Category: South Africa Government

Minister of Water and Sanitation Pemmy Majodina has assured that there will be full accountability for the R53 billion allocated for the implementation of Phase II of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP).

“We will account at the right time. When the project is completed, the books will be audited… We will be transparent to both countries, showing what has been done and how much has been spent. If contingency funds were used, we will account comprehensively,” Majodina said.

The Minister was speaking to media on Monday during the second day of an oversight visit to Lesotho to assess progress on LHWP Phase II.

As part of the oversight programme, Majodina visited the newly upgraded Katse Lodge, which now has 81 rooms, including single quarters and dormitories, as well as conference facilities. She also toured the Botanical Garden, campsite and caravan park, Tunnel Access Adit, and the Katse Dam.

While acknowledging delays in the project’s completion, Majodina said some challenges were unavoidable.

“Some of these challenges are common to construction projects anywhere in the world. Lesotho receives a lot of rain, and when rainfall is excessive, work has to stop. Employees are withdrawn from sites because there is nothing that can be done,” she said.

She noted that delays were experienced particularly on feeder roads and housing construction. “We cannot build when it is raining,” she added.

Despite some challenges, the Minister said government was satisfied with how the project is being managed.

South Africa ‘not stealing water’

Meanwhile, Majodina has dismissed claims that South Africa is stealing water from Lesotho, emphasising that South Africa pays royalties for the water it receives under the LHWP agreement.

Her comments come amid opposition from some quarters in Lesotho, who argue that the project benefits South Africa at the expense of the host country.

“We want to [assure] all Basotho that we are not stealing any water here. We are paying royalties on a monthly basis. But those royalites were not meant for a particular village, but for the country [as a whole] .

“They go to the national fiscus and get distributed in accordance with the plan of the government of Lesotho, and we don’t enter into that space. What we do is to meet our requirement of payment,” the Minister said.

Majodina said South Africa and Lesotho are close to finalising discussions on hydropower arrangements linked to the project.

“While we are paying royalties, the question is how Lesotho will pay for hydropower services on our side,” she said.

She confirmed that Minister of Electricity and Energy, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, is expected to visit Lesotho soon, as the Bi-National Commission (BNC) has set a deadline for progress reports ahead of its next meeting.

“By now I am certain that we are going to give a more positive report to the BNC,” Majodina said. – SAnews.gov.za

President Cyril Ramaphosa has cautioned against misinformation and false narratives that seek to portray South Africa as a deeply divided society, warning that such narratives are designed to sow fear, hatred and division. 

Speaking at the National Day of Reconciliation commemoration at the Ncome Museum in Nquthu on Tuesday, President Ramaphosa said there are individuals and groups, both inside and outside the country, who deliberately misrepresent the state of race relations and democracy in South Africa.

“There are those who are trying their utmost to paint a false picture of us as the South African people,” he said.

The President said detractors often ignore evidence showing that most South Africans remain hopeful about the country’s democracy and believe race relations have improved since 1994.

“They do not show the pictures of African, white, Indian and coloured children learning together, studying together and playing together. They do not want to talk about the friendships, neighbourliness and kindness shown by black and white towards each other,” he said.

President Ramaphosa pointed to everyday examples of social cohesion, including cross-cultural friendships, shared communities and young South Africans embracing each other’s languages, music and traditions.

“They don’t want to play all the social media clips we are seeing of young Afrikaners in veldskoens dancing to amapiano, and white teenagers speaking fluent isiZulu with their friends.

“Our country’s detractors are not talking about successful land restitution, communities sharing the land and successful black farmers. Instead, they are painting a false picture designed to sow fear and hatred,” he said.

He urged South Africans not to allow misinformation to undermine unity, stressing that the country’s diversity should be a source of strength rather than division.

The President reiterated the importance of the National Dialogue process, which aims to bring together all sectors of society to forge a shared vision for the future.

“No person, no group and no community must be excluded from that dialogue. Let us use the National Dialogue to resolve our differences and to find common ground,” he said.

