Category: English

President Cyril Ramaphosa has extended his condolences to the government and people of the Republic of Botswana following the passing of former President Festus Gontebanye Mogae at the age of 86.

On behalf of the government and people of South Africa, President Ramaphosa also conveyed his sympathies to former First Lady Barbara Gemma Mogae, the bereaved family and Botswana President Duma Gideon Boko.

In a statement on Monday, the President described Mogae as a great leader, who played a significant role in advancing democracy, good governance and regional cooperation.

“As South Africans, we embrace the people of Botswana in our shared grief at the passing of a great leader of the Republic of Botswana and the Southern African Development Community.

“We have lost a dear neighbour and friend, who shared our values of democracy, good governance and fraternal partnership,” President Ramaphosa said.

The President said the passing of Mogae during Africa Month serves as a reminder of the values and principles that guided his leadership and contributed to the development of Botswana and the Southern African region.

“As we observe Africa Month across our continent, the passing of President Mogae impels us to reflect on the principles and values that underpinned his leadership and that contributed significantly to the development of Botswana and our region and brought the citizens of our two nations together more closely,” he said.

President Ramaphosa said Mogae’s legacy would continue to live on through the prosperity and stability of Botswana.

“His legacy lives in our hearts and will live on in the prosperity and stability of the Republic of Botswana. May his soul rest in peace.” – SAnews.gov.za

Two senior police officers and a businessman have appeared in the Kempton Park Magistrates’ Court on charges related to contravening the Precious Metals Act and defeating or obstructing the course of justice.

The accused in the case include Head of Counter-Intelligence in the South African Police Service Crime Intelligence Division, Major-General Feroz Khan; Gauteng Provincial Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), Major-General Ebrahim Ahmed Kadwa and businessman Tariq Downes.

“The charges emanate from an incident on 5 May 2021, when Downes was allegedly found in possession of 75.9 grams of unwrought gold, valued at approximately R62 836, at OR Tambo International Airport.

“During questioning, he allegedly claimed the metal was a brass bar and that he was acting as an undercover agent linked to senior SAPS officials. Investigations allegedly established that no authorised undercover operation involving precious metals existed at the time.

“The State further alleges that Khan and Kadwa instructed officers to release Downes, despite there being no supporting documentation for such an operation,” the National Prosecuting Authority explained in a statement.

The case is expected back in court in July.

“The three were each granted bail of R20 000 with conditions.

“The NPA remains committed to ensuring accountability and upholding the rule of law, regardless of the status or seniority of those implicated in criminal conduct,” the statement concluded. 

Outside the court, SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe told the media that the organisation is committed to holding wrongdoers to account.

“It just shows that as an organisation, we are committed to transparency, to integrity and rooting out wrongdoing and corruption within our ranks. We’ve always maintained that no one is above the law irrespective of your position, your status and the rank that you hold.

“This is really a demonstration that the SAPS is committed to rooting out wrongdoing within our ranks,” Mathe said. – SAnews.gov.za

Gauteng MEC for Economic Development, Vuyiswa Ramokgopa, has released the Gauteng Liquor Board (GLB) Committee of Inquiry Report.

The report has been submitted to Gauteng Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Economic Development and was made available to the MEC after she assumed office last month.

“Following a thorough review of its findings and recommendations, the MEC has taken the decision to release the report publicly in the interest of transparency, accountability, and restoring public confidence in government institutions,” the department said in a statement.

The report lays bare the challenges at the GLB, including collusion between owners and inspectors.

“The report presents a thorough diagnostic report of the GLB and highlights various governance challenges including but not limited to; irregular issuing and renewal of liquor licenses, weak enforcement mechanisms, poor record-keeping, allegations of corruption, maladministration and collusion involving inspectors, officials, and unregulated consultants and other regulatory weaknesses.

“This has an adverse impact on the ability of the Gauteng Liquor Board to perform its mandate effectively,” the statement read.

Of further concern is the “proliferation of liquor outlets operating unlawfully in close proximity to schools, places of worship, children’s recreational facilities, and residential communities” – in contravention of the Gauteng Liquor Act.

“This points to a strain on enforcement capacity within the Gauteng Liquor Board, where fewer than 20 inspectors are responsible for monitoring more than 33 000 licensed outlets across Gauteng, alongside an estimated 200 000 illegal outlets operating outside the regulatory framework,” the statement read.

