Category: South Africa Government

South Africa’s agricultural sector has delivered a record export performance in the fourth quarter of 2025, underscoring its resilience and global competitiveness, despite significant headwinds in the global trading environment.

According to Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen, the country’s total exports reached a record R581.5 billion by the end of the fourth quarter, with agriculture contributing R268.7 billion, the highest performance since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Agricultural exports grew 9% year-on-year, compared with the R243.7 billion recorded in the fourth quarter of 2024.

The performance was achieved despite a number of challenges, including a strengthening rand, tighter regulatory measures in some export markets, and the impact of 30% “Liberation Day” tariffs by the United States.

Steenhuisen said the figures highlight a sector that is increasingly strategic in how it approaches global markets.

“While agricultural exports to the United States declined sharply by 36% in the fourth quarter of 2025 as a direct result of higher tariffs, our diversification strategy has clearly borne fruit. Strong growth to BRICS+ countries, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and SADC [Southern African Development Community] more than offset those losses,” the Minister said in a statement on Thursday.

Diversified export markets

Africa remains South Africa’s largest agricultural export destination, accounting for about 53% of exports, followed by Asia and the Middle East at 17%, the European Union at 16%, and 14% to the rest of the world, including North and South America.

Among the fastest-growing markets in 2025 were the United Kingdom, with export growth of 21%, and BRICS+ countries, which recorded a 31% increase.

Exports to the European Union grew by 9%, while trade within SADC increased by 8%.

The sector also recorded a stronger agricultural trade surplus of R24.6 billion in the fourth quarter, up from about R20 billion in 2024, underscoring agriculture’s contribution to South Africa’s balance of payments.

Steenhuisen attributed this achievement to government support for export-oriented horticulture, which has demanded the opening of new markets, rapid deployment of precision-agriculture tools, and expanded value chain finance, rather than pure acreage growth.

“Our sector has also embraced modernisation, which is continuing to bear fruit. The adoption of new farming methods has led to commercial farms raising yield per hectare by embracing satellite-guided fertilisation, drone-based pest scouting, and soil moisture sensors embedded in variable-rate irrigation rigs, reducing water utilisation by 18% to 25%,” the Minister said.

Investment in irrigation and infrastructure

Government policy support, through the Agriculture and Agro-processing Master Plan (AAMP), has also helped to unlock R1.2 billion in investment from public and private financial institutions for irrigation upgrades and packhouse expansion.

The investments have contributed to a 15% reduction in post-harvest losses since 2024.

Steenhuisen said the agricultural sector continues to play a critical role in the country’s economy, both as a generator of foreign exchange and a driver of employment.

Primary agriculture contributes about 2.8% to South Africa’s gross domestic product (GDP), while the broader agricultural value chain accounts for about 14% of the country’s R7.34 trillion GDP, based on 2024 figures. The sector also supports roughly 950 000 jobs.

Key export products

South Africa’s strongest-performing agricultural exports in 2025 included table grapes, maize, berries, wine, citrus, apples and pears, sugar, nuts, fruit juices and wool.

Stone fruits, such as apricots, cherries and peaches, also featured prominently amongst the export products.

Fruits and nuts alone accounted for about 26% of total agricultural exports during the fourth quarter.

Steenhuisen said the strong export performance provides a platform for expanding market access and strengthening trade partnerships.

“Good progress has recently been made in expanding international market access for South African agricultural products. This includes newly secured market access for South African stone fruit into China, as well as the first shipment of South African table grapes to the Philippines, which is currently en route,” the Minister said. – SAnews.gov.za

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Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen has dismissed claims that government is “making a profit” from Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccines, saying that the State is procuring and administering the vaccines at no cost to farmers.

“No farmer is paying for these vaccines, and government is certainly not selling them,” Steenhuisen said.

The Minister confirmed that the South African Government will cover the full cost of vaccinating the national herd as part of the country’s response to recent FMD outbreaks.

