Category: Africa

The eThekwini Municipality has welcomed an improvement in business confidence regarding its responsiveness to service delivery complaints, despite an overall decline in business sentiment during the second quarter of 2026.

According to the latest Durban Business Confidence Index (DBCI), the proportion of respondents who believed the municipality was unlikely to address service delivery complaints within a reasonable timeframe, declined from 77.4% in the first quarter of 2026 to 71.2% in the second quarter.

The municipality said the improvement reflects the impact of interventions aimed at strengthening service delivery systems, improving response times and accelerating infrastructure rehabilitation across the city.

However, the report showed that overall business confidence weakened during the quarter, with the DBCI declining from 50.63 in the first quarter to 48.82 in the second quarter, placing the index below the neutral zone, although it remained above the national index.

According to the report, the decline was largely driven by factors beyond the municipality’s control.

“We conclude that factors beyond the city level largely drove the drop in business confidence. These reflect the escalating, volatile geopolitical tensions and the ongoing immigration protests,” the report reads.

Road infrastructure emerged as the biggest concern among survey respondents, followed by environmental management, water supply and public safety.

In response, the municipality said it has intensified road maintenance, rehabilitation and resurfacing programmes, including pothole repairs, stormwater infrastructure upgrades and improvements to priority transport routes used by businesses and public transport.

The city is also investing R128 million in upgrading the inner-city road network as part of its infrastructure renewal programme.

To address environmental management challenges, the municipality said it has stepped up sewer maintenance, pump station refurbishment, and waste collection operations, while allocating R92 million this financial year to strengthen its waste management fleet and support critical operational projects.

The municipality continues to invest in beautification programmes, park rehabilitation and environmental management initiatives aimed at improving the urban environment and supporting tourism and investment growth.

On water services, the municipality said it is accelerating pipe replacement, reservoir upgrades, and leak detection programmes as part of a broader turnaround strategy for eThekwini Water and Sanitation (EWS).

Among the key infrastructure projects is the Southern Aqueduct, which is expected to strengthen bulk water supply to more than 1.2 million residents. The city has allocated R995 million to sanitation infrastructure and services and R495.7 million to water infrastructure improvements in the 2026/27 financial year.

During the current financial year, EWS aims to deliver 4 000 new water connections, reduce non-revenue water to 48.6%, and ensure that 95% of all water connections are metered.

The municipality also highlighted ongoing investments in public safety, including R162.7 million allocated to Durban Metro Police, Fire and Emergency Services, Disaster Management, Security Management Services, and the Safer Cities programme.

Additional investments in technology, surveillance systems, visible policing and disaster management interventions are being deployed to improve safety and create an enabling environment for business growth and investment.

Sustaining electricity reliability

The DBCI found that electricity supply remains one of the municipality’s strongest-performing services, with only 1.4% of respondents identifying it as a major concern.

The municipality said continued suspension of national load shedding since March 2024 has provided further certainty to businesses and residents, supporting economic activity and operational continuity across the city.

Municipal Marketing and Communications Director Mandla Nsele said the city remains committed to addressing service delivery challenges, while strengthening partnerships with the business community.

“The municipality values feedback from organised business formations and residents, as it assists in identifying priority areas requiring intervention. We will continue implementing targeted programmes, monitoring performance and accelerating infrastructure investment to improve service delivery outcomes, create an enabling environment for economic growth and enhance the quality of life for all residents”, Nsele said.

Nsele acknowledged that challenges remain but said the improved perception of the municipality’s responsiveness demonstrates that current interventions are beginning to yield positive results. – SAnews.gov.za
 

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The Electoral Commission (IEC) has urged South Africans to register to vote ahead of the final voter registration weekend, warning more than 11 million eligible voters who have not yet registered that voter registration is not open indefinitely.

IEC Stakeholder Liaison and Civic Education National Assistant Manager Mmakgabo Jerry Ramatlhodi said more than 40 million people are eligible to vote, while over 28.7 million are registered voters in South Africa.

Addressing a webinar on youth participation in democracy and civic education on Friday, Ramatlhodi said the statistics show that more than 11 million eligible voters are not yet registered.

“If you unpack the voters’ roll a bit more, you will realise that those between the ages of 18 and 19 are less than 30% represented on the voters’ roll at the moment. So, that tells you that the gap for that age cohort is over 70%.

“Then you go to the next age cohort, which is 20 to 29, and there are also less than 50% registered on our National Common Voters’ Roll.

“So, that tells you that you still have, you know, 50% of those who are between the ages of 20 and 29 who should actually be on the voters’ roll, but for one reason or another, these people are not registered to vote,” he said.

