Category: English

Gauteng MEC for Finance and Economic Development Lebogang Maile has tabled a R179.2 billion budget for the 2026/27 financial year aimed at improving frontline services, accelerating infrastructure delivery and maintaining fiscal discipline.

Maile presented the provincial government’s budget in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature on Tuesday morning.

The MEC described the budget as demonstrative of government’s determination to tackle Gauteng’s most pressing challenges, despite a constrained fiscal environment.

“The reality of the situation is that while Gauteng remains the economic nerve-centre of the national economy, we do not have limitless resources. 

“We too are constrained by the realities of the global and national economic environment. For this reason, we recognise that we cannot resource everything. We must be intentional in funding what works,” he said.

Frontline services

Maile said the social wage, consisting of Health, Education and Social Development, accounts for some 83% of the total budget.

The provincial Health Department has been allocated a total of R70.3 billion in 2026/2027, increasing to R218.6 billion over the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF).

“[This] is to strengthen the public health system, expand access and improve the quality of care.

“The funding will support maternal and child health, the Ideal Clinic and Ideal Hospital programmes, improved emergency medical response times, the integration of mental health services at community level, digital health systems and electronic records, as well as stronger HIV and TB interventions,” Maile said.

Education receives some R70.9 billion in the 2026/2027 financial year, increasing to R221.8 billion over the MTEF.

“[The allocation is] to improve learning outcomes from early childhood right through to matric, while also strengthening safe and inclusive schooling.

“This allocation supports the Early Childhood Development Strategy, learner performance programmes such as the Secondary School Improvement Programme, school safety initiatives, pro-poor interventions, including nutrition and scholar transport, Schools of Specialisation, and inclusive education through special schools,” the MEC explained.

An allocation of R5.6 billion in 2026/2027 has been directed towards social development.

The allocation will increase to R17.2 billion over the MTEF to “strengthen partnerships and targeted social programmes”.

“The funding will go towards skills development for vulnerable groups, the provincial homelessness strategy, food security interventions, Bana Pele, child and youth care centres, community prevention services, substance use disorder treatment, aftercare services, and upgrades to State-owned facilities,” Maile said.

Infrastructure development

In line with the national stance on the importance of infrastructure development, Gauteng’s budget includes a R36.4 billion allocation for the programme over the 2026 MTEF.

“Of this allocation, R26.2 billion is from conditional grants and R10.2 billion from the Provincial Equitable Share.

“The Departments of Health, Education, Human Settlements, Roads and Transport, and Education received an allocation of R34.4 billion, whilst the Departments of Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation, Infrastructure Development and Economic Development Social Development, Agriculture and Environment received a total funding of R2.1 billion,” Maile said.

Explaining how this would be carved up, Maile said that some R22.7 billion is aimed at “increasing the existing infrastructure capacity in response to increasing demand for services”.

Another R13.8 billion is made available to “improve the condition of the existing infrastructure and activities undertaken to support the delivery of infrastructure”.

“In the National Budget, it was reiterated that infrastructure investment is the base for long-term growth, improved service delivery and job creation, and that government is shifting spending toward growth-enhancing infrastructure. 

“When we speak about infrastructure, we are not speaking about concrete for its own sake. We are talking about clinics and hospitals that work, safe communities with functioning police stations, learning spaces that do not fail young people, and post-school opportunities that are real.

“This is the practical meaning of hope, and this is what commitment looks like when it is written into the budget,” Maile reflected.

Fiscal discipline and accountability

Maile outlined the province’s measures to strengthen financial management, including the roll out of the Budget Monitoring Initiative from the beginning of the next financial year.

“[We] will roll out the Budget Monitoring Initiative in departments and entities, which will ensure that approved budgets are seamlessly uploaded and aligned across our platforms, creating a single source of truth.

“This integration enables automated, real-time validation of funds before any procurement commitment is made. These reforms have been rolled out through a careful, phased approach – starting with extensive stakeholder awareness, capacity building, and readiness assessments,” he said.

The move is complemented with the expansion of the Digital Requisition Forms (RLS01) and Requests for Quotation (RFQ) for departments and the TendaSwift tender management platform.

“This ensures that procurement activities remain aligned with approved budgets and embedded controls, while shortening processing times, standardising procedures, and generating reliable, paperless audit trails.

“Our efforts to automate and digitise the entire tender management process in the province are gaining momentum.

