Category: English

By William Baloyi 
The lengthy delays between the planning of vital infrastructure and the commencement of construction are set to be significantly reduced. Government is implementing a major reform of its Public-Private Partnership (PPP) framework to accelerate the delivery of key infrastructure including roads, hospitals, office accommodation, and water and sanitation systems.

By introducing amendments to Treasury Regulation 16 under the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), government is strengthening its PPP framework to drive faster infrastructure development. These reforms aim to remove bureaucratic inefficiencies, enhance the attractiveness of projects to private-sector investors, and build technical capacity within the public sector. 

The amendments introduced a simplified approval process for smaller PPP projects valued at below R2 billion. Previously, projects of this scale were subject to multiple, often protracted approval stages. Under the new framework, many of these requirements have been streamlined.

Under the new system, accounting officers are now empowered to approve certain project milestones internally, reducing reliance on multiple layers of National Treasury approval. Importantly, robust oversight is maintained through the PPP Advisory Unit, which will continue to provide technical guidance and strategic recommendations prior to project progression.

The revised regulations, which came into effect on 1 June 2026, represent a decisive shift towards deeper and more effective public-private collaboration. By streamlining processes and improving clarity, the revised rules pave the way for a new wave of investment, faster project implementation and delivery at scale.

Complementing the amended regulations, the new Fiscal Commitments and Contingent Liabilities (FCCL) guideline and Unsolicited Bid Proposal (USP) guideline took effect on 31 October 2025. 

The USP guideline provides a structured framework for managing unsolicited proposals from the private sector. Historically, the absence of clear guidelines created uncertainty and discouraged private-sector participation. The revised regulations address this gap by establishing a structured and transparent process for the submission and evaluation of such proposals.

Private entities are now able to submit project concepts directly to government institutions, provided these align with national development priorities and public interest objectives. To safeguard transparency and competitiveness, all unsolicited proposals will still be subject to a fair and competitive procurement process.

To further encourage innovation and participation, National Treasury has introduced provisions that allow for partial reimbursement of development costs incurred by bidders in preparing proposals, even where they are not ultimately awarded the project.

The FCCL framework ensures that PPP projects are fiscally sustainable by assessing, managing, and approving government’s financial commitments and risks.

Amendments to Municipal PPP Regulations have also been developed and are nearing finalisation. Similarly to amendments to Treasury Regulation 16, these regulations seek to facilitate faster project implementation and delivery at scale, once they are gazetted.

For years, infrastructure development has been constrained by inadequate planning, weak project preparation and structuring, limited fiscal space, and insufficient technical capacity within government institutions. These challenges contributed to a growing infrastructure backlog across critical sectors. 

Compounding these issues are broader systemic issues including deteriorating financial sustainability, governance shortcomings and institutional capacity constraints within parts of the public sector. These factors have further undermined State’s ability to deliver essential services effectively and at scale.

At the municipal level, the challenges are exacerbated by leadership instability and financial distress. Many municipalities continue to experience governance challenges and capacity limitations that negatively affects delivery outcomes. 

Government anticipates that the strengthened PPP framework will help address these challenges by leveraging private sector expertise, innovation, project management capability and investment in public infrastructure programmes. 

The amended PPP regulations mark a vital step towards modernising South Africa’s infrastructure delivery model. Government is confident that these changes will unlock private investment, stimulate economic activity and job creation, improve public service delivery, and alleviate pressure on constrained public finances. 

For millions of South Africans awaiting reliable infrastructure and essential services, these reforms provide a clear and credible pathway towards the accelerated delivery of hospitals, school, water systems, and transport networks that are vital to improving the quality of life.

*Baloyi is the Deputy Government Spokesperson at the Government Communications and Information System.

 

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Government is making steady progress in the enforcement of lifestyle audits, with seven of the country’s nine provinces having made some gains, as part of efforts to create a capable state.

