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Appolonia: the story of an African kingdom that resisted the Atlantic slave trade

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Nana Kesse, Assistant Professor of History, Clark University

The transatlantic slave trade was a multilayered, highly commercialised global enterprise that lasted from the early 1500s to the mid 1800s.

The events over this period are far too complex to fit into a straightforward perpetrator-victim narrative. While the trade catastrophically dehumanised and commodified over 12.5 million Africans, it was not just an external conquest.

Europeans lacked the geographical knowledge, immunity to endemic tropical diseases, and the military power to venture into the African interior. So they became dependent on African states and merchant elites for the supply of captives.

By controlling coastal ports, regulating market access, and managing the interior trade routes that brought captives to the coast, these African brokers enabled and shaped the European trade in human beings.

Yet, this internal participation was rarely uniform. While certain powerful African societies and groups largely procured captives from weaker communities through warfare or raids, a few centralised African states chose neither to fully participate in nor completely abstain from the slave trade.

Approaching Appolonia. National Archives of the United Kingdom/author provided

One such society was the Kingdom of Appolonia (today known as the Nzema State) in the southwestern Gold Coast (present-day Ghana). Throughout the four centuries of Atlantic slavery, Appolonia traded only 352 captives while other Gold Coast towns like Elmina and Cape Coast each shipped hundreds of thousands of enslaved people.

As a historian of west Africa, particularly Ghana, specialising in environmental and water history as well as the slave trade, I have spent nearly a decade researching Appolonia’s role in the Atlantic slave trade. My recent study reveals that Appolonia was the only port region on the Gold Coast where the Atlantic slave trade did not thrive, although indigenous African slavery was practised in the kingdom. Appolonia stands out as a statistical and geographical outlier within the slave trade economy.

Appolonia’s story raises several critical questions. Why did the kingdom trade so few enslaved people? Why is it important to study regions of Africa where the slave trade was less dominant? And what do outliers like Appolonia teach us about historical and reparative justice?

Appolonia in historical context

Appolonia is an Akan society in southwestern Ghana, located at the border with Côte d’Ivoire. The Portuguese named this region after Saint Appolonia, an Egyptian Christian virgin, because they discovered the area on her festival day.

The region was made up of small villages that came together to establish the Appolonian Kingdom in the late 1600s. It was here that Ghana’s first president, Kwame Nkrumah, was born in 1909.

Appolonia in today’s Ghana. Nana Kesse/adapted from Google Earth, Author provided (no reuse)

The founding of the Appolonian Kingdom coincided with other grand historical developments on the Gold Coast. These include the rise of the Asante Kingdom to superpower status and the transformation of the region into a centre for the Atlantic slave trade.

These events drew Appolonia into the larger Atlantic economy. However, Appolonia was probably the only Gold Coast society that effectively said “no” to the Atlantic slave trade.

Saying “no” did not mean a complete abstinence. The 352 enslaved individuals that Appolonia shipped account for 0.0028% of the Africans transported across the Atlantic Ocean. My intention is not to reduce these precious lives to mere statistics. Rather, I aim to show that, in percentage terms, Appolonia’s involvement in the trade was minimal.

To illustrate this point, let’s examine some comparative data.

Distribution of slave exports from the Gold Coast. Nana Kesse, Author provided (no reuse)

The table displays slave exports from various regions of the Gold Coast. This information was obtained from the SlaveVoyages database, compiled over decades by various researchers in an international collaborative effort. It offers statistics on enslaved individuals shipped from Africa and those who survived the journey.

For instance, in the 18th-century Gold Coast, port towns like Anomabo recorded 168,348 slave exports, Cape Coast 100,434 and Elmina 85,636 – compared with Appolonia’s 352.

Consider the figures alongside the historical population densities of these areas.

Nana Kesse, Author provided (no reuse)

During the 1700s, Anomabu had approximately 8,750 inhabitants; yet a staggering 168,348 captives were shipped from there. This indicates significant slave trading. Similarly, Cape Coast and Elmina had projected populations of around 5,000 and 25,000 residents, yet recorded high slave exports.

Appolonia, on the other hand, had an estimated population of 15,600-19,600 inhabitants but traded only 352.

What this means

Why did Appolonia trade so few enslaved people? Using demographic database analysis, European archival records, and oral histories, my research suggests two main reasons.

First, Appolonia was not a slaving society. Its economy depended rather on the gold and ivory trade.

