Category: Africa

South Africa’s drive to accelerate infrastructure development and unlock economic growth has received a significant boost after the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors approved the South Africa Blended Finance Platform for Resilient Infrastructure Program.

The move is expected to help mobilise billions in investment, create jobs and strengthen the country’s long-term economic prospects, said a statement by the National Treasury and World Bank on Monday.

The programme will establish a new Credit Guarantee Vehicle aimed at unlocking private sector funding for major infrastructure projects. 

By issuing market-based credit guarantees, the facility is designed to reduce investment risk, attract institutional and commercial investors and lessen reliance on sovereign guarantees while expanding the country’s ability to deliver critical infrastructure.

Over the next decade the initiative is expected to mobilise about $10 billion, approximately R160 billion, in capital from private investors, commercial lenders and institutional investors. 

The programme is also projected to generate nearly 997 000 direct and indirect jobs while supporting efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The approval comes at a critical time for South Africa’s economy, which has grown at an average rate of less than 1% over the past decade while unemployment has remained above 30%. 

Young people have been particularly affected, and longstanding challenges in electricity supply, freight logistics and water services continue to drive up costs, limit productivity and constrain job creation.

By helping to finance large-scale infrastructure projects, the Credit Guarantee Vehicle is expected to play a key role in addressing these bottlenecks while strengthening fiscal sustainability and expanding economic opportunities for businesses and households.

Satu Kahkonen, the World Bank’s Division Director for South Africa, said investment in infrastructure is central to the country’s efforts to restore growth and create employment.

“This operation supports the government’s agenda by helping mobilise private investment for infrastructure that improves services, strengthens competitiveness, and expands economic opportunity,” Kahkonen said.

Despite having deep and sophisticated financial markets, long-term institutional capital in South Africa remains under-allocated to infrastructure. At the same time, the scale of infrastructure needs means the public sector cannot finance projects alone. 

The Credit Guarantee Vehicle introduces a blended finance structure aimed at sharing risk more efficiently and attracting long-term private capital at scale.

The programme will be implemented by National Treasury and includes $350 million in financing from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development to capitalise the Credit Guarantee Vehicle through the South African government. 

The funding will also support project pipeline development and strengthen implementation capacity.

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana said progress is being made in establishing the new vehicle and that it will soon be formally incorporated.

“I am pleased to announce that National Treasury, together with the World Bank, are making significant progress with the Credit Guarantee Vehicle. The CGV, which will support massive investments in transmission infrastructure, will be incorporated as a company in the coming months,” Godongwana said.

He added that development partners are expected to confirm their capital participation, with the aim of making the facility operational later this year.

The initiative also complements ongoing economic reforms under Operation Vulindlela II, the government’s structural reform programme aimed at unlocking growth and investment. 

It supports broader efforts to strengthen governance, improve regulatory certainty and enhance project preparation capacity in the electricity, transport and water sectors.

The programme is further aligned with South Africa’s just energy transition by helping to finance renewable energy, transmission, storage and related infrastructure projects that are expected to improve energy security while supporting a lower-carbon economy. – SAnews.gov.za

Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Mimmy Gondwe, will lead a Matric Support Programme at schools in the Cape Winelands District on Monday and Tuesday.

The Matric Support Programme seeks to bridge the gap between Basic Education and Higher Education for matriculants. The programme assists matric learners in accessing information about higher education, including available study opportunities and funding options, before they move into the Post-School Education and Training (PSET) sector. 

Gondwe will visit Vusisizwe High School on Monday and Zwelethemba High School on Tuesday, according to the Department of Higher Education and Training.

This marks the programme’s first visit to the Western Cape province following successful visits in the Eastern Cape and Northern Cape. 

The visit to the two schools is planned in partnership with the Western Cape Education Department, with support from the Services SETA, FP&M SETA, Khetha – Career Development Services, the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), the National Skills Fund (NSF), and Old Mutual.

All partner organisations will share key information with learners about youth training, development opportunities, access, and funding for the higher education sector. – SAnews.gov.za

Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina and Egypt’s Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Hani Sewilam, have convened women professionals from the water sector to explore solutions to shared water challenges and strengthen transboundary water cooperation.

The two Ministers co-hosted a high-level webinar on Transboundary Water Cooperation on Sunday under the theme, ‘Water for People’, bringing together experts and professionals from South Africa and Egypt. 

