Category: South Africa Government

Cabinet has wished the Class of 2025 well as they prepare for the National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations, which commence on 21 October 2025.

Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, said government acknowledges the dedication of teachers, parents and guardians, whose continued support provides learners with the confidence to excel.

“Cabinet calls on parents and guardians to remain actively involved by motivating and encouraging learners, while also ensuring that they have a supportive and conducive environment for study and preparation at home,” said the Minister at a media briefing on Thursday.

On Wednesday, quality assurance body, Umalusi, expressed full confidence that the country’s examination system is ready for the conduct, administration and management of the 2025 end of year national examinations.

According to Umalusi’s audit report, a total of over one million candidates are registered to sit for various national examinations this year, including more than 900 000 learners writing the National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams under the Department of Basic Education (DBE).

Of these, 766 543 are full-time candidates, while there are a further 137 018 part-time candidates — who wrote in previous years and are seeking to improve their results — who will also sit for the 2025 examinations.

READ | Umalusi expresses confidence ahead of the 2025 final exams

Earlier this week, the Western Cape MEC for Education, David Maynier, said 77 442 candidates are set to sit for the examinations in that province.

READ | Over 77 000 candidates to sit for matric exams in the Western Cape

Meanwhile, the Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube, is expected to lead the NSC Pledge Signing Ceremony with the Matric Class of 2025 at the Harry Gwala High School.

Friday’s ceremony will take place in Khayelitsha in the Western Cape. – SAnews.gov.za

The Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Maropene Ramokgopa, is leading South Africa’s delegation to the G7 Ministerial Meeting on Development.

“Minister Ramokgopa will reassert South Africa’s continued efforts to advance collective and accelerated action to achieve domestic and global development goals. The Minister will also advance the work done by the Development Working Group (DWG) during South Africa’s G20 Presidency, which culminated in the landmark G20 Ministerial Meeting on Development,” said the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation ahead of Friday’s meeting.

The meeting will be held in in Washington DC in the United States of America.

Minister Ramokgopa chaired the G20 Ministerial Meeting on Development, which took place at Kruger National Park in Skukuza, Mpumalanga on 24 – 25 July 2025.

The July meeting adopted by consensus the 2025 G20 Skukuza Development Ministerial Declaration, a call to action on Universal Social Protection Systems and Social Protection Floors, and a call to action on combatting illicit financial flows.

The Minister also delivered the Chair’s Statement on the optimal provision and financing of Global Public Goods, which include emerging principles for international cooperation and a proposal for the establishment of an Ubuntu Commission to take this work forward.

The G7 Ministerial Meeting on Development takes place on the margins of the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group.  In addition to participating in the G7 Ministerial Meeting on Development, the Minister will also participate in bilateral and strategic engagements, said the department. 

The Group of Seven consists of the largest advanced economies namely: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States.

In June, President Cyril Ramaphosa said South Africa views the Group of Seven (G7) as a strategic partner in its efforts to drive climate resilience, promote a just energy transition, and secure value-added investment in its rich mineral resources.

READ | SA views G7 as strategic partner in several areas 

–SAnews.gov.za  

The Minister of Water and Sanitation, Pemmy Majodina, will release a report into the Jagersfontein Tailings Storage Facility failure to the public in due course.

Briefing the media on Thursday, Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said that Cabinet has been briefed on the findings of the technical investigation into the failure which caused devastation to the town of Jagersfontein in the Free State. 

“The Minister of Water and Sanitation, Ms Pemmy Majodina, will release the report to the public. Cabinet is pleased that criminal proceedings have commenced with the accused having appeared in the Jagersfointein Magistrate’s court on 11 September 2025,” said Ntshavheni.

In September, the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), in collaboration with the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), confirmed that criminal proceedings were set to commence following the 2022 tragic collapse of the facility.

The incident claimed the lives of two people.

READ | Prosecution to commence over Jagersfontein tailings dam failure

Meanwhile, Cabinet has also received an update on the developments in South Africa’s oil and gas sector.

