SOCIAL GRANTS

• The Social Assistance Amendment Act, 2020, is now in force, among other things:
  • establishing an independent tribunal to deal with internal appeals against decisions of the South African Social Security Agency, and
  • empowering the Minister to provide for:
    • additional payments linked to social grants
    • social relief of distress grants in times of disaster, and
    • grants to child-headed households.

 

PREFERENTIAL PROCUREMENT

• National Treasury has issued a media statement explaining:
  • why the 2017 regulations will remain valid until 15 February 2023 (unless replacement regulations released in draft form in March for comment have already been finalised and operationalised), and that
  • from 30 May 2022:
    • all exemptions granted to deal with the period of uncertainty following the Constitutional Court’s 16 February 2022 judgment have lapsed (in accordance with a condition in the exemption letters)
    • ‘all new quotations must be requested and tenders must be advertised, and dealt with, in accordance with the 2017 regulations’
    • a quotation requested or a tender advertised before 30 May 2022 ‘must be dealt with in terms of the exemption and the internal procurement policy in place for the duration of the exemption’, and that
    • ‘an organ of state may, however, decide to withdraw such a request for a quotation or an advert for a tender and request a new quotation or advertise a new tender that will be subject to 2017 regulations’.

 

FUEL PRICES

• A joint media statement from National Treasury and the Department of Energy (explaining the process followed in deciding to extend the 150.0 c/l temporary reduction in the general fuel levy) was followed by:
  • a Government Gazette notice prescribing the new retail prices concerned, and
  • a Department of Mineral Resources and Energy media statement:
    • confirming the extension and outlining how this relief will be:
      • adjusted downwards on 7 July 2022 to 0.75 c/l, and
      • withdrawn on 3 August 2022.

 

SOUTH AFRICAN LAW REVIEW COMMISSION

• A Maintenance Act discussion paper has been released for public comment as the next step in a review process begun in 2014..

 

Prepared by Pam Saxby