Category: South Africa Government

Source: South Africa News Agency

Western Cape MEC for Agriculture, Economic Development, and Tourism, Dr Ivan Meyer, has welcomed delegates from across the world to the Future Hospitality Summit Africa which is currently underway in Cape Town.

For over a decade the Future Hospitality Summit Africa – previously known as AHIF – has served as a launchpad for hospitality investment across the continent, driving growth, connecting visionaries, and transforming Africa’s tourism and hospitality landscape. 

The summit, which began on Tuesday at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), gathers global investors, developers, operators, and industry leaders who are dedicated to turning potential into reality. The summit concludes on Thursday, 19 June.

In his address, Meyer emphasised the province’s dynamic role in shaping the future of the hospitality and tourism sectors.

“Cape Town is not just a backdrop; it is a beacon of possibility. But our world-class infrastructure, stable governance, and vibrant economic ecosystem make the Western Cape Africa’s gateway to investment,” Meyer said. 

The MEC also touched on the upcoming Western Cape Investment Summit 2025, which is set to take place from 5-7 November.

This summit serves as a transformative platform aimed at connecting global capital with high-impact opportunities.

Aligned with the province’s Growth for Jobs Strategy, the summit seeks to attract R200 billion in direct investment, to develop an inclusive R1 trillion economy that grows at an annual rate of 3-5% by 2035.

According to the provincial department, the hospitality and tourism sectors are essential components of this vision.

In April 2025, Cape Town’s hotels recorded an impressive occupancy rate of 72.5%, along with a 20.1% year-on-year increase in revenue per available room (RevPAR).

Meanwhile, the luxury properties led the charge, reinforcing the city’s status as a global tourism hub.

The summit will showcase investment-ready projects across nine sectors, with tourism and hospitality offering premium experiences, cultural capital, and tech-driven innovation. 

The gathering will provide streamlined regulatory support, expedited approvals, and direct access to key decision-makers.
Meyer concluded with a call to action to join the Western Cape Investment Summit 2025, aiming to shape the future of hospitality and tourism in Africa.

“Together, we can create jobs, uplift communities, and position the Western Cape as Africa’s investment leader.” – SAnews.gov.za
 

Source: South Africa News Agency

The Electoral Commission of South Africa’s Chief Executive Officer, Sy Mamabolo, says the Party Funding in SA symposium has been convened to assess the implementation and impact of South Africa’s political funding law.

The first-ever symposium on political funding follows four years of implementing the Political Funding Act of 2018, which came into effect on 1 April 2021.

Held under the theme: “Sustaining Multi-Party Democracy through Enhancing Political Funding Regulation in South Africa”, the symposium aims to foster informed dialogue on matters related to the use of money in politics, promote transparency and accountability models, as well as possible reforms to ensure an effective political finance regulatory regime in South Africa.

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Speaking at the two-day symposium held in Durban, Mamabolo on Wednesday said an assessment of the effectiveness of disclosure mechanisms for political parties must be conducted.

“While the [Political Funding Act] was designed to enhance transparency, concerns remain about the opacity of certain contributions, the adequacy of public reporting and the efficacy of the enforcement framework,” he said.

He said they must consider the law’s impact on the promotion of multi-party democracy.  

“As is always necessary in evaluating regulatory frameworks, comparative analysis will be provided to juxtapose our own experiences with regulatory frameworks that… from other democracies around the world.

“I urge all participants, regardless of ideological persuasion, to see this moment not as a burden, but as an opportunity, a chance to improve a law that touches the very soul of our democratic practice,” Mamabolo said.

He said the symposium must evaluate the current framework with a view to providing the policymaker, which is Parliament, with proposals to strengthen the regulatory framework.

“Let our debates be rigorous, but respectful. Let our differences sharpen the outcome, not delay it, and let our unity be in service of something far greater than any single party: our democracy itself,” he said.

The symposium convenes a wide range of stakeholders, including representatives from political parties, Members of Parliament, academia, civil society, media, the business sector, as well as international and intergovernmental organisations. 

