Category: English

Justice and Constitutional Development Deputy Minister Andries Nel will officiate a high-level Women’s Month event at Constitution Hill in Johannesburg on Monday.

The panel discussion is organised in collaboration with the Constitution Hill Trust, the Legal Practice Council, the Commission for Gender Equality and the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities.

The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development said the panel will bring together women leaders and delegates from across the legal sector and civil society to address persistent challenges facing women in South Africa, including gender-based violence and femicide, female unemployment, economic inequality, patriarchy and structural barriers to justice.

The event marks the culmination of the Department’s 2026 Women’s Month Programme, observed under the theme: “Empowered Women Empower the Nation.”

On 9 August 2026, South Africa marked 70 years since the historic 1956 Women’s March, when more than 20 000 women united against unjust pass laws and demonstrated courage, resilience and collective activism in the fight for freedom and equality.

Women’s Month is being commemorated under the broader Milestones of Freedom Campaign, themed: “Honouring the past, delivering the future.”

The campaign commemorates key milestones in South Africa’s democratic journey while strengthening service delivery and promoting social cohesion.

These milestones include 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 and underscore the country’s journey toward a more inclusive and equitable society. The campaign also signals government’s commitment to building on democratic gains and accelerating service delivery to communities.  – SAnews.gov.za

The Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation Unit has arrested a 37-year-old suspect in connection with an alleged R635 million fraud case involving Tembisa Hospital.

According to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), the suspect faces charges related to fraud, corruption, forgery and/or uttering, contravention of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), and money laundering.

The suspect is alleged to have been involved in a complex investigation into multimillion-rand tender fraud linked to Tembisa Hospital’s procurement processes.

“It is alleged that certain officials at the hospital colluded with service providers to exploit the Request for Quotations (RFQ) system for procurement transactions below the R500,000 threshold. This approach was intentionally employed to circumvent the formal tender process,” the DPCI said in a statement on Sunday.

The suspect is expected to appear in the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court, sitting in the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court, on Monday, 31 August 2026. 

Last year, the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) said its investigation into corruption at Tembisa Hospital, in Ekurhuleni, uncovered three coordinated syndicates responsible for the looting of over R2 billion meant for healthcare. – SAnews.gov.za

The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has paid R222.7 million to six universities for the Funza Lushaka Bursary Programme, benefiting 2 927 students.

In a statement on Saturday, the Ministry of Higher Education and Training said the payment of R222 688 894 was confirmed during Deputy Minister Yusuf Cassim’s meeting with senior NSFAS officials and the Funza Lushaka Bursary Programme team in Cape Town on Thursday. 

The latest batch of payments was made to the Central University of Technology, North-West University, University of Fort Hare, University of Limpopo, University of Pretoria and University of South Africa.

The institutions are now responsible for processing and paying the respective allowances to students.

Deputy Minister Cassim has urged NSFAS to write to the institutions to confirm when all Funza Lushaka beneficiaries will receive their allowances.

“These payments must now reach students without delay so they can focus on their studies and not have to worry about outstanding allowances that have been pending for months. I appreciate the work being done by the NSFAS and the Funza Lushaka Bursary Programme teams to expedite this process,” Deputy Minister Cassim said. 

The Funza Lushaka Bursary Scheme is a multi-year financial support programme funded by the Department of Basic Education to support students pursuing teaching qualifications at participating universities.

NSFAS implements the programme as the disbursement agency responsible for transferring bursary funds to institutions.

For the current academic year, 23 universities have been allocated R1.3 billion under the programme. The allocation covers tuition, accommodation, meals, learning materials and a living allowance.

The Deputy Minister has been engaging with NSFAS to ensure the prompt payment of Funza Lushaka allowances following numerous enquiries from beneficiaries about delayed payments.

Outstanding claims

During the engagement, NSFAS outlined the claims process and indicated that a significant number of claims from institutions remain outstanding.

The payment process takes approximately four weeks to allow for verification checks to ensure that claims are valid.

The Ministry stressed that institutions should submit their claims without delay to prevent unnecessary delays in students receiving their allowances.

For August, claims totalling R295 988 585 for 3 095 students have been uploaded for processing for the September payment. These payments will be processed in September through the normal processes.

The programme also has more than half a billion rand in unclaimed funds, with institutions required to submit claims by 13 September for payment in October.

The Deputy Minister has directed NSFAS to write to all institutions with outstanding claims to confirm that Funza Lushaka bursary recipients will receive their allowances without interruption and whether outstanding claims will be submitted by the deadline.

Workshop to improve claims process

To address challenges in the claims process, NSFAS has proposed a joint workshop with relevant stakeholders.

The workshop will seek to address structural challenges, including eliminating manual processes through automation, establishing effective communication channels with students and improving alignment and payment timelines.

The workshop is scheduled for November 2026, ahead of the next academic year. – SAnews.gov.za

The Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport has called on members of the public and interested stakeholders to submit comments on proposed amendments to the Gauteng Provincial Road Traffic Regulations, 2001.

The proposed amendments seek to strengthen road traffic regulation, improve road safety and enhance compliance across the province.

The department said the draft amendments were published in Gauteng Provincial Extraordinary Gazette No. 247 on 5 August 2026.

The proposed amendments are made in terms of section 25(1)(g) and (h) of the Gauteng Road Traffic Act, 1997 (Act No. 10 of 1997).

Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport Kedibone Diale-Tlabela urged members of the public to participate in the process.

“Public participation is the bedrock of our constitutional democracy and is a crucial component of shaping legislative changes, and members of the public are encouraged to review the draft amendments and share their inputs,” the MEC said in a statement. 

