Category: English

As geopolitical pressures drive up household costs, Transport Minister Barbara Creecy says government is advancing an integrated transport system designed to make public transport safer and more affordable.

“This year has been a difficult one for households, bus and taxi operators, and the broader freight and logistics industry. Our geopolitical environment is not of our choosing. Its impact on supply chains, trade routes and the fuel price is there for all to see. From our side, we are doing everything in our power to make public transport more affordable,” the Minister said.

Speaking at the launch of Transport Month, which is observed in the month of October, Creecy said the recovery of passenger rail services by the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) is providing commuters with an alternative mode of transport.

Creecy said PRASA had recovered 35 of its 40 priority passenger rail lines over the past two years, most recently restoring part of the Midway–Lenz route.

“PRASA passenger trips rose from 10 million in 2020/21, after the pandemic, to an audited figure of 101 million at the end of the 2025/26 financial year.

“On average, a Prasa passenger pays between R12 and R15 for a return trip at peak hours, depending on the distance travelled,” the Minister said.

This year, PRASA will continue refurbishing tracks, signalling systems and stations to accommodate more passengers and provide services that are more frequent and punctual.

“The integration of passenger and road transport systems is central to improving affordability and safety for commuters. Bus and minibus taxis remain central to our transport system.

“We are in the process of reforming our public transport grant system into a unified support model available on selected routes to bus and taxi operators alike. Our reform is guided by foundational principles including integration, sustainability, fairness, safety and commuter affordability. Consultation continues with all affected parties to develop a workable model,” the Minister said.

The Department of Transport is also working with the taxi industry to reform and formalise the sector through the following measures:

• Repurposing the taxi recapitalisation grant and reducing risk in the industry so that operators can buy more affordable vehicles with lower repayments; and
• Formalising and right-sizing the industry through pilot Transport Operating Companies – one in each province – to test new management and investment models.

Creecy launched Transport Month under the theme: “Building a safe, sustainable, reliable and affordable transport system”, marking 21 years since the inaugural October Transport Month in 2005.

Rail and ports

Last week, Cabinet supported the establishment of the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) as a stand-alone, state-owned company, underscoring the central role of rail and port reform in government’s transport agenda.

The separation is intended to improve the operational performance, infrastructure reliability and competitiveness of South Africa’s freight and logistics system.

“As an independent company, TNPA will be able to use its revenue to invest in port infrastructure and equipment, thereby accelerating the journey, which has already seen three of South Africa’s ports tagged as most improved in a recent World Bank study,” Creecy said.

According to Creecy, the separation will be guided by several principles, including fair compensation for Transnet based on an independent valuation of TNPA, long-term financial sustainability, and the equitable allocation of liabilities between the Transnet Group and TNPA.

Other principles include protecting workers, jobs and customers; preserving strategic state ownership and control of national ports infrastructure; and improving the investment capacity and infrastructure development of both TNPA and Transnet.

Cabinet also approved a TNPA investigation into the feasibility of bringing in a minority equity partner from one of the country’s development finance institutions (DFIs).

Creecy said the 2022 White Paper on National Rail Policy and the 2023 National Freight Logistics Roadmap are beginning to deliver results.

The policies aim to attract private-sector funding for infrastructure development and reposition rail as the country’s transport backbone.

“In March, the Department approved eleven private Train Operating Companies (TOCs) to use the state-owned national rail network, bringing private expertise and capital into operations. Operations are due to begin in April 2027.

“In July, the Transnet Rail Infrastructure Manager published a second Network Statement, creating the necessary certainty to ensure the TOCs can secure rolling stock, staff and capital,” the Minister said.

Approved for public comment earlier this year, the Draft National Rail Master Plan sets out a vision for an interoperable, regulated and well-maintained state-owned railway network that will form the backbone of an integrated system for moving people and goods.

“Transnet’s 2025/26 results show rail volumes of about 167.9 million tonnes against a target of 180.6 million tonnes—progress towards our goal of 250 million tonnes a year on the Transnet network by the end of the political term,” the Minister said.

Creecy explained that increasing rail tonnage will require significant investment from both the state and the private sector.

Through the Budget Facility for Infrastructure, R16.8 billion in public investment has already been approved and is being deployed across the coal and iron ore lines and port infrastructure. Applications for a further R23.6 billion are being developed.

