Category: South Africa Government

Source: Government of South Africa

Friday, July 25, 2025

Source: Government of South Africa

With its immense potential for renewable energy and green hydrogen production and export, the Northern Cape could become a key driver of South Africa’s energy transition and economic growth.

This is according to President Cyril Ramaphosa who delivered remarks at the opening session of a Presidential engagement between the National Executive and the Provincial Executive of the Northern Cape.

“I have said on a number of occasions that the Northern Cape is an economic pioneer and a frontier of innovation. Last year, there was a report published…that characterised the province as South Africa’s emerging powerhouse – quite literally.

“The Northern Cape is at the forefront of the clean energy revolution and is experiencing a significant surge in power projects, notably solar and green hydrogen,” the President said.

According to the African Green Hydrogen Alliance (AGHA) – which is made up of 10 African states, including South Africa – the green hydrogen industry has the potential to add between $66 billion and $126 billion to the Gross Domestic Product of the member countries over the next 25 years.

Government is already working on capitalising on this with the Boegoebaai Port and Rail Development named as one of the top seven infrastructure priorities for 2025/26.

“The province’s Green Hydrogen Masterplan is ambitious in both scope and potential – not just for the Northern Cape but for the national economy as well. It is also, a potential that can have an impact on SADC and even for our continent.

“In recent months I, together with a number of members of the National Executive, …have participated in multilateral discussions and business forums where we have been articulating our vision of South Africa being a leader in the renewable energy revolution.

“And to quote the [Pulitzer Centre] report, once the energy transition unfolds as envisaged, the Northern Cape could be the new heartbeat of the economy,” he said.

The President noted the strides made in the province becoming an industrial hub.

“This is supported by traditional industries like mining, but is being expanded through special economic zone development, industrial park development and major infrastructure developments, notably in port and rail,” he said.

Resolving challenges

President Ramaphosa acknowledged that while the province’s economy has been growing and creating jobs, “persistent challenges” remain.

“National Treasury’s 2024 provincial socio-economic review points to an increase in the percentage of people living in poverty and…a drop in the number of households with access to basic services like water. Unemployment, especially youth unemployment, remains high.

“Fiscal constraints are holding back a number of projects particularly at a municipal level, including for disaster response, asbestos eradication, land restitution, rural electrification and public housing.

“Much as we look at the potential and the progress that is being made, these challenges are still casting a shadow on our way to much better development,” he said.

To resolve some of these challenges, the President said government will have to find ways to “support high impact projects” in the vein of the Northern Cape Industrial Corridor, the province’s R1 billion housing programme and the Kimberley Big Hole precinct.

“We will also need to find creative funding mechanisms for major projects…for instance the Boegoebaai Harbour project. That is a project that will turn the fortunes of our province around. 

“We need an urgent relook at the current delivery model to enable regulatory approval and investment activation,” he said.

The President emphasised that integrated planning between all three spheres of government “must involve State-owned enterprises as important stakeholders with significant capabilities”.

This integration must also align with the Medium-Term Development Plan. 

“We are keen to discuss how the province is addressing the issue of climate change and its state of readiness to respond to natural disasters.

“Another challenge that we need to address is at the local government level…how we are able to improve our local government sphere and find ways of ensuring that this province is able to move up to a high level in terms of tourism.

“There is latent potential in this province where we can actually exploit the number of endowments that the Northern Cape has,” President Ramaphosa said. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: Government of South Africa

Deputy President Paul Mashatile has highlighted the critical role of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as crucial contributors to economic development and job creation. 

“Speaking of job creation, the SMEs are significant contributors to economic development and job creation globally. We can attribute their relevance in reducing unemployment to their ability to react swiftly to market changes,“ he said on Thursday. 

The country’s second-in-command was delivering his closing remarks during the inaugural Global SME Ministerial Meeting at the Birchwood Hotel & OR Tambo Conference Centre, Boksburg, Gauteng. 

The Deputy President has called for prioritising the development of SMEs to create jobs and enhance income for youth, women, and marginalised groups.

He stressed the need for a commitment to resolving regulatory bottlenecks related to cross-border trade and investment, urging participants to focus on local value creation and expanding local supply chain opportunities for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). 

“This can be achieved by ensuring that the Green Economy Transition is supported by clear green industrialisation policies,” he added. 

