Category: South Africa Government

The Border Management Authority (BMA) has dismissed more than 50 immigration officials found to be involved in corrupt activities at ports of entry across the country.

Speaking to SAnews.gov.za on the sidelines of an Anti-Corruption Forum in Ladybrand on Tuesday, BMA Commissioner Micheal Masiapato said a further 38 immigration officials are currently under investigation.

Masiapato said the affected ports of entry include the Beitbridge, Lebombo, Oshoek and Maseru Bridge border posts, as well as OR Tambo International Airport.

The Commissioner highlighted the authority’s capacity challenges.

“In terms of capacity, we are operating at 25%. We are supposed to be at 11 200 and we are currently operating at 2 600. We have a 75% vacancy rate which is interpreted at 8 000 posts that are supposed to be filled within the Border Management Authority,” he said.

Masiapato welcomed the intervention of President Cyril Ramaphosa and Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana, who have allocated more than R900 million to the BMA to recruit over 700 individuals from 1 April 2026.

As part of ongoing efforts to root out fraud and corruption at South Africa’s ports of entry, the BMA and the Border Management and Immigration Anti-Corruption Forum (BMIACF) took their anti-corruption campaign to the Maseru Bridge port of entry.

Leaders publicly signed a pledge against corruption and called on officials at the border to follow suit. After the official programme, officials conducted a walkabout at the border post.

Masiapato said the initiative aimed to ensure that every official understands what constitutes corruption.

“It is not just about large sums of money. As outlined in our Code of Conduct, it includes receiving any gratification, favouring relatives and friends, or abusing your position for personal gain,” Masiapato said.

He said the visit was intended to send a clear message that corruption will not be tolerated.

“There is no place for corrupt officials in the BMA. We are working with the Hawks and the Special Investigating Unit to ensure that those who tarnish our badge face the full might of the law.

“We cannot fix the borders if we are busy breaking the law ourselves. Our mandate is to facilitate legitimate trade and travel, not to erect barriers of bribery,” he said.

Masiapato warned that officials who accept bribes not only break the law but also enable criminal activity, deprive the state of revenue and compromise national security.

He warned corrupt officials that they would become “clients” of Correctional Services.

“You just need to be very careful that you don’t find yourself doing the wrong things,” he said, encouraging whistleblowers to come forward so that the officials can be dealt with accordingly. 

Special Investigating Unit (SIU) Acting Head and Chairperson of the Border Management and Immigration Anti-Corruption Forum Leonard Lekgetho said corruption erodes service delivery and robs citizens of opportunities for socio-economic development.

He said the recent investigations by the Special Investigating Unit had revealed disturbing realities. “These findings paint a grim picture, citizenship was made cheap, integrity betrayed, and the nation’s borders auctioned off one permit at a time,” he said.

Lekgetho said officials entrusted with safeguarding the immigration system have instead turned it into a marketplace where permits and visas were sold to the highest bidder.

He therefore called on government, business, civil society and labour to unite in a whole-of-society approach to confront this threat.

“Officials earning less than R25 000 per month received deposits amounting to over R16 million, funnelling bribes through spouses’ accounts to disguise their illicit gains.

“Some built mansions, purchased luxury vehicles, and enriched themselves by unlawfully approving fraudulent permits. Syndicates operated with precision, exploiting weaknesses in verification processes,” he said.

Lekgetho added that the SIU, under Proclamation 154 of 2024, has referred hundreds of matters for criminal prosecution, disciplinary action and administrative review.

“Officials implicated in fraudulent visa schemes have been dismissed and will soon be enrolled for prosecution and exposed,” he said.

The Border and Immigration Anti-Corruption Forum (BMIACF) was established in 2025. 

Lekgetho said the SIU has also developed the National Corruption Risk Management and Prevention Framework, which introduces proactive measures such as lifestyle audits, employee vetting, data analytics and the use of technology like artificial intelligence to detect irregularities before they occur.

“Prevention must stand alongside consequence management,” he said.

Major General Mogadi Bokaba of the Free State Hawks said tackling corruption requires collaboration with other stakeholders.