The event took place during March, which is marked in South Africa as National Water Month and also includes the observance of International Women’s Day and Human Rights Day.

Addressing participants, Majodina said the webinar aimed to highlight the critical role women play in promoting dialogue, building trust and shaping collaborative frameworks for sustainable water management and peace.

“This webinar seeks to highlight the essential role of women in fostering dialogue, building trust, and shaping collaborative frameworks for sustainable water management and peace.

“We commend the women who are already trailblazers in their respective spaces and the impeccable leadership we possess across the board, who advance the needs of our communities in ensuring we deliver water to all,” the Minister said.

Majodina emphasised the need to amplify women’s voices in the water sector and recognise their technical expertise and leadership.

“The decisions we make and the ideas we generate in these engagements have the power to shape economies, influence policies and improve lives around the planet,” she said.

The Minister urged participants to consider the impact of their work in ensuring that communities have access to safe water and sanitation.

“With each and every intervention… we need to ask what impact we have made to ensure ‘Water for People’ and how we are supporting young engineers and scientists so that we can achieve water security and ensure that no one is left behind,” she said.

Majodina also thanked women professionals from both countries for their participation and commitment to advancing cooperation in the water sector.

Sewilam highlighted that both Egypt and South Africa rely on transboundary water systems, making dialogue, technical cooperation and sustained diplomatic engagement essential.

“When women are fully engaged in water governance and transboundary cooperation, agreements become more sustainable, institutions become more representative and communities become more resilient,” Sewilam said.

He also called for stronger efforts to create enabling environments for women’s leadership. 

“As we celebrate Internation Women’s Day, we must also renew our commitment to creating enabling environments for women’s leadership through education, mentorship, capacity building, and equal access to decision-making positions across the water sector,” he said. 

The webinar featured presentations focusing on sustainable development through water cooperation, strengthening cross-border water governance and ensuring water reaches marginalised communities.

Participants also shared innovative approaches to water management, highlighting how knowledge exchange and cooperation can help address water challenges and promote sustainable and equitable access to water resources. – SAnews.gov.za

Key stakeholders from government, academia and business will convene in Kimberley this week for a colloquium aimed at strengthening South Africa’s innovation and technology commercialisation ecosystem and unlocking new economic opportunities.

Hosted by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic) in partnership with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) and Sol Plaatje University (SPU), the 6th Annual Intellectual Property (IP) and Technology Commercialisation Colloquium will take place from 9–10 March 2026.

The annual colloquium serves as a platform to promote best practices in intellectual property management and technology commercialisation.

This year’s discussions will focus on implementing the National Commercialisation Strategy to ensure that South Africa’s intellectual property assets translate into economic value, industrial growth and job creation.

The Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Parks Tau, emphasises the importance of the platform in advancing industrial innovation and economic transformation.

“IP is no longer a peripheral legal concept; it is a central pillar of modern industrial development. As South Africa deepens its re-industrialisation agenda, we must ensure that ideas developed in our laboratories, universities and enterprises are protected, financed and successfully brought to market,” said Tau.

He said the National Commercialisation Strategy aims to bridge the gap between innovation and industrial application. The colloquium provides an opportunity for stakeholders to strengthen implementation, share best practices and build partnerships that unlock the economic potential of South Africa’s intellectual capital.

The partnership between the dtic, CIPC and SPU reflects collaboration between government, regulators and academia to strengthen South Africa’s IP system and support technology-driven industrial development.

Discussions during the colloquium will cover product–market fit, knowledge-for-equity structures, early-stage venture funding, customer development and effective routes to market for new technologies.

By promoting best practices in technology commercialisation, the colloquium aims to help companies and innovators create value from their intellectual property, strengthening competitiveness and industry growth.

“If we are to build a dynamic and inclusive economy, we must cultivate an ecosystem where innovation is supported from ideation through to market entry and scale. This colloquium is about strengthening that ecosystem and ensuring that innovators, investors and policymakers work together to drive South Africa’s industrial future,” said Tau. – SAnews.gov.za

President Cyril Ramaphosa has arrived in Brasília ahead of a State Visit aimed at strengthening diplomatic and economic relations between South Africa and Brazil.

