SEVERE WEATHER CONDITIONS

• The national State of Disaster has been extended to 18 August 2022. According to a Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs media statement on the extension:
  • it takes account of the need to continue augmenting contingency measures already in place ‘to mitigate and address the impact of severe weather phenomena on affected communities and infrastructure’, and
  • ‘government is working with various social partners to transition affected communities from humanitarian emergency to stabilisation and recovery’.

 

PETROL PRICES

• Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe has announced his intention to prescribe a maximum price for 93 octane petrol. With that in mind, a notice has been gazette calling for input from stakeholders and members of the public.

 

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

• The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment has gazetted a draft Game Meat Strategy for public comment. In the department’s view:
  • ‘if developed properly, considered from a sustainability perspective, this market is compatible with biodiversity conservation and could contribute favourably to economic development, job creation, food security and sectoral transformation’.
• According to a media statement issued last month, following Cabinet’s approval of the draft strategy for public consultation, the purpose of the strategy is to:
  • create a formalised game meat industry that will achieve the economies of scale necessary for commercial ventures in game meat production, harvesting, processing, distribution and marketing
  • exploit the potential of game meat ‘as a driver of rural socio-economic development, founded on biodiversity-based land-use’
  • ‘achieve meaningful ownership of commercial game meat-based ventures by previously disadvantaged individuals’, and
  • repurpose some community-owned land for ‘large-scale commercial game meat production’.

 

MAGISTRATES’ COURTS

• The rules for court proceedings have been amended, among other things affecting claims caps and fees. They will be in force from 24 August 2022.

 

LEGAL SECTOR TRANSFORMATION

• A draft broad-based black economic empowerment code of good practice has been gazetted for public comment. Developed by the Legal Practice Council in consultation with stakeholders, according to a media statement on the Cabinet meeting at which the draft code was approved for publication, once operationalised it is expected to:
  • facilitate legal sector transformation so that it reflects ‘the country’s demographics’, and
  • ensure the development of ‘well-trained and competent providers of legal services’.

 

PAYMENT FOR SERVICES RENDERED AND PRODUCTS SUPPLIED TO GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND ENTITIES

• National Treasury has published a report on non-compliance with its payment-within-30-days requirement. According to an accompanying media statement, recommendations include that:
  • the payment of invoices within 30 days ‘be included in the performance agreements of accounting officers, chief financial officers and other officials working in this area’, and that
  • disciplinary actions be taken ‘against officials who fail to comply with the requirement ... and who undermine … systems of internal control’.

 

Prepared by Pam Saxby