President Cyril Ramaphosa said he would look into introducing lifestyle audits in the State of the Nation Address (SONA) of 2018. The lifestyle audit programme was initiated, following the President’s 2019 SONA commitment to build a capable, ethical, and developmental state. The Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) then developed the Lifestyle Audit Framework, approved in 2021, with an accompanying implementation guide.

The process involves three sequential steps: lifestyle review, lifestyle investigation, and lifestyle audit – each triggered by evidence of lifestyle inconsistent with known income. From 1 April 2021, lifestyle audits became compulsory across all national and provincial departments. 

The programme forms part of the Medium-Term Development Plan (MTDP) 2024–2029 Strategic Priority 3: Building a Capable, Ethical, and Developmental State.

Presentations made to Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration in April and June 2026 are showing progress. Previously, the public service was where assets were declared on paper with little verification and misrepresentation not being adequately addressed.

Compliance was sitting at 61% in 2023 and referrals for investigation were rare. 

However, the presentations made to Parliament are showing that the tide is turning with compliance at 93% nationally and covering 8982 senior officials.

Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, the Western and Northern Capes were covered in the April report to Parliament.
In Gauteng the report stated that the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) was deployed as a primary audit partner. 

The report found that 37% of accounting officers audited were categorised as high or medium risk. Additionally, the Premier of Gauteng referred 20 officials for further SIU investigation following audit findings. In addition, the gambling habits of public servants were identified as a systemic risk requiring urgent intervention. Added to that, ethics awareness sessions were extended to service providers, councillors, and civil society.

KwaZulu-Natal had 100% Senior Management Service (SMS) financial disclosure compliance achieved for five consecutive years. In addition, the provincial government’s Forensic Investigation Services Unit (reporting directly to the Premier since 2020) completed 159 investigations. To date, 186 disciplinary cases have been carried out and nine criminal cases have been opened while seven civil recovery processes have been put in place.

In the Western Cape, the Premier Alan Winde and all 11 provincial MECs, including their spouses and life partners, have been subjected to four rounds of comprehensive, independent lifestyle audits since 2020.

In the Northern Cape, a 38% non-submission rate has been acknowledged with the current audits in the province not covering spouses and dependents. With this  gap through which hidden assets can pass undetected, the province is proposing that this be addressed. The province has called for the SIU to be given full proclamation powers.

In June the Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga, and Free State made presentations to  the Committee.

In Mpumalanga, a Provincial Anti-Corruption Coordinating Committee (PACCC) was  established and is made up of departmental officials, district municipalities, and provincial public entities. 

Ethics officers and investigators have been trained by the DPSA and the Ethics Institute.  In addition, lifestyle audit process flow formalised; full SMS financial disclosures for 2024/25 have been completed. In addition, the vetting of accounting officers was reported.

In the Free State, the report covers implementation progress, challenges affecting the rollout, and proposed guideline improvements.

Compliance is now at 93% nationally, covering 8 982 senior officials. The DPSA framework is being tested, challenged, and proposed for expansion by provinces themselves. The SIU is now a routine partner in integrity infrastructure. The central disciplinary registry will close the revolving door. Lifestyle audits -once a concept on a policy paper- are now a lived institutional reality across South Africa’s provinces. The state is learning to check itself.

All seven provincial presentations directly support SONA 2026 commitments on building a capable state and the anti-corruption drive.

In the 2026 SONA, President Ramaphosa said an ethical, capable and developmental state is needed to build a stronger South Africa.

“A capable state needs committed and honest public servants with the right skills and a deep culture of service,” said the President. – SAnews.gov.za

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South Africans have been encouraged to take advantage of this weekend’s national voter registration drive.

The Electoral Commission will hold a voter registration weekend on 20 and 21 June.

This comes as President Cyril Ramaphosa proclaimed 4 November 2026 as the date for the country’s sixth democratic Local Government Elections.

With less than five months remaining before Election Day, the Commission is urging all eligible citizens to ensure their registration details are up to date and to make their voices heard at the ballot box in November.

