Category: Africa

Time is running out for South Africans to nominate indigenous knowledge holders to be documented as living human treasures.

The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture is calling on the public, universities, communities and/or traditional councils to nominate suitable indigenous knowledge holders to be considered for appointment to be considered for documentation as Living Human Treasures in line with the National Policy on South African Living Heritage.

“Living human treasures are persons who possess, to a very high degree, the knowledge and skills required for performing or recreating specific elements of the living heritage.

“The Living Human Treasures project seeks to recognise and document knowledge holders, oral historians, traditional healers, master craftsmen, artists, cultural practitioners, and other custodians of Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) who have made an exceptional contribution to the preservation, transmission, and promotion of South Africa’s intangible cultural heritage,” the department said.

The due date for nominations is 15 May 2026.

According to Chapter 5, clause 5.5.3 of the National Policy on South African Living Human Treasures,  the basis on which such persons are selected is: the value of their skill as a testimony of human creative genius; the character and reputation of such individuals in their community; the risk of their knowledge disappearing; the ability to transmit living heritage; and recommendation by the community.

The department further noted that a person shall not be documented as a living human treasure if that person: 
–    is not South African citizen and ordinarily is not resident in the Republic 
–    is an unrehabilitated insolvent 
–    has at any time been convicted of an offence involving dishonesty, whether in the republic or elsewhere, and sentenced to imprisonment without the option of a fine.

Anyone wishing to nominate a living human treasure should submit the following documentation:
–    A Nomination letter containing full names, and all contact details of the nominee;
–    A signed acceptance letter by the nominee, in which he or she accepts the nomination;
–    Certified copy of the nominee’s Identity Document (ID)
–    Portfolio (photographs) of the nominated living human treasure

Nominations can be sent online at: https://dsacevents.dsac.gov.za/livHeritage/index.html
For any further information please use the following email address: Heritage.enquiries@dsac.gov.za
–SAnews.gov.za 
 

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The eThekwini Municipality has processed more than 5 000 invoices through its newly introduced online invoice payment system, with a further 2 982 invoices already approved for payment, signalling early progress in enhancing efficiency and service delivery.

The introduction of the digital platform is part of the municipality’s broader strategy to strengthen operational efficiency, enhance transparency, and ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations governing financial management.

Service providers have been urged to continue working closely with the municipality during the transition phase to ensure full adherence to the new system requirements.

Enhanced efficiency and transparency

The online invoice system introduces several benefits aimed at improving the experience for service providers while reinforcing financial governance.

These include improved turnaround times through automated workflows and reduced manual processing; enhanced transparency, allowing service providers to track the status of their invoices; and greater accuracy by minimising human error associated with manual submissions.

The system also strengthens compliance with financial regulations and audit requirements, and better record management, with all invoices securely stored and easily accessible.

The municipality has reminded service providers to submit invoices timeously to assist the municipality in meeting its commitment to process payments within 14 days for Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMME), and within 30 days for all other suppliers, in line with regulatory requirements.

“In line with previous communications, service providers are encouraged to utilise the system by uploading their invoices directly onto the platform. Those experiencing difficulties or lacking access to computers, assistance is available at the relevant line directorates.

“From 4 May 2026, service providers may also visit Sizakala centres for support with uploading invoices to their profiles on the portal. The municipality will continue to provide training, and service providers are encouraged to attend,” the municipality said.

In addition to the available video resource, the municipality said it will continue to rollout training initiatives. Training can also be requested via email at Accountspay.ewfqueries@durban.gov.za 

The municipality expressed appreciation for the patience and cooperation shown by stakeholders during the implementation of the system upgrade, reaffirming its commitment to improving internal systems and strengthening partnerships with service providers to deliver efficient and compliant municipal services. – SAnews.gov.za
 

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The South African Police Service (SAPS) Component Head for Corporate Communication and Liaison, Major General Nonkululeko Phokane, is among the distinguished speakers at the first Global Communication Forum hosted by INTERPOL. 

The forum is underway in Lyon, France.

