Category: South Africa Government

Source: Government of South Africa

Deputy President Paul Mashatile has announced that President Cyril Ramaphosa will send a delegation to the White House to discuss trade tariffs with United States President Donald Trump’s administration. 

Deputy President Mashatile said the recently announced tariffs could disrupt trade flows and undermine the global competitiveness of the local automotive sector.

As of 8 August 2025, a 30% tariff on all South African goods entering the United States is now in effect.

“We will continue engaging with the USA to identify practical solutions. The President will be sending the delegation once again to the White House to engage with the US administration on this matter,” he said. 

The country’s second-in-command delivered a keynote address at the National Association of Automotive Component and Allied Manufacturers (NAACAM) Show 2025, a premier forum showcasing the capabilities of the domestic automotive component manufacturing sector in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape.

The Deputy President touched on the importance of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement on economic integration and industrialisation, which is projected to draw additional international investment into the African automotive industry.

Creating a single continental market for goods and services could potentially lead to increased trade, investment, and job creation within Africa.

“However, this does not suggest that we do not need other nations as trading partners. We believe in diversifying our investments and engaging in trade with several partners.” 

The Deputy President said Cabinet is committed to protecting the economic interests of the country and is forging ahead toward strengthening the economy and dealing with the triple challenges of unemployment, poverty, and inequality.

“I must highlight that there will be repercussions felt throughout the entire value chain if we do not reach an amicable trade agreement with the White House.” 

He said it was likely that South African suppliers supporting domestic original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) exporting automobiles or integrated systems to the United States will face volume reductions.

“This will put pressure on production planning, employment decisions, and investment choices.” 

In addition, the South African automobiles and components would see a direct rise in the landed cost in the United States market. 

“Because of this, they would be unable to compete with goods from nations that have continued preferential or zero-duty access, such as those in the USMCA (United States, Mexico, Canada Agreement). 

“Overall, the imposed tariffs threaten to disrupt well-established trade flows and weaken the global competitiveness of South Africa’s automotive manufacturing ecosystem.”

However, the Deputy President believes South Africa remains resilient and steadfast in its efforts to grow and protect the economy. 

He called for collaboration between the government and the private sector to address the growing dependence on imports, infrastructural inadequacies, the transition to electric vehicles (EVs), and the issue of a 30% tariff increase.

He praised the NAACAM for investing a lot of resources in improving the localisation, transformation, and supplier development landscape in South Africa.

The automotive industry holds significant potential for shared prosperity through targeted industrial development. The sector plays a crucial role in the gross domestic product (GDP) and employment of the country. 

It is one of the most strategically important and internationally linked industries, accounting for 22.6% of manufacturing output and contributing 5.2% to the nation’s GDP.

The automotive sector employs around 115 000 people in total, with over 80 000 of these employees working in the component sector. In 2024, the component sector exported R62.5 billion of components.

“We must never allow the loss of these gains because of external and internal pressures. I say this with concern because the employment levels in the sector have been under strain due to ongoing economic pressures and reduced production volumes.” 

In the past two years, NAACAM has reported the closure of 12 companies, affecting over 4 000 people. 

The Deputy President believes that the latest unemployment figures are an indication that the nation’s joblessness crisis remains an urgent concern. 

“We need to do more to combat unemployment, which might include improving education and skills to match labour market demands, promoting entrepreneurship and small enterprises, and investing in public employment programs to generate jobs.” 

He told delegates that government is committed to working with various sectors to create employment and improve the living conditions of the people. 

“As the government, we recognise the industry’s significant role and see it as the backbone of our economic growth, promoting industrial development and encouraging innovation.” – SAnews.gov.za 

Source: Government of South Africa

The National Convention Organising Committee says its all systems go for the National Convention, which kicks of tomorrow at the University of South Africa (Unisa) main campus.

The National Convention takes place at Unisa in Pretoria on 15 – 16 August 2025, ahead of the National Dialogue. The National Dialogue itself will take the form of public dialogues across the country in communities and sectors over several months. 

The Convention is also intended to agree on the approach and modalities for the nationwide public dialogues at sectoral and community level. It will also outline and agree on the key themes for discussion in the National Dialogue and establish a Steering Committee. 

The Presidency has described the National Convention as a call to action for citizens to lead an inclusive dialogue on the challenges facing the country.

“Ever since we announced the date of the first National Convention, South Africans from all parts of society have been getting ready to take part in the local conversations that will follow. There is a great desire to get involved and be heard,” President Ramaphosa said last week.

