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International Relations and Cooperation Minister, Ronald Lamola, has underscored the persistent difficulties that hinder private investment, underscoring political and regulatory volatility as matters of primary concern. 

“Frequent policy shifts, coupled with weak institutions and inconsistent regulatory frameworks, create a climate of uncertainty that undermines investor confidence. This unpredictability hampers long-term planning and complicates risk assessments,” he said on Monday. 

The Minister was speaking at the 4th International Conference on the Financing for Development Summit, which is taking place in Seville, Spain. The gathering kicked off on Monday. 

Lamola, the head of the South African delegation, delivered a speech at a multi-stakeholder roundtable themed: “Revitalising International Development Cooperation”.

The event aims to address new and emerging issues in development financing, emphasising the need to fully implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Lamola called for a unified approach to building institutional capacity, coherence in policy, and independent regulatory bodies. 

“We need robust investment protection laws to foster investor confidence. Without these safeguards, we are undermining our own potential for growth.”

The Minister further elaborated on macroeconomic fragility, emphasising that high inflation, currency instability, and unsustainable debt burdens restrict governments’ abilities to provide incentives for investment. 

To restore stability, he said leaders must adopt prudent fiscal and monetary policies. 

Lamola believes that improving debt management and collaborating with development finance institutions can create an environment where private investment flourishes.

Pointing out the limitations posed by underdeveloped financial markets, Lamola highlighted the necessity of expanding local capital markets. 

“Governments must prioritise regulatory reforms and infrastructure improvements to unlock the potential of our economies. 

“Supporting fintech innovation and promoting financial inclusion are pivotal in creating a more accessible financing landscape.”

Building capacity to attract investment

The Minister also addressed the significant infrastructure gaps that plague many developing nations, which further deter investment. 

“Inadequate transport and energy infrastructure increase operational costs and evaporate profitability. 

“We need strategic infrastructure planning, informed by private sector insights, to mobilise the capital necessary for development.”

He noted that many initiatives falter due to weak design and a lack of feasibility assessments. 

“We must invest in building technical capacity within the public sector. Establishing dedicated project preparation facilities will significantly increase the attractiveness of investment opportunities,” he urged.  

To level the playing field for investors, Lamola stressed the importance of improving governance and regulatory certainty. 

“Simplifying investment-related regulations and reducing bureaucratic hurdles can greatly enhance investor confidence.  

“We must create an environment where potential investors feel secure in their commitments.”

The Minister also stressed the importance of developing national sustainable finance strategies to align financial flows with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria. 

“We must define what constitutes a sustainable investment. Robust taxonomies and disclosure standards can enhance transparency and credibility in the market.”

He also highlighted the crucial role of Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) in fostering a conducive investment environment. 

“MDBs can offer credit enhancements, support project preparation, and co-finance investments alongside private capital.  

“Their involvement can significantly increase the viability of projects in emerging markets.”

The Minister expressed optimism about the potential for collaboration in driving sustainable development through private investment. 

“Together, we can create a future where every dollar invested unlocks new opportunities, tackles pressing challenges, and builds a more sustainable world.” 

The event highlighted a collective commitment from governments, private sector representatives, and development institutions to work together to revitalise international development cooperation and attract the much-needed private investment that can empower developing nations in their growth journey. – SAnews.gov.za

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Operation Shanela has netted over 15 000 suspects around the country in its latest sting, said the South African Police Service (SAPS).

As part of a nationwide move to combat and prevent crime, 15 248 suspects were arrested for various crimes.  

These crime-fighting activities included tracking operations, roadblocks, high visibility patrols, stop and searches, as well as tracing of wanted suspects. 

According to the police, 2 441 wanted suspects were arrested for various serious and violent crimes such as murder, attempted murder, rape, business and house robberies. Additionally, 170 suspects were arrested for murder with KwaZulu-Natal recording the highest figure (47), followed by Gauteng (34) and the Western Cape (32).

Police also arrested 106 suspects for attempted murder and 145 people for rape. A total 233 drug dealers were arrested, while 2 234 suspects were arrested for being in possession of drugs, with the highest arrests in the Western Cape (1 214).

The long arm of the law also caught up with 96 suspects, who were arrested for being in the illegal possession of firearms while 1 460 illegal foreign nationals were also arrested.

Additionally, 772 drivers were arrested for drunken driving, said the SAPS in a statement on Monday.

Under recoveries and confiscations, police registered the following successes: 
•    115 firearms were confiscated in the past week
•    2 394 rounds of ammunition were also confiscated
•    81 hijacked and stolen vehicles were also recovered during this week’s operations. 

