Category: South Africa Government

The Electoral Commission (IEC) in KwaZulu-Natal says it is fully prepared for the voter registration weekend scheduled for 20 and 21 June 2026, a key milestone in preparations for this year’s Local Government Elections (LGE2026).

Addressing the media at the commission’s provincial offices in Westville, Durban, on Thursday, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Electoral Officer Ntombifuthi Masinga said extensive preparations had been completed to ensure a smooth registration process across the province’s 5 021 voting districts.

The registration weekend follows a ward boundary re-determination process undertaken by the Municipal Demarcation Board (MDB), which resulted in the number of wards in KwaZulu-Natal increasing from 901 during the 2021 Local Government Elections to 921 for the 2026 polls.

Masinga said the increase was necessitated by legislative requirement for the number of registered voters to not exceed the permissible norm for each municipality across in the province.

“During this process, a number of voters were reassigned to different wards and voting districts,” Masinga said.
To ensure affected voters are correctly registered and informed of the changes, the Electoral Commission conducted a targeted communication and registration campaign between 22 and 24 May.

The campaign reached 1 188 affected voting districts across the province and yielded the highest results nationally.

“During this process, the province recorded the highest yield of all provinces, adding 15 689 new voters and updating registration details of 93 224 voters on the KZN segment of the voters’ roll,” Masinga said.
She encouraged voters who may not have been reached during the campaign to verify and update their addresses on the voters’ roll, to ensure they are placed on the correct segment of the voters’ roll.

Affected voters can update their addresses through the commission’s online voter registration portal registertovote.elections.org.za, or by visiting their nearest voting station during the registration weekend.
“This initiative reinforces the Commission’s commitment to an accurate voters’ roll and ensuring all eligible citizens can vote in their correct wards,” Masinga said.

The alignment of voting districts (VDs) to the newly demarcated ward boundaries has also increased the number of voting districts in the province from 4 974 used during the 2024 National and Provincial Elections to 5 021 for LGE2026.

KwaZulu-Natal now accounts for 21% of South Africa’s 23 706 voting districts, the highest share of any province.

Over five million voters registered
According to the latest registration figures, KwaZulu-Natal has 5 764 286 registered voters, representing 20.5% of the more than 28 million voters registered on the national common voters’ roll.

While voter registration levels remain strong, the commission has expressed concern about the participation of younger voters.

Of the 28 million registered voters nationally, approximately 4.5 million are aged between 18 and 29 years. However, the proportion of first-time voters within this age group remains lower than desired.
Masinga said the commission continues to work with a range of stakeholders to encourage and mobilise eligible young people to register and participate in the democratic process.

Women continue to make up the majority of registered voters in the province. According to the commission, female voters account for 3 256 368 of the registered electorate in KwaZulu-Natal, representing 56% of all registered voters.

10 000 registration officials recruited
To support the registration weekend, the Electoral Commission has recruited and trained 10 042 registration officials who will be deployed at voting stations throughout the province.

Masinga said transparency and electoral integrity remained central to the recruitment process.

“In the interest of transparency and electoral integrity, the names of Presiding Officers were shared with political parties, affording them an opportunity to raise objections where there may be concerns regarding the impartiality or suitability of any of these officials,” she said.

The commission has also secured all 5 021 voting stations that will be operational during the registration weekend.
Working closely with government departments and state entities, the IEC has ensured that voting stations will be accessible and equipped with the basic amenities required for efficient operations.

Security arrangements have also been put in place, with the province working closely with security establishments to ensure the registration weekend is held in a secure and conducive environment.
“We are confident that all voting stations will operate efficiently and effectively throughout the registration period,” Masinga said.

The distribution of registration materials, including Voter Management Devices (VMDs), stationery packs, directional signage and document storage boxes, has also been completed in all 44 municipalities.