“On Monday 12 October we will invite you to the Northern Cape to view current rail upgrades to the iron ore line during the annual “shut”.

“Private-sector investment in the rail and port infrastructure is being facilitated through projects currently in the market for the Ngqura Manganese Export Corridor, Richards Bay Dry Bulk Terminal, and later this year the container corridor between Gauteng and Durban,” the Ministers said. –SAnews.gov.za

 

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President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for greater investment in teachers and stronger support for educators, adding that better educational outcomes depend on creating the conditions in which teachers can focus on teaching. 

Addressing the 26th National Teaching Awards at the Birchwood Hotel and Conference Centre in Ekurhuleni on Thursday, President Ramaphosa said teachers are central to transforming the education system and developing the country.

“If we want better educational outcomes, we must invest in better teaching. We must attract talented young people into the profession. We must support new teachers as they enter the classroom. And we must enable experienced teachers to continue developing their skills,” President Ramaphosa said.

The President said teaching must be restored to its rightful place as one of the most respected professions in society while government must provide safe and suitable school infrastructure, reduce unnecessary administrative burdens, strengthen professional development and ensure teachers receive the support they need throughout their careers.

Overcrowding, the protection of teaching time and acting firmly against violence, intimidation and disruption in schools were other important issues needing attention.

Teachers can change lives

Reflecting on his own schooling, President Ramaphosa recalled a teacher who had the greatest influence on his life – his former school principal, Mr Ntsandeni.

He said that as a learner, he was inquisitive and often challenged his teachers because he wanted to understand what he was being taught.

However, some of his teachers believed he should be expelled from school.

“My school principal, Mr Ntsandeni, thought differently. He saw something in me that others did not see. He intervened and protected me from being expelled,” the President said. 

President Ramaphosa said Mr Ntsandeni understood that curiosity should not be punished but guided and encouraged, adding that the principal did more than keep me in school.

“He gave me the opportunity to continue learning, to develop and to become the person I am today,” he said. 

The President said he would have wanted to present Mr Ntsandeni with a National Teaching Award had he still been alive.

“…not only for what he did for me, but for understanding what lies at the heart of teaching: seeing the promise in a young person and giving that promise the opportunity to flourish. That is what great teachers do,” he said. 

Focus on learning outcomes

President Ramaphosa said the ultimate purpose of educational excellence was to improve the life chances of every learner. 

He identified foundational literacy and numeracy as among the country’s foremost national priorities, warning that children who cannot read with understanding in the early years face greater difficulty throughout their education.

“The true measure of our progress is the child who learns to read for meaning, the young person who masters mathematics and science and the learner who leaves school with knowledge, confidence, dignity and real opportunities,” he said.

He called on every teacher, principal, district and education department to remain focused on improving learning outcomes.

The President also urged the education system to ensure that good practices are shared across provinces and schools.

Technology cannot replace teachers

President Ramaphosa said the rapid development of artificial intelligence and other digital technologies was changing how people work, communicate and learn and presented both opportunities and risks for education.

He said technology could give teachers access to new resources, assist with lesson preparation and support learners with different needs.

However, learners also needed to be equipped to distinguish knowledge from misinformation, think independently and use technology responsibly, safely and ethically.

“Artificial intelligence may be able to provide an answer, but a teacher helps a learner understand the question. Technology can transmit information, but it cannot replace the encouragement, discipline, empathy and human connection that a good teacher provides. The teacher remains essential.” 

School safety

The President also called on educators and the wider education community to help address gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), saying schools have a role to play in preventing violence before it happens.

President Ramaphosa said schools must not tolerate sexual harassment, abuse or exploitation by teachers, staff members or fellow learners.

He said education should help young people understand respect, dignity, equality and consent, while equipping them to resolve conflict without violence and build healthy interpersonal relationships.

“We must teach boys and young men that strength is not demonstrated through domination or abuse, but through respect, responsibility and self-control,” he said.

He called for stronger age-appropriate life-skills education from early childhood development through to high school, supported by teachers, parents, religious and traditional leaders, relatives and community elders.

Honouring educators

The National Teaching Awards were launched in 2000 by the late Minister of Education, Professor Kader Asmal, to acknowledge, appreciate and celebrate excellence in teaching.

