Category: Africa

The National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) has announced the appointment of new independent expert members to its Board’s Audit and Risk Committee (ARC) and Information Technology Governance Committee (ITGC) in a move to strengthen institutional governance, accountability and digital innovation.

According to the NHLS, the newly appointed members bring extensive expertise in digital transformation, governance, finance, risk management, and public-sector leadership.

“Among the appointees are Poppy Tshabalala, a Chartered Chief Information Officer and digital transformation leader with more than 25 years of Information and Communication Technology experience, and Patrick Ganesan, a specialist in enterprise risk management and regulatory compliance, who are appointed to the ITGC.

“In the Audit and Risk Committee, Suren Maharaj, a Chartered Accountant and seasoned finance executive with over 30 years of experience; Fulufhelo Tshikhudo, an accomplished governance, risk, and finance expert with more than 20 years of executive leadership experience across key state institutions; and Ayanda Vabaza-Mvandaba, a Chartered Accountant with expertise in financial management have been appointed,” the NHLS said.

The entity welcomed their appointments.

“The NHLS believes the collective expertise of the expert independent Committee Members will strengthen governance, accountability, strategic oversight, and innovation as the organisation continues to deliver quality diagnostic pathology services, support public health surveillance, and advance medical research and training in South Africa. 

“The NHLS looks forward to their immense contribution towards advancing the NHLS mandate and supporting the broader goals of South Africa’s public healthcare system.

“The NHLS also extends its appreciation to the outgoing Board members for their service and contribution,” the NHLS noted. – SAnews.gov.za

Police continue to intensify efforts to curb contraband trade and distribution through the enforcement of the Counterfeit Goods Act, this as 57-year-old foreign national was arrested for the possession of suspected counterfeit cigarettes.

The arrest was made by the Welkom K9 Unit.

“On Tuesday, members attached to the Welkom K9 Unit received information about suspected illegal cigarettes that are being transported to an identified house in Welkom. Information was operationalised and led police to a house in Jim Fouchè Park, Welkom,” the South African Police Service (SAPS) said in a statement.

On arrival on the scene, entry was gained into the premises and police discovered a large quantity of boxes containing suspected illicit cigarettes. 

“Preliminary investigations were conducted and the cigarettes were confirmed to be counterfeit,” the police said.

Police seized the boxes of illicit cigarettes estimated to be valued at R6.2 million rands.

The arrested suspect will appear in the Welkom Magistrate’s Court soon. – SAnews.gov.za

President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Thursday host Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa for the Fourth Session of the South Africa-Zimbabwe Bi-National Commission (BNC).

The BNC was first launched more than a decade ago and it serves as a mechanism for managing and advancing the partnership between the two Southern African nations.

“To date, more than 33 agreements and memoranda of understanding have been concluded between the two countries across various areas of cooperation.

“The Fourth Session will provide an opportunity for the two Heads of State to review progress in implementing existing bilateral commitments and to identify opportunities to further strengthen relations between South Africa and Zimbabwe,” the Presidency said in a statement.

Engagements at the BNC, to be held in Pretoria, will aim to deepen bilateral cooperation across key areas of mutual interest including “trade and investment, infrastructure, economic development and other areas that contribute to shared growth and development”.

“The session will culminate in the signing of several agreements and memoranda of understanding aimed at further expanding bilateral cooperation in strategic areas.

“The Heads of State Meeting will be preceded by a Ministerial Meeting, following the Senior Officials Meeting of the Fourth Session of the BNC, which took place yesterday. The Ministerial and Senior Officials Meetings serve to prepare matters for consideration by the two Heads of State,” the statement concluded. – SAnews.gov.za
 

The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) has adopted the National Plan of Action II for the Conservation and Management of Seabirds in South African Fisheries (NPOA Seabirds II), setting out the country’s strategy for 2026 – 2030 to reduce incidental seabird mortality further and strengthen monitoring, reporting and adaptive management.

NPOA Seabirds II builds on the 2008 plan through an evidence-based approach informed by updated survey data, fisheries observer records, strandings and tracking studies.

According to the department, the plan consolidates current information on conservation status and the known interactions between South African fisheries and all seabird species occurring in South African waters. It also identifies priority areas where targeted action is required.

“It also serves as a compendium of up-to-date information on legislation and policy related to seabird-fisheries interactions and provides useful sector-specific information on current knowledge of interactions and mitigation,” the department said.

The plan’s target of “zero impact on the sustainability of seabird populations by South African fisheries” is highly ambitious but achievable.

It establishes clear, measurable objectives to reduce bycatch across gear types, including longline, trawl, purse seine, pole-and-line and gillnet fisheries, while working towards evidence-based mitigation measures tailored to each fishery and vessel class.

NPOA Seabirds II explicitly incorporates updated species-level interaction data and conservation assessments to ensure mitigation measures are proportionate to the level of risk.

A defining feature of the plan is its formalised cross-sector collaboration. DFFE Oceans and Coasts and fisheries managers will partner with industry, BirdLife South Africa, the Albatross Task Force, academic institutions and provincial conservation agencies to co-design mitigation trials, deliver skipper and observer training, and share monitoring data via common platforms.

“Joint funding mechanisms and shared governance arrangements have been established to enable transparent, adaptive implementation.

“This integrated approach is framed as a win-win: reducing seabird mortality while maintaining sustainable, productive fisheries and supporting coastal livelihoods,” the department said.

The plan also includes capacity building, targeted public outreach and alignment with international best practices and agreements.

NPOA Seabirds II commits to an iterative review process that will incorporate new evidence and operational feedback.