A total of 7 908 VMDs will be available for use across the province’s 5 021 voting districts, with additional devices allocated to high-volume voting districts to minimise waiting times and improve service delivery.
Masinga said the devices had undergone maintenance and testing to ensure operational readiness.

The VMDs enable real-time citizenship verification, accurate capture of voter information and direct integration with the voters’ roll. In areas where network connectivity is unavailable, data will be stored on the devices and uploaded once connectivity is restored.

All voting stations will be open from 08:00 to 5pm on both Saturday and Sunday to allow eligible citizens to register, re-register or update their registration details. – SAnews.gov.za

The call for a skills revolution in South Africa will remain little more than a talking point unless learners are actively encouraged to enrol at TVET colleges and other post-school institutions.

This is according to Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Nomusa Dube-Ncube, who addressed the launch of the Artisan and Skills Development Centre at Elangeni TVET College in Inchanga, west of Durban, on Friday.

Dube-Ncube called for a renewed effort by government, communities, industry and education stakeholders to elevate the status of vocational education and ensure that skills development translates into meaningful economic opportunities.

“Yesterday [Thursday] at the career expo in Ndwendwe, while interacting with learners in basic education, I had a reckoning with the fact that Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges remain unattractive to our learners,” Dube-Ncube said.

The Deputy Minister said South Africa’s economic future depends on building a strong skills pipeline aligned with the country’s industrial, infrastructure and economic development needs.

She stressed that investment in skills development facilities must be matched by efforts to attract students and ensure institutions fulfil their intended mandate.

“We hold a responsibility to ensure that the money and infrastructural investment of institutions like these do not fall by the wayside. We need this TVET college to action its envisaged mandate, and it is in that hope that every TVET college in the country follows suit,” the Deputy Minister said.

Dube-Ncube described the launch of the Artisan and Skills Development Centre as a significant step towards strengthening vocational training and expanding access to skills that are increasingly in demand in the modern economy.

She said TVET colleges should no longer be viewed as secondary institutions but as central pillars of South Africa’s economic reconstruction and development agenda.

“Today’s gathering must signal a shift in how we understand the role of TVET colleges within the Post-School Education and Training system. It should affirm that these institutions are not peripheral, nor secondary, but are in fact central to our national development agenda and industrial future.” she said.

The Deputy Minister noted that South Africa is transitioning towards an economy driven by advanced manufacturing, logistics, renewable energy, digital transformation and infrastructure development.

In this environment, she said, TVET colleges have a critical role to play in producing the skilled workforce required to support economic growth and industrial competitiveness.

“TVET colleges are not simply training institutions. They are strategic economic enablers,” she said.

Dube-Ncube said education and employment can no longer be treated as separate stages of development, arguing that learning must be directly linked to workplace readiness, productivity and innovation.

The new centre, she said, is expected to provide artisan training, workplace-based learning opportunities, entrepreneurship support, and industry-responsive technical education programmes.

“It represents a decisive shift from training for certification to training for production, employment and enterprise creation,” she said.

The Deputy Minister also highlighted the importance of aligning training programmes with the economic realities of local communities.

She said the centre’s location positions it to support economic activity and skills development in Inchanga, Hammarsdale, Ximba, Nyuswa and surrounding rural and peri-urban communities.

“We must be deliberate in aligning education provision with economic geography, ensuring that training institutions are embedded within growth corridors where skills demand is real, immediate and expanding,” she said.

She called on industry partners to expand workplace placement opportunities, apprenticeships and graduate absorption programmes.

“Training without absorption does not complete the development cycle,” she said. – SAnews.gov.za
 

The Presidential Youth Employment Intervention (PYEI) continues to make significant strides in connecting young South Africans to earning opportunities, with 155 161 new opportunities secured during the fourth quarter of the 2025/26 financial year.

Speaking during a media briefing in Pretoria on Friday, Deputy Minister in The Presidency Nonceba Mhlauli said the intervention remains a key vehicle in government’s efforts to address youth unemployment.

