Category: MIL-OSI

President Cyril Ramaphosa has arrived in Brasília ahead of a State Visit aimed at strengthening diplomatic and economic relations between South Africa and Brazil.

The President arrived in the Brazilian capital on Sunday at the invitation of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva for the two-day visit taking place from 9 to 10 March 2026.

According to the Presidency, the visit provides an opportunity for the two leaders to engage on a range of bilateral and multilateral issues of mutual interest, including cooperation in trade, investment and key economic sectors.

South Africa and Brazil share longstanding diplomatic ties anchored in the Declaration of Strategic Partnership signed in 2010, which is implemented through the South Africa–Brazil Joint Commission.

The State Visit programme will begin on Monday with an official welcome ceremony in honour of President Ramaphosa at the Palácio do Planalto at 3pm (SAST).

This will be followed by a joint media briefing by Ramaphosa and Lula at the same venue at 5pm (SAST), where the two leaders are expected to outline areas of cooperation and the outcomes of their engagements.

Later in the evening, President Ramaphosa will address the South Africa–Brazil Business Forum at the Itamaraty Palace at 7pm (SAST). 

The forum will bring together business leaders from both countries and is aimed at promoting greater commercial collaboration and investment opportunities.

The State Visit will focus on strengthening cooperation in sectors such as agribusiness, aerospace, creative industries, defence, energy, mining, science and technology, sport and tourism.

The two leaders are also expected to discuss shared geopolitical priorities as members of the Global South and cooperation in multilateral platforms including BRICS, the India-Brazil-South Africa Dialogue Forum, the Group of 77, the Group of Twenty and the United Nations.

Brazil remains a key partner for South Africa’s engagement with the Latin American and Caribbean region and both countries are expected to explore ways to expand trade and investment.

Bilateral trade between South Africa and Brazil reached R32.5 billion in 2025, with South African exports amounting to R5.2 billion and imports from Brazil totalling about R27.3 billion.

President Ramaphosa is accompanied on the State Visit by several Cabinet ministers, including Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola, Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Angie Motshekga, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Bonginkosi Nzimande, Minister of Tourism Patricia de Lille, Minister of Electricity and Energy Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition Parks Tau, and Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie. – SAnews.gov.za

 

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The Gauteng Provincial Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Community Safety has welcomed the establishment of two specialised units in Gauteng.

The two units were announced by the SA Police Service last week.

READ | Police Ministry welcomes establishment of two specialised units in Gauteng

One unit will focus on the investigation of political assassinations and politically motivated killings of government officials.

“This unit will mirror the model of the Political Killings Task Team, which has previously demonstrated the importance of dedicated investigative capacity in dealing with targeted and organised violence,” the committee said in a statement.

The other unit will confront crimes related to “kidnappings, extortion and criminal activities targeting infrastructure projects” .

The committee noted that those crimes, in particular, have reached sophisticated levels and pose a “serious threat not only to public safety, but also to economic stability and service delivery” in Gauteng.

“The committee strongly supports the establishment of these specialised units, particularly in light of the alarming crime statistics highlighted during a recent briefing by the Gauteng Provincial Police Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Tommy Mthombeni, to the Committee on Thursday, 5 March 2026.

“During this briefing on the third Quarter Crime Statistics for the 2025/26 financial year, covering the period between October and December 2025, the Committee was informed that 10 police officers were murdered in Gauteng in just three months,” the statement read.

At least four of those officers were killed on duty, while a further six were off duty.

“The committee views this as a deeply disturbing and unacceptable reality. The murder of a police officer is not only an attack on an individual, but a direct attack on the rule of law and the authority of the State.

“Those who commit such heinous crimes must face the full might of the law and the Committee believes that perpetrators responsible for killing police officers should receive the harshest possible sentences,” the statement continued.

The committee expressed equal concern for the rise in kidnapping cases in the province.

According to provincial statistics, kidnappings have increased by some 2.1% between October and December 2025.

“Kidnappings, often linked to organised criminal networks and extortion schemes, have become a significant threat to communities, businesses and public officials.

“The committee therefore welcomes the establishment of a specialised task team dedicated to investigating kidnapping and related crimes. This targeted intervention will play a critical role in strengthening investigative capacity and disrupting organised criminal syndicates responsible for these offences,” the statement continued.

The establishment of the task teams represents a “firm commitment by SAPS to confront violent crime head-on and to restore public confidence in law enforcement”.

“The committee will continue to exercise its oversight responsibility to ensure that these specialised units are adequately resourced, properly coordinated and able to deliver measurable results in the fight against crime.

“Ultimately, the safety of Gauteng residents must remain a national priority and the Committee stands firmly behind all initiatives that strengthen the ability of law enforcement to protect communities and uphold the rule of law,” the statement concluded.

Welcoming the formation of the units, the Police Ministry said: “Both units are operational and are designed to function as intelligence-driven, specialised, team-orientated, multidisciplinary and prosecution-led structures.

