Category: South Africa Government

The Provincial Anti-Corruption Investigation Unit in Limpopo has secured a conviction against two police officers, aged 32 and 52, for corruption and defeating the administration of justice.

The duo, stationed at Mahwelereng police station, were found guilty of soliciting a bribe from a suspect’s family in exchange for his release. On 2 January 2023, they responded to a complaint of possession of suspected stolen property at Ga-Molekane village under the Mahwelereng policing area.

“They took a male suspect into custody and drove away with him. [The suspect’s] sister was then contacted and asked to bring R1 000 for his release. She managed to raise R500, which she handed over to the accused along the N11 public road near Molekane village, as instructed.

“However, instead of releasing her brother, they dropped him off at Mahwelereng Mall at Moshate crossing. The suspect was re-arrested by members of the community and taken to the police station, where he was detained,” the police said.

The Provincial Anti-Corruption Unit was alerted of the incident, and an investigation was launched. Colonel Benjamin Mashitisho investigated the matter and subsequently managed to apprehend the two officers on 23 July 2024. 

The duo made several court appearances at Polokwane Magistrate Court and were later each granted R5 000 bail, until they were found guilty on Wednesday, 8 April 2026.

Rapi Prince Sekopana (52) and Thabang Brian Ledwaba (32) were sentenced to four years imprisonment, with two years suspended. The accused will serve a minimum of two years of direct imprisonment and were also declared unfit to possess firearms.

The Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, welcomed the sentence.

“We are resolute in our commitment to root out corruption within the South African Police Service. 

“This conviction sends a strong message that no one is above the law, and we will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that those who undermine the integrity of our organisation are held accountable. Our focus remains on serving and protecting our communities with honesty and professionalism,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za

The Department of Home Affairs has carried out a total of 109 344 deportations over the past two financial years, reflecting a sharp increase in enforcement. 

“Through ongoing campaigns like Operation New Broom, as well as the increasing use of biometric verification tools, we have already increased deportations by 46%,” Home Affairs Minister, Dr Leon Schreiber, said on Thursday in a statement.

The increase highlights intensified law enforcement efforts against immigration violations, underscoring the department’s commitment, alongside its partners, to restoring the rule of law.

In the first year of the current administration, deportations rose by 30% — from 39 672 in 2023/24 to 51 560 in 2024/25. This was followed by a further 12% increase to 57 784 in 2025/26.

Cumulatively, deportations over the two financial years rose by 46%, reaching 109 344 by 31 March 2026.

“These numbers show that we are now reaping the fruits of reforms focused on greater efficiency and intensified enforcement against immigration violators,” the Minister said.

He urged individuals who are in the country illegally to self-deport before being apprehended, warning that deportation could result in being barred from re-entering South Africa legally. 

“While enforcement efforts are clearly yielding fruit and scaling up every year, we remain equally focused on deterrence and modernisation.

“The deployment of drone and body camera technology has already made a difference, while the impending scale-up of the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system will record biometrics for every foreigner who enters our country, dramatically enhancing our ability to detect and arrest anyone who is in South Africa illegally,” the Minister said. – SAnews.gov.za

The Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana, has appointed Thabiso Lucas Thiti as the Director of the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) for a period of five years, effective on 15 April 2026. 

Thiti is expected to continue and deepen the vital work the FIC has done to combat illicit financial flows, organised crime, money laundering, and terrorism financing. 

He takes on this role after South Africa successfully implemented reforms to address anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing, which resulted in a decision to delist the country from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) greylist last October.

“Thiti steps into this role at a pivotal time. We believe he has the requisite skill and experience to lead this critical institution. South Africa’s successful exit from the FATF greylist demonstrated the strength of collaboration between government, regulators, and the financial sector. 

“Sustaining this momentum is paramount, and the FIC has a key role to play to ensure that South Africa’s financial system remains trusted, transparent, and globally competitive,” Godongwana said on Wednesday.

South Africa’s recent exit from the FATF greylist provided a key test for the FIC and the ecosystem of law enforcement agencies and government bodies tasked with safeguarding the integrity of the country’s financial system. 