President Ramaphosa said open engagement and honest conversation were essential to addressing South Africa’s persistent challenges, including poverty, inequality, crime, corruption and gender-based violence.

“We must not try to hide our differences. We must speak about them and continue to work to bridge them,” he said.

Reflecting on the historical significance of Ncome the President said hosting the 2025 commemoration at the heritage site reaffirmed South Africa’s commitment to transforming painful symbols of the past into platforms for dialogue, healing and shared nationhood.

Ncome Museum is a tribute to the Battle of Ncome of 16 December 1838, where thousands of Zulu warriors lost their lives defending their land. 

“As we continue and together build our nation as South Africans, there will be no one who will be able to plant the seed of discrimination and exclusiveness amongst us,” President Ramaphosa said. – SAnews.gov.za 

President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on South Africans to reaffirm their commitment to reconciliation, unity and nation-building, saying the country’s democratic foundation was built on choosing healing over vengeance.

Delivering the keynote address at the national commemoration of the Day of Reconciliation at the Ncome Museum in Nquthu on Tuesday, President Ramaphosa said the 16th of December remains a powerful moment for the nation to confront its painful past honestly while committing to a shared and peaceful future.

“This year, we return to eNcome not to reopen old wounds, but to reaffirm our promise to future generations that South Africa shall never again be divided by hatred, injustice or exclusion,” the President said.

The commemoration took place under the theme: “Reaffirming Reconciliation for Future Generations” and was led by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, in partnership with the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government. 

President Ramaphosa reflected on the Battle of Ncome in 1838, where thousands of Zulu warriors lost their lives defending their land. He said the day symbolised the complexity of South Africa’s shared history. 

“Commemorating the 16th of December provides us with an opportunity to confront our past with honesty, acknowledge the complexities of our shared history and commit ourselves to building a peaceful future together,” he said.

He recalled the many historical events that marked brutal repression against black South Africans, including Sharpeville, Langa, Boipatong and the political violence that engulfed KwaZulu-Natal in the 1980s and 1990s.

Despite centuries of dispossession and oppression, the President said South Africans chose reconciliation at the dawn of democracy.

“Where others wanted to break, they chose to build. Where others wanted to sow division, they chose reconciliation,” he said, quoting former President Nelson Mandela’s call to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.

President Ramaphosa emphasised that reconciliation remains an ongoing process, noting that poverty, inequality, crime, corruption and gender-based violence continue to undermine social cohesion.

“For as long as the majority of black South Africans live in poverty, for as long as inequality persists, our country will not find true reconciliation. Our pursuit of inclusive economic growth and job creation, our efforts to reduce poverty and bring down the cost of living, are essential for reconciliation.

“We cannot be reconciled as a people if our communities are terrorised by criminals and deprived of what is due to them by corrupt officials,” he said.

He also called on men to play a decisive role in ending violence against women and children, urging them to “harness the warrior spirit” to protect the most vulnerable in society.

“Real men do not abuse women and children. Real men protect women and children,” the President said.

President Ramaphosa concluded by encouraging South Africans to use the festive season to reconcile within families and communities, saying healthy families are the foundation of a healthy nation.

“Our pursuit of inclusive economic growth and job creation, our efforts to reduce poverty and bring down the cost of living, are essential for reconciliation. 

“We cannot be reconciled as a people if our communities are terrorised by criminals and deprived of what is due to them by corrupt officials,” the President said. – SAnews.gov.za 

As we bask in the holiday spirit and festive cheer, our collective reflection at the sunset of 2025 should also acknowledge how far democratic South Africa has come.

While spending time with family and loved ones is a hallmark of the December break, it is also a time at which the country commemorates Reconciliation Month which, includes Reconciliation Day.

Today, the nation marks National Reconciliation Day to promote social cohesion, healing, unity and nation-building. 

