Category: South Africa Government

Professor Xanthe Hunt, an Associate Professor in the Department of Global Health at Stellenbosch University and Specialist Scientist at the South African Medical Research Council, has been recognised for her contribution to adolescent mental health research after winning the Distinguished Young Woman Researcher category at the Women in Science Awards on Thursday night.

The Department of Science and Technology holds the annual Women in Science Awards (SAWiSA) to recognise and reward excellence by women scientists and researchers, and profile them as role models for younger women.

The awards were held in Johannesburg on Thursday night.

Hunt, who also serves as the Mental Health Lead at the Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI), was recognised for research aimed at addressing the high burden of mental disorders among adolescents and young people in under-resourced settings.

Her work examines how social, structural and environmental factors shape mental health across the life course, while generating evidence that can be translated into stronger health and education systems.

In 2024, Hunt formally established the Adolescent Mental Health Research Programme at AHRI, creating one of the first large-scale, prospective multidisciplinary research platforms focused on adolescent mental health in Africa.

The programme brings together longitudinal cohort studies, data integration initiatives and participatory research, with an emphasis on co-producing research that can be applied in real-world health and education systems.

Her research has contributed to national and international policy and practice, including South Africa’s basic education sector strategy for psychosocial support. Her work has also contributed to major international evidence syntheses informing adolescent mental health and disability-inclusive programming in low- and middle-income countries.

Hunt holds an NRF C1 rating and has authored 100 peer-reviewed journal articles and more than 11 book chapters. Her work has appeared in leading international publications, including Nature Mental Health and The Lancet HIV*

Beyond her research output, Hunt has played a significant role in developing the next generation of researchers. She has mentored more than 10 early-career researchers and has supervised students at both honours and doctoral level. She currently supervises two PhD students.

She has also received several scientific accolades, including the Stellenbosch University Chancellor’s Medal, awarded to the university’s top graduating student across all faculties in recognition of exceptional academic performance, intellectual leadership, integrity and contribution to the university community.

Hunt’s expertise has also seen her contribute directly to policy and research funding processes. She serves as a technical advisor to the National Department of Basic Education on mental health and psychosocial support, and as a funding reviewer for the Wellcome Trust and the National Research Foundation.

Her recognition at the Women in Science Awards highlights the growing importance of research focused on the mental health of young people in Africa, particularly in settings where health and social resources are limited. – SAnews.gov.za
 

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Seven emerging and established women researchers have been awarded the Professor Keolebogile Shirley Motaung Fellowships at the 2026 South African Women in Science Awards, recognising research spanning marine biodiversity, tax justice, honeybee health, infectious disease diagnostics, forestry, agricultural genetics and astronomy.

The doctoral fellowship recipients are pursuing research with the potential to address some of South Africa’s pressing social, economic, environmental and scientific challenges, while also demonstrating a strong commitment to mentorship, innovation and science communication.

Celebrated annually during Women’s Month, the South African Women in Science Awards recognises and rewards excellence in science, technology and innovation (ST&I) by South African women.

The awards also celebrate outstanding researchers and scientists, whose achievements inspire the next generation of women and girls to pursue careers in ST&I.

The DSTI Fellowships have been renamed in honour of the late Professor Shirley Keolebogile Motaung, one of South Africa’s most distinguished black women scientists and academics.

The DSTI-Prof. Keolebogile Motaung Fellowships are awarded to young women pursuing their master’s and doctoral degrees in recognition of their academic excellence and research potential.

Among the recipients on Thursday night was Makwena Melita Sebone, who is pursuing a PhD in Genetics, specialising in Marine Molecular Ecology, at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), in collaboration with the Oceanographic Research Institute of the South African Association for Marine Biological Research.

Sebone’s research uses DNA metabarcoding of zooplankton communities to map and understand marine pelagic ecosystems along the South African coastline. By combining molecular ecology, bioinformatics and oceanographic data, she is investigating biodiversity patterns and the connectivity and structure of pelagic ecosystems across different oceanographic regions.

Her work could contribute to improved marine conservation, spatial planning and sustainable management of marine resources, particularly as ocean ecosystems face environmental and climate-related pressures. Sebone has already published five peer-reviewed scientific papers and presented her research at national and international conferences.