He said the Hawks were focussed on serious organised crime and commercial crime, adding that strides have been made.

Bokaba urged citizens to safeguard their identify documents.

“Corruption is intentional, people know what they are doing. There is no joy reading our colleagues their rights,” he said.

Dr Nicholas Funda from the South African National Parks (SANParks) said they were infiltrating the criminal syndicates but needed more capacity.

“We need to work together to infiltrate the criminal networks. Criminals don’t have boundaries, more boots are needed on the ground and more high-level convictions.”

Funda said harsher sentences must be imposed on these criminals to serve as a deterrent. – SAnews.gov.za

Despite global economic volatility and geopolitical tensions, Gauteng remains the “engine of the national economy”.

This according to Gauteng Finance and Economic Development MEC Lebogang Maile who tabled the Gauteng 2026/27 budget on Tuesday.

The province contributes some 33% of South Africa’s Growth Domestic Product with provincial growth expected to grow higher than South Africa’s real economic growth projected to reach 1.6% in 2026.

“Gauteng remains the engine of the country’s economy, driven by, among other sectors, finance, trade, and transport. The province’s annual [GDP] by region amounts to more than R2.4 trillion.

“However, data from our 2026 Socio-Economic Review and Outlook…shows that metropolitan municipalities and district municipalities continue to face substantial economic and structural challenges. These have constrained investment, growth, and employment creation in local economies.

“That said, economic projections for the medium-term point to steady recovery with provincial economic growth expected to reach 2.1% in 2026 – significantly above the national average,” Maile noted.

He added that the province is positioned to “continue increasing the number of jobs created in the province”.

“In 2025, we created over 250 000 jobs in the province, with the second quarter of 2025 seeing a creation of 95 000 jobs – the highest number of jobs created by a single province in South Africa.

“There are currently just over 6 million people employed in Gauteng. Trade and construction were among the leading sectors for job creation, demonstrating that despite the difficult climate we find ourselves in, businesses continue to have confidence in the capacity of the province to turn things around,” he said.

Investment commitments

Turning to Gauteng’s investment drive, Maile reported that some 28% of the R312.5 billion in pledges garnered from the 2025 Gauteng Investment Conference (GIC) have been converted into active projects.

“But conferences are not judged by attendance numbers or headlines. They are judged by implementation. It is therefore important that we account not only for what was pledged, but for what has been delivered.

“As of February this year, 28% of the investment pledges secured in 2025 have already been converted into projects and are being implemented. [Some] 18 out of 60 projects are now in a roll-out stage. These projects are to the value of just over R80 billion which will unlock this into the real economy.

“These are not theoretical commitments. They are projects under construction, expansions underway, energy developments advancing, and jobs being created. This conversion rate is central to our credibility,” he said.

The next iteration of the GIC is expected to be held in April.

“For the upcoming GIC, our objective is to secure new investment commitments. We remain determined to secure R800 billion in investments by the end of the 7th administration.

“This target is not aspirational. It is pipeline-backed and supported by structured engagement with domestic investors, foreign direct investors and sector leaders. It builds on the momentum of 2025 – but it moves us from mobilisation to institutionalisation. We are institutionalising marketing, origination, facilitation and delivery,” Maile insisted.

Revenue measures

Maile highlighted only 5% of the province’s revenue is derived from its own sources, collected from motor vehicle licences, gambling taxes, patient fees and interest earned on treasury investments.

The province’s total revenue collection for 2026/2027 is projected to reach some R8.2 billion.

To strengthen collections, the provincial government is in the process of amending and reviewing the Gauteng Gambling Bill to “allow…for us to be able to regulate online betting”.

“In the period between 2019 and 2025, the Gauteng Provincial Government lost out on significant revenue amounting to hundreds of millions due to a lack of a formal provincial licensing framework for online betting. This has been implemented with great success in other provinces. 

“With this legislative amendment, the Gauteng Provincial Government aims to tighten regulations focusing on strengthening oversight, improving compliance monitoring, and implementing automated responsible gambling interventions. There are various other legislation that we are looking at including Gauteng Liquor Act and Regulations,” he added.

