Category: English

Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina, Deputy Minister David Mahlobo, and Lesotho’s Minister of Natural Resources, Mohlomi Moleko, are set to unveil state-of-the-art equipment today at the Polihali Construction Site in Mokhotlong, Lesotho.

The event marks the launch of the second Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM), a significant milestone in Phase II of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP). 

The development signals the transition from preparatory work to full-scale tunnelling along one of Southern Africa’s most ambitious water transfer routes.

The first TBM was commissioned at Katse Dam in February 2025 and has started tunnel drilling at the Katse site.

Each machine measures approximately 423 metres in length and is equipped with a 5.38-metre cutterhead, designed to operate continuously under challenging underground conditions. 

The two TBMs will excavate through the Maluti Mountains from opposite ends, ultimately connecting the Polihali and Katse reservoirs via a 38.5km tunnel.

Water and Sanitation spokesperson, Wisane Mavasa, said during the process, the machine will also install precast concrete lining segments, seamlessly transforming raw rock into a completed structure in one uninterrupted process.

“Once completed, the Polihali Tunnel will facilitate the transfer of significantly larger volumes of water, thereby enhancing regional water security and bolstering hydropower generation in Lesotho,” Mavasa explained.

The Polihali Tunnel is one of the major components of LHWP Phase II, which is currently under construction. 

Other major elements include a 165-metre-high concrete-faced rockfill dam at Polihali, located downstream of the confluence of the Khubelu and Senqu-Orange rivers, as well as the 800-metre-long Senqu Bridge. 

Additional works include access roads, resettlement initiatives, and environmental, social, and public health programmes.

The LHWP aims to harness the Orange–Senqu River system through a network of dams and transfer tunnels to augment water supply to South Africa’s Integrated Vaal River System, which supports the country’s economic hub in Gauteng. 

The project also contributes to hydropower generation in Lesotho.

Mavasa noted that the Polihali reservoir will have a storage capacity of approximately 2 322 million cubic metres. 

Phase II is expected to progressively increase the current water supply rate by adding 490 million mᵌ/a to the existing 780 million cubic metres per annum (mᵌ/a) to 1 270 billion mᵌ/a transferred to South Africa. – SAnews.gov.za

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) says a typical autumn weather system will dominate the country this week.

“This consists of a surface trough over the western and central interior, with the Atlantic High extending its ridge over the southern and eastern parts of the country, supported by upper-air troughs resulting in isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers in places,” the weather service said.

The forecast for Monday is partly cloudy and cool to warm with isolated showers and thundershowers, but scattered in the north-eastern parts, where a yellow level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms has been issued.

The warning for severe thunderstorms shows strong, damaging winds, hail, excessive lightning, and possible heavy downpours leading to localised flooding and damage to susceptible formal/informal settlements and infrastructure.

There could also be disruption of port/small harbour activities for a short period of time, and difficulty navigating at sea due to damaging winds.

A warning for a storm surge has been issued for some coastal areas, which could lead to localised damage to coastal infrastructure, localised disruptions to beachfront activities and localised flooding of some coastal areas.

Meanwhile, the extended weather forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday indicates that partly cloudy and cool to warm with isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers but widespread in places in the north-eastern parts. – SAnews.gov.za

The eThekwini Municipality has officially opened nominations for its inaugural eThekwini Sports Awards, calling on the public to recognise outstanding sporting talent and achievement across the city.

The awards programme is aimed at recognising and celebrating athletes, coaches, administrators, teams, and individuals who have excelled in sports and contributed significantly to the development of sport within the city.

As part of this exciting initiative, the municipality is officially opening the call for nominations for outstanding sports personnel within eThekwini municipal area. 

Nominations are now open and will close on 15 May 2026.

The municipality has invited residents, sports organisations, schools, clubs, and community structures to submit nominations for deserving individuals and teams who have demonstrated excellence, dedication and exceptional performance in their respective sporting codes.

Nominees must either be based in eThekwini or have made a significant impact within the city’s sporting landscape.

The Sports Awards will consist of Sport Federation of the Year, Technical Official of the Year, District Sport Confederation, Recreation Program of the Year, Grass Root Program of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, Coach of the Year, Junior Sportsperson of the Year, Sportsperson of the Year with Disability, and the Sportsperson of the Year.

The municipality said the initiative forms part of an ongoing commitment to promote sports as a powerful tool for social cohesion, youth development, healthy lifestyles, and economic growth.

Nomination forms are available at Delta Towers, 6th Floor, Dr Pixley ka Seme Street or they can be accessed via the municipality’s official website at www.durban.gov.za.

The eThekwini Sports Awards are expected to become a flagship event on the city’s calendar, further strengthening Durban’s position as a leading destination for sport and excellence. – SAnews.gov.za

The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has confirmed that the opening day of the ISUZU IRONMAN African Championship, held on Saturday, 18 April 2026 at Hobie Beach, was successfully executed without incident.

Municipal officials said all scheduled races were delivered safely, supported by integrated planning, strong inter-agency coordination, and world-class event management standards.

Saturday’s programme featured the ISUZU 5150 Triathlon, the ISUZU Corporate Triathlon Challenge powered by Algoa FM, and the IRONKIDS race. The events drew strong participation and enthusiastic spectator support, activating both the coastline and key urban routes while reinforcing the city’s reputation as a host of international endurance events.

Beyond the racecourse, the championship continues to deliver significant economic and destination marketing value. Current estimates indicate the event injects more than R87 million into the local economy within a single race cycle, with over 20 787 verified overnight stays recorded. 

Visitors are spending an average of R2 500 per day, directly benefiting SMMEs, hospitality establishments and township economies.

The IRONMAN Nelson Mandela Bay route is ranked among the top four run courses globally and second in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region, further strengthening the metro’s standing as a competitive global sporting destination.

