Western Cape welcomes China citrus deal as a boost for economic growth

Source: Government of South Africa

Western Cape welcomes China citrus deal as a boost for economic growth

The Western Cape Department of Agriculture, Economic Development and Tourism, says expanded access to the Chinese market will be a major boost for economic growth, jobs, and Western Cape citrus producers.

Agriculture, Economic Development and Tourism MEC, Dr Ivan Meyer, welcomed the recent supplementary citrus phytosanitary agreement between South Africa and China as a major step forward in driving economic growth and creating jobs, while unlocking new export opportunities for the province’s citrus industry.

Meyer confirmed that the agreement, formalised on 10 April 2026, will ease export requirements, and strengthen market access for Western Cape producers.

“This agreement is a significant breakthrough for economic growth and job creation in the Western Cape. By removing trade barriers and expanding access to the Chinese market, we are creating new opportunities across the agricultural value chain – from farm workers to exporters – while strengthening the competitiveness of our citrus industry,” Meyer said.

The MEC emphasised that expanded access to the Chinese market comes at a critical time for the agricultural sector, which continues to navigate global uncertainties.

“Growing our export markets is essential to sustaining jobs and unlocking further economic growth. The opening of the Chinese market for increased citrus exports reduces volatility and helps cushion our producers—and the workers they employ—against disruptions caused by geopolitical tensions in traditional markets,” he said.

With approximately 20% of South Africa’s citrus production located in the Western Cape, he said the agreement is expected to have a meaningful impact on export volumes over time, particularly as compliance requirements become more efficient.

Supporting producers to maximise opportunities

Meyer highlighted that the Western Cape Provincial Government is actively supporting producers to capitalise on the zero-tariff access to China through a range of targeted interventions.

These include participation in trade shows and export exhibitions in China, facilitating business-to-business engagements with international buyers, providing extension and advisory services to ensure compliance with export standards, and collaborating closely with industry stakeholders to strengthen competitiveness.

“Our focus is on ensuring that producers are well-positioned to expand exports, grow their businesses, and in turn sustain and create more jobs in rural communities,” Meyer said.

He noted that China presents significant long-term potential for the Western Cape citrus industry due to several key factors, including strong demand driven by a population of approximately 1.4 billion people; continued economic growth and rising consumer demand; and the advantage of counter-seasonal supply, allowing South African citrus to fill market gaps when Northern Hemisphere production is low

“This counter-seasonal advantage not only boosts export potential but also supports stable production cycles that are critical for job retention in the sector,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za

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Murder rate drops

Source: Government of South Africa

Murder rate drops

South Africa recorded a 9.5% decrease in murders during the fourth quarter of the 2025/26 financial year, with 546 fewer people killed compared with the same period a year earlier, Police Minister Firoz Cachalia announced on Thursday.

Presenting crime statistics for the period January 1 to March 31, 2026, Cachalia said murders declined from 5 727 in the corresponding quarter of the previous year to 5 181.

Compared with the same quarter in 2024, murders fell by 1 355 cases, representing a 20.7% reduction.

“Most strikingly, murder has decreased nationally by 9.5%,” Cachalia said, describing the figure as the country’s most reliable crime indicator.

The decline formed part of a broader reduction in serious violent crime. Contact crimes, which include offences involving direct contact between perpetrators and victims, decreased by 4.6%, with 7 405 fewer cases reported than in the same quarter last year.

Cachalia highlighted significant reductions in aggravated robbery categories. House robberies fell by 20.4%, business robberies by 18.3%, and robberies at non-residential premises by 22%.

Property-related crimes, including burglary and theft of and from motor vehicles, declined by 8.5%, while other serious crimes such as general theft and shoplifting dropped by 4.2%.

The Minister attributed the improvements in part to the efforts of police officers and communities working together to combat crime.

Despite the gains, Cachalia cautioned that crime levels remain unacceptably high. 

South Africa recorded an average of 58 murders a day during the quarter.

“A decrease in crime is not the same as achieving safety,” he said. “Our goal is not just fewer crimes, but that communities are and feel safe everywhere.”

The statistics showed that Gauteng, the Western Cape, Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal all recorded notable decreases in murders. However, those four provinces still accounted for more than 80% of all murders nationally.

The Minister said government would continue implementing its police reform agenda, strengthen efforts against organised crime and expand violence-prevention initiatives aimed at addressing the social factors driving violent crime.

