Category: Africa

President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to launch the roll out of the lifesaving HIV prevention injectable medicine, Lenacapavir, later this week.

Lenacapavir is administered via injection twice a year, offering patients six months of continuous protection per dose and a welcome relief from daily pills or the bi-monthly injections.

“This groundbreaking initiative marks a significant milestone in South Africa’s ongoing efforts to fight against HIV/AIDS and aims to enhance prevention of new HIV infections.

“Lenacapavir is a twice-yearly long-acting injectable option for HIV prevention, and the rollout highlights the collaboration between the government, civil society, and private sector, and development partners amongst the stakeholders committed to ending HIV as a public health threat in South Africa,” the Presidency said in a statement.

Health Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, Mpumalanga Premier Mandla Ndlovu, Provincial Health MECs, leaders of SANAC civil society, development partners, and donors, including the Global Fund, are expected to be at the launch.

The launch will be held at the Lilian Ngoyi Stadium at Secunda in Mpumalanga on Friday. – SAnews.gov.za

The South African Police Service (SAPS) is currently conducting nationwide public consultation sessions on the implementation and refinement of the Station Post Requirement (SPR) Tool, aimed at improving equitable allocation of police resources across police stations in the country. 

The Station Post Requirement Tool is a scientific and data-driven mechanism used to determine the human resource needs of police stations based on various operational factors, including crime patterns, population size, service demands, geographical challenges and socio-economic conditions.

These consultations form part of SAPS’ commitment to transparency, accountability, and community-centred policing. 

“Through these engagements, SAPS seeks to provide stakeholders and communities with an opportunity to understand how the tool functions and to contribute meaningful inputs that will assist in ensuring that policing resources are distributed fairly and effectively.

“The consultation process includes engagements with Community Policing Forums (CPFs), organised labour, local government structures, traditional leaders, civil society organisations, and other interested stakeholders.

“SAPS recognises that communities are important partners in the fight against crime and believes that public participation will strengthen confidence in the policing environment and contribute towards improved service delivery,” the police said.

Members of the public are encouraged to actively participate in the consultation sessions currently taking place in various provinces and districts.

Venues and times will be confirmed and communicated via media platforms.

“The outcomes of the consultation process will assist SAPS in finalising a responsive and balanced staffing approach that addresses operational demands and enhances policing capabilities at station level.

“SAPS remains committed to building a safer South Africa through professional policing, community partnerships and the optimal utilisation of resources,” the police said. – SAnews.gov.za

Water and Sanitation Deputy Minister Sello Seitlholo has condemned the Kai !Garib Local Municipality in the Northern Cape for failing to implement remedial measures aimed at addressing persistent deficiencies in its water and sanitation services.

The criticism follows the release of the latest Blue Drop and Green Drop regulatory assessments by the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), which indicated that the municipality’s water and sanitation services have regressed to a critical state, despite repeated non-compliance notices issued by the department directing the municipality to correct the situation.

Seitlholo visited the municipality on Friday, 29 May, to engage municipal leadership and assess progress in implementing remedial actions previously submitted to the department to address the poor performance.

Kai !Garib Municipality is a Water Services Authority, responsible for water supply services and wastewater management in the towns of Kakamas, Keimoes, Kenhardt and Vredesvallei.

The municipality relies primarily on the Orange River and a canal managed by the Kakamas Water User Association as the main water source supplying water supply systems and water storage ponds located at the existing water treatment works (WTW).  

The canal originates from a weir alongside Orange River in a small settlement of Marchand, and serves both municipal water systems and irrigation activities, particularly the vineyards around Kakamas.

However, the municipality has a long-standing history of non-compliance in the provision of water and sanitation services and has made limited progress in addressing the identified shortcomings.

According to the DWS assessments, the municipality’s 2023 Blue Drop score has dropped significantly to 16.20%, down from 71.42% in 2014. All 16 of its water supply systems are now classified within the critical performance category.

Wastewater services have deteriorated even further, with the municipality’s 2024 Green Drop score fell to 0.3%, compared to 13% in 2021 and 34% in 2013. Wastewater treatment plants in Keimoes and Kenhardt recorded scores of 0.0%, while the Vredesvallei wastewater treatment plant has remained out of operation for more than three years.

The municipality has also failed to implement adequate measures to prevent persistent sewage overflows from manholes, dysfunctional pump stations, stormwater systems and oxidation ponds across the four towns. The continued deterioration of this infrastructure has resulted in contamination of local watercourses, posing severe public health and environmental hazards.

In response to the aging infrastructure at the Kakamas water and wastewater treatment works that have exceeded their operational lifespan, the Department of Water and Sanitation allocated more than R12 million through the Water Services Infrastructure Grant (WSIG) for the refurbishment of the Kakamas Water Treatment Works. A further R7 million was provided for upgrades to the Vredesvallei Wastewater Treatment Works. Both projects were completed in December 2025.

The municipality has also submitted a feasibility study to the department in 2023 proposing the construction of a new wastewater treatment works in Kakamas, and a bulk water supply system intended to serve Kakamas, surrounding villages and commercial farming operations.

