Category: English

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

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

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

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

President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for stronger economic cooperation and increased trade between South Africa and Brazil, describing the partnership between the two countries as key to advancing inclusive growth and development in the Global South. 

Speaking at the Brazil–South Africa Business Forum in Brasília during his State Visit to Brazil, Ramaphosa said both countries share similar economic ambitions and face comparable challenges, including inequality and the need for sustained economic growth.

The President addressed the forum alongside President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and business leaders from both countries.

President Ramaphosa said the visit presents an opportunity to deepen economic ties and rebalance trade by increasing and diversifying South African exports to Brazil.

“This visit presents us with an opportunity to re-imagine a world of opportunities anchored by our shared values and vision. As Team South Africa, we are keen to rebalance our trade by growing and diversifying South African exports to Brazil,” the President said on Monday.

He emphasised the importance of improving market access through the Preferential Trade Agreement between the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) and MERCOSUR (Southern Common Market), noting that expanding the agreement’s product coverage could unlock greater trade opportunities.

READ | President Ramaphosa reaffirms strong SA–Brazil partnership during State Visit

President Ramaphosa identified several sectors with strong potential for industrial cooperation between the two countries. These include biofuels, defence, agro-processing, aerospace, energy, pharmaceuticals, advanced manufacturing and the automotive industry.

The President said collaboration in these areas should include technology transfer and skills development to support industrial growth in both economies.

President Ramaphosa also highlighted the presence of South African companies operating in Brazil, including Sasol, MTN, Naspers, First National Bank, Aspen Holdings, Grindrod, Standard Bank and AngloGold Ashanti.

At the same time, Brazilian companies such as Petrobras, Embraer and Marcopolo have established operations in South Africa.

He welcomed the establishment of an aviation training academy by Embraer at O. R. Tambo International Airport, which aims to develop aerospace skills and strengthen South Africa’s participation in global aviation value chains.

President Ramaphosa noted that Brazil’s Marcopolo has invested in automotive manufacturing in Gauteng, while industrial engineering company WEG has developed a manufacturing and distribution presence that supports South Africa’s mining, energy and water sectors.

“The foundation for greater trade and investment is in place,” he emphasised.

The President said South Africa aims to position itself as Brazil’s gateway into African markets through the African Continental Free Trade Area, while Brazil could serve as South Africa’s gateway to Latin America and the Caribbean.

He highlighted South Africa’s advanced financial system, major ports and skilled workforce as factors that make the country an attractive investment destination.

President Ramaphosa also encouraged Brazilian investors to participate in the South Africa Investment Conference, scheduled to take place in Johannesburg on 31 March 2026.

“The door to South Africa is open, and the time to invest and grow together is now.”

He added that stronger economic cooperation between the two countries would not only support job creation and economic growth, but would also demonstrate the ability of countries in the Global South to shape their own prosperity. – SAnews.gov.za

Six people were swept away when their vehicle attempted to cross a flooded low-lying bridge in eNadi, eMabovini, after 19:00 last Thursday evening.

Search and rescue teams recovered the bodies of two females; the first was located in the iNadi River (uMsinga) and the second in the uThukela River on the Nkandla Local Municipality side. 

One of the deceased females was pregnant.

On Saturday, further rescue operations led to the recovery of two more victims from the uThukela River: a female on the uMsinga side and a male at eMakhabeleni within the uMvoti Local Municipality. 

The victims identified thus far are aged between 25 and 40.

The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), through the Provincial Disaster Management Centre, continues to coordinate search and recovery operations following Thursday’s tragic incident.

Two males remain missing and teams continue to work around the clock. 

KwaZulu-Natal MEC for COGTA, Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi, extended his deepest condolences to the bereaved families. 

He commended the search and rescue teams for their tireless efforts across multiple municipal boundaries to provide closure to the families.

The Department, in coordination with the uMsinga Local Municipality, is in constant liaison with the affected families to provide the necessary support during this period. – SAnews.gov.za