At a technical media briefing at Unisa on Thursday, Sthembiso Sithole, of the National Convention Organising Committee, said over 1 000 delegates are expected to attend the National Convention this week at Unisa’s ZK Mathews building.

President Cyril Ramaphosa will deliver a keynote address on Friday. As part of the Convention, there will be breakaways sessions and there will be no closed sessions, Sithole said.

The Convention brings together representatives from government, political parties, civil society, business, labour, traditional leaders, religious leaders, cultural workers, sports organisations, women, youth and community voices, among others, to chart a way forward for the commencement of the National Dialogue.

Chair of the Convention Organising Committee, Boichoko Ditlhake, confirmed that its all systems go for tomorrow’s National Convention.

“We have many people who wanted to be part of the Convention. Unfortunately, [some] could not make it. We are looking forward to South Africans taking part in the Convention,” he said.

In preparation for the first National Convention of the National Dialogue process, President Cyril Ramaphosa met with representatives of the interim Preparatory Task Team (PTT) on 7August 2025. The task team has been given the responsibility of organising the convention and preparing for the public dialogues that will take place thereafter. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: Government of South Africa

The Deputy Minister of Finance, Ashor Sarupen, has reflected on the importance of policy reforms in South Africa – considering the critical role they play in unlocking economic potential and improving service delivery.

In October 2020, government launched Operation Vulindlela (OV) against the backdrop of deep structural constraints that had, for too long, held back South Africa’s economic potential.

“Our starting point was a clear and deliberate diagnosis: we undertook a root-cause analysis of why our growth had remained stubbornly low for over a decade. This analysis identified a handful of binding constraints that were holding back investment, limiting competitiveness, and undermining productivity across the economy,” the Deputy Minister said on Friday in Johannesburg.  

Sarupen was addressing the launch of the Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) Reform Tracker, an innovative online platform designed to monitor and assess the progress of key government reforms that impact the business environment and economic growth.

The Reform Tracker evaluates nearly 240 reform deliverables across three categories: criminal justice, governance, and economic reforms. 

Each reform is reviewed quarterly and scored based on its progress—whether it’s on track, facing challenges, or encountering critical obstacles.

The BLSA Reform Tracker is expected to complement OV’s own public reporting.

OV is a joint initiative of the Presidency and National Treasury that draws on a small but dedicated technical team embedded in both institutions to accelerate the implementation of structural reforms and support economic recovery.

“The conclusion was that if we could tackle these constraints head-on, we could unlock significant private sector investment, drive job creation, and place the economy on a more inclusive and sustainable growth path,” Sarupen said.

With OV, the Presidency and the National Treasury work alongside line departments, providing targeted capacity, problem-solving support, and political momentum to accelerate delivery. 

Departments remain accountable for implementation, while OV’s role is to clear bottlenecks, maintain focus, and ensure reforms stay on track.

Phase I of OV focused on five priority areas where reforms could deliver high economic impact: Energy security and electricity market reform; freight logistics reform; water-use licensing and bulk water infrastructure delivery; release of high-demand spectrum and modernisation of telecommunications as well as reforms of the visa regime for skills, tourism, and investment.

“These were not chosen at random. Each was the result of detailed economic analysis showing that weaknesses in these areas were at the heart of South Africa’s low growth trap.

“The results of Phase I are clear. In energy, the removal of the licensing threshold for embedded generation opened the way for over 14,000 MW of private generation projects to register with the National Energy Regulator.

“In telecommunications, the successful auction of high-demand spectrum after more than a decade of delay is already enabling lower data costs and network expansion,” the Deputy Minister said.

In water, licensing turnaround times have been cut from more than 300 days to under 90 days. 

In freight logistics, third-party access to the rail network and reforms at key ports are under way. 

Furthermore, a new points-based system for critical skills has been designed for visas, alongside the digitisation of visa processes.

“As Phase I ended, we convened a workshop with departments, the Presidency, National Treasury, and partners to reflect honestly on our progress, our lessons, and the road ahead. 

“The message was clear: while much had been achieved, the work was far from done. The enabling conditions created by Phase I reforms now needed to be deepened into systemic change, and there were other priority areas where reform was urgently needed,” he said.

Phase II of Operation Vulindlela was approved by Cabinet in March 2025 and builds on the achievements of Phase I, deepening reforms in the original priority areas while expanding into new domains that are essential for growth and inclusion.

It was aimed at addressing local government capacity and basic service delivery, spatial integration and housing delivery and digital public infrastructure.

“One of OV’s defining features has been the consistency of the core team and the sustained commitment of implementing departments. This stability has allowed us to maintain institutional memory, build trusted relationships, and keep reforms moving despite political and administrative changes.