“These statistics provide us with guidance,” Cachalia said. “Our task is to transform this decline in violent crime into a sustained, long-term reduction in violence and organised criminality across the country.” – SAnews.gov.za

 

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Nelson Mandela Bay moves to contain Swine Fever outbreak

Source: Government of South Africa

Nelson Mandela Bay moves to contain Swine Fever outbreak

The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has moved swiftly to contain and manage an outbreak of African Swine Fever detected among pigs in the Grogro informal settlement in the Sherwood area while also assuring residents that there is no risk to human health.

According to the Municipality’s Director for Environmental Health, Dr Patric Nodwele, municipal health officials were alerted on Monday, 18 May 2026, to a mass mortality of pigs originating from the Grogro informal settlement.

“Upon arrival on site, our initial suspicion was possible poisoning. However, after engaging the State Veterinary Services and conducting the necessary tests, the final confirmed diagnosis was African Swine Fever,” Nodwele said.

African Swine Fever is a highly contagious viral disease that affects pigs. The virus mainly originates from wild pigs and can spread rapidly among domestic pigs, particularly where animals roam freely and come into contact with infected wild pigs.

Nodwele said preliminary indications suggest that freely roaming domestic pigs may have come into contact with wild pigs in the area, resulting in the spread of the disease.

To prevent further infections, the Municipality’s Environmental Health Practitioners, working together with the State Veterinary Services team, this week conducted community outreach and awareness campaigns in the affected informal settlement.

Residents and pig owners were educated on the importance of containing pigs, improving animal control measures, and preventing the further spread of the disease.

Following the collection of samples for testing, municipal teams safely removed and disposed of the affected pig carcasses in accordance with health and environmental safety protocols.

While African Swine Fever does not pose a threat to human health and cannot be transmitted to people, the municipality has urged the community members not to consume meat from dead or infected pigs.

“The municipality will continue to monitor the situation closely and work with veterinary authorities to ensure the outbreak remains contained,” Nodwele said. – SAnews.gov.za
 

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Polio detection ‘not an outbreak’ – Department

Source: Government of South Africa

Polio detection ‘not an outbreak’ – Department

The Department of Health has confirmed the detection of two different polio virus strains from wastewater sampled from a wastewater treatment plant in Cape Town.

The department was informed of the detection by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD).

“This detection was part of the NICD’s routine environmental and wastewater testing to conduct proactive, population-wide disease tracking. This entails analysing municipal sewage and water resources to detect emerging outbreaks and viral variants before clinical cases appear. 

“These detections are called ‘vaccine events’ because no actual cases of virus have been detected in a human being. These events need a public health response, are not high risk, and no additional vaccination campaign is required,” the department said in a statement.

The department emphasised that polio is preventable by vaccine with the country officially declared polio-free by the World Health Organisation’s African Regional Certification Commission in 2019.

“This suggests that these viruses detected in wastewater are likely from imported cases of people vaccinated with different vaccines from those used in South Africa. This does not translate to an outbreak. 

“The department working closely with the NICD, has activated appropriate health response activities including strengthening surveillance and increasing frequency of environmental sampling of wastewater.

“South Africa continues to maintain outbreak preparedness plans, especially given the sporadic outbreaks of this disease in other countries and cross border movements,” the statement read.

Symptoms of the virus are:

  • Progressive muscle or joint weakness and pain
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle wasting
  • Breathing or swallowing problems
  • Sleep-related breathing disorders

“However, these are common symptoms for other health conditions.

“While there is no need for the public to be concerned, members of the public are urged to remain vigilant and ensure timely reporting of any suspected symptoms of polio to the nearest healthcare provider,” the statement said. – SAnews.gov.za

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SA works to strengthen local government

Source: Government of South Africa

SA works to strengthen local government

Local government, which is at the coalface of service delivery, has for many years faced challenges that many would deem insurmountable, writes Neo Semono.

Understandably, for many citizens, it feels as if government is taking too long to address pressing issues such as water and sanitation, overcrowding in public schools, and refuse collection.

Skill mismatches, corruption and the flouting of the Public Finance Management Act and other legislation by some government officials, have also not helped matters, taking away from the democratic gains of basic service delivery to all South Africans, regardless of one’s skin colour.

One can also assert that while corruption within the corridors of state institutions such as municipalities is a challenge, not every government official is corrupt or unqualified for the job.