President Ramaphosa said it was therefore fitting that educators who had devoted decades of their lives to developing South Africa’s children and communities were recognised through the Kader Asmal Lifetime Achievement Award.

The President said the awards demonstrate that excellence can be found across different phases of education, subjects and school communities.

More than 133 teachers participated in the national adjudication process in Gauteng earlier this month, with finalists recognised across various categories including Excellence in Grade R Teaching and Excellence in Teaching Mathematics (FET).

President Ramaphosa also highlighted the Minister’s Special Award, #MyTeacher, which allows learners to nominate teachers who have made a difference in their lives. He also congratulated all finalists and nominees, saying reaching the national adjudication stage was itself recognition of their contribution.

Teachers and the legacy of 1976

As South Africa marks the 50th anniversary of the 1976 Soweto Uprising, President Ramaphosa also reflected on the role teachers played during apartheid.

He said while the courage of the young people who rejected the Bantu Education system was rightly remembered, the contribution of teachers who provided guidance, knowledge and leadership during repression should also be recognised.

“We remember the teachers who were imprisoned, tortured, banned, exiled or killed for their role in the struggle. They understood that teaching is never only about what happens in a textbook. It is also about the values by which we live and the society we seek to build,” the President said. 

President Ramaphosa said teachers continued to be looked upon for guidance, leadership and moral courage in democratic South Africa.

“South Africa’s future is being shaped in our classrooms. It is being shaped in the mind of every child who learns to read. It is being shaped in the confidence of every learner who discovers their ability. And it is being shaped by every teacher who refuses to give up on a child,” he said. 

The President congratulated the award recipients and thanked educators for their contribution to the country.

This year’s awards were held under the theme: “Uniting for Excellence: Elevating Achievement, Empowering Educators to Shape South Africa’s Future.” – SAnews.gov.za

 

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Nelson Mandela University Chancellor and former Cabinet Minister, Dr Naledi Pandor, has emphasised the responsibility of universities to nurture ethical leaders, uphold academic integrity and shape graduates who can contribute meaningfully to society. 

“Ethical leadership is not an abstract ideal in higher education; it is the foundation upon which public trust, institutional credibility, and academic excellence rest,” Pandor said. 

Pandor was speaking during a roundtable discussion at the recent Chancellors Thought Leadership Seminar hosted by Universities South Africa (USAf). 

The roundtable discussion centred around various themes on the role Chancellors and Vice-Chancellors play in strengthening public trust in higher education.

Drawing on her decades of experience in public service and academia, Pandor underscored the critical role played by the universities in shaping the character, capabilities and values of the nation.

“To fulfil this role, higher education institutions must be governed with integrity, stewarded with responsibility, and led with moral clarity.”

She said higher education must be a transformative experience that equips students with critical thinking skills, academic freedom, and exposes them to ideas that challenge and expand their minds. 

Reflecting on her own experience as a young student at the University of Botswana, Pandor said she entered the institution as one person and left as another, highlighting the profound impact of higher education on personal development.

“Every young person who enters must exit as a very different person,” Pandor said.

To achieve this, she said, universities must actively teach the principles that underpin democratic academic life, namely academic freedom, transparency, institutional autonomy and ethical reasoning.

“These cannot be assumed; they must be intentionally cultivated.”

She stressed that ethical governance is a moral obligation requiring open decision-making, fair resource allocation, and clear policies that can be explained and defended. 

University councils, senates and executive management structures must also have a clear understanding of their respective roles and responsibilities to promote effective institutional governance.

“Leaders who say, ‘I don’t explain anything’ often do so because they don’t understand the policy. Effective governance requires clarity, humility and accountability; not authority without responsibility,” Pandor said.

Academic ethics 

Pandor also warned that breaches of academic ethics, including plagiarism, falsified research, rigged competition, selling grades, sexual harassment and procurement irregularities, undermine institutional credibility and damage the university’s reputation.

Pandor called for research ethics to be properly taught, supervised and enforced, while urging universities to promote responsible use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other digital tools without compromising originality, creativity and critical thinking.

“You haven’t experienced higher education if you’ve not felt the roughness of a paper or smelt the ink,” she said, emphasising that authentic scholarship cannot be outsourced to technology. 

Pandor argued that ethical leadership is demonstrated through behaviour, not position.

