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RNZ News
3 hours ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Internal Affairs to have another go at modernising births, deaths and marriages registry
The department will hold a briefing to hear from companies what the options might be later this month. Photo: RNZ / Alexander Robertson After spending $23m but failing to modernise the births, deaths and marriages registry, officials are having another go. The Department of Internal Affairs has written off $22.9m on the project abandoned last year, returned an unspent $58m to the Crown and remains locked in a dispute with the Australian company DWS over the contract it terminated in late 2023. "Although some of the work completed will be able to be used for a future civil registration system replacement project, from an accounting standards perspective, it [decided] should impair (write off) all capital costs incurred to date," DIA told RNZ. But it needs a replacement and is setting out again, tentatively, facing "uncertainty around funding and what a long-term replacement plan would look like". It also faced a "high risk" rating on the project, it said. "As part of the business case process the department would need to provide assurance of how risks could be sufficiently managed or mitigated," it said. The project to replace DIA's old unreliable tech with a new system to give people faster and more secure access to their identity data - among a total 80 million records - was central to a $150m phase of the department's $300m five-year Te Ara Manaaki project. This month the department will hold a briefing to hear from companies what the options might be, while working on a strategic assessment to go to Cabinet. Treasury last year imposed more checkgates that public sector projects must pass through, to try to prevent badly thought-out ones getting through. "We are in the early stages of a discovery phase," DIA said. This comes almost three years after it announced it was replacing its existing system and had chosen a vendor it was confident would deliver a robust system. "The new system will be more efficient, secure, and reliable," it said in August 2022. Some of the work done since 2022 would not be wasted, which should cut costs for a replacement, it said. This included work done on design, improving data quality, the data migration process and testing and delivery frameworks. The department offered reassurance that the existing system "while ageing, is stable and maintenance work continues to be undertaken to ensure secure, functional and legislative compliant systems remain in place while a new long-term replacement plan is progressed". It still had vendor support for the old system, DIA said. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
The Citizen
28-05-2025
- General
- The Citizen
flood warnings subside with Vaal Dam levels
The handling of the Vaal Dam during the crisis period came under fire from some residents. Flood warnings along the Vaal Dam have subsided as water levels continue to drop from their peak earlier this month, bringing relief to residents who have endured months of uncertainty. The dam currently sits at 107.56%, down from 114% at the beginning of the month and 108% recorded two weeks ago. As water levels have receded, so have the fears of flooding that gripped communities along the Vaal River system during the first quarter of the year. Vaal Dam operating well below danger levels Despite the seemingly high percentage, Midvaal councillor Pieter Swart explained that the Vaal Dam is operating well below dangerous levels due to infrastructure upgrades completed decades ago. 'The Vaal Dam is at no risk of overtopping, as the 107.5% is a little misleading. In actuality, the addition of the sluices on top of the original spillway and the raising of the wall in the 80s have increased the capacity to 126%. The 126% is the new 100%. So at its current level of 107%, the dam is actually at around 85% of its actual capacity,' Swart told The Citizen. This technical explanation provides context for residents who may be concerned about water levels appearing to exceed 100% capacity. Life returns to normal despite ongoing challenges along the Vaal River While conditions have stabilised, Swart acknowledged that many residents continue to deal with the aftermath of the flooding that occurred during the dam's rapid rise from near-empty to full capacity in just over two months. 'Mostly — life has returned to normal, but this does not mean that a large amount of people have not suffered significant damage and even financial ruin. My utmost sympathy goes out to these residents,' said Swart. The councillor noted that residents with waterfront properties can now safely enjoy their facilities again, though he cautioned about the risks some have taken by building within flood zones. 