Category: Africa

The Acting Commissioner of the Border Management Authority (BMA), Major General (Retired) David Chilembe, will today introduce a new BMA Port Health Management System (PHMS) at the Durban Harbour in KwaZulu-Natal. 

The initiative aims to improve service efficiency and streamline processes for the maritime industry.

“The BMA PHMS is a quantum leap forward in the provision of port health services for shipping agents and authorised stakeholders in the maritime industry who submit port health requests on behalf of vessels, consignments and other relevant parties. The PHMS will provide a digital platform through which Port Health services can be requested, processed, monitored and managed electronically,” the authority said ahead of Tuesday’s launch.

It further added that under the current processes, shipping agents submit service requests and supporting information by email. BMA Port Health officials receive the request, review, process, and respond to the request by email.

“This process makes it difficult for stakeholders to track progress of individual requests, obtain a consolidated view of requests, track actions and decisions, and retrieve historical information. The PHMS was developed to support the electronic delivery and management of port health services. 

“Thus, the system will enable users to submit  service requests electronically, upload supporting documentation, process requests through defined workflows, conduct and record inspections, manage invoicing and payments.”

It added that users will be able to apply for free pratiques electronically, apply for digital endorsements or stamping, create inspection requirements and schedule inspections, among other activities.

“In other words, the PHMS is more than an electronic replacement of email; it provides an end-to-end digital process for the services supported by the system. The system is set to reduce repetitive administrative activities and allow users to monitor outstanding work. Consequently, the digital system will provide greater visibility of the status and progress of requests by creating a structured record of a user’s transaction,” said the BMA.

Accessibility

The system is accessible through the BMA Port Health Management System portal. Authorised users will be able to log into the system using their approved credentials. The system supports Entra ID authentication and role-based access control. This means users must be authenticated before accessing the system, and access is restricted to authorised users.

Users will receive further prompts and information regarding registration, access credentials, training and the portal address as part of the implementation and rollout. In addition, users will be provided with support channels and user guidance as part of the PHMS implementation.

Milestone

The Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Leon Schreiber, has welcomed the piloting of the PHMS.

“Following the recent successful launch of the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) and the enhanced electronic movement control system (EMCS 2.0), the first phase of the digital transformation of port health management processes by the BMA represents the latest milestone in the rapid modernisation of South Africa’s immigration and border management processes.

“ As with all the reforms we are pursuing, the PHMS not only digitises existing inefficient processes – it uses technology to completely transform the way in which such services are delivered. Through our sustained reform drive, South Africa is rapidly leapfrogging into a world leader across this ecosystem,” said the Minister.

With the Durban Harbour being the first to implement PHMS, the Acting Commissioner said the pilot project will provide valuable operational insights.

“The Durban Harbour is the first implementation site for PHMS where the system will be piloted. The pilot project will provide valuable operational insights that will inform subsequent rollout to other applicable ports of entry (PoEs) in the foreseeable future to establish a more consistent and digitally enabled port health service across the BMA’s PoEs”, said Chilembe.

Clients can access the BMA Port Health Management System on the BMA website at: www.bma.gov.za  
–SAnews.gov.za

Trade, Industry and Competition Deputy Minister Zuko Godlimpi and the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Nokuzola Capa, will lead an interactive stakeholder dialogue with sugarcane growers at the Sezela Illovo Cricket Sports Field, in the South Coast of KwaZulu-Natal, on Friday.

The Grower Imbizo will be hosted by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) and the Department of Agriculture (DoA), in partnership with the South African Sugar Association (SASA). 

The dialogue will be preceded by a visit to sugarcane farms by the two deputy ministers. This will take place on 17 September 2026.

According to Godlimpi, the South African government recognises the critical role that sugarcane growers play in the value chain of the sugar industry in the country. 

The farm visit will provide an opportunity to assess the realities on the ground and identify practical interventions that can support the long-term sustainability and competitiveness of the sugarcane value chain.

“Sugarcane growers are an important component of the sugar value chain, and a critical stakeholder that government should always take along in the implementation of the Sugarcane Value Chain Master Plan to 2030. 

