Category: MIL-OSI

By Bernice Swarts

South Africa has reached an important milestone in the planting of trees under President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Presidential One Billion Trees Programme. Since the start of the 2026/27 financial year on 1 April 2026, more than seven million trees have been planted across the country as part of the Programme.

This remarkable achievement is more than just a number. It demonstrates what can be achieved when government, communities, businesses, civil society organisations, traditional leaders and ordinary citizens unite behind a common purpose. The planting of 7 134 711 trees since the start of the current financial year reflects a growing commitment by South Africans to environmental conservation, climate action,n and the greening of our communities.

I am encouraged by the manner in which South Africans from all walks of life have embraced the Presidential One Billion Trees Programme. Their participation demonstrates a shared commitment to environmental sustainability, climate resilience and the preservation of our natural heritage for future generations.

Trees play a vital role in improving the quality of our lives. They help absorb carbon emissions, improve air quality, reduce soil erosion, provide shade and create healthier, greener living spaces. As the effects of climate change become increasingly visible across the world, tree planting remains one of the most practical and effective ways in which communities can contribute to climate action.

The progress made since April this year brings us closer to achieving President Ramaphosa’s vision of planting one billion trees across South Africa. Every tree planted contributes towards building sustainable settlements and strengthening our country’s efforts to protect and restore the environment.

One of the highlights of the programme this year was the nationwide Heritage Day tree-planting campaign held on 24 September 2026. The campaign was activated by President Ramaphosa, who planted a tree at Bongolethu Stadium in Oudtshoorn in the Western Cape.

Following this activation, tree-planting activities took place across all nine provinces, led by Premiers, Members of Executive Councils responsible for environmental affairs, municipalities, traditional leaders, businesses, community organisations and citizens.

I had the privilege of leading the national Heritage Day tree-planting activities at Freedom Park in Salvokop, Pretoria, where we were joined by Ambassadors, High Commissioners and members of the diplomatic corps. Their participation highlighted the importance of international cooperation in addressing environmental challenges and building a sustainable future for all.

The distribution of trees planted across the provinces demonstrates the broad national support for the Programme.

Breakdown of trees planted since 01 April 2026 as part of the Presidential One Billion Trees Programme, by province:
Eastern Cape – 736692
Free State – 326294
Gauteng – 1012051
KwaZulu-Natal – 1052494
Limpopo –  518023
Mpumalanga – 519512
North West – 400619
Northern Cape – 515264
Western Cape –  2053786

These figures show that South Africans in every corner of the country are responding positively to the call to protect and restore our environment.

The Presidential One Billion Trees Programme also contributes directly to South Africa’s commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those related to good health and well-being, sustainable cities and communities, climate action, and life on land. Through this programme, we are not only planting trees, but also investing in healthier communities, stronger ecosystems and a more sustainable future.

While we celebrate this important milestone, our work is far from over. I encourage all South Africans to continue planting trees throughout the year and to register their trees on the Department’s One Billion Trees website at https://10milliontrees.dffe.gov.za/10milliontrees/home by uploading a photograph and GPS coordinates.

This information assists the department in tracking participation and monitoring the growth and survival of planted trees.

The success of the Presidential One Billion Trees Programme belongs to every South African who has planted, nurtured or supported a tree.

As we look ahead, I encourage even more South Africans to join the Presidential One Billion Trees movement. Every tree planted today is an investment in a greener, healthier and more climate-resilient South Africa for generations to come.

*Swarts is the Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment

Higher Education and Training Deputy Minister Nomusa Dube-Ncube is expected to participate in a panel discussion at the 25th Annual South African Association of Public Administration and Management (SAAPAM) Conference in Durban, where academics, policymakers and public sector practitioners will examine the role of effective governance in advancing sustainable development.

The conference, taking place from 27 September to 3 October 2026, at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre in KwaZulu-Natal, is being held under the theme: “Growth and Sustainability through Improved Governance: Reimagining Institutions, Leadership and Development in a Changing World”.

The gathering comes as South Africa continues to navigate challenges around institutional capacity, leadership, accountability, service delivery, economic development and public trust.

It will provide a platform for participants to consider how improved governance can support inclusive economic growth, sustainable development, effective institutions and better public services.

Discussions will also examine the evolving role of local government and how municipalities can respond to complex political, economic, technological, social and environmental challenges, while strengthening democratic governance and service delivery.

Key areas of discussion include governance, institutions and effective leadership; local government, democracy and political dynamics; development planning, service delivery and sustainability in urban and rural contexts; economic growth, innovation and regional development; international relations, global governance and decolonial development; higher education governance, decolonisation and transformation; and digital, smart and future governance.

