Category: South Africa Government

Source: Government of South Africa

The Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Professor Blade Nzimande, will lead a high-level South African delegation on a comprehensive visit focused on science, technology and innovation (STI) in Tunisia and Algeria.

According to the Department of Science, Technology, and Innovation (DSTI), these visits began on Monday, 14 July, and will conclude on Thursday this week.

Nzimande is visiting the two nations following invitations from the Tunisian Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Mondher Belaid, and the Algerian Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Kamel Bidari.

“Through these visits, Minister Nzimande seeks to reinforce existing science, technology and innovation bilateral cooperation between South Africa and Tunisia and Algeria, as part of a broader commitment to grow the size and intensity of intra-Africa STI cooperation for development,” the DSTI said in a  statement. 

Nzimande’s programme will include bilateral engagements with his Algerian and Tunisian counterparts and visits to key science institutions.

In Tunisia, the Minister will visit the Borja Cedria Technopark, the Pasteur Institute of Tunis, the Bardo National Museum for arts and history, and the City of Science Museum.

In Algeria, he will visit the Centre for the Development of Advanced Technologies, the Saad Dahlab University and the Great Mosque of Algiers. 

One highlight of the Minister’s visit to Algeria will be a guest lecture organised by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Cooperation, focusing on Pan-African cooperation.

Reflecting on the importance of these visits, Nzimande said: “Our visit to Algeria and Tunisia forms part of our long-standing international relations strategy to strengthen meaningful science, technology and innovation cooperation with fellow African countries, and to advance the objectives of the African Union’s Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA).”

The Minister believes that Pan-African STI cooperation and development are paramount, given the current unstable geopolitical environment and the imperatives of securing the continent’s sustainable future. 

“All our efforts are therefore aimed towards developing what we refer to as a sovereign science, technology, and innovation agenda for Africa,” the Minister said.

The two visits will conclude with the adoption of two new comprehensive Plans of Action, aimed at intensifying cooperation with Tunisia and Algeria, respectively.

“This will be an immediate and concrete implementation of the ambitions for South Africa’s science diplomacy, which Minister Nzimande had outlined in his Budget Vote speech last week,” the department said. 

The Minister’s delegation includes senior officials from the ministry, the department and its entities, such as the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), as well as experts from the Council for Mineral Technology (Mintek). – SAnews.gov.za

Source: Government of South Africa

Tuesday, July 15, 2025

Source: Government of South Africa

President Cyril Ramaphosa has assured South Africans that government is hard at work to safeguard the integrity and effectiveness of the police service. 

The President made these remarks in his weekly newsletter to the nation, just a day after announcing the establishment of a commission of inquiry to investigate serious allegations made by SAPS KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. 

“We have taken this decisive step because we are determined that the important work that has been done to rebuild our law enforcement agencies and security services should not be compromised. 

“It is necessary that we establish the facts through an independent, credible and thorough process so that we can safeguard public confidence in the police service. This is particularly important as we seek to put the era of state capture behind us,” the President said. 

The commission of inquiry, to be chaired by Acting Deputy Chief Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, will investigate allegations made by General Mkhwanazi that the Minister of Police and others had colluded to interfere with police investigations.

The commission will investigate allegations relating to the infiltration of law enforcement, intelligence and associated institutions within the criminal justice system by criminal syndicates. 

Among the allegations that the commission may investigate are the facilitation of organised crime; suppression or manipulation of investigations; inducement into criminal actions by law enforcement leadership; commission of any other criminal offences and intimidation, victimisation or targeted removal of whistleblowers or officials resisting criminal influence.

“The commission will investigate the role of current or former senior officials in certain institutions who may have aided or abetted the alleged criminal activity; failed to act on credible intelligence or internal warnings; or benefited financially or politically from a syndicate’s operations,” the President said. 

Institutions under scrutiny include the South African Police Service, National Prosecuting Authority, State Security Agency, the Judiciary and Magistracy, and the metropolitan police departments of Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and Tshwane.

The commission will also investigate whether any members of the National Executive responsible for the criminal justice system, were complicit, aided and abetted, or participated in the acts mentioned above.

The commission will be asked to report on the effectiveness or failure of oversight mechanisms, and the adequacy of current legislation, policies and institutional arrangements in preventing such infiltration.

It will make findings and recommendations for criminal prosecutions, disciplinary actions and institutional reform.

Once established, the commission shall consider prima facie evidence relating to the involvement of individuals currently employed within law enforcement or intelligence agencies. 

Where appropriate, the commission must make recommendations on the employment status of such officials, including whether they should be suspended pending the outcome of further investigations. 

The commission will also be empowered to refer matters for immediate criminal investigation and urgent decisions on prosecution, taking into account the nature of the allegations and evidence the commission will uncover. 