Associate Professor Jane Ndlovu, an Associate Professor and PhD candidate in Law at Wits University, is examining the intersection of taxation, constitutional law and feminist theory through her research into what she describes as the “care penalty” in South Africa’s tax system.

Ndlovu’s research investigates how apparently gender- and race-neutral tax rules, including the denial of childcare deductions, can create financial barriers for caregivers. She argues that these barriers have a particularly significant intersectional impact on black African women, including women heading households.

Her research seeks to demonstrate how tax policy could instead become a tool for economic protection and empowerment. She hopes the work can help women build the financial security needed to leave abusive environments and contribute to the broader fight against gender-based violence.

At North-West University, Nolwandle Nolen Khumalo is pursuing a PhD in Environmental Sciences focused on the relationship between honeybees, pollen and microorganisms.

Her research investigates how pollen and honeybee-associated microbes are exchanged during sunflower pollination by Apis mellifera colonies, and how these microbial communities influence honeybee health and ecosystem functioning.

Khumalo hopes the research will contribute to the development of probiotics that can help honeybees resist pathogens, improve pollination efficiency and ultimately support agricultural productivity.

Nondumiso Nkosi, a PhD candidate and Junior Lecturer in Medical Virology at Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, is working at the intersection of infectious disease research, diagnostics and innovation.

Her research focuses on viral hepatitis and HIV, with particular attention to hepatitis B virus diagnostics and the detection of occult hepatitis B infection. She is optimising and validating a novel diagnostic assay, HepaSure Diagnostics, designed to enable rapid, decentralised and cost-effective disease detection, including in resource-limited settings.

Nkosi’s research aims to address shortcomings in existing hepatitis B screening approaches and improve access to inclusive diagnostic technologies. She believes the work could help strengthen early disease detection, reduce healthcare inequalities and support locally developed biotechnology innovations.

A patent holder for the novel diagnostic assay, Nkosi has received numerous innovation and scientific awards, including the 2026 Women Shaping IP Award at the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission IP Youth Awards. She also received the Innovation Hub Gauteng Accelerator Programme Medical Award and the Breakthrough Innovation Award at the Vice-Chancellor’s Research and Innovation Awards in 2025.

Vhuhwavho Tshavhungwe, a Lecturer at the University of Venda, is investigating the competitiveness of South Africa’s sawmilling industry as part of her PhD in Engineering Management at the University of Pretoria.

With a Master’s Degree in Forestry and Wood Science, Tshavhungwe has published 10 academic papers across journal articles, conference proceedings and a book chapter. Her research examines how the South African sawmilling industry compares with international competitors and how its competitiveness can be strengthened.

She hopes her findings will support the growth of the sector, benefiting communities located around sawmills while contributing to economic development.

The fellowship recipients also include Victoria Rankotsane Hlokoe, a PhD candidate in Agriculture specialising in Animal Breeding and Genetics at the University of Limpopo.

Hlokoe’s research investigates genetic variations in the GREM1 gene in chickens and their relationship with important egg-production traits, including yolk, albumen, shell and overall egg weight. She is comparing indigenous Potchefstroom Koekoek chickens with commercial Lohmann Brown layers.

The research has a strong rural development focus. Hlokoe aims to help smallholder farmers, many of whom are women, improve egg quality and market value, strengthening household food security and income while increasing access to affordable protein.

Rounding out the doctoral fellowship recipients is Annarien Headley, who is pursuing a PhD in Astronomy at the University of South Africa (Unisa).

Headley’s research explores the physical properties of stars forming in molecular clouds across the Milky Way. Her project examines more than 50 star-forming regions across the galaxy, investigating young stellar objects and how their distribution changes according to their location within the Milky Way.

Preliminary findings from nine regions suggest that the galactic environment may influence the formation of transition disks, with an increase in younger stars and a decrease in older stars with increasing distance from the galactic centre. Headley is now extending the investigation using a larger dataset.

She published a pilot study on star formation scenarios in the Milky Way in New Astronomy in 2026 and presented her research at the 2024 International Astronomical Union General Assembly.