“Since the launch of the pilot phase of TendaSwift in December last year, in partnership with the Gautrain Management Agency, the province has since advertised three tenders on the platform, a clear demonstration that we are committed to increase transparency, open competition and modernise the procurement process,” he explained.

The MEC emphasised that as the province enters the new financial year, “maintaining fiscal discipline is non-negotiable”.

“Fiscal discipline demands that the provincial and municipal governments maintain fiscal positions that are consistent with macroeconomic stability and sustained inclusive economic growth.

“We will continue to do everything possible to restore public finances, create fiscal space, improve the quality of spending and sustain investment in priorities and infrastructure to realise the Gauteng that we want to live and work in,” Maile concluded. – SAnews.gov.za

36 views

Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister, Velenkosini Hlabisa, has called for urgent and coordinated action to reform South Africa’s local government system, stressing that municipalities must become stable, capable and reliable drivers of economic growth and service delivery.

Hlabisa made the call during the White Paper on Local Government Executive Dialogue with business leaders organised under the National Business Initiative in Centurion on Tuesday.

“South Africa requires a stable, capable and predictable local governance system that works consistently. Such a system cannot be rebuilt through short-term fixes. This is why the review adopts short-, medium- and long-term horizons, recognising that meaningful reform must be sequenced over time,” the Minister said.

The dialogue, hosted at Exxaro Resources, brought together senior government officials and business leaders to discuss the revised draft White Paper on Local Government and explore ways to strengthen municipalities.

The review process is guided by the theme: “Every Municipality Must Work: A Call to Collective Action”.

Hlabisa said government aims to ensure that municipalities function effectively for communities and businesses. 

“Local government is the sphere closest to the people and the primary platform for economic growth and social development,” he said.

The Minister highlighted that the first White Paper on Local Government was adopted in 1998; and with this exercise, government is reimagining the next 30 years and charting a clear path for a modern, coherent, and resilient local government system. 

“Today is about moving South Africa’s local government reforms from paper to practice, from discussion to disciplined execution, and from isolated fixes to a system that works in real places for households and firms, every day,” he said. 

The Minister said government launched the review process last year and received 266 submissions from municipalities, business organisations, civil society, academia and traditional leaders.

These inputs helped shape the revised draft White Paper, which outlines a sequenced reform agenda aimed at modernising the country’s local government system over the next 30 years.

Hlabisa said the reforms come at a time when many municipalities are under severe pressure.

According to the latest consolidated municipal finance report by the Auditor-General of South Africa, only 41 of the country’s 257 municipalities achieved clean audits in the 2023/24 financial year, highlighting ongoing financial and governance challenges.

“These findings echo what communities and businesses experience: failing infrastructure, rising operating costs, and declining trust in the reliability of basic services,” Hlabisa said.

He outlined several key proposals contained in the draft White Paper, including treating local government as an integrated system rather than isolated institutions.

Among the proposals is the establishment of a national policy coordination centre to streamline regulations affecting municipalities and reduce duplication and conflicting requirements.

The White Paper also proposes a clearer framework outlining powers and functions across the three spheres of government to improve coordination and reduce disputes over responsibilities.

Hlabisa said the reforms will also introduce a data-driven oversight and early-warning system to identify risks in municipalities early and trigger support interventions before governance or financial crises occur.

He further emphasised the need for professionalisation within municipalities, including merit-based appointments and enforceable standards for senior officials.

The revised White Paper also proposes the development of a municipal digital governance system to integrate financial management, procurement, asset management and service delivery processes, improving transparency and accountability.

Hlabisa said collaboration between government and business would be critical to ensuring the success of the reforms.

“This dialogue is not another consultation tick-box. It is a working session at a critical juncture: the last structured opportunity for organised business to shape the final Draft White Paper before Cabinet consideration at the end of this month. We have the analysis. We have the architecture. What we need now is joint execution discipline,” he said.

He urged business leaders to provide practical proposals that could strengthen the implementation of reforms and help ensure municipalities become functional and investment ready.

The final draft of the White Paper on Local Government is expected to be submitted to Cabinet for consideration later this month. – SAnews.gov.za

10 views

Deputy President Paul Mashatile has reaffirmed government’s commitment to strengthening the role of traditional leaders, saying they remain a vital pillar of governance and social cohesion, particularly in rural communities. 

The Deputy President delivered the virtual keynote address at the Eastern Cape Traditional Leaders’ Summit held at the East London International Convention Centre, on Tuesday. 

