Category: South Africa Government

Limpopo Premier Phophi Ramathuba is leading a four-day service delivery week in the Mogalakwena Local Municipality as part of efforts to assess service delivery, monitor government projects and strengthen coordination among all spheres of government.

The programme, which runs from 25 to 28 May 2026, is being conducted in line with the District Development Model (DDM) and brings together provincial and local government leaders to address service delivery challenges in the municipality.

Ramathuba is joined by Members of the Executive Council (MECs), the Executive Mayor of the Waterberg District Municipality and the Mayor of the Mogalakwena Local Municipality.

The service delivery week aims to improve coordination in the delivery of government services while strengthening intergovernmental planning, budgeting and implementation. 

It also seeks to foster collaboration between government, the private sector, civil society organisations, organised labour, traditional leaders and other stakeholders in the district.

According to the Limpopo Provincial Government, the initiative forms part of ongoing efforts to ensure that development programmes respond effectively to the needs of communities and that government projects are implemented efficiently.

Speaking ahead of the programme, Ramathuba said the service delivery week would provide an opportunity to tackle key challenges facing the municipality.

“This service delivery week will address service delivery challenges and provide strategic support on the state of the municipality regarding finance, governance and infrastructure provision,” she said.

The provincial government is expected to use the engagement to assess progress on existing projects, identify bottlenecks affecting service delivery and develop interventions aimed at improving municipal performance.

The service delivery week is being held at the Hans van Rensburg Hall in Mokopane and is expected to run daily from 10:00. – SAnews.gov.za

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EThekwini Municipality and the Municipal Demarcation Board (MDB) have concluded final consultations with traditional leaders on the ward delimitation process ahead of the 2026 Local Government Elections.

The engagement, held recently at the Pinetown Civic Centre, provided traditional leaders with updates on ward boundary changes and preparations for implementation after the elections.

MDB KwaZulu-Natal provincial coordinator Mthobisi Manzini said the ward demarcation process in eThekwini had taken longer than in other municipalities across the country.

However, he confirmed that the final ward determinations had been completed and formally handed over to the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) to begin electoral preparations.

Manzini said the number of wards in eThekwini Municipality will increase from 111 to 112, with the additional ward located in the northern region of the city.

“A portion of Ward 5, covering the Mophela area, has been incorporated into uMkhambathini Municipality, while part of Ward 4 in the Makwatas area has been incorporated into Ward 103 under eThekwini Municipality,” Manzini said.

The boundary changes are expected to take effect after the 2026 Local Government Elections.

Executive Director in the Office of the City Manager, Sipho Cele, said cooperation from residents would be essential to ensure the smooth implementation of the changes.

Cele said public consultations had been conducted across six regions to gather input and proposals from communities affected by the delimitation process.

He said further consultations with uMkhambathini Municipality will be held to facilitate the transfer of assets, personnel and budgets linked to the boundary adjustments.

“We understand that there is a cemetery that has been under eThekwini Municipality and will now be inherited by uMkhambathini Municipality. A proper handover process will be initiated to avoid hindrance of service delivery. The demarcation process is intended for better municipal management and improvement of service delivery,” Cele said.

Update details on the voters’ roll

IEC Regional Assistant Manager for the eThekwini District, Sibongiseni Nkomo, urged residents to update their details on the voters’ roll ahead of the voter registration weekend scheduled for 20 and 21 June.

Nkomo reminded residents to bring either their green barcoded identity documents or smart ID cards when registering.

“Residents will only vote in a ward where they are registered to vote. We will conduct targeted communication, and registration is underway in wards that were affected by the ward delimitation process,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za

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The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development has confirmed that a fire broke out at the Himeville Magistrate’s Court in the Harry Gwala District Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal.

The fire broke out over the weekend, gutting several areas of the court.

“Preliminary information indicates that the fire originated in the Magistrate’s office after a contractor working on site started a fire in the office fireplace, which spread throughout the court building. Emergency services were called to the scene, and efforts were made to contain the fire. No injuries and fatalities have been reported.

“The department can further confirm that the cash hall and the filing room containing charge sheets and related court records remain unaffected, while the Magistrate’s office, the offices of the National Prosecuting Authority and the courtroom sustained severe damage,” the department said in a statement.