The plan reflects a science-led, cooperative pathway to protect vulnerable seabird populations without compromising fishing operations.

By sharing responsibility, resources and data, conservation and fisheries objectives are mutually strengthened. – SAnews.gov.za

Mineral and Petroleum Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe, accompanied by Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation David Mahlobo and senior officials from both departments and specialised engineering teams, have conducted a joint oversight visit to Samancor Dikwena Chrome near Brits, following the structural failure of a sidewall at the mine’s tailings facility last Thursday.

The visit formed part of government’s response to the incident, which occurred on 13 August 2026.

READ | Government probes tailings storage facility failure at Samancor’s Dikwena mine

During the visit on Monday, the government delegation met with mine management, received a detailed briefing on the circumstances surrounding the incident and inspected the affected area to evaluate potential environmental impacts, infrastructure disruptions, and the progress of the multi-agency investigation.

Addressing the media at the site, Mantashe acknowledged the fortunate absence of fatalities, while sharply pivoting the focus toward systemic accountability and regulatory compliance.

“We are very lucky that there is no fatality. Let us start from there. Nobody is dead; there is a disaster, but there is no death. That we must accept. But managing slime dams cannot be treated as a water issue. It is a mining issue, inherently linked to the core mining operations and structural accountability,” Mantashe said.

Expanding on the government’s collaborative regulatory stance, Deputy Minister Mahlobo underscored that tailings infrastructure must maintain absolute structural integrity across every phase of operation.

The Department of Water and Sanitation, alongside specialised dam safety engineering units, has deployed teams to conduct thorough water quality sampling, containment checks, and environmental risk assessments aimed at safeguarding surrounding communities and mitigate potential downstream impacts.

Government reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to the principle of Zero Harm, the protection of workers’ health and safety, environmental protection, and strict regulatory compliance across all mining and industrial operations.

Investigations into the exact technical and operational causes of the sidewall failure remain active and ongoing. – SAnews.gov.za
 

By Moahlodi Maphori
South Africa’s ability to achieve sustained growth, create jobs and improve lives depends on infrastructure that works. Roads, rail, ports, water systems, energy networks and digital connectivity are not just public assets. They move goods, keep communities supplied, connect small businesses to markets and give households confidence that essential services will be available when needed.

Government has placed infrastructure at the centre of efforts to rebuild the economy, address structural constraints and unlock South Africa’s development potential. This commitment was underscored by President Cyril Ramaphosa in the 2026 State of the Nation Address, which outlined measures to accelerate growth, expand employment, strengthen infrastructure investment and improve the state’s capacity to deliver.

Central to this programme is a R1 trillion commitment to public infrastructure over the next three years. This includes R156 billion for water and sanitation infrastructure and a R54 billion incentive to support metropolitan municipalities in reforming water, sanitation and electricity services. The launch of the first national infrastructure bond also signals government’s intention to mobilise additional financing and strengthen private-sector participation in priority projects.

These commitments reflect a practical truth that economic recovery cannot be sustained without reliable and efficient infrastructure. Infrastructure investment can reduce the cost of doing business, improve service delivery and connect communities to economic opportunity. The investment programme is being strengthened by reforms that remove barriers which have delayed infrastructure development.

Operation Vulindlela remains critical to this work by addressing regulatory blockages, improving coordination across government and strengthening key network industries such as energy, water, transport and logistics. Better planning, financing and implementation can speed up delivery, build investor confidence and create more room for private-sector participation.

Infrastructure South Africa will host the Sustainable Infrastructure Development Symposium South Africa (SIDSSA) from 23 to 25 August 2026 at Century City in Cape Town. The symposium brings together government, the private sector, development partners and international stakeholders to assess progress, examine the infrastructure pipeline and strengthen partnerships that can accelerate project preparation, financing and implementation.

The significance of SIDSSA goes beyond convening stakeholders in one room. It reaffirms South Africa’s infrastructure ambitions while focusing attention on the real test of execution, accountability and tangible impact that communities can see. The task now is to convert commitments into projects that are delivered efficiently and produce measurable economic and social outcomes.

This transition is supported by Infrastructure South Africa’s project preparation work.  The Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Dean Macpherson recently highlighted that the entity is supporting more than 24 infrastructure projects with an estimated capital value of R148 billion, while 15 supported projects have completed preparatory work. This pipeline matters because bankable projects attract investment and reduce delays between planning, financing and construction.

Government is at the forefront of providing policy certainty, stronger regulatory frameworks, credible project preparation and an enabling financing environment. While government is finalising the financing preparations, the priority should shift to disciplined implementation of the identified infrastructure projects. 

This requires efforts to strengthen institutional capacity, and accountability for delivery must remain clear. Infrastructure must be delivered within agreed budgets and timeframes, with visible benefits for communities and the economy.

The call now is to invite the private sector to contribute capital, technical expertise, innovation and implementation capacity so that infrastructure can thrive in our country.

Government, together with business and development partners, must stay focused on turning viable projects into visible results. South Africa cannot afford infrastructure ambitions that remain confined to plans. Each project delivered on time and at scale can unlock investment, support jobs, strengthen productive capacity and improve people’s quality of life.

Infrastructure is ultimately about more than roads, bridges, water systems, energy facilities and logistics networks. It is about building the foundations of a capable state, a competitive economy and an inclusive society in which more South Africans can reach opportunity. With focus, accountability and partnership, infrastructure ambition can become sustained investment, stronger growth, greater employment and a more resilient future.

*Maphori is Acting Economic Cluster Coordinator at the Government Communication and Information System