Category: South Africa Government

Government has established the South African National Parks (SANParks) Kruger Recovery Fund to expedite recovery and restoration efforts at the park following the damage that was caused by recent floods. 

According to the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Willie Aucamp, substantial financing is required to rebuild the damaged infrastructure that includes tourism facilities, bridges, roads as well as water and electrical systems and services.

“The Kruger Recovery Fund is intended to ensure the long-term sustainability of the Kruger National Park as a national heritage asset, economic driver, and symbol of South Africa’s commitment to conservation amid climate risks. 

“It will be administered with strong fiduciary oversight and credibility to attract national and international donors. The Kruger Recovery Fund will be administered through three audit firms on SANParks’ panel, providing independent governance, assurance, transparent reporting, and donor confidence in the utilisation of funds for resilience-enhancing infrastructure reconstruction programmes at the Kruger,” the Minister said on Thursday. 

The Minister was addressing a media briefing on the latest developments regarding the flooding that took place at the park, as a result of last week’s persistent heavy rainfall across Limpopo and Mpumalanga.

The rains caused river levels to rise significantly, with overflows reported in the Crocodile, Sabie, Letaba, Sand, Luvuvhu and Limpopo rivers. 

The incident has placed extraordinary pressure on park management and disaster response systems due to the floods that were experienced in the park in 2023, which the park was still recovering from when the most recent floods hit. 

“The combined scale of infrastructure damage and operational disruption in the recent flooding has exceeded the park’s existing contingency and maintenance budgets. 

“Prolonged recovery delays risk not only environmental degradation and loss of tourism revenue, but also adverse socio-economic consequences for surrounding communities and the broader conservation sector,” Aucamp said.

He stressed that the road to recovery will be very long as there is a lot of restoration work needed. 

“The Kruger National Park is not just a conservation landscape – it is an economic lifeline for the region, a symbol of our national heritage, and a globally recognised conservation asset. SANParks remains committed to a resilient and adaptive management approach as we navigate these climate-related challenges,” Aucamp said.

He indicated that the park faces immediate to medium term revenue loss as a result of the floods.

“I must also indicate that SANParks is an entity that generates close to 80% of its operating budget, therefore the destruction of its tourism flagship puts the sustainability of the entire network of parks at risk. 

“Upon announcing the intention to establish the Kruger Recovery Fund, we have received an overwhelming influx of support of various kinds from different spheres of society. 

“I am pleased to announce that everyone from pensioners and young people to local and international entities and figures, has expressed support for the Fund,” he said.

One of those organisations at the forefront of that support is the Honorary Rangers, a long-term strategic and trusted partner of SANParks, who will assist with funding conducted through their normal fundraising channels under the funding campaign: the Kruger Flood 2026 Fund. 

The Minister has welcomed this initiative as it works towards the common goal of resource mobilisation to address the inevitable financial pressure that has arisen at the park. 

“The Honorary Rangers have a long-standing track record of trusted community support and in addition to their flood-relief-fundraising efforts, they are also supporting the Kruger Recovery Fund as one of the patrons,” the Minister said.

Aucamp emphasised that the SANParks’ Kruger Recovery Fund and Honorary Rangers’ Kruger Flood 2026 Fund are the only two legitimate funds authorised to receive donations for the recovery efforts. 

“During crises of this nature, the risk of fraudulent fundraising schemes increases significantly. I urge the public, partners, and donors – local and international – to verify information and donate only through these sanctioned channels.

“Specific details on how and where contributions can be made will be provided by both SANParks and SANParks Honorary Rangers,” he said. –SAnews.gov.za

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In an effort to address the challenge of drivers transporting schoolchildren being involved in fatal traffic accidents, Transport Minister Barbara Creecy has advocated for strengthening legislation to guarantee that scholar transport drivers are certified in advanced and defensive driving.

Addressing members of the media on Thursday during a scholar transport operation in Lenasia, south of Johannesburg, the Minister said driver behaviour plays a significant role road in road crashes. Furthermore, she proposed that all scholar transport vehicles be clearly marked. She said the Department of Education and the Department of Transport must keep a separate database of scholar transport vehicles. 

The operation in Lenasia was also meant to validate the required permits for scholar transport drivers and assess the roadworthiness of vehicles.

This comes after 13 schoolchildren died in an accident while travelling to school in the Vaal on Monday.

