Latest news with #Boshoff
The Citizen
12 hours ago
- Business
- The Citizen
Post Office rescue plan slammed for lack of transparency and strategic detail
The Post Office turnaround strategy is being criticised for raising more questions than providing answers. The Select Committee on Economic Development and Trade expresses concern about the work of business rescue practitioners on the South African Post Office's (Sapo) turnaround strategy. This follows the practitioners' plan presentation in parliament on Wednesday, which outlined the progress being made. According to the practitioners, their long-term vision is to transform the Post Office into an e-commerce hub and multipurpose service centre. Concerns about further job losses and transparency Committee chairperson Sonja Boshoff said troubling realities remain. The biggest being the retrenchments of more than 4 000 employees, with no confirmation that there will not be any further job losses. 'Service delivery at the Post Office has significantly deteriorated, and the entity continues to survive on state bailouts. Public confidence has been completely eroded, and the long-term sustainability of Sapo remains in serious jeopardy,' Boshoff said in a statement on Thursday. She also raised concerns about the practitioners' request to present substantial portions of the turnaround strategy in a closed session. 'Sapo is a state-owned enterprise funded by public money. The use of in-camera briefings must remain the exception, not the rule. 'Such briefings should only be permitted in instances of legitimate commercial sensitivity – not as a tool to shield institutional failures from public scrutiny and parliamentary oversight,' Boshoff said. ALSO READ: Post Office rescue plan is working, but more money is needed Timelines and funding clarity The prevention strategy has been criticised for offering limited details regarding innovation and measurable outcomes. The committee notes that while the plan references digitisation, a revised branch footprint, and hybrid financing models, these aspects remain vague, lacking implementation timelines and funding clarity. It is troubling that no investor has yet shown serious interest in supporting the turnaround of the national postal service, Boshoff said. Unanswered questions She said the following key questions remained unanswered: How many of the retrenched employees have actually received support through the Temporary Employer-Employee Relief Scheme (Ters) fund? What efforts have been made to engage the private sector in restoring core service functions? On what basis is Sapo still classified as a 'strategic national asset' while continuing to rely on repeated state bailouts? How will the proposed hybrid funding model work in practice, and who will ultimately bear the financial risk? 'It is imperative that public institutions – particularly those under business rescue and funded by taxpayers – operate with transparency, accountability, and defined performance indicators, the committee chairperson said. ALSO READ: More millions to save jobs at SA Post Office 'A turnaround plan cannot rely on slogans or structural tinkering. It must restore credibility, modernise operations and rebuild trust with the South African public who depend on these services.' Clarity, accountability and transparency Boshoff also emphasised that as the committee continues its oversight work, it will insist on greater clarity, stronger accountability and full transparency from all parties involved in the business rescue process. 'The relevance of the Post Office in the broader communications and logistics sector is fast diminishing. 'This can only be reversed through genuine diversification of its service offering and complete modernisation of its operations,' she said. Retrenchments and saved jobs A total of 4 875 employees were retrenched in 2024 after Post Office entered business rescue, with a R8.7 billion debt. In May, it was announced that Sapo and the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) agreed on a deal to fund salaries of the remaining employees while the government works to restore the postal service's fortunes. The agreement saw the return of Ters, used during the 2020 global health pandemic. Ters will inject R381 million into the post office over six months to assist 5 956 employees. NOW READ: The plan to fix the SA Post Office
IOL News
15 hours ago
- Business
- IOL News
Concerns mount over South African Post Office's recovery strategy
Chairperson of the Select Committee on Economic Development and Trade, Sonja Boshoff, has voiced significant concerns regarding the effectiveness of the SAPO's turnaround strategy. Image: Independent Newspapers Archives Chairperson of the Select Committee on Economic Development and Trade, Sonja Boshoff, has voiced significant concerns regarding the effectiveness of the business rescue practitioners (BRPs) leading the organisation's turnaround strategy. Following a presentation by the BRPs on Wednesday, which outlined a vision to evolve SAPO into an e-commerce hub and multipurpose service centre, Boshoff highlighted several troubling realities that raise alarm about the plan's viability. Foremost among her concerns is the recent retrenchment of over 4,000 employees, casting a shadow on the future of many livelihoods. Despite the substantial workforce reduction, ambiguity remains regarding the potential for further layoffs, exacerbating uncertainty among employees and stakeholders alike. 'Service delivery at the Post Office has significantly deteriorated, and the entity continues to survive on state bailouts,' Boshoff stated. 'Public confidence has been completely eroded, and the long-term sustainability of SAPO remains in serious jeopardy.' Her comments underscore a growing sentiment that the turnaround strategy, while ambitious in its goals, lacks the substance and support necessary for meaningful progress. Another point of contention for Boshoff is the BRPs' request to present key elements of the turnaround strategy in closed sessions. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ 'SAPO is a state-owned enterprise funded by public money. The use of in-camera briefings must remain the exception, not the rule,' she argued, stressing that such sessions should only occur under genuine commercial sensitivity rather than as a means to obscure institutional failures from public scrutiny and parliamentary oversight. The BRPs' strategy outlined vague notions of digitisation, a revised branch footprint, and hybrid financing models, yet it fell short on detailing innovation and measurable outcomes. Boshoff emphasised the urgency of clearer implementation timelines and funding structures, as well as addressing the pressing questions surrounding the lack of serious private investment in SAPO's recovery. 'How many of the retrenched employees have actually received support through the TERS fund? What efforts have been made to engage the private sector in restoring core service functions? On what basis is SAPO still classified as a 'strategic national asset' while continuing to rely on repeated state bailouts?' she queried, adding to a list of unanswered questions that loom over the Post Office's potential resurgence. Boshoff concluded with a clarion call for the restoration of credibility and trust in SAPO, asserting that public institutions must be held to high standards of transparency, accountability, and defined performance indicators, particularly when employing taxpayer funds. 'A turnaround plan cannot rely on slogans or structural tinkering. It must restore credibility, modernise operations, and rebuild trust with the South African public who depend on these services,' she stated. As the Select Committee continues its oversight, Boshoff reiterated the necessity for stringent accountability and complete transparency throughout the business rescue process. 'The relevance of the Post Office in the broader communications and logistics sector is fast diminishing. This can only be reversed through genuine diversification of its service offering and complete modernisation of its operations,' she concluded, leaving the fate of SAPO hanging in a delicate balance. IOL
IOL News
15-05-2025
- Health
- IOL News
Addressing SA's foot-and-mouth disease: The need for strategic vaccination and traceability
Meat and dairy farmers have been suffering economic setbacks for months due to the restrictions on the movement of livestock. Image: IOL/ RON AI The solution to ridding South Africa of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) lies in traceability, strategic vaccination, domestic production and accurate scientific information. The Department of Agriculture said there were FMD outbreaks in KwaZulu-Natal, which have spread to Mpumalanga and Gauteng. One farm in Mpumalanga was identified as part of trace-forward exercises from a positive auction in Utrecht, KZN, while another farm was reported in Gauteng. That was according to the Freedom Front Plus MP and chief spokesperson on agriculture, Dr Wynand Boshoff, who said meat and dairy farmers have been suffering economic setbacks for months due to the restrictions on the movement of livestock in parts of northern KZN and the Eastern Cape. 'The problem is the requirement that milk from animals in affected areas must be double-pasteurised. Cattle in the affected areas may also not be sold at all,' Boshoff said. 'Commercial and subsistence farmers in the affected parts of KwaZulu-Natal have been unable to sell any livestock since February this year. This has led to the illegal transport of animals and subsequent contamination in other provinces.' Boshoff said South Africa was once FMD-free due to careful, nationwide vaccinations. However, over the past decades, state veterinary services and Onderstepoort Biological Products, which manufactured the vaccine, declined significantly. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ 'The most pressing issue is that the strict measures imposed by the Department of Agriculture are not based on science. While foot-and-mouth disease is deadly and catastrophic for the entire agricultural ecosystem in the Northern Hemisphere, this is not the case in South Africa,' Boshoff said. He said that in a written response in Parliament, Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen confirmed that no cattle died in the latest outbreak and that the disease has not been detected in sheep or goats. Yet the imposed restrictions apply to all cloven-hoofed animals. 'The problem is exacerbated by the high cost of vaccines that are being imported from Botswana, even though South African facilities can produce them at much lower costs. Accreditation remains the major hurdle for these laboratories,' Boshoff said. He said that at current prices, it would cost approximately R5.4 billion over three years to eliminate the disease from the country. 'The solution would only be temporary, though, as buffaloes also carry the disease, and cattle move freely between South Africa and neighbouring countries,' Boshoff said. 'The solution lies in traceability, strategic vaccination, domestic production and accurate scientific information. 'Targeted traceability would ensure that restrictions are only imposed on affected farms.' Meanwhile, during a portfolio committee meeting last week, Department of Agriculture Deputy Director-General Dipepeneneneng Serage said they were going to have to prioritise funding, which they do not have enough of, to procure vaccines and have them shipped into the country. 'Our Agricultural Research Council is able to produce some vaccines but albeit not on a large scale. We've started a process of ensuring that we double the capacity at the Agricultural Research Council to produce additional vaccines so that we rely on our own South African-produced vaccine and no longer rely on vaccines from Botswana,' Serage said. He said some farmer organisations and farmers approached the department and asked it to allow them to purchase vaccines themselves. 'We are going to allow one farm, farmer or farming business this next week or so for them to purchase vaccines directly, but under the supervision of our veterinary services to ensure that they don't wait on state resources, which are dwindling,' Serage said.