Highlights of major takedowns and other successes include the following:

•    Eastern Cape: On 23 June 2025, six-armed extortion suspects were shot and killed in a shootout with police on the R61 between Mthatha and Ngcobo.
•    Northern Cape: Police seized illicit cigarettes worth R2.8 million in a storage facility at Groblershoop in Upington, on 23 June 2025
•    KwaZulu-Natal: Police recovered drugs worth over R10 million and arrested a 37-year-old foreign national during an intelligence-led operation, on 25 June 2025
•    Free State: Police arrested three suspects on charges of kidnapping and rescued a 19-year-old Kamogelo Baukudi in Wepener, on 27 June 2025
•    Western Cape: Anti-Gang Unit arrested a 68-year-old man for unlawful possession of seven different calibre firearms and ammunition in Gulden Crescent, Cape Town, on 23 June 2025
•    Limpopo: Police arrested a 40-year-old man for the gruesome murder of his 87-year-old mother after her body parts were found in plastic buckets in Sebora Village in the Mashashane area, on 28 June 2025.
•    Last week alone, the SAPS Anti-Kidnapping Task Team rescued a 30-year-old man and arrested three kidnappers during an operation in Germiston. In a separate case, on 27 June 2025, Gauteng police rescued an 82-year-old Businessman and arrested five suspects aged between 25 and 31 years in Roodepoort.

“Police will continue with their operations by asserting the authority of the state to ensure the safety and security of all South Africans and visitors to the country,” the police said. – SAnews.gov.za

 

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The Health Sector Anti-Corruption Forum (HSACF) has reaffirmed its commitment to accountability, transparency and fighting corruption at its quarterly meeting held last week.

The forum comprises stakeholders, including law enforcement agencies, the Health Professional Council of South Africa (HPCSA), civil society groups, private sector organisations and government.

The meeting held presentations from the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI, also known as the Hawks), the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), and the Council for Medical Schemes (CMS).

“The Hawks reported on the status of 106 cases, with 21 currently under investigation, two on the court roll and 69 awaiting decisions from the NPA. These cases involve approximately R3 billion, with R11.8 million already recovered in cash and assets.

“The SIU highlighted its success in preventing losses exceeding R6 billion, including R3.1 billion in actual losses and R1.6 billion in potential losses through referrals to provincial health departments. 

“The SIU also identified 54 fraudulent medico-legal claims and closed 97 investigations, referring cases worth R689 million to the Legal Practice Council, R279 million to the Legal Practitioners’ Fidelity Fund, and R412 million to the NPA for further action,” the SIU said in a statement.

The NPA presented its progress on some 18 priority cases.

“From SIU referrals, under Proclamation 23 of 2020, which focuses on COVID-19-related corruption, the NPA has enrolled 125 cases, finalised 83, and is pursuing 32 still on the court roll.

“The CMS shared details of its investigations into medical schemes, including inquiries into Foodmed Medical Scheme regarding governance issues, GEMS and Polmed for multivitamin scheme irregularities, Optivest Health Services for overcharging, and Sizwe Hosmed Medical Scheme for compliance breaches,” the statement read.

Furthermore, a “whole of society” approach was touted as important for combatting corruption in the country.

“This aligns with the National Development Plan’s vision of a corruption-free South Africa. The forum emphasised the need for continued vigilance, stronger preventive measures, and swift prosecution to eliminate fraud and maladministration in the health sector. 

“The HSACF remains dedicated to fostering transparency and accountability, ensuring that public resources are protected and used effectively for the benefit of all South Africans,” the statement concluded. – SAnews.gov.za

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The Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Zuko Godlimpi, has engaged with the Assistant United States Trade Representative responsible for Africa, Connie Hamilton, on the sidelines of the recently held United States of America-Africa Summit in Luanda, Angola.

The meeting followed the submission by South Africa on a proposed Framework Deal with the US on 20 May 2025, which outlines measures to enhance mutually beneficial trade and investment relations with the US.

The submission of the Framework Deal was immediately followed by an engagement between President Cyril Ramaphosa and President Donald Trump in Washington on 21 May 2025.

The Framework Deal addresses US concerns relating to, among others, non-tariff barriers, trade deficit, and commercial relations though two-way procurement or import of strategic goods. It aims to also resolve long-standing market access issues of interests to both sides, and to promote bilateral investments in a mutually beneficial manner.

South Africa is also seeking, through the Framework Deal, to have some of the key export products exempted from the Sections 232 duties, including autos and auto parts, and steel and aluminium through tariff rate quotas.

