Category: MIL-OSI

Deputy Minister in the Presidency Nonceba Mhlauli says the life of former President Nelson Mandela was about purpose and about ensuring that every South African, regardless of race, gender or background, had the opportunity to live with dignity and hope.

“For many people, Nelson Mandela is remembered as our first democratically elected President. Others remember him as a global icon of peace and reconciliation,” Mhlauli said.

Speaking at the occasion of Nelson Mandela Day Student Leadership and Dialogue and Services held in the Eastern Cape today, Mhlauli told the guests to remember Madiba differently.

“I would like us to remember him as someone who believed in people. He believed in the potential of young people. He believed in the transformative power of education. He believed that leadership should always be guided by humility, compassion and service,” Mhlauli said.

The Deputy Minister said when people speak about leadership, they often focus on positions of authority, they think about presidents, ministers, CEOs or principals.

“But leadership does not begin when someone gives you a title. Leadership begins with the choices you make every single day. It begins with how you treat the people around you. It begins with how you respond when faced with challenges. It begins with whether you choose to lift others up or leave them behind,” she said.

Mhlauli told the students that leadership is not about being the most popular person on campus. “It is about earning the trust of those you represent. It is about ensuring that every student feels heard, respected and valued,” she said.

“Leadership is not measured by how many people know your name. It is measured by how many lives are better because you chose to serve. Madiba understood this better than anyone,” she said. 

The Deputy Minister said even after spending 27 years in prison, Madiba emerged with a heart committed to reconciliation instead of revenge.   

“He chose unity over division and dialogue over conflict. He understood that true leaders do not ask,” Mhlauli said.

Mhlauli told the students that every assignment they complete with integrity, every innovative idea they develop, every community project they participate in, and every fellow student they encourage contributes to building the South Africa we all want.

“Our institutions of higher learning are more than places where qualifications are earned. They are spaces where values are shaped and where confidence is built. They are spaces where future leaders discover who they are and what they stand for.

“Some of South Africa’s greatest leaders first discovered their passion for justice while they were students. They learnt to organise. They learnt to listen. They learnt to debate respectfully. They learnt that leadership requires courage, discipline, and accountability. Today, you have the same opportunity. Do not underestimate the significance of where you are.

“The lessons you learn here will influence the kind of leaders you become tomorrow. And our country needs leaders who are not only intelligent, but ethical. Leaders who are not only ambitious, but compassionate. Leaders who are not only successful but committed to serving others,” the Deputy Minister said. – SAnews.gov.za

The Presidency has dismissed what it describes as a sustained misinformation campaign aimed at portraying South Africa as isolated from the rest of the African continent, following recent anti-illegal migration protests.

Addressing a media briefing at the Union Buildings on Wednesday, Presidential Spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said the campaign sought to paint South Africa as a “pariah state”, despite government’s repeated condemnation of vigilantism against foreign nationals and its commitment to enforcing immigration laws within the Constitution.

“Over the last two months, we have observed a sustained campaign that seeks to isolate South Africa from the rest of the African continent, under the guise of protesting against the recent wave of anti-illegal migration protests that we have recently experienced here in South Africa.

“This campaign has sought to create an impression that South Africa is now a pariah state, which must be referred to international courts,” he said. 

Magwenya said the campaign ignored numerous official government statements condemning attacks on foreign nationals and affirming that the enforcement of immigration laws remains the responsibility of the state.

He also raised concern over what he described as the deliberate spread of false information by a diplomatic representative.

“More concerning has been the peddling of false information by a diplomatic representative of a country that has become central to this campaign. Even ordinary diplomatic exchanges over meetings have been deliberately misrepresented to create an impression that South Africa is being isolated,” he said. 

Magwenya stressed that the Presidency rejects attempts to misrepresent the country’s international standing.

“As the Presidency, we firmly reject and caution against the peddling of false information against South Africa, and we further assert that any campaign that seeks to misrepresent what South Africa is and represents will be rejected with the utmost contempt that it deserves,” Magwenya said. 

He said recent diplomatic engagements demonstrate that South Africa continues to enjoy strong relations both on the continent and internationally.

“Recent evidence shows that this false campaign, concerning as it is, is faltering. South Africa is not isolated. On the contrary, South Africa remains firmly engaged with our African continent and the rest of the world,” he said. 

Magwenya pointed to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s recent working visit to France, where he met French President Emmanuel Macron and co-chaired the Leaders Group meeting of the High-Level Steering Committee on Education alongside the Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) before attending the Transforming Education Summit +4.

He said the engagements reaffirmed France as a strategic partner and demonstrated South Africa’s active role in shaping global education priorities.

“This demonstrates a South Africa and a President that is fully engaged with contributing towards a better Africa and a better world,” he said. 

