Category: South Africa Government

Source: Government of South Africa

Saturday, October 11, 2025

Source: Government of South Africa

The Minister of Higher Education and Training, Buti Manamela, has assured students at Free State and Fort Hare Universities that the department, the universities and police are working hard to protect students and staff. 

Efforts are also underway to reopen Fort Hare University. This after violent protests broke out at the Eastern Cape-based university this week – causing damages estimated between R300 and R500 million.

READ | Minister Manamela calls for calm amid Fort Hare unrest

“Our immense priority is to ensure that the academic program resumes within the next week. In a productive meeting with the university…I’ve directed the University Council and management to put in place all necessary measures to reopen the institution and allow teaching and learning to continue, including temporary online modalities where required.

“Students must be able to complete their studies in peace and also in safety. That is non-negotiable. The university must ensure that the academic year is not put in any jeopardy.”

Manamela condemned the violence at the university – describing it as “criminal”.

“The destruction and violence that engulfed the University of Fort Hare in recent days is deeply tragic. A university should be a space of learning, hope and progress. Not one of fear and destruction. 

“The intimidation of staff… and the disruption of teaching and learning cannot and will never be justified. What has happened at Fort Hare is not protest. It is criminal. It destroys opportunity, it erodes confidence, but it also undermines the dreams of thousands of young people who look to education as their only chance for a better life.

“We are working closely with the South African Police Service, the Eastern Cape government, and the university security teams to restore come and protect students and staff,” he said at a media briefing on Saturday. 

The Minister acknowledged that there are challenges that must be addressed by the institution’s leadership.

“Beyond the immediate crisis, I’ve also asked the University Council to reflect deeply on the number of critical issues when they meet tomorrow. [This] including the state of governance and leadership, the role and status of the SRC [Student Representative Council], the institutional culture of the university, the concerns raised about the Vice Chancellor’s contract and the insourcing of workers, which are some of the issues that are believed to have triggered protest at the university.

“In the coming week, I will respond in greater detail to the feedback received from the ministerial team led by Professor Ahmed Bauer, which has been engaging students, staff, and other stakeholders over the last several days. Their work is central to shaping the next phase of our intervention,” he said.

Arrests 

Turning to matters at the University of Free State where protests have also erupted, the Minister said some 17 students have been arrested including two who attempted to “throw a petrol bomb in a cubicle that houses security”.

“Now this is criminality. Even if these people are students, they are basically unleashing crime. And I think in both instances…we need to make that distinction between people who are students and… criminals who are also in the process endangering the life of other students and staff. 

Safety enhancement

“But we have to approach this in a very systemic way. And that’s why we will be accelerating our engagement internally so that we fix the system internally in order to ensure that we don’t keep students being vulnerable, but also our engagement with the South African Police Service on ways and means within which we can restore order where necessary,” he said.

The Minister emphasised, however, that security responses alone “will not be enough”.

“We have to deal with some of the issues that have resulted in protest in some of the institutions, but also that some of the violence is not even related to protest but it’s related to the fact that institutions are being seen as business enterprises for infrastructure, for tenders, around services, accommodation, and so on and some of this violence is related to that.

“We have to make sure that universities and institutions within the post-school education and training sector return to what they’ve been established for, become places of learning and teaching and not what we have seen in the most recent days,” Manamela said. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: Government of South Africa

While global energy talks at the final G20 Energy Transitions Working Group (ETWG) and Energy Transitions Ministerial Meetings ended inconclusively, a different, more urgent struggle was won – one affecting a young girl who, instead of studying after school, must trek for firewood. 

During the meetings this week, South Africa used its G20 Presidency to successfully champion this cause, lifting the overlooked challenge of clean cooking from the shadows into the mainstream of the G20, a legacy Electricity and Energy Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa called a “major victory” for the continent.

The Minister was speaking during a media briefing at the culmination of the final G20 Energy Transitions Working Group (ETWG) and Energy Transitions Ministerial Meetings held in KwaZulu-Natal this week.

He noted that across the globe, at least one billion people who are mainly African do not have access to clean cooking – forcing them to cook using health threatening fuels like coal, wood, animal dung and paraffin. 

