Category: Africa

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) says typical autumn weather systems are expected to dominate across the country this weekend.

According to the forecast, this pattern consists of a surface trough over the western and central interior, while the Atlantic High extends a ridge over the southern and eastern parts of the country. 

This will result in isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers in several areas.

Partly cloudy and cool to warm conditions are expected on Saturday, with isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers. Severe thunderstorms and damaging waves are also anticipated in some regions.

On Sunday, partly cloudy and cool to warm conditions will persist, with isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers forecast over parts of the Northern Cape and North West province. No severe weather warnings have been issued at this stage.

SAWS has urged members of the public and stakeholders to continuously monitor official forecasts and warnings, as these may be updated as the likelihood and severity of impacts become clearer.

The public is also advised to remain cautious of unauthorised or unverified information sources and to refrain from sharing such information. –SAnews.gov.za

Deputy President Paul Mashatile says today’s handover of title deeds to the Sebilong community, situated near Thabazimbi in Limpopo, restores ownership and secure tenure to 1 071 verified beneficiaries from the 89 originally dispossessed households.

“The claim was settled through a combination of land restoration and financial compensation, and a Communal Property Association was established as the legal entity to hold and administer the restored land,” Mashatile said.

Speaking at an event to hand over title deeds to the Sebilong community on Friday, Mashatile said the title deeds provide legal certainty and form the basis for productive land use, economic participation and long-term development.

“Government remains clear that land restitution must contribute to sustainable livelihoods and local economic development,” Mashatile said.

He told the successful land claimants that the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development is providing post settlement support, including funding for development initiatives and support in preparation for a comprehensive business plan.

“The aim of this support is to ensure the productive use of the restored land, adhering to sound governance and development principles.

“Effective governance of communal property is essential to safeguarding restored land and ensuring that it benefits both current and future generations,” the Deputy President said.

Mashatile said the restoration of Farm Zwartkop 369 KQ is a clear demonstration of government’s ongoing work to redress historical injustices, and to advance land reform as a key element of inclusive growth and rural development.

“Our government is reversing the 1913 Natives Land Act legacy through a comprehensive land reform programme focusing on restitution, redistribution and tenure reform. Key actions include returning land to dispossessed communities and implementing the Restitution of Land Rights Act.

“This Act, passed in 1994, was designed to restore land or provide equitable redress to persons and communities dispossessed under racially discriminatory laws. Its objectives are to foster reconciliation, to enable land ownership for victims of forced removals, and to promote development through restorative justice,” he said.

Mashatile said as the country marks Freedom Month, a time when people reflect on the sacrifices that brought democracy and the responsibilities that come with it, as a country we are reminded that true freedom must be lived in the soil beneath our feet.

“Without land, freedom remains incomplete. I have always maintained that the handing over of a title deed is far more than a legal transaction. 

“It is the restoration of justice for the people. It is the handing over of dignity, recognition, and justice to people who were once stripped of their land and identity. It is the return of identity, the restoration of belonging and the renewal of hope,” he said.

Mashatile told the beneficiaries that as a community, they have a huge responsibility to use the land productively.

“Let it be a source of food security, of jobs for the youth, of opportunities for your women and other vulnerable groups, and a source of wealth for your families,” he said.

Chairperson of the Communal Property Association (CPA), Boitshoko Tisane, said people must rejoice as the land has been brought back.

“Today is about restoration of justice. Our grandfathers were forcefully removed from their land. They were forced to work for white farmers,” he said.

Tisane thanked government for granting them the opportunity to reclaim their land, saying they are going to create jobs.

“Government alone cannot create jobs, we as the community must play our part and create jobs,” he said.

 Also speaking at the same event was the Thabazimbi Mayor Andries Tshukhudu who told guests that today was not just a ceremony but a moment of restoration for the community of Sebilong.

“Our land was forcefully taken from our people in a painful way, today we are thankful to the government for bringing our land back peacefully,” Tshukudu said.

Tshukudu said although it took long, they are now happy that their land has been brought back.

“As the people of Sebilong, we started the process of land claim with the hope that one day, our land will be brought back to us,” he said.

The Sebilong community successfully lodged their land claim with the Commission on Restitution of Land Rights more than a decade ago.

According to local community members, the Sebilong Land Claim was lodged by Lazasrus Nkale Tisane on behalf of 89 originally dispossessed households totaling 1 071 verified beneficiaries. 

The claimed land is Farm Zwartkop 369 KQ, which consists of 21 portions located within the Thabazimbi local municipality, which is located in the Waterberg District.

After the claim was approved, the CPA opted for both land restoration and financial compensation. – SAnews.gov.za

Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina has emphasised that water is no longer a sectoral issue that can be treated as a routine service delivery function, warning that it has become a binding constraint on economic growth.

Delivering a keynote address during a Ministerial webinar on Friday to track progress on the 2025 Water and Sanitation Indaba resolutions, Majodina said that South Africa’s water crisis now poses a direct threat to development and human well-being.

Held under the theme: “Tracking Progress and Strengthening Partnerships for Sustainable Water and Sanitation Delivery”, the webinar served as the first structured national platform to assess implementation of the Indaba resolutions. 

It brought together national and provincial government, municipalities, water entities, business, labour, civil society, and sector partners to confront the sector’s deep and persistent challenges.

Majodina said the Indaba was designed as a “turning point” to move the sector away from prolonged discussions towards practical implementation. 

“Its purpose was to identify practical, implementable solutions to the infrastructure backlogs, governance weaknesses, financial instability, technical capacity deficits, criminality, corruption, and underinvestment that continue to undermine water and sanitation delivery in South Africa.