The Global SME Ministerial Meeting served as a vital platform for fostering partnerships and setting a collaborative agenda aimed at propelling SMEs towards a more sustainable, inclusive, and prosperous future.

The meeting concluded with a renewed commitment to support SMEs worldwide, as leaders gathered to address the challenges and opportunities they face in a rapidly changing global landscape. 

“This inaugural Global SME Ministerial Meeting could not have come at a better time,” he told the attendees. 

The discussions revolved around key themes such as enhancing access to finance, promoting digital transformation, and facilitating green transitions within the SME sector. 

Mashatile expressed optimism, highlighting the potential for collaboration and shared goals to unlock significant opportunities for SMEs globally.

He also took the time to commend the role of the United Nations (UN) in fostering multilateral cooperation during a time when unilateralism is challenging the sustainability of nations. 

“This relationship is critical in this challenging period of abrupt shifts towards unilateralism, which jeopardise the sustainability of our respective countries and the world,” Mashatile added.

The Deputy President touched on the “Call to Action” that emerged from the meeting, which reaffirmed support for vital multilateral initiatives, including the Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, the Pact for the Future, the Global Digital Compact, the Declaration on Future Generations, the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, and Group of 20 (G20). 

He stressed South Africa’s position as the G20 Presidency, under the theme of ‘Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability,’ focused on championing developmental issues, particularly in Africa.

As the G20 Leaders’ Summit approaches, Deputy President Mashatile told attendees that the meeting was instrumental in gathering ministers from the continent and the Global South to exchange insights relevant to the larger G20 agenda.

“We have heard your voices and will ensure that we champion the issues you have raised in the broader G20 processes and the G20 Leaders’ Summit in November,” he said.

In addition, a meeting of Trade Promotion Organisations took place alongside the Ministerial Meeting, where participants discussed the impacts of trade protectionism and disruptions to global supply chains. 

The Deputy President urged governments to enhance trade and economic diplomacy, emphasising the importance of multilateral trade agreements in bolstering economic growth.

“We must enhance our capabilities to strengthen trade and economic diplomacy, allowing ourselves to engage more effectively in both bilateral and multilateral trade agreements,” Mashatile stated.

South Africa’s efforts to strengthen regional trade through agreements like the Southern African Customs Union and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) were highlighted as pivotal steps towards unlocking Africa’s economic potential. 

“The Free Trade Area Agreement can significantly enhance Africa’s entrepreneurial landscape by reducing trade barriers and increasing market access, enabling youth to expand businesses, innovate products and services, and seize untapped opportunities within the continent.” – SAnews.gov.za

Source: Government of South Africa

KwaZulu-Natal Treasury has officially withdrawn its financial support services to Umkhanyakude District Municipality, citing concerns over wasteful expenditure and lack of cooperation from municipal officials.

Finance MEC Francois Rodgers confirmed the decision in a formal letter addressed to the municipality’s mayor, Siphile Mdaka, on Thursday.

Rodgers said the decision was taken in a bid to conserve provincial government resources and redirect them where it is possible to work freely in the spirit of building a capable and ethical state.

According to the MEC, KZN Treasury teams had on various occasions travelled to Umkhanyakhude a day in advance, to facilitate a full productive day with municipal officials.

However, the teams have often found themselves subjected to late cancellations of sessions by municipal officials, either the evening before, the mornings of scheduled meetings.

“These [recurring late cancellations] has resulted in fruitless and wasteful expenditure being incurred by KZN Provincial Treasury,” Rodgers said.

In his letter to the mayor, Rodgers emphasised that Treasury has limited resources, and in determining which municipalities to support; the municipal manager is required to “commit to the initiative and to provide assurance that the Treasury teams will receive full cooperation.”

“This clearly has not happened, and I have therefore instructed my team to withdraw from the municipality and to reassign the resources to other municipalities that desperately require our support,” Rodgers said.

Intervention in municipality

The withdrawal of support comes as Umkhanyakude District Municipality faces heightened scrutiny.

KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Thulasizwe Buthelezi, recently invoked Section 139(1)(b) of the Constitution to place the municipality under administration.

The section empowers the provincial government to intervene when a municipality fails to fulfil its constitutional mandate to deliver services.

Buthelezi has launched a forensic investigation under Section 106 of the Municipal Systems Act to probe allegations of corruption and maladministration within the municipality.