Together, the seven fellowship recipients demonstrate the breadth of research being undertaken by women scientists in South Africa. – SAnews.gov.za
 

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President Cyril Ramaphosa says the success of the Government-Business Partnership will ultimately be measured by whether economic growth translates into jobs, rising incomes and improved living conditions for South African households.

Speaking at the launch of Phase Three of the Government-Business Partnership in Johannesburg on Thursday, the President said the partnership must now move beyond stabilising the economy and implementing reforms towards delivering sustained and inclusive growth. 

“It must be about ensuring that economic recovery is felt not only in improved balance sheets, stronger markets and favourable economic indicators, but in the lives of the South African people,” President Ramaphosa said.

The President said South Africans could not be expected to live on the promise of future economic growth, stressing that the impact of the country’s economic recovery must be experienced in the present.

“Above all, we must act with urgency. South Africans cannot live on the promise of future growth. They need to experience progress in the present.

“They are looking to us to demonstrate that partnership can produce results, that reform can improve lives and that growth can restore hope,” he said. 

President Ramaphosa said Phase Three must convert the progress achieved through the partnership into investment, productive economic activity and jobs.

“Confidence must lead to investment. Investment must lead to production. Production must lead to jobs. And jobs must lead to better lives,” President Ramaphosa said.

The President said the immediate objective was to lift economic growth above 3%, while cautioning that this should not be regarded as the ultimate ambition.

“But growth of 3% cannot be the summit of our ambition. It is a necessary threshold from which we must advance towards higher, sustained and more inclusive growth,” he said.

He said the composition of economic growth was as important as its rate, with the partnership needing to prioritise sectors and businesses capable of creating employment at scale.

“We need growth that is labour-intensive. We need growth that expands our industrial capacity.

“We need growth that supports small and medium enterprises, black industrialists, women-owned businesses and businesses owned by young people. We need growth that reaches rural communities, townships and smaller towns,” the President said.

From crisis management to growth

The Government-Business Partnership was established in 2023, when government and business came together to address some of the most pressing constraints on South Africa’s economic growth, including the energy crisis, deteriorating freight logistics and crime and corruption. 

The partnership brought together government and business expertise and resources to support reforms and restore confidence in the economy.

More than 130 Chief Executive Officers and companies have participated in the partnership through business organisations including Business Unity South Africa, Business for South Africa and Business Leadership South Africa.

Phase One focused on stabilisation, particularly in energy, logistics, and the fight against crime and corruption. Phase Two expanded the focus to implementing reforms and improving the operating environment, with youth employment subsequently added as a priority.

President Ramaphosa said the partnership had demonstrated what could be achieved when government and business combine their respective capabilities around clearly defined national objectives.

“We have learned through this partnership that when we agree on the problem, establish clear priorities, mobilise the necessary expertise and hold each other accountable, we can make meaningful progress,” he said.

President Ramaphosa pointed to the more than a year without load shedding, improved power station performance, progress in freight logistics, the opening of rail infrastructure to private operators and South Africa’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force grey list as examples of progress achieved during the earlier phases.

However, the President cautioned that these gains should not be mistaken for the completion of the reform agenda.

“We cannot declare victory while critical reforms remain incomplete,” he said.

Phase Three targets investment and jobs

Under Phase Three, the partnership’s central framework is Inclusive Growth, Jobs and Confidence, with a greater emphasis on turning improved investor sentiment and economic reforms into tangible economic activity.

The President said government had set a new ambition to mobilise R3 trillion in investment, while structural reforms were being accelerated through Operation Vulindlela in electricity, freight logistics, water, telecommunications and the visa system.

Phase Three will also expand the partnership’s sectoral focus to tourism, agriculture and agro-processing, and mining.

“These sectors have been selected because they have significant potential to attract investment, earn foreign revenue, strengthen localisation and create employment at scale,” President Ramaphosa said.

He identified tourism as a major source of employment across accommodation, transport, food services, entertainment, retail and the creative industries, while agriculture and agro-processing could strengthen food security and create jobs across the country.