“This means there will be no cost to farmers for vaccines administered as part of the national response to the FMD outbreaks,” he said.

In a statement on Thursday, Steenhuisen said vaccines have already been distributed to all provinces, with the national vaccination programme well underway.

READ | Minister launches mass FMD vaccination campaign

According to the department, hundreds of thousands of animals are being vaccinated each week, as the country works towards a target of vaccinating 80% of the national herd by December.

South Africa has so far received one million vaccine doses from Biogénesis Bagó in Argentina and 1.5 million doses from Dollvet in Türkiye, with additional consignments expected to arrive in the coming weeks to sustain the vaccination campaign.

Steenhuisen commended the veterinary professionals and industry partners assisting with the rollout, saying that their efforts are critical to protecting the country’s livestock sector and stabilising the agricultural economy.

“We would like to thank the State and private veterinarians, who are on the frontline of the vaccination campaign, as well as industry organisations, particularly the Milk Producers’ Organisation (MPO), for their cooperation and support in helping to protect South Africa’s livestock sector,” he said.

As FMD remains a serious threat to the agricultural economy, the Minister called on stakeholders to exercise caution regarding misinformation circulating on social media and other platforms.

“FMD is everyone’s responsibility. It is critical that farmers and stakeholders verify information before sharing it. Misinformation during a biosecurity crisis can cause real damage to the sector,” he said.

Vaccine costs

The Minister also moved to set the record straight on vaccine costs.

This follows recent rumours spread by a certain agriculture lobby group, which has attempted to misrepresent the cost of the Dollvet vaccines being procured by government.

Steenhuisen said these claims focus on R45, which is the single quoted bulk supply price per dose, without recognising the broader logistical and operational requirements involved in a national vaccination programme of this scale.

According to the Minister, most agricultural organisations understand and appreciate this reality.

“The price that has been circulated publicly relates to the supplier’s bulk delivery price to an approved cold-storage facility in South Africa. In other words, it reflects the cost of producing the vaccine and transporting it internationally under cold-chain conditions to a designated facility within the country.

“However, the R45 price does not represent the full cost of getting a vaccine from that point into the national veterinary system and ultimately to farms across South Africa – a reality that would be no different if, as claimed, ‘private companies’ were responsible for importing and distributing it,” the Minister explained

Once vaccines arrive in the country, he said, they must still be received, quality-checked, stored under strict temperature control, managed through national inventory systems, and distributed through a network of provincial depots and veterinary teams.

“This includes maintaining the cold-chain, managing secure storage facilities, handling inventory management, and coordinating distribution to vaccination teams operating across multiple provinces.

“These are essential components of any large-scale animal health intervention. Without them, vaccines cannot be delivered safely or remain effective when they reach livestock in the field,” the Minister said.

He said government’s procurement cost reflects the full operational process required to move vaccines through the national veterinary distribution system, ensuring that doses are delivered safely and reliably to veterinarians administering the vaccination campaign.

The Minister also assured that government has enough resources to fund the vaccination programme.

“…The Department of Agriculture has allocated funding specifically for the procurement of vaccines and will continue to ensure that sufficient doses are available to sustain the vaccination campaign,” the Minister assured. – SAnews.gov.za

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The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) have launched the Water Sector Anti-Corruption Forum (WSACF) aimed at strengthening the fight against corruption and safeguarding the country’s water resources.

The establishment of the forum follows findings from 16 SIU proclamations related to the DWS. Of these, nine investigations have been completed, while seven remain active, highlighting what authorities say is an urgent need for a coordinated anti-corruption response in water management.

The WSACF is anchored on Pillar Six of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS), which focuses on protecting vulnerable sectors and strengthening integrity systems. Through a risk-based approach, the forum will support investigations, prevention, and enforcement measures designed to protect South Africa’s water resources from corruption and mismanagement.

The initiative also aligns with the goals of the National Development Plan (NDP) 2030, which prioritises water security and sustainable development, as well as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6, which aims to ensure the availability and sustainable management of clean water and sanitation for all.

