Category: South Africa Government

Source: South Africa News Agency

As part of efforts to revitalise South Africa’s proclaimed fishing harbours, government has installed new, high-visibility signage at nine key sites across the Western Cape.

While harbour infrastructure falls under the mandate of other departments, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment remains committed to doing everything within its scope to promote operational efficiency and a welcoming, well-managed environment across all proclaimed fishing harbours.

“These signage upgrades are more than cosmetic. They are a statement of intent. They reflect our department’s commitment to restore dignity, pride and functionality to communities who rely on our working harbours,” the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George, said on Wednesday.

Nine of the Western Cape’s 12 proclaimed fishing harbours now sport newly installed, high-quality signage.

The upgrades reflect government’s visible commitment to revitalising coastal communities.

The following harbours now have new signage in place:

• Kalk Bay – Completed on 18 June 2025.
• Hout Bay – Completed on 18 June 2025.
• Elands Bay – Completed on 16 June 2025.
• Doring Bay – Completed on 16 June 2025.
• Saldanha Bay (Pepperbay) – Completed on 16 June 2025.
• Lamberts Bay – Completed on 14 June 2025.
• St Helena Bay (Sandy Point) – Completed on 12 June 2025.
• Laaiplek – Completed on 12 June 2025.
• Yzerfontein – Initial signage installed on 25 April 2025, with further enhancements planned.

For the remaining harbours — Arniston, Stilbay, Struisbay, Hermanus, Gansbaai and Gordons Bay — site visits have been completed, and signage is prepared for transportation and installation. 

Final installation dates will be announced soon.

The department said close collaboration with local teams is key to ensuring that all remaining harbours soon reflect the same level of visible progress. 

The signage project underscores the department’s broader commitment to rejuvenating fishing communities, promoting sustainable development, and restoring the Western Cape’s harbours as vibrant centres of economic and cultural activity.

“We are determined to uplift and improve our harbours to unlock their economic potential. Our teams are working tirelessly to finalise the remaining installations, and we look forward to celebrating the full revitalisation of these harbours,” the Minister said. –SAnews.gov.za

Source: South Africa News Agency

eThekwini Municipality strengthens ties in UAE to advance smart city

GabiK
Thu, 06/19/2025 – 09:02

Source: South Africa News Agency

KwaZulu-Natal Finance MEC Francois Rodgers has unveiled the province’s new digital Supply Chain Management (SCM) system, which aims to reduce wasteful expenditure, fraud, corruption, and bias in government procurement processes.

Speaking at the official launch in Pietermaritzburg on Tuesday, Rodgers announced that KwaZulu-Natal is the first province in South Africa to implement such system, which is set to be piloted during the management of the province’s R158 billion budget in the 2025/2026 financial year.

Rodgers acknowledged that the province has experienced numerous challenges linked to manual procurement system, which he described as a major source of irregularities.

“Generally, the root of fraud, corruption, irregular and wasteful expenditure can be found in our SCM processes. The implementation of a digital procurement system has become a priority,” Rodgers said.

According to Rodgers, the digital procurement platform implementation may derive in the following benefits:

•    Enforcing transparency and efficiency in procurement processes. Minimizing supply SCM fraud, corruption, bias, and enabling a fair and just environment for all stakeholders involved.
•    Replacing all manual submissions and reduce human errors and the creation of audit trails which will foster accountability at all levels.
•    The electronic system will also foster a culture of openness, empowering suppliers to compete on a level playing field, irrespective of their size or background, whilst ensuring targeted procurement from priority groups. 
•    Reduction of irregular expenditure through effective planning and contract management.
•    Compliance with SCM policies and regulations.
•    The system will allow for budget blocking especially at requisition creation stage.
•    The system will allow for price bench marking to ensure that the province obtains value for money and negotiates based on market prices.

Rodgers said the system has been approved by National Treasury, with full implementation expected to take place between January 2026 and April 2027, in the selected departments.

He said set-up costs are expected to range from R3 million to R5 million, with R20 million already allocated from the funds saved by the MEC through cost-cutting measures and curbing wasteful expenditure.

Provincial data analysis centre 

In another first for KwaZulu-Natal, Rodgers announced that the Provincial Treasury will be setting up a Data Analysis Centre, which will allow the analysis of provincial financial data to enable MECs and all departments’ management to make timeous and informed financial decisions.

Rodgers said the centre will feature a comprehensive financial dashboard, which will allow real-time monitoring of provincial finances by MECs and departmental leadership.

“This tool will allow us to observe total expenditure and revenue collection to address timeously issues of over-spending and under-collection. The dashboard will also enable provincial government leaders to live-monitor human capital trends in all departments.