“SA’s exit from the watch list, in less than three years, provided proof of the rapid reforms that can be achieved when regulators, policymakers, law-enforcement agencies and members of the financial sector cooperate to achieve a clear objective. 

“However, with a mutual evaluation by FATF due later this year, the country must continue to demonstrate progress in the effectiveness of investigations, prosecutions, and sanctions,” the Ministry of Finance said.

The Minister has thanked Advocate Pieter Smit, who has been Acting FIC Director since September 2023, for his diligent stewardship. 

Thiti’s appointment follows a rigorous recruitment process undertaken since 2025 that culminated in a selection panel chaired by Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition,  Zuko Godlimpi, recommending him as the preferred candidate. 

He brings over 20 years of senior executive experience in public service, spanning the trade and industry advisory, the Justice Cluster, national security and intelligence operations, strategic management, and government leadership. 

He is currently the Deputy Director General: Institutional Development and Support at the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, a position he has held since April 2023. 

He also served as Head of the Office of Interception at the State Security Agency (SSA), from 2020 to 2023. 

Prior to that, he held several senior roles within the SSA for over 11 years from 2006 to 2018.

During this time, he was directly involved in strategy, operations, and coordination in the broader criminal justice system. –SAnews.gov.za

North West Premier Lazarus Mokgosi says the provincial government is now operating on a “modern digital foundation built for the future”.

He said this when he outlined progress in the province’s digital transformation programme at a media briefing at Mmabatho Palms Hotel, on Tuesday.

Mokgosi said the province had delivered on commitments made during the State of the Province Address earlier this year, confirming that key digital systems became operational on 1 April 2026. 

He described the shift as a transition from manual, paper-based processes to a fully integrated and automated administrative system anchored by the SmartGov platform, now live across all provincial departments.

Departments are currently undergoing a structured onboarding process that includes training officials and aligning internal workflows with the new system. 

This phased rollout, he explained, is designed to ensure stability while gradually eliminating manual processes and embedding digital operations into daily government functions.

SmartGov will automate a range of administrative and procurement processes, including submissions, approvals, invoice tracking and contract management. 

Mokgosi said this would improve efficiency, enhance transparency and accountability, and create a more predictable environment for businesses, particularly small and emerging enterprises seeking to participate in government opportunities.

He highlighted the introduction of a real-time monitoring and evaluation capability within the Office of the Premier, which will integrate reporting across provincial departments, state-owned entities and municipalities. 

The system will provide live performance data through interactive dashboards, enabling quicker decision-making, improved oversight and early identification of risks.

Mokgosi said the transformation extends beyond administrative systems to the province’s broader digital infrastructure, including the migration from legacy platforms to Microsoft 365 and the adoption of the Microsoft Azure cloud environment.

These changes, he noted, support a more collaborative and mobile workforce while ensuring scalability and resilience for future demands.

Cybersecurity has also been strengthened through advanced endpoint protection measures, while all implementations have been carried out under State Information Technology Agency frameworks to ensure compliance with national regulations.

Beyond government operations, Mokgosi said the initiative aims to drive economic inclusion and skills development through partnerships with Microsoft and Boxfusion. These partnerships will deliver training programmes for public servants, support for local ICT businesses and digital skills development for young people at no cost to the province.

Looking ahead, the next phase will focus on expanding broadband infrastructure to connect government institutions, schools, healthcare facilities and communities. Mokgosi said this would extend digital transformation beyond government systems and into the broader society, forming the backbone of a “Smart Province.”

He described the initiative as the foundation of a North West Digital Government Platform, integrating systems, data, infrastructure and connectivity into a unified ecosystem aimed at improving service delivery and responsiveness.

“The North West Provincial Government is not only envisioning a digital future, we are actively building it, we are implementing it, and we are delivering it,” Mokgosi said. – SAnews.gov.za

The Western Cape Department of Agriculture has approved R22 million in risk reduction funding to provide fodder support to livestock farmers affected by ongoing dry grazing conditions linked to climate variability.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the department said extended periods of limited rainfall have placed significant pressure on grazing veld across several regions, negatively affecting livestock conditions and threatening farm sustainability.

Agriculture, Economic Development and Tourism MEC, Dr Ivan Meyer, said livestock farmers are under real pressure because of prolonged dry conditions.