The forum aligns with what the NACS terms as a whole-of-society approach, which seeks to enhance and mobilise the inclusive participation of the public sector, private sector, civil society and academia to prevent and combat corruption.

Key objectives 

The WSACF will focus on several key objectives, including supporting anti-corruption initiatives in the water sector, foster collaboration among stakeholders to combat corruption effectively, coordinate law enforcement efforts to enhance investigative capacity, and enhance investigative capacity.

It also aims to deliver tangible outcomes, including prosecutions, civil recoveries, and administrative actions against wrongdoing, while implementing preventative measures to mitigate fraud and corruption risks.

In addition, the forum seeks to promote accountability within anti-corruption agencies through multi-stakeholder oversight.

Coalition of stakeholders

The forum brings together a broad coalition of stakeholders, including law enforcement agencies, Chapter 9 institutions, civil society organisations, private sector representatives, government departments, and municipalities.

Other stakeholders include regulators, organised labour, traditional and religious leaders, and environmental and water conservation groups.

The SIU and DWS said this collaborative model strengthens accountability, closes gaps, and implements measurable and actionable prevention plans.

Importantly, the forum will also hold anti-corruption agencies accountable, ensuring transparency and effectiveness in their operations.

Building on existing anti-corruption efforts

The WSACF builds on the success of several sector-specific anti-corruption fora in recent years.

These include the Health Sector Anti-Corruption Forum, launched in October 2019; the Infrastructure and Built Environment Anti-Corruption Forum, launched in May 2021; the Local Government Anti-Corruption Forum, launched in September 2022, and the Border Management and Immigration Anti-Corruption Forum, launched in March 2025.

Acting Head of the SIU and chairperson of the WSACF, Leonard Lekgetho, said the forum comes at a critical time, as parts of the country continue to face water shortages.

“Water affects every living being, making it imperative for us to make fighting corruption in the sector a collective effort. The launch of the Water Sector Anti-Corruption Forum is a decisive step in protecting one of our nation’s most precious resources. Water is life, and corruption in this sector threatens not only service delivery but also the dignity and well-being of our people,” Lekgetho said.

He said the initiative sends a strong message that corruption in the water sector will not be tolerated.

“Through this forum, we are sending a clear message: corruption will not be tolerated, and those who undermine the integrity of our water systems will face the full might of the law.”

Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina emphasised the importance of being proactive and strengthening anti-corruption efforts in the water sector.

“When corruption infiltrates the water sector, it does not simply distort procurement processes or inflate invoices. It dries up taps, delays infrastructure, contaminates rivers and erodes public trust.

“In a water-scarce country such as South Africa, corruption is not a victimless crime. It is a direct assault on human dignity and development. Every rand lost to corruption is a rand not spent on fixing leaks, expanding supply schemes, or protecting our freshwater ecosystems,” Majodina said. – SAnews.gov.za

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Deputy President Paul Mashatile says government has committed significant resources and reforms to restore South Africa’s rail transport system as part of efforts to strengthen economic infrastructure and stimulate growth.

Mashatile made the remarks on Thursday when responding to questions for oral reply in the National Council of Provinces in Cape Town. He addressed concerns about the decline and recovery of the national rail network. 

He said government was implementing rapid response interventions to address service delivery challenges and disruptions in infrastructure hotspots.

“We have prioritised stronger intergovernmental coordination, improved planning and more effective execution across the spheres of government to restore the performance of critical economic infrastructure, including rail,” he said.

According to the Deputy President, government continues to engage several departments, including the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, the Department of Transport, the Department of Water and Sanitation, and the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs to strengthen the upgrading and protection of strategic infrastructure that supports economic activity and job creation.

The Deputy President said Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana had allocated R21.9 billion through the budget facility for infrastructure to support major projects, including upgrades to Transnet’s coal and iron ore corridors to restore rail capacity. 

