Public Services & Government

Legal Aid South Africa makes legal aid available to indigent and vulnerable persons within its financial means and provides legal representation at State expense, as set out in the Constitution and relevant legislation giving content to the right to legal representation at state expense. Legal Aid South Africa's role is to provide legal aid to those who cannot afford their own legal representation. This includes indigent people and vulnerable groups such as women, children and the rural poor. It does this in an independent and unbiased manner, with the intention of enhancing justice and public confidence in the law and administration of justice.

Lepelle Northern Water (LNW) is a state-owned water utility. Its vision is to provide excellent regional water and sanitation services solutions. Municipal customers serviced by LNW include Polokwane Local Municipality, Capricorn District Municipality, Mopani District Municipality, Sekhukhune District Municipality, Vhembe District Municipality and Mogalakwena Local Municipality. Lepelle Northern Water's mission is to deliver cost-effective, equitable, sustainable and quality water and sanitation services with passion.

Magalies Water Board is a regional water utility established in terms of Section 28 of the Water Services Act No 108 of 1997. It provides bulk water and sanitation services to municipalities, mining operations and industrial customers across the three provinces of Gauteng, Limpopo and North West. Magalies Water is a Schedule 3B state owned enterprise (SOE) in terms of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), which is accountable to the government of South Africa through the Minister of the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS).

The Media Development and Diversity Agency's (MDDA) mandate and objectives are to: create an enabling environment for media development and diversity that reflects the needs and aspirations of all South Africans; redress exclusion and marginalisation of disadvantaged communities and persons from access to the media and the media industry; promote media development and diversity by providing support primarily to community and small commercial media projects; encourage ownership and control of, and access to, media by historically disadvantaged communities, as well as by historically diminished indigenous language and cultural groups; encourage the development of human resources and training, and capacity building within the media industry, especially among historically disadvantaged groups; encourage the channelling of resources to the community media and small commercial media sectors; raise public awareness with regard to media development and diversity issues, and liaise with other statutory bodies such as the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) and the Universal Service and Access Agency of South Africa (USAASA).

The Northern Cape Heritage Resources Authority (NCHRA), previously called Ngwao Boswa Jwa Kapa Bokone, is the Provincial Heritage Resources Authority (PHRA) of the Northern Cape Province. It is a statutory body established by the MEC of Sport, Arts and Culture in terms of section 23 of the National Heritage Resources Act. The object of the NCHRA is to coordinate the identification and management of the national estate in the Northern Cape. The national estate may include buildings, structures and equipment of cultural significance; places to which oral traditions are attached or which are associated with living heritage; historical settlements and townscapes; landscapes and natural features of cultural significance; geological sites of scientific or cultural importance; archaeological and palaeontological sites; graves and burial grounds; sites of significance relating to the history of slavery in South Africa and movable objects. As one of its functions NCHRA must advise the MEC of Sport, Arts and Culture on the implementation of the National Heritage Resources Act or relevant provincial or municipal legislation.

The Mine Health and Safety Council (MHSC) is a national public entity (Schedule 3A) established in terms of the Mine Health and Safety Act, 29 of 1996, as amended. The entity comprises a tripartite board represented by state, employer and labour members under the chairmanship of the Chief Inspector of Mines. The MHSC is funded by public revenue and is accountable to Parliament. The main task of the Council is to advise the Minister of Mineral Resources on occupational health and safety legislation and research outcomes focussed on improving and promoting occupational health and safety in South African mines. The Mine Health and Safety Council has been in existence since 1997. It has provided a playform for engagement for the tripartite stakeholders. It continues to be the trusted advisor to the Minister of Mineral Resources and the mining industry at large on occupational health and safety issues. The MHSC is currently in the process of implementing the Centre of Excellence on mine occupational health and safety, which is a game changer in how MHSC is going to conduct its business.

The mandate of Mintek is to serve the national interest through research and development, technology transfer, promote mineral technology, and encourage the establishment and expansion of industries in the field of minerals and products derived therefrom. Mintek's offerings include a full range of process development services, from preliminary bench-scale investigations to large-scale piloting and integrated flowsheet development, in support of bankable feasibility studies. Its activities include: providing essential services (information, consulting and experimental); increasing the competitiveness of the industry by developing effective technology (to cut costs and improve recoveries); developing ‘breakthrough' process technologies and novel uses for metals and their products; marketing its commercial products and technologies to the industry; establishing strategic partnerships and joint ventures; participating in regional development initiatives and Southern African Development Community activities and projects; maintaining and expanding international scientific links; and developing the human resources potential of the region through educational and training activities.