The high-level forum has brought together heads of communication, spokespersons, and communication experts from INTERPOL member countries, providing a platform to exchange best practice and strengthen global cooperation in law enforcement communication.

During her presentation, Phokane reflected on the critical role of communication in a contested and rapidly evolving environment.

She emphasised that effective communication is central to modern policing, particularly in shaping public perception and countering misinformation.

She further highlighted the importance of proactively communicating policing successes as a means of building and sustaining public trust.

“SAPS remains committed to strengthening its communication capabilities in line with global best practice, recognising that trusted and transparent communication is key to effective policing,” the South African Police Service said in a statement. – SAnews.gov.za

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Just as the rhythm of life is palpable in every breath that we take, that same rhythm echoes in the evolution of South Africa’s laws as they seek to reflect and adapt to the society we live in.

South Africa’s ongoing programme to rename and standardise geographical places is about far more than maps and signposts –  it is a deliberate effort to reshape the country’s identity, restore historical dignity and reflect the lived realities of its people.

As government moves to strengthen the legislative framework guiding this process, the Draft South African Geographical Names Council Amendment Bill, 2026, signals a renewed push to accelerate transformation while improving oversight, public participation and accountability.

In March, the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSCAC), Gayton McKenzie, approved the publication in the Government Gazette of a notice inviting public comments on the Draft South African Geographical Names Council Amendment Bill, 2026.

The Draft Bill seeks to amend the South African Geographical Names Council Act, 1998 (Act No. 118 of 1998), in order to strengthen the governance framework of the South African Geographical Names Council (SAGNC), enhance its administrative efficiency, and improve its capacity to fulfil its statutory mandate effectively.

The Council was established under the 1998 Act as a permanent advisory body to advise the Minister responsible for Sport, Arts and Culture on the transformation, standardisation, and management of the country’s geographical names for official purposes.

The Draft Bill defines standardisation to mean the determination of the name to be applied to each geographical feature; the written form of that name; and the regulation by an appropriate authority of a geographical name, its written form and its application among other things.

Deputy Chairperson of the SAGNC, which advises government on how the country names and renames its places, Johnny Mohlala, said the process to review the legislation began in the sixth administration. 

“Well, the process began more than three years ago, in the previous administration. What necessitated the review is that there is quite a number of gaps that were identified within the current legislation and that lacuna had to be dealt with and that was the reason why the Act had to undergo a review process,” Mohlala said in an interview with SAnews.gov.za.

The mission of the Council is to standardise geographical names and in doing so, to redress, correct and transform the geographical naming system in order to advance restorative justice.

According to the DSAC, this also includes addressing the colonial and apartheid-era naming legacy by ensuring that geographical names reflect indigenous languages, cultural heritage and natural heritage work that is central to the department’s objective of fostering a shared, inclusive national identity and sense of belonging.

It is clear that this goes beyond just place names on a map whether you access your map via an app or the old school format of a map in your hand.

Mohlala described the current state of transformation and the management of South Africa’s geographical names more than three decades into democracy as rather slow.

“Well, my view is that we are moving at a very slow pace considering that since the Act was passed in 1998, we are only at some 1 500 names and I can tell you that, there are still a number of names that still need to be standardised. So, the question would then be, if we don’t move very quickly now, this may take longer than it’s actually supposed to be,” he said of the process to change the names of some of the country’s places.

He added that while there is no set target for name changes, there are some in South African society who do not embrace transformation.

“The reason would be among other things; there are quite a number of sections of the society that are simply anti-transformation. There is no set target for name changes, it’s a never-ending process. When you look at the establishment of human settlements, in the main these are controlled by town planners, and town planners might decide to call a new settlement by a particular name which may later be found to be undesirable. So, it’s a never-ending process,” he explained.

Changes
The Amendment Bill, for which the 30-day public comment period ended earlier this month, among other things, speaks to the establishment of an Appeals Tribunal for the review of decisions made in terms of name changes that have been effected.

“One of the changes will be the term of office of the Council. We profess that it must be aligned with the term of office of the Minister [of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture] because it’s not easy for anyone to hunt with another person’s dogs so to speak. 

