Category: Africa

Cabinet has welcomed the successful hosting of the 46th SADC Summit in Durban, KwaZulu Natal, which marked the beginning of South Africa’s Chairship of the regional bloc.

The Summit was held under the theme: “Resilient, Sustainable and Inclusive Industrialisation through Infrastructure Development, Agricultural and Critical Minerals Transformation in pursuit of a Just World”.

Cabinet said the Summit considered reports on the implementation of the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) 2020–2030, which focuses on continued efforts to improve peace, security, economic, health and infrastructure performance.

The Summit also considered progress on the development of the North-South Economic Corridor (NSEC), the establishment of the NSEC Investment programme and the Corridor Management Institution.

It further considered the need to identify at least three high-impact projects or areas to be discussed at the next meeting of the Council of Ministers.

Migration on the regional agenda

Cabinet noted that South Africa used the Summit to brief member states on migration governance in the country.

“South Africa took the opportunity to brief the Summit about migration governance in the country and the need to hold the SADC dialogue on the matter including the pull and push factors and related security matters,” Cabinet said. 

The issue formed part of South Africa’s broader efforts to strengthen regional cooperation on migration management and related security matters.

Angola phase of exile repatriation programme launched

Cabinet also welcomed the launch of the Angola phase of South Africa’s Exile Repatriation Programme to locate and repatriate the remains of South Africans who died in exile during the liberation struggle.

The initiative forms part of the country’s Five-Year Exile Repatriation Plan.

Angola has the largest known concentration of South Africans who died in exile, with more than 400 possible graves identified.

Cabinet called on families whose loved ones died, disappeared or were buried in Angola during the liberation struggle to register with the South African Heritage Resources Agency through its Exile Repatriation Portal.

Families requiring assistance can also register at SAHRA offices, Freedom Park, provincial Department of Sport, Arts and Culture offices and through military veterans’ structures.

Cabinet also welcomed the repatriation of the remains of 86 Namibians, including liberation heroes Festus Nehale and Simon Niilenge, who died in detention after being imprisoned on Robben Island.

The remains, which were removed from Namibia more than a century ago and subjected to unethical colonial-era experiments, will be reburied at Namibia’s Heroes’ Acre.

“Cabinet welcomed the repatriation as an important act of restorative justice that honours liberation heroes and provides closure to their descendants,” Cabinet said. 

Cabinet concerned over sexual offences

Cabinet has approved the submission to Parliament of the 2025/26 Annual Reports on the implementation of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act, 2007.

Cabinet raised concerns over the still high statistics relating to rape and other sexual offences highlighted in the report, despite multiple government interventions.

It directed the strengthening of multidisciplinary initiatives under the National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide.

The coordinated response will involve the criminal justice, health, social development and education sectors, with a focus on prevention, victim support, offender accountability and the protection of vulnerable groups.

Cabinet also approved the submission to Parliament of the 2025/26 Annual Reports on the implementation of the Child Justice Act, 2008.

Cabinet directed that more efforts must be made to strengthen the coordinated approach to prevent offences against children.  – SAnews.gov.za

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South Africa is preparing for the possible registration and introduction of a new tuberculosis (TB) vaccine currently undergoing Phase 3 trials, Cabinet announced on Friday.

Briefing the media on Friday, Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said Cabinet was briefed on progress towards the development of the vaccine, which could significantly contribute to eliminating TB as a public health threat. 

“Cabinet noted that government is preparing for the registration and introduction of the vaccine, should the trials prove successful,” she said. 

Cabinet also welcomed an agreement with the Serum Institute of India to produce TB vaccines for global distribution.

The agreement is expected to strengthen South Africa’s vaccine manufacturing capacity, support innovation and contribute to economic growth and job creation.

Eskom reaches load reduction milestone

Cabinet has also welcomed continued improvements in Eskom’s generation performance, with the power utility exceeding a key milestone in its load reduction eradication programme.

Eskom exceeded a key milestone in its load reduction eradication programme by achieving load reduction status in seven provinces ahead of the October 2026 target. 

“Approximately 1.2 million customers have been restored to normal supply conditions, reducing the share of affected customers to 6.8% of Eskom’s customer base,” Ntshavheni said. 

