Category: South Africa Government

The Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, has expressed her deepest shock and sadness at the brutal killing of the Gauteng Chairperson of the National Taxi Alliance (NTA), Thamsanqa Moyo.

Moyo was shot while driving along the Soweto highway on Thursday.

In a statement, the MEC strongly condemned the senseless act of violence, which has not only robbed the taxi industry of a dedicated leader but also left a painful mark on his family, colleagues, and the broader transport sector.

“This is a devastating loss to the taxi industry and to Gauteng as a whole. Moyo was a leader who played an important role in shaping dialogue within the industry and promoting stability. His untimely death is a blow to ongoing efforts to build peace, unity, and sustainable solutions within the taxi sector,” Diale-Tlabela said.

The MEC has extended heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of Moyo, as well as the leadership and members of the NTA.

She further urged law enforcement agencies to work tirelessly to ensure that those responsible for this heinous crime are brought to book. 

“We cannot allow criminal elements to derail progress in the taxi industry through acts of intimidation and violence. We call for calm, restraint, and cooperation as investigations unfold,” the MEC said.

She reaffirmed the provincial government’s commitment to working with all stakeholders in the taxi industry to build a safe, reliable, and peaceful transport system in Gauteng.

The MEC will visit Moyo’s family on Friday to extend condolences and support to the bereaved family. 

Through this gesture, the MEC seeks to honour the memory of Moyo and stand in solidarity with his loved ones during this difficult time. –SAnews.gov.za

The National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) Asset Forfeiture Unit has secured a final forfeiture order to seize some R4 million in a bank account linked to alleged diamond investment scam artist Louis Liebenberg and his wife Desiree.

The order was granted by the High Court in Pretoria in terms of section 48 of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (POCA).

According to NPA Regional Spokesperson, Lumka Mahanjana, the money – held in a bank account under the name of ZencoCare (Pty) Ltd – is expected to be paid into the Criminal Assets Recovery Account (CARA), ensuring that the proceeds of crime are “redirected to the state to strengthen the fight against organised crime and corruption”.

“ZencoCare formed part of the Forever Diamonds and Gold group of companies, with its sole director, Desiree Liebenberg, the spouse of Louis Liebenberg. Both are implicated in an unlawful investment scheme that lured members of the public, locally and abroad, to invest in diamond parcels with the promise of lucrative, short-term returns. 

“Investigations revealed that no such diamond parcels existed. Instead, investor funds were misappropriated and used to pay earlier investors, in a manner typical of an unlawful multiplication [Ponzi-type] scheme.

“The NPA welcomes this ruling, which reinforces that criminal enterprises will not be allowed to profit from their unlawful schemes. The Asset Forfeiture Unit remains committed to stripping offenders of the benefits of crime and safeguarding the public from fraudulent conduct,” Mahanjana said.

The two are facing a raft of charges including fraud and corruption.

“This matter forms part of broader investigations into the Forever Diamonds and Gold group, its directors, and associated entities. Louis and Desiree Liebenberg, together with seven co-accused, face charges of fraud, theft, racketeering, and money laundering. 

“They are expected to appear before the Bronkhorstspruit Magistrates’ Court on 25 November 2025. Louis and Desiree remain in custody, while the co-accused are currently out on bail,” Mahanjana said. – SAnews.gov.za

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South African Minister of Agriculture, John Steenhuisen, and the Brazilian Vice Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, Luiz De Alcantara Rua, have signed a landmark Memorandum of Intent (MoI), marking a new era for closer cooperation in the agricultural sector.

The signing ceremony took place on the sidelines of the Ministerial Meeting of the G20 Agriculture Working Group (AWG), currently underway at Somerset West, Western Cape.

Steenhuisen welcomed the agreement, describing it as more than just a formal partnership, but “a testament to our shared vision for a food-secure future.”

“By combining our respective strengths, we can unlock new opportunities, advance technological innovation, and build a more resilient agricultural sector that benefits all our citizens,” Steenhuisen said on Thursday.

The Minister explained that the agreement, which is  non-binding, lays the foundation for enhanced cooperation to promote sustainable agricultural production and strengthen food security in both nations.

“The MoI establishes an agenda of mutual advantage and common development in priority areas, such as the exchange of information and expertise, technical tours, training programmes, and joint conferences.

“Under this partnership, we will share best practices in sustainable agriculture, livestock farming systems, and quality assurance, ensuring both consumer safety and product integrity,” the Minister said.

