Category: South Africa Government

The South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) has advised road users that blasting is scheduled to take place on the N2 national road between KwaBhaca and EmaXesibeni in the Eastern Cape.

The blasting will take place on Friday, 13 June 2025, at 12pm, approximately 8.8 kilometres (km) from KwaBhaca when travelling towards EmaXesibeni.

The road will be closed during the blasting activities for a maximum of 30 minutes.

“Motorists are asked to plan their trips accordingly, consider alternative routes and to use caution when making use of the road,” SANRAL said.

Motorists travelling from Kokstad towards Mthatha may consider the following alternative routes: 

• Go onto the R56 route and travel past Matatiele and then past Tlokoeng until Nqanqarhu, then take the R396 towards Tsolo until you join the N2, and then proceed to Mthatha.
• Stay on the N2 until Pakade (18km out of Kokstad), then turn left onto the R394 and join the R61 at Magusheni. Slip right onto the R61 towards Flagstaff, Lusikisiki and Port St Johns and then rejoin the N2 in Mthatha. Similarly, motorists travelling from Mthatha towards Kokstad may consider using the same routes.
• The shortest alternative route is 69 kilometres longer and may add approximately 50 minutes to your trip between Mthatha and Kokstad.

SANRAL has apologised for any inconvenience caused. – SAnews.gov.za

Deputy Minister in the Presidency Kenny Morolong says the South African creative industry is a significant one that generates considerable revenue and provides employment to many.

“The industry plays a vital role in the economy by contributing towards knowledge attainment, nation-building and cultural preservation,” Morolong said on Tuesday.

Speaking at the book launch of Business by Grace, written by Zibusiso Mkhwanazi, Morolong said by publishing local literature and promoting cultural heritage, the sector contributes to the preservation and development of the South African culture of reading and writing.

The book by Mkhwanazi – a South African advertising guru and entrepreneur who rose from humble beginnings – is described as “not just a story of business success”. The Mkhwanazi Foundation says Business by Grace shows readers how to embrace lessons that come from building businesses in the face of hardship, and provides practical insights on turning vision into value.

Morolong said the creative industry, including publishing and print media, is an important source of revenue and employment in South Africa.

“The industry also acts as the central core of an entire network of related individuals and industries, such as paper manufacturers, educational institutions, ink producers, authors, printers, designers, book binders, illustrators, booksellers, distributors and CD manufacturers.

“The importance of the creative industry in this new environment is greatly increased… as it is a source of information and knowledge, and a vehicle for political, social and cultural expression.”

Morolong identified the sector as one that can and ought to help South Africans to overcome the many persistent challenges that confront society and the economy.

“Our expectations of this sector are onerous. However, the history we are making is centred on growing the sector in the same way we have grown other sectors of our economy through inclusion, empowerment and unleashing the energies and talents of South Africans.”

Morolong said a great deal has also been written to capture the defining features of post-apartheid South Africa, and the necessarily high cost of democratic transformation.

“Demographic conditions such as high unemployment rates, the youthfulness of the population, uneven access to basic services, such as water and electricity, form part of the challenges that continue to confront the current government.

“The process of change is by necessity also related to new policies that aim to facilitate comprehensive economic reforms, encapsulated in the many government policy frameworks and more recently in the National Development Plan Vision 2030.

“These reforms have in general, been focused in two directions. In the first place, reforms are aimed at addressing the immense disparities in wealth and status in South African society and provide improved access to opportunities for employment and benefits to those negatively affected by apartheid policies,” the Deputy Minister said. – SAnews.gov.za

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An urgent special meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee on Disaster Management (ICDM) to respond to the country’s adverse weather conditions was convened by the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Velenkosini Hlabisa.

“The meeting was appraised by all provincial and sector departments on the state of play on the ground as disaster relief efforts are underway, stemming from the current incident.  

“The meeting noted that solid progress has been made in ensuring families who have lost their homes are housed in alternative accommodation,” the Ministry of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs said of Tuesday’s meeting.

The (ICDM) includes political leaders from all three levels of government and is responsible for ensuring a coordinated response across all sectors for the effective implementation of disaster management interventions.

This group involves representatives from the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) and the National House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders (NHTKL). 

The Ministry believes that the current weather conditions serve as a “stark” reminder that climate change is real and that more needs to be done to save lives and livelihoods. 

In addition, technical experts were mobilised to ensure that urgent attention is paid to the damaged water infrastructure and that water tankers be directed where they are needed. 

Meanwhile, other teams are being deployed in some areas to provide psycho-social services. 

Social partners and various non-governmental organisations like the Gift of the Givers and Al-Imdaad Foundation are also helping. 
“The ICDM has commended them for their efforts to provide hot meals, blankets and other support measures,” said the Ministry.
 

Eastern Cape severe weather conditions

All provinces have faced severe incidents of extremely cold weather, with coastal provinces experiencing rough seas and rainfall. 
According to CoGTA, the Eastern Cape has been the hardest hit by the current severe weather incident.

“Sadly, a scholar transport minibus transporting children was unfortunately swept by water, leading to loss of life.  

“We are deeply saddened by the tragic bus accident, and our hearts go out to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives, and we extend our sincere condolences to them,” said Hlabisa.

According to the latest reports, the search for pupils who were swept away in floods near Mthatha in the Eastern Cape is set to resume after their minibus taxi was carried off a bridge. 

Some media reports say three children survived the ordeal after they were found clinging to a tree.

The department said the rescue operations and search for the rest of the learners led by the South African Police Service (SAPS) around Mthatha are still ongoing.   