“We are now working closely with departments to finalise detailed delivery plans for each Phase II reform. These plans will set clear milestones, assign responsibilities, and define the support needed from OV to remove obstacles. This is the hard work of reform, aligning capacity, resources, and accountability to ensure delivery,” the Deputy Minister said.

Research by the Bureau for Economic Research suggests that fully implementing the original Phase I reforms could raise South Africa’s potential Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate by around 1.5 percentage points above the baseline of approximately 2 percent. 

Reforms are the most direct route to raising South Africa’s potential growth rate, increasing competitiveness, and creating jobs

“Treasury is undertaking its own modelling to estimate the combined impact of Phase II reforms on growth, investment, and employment. This evidence will be critical in maintaining political will and securing the sustained effort required for reform.

“The reforms we are implementing now will define our economic trajectory for the next decade. They demand persistence, collaboration, and an unwavering focus on outcomes. Operation Vulindlela is a vehicle for that focus, which is pragmatic, data-driven, and relentlessly geared toward unlocking growth,” the Deputy Minister said. –SAnews.gov.za

Source: Government of South Africa

Thursday, August 14, 2025

Source: Government of South Africa

Through the Eskom Development Foundation, Eskom has partnered with the South African Red Cross Society (SARCS) to assist 3 668 beneficiaries across 501 Eastern Cape households affected by recent extreme weather conditions. 

This after the region suffered heavy rainfall, flooding and snowfall, leading to fatalities, significant damage to homes and infrastructure, and the displacement of more than 1 500 people. 

Over 3 000 households across the OR Tambo, Amathole, and Alfred Nzo districts have been affected, resulting in serious interruptions to transportation, electricity, and livelihoods. 

Eskom has allocated R2 136 830 from the Eskom Development Foundation to provide vital relief items, including mattresses, blankets, food parcels, hygiene kits, and kitchen utensils to 3 668 individuals. 

Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Eskom Development Foundation, Mologadi Motshele, said these beneficiaries were identified through a coordinated effort involving local ward councillors, disaster management teams, and trained volunteers working with SARCS, ensuring equitable and transparent distribution. 

“Eskom stands with communities during challenging times. This effort embodies our value of Sinobuntu, showing empathy, compassion, and unity with those in need,” Motshele said. 

Motshele said the Foundation’s Strategic Donations Committee approved this relief initiative on 30 June 2025 as part of Eskom’s wider corporate social responsibility efforts. 

“For many families affected, this support represents more than material assistance; it’s a sign that they are supported and hopeful for the future. 

“Eskom’s commitment goes beyond generating electricity. As a responsible corporate citizen, we strive to contribute sustainable value to South Africa. Our success is measured by the positive impact on the lives of South Africans. Beyond infrastructure development and electrification, Eskom supports local economic growth, skills development, and job creation, helping to transform communities nationwide,” Motshele said.

Eskom further extended its heartfelt condolences to those who have suffered loss and renew its commitment to aid in the recovery and rebuilding process. 

About the Eskom Development Foundation 

The Eskom Development Foundation (ESDEF) is a non-profit entity fully owned by Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd. It implements Eskom’s Corporate Social Investment (CSI) strategy, focusing on sustainable development projects across all nine provinces. 

The Foundation leads flagship initiatives in education, health, environmental protection, enterprise development, food security, rural infrastructure, and community upliftment. 

Over the years, ESDEF has consistently worked to improve the well-being of South African communities through targeted CSR programmes. – SAnews.gov.za 

Source: Government of South Africa

The Western Cape Mobility Department is deeply concerned about a significant rise in road fatalities during the first 11 days of August 2025. 

In this period, the provincial department said 52 people have lost their lives, compared to 28 fatalities in the same timeframe last year.

According to the department, fatalities have occurred across urban and rural areas. 

There were 37 deaths on municipal roads, with 15 more recorded on provincial routes. Meanwhile, the pedestrians remain the most vulnerable, with 28 fatalities. 

In addition, the department said passenger and driver deaths have also risen sharply, and motorcycle-related fatalities on municipal roads have been reported for the first time this year.

“The main causes are speeding, alcohol use, unsafe pedestrian crossings, and poor visibility at night. These behaviours put all road users at risk,” the statement read. 

According to the department, from 1 and 11 August, provincial traffic officers conducted 394 integrated checkpoints and roadblocks on high-risk routes. 

They stopped and inspected 60 226 vehicles, which included 3 770 public transport vehicles, and arrested 195 drivers for driving under the influence, with one driver registering a blood alcohol level nearly six times the legal limit.

