NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE

• The National Minimum Wage Commission has issued a Government Gazette notice calling for public comments on a draft determination:
  • prescribing the medium-term target for South Africa’s national minimum wage, and
  • proposing measures to ensure that ‘the value of the national minimum wage does not decline relative to the median wage’.

 

MINE HEALTH AND SAFETY

• The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy has gazetted a notice:
  • announcing the commencement on 21 December 2022 of amendments made in February 2015 to regulations under Chapter 8 of the Mine Health and Safety Act (machinery and equipment) but not promulgated at the time, and
  • prescribing measures to be taken to avoid collisions involving diesel-powered trackless mobile machinery.

 

MONEY-LAUNDERING AND TERRORISM FINANCING

• The Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) has:
  • issued a reference guide intended to assist accountable institutions in their efforts to comply with FIC Act requirements in terms of the 2022 General Laws (Anti-Money Laundering and Combating Terrorism Financing) Amendment Act, most sections of which have been in force since 31 December 2022, and
  • published a communication calling for input on six industry-specific draft guidelines.

 

INVESTIGATIVE DIRECTORATE

• The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development has gazetted:
  • regulations on the procedures to be followed when appointing Investigating Directorate peace officers, including
    • the requirements to be met and criteria to be considered, which apply to common law and statutory offences, and
    • a list of Acts and commissions of inquiry affected by the regulations in the context of investigations into allegations of offences involving corruption, impropriety, fraud or dishonesty.

 

SUMMONS AND OATHS

• The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development has issued a Government Gazette notice:
  •  permitting ‘a police officer, an investigator designated as such by the head of an Investigating Directorate … or any other person authorised or designated to serve process’ as sheriff
  • prescribing the procedures to be followed when serving a summons; and
  • providing the form to be used when doing so.

 

DIGITAL MIGRATION

• A media statement from Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni has provided insight into plans for switching off South Africa’s analogue television signal on 31 March 2023. A notice has been gazetted calling for public comments on the timeframe.

 

FILM AND PUBLICATIONS

• The Film and Publications Board has issued a Government Gazette notice calling for public comments on:
  • draft regulations prescribing:
    • the processes and procedures to be used when applying to register, amend, transfer and/or renew licences, and
    • related licensing terms and conditions
  • proposals for amending the regulations on tariffs and fees
  • draft enforcement committee rules, and
  • draft complaints handling procedures.

 

WASTE MANAGEMENT

• The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment has called for input on a draft waste tyre management plan prepared by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research.

 

GREEN ENERGY

• The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition has gazetted a notice calling for input on a report outlining a draft green hydrogen commercialisation strategy unpacked in several related documents.

 

LEGAL PRACTICE COUNCIL

• A notice has been gazetted announcing a 15% increase in annual fees, as well as in fees payable for Fidelity Fund certificates and certain other applications to the Council. The increases came into effect on 1 January 2023.

 

LEGAL PRACTITIONERS’ FIDELITY FUND

• The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development has issued a Government Gazette notice setting at R5m the maximum amount per single claim for which the Legal Practitioners’ Fidelity Fund may be held liable.

 

FINANCIAL SECTOR CONDUCT AUTHORITY

• Amendments to the general code of conduct came into effect on 2 December 2022, having been published with:
  • a statement of need provided when the amendments were released in draft form for comment, and
  • a report on stakeholder input at the time.

 

Prepared by Pam Saxby