Category: South Africa Government

Durban is reinforcing its status as a leading centre for ocean economy dialogue and innovation, as it prepares to host the Ocean Innovation Africa Summit from 23 – 25 March 2026.

The summit, organised by Ocean Innovation Africa, in partnership with the eThekwini Municipality, will take place at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre (ICC), bringing together global and continental stakeholders focused on advancing Africa’s blue economy.

A major highlight of this year’s event will be the keynote address by Director-General of the European Commission for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Charlina Vitcheva, who will deliver the keynote address aligned to the summit theme: ‘Accelerating and Scaling Out Regenerative Blue Economy Action.”
Vitcheva will also participate as a panelist in a high-level panel discussion titled “Blue Finance for Resilience: Shifting from Aid Dependency to Sustainable Local Capital’.

The significance of this annual event is reflected in its growing reach, with the 2025 summit attracting 593 delegates from 59 countries, including representatives from 28 African nations.

The summit will bring together policymakers, including practitioners, innovators, community leaders, investors, researchers, and development partners to explore pathways that support the uptake of African-developed solutions.

Discussions will centre on advancing regenerative blue business models, promoting nature-positive growth, strengthening marine economic expansion, community resilience, and the strengthening of pan-African innovation ecosystems.

Welcoming Vitcheva’s participation, eThekwini Municipality Mayor Cyril Xaba said Durban is honoured to host a global leader in maritime affairs.
“As a coastal city deeply connected to the ocean economy, Durban stands to benefit from strengthened engagement between international policymakers and African stakeholders, creating opportunities for regeneration, collaboration and inclusive growth,” Xaba said.

Ocean Innovation Africa co-founder Alexis Grosskopf emphasised that the summit is designed to move beyond traditional conference formats by fostering coordinated, action-oriented outcomes among keyholders.
Grosskopf noted that Vitcheva’s participation will help bridge policy, investment priorities, and practical pathways to scale regenerative ocean solutions across Africa, bringing valuable expertise across finance, innovation, science and implementation.

In her role, Vitcheva leads European Union policy on maritime affairs and fisheries, focusing on ocean health, sustainable fisheries, and resilient coastal economies.

She highlighted the importance of international cooperation, pointing to initiatives such as the European Ocean Pact, which serves as a blueprint for the protection and sustainable use of the ocean.

“Partnerships, including those under the Global Gateway Strategy and initiatives such as Blue Invest Africa are critical to promoting sustainable ocean governance, supporting local value creation and unlocking investment in ocean solutions,” Vitcheva said.

Vitcheva emphasised the importance of international cooperation, stating that the European Ocean Pact serves as a blueprint for the protection and sustainable use of the ocean.

“Partnerships, including those under the Global Gateway Strategy and initiatives such as Blue Invest Africa are critical to promoting sustainable ocean governance, supporting local value creation and unlocking investment in ocean solutions,” Vitcheva said, adding that protecting the ocean must go hand in hand with building prosperity for coastal communities. – SAnews.gov.za

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The Services Sector Education and Training Authority (Services SETA) has committed to restoring justice for employees dismissed after raising concerns about alleged irregularities, signalling a shift toward stronger protection for whistleblowers.

Speaking at a media briefing on Friday, Services SETA Administrator Lehlogonolo Masoga outlined steps being taken to address cases involving three former employees believed to have suffered occupational detriment after making protected disclosures.

The briefing follows a recent update by Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela on progress at entities placed under administration, including the Services SETA.

READ | Department’s interventions restore governance and trust in SETAs

Masoga said the organisation had undertaken a comprehensive legal review process, including internal assessments, independent external evaluations and senior counsel input, to determine whether the dismissals were linked to whistleblowing activities.

“The process was guided by a victim-centred restorative justice approach, ensuring fairness, transparency and the protection of those who acted in the public interest,” Masoga said at the briefing in Pretoria.
The move comes amid growing national attention on whistleblower protection, particularly following remarks by President Cyril Ramaphosa during the 2026 State of the Nation Address, where he reaffirmed plans to introduce legislation criminalising retaliation against whistleblowers.