Commemorated since December 1995, Reconciliation Day and Reconciliation Month aim to promote reconciliation and national unity. Although the terms “nation-building” and “social cohesion” form part of our everyday vocabulary, they are more likely to be used more at this time of the year, when the country reflects on its painful apartheid past.

December is also the month that saw the country’s first democratically elected President, Nelson Mandela, sign the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa into law on 10 December 1996. The Preamble of the Constitution refers to “build[ing] a united and democratic South Africa able to take its rightful place as a sovereign state in the family of nations”.

But what exactly is nation-building?

“Nation-building imagines South Africa at a grand level, and we try to develop a certain sense of national identity.   That kind of national identity is drawn from different elements. If you look at Japan or Sweden, for instance, they largely speak the same language, and largely have the same culture, although Sweden has a few other elements,  such as indigenous people.

“At one level you can build a nation around what they call a core-ethnic identity and that becomes the Japanese national identity. On the other hand, the school I belong to is called a constructed national identity. This isn’t only in Africa or post-colonial countries. 

If you look at even France and Italy, for the longest of time, there wasn’t a thing called France or Italy. You had these different principalities of provinces. Then there was the Italian unification movement that created Italy. The leader of that movement famously said that ‘now that we have created Italy, let us create Italians,’ because until then, people saw themselves as Neapolitan. So that’s a constructed identity,” Dr Yacoob Abba Omar said in an interview with SAnews.

Omar, who is an expert on national identity and sovereignty, is one of the commissioners of the National Planning Commission (NPC). The Commission is an independent advisory body and think tank appointed by the President. The Commission is also the custodian of South Africa’s National Development Plan (NDP): Vision 2030. 

“In our case, the Constitution, the (national anthem), sports teams and our heraldry are part of building the nation,” he said.

Omar described social cohesion as an individual’s day- to-day experiences of other people.

“Social cohesion is a tougher one, It is your day-to-day experiences of other people, and it is not just South Africans. You live with migrants, tourists and all kinds of people and you try and develop social cohesion. 

“Social cohesion happens at the most grassroots levels, It happens at the individual level. It happens in the learning of another South African language, for example. So, it’s at an individual and at a community level, and obviously it impacts the national level,” he explained.

He added that the nation-building project at a national level reinforces social cohesion at community and individual levels.

Mixed bag 

He added that South Africa’s social cohesion efforts are somewhat of a mixed bag.

“I think it’s a mixed bag in many ways. At one level, the fact that we’re still together as a country is very important. Let’s not underplay the importance of that because remember when the Constitution was adopted, there were so many people that wanted to split the country up into an independent Western province and that kind of thing.

 “I’m not saying those threats have gone away. They are still there, but we are still together as a country, and I think that’s a good starting point. But in reality, there’s a lot of work to be done. We still have basic things [like] the inequality we are still facing.”

“The lives of Black people haven’t improved as much as we would have liked – the gap has just increased ever-more. Obviously White, and I think a lot of Indian people, have been enjoying the fruits of democracy. Black people, especially black women and Coloured people, still find themselves in the lower levels of society on average, educationally, [and] income-wise as an indicator,” he said.

He added that while some are of the view that the country will not attain social cohesion due to “such deep inequalities,” there remains a “South African-ness that we can appeal to.”

“In a nutshell, social cohesion is a work in progress,” he said.

TRC and inquests 

While South Africa has been lauded for its transition to a democratic dispensation, Commissioner Omar said that the issue of apology for the atrocities of the past is something that the country must still confront.

“One of the themes … we have not really looked at as South Africa is and, in a sense, the TRC [Truth and Reconciliation Commission] tried to address, is, the whole notion of apology. You find countries like New Zealand, Australia and even in the UK and to the point where even King Charles now issued an apology for all the crimes that were committed in the name of British colonialism.

“There was a truth and reconciliation process that people are still critical of. The perpetrators of all of the brutality of apartheid have escaped justice, so  we still have to deal with that one. Then we have to deal with whether we should be pushing forward for transformative apology where you don’t just say I’m sorry for what I did, but you do something about it and not just leave it at that,” he explained.

