Category: English

The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure is set to issue a Request for Information (RFI) for the redevelopment of the Telkom Towers precinct in Pretoria, in a move aimed at transforming the dormant government-owned property into a productive, income-generating asset.

Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson said according to current estimates, the redevelopment of Telkom Towers is expected to cost between R1.8 billion and R2.2 billion and will involve the refurbishment of all nine buildings in the precinct.

“Once completed, the department will have 106,000 square metres of gross leasable area that can be used to maximise state revenue through existing or new clients,” Macpherson said.

Addressing a media briefing in Pretoria, Macpherson said the project would provide an opportunity to bring government departments currently housed in costly private leases into quality state infrastructure, while also creating capacity for the department to supply accommodation to the private sector.

“The redevelopment is expected to contribute to the creation of more than 5,300 direct construction jobs. These are jobs that support families, grow communities, fix broken metropolitans and drive economic activity which South Africa so desperately needs,” he said.

Macpherson said the RFI will test the incorporation of adjacent government assets into the feasibility study, supporting integrated planning and urban revitalisation in accordance with the Tshwane Inner City Regeneration Programme (TICRP).

“This work means that we will be able to formally publish the RFI as soon as next week. By issuing this RFI we are taking a crucial step in the journey to make Telkom Towers productive and we are doing that now.”

Macpherson said the RFI will seek market input on technical approaches to refurbishing and upgrading the asset to meet regulatory and government accommodation standards.

Macpherson said the department had spent approximately R1.4 billion acquiring, renovating and maintaining the complex, with a further R776 million in financial losses directly attributed to the historical mismanagement of the property.

“After spending the Department found itself in a deeply troubling situation of having to maintain something with the potential to be a world-class asset yet remained completely dormant,” he said.

Macpherson said the property’s continued dormancy had left it vulnerable to vandalism, theft and occupation by criminal elements, while significant amounts had been spent on security.

The Minister said the redevelopment of Telkom Towers formed part of a broader effort to reform how government manages public assets and large-scale infrastructure projects.

“This mission speaks to the heart of the matter – where institutional culture requires a complete overhaul and a path of deep correction so that public funds can never be wasted to the extent that they have been. 

“In order to change the strategic direction of this department, it requires the intentional strategic decision to fundamentally change how government does its business and approaches large-scale projects,” he said.

Macpherson said the department had finalised a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Infrastructure Finance and Implementation Support Agency (IFISA), paving the way for the RFI to be issued to the market.

“I can now confirm that we have finalised the MOU with the Infrastructure Finance and Implementation Support Agency (IFISA) and will be finalising the RFI in the coming days.”

“It will also test public-private partnership (PPP) delivery models, including contract structuring, packaging and lifecycle approaches, as well as the commercial viability and bankability of the project.

“The process will further inform risk allocation, affordability and value-for-money assessments, while exploring operations, maintenance and capacity transfer models to ensure sustainable long-term asset performance,” Macpherson said, adding that the department intends to pursue a rehabilitate-operate-transfer model that will ultimately see the precinct fully occupied by government departments in the City of Tshwane.

According to Macpherson, the properties being considered include Public Works House (PWH) and the Central Government Offices (CGO) building.

“Public Works House, the department’s own head office, is currently not operating at its intended capacity. Its refurbishment is expected to cost approximately R2.2 billion and would unlock 63,768 square metres of gross leasable area while creating approximately 5,700 construction jobs.

The CGO building is estimated to require R560 million for refurbishment, which would unlock 41,739 square metres of gross leasable area and create approximately 1,600 construction jobs.

Taken together with Telkom Towers, the three projects are expected to create more than 12,700 construction jobs and unlock approximately 212,000 square metres of gross leasable area.

“The department will actively play its role in driving inner city rejuvenation and ensuring that government departments return to the centre of Pretoria and are located in government buildings. This will ensure that we cut down on costly private sector leases and return that money to departments to be used for service delivery,” 

Macpherson said government could not afford to allow the opportunity presented by the redevelopment to be lost.

“We can never allow complacency, delays and excuses to further categorise how the state functions and how it allows bureaucratic processes to prevent economic development such as this project to prosper.”

The Minister said the project formed part of wider reforms aimed at improving the way the department operates and utilises state-owned assets.

“Public Works and Infrastructure is on a path of irreversible reform in how we operate and utilise the assets of the state which are the peoples’ assets,” he said.

He said working with the private sector, generating revenue and reducing the department’s R6 billion leasing portfolio were central to the reform programme.