“The major victory is…clean cooking. It’s huge for the continent. You and I could take it for granted but as we sit here, there’s a young girl somewhere in a remote village who comes back from school, drops her books and goes to fetch firewood. That’s what we want to change.

“We know that there’s 1.4 billion people on the continent and one billion of them don’t have access to clean cooking and of that, 600 million don’t have access to electricity. So, I am happy that we were able to find each other…to say that we could differ on other things, but this is a human rights issue. 

“Finally, we agreed. So, the legacy of South Africa’s Presidency is to lift clean cooking into the mainstream agenda of the G20 – the most industrialised powerful countries in the world,” he said on Friday.

Although the meetings did not find a consensus on other issues, the Minister said this was to be expected.
“Given the polarity of views in the energy complex, it was always going to be a very difficult ask for us to be able to get to a consensus that then gets to be lifted into a communique…that all the parties in the room agree on the formulation.

“As we expected…we got to see those tensions. Sometimes it was a binary discussion with renewables on the one side and fossil fuels on the other side and of course, the middle position of doing all of the above. But what was important was to ensure that we surface those issues and conversations were able to happen and unfold,” he said.

The Minister highlighted that although they could not find consensus on all the priority areas at the G20, South Africa will continue to pursue those on other platforms.

“The Ten-Year Infrastructure Investment Plan, it is part of the AU [African Union] 2063 Agenda…we will do that. There are some partners here who area already supporting us. On the issues of green hydrogen…there was a South Africa-European Union (EU) Summit and the President [Cyril Ramaphosa] and [EU President] Ursula von der Leyen have agreed to a set of packages.

READ | President Ramaphosa welcomes €11.5 billion EU investment in South Africa

“Although we didn’t find consensus it doesn’t mean the work doesn’t continue. Even though there are some areas where we couldn’t find each other here, we are working together with individual states and the EU. It doesn’t stop that momentum,” Ramokgopa said. 

READ | Minister Ramokgopa calls on G20 to serve as ‘beacon of hope’
– SAnews.gov.za

Source: Government of South Africa

The 30 Year Anniversary International Conference of the Public Protector is set to reflect and celebrate the role played by the independent institution’s existence in South Africa’s development.

Acting spokesperson of the Public Protector of South Africa (PPSA), Ndili Msoki said the historic event will bring together experts and leaders from across South Africa and the globe, including civil society, academia and faith leaders to reflect on the three decades of the institution.

“The program is packed with reflections of our transformative journey and discussions on combating maladministration, corruption, enhancing ethical governance and shaping a resilient future for democracy and service delivery in public administration,” Msoki said in an interview with the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) on Friday.

To be held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (ICC) from 13-15 October 2025, the conference will be held under the theme: “30 years of strengthening constitutional democracy- a transformative journey.”

Attendees of the conference will among others deliberate on the enhancement of public participation and citizen-centred governance and the transformative journey of the PPSA in strengthening good governance and accountability. It will also place the spotlight on the building of consensus on the meaning of democracy and its viability.

Msoki added that established in terms of section 181 of the Constitution, with a mandate to support and strengthen constitutional democracy, the PPSA is an institution that the people of South Africa can rely on. 

“We are on a drive to digitise the institution,” he said adding that the move streamlines and makes processes efficient. The digitisation also give complainants access to the progress of reports the institution is working on.

“It also allows them to track the movement of their complaints online and free of charge. This makes it possible for people anywhere in the country, anyone who has access to the internet, to be able to access our services by means of lodging complaints and following up on them.

“We’re also in the process of amending the Public Protector Act, which is the piece of legislation that gives rise to the Public Protector, to, amongst other things, strengthen our independence, and also to criminalise the non-implementation of the Public Protector’s remedial action,” he explained.

The PPSA has also embarked on a drive to improve the skills of its investigators.

“We’ve been lucky to have received an allocation from the Criminal Assets Recovery Account which reaffirms that the Public Protector is an anti-corruption agency, because those funds are reserved for those sorts of institutions,” he said.

The PPSA entered into an agreement with the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners in September 2024 to collaborate in areas of mutual interest where both institutions committed to work together in the areas of training and combating fraud.