The two-day summit, which brings together traditional leaders, government officials and other stakeholders, is aimed at addressing challenges facing traditional leadership institutions and exploring ways to strengthen cooperation between government and traditional authorities.

Mashatile said traditional leaders continue to play a significant role in preserving cultural heritage, promoting social cohesion and supporting development in communities.

“Government will never render traditional leaders irrelevant. On the contrary, we recognise that traditional leadership remains a vital pillar of governance, particularly in rural communities,” he said.

He noted that traditional leaders historically served as the centre of governance in African societies, long before colonial rule, resolving disputes and guiding communities through systems rooted in trust and service.

The Deputy President said South Africa’s democratic order recognises the importance of traditional leadership through constitutional provisions that affirm the institution and its role in society. 

Legislative frameworks, such as the Traditional Leadership and Governance Framework Act, have aligned traditional leadership with democratic principles, enabling traditional councils to work alongside municipalities within the system of cooperative governance.

Mashatile said government has taken steps to restore the dignity and recognition of traditional leadership, including the establishment of platforms such as the National House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders, and Provincial and Local houses.

“Platforms such as the National House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders, as well as Provincial and Local Houses, ensure that traditional leaders participate in shaping policies that affect rural communities.

“Through these structures, traditional leaders have consistently raised critical issues including land rights, socio-economic development, institutional capacity, infrastructure support, policy reforms, and social cohesion,” he said.

Mashatile also highlighted the establishment of the Inter-Ministerial Task Team on Matters of Traditional Leadership in 2022 to address issues raised by traditional leaders.

The task team focuses on advancing land rights and socio-economic development, strengthening traditional institutions, investing in infrastructure and skills, promoting nation-building and unity, and finalising policy and legislative reforms.

The Deputy President urged traditional leaders to work closely with municipalities and provincial governments to address service delivery challenges and mobilise communities to protect public infrastructure such as schools, clinics and water systems.

He further called on traditional leaders to take an active role in tackling social challenges such as gender-based violence, substance abuse and youth unemployment.

“Our government has classified gender-based violence and femicide as a national disaster to strengthen coordination in addressing this crisis. But legislation alone cannot change behaviour. Community leadership is essential in challenging harmful attitudes and practices that perpetuate violence,” he said. 

Mashatile also emphasised the role of traditional leaders as custodians of communal land, saying the responsible management of land could unlock opportunities for agriculture, job creation and food security in rural communities.

Government initiatives such as the Presidential Employment Stimulus have already created more than 2.5 million employment and livelihood opportunities, many benefiting young people in rural areas. 

Mashatile also encouraged traditional leaders to actively participate in the ongoing National Dialogue process, noting that traditional and Khoi-San leaders are represented in the Eminent Persons Group and the National Dialogue Steering Committee.

The summit continues until Wednesday and is expected to produce practical recommendations to strengthen cooperation between government and traditional leadership for the benefit of communities under traditional authorities. – SAnews.gov.za

22 views

The Northern Cape Provincial Government has moved to swiftly support the families affected by the Ekapa Minerals mine accident, as police on Monday recovered the body of one of the five miners trapped underground.

The miner, along with four others, was trapped following a mud rush at the mine in February.

The recovery marks a sombre milestone in the weeks-long effort to bring closure to the families of the miners caught in the mud rush.

“Kimberley detectives are investigating an inquest after the body of an adult male was recovered from a mine in Kimberley on Monday, 9 March, at approximately 15:00.

“The investigation continues,” police said in a short statement.

In a statement, the Northern Cape government extended condolences to the family of the deceased miner.

“This recovery brings to an end a painful period of uncertainty for the family. On behalf of the provincial government and the people of the Northern Cape, Premier, Dr Zamani Saul, extends his heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased miner.

“The Premier has also expressed his gratitude to the rescue teams who continue to work tirelessly alongside Ekapa Minerals during this difficult operation. He has encouraged them to press on with their efforts, as work continues to bring closure to the other affected families,” the statement read.

The provincial government has committed to a relief package for the families of the five miners.

The relief was also extended to the 1 100 miners who were rendered unemployed after Ekapa Minerals was liquidated shortly after the accident.

The five families were provided with some R10 000 for groceries and other essentials, while the 1 100 miners left jobless were given food vouchers of R3 000, with the total aid package amounting to some R3.5 million.

“The Northern Cape Provincial Government continues to keep all the affected families in its thoughts and prayers during this difficult time,” the statement concluded. – SAnews.gov.za

62 views

Government will launch a national stakeholder consultation process on proposed reforms to South Africa’s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) system on Wednesday.