“In terms of the National Land Transport Regulations, every private vehicle must have a contract between the operator and the school. They must carry a certified copy of the contract, which recognises that the transport is transporting learners to a particular school. That contract must be kept in the vehicle.

“The second requirement of the existing law is that the driver must have a special identity document that identifies him or her as a scholar transport service provider and that document must have the name of the driver, the identity number of the driver, the name of the operator and a code indicating the type of vehicle that is being used,” Creecy said.

Furthermore, a teacher must supervise a transport vehicle that provides services to pre-primary children or primary school children.

“We need to do more in terms of operations to enforce the existing regulations. Today’s operation, carried out by the National Traffic Department, is intended to target what we call private scholar transport vehicles. 

“These are not vehicles that are procured by the Department of Education for Scholar Transport, but they are vehicles that parents themselves have procured so that their children can reach different schools,”  the Minister said.

According to Creecy, the Department of Transport is in discussion with the South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) on the introduction of tracking devices in vehicles and in due course, the introduction of dashcams. 

“Clearly, this is an issue that can be implemented over time, since it has economic implications for the operators themselves, but it is something that we would like to work toward as we govern driver behaviour in the trucking business. We should be able to control driver behaviour not only in the taxi sector as a whole, but also in the student transportation industry,” she said.

Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, encouraged the public to report reckless driving on the road by using the National Traffic Call Centre (NTCC) – 0861 400 800.

“Please help us save lives. We have a hotline to report reckless driving and overloading of children in scholar transport. You can also assist us by taking videos, taking registration numbers and putting them on our social media platforms, the Facebook, Twitter and the Department of Road and Transport.

“We are working closely with municipalities and law enforcement agencies to ensure that we eradicate lawlessness but we also, importantly, save lives,” Diale-Tlabela said. – SAnews.gov.za

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The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has dispatched a team of dam safety engineers to assess and closely monitor Senteeko Dam near Barberton in Mpumalanga, within the City of Mbombela Local Municipality, following reports that the dam is at risk of failure.

The intervention follows notification received by the department regarding the condition of the privately owned dam.

The department said the dam, officially registered as My Own Dam (publicly referred to as Senteeko Dam), is registered with the Department’s Dam Safety Office as a medium-sized dam, standing 26 metres high with a storage capacity of 1.8 million cubic metres. The dam is owned by the Shamile Communal Property Association (CPA) and is used for irrigation purposes.

According to the department, a team of dam safety engineers, working with the owner’s previously appointed Approved Professional Person (APP) for the dam, has been dispatched to site to conduct a technical assessment of reported damage and to continue monitoring the dam closely.

“The dam is an earthfall embarkment dam with a concrete spillway. Assessments and observations by the department’s Dam Safety Specialists indicate that undercutting of the spillway channel is continuing, eroding and posing a threat to the stability of the structure.

“The spillway channel slab is currently slightly suspended or cantilevered. There is currently no overtopping of the dam wall, and no excessive seepage has been observed on the earthfill embankment wall,” the department said in a statement.

The department confirmed that the dam’s outlet valve has been fully opened in accordance with the dam operating rules. However, due to increased inflows from the Die Kaap River, which is a tributary feeding the dam, the lowering of the dam water level has been minimal.

“This side-channel spillway is intended to lower the water level in the dam, thereby reducing undercutting of the spillway channel and preventing catastrophic failure of the dam. It is anticipated that this exercise will proceed even if additional rainfall is experienced.

“The areas most likely to be affected have been identified as those in close proximity to the dam, particularly Barberton Valley. Relevant communications, warnings and evacuation processes are being implemented by the relevant authorities,” the department said.

Meanwhile, observations by the Inkomati-Usuthu Catchment Management Agency (IUCMA) indicate that flows in the upper reaches of the Die Kaap River have decreased since 19 January 2026.

The Crocodile River, located about 60 kilometres from Senteeko Dam, is currently flowing within normal recent peak levels.

The department said that any additional flows that may result from an unforeseen dam failure, should current interventions prove insufficient, are expected to have minimal impact on transboundary flows to Mozambique, which are currently elevated due to the recent flooding.

“The Department of Water and Sanitation takes dam safety seriously and urges communities to comply with all evacuation orders issued along the Die Kaap River. The public is also advised to avoid low-water bridges, unnecessary travel, and activities near rivers,” the department said. – SAnews.gov.za
 

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As severe weather conditions have eased down across parts of the Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces, including areas in the Kruger National Park (KNP), the Crocodile Bridge Gate will re-open for day visitors from today. 