Furthermore, a Panel of Debt Collectors is expected to be appointed to “provide debt collection services to Gauteng Provincial Government institutions to collect outstanding debt”. – SAnews.gov.za

Government has welcomed the latest data released by Statistics South Africa showing that South Africa’s economy grew by 1.1% in 2025, with Gross Domestic Product (GDP) expanding by 0.4% in the fourth quarter.  

Fourth quarter performance, covering the period from October to December, marks the fifth consecutive quarter of economic growth, signalling continued resilience in the economy, despite a challenging global environment. 

On the production side, growth was largely driven by key service-related sectors, including finance, real estate and business services, as well as trade, catering and accommodation and personal services.

Positive contributions were also recorded in agriculture and general government services, further supporting overall economic activity during the quarter.

On the expenditure side, economic expansion was supported by increased household spending, growth in gross fixed capital formation, and higher government consumption, which together contributed to the positive quarterly outcome.

The fourth quarter performance helped to lift annual GDP growth to 1.1% in 2025, the highest annual growth rate since 2022 when the economy expanded by 2.1%.

Government said the sustained growth reflects the impact of ongoing economic reforms and partnerships aimed at strengthening the country’s economic performance.

“Government believes that the reforms that are being implemented through Operation Vulindlela and the Government-Business partnership are enablers of this sustained growth,” government said in a statement. 

Government said that it will continue working with social and economic partners to accelerate inclusive growth, support investment and build a resilient economy. 

“Government will continue to work with all partners to accelerate inclusive growth, support investment and build a resilient economy that delivers sustainable development and job creation,” the statement read. – SAnews.gov.za

Gauteng MEC for Finance and Economic Development Lebogang Maile has tabled a R179.2 billion budget for the 2026/27 financial year aimed at improving frontline services, accelerating infrastructure delivery and maintaining fiscal discipline.

Maile presented the provincial government’s budget in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature on Tuesday morning.

The MEC described the budget as demonstrative of government’s determination to tackle Gauteng’s most pressing challenges, despite a constrained fiscal environment.

“The reality of the situation is that while Gauteng remains the economic nerve-centre of the national economy, we do not have limitless resources. 

“We too are constrained by the realities of the global and national economic environment. For this reason, we recognise that we cannot resource everything. We must be intentional in funding what works,” he said.

Frontline services

Maile said the social wage, consisting of Health, Education and Social Development, accounts for some 83% of the total budget.

The provincial Health Department has been allocated a total of R70.3 billion in 2026/2027, increasing to R218.6 billion over the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF).

“[This] is to strengthen the public health system, expand access and improve the quality of care.

“The funding will support maternal and child health, the Ideal Clinic and Ideal Hospital programmes, improved emergency medical response times, the integration of mental health services at community level, digital health systems and electronic records, as well as stronger HIV and TB interventions,” Maile said.

Education receives some R70.9 billion in the 2026/2027 financial year, increasing to R221.8 billion over the MTEF.

“[The allocation is] to improve learning outcomes from early childhood right through to matric, while also strengthening safe and inclusive schooling.

“This allocation supports the Early Childhood Development Strategy, learner performance programmes such as the Secondary School Improvement Programme, school safety initiatives, pro-poor interventions, including nutrition and scholar transport, Schools of Specialisation, and inclusive education through special schools,” the MEC explained.

An allocation of R5.6 billion in 2026/2027 has been directed towards social development.

The allocation will increase to R17.2 billion over the MTEF to “strengthen partnerships and targeted social programmes”.

“The funding will go towards skills development for vulnerable groups, the provincial homelessness strategy, food security interventions, Bana Pele, child and youth care centres, community prevention services, substance use disorder treatment, aftercare services, and upgrades to State-owned facilities,” Maile said.

Infrastructure development

In line with the national stance on the importance of infrastructure development, Gauteng’s budget includes a R36.4 billion allocation for the programme over the 2026 MTEF.

“Of this allocation, R26.2 billion is from conditional grants and R10.2 billion from the Provincial Equitable Share.