'Since there is no danger at this stage, a lot of residents with water and riverfront access can safely enjoy the facilities. This, however, does not ignore the fact that a lot of infrastructure was built against recommendations — and sometimes even unlawfully — within the flood lines. This is a calculated risk the owners have taken upon themselves,' he explained. ALSO READ: Majodina reviews report on illegal Middle Letaba Dam blockages Defence of Vaal Dam management amid criticism The management of the Vaal Dam during the crisis period drew criticism from some residents, but Swart defended the Department of Water and Sanitation's (DWS) handling of the situation. 'DWS managed the dam very well in my opinion. We could not have predicted that we would receive over 700mm of rain in the first 4 months of the year. 'The Dam went from 25% on New Year's Day to 100% on 7 March. They also have to make sure the dam stays as full as possible for as long as possible. Unfortunately, when large amounts come in, large amounts need to be released, and that's why flood lines exist,' he said. The rapid transformation from drought conditions to flood warnings highlighted the extreme weather patterns experienced in the region during early 2025. Municipal safety measures and communication Swart outlined the various safety measures implemented by Midvaal Local Municipality to protect residents during the crisis and ongoing monitoring efforts. 'Midvaal Local Municipality monitors the safety of residents very closely. We invest in various safety initiatives to ensure this. One example is Midvaal's Marine 1 Rescue boat, stationed at Vaal Marina fire station,' he said. Swart said the municipality has also prioritised communication with residents through multiple channels. 'We communicate relevant information regularly. Not only on the official Midvaal channels and socials, but also through ward councillors like myself and my various channels and WhatsApp groups,' Swart added. ALSO READ: Municipal water crisis 'nothing to do with bulk water supply', says minster at LHWP reopening Regional impact and future outlook While Midvaal residents have been relatively fortunate, Swart acknowledged that other areas along the Vaal River system have faced more severe challenges. 'As far as Midvaal Local Municipality goes, our residents are generally not affected to the extent as residents in places like Parys, for example. Unfortunately, I'm not familiar with what measures the Free State has in place for places like Parys,' he said. Looking ahead, Swart expects water levels to continue dropping gradually during the dry winter months, with levels potentially decreasing by 1% to 2% per week. However, recent developments may help maintain higher water levels. 'Our dry winters could see a gradual drop in level of 1-2% per week. What will help significantly is the re-opening of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project tunnel, which concluded its maintenance recently and has already seen an uptick in inflows into the Vaal Dam,' he explained. ALSO READ: Vaal Dam still over 100%: Here's what level it's on today Forward-thinking water security plans The municipality is also exploring alternative water supply solutions to reduce dependence on traditional sources. Swart highlighted one innovative approach being considered. 'The DA-led Midvaal Local municipality prides itself in forward-thinking plans and solutions. One such plan is, for example, 'capturing' water released daily from Bass Lake as an alternative water supply to bolster the reliance on just Rand Water,' he said. NOW READ: Here's how many millions SA sends to Lesotho each month for water
TimesLIVE
21-05-2025
- Automotive
- TimesLIVE
Fed-up investors call for CEO Oliver Blume to drop dual Porsche-VW role
Investors called on Porsche CEO Oliver Blume, who also heads parent company Volkswagen, to drop one of his roles on Wednesday as weakness in China and tariff-related challenges in the US have forced the sports car maker to cut its outlook. Last month Porsche said its margins had plunged in the first quarter and gave a more sombre forecast for the year due to a 42% drop in sales in China in the first three months of 2025, a slowing shift to electric vehicles (EVs) and US tariffs. Blume faced frustrated investors at an annual shareholders meeting, with some criticising his decision to remain at the helm at both firms. 'Independent management of both groups is de facto not possible if one person manages both,' said Hendrik Schmidt, expert for good corporate governance at Deutsche Bank unit DWS. He said the dual role was causing discounts on Porsche's share price. Blume has in the past argued his position was a recipe for success and would not last forever. 'Give up a position on the board at last,' said Ingo Speich, head of sustainability at Deka Investment. Porsche, which at its stock market debut in 2022 had a higher valuation than Volkswagen, has fallen out of favour and its shares have dropped about 45%. Investors urged quick action in the face of Porsche's troubles in major markets China and the US. 'Porsche is in a gruelling sandwich position between the trouble spots of China and the US,' Speich said, adding the company had given no answers on how it planned to fix things in China. 'Porsche must become like its products: fast and powerful, yet safe and desirable,' DWS's Schmidt said. Speaking at the shareholder meeting, Blume acknowledged the challenges. 'Last year we had huge headwinds. Now we're experiencing a violent storm,' he said, adding the Chinese market had collapsed. 'It's clear to us: you expect more from Porsche. Of course. We do too.' The investment funds cannot influence votes at the shareholders meeting as only non-voting preference shares are traded on the stock market. Parent company VW and Porsche Automobil Holding, the holding company of the Porsche and Piech families, have control.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Frustrated Porsche investors call for CEO Blume to drop dual Porsche-VW role