The conference will further provide an opportunity for participants to explore innovative approaches to strengthening public institutions and developing governance systems that respond to the changing needs of society.

Dube-Ncube’s participation will draw on her leadership experience across different spheres of government, with a particular focus on the role of values and ethics in strengthening public institutions and shaping society.

“The Deputy Minister will further speak on the role of higher education in inculcating a national value system that can be rightfully used as a mechanism for building a societal value and ethics ecosystem,” the department said.

The conference is being held in collaboration with the University of Zululand, the University of South Africa (UNISA), the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA), the National School of Government (NSG), the Public Service Education and Training Authority (PSETA), the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME), the Public Service Commission (PSC), Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) and Durban University of Technology (DUT).

The collaboration brings together government, academia, professional bodies and other stakeholders to strengthen knowledge and practice in public administration and governance. – SAnews.gov.za

South Africa has called for renewed international action to translate the commitments of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action into measurable progress, as the United Nations marks 25 years since the landmark framework against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance was adopted. 

International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola made the call on Monday during a high-level meeting of the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) commemorating the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action (DDPA).

The meeting, held at United Nations Headquarters in New York, was convened under the theme: “Mobilizing global public support for the full and effective implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action.” 

The UN describes the DDPA as a global blueprint for combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.

The anniversary provides an opportunity to assess progress since the 2001 World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance in Durban and to renew political commitment to implementing its recommendations.

Reflecting on the significance of the 2001 conference, Lamola said the gathering in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal represented a defining moment in the global fight against racism and the legacies of historical injustice.

“Twenty-five years ago, the world converged on our shores in Durban, South Africa, for the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance,” he said. 

He recalled that former President Thabo Mbeki had described the conference as heralding a new internationalism, marked by a determination to “unite in action to repair the gross damage that was caused in the past.”

Lamola said the conference produced a framework aimed at confronting the legacies of slavery, colonialism, apartheid and racial discrimination.

“The Durban Declaration and Programme of Action marked a pivotal moment in the international community’s commitment to build a world rooted in equality, dignity and justice,” he said. 

He said the Durban process had recognised that combating racism required more than government action, with civil society, communities and individuals also having an important role to play.

Racism and xenophobia persist 

Lamola said the global environment remains challenging 25 years after the adoption of the DDPA.

“Racism persists. Xenophobia and related intolerance are finding renewed expression, worsened by online hate messages,” he said. 

He also warned that progress towards gender equality is under pressure, while measures aimed at redress and combating racism were increasingly facing resistance.

Lamola said contemporary racism against Africans and people of African descent remained embedded in institutions, systems and practices governing societies.

“This is why we must strengthen our collective efforts,” he said. 

The UN has similarly noted that, 25 years after its adoption, racism and racial discrimination remain embedded across institutions and societies and can be amplified by emerging digital technologies and artificial intelligence.

Lamola linked the persistence of racism to broader challenges of inequality, insecurity and social polarisation.

“Inequality and insecurity provide fertile ground for resentment and polarisation,” he said. 

He added that growing anti-migrant sentiment, particularly where migrants are blamed for socio-economic difficulties, made international cooperation on migration pressures increasingly important.

“The global hardening of attitudes towards migrants – who are often scapegoated for socio-economic hardship – is all the more reason for us to push for more cooperative ways of addressing migration pressures.”

Lamola stressed that states remain responsible for managing irregular migration while warning that failure to cooperate could create space for actors seeking to exploit racial and ethnic divisions.

“Failure to cooperate leaves the door wide open for actors whose conduct runs counter to the principles of equality, dignity and human solidarity that we stand for,” he said. 

Calls for reparative justice 

The Minister highlighted recent developments at the United Nations as evidence that international efforts to address historical injustice could advance.

“With Ghana’s leadership and the support of the African Union, this General Assembly recently adopted a Declaration of the ‘Trafficking of Enslaved Africans and the Racialized Chattel Enslavement of Africans as the Gravest Crime Against Humanity’,” he said. 

Lamola said the declaration strengthened the case for reparative justice.

He also welcomed a General Assembly resolution addressing global cartographic representation, saying it would help correct longstanding distortions in the depiction of Africa.

“These advances remind us that past wrongs will not right themselves. Historical distortions do not correct themselves. And progress is always a product of struggle,” he said. 

Call for action on historical injustices

Lamola called on states to address the continuing legacies of historical injustice through a range of measures, including formal apologies, truth-telling, reparations and the return of cultural artefacts.