The presence of rotten potatoes does not mean that government has abdicated its responsibility to citizens. The state has continued to come up with ways to address its service delivery challenges, through vehicles such as the recently gazetted, reviewed Draft White Paper on Local Government, which is out for public comment. You can access the draft here:  https://www.cogta.gov.za/index.php/docs/government-gazette-review-of-the-white-paper-on-local-government/

The review of the 1998 White Paper seeks to modernise and strengthen the local government system to ensure municipalities are better equipped to respond to the developmental needs of communities. It proposes a range of key reforms aimed at improving governance, strengthening accountability, enhancing financial sustainability, and accelerating effective service delivery.

Government took the decision to review the 1998 version of the White Paper in 2022, cognisant of the challenges faced by municipalities. Following refinement, the document is ready for you and me as citizens to make our inputs ahead of the 28 May 2026 deadline.

The notion that the public participation process makes no difference in the outcome of what government passes as policy or legislation in the end is untrue. We ought to make inputs. This is our country and our home – and local government issues affect us all.

It is true that the drafting and passing of legislation does not automatically resolve problems. By no means is the legislation a silver bullet, but it does provide a framework for the effective running of the country’s 257 metropolitan, district, and local municipalities.

The White Paper is structured around five reinforcing pillars for change – namely: one local government system; clean and capable political and administrative governance; differentiated powers and functions and a pathway to a single-tier future; partnership-based relational governance; and financial and service delivery reform – all aimed at modernising the system.

The draft White Paper does not shy away from the reality on the ground, stating that “too many municipalities are trapped in reinforcing cycles of decline” and that this results in “a system that often struggles to sustain basic reliability, maintain assets, and deliver responsive local governance at the pace and quality communities expect.”

However, the White Paper is not the only way government has been working on resolving local government challenges.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has been leading engagements between the National Executive and  provincial governments across the country. To date, the President and Cabinet have held eight engagement sessions, with the last held in the Free State in March 2026. The engagements are aimed at encouraging closer collaboration between the national government and the provinces to tackle service delivery challenges.

Recently, Deputy President Paul Mashatile also revisited the Ditsobotla Local Municipality in the North West where water and sanitation, unreliable electricity supply and poor road infrastructure among other issues, were flagged by community members during his visit in January 2026.

During his oversight visit to the municipality in May 2026, the Deputy President said efforts to stabilise the municipality, including the deployment of seasoned former Free State Director-General Kopung Ralikontsane to help rebuild and strengthen the municipality, which Cabinet placed under administration in terms of Section 139 of the Constitution, were underway. 

Section 139 of the Constitution speaks to provincial intervention in local government.

In addition, a National Cabinet Representative (NCR), through whom the Cabinet will attend to the situation in this municipality on a day-to-day basis, has also been appointed. The NCR is a multi-disciplinary team under the supervision of the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) and the Treasury.

Furthermore, as the voice of the people, the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), as one of the two houses of Parliament that represents provincial and local interests at the national level, recently embarked on its “Taking Parliament to the People” programme, which President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed on Friday, 15 May 2026, in the North West. In this programme communities are engaged on their concerns and issues. 

With its core function amongst others, including the oversight of local and provincial government, the NCOP acts as a bridge that makes sure that provincial and local concerns inform the country’s national policy and legislation. This shows that policies and legislation are not drawn up in a vacuum.

As citizens, we need to take an active interest in the running of our country; it is not the sole job of the state. Let us participate in fixing our municipalities by commenting on the White Paper and refusing to participate in corrupt activities in our municipalities. Let us not connect water and electricity illegally, let us pay for the services we use and not ignore municipal bills.

The clock is ticking; if we all play our part, we can turn the fortunes of municipalities around. –SAnews.gov.za

Neo Semono is a Features Editor at SAnews.gov.za 
 

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Public comment on Whistleblowers Bill closed, Parly public process to follow

Source: Government of South Africa

Public comment on Whistleblowers Bill closed, Parly public process to follow

The opportunity for public comments on the Protected Disclosures Bill will not be extended with the window to do so having closed last week, the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development said.

This as Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi emphasised the urgent need to have the Bill processed as soon as possible.

“Failure to expeditiously conclude this framework for the protection of whistleblowers will have grave consequences for the individuals who put the lives in danger to expose wrongdoing and corruption.

“A further extension will not be in the interest of whistleblowers and our justice system. I must emphasise that organisations and individuals will still have an opportunity to make comments on the Bill when Parliament opens for public participation,” Kubayi explained.

The department said the window for submissions closed on Thursday last week with calls by “some organisations for the window to be extended for them to submit their comments”.

“The department…has received a significant number of comments from various organisations and individuals, which will be processed to enrich the draft bill for submission to Parliament.