The IEC is expected to operate 23 699 voting stations across the country during the final voter registration weekend, taking place on Saturday and Sunday from 8am to 5pm.

“As the Electoral Commission, we are hopeful that the majority of South Africans will heed the call [to register to vote or update their details].

“We have a category of people who might have relocated since their last registration. And because the law for local government does not allow or make provision for someone to vote elsewhere other than where they are actually registered to vote, we encourage those people to ensure that they go and re-register where they ordinarily reside at the moment,” Ramatlhodi said.

He emphasised that an address plays a critical role in placing a voter in the correct segment of the voters’ roll and the correct voting district.

“We also encourage everyone to ensure that your voter registration details and your address are correct and complete, such that come 4 November 2026, you don’t find yourself frustrated because you are unable to vote when everybody else will be voting,” Ramatlhodi said.

The IEC has been running several campaigns to promote its online voter registration service.

“After the first voter registration weekend, we zero-rated the online voter registration service because we thought maybe data was one of those barriers that limited the number of people who could use the online service to register to vote.

We engaged with all the network mobile providers in the country, and they agreed to zero-rate the service irrespective of your cellphone network provider, whether it’s MTN, Cell C, Vodacom or whichever network. So, as we speak, the online voter registration service is now free, mahala, with no data required,” he said.

Voters using the online voter registration service should not switch off their data when registering online; otherwise, they will not be able to access the service.

“You still need to be connected to a network for you to be able to access the service. You can check your data balance before and after the transaction. You would see that there would not have been any movement where your data is concerned, and that’s what we mean when we say this service is now free,” Ramatlhodi explained. –SAnews.gov.za

 

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President Cyril Ramaphosa has hailed the launch of commercial operations at the Ummbila Emoyeni Wind Energy Facility near Bethal as a significant step towards strengthening South Africa’s energy security, creating jobs and advancing the country’s Just Energy Transition.

The President officially launched the commencement of commercial operations at the wind energy facility on Friday, describing the project as an important example of how government, the private sector, Eskom and communities can work together to drive infrastructure development and inclusive economic growth.

Speaking at the launch, President Ramaphosa congratulated Seriti Green, a proudly South African company, as the Ummbila Emoyeni Wind Energy Facility entered commercial operation.

“Seriti is a company with a proven track record in South Africa’s coal industry, which remains the foundation of our country’s energy production,” he said.

President Ramaphosa said the company had chosen to invest in South Africa’s renewable energy future and in doing so, Seriti aligned with the policy position that South Africa’s future energy system will draw on the strengths and resources the country already possesses, including coal-fired power, while embracing new opportunities.

“We commend Seriti for showing confidence in this province and its potential. Today represents far more than the completion of an infrastructure project. This project underscores the value of the partnership between government, Eskom, the private sector and communities.”

The President said South Africa had committed to transitioning its society and economy towards a low-carbon, climate-resilient pathway in line with its domestic and international obligations.

“The achievements of this project are therefore very encouraging.

“I understand that to date, more than 1 000 jobs have been created through this project, with about half of these jobs going to people living within a 10km radius,” President Ramaphosa said.

He said more than 18 500 people had registered on the Seriti Green Skills Hub, where they would be able to access current and future opportunities.

“The fact that more than 50% of those who have registered are women is a promising sign of the potential that this and other projects have to drive women’s economic empowerment,” the President said.

He said the project demonstrated the value of a strong focus on creating meaningful local economic participation and ensuring that surrounding communities benefit directly from the investment.

Hope for Mpumalanga

In his welcome remarks, Mpumalanga Premier Mandla Ndlovu said he was delighted by the remarkable work that had been accomplished through the project.

“I saw not only the impressive development of the Ummbila Emoyeni Wind Energy Project, but also the immense potential it holds to revive this area economically and socially,” Ndlovu said.

He said the project had brought hope to the people of Mpumalanga — hope for jobs, development and a better future.

“Our people are saying we are selling hope for a better tomorrow; they are demanding to live a better life now. This project aims to meet that demand,” he said.

Ndlovu said Mpumalanga works for all and represents opportunity, resilience and hard work.

“Ours is a province of determined people who understand that success comes through commitment, discipline and perseverance.

“Every new day is embraced as an opportunity to work, to innovate, to build, and to create a better future for themselves, their families and generations to come. It is this spirit that has made today’s achievement possible.

“Our communities see this project as a symbol of a brighter future. The people of our province understand that this project is about far more than wind turbines and infrastructure. It is about creating jobs, developing skills, attracting investment, restoring dignity to families, and opening opportunities for the next generation,” the Premier said.

Ndlovu said the event represented an important milestone in addressing one of South Africa’s most pressing challenges: unemployment.