“The PYEI is South Africa’s most comprehensive flagship strategy designed to address the chronic youth unemployment crisis. Launched in 2020 by President Cyril Ramaphosa, the PYEI acts as a multi-sector action plan aimed at transitioning young people from ‘learning to earning’. 

“Rather than replacing existing systems, it coordinates, accelerates, and enhances national efforts across government departments, the private sector, and civil society,” Mhlauli said.

The Deputy Minister noted that the release of the fourth-quarter report coincides with the 50th anniversary of the 1976 youth uprising.

“Today’s progress report comes at a seminal moment as we commemorate the strides made by the youth of 1976 exactly 50 years ago. Let their steadfast courage and sacrifice be a reminder to all young people of South Africa that change only comes about though action,” she said. 

She encouraged young people to participate in the upcoming voter registration weekend.

“We therefore want to encourage all young people to make use of this upcoming open voter registration weekend of the IEC to register to vote. By registering to vote, young people affirm their voice, strengthen our democracy and contribute to building a South Africa that reflects their aspirations, hopes and dreams,” Mhlauli said. 

According to the report, the National Pathway Management Network (NPMN), which serves as the backbone of the intervention, continues to expand its reach. 

More than 5.9 million young people are currently registered on the SA Youth platform, while over 5.36 million are registered on the Employment Services of South Africa (ESSA) system.

Mhlauli said since its launch in 2020, the PYEI has facilitated access to more than 2.5 million temporary earning opportunities through SA Youth and a further 422 667 opportunities through ESSA.

She added that the intervention continues to advance gender inclusion, with over 70% of opportunities accessed through SA Youth being taken up by young women.

Among the key achievements recorded during the quarter was the placement of 18 310 young people into workplace experience opportunities through the private-sector-led Youth Employment Service (YES).

In addition, the Department of Higher Education and Training’s Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) placements programme facilitated 5 005 work-integrated learning opportunities for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) learners and graduates.

The National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) provided 6 085 financial and non-financial enterprise opportunities to young entrepreneurs, while Phase 4 of the revitalised National Youth Service (NYS) recruited an additional 5 272 young people.

This brought the total number of paid service opportunities created through the programme to 138 056 since its inception.

Looking ahead, Mhlauli said Phase 5 of the NYS will recruit a further 100 000 young people across the country.

A major highlight during the quarter was the conclusion of the Jobs Boost Outcomes Fund Pilot, a R300 million outcomes-based financing initiative aimed at supporting youth employment.

As of 30 March 2026, the pilot had enrolled 9 174 young people, achieving 110% of its enrolment target. It also secured 7 044 job placements, exceeding the original target by 54%.

Furthermore, 5 211 three-month sustained jobs had been verified, while 3 795 jobs had been sustained for six months as verification processes continued.

“Most importantly, it proved that outcomes-based financing successfully supports the most disadvantaged, with youth from Quintile 1 schools achieving higher retention rates. Based on these lessons, we are preparing to scale this fund to R1 billion to deliver 20,000 high-quality job placements through a public-private partnership approach,” Mhlauli said.

The Deputy Minister highlighted progress made through the NPMN Innovation Fund, which is focused on expanding opportunities in rural communities.

She said HPSA Southern Africa has enrolled 1 800 young people in KwaZulu-Natal to provide agricultural and animal health services. Of these, 678 are already generating income, collectively recording R1.4 million in sales.

“Already, 678 of these young people are actively generating income, recording R1.4 million in collective sales and proving how targeted innovation can build sustainable self-employment where formal jobs are scarce,” she said.

Looking ahead to the 2026/27 financial year, Mhlauli said government remains focused on expanding quality work opportunities and strengthening partnerships to support young people. – SAnews.gov.za

A councillor at the Thulamela Local Municipality in Limpopo has been arrested on charges of corruption for the alleged attempted bribery of a Special Investigating Unit (SIU) investigator.

