Category: MIL-OSI

Source: Government of South Africa

Government has announced, with deep sorrow and profound regret, the untimely passing of Ambassador Nkosinathi Emmanuel Mthethwa, South Africa’s Ambassador to the French Republic.

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) has described Mthethwa as a distinguished servant of the nation, whose career was marked by dedicated service in critical ministerial portfolios, including Minister of Police and Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture.

He also served on the Board of Directors for the 2010 FIFA World Cup Local Organising Committee. 

“His lifelong commitment to public duty was further exemplified by his longstanding contribution to the African National Congress through its highest decision-making structures,” the statement read. 

In December 2023, Mthethwa was appointed to strengthen the essential partnership and bilateral ties between South Africa and France.

“I have no doubt that his passing is not only a national loss but is also felt within the international diplomatic community,” said International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola.

The department said the circumstances of his untimely death are under investigation by the French authorities.

“The Government of South Africa extends its deepest and most sincere condolences to the family of Ambassador Mthethwa, and to his friends and colleagues during this period of immense grief.” 

The late Ambassador is survived by his wife and children.

“We honour his legacy of unwavering patriotism and service to our nation,” the statement said. 

Mthethwa was born on 23 January 1967.

He was the Minister of Arts and Culture from 26 May 2014 to 2019. From 2019 to 2023, he served as the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture.

Between 2007 and 2022, he served as a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the African National Congress (ANC), the party’s chief executive organ and highest decision-making body between conferences. During the same period, he was a member of the National Working Committee (NWC) of South Africa’s governing party. The NWC is responsible for the day-to-day running of the party and makes recommendations to the NEC.

From 2002 to 2023, he was a Member of Parliament.

He was an active member of the King Dingiswayo branch of the ANC in KwaZulu Natal (KZN).

He was elected as the first Branch Secretary of the ANC in Klaarwater in KZN in 1990.

He joined the Klaarwater Youth Organisation from the age of 15 in KZN, rising to the role of Chairperson of the Klaarwater Youth Organisation from 1987 to 1989.

He has also served as a shopsteward of the Food and Allied Workers Union (FAWU), where he was recruited to serve in the underground work of the ANC’s military wing, uMkhonto We Sizwe, as part of Operation Vula from 1988. 

He was arrested during the apartheid regime’s state of emergency in 1989. He was later elected Publicity Secretary of the South African Youth Congress (SAYCO) in Southern Natal and as Chairperson of the Southern Natal Unemployed Workers Union, an initiative of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) between 1989 and 1990, respectively. 

Between 1996 and 1998, he was Organiser for the South African Commercial Catering and Allied Workers’ Union (SACCAWU). In 1996 he was elected Chairperson of Klaarwater Residents Association.

He became Regional Administrative Secretary of the Southern Natal African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) from 1990 to 1991. Between 1991 and 1994 he became the Regional Secretary of the Southern Natal ANCYL. 

He was elected to the NEC of the ANCYL, serving in its NWC as Secretary for Organisation from 1994 to 1996. From 1996 to 1998, he was re-elected to the NEC of the ANCYL. His re-election into the NEC of the ANCYL from 1998 to 2001 saw him occupy a new role as Head of Organisational Development, which incorporated political education and organising functions. He was deployed into the ANC National Organising team during the period 2001 to 2002.

During his tenure as a Member of Parliament, Mthethwa served as Chairperson of the Minerals and Energy Portfolio Committee from 2004 to 2008, and as Chief Whip of the ANC in 2008.

Prior to his appointment as Minister of Police, Mthethwa was the Minister of Safety and Security from 25 September 2008 to 10 May 2009. 

Mthethwa held a Diploma in Community Development from University of Natal, Executive Preparatory Programme Certificate in Mining Engineering from the University of Johannesburg and a Certificate in Leadership Communication from Rhodes University. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: Government of South Africa

In a landmark turnaround in fortunes, Eskom has announced a profit before tax of some R23.9 billion – its first return to profitability in some eight years.

The results signal a welcome shift for the State-owned enterprise (SOE), which, just a few years ago, was at the epicentre of a load shedding crisis that posed a danger to the economy and prompted President Cyril Ramaphosa to announce the Energy Action Plan.

Now, Eskom Group Chief Executive Dan Marokane revealed that the profits will be ploughed back into the SOE.

“The focused and ongoing efforts of Eskom’s 42 000 employees in delivering the turnaround strategy have produced tangible results. 

“We are reinvesting profits back into national assets. Over the next five years, with continued rigorous focus, we will invest more than R320 billion in sustaining and expanding our infrastructure for the long-term benefit of the nation. In a break from the past, we are accelerating the review and restructuring of our cost base.

“This is being done within the framework of the expected future single-digit tariff increases allowed by NERSA [National Energy Regulator of South Africa], as we drive efficiencies and take control of the factors within our control to address the affordability of electricity,” Marokane said.

He highlighted Eskom’s “vital” importance to the country’s economic growth prospects and job creation.

“According to a report by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, titled ‘Utility-scale Power Generation Statistics in South Africa’, published on 17 March 2025, the South African economy lost up to R2.8 trillion due to load shedding in the 2023 calendar year.

“In 2024, that figure was reduced by 83% to R481 billion,” Marokane noted.

The power utility presented its group annual results for the 2025 financial year ended 31 March 2025 at Megawatt Park on Tuesday afternoon.