Second, the kingdom implemented policies, such as the amonle covenant, that prevented the sale of Appolonian subjects. Amonle was a sacred ritual involving human sacrifice of Appolonian royals and the mixing of their blood with a special herbal concoction. It was then drunk by both Appolonian rulers and migrants who settled in the kingdom.

This powerful ritual served as the binding oath against selling Appolonian locals and refugees, cursing anyone who broke the oath. This policy undermined any internal system for producing enslaved people within the kingdom for sale.

The question of reparations

Appolonia’s story further complicates our understanding and approach to seeking historical justice and reparations for the slave trade. It is one thing for a known victim to demand justice and reparations from an identifiable perpetrator, whether through symbolic acts like an apology, or through monetary compensation.

It’s a different matter when the identities of both the victim and the perpetrator are unknown – or when the perpetrator and the victim are one and the same. Who dispenses reparations to whom?

In the case of Appolonia, we do not know the identities of the 352 victims exported, nor have scholars, including myself, been able to trace these captives to a specific African homeland.

We have not found historical records indicating that the people of Appolonia captured or purchased these individuals for resale. Given this context, should Appolonia be expected to offer reparations? If yes, to whom?

Read more: Slavery reparations: why the West is morally bound to pay them

Conversely, is it ethically justifiable for Appolonia to seek reparative justice from the unknown Europeans who purchased the 352 captives?

Appolonia’s story complicates the call for reparative justice. However, it does not contradict the landmark March 2026 United Nations resolution officially declaring the transatlantic slave trade as the “gravest crime against humanity”. For the slave trade is indeed the most violent and catastrophic of the many atrocities committed against Africans and African descended people.

– Appolonia: the story of an African kingdom that resisted the Atlantic slave trade
– https://theconversation.com/appolonia-the-story-of-an-african-kingdom-that-resisted-the-atlantic-slave-trade-282102

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Foot and mouth disease in South Africa: how a tracking system would control outbreaks

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Tania Prinsloo, Associate Professor in Applied Information Systems, University of Johannesburg

Foot and mouth disease is common in South Africa’s wildlife reserves. There are constant efforts to make sure it doesn’t spread to farmed animals. But since 2019 the country has seen repeated outbreaks on farms. In 2026 the country’s R80 billion (US$5 billion) beef industry faced a crisis as unchecked outbreaks spread to all provinces. This caused a 26% drop in exports of beef in 2025, heavily affecting trade with China in particular. The lack of a mandatory, nationwide system to trace diseases like this means they can’t be effectively managed. We asked Tania Prinsloo, who has researched disease surveillance systems, to explain what’s gone wrong.

How bad is the foot and mouth outbreak in South Africa?

There have consistently been sporadic foot and mouth disease outbreaks in the country. But the most recent outbreak of the SAT2 strain started in May 2021 in the province of KwaZulu-Natal . Foot and mouth disease has spread to all provinces, with clusters of confirmed outbreaks in different regions.

A January 2026 study by the Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy estimated that South Africa’s current outbreak could cost the livestock sector R13.1 billion over the next five years. This includes R11.3 billion in lost production value and R1.8 billion in lost export revenue.

Between 2019 and 2025, three outbreaks resulted in R821 million in export losses. This figure was projected to rise to R2.6 billion by the end of 2026.

Since January 2025, key export markets, including China, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Namibia and the United Kingdom, have remained closed to South African beef exports.

Foot and mouth disease affects cloven-hoofed animals. It is highly contagious. There are vaccines available, and the country has continuously imported vaccines, with massive campaign drives from the start of 2026.

The disease is often transferred from wildlife to domestic animals such as sheep, pigs and cattle. It spreads through contaminated animals, animal products, equipment, vehicles, human activity, and even windborne viruses. Clinical signs include blisters on the lips, tongue, palate, gums, nose, coronary band, and between the hooves.

Foot and mouth disease poses little risk to human health. But it has significant economic effects due to livestock losses, reduced productivity, and the high costs of disease control. Meat and dairy products are safe for human consumption, and the disease does not get transferred to humans. There is a common misperception: foot and mouth disease should not be confused with hand, foot and mouth disease, a common childhood illness. The two diseases are caused by different viruses.

Wildlife and livestock interactions are particularly high along the borders of protected areas like the Kruger National Park. Fallen or broken veterinary fences allow wildlife – which naturally carries the foot and mouth disease – to wander into community grazing lands, making it very difficult to prevent the spread.

Common control measures include movement restrictions, quarantines, culling of infected and exposed animals, and the cleaning and disinfection of affected facilities, vehicles and equipment.

What are traceability systems?