“The Minister comes into office and finds a council operating, [he/she] has to wait for the term of that council to end before he or she can appoint [their] own council. That might not be a very desirable situation, but if the term of office of council goes with the term of office of the Minister, that is five years, then we know that after five years we know it ends, the new Minister comes in and appoints his or her own Council.” 

The current Council was appointed by the Minister of the DSAC for a three-year period that started on 1 January 2025 and will conclude on 31 December 2027.

“The second thing is that we have a situation where there is a disjuncture in the sense that if a person is not satisfied with the process, the person raises an objection with the Minister who has actually gazetted the name change. So, we believe that by bringing in an appeals board or committee or a tribunal, might close that gap.”

The Bill also provides for mandatory public consultation processes and the functions and resourcing of Provincial Geographical Names Committees, among others.

The Draft Bill defines consultation as a “mandatory, multi-stakeholder engagement process conducted in good faith to solicit, consider, and incorporate informed views from relevant communities, authorities, and experts on proposed geographical names or name changes, prior to evaluation, recommendation, or approval” among others.

“Remember, one of the things that the bill seeks to address is the definition of consultation. Over the years, there has never been a definition of what constitutes consultation. Now the thing being that we’ve been through court and it was through judgements that were given by court that we have come to an understanding of what satisfies the court as sufficient consultation,” he said.

The publication of the bill comes after the January approval by Minister McKenzie of 21 geographical name changes and name registrations from the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces, following recommendations from the SAGNC.

At the time, DSAC  said the approvals reflect its ongoing commitment to transforming South Africa’s naming landscape, promoting social cohesion, and recognising the country’s diverse heritage.

The name changes and registrations, which included the changing of names such as Port Elizabeth to KuGompo City and Adendorp to Bishop Limba in the Eastern Cape, appeared in the Government Gazette dated 6 February 2026.

How the process works 
Asked about the processes followed in changing geographical names, Mohlala said the process starts with someone filling out an application form and the form being served to Council after having gone through the Provincial Geographical Names Committee.

The Council will then assess the application and see whether it satisfies the requirements set out in the standard operating procedure.

“Once the Council has satisfied itself that the application satisfies all the requirements, Council then recommends the name for change and sends the recommendation to the Minister. At the end of the day, the Minister will then decide whether to gazette the name or not.

“The process does not end there, after gazetting, anyone who is not satisfied [with the decision] still has about 30 days to object to the name change. Even after the objection process has been finalised, one can still go to court and ask the court to arrive at a particular determination.”

The Deputy Chair said that since the SAGNC has been in operation, it has had no less than four court cases where the public has taken the Council and government to court.

“Dare I say that we’ve won all those court cases, the Nelspruit to Mbombela, the Port Elizabeth to Gqeberha, [and] Grahamstown to Makhanda.”

Asked about the negative sentiment sometimes associated with name changes, the Deputy Chairperson said the Council is “satisfied with the work that we do.”

“We are saying that name changing is a very emotive process, it’s not surprising that some people feel offended when we think we are doing the right thing. Remember the whole process started as a way of the restoration of people’s dignity as ordered by the TRC [Truth and Reconciliation Commission].

“The TRC found it necessary as part of reparation to restore the dignity of the people of South Africa. One way to do that is to that is through name changing. We are promoting that aspect as espoused in the TRC,” he explained.

Asked about whether we take name-changing exercise for granted, the Deputy Chairperson said: “Maybe we’re not doing enough in terms of public awareness.”
He also drew a stark comparison with how Germany no longer celebrates names tied to its dark history.
“We cannot continue to be a proud people if we get offended by some of the names that we see on signboards,” he said.

Freedom Month 
As the country moves towards the end of the commemoration of Freedom Month, Mohlala reminded: “This freedom was fought hard for; this freedom was as a result of sacrifices where people sacrificed their lives. It was hard-earned. It did not come free. It was very expensive to get, and I must indicate that if people think that freedom is expensive, they must try war.”- SAnews.gov.za

 

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In a bid to tackle unemployment and improve access to animal healthcare services in rural areas, the Eastern Cape government has invested R512 000 to support 13 Animal Health Technicians (AHTs) in establishing their own Primary Animal Healthcare Facilities.