“The message from that Indaba was unmistakable: the era of endless discussion had to give way to the era of delivery,” Majodina said.

Citing the latest national assessments, the Minister painted a stark picture of the sector’s condition, with nearly half of the country’s water supply systems failing to meet required standards, while about 64% of wastewater treatment works are in a critical state.

In addition, close to 47% of water is lost before reaching communities due to leaks, poor maintenance, ageing infrastructure and operational failures. 

“In a water-scarce country such as ours, that is not simply inefficiency, it is unacceptable,” the Minister said.

Majodina stressed that the crisis is not only technical but rooted in governance failures, including institutional weakness, delayed maintenance, poor planning, weak revenue collection and in too many cases, a lack of accountability.

Majodina noted that water shortages affect key sectors, including agriculture, mining, manufacturing, housing development, and investor confidence.

“Water security is national security,” the Minister said, calling for the issue to be treated with the same seriousness as energy security and economic reform.

She said communities are suffering not because we do not know what must be done, but due to institutions failure do what they are required to do.

“Many are failing due to poor planning, a lack of preventative maintenance, weak financial management, poor billing and revenue collection, and, in some instances, the misuse of funds,” she said.

Majodina warned that where municipalities cannot deliver, government will intervene decisively, adding that accountability is “no longer optional, it is non-negotiable”.

She outlined five key priorities emerging from the 2025 Indaba, including the need to adopt fit-for-purpose delivery models, improve financial sustainability, strengthen technical capacity, deepen partnerships and intensify the fight against corruption and criminality.

On investment and financial viability, the Minister said the sector is financially unsustainable in many areas due to poor revenue collection, a culture of non-payment, weak billing systems and the misallocation of grants, which have created a cycle of collapse.

“No money means no maintenance, no maintenance means no reliability, and no reliability means no service delivery,” she said, emphasising the enforcement of financial discipline.

She also highlighted the importance of partnerships with civil society and the private sector.

Collaboration with law enforcement

The Minister said efforts to combat corruption and vandalism will be intensified, with collaboration with law enforcement, strengthen consequence management and advance the work of the anti-corruption forum in the sector.

“Corruption, theft, illegal connections, vandalism and procurement abuse are not side issues. They are actively destroying the sector, drain scarce resources, undermine delivery and rob poor communities of dignity,” the Minister said.

She said the webinar programme would include progress reports from all nine provinces, aimed at identifying challenges, sharing best practices and strengthening implementation.

“Let us fix what is broken, restore what has failed, defeat corruption, dysfunction, and indifference. The time for action is now,” Majodina said. – SAnews.gov.za

All lanes in both directions on the N3 near the Harrismith North Interchange have been reopened on Friday to traffic, after an earlier multiple-truck obstruction.

Motorists are, however, advised to expect ongoing congestion and delays in the area while the traffic backlog is cleared.

N3 Toll Concession (N3TC) Chief Operating Officer Thania Dhoogra has urged road users to approach the area with caution.

“Please remain patient and drive with extra caution until the current traffic backlog has been cleared and mobility is fully restored,” Dhoogra said.

The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) has also warned that delays may persist for several hours while traffic flow returns to normal.

“We thank motorists for their patience and urge them to exercise caution, as they may still encounter congestion,” the RTMC said. –SAnews.gov.za

Government has called on South Africans to help shape a sweeping new law aimed at protecting whistleblowers.

Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Mmamaloko Kubayi, on Thursday unveiled the proposed Protected Disclosures Bill in Pretoria, describing it as a “critical intervention” to safeguard individuals who come forward with information on wrongdoing.

But while the Bill introduces far-reaching reforms, Kubayi stressed that it is still a proposal — and its final strength will depend on public input before the 14 May 2026 deadline.

The legislation stems largely from findings of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture, which exposed how whistleblowers were often left vulnerable after speaking out.

Kubayi acknowledged that existing protections have fallen short, pointing to cases where whistleblowers were dismissed, financially devastated or even killed. High-profile figures such as Babita Deokaran, Martha Ngoye, Athol Williams and Mpho Mafole were cited as reminders of the risks involved.

“Many whistleblowers are left to navigate complex legal processes without support, often after losing their livelihoods and assets,” Kubayi said.

The Bill seeks to close the gaps by introducing a more comprehensive framework for reporting and protecting disclosures.

Among its key proposals are:

• Clear definitions of what constitutes a protected disclosure and harmful retaliation.

• Strict confidentiality rules, with criminal penalties for exposing a whistleblower’s identity.

• Access to state-backed protection under the Witness Protection Act, 1998, including relocation and security measures.

• Legal assistance through Legal Aid South Africa for those who cannot afford representation.

• A complaints mechanism overseen by a retired judge.

The Bill also introduces tough penalties – including up to 15 years in prison – for those who retaliate against whistleblowers or conceal evidence.

Employers would carry the burden of proving that any action taken against a whistleblower is unrelated to their disclosure.

To prevent cases from stalling, the proposed law sets strict timelines:

• Disclosures must be acknowledged within five days.

• Decisions taken within ten days.

• Investigations finalised within 12 months.

A central database will track cases to improve accountability, although it will not store identifying details of whistleblowers.

Kubayi emphasised that this is a Bill that is still going to have to go through public participation.

Government has urged civil society, businesses, labour groups and ordinary citizens to submit written comments before the deadline, stressing that public input will directly influence the final legislation. – SAnews.gov.za