Livestock traceability systems are used to track food products, animals and related substances throughout the production, processing and distribution chain. They produce an accurate record of every animal throughout its lifetime, including vaccination, movement and the destination of the meat after slaughter. The animal is also uniquely identifiable according to its ear tag number.

In disease outbreaks traceability systems would play a key role in managing their spread. The only traceability system currently used widely in South Africa is from the Red Meat Industry Services. But participation is voluntary.

Livestock traceability systems identify an infected animal, which other animals it came into contact with, where water areas were shared, and which animals grazed together. This enables the quarantine of all possible infected animals, preventing any further spread of the disease.

Global markets are increasingly requiring national levels of livestock traceability. South Africa has a target for implementing one by 2030.

How functional are they in South Africa?

South Africa does not have a country-wide traceability system. There are groups of farmers who have created their own traceability systems. Karan Beef, one of the country’s leading beef producers, has stated that it would only buy animals that could be individually identified and fully traced. In addition, the farm of origin had to be registered on the Red Meat Industry Services platform and have a valid Global Location Number.

Its efforts were rewarded in June when it announced it was resuming exports after more than a year of disruptions caused by foot and mouth disease.

But the largest part of the South African beef market remains locked out.

The Red Meat Industry Services has created a traceability system that is gaining traction. This is a large industry role-player that encompasses the full value chain, including livestock producers, feedlots, auction houses, abattoirs, processors, marketers and exporters. It is the only organisation mandated to implement the Red Meat Industry Strategy 2030 on behalf of this entire sector.

But several challenges prevent South Africa from making a country-wide traceability system mandatory:

  • The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development faces budget constraints, staff shortages and service delivery challenges. This makes nationwide enforcement difficult.

  • Agriculture is the responsibility of the provincial governments, according to the country’s constitution. So nine provincial administrations and one national one would have to work together to create a viable system. In 2017 the national government assigned the task of developing a system to the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research. But the project has lost traction.

  • The differences between commercial farmers and emerging, small-scale farmers make it difficult to have one traceability system that caters to all. Small-scale farmers have limited access to farmland, credit and other essential resources, and lack the newest technologies.

  • Many commercial farmers have invested in their own traceability systems, using their own technologies and infrastructure. It’s difficult and costly to integrate their data into a single central place.

What needs to happen to fix them?

The South African government is responsible for regulatory oversight, policy enforcement and disease surveillance to ensure food safety, combat livestock theft, and unlock export markets.

It has public-private partnerships such as the red meat industry platform and compliance tracking protocols that satisfy strict European Union and global import requirements.

A nationwide mandatory traceability system is vital for South Africa’s economic and agricultural future. A drive is needed to encourage farmers to develop and adopt innovative technologies by increasing their knowledge of available digital solutions, addressing affordability issues and improving internet infrastructure.

If a traceability system is implemented, every animal must be fitted with an ear tag containing a unique number. But the tags are expensive.

Neighbouring Eswatini implemented its traceability system in 2012 and made it mandatory in 2013. Communal farmers’ tags were subsidised. But Eswatini is a small country. In South Africa, the number of animals requiring free or subsidised tags is high. There are roughly 2.4 million small-scale farmers.

Still, South Africa cannot afford to wait. Access to global markets will continue to decrease if the disease is not brought under control.

Paballo Phakoe, business application junior specialist at the Auditor General of South Africa and master’s student in the Department of Applied Information Systems at the University of Johannesburg, contributed to this article.

– Foot and mouth disease in South Africa: how a tracking system would control outbreaks
– https://theconversation.com/foot-and-mouth-disease-in-south-africa-how-a-tracking-system-would-control-outbreaks-284727

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How Angola Made Local Content a Strategic Pillar of its Oil & Gas Sector

Source: APO


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Across Africa, local content has long been treated as a compliance requirement, added onto projects rather than built into them. Angola is charting a different course, positioning local participation as a central driver of long-term value. As NJ Ayuk explores in his newly released Crude Oil: Power, Turnaround and Transformation in Angola, the country is redefining the role of indigenous companies within its oil and gas sector – and, in doing so, reshaping the industry itself.

This shift is part of a broader reform agenda. After years of declining production and reduced upstream investment, Angola moved to restore competitiveness, not just through fiscal reforms, but by rethinking how value is created and retained domestically.

A turning point came with Presidential Decree 271/20 in October 2020. The law strengthened and expanded local content requirements, making Angolan participation fundamental to the sector’s future. As President João Lourenço emphasized, the framework is designed to “aid in wealth creation and the promotion of economic diversification” while increasing the role of Angolan-owned companies.