“Given the lacuna that currently exists on the legal framework for the protection of whistleblowers, the Minister deems it necessary to expeditiously conclude this framework for the protection of lives and livelihoods of individuals who come forward with information to expose criminal activities,” the department said on Thursday. – SAnews.gov.za

 

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Parliament marks 30 years of the Constitution

Source: Government of South Africa

Parliament marks 30 years of the Constitution

National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza has hailed South Africa’s Constitution as the foundation of the country’s democratic success, while urging citizens and leaders to confront ongoing challenges and help shape a prosperous future for Africa.

Delivering an address at a colloquium marking 30 years of South Africa’s Constitution in Parliament in Cape Town on Friday, Didiza said the event formed part of a week-long celebration of Africa Day and provided an opportunity to reflect on both the country’s constitutional journey and Africa’s development trajectory.

She said Africa Day was more than a commemorative occasion, describing it as a moment for the continent to assess progress towards achieving “the Africa we want”. 

Didiza highlighted key African Union initiatives, including the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), the Lagos Plan of Action and Agenda 2063, as important frameworks that have laid the groundwork for economic resilience, development and continental integration.

She praised the work of the Pan-African Parliament in developing model laws that have helped harmonise legislative frameworks across the continent.

“Here in South Africa, as we reflect on Africa Day, we do so in a context where we mark 30 years since the country promulgated the Constitution, the supreme law that laid the foundation of the South African constitutional democracy we want,” Didiza said.

The colloquium, hosted in partnership with University of South Africa, brings together academics, activists, young people, business leaders and policymakers to discuss contemporary challenges facing Africa and the role of democratic institutions in shaping the continent’s future.

According to Didiza, the gathering provides a platform to examine South Africa’s constitutional journey, including achievements and shortcomings in democratic governance, institutional legitimacy and public trust.

Reflecting on the country’s path to democracy, she traced the roots of the Constitution to historic milestones such as the Freedom Charter and the Harare Declaration, which helped define the vision and principles that later informed the constitutional settlement.

“Thirty years into a democratic dispensation, we have laid the foundations of strong institutions that have been the architecture of the country we wanted,” she said.

Didiza pointed to Parliament’s legislative achievements, the role of an independent judiciary, constitutional bodies and civil society in protecting human rights, and government programmes aimed at addressing social and economic challenges.

She acknowledged the contribution of academics and researchers in informing governance reforms and helping policymakers understand the social and economic impact of legislation.

While celebrating progress, the Speaker stressed the importance of continued reflection on the challenges facing South Africa’s democracy. 

She expressed confidence that the colloquium would generate valuable insights on how the country can navigate the next three decades while remaining grounded in constitutional values and principles. – SAnews.gov.za

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SA, Botswana adopt joint action plan to tackle FMD

Source: Government of South Africa

SA, Botswana adopt joint action plan to tackle FMD

The Minister of Agriculture, John Steenhuisen, has welcomed the endorsement of a comprehensive 2026-2028 Action Plan between South Africa and Botswana, aimed at strengthening regional cooperation in the fight against Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD).

The agreement formed part of discussions during the Sixth Session of the South Africa and Botswana Bi-National Commission (BNC) in Gaborone on Thursday. 

Steenhuisen said the plan marked an important step towards coordinated regional efforts to combat transboundary animal diseases that continue to threaten livestock production, rural livelihoods and agricultural trade.

“With FMD posing an ongoing regional threat to livestock production, rural livelihoods and agricultural trade, it is clear that no country can defeat this disease in isolation,” Steenhuisen said.

The Minister called for the urgent implementation of coordinated cross-border interventions, including vaccination campaigns and border fence maintenance.

“The old saying tells us that good fences make good neighbours, but in the face of FMD, strong and properly maintained border fences help protect the livestock industries, livelihoods and agricultural economies of both our nations. 

“Securing our borders is not about division. It is about building a coordinated regional biosecurity system capable of managing transboundary animal disease risks effectively,” the Minister said.

Collaboration on the prevention and management of FMD was identified as one of the High Impact Priority Projects of the BNC, with the Ministers responsible for Agriculture directed to accelerate the implementation of the Plan of Action aimed at eradicating transboundary diseases and enhance market access for each other’s agriculture products.

The BNC welcomed the agreement by the Ministers of Agriculture to strengthen disease management cooperation by establishing a Transboundary Animal Disease (TAD) Plan, covering key border regions such as Lobatse-Mahikeng and Francistown-Musina.