“The Departments of Health, Education, Human Settlements, Roads and Transport, and Education received an allocation of R34.4 billion, whilst the Departments of Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation, Infrastructure Development and Economic Development Social Development, Agriculture and Environment received a total funding of R2.1 billion,” Maile said.

Explaining how this would be carved up, Maile said that some R22.7 billion is aimed at “increasing the existing infrastructure capacity in response to increasing demand for services”.

Another R13.8 billion is made available to “improve the condition of the existing infrastructure and activities undertaken to support the delivery of infrastructure”.

“In the National Budget, it was reiterated that infrastructure investment is the base for long-term growth, improved service delivery and job creation, and that government is shifting spending toward growth-enhancing infrastructure. 

“When we speak about infrastructure, we are not speaking about concrete for its own sake. We are talking about clinics and hospitals that work, safe communities with functioning police stations, learning spaces that do not fail young people, and post-school opportunities that are real.

“This is the practical meaning of hope, and this is what commitment looks like when it is written into the budget,” Maile reflected.

Fiscal discipline and accountability

Maile outlined the province’s measures to strengthen financial management, including the roll out of the Budget Monitoring Initiative from the beginning of the next financial year.

“[We] will roll out the Budget Monitoring Initiative in departments and entities, which will ensure that approved budgets are seamlessly uploaded and aligned across our platforms, creating a single source of truth.

“This integration enables automated, real-time validation of funds before any procurement commitment is made. These reforms have been rolled out through a careful, phased approach – starting with extensive stakeholder awareness, capacity building, and readiness assessments,” he said.

The move is complemented with the expansion of the Digital Requisition Forms (RLS01) and Requests for Quotation (RFQ) for departments and the TendaSwift tender management platform.

“This ensures that procurement activities remain aligned with approved budgets and embedded controls, while shortening processing times, standardising procedures, and generating reliable, paperless audit trails.

“Our efforts to automate and digitise the entire tender management process in the province are gaining momentum.

“Since the launch of the pilot phase of TendaSwift in December last year, in partnership with the Gautrain Management Agency, the province has since advertised three tenders on the platform, a clear demonstration that we are committed to increase transparency, open competition and modernise the procurement process,” he explained.

The MEC emphasised that as the province enters the new financial year, “maintaining fiscal discipline is non-negotiable”.

“Fiscal discipline demands that the provincial and municipal governments maintain fiscal positions that are consistent with macroeconomic stability and sustained inclusive economic growth.

“We will continue to do everything possible to restore public finances, create fiscal space, improve the quality of spending and sustain investment in priorities and infrastructure to realise the Gauteng that we want to live and work in,” Maile concluded. – SAnews.gov.za

Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister, Velenkosini Hlabisa, has called for urgent and coordinated action to reform South Africa’s local government system, stressing that municipalities must become stable, capable and reliable drivers of economic growth and service delivery.

Hlabisa made the call during the White Paper on Local Government Executive Dialogue with business leaders organised under the National Business Initiative in Centurion on Tuesday.

“South Africa requires a stable, capable and predictable local governance system that works consistently. Such a system cannot be rebuilt through short-term fixes. This is why the review adopts short-, medium- and long-term horizons, recognising that meaningful reform must be sequenced over time,” the Minister said.

The dialogue, hosted at Exxaro Resources, brought together senior government officials and business leaders to discuss the revised draft White Paper on Local Government and explore ways to strengthen municipalities.

The review process is guided by the theme: “Every Municipality Must Work: A Call to Collective Action”.

Hlabisa said government aims to ensure that municipalities function effectively for communities and businesses. 

“Local government is the sphere closest to the people and the primary platform for economic growth and social development,” he said.

The Minister highlighted that the first White Paper on Local Government was adopted in 1998; and with this exercise, government is reimagining the next 30 years and charting a clear path for a modern, coherent, and resilient local government system. 

“Today is about moving South Africa’s local government reforms from paper to practice, from discussion to disciplined execution, and from isolated fixes to a system that works in real places for households and firms, every day,” he said. 

The Minister said government launched the review process last year and received 266 submissions from municipalities, business organisations, civil society, academia and traditional leaders.

These inputs helped shape the revised draft White Paper, which outlines a sequenced reform agenda aimed at modernising the country’s local government system over the next 30 years.