At the institutional level, regulators such as the National Agency for Petroleum, Gas and Biofuels (ANPG) and the Petroleum Derivatives Regulatory Institute (IRDP) have embedded local content provisions into contracts, ensuring that international operators integrate local firms into their core operations.

At the same time, a supporting ecosystem has taken shape. Industry bodies like Angolan Indigenous Oil & Gas Service Companies Association (ASSEA) and the Association of Service Providers of the Angolan Oil & Gas Industry (AECIPA) are helping indigenous companies scale and compete, while demand for local services continues to rise. As AECIPA President Bráulio de Brito puts it in the book, “rather than companies coming in and looking for people, they are looking for companies.” Angolan firms are no longer acting as intermediaries, but taking on a more direct and substantive role as essential service providers.

State-owned Sonangol has reinforced this trajectory by prioritizing domestic supply chains and capacity-building. Across the sector, stakeholders – from regulators to operators – are aligning around a shared goal: building Angolan capability at scale.

The impact is increasingly visible. Local companies are securing contracts across the value chain, from chemical supply and offshore services to inspection and certification. These roles point to a growing presence of local companies in the core operations of the industry.

The role of finance is equally critical, as Ayuk notes in Crude Oil. By extending local content requirements to the banking sector, Angola has addressed one of the key barriers to participation: access to capital. Domestic banks can now co-finance projects and support oilfield service providers. Institutions such as Banco BCS are offering tailored solutions – from factoring to foreign currency payments – enabling local companies to compete more effectively.

Meanwhile, partnerships with international oil companies are increasingly focused on knowledge transfer. Training programs, STEM initiatives and workforce development efforts led by operators such as ExxonMobil and TotalEnergies are helping build a more skilled, inclusive talent base, ensuring local content extends beyond ownership to expertise.

As Angola’s Minister of Mineral Resources, Oil & Gas Diamantino Azevedo has emphasized, local content is about integrating Angolan businesses into the sector, promoting technology and fostering competitive markets. It is, in effect, a tool for broader economic diversification, with spillover effects across industries from logistics to construction.

According to Ayuk, the rise of companies like Etu Energias – Angola’s largest private oil company – underscores what this model can deliver. With ambitious growth targets and an expanding portfolio, it represents a new generation of indigenous firms moving from participation to leadership.

Angola’s experience offers a clear lesson: local content works best when it is intentional, enforced and backed by institutions and capital. By embedding it at the heart of its oil and gas strategy, Angola is not only strengthening its industry, but redefining who benefits from it.

Crude Oil: Power, Turnaround and Transformation in Angola is now available for purchase. Buy the book on Amazon (https://apo-opa.co/4olvqAF)

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

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PROÁGUA Receives TXF Water Export Finance Deal of the Year 2025 Award

Source: APO

Mitrelli (https://Mitrelli.com), together with HSBC, Deutsche Bank, Bpifrance Assurance Export, SERV, and SUEZ, has been recognized with the TXF Water Export Finance Deal of the Year 2025 award for the complex financing structure supporting Angola’s PROÁGUA national water infrastructure program, developed in partnership with the Ministry of Finance of Angola. The award is one of the export and project finance industry’s most prestigious distinctions, recognizing excellence and innovation in structuring complex infrastructure financing solutions.

The award was presented at the annual TXF Global Export, Agency & Project Finance event on June 10, in Prague, Czech Republic, one of the leading gatherings of the global export and project finance community.

The award-winning €200 million financing structure reflects the close collaboration between Mitrelli and leading financial and industrial partners of HSBC, Deutsche Bank, Bpifrance, SERV, SUEZ, combining export credit support and commercial financing into a complex, innovative financing solution for critical water infrastructure at scale in Angola.

PROÁGUA is a national-scale water infrastructure program designed to expand access to clean and reliable water across Angola, supporting the country’s long-term development priorities and improving quality of life for millions of citizens.

Rodrigo Manso, CEO of Mitrelli, said: ” We are proud to see PROÁGUA recognized by the global export finance community and to have worked alongside world-class partners – HSBC, Deutsche Bank, Bpifrance Assurance Export, SERV, and SUEZ – and the Government of Angola. This award recognizes the sophisticated financing structure behind the project and demonstrates how collaboration across public and private sector stakeholders can unlock critical infrastructure at scale.”

Tzahi Malach, VP Structured Finance at Mitrelli, said: “This award reflects the depth of collaboration required to structure financing for national-scale infrastructure. PROÁGUA demonstrates how export credit support, commercial financing and strong partnerships can come together to deliver bankable solutions for projects with significant development impact.”