Masoga emphasised that existing legal frameworks, including the Protected Disclosures Act 26 of 2000 and the Labour Relations Act, prohibit any occupational detriment against employees who disclose wrongdoing in good faith.

Cases under review
The review focused on three former employees dismissed between 2017 and 2020.

In the case of Lehloma Ramajoe, Masoga said independent findings confirmed that the employee suffered an occupational detriment as he was disciplined, suspended or dismissed “on account, or partly on account, of having made a protected disclosure.”

Ramajoe alleged that he disclosed information of maladministration within the Services SETA to at least seven individuals or entities, including the then two erstwhile Chairpersons of Services SETA; the National Skills Authority; Parliamentary Portfolio Committee (presumably of Higher Education and Training); then Minister of Higher Education and Training; the Public Protector; and OUTA.

“It was independently confirmed that Mr Ramajoe has suffered an occupational detriment as he was disciplined, suspended or dismissed “on account, or partly on account, of having made a protected disclosure. It follows that the Administrator should afford Mr Ramajoe a remedy in accordance with the provisions of section 193 and/or 194 of the LRA [Labour Relations Act].

For Thandi Mkhize, the Administrator said there were reasonable grounds to conclude she was targeted after raising concerns about irregularities. As she has reached retirement age, compensation is being considered as the appropriate remedy.

In July 2017, Mkhize was charged for misconduct for allegedly sharing information with the union members on a matter she considered irregular. She was subsequently dismissed and her attempts to challenge the dismissal through the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), and Labour Court did not bear fruit.

“Upon review of the facts at my disposal and on legal advice, there is reasonable grounds to conclude that the employee was deliberately targeted and may have been exposed to occupational detriment as a result of raising various issues of irregularities as per the provisions of Protected Disclosure Act,” the Administrator said.

In the case of Tshepiso Mofokeng (Mngceke), findings indicate her dismissal followed disputes with management over alleged maladministration, including concerns about the appointment of a service provider. Despite a prior settlement, the matter meets the threshold of a protected disclosure case and may warrant further remedial action.

Masoga acknowledged institutional failures and accepted responsibility on behalf of the organisation.
“We take full responsibility for the actions and inactions of our predecessors and commit to dispensing justice to the victims.”

He added that the whistleblower review process is running alongside efforts to hold accountable those implicated in wrongdoing within the entity.

Towards restorative justice

Masoga said the approach adopted reflects principles of restorative justice, including acknowledging harm, involving affected parties and ensuring corrective action.

He noted that whistleblowers often face severe consequences, including loss of employment and, in some cases nationally, threats to their safety.

Masoga reaffirmed the Services SETA commitment to justice through timeous and decisive action in pursuit of good governance.

“I wish to state categorically the Services SETA has its own internal policy on whistleblowing and further that this process is running parallel to other efforts to ensure that decisive and concomitant action is taken against those who committed act[s] of irregularity and malfeasance. The Minister’s decision to put the entity under administration was primarily for the purpose of addressing among others challenges of this nature.

“Restorative justice incorporates among other elements active participation by the affected parties, taking responsibility and commitment to repair damages, and a victim-centred approach. It is for this reason that on behalf of the Services SETA, I take full responsibility for the actions and inactions of my predecessors and commit to dispense justice to the victims of our previous decisions and/or sometimes lack thereof,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za

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The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued a warning for severe thunderstorms in the escarpment and Highveld of Mpumalanga, and the northern parts of Gauteng, for Friday.

“A high likelihood of minor impacts due to severe thunderstorms is expected over the central interior of Mpumalanga as well as the northern parts of Gauteng,” the weather service said.

These storms may result in localised flooding of low-lying areas (including bridges and roads) and damage to infrastructure and settlements due to strong, damaging winds.

There is a possibility of service disruption due to power surges/ disruptions.

