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The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) says it is continuing to engage with the Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA) on matters relating to the appointment of accounting authority members at Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs).

In a statement on Wednesday, the department said the audit process on the matters raised by the Auditor-General has not yet concluded, and that it is providing detailed explanations and clarifications as part of the ongoing engagement.

“The matters currently being reported should not be understood as the Auditor-General’s final audit conclusions. They remain subject to ongoing engagement between the department and AGSA, and the department does not wish to preempt the outcome of that process or legitimise allegations that have not yet been finally determined,” the DHET said.

A key issue under discussion is the legislative and policy framework governing SETA appointments.

The department noted that it has been implementing the policy framework as it currently stands, and that where the existing framework does not prescribe a particular requirement or process, this cannot be regarded as non-compliance.

“[It is] important to distinguish between non-compliance with an existing legislative requirement and an identified gap or opportunity to improve the legislative and governance framework.”

However, the department acknowledged that aspects of the current legislative and policy framework can be strengthened and clarified.

As part of this process, the DHET is undertaking a broader legislative review, including amendments aimed at strengthening governance, accountability, transparency, and oversight across the SETA system. The review aims to ensure that legislative requirements are clear, practical, and capable of consistent implementation.

In addition, the department has also engaged AGSA on the selection and appointment of candidates to SETA Accounting Authorities.

In a competitive process, the department said more candidates can meet the applicable eligibility requirements than there are available positions, and that the non-selection of an eligible candidate does not, on its own, demonstrate unfair exclusion or an irregular appointment process.

According to the department, it considered candidates recommended for appointment against the eligibility requirements in the Skills Development Act, 1998 (Act 97 of 1998), and the applicable policy framework.

“Where the review identifies opportunities to improve record-keeping, procedural clarity or the documentation of decisions, these will be addressed as part of the department’s ongoing governance improvement programme.”

The department said any opportunities identified to improve record-keeping, procedural clarity or the documentation of decisions will be addressed through its ongoing governance improvement programme.

It also acknowledged the importance of completing appropriate verification and due-diligence processes for appointments. Appointment letters issued to accounting authority members include conditions requiring the completion of criminal-record checks and qualification verification.

The DHET will continue examining individual cases raised during the audit process and take appropriate action if an actual deviation from an applicable legal or governance requirement is ultimately established.

The department further noted questions concerning the qualifications of some accounting authority members, saying the Skills Development Act does not prescribe a specific qualification level, including NQF Level 7, as a statutory prerequisite for appointment to a SETA Accounting Authority.

“It is nevertheless desirable that Accounting Authorities collectively possess the qualifications, knowledge, expertise and leadership experience necessary to provide effective strategic oversight and governance,” the department said.

The department said it will continue reconciling the matters raised by AGSA against the specific legislative requirements, SETAs and appointments concerned to ensure that conclusions on compliance are based on applicable law and verified evidence.

It said the issues raised were, in its assessment, primarily related to processes, documentation and opportunities for improvement rather than evidence of material failures in the functioning of the SETA governance system.

Nonetheless, the department said it takes every governance concern seriously and will continue cooperating with AGSA.

“Should the completed audit process establish instances of non-compliance with applicable requirements, misconduct, negligence or other wrongdoing, the relevant circumstances and responsibilities will be assessed, and appropriate corrective measures will be pursued in accordance with legislation, policy and due process.

“The department remains committed to ensuring that SETAs operate within a governance framework that promotes integrity, transparency, accountability, compliance and effective stewardship of public resources,” the department said. – SAnews.gov.za

Police discovered the body of a ninth woman on Thursday (17 September 2026) morning in Dawn Park, Boksburg, following the discovery of eight bodies in Ekurhuleni over the past two months.

“A multidisciplinary team of experts has already been mobilised to work on the cases and ensure that those responsible for these crimes are brought before the court,” the South African Police Service (SAPS) said in a statement.

The police have appealed to community members to share any information that may assist with the investigations by calling the Crime Stop Line at 08600 10111 or by providing anonymous tip-offs on MySapsApp, which can be downloaded on any smartphone.

All information received will be treated with the strictest confidence.

Meanwhile, the Acting National Commissioner of the South African Police Service, Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane, conveyed her condolences to the family of 38-year-old Dineo Evelyn Motapane, whose body was discovered on the side of the road in KwaThema, Springs.

On Wednesday, her family positively identified the body at the Springs Mortuary.

According to the family, Motapane was last seen alive on Sunday. Her family had not yet reported her missing when her body was discovered.

Lieutenant General Dimpane has assured the family and the community that police remain firmly on the ground, with investigations into the murders of the eight women being intensified.

“A multidisciplinary team of investigators and specialists continues to work around the clock to establish the circumstances surrounding each case, identify those responsible and ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice,” the police said.

