By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Minister in the presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni briefed the media on the outcomes of the cabinet meeting held on Wednesday, 18 September 2024.
Ntshavheni said, Cabinet has welcomed the positive economic indicators following the slight growth in the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), slowing inflation and the drop in the repo rate.
South Africa’s GDP increased by 0.4% during the second quarter of 2024 following a 0.0% growth in the first quarter. Additionally, inflation dropped to 4.4% in August from 4.6% in July while the repo rate also dropped for the first time since 2020 to reach 8%.
“We are seeing positive economic indicators and therefor Cabinet welcomed the positive economic indicators as per the data released by Statistics South Africa. This increase [of the GDP] was influenced by the improvement in the manufacturing sector of 1.7% growth year on year. The revival of the manufacturing sector is a critical success factor in the re-industrialisation of South Africa. “
“There has been a consistent improvement in the CPI since March 2024. We must also extend our appreciation to the cut on the interest rate by 25 basis points…that is [a] welcome[d] relief to all South Africans,” the Minister said.
Crime
Cabinet has welcomed progress being made in the fight against crime through Operation Shanela, which continues to make its mark in rooting out criminality.
Since its inception in May 2023, Operation Shanela consists of regular stop and searches, roadblocks, vehicle check points, high visibility patrols, including foot patrols, the tracing of wanted suspects with a focus on murder and rape suspects, and compliance inspections at liquor outlets and second-hand goods dealers.
Through detectives and crime intelligence tracing operations, roadblocks, as well as stop and searches – police have taken a bold and decisive approach in protecting the communities that they serve.
Since its launch, Operation Shanela has resulted in the arrest of 850 375 suspects, and seizure of 824 illegal firearms and over 17 282 rounds of ammunition. In addition, drugs worth over R13 million were seized at the OR Tambo International Airport over the past two months, and copper worth over R20 million was recovered from a scrapyard near Durban, with a suspect arrested.
Through a coordinated multidisciplinary and intelligence-led operations, law enforcement agencies are focused on dismantling extortion syndicates across the country. In the past two weeks, 14 extortionists were arrested in various provinces,” Ntshavheni said.
Bela Bill
Cabinet further welcomed the decision by the President to allow a three-month period of engagement on two clauses concerning schools’ admissions and language policies, as part of ensuring a national consensus and national cohesion.
Following different views expressed about the legislation, President Cyril Ramaphosa decided to delay the implementation date for clauses 4 and 5 by three months.
The President explained to South Africans that the parties to the Government of National Unity (GNU) expressed their wish to further engage each other on sections of the Bill (at the time) that deal with issues of admission and language.
He said this will give the parties time to deliberate on these issues and make proposals on how the different views may be accommodated. However, should the parties not be able to agree on an approach, then government will proceed with the implementation of these parts of the Act.
Education expert Mary Metcalf said she anticipates thoughtful and deliberate discussions regarding the BELA Act to unfold across the provinces over the next three months.
“My expectation is that there will be very careful interaction with provinces in terms of Grade R and realistic dates of implementation that match careful planning… and that would be clause 4 of BELA.
“In terms of clause 5 of BELA, what is important primarily there – is for the discussions to recognise firstly that BELA doesn’t change any existing constitutional or legal provisions in law,” she said.
She explained that the BELA Act addresses cases, including Constitutional Court rulings, where procedural fairness by an education department was found lacking, particularly when provincial education departments could have handled discussions with school governing bodies more carefully.
Metcalfe allayed fears that the delay in implementation of clauses 4 and 5 of the Act may leave education departments without policy direction.