For Mitrelli, the recognition highlights the growing importance of financing as a catalyst for development. As countries pursue ambitious infrastructure agendas, innovative financing solutions are increasingly essential to aligning government priorities, development objectives, and commercial realities. PROÁGUA demonstrates how complex structured finance can transform national priorities into implementable projects with lasting social and economic impact.

Mitrelli extends its appreciation to the Government of Angola for its continued trust, and to all partners involved in advancing this landmark transaction.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Mitrelli Group.

Mitrelli Media Contact: 
Emmanuelle Bendenoun
Global Growth Communications Lead
Emmanuelle.b@mitrelli.com

About Mitrelli: 
Mitrelli, a Swiss-based international company with over a decade of profound impact in Africa, has been collaborating closely with African leadership, governments, businesses, and communities, investing in and implementing innovative, holistic, and sustainable national-scale solutions. To date, the company has over 100 national-scale projects implemented across the continent, spanning housing, water, food, and energy, as well as key societal accelerators such as education, healthcare, and technology. To learn more, visit us at www.Mitrelli.com and follow us on LinkedIn (https://apo-opa.co/4on86Cv).

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Fuels industry pivotal to powering SA’s economy

Source: Government of South Africa

Fuels industry pivotal to powering SA’s economy

Transport Minister Barbara Creecy has called on the fuels industry to deepen collaboration with government as the State builds economic prosperity for South Africa.

The Minister was speaking at the Fuels Industry Association of South Africa Annual Imbizo held at the Sandton Convention Centre this week.

“We recognise that the fuel industry requires predictability and this means that we must build strong partnerships between government, State-owned entities, regulators, investors, infrastructure users and organised industry formations.

“The challenges facing our logistics sector cannot be addressed by government acting alone. Equally, the opportunities before us can only be fully recognised through collaboration, shared commitment and a common vision for our country’s future,” Creecy said.

The Minister noted that government is keenly aware of the fuel industry’s importance to keep the South African economy ticking.

“We understand that the fuel industry is indeed one of the most strategic sectors within our economy because it enables mobility, powers production, supports trade and logistics and contributes significantly to employment and investment.

“As government, we recognise that a resilient and sufficient fuel supply chain is fundamental to the functioning of our economy. 

“We are… committed to creating an enabling environment through effective policy regulation, infrastructure development planning and oversight of State-owned entities operating within the transport and logistics sector,” Creecy said.

She told the imbizo that the future growth of the liquid fuels industry requires “modern, efficient, safe and well regulated infrastructure and… government frameworks that provide certainty to investors, transparency to infrastructure users and confidence to the broader market”.

“The [department], working closely with Transnet and the Transnet Ports Authority is promoting several initiatives aimed at improving infrastructure planning, operation efficiency, safety and long-term investment in the Island View precinct [at the Port of Durban].

“These interventions seek to ensure that the precinct continues to meet current demand requirements, while positioning South Africa to accommodate future growth in fuel imports, storage capacity and associated logistics services,” she stated.

Creecy assured the industry leaders that government is committed to working with the industry.

“We are committed to creating a transport and logistics environment that is efficient, competitive, sustainable and capable of meeting the needs of a growing economy.

“I am sure that together, we can ensure that South Africa’s strategic infrastructure continues to support energy security, attracts investment and drive economic prosperity for many generations to come,” Creecy said. – SAnews.gov.za

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Home Affairs confirms repatriation of Nigerian nationals 

Source: Government of South Africa

Home Affairs confirms repatriation of Nigerian nationals 

The Department of Home Affairs on Thursday confirmed that it has processed 586 Nigerian nationals for repatriation after they were found to be residing in South Africa illegally. 

In its statement, the department said the first repatriation flight departed on Thursday morning, 11 June 2026, carrying 268 passengers. 

“All individuals processed for repatriation were issued with Emergency Travel Documents by the Nigerian High Commission, enabling their exit from South Africa and return to Nigeria.  In accordance with the Immigration Act, all affected individuals have been declared undesirable persons and are consequently prohibited from re-entering South Africa for a period of five years,” it said.

In addition, it acknowledged the cooperation and assistance provided by the Nigerian High Commission throughout the documentation and repatriation process.

Meanwhile, a second flight, which will transport the remaining individuals from the group of 586 processed for repatriation, is scheduled to depart on Monday, 15 June 2026. 

“The department further reminds all foreign nationals residing in South Africa that they are required to be in possession of valid visas or other authorisations that entitle them to remain in the Republic lawfully. Foreign nationals must ensure that their immigration status remains compliant with South African immigration laws at all times and to regularise their stay.”

