Category: MIL-OSI

Law enforcement agencies within the Southern Africa region have committed to strengthening collaboration in the fight against cross-border and transnational organised crime. 

This is according to National Police Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola, who was speaking on Thursday at a two-day consultative meeting attended by heads of police in Botswana on transnational organised crime. 

This high-level meeting has brought together police chiefs and specialised detectives and intelligence operatives from Botswana, Namibia, Angola, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Its aim was to ensure all law enforcement agencies within the region strengthen and heighten working relations through joint operations and investigations, explore new strategies and promote joint efforts to prevent and combat transnational organised crime.

The meeting saw all six countries commit resources and capacity that will focus on dealing decisively with organised crime syndicates involved in stock theft, illegal mining, cybercrime, smuggling of stolen vehicles, the proliferation of firearms, drug trafficking as well as human trafficking and smuggling.

“By coming together under one roof and sharing expertise, we are now better prepared, more capable, and one step ahead in confronting increasingly sophisticated criminal networks,” Masemola said.

He told the delegates attending the meeting that South Africa remains firmly committed to strengthening regional stability and security.

“Gatherings such as these are not ceremonial engagements they are strategic platforms. They facilitate direct collaboration, intelligence sharing and the development of proactive responses to emerging criminal trends,” he said.

He said the meetings were an important tool in dismantling the work of organised crime syndicates.

“By coming together under one roof and sharing expertise, we are now better prepared, more capable, and one step ahead in confronting increasingly sophisticated criminal networks.

“In South Africa, we are doing all we can to dislodge the work of organised crime syndicates, we continue to intensify efforts against the syndicates operating within the nine identified focus areas through weekly operations,” the General said.

Masemola said in terms of addressing the proliferation of firearms, in South Africa authorities conduct stop-and-search operations, roadblocks, tracing initiatives and targeted intelligence-driven interventions.

“On average, we seize no fewer than 120 firearms per week. Just this past week, we confiscated 173 firearms, the previous week, 147 and the week before that, 142 unlicensed firearms,” he said.

Masemola said they have destroyed 13 859 firearms as part of the annual destruction process. 

“Over the past seven years, the SAPS has permanently removed more than 305 000 firearms from circulation. These weapons were either seized during operations or voluntarily surrendered,” he said.

On drug trafficking, Masemola told the delegates that at OR Tambo International Airport, a primary gateway into Africa, they have arrested more than 20 drug mules in recent operations.

“Many originate from São Paulo, Brazil, and smuggle drugs by swallowing them. Through intelligence-led policing, we intercept these individuals and follow due legal and medical processes to recover the drugs.

“Most of our arrests through our weekly operations are those that were found in possession of drugs. Just this past four months, we arrested more than 33 000 suspects who were found in possession of drugs,” Masemola said. – SAnews.gov.za

Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Joe Phaahla, is today leading a Community-Based Health Screening Campaign at Giyani Stadium in Limpopo as part of ongoing efforts to encourage individuals and communities to take charge of their health by adopting healthier lifestyles and preventative behaviours. 

In a statement, the department highlighted that the rate of morbidity and mortality from non-communicable diseases (NCDs), otherwise known as the diseases of lifestyle, has been on the rise in the past years in South Africa and globally, with significant increase in deaths due to cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer and chronic respiratory diseases. 

Since 2016, deaths from NCDs have surpassed those from communicable diseases. 

According to Statistics South Africa, NCDs account for 57.8% of all deaths, with 60% occurring prematurely before the age of 70 years.

“In response to this health challenge which has been described as a looming health crisis, the Department of Health in collaboration with various stakeholder in the sector, has launched a community-based health screening campaign for NCDs as part of preventative healthcare to promote regular health screening and testing to ensure early detection of health issues to prevent diseases and promote well-being. 

“Healthy lifestyle begins with regular health screening and testing to know your health status,” the department said.

The department added that this campaign also highlights the significance of community health screening in promoting public health and ensuring equitable access to healthcare services.

