Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

By Dikeledi Molobela 

A sense of pride, joy and quiet awe filled the Nelson Mandela Amphitheatre at the Union Buildings on Friday, as President Cyril Ramaphosa officially welcomed the FIFA World Cup Original Trophy to South Africa, marking a historic and emotional moment in the country’s football journey.

Bathed in sunshine and framed by the seat of government, invited guests, football legends, government leaders and members of the Bafana Bafana World Cup squad gathered in anticipation as the most coveted prize in world football was unveiled during the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola.

The atmosphere was jubilant as the trophy, rarely seen and even more rarely touched, was revealed and handed to President Ramaphosa – one of the few individuals globally permitted to physically handle the Original Trophy.

“It’s really a joyful moment to be here at the Union Buildings. I’m rather glad that we brought the cup here to the Union Buildings… We have unveiled and touched it. It feels very good. It’s got a nice touch and feel to it,” the President said, drawing warm applause from the audience.

The FIFA World Cup Original Trophy is the one presented to the winning team at the conclusion of the tournament, before returning to the FIFA Museum in Zurich. Outside of the tournament itself, the only time the trophy leaves Switzerland is during the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola, the only FIFA partner authorised to activate the Original Trophy globally.

For South Africa, the trophy’s arrival carried meaning far beyond spectacle.

After first qualifying for the FIFA World Cup in 1998 and famously hosting the historic 2010 tournament, South Africa has now qualified again for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, ending a 16-year absence from the global stage. 

The moment symbolised not just a return but a renewal, placing the hopes, pride and aspirations of the nation firmly back into the international football conversation.

“We are going to lend it out, but it’s going to come back. We’ll allow it to go for a while, and then after the FIFA World Cup, the boys are going to bring it back, and we will have it here at the Union Buildings again,” President Ramaphosa said.

Addressing the Bafana Bafana squad, the President offered words of encouragement and national backing as they prepare to compete in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

“I want to applaud you and wish you well on your journey to go and do battle in the United States, Mexico and Canada, and we do have full confidence that you’re going to bring the cup back. The South African public – the entire population – wishes you well, and this is the one moment when you must feel the full support of South Africans behind you.

“We are going to fill your sails with a great deal of luck, confidence and best wishes as you go out to represent the country and when you are there, just know that you are representing the 62 million people of South Africa,” the President said. 

The ceremony also underscored the Union Buildings’ symbolic role as the heart of South Africa’s democracy and leadership.

“This is a beautiful, sunny day in Pretoria. This is the seat of our government, and this is where we make things happen,” President Ramaphosa said, thanking Coca-Cola for bringing the global moment home.

The event featured key photo moments with the President, FIFA World Cup-winning legend Marcel Desailly, South African football icons Siphiwe Tshabalala, members of the Bafana Bafana World Cup squad, government leadership and Coca-Cola system executives, capturing a rare convergence of sport, State and history.

The FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola in South Africa is more than a tour: it is a homecoming for South Africa, marking the symbolic beginning of the country’s return to the world’s biggest sporting stage. 

As the trophy was carefully returned to its case and the ceremony drew to a close, one message resonated clearly – South Africa’s football story is once again being written, and the journey to the 2026 FIFA World Cup has officially begun. – SAnews.gov.za 

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Government has acknowledged the significant hardship and disruption experienced by households, businesses and communities across Gauteng, following the explosion of a motor connected to one of the pumps at the Zuikerbosch Water Treatment Plant.

The explosion on Tuesday, 27 January 2027, had a ripple effect and affected the entire Engine Room 4, resulting in the temporary shutdown of operations, particularly in the metropolitan municipalities of Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni.

Government expressed regret for the inconvenience, distress and economic impact caused by low water pressure, temporary outages, and widespread supply interruptions, which were exacerbated by high water consumption during this period.

In response, the Ministry of Water and Sanitation, led by Deputy Minister David Mahlobo, convened an urgent stakeholder meeting on Thursday evening.

The meeting brought together Rand Water, the Department of Water and Sanitation, the Gauteng Provincial Government, the City of Johannesburg and Johannesburg Water.

The meeting was also attended by Gauteng MEC for Infrastructure Development and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Jacob Mamabolo, and City of Johannesburg Executive Mayor Dada Morero, who provided detailed updates on the ongoing recovery efforts and the local impact of the incident.

Stakeholders received a comprehensive briefing on the cause of the explosion, assessed its impact on water supply systems and coordinated measures to accelerate recovery while strengthening long-term system resilience.

The meeting commended Rand Water for its swift and effective response, noting that emergency repair teams worked around the clock to complete emergency repairs.

“Government is pleased to confirm that full operations at Zuikerbosch have been restored, with all booster stations – Palmiet, Eikenhof, Mapleton, and Zwartkopjes – now pumping at full capacity. Reservoir levels in the affected systems are recovering steadily, and customers should see gradual improvements in water pressure and supply over the coming hours and days as the network stabilises,” government said in a joint statement on Friday.

The meeting also commended Johannesburg Water for its proactive intervention in deploying additional water tankers to alleviate pressure on businesses and communities during the disruption.

While welcoming the rapid recovery, government said the incident underscores the urgent need to strengthen the resilience of Gauteng’s bulk water supply system. 