Furthermore, Eskom has also significantly reduced its reliance on diesel, with expenditure falling by more than 83% year-on-year from R5.92 billion to R992 million over the comparable period, as Open Cycle Gas Turbine usage dropped from 8.67% to 1.10%.

“The sharp reduction in diesel use reflects sustained improvements in fleet performance and a more reliable, efficient and resilient power system. 

“South Africa has now recorded 467 consecutive days without loadshedding since 16 May 2025, providing reliable electricity to households and businesses and supporting broader economic development,” the Minister said.

Cabinet also welcomed continued improvement in Eskom’s performance with the Energy Availability Factor reaching its highest level since 2020, reflecting a more reliable generation fleet. 

This sustained improvement returned approximately 6 100 megawatts of generation capacity to the grid, while unplanned outages declined by nearly 40% year-on-year.

Cabinet further called on South Africans to make submissions on the Draft Revised Electricity Pricing Policy which is currently open for public comments. 

The proposed policy measures are aimed at reducing the cost of electricity while maintaining cost-reflective tariffs and protecting vulnerable households and strategic economic sectors.

R1.99 trillion infrastructure pipeline

Cabinet welcomed South Africa’s successful hosting of the 5th Sustainable Infrastructure Development Symposium of South Africa (SIDSSA) in Cape Town.

The symposium identified 263 infrastructure projects valued at R1.99 trillion across various stages of development and implementation.

Over the past 18 months, 37 projects valued at R69 billion have been completed, supporting economic growth and job creation.

Trade and investment

Cabinet has welcomed the extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which maintains preferential access for eligible South African products to the United States of America market.

The extension will last until 31 December 2028 and provides certainty for local producers and exporters, supporting market diversification, increased exports and deeper trade and investment ties with the USA.

Cabinet also welcomed the agreement between South Africa and India to expand treatment options for South African fresh citrus exports, following nearly a decade of negotiations.

The agreement will provide citrus producers with greater logistical flexibility and support increased exports to India.

South Africa exported 2.9 million tonnes of citrus in 2025, earning US$2.1 billion.

Digital visa system

Cabinet also welcomed the launch of South Africa’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) platform as part of the digital transformation of the visa and immigration system.

The ETA replaces manual visa processes with a faster and more efficient digital system.

“By integrating biometric verification and advanced technology, the ETA will strengthen border security, improve migration management and enhance South Africa’s competitiveness as a destination for tourism, business and investment,” Cabinet said. – SAnews.gov.za

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President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday met with the United States Ambassador to South Africa, His Excellency Leo Brent Bozell III.

In a post on social media platform, X, the Presidency said the engagement provided an opportunity to strengthen and recalibrate South Africa – United States relations and reaffirm both countries’ commitment to constructive engagement on matters of mutual interest.

The meeting took place at  Mahlamba Ndlopfu in Tshwane, Gauteng. –SAnews.gov.za

 

 

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Cabinet says preparations for the 2026 Local Government Elections are progressing, with coordination mechanisms across all three spheres of government in place, ahead of the polls scheduled for 4 November 2026.  

Briefing the media on Friday, Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said Cabinet was briefed on the state of readiness for the elections during its meeting on Wednesday and noted progress towards ensuring a free, fair, credible and peaceful electoral process.

“Cabinet noted that coordination mechanisms across national, provincial and local spheres of government were in place to support a free, fair, credible and peaceful electoral process,” Ntshavheni said.

Cabinet has welcomed ongoing measures to strengthen voter participation, combat misinformation and ensure operational readiness, while encouraging all eligible South Africans to exercise their right to vote.

The preparations come amid concerns over the recent killings of councillors.

The Minister said Cabinet strongly condemned the killings and appreciated the swift response by law enforcement in finding the perpetrators of what it described as heinous crimes.

“Cabinet called on all South Africans to uphold political tolerance, reject intimidation, violence and any conduct that undermines the integrity of the electoral process as the country prepares for the 2026 Local Government Elections on 4 November 2026,” Ntshavheni said.

Strengthening border infrastructure

As part of government’s broader migration management strategy, Cabinet approved the Borderline Infrastructure Improvement Plan (2026–2030).

The plan seeks to strengthen and modernise South Africa’s borderline infrastructure across all seven border provinces.