The department, together with the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure’s Real Estate Management Services, is working together to “identify alternative State-owned properties that can accommodate the Magistrate’s Court as an interim measure”.

“Further communication will be issued in due course regarding provisional operational arrangements that will ensure the continuation of essential judicial services to the affected community,” the statement concluded. – SAnews.gov.za

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The South African Weather Service (SAWS) forecasts partly cloudy and cool to warm conditions for Monday and Tuesday, with isolated showers and rain expected in the eastern parts of the country.

No adverse weather advisories have been issued for Monday.

Weather conditions in major cities across the country are as follows:

• Pretoria will be fine, becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon, with minimum and maximum temperatures of 11°C and 23°C. The expected UVB Sunburn Index is moderate.
• Johannesburg will be fine, becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon, with minimum and maximum temperatures of 7°C and 22°C.
• Vereeniging will be fine, becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon, with minimum and maximum temperatures of 7°C and 21°C.
• Mbombela will be cloudy at first, otherwise partly cloudy with isolated showers and rain, with minimum and maximum temperatures of 12°C and 23°C.
• Polokwane will be cloudy with fog patches at first, otherwise partly cloudy with isolated showers and rain, with minimum and maximum temperatures of 8°C and 22°C.
• Mahikeng will be fine, becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon, with minimum and maximum temperatures of 8°C and 23°C.
• Vryburg will be fine, becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon, with minimum and maximum temperatures of 7°C and 24°C.
• Bloemfontein will be fine, becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon, with minimum and maximum temperatures of 7°C and 21°C.
• Kimberley will be fine, becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon, with minimum and maximum temperatures of 9°C and 23°C.
• Upington will be fine, becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon, with minimum and maximum temperatures of 8°C and 27°C.
• Cape Town will be cloudy with morning fog, becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon, with minimum and maximum temperatures of 13°C and 19°C. The city will experience light and variable winds. The expected UVB Sunburn Index is low.
• George will have partly cloudy conditions, with temperatures expected to range between 12°C and 19°C, with light and variable winds.
• Gqeberha will experience morning fog patches, otherwise partly cloudy conditions. Temperatures will range between 12°C and 19°C, with light and variable winds in the early morning, otherwise light to moderate north-easterly winds, becoming westerly in the evening.
• East London will be partly cloudy, with light to moderate north-easterly winds reaching fresh in the afternoon. Minimum and maximum temperatures are expected to be 14°C and 22°C.
• Durban will be partly cloudy, with light to moderate south-westerly becoming south-easterly from the afternoon. Minimum and maximum temperatures are expected to be 17°C and 23°C, while the expected UVB Sunburn Index is moderate
• Richards Bay will be cloudy with isolated showers and thundershowers. The wind is expected to be light to moderate southerly to south-westerly, becoming south-easterly from the afternoon but light and variable by the evening. Minimum and maximum temperatures are expected to be 17°C and 24°C.
• Pietermaritzburg will have morning and evening fog, otherwise partly cloudy conditions, with isolated showers and thundershowers. The minimum and maximum temperatures are 9°C and 25°C.

–SAnews.gov.za

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The Justice, Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) Ministers will on Monday convene an urgent meeting to discuss the rising protests on immigration and illegal foreigners in the country.

The meeting will be held at the Union Buildings in Tshwane and will be attended by all the security cluster Ministers and senior officials responsible for national security in the country.

“In response to the broader challenge of illegal immigration and general social cohesion issues, the Ministers will meet to finalize a framework on the national action plan to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance,” a statement by the JCPS cluster said.

Later in the day, the Ministers will meet Political Parties, various groups and associations who have been involved in mass protests and community marches against illegal foreign nationals across the country.

These engagements will aim to establish rules of engagement in protests, but also to discuss the government initiatives and approaches in dealing with the serious problem of illegal immigration. –SAnews.gov.za

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Government has welcomed Moody’s decision to revise South Africa’s sovereign credit rating outlook from stable to positive, while affirming the country’s domestic and foreign-currency long-term ratings at Ba2.

According to the National Treasury, this makes South Africa the only Group of Twenty (G20) country currently on a positive outlook from Moody’s.

