Category: Africa

Source: Government of South Africa

In a landmark moment for South Africa’s tourism and heritage rail sector, Transnet Rail Infrastructure Manager (TRIM) and the Outeniqua Choo Tjoe Company have signed a 25-year concession agreement to operate and manage the iconic Outeniqua Choo Tjoe heritage railway line.

This long-term concession marks a significant milestone in the revival of the much-loved steam train service, which last operated in 2006 and has remained a symbol of South Africa’s rich railway history. 

The agreement enables the restoration, operation, and development of the line between George and Knysna, creating a new era of heritage tourism along the world-renowned Garden Route.

“The Outeniqua Choo Tjoe is more than just a railway; it is a national treasure. This partnership ensures its return as a world-class heritage experience that will bring significant social, cultural, and economic value to the region,” Transnet Group Chief Executive Michelle Phillips said on Monday.

She made these remarks during the signing ceremony for the agreement in George, Western Cape.

Phillips hailed the agreement as “a model for public-private collaboration in the preservation and activation of strategic heritage infrastructure”.

The Outeniqua Choo Tjoe is South Africa’s last remaining full-sized, narrow-gauge steam train to have operated a regular service and is fondly remembered by local and international passengers for its spectacular route along the Garden Route coastline.

This concession forms part of Transnet’s broader strategy to unlock value from non-core assets through partnerships that preserve heritage, boost regional tourism, and promote inclusive economic growth.

The Outeniqua Choo Tjoe Company Chief Executive Officer, Alan McVitty, expressed enthusiasm for the project’s potential.

“We are honoured to partner with Transnet on this visionary journey. Our goal is to breathe new life into the Choo Tjoe, preserving its charm while delivering a safe, memorable, and economically impactful rail experience for locals and visitors alike,” McVitty said. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: Government of South Africa

More than 240 participants from over 28 countries are taking part in the Africa Kaizen Annual Conference (AKAC) currently underway in Boksburg.

The two-day conference which kicked off on Monday in Gauteng, is taking place under the theme: “African Industrialisation through Fostering Competitive Firms and Value Chains on the Continent”.

Speaking at the conference, Employment and Labour Minister, Nomakhosazana Meth, said if Africa is to industrialise successfully, Africans must build competitive firms that can produce quality goods efficiently and integrate into regional and global value chains.

“But competitiveness is not achieved by chance, it is cultivated through productivity, innovation, and continuous improvement, which are the very principles at the heart of Kaizen,” Meth said.

Kaizen is a hands-on and practical skill developed through a participatory, learning-by-doing, human-focused, and process-oriented approach. It promotes continuous quality and productivity improvement to enhance the competitive of the manufacturing industries.

She added that the conference provides an ideal platform to explore how the Kaizen philosophy can be leveraged to foster industrialisation, strengthen regional value chains and position African enterprises to compete confidently in the global marketplace.

“Africa’s youthful population, its rich resource base, and the rise of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) provide a foundation for reindustrialisation and value creation on the continent. To seize this opportunity, we must place productivity at the centre of our development agenda.

“Productivity is not simply about working harder, it’s about working smarter, more efficiently, and more innovatively. It is about creating more value from the same inputs and ensuring that growth translates into decent jobs, competitiveness, and sustainable prosperity.”

The Minister said that South Africa, through Productivity SA, has embraced Kaizen principles to enhance business performance and strengthen the industrial base.

“Kaizen has proven especially effective in our programmes, the Competitiveness Improvement Services (CIS) and Business Turnaround and Recovery Programme, which help struggling enterprises to rebuild their competitiveness, preserve jobs and stimulate growth.

“Since its inception in 2017 by AUDA-NEPAD [African Union Development Agency-New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA-NEPAD]  and JICA [ Japan International Cooperation Agency], Africa Kaizen Initiative (AKI) has evolved into a vibrant platform uniting governments, development partners, and enterprises across the continent. 