“This intervention is about acting early to protect herds, livelihoods and grazing resources. We cannot allow short-term climate shocks to undermine the long-term sustainability of agriculture in the Western Cape,” Meyer said.

Meyer said the department is implementing this intervention to reduce immediate pressure on natural grazing resources and stabilise production systems ahead of the winter season.

He said the fodder support forms part of the department’s broader risk reduction strategy.

“By easing pressure on natural grazing now, we help farmers bridge difficult conditions while safeguarding the veld so that it can recover when rains return. Climate variability is no longer a future threat; it is already shaping farming conditions across our province,” the MEC said.

While stressing the need for a decisive government response, Meyer also highlighted the importance of collaboration with farmers to build “resilience into our production systems”.

The department has encouraged livestock farmers to apply for the available relief and to continue implementing sustainable grazing and veld management practices, as part of long-term climate resilience planning. – SAnews.gov.za
 

Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau says the Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) policy remains a critical component of South Africa’s constitutional democracy and the process of rebuilding the country.

The Minister said this when he was in conversation about the overall state of the South African economy and global trading environment at the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation Legacy Breakfast session in Pretoria.

Tau said the people of South Africa would attain freedom once they have been freed from the bondage of economic discrimination. 

“South Africa remains an unequal society. It’s just a reality for our country and until we’ve addressed that challenge, we do need redress measures as an economy.  The issues we need to address are what have been the limitations in implementation, and the truth is that they’ve been on both the policy and execution sides,” Tau said.

“We need to address the specific gaps where application results in a watered-down version of B-BBEE. Instead of dismissing the need for B-BBEE, shouldn’t we be strengthening our policy and implementation instruments to ensure we measure output and outcome. 

“Shouldn’t we be asking questions like how do we reach more people at the level of participation, how do we ensure access to capital,” the Minister said. 

He conceded that some of the challenges that should be addressed in the review process currently taking place are issues about equity and participation in B-BBEE transactions to ensure a wider reach, building industrialisation and industrial capacity amongst black entrepreneurs.

Tau said that it was clear that South Africa was on a path of growth in an environment of renewed economic optimism. – SAnews.gov.za

The Department of Health has welcomed the arrival of the first batch of HIV prevention medicine, Lenacapavir, to the country.

The initial consignment, comprising approximately 37 920 doses, was delivered to the country last week.

“This is part of integrated, differentiated and people-centred HIV prevention services, offering new hope for people who face barriers to existing HIV prevention methods.

“Lenacapavir will boost the country’s efforts to reduce new HIV infections to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 and sustain the HIV response after 2030 in line with the Global AIDS Strategy for 2026–2030,” the department said on Tuesday in a statement.

The official launch date is expected to be announced soon, along with a phased implementation plan.

“This six-monthly injectable arrived in the country last week on Thursday, and it is expected to expand HIV prevention choices, improve adherence, especially amongst the most vulnerable priority groups, including adolescent girls and young women, sex workers, men having sex with men, among others.

“Lenacapavir is a preventive medicine, not a vaccine, considered one of the most exciting HIV prevention advances in years. 

“The Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, is very excited about this development and will, in consultation with the President, announce the date for the launch to be led by the President,” the statement concluded. – SAnews.gov.za

President Cyril Ramaphosa has welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire in the Middle East, expressing hope that it will pave the way for a permanent resolution to the conflict.

Speaking during the Credentials Ceremony at the Sefako Makgatho Presidential Guesthouse in Pretoria on Wednesday, President Ramaphosa said South Africa supports ongoing efforts to end hostilities.  

“We note the current initiatives and ongoing efforts aimed at achieving a comprehensive end to the conflict in the Middle East.

“We welcome the announcement of a ceasefire and are hopeful that it will lay the basis for a permanent resolution of the conflict,” the President said. 

President Ramaphosa reiterated South Africa’s long-standing position that peace should be achieved through dialogue rather than force. 

“South Africa once again calls for dialogue and mediation to prevent further loss of life and destruction of property, and to ensure a just, sustainable and lasting peace,” he said.