“The Master Plan is a signed partnership agreement, with representation from the two grower associations, namely the South African Farmers Development Association (SAFDA) and the South African Cane Growers’ Association (SACGA).

“We will be using the dialogue to provide them with an update on the implementation of the Master Plan, as well as engage them on the key challenges currently facing the industry, with a view to finding long-lasting solutions,” said Godlimpi.

The Master Plan was developed to address several challenges faced by the industry to ensure its long-term sustainability.  Phase Two of the Master Plan, which was adopted by all stakeholders in April this year, aims to shift the sugar sector from recovery to long-term sustainability through product diversification.

So far, the Master Plan process, emanating from Phase 1, has identified several possible product diversification opportunities such as bioethanol for fuel blending, sustainable aviation fuel, bioplastics and cogeneration. 

Phase 2 will be characterised, among others, by the ramping up of efforts aimed at delivering a diversified sugarcane-based industry. 

Godlimpi said the discussions will also cover planning and preparedness for the upcoming growing season (including potential impact of El Nino), skills and capacity challenges, sustainability of grower operations, and possible interventions to support the industry.

“The dialogue comes soon after government has announced an intervention by providing tariff relief for the sugar industry, raising the Dollar-Based Reference Price from US $680 to US $785 per tonne and the import duty from R4.83 to R6.97 per kilograms, to protect the sector against cheap imports. 

“In August last year, we issued block exemptions, to facilitate the implementation of Phase 2 of the Master Plan, for the industry allowing sugarcane farmers, millers, commercial food and beverage producers, and retailers to collaborate for the express purpose of progressing the Master Plan, without transgressing the competition law,” said Godlimpi.

Capa said the dialogue will provide an opportunity to better understand the concerns and priorities of growers, and to identify practical measures that can be incorporated into the implementation of the Master Plan.

“Our engagements with sugarcane growers will go a long way in identifying gaps affecting them and agree on practical interventions to improve access to finance, infrastructure, extension services, technical support, inputs and markets, amongst others. 

“It will also be an opportunity to highlight successful projects, partnerships and interventions that are already implemented under the Master Plan, demonstrating tangible results and impact on the ground,” said Capa.

The highlight of the day will be the recognition of the sugarcane growers through awards that will be issued in various categories, including Top Commercial (Large-Scale) Growers, Top Small-Scale Growers and Top Land Reform Growers.

The sugarcane growing industry consists of more than 26 000 growers who, together with the milling sector, create at least 65 000 direct and 2700 000 indirect jobs, supporting over a million livelihoods, mainly in the deeply rural and job-starved regions of KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga. – SAnews.gov.za

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) Commissioner, Dr Johnstone Makhubu, has outlined the revenue service’s vision for the next era of tax administration, placing trust, institutional capability, modernisation, and stakeholder partnership at the centre of its strategy.

The forward-looking strategy aims to reshape the future of tax administration in the country.

This, as Makhubu addressed the Tax Indaba 2026, setting out a vision for a trusted, capable and modern revenue service which puts stakeholder partnerships at its centre.

“Revenue sustainability is not only about what is collected, but also how it is collected. It is anchored in the trust, capability, and service that make sustainable revenue possible.

“A revenue administration must be judged not only by what it collects, but by how it treats taxpayers, how it conducts itself, and whether it earns the confidence of the people it serves,” Makhubu said at the gathering held in Johannesburg on Monday.

Modernisation

A key facet in the strategy is the continued modernisation of the revenue service dubbed SARS Modernisation 3.0.

The modernisation project seeks to build an “intelligent tax and customs administration platform powered by data, automation, and artificial intelligence, while upholding strong governance and public accountability”.

He emphasised that although a boost for the revenue service, technological advancements will not be a replacement for people.

“The future of tax administration is not people versus technology, but it is people and technology working together to make compliance easier, services faster, and enforcement more precise. Technology must strengthen human capability, not replace it.