Meanwhile, the extended weather forecast for Saturday and Sunday shows partly cloudy and cool to warm conditions with isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers. –SAnews.gov.za

 

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Following the successful separation of conjoined twins in a groundbreaking operation at Mankweng Hospital recently, the babies are doing well, Limpopo Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba said on Friday.

The twins, who were born on 28 January 2026, underwent a complex surgical procedure that marked a historic milestone for South Africa’s public healthcare system.

The twins were delivered by a 29-year-old mother, who had been transferred from Maphutha Malatjie Hospital, outside Phalaborwa, after midwives detected the condition during an ultrasound.

“For now, there is nothing new that we can share with you, except that the babies are doing very well. The team is updating us on a daily basis through Prof and the hospital CEO,” the Premier said of the twins on Friday.

Earlier this week, President Cyril Ramaphosa congratulated Professor Nyaweleni Tshifularo and his medical team for successfully separating the twins. In response, lead paediatric surgeon Dr Tshifularo said the team was honoured by the recognition.

READ | President hails successful separation of conjoined twins at Limpopo hospital

The Premier said that one of the babies has been extubated and was breathing on his own while the other was recovering “one step at a time.”

“As the provincial government, we continue to say that Mankweng Hospital remains our pride,” she said.

The Premier’s comments come as Health Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi visited the hospital following the twins’ procedure. 

The Minister’s visit to the facility on Friday reinforced government`s commitment to innovative surgeries while also inspiring similar deeds across public health facilities. 

Following his visit to the babies’ wards, the Minister expressed his excitement at what has been achieved.

“I’m very excited like everybody else but I suspect that my excitement is a little bit different from most of you. It is different because you are celebrating a procedure like this that has happened in a public hospital in a rural area and you are saying it should not have been because we’ve developed a very bad narrative here in South Africa, which has been created mostly in the media that healthcare only happens in the four walls of a private hospital. 

“Outside of that, there’s a belief that there is no healthcare at all,” the Minister explained.

“Mankweng Hospital took us to where we want to go,” said the Minister, who also recalled that the first heart procedure in the country took place at the Groote Schuur Hospital in the Western Cape in 1967.

Good facilities 

He stressed that people who work in public hospitals are knowledgeable.

In the doorstep interview, the Minister added that he had given the Council of Medical Schemes CEO a phone call on Thursday, where he inquired about how much the family of the twins would have paid, had their procedure been carried out at a private hospital.

The cost, he said, would have “easily been between R3.5 and R4.5 million. Where was this woman [the twins’ mother] going to take that money from?” he remarked.

He further added that good facilities are needed in public hospitals.

Construction 

Limpopo province is in the process of building an academic hospital. Motsoaledi was also due to visit the academic hospital’s building site this afternoon. 

In the State of the Nation Address last month, President Ramaphosa said the country will be undertaking substantial investment in health infrastructure, prioritising the construction and revitalisation of academic hospitals. 

Meanwhile, the Premier added that a home is being built for the family of twins, who have three other siblings.

“We will make sure that they are discharged to a proper home. We will continue to support them,” said Premier Ramathuba, who also expressed pride in the work of the doctors at Mankweng Hospital. –SAnews.gov.za

 

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President Cyril Ramaphosa has held a bilateral engagement with the President of the Republic of South Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayardit, at his official residence in Pretoria, Mahlamba Ndlopfu, on the occasion of a Working Visit to South Africa. 

“The Working Visit provides an opportune moment for the two Heads of State to discuss bilateral relations and exchange views on the latest political developments in South Sudan, particularly the implementation of the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS),” the Presidency said on Thursday.

The R-ARCSS is a legal framework governing South Sudan’s transition to peace.

It outlines governance structures, security sector reform, the establishment of unified forces, disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR), as well as judicial review and constitution-making processes.

Relations between South Africa and South Sudan were formalised with the signing of an agreement establishing bilateral relations on 24 September 2012, followed by the General Cooperation Agreement (CGA) in 2013.