In Pictures | Symposium on political party funding in SA 

– SAnews.gov.za

Source: South Africa News Agency

The Eastern Cape Provincial Government is today hosting a Provincial Day of Mourning in honour of the victims of last week’s floods.

Thursday’s ceremony which will take place at King Sabatha Dalindyebo Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) College in Mthatha will bring together government leaders and community members to pay tribute to the lives lost in the storms.

The death toll in the tragedy currently stands at 92, including a teenage girl whose body was recovered along the Mthatha River on Wednesday. The total number of fatalities in Mthatha alone are at 68.

“Mthatha in the OR Tambo District Municipality remain the hardest hit across the province and the number of deceased persons may continue to rise. Progress has been made with the processing of the bodies as 86 bodies have now been positively identified, with 83 collected by family members.

“Five bodies remain unidentified. The Provincial Government is still urging members of the public to report any missing persons at their nearest police station to assist ongoing recovery and identification efforts,” provincial spokesperson, Khuselwa Rantjie said in a statement.

Rantjie said the provincial government continues to work tirelessly to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to 4 308 individuals that have been left homeless across the province.

Processes are underway to ensure the provision of Temporary Residential Units (TRUs).

“Significant progress has also been made in the restoration of critical infrastructure. The OR Tambo District Municipality has reported steady advancements in the restoration of water supply systems. Full restoration is anticipated across all affected areas by Friday, 21 June 2025,” Rantjie said.

READ | Death toll in Eastern Cape floods rises to 90

In the Amathole District Municipality, operations at the Butterworth Water Treatment Works (WTW) have resumed following the successful repairs to the high lift and backwash pumps. Water supply has also been restored in most areas.

However, the provincial government said high-lying communities are still facing limited access as the system stabilises, and this will take some additional time to recover fully.

Authorities continue to monitor the situation and conduct assessments to quantify the full restoration across all affected communities.

Premier Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane has commended South Africans and the world for the provision of much needed support to reach people in dire need.

“We are encouraged by the outpouring of love and support from all corners of the globe. The Provincial Government remains committed to working alongside municipalities, national departments, and civil society to restore dignity and livelihoods across the province,” Mabuyane said. – SAnews.gov.za
 

Source: South Africa News Agency

As of 31 March 2025, total consumers debt owed to municipalities amounted to R416.1 billion when compared to R347.6 billion that was reported in the same period in 2023/24.

This is according to a report released by National Treasury on local government revenue and expenditure for the third quarter of the 2024/25 financial year.

“A total amount of R10.8 billion or 2.6% has been written off as bad debt. The largest component of this debt relates to households and represents 72% or R299.5 billion (73 % or R253.6 billion in the same period in 2023/24 financial year),” National Treasury said on Wednesday.

The third quarter publication covers 257 municipalities on financial information and conditional grant information.

“The government debt accounts for 6% or R24.9 billion (R21 billion reported in the same period in 2023/24) of the total outstanding debtors.

“Total outstanding creditors owed by municipalities as at 31 March 2025 amount to R131.8 billion an increase from R106.7 billion reported in the same quarter in 2023/24. R111.8 billion or 84.8% has been outstanding for more than 90 days,” said Treasury.

Provinces with the highest percentage of outstanding municipal creditors in the category greater than 90 days include the Free State at 94.4%, Mpumalanga at 93.9%, the Northern Cape at 93.8%, and the North West at 84.4%. 

An increase in outstanding creditors could be an indication that municipalities are experiencing liquidity and cash challenges and consequently are delaying the settlement of outstanding debt owed.

“Analysis of the collection rates indicates that while municipalities’ average collection rate on the adjusted budget is 85%, the aggregated actual collection against billed and other revenue is only 63.6 percent. The metros budgeted (adjusted budget) for a 87.9% collection rate and collected only 58.2%. The secondary cities budgeted billing was 86.3% and the actual collection was 69.7%,” it explained.

Municipal spending

As at 31 March 2025, aggregate spending by municipalities was at 64.9% or R432.2 billion of the total adjusted expenditure budget of R665.9 billion.