Mining, meanwhile, remained a foundation of the economy and presented opportunities linked to growing global demand for critical minerals as countries transition to cleaner energy.

The President said the partnership must ensure that economic opportunities extend beyond established economic centres.

“We must ensure that the benefits of tourism extend beyond the established destinations to our villages, townships, small towns, heritage sites and national parks,” he said.

‘The true measure of reform’

President Ramaphosa said the ultimate test of the partnership would not be the number of reforms implemented or improvements recorded in economic indicators, but the difference those reforms make to ordinary people.

“The true measure of reform is not the number of policies we announce. It is the change that reform produces in people’s lives,” the President said.

He said the partnership had to respond to the realities faced by unemployed young people, small businesses, farmers, workers and communities.

“For a young person who has never held a job, progress must mean an opportunity to work. For a small business struggling to survive, reform must mean reliable electricity, efficient municipal services and access to finance and markets.

“For a farmer, progress must mean water security, functioning roads and railways, effective biosecurity and access to domestic and international markets.

“For workers and communities, growth must mean rising incomes, greater security and a fair share in the country’s prosperity,” the President said.

President Ramaphosa said business also had a responsibility to respond to improved confidence by investing, expanding production, developing local suppliers and creating jobs. 

“Government, for its part, must provide policy certainty, efficient regulation, capable institutions and reliable public infrastructure.”

He said the partnership must continue to operate within the law and in the public interest, with no special favours or privileged access.

“The credibility of this partnership depends not only on what it delivers, but on how it delivers.”

President Ramaphosa said the next phase must therefore be characterised by urgency, disciplined execution, measurable targets and accountability.

“We have shown that we can stabilise. We have shown that we can reform. We must now show that we can grow.

“Let us make Phase Three the phase in which confidence becomes investment, investment becomes jobs and growth becomes shared prosperity,” he said.

The Presidency previously said Phase Three would focus on converting renewed confidence in South Africa’s economic trajectory into sustained economic growth and meaningful job opportunities, while retaining the focus on crime and corruption, youth employment and outstanding energy, transport and logistics reforms. – SAnews.gov.za

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Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau has called for stronger collaboration to implement government’s national industrial strategy aimed at diversifying, decarbonising and digitalising the economy, while positioning the Eastern Cape to attract investment and strengthen its automotive sector.

Tau was speaking at the Export Symposium and Exhibition in KuGompo City in the Eastern Cape, where he highlighted the need for the province to respond proactively to changing global trade requirements and safeguard its position in international markets.

He said the European Union’s (EU) Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and other global trade measures were creating an urgent need for South Africa to adapt its industrial and export strategies.

Tau stressed that decisions in the automotive sector must be taken well in advance, given the long lead times involved in production and investment decisions.

“There is a need to transform our automotive sector’s current difficulties into opportunity, by developing an end-of-life vehicle policy and positioning the province as a leader in the renewable energy space,” he said.

“Our goal should be to drive production in the Eastern Cape and position it as a leading province in decarbonisation by making the industry competitive in the current environment.”

Tau said a coordinated response was also needed to address challenges at local government level, including systematic and structural issues that could undermine investment and industrial development.

He said resolving these challenges would help accelerate economic diversification and the implementation of decarbonisation measures needed to sustain critical industries such as automotive manufacturing.

“It is also important to understand future production decisions in the automotive sector, including energy production and logistics. The EU measures have a significant impact on local government and industries, and that is why I’m emphasising the need for support for our national strategy to address these challenges,” Tau said.

He stressed that the Eastern Cape needed to move quickly to adapt to global environmental and trade requirements if it was to remain competitive and prevent production and market share from shifting to other countries.

“Our response is to make decarbonisation part of industrial policy, and not separate from it. Our new Industrial Development Strategy places decarbonisation, diversification and digitalisation at its centre,” Tau said.

He said government was working with the Industrial Development Corporation and international partners on a steel decarbonisation roadmap, which includes hydrogen-based production pilots, renewable energy integration and a just transition for workers.

Tau also outlined measures to strengthen South Africa’s export capacity, including efforts to expand the mandate of the Export Credit Insurance Corporation of South Africa to serve emerging exporters directly.