These fraternal relations are founded on longstanding ties that predate South Sudan’s independence.

The meeting follows recent engagements between the two leaders on the margins of the African Union (AU) Summit held in Addis Ababa in February 2026, where President Ramaphosa also chaired the Ad Hoc High-Level Committee on South Sudan (C5) Plus.

The role of the C5 is to oversee the implementation of the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS).

 The year 2026 marks a pivotal moment for South Sudan, as the country is earmarked to hold its first-ever elections since gaining independence from Sudan in July 2011. – SAnews.gov.za

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Communities in uMzimkhulu have welcomed what they described as a long-awaited moment of justice and restoration, as President Cyril Ramaphosa officially handed over title deeds to land claim beneficiaries on Friday.

The handover, which forms part of government’s Land Restitution Programme under the Restitution of Land Rights Act, restores more than 17 000 hectares of land to four claimant groups — the Ngunjini, Ndzimankulu/Vierkant and St Paul communities, as well as the Lawrence family.

For many beneficiaries, the ceremony marked the end of decades of waiting and the beginning of a new chapter.

READ | President to hand over title deeds in KwaZulu-Natal

Speaking to SAnews ahead of receiving the title deed, Yongama Nyangiwe, representing the Ndzimankulu/Vierkant community, said the day carried deep emotional significance for families, who had fought for recognition of their land rights.

“This is the day of good news. We have been waiting for this moment so that the title deeds can be handed over to us, because you can’t say you own the land without a title deed,” he said.

Nyangiwe explained that the claim was originally lodged by his late father, a traditional leader, on behalf of the community that had been forcibly removed during apartheid.

“Today, the community is overjoyed. We believe we will work together as beneficiaries and embark on projects that will benefit the community in a positive way,” he added.

The Ndzimankulu/Vierkant claim traces its origins to the early 20th century, when colonial land systems and later apartheid laws such as the Natives Land Act stripped communities of their customary land rights.

Following a detailed investigation, the claim was validated and eventually settled, restoring more than 2 500 hectares of land to 124 households, benefiting 575 people. The settlement includes a package valued at R35 million, alongside development plans and mentorship agreements to support sustainable land use.

For the Lawrence family, the restitution process has brought closure to a painful history of forced removals.

John Lawrence recalled how his family was displaced decades ago.

“My grandparents lived there for more than 70 years, and we were moved from the place 50 years ago. Houses were demolished by big machinery, and everything was destroyed,” he told SAnews. 

“We even left our belongings behind because we didn’t know where we were going.”

He described the handover as a moment of gratitude and healing.

“Today is a joyous day. We never thought we would get our land back, but today we have our title deeds. The land is back to us, now we can celebrate,” he said. 

The Lawrence family claim restores 84.7 hectares to 27 households, benefiting 127 descendants. The land includes sites of historical and cultural importance, such as a church, school and cemetery.

Members of the Ngunjini community also expressed optimism that the restored land would bring meaningful development.

Sibonisiwe Mgilane said the return of land ownership would help uplift vulnerable households.

“Today we are very happy to get back our title deeds. We hope this will benefit the poor people in our community and help develop the whole area. We must be involved in the entire process,” she told SAnews.

The Ngunjini claim, which covers more than 6 800 hectares, benefits over 500 people and has already contributed to job creation and community development through forestry partnerships. The settlement, valued at around R80 million, includes direct financial support to households and long-term plans for economic sustainability.

The St Paul community, one of the largest beneficiaries, is reclaiming more than 7 600 hectares lost through forced removals between the 1950s and 1960s. The claim affects over 1 400 beneficiaries and has already supported a range of youth development and community upliftment initiatives.

Government says the handover is not only about restoring land ownership, but also about rebuilding livelihoods and advancing economic inclusion.

Led by Minister Mzwanele Nyhontso, the Department of Land Reform and Rural Development has emphasised the importance of post-settlement support, including development funding and partnerships with industry players to ensure the land remains productive.