According to the SIU, Councillor Netshivhumbe Gumani, who is in office, allegedly offered the investigator some R70 000 in exchange for obstructing justice in an investigation at the Mahikeng Local Municipality.

The corruption busting unit is investigating allegations of maladministration and corruption in Mahikeng concerning to two tenders related to lease agreements.

“The SIU’s forensic analysis revealed suspicious financial flows from the municipality’s service provider to unrelated companies and individuals.

“During the investigation, Gumani first approached one SIU investigator, who refused outright. He then targeted a senior investigator, offering R70 000 to ‘close one eye’ and disregard evidence. On 18 June 2026, during a meeting in Mahikeng, the suspect handed over R10 000 in cash as part of the bribe,” the SIU explained.

A third SIU official from the unit’s headquarters was also approached.

“The SIU had alerted SAPS [South African Police Service] and the Hawks, who authorised an entrapment operation. The suspect was arrested immediately after handing over the cash, and the money was seized and counted in the presence of law enforcement officers.

“The SIU emphasises that its investigators uphold the highest standards of integrity. This case sends a strong deterrent message: corruption will not be tolerated, and those who attempt to corrupt SIU investigators will face the full might of the law,” the SIU stated.

Gumani has appeared in the Molopo Magistrate’s Court in Mahikeng with the case postponed to 29 June for a bail application. – SAnews.gov.za

President Cyril Ramaphosa has officially opened the newly renovated South African Reserve Bank (SARB) Museum, describing it as a place of learning, heritage and national pride that will help South Africans better understand the role of the country’s central bank.

Speaking at the launch of the museum in Tshwane on Friday, the President said the institution will play an important role in educating the public about monetary policy, financial stability and the country’s economic history.

He said that while the work of a central bank is often not widely understood, it has a significant impact on the daily lives of South Africans.

“Yet the work of this institution has a profound impact on the value of the money in our pockets and the stability of the banks that hold our savings. It gives businesses – both large and small – the confidence to plan, to invest and to grow,” he said.

The President congratulated the Reserve Bank for establishing the museum, saying it will help inform and educate the public about the role and history of the institution.

“Through its exhibitions and its dedicated schools outreach programme, we expect the museum to deepen financial and economic literacy in society,” he said.

President Ramaphosa said the museum will provide young people with an opportunity to better understand how economies function and why institutions that safeguard the country’s financial system are important.

“Our young people will be able to walk through these halls and understand how an economy works, how money holds its value and why the institutions that safeguard it matter.”

The President also welcomed the museum’s inclusion of the Reserve Bank’s extensive art collection, which he said reflects the country’s rich cultural heritage.

“As Governor Kganyago has mentioned, the Reserve Bank has a long and proud history of supporting South African artists, having procured thousands of artworks over many years.

“Through this museum, the Bank is giving the public an opportunity to view its extensive art collection in an accessible way.”

Economic stability and the Constitution

The President emphasised the importance of the Reserve Bank in maintaining economic stability, noting that a stable currency and sound financial system are essential for economic growth, job creation and household financial security.

“When inflation is kept in check, it is the poorest who are protected most. It is they who suffer the most when prices spiral and savings erode,” he said.

Credibility

He stressed the need to protect the institution’s credibility and autonomy.

“We must cherish and defend the integrity and independence of the Reserve Bank for it is a national asset built up over many years and trusted around the world,” he said.

The President also paid tribute to the leaders who have guided the institution since the advent of democracy, including former governors Chris Stals, Tito Mboweni and Gill Marcus, as well as current Governor Lesetja Kganyago.

“The high regard in which this institution is held is the result of the work of many dedicated men and women,” the President said. – SAnews.gov.za
 

Deputy Minister in The Presidency Kenny Morolong has urged Mams FM to continue placing young people at the centre of its programming and development initiatives.

This as he handed over upgraded, fully digitised broadcast studios to the community radio station in Mamelodi, City of Tshwane on Friday.

