Category: Africa

South Africa’s reform progress continues to record progress, moving from plans to implementation in sectors including electricity, logistics and water, with Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana emphasising the importance of continuing the reform journey.

Government’s reforms programme is aimed at dismantling barriers to investment, economic growth and employment in South Africa.

“The structural reforms are not abstract policy measures. They affect the daily lives of South Africans. Take the water sector, for example. Poorly maintained infrastructure, high water losses and weak municipal capacity have undermined service delivery.

“Government’s response through the National Water Action Plan focuses not only on infrastructure, but on fixing institutions responsible for delivering water services. The priority is to restore operational performance, strengthen governance and technical capacity, reduce water losses, improve revenue collection and reform the way water infrastructure is financed.

“By addressing both infrastructure and institutional weaknesses, we are laying the foundation for reliable water services and stronger local economies,” Godongwana explained.

The Minister was delivering the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) in Parliament on Wednesday.

In the MTBPS documents, National Treasury noted the following progress in key sectors this year:
•    Electricity: The wholesale electricity market was launched internally with 32 participants, while Eskom recorded a profit for a second year.
•    Logistics: Transnet recorded a profit in the 2025/26 financial year, while the entity published its Revised Network Statement.
•    Water: The SA National Water Resources Infrastructure Agency (SANWRIA) board and acting CEO was appointed and the WATERCOM was established.
•    Local Government: In September, the Public Service Commission Bill was enacted into law while the eight metro municipalities became part of the Metro Trading Services Reform programme
•    Cities and Housing: Passenger rail journeys increased by five times – up from 17 million in the 2021/22 financial year to 101 million in the 2025/26 financial year.
•    Visas: The Electronic Travel Authorisation programme is now live, reaching 200 000 applications and allowing for 24-hour approvals.

“In energy…the Department of Electricity and Energy has also published policy guidance on the market design and a revised pricing policy. The work to create a fully independent transmission system operator is progressing well.

“Since the establishment of the task team in March 2026, the President has approved its Phase 1 report, and the detailed transaction structure and implementation plan will be delivered in a second report by year end,” Treasury stated.

The next step for the energy sector is to finalise the trading rules and open the wholesale electricity market externally in 2027.

Logistics

In 2027, eleven private train operators will start running on the freight network.

At the same time, Cabinet has approved the “approach to separating out the Transnet National Ports Authority as an independent entity”.

“Alongside this, the Transport Economic Regulator is working to establish the institution’s governance framework, design regulatory systems and build capacity for full functionality in April 2027.

“The Transnet Rail Infrastructure Manager has published the revised rules for private rail operators after industry feedback as new train operating companies prepare for operations from 2027,” Treasury noted.

Addressing the water crisis

To resolve challenges in the water sector, the National Water Crisis Committee was established this year and is tasked with overseeing the implementation of the National Water Action Plan.

“[SANWRIA] will finance and develop national dams and transfer schemes using its own balance sheet.

“The Water Partnerships Office has been incorporated into the Infrastructure Finance and Implementation Support Agency to unlock additional funding for water projects, with a pipeline exceeding R60 billion now in the financing stage of implementation,” the department said.

Rail

Passenger rail reforms continue to gain momentum with passenger journeys rising more than twofold from about 39 million in 2023/24 to 101 million in 2025/26.

“The improvements largely result from signal modernisation, strategic rolling stock replacement and other infrastructure rollouts.

“The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa is targeting 232 million passenger journeys in 2028/29,” National Treasury said.

The coal face

In its determination to build a capable state, government has placed particular emphasis on reforms to local government.

This includes what the National Treasury described as “stronger action…to address financial mismanagement in municipalities alongside interventions to improve revenue collection”.

“The reforms…institutionalise financial discipline through amendments to the Municipal Finance Management Act [MFMA].

“They…also support improved infrastructure investment and service delivery, through new public-private partnership regulations as well as by incentivising municipalities to reinvest revenue from water, electricity and waste services into the infrastructure for these services,” the department stated.

Additionally, the assent of the Public Service Commission (PSC) Bill in September strengthens the PSC’s ability to monitor, investigate and intervene in municipalities and “separates political interference from administrative duties”.

Furthermore, the White Paper on Local Government will be launched this week and will strengthen the “regulation of service delivery and professionalise senior appointments”.

“These measures form part of a comprehensive reform programme that works at two levels: structural change to local government institutions, finances and legislation, and governance reform to improve how municipalities manage the delivery of basic services,” National Treasury explained.

The local government reform programme is at different stages of maturity.

“The Metro Trading Services Reform Programme and the Smart Meters Grant Programme are in implementation. The White Paper and the Public Service Commission Act are now moving to implementation.