According to the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), the consultation process will run from 11 March to 24 April 2026, and will include engagement sessions in each province.

The proposed reforms aim to strengthen the ongoing sector-led initiative to improve the efficacy of the EIA process, allowing flexibility to apply other instruments, modernise and strengthen the country’s environmental governance framework, towards the sustainable development.

“Environmental Impact Assessments remain a cornerstone of South Africa’s environmental management system. They give effect to Section 24 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to an environment that is not harmful to health or well-being, while promoting sustainable development. 

“However, the current EIA process has tended to operate independently of complementary environmental instruments, constraining their ability to demonstrate integrated sustainability outcomes. Listed activities automatically determine the type of assessment required, with limited flexibility to respond to the specific environmental risk or sensitivity of a proposed development. The environmental sector is now proposing a more flexible, risk-based screening approach,” said the department.

This system would evaluate the nature, scale and environmental context of a proposed development to determine the appropriate level of assessment required.

Projects with significant environmental risks, particularly those located in sensitive environments, would still undergo full Environmental Impact Assessments that include specialist studies and public participation processes. 

Meanwhile, projects expected to have low or insignificant environmental impacts may follow a shorter assessment route or exit the process earlier where appropriate.

Environmental authorities would apply defined criteria and risk-based tools to ensure that decisions remain evidence-based, transparent and accountable. 

The department said existing environmental authorisation requirements, public participation provisions and appeal rights would remain unchanged.

The proposed reforms encourages the broader adoption of environmental management instruments such as norms, standards and Environmental Management Frameworks, where these tools are better suited to managing specific environmental risks. 

This supports a more integrated and strategic environmental management system and is aligned with strengthening sustainability outcomes while improving regulatory efficiency.

“By focusing regulatory scrutiny where it matters most, the environmental sector aims to build a smarter, more responsive EIA system that supports both environmental protection and responsible development,” said the department.

The discussion document and details on how to submit comments are available on the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment website https://www.dffe.gov.za.

Stakeholders and members of the public have been encouraged to participate in the consultation process. 

The department will launch the national stakeholder consultation working in collaboration with the Department of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, provincial Environmental Affairs departments and other relevant sector stakeholders. – SAnews.gov.za

62 views

Deputy Minister in the Presidency Kenny Morolong has called for a collective African approach to tackling one of the defining governance challenges of the 21st century: information integrity.

The Deputy Minister delivered an address at the 2026 TikTok Safer Internet Summit held in Nairobi, Kenya, on Tuesday.

Drawing on the work of historian Yuval Harari, Morolong warned that although social media platforms present opportunities, these networks have evolved into a part of a “new digital bureaucracy”.

“[Today] humanity has created a new form of bureaucracy: the global digital network; algorithms that shape how billions of people receive and consume information every single day, power this bureaucracy.

“Social media platforms – including TikTok – are now part of this new digital bureaucracy. They organise attention, distribute narratives, amplify voices and influence how societies understand or perceive the truth, authority and reality itself.

“This, therefore, makes information integrity one of the defining governance challenges of the 21st century,” he noted.

Pressing further, Morolong emphasised that the platforms can also be used to spread destructive messages.

He argued that because digital networks operate “faster and further than any previous communication system”, these harms are more “powerful and relentless than anything societies have experienced before”.

“While we acknowledge how digital networks can spread knowledge, creativity and opportunity, we must accept that they also spread something far more dangerous: misinformation, disinformation and malinformation.

“These three forms of harmful information have different origins but the same destructive impact. Together, they undermine trust in institutions, polarise communities and threaten democratic stability,” the Deputy Minister said.

Government action

To counter these threats, Morolong pointed to existing national and regional frameworks in recognition of the “importance of responsible communication in a democracy”.

For its part, the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) has adopted the National Communication Strategy Framework 2025 – 2030, which emphasises “coordinated, credible and citizen-centred communication across all spheres of government”.

“[The] South African government, through the National Communication Strategy Framework recognises that communication is not simply about messaging. It is about building trust between the State and the people.

“If we accept this to be true, then we should accept that information integrity is not merely a technical issue. It is a development issue. It is a governance issue. It is a democratic issue,” Morolong told the gathering.

The Southern African Development Community Protocol on Communications calls on its Member States to “develop efficient, integrated and coordinated communication systems that support economic growth and social development across the region”.

