MARCH 2014

An Internal publication of the Department of Economic

Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism.

EDITORIAL The last financial year of 2013/2014 has come to an end. We now looking forward to the new financial year of 2014/2015. The clock is definitely ticking away, by the time you know it the year will be gone. We need to move with speed to achieve our set goals and meet our targets. We have made progress in many areas of service delivery in our Province and South Africa. Let’s keep on embracing the importance of working together towards achieving a common goal and a “better life for all” We all know that we cannot succeed single handed, in our quest to address issues such as job creation, rural development and poverty. It is important to appreciate that development must happen in a spirit of cooperation and participation. This spirit must be extended to all our internal and external stakeholders who are key in assisting us to achieve our broader objective. In this month newsletter, I would urge you to read some articles on library week, they are very informa-tive and also go through the article on Digital govern-ment Information Technology to keep yourself abreast with current information technology trends. In realizing our limitations in sphere of development and the consequent role of a developmental state to provide all in need, ours is to focus on creating con-ducive conditions to facilitate opportunities for the people that we serve. It is for this reason I empha-size the role of that unity it plays in forging ahead. If we do everything in our unison we will tell more good stories in the next decades. Growth is not about individual success, but the suc-cesses that can be achieved together. This is what will make this nation, and the generations to follow, stronger and be able to compete on global level. As the first quarter approaches, an important resolution would be to begin focusing on developing communi-ties around us. We must see this as developing not only communities but a Province, a Country and a Nation which has a good story to tell about its people and development.

CONTENTS

Editorial pg01 Preface pg02 Workplace Conflict pg03 Inaugural presidential youth indaba pg04 National Library week

Celebration pg06

DEDECT Resource

Center pg07

Digital Government: Information Technology pg08 Staff Issue pg09

MS DUMISA SESHABELA DIRECTOR: COMMUNICATION & IT

01

PREFACE

These policies were robust enough to withstand global financial and economic crises ex-perienced in 2008 and 2009. The implications for both government and the economy are, therefore enormous. The North West Province recognizes the urgent need to stimulate economic growth in line with the key delivery areas as highlighted within the National Development Plan (NDP), the new Growth Path, the National Industrial Policy Framework and the Industrial Policy Action Plan. This effort, which has as its objective the defeat of poverty, needs to be comple-mented by immediate measures to respond directly to the situation in which our people still find themselves today. Key Development indicators show that poverty has indeed been reduced since the ANC-led government was elected. In real terms, the income of the poorest has improved. Among the challenges that we, face is to continue to empower people to access eco-nomic opportunities, while creating a comprehensive social safety net to protect the most vulnerable in our society. The financial sector will be encouraged to become more inclusive and accessible. We also continued to empower our Youth, Women and People Living with Disabilities through train-ing and development initiatives of our department. We are committed to advancing equal-ity and decent work through our progressive laws and other support measures. As we have celebrated Human Rights Day on 21 March officially declared a public holiday in 1994. This national day-off is both a stark reminder of the tragic Sharpeville Massacre and a celebration of South Africa’s unique Constitution, which gives equal right to all. Today, we are proud of the strides that we have made in emancipating women. South African, women’s voices are heard and women’s issues are seriously addressed. Institu-tional mechanisms have been established to protect women`s rights and dignity. Progress has been made in freeing women from customs and practices that undermine their rights. Progress in meeting basic needs such as housing and access to water has especially bene-fited women, redressing past inequalities. This is indeed a good story to tell.

Hon. MEC Motlalepula Rosho

02

Coming from a rural province like ours, may I acknowledge the fact that the road to a better life has not been an easy one. Despite the significant problems we continue to face South Africa is today a wealthier society, with great access to economic opportunity and reduced levels of poverty. We have indeed, a good story to tell about the strides made by Government within the twenty years period. Government finances have been stabilized and we implemented policies that contributed to the improvement of the living conditions of many people.