The department is also reviewing the National Exporter Development Programme to help develop the next generation of South African exporters.

Tau said these initiatives would be implemented in partnership with the Eastern Cape Provincial Government, the Eastern Cape Development Corporation, Special Economic Zones and industry partners.

The partnerships are intended to convert investment and production opportunities into increased exports, industrial growth and job creation in the province. – SAnews.gov.za

 

 

 

 

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South Africa and Zimbabwe have identified the construction of the Third Limpopo Bridge and the operationalisation of the Beitbridge One Stop Border Post as important projects in translating bilateral partnership into tangible economic outcomes.

International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola said the projects were among key outcomes of the Fourth Session of the South Africa–Zimbabwe Bi-National Commission (BNC), which concluded its Ministerial Segment in Pretoria on Thursday.

“We are encouraged by the decision to identify high-impact priority projects, including the construction of the Third Limpopo Bridge, the operationalisation of the Beitbridge One Stop Border Post, a fertiliser manufacturing plant, regional automotive component manufacturing, platinum group and precious metals value-addition plans, as well as industrial parks or Special Economic Zones,” Lamola said.

He said the two neighbouring economies occupy a strategic position within Southern Africa’s trade and logistics architecture, given their links through the North–South Corridor and the Beitbridge Border Post.

“Our partnership must now translate ambition into implementation,” the Minister said.

Lamola said closer cooperation in transport infrastructure, border efficiency, energy connectivity and the movement of goods and people will strengthen regional integration and support industrialisation across the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

He also called for greater cooperation to expand manufacturing capacity, promote beneficiation of mineral resources, modernise agriculture and strengthen food security, while creating opportunities for small enterprises, women and young people.

The Minister said several agreements will be signed during a meeting of the two countries’ leaders, providing a legal framework for cooperation in various areas.

“These agreements are important because they provide a legal framework for our cooperation in various areas. They will strengthen institutional collaboration, expand trade and investment, promote industrialisation, and deepen regional value chains,” he said.

The BNC also welcomed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on Diplomatic Training, which Lamola said will deepen cooperation between the two countries’ diplomatic academies and help prepare a new generation of African diplomats.

On the economic front, discussions on trade and investment have been particularly robust and called on relevant departments to intensify their engagements to create clear pathways for accelerated cooperation.

He acknowledged that further work and consultation would be required to advance the identified priority projects.

Migration

Meanwhile, the Minister said the two countries have also engaged frankly on migration, with discussions guided by mutual respect, shared responsibility and adherence to international and regional obligations.

“We reaffirm our commitment to managing migration in a lawful, humane and coordinated manner, while unequivocally rejecting xenophobia, vigilantism and all forms of violence directed against foreign nationals,” he said.

Implementation

Lamola said the success of the BNC will ultimately be measured by the implementation of decisions taken and their impact on citizens.

“Our Heads of State rightly expect outcomes that are credible, implementable and capable of improving the daily lives of our citizens,” he said.

To strengthen accountability, the two countries have agreed to deploy an electronic monitoring system to track implementation of decisions taken during the BNC.

“It is therefore incumbent upon all of us to ensure rigorous implementation, effective monitoring and sustained coordination between our respective institutions. I am pleased that we have agreed to deploy an electronic monitoring system to track the implementation of the decisions that we have taken,” Lamola said.

The Minister said the BNC had reaffirmed the strategic importance of the South Africa-Zimbabwe partnership and renewed the commitment to advancing prosperity, stability and sustainable development.

He said the countries’ shared history, geography and aspirations placed a responsibility on both governments to build a partnership that delivers tangible economic results for current and future generations.

READ | Lamola calls for South Africa-Zimbabwe ties to deliver jobs, investment and infrastructure

The Fourth Session of the BNC will culminate in a meeting of the two countries’ leaders on Friday, where several agreements are expected to be signed. – SAnews.gov.za

 

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The eThekwini Municipality has reported steady progress in restoring and strengthening the city’s sanitation infrastructure through extensive repair, rehabilitation and preventative maintenance programmes underway across Durban.