FRANKFURT (Reuters) -Investors called upon Porsche CEO Oliver Blume, who also heads parent company Volkswagen, to drop one of his roles on Wednesday as weakness in China and tariff-related challenges in the United States have forced the sportscar maker to cut its outlook. Last month, Porsche said its margins had plunged in the first quarter and gave a more sombre forecast for the year due to a 42% drop in sales in China in the first three months of 2025, a slowing shift to electric cars and U.S. tariffs. Blume faced frustrated investors at an annual shareholders meeting, with some criticising his decision to remain at the helm at both firms. "Independent management of both groups is de facto not possible if one person manages both," said Hendrik Schmidt, expert for good corporate governance at Deutsche Bank unit DWS. He said that the dual role was causing discounts on Porsche's share price. Blume has in the past argued that his position was a recipe for success and would not last forever. "Give up a position on the board at last," said Ingo Speich, head of sustainability at Deka Investment. Porsche, which at its stock market debut in 2022 had a higher valuation than Volkswagen, has fallen out of favour and its shares have dropped about 45%. Investors urged quick action in the face of Porsche's troubles in major markets China and the United States. "Porsche is in a gruelling sandwich position between the trouble spots of China and the USA," Speich said, adding that the company had given no answers on how it planned to fix things in China. "Porsche must become like its products: fast and powerful, yet safe and desirable," DWS's Schmidt said. Speaking at the shareholder meeting, Blume acknowledged the challenges. "Last year we had massive headwinds. Now we're experiencing a violent storm," he said, adding that the Chinese market had collapsed. "It's perfectly clear to us: You expect more from Porsche. Of course. We do too," he said. The investment funds cannot influence votes at the shareholders meeting as only non-voting preference shares are traded on the stock market. Parent company VW and Porsche Automobil Holding, the holding company of the Porsche and Piech families, have control.
Reuters
21-05-2025
- Automotive
- Reuters
Frustrated Porsche investors call for CEO Blume to drop dual Porsche-VW role
FRANKFURT, May 21 (Reuters) - Investors called upon Porsche CEO Oliver Blume, who also heads parent company Volkswagen, to drop one of his roles on Wednesday as weakness in China and tariff-related challenges in the United States have forced the sportscar maker to cut its outlook. Last month, Porsche (P911_p.DE), opens new tab said its margins had plunged in the first quarter and gave a more sombre forecast for the year due to a 42% drop in sales in China in the first three months of 2025, a slowing shift to electric cars and U.S. tariffs. Blume faced frustrated investors at an annual shareholders meeting, with some criticising his decision to remain at the helm at both firms. "Independent management of both groups is de facto not possible if one person manages both," said Hendrik Schmidt, expert for good corporate governance at Deutsche Bank ( opens new tab unit DWS. He said that the dual role was causing discounts on Porsche's share price. Blume has in the past argued that his position was a recipe for success and would not last forever. "Give up a position on the board at last," said Ingo Speich, head of sustainability at Deka Investment. Porsche, which at its stock market debut in 2022 had a higher valuation than Volkswagen ( opens new tab, has fallen out of favour and its shares have dropped about 45%. Investors urged quick action in the face of Porsche's troubles in major markets China and the United States. "Porsche is in a gruelling sandwich position between the trouble spots of China and the USA," Speich said, adding that the company had given no answers on how it planned to fix things in China. "Porsche must become like its products: fast and powerful, yet safe and desirable," DWS's Schmidt said. Speaking at the shareholder meeting, Blume acknowledged the challenges. "Last year we had massive headwinds. Now we're experiencing a violent storm," he said, adding that the Chinese market had collapsed. "It's perfectly clear to us: You expect more from Porsche. Of course. We do too," he said. The investment funds cannot influence votes at the shareholders meeting as only non-voting preference shares are traded on the stock market. Parent company VW and Porsche Automobil Holding (PSHG_p.DE), opens new tab, the holding company of the Porsche and Piech families, have control.