“Aggregated billing and other revenue was 71.7% or R478 billion of the total adjusted revenue budget of R666.8 billion.

“Capital expenditure was R26.4 billion or 33.6% of the adjusted capital budget of R78.5 billion.

“The adjusted operating expenditure budget was R587.5 billion, of which R405.8 billion or 69.1 per cent) was spent by 31 March 2025.”

Municipalities adjusted their salaries and wages (including remuneration of Councillors) budget from R162.6 billion in the adopted budget to R161.1 billion in the adjusted budget for the 2024/25 financial year, representing a R1.5 billion or a 0.9% decrease. 

The budget for salaries and wages constituted 27.4 % of the total adjusted operating expenditure budget of R587.5 billion. 

As at 31 March 2025, R114.2 billion or 70.9% of the adjusted salary budget was spent.

Conditional Grants

As at 31 March 2025, municipalities were allocated R44.7 billion for direct conditional grants, of which R38.9 billion has been transferred. 

This amount excludes the Equitable Share allocation, Urban Settlements Development Grant (USDG) as a supplementary capital allocation to metropolitan municipalities as well as indirect grants. 

National Transferring Officers (NTOs) reported spending of R25 billion, or 55.9%, while municipalities reported spending of R19.5 billion or 43.7% of the total allocation. 

In comparison, during the same period in the previous financial year, NTOs reported 58.8% against the total adjusted allocation for direct conditional grants, while municipalities reported expenditure of 46.8 %.

“There are several factors that attributed to the overall underspending of the conditional grants by municipalities during the 2024/25 financial year. Some of these factors include late submissions of business and implementation plans which hindered timely implementation, while persistent Supply Chain Management (SCM) challenges disrupted procurement processes. 

“These issues not only affected grant performance in the third quarter but also led to reduced allocations for many municipalities during the adjustment budget process as uncommitted funds were reallocated to better-performing municipalities.

“The impact of these challenges highlights the need for stronger municipal planning, more efficient SCM systems, and stricter enforcement of procurement regulations to prevent similar underspending in the future.”

Treasury said the third quarter infrastructure grant performance presents a mixed picture, with R23.8 billion or 56.3% expended from the R42.8 billion allocation. 

“While showing moderate overall progress, significant disparities exist between better-performing grants and those facing implementation challenges. While this demonstrates moderate progress, the performance varies considerably across different grants, with some showing effective implementation and others lagging behind.

“While some grants such as the Integrated Urban Development Grant (IUDG), Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG) and the Regional Infrastructure Grant (RBIG) demonstrate efficient spending with expenditure over 60% by the end of the third quarter, others like the Municipal Disaster Recovery Grant (MDRG) and the Water Services Infrastructure Grant (WSIG) remain severely underperforming. 

“This inconsistency highlights the need for a more balanced approach in grant management, such as rewarding well-performing municipalities with additional support while imposing stricter consequences for chronic underspending. Without urgent corrective measures, critical service delivery backlogs will continue to worsen,” National Treasury said. 

Further details on this report can be accessed on the National Treasury’s website: www.treasury.gov.za . – SAnews.gov.za

Source: South Africa News Agency

As part of efforts to revitalise South Africa’s proclaimed fishing harbours, government has installed new, high-visibility signage at nine key sites across the Western Cape.

While harbour infrastructure falls under the mandate of other departments, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment remains committed to doing everything within its scope to promote operational efficiency and a welcoming, well-managed environment across all proclaimed fishing harbours.

“These signage upgrades are more than cosmetic. They are a statement of intent. They reflect our department’s commitment to restore dignity, pride and functionality to communities who rely on our working harbours,” the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George, said on Wednesday.

Nine of the Western Cape’s 12 proclaimed fishing harbours now sport newly installed, high-quality signage.

The upgrades reflect government’s visible commitment to revitalising coastal communities.