The progress was outlined in an update presented on Tuesday, 18 August 2026, to the Presidential eThekwini Working Group’s (PeWG) Workstream 2 on Water and Sanitation.

According to the municipality, the number of fully functional pump stations has increased from 235 in June to 239, while approximately 80% of wastewater flows lost during the floods have been recovered.

Officials confirmed that work is continuing to restore the remaining flood-affected infrastructure and improve the overall reliability of the city’s sewer network.

“As part of its flood recovery programme, the municipality has implemented approximately 21 sewer rehabilitation projects, spending more than R141 million since 2023. These projects include sewer pipe replacement, construction of pipe bridges, reconstruction of manholes, river crossings, gabion protection and other infrastructure restoration works,” the municipality said.

The city is also undertaking long-term rehabilitation at key wastewater treatment facilities and sewer infrastructure sites, including the Northern, Umbilo and uMhlanga Wastewater Treatment Works.

In parallel, the municipality is refurbishing pump stations and rolling out proactive maintenance programmes aimed at reducing equipment failures and sewer overflows.

The city also continues to advance sanitation interventions in informal settlements and rural areas. These include sewer maintenance and cleaning, the rehabilitation and upgrading of wastewater treatment works, and improving sanitation facilities for residents.

Bathing beaches safe for swimming

Meanwhile, the municipality said the majority of the city’s bathing beaches remain open and safe for swimming, with the latest water quality monitoring results showing low E. coli levels at most beaches.

“The municipality continues to work with national government and other stakeholders through the Presidential eThekwini Working Group to accelerate the recovery and renewal of sanitation infrastructure, while ensuring environmental compliance and reliable services for residents,” it said. – SAnews.gov.za

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South Africa and Zimbabwe must move beyond their strong historical and political ties and translate their bilateral relationship into tangible economic opportunities, including investment, trade, jobs, infrastructure and improved livelihoods.

This was a message delivered by International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola, on Thursday, at the opening of the Ministerial Meeting segment of the Fourth Session of the South Africa–Zimbabwe Bi-National Commission (BNC) in Pretoria. 

The Minister said the two countries had a strong foundation for deeper cooperation, anchored in their shared history and geographical proximity, but stressed that the success of the BNC would ultimately be measured by its impact on the lives of ordinary people.

“Our political relationship is strong. Our historical bonds are deep. Our geographical proximity creates enormous opportunities. What is required now is to convert these advantages into concrete programmes and projects that improve the lives of our peoples,” Lamola said.

He called on Ministers and senior officials from both countries to identify areas where progress could be accelerated and to address obstacles that have delayed the implementation of bilateral commitments.

“Let us ensure that the decisions we take here are supported by clear responsibilities and realistic timelines. The true measure of the success of this Bi-National Commission will be the extent to which our decisions translate into investment, trade, jobs, infrastructure, energy security, food security and improved livelihoods for our peoples,” he said.

The BNC, established in April 2015, serves as the central mechanism for managing and advancing the strategic partnership between South Africa and Zimbabwe.

More than 33 agreements and memoranda of understanding have been concluded between the two countries across various areas of cooperation.

Unlocking economic potential

Lamola identified infrastructure connectivity, energy, agriculture, critical minerals and private-sector investment as key areas where the two countries can deepen cooperation and unlock economic opportunities.

He said South Africa and Zimbabwe are integral partners in the North-South Corridor, with the Beitbridge Border Post serving as a major gateway for the movement of people and goods between the two countries and the wider region.

“We should use this shared geographical and economic advantage to deepen cooperation along the corridor, including through the modernisation and expansion of road and rail infrastructure, the improvement of border management systems, the development of logistics facilities and the strengthening of connectivity with ports and regional markets,” Lamola said.

He also called for stronger cooperation in water security and digital connectivity, saying infrastructure cooperation should extend beyond transport to support communities, agriculture, industry, trade and investment.

The Minister highlighted the agricultural relationship between the two countries, noting that South Africa was Zimbabwe’s second-largest agricultural export market in 2025, with exports valued at approximately US$202 million.