Minister Ntshavheni said the country is making great strides towards leveraging gas resources for both power generation and fuel-related purposes and that shale formations in the Karoo Basin are estimated to hold as much as 200 trillion cubic feet of gas resources. 

“The country seeks to accelerate exploration in both on- and offshore markets to unlock the full potential of its oil and gas resources,” Ntshavheni said.

Ntshavheni explained that the ongoing exploration and production include the Virginia Gas Project in the Free State, the Amersfoort and Volksrust Gas Project in Mpumalanga, and the Lephalale Coal Bed Methane Project in Limpopo. 

“These projects hold substantial natural gas and helium resources. The Minister of Fisheries, Forestry, and Environment has finalised the Shale Gas Regulations and they will be gazetted before [the] end October 2025. 

“These Regulations will provide a regulatory framework to control the environmental and safety risks associated with fracking,” the Minister said. 

On the international front, Cabinet condemned the continued conflict in Sudan that has resulted in the killing of estimated 60 civilians of which 17 were children by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on 9 October 2025 in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur in Sudan.

“Cabinet has noted with concern that to date, thousands of civilians remain trapped by the siege of El Fasher which has become the epicentre of indiscriminate attacks by the RSF which is worsening the already dire humanitarian crisis.”

Cabinet welcomed the strengthening of cooperation in the areas of security, intelligence and the formation of a joint economic committee between South Sudan and Sudan.

“Cabinet regards this strengthening of relations as critical for the improvement in regional stability and security,” the Minister said. – SAnews.gov.za
 

South Africa’s fight against HIV/AIDS has received a boost with the USA government’s approval of the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) Bridge Plan (PBP) for South Africa to the value of US$115 million.

The announcement was made by Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni at a post-Cabinet media briefing on Thursday.

Earlier this year, the USA government announced the freezing of global foreign aid funding, dealing a blow to funding that South Africa had been receiving to fight HIV/AIDS.

READ | Treasury allocates emergency funding of R750m towards HIV and TB after US funding cuts

“Cabinet welcomed the approval of the PEPFAR Bridge Plan (PBP) for South Africa to the value of US$115 million for a period of six months from 1 October 2025 to 31 March 2026.

“The PBP is meant to ensure uninterrupted HIV service delivery in South Africa by supporting HIV/AIDS service continuity and prioritising country-specific needs and life-saving impact. 

“Cabinet expressed its appreciation to the government of the United States of America on its commitment to supporting and sustaining progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS,” Ntshavheni said.

She emphasised that now, the responsibility is to ensure that government and the international community’s efforts to fight against the HIV/AIDS pandemic are not “regressed and we can achieve our 0.1% by 2032 with a target of an HIV free society later in that period”.

Furthermore, the Minister updated the nation on the proposed rollout of the HIV prevention drug Lenacapavir, scheduled for release in March or April 2026.

“Lenacapavir is a revolutionary long-acting HIV prevention drug that offers protection for six months with just two annual doses. The initial rollout will focus on 23 high-incident districts across six provinces, targeting approximately 360 high-performing public clinics within these areas.

“The rollout will further bolster government’s fight against HIV and AIDS and our goal to of reducing new HIV infections to below 0.1% by 2032,” she added.

READ | SA to roll out lenacapavir for HIV prevention 

Turning to the discovery of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs and other prescription medications at the horrific bus crash scene at Makhado, Limpopo last Sunday, the Minister indicate that no documentation for medical cargo was found at the scene.

The crash, which took place near Makhado, claimed the lives of some 43 Zimbabwean and Malawian nationals, who were on their way back home from Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape.

“A full-scale investigation has been launched, and law enforcement agencies are also treating this accident as a potential case of pharmaceutical smuggling. The theft of prescription medicines – in particular ARVs – also undermines the fight [for] an HIV free region.”

The Minister warned against the use of stolen medication and the impact it has on the entire region.
“People who are using this [stolen] medication, because they are not continuous, they are going to develop a resistance and thus create a problem for the fight against HIV.”