The agreement also provides for strategic trade facilitation, including trade missions and exhibitions, aimed at generating new market opportunities for agricultural products from both countries.

Bilateral agricultural trade relations between South Africa and Brazil have expanded significantly in recent years, rising from R5.4 billion in 2020 to R9.7 billion in 2024 – an increase of 80.5%. South Africa’s agricultural exports to Brazil increased by 92.8%, from R142.6 million in 2020 to R274.9 million in 2024.

Meanwhile, imports from Brazil increased by 80.2%, from R5.2 billion to R9.5 billion over the same period.

South Africa’s top ten agricultural exports to Brazil accounted for 92.3% of the total, amounting to R253.7 million in 2024. Key exports included vegetable seeds for sowing (32.3% or R88.7 million), liqueurs and cordials (22.7% or R62.4 million), wine of fresh grapes (16% or R43.9 million), and dried grapes (6.3% or R17.3 million).

The MoI will remain in force for five years, after which it will automatically be renewed for additional five-year periods, unless terminated by either party.

A Joint Working Group will be established to identify focus areas and prepare a detailed work plan for implementation. This group will oversee planning, monitoring, and evaluation to ensure that the cooperation remains effective and aligned with the strategic priorities of both nations.

Through this partnership, South Africa and Brazil reaffirm their commitment to harnessing their shared expertise and resources to confront the challenges facing global agriculture and to strengthen the sustainability and resilience of livelihoods in both countries. – SAnews.gov.za
 

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South Africa will use its participation at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA-80) in New York to push for urgent reform of the multilateral system to better serve the interests of developing countries, particularly those on the African continent.

This is according to the Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni who spoke to the media following a post cabinet briefing on Thursday in Tshwane. 

“Our key message is the reform of the multilateral system to benefit the developing countries, and in particular Africa, as we have been committed to that, including the Security Council…its a pity there is no agreement, and also the institution of financial development, that they must be beneficial to the developing countries, Africa in particular,” she said. 

As chair of the G20 Presidency, South Africa will also use the platform to call for global unity in addressing conflicts through peaceful means. Minister Ntshavheni noted that Pretoria is encouraged by the growing number of countries joining in condemning the “genocide in Palestine” and supporting recognition of Palestinian statehood.

“We are very happy by the number of countries that are now joining us in deploring the genocide in Palestine, but also who are acknowledging and wanting to recognise Palestinian statehood.

“But for us in Africa, it cannot end on the Palestinian statehood. It’s about the peaceful resolution in the African continent, in particular the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, and in the two Sudans, which are right on our doorstep,” the Minister stressed. 

South Africa led by President Cyril Ramaphosa will participate at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA-80) under the theme “Better together: 80 years and more for peace, development and human rights” from 23 – 29 September 2025 in New York, USA.

South Africa will use this platform to reinforce her commitment to global multilateralism, human rights for all, sustainable development as a collective responsibility, and peaceful resolution of conflicts with special emphasis on the conflicts in the eastern DRC, the Sudans, and Palestine. In addition, South Africa will use the UNGA -80 to promote South Africa’s G20 Presidency Agenda.

“The President will hold bilateral meetings with several of his counterparts and meet with CEOs of major international companies.

“Ministers Tau and Lamola have traveled ahead to engage on discussions on SA – US trade deal and UN special sessions respectively,” the minister said. 

She added that the other Ministers in the delegation will report their engagements during their UNGA stay. – SAnews.gov.za

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The South African Reserve Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has decided to keep the repo rate unchanged at 7%, with the prime lending rate to also remain at 10.5%.

This was announced by SARB Governor Lesetja Kganyago following a meeting of the bank’s MPC.

“Four members preferred to keep rates on hold, while two favoured a cut of 25 basis points. Since September last year, we have reduced rates by 125 basis points, and we want to see how this is affecting the economy, how expectations evolve, and how inflation risks are resolved.

“The forecast has rates easing gradually, as inflation returns to the bottom end of the 3%-6% target range. The MPC emphasises that stabilising inflation at 3%, rather than 4.5%, implies a lower longer-term level for the policy rate. 

“That said, the rate path from the Quarterly Projection Model remains a broad policy guide. As usual, our decisions will be taken on a meeting-by-meeting basis, with careful attention to the outlook, data outcomes, and the balance of risks to the forecast,” Kganyago said.

The governor noted that the Gross Domestic Product numbers released by Statistics South Africa “surprised on the upside, with the highest quarterly growth rate in two years”.