Dr Omar said that while the TRC has made progress, more needs to be done.

“We need to acknowledge that quite a bit did happen as a result of the TRC, but again it’s still not enough,” he said.

Earlier this month, the Presidency announced the extension of the deadline for the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into allegations of attempts to halt the investigation or prosecution of TRC cases. In May, President Ramaphosa signed a proclamation establishing the commission. The commission’s new deadline is 31 July 2026.

Meanwhile, in May 2024, government announced the reopening of inquests into the deaths of prominent anti-apartheid activists, including Chief Albert Luthuli who was said to have been struck down by a train. However, in October this year, the KwaZulu-Natal High Court set aside the 1967 inquest finding into Luthuli’s death,  ruling that Luthuli was beaten to death.

“I don’t have a problem with these inquests being opened, even the Luthuli inquest.  As much as it is so far back, but you know how important that kind of closure is for African families and culture. All  those things are fundamentally important to our people’s culture. That is so critical for anyone’s culture,” Omar said.

In September, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) announced that it was reopening the inquest into the death of anti-apartheid activist and Black Consciousness Movement founder and leader, Stephen ‘Steve’ Bantu Biko.

He added that there’s a need to look at the “issues of reparation, especially post-TRC,” as well as the land question in terms of restoration.

National Dialogue 

Recently, the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie emphasised that while government can create platforms for dialogue, healing and nation-building, the real work belongs to the people themselves.

“Government can open the space for engagement, but reconciliation is a responsibility that rests with every South African. Our mission now is to build a future where our children inherit unity, not division,” the Minister said.

This comes as the country has put in motion the National Dialogue process which the Presidency has described as a call to action for citizens to lead an inclusive dialogue on the challenges facing the country. 

The process was preceded by the first National Convention which laid the groundwork and set the agenda for the dialogue in August. 

The Commissioner said that nation building has several facets to it.

“Nation-building has many dimensions, so one [aspect] is the very practical, concrete basic services. At another level, there’s the whole thing of identifying with the nation. People take pride in being South African and I think that is an important basis for the country. That’s why for me; the National Dialogue is important.

“The National Dialogue is an important moment for all of South Africa to come together and say this is the kind of South Africa we want. We have had  30 years of this democracy, we can look forward to another 30 years of building this new South Africa,” he explained.

The NDP envisages that by 2030, South Africa will have made significant progress towards achieving social cohesion. The NPC has previously expressed its concern that insufficient progress has been made in attaining social cohesion and nation building. 

“At a level, some people use indicators like delivery on health, housing, education as indicators of us having moved on the pathway to social cohesion. We’ve run up access to basic health, access to education is 100%. We also probably had one of the most ambitious housing projects in the world with the RDP [Reconstruction and Development Programme] project. But the quality of a lot of these services now remains to be improved.” 

The Commissioner further added that the nation-building project is an ongoing process that continually redefines itself and comes together at different moments.

“Nation-building happens no matter what the government decides, no matter what is happening,” he said.

While our country is by no means perfect, South Africans have the ability to overcome challenges to see the sun rise again. – SAnews.gov.za

The G20@20 Review Final Report is published under the responsibility of South Africa’s 2025 G20 Presidency. 

This review was undertaken following the G20 Leaders’ agreement in the 2024 Rio de Janeiro Declaration, to assess the first full cycle of G20 Presidencies since 2008, and to provide recommendations for the second cycle. 