“The local government fiscal framework review, the MFMA review, the Water Services Amendment Bill and digital transformation interventions are in design, drafting or processing,” the department stated. – SAnews.gov.za

 

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Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina has committed to conducting quarterly oversight visits to the R19.7 billion Mokolo-Crocodile Water Augmentation Project Phase 2A (MCWAP-2A) to monitor progress and ensure the project is completed on time and within budget.

Majodina made the commitment during an oversight visit hosted by the Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority (TCTA) in Lephalale and Thabazimbi, Limpopo, on Tuesday, 20 October 2026.

The visit aimed to assess progress on the strategic water infrastructure project, which is expected to strengthen long-term water security and support economic and industrial development in the Waterberg District.

“These oversight visits are meant to ensure that the project is delivered on time and within budget,” Majodina said.

She was accompanied by Deputy Minister David Mahlobo and Limpopo Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (CoGHSTA) MEC, Pule Shayi.

The Minister acknowledged TCTA’s contribution to water infrastructure development over its 40-year history, including its financing role in Phase II of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP II).

“What TCTA is doing in the funding of LHWP-2 gives me a good indication of what TCTA will be doing with this project. As the Ministry, we are also confident that this engineering piece of work, worth R19.7 billion, will continue to contribute to youth empowerment and the transfer of skills. I was particularly happy to see many young women in leadership roles on the project,” Majodina said.

TCTA Board Chairperson Precious Sibiya said the project is currently involved in multiple water infrastructure projects, and MCWAP-2A is among the critical ones.

“As TCTA is transitioning into the South African National Water Infrastructure Agency (SANWRIA), we will continue delivering to the best of our ability in project finance and implementation,” Sibiya said.

Sibiya welcomed the Minister and Deputy Minister’s support for TCTA and its work, noting that the oversight visit demonstrated recognition of the authority’s work.

She highlighted the project’s role in meeting the water requirements of flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) systems at Eskom’s Medupi Power Station.

She said the inclusion of FGD systems is a key precondition set by the World Bank for financing of the power plant and requires massive amounts of water.

With existing supplies in the Lephalale area being insufficient to meet the demand, Sibiya said Eskom has applied to abstract water from the project, one of the key achievements attributed to the project.

“Mining and power generation activities, along with population growth, have placed increasing pressure on water resources. MCWAP-2 therefore forms part of South Africa’s long-term water security strategy. It is especially critical for Limpopo Province, a region of growing industrial demand,” Sibiya said.

While MCWAP-1 successfully augmented supply to the Medupi and Matimba power stations, Sibiya said the scale of current and future demand calls for a stronger solution.

The oversight visit also provided an opportunity for the Minister, TCTA leadership and local leaders to discuss water infrastructure development and strengthen collaboration between national and local government in addressing water and sanitation challenges in the district.

MCWAP-2A is designed to transfer raw water from the Crocodile River through an approximately 140-kilometre pipeline between Thabazimbi and Lephalale.

The project includes an abstraction weir, pipeline, pump stations, ancillary infrastructure, a river management system, and an operational control centre.

Once completed, it will provide an additional bulk raw water source for major users, including Eskom’s Medupi and Matimba power stations, Exxaro’s Grootegeluk mine, and other commercial and industrial users.

Beyond supporting economic activity, the project is expected to strengthen the Waterberg District Municipality’s bulk water infrastructure, which is important for communities that depend on a reliable and sustainable water system. – SAnews.gov.za

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The responsibility of maintaining clean and safe environments is a collective obligation that must be undertaken by all, especially at community level, says Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni.

“If we all love our streets, our streets and communities [will] be clean,” Ntshavheni said.

She was speaking during the Love Your Street campaign in Tembisa, Ekurhuleni, on Tuesday, where she expressed encouragement at the commitment shown by local residents who volunteered to look after the trees planted by the Minister and her team.

Ntshavheni, together with government officials, civil society organisations and community members, once again rolled up their sleeves in Tembisa as part of efforts to improve neighbourhood cleanliness and promote community safety.

Last week, the Minister urged the municipality to ensure that streets are adequately lit to enable communities to move around freely and safely.

READ | Brooms, bags and a battle for clean, safe spaces in communities

She also called on residents to refrain from illegal dumping, advising them to wait for the municipality’s weekly refuse collection service when their refuse bags are full.

“Because of the partnership with the community, we are confident that we are going to win the fight of keeping Ekurhuleni and our cities and towns clean, in line with the ‘Clean Cities and Towns’ campaign launched by Deputy President Paul Mashatile,” Ntshavheni said.

The Minister said she was looking forward to seeing Ekurhuleni participate in the Cleanest Municipality competition, which seeks to encourage municipalities and communities to maintain clean and healthy environments.