The GDP improved by some 0.8% in the second quarter. 

“We have therefore marked up our growth forecast for the year, from 0.9% to 1.2%. This is despite a weaker export outlook, given higher tariffs.

“Although the strong GDP report was welcome, we do not want to overstate the importance of one good quarter. We continue to see modest output gains over the next few years, helped by structural reforms. 

“There are also some cyclical indicators, such as credit extension, which look positive. However, reaching a healthy growth rate will require much higher investment levels than we are achieving now,” he said.

Kganyago said the MPC anticipates that headline inflation – which slowed to 3.3% in August – will rise over the coming months, peaking at some 4%.

“Our forecast now incorporates higher electricity price inflation, of nearly 8% rather than 6%, given the recent pricing correction by NERSA [National Energy Regulator of South Africa]. This is a reminder of the serious dysfunction in administered prices, which undermines purchasing power and weakens growth. The solution to this crisis is not a higher level of inflation, but rather sector-specific reforms to improve efficiency.

“Our inflation projections also have upward adjustments to food and services prices, partly offset by a stronger exchange rate assumption. Overall, we expect headline inflation to average 3.4% this year, and 3.6% next year, before reverting to 3% during 2027,” he said.

On the global front, Kganyago noted that the global economy has shown resilience.

“While the geopolitical environment remains difficult, and trade disruptions continue, growth is holding up and market volatility has subsided. Since our last meeting, policy rates have been cut in the United States and the United Kingdom, and the dollar has weakened. Various commodity prices have risen, although oil prices remain contained. These conditions are supportive for emerging markets like South Africa.

“However, while the cyclical factors mean global conditions are currently favourable, there are also more adverse structural developments, which are likely to prove challenging. Long-term interest rates have shifted higher in several major economies. This reflects a range of pressures, especially high and rising debt levels, as well as inflation risks,” Kganyago said. – SAnews.gov.za

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Cabinet has welcomed the commencement of the hearings of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Criminality, Political Interference and Corruption in the Criminal Justice System – commonly known as the Madlanga Commission.

“Cabinet calls on anyone who may have information that could assist the work of the commission to make contact via madlangacommission@behonest.co.za or 0800 111 369,” Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said during a post-Cabinet media briefing on Thursday.

Speaking to the media following the briefing, the Minister said that Cabinet is happy that the commission is underway. 

“We are happy that the commission is underway and that the recommendations will come soon so that the President can then take the necessary measures but also the Justice Cluster can also work on strengthening its own system,” the Minister said. 

The second day of the Madlanga Commission hearings got underway at the Brigitte Mabandla Justice College in Tshwane earlier today, where proceedings continued with the evidence of KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.

Mkhwanazi’s testimony relates to the work of the KwaZulu-Natal Political Killings Task Team and the allegations he has raised about a criminal syndicate operating within law enforcement and the broader criminal justice system.

The Khampepe Commission

Cabinet has also welcomed the commencement of the Khampepe Commission on Truth and Reconciliation Conciliation (TRC) matters.

The commission has already held meetings with complainants and representatives of government. 

The Khampepe Commission is a judicial commission of inquiry established by President Cyril Ramaphosa on 29 May 2025. 

The purpose is to investigate whether attempts were made to delay, refuse, or interfere with the investigation and prosecution of apartheid‐era crimes that had been identified in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) process.

Governance

Cabinet further welcomed the outcomes of the meeting between the National Executive with the Provincial Executive Council of the North West. 

This is the 7th engagement between national executive and provincial executive councils aimed at strengthening intergovernmental coordination and improving service delivery in line with the priorities of the 7th Administration.

“This meeting underscored a renewed commitment to improving service delivery in the province. It affirmed the close cooperation across spheres of government to deliver critical infrastructure such as the rebuilding of roads, provision of water infrastructure and energy availability for powering the province’s industrial ambitions,” the Minister said.

The meeting further committed to work closely with the North-West provincial government to ensure the resolution of challenges currently plaguing municipalities in the province. – SAnews.gov.za

 

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Cabinet has approved the publication of the draft National Entrepreneurship Strategy (NES) and Implementation Plan for public comment. 

The Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, announced this on Thursday, during a media briefing in Pretoria on the outcomes of the Cabinet meeting held the previous day.