The decision comes amid negative ratings momentum globally, with more than 23 sovereign credit ratings negatively affected since the start of the current Middle East conflict.

Moody’s attributed its decision to South Africa’s gradually strengthening fiscal performance and sustained commitment to structural reforms, with prospects of increasingly tangible results.

“The agency expects a rising primary surplus and gradually improving debt-service costs to stabilise the government debt burden in the near term,” the National Treasury said.

It said that while the Middle East conflict poses a risk to South Africa’s near-term growth outlook, Moody’s expects the policy response to remain measured and macroeconomic stability to be preserved.

The agency also expects stronger investment, supported by ongoing reforms, to gradually lift real gross domestic product (GDP) growth to around 2% by 2028 and support fiscal improvements.

Moody’s expects the primary fiscal surplus to rise to around 2% in 2028, supporting a gradual decline in the debt-to-GDP ratio.

National Treasury Director-General Duncan Pieterse said the latest decision by Moody’s further confirms South Africa’s improving fiscal credibility, driven by a turnaround in the sustainability of public finances.

“We continue to focus on our two fiscal objectives: ensuring that revenue remains higher than non-interest spending, and maintaining a debt-to-GDP ratio that declines from the current year onwards. We plan to embed the fiscal turnaround through the introduction of a fiscal anchor for South Africa,” Pieterse said.

National Treasury reiterated that government remains firmly committed to reducing public debt while maintaining social spending and accelerating structural reforms to support inclusive growth and job creation.

The positive outlook is Moody’s first for South Africa since 2007, which was followed by an upgrade of the rating itself in 2009.

The decision follows S&P Global Ratings’ one-notch upgrade of South Africa’s rating in November 2025, while retaining its positive outlook. – SAnews.gov.za

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Minister of Tourism Patricia de Lille has expressed her condolences following the discovery of the bodies of a South African couple near a river in the northern section of the Kruger National Park.

In a statement, de Lille said she was saddened by the incident and extended her sympathies to the victims’ family and friends.

“The safety of all travellers is of utmost importance to the tourism industry. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the victims,” said the Minister.

She added that the tourism sector continues to work closely with law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders to support tourist safety across the country and called on anyone with information related to the incident to assist police with their investigation.

The couple’s bodies were discovered on Friday after a search operation was launched when they failed to return to their camp on Thursday evening.

Addressing the media at Skukuza at the weekend, South African National Parks (SANParks) spokesperson, Reynold Thakhuli, described the incident as unprecedented in the history of the park.

“I would like to extend our condolences to the family and affected friends as well. It is indeed a tragic incident. We’ve never really seen this kind of incident in the 100 years of the Kruger National Park. This is the very first time that we are seeing something of this nature,” he said.

Preliminary investigations by park rangers have revealed that the couple’s vehicle remains missing. However, evidence suggests the vehicle may have left the park through a fence bordering neighbouring Mozambique.

“The vehicle has not been found, but our rangers have done some preliminary investigations, and it has been discovered that tyre tracks are actually pointing us to the car having exited the park through a fence in Mozambique,” Thakhuli said.

He noted that the vehicle did not leave the park through any official gate and that SANParks’ surveillance systems had last detected it on the day the couple disappeared.

“We’ve got technology within the park. We have seen it as it came in, and we’ve seen it on the days that they were here in the park, but we have not seen it since Thursday when they disappeared,” he said.

The incident has prompted SANParks to reassess security measures in remote sections of the park despite the organisation’s existing surveillance capabilities.

Thakhuli also said SANParks executives and representatives of the South African Police Service met with the victims’ family on Saturday and pledged ongoing support throughout the investigation and repatriation process.

The family is expected to visit the park on Monday.

“We’re really going to be supporting the family throughout the entire process,” Thakhuli said.

Meanwhile, Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Willie Aucamp, said he had been briefed on the incident and had engaged SANParks leadership to ensure continued cooperation with the investigation being conducted by the South African Police Service. – SAnews.gov.za

 

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President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on South Africans to once again come together and participate in crafting a new vision for the country through the National Dialogue – just as they did three decades ago when the country’s democratic Constitution was born.

The President made the rallying call in his weekly newsletter published on Monday.