03

Workplace Conflict in South Africa - A Case Study of Western Culture VS African Culture

By Johann Scheepers

In a recent judgment by the South Af-rican Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA), the Court pronounced on a labour dis-pute which some of the readers may find of some interest. Following here-under a posting by the writer in which

he dealt with the judgment and its potential conse-quences for South African employers. Following hereunder, a comment which employers, employ-ees and trade unions may find of assistance in clari-fying the subject matter. THE LEGAL STATUS OF A TRADITIONAL HEALER'S CERTIFICATE v. MEDICAL CERTIFICATE - QUES-TIONS ARISING FROM KIEVITS KROON COUN-TRY ESTATE v. MMOLEDI & OTHERS (875/12) [2013] ZASCA 189 (29 NOVEMBER 2013) By now most zealous readers of South Afri-can Labour Court judgments have come across the as of yet unreported Kievits Kroon judgment deliv-ered by the SCA on 29 November 2013. The judg-ment has caused a stir amongst employers for what appears to be all the wrong reasons. The percep-tion is that the Court elevated a "certificate" or "letter" from any traditional healer to the same status as that of a medical practitioner as defined in section 1 of the BCEA, 75 of 1997. In Kievits Kroon the employee was dismissed due to unauthorised absence from work in that she attended a course to become a traditional healer. She requested permis-sion to be absent from work for a month and sub-mitted a letter, as well as certificate from a tradi-tional healer in substantiation of the necessity to be trained as a traditional healer. The training and eventual graduation as a healer was a ancestral calling which she was obliged to honour failing whereto she would face all sorts of evil including death. The employer refused permission; however, the employee in defiance attended the training and upon return to work was dismissed. Subsequent to a dispute referral to the Commission for Concilia-tion, Mediation & Arbitration (CCMA) she was rein-stated without back pay.

The employer took the matter and review and appeal and was unsuccessful. The Labour Appeal Court (LAC) held that, "Section 23 of the Basic Conditions of Em-ployment Act, Act 75 of 1997 (BCEA), finds no application on the issue in this case. Similarly, the argument [by the employer] that by enacting section 23 of the BCEA the legislature in ex-press terms opted for standards in line with Western standards as opposed to African culture is misplaced as well. I am as a re-sult unable to find, as we are urged to do, that the Commis-sioner usurped the function of the legislature by elevating the role of traditional healers to that of medical practitioners". It was contended further that the effect of the Commissioner’s findings and award was to open the floodgates to “malpractices that operate towards turning the work environment into total dis-array, contrary to the latter and spirit of labour legislation”. The LAC rejected the argument, "It would be disingenuous of any-body to deny that our society is characterized by a diversity of cultures, traditions and beliefs. That being the case, there will always be instances where these diverse cultural and traditional beliefs and practices create chal-lenges within our society, the workplace being no exception.

To be continued in our April Edition

Ms. Phemelo Jood

04

THE INAUGURAL PRESIDENTIAL YOUTH INDABA ON JOBS AND SKILLS

The Inaugural Presidential Youth Indaba on Jobs and Skills was held at Birchwood hotel (Boksburg) from 28 February to 03 March 2014. The Indaba was organised by the national Department of Economic Development in partnership with the NYDA and the South African Youth Council. The Indaba was a platform to give effect to the Youth Employment Accord as the country grapples with finding solutions to the high unemployment rate especially among young people. The Indaba provided a platform for young people to em-power themselves with the tools available to obtain em-ployment and develop appropriate skills. An expo was held to help connect youth to job opportunities, career information, scholarships, bursary programs and enter-prise development support. Youth Entrepreneurship and cooperatives, Education and Training, The Green Econ-

The President of the Republic of South Africa, Jacob Zuma delivered the closing ad-dress at the Indaba. Minister Ibrahim Patel led the Indaba supported by the Minister of Performance Monitoring and Evaluation, Collins Chabane. The young people who attended the Indaba worked together with various stakeholders to come up with solutions to the socio-economic challenges facing young people in the country par-ticularly as they relate to jobs and skills. The Indaba will also promote social dialogue between the youth, government, busi-ness, labour and youth development agencies. Each of the nine (9) provinces were represented by a total of fifty (50) delegates. The delegation from the Platinum Province was led by Jerry Matebesi from office of the Premier (Youth Support) and Odnight Mogotsi from Department of Economic Development, Environment, Conser-vation and Tourism (Economic Empowerment Directorate) as well as Youth Focal persons from various Provincial Departments and municipalities accompanied by representatives from faith based organisations, youth in business, institutions of higher learning (North West University and Taletso FET College), North West Youth Chamber, etc. During the Indaba, representatives from various Government Departments including a total of nine (9) Ministers and Deputy Ministers, State owned Enterprises, busi-ness agencies, ILO, BUSA, COSATU, Anglo gold Ashanti and many more presented progress reports as well as current and future programmes and projects aiming at the successful implementation of the Youth Employment Accord.