Meanwhile, the Eastern Cape Office of the Premier said the death toll in the OR Tambo District Municipality has risen to nine.
The Office of the Premier reported that hundreds of people have been displaced and are currently accommodated in various community halls throughout the OR Tambo District Municipality. 

In the Amathole District, over 200 people have been relocated from the Sikiti Informal Settlement to A.B. Bam Primary School. 
In addition, numerous people from the Eugene and Zithulele Informal Settlements have been housed at the Butterworth Town Hall. Power outages have been reported in some areas due to the torrential rains in both district municipalities.

Cleanup actions

The meeting acknowledged and praised the members of various cleanup teams, including those from the South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) and several municipalities in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. 

These teams have successfully ensured that all major roads are reopened, allowing traffic to flow smoothly. Many of the roads had been impassable since the weekend due to heavy snowfall.

“While this is good news, members of the public are once again explicitly reminded to drive with extreme caution as roads are wet and, above all, are advised not to attempt to pass through streams or strong flowing rivers.” 

READ | Mop-up operations underway in KwaZulu-Natal after heavy snowfall

READ  | Eastern Cape government activates disaster teams in response to cold front

CoGTA has announced that the South African Weather Service (SAWS) has indicated that the inclement weather would be coming to an end as the cut-off low-pressure system is moving out to sea. The weather is expected to improve from Wednesday, 11 June 2025. – SAnews.gov.za
 

 

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Green hydrogen is the fuel of the future and will have a major role to play in powering South Africa’s growth and employment prospects.

This according to Minister of Electricity and Energy, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, who spoke to SAnews ahead of the Africa Green Hydrogen Summit (AGHS) in Cape Town.

The green hydrogen economy is a new frontier for clean energy as it emits low carbon emissions coupled with a global potential of at least $300 billion in global exports over the next three decades.

South Africa holds approximately 80% of the world’s platinum group metals (PGMs) and 40% of the world’s platinum and palladium reserves which are key components in the production of hydrogen – placing it in a potentially lucrative position.

“Green hydrogen is a big part of the South African growth story because it helps us to beneficiate our upstream endowments in the form of our PGMs. Mining has got the highest employment absorption capacity of any sector so it’s going to help us beneficiate and get more and more people into employment,” he said.

Furthermore, the burgeoning sector has a big role to play in South Africa’s transition from a carbon intensive country to one powered in the main, by renewable energy technologies.

“It’s going to help us transition what we call the ‘hard to abate sectors’ of the economy. Electricity is a large part of our emissions and that’s why we are working with Eskom to reduce the emission levels.

“The next contributor to emissions is transportation but it’s very difficult to retrofit some of the renewable energy solutions…on aviation and maritime. So, we needed another solution and green hydrogen provides that solution,” Ramokgopa said.

The Minister acknowledged that the sector remains “cost prohibitive” but assured that he expects those costs to reduce. 

“We are confident that with the maturity of the technology, we are going to come in competitively and it’s going to help us transition.

“Of course, it’s also going to help us diversify energy sources. It’s going to help us to ensure that there’s a multiplicity of energy choices in relation to how we meet our power needs. Green hydrogen is a big part of the conversation,” he told SAnews.

Turning to the Africa Green Hydrogen Summit, Ramokgopa said African countries must align 

“The summit…will help us to position the continent in relation to how we can align policy to ensure that the continent benefits as a whole. We are capable of producing 60% of global renewable energy…but the total investment is less than 1%.

“So it is important that we align; we coordinate our efforts, see ourselves as a grouping of countries on the continent that can benefit from the endowments we have,” Ramokgopa said.

Unlocking employment

The green hydrogen industry is expected to create thousands of permanent and temporary job opportunities in South Africa with a particular focus on youth employment.

Two young people already hard at work in the sector are PhD graduates Dr Mphoma Matseke and Dr Victor Mashindi who spoke exclusively to SAnews.

The two youngsters are currently employed at Isondo Precious Metals which is playing a pioneering role in Africa’s green hydrogen economy.

Matseke highlighted that as the country moves toward green energy solutions, young people need to be more informed about renewable energy and how it works.

“As a young person, if you go to primary schools and even high schools and you ask them about green energy, they don’t have an idea of what you’re talking about. So, I feel like this is a platform that we can use to put the message out there about green energy and its applications.

“It feels amazing to be working at the cutting edge of technology,” she said.

Mashindi echoed the sentiments of his counterpart – describing the acceleration towards renewable energy technology as a boon for youth in science.

“Working with cutting edge technology at the forefront of renewable energy technology is very exciting because often times you mainly do theoretical studies at university and then you go on and work in a bank or a municipality.

“So…this is exciting because you get to apply the knowledge to solve real life problems. Knowing that we will be contributing meaningfully towards the development of the economy and the science and technology behind that keeps us going.

“I encourage young people to study sciences such as chemistry because these are the sciences that are taking us forward. There will be more facilities like these and more jobs in this industry…the future is really bright,” Mashinidi said. – SAnews.gov.za

 

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The South African Police Service (SAPS) has arrested a 47-year-old woman and a 48-year-old man in Bloubergstrand, in the Western Cape, for the alleged sexual abuse of their two daughters, aged three and eight. 

“The suspects face multiple charges, including the production of child sexual abuse material (commonly referred to as “child pornography”), rape, sexual assault and sexual grooming,” the South African Police Service said in a statement.

The victims were rescued during the police operation and have since been placed in a place of safety.

“The operation was carried out by a multidisciplinary team comprising members of the national and Western Cape Serial and Electronic Crime Investigations Units, officials from the Department of Social Development supported by the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI),” the police said. 

The suspects were located at a residence identified through joint investigative efforts.

Several electronic devices were seized during the arrest on Tuesday.

Police said the investigation remains ongoing. – SAnews.gov.za

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