“This investigation, being conducted in terms of Section 106 of the Municipal Systems Act, aims to thoroughly examine the various allegations. The intervention will ensure that officials are held accountable should any wrongdoing be uncovered by the investigators,” Buthelezi said. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: Government of South Africa

Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Maropene Ramokgopa, has called on G20 nations to demonstrate bold leadership and shared accountability in addressing the world’s most pressing development challenges.

Ramokgopa has emphasised the importance of inclusive growth, social protection, and sustainable financing.

“This week is crucial for the advancement of our shared commitment to confront global development challenges. We gather not just as Ministers and officials, but as stewards of a common ambition to build a world in which progress does not bypass the most vulnerable,” the Minister said.

The Minister addressed the Fourth G20 Development Working Group (DWG) Meeting at Skukuza Lodge, in the Kruger National Park which wraps up today.

The working group meetings, hosted under South Africa’s G20 Presidency brought together G20 member states, invited countries, and international organisations to discuss key development priorities.  

These include the need to tackle illicit financial flows, strengthen domestic resource mobilisation, advance inclusive social protection systems and align development finance with the Sustainable Development Goals.

Ramokgopa underscored the urgent need to address illicit financial flows, describing them as a threat to financial stability and a barrier to development.

“Illicit financial flows undermine public trust, drain essential resources, and destabilise economies. We urge global cooperation on automatic data sharing, beneficial ownership transparency, and digital identity tracking. We must shine light into the shadowy corners of the global financial system to finance sustainable futures,” she said.

The Minister said social protection should not be viewed as an act of charity but as a core pillar of sustainable development contributing to economic growth, societal cohesion, and gender equity.

The Development Working Group meetings were a culmination of negotiations working toward the ministerial declarations that were handed over for the Ministerial Meeting.

There was an introduction to the G20 USA Presidency, and the meeting was closed with a tribute to the delegation whose hard work and determination were instrumental in shaping a progressive and unified outcome.

South Africa’s G20 Presidency continues to prioritise inclusive dialogue and bold action in driving global progress through sustainable development, justice, and financial reform. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: Government of South Africa

The Deputy Minister of Electricity and Energy, Samantha Graham-Maré, has announced that over 7 000 public and private buildings have registered for an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC).

An EPC is a certificate that indicates how much energy is being used to operate a building, which is indicated through a performance scale of A-G, with A indicating a building is most energy efficient and G being least energy efficient. 

The requirement of having an EPC will play a key role in greenhouse gas emissions reduction, which is a key requirement to improve energy efficiency and saving costs.

As part of the Department of Electricity and Energy’s (DEE) and South African Energy Development Institute’s (Sanedi) priority to drive energy efficiency in South Africa, organisations have until 7 December 2025 to register for the certificate.

“With only five months left before registrations close, large building owners need to prioritise this. We aim to reach 60 000 registrations by the closing date. I am working with the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Dean Mcpherson, and will also be working with Premiers and Mayors to ensure that this issue gets immediate attention. 

“There is an opportunity for all South Africans to play a vital role in reducing carbon emissions and benefit from the programme,” said the Deputy Minister.

Since its launch in December 2020 until 21 July 2025, a total of 7 113 buildings have registered, and 3 884 EPCs have been issued. 

“I urge all building owners, both public and private, to adopt and implement alternative and energy-saving methods. We need to be creative and innovative so that we save on energy. 

“Some practical ways to do this include installing LED (Light Emitting Diode) bulbs and smart geysers, fitting solar panels, and turning off appliances when they are not in use. I encourage anyone to engage my department about the programme and how they can implement this initiative,” Graham-Maré said.

The purpose of EPCs:

• Indicates the energy performance of a building,
• Serve as regulatory tools/instruments targeting inefficient buildings, encouraging transformation towards energy-efficient buildings,
• Are indicators for building owners to note and change their consumption patterns to benefit financially and comply with regulations, and
• In the long term, they promote the reduction of Greenhouse gas emissions through the implementation of energy efficiency interventions using reliable data from existing EPCs. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: Government of South Africa

The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Velenkosini Hlabisa, will lead the third CoGTA–National Business Initiative (NBI) Roundtable on the review of the 1998 White Paper on Local Government.

According to the department, Hlabisa will be joined by Deputy Minister Dr Namane Dickson Masemola at the East London International Convention Centre in East London on Wednesday, 30 July 2025.

The roundtable, themed ‘Every Municipality Must Work – A Call to Collective Action’, is part of an inclusive policy reform process aimed at shaping a modern and effective local government system.

