An expert group meeting on blockchain technologies recently took place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with participants having learnt more about the technology and possible benefits for the African continent. Speaking at the end of meeting, Kasirim Nwuke, chief of the new technologies and innovation section at the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), said that […]
On Friday, 17 November 2017, Cabinet approved the 115-page Electronic Communications Amendment (ECA) Bill, giving the public and industry just 30 calendar days in which to comment, after which the consultation period will be closed and further objection prohibited. Minister Siyabonga Cwele and the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services (DTPS) team have crafted a […]
An employee at Rustenburg Platinum Mine, Meyer Bester, was dismissed by his employer, for referring to a co-worker as a swartman. Was this procedurally and substantively fair or unfair? Let’s look at the circumstances. Bester had arrived at work one day to find a large vehicle parked in the parking bay adjacent to his own, […]
The Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act (PPPFA) requires contractors who perform work on government and semi-government projects, including municipal projects, to award up to 30% of the tender sum to small, medium and micro-sized enterprises (SMMEs). This means that “Ps and Gs”, as well as work done by specialist subcontractors which forms part of the […]
Many attendees of the ECA(SA)’s live webinar, “The pitfalls of project management” were unable to attend or to log into the webinar session on 15 August 2017 due to a technical server failure. The webinar has therefore been rescheduled and will now take place on 30 August 2017, from 18h00 to 19h00. Lea Smith […]
The South African economy is characterised by shortages of high-skilled jobs and high levels of unemployment for those with lower levels of education and training. The most vulnerable sector is the electricity, gas and water sector, where 15% of the workforce is between the ages of 55 and 64. Research points to a demand […]
The Bargaining the Council for Electrical Industry has established a national sick benefit fund, which became effective on 1 May 2017. The new national fund replaces the old regional sick benefit funds in Regions A and B, C and D, respectively. It should be noted that the old regional sick benefit funds each had […]
Our first ever webinar training session took place on 25 April 2017. The topic was “Pitfalls of tendering” and the session was presented by Herman Kriel, MD of Brand SA and the chairman of the ECA(SA) National Contractual Committee. The webinar was the culmination of many hours of discussions and preparation, and was presented […]
The ECA(SA)’s Highveld budget for the next financial year was finalised at a meeting of the Highveld Executive Committee at the Meadowdale head office on 25 April 2017. Holding the purse strings are Frans Swanepoel (Hoëveldrif Elektries); Tembe Mwembe (ECA national financial manager); Joe Moleko (SMEI Projects); Dimakatso Matshoga (Atafala Consultants); Chris Koen (regional […]
ECA(SA) national director Mark Mfikoe has announced that entries for the association’s 2017 annual Presidential Excellence Awards will open on 1 June 2017. “The judges have been selected and they are busy fine-tuning the judging criteria for the ten categories,” he says. The judges for this year’s competition are Rorisang Morake; Dimakatso Matshoga; Carel […]