Government is also strengthening the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) to implement its corridor recovery programme and modernise rail services.

The Deputy President said by the end of 2025, PRASA had commissioned 35 of its 40 passenger corridors and achieved an audited annual figure of 77 million passenger journeys on long-distance rail services.

PRASA’s long-distance passenger division plans to reintroduce several mainline passenger services in the 2026/27 financial year, subject to funding availability and locomotive readiness.

These routes include Johannesburg–Durban, Johannesburg–Queenstown, East London–Johannesburg, Cape Town–Johannesburg, Johannesburg–Musina, and Cape Town–Queenstown. 

Mashatile said PRASA was also rolling out thousands of kilometres of fibre optic infrastructure as part of a new signalling system through partnerships with the private sector to improve safety and real-time communication across the rail network.

Meanwhile, Transnet’s rail infrastructure manager, working with the Department of Transport and strategic partners, is prioritising the productive use of rail infrastructure and associated assets that have been underutilised, vandalised or inactive for extended periods.

“This work includes the revival of critical rail services that support agriculture, mining, manufacturing hubs and rural trading towns that rely heavily on rail connectivity,” Mashatile said.

Through Operation Vulindlela, government is also fast-tracking structural reforms aimed at modernising the rail and logistics sector, including opening the rail network to third-party operators to improve efficiency and competition.

He said the reforms would also accelerate the rehabilitation of passenger rail services to improve mobility, safety and economic participation for citizens. 

The Deputy President said government plans to invest R500 billion in infrastructure over the next three years, with R120 billion ring-fenced for transport infrastructure, including rail rehabilitation, port efficiency upgrades and road network maintenance.

Responding to a supplementary question about the concessioning of rail lines, he said government had already begun implementing the National Rail Policy 2022.

He said the process has now moved into the implementation phase, including the design and operational rollout across rail corridors.

The Deputy President added that government is bringing the private sector on board, particularly companies involved in freight logistics. 

“At the moment about 11 major freight companies have been enlisted, and work is continuing to finalise the contracts so that they can begin work on these corridors,” he said.

He expressed confidence that the combination of government investment, policy reforms and private sector participation would help reverse the decline of the rail system.

“I am confident that with the plans government has put in place, additional resources and private sector involvement, we will begin to correct this situation and ensure that rail infrastructure once again contributes to economic growth and job creation,” Mashatile said. – SAnews.gov.za

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South Africa’s National Minimum Wage (NMW) is set to rise from R28.79 to R30.23 for each ordinary hour worked, with effect from 1 March 2026, helping stretched workers bring home a little more bacon.

Employment and Labour Minister Nomakhosazana Meth announced the R1.44 upward adjustment in the NMW in early February, saying it will benefit all workers, including vulnerable farm workers and domestic workers. 

The NMW is the floor which an employer is legally obligated to remunerate employees for work done. 

“In 2019, when we introduced the minimum wage at R20 an hour, there were about six million workers in the economy who were earning below R20 an hour. Therefore, that six million workers were transferred into a higher level by the minimum wage,” the Department of Employment and Labour’s (DEL) Acting Deputy-Director-General (DDG) for Labour Policy and Industrial Relations, Thembinkosi Mkalipi said.

In an interview with SAnews.gov.za, Mkalipi said the NMW has met and “even surpassed inflation.” 

“We have been able to protect the minimum wage against inflation,” said the Acting DDG.

The National Minimum Wage Act came into effect in 2019 with the purpose of advancing economic development and social justice by improving the wages of the lowest paid workers; protecting the workers from unreasonably low wages; as well as preserving the value on the NMW. The purpose of the Act is also aimed at supporting the country’s economic policy and promoting collective bargaining.

While applying to all workers and their employers, the Act does not apply to members of the South African National Defence Force, the National Intelligence Agency and the South African Secret Service. It also does not apply to a volunteer, who is a person who performs work for another person and who does not receive or is not entitled to receive, any remuneration for his or her service. 