In order for the commission to execute its functions effectively, the President decided to put the Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu on a leave of absence with immediate effect. He said the Minister has undertaken to give his full cooperation to the commission to enable it to do its work. 

In his place, the President has appointed Professor Firoz Cachalia as Acting Minister of Police. Cachalia is currently a professor of law at the University of the Witwatersrand and is the chairperson of the National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council. He previously served as an MEC of Community Safety in Gauteng.

President Ramaphosa emphasised that the commission is being established against the backdrop of significant progress in rebuilding and strengthening the country’s law enforcement agencies and security services. 

In recent years, the South African Police Service, the Special Investigating Unit, the Asset Forfeiture Unit and other bodies have been making important inroads in the fight against organised crime and corruption.

“It is essential that we maintain this momentum and that we intensify this work. We will ensure that the SAPS and other law enforcement agencies continue to function without hindrance as the commission undertakes its work,” the President said. 

He called on all members of the law enforcement agencies and security services to remain steadfast in upholding the rule of law and adhering to their code of conduct.

“I call on all South Africans to support the commission in its work and, where appropriate, to provide any information or assistance the commission may require.

“In establishing this Commission of Inquiry, we are affirming our commitment to the rule of law, to transparency and accountability, and to building a South Africa in which all people are safe and secure,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: Government of South Africa

The G20 countries’ ability to respond collectively to mounting challenges facing the multilateral system will determine both the speed of global recovery and the future of sustainable development.

This is according to National Treasury Director-General, Dr Duncan Pieterse, who delivered remarks at the opening session of the G20 Finance Track meetings being held in KwaZulu-Natal this week.

“The multilateral system is being tested, and our collective ability to respond, will shape the pace of our recovery, but also the prospects for inclusive and sustainable development. 

“As the G20, we have the responsibility to demonstrate leadership, and our Presidency places a very strong emphasis on strengthening the role of the G20 in delivering concrete solutions, fostering a more stable and effective and resilient international financial architecture, enhancing debt sustainability, addressing liquidity challenges, as well as strengthening multilateral development banks, and ensuring financing for development,” Pieterse said.

He added that the meetings take place at a time of heightened global economic uncertainty.

“While there are signs of resilience in some areas, various challenges remain: uneven growth trajectories, elevated debt levels, persistent inflationary pressures, and the complex implications of tightening financial conditions. 

“At the same time, various long-term transitions including digitalisation, climate finance and demographic shifts are reshaping the foundations of our economies,” the DG noted.

Finance track meetings

Pieterse explained that this week, sessions have been dedicated in line with “our commitment to deepen policy dialogue at the Deputies level”.

“These discussions are instrumental in shaping the outcomes of the Finance Track, and reaffirming our commitment as the Presidency to Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability,” he said.

On Monday, the sessions kicked off with an update from the Council of Europe Development Bank on its monitoring and reporting framework.

“[This framework] is a critical tool for tackling the implementation of the G20 MDB roadmap as it enables MDBs to assess how they are working better as a system, enhancing their effectiveness and maximising developmental impact.

“This will be followed by a pandemic response financing simulation exercise that will be facilitated by the World Bank and the objective of this exercise is to simulate a coordinated pandemic response financing scenario, enabling participants to explore practical mechanisms for mobilising and deploying resources rapidly and effectively during a global health emergency,” he said.

On Tuesday, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank will give updates on the global sovereign debt roundtable.

“This discussion is geared towards promoting information exchange between the GSDR and the G20 to enhance the effectiveness of both platforms while respecting the distinct roles. 

“Significant progress has been made on the GSDR work, including the publication of the GSDR playbook on sovereign debt restructurings during the Spring Meetings in April, and another important milestone that was achieved was the publication of a G20 note on the steps of debt restructuring under the common framework,” Pieterse explained.

On the same day, the Chairperson of the Africa Expert Panel, led by former Minister of Finance for South Africa, Trevor Manuel, will give an update on the work of the panel. 

“[This] section will provide Deputies with an overview of the work of the Panel, which…aims to advance Africa’s collective development interest within the G20 Finance Track. We will be getting an update from Minister Manuel on this so that we can ensure that we align African priorities with the global economic reform efforts that we are discussing in the G20,” he said.

Over the next two days, the delegates will have sessions dedicated to the drafting of a communique.

“We really want to thank the G20 members for very constructive inputs and engagements thus far, which started last week virtually, and we believe that those engagements have set a very strong foundation for our discussions over the next two days.

“We are very pleased with the collaborative spirit shown during the virtual discussions, and we believe that we are able to achieve agreement in most of the areas which will enable us to provide the Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors with an opportunity to achieve the first Communique under South Africa’s Presidency,” Pieterse concluded. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: Government of South Africa

Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Narend Singh, has urgently called for global leaders to address climate action and provide the necessary support for mitigation and adaptation.