“The Africa Kaizen Annual Conference (AKAC) has become a premier forum for policy dialogue, mutual learning, and advancing firm-level competitiveness.  South Africa’s participation in this continental movement reflects our commitment to building a productive, competitive and inclusive economy,” she explained.

South Africa has prioritised productivity improvement as a key driver of employment creation, industrial competitiveness, and inclusive growth.  

“We are committed to deepening the Kaizen approach across industries, from manufacturing and services to public sector institutions, because we believe that productivity is the most sustainable way to enhance national competitiveness and build an economy that works for all,” the Minister said. 

READ |  Kaizen Conference to boost productivity and growth in Africa
–SAnews.gov.za

Source: Government of South Africa

By Neo Bodumela
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – South Africa is working closely with Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia to establish free trade agreements in a move that will propel the nation’s drive to diversify its markets.

This was announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa following a visit to the region over the past week – signifying a new chapter of robust economic partnership.

“[Southeast Asian] trade with South Africa is just some $22-25 billion dollars. It needs to be much higher than that and the three countries agreed that we need to increase trade and…increase investment into each other’s countries. That is the main determination that we now go home with.

“We, as South Africa will also focus on the regulatory framework, [and] remove the various barriers. All three countries expressed a view to have a free trade agreement with South Africa which we are going to be working on very closely,” President Ramaphosa said.

READ | President Ramaphosa kicks off Southeast Asia visit with Indonesia State Visit

The future agreements will be founded on a vision of mutual prosperity with increased trade and investment flowing both ways.

“We already export products like coal to some of these countries. We already export fruit and a number of agricultural products. They export technology to us, a number of finished goods and we want to broaden that. We want to make sure that we export more and more to them, and they export more to us.

“South Africa is the most industrialised country [in Africa] and therefore, a gateway into the African continent and all three countries confirmed that they see South Africa as the manufacturing hub…the industrial hub of the African continent and a trade way into the rest of the continent.

“In the end, we have great complementarities. We do not compete with any of the three countries that we visited,” he said.

The visit to Southeast Asia – set amidst increasing global uncertainty – was a strategic mission aimed at deepening ties, solidifying and renewing tapering relations as well as expanding trade.

“We came to this region to diversify our markets – faced with the challenges that many countries are now faced with of tariff impositions.

“These three countries, we’ve had economic and trade dealings with. But our mission in coming this time was to broaden those ties, deepen those ties and to revive old relationships at an investment level, business level and a trade level.

“We do believe that we’ve been hugely successful,” he said.

Historical bonds

Beyond the economics, the journey to Southeast Asia provided a reminder of the deeply profound and enduring historical bonds linking the four nations.

The region supported the anti-apartheid struggle, and South Africa is home to the descendants of peoples of Malaysia and Indonesia who were brought to the country by the colonialist Dutch as forced labourers – a community of South Africans now known as the Cape Malay.

“Our trip here has been an emotional trip, a reconnection process with the people of this part of the world because we have so much in common with them much as they are thousands of kilometres away from South Africa. So, it was a kind of homecoming for us.

“We depart with warm hearts having been well received and having had deep and enduring talks with the Heads of State and Government in the three countries,” President Ramaphosa remarked.

Following the conclusion of the three-nation visit, President Ramaphosa will now embark on a State Visit to Switzerland. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: Government of South Africa

The South African Police Service (SAPS) in Tshwane have arrested 251 wanted suspects during a large-scale, zero-tolerance crime operation on Saturday.

The operation was conducted together with the Tshwane Metropolitan Police Department, the Department of Home Affairs, the Department of Community Safety, the Department of Correctional Services and members of the local Community Policing Forum.

The operation was coordinated and executed in the Garsfontein and Boschkop policing precincts under the command of the District Commissioner of Tshwane, Major-General Samuel Thine.

“Detectives spearheaded the initiative with the tracing and arrest of 251 wanted suspects linked to various criminal offences including murder, attempted murder, armed robbery and rape.

