Category: South Africa Government

Source: Government of South Africa

Call for vigilance as rains batter Gauteng 

Neo
Sun, 11/16/2025 – 10:12

Source: Government of South Africa

City of Tshwane warns of potential flooding as rain pours

NeoB
Sun, 11/16/2025 – 09:56

Source: Government of South Africa

The Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Narend Singh, has emphasised that safeguarding South Africa’s biodiversity requires a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach, anchored by a shared national mission.

“Conservation without people is hollow. True success hinges on inclusive, transformative biodiversity management, where local communities are not just beneficiaries, but co-architects and custodians,” the Deputy Minister said on Friday.

This echoes the objectives of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2050.

It includes four goals for 2050 and 23 urgent, action-oriented targets for 2030, which are designed to address drivers of biodiversity decline, such as habitat loss, pollution and invasive species, and to promote sustainable use of natural resources. 

As part of these efforts, South Africa is aligning its National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) with this framework.

“This point was brought home to me very strongly just this week. I attended the World Tribal Alliance gathering, which brought together traditional leaders from 15 countries. Their indigenous knowledge is remarkable — and too often exploited. At COP16 in Colombia, we cemented the Cali Call for Action to protect Indigenous Knowledge holders and ensure they benefit economically from the remedies, medicines and innovations derived from their heritage,” Singh said.

He made these remarks during the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) South Africa Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Sandton, Johannesburg, which brought together a diverse and influential cross-section of leaders from business, government and civil society, all united by a shared commitment to conserving the natural heritage.

“It is in this spirit that I call on the WWF to champion community-based natural resource management and co-management agreements; drive skills development, enterprise creation, and market access for youth and women, and strengthen access and benefit-sharing so communities thrive from biodiversity-based economies,” he said.

The Deputy Minister expressed concern about transnational wildlife crime and trafficking. 

“This is not just an environmental crisis — it is an assault on our rule of law, security, economy and biodiverse tourism sector. Criminal syndicates embed themselves in communities, diversify their operations, and exploit corruption and porous borders to traffic high-value species. 

“These syndicates are not only involved in poaching — they are also involved in drugs, human trafficking, and other criminal economies. These are mafia-type networks embedded across society. 

“I am informed that the first fight against succulent poaching is supported by the WWF. You have provided dedicated personnel to assist in this area, and for that, we are grateful,” Singh said.

Through the implementation of the National Integrated Strategy to Combat Wildlife Trafficking, which was approved by Cabinet in 2023, government is also doing its part in the fight against wildlife crime. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: Government of South Africa

The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has welcomed a judgment by the Mpumalanga Division of the High Court, which found the Emalahleni Local Municipality guilty of multiple environmental offences under the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) and the National Water Act (NWA).

The ruling follows the municipality’s repeated failure to comply with several directives and compliance notices aimed at preventing sewage spillages into water resources and the surrounding environment. A criminal case was subsequently opened to compel the municipality to halt ongoing pollution.

The court imposed a R650 million fine, with R150 million suspended for five years, on condition that the municipality does not commit further pollution-related offences during the suspension period.

In a statement on Friday, the department welcomed the decision for R500 million of the fine to be allocated to the rehabilitation, urgent refurbishment, and repair of all identified dysfunctional wastewater infrastructure and operations by 2031.

Infrastructure cited in the judgment includes the Klipspruit, Riverview, Ferrobank, (including pump stations, manholes, and network systems), Naauwpoort, Thubelihle and Kriel Wastewater Treatment Works, as well as the Phola and Vilakazi sewer pump stations, along with associated pump stations, manholes and network systems.

The department said the magnitude of the fine reflects the extent of the dysfunctional infrastructure that requires attention.

“It also called on the community to play its part in reducing sewer spillages by refraining from disposing of foreign objects into toilets and sewer lines,” the department said.

As infrastructure vandalism and theft have been identified as major contributors to the dysfunction of wastewater treatment plants and pump stations in the municipality, the department urged the community members to help reduce sewer spillages by refraining from disposing of foreign objects into sewer systems and by protecting public infrastructure from vandalism and theft – both of which have been identified as major contributors to system failures.

“This will help prevent infrastructure damage that leads to sewage spillages and the pollution of water resources and the environment.”

The department also commended ongoing interventions by the Department of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (COGHSTA), including the R309 million refurbishment and upgrade of the Ferrobank Wastewater Treatment Works, funded through the Municipal Infrastructure Grant.

The Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent (MISA) is assisting with the acceleration of this project, which aims to rehabilitate existing infrastructure and increase the plant’s capacity from 12 to 23 megalitres per day (ML/day).

The department reaffirmed its commitment to monitoring the implementation of the action plan to be submitted by the municipality to address dysfunctional infrastructure, curb sewer spillages, and prevent the pollution of water resources and the environment. – SAnews.gov.za
 

Source: Government of South Africa

President Cyril Ramaphosa has confirmed that the G20 Leaders’ Summit will proceed as planned, despite the absence of representation from the United States (US) government.

The President was speaking to the media on the sidelines of the CEO-City Cleanup Partnership Programme held in Kliptown, Johannesburg, on Friday morning.

Recently, US President Donald Trump announced that neither he nor anyone representing that country would attend the global intergovernmental forum to be held in Johannesburg next week.

“[USA] President Trump has decided not to come and he’s pulled out all the US representatives. But we have said that boycott politics never work. If you boycott an event or a process, you… [lose] because the show will go on.

“The summit will go on. We are not going to stop because they are not here. We will continue and we will take fundamental decisions on matters that affect the people of the world,” President Ramaphosa said.

He noted that the G20 represents “up to 80% of the global economy” and that nearly 40 other Heads of State and Government, as well as heads of global organisations, will be at the Summit.

The President added that while South Africa would not want to handover the G20 Presidency gavel to “an empty chair” – the USA will be the next G20 President – there will be a symbolic handover.

“We will probably symbolically hand over to that empty chair and then talk to President Trump and say: even though you are not here, I am now handing over to you the reins of being President of the G20,” he said.

The President emphasised that despite the boycott, the USA remains an “important market” for South Africa.

“We want to engage more with their businesses. Government facilitates the engagement at trade and economic level so we want to continue trading with the businesses of the United States, and with the people of the United States. We export products to that country. 

“The other issues are political and as normal, we will continue to dealing with the political issues. Sometimes you have to talk to people who may not be very friendly to you to advance the interests of your own people. Sometimes you’ve got to do what people may think is unpalatable but I’m prepared to do it to advance the interests of South Africans,” he said. 

On news that Chinese President Xi Jinping’s will not attend the Summit, President Ramaphosa said this is due to scheduling challenges.

“[It is] because of prior commitments… but the Prime Minister [Li Qiang]… will be here.

“President Xi Jinping has been to South Africa six times and that continues to show his commitment to South Africa, and I have great understanding for his busy schedule in China,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: Government of South Africa

President Cyril Ramaphosa has urged the City of Johannesburg to continue the work to revamp the city and bring it to its glory days.

He was speaking during the CEO-City Cleanup Partnership Programme held in Kliptown, Johannesburg, on Friday morning.

The President pushed back on criticism that the drive to restore the city’s golden shine is “flash in the pan” and driven solely by preparations for the G20 Leaders’ Summit taking place at Nasrec next weekend. 

“I have said that many cities around the world…they do tend to use that moment of a summit or conference as an impetus to revamp themselves, to spruce themselves up.

“That is what we all do when we know that there are visitors coming. We clean up, we hide dirt or whatever. But this time, we shouldn’t hide it, we should clean it up,” he said.

President Ramaphosa asserted that the work being carried out in the city will be followed through even after the G20 Leaders’ Summit.

He further emphasised that a city-wide revamp is not unique to only Johannesburg.

“It is not going to be a one-day event. It is going to be that we will want to take through for many months, a year and more because the work to reposition this city is quite enormous, but it is doable.

“Many cities around the world have gone through what we are going through here in Johannesburg. They have revamped themselves and there are big cities with big names and histories,” the President noted.

President Ramaphosa highlighted that as the economic heartbeat of the continent, Johannesburg’s upliftment is critical.

“It is important to restore Johannesburg to its former glory. This is the most important city on the continent.

“We may not be as populace as Lagos, but we are the financial centre of the continent. We have the biggest stock exchange on the continent in Johannesburg, and we’ve got leading corporates that operate here. 

“A word that must be passed to those…involved in running the city is that let us ensure that we execute the plans that we have,” he said. 

The Working Group

In March this year, President Ramaphosa announced the Presidential Johannesburg Working Group (PJWG) in an effort to resolve what he called the “enormous challenges” facing the city.

Now, the President revealed that the working group has faced challenges including city officials “not really paying attention to the work that needs to be done by the working group”.