“The establishment of these units demonstrates the SAPS’ commitment to strengthening its capacity to disrupt and dismantle organised criminal networks, while ensuring that perpetrators of serious crimes are brought to justice”. – SAnews.gov.za

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President Cyril Ramaphosa says progress made in stabilising the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal demonstrates how coordinated leadership and partnerships can help struggling municipalities recover. 

In his weekly newsletter to the nation, the President said the metro’s recovery shows that collaboration between government, business, labour and civil society can restore service delivery and rebuild investor confidence. 

The President recently met stakeholders of the Presidential eThekwini Working Group, a multi-sector initiative established in 2024 after residents and businesses raised concerns about deteriorating services and infrastructure in the city. 

READ | President Ramaphosa lauds eThekwini for early recovery

“At the time, the metro was beset by service delivery failures, deteriorating infrastructure and sliding business and investor confidence. 

“Two years later, the interventions undertaken to tackle poor service delivery and failing infrastructure are driving an effective sustained recovery in the metro,” the President said on Monday.

In addition, he added that the Durban Business Confidence Index has reached its highest level since its inception. Confidence in the manufacturing sector has also increased by nearly 16% quarter-on-quarter, reflecting renewed optimism in a city that hosts one of the country’s largest ports and a strong industrial base. 

Tourism has also rebounded, with more than 1.2 million visitors travelling to the metro during the recent festive season.
Infrastructure projects are underway, and improvements are being recorded in safety and security coordination across the city.

However, the President cautioned that stabilisation does not mean the metro’s challenges have been fully resolved.  

“While stabilisation is not the same as a complete turnaround and the metro still faces significant challenges, the experience of eThekwini offers a viable model for coordination and partnership that can be replicated in other metros and municipalities to enable them to recover,” he said.

The working group approach, he explained, draws on the principles of the District Development Model, which aims to improve service delivery through collaboration across national, provincial and local government.

The model also promotes partnerships with the private sector and civil society to accelerate local government turnaround strategies.

As part of these efforts, the eThekwini metro last year approved a Partnerships Framework to strengthen public-private cooperation, particularly in infrastructure and catalytic development projects. 

President Ramaphosa said business participation in local government reform is important because improved service delivery strengthens the economic environment in which companies operate.

Drawing on lessons from eThekwini, government has also established the Presidential Johannesburg Working Group to address governance, infrastructure, service delivery, safety and urban renewal challenges in the country’s economic hub.

Financial instability

Despite these initiatives, the President acknowledged that financial instability remains a major challenge for many municipalities.

He noted that around two-thirds of municipalities are in financial distress, often due to weak revenue management and rising debt levels.

“Without stronger revenue management and financial discipline, service delivery challenges will persist and backlogs will only worsen. 

“The revenues collected from service provision are meant to be reinvested into maintaining and upgrading infrastructure to improve service delivery. However, in far too many instances these resources are redirected to cover other costs,” he said. 

To address these challenges, government has allocated R27.7 billion over the next three years to support reforms in municipal water, sanitation, electricity and waste management services.

Reforms 

Government is also reviewing the White Paper on Local Government, which could lead to major reforms, including changes to municipal powers and responsibilities, improved appointment processes for senior officials and stronger cooperation with traditional leadership institutions.

President Ramaphosa said improvements in eThekwini form part of a broader programme of reforms aimed at boosting economic growth and improving business confidence. 

“These reforms in the energy, water, telecommunications and logistics sectors are already making an impact on the efficiency and competitiveness of our economy,” he said.

With local government elections approaching, the President called on all stakeholders to work together – not to campaign for the ballot box, but to strengthen municipalities and restore the promise of local government to uphold the dignity and improve the life of every citizen. 

“When local government fails, the impact is felt by communities, businesses and households. When local government works well, villages, towns and cities become engines of opportunity and growth,” the President said. – SAnews.gov.za

 

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Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson has confirmed that his department has issued a notice instructing a Western Cape High Court Judge to vacate a State-owned property in Cape Town by April 15.

This is after receiving communication from the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development confirming that he does not qualify for the benefit.

The notice instructs that the property be vacated within the stipulated period and restored to its original condition, so that the department can reallocate it in accordance with the policies governing the use of State residences for members of the judiciary.

Macpherson said the department takes its responsibility seriously to ensure that public assets are managed properly and used for the public good.

“The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure has a duty to safeguard public property and ensure that it is used strictly in line with the applicable legal and policy frameworks.

“Once the department received confirmation from the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development that the occupant no longer qualifies for the benefit, it became necessary to issue the notice to vacate,” Macpherson said.

The Minister aid the department will continue to take the necessary action, including legal action, where public property is unlawfully occupied or used outside the applicable rules.

“Public assets exist to serve the people of South Africa and cannot be treated as private benefits. 

“As we work to restore proper management across the State’s property portfolio, the department will continue to act wherever necessary to prevent the misuse or unlawful occupation of State property,” the Minister said. – SAnews.gov.za

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