Nearly 24 000 registration stations across the country’s 4 488 municipal wards will open this weekend, allowing eligible citizens to register to vote, verify their registration details and confirm that they are registered in the correct voting district.

“Preparations are well advanced,” the Commission’s Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo said last month, adding that the Department of Home Affairs will keep offices open nationwide to assist citizens who need identity documents – a requirement for voter registration.

The Commission has adopted the slogan “Get Up, Show Up, Vote” as part of its 2026 election campaign, with a particular focus on mobilising young people to participate in the democratic process.

The registration weekend forms part of a broader national campaign that includes television, radio, digital and social media platforms aimed at reaching as many South Africans as possible.

The Commission has reported strong engagement among young people. Through its Tertiary Institutions Campaign, nearly 98 000 students have been reached, with more than 45 000 successfully registering to vote.

Current voter registration figures show that 27.9 million South Africans are registered on the voters’ roll, surpassing the number recorded ahead of the 2024 general elections. 

Between January and May this year, more than 376 000 new voter registrations were recorded, reflecting growing participation, particularly among younger voters.

Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa has expressed confidence that youth participation would continue to increase.

“I am confident that this time we are going to have more young people registering to vote and taking part in the elections,” Hlabisa said.

South Africans wishing to register can do so online or visit their designated voting stations during the voter registration weekend on Saturday and Sunday. – SAnews.gov.za

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President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to lead the Milestones of Freedom campaign at the Union Buildings in Tshwane on Thursday.

The campaign is held under the theme: Honouring the Past. Delivering the Future and is aimed at reflecting on South Africa’s journey to freedom and the interventions government has made to build a capable state.

“The national programme is intended to commemorate key milestones in South Africa’s democratic journey, while also strengthening service delivery and promoting social cohesion,” the Presidency stated.

Leaders from government, business, youth movements and civil society are expected to attend the launch which will highlight some of the key moments in the country’s history.

“This year marks several significant and defining milestones in South Africa’s democratic journey, including the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution; the 50th anniversary of the 1976 youth uprisings; the 70th anniversary of the anti-pass campaign; and the 60th anniversary of the forced removals from District Six.

“These landmark events reflect the long struggle for democracy and freedom, while also underscoring the journey toward a more inclusive and equitable society. The campaign further signals the government’s commitment to building on democratic gains and accelerating service delivery to communities,” the Presidency stated. – SAnews.gov.za

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Young people seeking workplace experience and on-the-job training can register on the SA Youth.mobi recruitment platform to connect with potential employers.

Registration is free, and the platform is zero-rated, meaning users can access the site and its contents without incurring data charges.

“We are expanding public employment, youth service and workplace experience. More than 5.7 million young people are now registered on the SA Youth.mobi platform. Of these, more than 2 million young people have gained access to earning opportunities,” President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Tuesday, during the National Youth Day commemoration, in Johannesburg.

The President said the initiative has created work and livelihood opportunities for more than 2.5 million unemployed South Africans.

“Of these, 82 percent were young people and 66 percent were women. Through the pilot phase of the Jobs Boost Outcomes Fund, over 9 000 young people have been enrolled and more than 7 200 successfully placed into employment. This shows the potential of training that is linked to employment opportunities,” President Ramaphosa said.

The recruitment platform was established through the Presidential Youth Employment Intervention (PYEI), with support from Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator, the Department of Employment and Labour, the Department of Higher Education and Training, the National Youth Development Agency, Youth Employment Service (YES) and the Development Bank of South Africa.

The initiative aims to expand the range of opportunities available to young people in South Africa.

It focuses on helping young people gain work experience and linking them to jobs, entrepreneurship and skills development opportunities.

The PYEI also partners with organisations that provide young people with additional support and resources on their pathway to earning.

“The revitalised National Youth Service has placed more than 130 000 young people in paid service opportunities to date, with an additional 100 000 community service youth employment opportunities currently available.