During his visit, Seitlholo inspected the oxidation ponds in Kakamas and instructed the municipality to develop and implement an urgent corrective action plan. The plan must outline the specific areas of failures, corrective activities to be undertaken by the municipality, provide technical upgrade and restoration plans and progress reports for the restoration or upgrades of identified critical wastewater systems, and include implementation timelines and the expected improvements.

“Water and sanitation services in Kai !Garib municipality have reached critical state, and the reality is that this municipality requires joint interventions from the Departments of Water and Sanitation and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs. The intervention should also be done as per the reforms that were proposed at the Water and Sanitation Indaba held in 2025.

“I have ordered the municipality to submit their corrective action plans before end of June, and we will continue to monitor the situation. We hope that the municipality will work within the timelines that will be able to restore the infrastructure that will provide clean drinking water and dignified sanitation to the communities,” the Deputy Minister said. – SAnews.gov.za

Sustained improvements in Eskom’s plant performance, reliability and operational discipline continue to fuel South Africa’s power system stability even as seasonal temperatures decline and electricity demand rises.

This according to the power utility which recorded more than 376 days without the implementation of load shedding.

“System performance remains strong, with the financial year-to-date Energy Availability Factor [EAF] improving to 62.59%, up from 57.43% over the same period last year, a 5.17% increase.

“This reflects sustained progress under Eskom’s turnaround strategy and marks a 9.97% [5.02GW] improvement compared to the corresponding period three years ago at the outset of the Generation Recovery Plan, supported by a continued reduction in unplanned outages,” Eskom said in a statement.

Diesel expenditure – used to fuel the power utility’s Open Cycle Gas Turbines – has also fallen dramatically over the past financial year.

“Diesel expenditure stands at R559.17 million at a load factor of 1.48%, significantly lower than the R3.426 billion incurred over the same period last year, at a load factor of 12.42% – an 83.68% year-on-year reduction. The reported diesel expenditure has been updated following reconciliation to ensure alignment with verified financial records and actual usage.

“Diesel in the past week was strategically deployed at peak demand times to meet the higher-than-expected demand, as well as provide the required reserves in line with the South African Grid Code.

“This continued reduction demonstrates both the cost savings and the operational improvements achieved through Eskom’s ongoing turnaround efforts. Overall, this positive trend highlights the growing stability and efficiency of the power system,” the statement explained.

Furthermore, the power utility expects to bring some 1 010MW of generation capacity online ahead of tonight’s evening peak.

Ending load reduction

The power utility’s efforts to end load reduction continue to bear fruit, with some 651 828 customers across South Africa no longer impacted.

Load reduction is implemented as a temporary measure in high-risk areas to protect both communities and the electricity network where illegal connections and meter tampering persist.

“Eskom has launched a phased programme to eliminate load reduction by 2027. The programme targets 971 feeders and will benefit approximately 1.69 million customers across all provinces, out of Eskom’s total customer base of 7.2 million.

“Key interventions include the rollout of smart meters, the integration of Distributed Energy Resources, and the expansion of Free Basic Electricity support. These measures will be accompanied by targeted customer education initiatives,” the statement read. – SAnews.gov.za

Parliament will this week convene the inaugural meeting of the newly established Section 89 Impeachment Committee while also considering The Presidency’s budget and marking the 30th anniversary of South Africa’s Constitution.

The committee, established following a Constitutional Court ruling, is scheduled to hold its first meeting on Monday afternoon to elect a chairperson. It has been tasked with investigating whether sufficient grounds exist for Parliament to recommend the removal of the President from office.

The meeting is expected to be one of the key events in a packed parliamentary programme that includes budget debates, a high-level international visit and numerous committee engagements.

On Tuesday, President Cyril Ramaphosa will table the Presidency’s Budget Vote in the National Assembly, after which Members of Parliament will debate the budget. The President is expected to deliver his reply to the debate on Wednesday afternoon.

The National Council of Provinces (NCOP) will consider Budget Votes for Home Affairs and Employment and Labour on Tuesday, before continuing with debates on Electricity and Energy and Mineral and Petroleum Resources on Wednesday.

Parliament will also host Singaporean President Tharman Shanmugaratnam on Wednesday during his working visit to South Africa. The Singaporean leader is scheduled to pay a courtesy visit to the Speaker of the National Assembly.

According to Parliament, discussions will focus on strengthening political, parliamentary and economic ties between the two countries, with particular attention on governance, skills development, digital transformation, economic growth, job creation and inclusive development.

A major highlight of the week will take place on Thursday when the National Assembly and the NCOP convene a joint sitting to commemorate the 30th anniversary of South Africa’s Constitution.

Following the joint sitting, the National Assembly will consider several committee reports, including a report on the Military Discipline Supplementary Measures Amendment Bill. 

Members will also debate the President’s determination on the remuneration of public office-bearers and members of independent constitutional institutions for the 2025/26 financial year.

In the NCOP, delegates will continue policy debates on the Health and Social Development Budget Votes.

The National Assembly’s programme concludes on Friday with mini-plenaries to consider various committee reports.