Facilitated by the Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA), the handover was aimed at strengthening community media, empowering local broadcasters and improving access to information at community level.

“Let this studio become a space where future broadcasters are trained, where young entrepreneurs share their ideas, where artists and creatives showcase their talents, and where the next generation of leaders find their voice,” Morolong said on Friday.

Morolong said the upgraded facilities would strengthen the station’s ability to continue supporting the next generation of broadcasters, content creators and entrepreneurs.

“For many young people, community radio serves as the first opportunity to enter the media and communications sector. It provides practical experience in broadcasting, journalism, production, digital content creation and technical operations,” Morolong said.

According to Morolong, the skills gained through community radio help prepare young people to participate meaningfully in the modern economy.

“Through volunteer programmes, internships and training opportunities, stations such as Mams FM become incubators of talent, helping young people gain practical experience that improves their employability and entrepreneurial prospects,” Morolong said. 

He said the station was helping to lower barriers to entry into the creative industries, unlocking opportunities that contribute to skills development, economic participation and job creation.

“Through the installation of a modern on-air studio, a production studio and a power inverter system, the station has significantly improved its operational capacity and resilience. 

“These upgrades will ensure greater reliability, better sound quality and uninterrupted broadcasting even during power disruptions,” the Deputy Minister said.

For listeners, Morolong said the upgrades will ensure continued access to quality programming.

“For the station, they enhance efficiency, sustainability and resilience. For the broader community, new production facilities also open opportunities for emerging artists, musicians, content creators and entrepreneurs to develop their talents using professional equipment,” Morolong said.

Since its launch in April 2011, Mams FM has grown into a trusted and influential community broadcaster, serving as a voice for the people of Mamelodi and the broader Tshwane region.

“Broadcasting on 92.9 FM, the station has built strong connections with its listeners through programming that reflects their realities, aspirations and lived experiences. 

“By celebrating ‘Pitori’ culture, local languages, music and community life, MAMS FM has become a platform for information, dialogue, education, empowerment and the preservation of memory.

“This role is especially important because the history of townships has too often been narrated from the outside, reduced to hardship while overlooking resilience, creativity, leadership and triumph,” the Deputy Minister said.

Morolong said the station helps correct that imbalance by enabling Mamelodi to speak in its own voice.

“Through interviews, commemorations, youth programming, cultural content and community conversations, the station can keep alive the stories of those who resisted oppression, while opening space for today’s residents to imagine and define the future they seek.

“In this way, Mams FM is more than a broadcaster. It is a civic classroom, a cultural archive and a meeting place on air. It connects the liberation history of Mamelodi to the present pursuit of jobs, skills, safety, social cohesion and shared prosperity,” Morolong said.

He added that the station’s greatest strength lies in its ability to bring communities together.

“It provides a space where young people can find inspiration and opportunity, where adults can engage with issues affecting their daily lives, and where the wisdom and experiences of older generations continue to be valued. 

In doing so, Mams FM helps strengthen social cohesion, bridge generational divides and fosters a shared sense of identity and belonging,” the Deputy Minister said. –SAnews.gov.za

In a demonstration of government’s resolve to deal decisively with illegal migration, the Inter Ministerial Committee (IMC) on Migration embarked on a visit to the Lindela Repatriation Centre in Gauteng.

The centre serves as a facility for undocumented migrants and foreign nationals awaiting either verification of their status or deportation from South Africa.

The IMC is led by the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development (DJCOD) and constituted by various departments, including Home Affairs, the SA Police Service, Small Business Development, Department of Defence, International Relations (DIRCO), Employment and Labour, Basic Education and Higher Education and Training.

During the visit to the facility on Friday, Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi said the visit is part of work the IMC is doing to ensure that the reports  received on illegal migration during IMC meetings correlate with the work on the ground.

“Visiting the facility was to check in terms of the facility and its status in terms of being able to cope with the capacity and to understand the demands, the needs and issues we needed to address.