“These interventions give young people a foothold in the world of work, but they are not the final destination. That is why our overarching priority at the moment is to grow an inclusive economy that creates sustainable jobs at scale,” the President said.

Ramaphosa said government is moving away from training for its own sake.

“We are reshaping the skills system so that qualifications lead more directly to work and enterprise. That is why we are strengthening Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges as engines of occupational skills and linking colleges, employers and SETAs to the needs of local economies. 

“Skills are not formed in classrooms alone. They are formed in workplaces, industries, communities and enterprises,” the President said.

Building a productive economy

With the state investing R1 trillion in infrastructure over the next three years, Ramaphosa said the funding will create apprenticeships, artisan development, skills transfer and enterprise development opportunities for young people.

“We are building and maintaining roads, dams, schools, hospitals, clinics, electricity lines, railway lines and port infrastructure. 

“Our growth strategy is focused on sectors that create jobs at scale: manufacturing, mining beneficiation, digital infrastructure, agriculture, green industrialisation, energy, logistics, critical minerals, tourism and the creative economy,” he said.

The President added that young people must be an integral part of these industries. 

“They must be trained for these industries, work in them, build businesses in them and own a part of them,” he said.

Furthermore, the small business portfolio will provide support to one million micro, small and medium-sized enterprises over this term of government. 

“The Public Procurement Act gives us the opportunity to use the buying power of the state to support enterprises owned by young people, women and persons with disabilities,” Ramaphosa said. –SAnews.gov.za

 

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The leaders of Parliaments from across Africa have come together this week at Emperors Palace in Gauteng for the Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers (CSPO) aimed at strengthening governance on the continent.

The weeklong conference kicked off on Tuesday and is co-hosted by Parliament and the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL).

“The CSPOC Africa Region, which brings together 63 parliamentary presiding officers from national parliaments and sub-national legislatures across the continent, will be held under the theme: Proactive Parliaments and Sustainable Development: An Imperative for Political Stability in Africa.

“It is convened under the auspices of the African regional branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association [CPA] – an international association of Commonwealth parliamentarians established in 1911 to promote parliamentary democracy, good governance and cooperation among legislatures across the Commonwealth,” the GPL said in a statement.

Key topics to be addressed during the week include:

• The role of Parliamentarians in enhancing public trust in governance
• Reforming and developing innovative mechanisms and strategies for effective and proactive parliamentary leadership in Africa’s development
• Harnessing the potential of Africa’s youth for sustainable development: the role of Parliaments
• Leveraging technology and digital tools for effective and sustainable development

“The CSPOC Africa Region, the largest regional gathering of Commonwealth legislative leaders, seeks to strengthen legislative institutions and advance accountability, effective oversight and sustainable development across the continent.

“The conference provides a platform for parliamentary leaders to exchange experiences and best practices, deliberate on matters of common interest, and explore ways of strengthening democratic institutions in support of sustainable development and political stability in Africa,” the statement read. – SAnews.gov.za

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The South African Police Service (SAPS) National and Western Cape Counterfeit and Illicit Goods Units have seized counterfeit goods, with an estimated value of R10 million, during a multidisciplinary operation at a shopping complex in Bellville.

During the seizure, the police were supported by various internal and external stakeholders. 

“More than 40 shops were targeted during the operation on Tuesday, resulting in the seizure of high-end counterfeit branded clothing, shoes, bags, watches, sunglasses, caps and branded packaging,” the police said in a statement.

The multidisciplinary team comprised members from SAPS, the Cape Town Metropolitan Police Department, City of Cape Town Law Enforcement and brand protectors.

“This follows a similar takedown operation conducted at the same shopping complex a week ago, during which counterfeit goods valued at more than R98 million were seized.

“Combined, the two operations resulted in the seizure of counterfeit goods worth more than R100 million within a week.

“These operations form part of nationwide efforts to dismantle the trade in counterfeit and illicit goods, which threaten public safety, legitimate businesses and the country’s economy,” the police said. – SAnews.gov.za

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The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) has launched a new R2 commemorative circulation coin in honour of the June 1976 Youth Uprising in Soweto, at the Hector Pieterson Museum, in Johannesburg. 