Key notes from the announcement include:

• Profit before tax of R23.9 billion, underpinned by a stronger Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortisation margin of 29.05%, supported by a 12.74% standard tariff increase and a 14% reduction in primary energy costs, driven by improved coal plant reliability and reduced reliance on expensive Open-Cycle Gas Turbines (OCGT), resulting in year-on-year diesel savings of R16.3 billion.
• Energy not supplied as a result of load shedding declined significantly to below 0.4TWh (2024:13.2TWh). This corresponds to a total load shedding duration of 175 hours (2024: 6 367 hours) and a decrease in the number of load shedding days to just 13 (2024: 329 days). Consequently, Eskom was able to supply electricity on 96% of the days in the reporting period.
• Recovery of previously disallowed fuel levy rebates from SARS [South African Revenue Service] provided a further boost to earnings and liquidity. After adjusting for this once-off recovery, Eskom recorded a normalised profit before tax of R11.9 billion.
• Through enhanced focus and Board oversight, improvements in audit outcomes, although not yet meeting stakeholder expectations, demonstrate action taken with approximately 90% of all external audit findings raised since FY2021 to FY2024, closed, subject to audit verification.

Lights on

Eskom board chairman Mteto Nyati reflected on the power utility’s improvement since the “crisis” the Board found three years ago.

“Eskom is increasingly a sustainable, investable company ready to compete in a liberalised, competitive energy market, and is very different from the crisis that in October 2022 the current Eskom Board inherited when they took office. 

“The comprehensive diagnostic review at the time reaffirmed Eskom’s strategic direction and highlighted the need to recalibrate execution timelines and intensify delivery against strategic objectives that we have supported the Executive Committee to deliver. The Board has remained utterly focused on using public money efficiently, and early interventions in governance and controls have delivered early measurable improvements in the fight against crime, fraud and corruption. 

“Vending fraud as a result of our outdated Online Vending System is now reduced to lower levels, proving that a focus on stronger systems, smarter technology, and decisive action is protecting revenue and ensuring secure, reliable electricity for all South Africans, and we will continue to intensify our focus in this area,” Nyati said. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: Government of South Africa

Tuesday, September 30, 2025

Source: Government of South Africa

Economic growth and implementation of existing government plans have taken centre stage at the extended Cabinet Lekgotla currently underway at the Sefako Makgatho Presidential Guest House in Pretoria. 

President Cyril Ramaphosa, together with Deputy President Paul Mashatile, convened the extended Cabinet Lekgotla on Tuesday, bringing together ministers, deputy ministers, premiers and representatives from the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) with a sharp focus on inclusive growth, reforms and delivery. 

Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the Cabinet Lekgotla, Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, said the Presidency, National Treasury and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition have presented a consolidated plan before the Lekgotla.

“There is going to be a plan, but there is not going to be a new plan. It’s the implementation of those plans that have already been articulated, out there and adopted in South Africa. We are prioritising what are the quick wins, what are low-hanging fruits and what is the medium and long-term range of that,” Ntshavheni said.

The Minister explained that the extended Cabinet Lekgotla serves as an integral component of the government planning cycle, prioritising economic growth, addressing high unemployment rate, tackling crime, ensuring the safety and security of citizens and crucially fostering the development of a competent capable state. 

“In this Lekgotla we’re focusing primarily on three things, the economy of the country, how do we grow the economy and we’re not coming up with a new strategy or new plans, but how do we implement those plans that are there so that we can deal with the number of issues that are confronting South Africans. One, the high unemployment rate, two, the high cost of living in the country, and the general economic growth that must be inclusive,” she said.

Ntshavheni added that proposals on economic reforms are being aligned with interventions to strengthen local government and improve service delivery.

“We are also focusing on that economic growth proposal focus, we deal with issues of how do we build a capable state or a state that delivers, how do we do the reforms that will make sure that the economy grows, and what are the industrial reform targets that we are going to chase to make sure that they the economy in general responds. 

“Then we are also focusing on the state of local government, and the issues that have been confronting our municipalities, and we are looking at what are the success stories, and what are the challenges, what are the interventions that have been implemented, and what are more interventions that can be done, including the white paper on local government that is reforming the system to make sure that the system works,” the Minister said.

The Lekgotla is also considering ways to address crime, which Minister Ntshavheni described as both an obstacle to economic growth and a threat to the safety and security of South Africans.

She reiterated that government is consolidating already adopted strategies rather than creating new ones. 

“The Presidency overall, and the Department of Finance, the National Treasury and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, have consolidated proposals across various departments and plans that have been previously adopted,” Ntshavheni said.

On other matters, Ntshavheni stressed that government will not provide a “running commentary” on the work of the Madlanga Commission, noting that President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced a two-phased approach an interim report in three months and a final report in six months.

Responding to questions on the Special Investigating Unit’s (SIU) report into Tembisa Hospital, Ntshavheni said the investigations are ongoing.

“They have already done asset forfeiture on a number of implicated people, and in terms of the head of the SIU, he has indicated that there is still more work to be done, so allow the space for the SIU to do its work and those agencies that are supporting the SIU to do the work to be done,” she said.

On international developments, the Minister reaffirmed South Africa’s long-standing position on the conflict in the Middle East. 

“Our position is that South Africa has always supported a two-state solution to the issue of Palestine along the 1957 borders of Palestine and our engagement on the issue around Palestine is twofold. We support initiatives that are driven under the umbrella of the United Nations and all the other regional initiatives that are undertaken that includes the full participation of Palestinians in the solution,” she said. – SAnews.gov.za