“Visitors are advised that the situation, however, remains dynamic. A dam wall outside the park has been reported to be compromised, and this may change operational conditions at short notice, including access through Crocodile Bridge Gate,” the South African National Parks (SANParks) said.

All gravel roads remain closed until further notice and visitors are strongly urged not to remove barricades placed at closed gates or on restricted roads, as these are in place for public safety and infrastructure protection.

Guests are requested to consider taking their waste with them when leaving the park, as operations remain under pressure following recent flooding.

The Malelane Gate, Numbi Gate and Paul Kruger Gate remain open, with an entry quota system still in place. Phabeni Gate remains closed.

“The southern and northern sections of the park remain cut off from each other, which means that Tshokwane Picnic Site, Satara Rest Camp, and the northern regions of the park are not accessible at this stage.

“SANParks continues to monitor conditions closely and will communicate any changes as they occur. Visitors are urged to adhere strictly to all instructions and signage for their own safety. Further updates will be communicated as the situation evolves,” SANParks said. –SAnews.gov.za

 

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The Keurbooms–Soetkraal fire, which affected parts of the Tsitsikamma Section of the Garden Route National Park, has been successfully contained. 

The fire burned an estimated 22 500 hectares in total.

“Following continuous monitoring and coordinated suppression efforts, the fire is now fully under control, with no further spread anticipated. The fire was closely monitored using both aerial and ground resources throughout the operation,” the South African National Parks (SANParks) said on Thursday.

From an ecological perspective, the fire is regarded as highly beneficial. 

It contributed positively to fynbos regeneration and assisted in controlling alien plants.

“Estimates indicate that achieving similar alien vegetation control through conventional methods would have cost between R60 million and R80 million. 

“By comparison, the total cost of managing the fire amounted to approximately R4.5 million, representing a considerable ecological return relative to expenditure.

“SANParks thanks all partners, firefighting teams and stakeholders for their cooperation and commitment throughout the incident.” –SAnews.gov.za

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President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Advocate Dinkie Portia Dube as the Deputy Public Protector of the Republic of South Africa for a term of seven years, effective from 1 February 2026.

In a statement on Thursday, The Presidency said the appointment was made in terms of section 2A(1) of the Public Protector Act, 1994 (Act No. 23 of 1994), following a recommendation by the National Assembly.

Adv Dube brings more than 20 years of experience in the public sector, with extensive expertise in oversight, complaints management and investigations.

She currently serves as the Director-General of the Public Service Commission. Prior to this role, she was the Chief Director: Operations in the Office of the Military Ombud.

Between 2011 and 2014, Dube served as the Provincial Director of the Gauteng Office of the Public Protector South Africa.

Her professional background also includes work in complaints resolution at the former Department of Trade and Industry’s Office of Consumer Protection, as well as a tenure as a legal officer at the South African Human Rights Commission.

“President Ramaphosa wishes Adv Dube well in her new role in the Public Protector as a supreme administrative oversight body with the power to investigate, report on and remedy improper conduct in all matters of the state,” the Presidency said. – SAnews.gov.za 

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KwaZulu-Natal Finance MEC Francois Rodgers has committed to working with the eMadlangeni Local Municipality (ELM) to review its proposal for reclassification from an urban municipality to a rural one.

The move is aimed at strengthening its case for increased equitable share funding from National Treasury.

Rodgers made the commitment during a meeting with an ELM delegation led by Mayor Mzwakhe Buthelezi at the KwaZulu-Natal Treasury offices in Pietermaritzburg on Tuesday, 20 January 2025.

The MEC was accompanied by senior officials from the provincial Treasury and the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA).

The engagement followed discussions held earlier this month, where the municipality indicated its intention to seek reclassification in order to better reflect its service delivery needs and socio-economic profile.

Reclassification could potentially result in an increased equitable share allocation, which refers to the distribution of revenue from national government to provinces, municipalities and public entities for service delivery needs.

During the meeting, ELM also requested provincial support for infrastructure rehabilitation after severe storms in December 2025 caused damage estimated at more than R140 million.

The storms led to the destruction of both commercial and residential properties and significantly disrupted service delivery, with some areas reportedly still without electricity supply.

The ELM delegation was informed that National Treasury is currently reviewing the equitable share formula to improve the effectiveness of funding allocations to government institutions.