Singh was speaking during the second Group of 20 (G20) Environment and Sustainability Working Group (ECSWG) meeting at the Kruger National Park in Mpumalanga, on Monday. 

“I wish to reiterate what was said during the first G20 ECSWG meeting in March this year: we are less than five years away from our deadline to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and the end of this critical decade for climate action. 

“Yet, we are still far from attaining these goals and action targets,” he said. 

According to the Deputy Minister, poverty levels are worsening, pollution from hazardous chemicals has been increasing, and greenhouse gas emissions reached record highs last year.  

“This calls for an urgent acceleration of our efforts. Our commitment to achieve these goals must not waver, as we are all negatively affected. That is why South Africa has placed solidarity, equality and sustainability at the centre of our G20 Presidency.” 

South Africa’s G20 Presidency has outlined an ambitious agenda for this Working Group following the successful convening of the inaugural virtual meeting earlier this year. 

Singh said the five interrelated priorities have now been expanded into six, with the splitting of the climate change and air quality priorities into separate areas of focus. 

“This will provide us with an opportunity to delve into these two key issues more deeply and systematically.” 

During this five-day meeting, delegates from G20 member nations will focus on several key priorities. 

These include biodiversity and conservation; land degradation, desertification, drought; chemicals and waste management; air quality; oceans and coasts; and climate change, with a particular emphasis on Just Transitions.

According to Singh, Just Transition encompasses energy transition, adaptation, resilience, loss and damage.

“This priority also includes a sub-priority on mitigation within the context of low-carbon economic development and other co-benefits beyond the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.” 

Singh stated that the G20 process offers a chance to discuss and agree on actions that can expedite climate action and support at the necessary scale, as highlighted in the results of the first global stocktake.

As a primary outcome of South Africa’s G20 Presidency this year, the country will explore ways that the G20 can leverage opportunities to increase the scale and flows of climate finance. 

“It is paramount for developing economy countries to be actively supported in their efforts to achieve ‘whole of society and whole of economy’ Just Transitions to sustainable development on the ground, through scaled access to low-cost finance, technology, capacity development, and skills transfer,” the Deputy Minister said.

Singh believes that the blue economy approach can make a significant contribution to the livelihood of coastal communities around the globe, as well as addressing climate change. 

“It’s sustainable, long-term development should be promoted and enhanced through collective action at the level of the G20. 

“It is also recognised that plastic pollution poses a significant threat to coastal and marine environments, affecting marine life, human health, and livelihoods, which needs to be addressed in an integrated and coordinated manner.” 

Singh announced that the final meetings of the Working Group and Ministerial sessions will be held from 13-15 October in Cape Town. 

During these meetings, the final versions of the technical papers and the draft of the Ministerial Declaration will be discussed.

This will be followed by the G20 ECSWG Ministerial meeting scheduled for 16 – 17 October in Cape Town, where the Ministerial Declaration and other deliverables of the Working Group will be presented. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: Government of South Africa

The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has warned that failure to comply with the current review process may result in the suspension, and possible permanent lapsing of their grants.

“Continued non-compliance may lead to the permanent lapsing of their grants. Beneficiaries are advised that SASSA is also empowered by the Act to recoup any money that would have been paid to the beneficiary incorrectly.

“This means that, should we find out that you have been receiving social grants that you were not eligible to receive, SASSA will institute a debt recovery process where you will have to pay back the money,” SASSA CEO Matlou warned.

Matlou’s warning came during a media briefing on the current social grant review process, held in Pretoria on Monday.

Over 140 000 notifications sent to beneficiaries

Matlou announced that the review process has already seen over 140 000 SMS notifications sent to beneficiaries selected for review.

However, Matlou noted that the non-responsiveness is an indication that some beneficiaries may have changed their contact details but failed to inform SASSA.

Matlou acknowledged that while SASSA communicated the changes through various media platforms and public announcements, some beneficiaries may have missed the communication.

“SASSA has in previous years noticed that many beneficiaries do not update their contact details with SASSA and consequently do not receive the notices for them to come in to conduct a review. We have sent out bulk SMS messages and registered letters to the addresses we have in our possession.

“We are working on strengthening our communication approach, including through more robust community-level engagement and increased visibility of information on official and public platforms. We will also increase the operating hours, employ additional capacity to address long queues that have been recently experienced during this important review process,” Matlou said.

He said the agency is also working hard to automate the review process by introducing self-service options using online platforms to make it easier for the beneficiaries to complete their reviews and reduce the queues in local offices.

Matlou urged beneficiaries who have not received their payment, or are uncertain about their payment status to contact SASSA through the toll-free number 0800 60 10 11 or visit www.sassa.gov.za.

