Daily Archives: September 3, 2019

Motorists will feel the pinch at petrol pumps

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Local motorists will feel the pinch even more at the tanks as the price of petrol is set to increase by 11 cents a litre tonight.

The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy announced that both grades of 93 and 95 (ULP and LRP) will rise by 11 cents.

Both grades of diesel (0.05% Sulphur) and diesel (0.005% Sulphur) will increase by 26 cents a litre.

The price adjustments will see a litre of 95 in Gauteng, which currently costs R15.92 cents a litre, go up to R16.03 a litre.

The price of illuminating paraffin (wholesale) will go up by 24 cents per litre, while that of illuminating paraffin (SMNRP) will go up by 32 cents a litre.

The Maximum Retail Price for LPGAS will decrease by 16 cents per kilogram.

The department said the average international product prices for petrol, diesel and illuminating paraffin decreased during the period under review.

“The Rand depreciated against the US Dollar during the period under review on average when compared to the previous period. The average Rand/US Dollar exchange rate for the period 2 August to 29 August 2019. Thus led to a higher contribution to the basic fuel prices on petrol, diesel and illuminating paraffin,” said the department.

In August, the price of both grades of petrol increased by 11 cents.

Source: http://www.dfa.co.za

Students urged to apply for NSFAS funding on time

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Higher Education, Science and Technology Minister Dr Blade Nzimande has urged students who qualify for funding in terms of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) to submit their applications for 2020 on time.

Nzimande made the call following the opening of the 2020 NSFAS online applications for funding on Sunday, 1 September.

The application cycle will run for a period of three months, with the closing date being 30 November 2019 at midnight.

Announcing the opening of the application during a media briefing held in Tshwane on Monday, Nzimande said NSFAS funding is key to government’s support for students in higher education and training.

“We know that adequate funding and support are crucial factors in assisting students to succeed in their studies, and the support is provided specifically to ensure students have access to enable success in their studies.

“Our own studies in the Department of Higher Education and Training have shown that NSFAS students, on average, perform significantly better that students in the overall population,” Nzimande said.

This year, NSFAS has funded nearly 600 000 students at Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges and universities.

Nzimande said the department is committed to ensuring that student funding system is effectively managed and implemented across universities and TVET colleges, and that students are able to fully access the funding that government has made available.

The Minister announced that government has set aside more than R80 billion for the next three years to ensure that prospective students from poor and working class families, with a combined household income of R350 000 or less per annum have access to higher education and training.

“This is a massive investment in student support and an important policy of government to support and transform our higher education and training system and society,” Nzimande said.

He said the department’s bursary scheme providing fully subsidised fee-free higher education and training to students from poor and working class backgrounds started being phased in from 2018 over a period of five years.

Nzimande announced the approval of a second phase of NSFAS Administration from August 2019 to August 2020. Dr Randall Carolissen has also agreed to continue as the administrator to fulfil the responsibilities of management, governance and administration of NSFAS during this period.

“Despite a number of areas that require improvements in the management of NSFAS and the student funding system, Dr Carolissen has done a tremendous job in improving the functionality of the system,” the Minister said.

Source: http://www.dfa.co.za

Ramaphosa welcomes arrest of Uyinene Mrwetyana and Leighandre Jegels’ murderers

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By REGINALD KANYANE

President Cyril Ramaphosa has commended the country’s law enforcement authorities for their action which led to the arrests of two suspects linked to the brutal murders of University of Cape Town student, Uyinene Mrwetyana and SA boxing champoion Leighandre Jegels.

Mrwetyana’s alleged killer was arrested and charged with rape, murder and defeating the ends of justice.

The man suspected of killing Jegels was also arrested and has since died in hospital.

Ramaphosa said the murder of these two young women; one at the hands of a stranger and the other killed by a man who was reportedly her boyfriend remain a stark reminder that the women of South Africa are not safe, either in their homes or in the streets.

“On Monday, the body of a 14 year old girl was found in a backyard in Cape Town, adding to a grim body count of murdered women and girls across the country.

“This is a very dark period for us as a country. The assaults, rapes and murders of South African women are a stain on our national conscience, ” Ramaphosa said.

He added: “We have just commemorated Women’s Month. Sixty three years after the women of 1956 marched for the right to live in freedom, women in this country live in fear – not of the apartheid police but of their brothers, sons, fathers and uncles. We should all hang our heads in shame.”

In 2019, the Presidency signed the Declaration on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide with various civil society formations and has directed that urgent attention be given to its implementation, particularly on immediate measures around support to victims and access to shelters and places of safety.

Ramaphosa has sent his deepest condolences to the Mrwetyana and Jegels families and urges all South Africans to keep them in their thoughts during this very traumatic time.

He is expected to meet with the leadership of the police later on today to be briefed on, amongst others, steps being undertaken to stem the tide of gender based violence in the country.

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