IOL News
15-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Government departments instructed to prioritise job creation as calls grow for major intervention
South Africa's unemployment rate has risen to 32.9%. Image: File Government departments reporting to the Select Committee on Economic Development and Trade have been instructed to prioritise job creation as a matter of urgency. This followed the announcement by Statistics South Africa on Thursday that the country's unemployment rate grew to 32.9% during the first quarter of 2025, from 31.9% in the previous quarter. This means 8.2 million people are now classified as unemployed in South Africa. Select Committee Chairperson Sonja Boshoff called on the relevant government departments to prioritise initiatives aimed at addressing this crisis. 'The foremost priority of this committee is that every portfolio under our oversight decisively focuses on job creation. This aligns with the core objectives of the Government of National Unity (GNU), and we will continue to insist on this across all engagements,' Boshoff said. She said the slow pace in reducing red tape, which continues to hamper economic development and government effectiveness, was a huge point of concern. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ 'Reducing bureaucratic hurdles must become a top priority. Continued delays only frustrate our efforts to build an inclusive and productive economy. Where implementation is possible, we must act swiftly to support the objectives of the GNU,' Boshoff added. Economists and other experts have also called for decisive action on the part of government in reducing the unemployment rate. Volker von Widdern, Risk Principal at Riskonet Africa, has called for a national risk mitigation intervention in order to prevent future risks to economic stability and social cohesion. 'South Africa's rising unemployment rate is more than a labour market issue, it is a strategic risk event unfolding in plain sight,' Von Widdern said. He said the time for half-measures and static policy was over. 'In economic terms, standing still means going backwards for employment,' he said. 'When growth stalls, businesses either optimise through efficiency and automation, or shut their doors entirely. In both cases, jobs are lost and opportunity for employment contracts,' Von Widdern added. 'If we continue to tolerate national budgets and economic policies that deliver subpar growth, we are compounding a long-term national threat.' The current youth unemployment rate of 46 percent is not just a social challenge, but an embedded economic risk. With slow economic growth, a growing population cannot be absorbed into the labour market, leading to a gradual growth in unemployment figures. 'What makes the current situation more perilous is that South Africa has normalised economic underperformance. Instead of pushing for high-impact investment and industrialisation, state spending is being crowded out by social relief programmes and public sector employment,' Von Widdern said. 'This might delay short-term social instability, but it accelerates long-term economic fragility. Fiscal space is shrinking, investor sentiment is eroding, and the spectre of forced investments in prescribed assets and inflation-driven instability looms ever closer.' The risk manager said there were a number of possible interventions, from third-party managed public-private partnerships to incentives linked to factory development and skills localisation. 'We need a 'Marshall Plan' for investment. We need to use Special Economic Zones not just as geographical labels, but as engines of new industrial capacity, reduced red tape, and labour flexibility. And we need to treat employment not as a by-product of growth, but as a targeted outcome backed by risk-mitigated strategy,' Von Widdern concluded. Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel IOL
The South African
30-04-2025
- Politics
- The South African
AfriForum repairs pothole in front of US ambassador's residence in Pretoria
AfriForum has repaired a pothole in front of the American ambassador's residence, situated on the corner of Premier and Victoria streets in Waterkloof in Pretoria. In a release on Wednesday, AfriForum said it views this repair work as a symbolic act to portray how the civil rights organisation is working to repair South Africa's frayed relationship with the American government. AfriForum saw it as ironic that – just as the actions and negligence of the Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality led to the decline of that particular street – the actions and negligence of the South African government led to the decline of the relationship with the USA. Earlier this year, AfriForum called on the US government not to punish ordinary citizens of the country for the misdeeds of the ANC-led government and instead to impose targeted sanctions against ANC leaders. The organisation added that ordinary South Africans are already being punished by authorities that collect tax money, but do not even provide basic maintenance. According to Louis Boshoff, Campaign Officer at AfriForum, the ANC has been falsely claiming for months that AfriForum is providing misinformation about South Africa to the US government, but now the true information has been exposed right under the noses of the US diplomats in Waterkloof. Boshoff further explained: 'Just as AfriForum had to intervene to maintain roads where the government failed, AfriForum also had to step in to try to save ordinary citizens' freedom of trade with the US, after ANC-led diplomacy almost thwarted it.' Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
