By  WSAM Reporter

The police ministry has revealed that at least 194 suspected illegal miners were arrested over the past three days in Riverlea.

The arrests follow the deployment of Crime Intelligence, Tactical Response Teams “Amaberethe”, National Intervention Unit (NIU) and the Special Task Force (STF) in and around the Riverlea area, including illegal mining hotspot areas in Gauteng.

Police Minister, General Bheki Cele returned to Riverlea on Friday, to update the community on the police’s response to the illicit activities that have left some community members living in fear.

Joined by South African Police Service (SAPS) management from both national and the Gauteng province, Cele engaged the residents of Riverlea and surrounding in an effort to end illegal mining and to find lasting solutions to stabilise the area. Bodies of five suspected illegal foreign miners with gunshot wounds were discovered in the area in Johannesburg on Sunday morning. This follows weeks of shootings – mostly at night – at the disused mine dumps, which have left Riverlea residents in a state of constant fear.

Addressing the community at Riverlea Recreation Centre, Cele said a team from the Minister and the Secretariat would be sent to the Langlaagte Police Station from Monday.

He said the team would report back by Thursday. “The relationship between the community and the police station must be fixed so that we work together against criminality. We will bring a report back and see who is not doing his or her job, and take action against them,” Cele said.

Cele said the team will also probe allegations that SAPS are getting bribes, and called on the community to report and bring the evidence of the allegations. “We want to change their blue uniforms for the orange uniforms,” he said.

Meanwhile, EFF leader Julius Malema has called on specialised policing units to be allowed to deal with the zama-zama illegal mining crisis, imploring officers to shoot dead any illegal miners who want to resist arrest. Malema was speaking during a press briefing at the party’s headquarters in the Joburg CBD on Wednesday.

The ANC has also called for the government to establish a specialised unit to fight illegal mining in Gauteng and other parts of the country. The Minister also called on the community to stop supporting the criminals, adding that they know the zama-zamas, as they are their next-door neighbours.

Meanwhile the Gauteng Provincial Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Community Safety says it will be writing to President Cyril Ramaphosa and Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi to consider the deployment of South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers in the province “to end the scourge of illegal mining in the province once and for all”.

Riverlea residents have been calling for the deployment of the army to tackle the mining bandits for months to no avail.

GENDER PAY GAP ADVERSELY IMPACTS WOMEN’S RETIREMENT SAVINGS

NEST: Disparity sees women getting 35 percent less than their male counterparts at workplace…

By Thuli Zungu

South Africa women are paid far less than their male counterparts, making it difficult for them to retire comfortably. Studies show that, in South Africa and internationally, there exists a gender pay-gap that sees women getting 35% less than their male counterparts for their sweat.

Globally there is also a massive gender retirement gap, where women are significantly worse off than men when it comes to retirement savings incomes. According to the South African Treasury, only six out of every 100 South Africans will be able to retire comfortably. Deloitte’s South African Investment Management Outlook for 2023 says, the country’s overall savings rate is only 0.5%, which is below that of most emerging market peers. As a result, many South Africans are not putting any money away for their retirement.

Janice Masencamp the Head of Retirement Fund Consulting at employee benefits advisory firm NMG Benefits says only 6 out of every 100 South Africans able to retire comfortably and the country’s overall savings rate at a mere 0.5%, and it is crucial that we address this issue and empower women to take control of their financial futures.

Masencamp says there are several steps that women can take to improve their retirement outcomes. She says building a retirement fund is a lifelong task. “The earlier you start saving for retirement, the more time your money has to grow. And while it’s tough to make ends meet right now, it’s critical that you make retirement saving and planning a non-negotiable part of your monthly budget,” says Masencamp.

She says one of the biggest reasons why people don’t have enough money to retire on is that they simply don’t save enough. “The more money you are able to put away while you are earning, the bigger the nest egg you will have to provide financial security in your retirement years,” she says.

Masencamp says employees need to work through their budget carefully, to see where they can make extra savings to put into their retirement fund. She says by identifying areas where they can cut back on spending, they can potentially increase your savings for retirement.

“By taking a closer look at their monthly expenses, they may discover that they are overspending in certain areas or paying for services they don’t need. This can free up extra money that can be used towards your retirement savings”, says Masencamp. Often, women tend to leave financial matters to their spouses or partners. “Women must get more involved in all aspects of their family’s financial planning in order to know how much money is being spent and saved, and the current state of their retirement funds,” says. Masencamp.

Many women are putting aside money for retirement, but it’s important to talk to a financial planner. She says the financial planner will be able to help in reviewing their financial needs and goals.

“They can also help you make the right investments to ensure you have enough money for your retirement, and that your resources will be handled in a safe and predictable way,” she says

She says one of the biggest benefits of retirement planning is to structure the employees retirement funds in a tax-efficient manner. She says the more control you have over your income sources in retirement, the more likely you are to be able to reduce your tax burden.

“Because future tax regulations are difficult to predict, diversifying your income sources in retirement could save you a lot of money in the long term, “ says Masencamp. Most people see retirement as a time to relax and take it easy, but for women the reality is often quite different.

“Retirement can cause severe financial stress, especially if you have left your job before your planned retirement age or must care for an elderly or sick spouse. That’s why it’s even more important for them to ensure they have a comprehensive retirement plan in place, which allows for enough savings for long term use and reduces the likelihood of having to depend on your friends or relatives to fill the gaps,” says Masencamp.

Published on the 110th Edition

Get E-Copy