Executive Summary

1. In 2025, the G20 completes its first full cycle of Presidencies since its elevation to a Leaders’ level forum in 2008. At the 2024 Rio de Janeiro Summit, Leaders asked Sherpas to evaluate the G20 since 2008 and provide recommendations for its second cycle, beginning under the leadership of the United States in 2026. In response, South Africa’s 2025 G20 Presidency has undertaken the G20@20 Review, drawing on an electronic survey, Sherpa-level discussions and written contributions, and input from an Advisory Panel to capture the diverse perspectives of participating Members and Guest countries.
2. The G20 begins its second cycle in an increasingly challenging and fragmented global context. Global growth remains below pre-2008 levels, public debt has reached historic highs, and geopolitical tensions have deepened, narrowing the space for consensus and ambitious joint action. In this environment, a well-functioning G20 may be needed more than ever. This Review aims to support Members in ensuring that the G20’s second cycle of Presidencies is fit-for-purpose and calibrated to deliver effective, coordinated action on shared priorities.

3. This Review confirms that the G20 matters. Across all components of the Review, Members underscore the G20’s role in strengthening multilateralism and international co-operation. By bringing together the Leaders of the world’s major economies, the G20 has facilitated joint action on issues of shared concern – in times of crisis, on longer-term global challenges, and in strengthening resilience to emerging threats.

4. As reaffirmed throughout this Review, the G20 should remain the world’s premier forum for international economic co-operation. Members agree that the Leaders’ vision from the 2009 Pittsburgh Summit remains relevant, including the mandate to provide the foundation for Strong, Sustainable, Balanced, and Inclusive Growth, and should continue guiding the G20’s work going forward.

5. The G20’s Leader-led character lies at the heart of its agility and credibility. The Rio de Janeiro Declaration reiterates that the G20 is a Leader-led and informal group and should remain so. This Review confirms that Members are committed to this Leader-led approach, together with the G20’s informality – defined as the absence of a charter, treaty, or permanent secretariat – and consensus-based decision-making on an equal footing. Members also agree that Leaders’ Summits are the most valuable elements of the G20 process, providing a unique forum for informal exchanges among Leaders that foster trust and enable frank discussion.

6. The G20 has been most effective in times of crisis. Swift G20 action prevented the 2008-09 Global Financial Crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic from becoming deeper global downturns. Milestones such as coordinated fiscal stimulus packages, the establishment of the Financial Stability Board (FSB), the launch of the Pandemic Fund, and the creation of the Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI) and Common Framework for Debt Treatments provided timely support, helping stabilise the global economy and mitigate the immediate impact of these crises.

You can read and download the report on the following link: https://www.gov.za/sites/default/files/gcis_document/202512/g20-final-report.pdf

–SAnews.gov.za

Government’s efforts to unlock economic growth and remove long-standing obstacles are gaining momentum, with early green shoots emerging in the energy sector and South Africa securing its first credit rating upgrade in 20 years, coupled by a stronger rand.

“Phase 2 of Operation Vulindlela is gaining traction. The results of this initiative led by President Cyril Ramaphosa to unlock growth and remove obstacles in areas that impedes on growth are starting to filter through. The President said the immediate task was to grow our economy so that we can create jobs, reduce poverty and improve the lives of all South Africans,” Presidential Spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said on Monday in Pretoria.

He was briefing the media on the snapshot of government’s successes for 2025, which is being measured against the State of the Nation Address (SoNA), delivered by the President in February 2025.

In his address, President Ramaphosa, announced that the Government of National Unity (GNU) had adopted the Medium-Term Development Plan (MTDP) for the period 2024-2029.

The MTDP sets out three key priorities of government: to drive inclusive growth and job creation; to reduce poverty and tackle the high cost of living; and to build a capable, ethical and developmental state.

“The green shoots for an economy recovery are visible. Some key indicators are: The rand holding its own against major currencies and has breached the level of R17 to the US dollar.

“Gross Domestic Product grew by 0.5% in the third quarter meaning that the economy is expanding. Much remains in the pipeline to achieve a higher growth rate given its centrality to attaining the country’s developmental aspirations,” Magwenya said.

He noted the Statistics South Africa’s report on unemployment for quarter 3 showed that unemployment was down by 1.3 percentage points to 31.9% with the construction sector the major contributor with 130 000 new jobs out of the total of 248 000 new jobs.