This engagement will allow the business sector to reflect on the legacy and limitations of the 1998 White Paper and identify policy priorities for a renewed local government framework. 

The platform will also offer practical recommendations from business and provincial perspectives and strengthen partnerships to improve governance and infrastructure delivery.

“Efficient local government is critical to economic growth and business sustainability. Poor service delivery increases operational costs, disrupts business, and threatens jobs. 

“This roundtable offers business leaders a platform to influence policies that reduce investment risk and foster a conducive business environment,” the advisory read. 

Attendees will include business leaders, key economic institutions, Buffalo City Metro executive leadership, NBI, local business chambers in the Eastern Cape, and other private sector stakeholders. 

In April this year, Hlabisa officially published a discussion document on the Review of the 1998 White Paper on Local Government. 

This represents a significant and necessary step towards creating a reimagined and results-oriented local government system in South Africa.

This document, published under Notice No. 6118 (Gazette: 52498), initiates a national discussion aimed at producing a revised White Paper on Local Government by March 2026.

According to the department, the review aims to incite fresh thinking, honest reflection, and decisive action toward building a fit-for-purpose local government system that truly serves the people of South Africa. 

In addition, the document aims to assess and revise outdated assumptions of the 1998 White Paper on Local Government and strengthen cooperative governance among the three spheres of government. 

The initiative aims to align reforms with related efforts, including amendments to the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA), the Municipal Structures Act, and the Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act (SPLUMA). 

It also seeks to enhance integration with traditional leadership, improve community participation, and address systemic challenges, such as municipal financial sustainability, over-politicisation, climate risk, and spatial inequality. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: Government of South Africa

Friday, July 25, 2025

Source: Government of South Africa

The Western Cape is working to enhance efforts aimed at preventing road incidents, particularly those involving pedestrians.

This as the Western Cape Mobility Department is working closely with law enforcement, municipalities, and Joint Traffic Control Centres (JTCCs) in this undertaking.

According to the provincial department, pedestrians are the most vulnerable road users, accounting for the majority of lives lost on the province’s roads this month.

Of the 72 road fatalities recorded across the province from 1 to 22 July 2025, pedestrians account for the most deaths, highlighting the need for focused interventions.

READ | Western Cape concerned at 23 deaths on province’s roads in one week 

The department said many of these incidents occurred in high-density municipal areas, with Khayelitsha, Milnerton, Paarl, and Kuilsriver repeatedly emerging as hotspots for multiple pedestrian deaths.

In addition, the R300 corridor, a provincial route, also recorded several fatalities. 

Meanwhile, outside the primary hotspots, there were over 20 individual pedestrian deaths spread across the province, from metro suburbs to smaller rural towns. 

“This wide distribution highlights that no community is immune and underscores the need for a province-wide safety response. Recent statistics reveal that pedestrian fatalities occur mostly at night, along highways, and on poorly lit roads,” the statement read. 

Contributing factors include jaywalking, alcohol use by both pedestrians and drivers, speeding, and non-utilisation of pedestrian infrastructure.

The department stated that it was collaborating with relevant stakeholders to prevent road incidents involving road users. 
In the meantime, the province has conducted 442 vehicle checkpoint operations in the first three weeks of July, including 219 drunk driving operations, 84 public transport checks, and targeted operations focusing on seatbelt use, vehicle fitness, learner and farm worker transport.

The team is deploying road safety ambassadors in high-risk areas to educate communities on safe road use and is launching awareness campaigns supported by schools, neighbourhood watches, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and other community groups.

They are also enhancing law enforcement visibility on highways and provincial routes, with improved monitoring.

Western Cape Mobility MEC, Isaac Sileku, said the loss of pedestrian lives is not just a statistic; it represents families torn apart and communities left in mourning. 

“We urge both motorists and pedestrians to take responsibility. Motorists must slow down and remain vigilant, while pedestrians should always use designated crossings, wear visible clothing at night, and avoid walking under the influence of alcohol,” Sileku said.

Meanwhile, the department is also preparing to roll out new pedestrian safety infrastructure and interventions in identified high-risk zones in the coming months, as part of its ongoing strategy to reduce road deaths.

“Road safety is a collective effort. By working together, as government, drivers, and pedestrians, we can turn the tide on these preventable deaths,” it said. – SAnews.gov.za