Category: South Africa Government

The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has announced the reopening of all municipal cemeteries that were temporarily closed due to adverse weather conditions.

The municipality said inspections were conducted on Friday to assess the readiness of affected sites ahead of the weekend, confirming that water levels have since subsided and operations can safely resume.

Cemeteries that are now reopened for burials include Forest Hill, North End, Motherwell, Matanzima, Bloemendal, Bethelsdorp, Papenkuils, Kabah, Gerald Smith and Despatch.

Burials had been temporarily suspended after adverse weather conditions including flooding affected accessibility and safe operations at certain cemetery sites.

READ | Burials at several municipal cemeteries suspended following heavy rainfall

Nelson Mandela Bay Executive Mayor Babalwa Lobishe said the decision to reopen the cemetries followed thorough assessments and improved conditions across the metro.

She conveyed condolences to bereaved families and expressed appreciation for the patience and cooperation shown by funeral undertakers and communities during the disruption.

“We fully understand the emotional strain and uncertainty that this situation placed on many grieving families and affected communities. The reopening of the affected cemeteries brings much-needed relief, and we appreciate the understanding shown by residents while the municipality prioritised safety assessments and interventions,” Lobishe said.

She noted that municipal technical teams and environmental health officials will continue to conduct ongoing assessments and interventions at affected cemetery sites.

While improvements have been recorded in certain areas, she said a number of sections remain heavily waterlogged and structurally unstable due to persistent ground saturation.

“Various mitigation measures remain underway, including water drainage operations, continuous site inspections and technical evaluations to determine when conditions can safely permit the resumption of burial activities,” the Mayor said.

However, she emphasised that safety assessments extend beyond visible surface water, and include underground soil stability, grave integrity, environmental compliance and occupational safety requirements.

The municipality reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that all burial activities are conducted in a safe, dignified and respectful manner, and in line with health and environmental standards. – SAnews.gov.za
 

 

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The South African Weather Service (SAWS) says that very cold, wet and windy conditions are expected over the southern parts of the Namakwa District in the Northern Cape and the western interior of the Western Cape, as well as the Chris Hani and Joe Gqabi district municipalities of the Eastern Cape, until Tuesday.

Snowfalls are also expected over the mountains of the Western Cape and southern parts of the Northern Cape, as well as over the high ground of the Eastern Cape.

Therefore, the weather service has issued several impact warnings:

• Orange Level 8 warning: Disruptive rainfall leading to flooding of roads, bridges and formal and informal settlements, mudslides and danger to life due to fast-flowing rivers is expected over the mountainous regions of the Drakenstein, Stellenbosch, the western parts of the Theewaterskloof, City of Cape Town, Breede Valley and Witzenberg local municipalities of the Western Cape until Tuesday.
• Orange Level 6 warning: Disruptive rainfall leading to flooding of roads, low-lying bridges, and formal as well as informal settlements is expected over the southern West Coast and western parts of the Overberg Districts of the Western Cape until Tuesday.
• Orange level 6 warning: Damaging winds and waves leading to danger to navigation at sea and damage to coastal infrastructure are expected along the coast between Lambert’s Bay and Cannon Rocks until Tuesday.
• Orange level 5 warning: Damaging interior winds leading to damage of formal and informal settlements, power interruptions and closure of some routes due to falling trees are expected over the central parts of the Western Cape and northern and central parts of the Eastern Cape, but expected in the Western Cape until Tuesday.
• Yellow level 4 warning: Damaging winds and waves leading to danger to navigation at sea are expected along the coast between Alexander Bay to Lambert’s Bay and Cannon Rocks to East London until Tuesday.
• Yellow level 2 warning: Disruptive rainfall leading to localised flooding of low-lying bridges, and formal as well as informal settlements is expected over the northern parts of the West Coast, eastern parts of the Cape Winelands and Overberg Districts of the Western Cape until Tuesday.
• Yellow level 2 warning: Damaging winds leading to localised damage of informal settlements, falling trees and localised problems for high-sided vehicles on prone routes are expected in places in the Western Cape and Eastern Cape as well as the central and southern part of the Northern Cape until Tuesday.
• Yellow level 2 warning: Disruptive snowfall leading to loss of vulnerable livestock, disruption of traffic due to icy roads and possible closure of mountain passes is expected over the northern part of the Eastern Cape until Monday.
• Yellow level 2 warning: Storm Surge leading to localised flooding of low-lying coastal areas is expected between Saldanha Bay and Algoa Bay until Tuesday.

