QUICK READ

Sassa

AUDITOR-GENERAL Tsakani Maluleke has found that the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) did not take effective and appropriate steps to prevent irregular expenditure amounting to

R73.1 million.

Maluleke made the finding in her 2020/21 audit report, which is contained in Sassa’s annual report tabled in Parliament this week.

She said the majority of the irregular expenditure resulted from expired lease contracts still in use and cleaning and sanitation contracts not following tender processes. | Political Bureau

Education

PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa says that there is a great responsibility on the shoulders of teachers and education officials to ensure schools, colleges, universities and training institutions educate young people to produce skills and capabilities that the country needs.

Speaking at the 21st Reimagined National Teachers Award Ceremony in Ekurhuleni this week, he said young work-seekers do not possess sufficient education and skills. He said teachers and education officials had to ensure that school-leavers had the confidence, the capabilities and the opportunities to study further, find work and gain experience. | IOL

Elections

PROTESTING celebrities called on fellow musicians, actors and dancers this week to boycott the municipal elections.

Kwaito star Eugene Mthethwa, the leader of the protest, addressed the anti-manifesto rally in Joburg yesterday to protest what they termed “the disregard of artists” by politicians and the government.

The arts industry has encountered many challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic, with many artists losing livelihoods due to restrictions that have crippled the entertainment industry. The performers said the government only saw them as social cohesion agents. | IOL