The ceremony, held during Human Rights Month, underscores the link between land reform and the broader constitutional goal of restoring dignity and equality.

As communities celebrate the return of their land, many say the real work now begins, transforming restored land into sustainable opportunities for future generations, while preserving the heritage and identity that was once taken from them. – SAnews.gov.za

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Deputy President Paul Mashatile will on Saturday participate in the Alex 10K race in Alexandra township, Gauteng. 

The Alex 10K race entered its second year in 2025, following Adreach Group’s three-year partnership with Run Alex Athletics Club. This collaboration is aimed not only to revive road running events in Alexandra but to promote local tourism under the theme: ‘Explore Alex on Foot’.

“The purpose for the race is to fund grassroots operations for the Run Alex Athletics Club and support the Read Alex Project, a Saturday programme aimed at improving literacy and educational outcomes for local children,” the Presidency said in a statement.

The 2025 event saw the participation numbers increase by 58%, from 1400 starters in 2024 to 2220 starters in 2025. 

Over 3 000 participants are expected to partake in this year’s race, as they will explore Alexandra’s rich history. – SAnews.gov.za

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Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) has appointed FFS Tank Terminals as the preferred bidder to refurbish and operate a liquid bulk terminal for a 25-year concession period at the Port of Cape Town.

The terminal, specialising in edible oils and compatible cargo, is a brownfield development covering approximately 6,289 m² within the Liquid Bulk Precinct, boasting a projected investment value of R102 million – including capital and maintenance costs.

FFS Tank Terminals will finance, construct, operate and maintain the liquid bulk terminal, and transfer it back to TNPA at the end of the concession period. 

The work includes upgrading storage tanks to enhance structural integrity and repurposing the existing import pipeline, which is currently used for vegetable and edible oils. The investment will further focus on repurposing the Nautilus facility as well as upgrading gantry and receiving systems. 

Once upgraded, the import pipeline will suitably handle additional new cargo types such as caustic soda lye and monoethylene glycol at the terminal. These improvements are expected to enhance the throughput of vegetable oils and specialty chemicals through the port.

“The modernisation of this liquid bulk terminal is part of TNPA’s strategic shift towards diversification in response to evolving market demands. It ensures the security of supply of industrial and food service supplies whilst meeting new market demands for importation of specialty chemicals. 

“This is a vital contribution to economic stability whilst optimising infrastructure utilisation and commercial viability of our seaports,” said Dr Dineo Mazibuko, TNPA General Manager: Commercial Services said on Friday.

This milestone follows the successful conclusion of the Section 56 process under the National Ports Act of 2005.

FFS Tank Terminals (Pty) Ltd is a Level 1 B-BBEE contributor, bringing over two decades of experience in liquid bulk terminal operations. 

The company operates multiple manufacturing sites, storage facilities and tank farms across the country, and is committed to ongoing investment in local suppliers and skills development initiatives. – SAnews.gov.za

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The Limpopo Commissioner of Police, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, has noted with concern the circulation of unverified and misleading information on social media platforms on alleged criminal activities involving a “crying doll” used to lure community members out of their homes.

According to circulating claims, the alleged incidents involve a doll that cries or screams like a baby during the early hours of the morning, prompting residents to go outside, where they are then reportedly mugged.

Hadebe has categorically refuted these claims, saying that no such incidents have been reported to the police.

“We want to assure the community that there are currently no cases reported or patterns identified relating to these allegations. These claims are unfounded and create unnecessary panic among residents.

“We appeal to community members to verify information before sharing it. The spreading of unconfirmed rumours can lead to panic and may divert attention from real crime-related issues,” Hadebe said in a statement on Thursday.

The Provincial Commissioner further encourage residents to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious activities to their nearest police station.

Anyone with positive information about criminal activities is urged to contact their nearest Police Station or Crime Stop number on 08600 10111 or use the MySAPSApp. – SAnews.gov.za

 

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