Some of the recommendations in the report include:

• Strengthening compliance monitoring and enforcement operations; 
• Reviewing suspicious and unlawfully issued licenses; 
• Strengthening consequence management mechanisms;
• Digitising and modernising licensing systems; 
• Strengthening coordination with municipalities, SAPS, and Metro Police; and 
• Enhancing oversight over inspectors and officials involved in licensing and compliance processes. 

“In terms of the Gauteng Liquor Act (2003) and the executive authority vested in the MEC, the Department has a responsibility to ensure lawful administration, effective oversight, compliance enforcement, and the protection of communities affected by harmful and unlawful liquor trading activities. 

“The MEC further notes that while the liquor industry remains a significant contributor to the provincial economy, weak governance and regulatory failures have prevented government and communities from fully benefiting from the sector. 

“The Department will be taking swift action to strengthen compliance, improve revenue management, and ensure the industry contributes meaningfully towards economic transformation and the funding of social development programmes,” the statement said. – SAnews.gov.za

President Cyril Ramaphosa has used his weekly newsletter to call on South Africans to respect and uphold the laws of the country as government tackles the challenge of illegal migration.

This as demonstrations, some violent, against undocumented immigrants have spread across several major cities in South Africa.

“The recent violent protests and criminal acts directed at foreign nationals in parts of our country do not represent the views of South Africa’s people nor reflect our government’s policy. These are the acts of opportunists who are exploiting the legitimate grievances, particularly those of the poor, under the false guise of ‘community activism’. 

“Some of these people are assuming functions that only state officials are permitted to perform, including stopping people to check identification and conducting searches of private property. Such lawlessness will not be tolerated, regardless of who the perpetrators or victims are,” President Ramaphosa asserted.

He acknowledged that as a society, South Africa needs to deal “decisively – and within the law” with illegal immigration, which poses a risk to the country’s “social stability, governance and national security”.

“Undocumented migration places strain on healthcare, housing and municipal services, particularly in poor communities. 

“It distorts the labour market. In a country with high unemployment, some employers are exploiting undocumented, cheaper foreign labour over hiring citizens and paying them legal wages. Not only is this fuelling social tension, it is actively undermining our labour protection regime and eroding the hard-won rights of workers,” he said.

The President added that the challenge needs a whole of society approach “in which the private sector and government should all play a constructive part”.

“South African citizens who collude with undocumented foreign nationals in fake marriages, the illegal sale of state-subsidised housing or accepting bribes to facilitate access to social services only deepen the problem.

“Many South Africans are exploiting undocumented labour in households and in the informal sector,” the President added.

Facing the challenges

President Ramaphosa noted that tackling illegal migration entails “balancing our constitutional and international obligations with safeguarding national security”.

He commended the Border Management Authority (BMA) and Defence Force for strengthening borders and combatting illegal cross-border activity.

President Ramaphosa further noted that the BMA has intercepted some 450 000 people attempting to cross into South Africa illegally over the past financial year.

“As we strengthen our borders, we continue to reform our migration and citizenship framework. We are stepping up workplace enforcement against employers who hire undocumented foreign nationals in violation of labour and immigration laws.

“We announced in the State of the Nation Address that we would be hiring up to 10 000 inspectors through the Department of Labour and Employment to ensure that our labour and immigration laws are adhered to.

“We continue to arrest and deport undocumented foreign nationals in accordance with the law, as we take forward the fight against corruption within the immigration system,” he said.

On the continent

Turning to the attention that the violent protests have garnered from within the continent, the President insisted that South Africans must push back on attempts to tarnish the country’s reputation.

“As a country, we must reject attempts to damage our country’s international reputation and to undermine the solidarity that has defined South Africa’s relations with the rest of Africa since the dawn of democracy.

“Since 1994, we have actively advanced a culture of human rights, all the while deepening the cause of African integration, cooperation and solidarity. We have a strong refugee protection framework that prioritises integration of persons displaced by conflict, war and persecution,” he said.

President Ramaphosa highlighted that refugees in South Africa are not “confined to camps” but live within communities, participate in the economy and access services like healthcare and education”.

He pointed to the country’s efforts in not only “deepening regional economic integration and travel” but also “strengthening academic, cultural and institutional ties” with the continent.

“Our demonstrated commitment to deepening African integration and solidarity should not be undermined by isolated acts of criminality.