Hlabisa said the reforms come at a time when many municipalities are under severe pressure.

According to the latest consolidated municipal finance report by the Auditor-General of South Africa, only 41 of the country’s 257 municipalities achieved clean audits in the 2023/24 financial year, highlighting ongoing financial and governance challenges.

“These findings echo what communities and businesses experience: failing infrastructure, rising operating costs, and declining trust in the reliability of basic services,” Hlabisa said.

He outlined several key proposals contained in the draft White Paper, including treating local government as an integrated system rather than isolated institutions.

Among the proposals is the establishment of a national policy coordination centre to streamline regulations affecting municipalities and reduce duplication and conflicting requirements.

The White Paper also proposes a clearer framework outlining powers and functions across the three spheres of government to improve coordination and reduce disputes over responsibilities.

Hlabisa said the reforms will also introduce a data-driven oversight and early-warning system to identify risks in municipalities early and trigger support interventions before governance or financial crises occur.

He further emphasised the need for professionalisation within municipalities, including merit-based appointments and enforceable standards for senior officials.

The revised White Paper also proposes the development of a municipal digital governance system to integrate financial management, procurement, asset management and service delivery processes, improving transparency and accountability.

Hlabisa said collaboration between government and business would be critical to ensuring the success of the reforms.

“This dialogue is not another consultation tick-box. It is a working session at a critical juncture: the last structured opportunity for organised business to shape the final Draft White Paper before Cabinet consideration at the end of this month. We have the analysis. We have the architecture. What we need now is joint execution discipline,” he said.

He urged business leaders to provide practical proposals that could strengthen the implementation of reforms and help ensure municipalities become functional and investment ready.

The final draft of the White Paper on Local Government is expected to be submitted to Cabinet for consideration later this month. – SAnews.gov.za

Deputy President Paul Mashatile has reaffirmed government’s commitment to strengthening the role of traditional leaders, saying they remain a vital pillar of governance and social cohesion, particularly in rural communities. 

The Deputy President delivered the virtual keynote address at the Eastern Cape Traditional Leaders’ Summit held at the East London International Convention Centre, on Tuesday. 

The two-day summit, which brings together traditional leaders, government officials and other stakeholders, is aimed at addressing challenges facing traditional leadership institutions and exploring ways to strengthen cooperation between government and traditional authorities.

Mashatile said traditional leaders continue to play a significant role in preserving cultural heritage, promoting social cohesion and supporting development in communities.

“Government will never render traditional leaders irrelevant. On the contrary, we recognise that traditional leadership remains a vital pillar of governance, particularly in rural communities,” he said.

He noted that traditional leaders historically served as the centre of governance in African societies, long before colonial rule, resolving disputes and guiding communities through systems rooted in trust and service.

The Deputy President said South Africa’s democratic order recognises the importance of traditional leadership through constitutional provisions that affirm the institution and its role in society. 

Legislative frameworks, such as the Traditional Leadership and Governance Framework Act, have aligned traditional leadership with democratic principles, enabling traditional councils to work alongside municipalities within the system of cooperative governance.

Mashatile said government has taken steps to restore the dignity and recognition of traditional leadership, including the establishment of platforms such as the National House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders, and Provincial and Local houses.

“Platforms such as the National House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders, as well as Provincial and Local Houses, ensure that traditional leaders participate in shaping policies that affect rural communities.

“Through these structures, traditional leaders have consistently raised critical issues including land rights, socio-economic development, institutional capacity, infrastructure support, policy reforms, and social cohesion,” he said.

Mashatile also highlighted the establishment of the Inter-Ministerial Task Team on Matters of Traditional Leadership in 2022 to address issues raised by traditional leaders.

The task team focuses on advancing land rights and socio-economic development, strengthening traditional institutions, investing in infrastructure and skills, promoting nation-building and unity, and finalising policy and legislative reforms.

The Deputy President urged traditional leaders to work closely with municipalities and provincial governments to address service delivery challenges and mobilise communities to protect public infrastructure such as schools, clinics and water systems.

