SONA 2025 – 70 Years Since The Freedom Charter
As South Africa celebrates 70 years since the adoption of the Freedom Charter, President Cyril Ramaphosa has given his State of the Nation Address. His government will use the upcoming year to focus on driving inclusive growth and job creation; reducing poverty and tackling the high cost of living; and building a capable, ethical and developmental state.
Government Employees Medical Scheme (GEMS) Advocates for Universal Health Coverage and Healthcare Transformation
The Government Employees Medical Scheme (GEMS) concluded its 2024 Annual Symposium under the theme, “Innovate, Integrate, Accelerate: A Universal Health Coverage Commitment.” The Symposium brought together thought leaders from healthcare, policy, and technology sectors, all united in their mission to address the barriers to healthcare access and accelerate South Africa’s progress toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
Trusts & Protecting Your Assets
Trusts are a popular way for South Africans to protect their assets for their loved ones. Many people opt for a trust as a form of estate planning to ensure their beneficiaries get the most value from their estate.
Western Cape Government – Building an Energy-Resilient Province
Several projects have been rolled out to support the Western Cape Government’s efforts to become the first province without load shedding. In support of that goal, the provincial government has implemented numerous initiatives to increase the energy resilience of government facilities and small businesses. Hundreds of healthcare facilities, schools, and businesses have been supported by interventions such as solar power, with around a third of the country’s Small-Scale Embedded Generation projects based in the Western Cape.
National Youth Service Programme (NYSP)
The National Youth Service Programme (NYSP) is a government initiative aimed at engaging South African youth in community service activities to strengthen service delivery, promote nation-building, foster social cohesion and to assist the youth to acquire occupational skills necessary to access sustainable livelihood opportunities.
NYP 2030 and SA’s Unemployment
The National Youth Policy 2020-2030 (NYP 2030) is cross-sectoral and aimed at effecting positive youth development outcomes for young people at local, provincial, and national levels in South Africa. It has been developed by the Department of Women, Youth and People with Disabilities in collaboration with multiple stakeholders; the Policy’s intention is to redress the injustices of the past and deal decisively with the new challenges the youth are facing.
Youth Day 2024
Youth Day is an opportunity to remember and celebrate the sacrifices of a brave collective of over 20 000 students, who stood up for freedom during the 1976 Soweto uprising. There are various ways to commemorate this historic event – from street festivals, to visiting a local museum, music events and art exhibitions. Here are some suggestions:
Agricultural Policies Going Forward
The agricultural sector has an ambitious and unifying vision through the Agriculture and Agro-processing Master Plan (AAMP) launched in May 2022. Indeed, the AAMP is imperfect, and some aspects were contested during its drafting stages. This is expected given the breadth of social partners involved in crafting it. Still, most social partners, such as the business community, government, and labour, agreed that the AAMP offers a framework to grow the agriculture and agro-processing sector, build competitiveness, attract more investment, improve inclusion, and create jobs.
Legal Matters – Parental Leave
In a progressive workplace, parental leave is a crucial factor which supports the welfare of families and employees. Shared parental leave is gradually gaining recognition across Africa, however many countries still lack paid paternity leave. The global average according to the World Economic Forum stands at 21 days compared to 191 days for maternity leave. According to the Top Employers Institute, parental leave refers to time allocated to parents to take care of their new infant or newly adopted child, for the purpose of parents balancing personal and professional responsibilities.
AfCFTA – South Africa’s First Shipment
South Africa launched its trade under the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) with the first shipment dispatched at the start of the year. This follows the publication in the Government Gazette of the terms under which South Africa will participate in the new free trade agreement.