Magwenya also highlighted President Ramaphosa’s engagements with African leaders through bilateral meetings, telephone calls, Bi-National Commissions and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) summits, including discussions with the Presidents of Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

He further cited the President’s recent working visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo, where South Africa pledged financial support to assist the country’s response to the Ebola outbreak and continued working with the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

“This is a South Africa that is engaged with the African continent and that can never be isolated,” he said. 

The spokesperson also highlighted International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola’s recent visit to South Sudan as South Africa’s representative in the African Union Committee of Five, which oversees the implementation of the revitalised peace agreement in that country.

According to Magwenya, Lamola reported renewed optimism that an inclusive national dialogue would take place and that the electoral process would remain credible.

“For South Africa it remains vital that the elections in South Sudan are inclusive, transparent and fair, and that the security environment is conducive to conducting free and fair elections,” the spokesperson said. 

Magwenya reiterated that South Africa’s diplomatic engagements across the continent underscore its commitment to peace, regional integration and multilateral cooperation.

“Once again, we assert that South Africa is not isolated and can never be isolated from the rest of the African continent,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za

The manufacturing sector remains the backbone of every successful industrial economy, Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic) Deputy Minister John Steenhuisen said.

“Around the world, countries that have achieved sustained economic development have done so by building competitive manufacturing capabilities,” he said at the 2026 Manufacturing Indaba in Sandton, near Johannesburg on Tuesday.

He added that the manufacturing industry has the potential to create sustainable employment, drive technological innovation, raise productivity, stimulate exports, and create demand throughout the economy.

“In South Africa, manufacturing contributes approximately 13% of GDP [gross domestic product], accounts for more than 1.6 million direct jobs, and supports millions more indirect jobs across mining, agriculture, logistics, business services and the wider value chain,” he said.

Steenhuisen said every manufacturing job has a multiplier effect, creating additional opportunities in local supplier industries.

“The sector is therefore not simply another economic sector, it is the engine that transforms raw materials into higher-value products, strengthens domestic capabilities, and builds economic resilience. For this reason, governments across the world deliberately support manufacturing, as no country has industrialised by leaving it entirely to market forces.

“Support for the manufacturing sector can be costly but crucial for sustainable economic growth, and it can be viewed as an investment in productive capacity, decent jobs, technological capability, economic sovereignty, and long-term national prosperity. 

“Such support, be it through industrial financing, infrastructure investment, localisation, public procurement, trade measures, skills development, or innovation incentives, should not be viewed merely as a cost but as a means of creating a conducive environment for the sector’s growth,” he said.

He added that South Africa needs to recognise both the opportunities and challenges the industrial economy presents and then trim the sails of the country’s policies and approaches accordingly. 

“The global economy is evolving due to rising geopolitical tensions, reconfiguration supply chains, climate change challenges, and the digitalisation of the economy, including the rise of AI which itself poses both disruption and opportunity. 

“Governments focus to ensure South Africa’s re-industrialisation is based on three core pillars: diversification, decarbonisation and digitalisation.  

“Through diversification, the government aims to expand the economy beyond traditional resource extraction into high-value manufacturing, specifically targeting machinery, chemicals, automotive components, pharmaceuticals, and electro-technical goods,” he explained.

The Deputy Minister said the Special Economic Zones (SEZs) continue to provide globally competitive industrial platforms that attract investment, develop industrial clusters and improve export competitiveness. 

“They have become important catalysts for industrial development by providing world-class infrastructure and enabling firms to integrate into regional and global value chains,” he said.

“We must foster important partnerships and collaboration opportunities between government, industry and organised labour. 
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“These collaborative programmes must support investment, localisation, economic inclusion and competitiveness across key sectors including automotive, steel, clothing and textiles, poultry, sugar, cannabis, furniture, medical devices, chemicals and other manufacturing industries,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za  
 

Social Development Minister Dina Pule has called on South Africans to speak out against Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) and not wait to report abuse before it escalates into tragedy.

Pule’s call comes as the country prepares to mark Women’s Month in August.

The Minister said ending GBVF requires collective action from both men and women, stressing that early reporting could save lives.

“When you see the signs of Gender-Based Violence and Femicide, you must not wait until it is too late. You must immediately inform the police and social workers, who will come in to assist so that we avoid bigger challenges. If we don’t break the silence, we end up in very serious situations,” Pule said in an interview with the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS).

The Minister said her involvement in women’s organisations while growing up, gave her first-hand insight into the challenges faced by women and girls, as well as elderly women, many of whom continue to experience abuse.

She said the prevalence of GBVF had prompted government to treat the crisis as a national priority, with President Cyril Ramaphosa declaring it a national disaster.

Pule also appealed to men to play a leading role in preventing violence against women.