“The protocol recognises that communications infrastructure and services are strategic assets that must serve the collective interests of societies and strengthen regional cooperation,” the Deputy Minister said.

Working together

Morolong suggested three areas where platforms like TikTok can lead global innovation:

• Responsible use of algorithms: Algorithms should not only optimise engagement. They should also actively identify and reduce the amplification of demonstrably false or harmful content.
• Information transparency: Users must understand how information reaches them. Greater transparency around recommendation systems, content moderation and information verification can help rebuild public trust in digital platforms.
• Digital literacy partnerships: Platforms must work closely with governments, educators and civil society to equip citizens, especially young people, with the tools to recognise misinformation and verify information sources.

He clarified that the push for safer digital spaces is about responsible stewardship, not suppression of voices.

“This is not a call for censorship. It is a call for responsible stewardship of the digital public sphere. The challenge before us is to ensure that the new bureaucracy of computer-based networks serves humanity rather than destabilising it. 

“We have to be deliberate and ensure we put enough guardrails, especially for the vulnerable sections of society: the elderly, the disabled and children.

“Let this summit mark a new chapter of cooperation between platforms like TikTok and governments across the great and beautiful continent of Africa,” Morolong concluded. – SAnews.gov.za

63 views

The Electoral Commission has urged South Africans to prepare for the upcoming local government elections by ensuring they are registered to vote where they ordinarily reside.

At a media briefing on Tuesday, the Commission announced that a national voter registration weekend will take place on 20 and 21 June 2026, to maximise opportunities for citizens to register closer to where they live and to broaden electoral participation.

The Commission said it must be ready to administer elections whenever they are lawfully called.

Once the voter registration process is completed, the election date is expected to be proclaimed by the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs. Eligible voters will have until midnight on the day the election date is announced to register. 

The proclamation will also trigger key processes, including the certification and publication of the voters’ roll, the inspection of the roll and lodging of objections, the adjudication of those objections and the submission of candidate nominations.

The Commission emphasised that an early announcement of an election date is important to allow voters to decide where they will be on Voting Day, as this determines where they should register. 

It noted that in Local Government Elections, voters must cast their ballot at the voting station where they are registered, as ward councillors represent communities in which voters ordinarily live.

Preparations for the elections are already underway, including the ward delimitation process. 

In December 2025, the Municipal Demarcation Board finalised and handed over 4 305 wards to the Commission, representing 95% of all wards nationally. 

Outstanding wards are in four municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal, namely eThekwini, Mkhambathini, Inkosi Langalibalele and Alfred Duma municipalities. According to the Board, court proceedings relating to the affected areas have concluded and the delimitation exercise has resumed.

Ward adjustments have also led to the subdivision of 1 865 voting districts, representing about 8% of the total nationally. 

The provinces with the highest proportion of affected voting districts are KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, followed by Mpumalanga and North West. These adjustments, combined with population movement, require the Commission to revise voting district boundaries and update the network of voting stations ahead of each election.

The Commission reported steady growth in voter registrations through both digital and in-person platforms. 

Between November 2025 and March 2026, a total of 260 205 new voters registered, with 128 113 registrations captured through voter management devices and 132 092 through the online self-service portal. 

The Commission attributed the increase to its nationwide online registration campaign conducted during February 2026.

In preparation for voter registration activities, the Commission has begun recruiting registration staff based on approved criteria discussed with the National Political Liaison Committee. 

Candidates must be South African citizens and registered voters; must not have held political office or campaigned for a political party in the past five years and must not have been convicted of serious criminal offences.

 Municipal Political Liaison Committees will review the lists of designated presiding and deputy presiding officers to ensure compliance with these criteria.

The Commission is also conducting training programmes for electoral staff and journalists. A nationwide training initiative with the South African National Editors’ Forum aims to equip journalists with a better understanding of electoral laws and processes to promote accurate and ethical reporting during the election period.

Currently, there are 508 registered political parties in South Africa, including 20 that were registered between October 2025 and February 2026. Of these, 299 are registered nationally while 209 operate at provincial, district or metropolitan level.

The Commission warned that the growth of artificial intelligence and digital platforms has contributed to the spread of misinformation, including fake voter registration websites designed to capture personal information. 

Members of the public have been urged not to share their personal details on suspicious websites and to use only the official online voter registration portals.

It also cautioned the public about a fraudulent recruitment notice circulating on social media, stressing that all legitimate vacancies are published only on the Commission’s official website and that no payment is required during its recruitment processes. – SAnews.gov.za

38 views