By Mr. Odnight Mogotsi

05

The following is the Declaration of Presidential Youth Indaba, 2 March 2014: We, representatives of youth organisations convened by the Presidency, Economic Development Department and the South African Youth Council, drawn from political formations, community based organizations, faith-based organisations, youth in business and co-operatives, young people with disabilities, student formations, young sports people, youth in arts and culture, young environmentalists and rural youth - meeting with rep-resentatives of government, the labour movement, the private sector and community organisations. Having met for three days in Ekurhuleni on 28 February to 2 March 2014: • Having reflected on progress made with the implementation of the Youth Em-

ployment Accord signed in April 2013. • Noting that youth make up the majority of South Africans and constitute a

large part of the global population. Youth are the present, youth are the fu-ture. Noting that youth make up the majority of South Africans and constitute a large part of the global population. Youth are the present, youth are the fu-ture.

• Noting the strong growth in employment of young people during the last nine months of 2013, that shows the success of our joint efforts.

• Welcoming the signing of the Youth Employment Accord in April 2013 and pro-gress made in its implementation thus far.

• Supporting the greater focus on youth employment in public employment schemes as well as youth entrepreneurship.

Believing we have a good story to tell about what our government and youth or-ganisations have been able to do in the past year to promote youth empowerment, youth employment and youth skilling; and welcoming the youth development story as part of the 20 years anniversary celebrations. Recognising the National Develop-ment Plan as the overall vision for the country and where we want to be by 2030 and the New Growth Path, National Infrastructure Plan and the Industrial Policy Ac-tion Plan as the specific strategies to drive the achievement of our goals. Recognis-ing that we can do even more using the Youth Employment Accord to turn a good story into a great story over the next five (5) years. Believing youth need to be integrated more in the economic development of the country, as an asset, as a driver of inclusive growth and development and as a pro-moter of sustainable development and social inclusion. We acknowledge that while much has been done, young people still face major problems with the affordability of university education, access to post-schooling, access to decent jobs and to op-portunities for entrepreneurship, as well as social problems with substance abuse, teenage pregnancies and continuing challenges with HIV and TB.

To be continued in our April Edition.

06

National library week Celebration

The development of a state depends greatly, amongst other things, on education hence South Africa and the world believe in the notion that ‘the reading nation is the growing nation.’ Since 1994 great strides have been made to develop the nation, educational institutions and librar-ies as they have always played a critical role in such de-velopments. A Library is one of the most vital educational facilities and its role has also contributed to the 20 years of South Africa’s democracy. This is based simply upon making the right of freedom through access of informa-tion, as enshrined in the Bill of Rights, a reality.

The role of the library is not only about advancing literacy through the intellectual and aes-thetic development of all ages. From the social perspective, the library can be seen as one of the most beneficial places for escapism. It enhances nation building and community de-velopment by opening the doors of learning to all. Some people see it as a desired space for connecting people to each other, learning resources, communities, government, the world and the environment. For scholars, a library provides access to global knowledge and information in different formats to advance research and creation of new knowledge. Fur-thermore, library contributes in fostering a spirit of enquiry and desire for lifelong learning, challenging one’s own beliefs and inculcating a respect for diverse beliefs, opinions and views as well as contributing towards the development of an informed nation, and South Africa becoming an information society. South Africa through the Library and Information Association of South Africa (LIASA) cele-brated the role libraries plays in the society on the 15 - 22 March 2014, National Library Week, with the theme: “Celebrating Libraries in 20 years of Democracy: check in @ your library” throughout the country. Government sectors and Librarians across the coun-try participated during this week through embarking on a number of special programmes highlighting the services and resources available in their facilities. The Department of Economic Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism in its library week programme resolved to encourage staff members to visit and donate books to its resource centre. At least about 9 books have been received so far as a donation during this period which will earnestly make a difference in the Departmental library. Staff mem-bers are invited to come over and borrow books at any time. The Communication Services directorate thanks all those who have donated books, and encourages a culture of reading and for employees to continue donating books to the library.

By Ms. Martha Tsatsimpe

07

The DEDECT Resource centre is your

information hub

The resource centre at DEDECT has many books which are sure to assist you in many ways. If you are studying, it is the perfect place to search for information and find academic resources The centre has a variety of books in many fields including, tourism, economics, labour relations, human resources, communications and much more. The centre also has a multitude of newspapers and newsletters dat-ing years back. This is sure to provide you with much information whether it be for studies or personal gain. We encourage all staff to visit the centre and explore the information available at your fingers. We have, for your convenience, reviewed two books which we feel are certain to assist you. Look out for others in the coming issues of Ntome Tsebe.