“Men are the protectors of women, including wives, mothers and children. There is no man who was not born of a woman, and I don’t understand how any man would want to hurt women,” she said.

While incidents of GBVF often receive increased public attention during Women’s Month, Pule said South Africans should strive to make this year’s commemoration in which fewer cases of abuse are reported, to show that men have learned a lesson, one or two to make sure that they protect women of the country.

Women’s Month is commemorated annually in August to honour the more than 20 000 women who marched to the Union Buildings on 9 August 1956 in protest against the apartheid government’s pass laws. The march has become a symbol of women’s courage and the ongoing struggle for gender equality, with the month serving as a platform to celebrate the achievements of women while highlighting the challenges they continue to face.

Despite constitutional protections and a range of government interventions, Gender-Based Violence and Femicide remain among South Africa’s most pressing social challenges, with government, civil society organisations and communities continuing to intensify efforts to prevent violence, support survivors and hold perpetrators accountable. – SAnews.gov.za
 

The South African government has reiterated that illegal migration is a shared continental challenge requiring cooperation rather than confrontation, while rejecting claims that the country is becoming isolated in Africa over its handling of migration and its foreign policy positions.

Presidential Spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said government remains committed to addressing illegal migration through constitutional processes and collaboration with neighbouring countries, while pushing back against what he described as a campaign to portray South Africa as isolated on the continent.

Responding to questions during a media briefing on Wednesday at the Union Buildings, Magwenya said President Cyril Ramaphosa’s approach to illegal migration is rooted in cooperation with African leaders rather than assigning blame. 

“South Africa’s posture is a constructive one, and the president has been at pains in explaining this, that illegal migration is not an exceptional, unique challenge facing South Africa only. It is a global challenge, and the President has been at pains in saying it’s a challenge that requires a collaborative effort by all countries, all leaders on the continent, in ensuring its resolution,” he said.

He said the President has consistently argued that African leaders must have an honest discussion about the factors driving migration.

“The President has gone further to say, in that discussion, there has to be an open, honest, transparent reflection on both the pull and the push factors that lead people to abandon their countries of origin, countries of birth, and to seek refuge in South Africa,” he said. 

Magwenya stressed that South Africa would not adopt a confrontational stance towards neighbouring countries over migration.

“It’s not a discussion where South Africa sees itself as superior, and where South Africa assumes a superior position that holds others accountable. That’s not the case. It’s a constructive discussion that we must have in the broader discussion of our continental developmental aspirations,” Magwenya said. 

He said South Africa’s efforts to support peace initiatives in countries such as South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo form part of a broader strategy to address instability that contributes to migration.

“What the President has been articulating is: let’s be constructive. Let’s work together, and let’s have an open and honest discussion about these issues. Let’s not scream at each other. Let’s not point fingers,” he said.

Magwenya added that leaders across the continent acknowledge the migration pressures facing South Africa.

“The majority, if in fact all of the leaders the president has spoken to, do acknowledge the challenge, do acknowledge the pressure that South Africa is facing in this regard,” he said. 

Addressing reports of tensions with Ghana and Nigeria, Magwenya dismissed suggestions that South Africa faces diplomatic isolation, saying the country remains an influential voice in continental and global affairs.

“The view that South Africa’s voice of authority is waning is quite far from the truth as well as the reality,” the Spokesperson said. 

He said South Africa had successfully championed the African Union’s admission as a full member of the G20 and continues to advocate for the continent in international forums.

Magwenya also cautioned against proposals to nationalise South African business assets operating in other African countries, saying such action would be harmful to those economies.

“The economic and trade relationship between these two countries is a mutually beneficial relationship. It’s not a one-way street,” he said. 

He added that there was no evidence that Ghanaian nationals had been disproportionately affected by recent anti-illegal migration protests in South Africa.

“There is no evidence that points to Ghanaian nationals being disproportionately affected by the recent wave of anti-illegal migration protests in South Africa,” Magwenya said. 

On concerns that anti-immigration campaigns and misinformation about South Africa could damage the country’s reputation, Magwenya said international investor confidence remained strong.

“Nothing says South Africa’s image has been damaged by either campaign, nothing whatsoever,” he said. 

He pointed to recent engagements between President Ramaphosa and international investors, including major global companies, as evidence that South Africa remains an attractive investment destination.

Magwenya also said government has developed a clear plan to tackle illegal migration through lawful means.

“As a government, we’ve asserted the supremacy of the Constitution. As a government, we have issued and published a plan to deal with illegal immigration,” he said. 

Magwenya said President Ramaphosa has consulted traditional leaders, business, organised labour and other stakeholders on the issue, describing the approach as one of transparency and inclusive governance. – SAnews.gov.za