Budget allocation conditions

While SASSA is mandated by the Social Assistance Act to review social grants, Matlou said the agency is also operating under strict budgetary conditions set by the National Treasury.

He said in February 2025, the National Treasury issued SASSA with a preliminary allocation letter for the 2025 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), which contained compliance framework strict conditions the agency needed to put in place since they became binding and form part of the approved budgetary allocations for the financial year.

“These conditions direct SASSA to find mechanisms to save costs through its review process to ensure money is not paid to those undeserving beneficiaries to enhance fiscal accountability, improve operational efficiency, and ensure the integrity of the Social Assistance Programme.

“They cover critical areas such as income verification, biometric checks, inter-agency data cross-referencing, and quarterly reporting obligations. The conditions also reflect Treasury’s intent to strengthen oversight and promote transparency in the administration of social grants,” Matlou said.

Matlou reaffirmed SASSA’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement of the social grant system.

“We take our responsibility seriously to serve the most vulnerable in our society and will work harder to ensure that no beneficiary is left confused or disadvantaged. SASSA remains committed to protecting the right and dignity of each beneficiary by ensuring that no one who qualifies is unfairly penalized.

“Our efforts are directed at preserving the social assistance system for those who genuinely need it. SASSA enforces a zero-tolerance policy towards fraud and corruption, both from beneficiaries and within its own ranks,” the CEO said.

He said the agency is also finalising the implementation of biometric identification infrastructure aimed to enhance security and integrity in grant administration processes. – SAnews.gov.za
 

Source: Government of South Africa

The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has reassured beneficiaries of social grants that no payments have been suspended or halted due to the ongoing social grant review process.

Addressing the media on the current social grant review process on Monday, SASSA CEO, Themba Matlou, emphasised that all valid approved grants remain valid, and payments continue to be processed.

“Any beneficiary with an active and valid grant remains entitled to receive their payment,” Matlou said.

Matlou explained that SASSA derives its mandate from the Constitution of the republic of South Africa and SASSA Act, which is to administer, manage and payment of social grants to eligible beneficiaries.

He also highlighted that SASSA conducts regular reviews, as required by Regulation 30 of the Social Assistance Act, to ensure that every person receiving a social grant remains eligible based on their current circumstances.

“Section 14(5) of the Social Assistance Act requires beneficiaries to notify SASSA of any material change in their circumstances, including financial, marital as soon as reasonably possible. This obligation is also stated in the approval letter each beneficiary receives,” Matlou said.

As a result of this legislation, Matlou said that in April 2025, SASSA announced its plans for reviews for the 2025/26 financial year. The targeted reviews aim to ascertain the eligibility of beneficiaries for whom the agency have obtained information that their circumstances have changed, and as a result, may no longer qualify for a social grant.

Matlou also noted that the agency has this year introduced and implemented a fourth payment date to its payment schedule, where beneficiaries targeted for a review are paid on the fourth day of the payment cycle, to ensure that they receive their payment after the necessary review, “without prejudicing the general payment cycle for others.”

“We believe this strategy is better than previous rounds where beneficiaries who do not receive their notifications only find out that they have been placed on review when they get suspended; at which time it is too late to have their payment for the month re-instated.

“Those beneficiaries who have not received a notification and are getting their payments on the normal pay dates (between the 2nd and 5th of the month), do not have to contact the agency,” Matlou said.

On the complaints about access to SASSA offices, the CEO acknowledged the challenges during the month of June, where few beneficiaries came forward, except in some offices in KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State. However, he said the numbers have increased significantly in the month of July.

He assured that the agency is constantly monitoring the numbers, and will adjust its operational plans accordingly, to ensure that “it remains within our capacity.”

Importance of the reviews

Matlou stressed that the review of social grants helps identify beneficiaries who may no longer qualify due to changes in their financial, medical, or legal circumstances.

The review also serves as a confirmation of life or existence, ensuring that grants are not paid out to deceased individuals or those who have relocated without updating their records.

The reviews further allow SASSA to detect and prevent cases where individuals continue receiving grants despite being listed on payroll systems of other entities, including public or private.

“This is being done to safeguard the integrity of the social assistance system [and] to ensure that only eligible beneficiaries receive support, preventing fraud and misuse of public funds.

“SASSA is undertaking the social grants review process for the better good of the government fiscus, thus ensuring that grants are paid to eligible beneficiaries and all the fraudulent elements are rooted out,” Matlou said.

SASSA Executive Manager Grants Administration, Brenton Van Vrede, noted that with the reviews, the agency is not targeting the most vulnerable but those that have multiple sources of income.

“If the mother of the child receives child maintenance from the father or an Older Person’s Grant beneficiary receives some sort of support from their child/children, it is unlikely to suspend the grant. If so, they will need to alert SASSA for assessment,” Van Vrede said. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: Government of South Africa

Monday, July 14, 2025