The following harbours now have new signage in place:

• Kalk Bay – Completed on 18 June 2025.
• Hout Bay – Completed on 18 June 2025.
• Elands Bay – Completed on 16 June 2025.
• Doring Bay – Completed on 16 June 2025.
• Saldanha Bay (Pepperbay) – Completed on 16 June 2025.
• Lamberts Bay – Completed on 14 June 2025.
• St Helena Bay (Sandy Point) – Completed on 12 June 2025.
• Laaiplek – Completed on 12 June 2025.
• Yzerfontein – Initial signage installed on 25 April 2025, with further enhancements planned.

For the remaining harbours — Arniston, Stilbay, Struisbay, Hermanus, Gansbaai and Gordons Bay — site visits have been completed, and signage is prepared for transportation and installation. 

Final installation dates will be announced soon.

The department said close collaboration with local teams is key to ensuring that all remaining harbours soon reflect the same level of visible progress. 

The signage project underscores the department’s broader commitment to rejuvenating fishing communities, promoting sustainable development, and restoring the Western Cape’s harbours as vibrant centres of economic and cultural activity.

“We are determined to uplift and improve our harbours to unlock their economic potential. Our teams are working tirelessly to finalise the remaining installations, and we look forward to celebrating the full revitalisation of these harbours,” the Minister said. –SAnews.gov.za

Source: South Africa News Agency

eThekwini Municipality strengthens ties in UAE to advance smart city

GabiK
Thu, 06/19/2025 – 09:02

Source: South Africa News Agency

KwaZulu-Natal Finance MEC Francois Rodgers has unveiled the province’s new digital Supply Chain Management (SCM) system, which aims to reduce wasteful expenditure, fraud, corruption, and bias in government procurement processes.

Speaking at the official launch in Pietermaritzburg on Tuesday, Rodgers announced that KwaZulu-Natal is the first province in South Africa to implement such system, which is set to be piloted during the management of the province’s R158 billion budget in the 2025/2026 financial year.

Rodgers acknowledged that the province has experienced numerous challenges linked to manual procurement system, which he described as a major source of irregularities.

“Generally, the root of fraud, corruption, irregular and wasteful expenditure can be found in our SCM processes. The implementation of a digital procurement system has become a priority,” Rodgers said.

According to Rodgers, the digital procurement platform implementation may derive in the following benefits:

•    Enforcing transparency and efficiency in procurement processes. Minimizing supply SCM fraud, corruption, bias, and enabling a fair and just environment for all stakeholders involved.
•    Replacing all manual submissions and reduce human errors and the creation of audit trails which will foster accountability at all levels.
•    The electronic system will also foster a culture of openness, empowering suppliers to compete on a level playing field, irrespective of their size or background, whilst ensuring targeted procurement from priority groups. 
•    Reduction of irregular expenditure through effective planning and contract management.
•    Compliance with SCM policies and regulations.
•    The system will allow for budget blocking especially at requisition creation stage.
•    The system will allow for price bench marking to ensure that the province obtains value for money and negotiates based on market prices.

Rodgers said the system has been approved by National Treasury, with full implementation expected to take place between January 2026 and April 2027, in the selected departments.

He said set-up costs are expected to range from R3 million to R5 million, with R20 million already allocated from the funds saved by the MEC through cost-cutting measures and curbing wasteful expenditure.

Provincial data analysis centre 

In another first for KwaZulu-Natal, Rodgers announced that the Provincial Treasury will be setting up a Data Analysis Centre, which will allow the analysis of provincial financial data to enable MECs and all departments’ management to make timeous and informed financial decisions.

Rodgers said the centre will feature a comprehensive financial dashboard, which will allow real-time monitoring of provincial finances by MECs and departmental leadership.

“This tool will allow us to observe total expenditure and revenue collection to address timeously issues of over-spending and under-collection. The dashboard will also enable provincial government leaders to live-monitor human capital trends in all departments.

“The dashboard is imperative to the development of an ethical and capable state. It will also aid in the determination of the quantum of accruals (invoices received and not paid), quantum of debts (monies owed to government), whether governance committees are meeting and whether all invoices are paid within 30 days,” Rodgers said.

