Category: Africa

Acting Minister of Police Firoz Cachalia has engaged representatives of the private security industry as part of efforts to strengthen cooperation ahead of planned demonstrations on 30 June 2026.

Cachalia met with industry representatives on Wednesday morning, describing the private security sector as a potential force multiplier for the South African Police Service (SAPS) during periods of heightened security concerns and increased public mobilisation.

According to the Ministry of Police, the meeting focused on enhancing collaboration between the public and private sectors to safeguard stability and security in the country ahead of the demonstrations.

Cachalia acknowledged tensions linked to immigration-related challenges facing South Africa and said that while government was addressing those issues through appropriate channels, all stakeholders had a responsibility to help ensure the country remained stable, peaceful and safe.

The Acting Minister warned that threats of violence posed a significant national security risk, particularly given the impact of the July 2021 unrest.

He said developments leading up to June 30 had been associated with forms of mobilisation and conduct that could undermine South Africa’s standing regionally and internationally.

The meeting identified enhanced information sharing, coordinated planning and the pooling of resources between the public and private sectors as key measures to manage security risks during the period.

Representatives of the private security industry welcomed the call for closer cooperation and pledged support for ensuring that any demonstrations on June 30 take place in a safe and lawful manner.

The industry told the meeting that preparations were already under way and expressed readiness to assist in maintaining public safety.

Cachalia thanked the private security sector for making resources available to support efforts aimed at maintaining national stability. He stressed the importance of effective coordination to maximise the use of those resources.

The Acting Minister also noted heightened public concern and anxiety surrounding recent developments, saying that clear and consistent communication with stakeholders and communities would be important in promoting calm and confidence. – SAnews.gov.za

The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) Military Police, in collaboration with the South African Police Service (SAPS), has successfully executed two intelligence-driven operations in Mooiplaas, Pretoria, resulting in the recovery of stolen military weapons and the arrest of three suspects.

The Department of Defence said in a statement that on 07 June 2026, a joint team comprising five members from the Thaba Tshwane Military Police Area Office, the Northern Military Police Region Specialist Investigation Team (SIB), Police Intelligence (POLINT), and six members of SAPS Pretoria Central conducted a special operation, following credible intelligence.

The team mobilised on foot and apprehended two foreign nationals.

One Multiple Grenade Launcher and one R4 Assault Rifle were recovered during the operation.

The suspects appeared before the Atteridgeville Magistrate’s Court on 08 June 2026, where bail was denied. The case was remanded to 19 June 2026.

On 17 June 2026, the same team, reinforced by members of 13 Provost Company, conducted another targeted operation in Mooiplaas. One male foreign national was arrested, and one Multiple Grenade Launcher was recovered. The suspect is scheduled to make his first court appearance today at the Magistrate’s Court.

These successful operations were conducted under the command of Maj Chauke (SIB), with SSgt Godi (Military Police) serving as the investigating officer.

“The Military Police remain resolute in their mission: they will not rest until every suspect has been brought to justice and the last outstanding weapon has been recovered,” Defence department said. – SAnews.gov.za

Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Bernice Swarts has called on the private sector to work with government to strengthen efforts to improve air quality.

“Government cannot solve air pollution challenges alone. Industry, civil society, academia and communities all have important roles to play,” the Deputy Minister said on Wednesday.

She said that while notable progress has been achieved through enhanced monitoring networks, improved planning and stakeholder engagements, many communities continue to experience unacceptable levels of air pollution.

 “We acknowledge that while progress has been made, much more remains to be done. We recognise the concerns expressed by communities regarding emissions from industrial activities, domestic fuel burning, transportation, waste burning and other pollution sources.

“We also recognise the concerns raised by civil society organisations regarding the pace of implementation, transparency, compliance and accountability,” Swarts said.

The Deputy Minister emphasised that government takes these concerns seriously. 

She was addressing organisations, community representatives and activists, researchers, industry leaders and government officials at the official opening of the National Priority Area Air Quality Summit in Rustenburg, North West.

She acknowledged the support government is receiving through its partnership with the Clean Air Fund to tackle air pollution.

“The Clean Air Fund has rolled out 200 low-cost sensors across Gauteng, North West and the Free State during 2025, and is working with the department to commission more sensors across the country.

“The Clean Air Fund is supporting a number of municipalities and the department in outreach and community awareness programs, as well as strengthening air quality management plan development,” the Deputy Minister said.

The funder has supported research institutes, including the South African Medical Research Council, with studies that are helping government better understand the impact of air pollution on communities’ health and provide evidence for the urgency of addressing pollution in priority areas.