“All I can say is that in order to get Johannesburg to go up the ladder, we do need everyone’s hands on deck. We do need officials whose job it is – on a daily basis – to do the work that needs to be done.

“Let us fold our sleeves and make our hands dirty. We cannot and must not allow Johannesburg to go down into the doldrums. We must get Johannesburg to reach for the sky,” he said.

The President noted that the venue for the G20 Leaders’ Summit is “ready”.

He added that he’d like to see that the Johannesburg “will be a city that people will remember once they come here”.

“Johannesburg is well known world over and when we emerge from the G20, we will have the Johannesburg declaration in the life of the G20.

“It will be remembered, and I want the memory for Johannesburg to not only be the substantive issues that we are going to address but also to mean that people found Johannesburg a really beautiful city, a clean city and a city that is going somewhere,” President Ramaphosa said. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: Government of South Africa

Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson has hailed this week’s National Construction Summit as a “historic” milestone, saying it reaffirmed government’s commitment to rebuilding South Africa’s construction industry through regulatory reforms, improved project delivery, and stronger accountability.

The 2025 Summit, currently underway in Boksburg, is hosted by the Construction Industry Development Board (cidb), in partnership with the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI).

Held under the theme: “Unlocking Infrastructure Delivery: Raising Construction Industry Performance”, the summit brings together leaders from government, business, labour and civil society to chart ways to improve infrastructure efficiency and industry performance.

Addressing media on Thursday, Macpherson said the summit offered a crucial platform for the public and private sectors to evaluate progress, identify needed changes, and accelerate infrastructure delivery.

He reiterated that government remains focused on delivering infrastructure “faster, smarter and more affordably”, guided by the Construction Action Plan and strengthened new measures, such as an enhanced social facilitation framework.

Macpherson welcomed new labour market data showing that the construction sector accounted for more than half of all new jobs created in the third quarter, demonstrating the sector’s powerful potential to drive economic growth and reduce unemployment.

“The latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey confirms what we have observed on the ground. In the third quarter of this year, 130 000 new jobs were created in construction –over 50% of all new jobs in the economy during that period.

“Since the inaugural summit in Durban last year, when we committed to addressing construction site stoppages to reignite the industry, we have begun to see the green shoots of growth taking root,” the Minister said.

The Minister also reported significant progress in tackling construction site disruptions and extortion, commonly referred to as the construction mafia.

“Since the Durban Declaration signed last year, over 770 cases of construction-related extortion and intimidation have been reported, with 241 arrests and 176 convictions. In KwaZulu-Natal, disruptions have dropped from over 60 incidents per month to fewer than 10, demonstrating the effectiveness of coordinated action between law enforcement, business, and public entities,” Macpherson said.

Chairperson of the cidb, Khulile Nzo revealed that 40 contractors have been deregistered for colluding with some cidb employees to obtain inflated gradings.

“There are too many incomplete projects. Contractors have unfortunately colluded with individuals in the cidb to receive a grading that does not reflect their true competency. We need to be strict,” Nzo said.

Strengthening infrastructure delivery 

Speaking on the last day of the summit on Friday, Public Works and Infrastructure Deputy Minister Sihle Zikalala, reaffirmed government’s commitment to reforming the construction sector, rooting out corruption and ensuring timely payment of contractors.

The Deputy Minister highlighted key government initiatives aimed at strengthening infrastructure delivery, including:
•    Reconfiguration of the Budget Facility for Infrastructure (BFI) to operate four bid windows annually.
•    Launch of a R15 billion infrastructure bond to provide dedicated, affordable financing for projects.
•    Establishment of the Infrastructure Finance and Implementation Support Agency by March 2026 to support project preparation and delivery.
•    Introduction of guidelines on unsolicited bids to accelerate project implementation.

“These measures reflect government’s commitment to enhancing performance, accountability, and inclusive growth within South Africa’s construction sector,” Zikalala said.

DPWI Director-General Sifiso Mdakwe emphasised that a high-performing construction industry ensures that projects are completed on time, within budget and according to specification, where all people associated with the project operate in a safe environment and work in dignity.

“The need for an independent body to oversee and coordinate engineering activities and infrastructure development is becoming more pressing as South Africa grapples with challenges related to urbanisation, climate change, technological advancements, economic growth, and economic transformation.

“The Office of the Engineer General (EG) is envisaged to provide the leadership required to bridge gaps in regulation, ensure compliance with engineering standards, and oversee large-scale engineering projects that are critical to South Africa’s economic growth,” Mdakane said. – SAnews.gov.za