“Our goal is simple: compliance should become the natural outcome of participating in the economy. The easier we make it for honest taxpayers to meet their obligations, the more effectively we can focus on those who deliberately choose not to comply. We want compliance just to happen.

“Revenue is our mandate, but trust is our license to operate. Together, we can build a tax administration that serves the country not only today, but for generations to come,” Makhubu said. –SAnews.gov.za

The South African Police Service (SAPS) has vowed to apprehend those responsible for the murders of women in Ekurhuleni, Gauteng, as the body of a sixth woman was discovered in the area.

This after police revealed the discovery of the bodies of four women in the same area over a period of approximately two months.

Two more bodies were subsequently discovered in different areas of Ekurhuleni on Monday (14 September 2026) and this morning (Tuesday, 15 September 2026). 

In a media briefing on Monday evening, Deputy National Commissioner, Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili, warned the perpetrator or perpetrators that police are on their trail and that their “freedom is temporary”.

“You may think that you have removed the evidence. You may think that nobody saw you or knows who you are. Do not make that mistake.

“Both the SAPS and EMPD [Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department] has the capability, the resources and the determination to find you. Our investigators are following the evidence. Our intelligence officers are gathering more information.

“Our tracking teams are following all leads and our forensic experts are analysing what you have left behind. You have left a trail. And we are following it. We are coming for you,” Mosikili warned. 

More police officers have been deployed to the area to increase patrols, increase visibility and intensify investigations.

“No one can outrun the police in this country. Both the South African Police Service and the EMPD is in control of the situation.

“We understand the fear and anxiety that these murder cases have created, particularly among women and families in the affected areas. [We] have strengthened our deployment. We have brought additional resources onto the ground, and we are tightening our grip on Ekurhuleni.

“From July to date, we are now dealing with five cases involving the discovery of women’s bodies in the Ekurhuleni area. Already, with the first case, one suspect has already been arrested and positively linked to the murder. We recognise the seriousness of this situation, and we are responding accordingly,” she assured.

A high-level operational meeting with the investigating team to assess the progress of investigations has been held and investigative leads currently being pursued.

In a statement on Monday afternoon, SAPS Acting National Commissioner, Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane, assured South Africans that the police remain fully committed to protecting women and bringing perpetrators of violence against women to justice.

“We will not rest until we have established the truth.

“Where there is evidence linking individuals to these crimes, we will pursue them relentlessly and ensure that they face the full might of the law,” Dimpane vowed.

Dimpane expressed her deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of 38-year-old Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo, one of the victims whose body was positively identified by her family. 

“We extend our deepest sympathies to the family and loved ones of Elizabeth during this extremely painful time. 

“The loss of a loved one under such circumstances is devastating, and we assure the family that the SAPS will do everything within its powers to establish exactly what happened to Elizabeth and to ensure that those responsible are held accountable,” Dimpane said.

A multidisciplinary team comprising detectives and other specialised policing resources has been deployed to intensify the investigation into the cases.

Thus far, police have arrested one suspect in connection with the discovery of the first body in July. The suspect is still in custody.  – SAnews.gov.za

Government and the New Development Bank (NDB) have signed a $1 billion loan agreement to upgrade infrastructure for the Metropolitan Municipal Services as part of the Metro Trading Services Reform Programme (MTSR).

This is according to a National Treasury statement released on Tuesday.

“The MTSR is a South African government-led reform programme aimed at improving the governance, financial sustainability and operational performance of municipal trading services in metropolitan municipalities, particularly in water and sanitation, electricity and energy, and solid waste management.

“The financing supports a government-led, performance-based reform programme implemented through South Africa’s existing legal, fiscal and institutional framework. This is a performance-based loan with financing linked to institutional strengthening and the achievement of independently verified measurable performance targets, that are approved by metro Councils for their trading services,” the statement read.

Treasury explained that the NDB’s financing forms part of the government’s broader efforts to “reform municipal trading services in metropolitan municipalities”.

The loan offers favourable concessional financial terms as follows:
•    Nominal value: $1 billion
•    Maturity: 16 years
•    Grace period: 3 years
•    Interest rate: Daily SOFR plus 1.18508%.