The DEL added that no employee shall be paid below the National Minimum Wage, adding that it cannot be varied by contract, collective agreement or law. It also added that it is unfair labour practice for an employer to unilaterally alter hours of work or other conditions of employment in implementing the NMW.
Since it came into effect, the minimum wage has been subject to an annual review.

Compliance and exemption
“There are 40% of employers out there who are not complying with the minimum wage. That 40-60 split has been consistent since 2019,” he said.

He flagged affordability and the insufficient number of departmental inspectors as possible reasons for non-compliance with the minimum wage.

“It could be the issue of affordability but at the same time, there’s an exemption process. An employer who cannot afford the minimum wage can apply for exemption and the process is quick and easy,” he said.
He further stated that there are limits for the exemption.

“You cannot get, I think, more than 10% below the minimum wage through exemption. Maybe they [employers] believe that applying for exemption does not give them that. We don’t have enough inspectors. Even if we had enough inspectors, there’s no way that we are going to have an inspector for each and every work establishment and they [employers] know that. 

“Some employers prefer to take the risk. As you know that running a business is taking a risk. They are prepared to take a calculated risk and say: ‘what are the chances that an inspector will visit my factory?”.
He added that if employers believe that the chances of being caught are low; there is no incentive for employers to comply with the minimum wage.

“Those are the issues that we think affect that [compliance]; the capacity of the department in terms of numbers of inspectors; the willingness of employers to comply with the law and the attitude that says: ‘catch me if you can’  – because they believe that they might not be caught,” he explained.

In the State of the Nation Address (SONA) on 12 February 2026, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that an additional 10 000 labour inspectors would be hired this year. 

Minister Meth welcomed the President’s pronouncement saying it “will significantly strengthen our capacity to enforce compliance with labour legislation, protect vulnerable workers and ensure fair labour practices across all sectors of the economy.”

This as the DEL currently has about 2 300 labour inspectors nationwide. In addition, in 2025 the department launched the Project 20K, a national initiative to recruit and place 20 000 graduate interns across South Africa’s public sector between 2025 and 2027. 

Exemption process 
Employers who cannot afford the minimum wage can seek relief through the online exemption process.

“The exemption operates online. Any employer that cannot afford the National Minimum Wage can apply for exemption. When you apply for exemption as an employer then you must give information. The system analyses affordability on the basis of the figures and information you have given. The system then gives you, or not, an exemption.

“If you get an exemption, you get a certificate of exemption that indicates that. Then you pay below the minimum wage because you received an exemption. It is a process that does not take long. There’s no human being involved in it – precisely because we don’t want inspectors to ask for brown envelopes,” said Mkalipi.

The NMW Act makes provision for an employer or an employer’s organisation, acting on behalf of its members, to apply for exemption through regulations that make provision for the form and manner in which exemptions must be made. For example, information to be submitted, obligations on employers to consult, criteria when evaluating and the period within which and application must be made.

To make use of the exemption process, an application must be lodged through the NMW system online (https://nmw.labour.gov.za/) by following procedures as prompted by the system.

For businesses, applicants must provide the most recent annual financial statements with comparatives and private households must provide an income statement and employees working hours and wage information, among others.

Job deterrent or not?
Asked about whether the National Minimum Wage is a deterrent to job creation, Mkalipi said the wage does not cause workers to lose their jobs. This, as research contracted to a University of Cape Town unit has looked at the impact of the wage.

“On the process of reviewing the minimum wage, we do research [through] a unit within the University of Cape Town. They have looked at what has been the effect of the NMW. When we review the NMW next year, they are going to tell us what the effect of this [current] increase has been. Was it negative to employment, did it cause unemployment or not? Every research says the same thing; there’s no evidence that the NMW affects employment. The research is done independently, not by the department.

“If your question is yes, the National Minimum Wage does not cause workers to be dismissed and retrenched, but does it cause employers not to employ workers? That research we can’t do because we only do research on what were the effects. 