“Our work with the private sector, revenue generation and reduction of our R6 billion leasing portfolio is central to this work. It forms part of the many initiatives we are undertaking to review our R150 billion asset register and open these properties up for investment.”

Macpherson said the Telkom Towers redevelopment marked an important step in demonstrating that the department’s reform agenda was taking effect. – SAnews.gov.za

The Gauteng Department of Social Development says it has made significant strides in the fight against Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF), with its Victim Empowerment Centres reaching more than 63 000 victims of crime and violence during the 2025/26 financial year.

The progress was highlighted by Gauteng MEC for Social Development Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko during the tabling of the Department’s 2025/26 Annual Report at the Gauteng Provincial Legislature last week.

The Department funded 115 Victim Empowerment Centres (VECs) during the financial year, exceeding its target of 108. The centres collectively reached 63,538 victims of crime and violence, surpassing the target of 54,530.

The Department’s work forms part of the implementation of Pillar 4 of the National Strategic Plan on GBVF, which focuses on Response, Care, Support and Healing.

“We maintained our support to GBV shelters and funded accredited skills programmes to strengthen the economic independence of survivors,” MEC Nkomo-Ralehoko said.

She emphasised that the fight against GBVF requires more than immediate intervention, saying sustainable pathways must be created to help survivors regain their independence and rebuild their lives.

“We mean business when it comes to GBVF. We are not just the leading province in providing resources and actively fighting GBVF, we actually succeed our targets.

“Our approach recognises that protection and economic empowerment must go together. A woman must never be forced by poverty and economic dependence to choose between violence and homelessness.

“A developmental response to GBVF must therefore provide immediate safety while creating the conditions for survivors to rebuild independent and economically secure lives,” she said.

Support for survivors

The Department continues to provide psychosocial support, counselling, referrals and other assistance to survivors of GBV and their families through its social work services.

Its Victim Empowerment Programme also provides survivors with access to protection, counselling, psychosocial support, referrals and other essential services through VECs, shelters and partnerships with funded Non-Profit Organisations.

The department said it continues to support shelters that provide safe accommodation and comprehensive services to survivors at risk of further violence.

Economic empowerment also remains a key component of its developmental approach to addressing GBVF.

Through accredited skills development programmes and other empowerment initiatives, survivors are supported with opportunities aimed at improving their employability, financial independence and ability to sustain themselves beyond the immediate crisis.

The department has also intensified community awareness and outreach programmes aimed at educating residents about GBVF, child abuse, violence against women and children, and other forms of abuse.

These initiatives encourage communities to speak out against violence, report cases of abuse and participate in prevention efforts.

The department said the fight against GBVF requires a coordinated response involving government departments, law enforcement agencies, civil society organisations, communities and other stakeholders.

“Strengthening partnerships remains critical to ensuring that survivors receive timely and appropriate services while addressing the underlying factors that contribute to violence,” the Department said. – SAnews.gov.za

Water and Sanitation Deputy Minister David Mahlobo has called for a whole-of-society approach to address the growing municipal debt owed to water boards, and the broader challenges affecting the sustainability of the water sector.

Mahlobo said government alone could not resolve the challenges facing the water sector and called on communities, businesses, civil society, traditional leaders, indigenous communities and other stakeholders to become active partners in the use, management and protection of water.

The Deputy Minister was speaking during a webinar convened by the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) on Wednesday, 9 September 2026, under the topic: “Municipal debt to water boards: Exploring a human rights centric approach”.

The webinar brought together key stakeholders to discuss the growing municipal debt burden, its impact on the sustainability of water boards, and the implications for the constitutional right of access to water.

Water boards play a critical role in the water value chain by supplying bulk potable water to water services authorities. However, challenges including poor revenue collection, weak credit control, governance shortcomings and weaknesses in financial management have left some municipalities struggling to meet their payment obligations to water boards.

Municipal debt owed to water boards amounts to R23.77 billion, excluding current accounts, as at 31 July 2026.

The continued accumulation of the debt is placing significant pressure on the liquidity of water boards, with some entities experiencing severe cash-flow constraints and an increased risk of financial distress.

Mahlobo said the consequences of municipalities failing to settle their bulk water accounts extended beyond the balance sheets of individual institutions.

The situation affects the ability of water boards to maintain, refurbish and expand critical water infrastructure and places pressure on their capacity to provide sustainable and reliable bulk water services to municipalities.

The webinar sought to examine the causes of the growing municipal debt, assess its human rights implications, and identify corrective measures to address the debt burden.