The Hector Pieterson Museum in Orlando West is dedicated to preserving the memory of the 1976 uprisings, when thousands of learners across Soweto took to the streets to protest the enforced use of Afrikaans in schools and the injustices of the inferior “Bantu Education” system. 

President Cyril Ramaphosa unveiled the new R2 circulation coin on Tuesday to mark 50 years since the children of Soweto walked out of their classrooms in protest against apartheid’s oppressive education policies. 

The coin features an image of learners raising their fists in defiance of the police during protests against apartheid-era education policies. The raised fist symbolises resistance, solidarity and the courage of the learners who stood up to an oppressive government.

The coin’s design draws inspiration from the events of 1976 and reflects themes of remembrance, resistance and hope. 

Visitors to the Hector Pieterson Memorial exchanged their R2 coins for the new commemorative circulation coin honouring the 1976 Youth Uprising.

“Although the commemorative coin is special, it carries the same value as ordinary R2 coins in circulation. Commemorative circulation coins serve as a tool for national storytelling because, as they move through communities, people can share these stories in their homes, at malls, taxi ranks and wherever money is used daily,” SARB said.

The 1976 Youth Uprising remains one of the defining moments in South Africa’s liberation struggle and democratic journey.

The commemoration honours the courage, resilience and sacrifices of the young people who stood against injustice and helped shape the future of a free and democratic South Africa.

The Youth Day commemorations coincided with other major milestones in the country’s journey to freedom, including the 50th anniversary of the Soweto uprising, 70 years since the Women’s March of 1956 and 30 years since the adoption of the democratic Constitution in 1996. –SAnews.gov.za

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The National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) has obtained an urgent preservation of property order emanating from a sophisticated online banking scam involving some R21.55 million.

The money was allegedly fraudulently diverted from the bank account of a Middelburg-based company, Jormid, by a scammer earlier this year.

“On 21 May 2026, Jormid’s financial manager, Mrs Jordaan, received WhatsApp messages on her cellphone purporting to be from the company’s banking institution, ABSA Bank.

“The messages indicated that ‘suspicious transactions’ had been detected on Jormid’s business account and requested her to confirm whether she had authorised them.

“After responding that she did not recognise the transactions, Jordaan received a telephone call from an individual claiming to be an official from ABSA Bank’s Fraud Division. The caller requested her assistance in cancelling the alleged suspicious transactions,” NPA Regional Spokesperson Monica Nyuswa explained.

On the call, Jordaan was instructed to approve electronic links sent to her phone.

“While still communicating with the scammer, Jordaan was informed by a colleague that several substantial transactions, amounting to approximately R21.55 million, had been processed from Jormid’s bank account without authorisation.

“Jordaan immediately reported the matter to ABSA’s Fraud Department and subsequently opened a criminal case with the South African Police Service [SAPS] in Middelburg,” she added.

The matter was then referred to the NPA AFU and initiated an investigation and submitted an urgent intervention to the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC).

The FIC promptly issued directives to ABSA bank to freeze funds held in nine bank accounts which were suspected to have received the proceeds.

“Armed with the evidence gathered during the investigation and the FIC’s intervention, the AFU approached the Middelburg High Court on an urgent ex parte basis and successfully obtained a preservation of property order against the nine ABSA Bank accounts on 12 June 2026.

“The order prevents the dissipation of the suspected proceeds of crime, valued at approximately R21.55 million, pending the finalisation of forfeiture proceedings before the High Court,” Nyuswa added.

A criminal investigation is ongoing with suspects expected to be arrested and charged with offences including fraud, theft and money laundering.

“The NPA remains committed to combating cybercrime, safeguarding the interests of victims and ensuring that the proceeds of unlawful activities are preserved and ultimately forfeited in accordance with the law,” Nyuswa said. – SAnews.gov.za

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