–SAnews.gov.za

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The Gauteng Provincial Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Community Safety has raised concerns over infrastructure and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) challenges at the Pretoria West police station.

This following an oversight visit to the station by the committee last week.

“[The] committee uncovered serious infrastructure and ICT challenges that are severely undermining effective policing and service delivery,” the committee said in a statement.

According to the statement, the station currently operates from “three separate office buildings”.

“This fragmented infrastructure arrangement has a direct negative impact on command and control, coordination among units and the overall operational effectiveness of the station due to the significant distance between the buildings.

“This structural challenge compromises the station’s ability to respond swiftly and cohesively to crime-related incidents in an area already facing serious criminal threats.

“Equally concerning is the station’s outdated computer equipment and slow, unreliable network connectivity, which continue to hamper critical administrative functions, delay case processing, disrupt access to essential policing systems and undermine the overall efficiency of law enforcement operations,” the statement read.

Furthermore, the committee was informed on reports of “escalating incidents of hijackings and kidnappings in the precinct, as well as the continued proliferation of illegal scrapyards and hijacked buildings that have become breeding grounds for criminality”.

“Of particular concern is the alarming revelation that a building located adjacent to the police station itself has been hijacked.

“This shocking reality raises serious questions about law enforcement visibility and the broader state of crime control within the precinct.

“The Committee views this as wholly unacceptable and indicative of the urgent need for decisive intervention and coordinated action by all relevant law enforcement and government stakeholders,” the statement continued.

The committee called on the Gauteng Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni to urgently intervene and ensure “immediate remedial action” to address the station’s challenges.

“A police station is the nerve centre of community safety and cannot be expected to effectively combat crime while operating under such unacceptable conditions.

“Communities deserve police stations that are properly resourced, functional and capable of effectively responding to crime. The current state of affairs at Pretoria West Police Station undermines public trust and weakens the fight against crime which is a serious concern to the Committee,” the statement concluded. – SAnews.gov.za

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The Madlanga Commission’s hearings in the week ahead will continue to focus on drug seizures by South African law enforcement agencies, as well as the handling and theft or disappearance of narcotic substances in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.

“This is a continuation of the testimony of several witnesses last week, including the in-camera evidence of Witness H on Friday, 8 May 2026,” spokesperson for the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Criminality, Political Interference and Corruption in the Criminal Justice System, Jeremy Michaels, said on Sunday.

READ | Madlanga Commission hears testimony on Durban harbour drug seizure

The public hearings (11-15 May) will be the last week of public hearings before the Commission breaks from 18 May 2026 to focus on its second Interim Report, which is due to be delivered to President Cyril Ramaphosa on 29 May 2026. –SAnews.gov.za

 

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The South African Local Government Association (SALGA) is calling on the public to actively participate in the process of redefining the next phase of local governance by submitting inputs into the Reviewed Draft White Paper on Local Government. 

The call follows the publishing of the draft document for public comment by the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Velenkosini Hlabisa giving stakeholders three-weeks until 28 May to submit their views. 

The publication of the white paper follows an extensive nationwide consultation process that commenced with the release of a discussion document in April 2025.

READ | Draft White Paper on Local Government out for public comment

SALGA, with the support of the Dullah Omar Institute at the University of the Western Cape, submitted comprehensive proposals to shape the review. 

The Reviewed Draft White Paper is available on: https://tinyurl.com/ycyran3p  

“We support the reviewing the 1998 White Paper on Local Government, which has served South Africa for nearly three decades. While the current system of local government has laid a solid foundation and delivered important gains, it has not consistently worked as intended,” SALGA President Bheke Stofile said on Sunday.
  
Stofile said the association’s focus during the review period has been on on practical, implementable reforms to build on existing strengths while addressing persistent challenges. 

“SALGA’s proposals are designed to transform the system without losing the gains already achieved and to usher in a new era of effective, responsive and accountable local governance,” Stofile said.