Home Affairs Minister, Dr Leon Schreiber, said the department is irrevocably committed to enforcing South Africa’s immigration laws and restoring the rule of law. 

“Our ongoing orderly and lawful deportations and repatriations, which have increased by 46% over the past two years, is clear evidence of this,” he said.

He went on to say:  “Our reform agenda as recently affirmed by President Cyril Ramaphosa, including the ongoing scale-up of the Electronic Travel Authorisation to record biometrics for every foreigner entering our country, the replacement of the fraud-prone Green ID Book with Smart ID cards through our digital partnership with the banks, and the introduction of a cutting-edge Digital Identity system, are systematically enhancing our capacity to enforce immigration laws. 

“In this context of ongoing progress, the public is again urged to never engage in violence or take the law into their own hands.” –SAnews.gov.za 
 

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TVET pathways key to youth employment and professional inclusion

Source: Government of South Africa

TVET pathways key to youth employment and professional inclusion

Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Mmapaseka Steve Letsike, says Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) graduates represent the bridge South Africa needs to connect skills development with economic opportunity.

Addressing young built-environment professionals at the Institute of Building Inspectors Youth Sector Business Breakfast on Thursday, Letsike said TVET graduates are critical to addressing skills shortages, youth unemployment and transformation within the construction and infrastructure sectors.

“They represent the bridge that South Africa desperately needs – the bridge between artisan knowledge and professional recognition, between technical skill and regulatory authority, between township and college pathways and formal professional status,” the Deputy Minister said.

Letsike’s remarks come against the backdrop of persistently high youth unemployment, with many graduates struggling to secure workplace experience and professional registration, despite completing their studies.

She argued that South Africa must stop treating TVET education as a secondary option and instead position it as a credible pathway into professional careers and leadership positions.

“If we are serious about youth development, we must stop treating TVET education as a second-class pathway.”

The Deputy Minister highlighted the success of the Gauteng-funded Youth Building Inspector Programme, which has provided workplace learning opportunities for unemployed graduates through partnerships involving municipalities, higher education institutions, and industry stakeholders.

The programme has placed 248 unemployed built-environment graduates in workplace learning opportunities, while supporting 51 young women on their journey towards professional registration.

According to Letsike, the programme demonstrates that South Africa does not lack talent but often falls short in providing the support systems needed to help young people transition from education into employment.

“Transformation fails when support systems are absent,” she said.

She noted that many of the programme participants possess TVET and technical qualifications in fields such as electrical engineering, plumbing, civil construction, building, and construction management.

Letsike said young people will only embrace TVET pathways if they can clearly see opportunities for career progression and professional advancement.

“A young woman who studies electrical engineering at a TVET college must be able to imagine herself not only as an assistant on site, but as a registered inspector, a compliance professional, an entrepreneur, a municipal official, a project manager and a leader in the built environment.”

The Deputy Minister also called on government departments, municipalities, professional councils, the private sector, and educational institutions to work together to create seamless pathways from training to employment.

She said young professionals should be able to move from recruitment and training to workplace learning, mentorship, professional registration, employment, and entrepreneurship without facing unnecessary barriers.

“Candidate categories must become bridges, not traps,” Letsike said, urging professional bodies to make registration processes more accessible while maintaining high standards.

Investing in meaningful workplace opportunities 

The Deputy Minister also challenged private companies to invest in mentorship, internships and workplace opportunities that lead to meaningful careers rather than temporary placements.

South Africa’s infrastructure development ambitions, she said, will depend on the country’s ability to attract, train, and retain a new generation of skilled professionals.

“The developmental state must behave like one state. Young people should not be left to navigate fragmented systems alone,” Letsike said.

She added that empowering TVET graduates and young professionals would not only strengthen the built-environment sector, but also contribute to economic growth, improved municipal capacity and more inclusive development.

“The youth of this generation are fighting against an economy that too often produces exclusion. Different battlefield, same demand: dignity, opportunity, recognition, and freedom,” she said. – SAnews.gov.za
 

 

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PeWG-backed service delivery gains boost investment in eThekwini

Source: Government of South Africa

PeWG-backed service delivery gains boost investment in eThekwini

Improved service delivery and infrastructure investment, backed by the Presidential eThekwini Working Group (PeWG), are helping restore business confidence in eThekwini, unlocking major private-sector investment and supporting job creation.

The city’s interventions in electricity, water and sanitation are strengthening industrial and manufacturing zones and positioning eThekwini as a more attractive destination for investment.