According to the Minister, the strategy aims to enhance the involvement of young people and historically disadvantaged businesses in the economy by promoting entrepreneurship and ensuring the sustainability of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

“Furthermore, the NES makes proposals on how to promote the culture of entrepreneurship in South Africa by providing an enabling environment for entrepreneurial activity, as well as creating a supportive environment for MSMEs to be sustainable and thrive.” 

This will be achieved by focusing on five key pillars of the strategy.

These include enhancing entrepreneurship education and skills development; facilitating technology exchange and innovation; improving access to finance and markets; optimising the business regulatory environment; and promoting awareness and networking. 

“Overall, the strategy aims to increase formal economic participation, address high youth unemployment by promoting youth entrepreneurship and provide a strategic direction and roadmap that integrates the work of other key departments and strategic partners. 

“In addition, the strategy aims to coordinate the ecosystem for entrepreneurship development in the country, including recommendations for entrepreneurship to be incorporated into the curricula of the departments of Basic and Higher Education as a viable career choice,” the Minister explained. 

The Minister also announced that Cabinet has approved the draft National Economic Development and Labour Council (NEDLAC) Bill, 2025, for public comment.

She explained that this draft Bill will repeal the NEDLAC Act of 1994 and proposes to align NEDLAC’s institutional arrangements with the changes in the constitutional legal order that have taken place since 1994.

“The draft Bill also provides for the Minister to make regulations on admission and membership thresholds through a process that includes consultation and public admissions, making the system more transparent.” 

NEDLAC is the vehicle by which government, labour, business and community organisations seek to cooperate, through problem-solving and negotiation. – SAnews.gov.za 

 

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Communities in Mthatha, Eastern Cape, have welcomed government’s crime prevention outreach programme, saying it provides much-needed intervention in an area where crime levels have reached alarming proportions.

The Justice, Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) Cluster hosted the outreach on Thursday, bringing increased police visibility and government services to the area. 

Locals reported that the presence of law enforcement allowed them to move about more freely.

According to the residents who spoke to SAnews, crime, including armed robberies, house break-ins, extortion and gender-based violence, has left many people living in fear. 

Lungiswa Ngqoye said she was happy that government is doing something with crime in the area.

“Once it gets dark, we live in fear. Criminals prey on us, [and] sometimes even rob people in their homes,” Ngqoye told SAnews. 

Echoing same sentiments, Lloyd Masikwa stressed the need for community policing forums in their areas to complement police efforts.

“As a community, we need to actively get involved in the fight against crime,” Masikwa said.

Addressing the community, Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi said the JCPS Cluster took a decision to visit Mthatha to better understand the situation and engage directly with residents. 

Kubayi expressed concern about the high rate of Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) incidences in Mthatha. 

“We decided to work together as a cluster to address these problems here. We felt we needed to speak to people and concertise them about what they need to know, what they should do, and where to go for assistance,” Kubayi said.

Kubayi also encouraged the locals to raise their concerns so that they can be assisted.

“We want to do better, and we will continue to conduct these visits to hear from the people,” the Minister said.

Eastern Cape MEC for Community Safety Xolile Nqatha appealed to Police Minister to avail a helicopter to enable them to monitor crime in the province. He noted that some businesses had shut down due to extortion. 

“We thank the JCPS cluster for coming here. We are experiencing high levels of crime, but we will continue to arrest these criminals,” he said.

The MEC also encouraged residents to report crimes in their communities, even anonymously.

Also speaking was the Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia who said they are aware of the problems in Mthatha saying they are working on strengthening police services.

Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia said government was working to strengthen policing in Mthatha and across the Eastern Cape. He highlighted GBVF as a major challenge nationwide and stressed the need for technology to monitor parolees effectively. 

“It is government’s responsibility to address these problems, but communities must also be involved in the fight against crime,” Cachalia said.

The day’s programme started with visits to Mthatha Police Station, Mthatha Magistrate’s Court and the Thuthuzela Care Centre at Mthatha Hospital, where Kubayi and her delegation assessed operations and engaged with officials.

Last week the Justice Minister visited the Magistrate courts in Tembisa, New Brighton, Palm Ridge, Kempton Park and Randburg and Polokwane High Court.

According to the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, the visits identified several court-specific challenges and positives that impact on service delivery and the efficient functioning of courts.

During visits, positive observations were made which includes the services offered by the small claims courts which often sits after hours. 

The outreach forms part of the JCPS Cluster’s ongoing efforts to address community safety concerns, strengthen justice services and tackle crime through collaboration with residents, civil society, and local leaders. – SAnews.gov.za

 

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