Category: MIL-OSI

eThekwini Municipality Mayor Cyril Xaba has reaffirmed the city’s commitment to working closely with the national Department of Transport and its entities to upgrade transport infrastructure and strengthen it’s position as a vibrant transport and logistics hub.

The commitment follows a two-day oversight visit by Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Transport to assess various major infrastructure and public transport projects in the city.

During the visit, the committee commended progress made by the municipality in implementing the Integrated Public Transport Network, GO! Durban, while also raising concerns about the long-term sustainability of the programme amid the winding down of the Public Transport Network Grant.

Xaba led a joint delegation comprising members of the Portfolio Committee on Transport, officials from the Department of Transport and the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport on a site inspection of the GO! Durban C3 route.

The oversight programme began at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre before proceeding to Pinecrest Mall, where the delegation inspected the C3 route, which operates between Pinetown and Bridge City.

Committee Chairperson Donald Selamolela welcomed the engagement, saying the visit provided valuable insight into both the progress achieved and the challenges faced in delivering a safe, reliable and integrated public transport system.

Addressing the debriefing session, Xaba thanked the committee for the oversight visit, noting that it offered a clearer understanding of the C3 route and its supporting infrastructure.

He said the city’s infrastructure drive was underpinned by growing economic trajectory, citing the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Business Confidence Index, which showed a marked increase in eThekwini’s score from 52.12 points in the third quarter of 2025 to 63.38 in the fourth quarter.

“This improvement reflects growing optimism among businesspeople about both the current and future economic climate in Durban. This vote of confidence from the business sector compels us to redouble our efforts to upgrade infrastructure and create a conducive environment for businesses to thrive,” Xaba said.

He added that the municipality continues to work closely with the Department of Transport, its entities and the private sector to upgrade transport infrastructure and reinforce eThekwini’s position as a vibrant transport and logistics hub.

As part of broader efforts to improve freight efficiency, the city is collaborating with Transnet to decongest and improve operations at the Port of Durban. Engagements have also been held with the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa to discuss strategies for upgrading and modernising passenger rail infrastructure.

Xaba said partnerships with the private sector and Transnet Freight Rail Infrastructure Manager are moving swiftly to implement bold initiatives aimed at shifting a significant portion of freight from road to rail.

“A few months ago, we unveiled the R10 billion Insimbi Ridge Development in Cato Ridge, which forms part of our broader programme to establish an inland port and decongest the harbour. Furthermore, SANRAL [the South African National Roads Agency] is undertaking major projects within the city to upgrade the N2 and N3 transport corridors,” Xaba said. – SAnews.gov.za
 

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Parliament’s Portfolio Committee and Select Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) has reiterated the call for long-term disaster preparedness and climate adaptation measures.

The call was made during Parliament’s Joint Oversight Delegation on Cooperative Governance to flood-affected communities in Limpopo on Tuesday.

The delegation visited Tshakhuma in the Makhado Local Municipality within the Vhembe District, as well as Matsakali Village in the Collins Chabane Local Municipality.

The visit forms part of Parliament’s oversight mandate to assess government’s response to recent disasters and to evaluate recovery and mitigation plans at provincial and local level.

Led by Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) Select Committee on Cooperative Governance and Public Administration, Mxolisi Kaunda, and Chairperson of the National Assembly Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Dr Zweli Mkhize, the delegation inspected areas located along flood plains and riverbanks where extensive damage has been recorded.

Flooding caused by extreme weather conditions resulted in the widespread destruction of homes, roads, bridges, water infrastructure and other essential services, leaving some communities isolated and vulnerable.

Kaunda said the joint delegation’s oversight visit was intended to support provincial and local government and local communities, while ensuring accountability for commitments made to restore services.

“We are here to support the local and provincial government and affected communities, but also to conduct oversight on the commitments that were made to restore services,” Kaunda said.

Engagements with provincial and local authorities, traditional leaders and affected residents focused on the restoration of critical services, including access roads, water and sanitation, electricity infrastructure, and the continuation of schooling for learners.

Kaunda underscored the importance of safeguarding the culture of learning and teaching in the aftermath of a disaster and ensuring that schools can operate safely and effectively.

Community safety emerged as a key concern, with both chairpersons warning that settlement in flood-prone areas poses an unacceptable risk to life.

The delegation urged local authorities to present clear relocation plans for affected households to safer land already identified by the Department of Human Settlements.
Members also stressed the need for transparency and ensure that the right people benefit from emergency housing and rebuilding interventions and called for urgent repairs to damaged infrastructure such as low-level bridges and access roads that have cut off communities.

Mkhize said relocation remained the only sustainable solution for households living on flood plains and stressed the need for coordinated action across all spheres of government to support affected families in re-establishing themselves in safer areas.

Both chairpersons expressed condolences to families who lost loved ones during the floods and reaffirmed Parliament’s commitment to ongoing oversight of disaster response efforts.

Preparedness 

The delegation further underscored the importance of long-term disaster preparedness and climate change adaptation.

“We are asking what plans are being put in place to mitigate this so that we don’t experience the same problems, especially given climate change challenges. Preparation must be our focus, not only response whenever we are informed,” Kaunda said.

