Category: English

Source: Government of South Africa

The global shift toward a future powered by green energy solutions must be fair and equitable – safeguarding workers, protecting vulnerable communities and ensuring that no nation is excluded from the benefits of a sustainable future.

This is according to Electricity and Energy Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, who delivered opening remarks at the third G20 Energy Transitions Working Group (ETWG) meeting held in the North West.

“Finance must become a tool of inclusion, not a barrier to participation. The credibility of global transition rests on whether finance reaches where it is needed most at the scale required and with the speed demanded by development and climate imperatives.

“The social dimensions of energy transition must remain central. Energy transitions must not deepen inequality. They must reduce it. No community, no worker, no country should be left behind,” Ramokgopa said on Wednesday.

Furthermore, energy transitions will not be sustainable “without a fundamental reconfiguration of the global energy finance architecture”. 

“Scaling up climate and energy finance is not only urgent, but also central to closing the infrastructure gap, addressing energy poverty and driving structural transformation and industrialisation. 

“We must shift from pledges to execution, from fragmented flows to coordinated and catalytic investments.”

According to the Minister, this will require, amongst others:
•    Addressing the systemic underinvestment in transmission, distribution, and flexible generation capacity.
•    Structuring finance to support long-term affordability, particularly for vulnerable and energy poor communities.
•    Establishing derisking mechanisms that attract private capital, whilst preserving public oversight.
•    Expanding access to concessional and blended finance for early stage and localised energy projects.
•    Prioritising small and medium enterprises as delivery agents in the energy value chain.

Balancing energy solutions

The Minister acknowledged the pivotal role of green energy solutions in decarbonising economies. However, he cautioned that “renewables alone cannot meet all systems requirements”.

“We must remain clear eyed about the technical and economic realities of transitioning complex energy systems. Renewables alone cannot meet all systems requirements, especially in regions with variable resources, legacy baseload infrastructure or limited grid flexibility.

“The energy transition must be planned and managed with reliability, system adequacy, and affordability in mind. This means adopting a pragmatic technology inclusive approach that supports both decarbonisation and development objectives,” Ramokgopa explained.

He said in addition to renewables, the following technologies must be part of the solution:
•    Carbon capture utilisation and storage (CCUS) to reduce emissions from hard to abate sectors and existing fossil assets.
•    Small modular reactors as a dispatchable low emission baseload options suitable for diverse geographies.
•    Carbon removal and long duration storage technologies to offset residual emissions and enhance system reliance.
•    Demand side and system flexibility tools, including digital technologies, to balance load and optimise system operations.

“A technology inclusive approach ensures that countries can select solutions that are aligned with their energy mix, infrastructure readiness and industrial strategy. 

“It also expands investments options, supports innovations and avoids prematurely locking out viable low carbon technologies. 

“The transition must be both ambitious and anchored in the realities of implementations. These solutions are essential for hard to abate sectors, and for economies that need flexible pathways. They will help us navigate uncertainty and avoid excluding countries with legacy systems or resource based energy economies.”

Ramokgopa urged G20 countries to “increase cooperation in technology development, expand knowledge exchange, and support capacity building in areas such as carbon storage and CCUS deployment”.

Africa’s aspirations

Ramokgopa noted the African continent’s decarbonisation ambitions in the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the Africa Energy Efficiency Strategy.

The strategy seeks to explore and define the role of energy efficiency technology in the energy mix of the continent, pledging to achieve a 50% increase in energy productivity by 2050. 

According to the African Union, Agenda 2063 is Africa’s development blueprint to achieve inclusive and sustainable socio-economic development over a 50-year period.

The Minister emphasised that these ambitions “must be supported… not only through declarations, but through practical interventions, investments and partnerships that build resilience and shift outcomes”. 

On a global scale, the Minister highlighted the reality that hundreds of millions still have no electricity.

“We must also be candid. The lack of universal access to modern energy services remains a global failure. Over 760 million people still live without electricity. More than 2.6 billion rely on unsafe fuels for cooking.

“These figures represent people. They are mothers, children, workers and students. They are full of potential, held back by structural energy poverty.

“We commend previous G20 presidencies for elevating clean cooking as a priority. Today, we call on this working group to develop that agenda further and stand with us in accelerating access to clean cooking solutions at scale,” Ramokgopa said. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: Government of South Africa

The Health Ombud report, released by Professor Taole Mokoena, has revealed concerning findings from an investigation into the treatment, complications and deaths of psychiatric patients at the Northern Cape Mental Health Hospital (NCMHH) and the Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Hospital (RMHSH). 