Play Therapy by Gary L. Landreth

The Economics of Travel and Tourism by Adrian Bull

This book is ideal for those studying and working in the tourism sector. It provides a worldwide overview of collective tourism pat-terns and gives an economic overview of the subject. This edition also includes a number of real life case studies and extra discussion topics which also deal with hallmark events across the globe. The book deals with various sectors of tourism on a macro and micro-economic level, and further contains updated statistics which are sure to be extremely useful in your academics or workplace. A defi-nite must read for the tourism fundi.

Play therapy is ideal for parents, and will provide the necessary information in which a par-ent uses playing as a form of child therapy. The author regards playing as a form of ex-pressing feelings, exploring relationships, describing experiences and disclosing wishes for a child. The award winning book gives detailed information on how playing with a child will result in creating a therapeutic relationship and stresses the importance of understanding the child’s world and perspective. The author will give the reader practical tips for working with parents and even instructions on play room set-up and materials.

This is sure to be a great read for parents.

Digital Government: Information Technology

“The use of technology to make a difference in people’s lives...”

I n the days before computers, video display terminals, and downloads, there was a primitive instrument in

the small town rooms of South Africa known as the type-writer: slow, noisy, and unreliable. Often it ran out of a thing called a ribbon, jammed, and always required exces-sive manual effort. The typewriter was a primitive tool, often battered beyond recognition by reporters and edi-tors venting their hostilities by using excessive force on the keyboard. Gladly times have changed; it is evidently so because right this moment you are reading this article via email on your PC, the very technology which enables us to access information of all sort at the convenience of our homes/offices/cellphone (nowadays upgraded to “Smartphone”). At a time when public finances are under strain, govern-ments must deliver new services and improve existing ones, while operating more efficiently and with greater transparency, transparency being the operative word. Technology is at the core of addressing these challenges. From big data to mobile and social media, the 21st cen-tury has ushered in a variety of innovative technologies that can help government better serve their constituents. As these new technologies present themselves with a number of important questions we as Public Organization look into them as to, how can we serve a population that is increasingly mobile and more dependent on technol-ogy? How do we use social and digital channels to interact with our constituents? How can we leverage the vast amount of data generated daily to better serve the public? How can we use technology to deliver new services? How can we do all of these things while keeping costs down? Using Social media optimization, our website ranks higher in all the major search engines. With less efforts, our website ranks on the top. Social media optimization is considered to be an effective and affordable way to mar-ket and advertise our products or a service, that is what we as government department could align ourselves with. These networks: Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr etc; are the

example of how local, state, and federal govern-ment organization are us-ing social media platforms and technologies to en-gage the public in a vari-ety of ways, from provid-ing information on govern-ment services to emer-gency response. The third paragraph is left a quiz for everyone of us to answer and at-tempt implementa-tion... All these new channels ex-posed to us are mainly through the greatness of technology in our daily lives.

”Daily greetings to a digital government: Information at your

doorstep all day every day”

Insight sourced

by

Ms. Refilwe

Mashoba

08

STAFF ISSUES

NEW APPOINTMENTS

Mr. MD Phethi

Environmental Officer (Head Office)

09

Ms. DH Mogapi

Biodiversity Officer (Taung)

Mr. T Mukosi

Biodiversity Officer (Industrial site office, Mahikeng)

Ms. NB Mkhonto Biodiversity Officer (Rustenburg)

Mr. MS Netshithuthuni Biodiversity Officer (Potchefstroom)

CLEANERS Ms. GR Selogiloe, Ms. DL Mohono, Ms. GG Lepodisi, Ms. SE Thejane

Rea go amogela mo lefapheng la

rona

Rea go amogela mo lefapheng la

rona

10

STAFF ISSUES

Tebogo Rakoto

Registry: Telecom Operator

INTERNAL PROMOTIONS

Ms. JR Mantsu

Was: Environmental Officer Control Now: Biodiversity Officer

APPOINTMENT: FROM CONTRACT – PERMANENT

Itumeleng Mokwena

Legal Service Admin Clerk

Congratulations and welcome to all newly appointed employ-ees!