He also welcomed progress towards a UN Declaration on the Human Rights of People of African Descent.

“We welcome progress towards a UN Declaration on the Human Rights of People of African Descent. This anniversary should mark a turning point in protecting human rights, reducing inequality and advancing inclusive development,” he said.

Lamola said the envisaged declaration should provide a framework for addressing past injustices and give practical effect to the Second International Decade for People of African Descent.

Strengthening national human rights institutions

South Africa also welcomed the political declaration marking the DDPA’s 25th anniversary and called on countries to establish or strengthen independent national human rights institutions.

“These institutions should play a vital role in monitoring and evaluating the implementation of the commitments made in Durban,” he said. 

Lamola said the anniversary should not become merely an occasion for reflection but should generate concrete and measurable action.

“The Declaration calls upon us to marshal political will at every level and to build momentum that cannot be turned back,” he said. 

He said South Africa would continue taking steps nationally, regionally and internationally to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.

As the international community marked a quarter century since the Durban conference, Lamola said the work of building more equal societies remained unfinished.

“Twenty-five years ago, we recognised that Durban marked the beginning, not the end.

“The task of building a world free of racism, righting the wrongs of the past and restoring the human dignity of all is as much ours today as it was for the generation that converged in Durban a quarter century ago,” Lamola said. 

The high-level meeting forms part of UNGA81’s programme of high-level engagements and was held in accordance with General Assembly resolutions 80/193 and 80/299. – SAnews.gov.za

The Gauteng Department of e-Government has moved to reassure residents that the Gauteng e-Panic Button mobile application is safe to use after media reports raised concerns about information security risks.

The department acknowledged that an “attempted security breach involving the e-Panic Button environment” was detected.  

“The matter was swiftly identified and addressed, and the department has established that no citizens’ personal information was compromised as a result of the incident.

“The incident involved a highly specialised organisation with advanced cybersecurity expertise and capabilities in vulnerability identification and security testing,” the department assured. 

MEC for e-Government Bonginkosi Dhlamini echoed those assurances.

“The security of our systems and the protection of residents’ personal information are non-negotiable. The vulnerability was identified, and our technical teams implemented corrective measures promptly. This is not an ordinary incident that can simply be replicated by an average IT practitioner.

“We have gone further by requesting additional testing and verification to ensure that all identified security requirements have been addressed and that our systems remain resilient. Cybersecurity is not a once-off exercise. It requires continuous testing, monitoring, strengthening and improvement,” Dhlamini said.

Safety in your own hands

The department is urging residents, particularly those living in townships and underserved areas, to download and use the smartphone application.

The downloadable platform is a public safety innovation designed to “connect residents to emergency assistance when every second matters”.

“The platform is part of government’s commitment to harness technology to strengthen public safety, improve access to emergency services and ensure that residents can summon assistance quickly during moments of crisis.

“The Gauteng e-Panic Button reflects government’s commitment to ensuring that the benefits of digital technology reach communities that need them most,” the department stated.

The application allows residents to “request emergency assistance during criminal incidents, medical emergencies, gender-based violence, fires and other life-threatening situations”.

“By placing an emergency response mechanism directly in residents’ hands, the platform provides an additional channel through which communities can access assistance when conventional avenues may be difficult to reach.

“The e-Panic Button is particularly significant for township communities, where residents can face barriers to accessing emergency and safety services. Government is therefore using technology to help close these gaps and bring emergency assistance closer to the people,” the department explained.

To date, the platform has recorded:

• 288 307 active users;
• 114 414 emergency call-outs;
• 27 929 citizens assisted;
• 12 051 lives saved;
• 59 394 crimes reported; and
• ⁠15 minutes 57 seconds average response time.

“These figures demonstrate the important role that technology can play in strengthening the province’s broader public safety response. The department will continue working with relevant law-enforcement, emergency-response and other government stakeholders to strengthen the integration of the e-Panic Button into the broader public safety ecosystem.

“A safer Gauteng requires government, communities and residents to work together. The e-Panic Button puts an additional safety tool directly into the hands of residents – helping to connect people to assistance when they need it most,” the department stated.

The MEC added: “The Gauteng e-Panic Button is ultimately about people. It is about ensuring that when a resident is confronted with danger or an emergency, technology can help them reach assistance as quickly as possible. 

⁠“We understand that residents will only use this platform if they trust it. That is why the protection of personal information and the security of the platform remain central to our work. We will continue to test, improve, and strengthen the system because we have a responsibility to protect both our residents and the integrity of the technology they rely on.” – SAnews.gov.za