“As we look with optimism to this new phase in the life of our nation, I call on all South Africans to come together once more and be part of crafting a new vision for South Africa that both speaks to our contemporary challenges and lays the groundwork for the South Africa we want to be,” the President said.

President Ramaphosa reflected on the political culture the country has built over the past three decades.

He described the political culture as “robust, participatory, continuously evolving and firmly anchored in the democratic values we hold dear”. 

“We are fortunate to live in a society with a vibrant public space and deeply engaged citizens who know that they have a voice, and more importantly, that their voice matters. It is this active participation by the people of South Africa that continues to give life, meaning and resilience to our constitutional democracy.

“Civil society in our country remains vibrant and resilient. Our Constitution safeguards freedom of conscience, thought and expression, whilst firmly entrenching media freedom as one of the cornerstones of democracy. Political contestation takes place openly and freely, reflecting the strength and maturity of our democratic order,” he said.

Furthermore, the courts “continue to serve as institutions that our people trust”, and provide “recourse for ordinary South Africans, political actors and organisations”.

“In our country, no one is above the law and scrutiny – and no individual or institution is beyond accountability. It is this commitment to constitutionalism, transparency and the rule of law that sustains public confidence in our democracy.

“These are all a credit to the constitutional order we have worked to build over the last three decades,” President Ramaphosa added.

For the people, by the people

The President – who himself is credited as one of the key architects of the Constitution – noted that at the time of drafting, “we wanted a People’s Constitution, where every South African would be able to put his or her own brick towards building the new South Africa”. 

“For nearly a year and a half, we criss-crossed the length and breadth of the country to get people’s inputs on the type of constitution they wanted to see as the supreme law of the land. Citizens of all races, ages and classes participated. We facilitated community meetings and engaged with people at their places of work and study. 

“I remember taking part in radio shows, where listeners would call in with their ideas on what should be in the constitution. The callers had a deep understanding of why human rights mattered, which was born out of their own personal experiences with injustice.

“What some of them related about their own harrowing experiences of apartheid oppression was a painful reminder of why we needed this Constitution. They spoke of unfair dismissals by employers, of being denied access to beaches, of land being taken from them and of unfair treatment at the hands of public officials,” President Ramaphosa reflected.

Thousands of submissions were received on a variety of issues with the outcome a “homegrown constitution that reflects the aspirations” of the South Africans who helped to craft it.

Writing a new story

Looking ahead, the President announced that the next phase of the National Dialogue process will soon “commence in earnest.

“We are determined that the National Dialogue should fully reflect South Africa’s racial, cultural, social, economic and geographic diversity. 

“Just as the 1994 generation played a direct role in the production of the birth certificate of the new South Africa, so too does today’s generation carry a responsibility to participate meaningfully in the National Dialogue.

“This is particularly important for the young people who will live with the impact of the decisions we make today,” President Ramaphosa.

South Africans are urged to fully engage in the 195 pilot dialogues expected to be held between June and August throughout the country.

“As we look with optimism to this new phase in the life of our nation, I call on all South Africans to come together once more and be part of crafting a new vision for South Africa that both speaks to our contemporary challenges and lays the groundwork for the South Africa we want to be,” President Ramaphosa concluded. – SAnews.gov.za

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Budget allocations, social service delivery and government accountability will dominate Parliament’s agenda this week as lawmakers debate departmental spending plans and scrutinise government performance across a range of sectors.

The parliamentary programme begins on Monday with a media briefing by chairpersons from Parliament’s social services cluster committees. 

The engagement is aimed at providing the public with insight into key challenges facing the social development, health and innovation sectors.

Among the issues set to be discussed are concerns about the funding and capacity of social development institutions, the verification of social grant beneficiaries, health infrastructure shortcomings identified during oversight visits and developments surrounding the National Health Insurance (NHI) court case.

The briefing will also focus on innovation and research, including efforts to support youth innovators, improve transformation in the sector and strengthen research capabilities at historically disadvantaged institutions.

On Tuesday, the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) will consider the Division of Revenue Bill, a key piece of legislation that determines how nationally collected revenue is shared among national, provincial and local governments for the 2026/27 financial year. 