Copies of Extraordinary Gazette No. 247 are available from the department’s head office, regional departmental offices, Driving Licence Testing Centres (DLTCs) and Transport Operating Licence Administrative Bodies (TOLABs).

Written comments can be submitted by email to gdrtpubliccomments@gauteng.gov.za.

Comments can also be hand-delivered to the Office of the Director: Policy, Legislation, Research and Knowledge Management on the 25th Floor of the Life Centre Building, 45 Commissioner Street, Johannesburg.

For telephone enquiries, members of the public can call (011) 355 7190/7036 during office hours to have a copy of the gazette emailed to them.

The department said all written comments must be submitted by 23 September 2026. – SAnews.gov.za

By Dr Mutshutshu Tsanwani and Onele Nyengule

Climate change is often discussed in terms of rising temperatures, droughts, floods and extreme weather. Yet one of the world’s most powerful climate regulators lies largely out of sight, quietly performing an indispensable service every day.

The ocean absorbs approximately a quarter of humanity’s carbon dioxide emissions, slowing the pace of global warming and buying valuable time for societies to transition to a low carbon future. This natural service, however, cannot be taken for granted.

Understanding how the ocean absorbs, stores and releases carbon has become one of the defining scientific challenges of our time. For South Africa, surrounded by three oceans and home to one of the world’s most dynamic marine environments, this challenge presents not only a scientific opportunity but also a national responsibility.

Our recent participation in the WHIRLS expedition aboard the SA Agulhas II Research Vessel offered a remarkable glimpse into the complexity of the ocean’s carbon cycle. The expedition focused on the Cape Basin and the Agulhas Bank, regions characterised by energetic ocean eddies that continually transport heat, nutrients and carbon.

While these swirling features may appear insignificant on the ocean’s surface, they play an outsized role in regulating the exchange of carbon dioxide between the atmosphere and the ocean.

For decades, scientists have understood that the ocean is a vital carbon sink. What is becoming increasingly clear is that the processes controlling this carbon sink operate at remarkably fine scales. Small ocean eddies, fronts and mixing processes influence where carbon enters the ocean, how deeply it is transported and how long it remains stored before returning to the atmosphere. These processes ultimately affect global climate, marine ecosystems and the health of our coastal waters.

During the expedition, our team continuously measured seawater carbon dioxide, pH, dissolved inorganic carbon, total alkalinity and chlorophyll underway while collecting water samples from surface to 1200 m depth across the anticyclonic and cyclonic eddies and measuring dissolved inorganic carbon and total alkalinity. This combination of high-resolution observations allowed us to examine carbon dynamics with unprecedented detail across contrasting ocean features.

Even the preliminary findings demonstrate why such observations matter. Cyclonic eddies appear to bring carbon rich deep water towards the surface, potentially increasing the release of carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere while simultaneously intensifying local ocean acidification. Conversely, anticyclonic eddies transport surface waters downward, helping redistribute carbon into deeper layers of the ocean. These dynamic processes remind us that the ocean is not a passive reservoir but a living, constantly changing system whose behaviour influences climate at regional and global scales.

Ocean acidification deserves particular attention. As more carbon dioxide dissolves into seawater, ocean chemistry changes in ways that reduce the availability of carbonate ions required by many marine organisms to build shells and skeletons. Corals, shellfish, pteropods and microscopic plankton form the foundation of marine ecosystems and fisheries that sustain livelihoods and food security. Understanding where and when acidification is likely to intensify is therefore essential for effective marine conservation and sustainable resource management.

South Africa occupies a strategically important position in the global ocean circulation system. The interaction between the Agulhas Current, the Southern Ocean and the South Atlantic influences weather patterns, biodiversity and carbon exchange far beyond our coastline. Scientific observations collected in our waters contribute not only to national environmental management but also to international efforts to improve climate models and predict future climate change.

This is why sustained investment in ocean observation is not a luxury reserved for scientists. It is an investment in better climate forecasting, stronger environmental policy, resilient coastal economies and evidence-based decision making. Reliable data enables governments to develop effective adaptation strategies, supports responsible fisheries management and strengthens South Africa’s contribution to international climate science.

The WHIRLS expedition also demonstrated another equally important reality: scientific progress depends on people. Behind every dataset are researchers working long hours under demanding conditions, maintaining sophisticated instruments, ensuring analytical precision and mentoring the next generation of scientists. 

The collaboration between South African institutions and international partners illustrated how shared expertise can advance knowledge while building national scientific capacity.

As climate change accelerates, society will increasingly rely on science to navigate uncertainty. Yet science can only inform policy if it is supported by sustained observations, modern infrastructure and skilled researchers capable of interpreting increasingly complex environmental changes.

South Africa has already demonstrated that it possesses both the expertise and the institutional capability to contribute meaningfully to global ocean science. The challenge now is to ensure that this capability continues to grow. Long-term investment in marine research, observational programmes and scientific training will yield dividends far beyond academia. It will strengthen climate resilience, support the blue economy and safeguard the marine ecosystems upon which future generations depend.

The ocean has quietly protected humanity for decades by absorbing much of the carbon we have emitted. Understanding how long it can continue to do so, and under what conditions, may prove to be one of the most important scientific questions of this century.

South Africa is uniquely positioned to help answer that question, and the knowledge we generate today will shape the environmental decisions of tomorrow.

*Dr Tsanwani is a Carbon Dioxide and Carbonate Chemistry Research Scientist in the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE)  and Onele Nyengule is a Master’s Candidate in Marine Science in the DFFE