“The dashboard is imperative to the development of an ethical and capable state. It will also aid in the determination of the quantum of accruals (invoices received and not paid), quantum of debts (monies owed to government), whether governance committees are meeting and whether all invoices are paid within 30 days,” Rodgers said.

He added that through the dashboard, the provincial government will be able to tell the extend of critical vacancy rates across government departments. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: South Africa News Agency

After ending a 27-year wait to win an International Cricket Council’s Test Championship (ICC), the national men’s cricket team, Proteas Men, have only just started to build momentum towards a culture of winning.

In a thrilling final against Australia, the Proteas Men secured a historic victory with a five-wicket win on day four at Lord’s in England on Saturday. This was the first senior Men’s trophy since the 1998 ICC Knockout victory.

“We hope that this can be the start of a lot more of these trophies. As much as we have achieved what we achieved in the past 18 – 24 months, this is not a big legacy as of yet. We will speak again in two to three years. We want to start a culture of winning trophies for the country,” Proteas men’s Captain Temba Bavuma said in Johannesburg at a media briefing.

The men’s national cricket team received an electrifying welcome with jubilation, song and dance from supporters on their arrival at OR Tambo International Airport, on Wednesday morning. 

“Seeing so many people welcome us at the airport was quite overwhelming. It was different from the last time we came back from the world cup in 2023. You don’t really realise what you have done until you start to interact with people. 

“To see the emotion, to hear the things they have got to say; it gives you an insight into what we have done. As a team we are proud that we have been able to achieve something like this, but we are even happier that we have made our people proud,” Bavuma said.

READ | Cricket world champions arrive home 

This marked South Africa’s first-ever appearance in a World Test Championship Final, and their triumphant performance signalled a landmark achievement for the nation’s cricketing history. 

This as Australia, currently ranked number one in the ICC Men’s Test Team Rankings, entered the final as favourites and defending champions. 

The Proteas, ranked second, rose to the occasion and delivered a memorable performance, cementing their status as one of the world’s elite test sides.

The Captain expressed how the team’s journey has not been an easy one.

“As a team we have our story. It wasn’t a simple and easy one. We have overcome a lot and managed to get to where we are. The biggest thing is that we have embraced everything that means to be a South African,” he said.

The cricket team hopes this inspires budding cricketers and the nation.

“Similarly to them, in their quest, their journey for what they want to achieve, as long as they keep having that passion, keep pushing against what people think is the unachievable.

“We have been confident enough that we have been playing good cricket.  We have been getting ourselves in a position where we can be in finals. Just like with anything, you got to keep going and keep being relentless.

“There was always that belief that at some point the harder we knock on that door, that it was going to happen,” Bavuma said.

He said the beauty about international cricket is that there is always more games to play.

“There’s the Zimbabwe tournament that leads into the start of the new test cycle [which] we will be setting our eyes on what we want to achieve over there. There is always something that we are working towards, it’s a legacy that we want to achieve [and] and trying to put together as a team. 

“The legacy is not done yet. For now, we want to enjoy what this moment has brought to us,” Bavuma said.

Cricket South Africa’s (CSA) head of national teams, Enoch Nkwe, said this victory will have a huge impact on generations to come.

He said this restores a lot of faith and belief in South African cricket. 

“We look at this format as a foundation to key fundamentals to other formats and the growth of cricket, not only in South Africa, but globally. What is encouraging is this is going to motivate a 15-year-old. We are going to ensure from behind the scenes that will continue to build these building blocks through this format,” Nkwe said.

The Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, said the team’s win gives the nation hope.

“People should see themselves when they watch our national teams, and that is what we are doing in cricket. They are following in the footsteps of rugby. We are a socially cohesive country [and] a rainbow nation, and you can see this.

“We are the best sporting nation in the world. We have the strongest women and men in the world. We have the fastest runners, the best soccer players, [and] we have the best rugby players and cricket team,” the Minister said.

The Proteas men’s head coach Shukri Conrad also expressed his joy at the warm reception the team received upon their arrival at the airport.

“I am absolutely ecstatic to see people come out in their hundreds. It makes this win even more special. We won a few days ago but it hasn’t sunk in. To get a reception like this… it starts to sink in. The guys have been great, but the fans have been better,” Conrad said. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: South Africa News Agency

The eThekwini Municipality’s Water and Sanitation Unit will intensify measures to enhance water management through various key initiatives, including the installation of strategic Pressure Reducing Valves (PRVs) in key network zones of the city.

This came during an Executive Committee (EXCO) meeting held on Tuesday, where several resolutions were adopted to accelerate implementation and respond to current challenges facing the municipality.