The initiative is spearheaded by the Eastern Cape Development Corporation, in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, and the Eastern Cape Department of Agriculture, through its Tsolo Agriculture and Rural Development Institute (TARDI).

The programme follows legislative reforms introduced in 2022, which created a framework enabling AHTs to operate as private sector entrepreneurs. The reforms are designed to expand access to animal health services, stimulate job creation, and unlock economic opportunities for graduates.

The 13 beneficiaries form part of the first cohort that underwent training at TARDI, focusing on both business development and animal health.

MEC for Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Nonkqubela Pieters, officially handed over starter kits to the young entrepreneurs. The kits include essential equipment, such as animal branding kit, a dousing gun, animal castration equipment, biosecurity equipment, mini fridges, cooler boxes, and microscopes, among others.

Speaking at the handover ceremony on Tuesday, Pieters described the establishment of primary animal healthcare facilities within local communities, as a “critical intervention.”

“It decentralises service delivery, reduces the cost and time burden on farmers, and strengthens the first line of defence against animal disease and livestock losses. We are enhancing biosecurity and disease surveillance capacity at a community level,” Pieters said.

One of the beneficiaries, Zimasa Qwayele, who owns a primary healthcare facility in the Alfred Nzo District, said the support will significantly enhance the business.

“This equipment will enable my company to operate as a fully-fledged animal healthcare facility,” Qwayele said.

Qwayele also expressed appreciation for the coordinated intergovernmental effort, noting that the collaboration was instrumental in ensuring that AHTs in the province were empowered with business skills to run successful enterprises.

Representing the Department of Agriculture, Deputy Director-General Mthozami Goqwana said the programme marks a shift in the country’s agricultural sector.

“The opportunity now exists for AHTs to work with government in fighting Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), which government has been effectively fighting in collaboration with private veterinarians,” Goqwana said.

South African Veterinary Services Chief Executive Officer, Mongezi Menye, described the initiative as a milestone in transforming the South African veterinary landscape.

“For too long, the story of the Animal Health Technician in this country has been one of untapped potential. We faced heartbreaking reality where, according to a 2021 Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) survey, 32% to 60% of our AHT graduates were sitting at home unemployed, while our rural farmers, the very heartbeat of our agricultural economy, remained critically underserved,” Menye said.

Menye emphasised that the success of the AHTs will ultimately be measured by improvements in animal health across rural communities. – SAnews.gov.za

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The Gauteng Department of Health has urged parents and caregivers to protect children’s health by ensuring they are vaccinated against preventable diseases, emphasising that immunisation is only effective when all required doses are administered on time.

“Parents and caregivers play a central role in protecting children from vaccine-preventable diseases by ensuring they are vaccinated according to the national immunisation schedule,” the department said.

The call comes as the department joins the global community in observing World Immunisation Week from 24 to 30 April.

“Parents are further encouraged to bring children who have missed vaccinations to their nearest health facility for catch-up immunisation without delay. Vaccination remains one of the most effective and proven public health interventions to prevent disease, disability, and death,” the department said.

This year’s Vaccination Week campaign comes at a critical time, as the province has recorded a decline in childhood immunisation coverage in the 2025/26 financial year.

A total of 191 705 children under the age of one were vaccinated, representing 75.3% coverage, compared with 213 389 children (83%) in the 2024/25 financial year.

“This decline is concerning, as it increases children’s vulnerability to the resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases, which can lead to severe illness, long-term complications and even death.

“It is important for parents to ensure that children receive all scheduled vaccinations on time and complete their immunisation programme,” the department said.

The decline in vaccine uptake has been partly attributed to caregivers not taking children to health facilities for routine immunisation and failing to sign consent forms for school-based vaccination programmes.

These gaps highlight the need for stronger parental participation in safeguarding child health.

To address the challenge, the department is intensifying community-based awareness campaigns across all districts, focusing on the importance of timely and complete childhood immunisation. 

