Category: Africa

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has confirmed that several weather stations across the Namakwa District and the Western Cape have officially broken their long-standing maximum temperature records for March.

The weather service explained that the presence of a strong, slow-moving high-pressure weather system in the upper levels of the atmosphere has resulted in “extremely hot” conditions. 

Preliminary data from the SAWS show that several stations in the Western Cape have recorded their highest maximum temperatures in at least 11 years during the current heat wave event. 

“These temperatures exceed those recorded during a similar extreme heat event on 3 March 2015, when parts of the province, particularly the Cape Metropole, broke long-standing temperature records.

“The temperature reading of 46,6°C recorded at the Royal Cape Yacht Club (RCYC) has since been removed from the official records. 

“This specific station was installed primarily for wind monitoring to assist with maritime activities and regattas. The sensor is located on a rooftop to ensure proper wind exposure, at a placement that does not meet the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) standards for temperature measurements,” SAWS said.

Consequently, temperature readings from this station are not representative of the actual ambient air conditions in the area, and the temperature sensor at this station has since been disabled.

When Will the Heat Wave End?

Current meteorological models indicate that the high-pressure system responsible for the heat will begin to weaken and shift away from the region towards the end of the week.

• Thursday, 12 March: Heat remains intense for the interior, particularly the Namakwa District and the interior of the Western Cape.
• Friday, 13 March: This is expected to be the final day of heat wave conditions, with a gradual cooling trend starting along the coast.
• Saturday, 14 March: A drop in temperatures is anticipated as the weather system moves out, bringing cooler, more seasonal conditions to the region.

Until the heat wave officially breaks, the public is urged to remain vigilant against heat-related risks:

• Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water even if you do not feel thirsty.
• Limit Exposure: Avoid strenuous outdoor activities between 12h00 and 15h00.
•  Vulnerable Groups: Regularly check on the elderly and babies.
• Vehicle Safety: Never leave children or animals in parked cars, even for a short time.

“The SAWS will continue to monitor this system closely and will issue updates as new information becomes available. The public and relevant authorities are urged to follow official weather warnings and advisories from reliable sources.” –SAnews.gov.za

Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina and Eswatini’s Minister of Natural Resources and Energy Prince Lonkhokhela Dlamini are set to formally sign the Revised Treaty on the Development and Utilisation of the Water Resources of the Komati Basin at Maguga Dam, in the Kingdom of Eswatini.

The signing ceremony, scheduled for Friday, 13 March 2026, aims to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries while enhancing cooperation on the management of shared water resources.

The meeting will also focus on strengthening river flow monitoring in the Komati Basin, which is shared by South Africa and Eswatini, and ensuring compliance with statutory water flow obligations to Mozambique.

Department of Water and Sanitation spokesperson Wisane Mavasa said the revised treaty marks a new chapter in the sustainable development and management of the water resources of the Komati River Basin.

“The revised Treaty will unlock Phase Two developments to enable the Member States (South Africa and Eswatini) through the Komati Basin Water Authority (KOBWA) to venture into future Komati Basin dam projects and undertake revenue generation initiatives to benefit the citizens of the two countries and to ensure financial sustainability, and reduce its dependency on the Member States,” Mavasa said in a statement on Thursday.

KOBWA was established in 1992 as a bi-national institution through a treaty between South Africa and Eswatini to implement Phase One of the Komati River Basin Development Project.

Phase One included the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of the Driekoppies Dam in South Africa and the Maguga Dam in Eswatini. While the first phase has been completed, Phase Two has not yet been conceptualised.

The Komati River Basin is a transboundary water system shared by South Africa, Eswatini, and Mozambique. It comprises the Mlumati and Komati rivers, which later join the Crocodile River downstream.

South Africa and Eswatini share water from the Maguga Dam on a 60/40 basis, while the Driekoppies Dam is solely used by South Africa. – SAnews.gov.za

President Cyril Ramaphosa has reiterated that releasing the interim report of the Madlanga Commission could jeopardise the commission’s ongoing work and be unfair to witnesses who have not yet appeared before it.

The President was answering questions in the National Assembly on Thursday afternoon.

“The commission’s work is ongoing. In its interim report, the commission noted that it will require further evidence from a number of people who had not yet appeared before it.

“Beyond the referrals and recommendations that I have made public, it would be unfair to witnesses whose testimony is not complete or individuals against whom the commission has not yet made any findings to publicise the information at this stage.