The South African Police Service has vowed to apprehend those responsible for the murders of women in Ekurhuleni.

More police officers have been deployed to the area to increase patrols, improve visibility and intensify investigations. – SAnews.gov.za

Government has joined President Cyril Ramaphosa in extending its deepest condolences to the families and communities affected by the tragic killing of women in and around Ekurhuleni.

President Ramaphosa has declared the murders a national crisis and directed that the investigation receives the highest level of attention from government and law enforcement agencies.

READ | Ekurhuleni murders are a priority – President Ramaphosa

A multidisciplinary specialised team has been mobilised to work around the clock to identify and apprehend those responsible for the killings in Ekurhuleni.

“As this work continues, it is important to recognise that building safer communities is a shared responsibility. Creating safer neighbourhoods where criminal activity cannot thrive requires a collaborative effort between law enforcement, individuals, local authorities, schools, business and civil society,” the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) said in a statement on Thursday.

Government has urged communities to make use of established safety structures, including Community Police Forums (CPFs), neighbourhood watches and other community safety initiatives, while working closely with the South African Police Service (SAPS) and local authorities.

Communities have also been encouraged to remain vigilant about the activities occurring around them and report suspicious behaviour to the police.

These include the peddling and use of illicit drugs, illegal firearms, gender-based violence and femicide, abuse of children and the elderly, vandalism, and other illegal activities that undermines the rule of law.

The GCIS has encouraged residents to know their neighbours and support vulnerable members of the community, particularly the elderly, women and children.

“If you see something, speak out. Do not look away. Every person can contribute to make neighbourhoods safe by reporting crime and supporting those that are at risk,” the GCIS said.

Government emphasised that communities could help prevent crime and protect one another by working together, remaining vigilant and supporting law enforcement efforts.

Government also urged anyone with information that may assist the investigation into the killings to report it directly to SAPS.

Government further warned members of the public against sharing unverified information about the incidents, saying this could compromise the investigation, or cause further distress to the affected families.

READ | Call to refrain from sharing false information about Ekuthuleni murders

Anyone with information about the killings, or those searching for a missing relative or friend in connection with the incidents, can contact Warrant Officer Elvis Manyike on 082 465 7249. – SAnews.gov.za

The chairperson of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Criminality, Political Interference and Corruption in the Criminal Justice System, Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, has expressed trust that justice will be served following the conclusion of the commission’s work.

Madlanga delivered an opening statement before the beginning of the commission’s proceedings on Thursday, as the commission marks one year since the first hearings after it was announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa in July 2025.

“With the revelations that are coming out, we trust that justice will be served,” Madlanga stated.

He noted that while the revelations at the Commission are “commendable”, the allegations have also been painful.

“This is commendable because, hopefully, that will help towards stemming the tide. What is painful though is that this apparent criminality suggests that for some time now, our criminal justice system has been populated by malleable, corrupt state functionaries.

“With such a criminal justice system, those criminals who exert undue, improper influence on State functionaries will rarely, if ever, answer for their criminal deeds. To ask rhetorically, over the years, how many such criminals have escaped facing criminal charges and sanctions?” the former Constitutional Court Justice prompted.

Testing allegations

The commission was established after KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, made a series of serious allegations about an alleged criminal syndicate that has spread influence into law enforcement agencies, the NPA and intelligence services.

Mkhwanazi was the first to give testimony at the commission.

“I am well aware that the Commission is yet to assess all the evidence it will be having before it at the conclusion of evidence and make definitive determinations in its final report. That notwithstanding, I cannot but say a few words on the trends that are emerging.

“Unfortunately, what is emerging from the evidence is that there are indications of serious criminality within the criminal justice system and that this is the result of the infiltration of, and undue influence on, the criminal justice system by elements of criminality.

“The fact that a number of players within the criminal justice system have been charged criminally, with some dismissed from their employment and others facing disciplinary charges, lends credence to these indications,” Madlanga noted.

Looking ahead, the commission chair said it is hoped that South Africa will be better served after the hearings and reports are concluded.

“We trust that in the end this process will yield results that will play a meaningful role towards putting in place mechanisms that will help significantly towards curbing a recurrence of apparent criminality of the nature that is emerging before the Commission.

“Thus far, a number of people and institutions have supported the Commission process. I will thank them all when this process concludes. Suffice it to say we are grateful to them all. The overwhelming public support for the Commission process is not going unnoticed. For that too, we are truly grateful,” Madlanga concluded. – SAnews.gov.za

The eThekwini Municipality has urged residents to exercise extreme caution on flood-prone roads and in low-lying areas as heavy rainfall is forecast across the metro and surrounding parts of southern KwaZulu-Natal on Thursday and Friday.