The President arrived in the Brazilian capital on Sunday at the invitation of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva for the two-day visit taking place from 9 to 10 March 2026.

According to the Presidency, the visit provides an opportunity for the two leaders to engage on a range of bilateral and multilateral issues of mutual interest, including cooperation in trade, investment and key economic sectors.

South Africa and Brazil share longstanding diplomatic ties anchored in the Declaration of Strategic Partnership signed in 2010, which is implemented through the South Africa–Brazil Joint Commission.

The State Visit programme will begin on Monday with an official welcome ceremony in honour of President Ramaphosa at the Palácio do Planalto at 3pm (SAST).

This will be followed by a joint media briefing by Ramaphosa and Lula at the same venue at 5pm (SAST), where the two leaders are expected to outline areas of cooperation and the outcomes of their engagements.

Later in the evening, President Ramaphosa will address the South Africa–Brazil Business Forum at the Itamaraty Palace at 7pm (SAST). 

The forum will bring together business leaders from both countries and is aimed at promoting greater commercial collaboration and investment opportunities.

The State Visit will focus on strengthening cooperation in sectors such as agribusiness, aerospace, creative industries, defence, energy, mining, science and technology, sport and tourism.

The two leaders are also expected to discuss shared geopolitical priorities as members of the Global South and cooperation in multilateral platforms including BRICS, the India-Brazil-South Africa Dialogue Forum, the Group of 77, the Group of Twenty and the United Nations.

Brazil remains a key partner for South Africa’s engagement with the Latin American and Caribbean region and both countries are expected to explore ways to expand trade and investment.

Bilateral trade between South Africa and Brazil reached R32.5 billion in 2025, with South African exports amounting to R5.2 billion and imports from Brazil totalling about R27.3 billion.

President Ramaphosa is accompanied on the State Visit by several Cabinet ministers, including Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola, Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Angie Motshekga, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Bonginkosi Nzimande, Minister of Tourism Patricia de Lille, Minister of Electricity and Energy Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition Parks Tau, and Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie. – SAnews.gov.za

The Gauteng Provincial Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Community Safety has welcomed the establishment of two specialised units in Gauteng.

The two units were announced by the SA Police Service last week.

READ | Police Ministry welcomes establishment of two specialised units in Gauteng

One unit will focus on the investigation of political assassinations and politically motivated killings of government officials.

“This unit will mirror the model of the Political Killings Task Team, which has previously demonstrated the importance of dedicated investigative capacity in dealing with targeted and organised violence,” the committee said in a statement.

The other unit will confront crimes related to “kidnappings, extortion and criminal activities targeting infrastructure projects” .

The committee noted that those crimes, in particular, have reached sophisticated levels and pose a “serious threat not only to public safety, but also to economic stability and service delivery” in Gauteng.

“The committee strongly supports the establishment of these specialised units, particularly in light of the alarming crime statistics highlighted during a recent briefing by the Gauteng Provincial Police Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Tommy Mthombeni, to the Committee on Thursday, 5 March 2026.

“During this briefing on the third Quarter Crime Statistics for the 2025/26 financial year, covering the period between October and December 2025, the Committee was informed that 10 police officers were murdered in Gauteng in just three months,” the statement read.

At least four of those officers were killed on duty, while a further six were off duty.

“The committee views this as a deeply disturbing and unacceptable reality. The murder of a police officer is not only an attack on an individual, but a direct attack on the rule of law and the authority of the State.

“Those who commit such heinous crimes must face the full might of the law and the Committee believes that perpetrators responsible for killing police officers should receive the harshest possible sentences,” the statement continued.

The committee expressed equal concern for the rise in kidnapping cases in the province.

According to provincial statistics, kidnappings have increased by some 2.1% between October and December 2025.

“Kidnappings, often linked to organised criminal networks and extortion schemes, have become a significant threat to communities, businesses and public officials.

“The committee therefore welcomes the establishment of a specialised task team dedicated to investigating kidnapping and related crimes. This targeted intervention will play a critical role in strengthening investigative capacity and disrupting organised criminal syndicates responsible for these offences,” the statement continued.

The establishment of the task teams represents a “firm commitment by SAPS to confront violent crime head-on and to restore public confidence in law enforcement”.

“The committee will continue to exercise its oversight responsibility to ensure that these specialised units are adequately resourced, properly coordinated and able to deliver measurable results in the fight against crime.