“We are also looking forward to schools that will be participating in the Food Garden competition. We already have three schools that will be participating in this, and we are looking forward to more schools participating in the competition,” Ntshavheni said.

She said government will mobilise businesses to contribute seeds to support community food gardens and broader environmental cleanliness initiatives.

Ntshavheni said maintaining a clean environment requires a collective effort from communities, government and the private sector.

Last week, Ntshavheni and her team visited Tembisa South to address the problem of illegal dumping as part of ongoing interventions to improve the local environment. Ekurhuleni Municipality was the site of the recent discovery of the bodies of several women. The shadow of that violence gives added impetus to the campaign’s message of safe, well-lit and clean public spaces.

The Love Your Street campaign was launched by The Presidency and the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) in the Western Cape earlier this year.

“The Love Your Street campaign forms part of government’s ongoing efforts to promote community pride, active citizenry, and clean and safe neighbourhoods,” the GCIS said in a statement.

The campaign promotes partnerships between communities and municipalities to help keep cities and townships clean, including addressing illegal dumping and the problem of overgrown greenery.

“The Love Your Street campaign accelerates and strengthens effective, integrated service delivery interventions, including gender-based violence and femicide [GBVF] awareness by transforming neglected, poorly lit, overgrown parks and open spaces, identified as GBVF hotspots, into safe, clean community spaces, while educating community members about GBVF reporting mechanisms and available services,” the GCIS explained. – SAnews.gov.za

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South Africa’s annual Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased to 4.5%  in September 2026, Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) said on Wednesday.

“Annual consumer price index (CPI) inflation edged higher in September 2026, rising to 4.5% from 4.4% in August 2026 and 4.3% in July 2026. The index increased by 0.4% between August and September, up from 0% recorded between July and August,” it said.
This as consumer inflation rose for a second straight month.

Transport (10.8% and contributing 1.5 percentage points); housing and utilities (5.2% and contributing 1.3 percentage points); and insurance and financial services (5.4% and contributing 0.6 of a percentage point) were the main contributors to the 4.5% annual inflation rate.

In its Weekly Monitor economic commentary, Nedbank forecast headline consumer inflation to accelerate from 4.4% in August to 4.8% in September.

“The main driver will remain higher transport costs stemming from a rise in fuel prices. Petrol prices rose by 5.3% mom [month-on-month] following a jump in global oil prices (about 14.1%) and a depreciation of the rand against the US dollar (about 1.7%). Consequently, fuel inflation is expected to rise from 20% to around 27%,” it said in the document dated 17 October 2026.

It added that food inflation is expected to continue its moderate increase off a low base.
“The contribution from housing and utilities will also increase, driven by actual rentals for housing and owners’ equivalent rent, as well as wages for domestic workers and public transport fares, as surveyed in September. 

“Core inflation is also expected to firm, rising from 4.0% to 4.4%, as the indirect effects of higher fuel costs continue to filter through to a broader range of goods and services, suggesting mounting underlying inflationary pressures,” said Nedbank.

The data was released ahead of Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s tabling of the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) on Wednesday afternoon.

READ | All systems go for Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement
–SAnews.gov.za

 

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Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane has welcomed a High Court judgment dismissing an application for a declaratory order on fees imposed on property practitioners by residential estates and related bodies.

The Gauteng Division of the High Court in Johannesburg dismissed the application brought by the Residential Communities Council (NPC) and the Association of Residential Communities CC on Tuesday, 20 October 2026.

The applicants had sought broad relief relating to residential estates, homeowners’ associations, body corporates, and governing bodies across the country.

In its judgment, the court found that the applicants had not established sufficient grounds for the relief sought. It also recognised that the lawfulness of the contested conduct depends on the specific circumstances of each case, including the nature of the organisation concerned, the functions it performs, the nature of the fees charged and the circumstances under which those fees are imposed.

The Court further acknowledged that such practices may, depending on the facts, disadvantage property practitioners, restrict consumer choice and create barriers to entry into the property sector.

Simelane said the dismissal of a declaratory order enables the department, through its entity, the Property Practitioners Regulatory Authority (PPRA), to continue advancing for a fair, transparent, and inclusive property sector in which property practitioners can operate within the law and consumers are afforded appropriate protection.

“The Authority will continue to exercise its regulatory responsibilities in accordance with the Property Practitioners Act and applicable regulations, with due regard to the facts and merits of individual matters, and drive initiatives aimed at transforming the sector,” Simelane said.

The PPRA opposed the application, arguing that fees imposed on property practitioners may, depending on the circumstances, constitute an undesirable business practice under Regulation 35 of the Property Practitioners Regulations, 2022, read with sections 62 and 63 of the Property Practitioners Act 22 of 2019.

The Authority’s position was informed by its statutory mandate to regulate the conduct of property practitioners, promote compliance with the legislative framework and protect consumers against undesirable practices in the property market.