It will focus on improving border security, patrol mobility, operational response times, personnel safety, infrastructure maintenance and intergovernmental coordination, while deterring illegal cross-border incursions.

Municipal turnaround strategy expanded

Cabinet was also briefed on progress made through the Municipal Performance Turnaround Strategy in addressing challenges in distressed municipalities.

The intervention has been expanded from the initial 10 to 38 municipalities and focuses on improving financial viability, governance, service delivery, audit outcomes and institutional capacity.

The Inter-Ministerial Committee also supports the implementation of constitutional interventions where existing support measures have not achieved the desired outcomes.

Water partnerships

The Minister said Cabinet also received an update on the work of the Water Partnership Office, which supports municipalities to strengthen water service delivery through partnerships with the private sector.

Under the Non-Revenue Water Programme, the office assisted the eThekwini Municipality to secure R379 million over six years to reduce water losses and is supporting eThekwini and the City of Tshwane with implementation.

Under the Water Re-Use Programme, 34 municipalities completed climate risk assessments, while US$235 million was secured from the Green Climate Fund to advance water re-use projects.

The Water Partnership Office is also developing a sanitation bond and fund to support non-sewered sanitation technologies in informal settlements and schools.

Under the Seawater Desalination Programme, a proposal was submitted to the City of Cape Town to support the Paarden Eiland desalination public-private partnership project. – SAnews.gov.za
 

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Acting National Police Commissioner Leuitenant General Puleng Dimpane says while crime statistics show areas of progress, they also expose areas where criminal threat remains stubborn and unacceptable.

“Murder decreased by 5.9 % from 5 770 to 5 427 cases. This represents 343 fewer murders compared to the same period last year. However, 5 427 murders in 90 days remain 5 427 too many. Every death represents a life lost and a family devastated,”  Dimpane said.

Speaking at the release of the 2026/2027 First Quarter Crime Stats in Pretoria, on Friday, Dimpane said the reduction means that while the police are making inroads, the pace of progress is not yet where it must be.

“We will therefore direct resources, personnel and operational deployments towards those areas and crime categories where the current picture demands a more decisive response.”

She added that the broader picture shows that contact crime decreased by 2.3 %, from 145 446 to 142 112 cases. Contact crime refers to crimes in which the victims are the targets of violence or instances where the victims are in the vicinity of property that criminals target and are subjected to the use of/or threats of violence by perpetrators.

“Sexual offences decreased marginally by 0.8%, while robbery with aggravating circumstances declined by 14.7%. More significantly, the trio crimes declined by 16.4%. Carjacking decreased by 18.2 %, robbery at residential premises by 17.6 %, robbery at non-residential premises by 11.8%  and truck hijacking by 21 %.” 

From April-June 2025 trio crimes stood at 13 116 and from April to June 2026, it stood ay 10 960. 

Operation Shanela

 Dimpane said that during the first quarter, Operation Shanela continued to drive high-density, high-visibility policing across the country.

“SAPS conducted more than 440 000 high-visibility patrols, more than 520 000 stop-and-search operations and 3 494 roadblocks. 

“These interventions are not simply activities that generate statistics; they are deliberate operational measures designed to prevent crime, disrupt criminal activity, increase police visibility and create a sense of consequence for those who threaten the safety of our communities,” she said.

The Acting Commissioner said the scale of enforcement is further demonstrated by the 171 986 suspects arrested during the quarter, including 28 475 wanted suspects linked to serious crimes such as murder, attempted murder, rape, other sexual offences and illegal possession of firearms. 

“We arrested 1 618 suspects for murder, 1 581 for attempted murder, 1 935 for rape and 16 503 for assault with the intent to inflict grievous bodily harm. We also arrested 863 suspects for contraventions of the Firearms Control Act, 1 283 for illegal possession of firearms and 5 863 for possession of dangerous weapons.

“The fight against drugs remains central to our operational strategy because drugs are a significant driver of violence, organised criminality and social disorder. During the quarter under reporting, 4 594 suspects were arrested for dealing in drugs and 29 548 for possession of drugs,” she said.

Dimpane said the police closed 6 529 liquor premises for various contraventions and arrested 9 813 motorists for driving under the influence of alcohol. 

“These interventions are important because the patterns emerging from our crime analysis increasingly demonstrate the intersection between alcohol, drugs, violent behaviour and certain categories of contact crime. 