As part of this effort, eThekwini is supporting 61 designated industrial areas that are home to about 27,000 businesses.

“These businesses generate around R9 billion annually and contribute more than 50% of the City’s total revenue base,” eThekwini Municipality Mayor Cyril Xaba said on Thursday during a media roundtable outlining the progress of the PeWG.

The Presidential eThekwini Working Group was established to coordinate and accelerate interventions aimed at addressing key developmental, infrastructure, economic and service delivery challenges within the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality. 

The Working Group further seeks to strengthen collaboration between national, provincial and local government, while ensuring improved communication and stakeholder engagement on progress made. 

In Prospecton, the city has undertaken major infrastructure improvements, with significant investment directed towards roads, electricity, water and sanitation.

“As a result of this work, Toyota has committed R10 billion towards expanding its investment in the area. This industrial node alone generates more than R1 billion annually in rates revenue for the city,” Xaba said.

The Mayor added that the city has also resolved several service delivery challenges in the Phoenix Industrial Park, unlocking further investment opportunities.

“A few weeks ago, I visited Tiger Brands in Umbilo, where management indicated that they will soon announce plans to expand their investment in the area,” he said.

Other industrial nodes, such as New Germany and Springfield, are also receiving focused attention.

Creating an enabling environment for investors

To accelerate the implementation of catalytic projects, the city has established a One-Stop Shop to centralise approvals related to planning, transport, infrastructure and compliance. 

This structural reform is designed to streamline processes and improve efficiency.

The One-Stop Shop will provide a single point of entry for investors; integrated approval processes and defined turnaround times to ensure certainty and predictability.

“We are confident that this initiative will accelerate the implementation of catalytic projects valued at R217 billion.

This effort will be supported by an investment of R588 million in the next financial year towards bulk infrastructure for catalytic projects,” the Mayor said.

The projects include Durban Film City, Durban Waterfront, Oceans Umhlanga, Brickworks, Westown/Shongweni and Giba Business Park.

“We are encouraged that more than two-thirds of catalytic projects across all regions are already under implementation.

“For example, in northern Durban, construction has commenced on the R25 billion Sibaya Precinct Development. This mixed-use development, comprising retail facilities, a hospital, residential units and a private college, is expected to create 70,000 sustainable jobs.

“Significant progress is also being made on the newly launched R3.6 billion Birchwood Estate development, which is expected to create 2,500 jobs,” he said.

In Cato Ridge, yellow plant including cranes are already on site at the R10 billion Insimbi Ridge Development, which forms part of the Inland Port Development aimed at decongesting the Port of Durban. 

This project is expected to create 5,000 sustainable jobs.

Governance

In terms of financial management and governance, the city has secured an unqualified audit opinion for five consecutive years.

“Consequence management continues to be implemented against individuals involved in corruption and maladministration. Irregular expenditure is showing a downward trend, while our collection rate remains within the National Treasury benchmark of 93% to 95%,” Xaba said.

The city is also among the few municipalities that are not in arrears with Eskom and Umgeni-uThukela Water for bulk electricity and water purchases.

Without the collaboration of all stakeholders through the PeWG and the District Development Model, the Mayor said these achievements would not have been possible.

“This demonstrates that when we work together as social partners, we can achieve remarkable results,” he said. –SAnews.gov.za

 

 

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Letsike calls for safe and accessible development

Source: Government of South Africa

Letsike calls for safe and accessible development

Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Mmapaseka Steve Letsike, has warned that development cannot be considered genuine progress if it results in unsafe, inaccessible, and unequal spaces.

Letsike made the remarks while addressing the Institute of Building Inspectors Youth Sector Business Breakfast at the Brixton Multipurpose Centre in Johannesburg.

Letsike called for a human rights-centred approach to infrastructure development, arguing that the built environment plays a critical role in advancing dignity, equality, and constitutional rights.

“A human rights approach to the built environment begins with the simple truth that development is not development if it produces unsafe, inaccessible and unequal spaces,” Letsike said on Thursday.

She said South Africa’s democratic project should be measured not only through laws and policies, but through the quality and accessibility of homes, schools, clinics and public spaces experienced by citizens every day.

“The right to housing is not meaningful if the house is structurally defective. The right to education is weakened if the school is unsafe or inaccessible. The right to health is compromised if the clinic cannot be reached or used by persons with disabilities.”

Letsike said the work of building inspectors and other built environment professionals must be understood as human rights work.