“Furthermore, it may jeopardise investigations as well as lines of questioning of the commission, to make unconcluded avenues with regard to the investigation that could be made public,” he said.

Given the short time frame for the commission to complete its work – extended to 31 August 2026 just this week – all the reports will be made public once the final one is submitted.

A second interim report is expected at the end of May.

“This will be subject to any advice from the commission itself or other considerations on whether the publication of any portions of the report that may put persons who may have appeared before the commission in danger.

“We have already seen how a number of people who appeared before the commission have been targeted and some of them have been in serious danger,” he said.

No wrongdoer protected

The commission – led by Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga – was established by the President to investigate allegations made by Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi on 6 July 2025 relating to criminality, political interference and corruption within the criminal justice system.

An interim report was handed over to President Cyril Ramaphosa in December last year.

The report made recommendations and referrals, including:

• Immediate criminal investigations must commence where evidence of wrongdoing is presented.
• There should be urgent decisions on prosecutions where required.
• With respect to individuals currently in law enforcement or intelligence services, where wrongdoing was found, the commission made recommendations on employment statuses on individuals, including whether they should be suspended.

At least 14 high-ranking South African Police Service (SAPS) members and Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (EMM) officials were referred for investigation after being identified as possible wrongdoers by the commission.

“To ensure that these matters are given the necessary attention, I directed the Minister of Police, as well as the National Commissioner, to constitute a special investigation task team reporting directly to the commissioner. The team will institute investigations against those identified by the commission for such investigation.

“Matters that require disciplinary action are currently being attended to by the relevant departments and some are resulting in suspensions,” President Ramaphosa told the National Assembly. 

He assured citizens that throughout the process, government has been guided by “the fundamental principle of transparency and that South Africans must know the facts” about allegations made by Mkhwanazi.

“We will implement the recommendations from the commission and we will take action.

“I can give assurance that no one – who is either implicated or will be implicated – will be shielded. When the commission does its recommendations, we will act accordingly on those recommendations.

“In the end, we will make sure that when the report is issued, the South African public will be able to see what the commissions said and what action we are going to embark upon. No big name or small name, however they are connected, will be shielded. We can assure of that,” President Ramaphosa said.

Water crisis committee

On a question related to the establishment of the National Water Crisis Committee, President Ramaphosa said an action plan setting out the way to tackle the challenge, is being drafted – similar to the approach taken to resolve the energy crisis.

“Work is currently underway to finalise the national Water Action Plan and to…get the committee to start its proceedings which it will do this coming week.

“It is expected that it will be completed by the end of March in terms of the water plan,” he said.

The committee is faced with three priorities:

• Address immediate challenges in municipality water and sanitation delivery through a focus on limited number of municipalities
• Expedite institutional, financial and systemic causes of the water crisis
• Attract investment in water infrastructure, increasing both public and private sector investment and involvement

“The main causes of the water crisis are at local government level. Maintenance of municipal water and sanitation infrastructure has been neglected in many of our municipalities over decades. There is, therefore, a big backlog for the repair and the refurbishment of water services.

“Solving South Africa’s water crisis…requires a multi-faceted approach focused on institutional reform, infrastructure maintenance and human capital development at the local level,” he said.

Where necessary and guided by the Constitution, the National Water Act and the Water Services Act, national government will intervene in municipalities that are “failing to meet their obligations or that are failing to implement corrective measures”.

“We will also, where municipalities and municipal officials fail, take action against them and we will also be focusing on how they are contravening the requirements of the National Water Act. Where there is wrongdoing, they too will be charged.

“Where necessary, national government will assume responsibilities for water services in those municipalities that fail to discharge their responsibilities.

“As has been done to great effect by the National Energy Crisis Committee, the National Water Crisis Committee will bring together role players from across the state to undertake a clear set of focused and impactful interventions that will make a real and lasting difference in people’s lives,” President Ramaphosa said. – SAnews.gov.za

Deputy President Paul Mashatile has hailed South Africa’s upcoming rollout of Lenacapavir as a potential game-changer in the country’s efforts to prevent HIV infections.

The antiviral medicine is used to reduce the risk of HIV in adults and adolescents who weigh at least 35 kilograms, are HIV negative, and are at risk of getting HIV. 

“Our country now stands poised to start with the rollout of Lenacapavir around May this year,” the Deputy President said on Thursday, during an Extended Plenary of the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC).

Lenacapavir was registered by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) last October. The product was developed to prevent new HIV infections by administering a six-monthly injection.