“South Africa is not unique in confronting the pressures associated with undocumented migration. Many countries across the world, including in Africa, are themselves grappling with similar tensions. This calls for cooperation and understanding between countries on the continent and further afield,” he said.

The President emphasised that, like every country in the world, South Africa will exercise its sovereign right to “regulate migration, secure our borders and enforce our laws”.

“We must make it clear that there is no place in South Africa for xenophobia, ethnic mobilisation, intolerance or violence.

“Everyone in South Africa is bound by the same laws and we are committed to ensuring that they are respected and upheld by citizens and foreign nationals alike,” President Ramaphosa concluded. – SAnews.gov.za

Eskom says the power system remains stable even after a sharp rise in evening consumption, with peak demand at times reaching nearly 2 000MW above anticipated levels.

Demand has been rising, driven by seasonal winter conditions in South Africa over the past few weeks.
“The system has remained stable. This has been achieved alongside the natural tapering of solar generation at sunset, demonstrating enhanced operational resilience and improved capacity utilisation across the fleet.

“This performance reflects the sustained impact of the Generation Recovery Plan and reinforces Eskom’s Winter Outlook projection of no loadshedding, supported by continued progress in reliability, disciplined maintenance execution, and cost optimisation,” Eskom said.

Throughout last week, unplanned outages declined to some 11 593MW – a reduction of 964MW compared to the 12 556MW recorded over the same period last year.

“Over the same period, the Unplanned Capacity Loss Factor [UCLF], which reflects unplanned outages, was 24.18%, representing a 2.25% reduction compared to the 26.42% recorded during the same period last year, thereby contributing to available capacity.

“During the same period, Eskom’s Planned Capability Loss Factor [PCLF], which reflects planned maintenance, averaged 13.66%. While this is lower than the 14.66% in the previous financial year, it is aligned with Eskom’s efforts to ensure environmental compliance, improve reliability, and support long term sustainability,” the power utility explained.

Furthermore, 980MW is currently in cold reserve due to “excess capacity”.

“Since 16 May 2025, South Africa has recorded 357 consecutive days without interruptions to electricity supply, reflecting system availability of approximately 98.9%.

“During the previous financial year, supply interruptions were limited to 26 hours across four days in April and May 2025. Notably, there have been no interruptions in the current financial year to date [from 1 April to date], underscoring the improved strength and reliability of the power system.

“To further ensure a stable electricity supply, Eskom will bring 2 889MW of generation capacity online ahead of the evening peak on Monday,” Eskom said. – SAnews.gov.za

The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has announced the reopening of all municipal cemeteries that were temporarily closed due to adverse weather conditions.

The municipality said inspections were conducted on Friday to assess the readiness of affected sites ahead of the weekend, confirming that water levels have since subsided and operations can safely resume.

Cemeteries that are now reopened for burials include Forest Hill, North End, Motherwell, Matanzima, Bloemendal, Bethelsdorp, Papenkuils, Kabah, Gerald Smith and Despatch.

Burials had been temporarily suspended after adverse weather conditions including flooding affected accessibility and safe operations at certain cemetery sites.

READ | Burials at several municipal cemeteries suspended following heavy rainfall

Nelson Mandela Bay Executive Mayor Babalwa Lobishe said the decision to reopen the cemetries followed thorough assessments and improved conditions across the metro.

She conveyed condolences to bereaved families and expressed appreciation for the patience and cooperation shown by funeral undertakers and communities during the disruption.

“We fully understand the emotional strain and uncertainty that this situation placed on many grieving families and affected communities. The reopening of the affected cemeteries brings much-needed relief, and we appreciate the understanding shown by residents while the municipality prioritised safety assessments and interventions,” Lobishe said.

She noted that municipal technical teams and environmental health officials will continue to conduct ongoing assessments and interventions at affected cemetery sites.

While improvements have been recorded in certain areas, she said a number of sections remain heavily waterlogged and structurally unstable due to persistent ground saturation.

“Various mitigation measures remain underway, including water drainage operations, continuous site inspections and technical evaluations to determine when conditions can safely permit the resumption of burial activities,” the Mayor said.

However, she emphasised that safety assessments extend beyond visible surface water, and include underground soil stability, grave integrity, environmental compliance and occupational safety requirements.

The municipality reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that all burial activities are conducted in a safe, dignified and respectful manner, and in line with health and environmental standards. – SAnews.gov.za