During the meeting, the municipal leadership approved measures aimed to accelerate implementation and address current water service delivery challenges facing the municipality.

During the meeting, management from the Water and Sanitation Unit presented an action plan aligned with the city’s Water Turnaround Strategy, which aims to reduce non-revenue water until it reaches acceptable standards.

The municipality said the installation of PRVs is a critical component in managing water pressure effectively and reduce incidents of bursts and leaks, which result in excessive water losses.

“Other initiatives in the action plan include maintenance of PRVs, installation of water restrictors, rehabilitation and refurbishment of district metered areas, performance-based contracts for leak detection and repairs, and installation of data loggers and trunk main pressure sensors,” the municipality reported after the meeting.

These initiatives are currently at the procurement process.

Strategic partnership with academic institutions renewed

The EXCO meeting also approved the renewal of a three-year Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with leading academic institutions, aimed at pursuing a common developmental research agenda to support policy development and improved service delivery.

The new MoA, effective from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2028, includes partnerships with the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT), Stellenbosch University (SU), and the University of South Africa (UNISA).

Supporting the agreement, Chairperson of the Governance and Human Capital Committee, Nkosenhle Madlala, said the agreement will position eThekwini as a responsive and learning-oriented city.

“It is through such partnerships that we will be able to co-create solutions to our most complex developmental challenges, while ensuring that our policies are grounded in rigorous research and real-world insight,” Madlala said.

Parties are to contribute funding jointly to facilitate priority research deemed strategic and collaborative. The co-funding model will form basis of shared responsibility using the ratio 1:1.

The municipality’s financial contribution will be as follows:
•    2025/26 financial year: R500 000.
•    2026/27 financial year: R1 000 000.
•    2027/28 financial year: R 1 500 000.

Two committees will be established to achieve effectiveness under this partnership, including the Research and Operations Committee, and the Steering Committee. – SAnews.gov.za
 

Source: South Africa News Agency

The Sedibeng District Municipality in Gauteng will be the next stop in the national campaign to create awareness about the Spaza Shop Support Fund.

This as an interactive session is set to take place at the City Hall, in the Vereeniging Central Business District, on Friday.

This leg of the campaign will offer spaza shop owners and township-based convenience store operators critical information on how to apply for both financial and non-financial support under the R500-million fund that was launched by Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau and Small Business Development Minister Stella Ndabeni in April.

READ | Government launches R500 million Spaza Shop Support Fund 

The fund is aimed at increasing the participation of South African owned spaza shops in the townships and rural areas retail trade sector.

The national campaign, spearheaded by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) and the Department of Small Business Development (DSBD), follows successful engagements held in KwaZulu-Natal, Northern Cape, North West, Mpumalanga and Limpopo. 

At these events, township-based entrepreneurs gathered in large numbers to learn how they can access support from the fund.
The initiative is implemented in partnership with the Small Enterprise Development and Finance Agency (SEDFA) and the National Empowerment Fund (NEF) which are agencies of the DSBD and the dtic, respectively. These entities are responsible for administering the fund.

The campaign aims to bolster the township economy by supporting South African-owned spaza shops and other township convenience stores through:
•    Access to affordable stock via delivery channel partners,                                                                                                                   
•    Infrastructure upgrades including shelving, refrigeration and security, Point of Sale devices,
•    Training programmes covering business skills, digital literacy, compliance, credit health and food safety, and partnerships with local manufacturers, black industrialists and wholesalers to improve supply chain inclusion.

“These efforts are geared toward increasing the competitiveness of township businesses and ensuring they play a significant role in the broader retail sector. 

“The campaign also promotes bulk buying and the use of locally produced goods, helping spaza shops lower operating costs while improving access to quality products,” the dtic and the DSBD said in a joint statement on Wednesday.

Friday’s session is expected to get underway at 9am. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: South Africa News Agency

Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has strongly condemned the threats and intimidation directed at humanitarian organisation, Gift of the Givers, while they were delivering lifesaving assistance to flood-affected communities in Mthatha, Eastern Cape.

It is alleged that members of a so-called “water mafia”, linked to service providers contracted by the OR Tambo District Municipality, threatened Gift of the Givers staff as they distributed clean drinking water to residents impacted by the recent floods. 

Mchunu was in Mthatha this past weekend to engage with and thank members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) for their efforts during the floods, which have claimed 90 lives to date and displaced hundreds more. The Minister also addressed some of the affected families. 

“The police will not tolerate any attempt to intimidate or obstruct those who are working tirelessly to save lives and bring relief to our people. Gift of the Givers has consistently been a source of hope and dignity to South Africans in their hour of need.