Stofile emphasised on the importance of members of the public, civil society organisations, state institutions, traditional leadership structures, business formations, labour, and all interested stakeholders participating in this “defining and historical process which will determine the kind of local governance communities experience in the next decades”. 

The local government association said it is encouraged that a significant number of its proposals have been incorporated in the gazetted draft. 

Key SALGA proposals reflected in the draft White Paper include: 
•    Fit-for-purpose municipal structures – by advocating for the simplification of local government structures, retaining district municipalities mainly in areas with limited capacity and strengthening metropolitan and urban municipalities.
•    Differentiated powers and functions – moving away from a one-size-fits-all model to a system that assigns powers based on municipal capacity, performance and local developmental needs. 
•    Strengthening governance and accountability – through clear role definition between councillors and administration, improved enforcement of ethical standards, and strengthened oversight mechanisms. 
•    Professionalisation of municipal administration – by prioritising competency-based recruitment, reducing political interference, and strengthening performance management systems. 
•    Enhanced community participation and partnerships – by revitalising ward committees, improving transparency, and promoting meaningful engagement with communities and stakeholders. 
•    Improved fiscal sustainability – reinforcing the principle that “funding follows functions”, protecting municipal revenue sources, and strengthening financial management systems. 

Submissions may be sent via email to: WPLG26@cogta.gov.za, RichardP@cogta.gov.za; MaphutiL@cogta.gov.za. 

Alternatively, submissions may be sent by posted to: The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Attention: Mr. Thabiso Richard Plank (White Paper Review), Private Bag X802, Pretoria 0001.   

Submissions can also be delivered in person to:  The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Attention: Mr. Thabiso Richard Plank (White Paper Review), 87 Hamilton Street, Arcadia, Pretoria 0001.

– SAnews.gov.za

 

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The Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Parks Tau, says the transformation of the South African economy is critical and that there is no room for apology in pursuing it. 

Tau made these remarks during a meeting with the Royal Chancellor of the Zulu Nation, Inkosi Malusi Zondi and the Royal Economic Council in Richards Bay on Friday. 

The meeting discussed, amongst other matters, government s interventions on Tongaat Hullet, ArcelorMittal, developments in the Richards Bay Industrial Development Zone and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition’s (dtic) Incentive Schemes, with a particular focus on the Transformation Fund and the Black Industrialists Programme.

The Transformation Fund is expected to mobilise R100 billion that will be aggregated over the five-year term of the current administration through a joint effort between government and the private sector. 

READ | Transformation Fund to drive inclusive economic growth

It will serve as a funding platform wherein inclusive growth is engineered through data, innovation, and partnership, ultimately unleashing the country’s full potential. The Black Industrialists Programme is designed to accelerate the participation of black-owned businesses in the industrial economy.

Tau highlighted government’s commitment to efforts to save Tongaat Hulett (THL) operations. He said the operations needed to continue or else it would collapse the strategic agro-processing asset, and liquidation, unfortunately, threatens the entire downstream and upstream value chain, which would cause devastating economic impact.

“It is in everyone’s best interest to intervene and find sustainable solutions. We believe that Tongaat can be saved, and we must do everything within our means to ensure its recovery, while also safeguarding public funds. Our investments must be deliberate and purposeful. Above all, we remain committed to putting our people first in every effort we undertake,” said Tau.

In addition, Tau said a R200 million financial support package, facilitated through the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), has been provided as a lifeline intervention. 

The funding is intended to sustain operations and prevent immediate collapse, enabling THL to continue operating until at least the end of June 2026. This intervention is aimed at preserving value in the business while a longer-term solution is pursued.

“The date set by the courts provides an opportunity for all parties to come together and find common ground, guided by a commitment to putting people first. 

“On the same note, government is committed to the efforts of saving ArcelorMittal in Newcastle. The view is that it is possible to find partners, and the offer has been made to buy back the operation,” Tau said.

Tau said his department was committed to working with the Zulu Nation and other stakeholders to make sure the province fully participate in the economic activities across all sectors. He added that continuous engagements would take place to make this a reality.

The Royal Chancellor of the Zulu Nation, Inkosi Malusi Zondi, welcomed Tau’s commitment and underscored the importance of saving both Tongaat Hullet and ArcelorMittal.

