Category: Africa

Source: Government of South Africa

Public Service and Administration Minister Inkosi Mzamo Buthelezi has launched the Integrated Public Service Month, with a strong message that professionalising the public service is a constitutional and developmental imperative that is a non-negotiable.  

“We will build a workforce that is defined by competence, ethics and accountability as mediocrity has no place in this vision,” Buthelezi said at the media launch of the IPSM, in Pretoria on Tuesday.

“We will be transparent about progress, honest about setbacks and be visible in our communities.”

Buthelezi said every citizen must feel the tangible difference of a responsive and ethical state.

“We will also hold ourselves accountable through clear indicators like improved service satisfaction, reduced corruption and strengthened ethics as well as increased citizen engagement,” the Minister said.

WATCH | Launch of Public Service Month 

As part of the IPSM, members of Executive, including Ministers, the President and the Deputy President, as well as senior officials, will conduct unannounced oversight visits in priority districts where services are failing to unblock bottlenecks.

“These visits will inform planning, budgeting and resource allocation,” the Minister said.
He also reminded public servants that they are there to serve and not to be served.

“We are the face of a new public service – one that is professional, ethical and responsive. And we must carry this responsibility with pride. To our partners, join us in a holistic society approach to restoring dignity through service.”

In her welcoming remarks, Public Service and Administration Deputy Minister Pinky Kekana said the launch of IPSM is not merely a ceremony, but a pledge to South Africans that people are at the heart of everything that government does.

“This year’s theme, ‘Professionalising the Public Service to Build Trust and Restore Confidence in Government’, speaks to the urgent question of can citizens trust their government to listen, respond and deliver,” she said.

Kekana said the IPSM has been repositioned as a year-round platform of action, a platform for reform, aligned with the Medium-Term Development Plan (2024–2029).

She also called on public servants to be professional and ethical.

“Colleagues, professionalism is not about hierarchy. It is about making a real difference in people’s lives,” Kekana said.

The IPSM 2025 programme aims to transform the government-citizen relationship through a sustainable system focused on efficient, respectful and accountable service delivery. 

Key initiatives include an Executive Service Delivery Blitz and Public Service Charter Dialogues, empowering citizens to shape service standards.

“For far too long, our people have endured the indignity of long queues, broken promises and crumbling infrastructure,” Buthelezi said.

The Minister said the launch is not a ceremonial event but a strategic call to action, especially in the current era, where the voices of the citizens are amplified through multiple platforms. 

“IPSM 2025 is therefore our turning point. It is a contract between government and citizens to deliver services that dignify, empower and uplift, especially the most vulnerable in our society.”

He further added that IPSM is South Africa’s practical expression of the values championed by the African Public Service Day (APSD). 

“As directed by Cabinet in August 2024, the 2025-2026 IPSM Implementation Framework marks a decisive shift as it is no longer a once-off event but now a year-round platform for reform and the improvement of service delivery,” the Minister said. – SAnews.gov.za
 

Source: Government of South Africa

Task team to tackle foot-and-mouth disease established

GabiK
Tue, 09/02/2025 – 11:28

Source: Government of South Africa

The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) will lead a South African business delegation of 30 companies to the fourth Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF), scheduled to take place in Algiers, Algeria, from 4 to 10 September 2025.

The IATF promotes intra-African trade by connecting businesses, investors and policymakers from across the continent and the diaspora.

Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Zuko Godlimpi, said the event offers South Africa an opportunity to showcase its goods and services, attract investment, foster regional integration, and advance the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

“Participating in international exhibitions like these is critical to the dtic’s mandate and the objectives of the Medium Term Development Plan (MTDP) 2024-2029 to grow the economy, create jobs, industrialisation, localisation, inclusive growth and growing the domestic market and exports,” Godlimpi said.

He added that Algeria, as the host country, holds strategic importance as Africa’s third-largest economy. “It is of importance that we establish direct trade routes to improve trade between the two countries,” he said.

While South Africa currently enjoys a trade surplus under the AfCFTA, Godlimpi noted that preferential trade with Algeria remains limited. He said both countries need to step up efforts to encourage and support preferential trade under the AfCFTA to fully utilise new market access opportunities.

“The trade fair will also foster small and medium enterprise cross-border partnerships, enabling regional value chain integration, and diversifying exports against the backdrop of volatilities in traditional markets,” he said.

The IATF will focus on sectors such as agriculture, automotive, mining, information and communications technology (ICT) and energy. Alongside the exhibition, the programme will feature trade and investment forums as well as industry conferences.

Following previous editions in Cairo (2018 and 2023) and Durban (2021), the IATF 2025 is expected to attract about 35 000 attendees and 1 600 exhibitors. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: Government of South Africa

As South Africa celebrates Heritage Month this September, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie has urged that museums, archives and heritage sites be repositioned as active drivers of national identity, social change and development.

“Heritage institutions cannot just be museums of dust and silence. They must become places of action, innovation, and opportunity. Young South Africans should walk into a museum or heritage site and see themselves, feel inspired, and leave empowered to shape a better tomorrow,” McKenzie said on Monday.

The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC) officially launched Heritage Month 2025 under the theme: ‘Reimagine our Heritage Institutions for a New Era’.