He added that rebuilding efforts must prioritise safety and sustainability, warning against returning communities to high-risk areas.

He also called for improved stormwater drainage, the clearing of waterways, protection of wetlands, tree planting and the integration of environmental planning into municipal development.

“Wetlands and open spaces play a critical role in absorbing excess water during heavy rainfall and reducing the impact on residential areas,” Kaunda noted.

The joint delegation is expected to continue its oversight work in the Giyani and Tzaneen areas on Wednesday before moving to flood-affected areas in Mpumalanga.
Insights from the visit would be used to strengthen oversight of disaster response, recovery planning and long-term risk mitigation. – SAnews.gov.za
 

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President Cyril Ramaphosa has described South Africa’s accession to the African Export–Import Bank (Afreximbank) as a major milestone in advancing Africa’s economic integration, industrial development and intra-continental trade.

He was delivering a keynote address at the Afreximbank Accession Signing Ceremony held at the Westcliff Hotel in Johannesburg, on Wednesday.

“Today, we mark a major milestone in our quest to realise the economic integration of our continent. South Africa’s accession to the Africa Export Import Bank affirms our commitment to African industrial development and to deepening trade, investment and development across the continent,” the President said.

The signing ceremony marked South Africa’s formal transition to Class A Shareholder status in Afreximbank and the activation of a strategic partnership aimed at advancing industrial development, export-led growth and deeper intra-African trade integration. 

Afreximbank is a pan-African multilateral financial institution that facilitates, promotes and expands intra- and extra-African trade and plays a key role in financing Africa’s economic development and industrialisation.

Once finalised, the South Africa Afreximbank Country Programme will be operationalised through a finance package that will initially support a range of strategic projects across the trade and industrial cluster. 

The programme is expected to inject capital into priority industrial projects, export diversification, infrastructure development and transformation initiatives.

“Today’s signing signals a deliberate, ambitious and more impactful phase in South Africa’s economic engagement with Africa and the world. For South Africa, the decision to accede to Afreximbank represents a strategic alignment.

“We seek to contribute to an Africa that prioritises intra‑continental trade, that builds its own industrial base, and that mobilises African financial institutions to support development,” the President said. 

He noted that Afreximbank has, for more than 30 years, demonstrated resilience, innovation and impact through a diversified portfolio across geographies and sectors. 

The partnership will strengthen South Africa’s ability to support exporters, industrial projects and regional value chains, while advancing continental development.

The President said South Africa accedes to Afreximbank at a time of both challenge and opportunity for the continent, with global economic uncertainties, climate risks and shifting trade patterns underscoring the need to build economic resilience.

“As a country, we are implementing far‑reaching reforms to restore growth, improve competitiveness and expand inclusion. We are working to accelerate economic growth by implementing structural reforms, increasing infrastructure investment and through targeted industrial policy,” the President said. 

He emphasised that membership alone is not the objective, saying what matters is how the partnership is translated into practical instruments that expand productive capacity, diversify exports and integrate more South Africans into regional and global value chains.

President Ramaphosa outlined South Africa’s industrialisation path as being anchored by three mutually reinforcing pillars: decarbonisation, diversification and digitisation. 

He said the country was pursuing an energy transition that balances climate imperatives with developmental realities, while building new industrial capabilities and creating jobs.

“That is why we are investing in renewable energy, green hydrogen, sustainable fuels and climate resilient infrastructure,” he said, adding that South Africa is also focused on beneficiating critical minerals for clean energy technologies, sectors where African countries hold a competitive advantage.

The President said diversifying both the export basket and the exporter base remains key to South Africa’s economic growth strategy, with a shift toward higher value and more complex exports in advanced manufacturing, green industries, critical minerals beneficiation, pharmaceuticals and the digital economy.

Through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), he said, South Africa is working to build African value chains that anchor production on the continent and strengthen Africa’s economic sovereignty. 

Afreximbank’s instruments, including trade finance, project preparation, risk mitigation and market access support, were described as indispensable in turning this vision into reality.

President Ramaphosa highlighted the Afreximbank Inclusive Development Support Programme for South Africa, which sets aside a dedicated facility to address structural barriers that have historically excluded many South Africans from participating in trade and industrialisation.

The programme will support small and medium enterprises, black industrialists, and women- and youth-owned firms to access finance, build assets and participate in strategic sectors.

South Africa’s accession brings the country closer to the incubation of a South African Export–Import Bank, which will be developed in collaboration with Afreximbank and build on the experience of the Export Credit Insurance Corporation.

“This is a strategic investment in our ability to compete and to support South African firms across the export lifecycle,” the President said.

In concluding, President Ramaphosa acknowledged the leadership of Afreximbank President and Chairman of the Board of Directors, Dr George Elombi, and former President of the bank, Professor Benedict Oramah, under whose leadership South Africa’s accession process was initiated. He also thanked Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Parks Tau, for his role in advancing South Africa’s trade and industrial agenda.

“Today, as we sign this Instrument of Accession, we do so with clarity of purpose and confidence. Let this moment mark not only South Africa’s full membership of Afreximbank, but the activation of a partnership that delivers growth, transformation and opportunity for our country and for our continent,” President Ramaphosa said. – SAnews.gov.za 

 

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