The alert follows a Level 4 Impact-Based Warning for disruptive rainfall issued by the South African Weather Service (SAWS), which is in effect from midnight on Thursday, 17 September, until 11.59pm on Friday, 18 September 2026.

“The municipality has activated its Disaster Management Center and placed Fire and Emergency Services, alongside all key municipal frontline units, on high alert,” the municipality said in a statement.

The severe weather is being driven by a combination of a strong ridging high-pressure system, a coastal low-pressure system, and a cut-off low over the interior. Together, these systems are expected to bring widespread, heavy rainfall to the region over the two-day period.

The SAWS warned that heavy downpours may lead to the flooding of roads, low-lying bridges and residential areas, including informal settlements.

The conditions could also lead to fast-flowing streams and deep-water hazards that pose a threat to life, as well as localised damage to property, municipal infrastructure, and livestock.

Some communities could experience temporary disruptions to essential services and access, particularly in areas that become isolated by floodwaters.

The municipality has reassured residents that operational teams, including Fire, Disaster Management and Metro Police Directorates, have been fully mobilised to respond to the incidents.

“Municipal crews will continuously monitor high-risk zones, waterways, and infrastructure historically vulnerable to flooding. Emergency response teams are stationed across the city for rapid deployment should localised incidents occur.

Residents have been asked to remain calm, stay off the roads where possible, and strictly adhere to safety precautions.

The municipality has advised residents to adhere to the following safety precautions:
•    Avoid High-Risk Routes: Do not travel through low-lying roads or across bridges prone to flooding.
•    Never Cross Fast-Flowing Water: Avoid crossing flooded rivers, streams, or swollen drainage channels, either on foot or in a vehicle. Just a few centimetres of moving water can sweep a vehicle away.
•    Prepare Early: Residents in low-lying or informal settlements should pre-identify higher ground and safe evacuation routes.
•    Secure Property: Tie down or store loose outdoor structures and debris that could be swept away by wind or runoff.
•    Drive with Extreme Caution: Motorists must turn on headlights, increase following distances, significantly reduce speed, and avoid non-essential travel during peak rainfall.
•    Stay Updated: Follow official eThekwini Municipality channels for verified updates. To report life-threatening emergencies or municipal infrastructure damage, contact the City’s Central Call Centre at 080 311 1111 or 031 311 1111.

Life-threatening emergencies and municipal infrastructure damage can be reported to the City’s Central Call Centre on 031 361 0000. – SAnews.gov.za
 

The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) Acting Chief Director of Special Economic Zones (SEZs), Shaun Moses, says that, to position South Africa as a producer of green hydrogen, SEZs should be modelled on a Hydrogen Industrial Hub model, combining SEZ benefits with production incentives, infrastructure guarantees, accelerated permitting and localisation support.

Speaking during the Africa Green Hydrogen Summit panel discussion on the SEZs Policy in Cape Town, Moses said the next-generation opportunity is to move from a generic SEZ model to a Hydrogen Industrial Hub model.

“That would position South Africa not only as a producer of green hydrogen, but as a globally competitive manufacturing and beneficiation platform for the entire hydrogen value chain,” he said.

Moses said SEZs can play an expanded role by creating an integrated, investment-ready environment for hydrogen production, beneficiation, manufacturing, logistics and associated value chains.

The SEZ programme provides an important industrial policy framework to support manufacturing, investment attraction and industrial growth.

“Beyond fiscal incentives, the competitiveness of green hydrogen projects will depend on a combination of enabling factors, including access to purpose-built infrastructure, renewable energy and transmission, ports and logistics, industrial clustering, streamlined regulatory processes and effective coordination across national, provincial and municipal institutions,” Moses said.

He said SEZs can serve as strategic drivers for integrating these conditions and reducing project development risks.

“Key elements of an enabling SEZs environment include targeted fiscal and investment incentives to reduce capital and operating costs and improve project competitiveness, purpose-built infrastructure and industrial clustering, including energy, water, logistics, port and rail infrastructure, and efficient regulatory and investment facilitation mechanisms, including one-stop shops and coordinated permitting processes,” Moses said.

Moses explained that the current SEZ incentive framework provides its strongest value through a combination of the 15% corporate tax rate, customs and Value-Added Tax (VAT) benefits, and the ability to develop industrial clusters around green hydrogen, green ammonia, green steel and other downstream industries.

“Importantly, this aligns with South Africa’s Industrial Development Strategy, which seeks to drive industrialisation and beneficiation, and our Spatial Industrial Strategy, which aims to develop new industrial growth nodes linked to ports, renewable energy resources and logistics corridors.”

“If South Africa is serious about becoming a global green hydrogen player, we must move beyond incentives alone,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za