South A persfrica hasistently stood at the helm of calls for a ceasefire in the Middle East, maintaining that dialogue remains the only viable path toward a sustainable solution, and that no military intervention can deliver lasting peace. The country has further urged for a universal and unequivocal recognition of United Nations resolutions on peace and conflict resolution, which are meant to advance civilian protection and brokering ceasefire deals. 

In Pretoria today, President Ramaphosa once again called on all countries to uphold international law and respect sovereignty.

“We further call on all countries to respect international law and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations.”

The President said South Africa’s international relations outlook is grounded in the values of its Constitution, including human dignity, equality and freedom.

“As a nation that emerged from a painful past of injustice and inequality, we seek a more just and equitable world order. We seek a global order defined by peace and friendship amongst all the nations of the world,” he said. 

President Ramaphosa stressed that global peace and security should be achieved through cooperation and adherence to international agreements.

“We strive to ensure that global peace and security is secured through dialogue and negotiation and not through force of arms – where international laws, treaties and agreements are upheld and respected,” the President said. 

He added that in a complex and interconnected world, global solidarity, multilateral diplomacy and respect for the multilateral system remains key to addressing challenges such as conflict, poverty and inequality. 

“In a world beset by profound and interconnected challenges – whether they be conflicts, the climate crisis or the proliferation of poverty and inequality – we know that global solidarity and deepening cooperation are our surest means to overcome them,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) forecast indicates that warmer conditions are expected in most parts of the country in the late autumn and winter, while significant rainfall is expected mainly over the southern and eastern coastal parts of South Africa.

In its seasonal climate watch released on Tuesday, the weather service said the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is currently still in a neutral state.

Current predictions indicate a rapid shift over the next few months toward an El Niño state [associated with hotter and drier conditions], with further strengthening expected through spring and into the start of the next summer season.

“Caution is advised, however, as the prediction skill of the ENSO phenomena can be limited during the winter months, and therefore it is highly recommended to keep track of the forecasts during and after winter,” SAWS said.

Above-normal rainfall is expected over the south-eastern and eastern coastal areas during late autumn, with the eastern coastal areas remaining likely to receive above-normal rainfall during the winter season.

“This is likely to bring positive impacts for crop and livestock production. However, the south-western part of the country, which normally receives significant rainfall during the winter season, is expected to receive below-normal rainfall during this period. 

“Therefore, the relevant decision-makers are encouraged to advise farmers in these regions to practice soil and water conservation, proper water harvesting and storage, and other appropriate farming practices,” SAWS said.

The weather service warned that the wetter-than-normal conditions may increase the risk of localised flooding, temporary waterlogging, and poor drainage in vulnerable coastal and low-lying areas, particularly in settlements located near rivers, estuaries, and flood-prone zones. 

Such conditions may elevate the potential for waterborne disease outbreaks, contamination of water sources, and water-related injuries or accidents. 

In contrast, the south-western and southern coastal regions are expected to receive below-normal rainfall during winter, which may place pressure on local water availability and hygiene conditions in some communities if dry conditions persist.

Minimum and maximum temperatures are also expected to be above normal across most parts of the country during autumn and early winter. 

These warmer-than-usual conditions may increase the risk of heat-related illnesses, especially among vulnerable groups such as older persons, young children, people with chronic illnesses, and those working outdoors. 

Elevated temperatures may also heighten exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, increasing the likelihood of sunburn, skin damage, and other UV- related health impacts. 

“Communities are therefore encouraged to remain alert to both heat- and rainfall-related health risks by staying hydrated, limiting unnecessary exposure to heat, using sun protection, avoiding flooded areas, and ensuring safe water and sanitation practices. 

“Health authorities and disaster management structures are advised to strengthen public health messaging and ensure the timely dissemination of heat-health information, flood alerts, and hygiene awareness measures to support preparedness and response,” SAWS said. 

The forecast is updated monthly, and users are advised to monitor the updated forecasts, as there is a possibility for them to change, especially the longer lead-time forecasts.  

“Moreover, farmers are advised to keep monitoring the weekly and monthly forecasts issued by the SAWS. Farmers are also advised to keep monitoring advisories from the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, and make the necessary adjustments accordingly,” the weather service said. –SAnews.gov.za