“During [Saturday] evening, two operational teams, supported by a roadblock component, were deployed to patrol and maintain a strong police presence on the streets. This led to the detention of 42 undocumented foreign nationals, who were handed over to immigration authorities for further processing and deportation,” the police said.

In total, 608 persons and 242 vehicles were searched during the operation.

Police further conducted patrols at 16 identified hotspots and inspected 11 liquor outlets for compliance with the Liquor Act. 

“Three outlets were closed due to non-compliance, and 110 520 ml of liquor were confiscated. In addition, nine individuals were fined for public drinking, and one suspect was arrested for possession and dealing in drugs after 49 ziplock bags of dagga and an undisclosed amount of cash were found in his possession.

“Detectives continued their tracing efforts and successfully arrested several additional wanted persons, including one for fraud, two for assault, one for malicious damage to property and one for theft,” the police said.

Traffic officials also played an active role, issuing six Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (AARTO) infringement notices to the value of R4 000.

Thine thanked all participating departments and stakeholders for their continued collaboration and dedication in ensuring the safety and security of Tshwane residents. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: Government of South Africa

The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) has announced the registration of lenacapavir, making South Africa the first country on the continent to approve the groundbreaking twice-a-year anti-HIV injection.

In March 2025, Gilead, a biopharmaceutical company based in the United States, applied to SAHPRA, the local drug regulatory authority. 

Two weeks ago, Health Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, announced that South Africa plans to launch lenacapavir, a groundbreaking long-acting HIV prevention method, as early as March 2026. 

The Minister was speaking at the national roundtable on lenacapavir access and sustainability in South Africa. 

The South African National AIDS Council (SANAC) and the Department of Health held a multi-stakeholder roundtable session to discuss the country’s readiness to implement lenacapavir.

Lenacapavir is a revolutionary long-acting injectable drug that offers six months of protection with just two annual doses.

At a national roundtable meeting, Motsoaledi highlighted the drug’s potential to address critical gaps in current HIV prevention methods.

Meanwhile, SAHPRA stated that the review process was done in collaboration with the European Medicines for All Procedure. 

“This procedure enables the European Medicines Agency, together with the participating regulatory authorities, to provide scientific opinions on high-priority medicines, such as lenacapavir, intended for markets outside the European Union.

“The benefits of this pathway are to strengthen regulatory systems and accelerate access to essential medicines,” the watchdog explained.

This product, developed to prevent new HIV infections, is a six-monthly injection. 

There is an initiation dose of a subcutaneous injection with tablets taken on days one and two. 

“It is used to reduce the risk of HIV in adults and adolescents who weigh at least 35 kg, are HIV negative, and are at risk of getting HIV,” SAHPRA said.

According to the SAHPRA, lenacapavir for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) should always be used in combination with safer sex practices, such as using condoms, to reduce the risk of getting other sexually transmitted infections.

“The registration of lenacapavir is a game-changer, given the high prevalence rate of HIV in South Africa. This product is the most effective HIV prevention measure thus far,” said SAHPRA CEO, Boitumelo Semete-Makokotlela. 

Earlier this month, Motsoaledi announced that government plans to integrate lenacapavir into domestic financing mechanisms, aiming for routine funding after two years.

READ | PEPFAR Bridge Plan to boost HIV/AIDS treatment in SA

He stated that Gilead and six pharmaceutical companies, including one in Egypt, will produce the jab for US$40 per person per year, which is a significant reduction from US$28 000, reducing costs by 700 times.

In addition, Motsoaledi stated that pharmaceutical companies like Hetero and partnerships with the Gates Foundation will produce generic versions, while South Africa actively pursues local manufacturing capabilities.

SAHPRA is tasked with monitoring, evaluating, investigating, inspecting and registering all health products. 

This includes clinical trials, complementary medicines, medical devices and in-vitro diagnostics and has also added the responsibility of overseeing radiation control in South Africa. – SAnews.gov.za