“Strengthening of diagnostic capacity, coordinated cross border vaccination programmes, maintenance of border fences, and joint livestock farmer exchange and training programmes will all play an important role in safeguarding our livestock industries eradication of diseases and against future outbreaks,” the Minister said.

According to the law enforcement agencies of both countries, stock theft is the number one crime between the two countries.

The agreement to establish the cross-border Stock Theft Management Task Force by September 2026, will mitigate the current high levels of stock theft that is negatively affecting farmers on both sides of the border.

The Minister emphasised that improved traceability systems are critical in managing disease outbreaks and also in tackling stock theft, improving animal movement control, strengthening food safety, and facilitating regional agricultural trade.

The Minister commended the agreement by South Africa and Botswana to champion regional biosecurity cooperation within the Southern African Development Community (SADC), which comes ahead of the upcoming SADC Agriculture Ministerial Meeting, which will be held in Zimbabwe on 29 May 2026, and chaired by Steenhuisen.

The meeting will place the development of a unified regional strategy for the control and eradication of FMD under the spotlight.

Steenhuisen reiterated that diseases do not recognise borders.

“One of the clearest lessons from countries in Southern America that have successfully controlled FMD is that regional coordination is essential. Southern Africa must therefore move towards a far more integrated and coordinated regional biosecurity approach, and the establishment of a regional antigen bank is the ultimate goal,” he said.

Import restrictions on agricultural products

The ongoing issue of restrictions on certain South African agricultural exports into Botswana also formed an important part of bilateral discussions.

Steenhuisen noted South Africa’s concern regarding instances where agricultural exports have reportedly faced border restrictions without prior formal communication, despite previous understandings reached during the 2022 Bi-National Commission process.

He said trade matters affecting the two countries should always be addressed through constructive engagement, transparency, mutual respect, and amicable bilateral solutions.

“The commissions endorse a Communication Protocol and establishment of a Bilateral Agricultural Trade Task Team by June 2026. These are the mechanisms to enhance market access by improving communication, strengthening institutional cooperation, and proactively resolving trade-related concerns before they escalate.

“Greater coordination and transparency will provide increased certainty to producers, exporters, retailers and agricultural stakeholders on both sides of the border, while strengthening the long-term agricultural relationship between our countries,” Steenhuisen said. – SAnews.gov.za

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SCOPA commends eThekwini on governance, financial management improvements

Source: Government of South Africa

SCOPA commends eThekwini on governance, financial management improvements

Parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) has commended the eThekwini Municipality for its transparency and comprehensive reporting on governance, financial management and service delivery challenges.

The municipality, led by Mayor Cyril Xaba, appeared before the committee in Cape Town on Wednesday, 20 May 2026, to account on a wide range of operational and administrative matters affecting the city.

SCOPA Chairperson Songezo Zibi thanked the Mayor and City Manager Musa Mbhele for submitting information to the committee on time and ensuring all relevant officials attended the meeting.

Zibi stressed that the engagement did not imply wrongdoing by the municipality, saying it formed part of SCOPA’s ongoing engagements with institutions that play a strategic role in growing the country’s economy, including metropolitan municipalities.

“We have already met with leadership of various state-owned enterprises, departments, and metros. Working together, we believe that we will achieve positive results,” said Zibi.

Xaba welcomed the engagement, describing it as an important mechanism for strengthening accountability and oversight within the municipality.

“I made a commitment to the Auditor-General (AG) last year, which I continue to uphold today. This includes improving performance, transparency, accountability, and governance within the municipality,” Xaba said.

To reinforce accountability measures, the Mayor said the monitoring of audit action plans has now been elevated to both the Executive Committee and Portfolio Committees, where progress is reviewed monthly.

Audit matters have also been assigned greater weighting in the performance agreements of the city manager and senior managers.

The municipality reported that these interventions are already yielding positive results and contributed to a reduction in audit findings from 25 in the 2022/23 financial year to 13 in the 2024/25 financial year.

The remaining findings relate mainly to expenditure management, procurement, contract management, and consequence management.

To improve compliance, the city is implementing an online invoice processing system aimed at reducing payment turnaround times, tracking invoices electronically and allowing service providers to monitor progress online.

The municipality is also finalising a new tender management system intended to identify government employees doing business with the state and reduce conflicts of interest previously flagged by the Auditor-General.

On financial performance, eThekwini said it had maintained unqualified audit opinions over the past five years and remained financially stable.

The City said its current budget was fully funded and aligned with developmental priorities, while National Treasury had affirmed the credibility of the proposed 2026/27 budget.