These interventions are designed to support parents and carers in accessing immunisation services and to ensure that no child is left behind. – SAnews.gov.za

 

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Gauteng MEC for Education, Lebogang Maile, has outlined a series of interventions aimed at addressing severe overcrowding in the province’s schools, as learner numbers continue to surge beyond available capacity. 

Addressing Gauteng residents on Tuesday, Maile said the province is implementing a combination of infrastructure expansion, partnerships and short-term relief measures to respond to the growing demand for school spaces.  

“Today, we want to provide an overview of the state of learner enrolment in Gauteng as of 2026, looking at overcrowding in our schools, the state of infrastructure and the interventions that have been put in place by the Gauteng Provincial Government to address the challenges,” he said. 

The province’s education system is under increasing strain, with learner enrolment more than doubling over the past three decades.

“In 1995, the province had 1 408 237 learners in its schools – a number that has increased to 2 835 168 as of 2026,” Maile said. 

This rapid growth, driven by migration and urbanisation, has resulted in nearly half of Gauteng’s public schools operating above capacity. Of the 2 111 schools in the province, 1 021 are over-subscribed, representing 48%.

“Nearly all districts are affected by this reality, indicating that the issue is wide-spread and systemic rather than prevalent in just a handful of districts,” he said. 

The pressure is particularly acute in township and urban areas, where population density and economic activity continue to attract new residents.

Against this backdrop, Maile outlined several interventions underway to ease overcrowding and expand access to education.

A key focus is the construction of new schools and the replacement of ageing infrastructure. Government has allocated R3.982 billion over the Medium-term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) for school infrastructure.

“The total budget for both new and replacement schools over the Medium-term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) amounts to R3.982 billion, which allows for the construction of approximately seven new schools each year and 23 in total over the MTEF,” he said. 

To accelerate delivery, the Gauteng Department of Education is working with strategic partners.

“We are working with the Development Bank of South Africa (DBSA) on projects geared towards the construction of new and replacement schools in high pressure areas,” the MEC said. 

In addition, the province has launched the Budget Facility for Infrastructure (BFI) Schools Programme in partnership with the Gauteng Infrastructure Financing Agency.

“This comprises 18 projects on greenfield sites across all municipalities in the province,” Maile explained. 

Government is also exploring alternative delivery models to fast-track infrastructure rollout.

“We are also exploring the public-private partnership infrastructure delivery model as a viable solution to address the backlog,” he said. 

In the short-term, authorities are implementing measures to immediately relieve pressure on overcrowded schools. These include the expansion of existing facilities and the use of temporary classrooms. 

“Through the Self-Build Programme, the Gauteng Provincial Government has also introduced an additional classroom programme that in essence provides for schools to manage the construction of additional classrooms. 

“Whilst not desirable, we are currently also supplying prefabricated temporary classrooms to alleviate the increasing pressure while awaiting the completion of a brick-and-mortar facility,” Maile said. 

The province is also considering repurposing existing infrastructure to increase capacity.

“We are also exploring buying privately owned former missionary schools that are still in a good condition and comply with regulations, norms and standards,” he said. 

Long-term planning is another critical pillar of the intervention strategy. The provincial government has developed a 20-year infrastructure plan to better align school development with population growth and urban planning. 

“The Gauteng Provincial Government has a 20-year Plan for infrastructure that centres a formulated infrastructure planning framework for the Gauteng Department of Education,” the MEC said. 

This includes plans to build schools in new mega human settlement developments and in inner-city areas.

However, Maile acknowledged that infrastructure delivery continues to face significant challenges, including budget constraints, vandalism, project delays and rapid population growth.

“Our Infrastructure Delivery Model also faces critical challenges including severe project management incompetence, rampant vandalism, and disruptions,” he said.

Despite these constraints, the provincial government says it is committed to addressing overcrowding through coordinated interventions and stakeholder collaboration.

“The Gauteng Provincial Government is prioritising a combination of interventions that are aimed at resolving education infrastructure delivery delays to address over-subscription which leads to school overcrowding,” Maile said. 