The first person to hold the office of the PPSA was Selby Baqwa, appointed on the inception of the office in 1995. He was succeeded in 2002 by Lawrence Mushwana, in 2009 by Thuli Madonsela and in 2016 by Busisiwe Mkhwebane. The current Public Protector is Kholeka Gcaleka who assumed office with effect from 1 November 2023. 

Gcaleka is among those expected to address the event as well as former Public Protectors, representatives from oversight bodies as well as Cabinet Ministers. –SAnews.gov.za

Source: Government of South Africa

Government, TikTok talks collaboration

Edwin
Fri, 10/10/2025 – 10:29

Source: Government of South Africa

Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, has conveyed the nation’s collective grief following the passing of South Africa’s Ambassador to France, Nathi Mthethwa, who said he left a legacy of dedication and service to the country. 

Lamola conveyed his condolences during an emotional official memorial service on Friday, attended by family representatives, diplomats, and colleagues which served as a reminder of the profound impact Ambassador Mthethwa had on South Africa’s diplomatic landscape.

“Our gathering here is a sombre reminder that Ambassador Nkosinathi Emmanuel Mthethwa is no more.

“More than a week ago, our nation received the harrowing news of Ambassador Mthethwa’s passing. We have indeed suffered a monumental loss,” Lamola said.

The late Ambassador passed away in the French capital on 30 September 2025, at the age of 58. 

“He was faithful to the cause, the people and their hopes of a better tomorrow. He had a remarkable appreciation for the intersecting struggles of youth, workers and the people as a whole. A recurring theme in his lifelong service is unwavering dedication and loyalty to the people and our nation.“

At the time of his death, Ambassador Mthethwa served as South Africa’s highest-ranking diplomat in France, where his efforts significantly strengthened the bilateral relations between South Africa and France. 

Lamola highlighted Mthethwa’s achievements since he assumed his role in 2023, emphasising the Ambassador’s commitment to enhancing ties and transforming global power relations.

“The news of his passing shook us profoundly, reminding us of the fragility of life and the fleeting nature of time,” Lamola said, as he reflected on the Ambassador’s contributions to both countries. 

The Minister noted that Ambassador Mthethwa was honoured by French officials, including his counterpart, Jean-Noël Barrot, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France. 

Barrot referred to Mthethwa as “a friend of France” and emphasised his contributions to strengthening the relationship between the two nations.

The longstanding partnership between South Africa and France has seen immense growth since the normalisation of relations in 1994. 

Lamola noted that South Africa has become a key destination for French exports to sub-Saharan Africa, accounting for 16% of the total, with trade relations bolstered by significant investments since the pandemic.

“Trade between our countries has grown steadily since the pandemic… These exchanges reflect more than figures. They tell a story of partnership, respect and shared progress,” Lamola told mourners. 

He underscored the importance of Ambassador Mthethwa’s role in facilitating these interactions through initiatives like the South Africa Investment Conference in Paris.

The Minister also recalled Ambassador Mthethwa’s firm stance on international issues, such as Western Sahara, where he reiterated South Africa’s support for the self-determination of the Western Sahara people. 

“For his service and devotion, we owe him a great debt of gratitude,” Lamola stated, recognising the Ambassador’s dedication to critical global human rights discussions.

He said his journey was characterised by unwavering loyalty to the people of South Africa, having been a prominent activist during the anti-apartheid struggle. 

He played a crucial role as a member of the South African Youth Congress and the African National Congress Youth League, contributing to the dismantling of apartheid and promoting democracy in South Africa.

“As an activist in the wave of youth resistance in the 1980s. Ambassador Mthethwa can be rightly counted as part of a generation that struck the final blow to apartheid,” Lamola said. 

Lamola took the time to celebrate the Ambassador’s vital role in South Africa’s transition to democracy. – SAnews.gov.za
 

Source: Government of South Africa

President Cyril Ramaphosa has welcomed a new investment package from the European Union (EU) valued at €11.5 billion (R230 billion), describing it as a significant step towards building South Africa’s economy of the future while deepening long-standing ties with Europe.