The report highlights issues such as prolonged damage to electricity infrastructure, patients freezing to death, acute staff shortages, dangerous medical negligence, and poor facility conditions, including broken windows and leaking roofs.

The investigation was initiated following a complaint lodged by Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, following complications and deaths of psychiatric patients in the Northern Cape hospitals last year. 

This follows the referral of three patients – John Louw, Cyprian Mohoto and Petrus de Bruin – from NCMHH to RMHSH in critical condition last July.

The investigation revealed that two patients from NCMHH had died. One of them, Mohoto, passed away on 16 July 2024, at RMHSH after being referred there from NCMHH for treatment. 

The other patient, Tshepo Mdimbaza, unexpectedly died at NCMHH on 3 August 2024. 

According to the Health Ombud, the deaths and illnesses occurred when the NCMHH was facing electricity supply problems caused by theft and vandalism of electrical infrastructure. 

WATCH |

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The health establishment was relying on a diesel-powered generator for its electricity supply.

The investigation uncovered multiple critical issues, with patients exposed to extreme cold during electricity outages, with one patient dying from hypothermia and others developing serious medical complications.

It also revealed that two patients from the NCMHH died due to poor conditions, including a lack of electricity and inadequate medical care. 

One patient died of hypothermia, another of pneumonia, and a third of a stroke.

“Patients were freezing to death,” Mokoena said on Wednesday. 

According to the report, Mdimbaza died from hypothermia. Mohoto developed multilobar pneumonia and subsequently passed away. The third patient, Louw, suffered a stroke due to severe hypothermia, and the fourth patient, De Bruin, also experienced hypothermia. 

Mokoena said the lack of heating exposed the patients and personnel to extreme winter cold. 

Meanwhile, the pyjamas and blankets that were procured were of “poor design and flimsy material”, not capable of providing the necessary warmth, with insufficient general linen. 

“Nurses were forced to work in the dark using cellphone torches, and electromagnetic locks were non-functional, creating major security risks,” Mokoena said.

He highlighted key findings, including NCMHH lacking emergency resuscitation equipment and relevant drugs. 

“Thus, patients could not receive the necessary emergency resuscitation with dire consequences, for example, patient Mdimbaza, who died at NCMHH, and patient De Bruin before transfer to RMSH.”

The probe also found staff operating at only 53% capacity, junior nurses managing high-acuity units without proper supervision, and a lack of professional leadership. 

In addition, the Health Ombud stated that both nursing and medical staff do not keep up-to-date patient vital signs, and there was generally poor record keeping.

Mokoena said it was an indictment that NCMHH took a year to repair the damaged electricity infrastructure, whereas the adjacent private hospitals managed to repair their affected electricity infrastructure within one month. 

“These shortcomings have not been allowed to prevail; the patients who died could still be alive today,” said Mokoena. 

Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi told the media that there could be potential professional misconduct by medical staff and suggested a referral of medical personnel to the South African Health Professions Council (HPCSA). 

The Minister emphasised poor leadership, saying: “My conclusion is that… leadership is not working together. I don’t think they even have management meetings or mortality meetings.”

The Minister also announced the establishment of a National Mental Health Review Committee to comprehensively investigate and restart hospital management processes. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: Government of South Africa

Wednesday, July 30, 2025

Source: Government of South Africa

Minister of Agriculture, John Steenhuisen, has reaffirmed South Africa’s commitment to food sovereignty as a pillar of national resilience and development.

Steenhuisen made the commitment at the second United Nations Food Systems Summit +4 Stocktake (UNFSS+4), held at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The three-day conference, which began on Sunday, brought together Heads of State, Ministers, scientists, producers, indigenous leaders, youth and civil society to assess progress on transforming food systems worldwide.

In his address, the Minister outlined a series of strategic initiatives designed to strengthen local food production and empower communities to define their own food policies.

He said the South African government is promoting localised food production, with a clear focus on leveraging indigenous crops and livestock, which have both nutritional value and resilience to climate change.

“Current government programmes are mapping these crops nationwide and investing in research to identify underutilised plants and their agro-processing potential to develop products that will facilitate the upscaling and uptake of these foods for nutrition security,” the Minister said.

To further bolster self-sufficiency, Steenhuisen announced the development of community seed banks, ensuring reliable access to quality seeds, and supporting agricultural self-sufficiency.