The review process is expected to impact all 257 municipalities across the country.

Rodgers assured the delegation that their concerns would be taken forward through both provincial and national political channels.

“The Provincial Treasury would work with the ELM in reviewing their proposal to the National Treasury with respect to the equitable share allocation, as well as engage with the MEC for CoGTA to expedite the process with respect to Disaster Relief funding and engagement with the Municipal Demarcation Board on the matter of reclassification,” Rodgers said.

Rodgers also commended the improvements in eMadlangeni’s financial management and audit outcomes over the past three years, describing them as encouraging.

He said KwaZulu-Natal Treasury will continue to support the municipality in strengthening its financial position and ensuring sustainable service delivery. – SAnews.gov.za
 

 

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President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for urgent and coordinated action to improve scholar transport safety following a tragic accident that claimed the lives of pupils travelling to school in Vanderbijlpark earlier this week. 

Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the 2026 Basic Education Sector Lekgotla in Ekurhuleni, Gauteng, on Wednesday, the President said the loss of young lives has deeply affected the nation. 

“We are immensely and deeply pained, and I’m glad that the Minister [of Basic Education] went to visit the families of the children. There’s nothing as painful as having to deal with the death of your prized possession — your child. [They] are still young, and you have to bury [them],” he said. 

President Ramaphosa said the visit by Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube was important to convey all of government’s compassion for the affected families. 

He said the tragedy had once again brought into sharp focus the challenges around scholar transport.

The President reflected on how other countries manage learner transport and contrasted it with South Africa’s current system.

“In other countries, there are these wonderful buses that are clearly written ‘school bus’, where a number of children get in and they travel, not at breakneck speeds. The drivers are well trained, and we have inherited a system where there has been no real public transport for children to attend school. The taxi system then integrated itself in transporting children, and it’s been good, because we have been able to transport children to school,” President Ramaphosa said. 

He said government needs to engage closely with all role players to improve safety.

President Ramaphosa highlighted government’s efforts to expand scholar transport, particularly in rural areas and townships.

“One of the things we’ve done is to offer scholar transport to children in the rural areas and in the townships… I used to walk five kilometres every day to go to school and today we try to make the burden of going to school lighter on our children,” the President said. 

He said while progress has been made, risks remain.

“I’m going to be directing the Minister and… all other [relevant Ministers] to look at how we can save the lives of our children.

“Our children are the future, and they are the most prized possession that we have as a nation,” he said. 

While delivering his address earlier at the Lekgotla, President Ramaphosa said the tragedy underscored the need for urgent action to ensure learner safety.

“We cannot accept that young lives are put at risk as they seek the growth and enrichment that an education provides. We cannot let this tragedy pass. We need to act now and we need to act together to ensure that scholar transport is safe and reliable,” the President said. 

National disaster declaration

Responding to questions on the classification of a National Disaster following severe weather and widespread flooding, President Ramaphosa said government systems have been activated.

He said government’s integrated approach enabled a swift response.

“With the integration that I have enforced and engendered, we’re able to get government departments working together. As soon as something like this happens, we get together various departments, and they… come up with plans.

“They are discussed, adopted, activated and money is made available. We then do remedial work to deal with the disaster damage,” President Ramaphosa said. 

World Economic Forum 

On his absence from the World Economic Forum taking place in Davos, the President said domestic priorities, including preparations for the Cabinet Lekgotla and the State of the Nation Address, had taken precedence, but South Africa was well represented.

“I have a very strong team. The Ministers of Finance, Trade, Industry and Competition, Tourism and Electricity are all there. They are a solid team,” the President said. – SAnews.gov.za

 

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The death toll from recent heavy rains and flooding in Limpopo and Mpumalanga has risen to 38, with the number of deaths reported in Limpopo increasing from 17 to 18, while six people remain missing in the province.

Giving an update on the recent disasters in Limpopo and Mpumalanga during a media briefing on Wednesday, Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane announced that Mpumalanga has recorded 20 fatalities linked to the severe weather which has caused widespread damage to homes and displaced hundreds of families across the two provinces.

“Once again, we send our sincerest condolences to the families of the deceased,” the Minister said, noting that government remained committed to supporting affected communities during the recovery process.

According to the latest reports, a total of 1 942 houses have been damaged in Limpopo, while 1 808 houses were affected in Mpumalanga.

Simelane said adverse weather conditions in Limpopo have made relief and recovery efforts challenging.