Speaking during a media briefing on Thursday, President Ramaphosa said the initiative opens “new possibilities for trade and investment” and marks the beginning of “a new era of partnership and cooperation” between South Africa and the EU.

The President along with President Ursula von der Leyen of the European Commission, jointly addressed the media following the announcement of the European Union’s investment package. The announcement took place on the margins of the Global Gateway Forum at the headquarters of the European Commission, The Berlaymont, in Brussels, Belgium. 

The President said the investment package will drive growth in critical sectors, such as green hydrogen, renewable energy, critical minerals, e-battery development, and vaccine production, while also supporting infrastructure development across rail, road, ports, logistics, and digital connectivity.

“These investments will help to build the economy of the future in the South Africa of the present. We welcome the special focus on skills, small business development, and research and development. This is vital for the development of our people, our most valuable resource,” the President said. 

The EU remains South Africa’s largest trading partner and one of its most significant sources of foreign direct investment, accounting for 41% of total FDI into the country. More than 2,000 EU companies currently operate in South Africa, creating over half a million direct and indirect jobs.

President Ramaphosa said the new investment package would advance the goals of the Clean Trade and Investment Partnership, agreed upon at the South Africa–European Union Summit held in Cape Town in March 2024. 

The partnership is aimed at promoting clean energy transition, technology transfer, skills development, and strategic industrial growth along value chains across Africa.

The President expressed confidence that the partnership will not only accelerate South Africa’s just transition to a low-carbon economy but also position Africa as “the next frontier of clean global production.”

“We applaud the leadership of President von der Leyen and President Costa in giving form to this vision of a global gateway…We are grateful to the European Union for the strong support it has given to South Africa’s G20 Presidency, and our agenda of solidarity, equality and sustainability,” the President said. 

He added that he looks forward to hosting EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg next month, which will provide an opportunity to further advance “a peaceful, just and inclusive world order.” – SAnews.gov.za

Source: Government of South Africa

Friday, October 10, 2025

Source: Government of South Africa

Deputy President Paul Mashatile will undertake a working visit to Türkiye to co-chair the inaugural Bi-National Commission (BNC) between the two countries on Wednesday, 15 October 2025. 

The BNC will be convened according to the 2012 agreement, which established the commission to be co-chaired at the Deputy President and Vice-President levels, respectively.

Deputy President Mashatile will co-chair the inaugural South Africa-Türkiye BNC with his counterpart, the Türkiye Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz. 

According to the Presidency, the purpose of the BNC is to serve as a structured platform for enhancing and coordinating political, economic and social cooperation between South Africa and Türkiye. 

Through consistent high-level discussions and collaborative decision-making, the BNC will enable both countries to finalise long-pending draft agreements, reassess existing agreements, and identify new areas for cooperation in political, economic, social, justice, and security sectors. 

The Deputy President is expected to sign several cooperation agreements.

Through consistent high-level discussions and collaborative decision-making, the BNC will enable both countries to finalise long-pending draft agreements, reassess existing agreements, and identify new areas for cooperation in political, economic, social, justice, and security sectors. 

The Deputy President is expected to sign cooperation agreements.

The country’s second-in-command will also travel to Istanbul for economic diplomacy engagements, including addressing the 5th biennial Türkiye-Africa Business Forum (TABEF) occurring on 16-17 October 2025.

According to the advisory, South Africa’s participation in the TABEF and bilateral meetings with key stakeholders is expected to enhance trade relations with Türkiye. 

This will further solidify South Africa’s status as Türkiye’s largest trading partner in Sub-Saharan Africa and establish it as a key partner within Africa and the Global South.

While in Istanbul, the Deputy President will also participate in the South Africa-Türkiye Business Council and engage with Turkish investors with an interest in the South African market. 

The Deputy President will also address the closing ceremony of the Türkiye Africa Business and Economic Forum (TABEF) on 17 October 2025.

Deputy President Mashatile will be accompanied by the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola; Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Angie Motshekga; Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition Parks Tau; and Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Dr Blade Nzimande. 

He will also be joined by Minister of Tourism Patricia de Lille; Deputy Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Peace Mabe; Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training Dr Nomusa Dube-Ncube, and Deputy Minister of Agriculture Zoleka Capa. – SAnews.gov.za