“Ultimately, the safety of Gauteng residents must remain a national priority and the Committee stands firmly behind all initiatives that strengthen the ability of law enforcement to protect communities and uphold the rule of law,” the statement concluded.

Welcoming the formation of the units, the Police Ministry said: “Both units are operational and are designed to function as intelligence-driven, specialised, team-orientated, multidisciplinary and prosecution-led structures.

“The establishment of these units demonstrates the SAPS’ commitment to strengthening its capacity to disrupt and dismantle organised criminal networks, while ensuring that perpetrators of serious crimes are brought to justice”. – SAnews.gov.za

President Cyril Ramaphosa says progress made in stabilising the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal demonstrates how coordinated leadership and partnerships can help struggling municipalities recover. 

In his weekly newsletter to the nation, the President said the metro’s recovery shows that collaboration between government, business, labour and civil society can restore service delivery and rebuild investor confidence. 

The President recently met stakeholders of the Presidential eThekwini Working Group, a multi-sector initiative established in 2024 after residents and businesses raised concerns about deteriorating services and infrastructure in the city. 

READ | President Ramaphosa lauds eThekwini for early recovery

“At the time, the metro was beset by service delivery failures, deteriorating infrastructure and sliding business and investor confidence. 

“Two years later, the interventions undertaken to tackle poor service delivery and failing infrastructure are driving an effective sustained recovery in the metro,” the President said on Monday.

In addition, he added that the Durban Business Confidence Index has reached its highest level since its inception. Confidence in the manufacturing sector has also increased by nearly 16% quarter-on-quarter, reflecting renewed optimism in a city that hosts one of the country’s largest ports and a strong industrial base. 

Tourism has also rebounded, with more than 1.2 million visitors travelling to the metro during the recent festive season.
Infrastructure projects are underway, and improvements are being recorded in safety and security coordination across the city.

However, the President cautioned that stabilisation does not mean the metro’s challenges have been fully resolved.  

“While stabilisation is not the same as a complete turnaround and the metro still faces significant challenges, the experience of eThekwini offers a viable model for coordination and partnership that can be replicated in other metros and municipalities to enable them to recover,” he said.

The working group approach, he explained, draws on the principles of the District Development Model, which aims to improve service delivery through collaboration across national, provincial and local government.

The model also promotes partnerships with the private sector and civil society to accelerate local government turnaround strategies.

As part of these efforts, the eThekwini metro last year approved a Partnerships Framework to strengthen public-private cooperation, particularly in infrastructure and catalytic development projects. 

President Ramaphosa said business participation in local government reform is important because improved service delivery strengthens the economic environment in which companies operate.

Drawing on lessons from eThekwini, government has also established the Presidential Johannesburg Working Group to address governance, infrastructure, service delivery, safety and urban renewal challenges in the country’s economic hub.

Financial instability

Despite these initiatives, the President acknowledged that financial instability remains a major challenge for many municipalities.

He noted that around two-thirds of municipalities are in financial distress, often due to weak revenue management and rising debt levels.

“Without stronger revenue management and financial discipline, service delivery challenges will persist and backlogs will only worsen. 

“The revenues collected from service provision are meant to be reinvested into maintaining and upgrading infrastructure to improve service delivery. However, in far too many instances these resources are redirected to cover other costs,” he said. 

To address these challenges, government has allocated R27.7 billion over the next three years to support reforms in municipal water, sanitation, electricity and waste management services.

Reforms 

Government is also reviewing the White Paper on Local Government, which could lead to major reforms, including changes to municipal powers and responsibilities, improved appointment processes for senior officials and stronger cooperation with traditional leadership institutions.

President Ramaphosa said improvements in eThekwini form part of a broader programme of reforms aimed at boosting economic growth and improving business confidence. 

“These reforms in the energy, water, telecommunications and logistics sectors are already making an impact on the efficiency and competitiveness of our economy,” he said.

With local government elections approaching, the President called on all stakeholders to work together – not to campaign for the ballot box, but to strengthen municipalities and restore the promise of local government to uphold the dignity and improve the life of every citizen. 

“When local government fails, the impact is felt by communities, businesses and households. When local government works well, villages, towns and cities become engines of opportunity and growth,” the President said. – SAnews.gov.za