During this period, the team also recorded a total of 15 824 offences, which included speeding, reckless driving, cellphone use while driving, and seatbelt violations. 

In addition, they discontinued 341 vehicles from use and impounded 46 due to roadworthy issues.

“Fifty-two lives lost in eleven days – that’s 52 families shattered. These aren’t numbers, they’re our neighbours, friends, and loved ones. I’m asking every driver, passenger, and pedestrian – slow down, stay sober, and make the choices that keep us all alive. Let’s make sure no more families must get that devastating call,” Western Cape Mobility MEC, Isaac Sileku. 

The department has since urged drivers to slow down, stay alert, and obey traffic laws, and pedestrians to cross roads only at safe points, stay visible at night, and avoid alcohol near traffic. 

The province is also encouraging all road users to avoid walking on freeways and use safe and legal routes. 

“Road safety is a shared responsibility. Every choice matters, and every life is precious.” – SAnews.gov.za

Source: Government of South Africa

Thursday, August 14, 2025

Source: Government of South Africa

By Morapedi Sibeko

As per Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), population trends: “are never just numbers; they reflect the shifting values, aspirations, and challenges of society at a given moment.”

South Africa’s population data for 2025 tells an intriguing story about how our families are changing. According to Stats SA, the country’s total fertility rate has dropped from an average of 2.78 children per woman in 2008 to just 2.21 in 2025. In plain terms, if current patterns are anything to go by, today’s average South African woman will have just over two children in her lifetime.

The change has been  gradual.

Around 2016, official birth registration records show a notable decline in births.  

The numbers have been declining since 2020. It is a part of a global trend, not limited to South Africa, as several nations record fewer births annually.

The consistent decline in birth rates is no coincidence.  It is a reflection of the economic and social realities shaping people’s choices.

Bringing up a child is a significant financial commitment. Between the cost of healthcare, education, housing, and even the price of nappies, the lifetime expense of parenting can be daunting.

The primary cause of declining birth rates worldwide, according to the UN Population Fund’s State of World Population report, is economic obstacles. 

It warns that an increasing number of people are being denied the freedom to start families because of high living costs, persistent gender inequality, and uncertainty about the future.

This is where constitutional rights matter, says Jacques van Zuydam, who leads the Population and Development Directorate.

South Africa’s Constitution protects women’s reproductive rights, meaning fertility trends should be the outcome of unhindered individual choices by the country’s roughly 30 million women, choices about whether to have children, when to have them, and how many to have.

“If the result of these choices adds up to a decline in the total birth rate, society has to adjust itself thereto.

Social and cultural shifts are also part of the picture.  The typical marriage age is currently in the early 30s in the majority of countries, including South Africa, according to Our World in Data. More people are putting off getting married and starting a family to concentrate on their education and professions.

With better access to family planning and healthcare, women have more control over whether and when they become mothers.

Even as these changes have an impact on demographics, they also represent personal preference and the growth of options for women, something Van Zuydam says should be embraced as part of social progress.

And then there’s the myth that refuses to retire, the idea that the Child Support Grant (CSG) encourages women to have children. The evidence tells a very different story. Research such as Common Concerns and Misconceptions: What Does the Evidence Say? shows that the grant has improved women’s financial independence and decision-making power, but there is no sign it drives higher birth rates.

In fact, with birth rates declining, it’s clear that social grants cannot be the reason women fall pregnant. Supporting this, The Role of Social Grants in Economically Enabling South African Women notes that pregnancies among young women have not been increasing over the past two decades, even as the grant expanded.

Van Zuydam also highlights that lower fertility rates present opportunities: the chance to reap the so-called demographic dividend, if the right investments are made into children and youth; the potential to lower unemployment. If young people are equipped with the skills to join the mainstream economy; and rapid technological advancement, particularly in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. More economic opportunities for women, he says, should also accelerate gender equality and equity.

This tendency has complicated repercussions. Although fewer births would relieve some of the strain on the healthcare and education systems, they also bring up issues with economic growth, the future workforce, and how to care for an aging population.

These are concerns for today, not tomorrow, and they necessitate new approaches to planning, policy, and community support.

South Africa’s declining birth rate should be seen less as a crisis and more as a reflection of changing priorities, economic realities, and an evolving approach to family life.

The real challenge and opportunity is in how we adapt to these changes while ensuring that people have the genuine freedom to decide the size and timing of their families.

*Morapedi Sibeko is Acting Director: Content Development and Events management at the Department of Social Development

Source: Government of South Africa

Thursday, August 14, 2025