While South Africa has made progress in expanding treatment and prevention services for HIV, tuberculosis (TB), and Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), Mashatile stressed that challenges remain, particularly in treatment retention, prevention among young people and key populations, and the persistent burden of tuberculosis.

“Ending TB and HIV is a moral duty to restore dignity, protect families, and secure the future of our nation. I call on all of us to strengthen collaboration, to break down barriers of stigma and inequality, and to mobilise every resource at our disposal. 

“Together, we can accelerate progress towards the 95-95-95 targets, towards ending TB, and towards building a healthier, more just South Africa,” the Deputy President said.

The targets call for 95% of all people living with HIV to know their HIV status, 95% of all people with diagnosed HIV infection to receive sustained antiretroviral therapy, and 95% of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy to have viral suppression.

“Furthermore, let us intensify our efforts as the SANAC family in the fight against Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF). As we all know, the President has declared GBVF a national disaster. We must all collaborate across sectors of society to combat this scourge,” he said. –SAnews.gov.za

Minister in the Presidency responsible for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Maropene Ramokgopa, has led a stakeholder engagement with religious and traditional leaders aimed at strengthening community mobilisation in support of the National Development Plan (NDP): Vision 2030.

Ramokgopa undertook the engagement together with KwaZulu-Natal Transport and Human Settlements MEC Siboniso Duma in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, on Tuesday. They were joined by uMgungundlovu District Mayor Mzi Zuma, and Msunduzi Mayor Mzimkhulu Thebolla, among other provincial and local government leaders.

Hosted in partnership with the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport and Human Settlements and local government, the meeting brought together religious leaders, traditional authorities, and community stakeholders from across the uMgungundlovu District Municipality.

The engagement formed part of a collaborative effort between national, provincial, and local government to strengthen community mobilisation and partnerships with community leadership structures and promote greater participation in advancing development priorities and improving service delivery outcomes.

The programme provided a platform for dialogue on a range of issues affecting communities, including the protection of rural livelihoods, road safety awareness ahead of the Easter holiday period, social cohesion and the promotion of active citizenship.

During the engagement, religious and traditional leaders raised a number of pressing community concerns. These included the impact of Foot and Mouth Disease on livestock farmers, gender-based violence, cattle theft and inadequate rural infrastructure, such as bridges.

Other issues raised included support for schools, access to decent human settlements, and persistent water and electricity supply challenges affecting rural communities. Traditional leaders also called for stronger government outreach and monitoring in rural areas to ensure that development programmes reach rural communities.

Traditional and religious leaders play an important role in South African society as custodians of cultural heritage, moral authority and community cohesion. Their leadership is critical in strengthening partnerships between government and communities and in supporting the implementation of development priorities at local level.

Ramokgopa said the National Development Plan places strong emphasis on social partnerships and the active role of communities in driving inclusive development.

“The National Development Plan prioritises a social compact where government, communities, the private sector, civil society and research institutions work together to drive inclusive development in our country.

“Traditional and religious leaders play a crucial role in strengthening these partnerships, shaping the lives of communities and promoting active citizenry,” Ramokgopa said.

The Minister highlighted the important role of faith-based organisations in strengthening social mobilisation and community engagement.

“Churches are able to reach communities in ways that government sometimes cannot. They are a critical part of active citizenry, which is recognised as an important pillar of the National Development Plan,” she said.

The Minister also emphasised the need for closer alignment between government planning processes and traditional leadership structures.

“The strategic plans of Amakhosi must feed into and inform national departmental strategic plans, as traditional leaders are directly engaged in issues affecting agriculture, land and rural livelihoods,” she said.

Duma welcomed the engagement and expressed appreciation to President Cyril Ramaphosa for assigning Ramokgopa to support initiatives aimed at addressing challenges facing rural communities in the province.

Duma noted that efforts were underway to accelerate the provision of vaccines to combat Foot and Mouth Disease, particularly in the uMgungundlovu District, which has been among the hardest-hit areas.

He added that engagements with commercial farmers, livestock associations and dip tank committees have raised hopes that decisive interventions will help protect livestock and safeguard rural livelihoods.

“Through the District Development Model, all spheres of government will continue working together to alleviate poverty, promote food security and support the development of vibrant agricultural communities with improved opportunities to participate in the mainstream economy of the province,” Duma said.

Government said engagements with community leadership structures form part of broader efforts to promote active citizenship, strengthen partnerships with community leadership structures, and accelerate the implementation of the National Development Plan at local level. – SAnews.gov.za