Mahlobo highlighted several interventions required to strengthen the sustainability of the water sector, including increased investment in water and sanitation infrastructure, improved water-use efficiency and measures to reduce water losses, pollution and non-revenue water.

He also called for stronger financial discipline and the reinvestment of resources into critical infrastructure, alongside more effective billing, credit control and enforcement mechanisms to improve revenue collection across the water value chain.

The Deputy Minister said government and society must also confront the culture of non-payment for municipal and basic services.

He stressed the need to strengthen the protection of water infrastructure against vandalism, theft and other criminal activities, while ensuring that the sector is better equipped to respond to the growing impacts of climate change.

Mahlobo said the challenges facing the water sector required partnerships that extended beyond government.

“Our view is that this matter of water, for the first time, there is a leadership led by the President, where there is clarity. But as government alone, we are not going to resolve the problem. We need a society approach, working with communities who are partners around water use and sanitation. But also working with businesses, and civil society experts, including indigenous communities and traditional leaders,” the Deputy Minister said.

Mahlobo reiterated that addressing municipal debt and the broader challenges affecting the water sector requires collective leadership, shared responsibility and decisive action.

“Through stronger partnerships, responsible water use, sound financial management and decisive action across the water value chain, South Africa can build a more sustainable and resilient water sector that safeguards access to water for present and future generations,” the Deputy Minister said. – SAnews.gov.za

Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela has committed his department to implementing the recommendations arising from Special Investigating Unit (SIU) investigations.

Manamela made the commitment during a recent meeting with newly appointed SIU Head Leonard Lekgetho and his team, where he received a comprehensive update on investigations into allegations of maladministration, fraud, corruption and other wrongdoing within the Post-School Education and Training (PSET) sector.

The investigations — arising from Presidential Proclamations issued in terms of the Special Investigating Units and Special Tribunals Act, 1996 — cover several institutions and entities, including the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), National Skills Fund (NSF), University of Fort Hare, Vaal University of Technology and the Chemical Industries Education and Training Authority.

The SIU has also completed investigations involving several Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges and Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETA).

The investigations include allegations relating to irregular procurement and expenditure, fraud, maladministration, conflicts of interest, misuse of skills-development funding and matters affecting the integrity and awarding of qualifications.

Some of the matters date back more than a decade, highlighting the longstanding and, in some cases, legacy nature of the wrongdoing being addressed.

The Minister was briefed on completed and ongoing investigations, findings made, public funds recovered or secured for recovery, losses prevented, civil proceedings instituted and matters referred for criminal, disciplinary or regulatory action.

The SIU’s briefing recorded, among other outcomes:
•    More than R2 billion in actual NSFAS-related recoveries from universities and TVET colleges;
•    acknowledgements of debt worth approximately R5.4 million arising from the University of Fort Hare investigation;
•    An acknowledgement of debt for approximately R2.7 million, plus interest and costs, arising from the Rubicon Communications matter involving the National Skills Fund, with repayments under way; and
•    An estimated R109 million in future expenditure prevented following the cancellation of a security contract at the Vaal University of Technology.

Manamela said the SIU’s work is critical to restoring integrity across the PSET sector and ensuring that public resources are protected.

“Where public resources have been misused, there must be consequences. Where wrongdoing is established, those responsible must be held accountable. Where money can be recovered, it must be recovered and redirected to its intended purpose,” he said.

The Minister also warned against viewing the financial recoveries simply as figures, saying “every rand lost or misused is an opportunity denied to a student”.

He also stressed the importance of protecting the integrity of qualifications and ensuring that skills-development programmes funded by public resources are delivered.

Manamela emphasised that investigations must result in more than accountability for past wrongdoing and lead to improvements in the systems and controls that govern the sector.

He committed the department to act on SIU recommendations requiring changes to policy, systems, governance arrangements and institutional controls.

“We must not only investigate what went wrong; we must fix the systems that allowed it to happen. If an investigation identifies weaknesses in our policies, procurement systems, governance arrangements, financial controls or oversight mechanisms, we must be prepared to correct them. Accountability must result in institutional reform,” Manamela said.

He said the department will strengthen its monitoring of SIU matters across the portfolio, including the implementation of systemic recommendations and progress on civil, criminal, disciplinary and regulatory referrals.

Affected accounting authorities, institutional councils and management structures will be expected to account for action taken in response to SIU findings and recommendations.

Manamela further emphasised that the SIU must have access to the necessary information and cooperation to conduct its investigations independently and without interference.