“Any attack on them is an attack on the very principle of ubuntu. No individual or group will be allowed to profiteer off disaster or compromise the safety and well-being of our people. Law enforcement will act decisively. 

“The SAPS will ensure the safety of all humanitarian workers in the area, and hold those responsible fully accountable under the law. 

“We have also been made aware of individuals who go to the homes of those who lost their lives due to these floods, with a view to commit acts of theft from these homes. Police have been deployed to ensure the safety of the property of the deceased,” Mchunu said. 

The provincial government said plans are underway to hold a Provincial Day of Mourning on Thursday, 19 June 2025, in Decoligny Village, Mthatha.

Residents have been urged to report persons who went missing in the areas that were affected by the floods to law enforcement. 

President Cyril Ramaphosa visited the area last Friday to offer support and assess the damage. He was accompanied by government officials, key Ministers, the Premier, and local government representatives.

President Ramaphosa has expressed sadness over the loss of life during floods. The President offered his condolences to those who have lost loved ones. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: South Africa News Agency

Hundreds of South Africans braved the cold on Wednesday to welcome the national men’s cricket team back on home soil, following their historic victory in the 2025 International Cricket Council’s Test Championship (ICC).

The Proteas won against the then champions Australia, in a thrilling final at Lord’s in England with a five-wicket win on Saturday.
This marked South Africa’s first-ever appearance in a World Test Championship Final, and their triumphant performance signalled a landmark achievement for the nation’s cricketing history. 

This as Australia, currently ranked number one in the ICC Men’s Test Team Rankings, entered the final as favourites and defending champions. 

The Proteas, ranked second, rose to the occasion and delivered a memorable performance, cementing their status as one of the world’s elite test sides.

READ | President Ramaphosa hails Proteas historic ICC test championship victory

The cricket team received an electrifying welcome with jubilation, song and dance from supporters, who arrived at OR Tambo International Airport, early on Wednesday morning.

The Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, said the team’s win gives the nation hope.

“People should see themselves when they watch our national teams and that is what we are doing in cricket. They are following in the footsteps of rugby. We are a socially cohesive country. We are a rainbow nation and you can see this.

“We are the best sporting nation in the world. We have the strongest women and men in the world. We have the fastest runners, the best soccer players, [and]we have the best rugby players and cricket team,” the Minister said.

The Proteas men’s head coach Shukri Conrad expressed his joy at the welcome the team received at the airport.

“I am absolutely ecstatic to see people come out in their hundreds. It makes this win even more special. We won a few days ago but it hasn’t sunk in. To get a reception like this… it starts to sink in. The guys have been great but the fans have been better,” Conrad said.

The Minister, together with the cricket team, will brief the nation this afternoon on their success. –SAnews.gov.za
 

Source: South Africa News Agency

South Africa views the Group of Seven (G7) as a strategic partner in its efforts to drive climate resilience, promote a just energy transition, and secure value-added investment in its rich mineral resources.

This is according to President Cyril Ramaphosa who was speaking following the conclusion of his working visit to Canada where he participated in the G7 Summit Outreach Session. The session took place on the margins of the G7 Leaders’ Summit, held in Kananaskis, Alberta.

“South Africa views the G7 as a strategic partner. We seek greater cooperation in areas such as investment, financing for development, international crime, climate change and just transitions, as well as inclusive global growth and development,” the President said on Tuesday.

READ | President in Canada for G7 Leaders’ Summit

The G7 consists of the largest advanced economies namely: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. 

The European Union also participates in G7 Summits, although it is not a member.  

The Outreach Session aimed “to explore leadership and collaboration in driving a comprehensive approach to energy security with a focus on technology and innovation; diversification and strengthening critical mineral supply chains; and infrastructure and investment”.

The outreach theme resonated with South Africa’s national interests and priorities of South Africa’s G20 Presidency.  

The Outreach Sessions of the G7 have been a feature of the Group over the years with the aim being to strengthen unity among G7 members and like-minded countries to deliberate on and address some of the world’s most pressing issues. 

President Ramaphosa described the summit as “most meaningful” particularly in the context of South Africa’s role as the G20 President.

“We’ve just concluded our visit to Canada to attend the G7 Summit. It has been most meaningful for us, particularly as we are the President of the G20. We’ve had the opportunity to interact with a number of heads of state and government of various countries,” he said.

Climate change 

President Ramaphosa placed climate change and its devastating effects at the centre of South Africa’s message to the G7 leaders, highlighting the destruction brought by floods in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, as well as the ongoing droughts in parts of the Western Cape. 