“Breeding for resilience is the buzzword in promoting livestock, with a focus on indigenous livestock for genetic material. Strengthening biosecurity with the development of modern diagnostic tools that will aid tracking and tracing outbreaks, and research and development of vaccines to support prevention programmes, are prioritised,” he said.

The Minister underscored government’s continued support for smallholder farmers, noting the Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programme (CASP), which provides financial assistance, training, and infrastructure to enhance productivity and sustainability.

With global food inflation on the rise, Steenhuisen highlighted initiatives like Ilima/Letsema’s (One Household, One Garden) model designed to help households mitigate rising food costs, especially for vulnerable populations.

He highlighted that South Africa is also advancing sustainable and regenerative production systems.

“We are actively encouraging our farmers to embrace regenerative agriculture, agroecology and conservation practices. These approaches are designed to restore land, improve biodiversity, and future-proof local food systems in the face of climate volatility,” the Minister said.

“Food safety and quality assurance are non-negotiable priorities. The South African Good Agricultural Practices (SA GAP) programme is helping farmers – especially smallholders – adopt responsible, market-friendly production methods that meet both domestic and international standards.”

Reflecting on international collaboration, the Minister noted South Africa’s engagement with global partners, such as the G20 Food Security Task Force and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to address food price inflation and its impact on low-income households.

“The aim is to develop policy “baskets” that support effective interventions, both at home and across the African continent. Key elements include smallholder farmer support, sustainable agriculture aligned with the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme, and country-led planning—all in support of the African Agenda 2063,” the Minister said. – SAnews.gov.za
 

Source: Government of South Africa

Wednesday, July 30, 2025

Source: Government of South Africa

International Relations and Cooperation Minister, Ronald Lamola, has emphasised the urgent need for the international community to take concrete action toward achieving a two-State solution in resolving the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.

The Minister was speaking during his address at the United Nations’ High-Level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine in New York, amid escalating violence in Gaza.

Lamola emphasised the context of his call to action by referencing the tragic events of 7 October 2023, when innocent Israeli citizens were killed. However, he stressed that even in the face of such violence, the pursuit of a meaningful resolution must prevail.

“Despite this challenging context in which the international legal and multilateral system has been paralysed and turned into a blunt tool, the focus today on a real path to lasting peace must prevail,” he said on Tuesday. 

Highlighting the importance of international action, the Minister denounced the prevailing “might is right” doctrine, which he argued justifies the ongoing violence and attempts to eradicate the Palestinian people. 

“This doctrine can no longer be justified. It has led to perpetual insecurity, and it justifies an attempt to eradicate the Palestinian people through killing and starvation,” he asserted.

He also spoke about South Africa’s position, which is that the establishment of a Palestinian state, existing peacefully alongside Israel within the 1967 borders and with East Jerusalem as its capital, is paramount. 

The Minister reflected on the historical context, citing Resolution 181 from 1947, which provided for the creation of two states amidst a backdrop of colonialism. 

“However, the inalienable right to self-determination of the Palestinian people, guaranteed under international law, has remained elusive for close to 80 years.”

The urgency of the situation was further highlighted by a recent motion passed by the Israeli Knesset, calling for the application of Israeli sovereignty over the occupied West Bank and the Jordan Valley. 

Lamola expressed concern that such moves “could effectively bury the two-State solution” and continue to violate international law.

He further outlined fundamental principles necessary for restoring credibility to the peace process. He stressed that recognising Palestinian statehood and ensuring the territorial integrity of Palestine are crucial first steps. 

Lamola also took the time to praise France’s intentions to recognise the state of Palestine as “an important step towards achieving a two-state solution.”

In addition, he Lamola called for an end to Israeli actions that threaten the very existence of the Palestinian people, describing these as part of a “systematic pattern of injustices and oppression.” 

He urged the UN Security Council to act, stating, “These actions must be condemned, and the UN Security Council must act to protect the Palestinian people in whole and in part.”

Emphasising the role of international law, he called on all states to comply with their collective obligations. 

“We all have a duty to preserve the sanctity of international law and ensure accountability.” 

He highlighted recent initiatives, such as the Hague Group and the Madrid Group, aimed at promoting international law and accountability.

To facilitate the two-State solution, Lamola outlined several critical steps, including an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages and political prisoners, the halt of illegal Israeli settlement expansion, the removal of the illegal separation wall, and the resumption of humanitarian efforts.

“Global attention is on this conference. There is an expectation that we will deliver an effective response to the destruction of an entire population and a peaceful path for preserving the prospect of a viable Palestinian State existing side by side with the State of Israel in peace and security.” – SAnews.gov.za