range for the equipment and installation costs utilised for the intervention.
Rand Water has also dismissed a social media post on Twitter claiming the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education purchased water tankers for R170 000 each.
“The cost are as follows – the cost for the supply of a 5000 litre tank ranged between R 4 500.00 and R 5 400.00. The cost for the supply of a 10 000 litre tank ranged between R 9 000.00 and R 10 800.00,” he said.
“It is important to note that all the service providers that were contracted as part of this intervention are accredited vendors registered on the National Treasury’s Central Supplier Database (CSD). The CSD is a database of organisations, institutions and individuals who can provide goods and services to government. It is the single source of key supplier information for organs of state since April 2016, and it provides consolidated, accurate, up-to-date, complete and verified supplier information to procuring organs of state.”
Rand Water said as at 02 June 2020, more than 18 000 tanks and 1 299 tankers have been distributed countrywide.
(Compiled by Inside Education staff)
Lockdown Generation: Grade 12 Learner On How COVID-19 Disrupted Her Most Precious Academic Year
NYAKALLO TEFU
THATO Bame, a Grade 12 learner from the Westridge High School in Johannesburg, says there is a lot more to be apprehensive about since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.
Bame says the emergence of COVID-19 pandemic has turned her world upside down, disrupted her most precious academic year and almost dashed her hopes of ever going to university or college in 2021 to pursue a bachelor degree in nursing sciences.
“This has been the toughest year of my schooling career. I’m overwhelmed with the amount of work we have now to catch up. I am panicking because its test after test and at the same time I am hoping I don’t contract the coronavirus,” said Bame.
“I really am panicking. The teachers are trying their best but I feel like I am not coping with everything.”
According to UNESCO, over 1 billion school learners globally were forced to sit at home when governments announced national lockdowns and shut down schools early this year.
In May this during the lockdown, Basic Education minister Angie Motshekga promised a ‘massive catch-up’ recovery plan to prevent the coronavirus pandemic inflicting long-term damage on children’s education and development.
The sector’s recovery plans, she said, would include extra lessons over the weekend, adding extra hours to the school day and introducing school camps or hostels to salvage this academic year.
The sector is also considering a range of partner organisations to support all pupils who have been affected by school closures.
Bame’s school has introduced the Secondary School Improvement Programme (SSIP) classes in order for learners to catch up on lost time.
“I am really upset about this setup. I don’t like that we have to go to school from Monday until Sunday. We never rest and it is just too much. I can’t find time to juggle assignments and so much homework. It is irritating and annoying,” says Bame.
Bame says attending SSIP classes is not a must but as the teachers put it, “it is your loss”.
“I just want to go to school between Monday and Friday. On weekends I can do my work and assignments from home,” says Bame.
The ambitious, energetic 17-year-old says preliminary exams are about to start in September and she feels their matric year poses a big challenge to many Grade 12 learners.
“If we wrote June exams we wouldn’t have to work extra hard for the prelims and finals just to make up for missing the June exams,” says Bame.
“I feel like this year is a waste of time because everything has to be done in a short space of time, but I have to use what I have so I don’t find myself doing nothing in 2021.”
As if this was not enough, COVID-19 has also introduced a new paradigm at schools – mandatory wearing of cloth masks, sanitizing hands and keeping a social distance during schools to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
As of Monday, a total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in South Africa stood at 97 302 with 4 621 new cases identified.
Bame says social distancing will be particularly difficult for many learners to get used to during the phased reopening of schools.
In South Africa, the social impact of coronavirus has also had far-reaching implications for least 9.6 million school children from poor backgrounds because they could not receive adequate food and nutrition during the lockdown.
“We are facing the most difficult period as learners. We hope things get better in the near future and we get back to normal schooling,” says Bame.
(Compiled by Inside Education staff)