Deputy Minister Phaahla is accompanied by the MEC for Health in Limpopo, Dieketseng Mashego, local government leaders, traditional leaders, traditional health practitioners, representatives from partner organisations including the World Health Organization, NCD Partners & Alliances. – SAnews.gov.za 

The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic) has welcomed the National Consumer Commission’s (NCC) swift investigation into nine suppliers of sanitary pads and panty liners. 

A study from the University of the Free State found that some sanitary pads and panty liners contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals. These chemicals may cause health issues like hormonal imbalance, infertility, endometriosis, and some cancers. 

“These products aim to protect women during their menstrual cycle. Therefore, the NCC should prioritise consumer safety carefully,” said the department in a statement.

Trade, Industry and Competition Deputy Minister Zuko Godlimpi said the commission was working with other regulators and authorities within the dtic to gather more data by conducting additional tests. 

“We fully support this investigation, as it will help the NCC decide on the next steps. We encourage consumers to remain patient during the investigation and testing of these products. The dtic is committed to protecting consumers, especially the most vulnerable,” Godlimpi said. – SAnews.gov.za

Correctional Services Minister, Dr Pieter Groenewald, will unveil new uniform insignia and preside over a medal ceremony to honour long-serving officials of the Department of Correctional Services on Friday.

“The medal ceremony forms part of the department’s renewed effort to recognise and honour officials who have demonstrated unwavering dedication, commitment and exemplary service over extended periods,” the department said in a statement. 

This first cohort will honour officials with 40 years of service and above, with a total of 80 qualifying officials set to receive medals at ceremony to be held at the Kgosi Mampuru Correctional Facility.

The unveiling of new uniform insignia symbolises a renewed identity and professional ethos within Correctional Services.

It forms part of broader efforts to reposition the department, reinforce institutional pride, and reflect the evolving role of correctional officials as professionals at the centre of rehabilitation, security, and social reintegration.

“The recognition of long service remains a vital component in strengthening organisational culture, enhancing employee morale, and reinforcing service excellence. Following an internal analysis, the Department confirmed that 13 965 officials nationally qualify for long-service medals. 

“The resumption of medal ceremonies marks a significant milestone, restoring an important tradition that had ceased during organisational transitions in the 1990s,” the department said.

The ceremony will honour officials from the Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and North West regions, as well as the Free State and Northern Cape. 

Medal ceremonies for other regions have been scheduled for March 2026.  – SAnews.gov.za

Deputy President Paul Mashatile says South Africa’s green hydrogen ambitions must anchor a new era of reindustrialisation, urging the country to “build what we use and innovate what we export”.

This as he launched the R100 million Wits Strategic Hydrogen Localisation Investment Facility (Wits-SAHLI) on Friday.

Speaking at the University of the Witwatersrand’s West Campus, Deputy President Mashatile positioned the hydrogen initiative as more than a research milestone – but a national turning point in rebuilding domestic manufacturing capacity and reclaiming lost industrial ground.

“This moment marks not only the beginning of a ground-breaking project, but also the start of a shared national endeavour: to build a new industrial capability that drives innovation, creates quality jobs, and contributes to a just, inclusive, and sustainable economy,” he said.

The Wits-SAHLI initiative is a partnership between Air Liquide South Africa, Wits University and the Localisation Support Fund, and forms part of South Africa’s broader Hydrogen Society Roadmap.

From improvised classrooms to world-class laboratories

In a personal reflection, the Deputy President contrasted the modern hydrogen facility with his own school days, when science lessons were conducted in under-resourced classrooms with improvised equipment.

“Our ‘science laboratory’ was nothing more than an ordinary classroom with a cracked chalkboard and wobbly desks…What we had was imagination,” he recalled.

He said facilities such as Wits-SAHLI symbolise how far the country has come and how far it must still go to ensure young South Africans inherit not limitations, but opportunity. 

“They close the gap between potential and possibility,” the Deputy President said, adding that the hydrogen plant would serve as both a technical asset and a training ground for the next generation of engineers, scientists and entrepreneurs.