He added that through the dashboard, the provincial government will be able to tell the extend of critical vacancy rates across government departments. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: South Africa News Agency

After ending a 27-year wait to win an International Cricket Council’s Test Championship (ICC), the national men’s cricket team, Proteas Men, have only just started to build momentum towards a culture of winning.

In a thrilling final against Australia, the Proteas Men secured a historic victory with a five-wicket win on day four at Lord’s in England on Saturday. This was the first senior Men’s trophy since the 1998 ICC Knockout victory.

“We hope that this can be the start of a lot more of these trophies. As much as we have achieved what we achieved in the past 18 – 24 months, this is not a big legacy as of yet. We will speak again in two to three years. We want to start a culture of winning trophies for the country,” Proteas men’s Captain Temba Bavuma said in Johannesburg at a media briefing.

The men’s national cricket team received an electrifying welcome with jubilation, song and dance from supporters on their arrival at OR Tambo International Airport, on Wednesday morning. 

“Seeing so many people welcome us at the airport was quite overwhelming. It was different from the last time we came back from the world cup in 2023. You don’t really realise what you have done until you start to interact with people. 

“To see the emotion, to hear the things they have got to say; it gives you an insight into what we have done. As a team we are proud that we have been able to achieve something like this, but we are even happier that we have made our people proud,” Bavuma said.

READ | Cricket world champions arrive home 

This marked South Africa’s first-ever appearance in a World Test Championship Final, and their triumphant performance signalled a landmark achievement for the nation’s cricketing history. 

This as Australia, currently ranked number one in the ICC Men’s Test Team Rankings, entered the final as favourites and defending champions. 

The Proteas, ranked second, rose to the occasion and delivered a memorable performance, cementing their status as one of the world’s elite test sides.

The Captain expressed how the team’s journey has not been an easy one.

“As a team we have our story. It wasn’t a simple and easy one. We have overcome a lot and managed to get to where we are. The biggest thing is that we have embraced everything that means to be a South African,” he said.

The cricket team hopes this inspires budding cricketers and the nation.

“Similarly to them, in their quest, their journey for what they want to achieve, as long as they keep having that passion, keep pushing against what people think is the unachievable.

“We have been confident enough that we have been playing good cricket.  We have been getting ourselves in a position where we can be in finals. Just like with anything, you got to keep going and keep being relentless.

“There was always that belief that at some point the harder we knock on that door, that it was going to happen,” Bavuma said.

He said the beauty about international cricket is that there is always more games to play.

“There’s the Zimbabwe tournament that leads into the start of the new test cycle [which] we will be setting our eyes on what we want to achieve over there. There is always something that we are working towards, it’s a legacy that we want to achieve [and] and trying to put together as a team. 

“The legacy is not done yet. For now, we want to enjoy what this moment has brought to us,” Bavuma said.

Cricket South Africa’s (CSA) head of national teams, Enoch Nkwe, said this victory will have a huge impact on generations to come.

He said this restores a lot of faith and belief in South African cricket. 

“We look at this format as a foundation to key fundamentals to other formats and the growth of cricket, not only in South Africa, but globally. What is encouraging is this is going to motivate a 15-year-old. We are going to ensure from behind the scenes that will continue to build these building blocks through this format,” Nkwe said.

The Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, said the team’s win gives the nation hope.

“People should see themselves when they watch our national teams, and that is what we are doing in cricket. They are following in the footsteps of rugby. We are a socially cohesive country [and] a rainbow nation, and you can see this.

“We are the best sporting nation in the world. We have the strongest women and men in the world. We have the fastest runners, the best soccer players, [and] we have the best rugby players and cricket team,” the Minister said.

The Proteas men’s head coach Shukri Conrad also expressed his joy at the warm reception the team received upon their arrival at the airport.

“I am absolutely ecstatic to see people come out in their hundreds. It makes this win even more special. We won a few days ago but it hasn’t sunk in. To get a reception like this… it starts to sink in. The guys have been great, but the fans have been better,” Conrad said. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: South Africa News Agency

The eThekwini Municipality’s Water and Sanitation Unit will intensify measures to enhance water management through various key initiatives, including the installation of strategic Pressure Reducing Valves (PRVs) in key network zones of the city.