The Emergency Housing Unit of the department has been dispatched to disaster-affected areas in both provinces.

Central to government’s work in providing the necessary interventions is the verification process, which determines the extent of damage to households and informs the department of the type of emergency housing intervention to be implemented.

She said significant progress has been made, despite difficult conditions on the ground.

“While the verification process is continuing, we have decided to proceed with assisting households that have [already] been verified. We are at an advanced stage of beginning to support these households,” the Minister said.

As part of the first phase of interventions, the Department of Human Settlements has started procuring Temporary Emergency Accommodation (TEA) for people currently housed in mass care and evacuation centres.

The second phase will focus on the provision of Temporary Residential Units (TRUs). 

The Minister said procurement is under way for 39 units in the Mbaula area, 73 in Bushbuckridge, five in Blouberg and 13 in Makhado.

“We will continue to provide interventions as and when we conclude verification processes. Over the next two days, we will be on the ground with Limpopo and Mpumalanga MECs of Human Settlements to ensure the communities receive the necessary help.”

The Minister expressed gratitude to community members, including churches and non-governmental organisations for their role in assisting affected families.

“Everything you have done and continue to do is not in vain. Your support [during this difficult time] is highly appreciated,” Simelane said. – SAnews.gov.za

 

 

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President Cyril Ramaphosa says South Africa’s education system can only succeed if learners acquire strong literacy and numeracy skills in the early years of schooling.

The President was addressing the 2026 Basic Education Sector Lekgotla at the Birchwood Hotel and Conference Centre in Ekurhuleni on Wednesday. 

He said the country’s commitment to a resilient and capable education system must begin in the early grades, where the foundations for all future learning are laid.

“As a country, our commitment to a resilient and capable education system must begin where it matters most: in the early grades, where the foundations for all future learning are laid,” President Ramaphosa said. 

The Lekgotla opened on a sombre note, with delegates observing a moment of silence for the 12 pupils who lost their lives in a scholar transport accident in the Vaal area.

“As we gather here, our nation is consumed by sorrow. We mourn this loss deeply and extend our condolences to the families, teachers and classmates of the children who lost their lives. We wish those who were injured in the crash a speedy recovery,” the President said.

Turning to education outcomes, the President emphasised that strengthening early grade reading and numeracy was both a national priority and a moral imperative.

“When children do not learn to read for meaning or to work confidently with numbers by the end of the Foundation Phase, the cost is borne by the entire education system,” the President said. 

He warned that weak foundations led to repetition, dropout and poor progression throughout the schooling system.

“Unless we get it right at the outset, learners spend the rest of their school careers trying to catch up. We see this in repetition, dropout, weak progression and the tragic loss of human potential,’” he said. 

President Ramaphosa said government was intensifying its focus on evidence-based teaching of literacy and numeracy, teacher training and access to quality learning materials.

“We are working to ensure that every classroom is supported by a coherent curriculum and well-trained teachers. And that every classroom has high-quality, age-appropriate, grade-specific and culturally relevant learning and teaching support materials,” he said. 

The President said investing in foundational learning would help build a resilient education system that can sustain learning, adapt to shocks and equip every child with the skills needed to thrive in a rapidly changing world. 

The President highlighted South Africa’s participation in international collaboration platforms, including the Head of States Network on Foundational Learning formed during recent G20 Education meetings, as well as cooperation with BRICS partners.

President Ramaphosa noted the progress made in matric results, while cautioning that inequality resurfaces when early learning foundations are weak.

“The National Senior Certificate results of 2025 reinforce our view that without strong foundations in the early years, inequality re-emerges later in the schooling system,” the President said.  

He described the achievements of the Class of 2025 as a “silent revolution”, particularly the increased participation of learners from no-fee schools in higher education.

“Over 66 percent of learners who qualified for admission to bachelor studies came from no-fee schools. This means we are making great advances in our struggle against poverty,” he said. 

The President called for early learning to be firmly anchored at the core of the education system, from birth to the age of nine.

“While there is much focus on matric results, solid foundations in early learning – from birth to nine years – is essential. It provides the foundational knowledge, skills and attitudes required for successful onward learning and for lifelong development.” President Ramaphosa said. 

He urged all sectors of society to work together to place foundational learning at the heart of education reform.

“Let us make foundational learning the heartbeat of our education system. Together, we can ensure that every child in South Africa is ready for the future,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za

 

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