The mission of the Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent (MISA) is to provide support and develop technical capacity towards sustained accelerated municipal infrastructure and service delivery. The Agent's purpose is to: provide leadership, strategic direction, management and administration services to the organisation; and provide technical support to targeted municipalities, which will improve infrastructure planning, implementation, as well as operations and maintenance. MISA also manages deployment of professional service providers to municipalities, ensuring that sufficient technical capacity is built within municipalities, which will result in effective and efficient service delivery in the long term. This includes all training administration activities, and provides comprehensive generic strategic support to the Technical Support and Capacity Development Programmes, which will allow them to focus exclusively on the core functions.

The vision of the National Advisory Council on Innovation (NACI) is to be a leading advisory body for the government on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) within a well-coordinated, responsive and functioning National System of Innovation (NSI). Its mission is to provide evidence-based advice to the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation and, through the Minister, Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) and Presidential Plenary for Science, Technology and Innovation (STI), and the Cabinet, on STI matters, through research expertise and stakeholder engagement.

The mission of the National Agricultural Marketing Council (NAMC) is to provide agricultural marketing advisory services to key stakeholders in support of a vibrant agricultural marketing system in South Africa. The Council's strategic objectives are to: increase market access for all market participants; promote the efficiency of the marketing of agricultural products; optimise export earnings from agricultural products; and enhance the viability of the agricultural sector. The Council serves through the following initiatives: research on trade, linking farmers to markets, monitoring food prices and inputs costs, as well as value chain; development schemes aimed at leveraging the potential of smallholder agriculture through partnerships, as well as technical assistance and training programmes; industry trusts; bridging the communication gap between industry and the ministry; statutory measures; and investigating statutory measure applications.

The National Archives and Records Service of South Africa (NARSSA) was established by promulgation of the National Archives and Records Service of South Africa Act 43 of 1996. This piece of legislation transformed the former State Archives Service into a National Archives and Records Service whose mission, functions and structures reflect the South African democratic political order and imperatives. In essence, the mission of the National Archives and Records Service is to foster a national identity and the protection of rights by: preserving a national archival heritage for use by the government and people of South Africa; and promoting efficient, accountable and transparent government through the proper management and care of government records. The Act provides for a National Archives Advisory Council to advise the Minister and the Director General of Arts and Culture on any matter relating to the operation of the Act, and to advise the National Archivist on furthering the objects and functions of the National Archives. The other functions of the National Archives Advisory Council as contained in the Act are to: advise and consult with the South African Heritage Resources Agency on the protection of records forming part of the National Estate; consult with the Public Protector on investigations into unauthorised destruction of records otherwise protected under the Act; and submit a business plan annually to the Minister for his approval.

The mission of the National Arts Council of South Africa (NAC) is to develop and promote excellence in the arts. The Council's mandate is to: provide, and encourage the provision of, opportunities for people to practice the arts; promote the appreciation, understanding and enjoyment of the arts; promote the general application of the arts in the community; foster the expression of a national identity and consciousness by means of the arts; uphold and promote the right of any people to freedom in the practice of the arts; give the historically disadvantaged such additional help and resources as are required to give them greater access to the arts; address historical imbalances in the provision of infrastructure for the promotion of the arts; promote and facilitate national and international liaison between individuals and institutions in respect of the arts; and develop, promote and encourage excellence in the arts.

The mission of the National Consumer Commission (NCC) is to promote compliance with the Consumer Protection Act through advocacy and enforcement, in order to ensure fair business practice and uphold the social and economic welfare of consumers. The NCC is charged with the responsibility of enforcing and carrying out the functions assigned to it in terms of the Consumer Protection Act. The Act seeks to promote a fair, accessible and sustainable marketplace for consumer products and services and, for that purpose, to establish national norms and standards relating to consumer protection throughout South Africa. It further seeks to: provide for improved standards of consumer information; prohibit certain unfair marketing and business practices; promote responsible consumer behaviour; and promote a consistent legislative and enforcement framework relating to consumer transactions and agreements.

The National Consumer Tribunal (NCT) was established in terms of the National Credit Act 34 of 2005. As an independent adjudicative entity, the Tribunal's mandate is to hear and decide on cases involving consumers, service providers, credit providers, debt counsellors and credit bureaux. The NCT is also responsible for reviewing decisions made by the National Credit Regulator and the National Consumer Commission.

The mission of the National Credit Regulator (NCR) is to support the social and economic advancement of South Africa by regulating for a fair and non-discriminatory market place for access to consumer credit; and promoting responsible credit granting and credit use, and effective redress. The NCR's mandate is to: promote and support the development of a fair, transparent, competitive, sustainable, responsible, efficient and effective consumer credit market, and to increase participation of historically disadvantaged persons, low-income persons and communities, and remote, isolated or low-density populations and communities in the consumer credit market; regulate the consumer credit industry by registering credit providers, credit bureaus and debt counsellors, payment distribution agents, and alternative dispute resolution agencies; enforce the provisions of the National Credit Act; undertake research on the nature and dynamics of the consumer credit market in order to increase knowledge of these matters; promote public awareness of consumer credit matters; and review legislation and report to the Minister of Trade and Industry on matters concerning consumer credit.