” You are not simply checking walls, roofs, foundations, fire safety, drainage, accessibility, and compliance. When you do this work, you are not only inspecting a structure; you are carrying a public trust.

“You are the person who helps ensure that poor workmanship does not become a family’s financial ruin, that weak oversight does not become tomorrow’s tragedy, and that the promise of development is not betrayed by unsafe construction. In many ways, you stand at that critical point where regulation meets real life, where a technical decision can protect a worker, a homeowner, a child, a tenant, and an entire community from harm,” the Deputy Minister explained.

She further warned that weak inspection systems can have devastating consequences, including collapsed buildings, unsafe workplaces, defective housing, wasted public resources and declining public confidence in government institutions.

According to Letsike, every structure and public space communicates who is valued and protected in society.

“The built environment is never neutral because every structure we raise and every space, we design carries a message about who matters, who belongs and who is protected,” she said.

The Deputy Minister linked the discussion to South Africa’s constitutional journey, noting that the country is commemorating 30 years of the Constitution, 50 years since the 1976 Soweto Uprising and 70 years since the 1956 Women’s March.

These milestones, she said, should serve as a reminder that the struggle for dignity and inclusion continues in modern forms, including access to safe infrastructure and economic opportunity.

She further called for greater transformation within the built-environment sector, highlighting the continued underrepresentation of women, young people, persons with disabilities and professionals from township and rural communities.

In addition, municipalities, professional bodies, training institutions and the private sector were urged to work together to create clearer pathways into professional practice, strengthen mentorship programmes and ensure that professional registration processes remain rigorous but accessible.

“A building inspector who refuses to sign off unsafe work is defending the Constitution. A municipality that strengthens inspection capacity is defending the Constitution. A developer that respects standards and trains young professionals is defending the Constitution,” the Deputy Minister said. – SAnews.gov.za
 

 

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Kigali to host 26th East African Community (EAC) Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Trade Fair with focus on leather and horticulture value chains

Source: APO


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East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 11th June, 2026: The East African Community (EAC) is set to hold the 26th EAC Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Trade Fair in Kigali, Rwanda, from 30th October to 8th November, 2026.

This follows a decision of the 48th Meeting of the Sectoral Council on Trade, Industry, Finance and Investment (SCTIFI) held last week in Arusha, Tanzania. The decision reflects the EAC’s commitment to strengthening regional value chains, reducing import dependence and creating jobs through targeted industrial development.

This year’s Trade Fair will focus on the leather and horticulture sectors, chosen for their high potential in industrial growth, job creation, and import substitution, while remaining open to participation from other sectors across the region.

The leather sector demonstrates significant potential. According to the recently concluded Mid-Term Review of the EAC Leather Strategy (2020–2030), regional footwear demand rose from 130 million pairs in 2017 to nearly 290 million pairs in 2024, yet local production remains limited at around 17 million pairs. This gap represents a major opportunity for regional industrial growth. Demand is projected to reach approximately 385 million pairs by 2030, further underscoring the scale of the opportunity. The Trade Fair will connect value chain players, promote investment in local leather production, and attract interest in regional leather brands, including the Buy Made in East Africa initiative.

Horticulture remains vital for food security, incomes, and exports, with the agriculture sector accounting for more than 25 per cent of the region’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The Trade Fair will support technology adoption, compliance with quality standards, and stronger value chain linkages to enhance competitiveness and market access.

Speaking ahead of the event, the EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Customs, Trade and Monetary Affairs, Ms. Annette Ssemuwemba, said the Trade Fair will bring together MSMEs, investors, policymakers, researchers, and development partners, offering a platform not only for trade but also for knowledge exchange, innovation, and partnership-building.

“It will also promote the consumption of locally produced goods as part of broader efforts to strengthen domestic industries and enhance regional competitiveness,” she said.

Ms.Ssemuwemba added that the Trade Fair is a proven platform for regional cooperation and business outcomes, and the 2026 focus on leather and horticulture aims to accelerate industrialisation, employment, and intra-EAC trade.

In addition, the EAC Quality Awards 2026 will be held alongside the MSMEs Trade Fair in Kigali. The Quality Awards are an annual event that recognises outstanding enterprises across the region that demonstrate excellence in quality management, standards compliance, innovation, and continuous improvement.

The Awards seek to promote a strong culture of quality among East African enterprises, enhance the competitiveness of locally produced goods and services, facilitate regional trade, and support deeper regional integration.

The EAC Council of Ministers urges Partner States, stakeholders, and MSMEs to register and ensure strong representation at the event, emphasising that broad participation is critical to the event’s regional impact and success.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of East African Community (EAC).