She said leaders must model integrity in all interactions; uphold constitutional values of dignity, justice, equity and accountability; reject nepotism, favouritism and any form of exploitation; and ensure that students understand institutional rules and consequences.

Pandor also raised concern about incidents in universities, including students mistreating university workers, saying such behaviour pointed to the need for institutions to do more to embed respect and ethical conduct in their campus cultures.

“Ethical leadership requires shaping institutional culture, not merely managing it,” she said.

On governance, Pandor warned against governance dysfunction arising from the overreach of university council chairs, emphasising that their responsibilities must remain distinct from those of vice-chancellors and other executive leaders.

She called for the revival of council orientation and training programmes to improve governance, clarify responsibilities and prevent unnecessary institutional conflict. 

Pandor also urged universities to challenge the belief that university degrees are the only route to professional success, describing this as the “diploma disease.”

“South Africa needs artisans, technicians and vocational specialists, and universities must partner with colleges to strengthen articulation pathways and elevate technical education,” Pandor said.

She further called for pragmatic conversation about public-private partnerships, noting that the public sector alone cannot sustain the scale of higher education required for national development.

Pandor said universities must remain stewards of constitutional values, protect academic freedom, and ensure that every student encounters an environment grounded in dignity, fairness and intellectual honesty.

She emphasised that ethical leadership is not optional but a “cornerstone of institutional integrity and the key to restoring public confidence in higher education.”  – SAnews.gov.za
 

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The Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, has dissolved the Council of the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), describing the decision as an act of institutional accountability rather than a finding of dishonesty against any individual member. 

“I thank every member for the time they gave to the Foundation and to South African film. But accountability at entity level cannot be optional, and it cannot wait until somebody is caught,” the Minister said in a statement on Wednesday.

The decision followed a process that began on 7 July 2026, when the Minister wrote to the then Chairperson of the Council and expressly set out the legal defects in the Council’s appointment of one of its own members as Acting Chief Executive Officer.

The Minister identified two lawful alternatives available to the Council. However, the Council did not adopt either alternative, and the arrangement remained in place. 

On 14 September 2026, the Minister issued a Notice of Intention to dissolve the Council and invited written representations. The Council responded on 18 September 2026. Those representations were considered in full before the decision was taken.

On 23 September 2026, the Minister dissolved the NFVF Council in terms of section 6(10) of the National Film and Video Foundation Act 73 of 1997. 

“In its own written representations, the Council accepted that it had appreciated that section 13(4) of the Act does not permit the appointment of an Acting Chief Executive Officer from outside the Foundation, and stated that it does not maintain that the appointment was lawful.” 

“The Council further accepted that the resignation of the member concerned was defective for want of compliance with section 7(3)(e) of the Act, with the result that she held executive office while remaining a member of the Council – contrary to section 6(8)(a) and in direct conflict with the Council’s own oversight function,” the Ministry said. 

McKenzie said the Council knew what the law required.

“I gave this Council written notice of the problem in July and offered it two lawful ways out. It took neither. The arrangement ended only once dissolution was on the table, which eroded the last of my confidence in this Council,” he said.

Other factors also contributed to the decision, including the recent resignation of the Council Chairperson and the handling of the former Acting CEO’s suspension – another matter in which the Council ignored guidance from the Ministry.

The Minister directed that the following arrangements take effect immediately:

• The Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation will assume the responsibilities of the accounting authority in terms of the Public Finance Management Act until a new Council is appointed.
• Approved and committed funding, including funding under the current PESP6 Blockbuster cycle, will continue to be processed. The Department is working directly with the Foundation’s management to ensure that no approved disbursement to filmmakers, production houses, cast or crew is interrupted.
• The independent investigation into whistleblower allegations at the Foundation, which is being conducted by the Department’s Internal Audit unit rather than the Council, will proceed unaffected.
• The process of appointing a new Council will commence in accordance with section 6 of the Act.

“I am acutely aware of what happened the last time this Council was dissolved, when funding approvals stalled for three months.” 

“That is exactly why we shall move quickly to appoint a new Council, and to ensure that processing continues in the legal manner. The people who depend on this Foundation did nothing wrong, and they will not be made to carry the cost of governance issues that were not of their making,” McKenzie said. –SAnews.gov.za

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