“The NDB loan was prepared in coordination with development partners active in South Africa’s infrastructure sector. 

“National Treasury extends its appreciation to the NDB for its support to this government-led reform towards better services for residents and stronger, more sustainable cities,” the statement concluded.

The NDB is a multilateral development bank established by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) with the purpose of mobilising resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in emerging markets and developing countries (EMDCs). –SAnews.gov.za 

The Judicial Commission of Inquiry Into Criminality, Political Interference and Corruption in the Criminal Justice System, known as the Madlanga Commission, is expected to resume its hearings today.

The  Commission had gone into recess from Thursday, 3 September 2026.

“Upon the resumption of its public hearings [today], the Commission will shift focus to the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department [JMPD], one of the law enforcement agencies listed in its terms of reference.

“On Tuesday, Day 173, the Commission will hear testimony regarding the infiltration of the JMPD by criminal networks, and collusion between JMPD officers and criminal syndicates,” Commission spokesperson Jeremy Michaels said.

The Commission was established to investigate allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi on 6 July 2025, relating to criminality, political interference and corruption within the criminal justice system.

It is expected to file its final report to President Cyril Ramaphosa on 16 November 2026, instead of the end of August after the reporting deadline was extended.

Two interim reports have already been submitted to the President. – SAnews.gov.za

The Gauteng Provincial Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Community Safety has condemned the murders of at least six  women in Ekurhuleni.

Over the weekend, police warned women in the area to take extra precaution following the discovery of the bodies of four women over a two-month period. A further two bodies have since been discovered.

“The committee is deeply concerned by the circumstances surrounding the deaths and urges anyone who may have witnessed suspicious activity, encountered the victims or suspects, or possesses any information that could assist investigators to report it to the police without delay.

“The committee further calls on communities to remain vigilant, particularly women who may feel increasingly vulnerable following these incidents. Residents are urged to exercise caution, remain alert to their surroundings, avoid unnecessarily placing themselves in potentially dangerous situations and promptly report suspicious persons, vehicles or activities to the police,” the Committee said in a statement. 

READ | Police probe Kempton Park murders, calls for caution

Concern was also raised on reports that the murders may be linked and “may point to the presence of a serial killer”.

“However, at this stage there is no confirmed evidence establishing that these cases are the work of a serial killer, and the committee cautions against speculation that could compromise ongoing police investigations or cause unnecessary panic in communities.

“What is beyond dispute is the gravity and brutality of these crimes. The targeting and killing of women in such circumstances is an intolerable assault on the safety and dignity of women and cannot be allowed to become normalised,” the statement read.

The Committee has urged the police to “leave no stone unturned in investigating these murders, establishing whether there are any links between the cases and ensuring that those responsible are brought before the courts”.

It added that investigators must pursue every lead, interrogate all possible connections between the incidents and provide communities with timely updates as investigations progress.

“The committee also calls for strengthened cooperation between the police, community policing forums, local safety structures and residents.

“Community members are not merely recipients of policing services; they are critical partners in preventing and solving crime. Information that may appear insignificant could ultimately prove decisive in bringing a dangerous perpetrator to justice,” the statement continued.

The Committee reiterated its call for anyone with information to approach law enforcement.

“The committee reiterates its unequivocal call for an end to gender-based violence and all forms of violence against women. Women must be able to live, work, travel and participate in their communities without fear of being targeted simply because they are women.

“The message from the committee is clear: these killings must not be allowed to become another statistic. Communities must speak up, the police must act decisively, and perpetrators must face the full might of the law,” the statement concluded.

Meanwhile, the Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Sindisiwe Chikunga has called on law-enforcement agencies to act with urgency to identify, arrest and bring to justice those responsible for attacks on women exercising in public spaces.

READ | Chikunga calls for action over attacks on women

“Women should not have to choose between their safety and their health. No woman should fear for her life simply because she has chosen to run, walk, or exercise in a public space. Women must be free to exercise, walk, and run without fear. This is unacceptable,” Chikunga said. –SAnews.gov.za