“We don’t have research that says the National Minimum Wage prevents employers from employing; but we’ve got research that says the NMW does not cause people to lose their jobs. That’s what research tells us… we cannot say that the NMW has caused unemployment in the sense that people lost their jobs. Research does not say that,” he explained.

The department has a five-year contract with the university and the unit is currently looking at Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) data.

“The Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) report influences the research that they do. They look at the figures of three [of the four] quarters. They are already busy with the research now to give information for the review that will come in 2027,” Mkalipi said.

The QLFS collects information on the labour market activity of individuals aged 15 years and older and provides the official measures of employment and unemployment. 

Earnings
With effect from 1 March 2026, those working eight hour days will earn R241.84 a day (R30.23 multiplied by eight) and will amount to R1209.20 in a five day week.

“It depends on the hours worked; in terms of the minimum wage, nobody can be paid less than four hours. Even if you work one hour, in terms of the law you must be paid for four hours.”

On whether employers have the right to deduct payment from employees for issues like accommodation and food, Mkalipi said employers are not allowed to deduct more than a third of a worker’s salary.

“Whatever deduction that they make, that’s the first thing. The second thing is that yes, if there’s an agreement between the two parties that, ‘I will provide you with accommodation and my accommodation costs this amount, I will provide you with food and my food costs X amount,’ as long as it is not more than a third, you can make the deduction.”

Strengthening compliance
Mkalipi is hopeful that with an increased number of inspectors, compliance with the NMW will receive a boost.

“We are hoping that with more capacity coming in, while it’s going to take some time, [with] the enforcement taking place, employers will see that the risk is not worth taking because it’s all about risk management” he said. 

The Acting DDG called on other employers who may have knowledge of other employers that do not pay the minimum wage to come forward and name them, saying are “undercutting them (competitors) in the market by not paying the minimum wage.”

“The department alone is not going to be able to solve this. You need employers, trade unions, and employees themselves to assist by bringing the information and saying ‘in our company we are not getting the minimum wage’, so that inspectors inspect those companies where there’s already intelligence indicating they’re not paying,” he said.

On what measures the department can take in terms of employers not toeing the line with regards to the minimum wage, the DDG said: “There’s nothing that the department can do other than implement the law and apply the penalties provided in the law when those employers are caught.  For us we have to increase the number of inspectors and levy the fines provided for in the law for those who are not compliant.”

Enforcement of the National Minimum Wage
According to the Act, there are two enforcement procedures for the enforcement of the NMW.

A labour inspector may secure an undertaking from the employer to comply with the provisions of the NMW Act. If an employer fails to comply with the written undertaking within the time period specified in the undertaking, the Director-General: Labour may request the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) to make a written undertaking an arbitration award. 

The second procedure is one where a labour inspector may issue a compliance order if he/she has reasonable grounds to believe that the employer has failed to comply with the provisions of the NMW Act. The order may be issued in terms of section 69(1) of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act.

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) has welcomed the 2026 increase of inflation plus 1.5% (5% in total or R1.44) for the minimum wage saying it is a “progressive above-inflation increase.”
And while it is true that the cost of living continues to stretch the purse strings of many South Africans, the existence of the NMW helps to keep many from falling into a financial abyss. – SAnews.gov.za

 

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The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has notched a victory against State Capture with the conviction and sentencing of former Member of Parliament, Vincent Smith.

The Johannesburg High Court sentenced Smith to seven years’ direct imprisonment after the former lawmaker agreed to a plea and sentence agreement with the State.

Smith was accused of accepting gratifications from controversial security company, BOSASA, in the form of security upgrades to his home.

He also allegedly accepted money transfers – through his company, Euroblitz 48 – in exchange for shielding the company from scrutiny while he was chairperson of Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services.

“The conviction relates to the corruption and fraud charges in his personal capacity, as well as in his capacity as a sole director and shareholder of Euroblitz 48 — which he failed to disclosed to the Registrar of parliamentary members’ interest — the gratification that he received from BOSASA, pursuant to the corrupt activities that he [Smith], Euroblitz 48 and Agrizzi were charged for.