Among them are reports on a petition submitted by the National African Federated Chamber of Commerce and Industry and an oversight visit by the Portfolio Committee on Social Development to South African Social Security Agency offices and National Development Agency-funded projects in KwaZulu-Natal.

Beyond plenary activities, Parliament will host 36 committee meetings during the week. – SAnews.gov.za

President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on South Africans to unite behind Bafana Bafana as the national men’s football team prepares to make its long-awaited return to the FIFA World Cup.

In his weekly newsletter to the nation, the President said the team carries the hopes and aspirations of millions of South Africans as it heads to the global tournament, where it will face Mexico in the opening match in just under two weeks.

“They carry with them the best wishes of more than 62 million South Africans who will be cheering them on at every stage of the tournament. Bafana Bafana are taking part in the World Cup for the first time since we hosted the event in 2010,” the President said on Monday.

The soccer tournament will be held in Mexico, the United States of America, and Canada.

He urged the entire nation to get behind the team and celebrate the achievement of qualifying for football’s biggest tournament.

“I call on all South Africans to rally behind our team and show their support. Let us wear the team colours and fly the flag.”

The President also acknowledged the efforts that have gone into rebuilding South African football over the years, crediting government, football administrators, clubs, leagues and sponsors for their contribution to the sport’s development.

“It has been a long and difficult journey to transform the fortunes of Bafana Bafana. Credit must go to the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, the South African Football Association, the leagues, clubs and sponsors for their commitment to developing local football over many years. The coach and the players deserve our collective recognition.”

He said work continues to professionalise football, nurture emerging talent and encourage participation in the sport among young people across the country.

President Ramaphosa described the national team as ambassadors for South Africa, saying the composition of the squad reflects the country’s diversity and commitment to unity.

“Bafana Bafana will be ambassadors for our country and what we stand for. The diversity of the squad and technical team is a reminder to the world that we are a united nation of many races, languages and cultures,” he said. 

The President said the transformation of sport demonstrates South Africa’s commitment to the constitutional values of respect, fairness, tolerance and inclusivity.

Drawing parallels with the unifying power of sport throughout the country’s democratic history, President Ramaphosa reflected on the iconic moment during the 1995 Rugby World Cup final when former President Nelson Mandela wore a Springbok jersey to congratulate the national rugby team.

He said that while South Africans hope Bafana Bafana will lift the World Cup trophy, the team’s participation itself holds significant meaning for the nation.

“As I told the Bafana Bafana squad last week, the people of South Africa expect them to bring the trophy home. Yet regardless of how Bafana Bafana fare in the tournament, their participation is as rich with meaning as the 1995 Rugby World Cup,” he said. 

READ | Bafana Bafana have “the nation behind them”

President Ramaphosa said the country’s journey mirrors that of the national football team, noting that South Africa has emerged from a challenging period and is looking ahead with renewed optimism.

“Much like the national squad, the country has emerged from a prolonged period of difficulty and now looks to the future with hope,” he said. 

He pointed to the country’s democratic progress, the strength of its Constitution, the launch of the National Dialogue process and signs of economic recovery as reasons for growing confidence in the future.

The President urged citizens to celebrate not only the team’s achievements but also the progress South Africa has made in building a united, non-racial, non-sexist and democratic society.

“So, as we cheer our team on from the stands, at fan zones and in our homes, we should also cheer ourselves on as a country. We should celebrate how far we have come in building a united, non-racial, non-sexist and democratic South Africa,” the President said. 

He concluded by calling for unity as South Africans support the national team on the world stage. 

“For 90 minutes, as they play for our country, we will not be divided by language, race, province, club or circumstance. For 90 minutes, as they play, we will simply be South Africans standing together behind our national team and behind our flag.

“One Team. One Nation. Behind Bafana. Behind South Africa. United by our Flag, inspired by our Team. 62 million cheering voices. One Dream,” the President said.

Bafana Bafana will face Mexico in the tournament opener on 11 June 2026. – SAnews.gov.za

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) will provide an update on its investigation into the Free State Provincial Government Bursary Scheme at a media briefing on Tuesday.

The bursary scheme is aimed at unemployed young people interested in pursuing higher education in scarce skills fields, including agriculture, accounting and engineering in the province.

“The SIU’s investigation, under Proclamation 123 of 2023, examines the Office of the Premier’s 2017/2018 report on bursaries, including payments for travel, accommodation, and stipends that were improperly given or in violation of bursary policy.

“The SIU’s investigation looks at payments for student accommodation, causes of maladministration, and related unauthorised or wasteful expenditure. The probe also looks into any unlawful conduct by officials or others related to these matters.

“Additionally, the SIU examined suspense account funds at higher education institutions and arranged repayment where credit balances to the Premier’s Office were found,” the SIU said.

The briefing will be led by Acting SIU Head Leonard Lekgetho and will be joined by Free State Premier Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae, and the Director-General of the Free State Provincial Government, Dr Molefinyana Phera.

“The release of the report is a key milestone in the investigation, highlighting the SIU’s commitment to transparency and keeping the public informed,” the SIU stated. – SAnews.gov.za