The theme reflects a shift from heritage institutions being custodians of memory to serving as platforms for innovation, inclusion and community development.

“The initiative recognises that South Africa’s heritage is not only a reflection of the past but a powerful catalyst for building a dynamic, socially responsive, technologically innovative, and economically inclusive future built on the democratic values of human dignity, equality and supremacy of the rule of law,” McKenzie said.

South Africa’s museums, archives and heritage sites have long preserved the nation’s diverse narratives, especially in the post-apartheid era. But, with evolving socio-economic and technological challenges, government sees the need for these institutions to take on a more active role in shaping society.

“We are entering a new era. Our institutions must reflect the dreams of a new generation. Through technology, creativity, and the full participation of our people, we can turn memory into momentum. The courage of our past heroes must ignite the fire of future innovation,” McKenzie added.

This year, the national Heritage Day celebration will be hosted in Oudtshoorn, Western Cape, in partnership with the provincial government.

Heritage Month 2025 will also pay tribute to the heroes and heroines of the liberation struggle. In collaboration with the Association for Ex-Political Prisoners (AEPP) and the Robben Island Museum (RIM), the department will host a Reunion of Ex-Political Prisoners on 27 September at Robben Island. The event will be held under the theme, ‘Reuniting with Robben Island as the Stronghold that Fortified Our Resistance to Achieve Our Freedom’.

“This symbolic and emotional gathering will pay tribute to Robben Island based ex-political prisoners, those brave, courageous and selfless combatants who put their lives on the line for the attainment of South Africa’s freedom and democracy.

“This event not only honours the legacy of resistance but reconnects our national consciousness with the lived experiences of those who endured incarceration in the name of justice and equality,” McKenzie said. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: Government of South Africa

Tuesday, September 2, 2025

Source: Government of South Africa

The Department of Electricity and Energy (DEE) has announced the appointment of experienced power generation executive, Precious Mmabakwena Edward, as the new Head of the Independent Power Producers Office (IPPO).

The appointment is effective from this month with Edward adding some 20 years of experience in the sector to the office.

“She currently serves as the Chief Executive of ENGIE Kathu Solar Facility, one of the first multibillion-rand Concentrated Solar Power [CSP] projects successfully developed under the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producers Procurement Programme [REIPPPP],” the DEE said in a statement.

In this role, Edward oversaw the “stabilisation of operations and delivered strong returns for shareholders” as well as “exemplified the qualities of a servant leader placing people at the centre of her leadership”.

“She has championed career development and skills growth for the workforce, created pathways for small businesses to participate in the energy value chain, and ensured that surrounding communities benefit through meaningful jobs, training, and enterprise opportunities. 

“Her leadership reflects a deep commitment to shared prosperity, inclusivity, and sustainable development in the regions where the facility operates,” the DEE said.

She also worked at Eskom where she served as Head of Fuel Sourcing.

“[She] directed procurement strategies under tight governance controls, and as a Contracts Lead on the Medupi Power Station project, managing multi-billion-rand commercial and contractual frameworks.

“Ms Edward holds a BTech in Electrical Engineering, a Master’s in Business Leadership (MBL) and an LLB[Bachelor of Law] degree. This unique combination of technical, business, and legal expertise equips her to navigate complex operational, financial, and governance challenges at the highest level,” the statement read.

Transforming the IPPO

The DEE explained that Edwards’ appointment comes at a “pivotal moment” for the IPPO as it marks 15 years since establishment.

“Looking forward, the IPPO will be transformed into a more agile, efficient, and impactful institution that responds to modern energy challenges,” the statement said.

Furthermore, under her leadership, the office will:
•    Advance transformation and inclusivity by ensuring greater participation of women, youth, and persons with disabilities in the energy sector
•    Drive local manufacturing and industrialisation opportunities, aligned with the South African Renewable Energy Masterplan (SAREM)
•    Maximise socio-economic development benefits in future procurement rounds;
•    Introduce innovative procurement models that strengthen security of supply, affordability, and alignment with South Africa’s just energy transition priorities.

“Ms Edward is widely recognised for her principled, resilient, and values-driven leadership, having received numerous accolades throughout her career. Her appointment marks more than a change in leadership it is a renewal of purpose.

“For the past 15 years, the IPPO has been the engine room powering South Africa’s entry into large-scale renewable energy procurement. Today, under her stewardship, we turn the page to a new chapter: one where the IPPO becomes not only a procurement office, but a catalyst for transformation, industrialisation, and socio-economic inclusion,” the department explained.

Her appointment is in line with the department’s Strategic Plan 2025–2030 which advances priorities including:
•    Achieving Universal Access to Electricity by 2030
•    Promoting industrialisation and localisation
•    Driving a just energy transition with jobs and skills at the centre
•    Strengthening governance, efficiency, and accountability in energy procurement

“As the department advances its Strategic Priorities of achieving universal access to electricity by 2030, accelerating localisation and manufacturing, and driving a just energy transition, Ms Edward’s leadership will be instrumental in steering the IPPO from being a pioneering institution into becoming a symbol of national renewal. 

“Like a bridge built on strong foundations, her role will connect the lessons of the past to the opportunities of the future ensuring that secure, affordable, and transformative energy continues to power South Africa’s development,” the statement concluded. – SAnews.gov.za