“Our operational response also focused on removing the tools of criminality. SAPS seized 1 583 illegal firearms, including 1 300 handguns and 136 rifles, together with 27 053 rounds of ammunition. Approximately R1.2 million in cash suspected to be linked to criminal activities was seized, while 780 hijacked and stolen vehicles were recovered,” she said.

Dimpane said approximately R1,2 million in cash suspected to be linked to criminal activities was seized, while 780 hijacked and stolen vehicles were recovered.

“We are therefore repurposing Crime Intelligence to become the centre of proactive policing, strengthening its capacity to identify threats, anticipate criminal activity, develop actionable intelligence and direct operational resources where they will have the greatest impact.

“The recent withdrawal of cases involving Crime Intelligence leadership and members must be understood within the broader principles of institutional credibility, due process, justice and the rule of law,” Dimpane said. – SAnews.gov.za

 

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Acting Police Minister Professor Firoz Cachalia says police have recorded notable decreases in several of the country’s most serious contact crimes.

“Murder has declined, marking yet another consecutive quarter in which this crime has shown a downward trajectory,” Cachalia said.

Speaking at the release of the First Quarter Crime Statistics in Pretoria on Friday, Cachalia said they have also seen significant reductions in crimes such as carjacking, residential robberies, business robberies and cash-in-transit robberies.

Murder decreased by 5.9%, from 5 770 to 5 427 cases. 

“This represents 343 fewer murders compared to the same period last year.

The South African Police Service will direct resources, personnel and operational deployments to ensure a more decisive response.

“These are the crimes that create fear in our communities. Many are committed by organised, heavily armed criminal groups that operate with planning and sophistication. Others are interpersonal crimes, perpetrated by people known to their victims, reflecting deeper challenges within our social fabric and the breakdown of trust and relationships in communities,” Cachalia said.

Sexual offences declined from 11 630 to 11 532 (-98); carjacking declined from 4 657 to 3 811 (-846); robbery at residential premises declined from 5 360 to 4 416 (-944), while robbery at non-residential premises declined from 3 099 to 2 733 (-366). Robbery with aggravating circumstances declined from 31 475 to 26 839 (-4.636).

Cachalia said seeing sustained declines across the various categories demonstrates that intelligence-led policing, targeted operations and improved collaboration between law enforcement agencies are beginning to have an impact, while also underscoring the importance of broader social interventions to address the root causes of violence.

“At the same time, we must remain honest with ourselves and with the South African public. While percentage decreases are encouraging, they do not erase the reality that far too many South Africans continue to lose their lives through violent crime. Every murder remains one too many. Every victim deserves justice.

“We are also concerned about crime categories that have increased during the reporting period, particularly those affecting women, children and other vulnerable members of society. Gender-based violence and femicide continues to demand urgent attention from every sector of society,” the Acting Minister said.

Cachalia said the protection of women and children and other vulnerable persons remains a national policing priority requiring sustained investment and prevention, victim support, investigation and prosecution.

“The statistics also continue to confirm an important trend: crime is highly concentrated. A relatively small number of policing precincts account for a disproportionate amount of violent crime.

“This reinforces our commitment to deploying resources where they are needed most and ensuring that operational decisions are increasingly driven by crime intelligence and evidence rather than assumptions.”

Cachalia said the resolution from the recent MinMEC [Ministers/Members of Executive Council] meeting was to prioritise interventions in 140 high-crime police station precincts across the country.  

“These resolutions complement the work already underway and will serve as an important guide as we continue implementing interventions aimed at reducing violent crime across the country.

“The senior leadership of the SAPS interrogates the crime picture every Monday looking at shifts… that can inform whether how we are using our resources is having an impact or not.”

Cachalia said crime statistics are not merely numbers on a page.  

“Behind every statistic is a victim, a grieving family, a traumatised community and, in far too many cases, a life that can never be replaced.”

Cachalia said as the South African Police Service (SAPS), they remain mindful that while statistics help measure performance, the ultimate responsibility is to protect the people of South Africa and to restore their confidence in the ability of the State to keep them safe.

“The time has come to appreciate what the police are doing. Policing is difficult in this country, the police are paying the price and yet we are making progress,” Cachalia said. – SAnews.gov.za

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