“He further failed to disclose the taxable income of Euroblitz 48 between March 2009 and July 2018, totalling approximately R28 million.

“Charges against Euroblitz 48 were, however, withdrawn,” the NPA said in a statement.

Smith pleaded guilty to charges, including contravention of Section 7 of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act (PRECCA), fraud, money laundering and contravention of the Tax Act.

“He was subsequently sentenced to 12 years on each of the counts, with each suspended for five years on condition that he does not commit similar offences during the suspension period. He will effectively spend seven years in prison for his actions.

“Judge Mohamed Ismail presided over the matter and accepted the plea and sentence agreement in terms of Sec 105A of the Criminal Procedure Act, as presented by the State and confirmed by Smith on record.

“He remarked on the considerations he had to make, especially that the accused was a lawmaker entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring that the laws of the country are upheld. He described corruption as a scourge that has reached alarming levels and needs to be addressed decisively,” the statement continued.

National Director of Public Prosecutions, Advocate Andy Mothibi, said: “In as much as the trial took longer than anticipated to be finalised, the wheels of justice finally got in motion and the rule of law upheld. I commend the prosecution team involved in the matter.” – SAnews.gov.za

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Deputy Minister in the Presidency Nonceba Mhlauli has called for a decisive shift from symbolic commitments to tangible action in advancing gender equality, saying policies must translate into measurable improvements in the lives of women and girls.

Delivering remarks during the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) debate marking International Women’s Day, Mhlauli urged government and society to move beyond declarations and focus on practical implementation.

“We must move from commemoration to implementation; from promises to measurable outcomes. From policy intent to lived reality,” she said on Wednesday.

The Deputy Minister emphasised that tackling gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) requires confronting harmful social norms and the role of male socialisation in perpetuating violence.

“We must also speak plainly about the role of men and boys. We cannot build a future without confronting the socialisation that produces violence, entitlement, and control.

‘The justice system itself acknowledges programmes that focus on positively changing the attitudes of men and boys in areas with high levels of violence against women. This is not optional work. It is prevention,” Mhlauli said.

She said boys must be guided towards a vision of masculinity grounded in respect, responsibility and accountability.

“To the boy child, we must say: your strength is not dominance. It is discipline. It is respect. It is accountability. It is the courage to reject peer pressure, to reject violence, and to protect the dignity of women and girls in your home, your school, your community, and online,” the Deputy Minister said.

She urged men in positions of influence, including fathers, brothers, coaches, faith leaders, traditional leaders and community leaders, to actively challenge violence against women.

“To fathers, brothers, coaches, faith leaders, traditional leaders and community leaders, we must say: silence is not neutrality. Silence is permission.

“If we are serious about ending GBVF, then positive masculinity must become a societal norm, not a campaign for 16 days,” Mhlauli said.

The 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children is an annual international campaign running from 25 November (International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women) to 10 December (International Human Rights Day).

The Deputy Minister referenced the G20 Empowerment of Women Working Group Chairperson’s Statement of 31 October 2025, which highlighted the importance of the care economy and women’s financial inclusion.

“The statement places the care economy and financial inclusion at the centre of women’s empowerment and recognises the importance of shared social responsibility for caregiving, including encouraging the active engagement of men and boys in care work,” she said.

According to Mhlauli, women’s unequal share of unpaid care burden remains one of the most significant barriers to their economic participation.

“This is deeply aligned with our domestic reality: women carry disproportionate unpaid care burdens, and that burden is an economic constraint. If we want women to participate equally in the economy, we must invest in care infrastructure, remove barriers to women’s access to finance, and recognise that economic justice is a form of violence prevention,” she said.

70th anniversary of historic women’s march

Mhlauli said South Africa will this year mark the 70th anniversary of the historic women’s march of 9 August 1956 when thousands of women including mothers, workers, organisers and leaders, marched to the Union Buildings to declare that they would not accept injustice.