“We are fully committed to the empowerment as Kings, and to participate fully in the economy. We remain committed to support efforts that will bring new investors and retaining the current ones for the benefit of our people,” he said.

Additionally, Nkosi Zondi welcomed and supported efforts to stop the liquidation of Tongaat, as it will affect small-scale growers.

Furthermore, he said there was a need for further engagement on the way forward, should the court rule in favour of the liquidation, as this would destabilise more than one million rural livelihoods and trigger immediate non-payment to growers and suppliers.

Tau was accompanied by senior officials of the dtic, including Director-General Simphiwe Hamilton, Acting Deputy Director-General of Sectors, Dr Tebogo Makube and the Acting Deputy Director-General of Incentives, Justice Ngwenya.
– SAnews.gov.za

 

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Public Service and Administration Minister, Inkosi Mzamo Buthelezi, has noted the recent announcements by the Government Employees Medical Scheme (GEMS) and organised labour regarding the adjustment of the 2026 contribution increase. 

The Minister said that the period leading up to this outcome was characterised by intensive engagements and, at times, a clear impasse between the scheme and organised labour. 

“On the one hand, GEMS was required to uphold its fiduciary responsibility to ensure the long-term financial sustainability of the scheme. On the other hand, organised labour raised legitimate and urgent concerns regarding affordability and the immediate financial pressures facing public servants,” the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) said in a statement on Friday.

The department said these positions, while valid, resulted in a deadlock that required deliberate and structured intervention. Recognising the potential impact on public servants and the broader stability of the scheme, the Minister, in his capacity as the employer representative, undertook a series of facilitated engagements with GEMS and organised labour. 

“These engagements were aimed at ensuring that neither sustainability considerations nor affordability concerns were pursued in isolation, but rather balanced in a manner that protects both the scheme and its members.   

“Through this process, the Ministry worked to create a platform for constructive and solution-oriented dialogue, ensure that the concerns of workers were meaningfully ventilated and considered, and encourage the scheme to re-examine its position within a broader socio-economic context,” the DPSA said. 

The Minister was encouraged that the engagements had culminated in a revised weighted contribution increase of 7.5%, reflecting movement from the initial position of 9.5% and providing measurable relief to members. 

“It is important to underscore that this outcome was not the result of a single process or perspective prevailing over another, but rather the product of facilitated convergence between parties whose positions had, at one point, significantly diverged. 

“The Ministry believes that this outcome demonstrates the value of active employer involvement in complex socio-economic matters, particularly where the interests of public servants, institutional sustainability, and public confidence intersect. 

“At the same time, the Minister acknowledges that the issues raised during this period, including affordability, governance, cost drivers, and transparency, remain matters requiring ongoing engagement and careful oversight,” the department said. 

In addition, the DPSA will continue to work with all stakeholders to ensure that these matters are addressed in a structured and sustainable manner.

The Minister further emphasises that engagement between GEMS and organised labour must continue to evolve towards a more proactive, transparent, and collaborative model to prevent similar situations in the future. 

The department said it remains committed to safeguarding the interests of public servants while ensuring that institutions such as GEMS remain financially sound, responsive, and aligned to their founding mandate. 

The Minister thanked all stakeholders for their participation in the engagements and urged continued cooperation in the interest of public servants and their families. – SAnews.gov.za

 

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The South African Police Service (SAPS) has confirmed the arrest of two senior officers and a civilian, allegedly linked to the illegal dealing and unlawful possession of precious metals.

This follows an intensive investigation by the Gauteng Counter-Intelligence Operations (GCI-OPS).
The arrests were effected over the weekend by the team who executed a J50 warrant of arrest.

“The suspects were arrested following investigations into allegations of illicit precious metals transactions, corruption, and related offences. These arrests form part of ongoing efforts by law enforcement to dismantle criminal networks involved in the illicit trade of precious minerals and corruption,” the SAPS said in a statement on Sunday.

The suspects are expected to appear before the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court on Monday, facing charges that may include the unlawful dealing in precious metals, defeating the ends of justice, corruption, and contravention of applicable legislation regulating precious metals. – SAnews.gov.za

 

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