Maile called on communities and the private sector to support government efforts, particularly in protecting school infrastructure from vandalism and disruption.

“We urge parents and the public to assist the government in protecting schools. Working with law enforcement, the public must play a meaningful role in guarding against education infrastructure vandalism, theft, and school construction site disruptions that are being carried out by forums that are undermining the future of our children. 

“We must all work to ensure that the limited resources in education are utilised optimally, efficiently and effectively,” he said. 

As learner numbers continue to rise, the success of these interventions will be critical in ensuring that Gauteng’s education system can meet demand while maintaining quality and access for all learners. – SAnews.gov.za 

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The achievements of black-owned, viable commercial poultry businesses will be recognised at a meeting of the Poultry Masterplan Executive Oversight Committee (EOC), which will be held on Thursday. 

The meeting will be led by Trade, Industry and Competition Deputy Minister Zuko Godlimpi and Deputy Minister of Agriculture Nokuzola Capa, at Phetogo Grootspruit Broiler Farm, in Bronkhorstspruit.

The black-owned poultry businesses to be recognised at the gathering include contract growers, feed mills, hatcheries, abattoirs and processors. 

The accomplishments of these commercial producers are seen as a reflection of ongoing progress in transforming South Africa’s poultry industry through the implementation of the Poultry Masterplan.

The Executive Oversight Committee meeting will also recognise the contribution of enabling partners to the success of these black-owned businesses. 

“These partners include poultry off takers, development finance institutions and industry associations. Furthermore, the use of the Proudly SA logo on the packaging of several retail brands reflects a commitment to the Buy Local poultry campaign, which reinforces this initiative,” the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition said on Tuesday.

The EOC meeting will also formally consider and adopt the Poultry Masterplan Phase 2 Framework Agreement to signal a renewed and strengthened implementation partnership for the masterplan. 

Phase 2 seeks to pursue an export-driven growth strategy for South African poultry, and thus advance its contribution to the economy. 

Phase 2 continues on the back of the achievements of Phase 1, which sought to address high feed costs, reduce export barriers, localise poultry consumption, and reduce imports primarily from Brazil, the European Union and the United States of America.

“The core pillars of Phase 2 include achieving exports of cooked meat and local demand increase strategies, ensuring effective trade measures, ensuring biosecurity measures for local and export markets, and transforming the entire value chain of the poultry industry, among others.

“The plan also aims to tackle food security and malnutrition by improving the affordability of poultry for lower-income households, while providing funding and support to contract farmers, poultry processors, and small businesses. Job creation, job loss mitigation and transformation remain key cross-cutting priorities,” the department said.

The poultry industry is the largest contributor to the agricultural sector, with a total annual gross value of production of almost R87.95 billion (R72.09 billion in meat and R15.86 billion in eggs) in 2024. 

The industry accounted for 19.1% of the total agricultural gross value and 44.4% of animal products gross value. – SAnews.gov.za

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The South African Police Service (SAPS), with the support of the Airports Company South Africa (ACSA), has arrested two more drug mules at OR Tambo International Airport.

This brings the total number of drug traffickers arrested at this international gateway to four over the past three days.

On the evening of 27 April, SAPS members deployed at the airport acted on information regarding suspected drug traffickers allegedly planning to travel to Frankfurt and London via Doha.

The members successfully intercepted a 66-year-old Somali national, who was reportedly in possession of a Netherlands passport. A search of the suspect’s luggage led to the discovery of 55 kilograms of khat, with an estimated street value of more than R100 000.

On the same day, police discovered abandoned luggage at the airport containing approximately 45 kilograms of khat, valued at more than R90 000.

In a separate incident on 25 April 2026, a multidisciplinary team operationalised intelligence, resulted in the arrest of a 33-year-old South African female suspect, who was reportedly en route to Hong Kong.

Further investigation led to the discovery of drugs worth more than R500 000, suspected to be cocaine and crystal methamphetamine, concealed inside her luggage.

All the suspects are expected to appear before the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court this week on charges related to drug trafficking. Investigations are ongoing. – SAnews.gov.za

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