Category: Africa

Source: Government of South Africa

President Cyril Ramaphosa has received the G20 Africa Expert Panel Report aimed at dealing with the continent’s most pressing economic challenges, including country debt and investment.

Earlier this year, National Treasury noted that the continent is faced with an “unprecedented debt crisis” with countries expected to pay nearly $89 billion in external debt service this year, added to some 20 countries facing debt distress.

This led to the formation of a 26-member strong, expert panel with South African former Finance Minister Trevor Manuel as chairperson.

In written remarks for the handover of the report, President Cyril Ramaphosa warned that the question of debt puts the development of the continent at risk.

“If we do not address the debt burden facing many African countries, we risk a lost decade for development in Africa and other regions of the world. That is why South Africa has made debt sustainability a high-level priority of our G20 Presidency.

“The Ministerial Declaration on Debt, agreed by G20 member countries last month, acknowledges the importance of the debt and development challenge and provides a basis for further concrete action to be taken. The report of the Africa Expert Panel puts forward clear and specific proposals that build on the commitments outlined in the declaration,” the President said on Tuesday.

He noted that the report highlights the high cost of capital that African countries face, raising the borrowing costs and limiting equity investment on the continent. 

“To reduce the cost of capital, we need to mobilise significantly more concessional funding from multilateral development banks and African trade and finance institutions.

“We need to address biased risk perceptions of Africa by mandating greater transparency and accountability from credit rating agencies,” he asserted.

The report contains recommendations on debt, including:

•    Launching a new G20 debt refinancing initiative for low-income and vulnerable countries with contributions from the official sector.
•    Establishing a Borrowers’ Club to strengthen the collective voice of borrowers and coordinate peer learning, technical assistance, and research. Convene African Finance Ministers to take this agenda forward and host the launch of the borrowers’ platform.
•    Building a multilateral sovereign debt resolution mechanism that is transparent, timely, and effective.
•    Assisting developing countries to strengthen debt transparency, build systems for the automatic exchange of information between debtors and creditors, and ensure that creditors participate in the reconciliation of debt data.
•    Improving debt sustainability analysis to better distinguish between liquidity and solvency issues, account for heterogeneous external and domestic debt, and reflect sovereign net worth.
On accelerating investments in Africa, the recommendations include:
•    Defining and developing national growth programs and national and regional investment frameworks to drive economic transformation and identify critical investments, supported by robust data and governance.
•    Accelerating implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) as a core platform for African integration and investment.
•    Improving the regulation of Credit Rating Agencies by ensuring full disclosure of rating assessment data and reforming their methodologies that recognise economic diversity and avoid procyclical rating actions.

“Together, the actions they propose can create an investment boom in Africa. South Africa will take these proposals forward, not only in the G20, but in other international fora, working closely with the African Union and other partners.

“This report adds significant impetus to our collective effort to ensure that Africa mobilises the resources that it needs to develop and to grow,” President Ramaphosa concluded. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: Government of South Africa

The Group of 20 (G20) Social Summit kicked off with a spirited cultural programme, where delegates and invited guests were entertained by groups, which showcased South Africa’s rich cultural heritage.

The three-day summit, which began on Tuesday, saw thousands of delegates from all walks of life gather at the Birchwood Hotel and OR Tambo Conference Centre in Ekurhuleni, Gauteng, to air their views ahead of the long-awaited G20 Leaders’ Summit, taking place over the weekend.

The three-day G20 Social Summit is designed as an inclusive platform to amplify the voices of civil society, grassroots organisations and communities.

In a groundbreaking moment for international diplomacy, the G20 Summit has landed on African soil for the first time, marking a pivotal chapter in global governance. 

The summit, hosted in South Africa, is emerging as a powerful platform for challenging existing global power structures and demanding meaningful African representation.

Dr William Carew, representing the African Union’s Economic, Social and Cultural Council, delivered a passionate address that cut to the heart of the continent’s long-standing marginalisation. 