“The partnerships with Clean Air Fund are unlocking many opportunities, and allowing government to fast-track programs in the priority areas that were previously hampered by constrained resources. 

 “We challenge more stakeholders to identify such socio programs, and to partner with government through private-public partnerships to strengthen our collective efforts to improve the quality of air we breathe,” Swarts said. –SAnews.gov.za

Acting National Police Commissioner Puleng Dimpane has assured South Africans that the South African Police Service (SAPS), working closely with other law enforcement agencies, including the metro and private security, are fully prepared for the planned demonstrations on 30 June.

“Extensive planning has been undertaken at national, provincial and local levels,” Dimpane said. 

Addressing the media after having a meeting with the PSIRA and the Private Security Industry, Dimpane said the private security industry is a critical partner in the fight against crime and in maintaining stability.

“With hundreds of thousands of security officers deployed throughout the country and significant technology and operational resources at its disposal, the industry serves as an important force multiplier for law enforcement,” Dimpane said.

Dimpane said the private security officers are often the first eyes and ears on the ground.  

“They operate in communities, business districts, industrial areas, shopping centres and residential neighbourhoods throughout the country.

“Through the Eyes and Ears Initiative and our partnership with Business Against Crime South Africa, private security companies continue to play an important role in supporting crime prevention and enhancing situational awareness,” she said.

Dimpane said the value of this partnership has already been demonstrated before.

“Today, we are encouraged by the commitment shown by private security companies who have agreed that we cannot afford to fail. 

“We must work together. We must stand together. We must share resources. We must share information. We must support one another in the interest of public safety,” Dimpane said.

Dimpane said communication channels between SAPS, PSIRA, private security companies and other stakeholders have been strengthened.

“Our objective is straightforward. We will protect lawful and peaceful demonstrations as provided for in our Constitution. At the same time, we will act decisively against any individual or group that seeks to engage in criminal conduct. 

“The blocking of roads, intimidation of communities, destruction of property, attacks on businesses, looting, violence and any attempts to undermine public order will not be tolerated. 

“To those who may be considering exploiting the demonstrations to commit criminal acts, our message is equally clear: the SAPS is ready, the SAPS is prepared and law enforcement will act within the confines of the law to maintain public order and protect lives and property,” she said.

Dimpane thanked PSIRA, the leadership of the private security industry and all participating companies for their commitment to this important cause.    

“Together, we will continue to protect our communities. Together, we will continue to safeguard our economy. Together, we will continue to uphold the rule of law. And together, we will ensure that 30 June remains a day of peace, stability and safety for all who live in South Africa,” she said.

Dimpane said they are determined that South Africa must never again experience the levels of destruction, fear and instability witnessed during July 2021.

Earlier this week, the Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia revealed that R600 million has been redirected from South African Police Service (SAPS) to ensure smooth operational readiness ahead of the planned nationwide demonstrations on June 30th.

The protest, organised by civic movement March and March and other interest groups, is in line with ongoing calls for undocumented foreigners to leave South Africa, which has prompted police to enhance operational readiness. – SAnews.gov.za

Auditor General (AG) Tsakani Maluleke has noted that while there are some green shoots, municipalities have made limited progress in improving audit outcomes.

The AG spoke on the 2024-2025 financial year audit outcomes for municipalities while tabling the general report for that year in Parliament.

“Over the past four years, mayors and councils of the 6^th administration have made limited progress to strengthen governance and improve service delivery, as residents and businesses continue to experience unreliable service delivery, environmental hazards and deteriorating infrastructure.

“They further oversaw municipalities with deteriorating financial health,” Maluleke noted.

The outcomes indicate:

• Only 39 municipalities (15%) achieved clean audits

• Some 38 municipalities (15%) representing 24% of the total local government expenditure budget have regressed since 2020-21

• The audit outcomes and performance of the eight metros continue to decline, affecting the daily lives of millions of people

“Some positive shoots, notably, a substantial reduction in the number of municipalities with repeat disclaimed audit opinions, which are the lowest we have reported in years.

“There is a significant increase in unqualified audit opinions…to 61% in 2024-25, similar to a level last reached in the 2015-16 financial year.

“There is also a marked improvement in the timely submission of financial statements, which is at 98%, the highest level in our records,” Maluleke said.

She added that it is encouraging that municipalities and national and provincial governments are providing administrative functions while effective oversight by parliament and provincial legislatures is also garnering improvement.

“It is encouraging that municipalities, as well as national and provincial governments, paid attention to our messages over the years to collaborate with the aim of driving timely submission of financial and eradicating disclaimed audit opinions,” Maluleke noted.

Furthermore, the AG acknowledged efforts to improve governance.