Government will spend R1 trillion over the next three years on infrastructure projects.

“Stability of energy supply is central to this turn around and we should be building on the successes thus far to the next level This year the Youth Employment Service reached the milestone of 200 000 young South Africans funded and placed into quality first-job experiences.

“SA achieved its first rating upgrade in 20 years when the ratings agency, Standard and Poor upgraded the country’s foreign currency long-term sovereign credit rating to BB from BB-. In addition, the local currency long-term sovereign credit rating to BB+ from BB,” Magwenya said.

In addition, the International Monetary Fund lifted its growth forecast for the country to 1.3% in 2025 and 1.4% in 2026 from 1.1% and 1.2% respectively.

“Tourism is on an upward trajectory and the number of foreign visitors increased by 18% year-on-year from 2024. SA Tourism reported that most visitors were from the US (331 378), followed by the UK, Germany, the Netherlands and France.

“The South African Revenue Service has collected a net revenue of R924,7-bilion by 30 September of this year. This is a year-on-year growth of R78,6-billion and an overall surplus of R18 billion against its printed estimates,” he said.

Confronting challenges

Magwenya acknowledged government’s challenges while emphasising that government is not afraid to confront them.

“Local government remains a challenge and President Ramaphosa and the Cabinet have met with seven of the nine provincial executives to address key issues in this sphere.

“Accusations of corruption in the criminal justice system are before the Madlanga Commission. The Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster is continuously looking at measures to fight crime and keep citizens safe,” the Presidency spokesperson said.

He stressed that the GNU priorities to reduce poverty and tackle the high cost of living. 

“In this regard, we are particularly seized with intervention on assisting households cope with food price volatility, as well as the measures to make public transport affordable. Rising cost of living has become a challenge in many parts of the world, as we have learnt from the Group Twenty (G20) engagements.

“In conclusion, this is not a review of government, but it is a high-level glance of successes and issues challenges since 6 February 2025.

“Furthermore, the measures introduced by the 6th Administration in 2019 are beginning to bear fruit. The focus is for the GNU to accelerate this process and ensure that the green shoots of the economic upswing gain momentum and touch the lives of all South Africans for the remainder of this MTDP period,” Magwenya said. –SAnews.gov.za

Presidential Spokesperson Vincent Magwenya has assured the public that the final report of the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry will be made public.

This comes after revelations that the Commission’s interim report will be submitted to the President on Wednesday and will not be released publicly.

“The final report will be made available to the public. The Commission will advise the President on areas that are of national security sensitivity and how those areas will need to be managed. The report is incomplete and the President needs time to study it as he has not had the luxury of time to follow the proceedings of the Commission everyday,” Magwenya said on Monday in Pretoria.

President Cyril Ramaphosa established the Commission after South African Police Service (SAPS) KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner, Lt Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, held a media briefing at which he made serious allegations that the Minister of Police and other individuals had colluded to interfere with police investigations.

The Commission is investigating allegations relating to the infiltration of law enforcement, intelligence and associated institutions within the criminal justice system by criminal syndicates.

“Some of the witnesses that have come before the Commission are going to be called back again to continue with their evidence. Some had evidence located in certain specific areas but not as broad as it was meant to be. So those witnesses are still going to be given a chance to return to the Commission and give that evidence.

“It will not be helpful for the witnesses, the Commission itself, and all of us to start getting ourselves into knots over something that has not been completed. The President has undertaken to release the final report publicly when the Commission has concluded its work, ” he said.

Magwenya was speaking during a media briefing to update journalists on the President’s programme and other topical issues of public interest.

Protection of whistle-blowers

Earlier this month, Marius van der Merwe, a Brakpan-based security industry member and former Ekhurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department official, who recently testified before the Madlanga Commission was shot multiple times in full view of his family outside their Brakpan home.

According to Magwenya, there has been extensive engagements in government on protecting witnesses before the commission or those who are to appear at the commission.