Executive Mayor Babalwa Lobishe said the successful, incident-free delivery of the opening day reflected the city’s readiness and capability to host events of excellence.

“Nelson Mandela Bay is not just hosting an event, we are demonstrating a proven, high impact model of how sport drives economic growth, tourism and global positioning. We are proud to be Africa’s home of IRONMAN and a destination of choice for world class events,” Lobishe said.

The municipality expressed its appreciation to residents, volunteers, traders, organisers, safety and security personnel, emergency services and media partners for ensuring a seamless experience. It also commended participating athletes for embodying resilience and the spirit of endurance sport.

Sunday’s main event programme included men and women races, merchandise sales at boardwalk grass lawns, and bike and gear check-out.

The municipality reaffirmed its commitment to positioning the city as a leading destination for sport, tourism, and investment. – SAnews.gov.za
 

Cold, wet and windy conditions are expected to continue across large parts of South Africa, with the Western and Northern Cape provinces likely to experience the most severe weather.

Weather forecasters Lehlohonolo Thobela and Tokelo Chiloane said the adverse conditions are expected to continue affecting much of the country through Monday, 20 April 2026.

The forecasters attributed the change in weather to the passage of two consecutive cold fronts making landfall over the western parts of South Africa.

“Initially, these systems are expected to impact the Western Cape and Northern Cape, before spreading eastwards across the central and eastern interior over the weekend,” the forecasters said in a statement.

The weather service predicted that by Sunday, 19 April 2026, cold, wet and windy conditions will have spread to the eastern and southern parts of the country, including the southern and eastern coastline of South Africa.

“Moreover, marine conditions are expected to markedly deteriorate, with wave heights along the coastline forecast to reach between 4 and 5 metres from Sunday into Monday, potentially impacting coastal and beach activities.”

Furthermore, daytime maximum temperatures are expected to drop significantly, with some high lying areas in the western interior and adjacent regions possibly experiencing daytime temperatures between 10°C and 12°C.

“These conditions, combined with strong winds, will result in a pronounced wind chill effect. By contrast, the northern extremities of the country are expected to remain relatively warm during this period,” the forecasters said.

Cold, wet and windy conditions may result in a significant wind chill factor, making temperatures feel colder than measured; localised flooding of low-lying areas and poor drainage systems may occur in region experiencing persistent rainfall; disruptions to outdoor and beachfront activities are possible due to strong winds and rough seas and reduced visibility and slippery roads may impact travel conditions.

The weather service has advised the public to take the following precautionary measures, including:
•    Dress warmly and ensure adequate heating in homes.
•    Use heating devices safely to avoid fire hazards.
•    Exercise caution when travelling on wet and slippery roads.
•    Avoid unnecessary travel during periods of heavy rainfall.
•    Secure loose outdoor objects that may be affected by strong winds.
•    Stay away from the coastline during rough sea conditions.
•    Continuously monitor official weather updates and warnings issued by SAWS.

Members of the public and stakeholders are strongly urged to continuously monitor official SAWS forecasts and warnings. These warnings will be updated regularly as the likelihood and severity of impacts become clearer.

Members of the public are also advised to treat unauthorised or unverified information sources with caution and to refrain from distributing such information further. – SAnews.gov.za

KwaZulu-Natal Finance MEC Francois Rodgers has raised serious concerns over the poor audit outcomes in several municipalities, following a 2024–2025 Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA) audit outcomes briefing presented to the Provincial Legislature by Auditor-General Tsakane Maluleke.

During the recent presentation, the Auditor-General highlighted ongoing weaknesses in compliance with the Municipal Finance Management Act, identifying this as a primary cause of persistent audit failures.

These include poor financial discipline, weak governance structures, and inadequate consequence management, factors that directly undermine service delivery and erode public trust in local government.

Rodgers condemned the disregard for financial legislation by some municipalities and their leadership.

“The MFMA is not optional—it is a legal and ethical obligation. Poor compliance with the Act leads directly to poor audit outcomes, financial instability, and ultimately the inability of municipalities to deliver basic services to our people. This culture of non-compliance must end,” Rodgers said.

At the same time, the MEC acknowledged municipalities that continue to demonstrate discipline and commitment to good governance, noting that improvement is achievable where leadership takes responsibility seriously.

“We commend municipalities such as Richmond Local Municipality, which have shown that openness to working closely with KZN Treasury, adherence to the MFMA, strong internal controls, and ethical leadership can result in improved audit outcomes. These municipalities prove that clean governance is achievable when there is discipline and political will,” the MEC said.

KwaZulu-Natal Treasury reiterated its alignment with the Auditor-General’s consistent view that political leadership plays a central role in improving local government performance, and that councils, mayors, and municipal managers must account fully for how public funds are managed.

With local government elections approaching, Rodgers called for heightened accountability among political office-bearers.

“Now more than ever, as we head into local government elections, political will is imperative. Politicians must be reminded that they are custodians of public resources, not owners of them. Failure to uphold this responsibility has real consequences for communities,” the MEC said.

Echoing the Auditor-General’s call for a strengthened accountability ecosystem, Rodgers emphasised that accountability is not the responsibility of government alone.

“Citizens must actively exercise their democratic rights. Communities have the power to demand accountability, to ask how their money is spent, and to hold elected representatives to account for poor governance and maladministration,” he said.

KwaZulu-Natal Treasury reaffirmed its commitment to supporting municipalities through technical assistance, capacity building, and oversight, while insisting on firm consequences for persistent non-compliance with financial legislation.

“There can be no sustainable service delivery without accountability. Clean audits are not about pleasing the Auditor-General and Treasury; they are about restoring integrity in local government and improving the lived realities of our people,” Rodgers said. – SAnews.gov.za