READ | President Ramaphosa extends condolences following Makhado crash

Cabinet further extended its condolences to the governments of Zimbabwe and Malawi.
“Cabinet further extended well wishes to the 48 injured people who remain in hospitals across the Vhembe District of Limpopo.

“Cabinet is saddened to note that this accident was unnecessary and preventable if road traffic regulations were adhered to and enforced. [Cabinet] has called on all road users, in particular public transport users, to obey the law by using only roadworthy vehicles, avoiding overloading of both passengers and luggage, and driving safely,” Ntshavheni said. – SAnews.gov.za

South Africa is positioning itself as the continent’s digital and investment powerhouse, using its economic resilience and advanced infrastructure to attract global capital and drive Africa’s growth story.

Speaking at the AFSIC – SA Investment Summit held in London on Wednesday, Deputy Minister in the Presidency Kenny Morolong said South Africa is “forging ahead, breaking new ground, and inspiring new ways”, despite persistent global economic headwinds.

“Resilience, reinvention and opportunity are the hallmarks of the South African story. We continue to reform, diversify, and digitise our economy, while driving investment into sectors that power inclusive and sustainable growth,” Morolong said.

Africa’s most diversified economy

With a gross domestic product (GDP) of about R7 trillion (€348.5 billion), South Africa remains Africa’s most globally integrated and diversified economy, underpinned by strong governance, modern infrastructure, and a sophisticated financial system.

The country hosts over 180 Fortune Global 500 companies and leads the continent in digital development. Its digital economy is projected to account for up to 20% of GDP by 2025, almost double its 2020 contribution, driven by rapid growth in fintech, e-commerce, and cloud services.

Exports stand at R2.04 trillion (€101.7 billion) against imports of R1.94 trillion (€97.1 billion) — a balance Morolong said reflects South Africa’s industrial depth and global competitiveness.

Morolong said digital infrastructure is now central to South Africa’s growth strategy, positioning the country as a regional hub for technology and data traffic.

He cited major investments in submarine cable systems such as Seacom 2.0, Equiano, 2Africa, and WACS, which connect South Africa to Europe, Asia and the Americas, as well as the country’s expanding 4G and 5G networks.

The data centre market is also booming, led by firms such as Teraco, Equinix, Africa Data Centres, Vantage, and NTT, which support cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and advanced analytics.

“Our infrastructure investments are laying the foundations of a continental digital corridor that powers innovation, trade, and job creation,” Morolong said.

Investment opportunities across sectors

The Deputy Minister outlined a series of growth opportunities for global investors across South Africa’s digital and green economies, including data centres and cloud services; broadband and last-mile connectivity; 5G-enabled smart infrastructure; e-commerce and logistics; fintech and digital payments; digital skills development, and renewable energy for ICT operations.

Morolong said government’s R900 billion infrastructure pipeline to 2027, together with policy certainty and regulatory reform, has strengthened investor confidence and created a “predictable, innovation-ready environment”.

He emphasised that South Africa’s geographic and economic position gives investors direct access to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) — a market of 1.3 billion consumers with a combined GDP of more than $3 trillion.

He said South Africa’s banking systems, fintech hubs, and ICT networks form a foundation for cross-border innovation and digital trade, with the country serving as both a hub and a launchpad for businesses expanding across Africa.

“As we invest in South Africa, we are also investing in Africa’s shared prosperity. We envision an Africa that trades not only in minerals and commodities, but in data, design, and digital value.”

‘Open and ready for partnerships’

Closing his address, Morolong said South Africa’s commitment to democratic stability, infrastructure renewal, and digital transformation makes it one of the most reliable investment destinations in the developing world.

“South Africa is not merely open for business — we are open and ready for sustainable partnerships.

“Together, we can shape a future where South Africa is not just the gateway to Africa, but the driving force of its digital and industrial renaissance.” – SAnews.gov.za