The bill plays a crucial role in ensuring that provinces and municipalities receive funding to deliver essential services.

At the same time, the National Assembly will continue its consideration of departmental Budget Votes through a series of mini-plenary debates. 

Members of Parliament will discuss spending plans for Tourism, Higher Education, International Relations and Cooperation, Trade, Industry and Competition, Basic Education, and Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment.

Further budget debates are scheduled for Wednesday, when the National Assembly considers allocations for Human Settlements and Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation.

A key feature of the day will be a question-and-answer session with Ministers in the Justice, Crime, Peace and Security Cluster. Ministers responsible for Policing, Justice, Defence, Correctional Services, Home Affairs, International Relations and State Security will be required to respond to questions from MPs on matters relating to their departments.

The NCOP will also hold policy debates on the budget allocations for Human Settlements and Basic Education.

Attention will turn to Parliament itself on Thursday when National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza and NCOP Chairperson Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane table Parliament’s own Budget Vote.

The budget allocation will provide funding for Parliament’s constitutional responsibilities, including law-making, executive oversight, public participation and intergovernmental engagement. 

It also supports the work of MPs and political parties represented in Parliament.

The National Assembly is also expected to pay tribute to the late Ntandoyenkosi Nkosentsha Shezi, a member of the uMkhonto Wesizwe Party who served on several parliamentary committees following his election in 2024.

In addition, MPs will consider reports on oversight visits to correctional facilities and vote on two draft resolutions. One calls for an inquiry into the capacity of the post-school education and training sector, while the other seeks intervention regarding the recognition of certain traditional and indigenous communities.

Beyond the chamber debates, parliamentary committees will conduct 30 meetings during the week, dealing with issues ranging from health, education and communications to municipal governance, public finances, mining regulation and agriculture. – SAnews.gov.za

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Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, has strongly condemned the destruction and vandalism of public road infrastructure and indicated that it is a criminal offence.

This follows acts of destruction and vandalism along the (R550) Heidelberg–Alberton route in the vicinity of Zonkizizwe and Palm Ridge in the City of Ekurhuleni during the ongoing service delivery protest.

Protesting community members deliberately dug up and damaged sections of the road, leading to its closure.

The MEC has appealed to communities to refrain from committing these acts and indicated that “damage, theft and vandalism of road infrastructure is clearly defined as a criminal offence under the Gauteng Transport Infrastructure Act (2001).”

“While the right to peaceful protest is constitutionally protected, as the Department of Roads and Transport, we denounce these criminal acts as reckless, unlawful, and unacceptable. 

“They endanger lives, damage much-needed public infrastructure and disrupt economic activity. These acts pose a security risk and lead to disruptions in the movement of goods, emergency services, public transport operations and broader economic activity,” she said.

The Gauteng Transport Infrastructure Act (2001) clearly defines theft and vandalism to road infrastructure as a criminal offence. 

In terms of Section 52 (d) of the Act, no person or institution, including any organ of state, may, unless authorised, damage a provincial road or any transport infrastructure, or spill fuel, chemicals, or gas on such infrastructure in a manner that may cause damage.

Public infrastructure destruction also places unnecessary financial burden on the provincial coffers through costly repairs and restoration work.

“The cost of repairing vandalised infrastructure places unnecessary pressure on public finances and delays projects intended to improve road safety and public transport services. 

“The destruction and theft of transport infrastructure is not a victimless crime. It affects every commuter, every motorist, and every community that depends on safe and reliable roads and public transport systems,” the MEC said.

The department has urged motorists to avoid using the (R550) Heidelberg–Alberton route until further notice. 

They are advised to use alternative routes until further appraisal by law enforcement authorities and technical teams assessing the situation.

Therefore, the department calls on community leaders, protest organisers, and residents to pursue lawful and peaceful engagement with government structures in addressing grievances, without endangering lives or damaging infrastructure intended to serve communities.

Road users are specifically advised to approach the area with caution or make use of alternative routes, where possible.

Diale-Tlabela has called for closer collaboration between the department, communities, law-enforcement authorities, and stakeholders to identify those responsible and hold them to account.

She has also instructed maintenance teams to secure the affected area, assess the damage, and resume restoration work to facilitate safe mobility. –SAnews.gov.za

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