Andrew Stegmann
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South African Home Affairs Grants Temporary Intra-Company Transfer Visa Concession

The South African Minister of Home Affairs, Aaron Motsoaledi, has announced a temporary concession granted to intra-company transfer visa holders who are currently residing in South Africa. This allows them another 24-month term for their visas.

This waiver is applicable to holders of ICT visas that expired during the lockdown, including the current period and to those which will expire by 31 June 2021; subject to the following conditions:

  • Proof that the local entity, branch or affiliate of the company abroad still requires the services of the ICT visa holder;
  • Proof in the form of verifiable documents that the skill transfer to a South African or Permanent Residence was completed during the fours (4) years of the visas as per the initial undertaking;
  • The ICT visa application will be considered as a new application with no accumulation nor continuation of the validity period of the current visa;
  • The ICT visa shall not lead towards permanent residence; and that
  • The ICT holder will remain in the employment of the designated employer for whom the initial and current ICT visa was issued.
  • No change of employer, status or condition from current visa.

This temporary visa concession is only applicable to holders of legally issued intra-company visas and who are currently resident in the Republic during the lockdown. Any further extension or modification or amendments to the terms of this concession will only be valid if communicated in writing.

 

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email info@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: [1], [2].

Andrew Stegmann
,

City of Cape Town Planning to Build R1.8 Billion Permanent Desalination Plant

The City of Cape Town plans to build a permanent desalination plant, costing R1.8 billion.

The City said it had already actioned its Water Strategy as 15 million litres of groundwater had come online from the Table Mountain Group Aquifer daily, while other projects including permanent desalination and water reuse were also planned.

Mayco member for water and waste services Xanthea Limberg said: “The temporary desalination plants at Strandfontein and Monwabisi were constructed as emergency water supplies at the height of the drought crisis have both been decommissioned by the contractor in terms of contractual requirements.

“The City also gained valuable knowledge and experience that will be incorporated into the planning and operation of the larger, planned permanent plant.”

It is provisionally programmed to commence water production by the end of 2026, Limberg said.

“The fixed component of the tariff covers approximately 20% to 25% of the water costs. If this was dropped, the consumptive tariff would have to be increased to compensate. No profit is made from the sale of water, and the City strives to keep costs as low as possible,” she said.

The Western Cape experienced a severe drought during 2017 and 2018, and dams almost emptied in terms of usable water. Residents were preparing to line up for water rations distributed by the South African Defense Force. Due to a continued global increase in emissions, climate change is altering weather patterns around the world for the worse, and urgent action is needed.

In September last year, it was reported the City was looking to build another desalination plant to become water-resilient by 2026. The City is considering the development and commissioning of a permanent desalination plant with a capacity of 50 million litres per day by 2026.

In response to the drought, the Strandfontein, Monwabisi and V&A desalination plants were commissioned for a two-year period as part of the City’s Water Resilience Plan, now referred to as the New Water Plan. A combined total of 14 million litres a day were supplied from these plants.

The City has maintained the fixed charge contributes to the fixed costs for operating the water and sanitation service and that fixed charges for basic utility services are in place in municipalities nationwide.

UCT Future Water Research Institute’s interim director Kirsty Carden said the need for a permanent desalination plant would depend on how the demand for water in the city changed over time.

“The ‘Day Zero’ crisis highlighted the fragility of a water system that is dependent primarily on one source (rain-fed surface water storage) and the need for diversifying water resources for the city, to include groundwater, desalinated seawater, treated sewage effluent and storm water harvesting as a means of building resilience.

“It is likely that permanent desalination will have to be included in this suite of planning options at some stage. Through their New Water Strategy, as well as the Resilience Strategy, the City has already acknowledged that a different approach is needed to managing water resources towards building a water-sensitive city.”

 

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email info@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: [1], [2].

Andrew Stegmann
,

South African Government to Allow Municipalities to Source Their Own Power

According to the Government Gazette, South Africa will allow municipalities to source their own power rather than buying electricity solely from the state-owned utility, potentially easing a dispute with its second-biggest city, Cape Town.

Earlier this year, a judge ordered further negotiations between the City of Cape Town and the energy ministry after the municipality sued the government because it wasn’t allowed to proceed with its own energy procurement plans. Under the planned rules, the local authority would still need government permission to do so, which it objects to.

In addition to wanting to generate more power from renewable resources, South African cities including Cape Town, Johannesburg, the adjacent industrial hub of Ekurhuleni and Tshwane, which includes the capital, Pretoria, have been subjected to regular power cuts because state-owned Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd. cannot meet demand and distribution infrastructure is dilapidated.

Cape Town has outlined plans to source electricity from solar plants and waste-to-power projects at its landfill sites. Eskom produces most of its power from coal.

Leila Mahomed-Weideman, director of sustainable energy markets for the City of Cape Town, said she couldn’t immediately comment.

 

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email info@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: [1], [2].

Andrew Stegmann
,

Relocation Africa’s South African Immigration Interview

Our Immigration Lead, Lynn Mackenzie, recently had the pleasure of speaking to Tracy, our South African immigration partner, about South Africa’s current immigration landscape.

To listen to Lynn and Tracy’s conversation about immigration in the current context, click here to view the recording, or view it below.

We would like to say a huge thank you to Tracy for her insights. We hope you enjoy the recording.

 

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email info@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: [1], [2].