Outlier Governance

2024-07-26

Since Leon Schreiber took over as South Africa’s new minister of home affairs, staff have managed to clear one-third of the backlog of 306,000 visa applications.

In a podcast interview with Moneyweb this week, Schrieber said a team had been working around the clock to clear the backlog: ‘We started out with over 306,000 applications and we’ve cracked 100,000 now.’ He said it was a key priority to get the backlog out of the way and ‘give ourselves breathing space to reform the way the system operates.’

In the meantime, Schreiber has extended the temporary concession for foreign nationals who are awaiting the outcome of visa, waiver and appeal applications.

🔗 Moneyweb

2024-07-25

PostOwic

Closed book: Three-quarters of schools in South Africa do not have libraries

About 26% of South Africa’s 22,511 schools have libraries, according to data in the Education Facility Management System, published by the Department of Basic Education in July.

Government schools in the Eastern Cape are the worst off, with just 7% of schools having libraries. Only 9% of schools in Limpopo have libraries.

About 69% of schools in the Free State have libraries, the most in the country. Gauteng is the only other province in South Africa where more than two-thirds of the schools have libraries.

In 2013, the department of basic education committed to putting libraries in all government schools by 29 November 2023. The department missed this deadline. In 2024, almost 17,000 schools are still without these facilities.

Of the schools that do have designated library facilities, only 57% (3,312) are actually stocked with books.

All 500+ charts ➙

2024-07-10

R300m

The amount stolen by cyberhackers from SA's public works department

At least R300-million has been stolen from the department of public works and infrastructure over the past 10 years through cybercrime, newly appointed minister Dean Macpherson says.

The most recent cyber attack was last month, in which R24-million was stolen.

So far, four officials have been suspended, and investigators have seized 30 laptops. The amount stolen is expected to increase as the probe continues.

🔗 Engineering News

2024-07-03

PostChart

Younger, bigger and GNU: Ramaphosa breaks records with coalition cabinet

When he announced his cabinet on 30 June, President Cyril Ramaphosa said that although he had hoped to reduce the number of portfolios it had not been possible as he wanted to include ‘all the parties’ in the Government of National Unity.

To do this, he has added new portfolios and new posts. The new government of 75 ministers and their deputies is the biggest since 2014, but only by three. There are now 11 parties represented in the newly formed coalition government.

EXPLORE: THE CABINET IN 3 CHARTS

2023-10-24

PostBorderlessCard

What Census 2022 tells us about migration in SA

About 1 in every 4 people living in Gauteng was born in another part of the country.

2023-07-21

PostBorderlessCard

Murder in the municipalities: 21 councillors killed in 22 months

In South Africa, the murder rate among municipal ward councillors is six times higher than the national rate of 45 murders per 100,000 people

2023-07-14

PostBorderlessCard

Which African country has the highest unemployment rate? It depends who you ask

Nigera’s own statistics bureau says the country has one of Africa’s highest unemployment rates, but the UN’s labour agency says it is lower. Much lower. Here’s why

2023-07-10

PostBorderlessCard

Joburg’s dirty problem: Underperforming wastewater plants

The city is releasing partially treated water back into rivers – and this has health and environmental implications

2023-06-15

PostBorderlessCard

Joburg’s water: How to know if it’s safe to drink

Joburg Water’s Cydna, Goudkoppies and Northern Works laboratories test the city’s water daily – testing up to 500 samples a month

2023-06-14

PostBorderlessCard

Going for green: The pursuit of a clean audit outcome

A clean audit doesn’t guarantee good service delivery, but it is a good start