“We are no longer content to be observers of our own destiny, but we are builders of a new global war,” he said, stressing Africa’s determination to author its own narrative.

Highlighting the stark inequities in global systems, Carew pointed out critical disparities. 

“Africa owns 30% of the world’s mineral reserves, possesses 60% of the world’s arable land and is home to the youngest population on Earth, and yet we remain on the periphery of global economic decision making.”

Meanwhile, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s welcoming remarks set a tone of hope and transformation.

Lesufi proclaimed that this summit will deepen cooperation, and will ensure all nations come together with one goal: to make the world a better place.

Professor Narnia Bohler-Muller, representing the G20 engagement groups, further amplified the call for systemic change. 

“We meet at a time of compounding crisis… climate collapse, democratic erosion, backsliding on human rights, economic precarity and deepening inequalities.”

However, she believes this is “a time of opportunity, where the architecture of global governance can be reimagined and not only repaired”.

The delegates’ core message resonated with the principle of Ubuntu – “I am because you are” – a philosophy of interconnectedness and mutual responsibility. 

“We are not just stakeholders. We are co-authors of the global agenda,” said Bohler-Muller.

The delegates believe that this is more than a diplomatic event, but a profound statement of African agency, demanding recognition, respect and genuine partnership in solving global challenges.

“This is not a call for charity or concession. This is a demand for justice,” Carew said. 

The G20 Social Summit stands as a landmark moment, signalling a potential shift from a world order built on historical inequities, to one founded on genuine solidarity, equality, and shared prosperity.

Deputy President Paul Mashatile is expected to deliver the keynote address at the Social Summit this afternoon. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: Government of South Africa

By Willaim Baloyi 
South Africa’s recent commemoration of National Press Freedom Day on 19 October 2025, marked 48 years since the infamous Black Wednesday of 1977. This day serves not only as a remembrance of the brutal silencing of voices under the apartheid era but is also as a powerful reminder of the enduring value of media freedom in a democratic society.

Black Wednesday saw the banning of The World and Weekend World newspapers, the outlawing of 19 Black Consciousness organisations, and the detention of journalists like Percy Qoboza under the Internal Security Act. This legislation allowed governing authorities at the time to arrest, detain or ban whoever threatened the regime. 

These actions were designed to suppress dissent, conceal the system’s atrocities and hidden agendas, and prevent journalists from exposing the truth. The apartheid government weaponised secrecy and censorship to maintain control, raiding newsrooms and harassing reporters in a bid to silence alternative voices.

But through the resilience of the South African people, we have earned our freedom through struggle and sacrifice.  The dawn of democracy in 1994 ushered in a new era of freedom, enshrined in our South African Constitution enacted in 1996, which remains one of the most progressive laws in the world. 

Freedom of expression is guaranteed through Chapter 2 of the Constitution, which details our Bill of Rights, specifically Section 16 which declares freedom of the press and other media, as well as the right to receive or impart information.

This constitutional protection laid the foundation for the expansion of the public sphere, as journalists are enabled to unveil the untold stories and realities of societies. Media freedom enables open dialogue, protects whistleblowers, and ensures that uncomfortable truths are not buried. Through this liberation, independent journalism can flourish—giving rise to a press that acts as a fourth estate and watchdog of democracy.

We honour the courageous journalists who amplify the voices of ordinary citizens and hold officials to account as well as those who expose corruption, all whilst risking it all to speak truth to power without fear.
Through the actions of bold investigative journalists, revelations on allegations of corruption such as State Capture have been brought to light, reflecting a transparent and accountable media, which is a corner stone of our democracy. 

Though media freedom is stronger than ever before in South Africa, it is not absolute. It must be exercised responsibly and ethically- grounded in factual reporting, supported by trusted sources, and integrity, which is essential to maintaining public trust and democratic accountability. 

To further reinforce transparency, accountability and public participation, the media is guided by legislation such as the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA), the Films and Publications Act, and the Broadcasting Act. These laws empower citizens and journalists alike to hold power to account and promote social justice.