“We have long held the view that government alone cannot create all the jobs required by our growing population. Sustainable economic growth requires strong partnerships between government, business, labour and communities. It requires the private sector to invest, innovate and expand opportunities,” he said.

Renewable energy and the Just Energy Transition

Located in Mpumalanga, South Africa’s traditional energy-producing region, the Ummbila Emoyeni Wind Energy Facility demonstrates the practical implementation of the country’s Just Energy Transition (JET).

The project combines renewable electricity generation with significant investment in transmission infrastructure, long-term regional operations, local supplier participation, skills development and community investment.

The first phase of the project comprises 155MW of wind generation and forms part of a planned 900MW renewable energy programme. The programme will contribute additional renewable electricity generation capacity while strengthening South Africa’s energy system.

Seriti Green Chairman Mike Teke said the project demonstrated what could be achieved through collaboration between government and the private sector.

“In just a few years, working closely with government, we have delivered. This is JET in action. Coal and renewables together, and the benefits and beneficiaries in the towns of Bethal, Davel and Morgenzon transforming their towns and communities, and powering 500 000 homes.

“Over 2 100 employees have contributed, and 18 500 job seekers registered on our skills portal, more than 50% of which are female,” Teke said.

Teke said the company was determined to do more and that nothing would stand in the way of progress.

Seriti Green CEO Peter Venn said the success of the project was the result of hard work by people determined to prove that South Africa could build infrastructure of global significance and attract investment to secure the nation’s energy future.

“Your dedication, resilience and commitment have made today possible. This project accumulated more than three million hours of work, and all of that time, we did not record a single lost-time injury.

“And, when we gather again, we will not simply be celebrating another wind farm. We will be demonstrating that wind farms, solar farms and batteries can form part of a sustainable future for South Africa, and the energy transition is just, transforming communities and industries, presenting opportunities while decarbonising to impact climate change,” he said.

Benefits for local communities

For residents in the surrounding communities, the project represents the prospect of improved livelihoods and greater access to employment opportunities.

Muziwabantu Sikhakhane told SAnews that the project would contribute to the province’s energy security.

“We hope more job opportunities will be created for our people. There will be no need to flock to Gauteng for jobs,” he said.

Sikhakhane thanked the provincial government for the job opportunities created and called for more projects to be developed in the province.

Seriti’s confidence in South Africa’s renewable energy potential was demonstrated in 2023, when the company pledged R4.5 billion at the 5th South Africa Investment Conference (SAIC).

This was followed by a further R10 billion investment in renewable energy infrastructure at the 6th SAIC earlier this year. – SAnews.gov.za
 

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South Africans visiting voting stations this weekend to register to vote or update their details can expect mostly fine weather with cool conditions.

The Electoral Commission (IEC) is expected to operate 23 699 voting stations across the country from 8am to 5pm on both Saturday and Sunday.

Fine and cool conditions are expected for Saturday and Sunday, except along the east coast of South Africa, which will be partly cloudy with isolated showers on Saturday

“Damaging winds and waves are expected along the KwaZulu-Natal coast, while the northern interior parts of the province will be windy on Friday,” the South African Weather Service (SAWS) said.

SAWS has issued a Yellow Level 2 warning for damaging winds and waves, which may lead to difficulty in navigation, localised disruption at small harbours and/or ports for a short period, and a risk of small vessels taking on water and capsizing between KwaDukuza and Kosi Bay on Friday.

It also warned of extremely high fire danger conditions on Friday over the Matzikama Municipality in the Western Cape.

Eligible voters are encouraged to use the weekend opportunity to secure their place on the voters’ roll ahead of the 2026 Local Government Elections. –SAnews.gov.za

 

 

 

 

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The Department of Home Affairs will extend operating hours at all offices across the country during the final Voter Registration Weekend on 01 and 02 August 2026.

In a statement on Friday, Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Leon Schreiber, said all Home Affairs offices will be open on Saturday and Sunday from 08:00 to 17:00 to ensure that eligible citizens can access the services they need to register to vote.

According to the department, more than 360 000 identity documents are currently awaiting collection at Home Affairs offices nationwide.

Schreiber urged citizens whose documents are ready to collect them, including those who still need a Smart ID card to visit their nearest Home Affairs office during the extended operating hours.

A valid identity document is required to register to vote.

“The right to vote is one of the cornerstones of our constitutional democracy. By extending operating hours this weekend, Home Affairs is making it easier for every eligible South African to obtain the identity documents they need to register to vote.

“I encourage everyone whose identity document is ready for collection, or who still needs to apply for a Smart ID card, to make use of the extended operating hours this weekend,” Schreiber said. – SAnews.gov.za
 

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