This came during an Executive Committee (EXCO) meeting held on Tuesday, where several resolutions were adopted to accelerate implementation and respond to current challenges facing the municipality.

During the meeting, the municipal leadership approved measures aimed to accelerate implementation and address current water service delivery challenges facing the municipality.

During the meeting, management from the Water and Sanitation Unit presented an action plan aligned with the city’s Water Turnaround Strategy, which aims to reduce non-revenue water until it reaches acceptable standards.

The municipality said the installation of PRVs is a critical component in managing water pressure effectively and reduce incidents of bursts and leaks, which result in excessive water losses.

“Other initiatives in the action plan include maintenance of PRVs, installation of water restrictors, rehabilitation and refurbishment of district metered areas, performance-based contracts for leak detection and repairs, and installation of data loggers and trunk main pressure sensors,” the municipality reported after the meeting.

These initiatives are currently at the procurement process.

Strategic partnership with academic institutions renewed

The EXCO meeting also approved the renewal of a three-year Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with leading academic institutions, aimed at pursuing a common developmental research agenda to support policy development and improved service delivery.

The new MoA, effective from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2028, includes partnerships with the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT), Stellenbosch University (SU), and the University of South Africa (UNISA).

Supporting the agreement, Chairperson of the Governance and Human Capital Committee, Nkosenhle Madlala, said the agreement will position eThekwini as a responsive and learning-oriented city.

“It is through such partnerships that we will be able to co-create solutions to our most complex developmental challenges, while ensuring that our policies are grounded in rigorous research and real-world insight,” Madlala said.

Parties are to contribute funding jointly to facilitate priority research deemed strategic and collaborative. The co-funding model will form basis of shared responsibility using the ratio 1:1.

The municipality’s financial contribution will be as follows:
•    2025/26 financial year: R500 000.
•    2026/27 financial year: R1 000 000.
•    2027/28 financial year: R 1 500 000.

Two committees will be established to achieve effectiveness under this partnership, including the Research and Operations Committee, and the Steering Committee. – SAnews.gov.za
 

Source: South Africa News Agency

The Sedibeng District Municipality in Gauteng will be the next stop in the national campaign to create awareness about the Spaza Shop Support Fund.

This as an interactive session is set to take place at the City Hall, in the Vereeniging Central Business District, on Friday.

This leg of the campaign will offer spaza shop owners and township-based convenience store operators critical information on how to apply for both financial and non-financial support under the R500-million fund that was launched by Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau and Small Business Development Minister Stella Ndabeni in April.

READ | Government launches R500 million Spaza Shop Support Fund 

The fund is aimed at increasing the participation of South African owned spaza shops in the townships and rural areas retail trade sector.

The national campaign, spearheaded by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) and the Department of Small Business Development (DSBD), follows successful engagements held in KwaZulu-Natal, Northern Cape, North West, Mpumalanga and Limpopo. 

At these events, township-based entrepreneurs gathered in large numbers to learn how they can access support from the fund.
The initiative is implemented in partnership with the Small Enterprise Development and Finance Agency (SEDFA) and the National Empowerment Fund (NEF) which are agencies of the DSBD and the dtic, respectively. These entities are responsible for administering the fund.

The campaign aims to bolster the township economy by supporting South African-owned spaza shops and other township convenience stores through:
•    Access to affordable stock via delivery channel partners,                                                                                                                   
•    Infrastructure upgrades including shelving, refrigeration and security, Point of Sale devices,
•    Training programmes covering business skills, digital literacy, compliance, credit health and food safety, and partnerships with local manufacturers, black industrialists and wholesalers to improve supply chain inclusion.

“These efforts are geared toward increasing the competitiveness of township businesses and ensuring they play a significant role in the broader retail sector. 

“The campaign also promotes bulk buying and the use of locally produced goods, helping spaza shops lower operating costs while improving access to quality products,” the dtic and the DSBD said in a joint statement on Wednesday.

Friday’s session is expected to get underway at 9am. – SAnews.gov.za