He further called on traditional leaders to take an active role in tackling social challenges such as gender-based violence, substance abuse and youth unemployment.

“Our government has classified gender-based violence and femicide as a national disaster to strengthen coordination in addressing this crisis. But legislation alone cannot change behaviour. Community leadership is essential in challenging harmful attitudes and practices that perpetuate violence,” he said. 

Mashatile also emphasised the role of traditional leaders as custodians of communal land, saying the responsible management of land could unlock opportunities for agriculture, job creation and food security in rural communities.

Government initiatives such as the Presidential Employment Stimulus have already created more than 2.5 million employment and livelihood opportunities, many benefiting young people in rural areas. 

Mashatile also encouraged traditional leaders to actively participate in the ongoing National Dialogue process, noting that traditional and Khoi-San leaders are represented in the Eminent Persons Group and the National Dialogue Steering Committee.

The summit continues until Wednesday and is expected to produce practical recommendations to strengthen cooperation between government and traditional leadership for the benefit of communities under traditional authorities. – SAnews.gov.za

The Northern Cape Provincial Government has moved to swiftly support the families affected by the Ekapa Minerals mine accident, as police on Monday recovered the body of one of the five miners trapped underground.

The miner, along with four others, was trapped following a mud rush at the mine in February.

The recovery marks a sombre milestone in the weeks-long effort to bring closure to the families of the miners caught in the mud rush.

“Kimberley detectives are investigating an inquest after the body of an adult male was recovered from a mine in Kimberley on Monday, 9 March, at approximately 15:00.

“The investigation continues,” police said in a short statement.

In a statement, the Northern Cape government extended condolences to the family of the deceased miner.

“This recovery brings to an end a painful period of uncertainty for the family. On behalf of the provincial government and the people of the Northern Cape, Premier, Dr Zamani Saul, extends his heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased miner.

“The Premier has also expressed his gratitude to the rescue teams who continue to work tirelessly alongside Ekapa Minerals during this difficult operation. He has encouraged them to press on with their efforts, as work continues to bring closure to the other affected families,” the statement read.

The provincial government has committed to a relief package for the families of the five miners.

The relief was also extended to the 1 100 miners who were rendered unemployed after Ekapa Minerals was liquidated shortly after the accident.

The five families were provided with some R10 000 for groceries and other essentials, while the 1 100 miners left jobless were given food vouchers of R3 000, with the total aid package amounting to some R3.5 million.

“The Northern Cape Provincial Government continues to keep all the affected families in its thoughts and prayers during this difficult time,” the statement concluded. – SAnews.gov.za

Government will launch a national stakeholder consultation process on proposed reforms to South Africa’s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) system on Wednesday.

According to the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), the consultation process will run from 11 March to 24 April 2026, and will include engagement sessions in each province.

The proposed reforms aim to strengthen the ongoing sector-led initiative to improve the efficacy of the EIA process, allowing flexibility to apply other instruments, modernise and strengthen the country’s environmental governance framework, towards the sustainable development.

“Environmental Impact Assessments remain a cornerstone of South Africa’s environmental management system. They give effect to Section 24 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to an environment that is not harmful to health or well-being, while promoting sustainable development. 

“However, the current EIA process has tended to operate independently of complementary environmental instruments, constraining their ability to demonstrate integrated sustainability outcomes. Listed activities automatically determine the type of assessment required, with limited flexibility to respond to the specific environmental risk or sensitivity of a proposed development. The environmental sector is now proposing a more flexible, risk-based screening approach,” said the department.

This system would evaluate the nature, scale and environmental context of a proposed development to determine the appropriate level of assessment required.

Projects with significant environmental risks, particularly those located in sensitive environments, would still undergo full Environmental Impact Assessments that include specialist studies and public participation processes. 

Meanwhile, projects expected to have low or insignificant environmental impacts may follow a shorter assessment route or exit the process earlier where appropriate.

Environmental authorities would apply defined criteria and risk-based tools to ensure that decisions remain evidence-based, transparent and accountable. 

The department said existing environmental authorisation requirements, public participation provisions and appeal rights would remain unchanged.