The Minister said this historic judgment represents a significant development in the ongoing debate concerning fees imposed on property practitioners by residential estates as a condition for marketing and selling properties within their developments.

“The judgment also reinforces the importance of examining practices in the property market against the objectives of the legislative framework, including fair access to the market, consumer protection and the transformation of the property sector,” Simelane said. – SAnews.gov.za

 

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President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Thursday launch the Cabinet-approved Revised White Paper on Local Government (WPLG), 2026, aimed at addressing persistent challenges in municipal governance, financial management, institutional capacity and service delivery.

The launch, to be held at the Birchwood Hotel and OR Tambo Conference Centre in Ekurhuleni, Gauteng, will take place under the theme: “Every Municipality Must Work: From Policy to Collective Action”.

The Revised White Paper builds on the national dialogue on the future of local government, including resolutions of the 2022 Presidential Local Government Summit, stakeholder consultations and government’s ongoing efforts to reform the local government system.

The policy provides a framework for a differentiated approach to municipalities, recognising that metropolitan, secondary-city, rural and small-town municipalities have different capacities, challenges and development needs.

The launch follows President Ramaphosa’s commitment in the 2026 State of the Nation Address to finalise a revised White Paper to reimagine the local government system and address its structural and operational challenges.

The event will also introduce the Implementation Plan and Transition Management Body, which will support the transition from policy development to implementation. The White Paper will be accompanied by a Research Compendium consolidating the research that informed the policy review.

The launch is expected to bring together the political and administrative leadership of all 257 municipalities, national and provincial government, Parliament, oversight institutions, organised local government, traditional and Khoi-San leadership, organised labour, business, civil society, academia and development partners.

The engagement will seek to strengthen stakeholder ownership of the revised policy and reinforce the shared responsibility of government and wider society in building capable, accountable and developmental municipalities that deliver reliable services and respond to community needs. – SAnews.gov.za

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The South African Police Service (SAPS) is calling on 5 500 young South Africans under the age of 35 to step forward, embrace the challenge and join the men and women in blue as police trainees during the 2026/2027 financial year.

The nationwide online recruitment drive opens today, 21 October 2026, and closes on 13 November 2026.

“This is an opportunity for young, patriotic and service-driven South Africans aged 18 to under 35 to turn their passion for making a difference into a meaningful career in policing. 

“If you are disciplined, physically fit, committed to serving your community and determined to help build a safer South Africa, this could be your moment,” the South African Police Service said in a statement.

Take the first step – apply online

Eligible applicants, who have no criminal records or pending criminal cases, are encouraged to apply via the official SAPS eRecruitment portal: http://www.erecruitment.saps.gov.za/.

The online application process, introduced in 2025, makes it easier for young people from all walks of life to apply for entry-level police trainee posts.

“To apply, prospective applicants must create a profile on the portal and verify their accounts using a code sent to their email addresses. Once verified, they can follow the step-by-step process to apply for available trainee posts. A QR code providing direct access to the portal will also be shared on SAPS’s official social media platforms,” the police said.

Your qualifications could open specialised career pathways

The SAPS said it was looking for more than just a uniform – young people who can bring knowledge, skills, fresh perspectives and a commitment to excellence in the fight against crime.

As part of its targeted recruitment drive, SAPS will identify suitably qualified applicants with specific skills for consideration in specialised policing environments. 

Graduates in Law, Policing, Criminology, Law Enforcement, Forensic Investigation and Information Technology may be considered for placement within the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), also known as the Hawks, Detective and Forensic Services and Crime Intelligence.

The targeted recruitment process will also seek to identify suitably qualified young people from underrepresented racial groups, who meet the prescribed requirements.

Rigorous screening

Every applicant will undergo a rigorous selection process, including fitness, psychometric and integrity testing, a medical evaluation and an interview. These assessments are designed to ensure that those selected possess the physical fitness, mental resilience, discipline and integrity required to serve and protect the people of South Africa.

Successful recruits, who hold a relevant NQF Level 6 or higher qualification, will undergo six months of training at a SAPS training academy, while those without such qualifications will complete the standard nine-month training programme. All police trainees will receive a monthly stipend of R5 000 during their training.

“Joining the SAPS is more than choosing a career. It is choosing to stand against crime, protect vulnerable people, support communities and contribute to a safer future for all South Africans,” the police said.

Don’t miss your change to make a difference

Applications close on 13 November 2026. Interested applicants are encouraged to apply early and ensure that they meet all the prescribed requirements.

The SAPS emphasised that applications are free of charge and that no police trainee position is for sale. Applicants must remain vigilant against fraudsters who may demand money in exchange for employment or promise to influence the recruitment process. – SAnews.gov.za

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