Zimbabwe, meanwhile, was South Africa’s second-largest agricultural export market globally and its largest on the African continent, with exports valued at approximately US$1.1 billion.

Lamola said the two countries should expand their cooperation beyond trade in finished products to include seeds, machinery, agricultural technologies and agro-processing.

“This should form part of a broader effort to develop regional value chains. Our two countries should work together to ensure that the minerals, agricultural products and other resources produced in our region generate greater value within Southern Africa,” he said.

He also urged the countries to pursue greater beneficiation and value addition in the minerals sector, particularly as both are endowed with critical minerals that are increasingly important to the global economy.

Migration and energy cooperation

The Minister also placed migration high on the bilateral agenda, describing the Zimbabwe–South Africa route as one of Africa’s busiest migration corridors.

He said Zimbabwe is the largest country of origin for migrants to South Africa, accounting for approximately 48 percent of the migrant population.

Lamola said the two countries needed to strengthen cooperation on migration management, border governance and the facilitation of lawful movement.

“Safe, orderly and regular migration benefits South Africa, Zimbabwe and the wider region. Together, we must continue to cooperate on migration management, border governance and the facilitation of lawful movement,” he said.

He welcomed the Southern African Development Community’s call for a migration dialogue aimed at addressing the underlying drivers of migration and developing sustainable regional responses.

Energy security was also identified as an important area for closer cooperation, with Lamola calling for collaboration in electricity generation, transmission and regional power connectivity through the Southern African Power Pool.

He said this should include investment in new generation capacity, renewable energy and technologies capable of strengthening the resilience of both countries’ energy systems.

From bilateral ties to regional integration

Lamola said South Africa and Zimbabwe should ensure that their bilateral cooperation contributes to wider regional integration and the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area.

He called for joint initiatives that support SADC priorities, particularly infrastructure development, industrialisation, energy security, food security and regional value chains.

The Ministerial segment will feed into the Heads of State meeting on Friday, when President Cyril Ramaphosa will host Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa for the Fourth Session of the South Africa–Zimbabwe BNC in Pretoria. – SAnews.gov.za 

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The National Treasury has invited public comments on a sweeping regulatory proposal to centralise South Africa’s multi-billion-rand worth of unclaimed financial assets under a newly established central administrator.

In 2022, the estimated value of these assets was R88 billion. Unclaimed financial assets include dormant bank accounts, unclaimed retirement benefits, and unpaid dividends, investment and insurance proceeds. 

“The paper proposes establishing a central administrator for unclaimed financial assets. The administrator would be responsible for record-keeping and tracing of asset owners and beneficiaries. 

“It also considers institutional options for the central administrator, including establishing a new entity or appointing an existing administrator with the necessary scale and capabilities,” National Treasury said in a statement on Thursday.

The proposed reforms aim to improve the identification, tracing and payment of owners and beneficiaries of unclaimed financial assets, while creating a consistent national approach to how these assets are recorded, administered and managed.

It is further proposed that financial institutions currently holding unclaimed financial assets be required to transfer those assets to the central administrator and be invested with the Corporation for Public Deposits (CPD), a subsidiary of the South African Reserve Bank responsible for managing public deposits from various governmental entities.

“This would replace the current fragmented approach with a single, accountable system for consolidating information, improving tracing efforts, standardising record-keeping and safeguarding the unclaimed assets, pending lawful claims by owners and beneficiaries. 

“By consolidating assets on a scale through the central administrator and investment with the CPD, the proposed model should also help reduce the erosion of unclaimed assets due to fragmented administrative costs,” National Treasury said.

The proposed reforms to address unclaimed financial assets will be implemented in phases, commencing with unclaimed retirement benefits and subsequently extending to other sectors.

The paper, titled “A Framework to Centralise Unclaimed Financial Assets in South Africa,”  builds on the Financial Sector Conduct Authority’s (FSCA) 2022 and 2024 reports on unclaimed financial assets. 

National Treasury has invited written comments on the proposals set out in the discussion paper and particularly the discussion questions.

Submissions should be limited to 10 pages and sent to Ms Alvinah Thela at retirementreform@treasury.gov.za by 19 September 2026. –SAnews.gov.za

 

 

 

 

 

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The Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities (DWYPD) has welcomed the launch of Higher Health’s first Comfort Room at Ekurhuleni East TVET College’s Springs Campus.