“This facility is not meant to keep people for a long time. It’s… where you pass through. So ordinarily we would want to see not more than 48-hour stay here and if we could have cooperation with the embassies who are in the country where their nationals are here to come and confirm so that we are able to facilitate transportation,” the Minister said.

She added that government will be deepening collaboration between departments to ensure that the centre runs at a higher rate of efficiency.

“For example, Correctional Services and the Department of Home Affairs. Those who have been sentenced prisoners or released to come here, Correctional Services must make sure that they come with their full files of their medical records so that it doesn’t derail…access to their medication.

“Second is the issue of the functioning of the court that needs to be upgraded to meet the minimum standard requirements, support for the judiciary that is here. They currently operate on Fridays.

“We did receive a report that some of the countries [embassies] are not responding. We requested the Minister of International Relations [Ronald Lamola] to help us in particular with Ethiopian nationals and Nigerians,” she stated.

Kubayi added that government, through DIRCO, has requested that those who are at the centre be included in the lists of those who are embarking on voluntary repatriation to their home countries.

“This is part of the work that we are doing. Lindela is the only centre in the country. Everyone is brought here and it is important to look at the capacity of the facility.

“We are happy that now the facility belongs to Home Affairs and is no longer rented. But privately operated. So, it will give us an opportunity to be able to repurpose it properly to be able to meet the requirements,” she noted.

Turning to violent protests and intimidation of undocumented foreign nationals across the country, Police Minister Professor Firoz Cachalia was unequivocal about those taking the law into their own hands.

“The responsibility to enforce our immigration laws is the responsibility of the state. No-one has the legal right to take the law into their own hands to arrest or intimidate undocumented foreign nationals in the country.

“We have seen very ugly incidents in our country where people do take the law into their own hands, assault people and even worse. It’s not acceptable and the message from the Ministry to the police service has been that they have to take action under the law against those who effectively are breaking the law.

“What I can say is that we’re determined to deal with criminality and those who indulge in this kind of action are themselves behaving like criminals,” Cachalia stated. – SAnews.gov.za

Predominantly cloudy and cold conditions are expected over the central and eastern parts of South Africa this weekend as the country marks a voter registration weekend.

The Electoral Commission will open 23 706 voting stations across the country on Saturday and Sunday, 20 and 21 June 2026, with registration stations operating from 08h00 to 17h00. 

According to the South African Weather Service (SAWS), in other areas, conditions are expected to be partly cloudy and cool, although warm weather is forecast in places over the extreme western parts of the country.

SAWS said isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers are expected over parts of the Northern Cape, Free State and North West on Saturday, spreading to include the Eastern Cape, Gauteng and Limpopo on Sunday.

“Some light rain is also possible in places over Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal provinces. In addition, moderate to fresh wind conditions are expected over the central and western interior, with strong wind gusts possible over the northern parts of the Western Cape, northern and western parts of the Northern Cape, as well as the western parts of the North West,” the weather service said.

SAWS has also issued a Yellow Level 1 warning for damaging winds over the northern and western parts of Namakwa District in the Northern Cape, as well as the northern parts of the West Coast District in the Western Cape, from Friday until Sunday afternoon.

The strong winds may cause localised damage to temporary structures and settlements.

They may also affect some travel services, resulting in longer journey times, while high-sided vehicles could experience difficulties on prone routes.

“Members of the public are advised to prepare for cold and windy conditions, particularly across the central and eastern regions of the country. The combination of low temperatures, rain in places, and wind may result in uncomfortable outdoor conditions for those travelling to and from voting stations.

“Citizens are encouraged to dress warmly, allow additional travel time where showers and strong winds are expected, and remain informed by following the latest weather forecasts and warnings issued by the South African Weather Service.”

SAWS urged members of the public and stakeholders to continue monitoring official forecasts and warnings.

The public is also advised to remain cautious of unauthorised or unverified information sources and to refrain from distributing such information further. – SAnews.gov.za