Authorities reaffirmed their commitment to supporting infrastructure upgrades, including expanded reservoir capacity, to ensure a more reliable and robust bulk water system for the province.

Over R32 billion investment in JHB water infrastructure

The meeting noted that Johannesburg, in particular, requires increased water storage capacity in reservoirs to better buffer against unpredictable events like as infrastructure failures.

In this regard, Johannesburg Water plans to invest more than R32 billion over the next 10 years in water services infrastructure across the city, with a portion of this funding earmarked for expanding storage capacity.

“Enhancing storage will ensure that accidents or technical failures have minimal impact on communities, preventing severe disruptions even during high-demand periods or unexpected incidents,” the statement said.

Government extended its sincere apology to all affected residents, businesses and stakeholders, and thanked the public for their patience and cooperation shown throughout this challenging time.

“Rand Water and Johannesburg Water will continue their close collaboration to restore uninterrupted supply fully and provide ongoing updates. Residents are encouraged to contact their local water utility or Rand Water’s Customer Care line for assistance.” – SAnews.gov.za

 

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“The rule of law is not dead”. With that message of defiant hope, Advocate Shamila Batohi took her final bow as National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) at the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) on Friday.

Batohi retires from the NPA after seven years at the helm of the prosecutorial body.

“Despite everything, I leave this office genuinely hopeful. We have rebuilt an institution that was once almost written off. I have seen what South Africans can achieve when we stop arguing on who’s to blame and start focusing on what must be done.

“The rule of law in South Africa is not dead. It is worth fighting [for] and worth defending. If we back this next NDPP [Advocate Andy Mothibi], fix systemic weaknesses, strengthen partnerships with integrity and refuse to surrender to cynicism, we can absolutely turn the tide against corruption and organised crime,” Batohi said at her final media briefing.

Reflecting on her time in office, Batohi said she entered the Victoria and Griffiths Mxenge building (the NPA’s headquarters) during a time of “profound institutional decay, erosion of public trust and a deeply compromised criminal justice system”. 

“It has been an incredibly challenging journey. We had to rebuild a broken institution while simultaneously delivering on our core prosecutorial responsibilities given the understandable impatience for accountability and justice in this country.

“The work is not yet complete. But you may, as people of South Africa, be rest assured that a solid foundation has been built for a stronger, more effective NPA. We have shifted from a phase of stabilisation…to one of consolidation with increasing signs of institutional resilience and operation impact,” she said.

She highlighted that the prosecutorial body had moved from meeting 50% of its targets in 2020/21 to reaching, in the year to date, 94% of targets.

Other achievements include:

• The formal establishment of the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC).
• The NPA’s Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) recovered R6.3 billion from criminal proceeds in the past five years.
• The conviction of at least 380 people for complex corruption related crimes in the 24/25 financial year alone.
• The development of an organised crime strategy. 
• Finalising of national priorities guidelines for prosecutors.
• Strengthening of the NPA as an institution.
• The establishment of the office for ethics and accountability.

“We’ve made excellent progress in recovering the proceeds of crime, sending a message that crime must not pay.

“Accountability for organised crime, corruption and other crime involving proceeds is two-pronged: prosecutions and orange overalls is important but another critically important aspect of accountability is bringing the money back.

“We have implemented the corporate alternate dispute resolution mechanism, an innovative way of engaging with companies to deal with corporate crime more strategically. During this period, the AFU recovered R1.96 billion and of that, R1.9 billion was paid into the Criminal Assets Recovery Account,” Batohi added.

She acknowledged, however, that South Africans remain frustrated by the slow pace of justice.

“Despite important progress in various areas, South Africans are understandably frustrated by the slow pace of complex corruption cases and the lack of orange overalls for the most egregious offenders.

“This frustration is real. I understand, I feel it [and] the NPA understands it. But here’s the reality: globally complex corruption and organised crime prosecutions take years. They require intelligence, documents from multiple jurisdictions that must meet admissibility requirements, skilled investigators, forensic analysis and importantly, a justice system that can withstand relentless delay tactics. 

“Delays do not mean inaction. They mean that the work is difficult, intricate and if we get it right, it must be solid to withstand any appeal,” she emphasised.

Passing the baton

Batohi noted that she leaves office with some “unfinished business” still to be done by the leadership of the NPA.

However, she moved to assure South Africans that they now have a stronger NPA that is “on the right path. A path of renewal, accountability and public service”.

Key issues highlighted by Batohi include:

• Enhancing the NPA’s operational and financial independence
• The NPA must have its own accounting officer
• Comparable salary dispensation for the NPA
• Addressing the skills gap

She expressed “full confidence” in the newly appointed NDPP, Advocate Mothibi, a “man of great integrity and an impeccable track record in getting results and I’m sure he will take the work of the NPA forward”.

“We have developed a comprehensive handover report that I will handover…and we hope that this, in itself, will provide a strong platform for continued reform and progress.

“In South Africa we are in a very difficult position as far as crime is concerned. Communities are scared, businesses are fatigued and citizens are tired of waiting for justice. But the most dangerous thing we could do right now is to lose hope,” Batohi said. – SAnews.gov.za

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