“We put that firmly on the global agenda, that there should be sufficient funding for incidents such as those, as they happen on a repeated basis, particularly in our sub region – in [the] SADC [Southern African Development Community], but more importantly, in two of our provinces, KwaZulu Natal and the Eastern Cape [which] over the past few years have suffered repeated incidents of destruction from floods and also droughts in parts of the Western Cape,” the President explained.

Beneficiation 

On the economic front, President Ramaphosa also pushed for a shift in the global approach to Africa’s critical minerals, emphasising the need for beneficiation and inclusive value chains.

“We discussed the importance of how our critical minerals should be treated, particularly in view of the fact that they play such an important role in energy security and that the extraction of minerals from African countries and our own country, particularly, should be made more to be not only extractive, but also to have value add, where beneficiation becomes the order of the day,” he said. 

He said investors must be made aware upfront that South Africa seeks to move beyond raw exports to value-added production, in line with its long-held vision of selling finished goods rather than raw materials.

“Those who want to invest in our minerals, should know up front that we are not only looking forward to them extracting minerals, but also to value chain additions or advancements in the form of beneficiation, so that in the end, we live up to what we’ve been saying, that we want to sell value added products to the rest of the world,” the President stressed.

Bilateral meetings

The first citizen also held bilateral meetings with several leaders on the sidelines of the summit, which he described as “most beneficial” for South Africa’s diplomatic and economic engagements.

He held bilateral meetings with Heads of State and Government from Canada, France, Germany and the Republic of Korea. The meetings centered on fostering greater cooperation on issues of mutual interest. 

President Ramaphosa welcomed the strengthening of cooperation between South Africa and Canada as it relates to the G20 and the G7. 

“Canada’s Africa strategy is comprehensive and there is potential for cooperation in areas where there is alignment with the African Agenda.”

Several engagements have taken place between South Africa and Canada at various levels, including at Sherpa and Ministerial levels. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: South Africa News Agency

Government has reaffirmed its dedication to supporting affected families, speeding up recovery efforts, and investing in long-term solutions to adapt to climate risks. 

At the same time, citizens are encouraged to stay alert, follow official alerts, and promptly report any hazards to local authorities in case of bad weather.

The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Velenkosini Hlabisa, along with the Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, Thami Ntuli, conducted an oversight visit to the Impendle Local Municipality on Tuesday. 

They assessed the damage caused by recent extreme weather conditions that left hundreds of residents displaced.

The visit comes in the wake of a Level 5 weather warning issued by the South African Weather Service (SAWS) last week.

Impendle was among the most severely affected areas in the province, following heavy windstorms that tore through homes and community infrastructure.

According to the department, a total of 140 households were affected, with 58 homes destroyed and 137 others partially damaged. 

Meanwhile, about 962 people were directly impacted, with 31 families currently displaced and relying on the support of relatives and neighbours for shelter.

The hardest-hit communities are located across five wards, and the department said the disaster management teams from local, district, and provincial structures have been deployed to the area. 

Meanwhile, relief efforts are underway, including the provision of temporary shelter, some of which is offered by community members, food parcels, and monetary vouchers for affected families.

Hlabisa commended the swift coordination between the different spheres of government and called for long-term resilience measures. 

“What we are seeing here must push us to improve our response systems and build safer communities. We must not only rebuild but rebuild better.”

Ntuli echoed the importance of proactive planning and described this disaster as a “wake-up call”. 

“Our systems must be more resilient to protect lives and livelihoods,” the Premier said. 

The department said the leaders engaged with community members and disaster teams on the ground to ensure that immediate needs are met and that medium- to long-term recovery plans are well-informed.

In addition to addressing the situation in Impendle, government leaders extended condolences to the families of two people who lost their lives in eThekwini due to recent storm-related incidents. 

“Sympathies were also extended to the families of 12 people who tragically died in a road accident involving a bus and truck in KwaZulu-Natal during the same period.”

According to the department, the incident comes as the province continues to experience more frequent and severe weather patterns, attributed to the growing impact of climate change. 

As a result, the National Disaster Management Centre has been tasked with conducting thorough vulnerability assessments across the country to inform more targeted early warning systems, resilient infrastructure plans, and proactive community risk management.

On Friday last week, President Cyril Ramaphosa visited Mthatha in the Eastern Cape to offer support and assess the damage following the recent floods that killed about 90 people.

The floods have caused widespread destruction to homes, government facilities, roads, hospitals, and schools, highlighting the urgent need to tackle climate change. 

President Ramaphosa said that this is becoming a new reality for South Africa, with both the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal experiencing recurring annual disasters. – SAnews.gov.za