The municipality added that its collection rate currently stood at 94%, in line with National Treasury norms, and confirmed that it remained up to date with payments to bulk suppliers Eskom and uMngeni-uThukela Water.

The city also briefed SCOPA on progress in resolving concerns linked to the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP).

Municipal officials said investigations by the City Integrity and Investigations Directorate had been concluded, with disciplinary processes initiated against implicated individuals.

The municipality’s legal department has also started processes to recover funds linked to double-dipping allegations, while other matters have been referred to law enforcement agencies for criminal investigation.

Irregular expenditure 

Addressing irregular expenditure, the municipality said much of the increase resulted from non-compliance with Preferential Procurement Regulations relating to local content requirements.

The city said several contracts had previously been awarded without the required local content specifications, but all new contracts now include minimum local content thresholds.

Officials said only 18 active contracts remained affected and expressed confidence that irregular expenditure linked to local content non-compliance would be eliminated by the end of the next financial year. 

Turnaround strategy and infrastructure upgrades

The municipality also outlined measures being implemented to reduce non-revenue water (NRW), which currently stands at 53%.

It announced that it is intensifying efforts to reduce water losses and improve supply reliability through the implementation of its Water and Sanitation Turnaround Strategy.

Xaba said the turnaround strategy forms part of broader trading services reforms introduced by National Treasury and is focused on improving operational efficiency and infrastructure management.

Key interventions include replacing old and faulty water meters, improving billing systems and customer data cleansing, optimising water infrastructure maintenance, pressure management, leak detection, and accelerating pipe replacement projects.

The municipality said it is also prioritising rapid response times to burst pipes and water leaks, with teams expected to attend to reported incidents within 24 hours.

Among the flagship projects underway is the R1.2 billion Southern Aqueduct Project, which involves replacing a 70-year-old 900mm concrete pipeline with a new 1200mm steel pipe.

The project is expected to stabilise water supply in Durban central and southern areas. – SAnews.gov.za

 

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Gauteng and Shoprite partner to connect young people to opportunities

Source: Government of South Africa

Gauteng and Shoprite partner to connect young people to opportunities

Hundreds of young people are set to gain access to income-generating opportunities following a new partnership between the Gauteng Department of Economic Development (GDED) and the Shoprite Group.

The two have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will see Shoprite’s Pingo Delivery platform onboard qualifying graduates from the Last Mile Delivery Programme into its growing delivery network, creating a direct pathway from skills development to economic participation.

The agreement marks a significant step in Gauteng’s efforts to connect young people to opportunities in the digital and logistics economy, one of the province’s fastest-growing sectors.

Under the partnership, GDED will continue to identify, recruit and train programme participants, while Shoprite Group will provide access to delivery opportunities through Pingo Delivery. 

The collaboration also includes driver development initiatives, operational support, safety measures, data-sharing and the exploration of green mobility solutions.

The Last Mile Driver Development Programme, established by GDED more than four years ago, has trained approximately 780 drivers and facilitated placement opportunities across 26 delivery platforms. 

The programme forms part of the province’s e-Commerce, Transport and Logistics Action Lab, which aims to strengthen Gauteng’s logistics ecosystem through collaboration between government, industry and development partners.

A pilot linked to the rollout of Shoprite Sixty60 has already demonstrated the programme’s potential. More than 100 trained beneficiaries have been supported through recruitment processes across several Gauteng locations, providing a foundation for the expanded partnership.

Gauteng MEC for Economic Development, Agriculture and Rural Development, Vuyiswa Ramokgopa, said the agreement would help ensure government programmes translate into tangible economic opportunities.

“This agreement represents a practical step towards ensuring that our economic programmes translate into real opportunities for our people. By partnering with industry leaders such as the Shoprite Group, we are able to connect skills development to market access, support job creation and ensure that young people, in particular, are able to participate in the digital economy,” she said.

Shoprite Checkers Enterprise and Government Relations Executive Maude Modise said the partnership demonstrates the impact that can be achieved when the public and private sectors work together.

“This partnership reflects the power of collaboration between the public and private sectors to unlock meaningful economic opportunities. By linking skills development to real pathways into the digital and logistics economy, we are able to provide participants with access to income-generating opportunities while supporting the growth of a more inclusive and sustainable ecosystem,” she said.

The partnership establishes formal governance structures, including a Joint Technical Team and Project Steering Committee, to oversee implementation and monitor progress. – SAnews.gov.za

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