“The Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development in this regard has also undertaken to engage the leadership of the media to look at ways in which witnesses can be protected and not be unreasonably and unfairly exposed to those who may seek to harm them. 

“Then there’s another aspect to this, which is the protection of whistleblowers. We have a process that’s already underway with the Protected Disclosure Bill that is currently in consultation at a technical level in government before it proceeds to cabinet,” he said.

Government is reviewing the Protected Disclosures Act (PDA) and related laws to create a Comprehensive Whistleblower Protection Framework.

This reform process aims to broaden the definition of “whistleblower” to include contractors, consultants, and members of the public; establish clear procedures for confidential disclosures; strengthen remedies for occupational detriment and clarify the obligations of employers to act on disclosures.

On whether the President will consider extending the timeframe of the work of the Commission, considering that testimonies can be a lengthy process that can last up to  two or three days, Magwenya said the Presidency is open to a discussion on the matter.

“The government and the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development have been paying particular attention on the cost aspects of this exercise. The President will then have to be advised on both the merits for an extension as well as what will be the cost implications,” Magwenya said. – SAnews.gov.za

Government’s newly approved national strategy aimed at accelerating action for children is one tool aimed at improving the circumstances of the country’s most vulnerable.

In his address to the nation through the weekly newsletter on Monday, President Cyril Ramaphosa warned that despite the gains made since the advent of democracy, nearly half of South Africa’s children still live in poverty and face high levels of abuse, neglect and poor health outcomes.

Earlier this month, Cabinet approved the National Strategy to Accelerate Action for Children (NSAAC), a wide-ranging framework designed to improve the health, safety and development of children and adolescents. The strategy will be implemented through the 5th National Plan of Action for Children (2025–2030) and seeks to mobilise government, business, labour and civil society around a shared agenda for children.

“The best way to secure our country’s future is to invest in the health and well-being of its children,” President Ramaphosa said, noting that while progress has been made in reducing child poverty and mortality since 1994, significant challenges remain.

According to a recent Statistics South Africa report, child poverty declined from 69% in 2006 to 49% in 2023. However, children remain the most affected group, with nearly half living in poverty – the highest rate of any age group.

The newly approved strategy identifies 10 national priorities aligned to key stages in a child’s life, with particular focus on adolescents and children with disabilities. It follows extensive consultations with government departments, the children’s sector and children themselves, and is intended to strengthen coordination across all sectors of society.

President Ramaphosa highlighted early-life disadvantages as a critical concern, pointing to maternal undernutrition and its impact on birth outcomes, breastfeeding and child immunity. Poor nutrition in early childhood, the President said, continues to undermine children’s health, education and long-term prospects.

“This domino effect must be broken,” he said, stressing the need for early interventions to prevent children from falling behind before they even start school.

Crimes against children were also flagged as a major national crisis. During Child Protection Month in May, authorities reported more than 26 000 cases of child abuse and neglect in the 2024/2025 financial year, with the majority involving sexual abuse.

“The experience of children today will determine our nation’s social and economic wellbeing over the next twenty years,” President Ramaphosa said, warning that failure to act decisively would have long-term consequences for communities and the economy.

As part of the new strategy, government has announced the launch of a national “Hold My Hand” campaign, calling on every South African to take practical action to improve the lives of children.

The campaign urges citizens to imagine the impact if every child had “enough love, enough food, safety and brainpower”, arguing that such collective action could fundamentally change the country’s future.

Business and organised labour were singled out as key partners in the effort. 

President Ramaphosa said the private sector’s resources and logistics networks could help support under-resourced early learning programmes, while trade unions have a role to play in advocating for time and support for working parents.

The President also paid tribute to civil society organisations, health workers, teachers, social workers, child and youth care workers, as well as parents and grandparents, for their longstanding role in protecting and nurturing children.

“For the sake of our shared future, we must work together to ensure that our nation’s children and young people grow, thrive and are happy,” he said, calling for renewed commitment as the country heads into the new year. – SAnews.gov.za