South Africa is also seeking the maximum tariff application of 10%, as a worst-case situation. The Framework also seeks exemption for small and medium enterprises, counter-seasonal products and products that the US does not have productive capacity for.

South Africa used the meeting with the US to continue to raise its concerns with the impact of the reciprocal tariffs, especially on African countries. 

In this regard, one of the key issues that emerged from the meeting is that the US is developing a trade-matters template that will be the basis for its engagements with countries in sub-Saharan Africa. 

It was advised that the template will be shared as soon as it has gone through the internal approval processes within the US Administration. South Africa welcomed this indication and expressed preparedness to engage with the said template once finalised.

In view of this development, including the limited time between now and the deadline for the expiry of the 90-day pause, scheduled for 9 July 2025, African countries, including South Africa, have advocated for the extension of the 90-day deadline to enable countries to prepare their proposed Deals in accordance with the new template. 

“In this regard, we are of the view that South Africa may need to re-submit its Framework Deal in accordance with the new template. It is thus expected that the deadline may be shifted.

“We urge South African industry to exercise strategic patience and not take decisions in haste, and that government will continue to use every avenue to engage the US government to find amicable solutions to safeguard South African interests in the US market,” said Trade, Industry and Competition Minister, Parks Tau. – SAnews.gov.za

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Municipalities across South Africa have been urged to adopt innovative technologies and foster a culture of innovation as an essential step towards enhancing service delivery and building a more responsive local government in the country.

During the keynote address at the 2nd Municipal Innovation Recognition Awards (MIRA) held in Durban on Monday, Deputy Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation Nomalungelo Gina emphasised that adopting innovative technologies is not optional, but essential. 

The Deputy Minister believes this is particularly true for rural municipalities that continue to face longstanding development challenges.

She pointed to recent reports by the Auditor-General, highlighting persistent underperformance in municipalities, and said that repeating outdated methods will not yield different results.  

“Innovation allows us to leapfrog to better outcomes,” she said. 

“New technologies disrupt the status quo, reduce costs, and streamline processes, ultimately empowering citizens and restoring public trust in local government.”

The MIRA awards are an initiative of the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), and the South African Local Government Association (SALGA). 

The awards recognise municipalities that demonstrate leadership in applying innovative solutions to improve essential services such as water provision, waste management, and citizen engagement.

Gina encouraged municipalities to embed innovation as a standard way of working. 

“We must transform the culture of our municipalities to embrace new ideas, smarter tools, and evidence-based approaches to delivering services. Innovation is not a luxury reserved for metros; it is a necessity for every municipality, including those in rural areas,” she said.

The awards are informed by the Municipal Innovation Maturity Index (MIMI), which was introduced in 2021 as a decision-support tool to assess the innovation capacity of municipalities. 

In 2025, a total of 57 towns participated in the rollout of MIMI, and all received awards at the ceremony.

Trailblazers 

Among the trailblazers were the City of Cape Town, which received the Trailblazing Innovation Award for its Digital Wayleave Management System, which consolidates and streamlines development-related permissions into a single, web-based platform.  

The City of Tshwane, Emalahleni, eThekwini, and Waterberg District Municipality received Special Recognition Awards for achieving Innovation Maturity Level 4, indicating that their innovation processes are consistent, well-managed, and embedded within their respective municipalities.

Municipalities such as Vhembe, Waterberg, Modimolle-Mookgopong, and uMgungundlovu were also honoured for successfully applying innovation within specific departments. 

Although not yet institutionalised across the entire municipality, their innovation efforts are considered promising and repeatable.
The Deputy Minister congratulated all the winners of MIRA 2025 and encouraged more municipalities to follow suit. 

“This recognition should inspire others to embark on their innovation journeys. In the future, we want to see all municipalities reaching the required innovation threshold, and I believe we are getting closer to that reality.”

Municipal Innovation Fund

A key milestone at the event was the official launch of the Municipal Innovation Fund (MIF), a dedicated funding instrument designed to support municipalities in developing and implementing innovative projects that enhance basic service delivery.  

The Fund, which is managed by the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) of the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), will provide up to R3 million per project to qualifying municipalities for the development and scaling up of technologies that deliver measurable community impact.

According to the department, funding will be prioritised for municipalities that have reached Level 4 or higher on the MIMI scale and that have demonstrated sound governance and clean audits.

Approved projects must be implemented through dedicated accounts with regular reporting on progress, financial management, and community benefits.

The ceremony also featured addresses by representatives of the University of KwaZulu-Natal, SALGA President Councillor Bheke Stofile, eThekwini Mayor Councillor Cyril Xaba, and Deputy Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Dr Namane Dickson Masemola. – SAnews.gov.za

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