Today, the media landscape is rapidly evolving. Journalists face new threats such as online harassment, political pressure, and financial instability. Traditional newsrooms and journalism appear to be shrinking, whilst citizen journalism increases.

The rise of citizen journalism has broadened access to information, giving marginalised citizens a platform to speak out and voice their concerns. However, it has also presented challenges- as misinformation, propaganda and unverifiable claims which blur the lines between fact and fiction.

Citizens are reminded that as they create and share information online, they assume the role of citizen journalists- a role that has become increasingly influential in the digital era. Therefore, every citizen is encouraged to act responsibly online and not abuse the freedom we have struggled to earn. 

Our freedom, including media freedom, comes with social responsibility. It involves taking accountability, for the information we share, remaining vigilant of our actions online and respecting the rights of others. Let us continue to safeguard media freedom whilst also maintaining accountability- which is a necessity for a flourishing media and a thriving democracy. 

*William Baloyi is the Deputy Government Spokesperson

Source: Government of South Africa

President Cyril Ramaphosa has heralded the commencement of production at the Ivanplats Platreef Mine as “an important moment for the company, for the mining industry and for the country”.

The President delivered remarks at the event at the mine on Tuesday.

The mine is considered one of the world’s largest undeveloped precious metals mines – with deposits of Platinum Group Metals, which hold properties essential for technologies driving the global green energy transition.

“The inauguration of the Platreef concentrator plant at Mogalakwena is taking place as South Africa is positioning itself as a strategic partner in the global energy transition and the next wave of green industrialisation. 

“Platinum Group Metals are strategic enablers in the critical minerals transition, so we see the Platreef mine as being integral to the success of our new Critical Minerals Strategy,” the President said.

The mine has allocated some 20% of its B-BBEE [Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment] shareholding structure to a community trust to benefit at least 20 local communities with a further trust in the structure that holds a “3% interest for the benefit of non-managerial employees at Platreef”.

“Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment continues to play a pivotal role in the transformation of the highly racialised economy we inherited from apartheid. These laws are no less significant now than they were when they were first passed. 

“We have seen great progress in promoting worker ownership of the companies in which they work. Worker ownership schemes in the mining sector are to be welcomed, particularly with its troubled history in South Africa and on the continent. 

“I congratulate Ivanplats and other miners that are prioritising worker shareholder schemes. This is an important contribution to the ongoing transformation of the mining industry,” President Ramaphosa affirmed.

Furthermore, some 85% of the workforce is drawn from the local communities with a “concerted effort to prioritise local procurement and enterprise development”.

“We, therefore, call on the community to safeguard this production facility that is today a source of employment and development. To Ivanplats we say, hire from this community, procure goods and services from this community, and leave a sustainable legacy for this community.

“With the Platreef mine now officially having commenced production, the imperative of sustainable, ethical and patriotic corporate citizenship becomes all the greater.

“We want mining companies to take this approach not merely for purposes of compliance, but out of a firm commitment to the communities in which the operate,” President Ramaphosa said. 

Industry on the rise

The President highlighted that despite turbulent times globally, the mining industry – a key building block of the South African economy – continues to show its strength.

“Even amidst strong headwinds, figures released in September by Statistics South Africa point to 1.2 percent growth in total mining production on a year-on-year basis. 

“As the Minerals Council has noted, there has been a notable uptick in total mineral sales for 2025, reaching R614 billion between January and September. This is better than the same periods in 2023 and 2024. 

“The opening of mines like Platreef gives us confidence that the mining industry will continue to grow,” he said.

The President noted that the mine’s opening comes as the country readies itself for the first G20 Leaders’ Summit to be held on African soil.

“In the week that we prepare to host the first G20 Leaders’ Summit on African soil, the opening of this mine stands as a proud testament to South Africa’s steady economic recovery. 

“Your journey to this opening is an example of sustainability in action. Well done to everyone involved in achieving this great milestone. It gives us a glimpse of the bright future of South Africa’s mining industry,” President Ramaphosa concluded. – SAnews.gov.za