At the same time, he warned that preliminary findings must not be treated as final determinations and that the rights of affected parties must be respected.

The engagement forms part of the department’s broader programme to strengthen governance, consequence management and accountability across the PSET system.

The department will continue cooperating with the SIU, law enforcement agencies and other competent authorities in pursuing corruption, fraud and maladministration.

“Our ultimate objective is to build a PSET system in which public resources are protected, institutions are properly governed, qualifications retain their integrity and students can have confidence that the system is working in their interests,” Manamela said. – SAnews.gov.za

A joint working committee, led by the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), will be established to find solutions to electricity supply challenges affecting Rand Water’s water supply systems, which contribute to disruptions across parts of Gauteng and the North West.

The decision was taken at an urgent stakeholder meeting convened on Tuesday evening by Deputy Ministers David Mahlobo and Jack Bloom, following a request from Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina.

The committee will include representatives from DWS, the Gauteng Provincial Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Rand Water, Johannesburg Water, City Power, Eskom and other relevant stakeholders.

It will develop a response plan to address the current electricity supply challenges facing Rand Water, as well as longer-term options to secure a more reliable electricity source for the water utility.

The response plan will be presented to the intergovernmental structure chaired by the Gauteng Provincial Government.

The meeting also called for continued collaboration between DWS, Rand Water, the Gauteng Provincial Government and the City of Johannesburg to mobilise communities and other sectors of society to conserve water and use it sparingly, particularly during these prevailing conditions.

The urgent meeting brought together Rand Water, DWS, the Gauteng Provincial Government, the City of Johannesburg and its entities, City Power and Johannesburg Water, as well as representatives from Eskom, to discuss reliable electricity supply for Rand Water’s water supply systems, and to reduce water supply disruptions emanating from intermittent power trips.

The meeting was also attended by Electricity and Energy Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi and City of Johannesburg Executive Mayor Dada Morero.

The meeting received detailed reports from Rand Water and City Power on the impact of recent electricity interruptions on Rand Water’s water supply systems.

The interruptions have affected water supply systems in Emfuleni, the City of Johannesburg and West Rand municipalities in Gauteng, as well as areas of Madibeng and Rustenburg in North West.

Stakeholders expressed concern about recurring electricity supply challenges affecting Rand Water’s Eikenhof system, which has negatively affected its ability to reliably supply water to municipalities.

In a joint statement, the stakeholders said the establishment of the joint working committee is intended to strengthen coordination among the various spheres of government, water entities and electricity providers in addressing the challenges.

“The collaboration [between the affected parties] has resulted in improved co-ordination and planning to the extent that water supply challenges are improving and will need to be sustainable stabilised,” the stakeholders said.

The meeting comes amid ongoing efforts by government and water sector stakeholders to stabilise water supply and strengthen the reliability of critical water infrastructure serving communities across Gauteng and neighbouring areas. – SAnews.gov.za

Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela has urged young South Africans to start planning their futures now and use the September 2026 application window to apply to Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges for the 2027 academic year.

The Minister warned prospective TVET students against waiting until January to start the application process, when many opportunities may already be limited.

“Young people can apply using their previous year’s results and should use this period to explore their interests, understand different occupational offerings, identify the skills they would like to acquire and apply,” Manamela said.

He emphasised that making informed and timely choices about education and training is an important step towards accessing opportunities for employment, entrepreneurship and further learning.

Manamela said TVET colleges provide important pathways to these opportunities and called for a shift in the way society views the institutions.

“They are not a second choice for young people who do not get admitted into a university. They are one of the pathways provided for in the PSET (Post-School Education and Training) sector and central to the Skills Revolution,” he said.

The Minister said government is building a PSET system that connects learning to the skills required by the economy and creates pathways from education to opportunity.

“We are building a Post-School Education and Training system that connects learning to the skills our economy needs and creates pathways from education to opportunity and are inviting young people to take up the available opportunities,” Manamela said.

He also called on parents, guardians, teachers and Life Orientation educators to support young people during the application period.

This includes starting conversations about career choices, helping learners understand the different education and training pathways available, and encouraging them to consider TVET colleges as institutions of choice.

Through the Skills Revolution, government is working to ensure that education and training translate into skills, skills translate into opportunities, and opportunities translate into meaningful participation in the economy.

“The message is simple: EXPLORE. CHOOSE. APPLY,” Manamela said.

Information about TVET colleges is available directly from TVET colleges or through the Department of Higher Education and Training website www.dhet.gov.za 

Applications for the 2027 academic year close on 30 September 2026. – SAnews.gov.za