Hydrogen as a reindustrialisation lever

Equipped with a 110 kilowatt electrolyser, 200 kilogram hydrogen storage capacity and a 200 kilowatt clean power output system, the modular pilot plant is designed to bridge the gap between laboratory-scale research and industrial implementation.

Deputy President Mashatile framed localisation as the central pillar of the project, arguing that South Africa cannot afford to remain dependent on imported technologies, particularly in emerging sectors such as green hydrogen.

“Localisation generates jobs, enhances skill sets and supports small businesses. By reducing dependency on external supply chains, it empowers local researchers and industries to innovate,” he said.

He pointed to the steady decline in manufacturing from more than 22% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the early 1990s to about 12–13% today and falling employment in the sector as evidence of the urgency to act.

“Behind every percentage point lost are thousands of vanished opportunities,” he warned.

Initiatives such as Wits-SAHLI, he said, are central to reversing that decline by deepening local value chains, developing supplier ecosystems for SMMEs and ensuring that intellectual property and technical expertise remain within South Africa’s borders.

Anchoring the energy transition

The Deputy President acknowledged the role of Electricity and Energy Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa in strengthening policy certainty and positioning green hydrogen within the country’s broader energy transition strategy.

He emphasised that hydrogen development must not occur in isolation, but as part of an integrated national energy plan that includes grid expansion, renewable energy integration and industrial reform.

Academia the backbone of the hydrogen economy

Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela joined the launch, with the Deputy President underscoring the importance of universities in building the skills pipeline required to scale the hydrogen economy from pilot phase to commercial viability.

“Universities and research facilities are the backbone of this initiative. The hydrogen economy will require new thinkers, new problem solvers, new technicians, new researchers and new entrepreneurs,” he said.

By 2028, when the facility is expected to be fully operational, the partnership aims to have cultivated a vibrant ecosystem of locally manufactured hydrogen components, strengthened enterprise development pathways and enhanced South Africa’s competitiveness in global green markets.

In closing, Mashatile described the launch as the foundation of a new chapter in South Africa’s industrial and energy landscape. – SAnews.gov.za 

Minister Leon Schreiber has handed over the first Smart ID produced by the Department of Home Affairs and Government Printing Works, which records a Khoi-San traditional name.

This follows the latest upgrades to Home Affairs departmental IT systems.

A month ago, Schreiber was informed of a young man named, !Khūboab Oedasoua Lawrence, who was unable to obtain a Smart ID reflecting his Khoi-San first name. 

According to reports, his family had the same problem over 18 years ago when they were similarly unable to obtain a birth certificate that accurately reflects the spelling of his first name.

Following intervention from the Minister, the department prioritised the matter and managed to identify the root of the problem as a technical IT limitation related to the use of so-called “special characters”.

In less than four weeks, the necessary upgrades were implemented and the limitation is now resolved.

As a result, for the first time in South African history, birth certificates, Smart IDs and passports are now able to recognise and record Khoi-San traditional names.

“The Director-General will be issuing a circular to all offices informing them of the upgrade. The department’s technical team is also on stand-by to effect further upgrades if additional ‘special characters’ need to be adjusted,” the Department of Home Affairs said in a statement.

Following the focused work to correct this long-standing injustice, Schreiber personally handed over !Khūboab’s Smart ID to him in Stellenbosch, where he is a student, as the first recipient of an enabling document recognising a Khoi-San traditional name.

“This is a historic step forward to enhance the inclusion and dignity of Khoi-San communities in South Africa. 

“As Minister, I recognise that a name is more than a practicality; it is central to every person’s identity. I am therefore very proud that we were able to correct this long-standing problem within record time after becoming aware of it.

“South Africa’s national motto uses these same characters when it implores: !ke e: /xarra //ke, literally meaning ‘diverse people unite’.

“For the first time, this motto has now found expression at Home Affairs for the Khoi-San community. This reform offers the latest powerful demonstration of how our reform drive towards digital transformation is delivering dignity for all,” the Minister said. – SAnews.gov.za