“These commendable efforts need to be doubled and replicated with all accountability ecosystem role players steadfastly delivering on their respective mandates,” she said.

Recommendations

The Auditor General implored municipalities to meet legislative obligations, commit to open governance and pursue a more collaborative approach to administration. Some recommendations in this regard include:

• Professionalise and capacitate local government: Accounting officers, councils and provincial leadership must ensure compliant appointments and targeted skills development to professionalise municipal administration, retain scarce skills and position local government as a sustainable career of choice for skilled professionals.

• Instil a culture of ethics and accountability: A shared commitment to responsiveness, consequence management, accountability and ethical conduct is essential to ensure timely action and that individuals are held accountable for their actions, or inaction.

• Build capable institutions through coordinated intergovernmental support: Support from all spheres of government – through coordinated and collaborative efforts in partnership with municipal leadership – is needed to promote strong governance within municipalities.

With the Local Government Elections set to be held in November this year, Maluleke recommended the following:

• The induction process of the new council members by the South African Local Government Association, Department of Cooperative Governance and National Treasury should be of a high quality. Special attention should be paid to the capacitation of members of the mayoral committees for finance, particularly at metros.

• Stability in the administration should be maintained where it has performed relatively well and disruptions arising from changes in accounting officers and senior management should be minimised.

“We also call on civil society, business and citizens to continue to play their part in the local government accountability ecosystem.

“We remain committed to working with and supporting local government through our audits; using the insights from these our audits to illuminate understanding of the challenges at municipal, municipal entity and provincial government level; and advocate for action.

“We will continue to use our expanded powers to step in where the accountability ecosystem fails,” Maluleke concluded.

The full audit report can be found at https://www.agsa.co.za/reports/mfma-reports – SAnews.gov.za

The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) says the termination of employment contracts for 178 workers on the Vlakfontein Canal Rehabilitation Project in Standerton does not constitute a retrenchment process but stems from the discontinuation of the project to which their employment was linked.

The department said the affected employees were appointed on project-based contracts tied specifically to the implementation of the Vlakfontein Canal Rehabilitation Project, and that their contracts would conclude on 30 June 2026 following a decision to discontinue and de-establish the project.

The department said it was providing clarity on the matter due to public interest and concerns about the impact on affected workers and their families.

The Vlakfontein Canal Rehabilitation Project was launched in 2015 as a major infrastructure initiative aimed at improving water conveyance and irrigation systems in the area.

At its inception, the project employed 241 local workers, and by 2026, the workforce had declined to 178 employees through retirements and resignations.

According to the department, the project was initially scheduled for completion within 48 months but experienced significant delays due to a combination of operational, technical and financial challenges.

Following a comprehensive assessment of the project’s performance, progress and long-term sustainability, the department decided to discontinue the rehabilitation programme.

The department explained that the Vlakfontein Canal supplies water to strategic users, including Eskom, Sasol and municipalities in the region. Rehabilitation work was undertaken during scheduled dry periods, with water supply supported by the Vaal River Eastern Sub-System Augmentation Project (VRESAP).

However, operational deficiencies within the VRESAP system have limited its ability to provide reliable alternative supply for extended periods, making it difficult to shut down the canal long enough to complete rehabilitation work without compromising water security for key users.

“The constrained use of VRESAP means that the Vlakfontein Canal cannot be shut down for rehabilitation for extended periods of time without detrimentally affecting the assurance of supply to users,” the department said in a statement.

The department indicated that the rehabilitation project could be revived once the VRESAP system becomes reliably operational, and should this occur, consideration would be given to reappointing workers on the same project-based contractual basis.

DWS said consultations had been held with affected employees and organised labour following the decision to discontinue the project. Discussions took place through the Departmental Bargaining Chamber, where information relating to the project’s status and the reasons for its discontinuation was shared.

The department said it recognised the impact the decision would have on workers and their families and had engaged with employees throughout the process to provide clarity and support during the transition period.

As of 22 June 2026, 61 affected employees had collected and acknowledged receipt of their termination letters.

The department said all contractual and legal obligations would be honoured.

“Affected employees will receive all benefits due to them, including payment of accumulated leave, a pro-rata bonus, payment in lieu of notice for employees who elect not to serve the notice period, and severance-related benefits in accordance with applicable conditions of service. Benefit payments are scheduled to be processed by 31 July 2026,” the department said.

The department acknowledged the contribution made by employees throughout the lifespan of the Vlakfontein Canal Rehabilitation Project and appreciated their dedication and service over the years.

“Support measures have been put in place to assist affected employees during this transition, while engagement continues through the appropriate labour relations structures,” it said. – SAnews.gov.za