“Their message is not only history. It is instruction. It tells us that courage is collective, and that rights are defended through action. 

“We must strengthen access to justice, not only by improving laws, but by fixing the system: faster case processing, safer courts, better survivor support, integrated data, and accountable consequences for perpetrators.

“We must strengthen access to justice not only by improving laws, but by fixing the system – faster case processing, safer courts, better survivor support, integrated data and accountable consequences for perpetrators,” the Deputy Minister said.

Economic empowerment must also be backed by real opportunities for women entrepreneurs, including access to procurement, finance, and markets.

She added that prevention must remain a central pillar in addressing gender-based violence by reshaping community values and promoting respectful relationships.

“We must strengthen prevention not only by protecting women and girls, but by actively shaping the values of boys and men and rebuilding communities that refuse violence as normal,” she said.

Mhlauli stressed that achieving meaningful progress will require collaboration across all sectors of society. “We must do so together, national government, provinces, municipalities, civil society, business, labour, communities and households.” – SAnews.gov.za

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Deputy Minister in the Presidency, Nonceba Mhlauli, has called for renewed global commitment to peace and decisive action to enforce existing protections for women.

Speaking at the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) debate in commemoration of International Women’s Day, Mhlauli warned that without stability and political will, gender equality will remain out of reach.

“We must be unequivocal in our call for peace. Peace is not an abstract diplomatic ideal. It is the foundation upon which women are able to live safely, to participate economically, to raise families without fear, and to contribute meaningfully to society.

“Where there is no peace, there can be no justice for women. Where there is no stability, empowerment becomes an empty promise,” Mhlauli said on Wednesday. 

The debate was held under the theme: “Recentering Social Justice and Human Rights for Women and Girls”.

While acknowledging the policy and legal frameworks that exist globally, which are designed to advance gender equality, Mhlauli said their impact is weakened by inconsistent enforcement and insufficient political commitment.

“Yes, policy and legal frameworks exist. They are in place through the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), adopted in 1979 by the UN General Assembly, the Beijing Platform for Action, the AU Agenda 2063, and our own South African Constitution. 

“What has wavered is not the law but the political will to enforce it, to fund it, and to live by it,” the Deputy Minister said.

According to Mhlauli, the real measure of progress lies not in policy declarations but in the everyday realities experienced by women and girls.

“The real test is not how well we can recite these conventions but whether a woman can walk home safely. Whether a survivor can access justice without being retraumatised. Whether a girl child can learn without fear. Whether a woman-owned enterprise can access markets, finance and procurement without being blocked by old networks and gatekeeping.”

As the global community marks Beijing+30, commemorating three decades since the adoption of the Beijing Platform for Action, Mhlauli said the moment required honest reflection.

She acknowledged that important gains have been achieved globally, including reductions in maternal mortality, improved enrolment of girls in schools and increased representation of women in legislatures.

But, she said the progress is fragile, uneven, and in many parts of the world, it is reversing.

Mhlauli highlighted the devastating toll conflicts are taking on women and girls in regions such as Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Palestine and parts of the Middle East.

“In these theatres of war and political upheaval, it is women and girls who bear the heaviest burden. They are displaced from their homes, stripped of access to education and healthcare, subjected to violence, and denied even the most basic forms of dignity.

“Conflict does not only destroy infrastructure. It erodes the social fabric that protects women. It turns their bodies into battlegrounds and their rights into collateral damage, Mhlauli said.

South Africa, she said, maintains a principled position in support of peaceful resolution of conflicts, dialogue over destruction, and the protection of civilians, particularly women and children.

“We affirm that the empowerment of women must extend to every sphere of life political, social, and economic. Women must not only survive conflict; they must be included in peacebuilding, reconstruction, and governance processes. Sustainable peace is only possible when women are present at negotiation tables and in leadership structures shaping the future,” she said. – SAnews.gov.za

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