The proposed reforms encourages the broader adoption of environmental management instruments such as norms, standards and Environmental Management Frameworks, where these tools are better suited to managing specific environmental risks. 

This supports a more integrated and strategic environmental management system and is aligned with strengthening sustainability outcomes while improving regulatory efficiency.

“By focusing regulatory scrutiny where it matters most, the environmental sector aims to build a smarter, more responsive EIA system that supports both environmental protection and responsible development,” said the department.

The discussion document and details on how to submit comments are available on the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment website https://www.dffe.gov.za.

Stakeholders and members of the public have been encouraged to participate in the consultation process. 

The department will launch the national stakeholder consultation working in collaboration with the Department of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, provincial Environmental Affairs departments and other relevant sector stakeholders. – SAnews.gov.za

Deputy Minister in the Presidency Kenny Morolong has called for a collective African approach to tackling one of the defining governance challenges of the 21st century: information integrity.

The Deputy Minister delivered an address at the 2026 TikTok Safer Internet Summit held in Nairobi, Kenya, on Tuesday.

Drawing on the work of historian Yuval Harari, Morolong warned that although social media platforms present opportunities, these networks have evolved into a part of a “new digital bureaucracy”.

“[Today] humanity has created a new form of bureaucracy: the global digital network; algorithms that shape how billions of people receive and consume information every single day, power this bureaucracy.

“Social media platforms – including TikTok – are now part of this new digital bureaucracy. They organise attention, distribute narratives, amplify voices and influence how societies understand or perceive the truth, authority and reality itself.

“This, therefore, makes information integrity one of the defining governance challenges of the 21st century,” he noted.

Pressing further, Morolong emphasised that the platforms can also be used to spread destructive messages.

He argued that because digital networks operate “faster and further than any previous communication system”, these harms are more “powerful and relentless than anything societies have experienced before”.

“While we acknowledge how digital networks can spread knowledge, creativity and opportunity, we must accept that they also spread something far more dangerous: misinformation, disinformation and malinformation.

“These three forms of harmful information have different origins but the same destructive impact. Together, they undermine trust in institutions, polarise communities and threaten democratic stability,” the Deputy Minister said.

Government action

To counter these threats, Morolong pointed to existing national and regional frameworks in recognition of the “importance of responsible communication in a democracy”.

For its part, the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) has adopted the National Communication Strategy Framework 2025 – 2030, which emphasises “coordinated, credible and citizen-centred communication across all spheres of government”.

“[The] South African government, through the National Communication Strategy Framework recognises that communication is not simply about messaging. It is about building trust between the State and the people.

“If we accept this to be true, then we should accept that information integrity is not merely a technical issue. It is a development issue. It is a governance issue. It is a democratic issue,” Morolong told the gathering.

The Southern African Development Community Protocol on Communications calls on its Member States to “develop efficient, integrated and coordinated communication systems that support economic growth and social development across the region”.

“The protocol recognises that communications infrastructure and services are strategic assets that must serve the collective interests of societies and strengthen regional cooperation,” the Deputy Minister said.

Working together

Morolong suggested three areas where platforms like TikTok can lead global innovation:

• Responsible use of algorithms: Algorithms should not only optimise engagement. They should also actively identify and reduce the amplification of demonstrably false or harmful content.
• Information transparency: Users must understand how information reaches them. Greater transparency around recommendation systems, content moderation and information verification can help rebuild public trust in digital platforms.
• Digital literacy partnerships: Platforms must work closely with governments, educators and civil society to equip citizens, especially young people, with the tools to recognise misinformation and verify information sources.

He clarified that the push for safer digital spaces is about responsible stewardship, not suppression of voices.

“This is not a call for censorship. It is a call for responsible stewardship of the digital public sphere. The challenge before us is to ensure that the new bureaucracy of computer-based networks serves humanity rather than destabilising it. 

“We have to be deliberate and ensure we put enough guardrails, especially for the vulnerable sections of society: the elderly, the disabled and children.

“Let this summit mark a new chapter of cooperation between platforms like TikTok and governments across the great and beautiful continent of Africa,” Morolong concluded. – SAnews.gov.za