Higher Education and Training Deputy Minister, Dr Nomusa Dube-Ncube, led the official launch on Thursday, with Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Mmapaseka Steve Letsike delivering the keynote address.

The Comfort Room is designed as a safe, accessible and stigma-free environment where students can pause, speak openly, seek assistance, access information and connect with appropriate support, without fear of judgement or stigma.

Letsike described the initiative as a practical intervention to help students access support for mental health, gender-based violence (GBV), HIV, and other psychosocial challenges.

“The Comfort Room may appear, at first, to be a physical space. But its meaning is much larger than the walls that contain it,” Letsike said.

Letsike said young people often carry personal challenges into institutions of learning, including mental health difficulties, GBV, HIV-related stigma, discrimination, social isolation, financial anxiety, and other psychosocial vulnerabilities.

“A student does not stop being a young woman when she enters a lecture hall. A student does not stop being queer when they register for a qualification. A student living with HIV does not leave stigma at the campus gate.”

She said access to education should mean more than simply entering an institution.

“It must also mean the ability to remain there, to feel safe there, to belong there, to complete a qualification, to transition into the world of work and ultimately to live with dignity,” she said.

Comfort Room offering

The Comfort Room builds on Higher Health’s established peer-to-peer and peer education model, recognising that young people are often more willing to speak to people they trust and with whom they can relate.

The space can support initiatives including Survivor Clubs, which provide peer support, solidarity and pathways to professional assistance for survivors of GBV.

It can also host Transforming Mentalities Clubs, providing space for reflection, accountability and behavioural change, as well as peer forums for young people living with HIV aimed at reducing stigma, improving treatment literacy, and promoting psychosocial wellbeing.

Other support includes mental health and wellbeing conversations, self-risk assessments, counselling referrals and peer-led assistance. The Comfort Room can also facilitate civic and soft-skills learning covering GBV, mental health, HIV, resilience, relationships, and emotional intelligence.

Getting help

Higher Health is the national agency responsible for providing holistic health and wellbeing support to students across South Africa’s post-school education and training sector.

Letsike said the initiative is particularly important in addressing gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), noting that interventions should not only focus on responding to violence after it occurs, but also on prevention, early identification, survivor support and changing harmful social norms.

According to Higher Health, approximately 394,216 students have completed GBV self-risk assessments over the past four years, with more than 20,000 subsequently seeking psychosocial assistance or requesting support.

In mental health, more than 457,000 self-risk assessments have been completed, with approximately 188,651 young people identified as needing or actively seeking psychosocial support.

“Behind every one of those numbers is a human being. Perhaps the most important achievement is not simply that someone received a service. It is that somebody was finally able to say: I need help. Because stigma survives in silence,” Letsike said.

Safety and shaping society

She also stressed that the Comfort Room must remain genuinely inclusive and safe for all students, including lesbian, transgender and HIV-positive students, as well as students with disabilities.

“Safety cannot be majoritarian. If a space is safe only for those whose identities are socially comfortable, then it is not yet a safe space.”

Letsike also linked student wellbeing to broader questions of democracy, human rights and citizenship, urging young people to participate actively in shaping society.

She said citizenship extended beyond voting to include standing against discrimination, supporting peers experiencing mental health challenges, challenging HIV stigma, advocating for accessibility, and holding institutions and leaders accountable.

“The measure of today’s success will not be the ribbon we cut. It will be what happens tomorrow when a student walks through that door. Do they find judgement, or dignity? Do they find bureaucracy, or assistance? Do they find silence, or somebody prepared to listen?” Letsike said.

She said the ambition should be to expand the Comfort Room model across universities, TVET colleges and Community Education and Training colleges throughout the country.

“One successful Comfort Room is an important beginning. But a higher education system in which every young person knows that there is a safe door they can walk through is something much greater.

“It is institutional culture. It is social justice. And, in one small but powerful room, it is the promise of our Constitution becoming real,” Letsike said. – SAnews.gov.za 

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