Category: South Africa Government

Flood victims were overcome with emotion and relief as they received the keys to their new homes at Cornubia, north of Durban, marking a long-awaited step towards stability and dignity after being displaced by the devastating 2022 floods.

For many beneficiaries, the handover of houses represents a turning point after years spent in temporary emergency accommodation.

EThekwini Municipality Mayor Cyril Xaba, together with KwaZulu-Natal Transport and Human Settlements MEC Siboniso Duma, officially launched the handover of 113 houses on Monday, with further allocations set to continue throughout the week.

Between Monday, 18 and Friday, 22 May, houses will be handed over to families currently residing in Transitional Emergency Accommodation (TEAs) located in areas including Mahatma Gandhi (Point), Sydenham’s O’Flaherty Road, Dassenhoek and Ntuzuma.

The municipality said the initiative forms part of a broader strategy to transition flood-affected families in privately owned TEAs into sustainable and dignified housing solutions.

According to the municipality, since the 2022 disaster, more than 4 000 families have been accommodated through TEA arrangements. However, the city noted that these temporary arrangements, many of which involve privately owned facilities, have placed a significant financial strain on the city.

The municipality is therefore accelerating efforts to transition families into permanent housing.

Several interventions are currently underway to support relocation process. These include the allocation of newly built houses in Cornubia, relocation to newly acquired and refurbished units at Montclair Lodge, and placement in TEAs within Cornubia.

In addition, 37 houses have already been handed over to flood-affected families in Illovo, while a further 104 families are expected to move into upgraded flats at Montclair Lodge in the coming weeks.

Addressing the handover ceremony, Duma said progress is being made through collaboration between provincial and national government, as well as the municipality.

“Significant progress continues to be made in restoring dignity to flood-affected families, with more than 4 000 households already accommodated since 2022,” he said.

He added that the National Department of Human Settlements has appointed a contractor to build 500 temporary housing units in Cornubia, supported by an investment of approximately R400 million for bulk infrastructure development.

Xaba said the city has made substantial progress in rebuilding infrastructure damaged during the floods, including the reconstruction of roads, stormwater systems, bridges, and water and sanitation infrastructure.

“By the end of June next year, approximately 1 069 additional flood-affected families are expected to be accommodated,” Xaba said.

For the families receiving homes this week, the handover signals more than just shelter; it represents a renewed sense of hope after years of uncertainty.

The municipality reiterated its commitment to ensuring that all affected households are moved from temporary accommodation into dignified and permanent housing, as part of ongoing recovery efforts. – SAnews.gov.za
 

South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs is accelerating its digital transformation programme aimed at improving service delivery, strengthening national security and driving economic growth.

This is according to the Minister of Home Affairs Leon Schreiber, who tabled the department’s 2026 Budget Vote in the National Council of Provinces on Tuesday.

He said the Home Affairs ecosystem — including the Department of Home Affairs, the Border Management Authority (BMA) and Government Printing Works — had spent the past two years implementing reforms under a programme called “Home Affairs @ home”.

The reforms seek to move services away from a system dependent on physical offices and paper-based processes toward digital and biometric platforms.

The Minister said the department had already expanded Smart ID replacement services to 167 bank branches nationwide within eight weeks of launching a new digital partnership model with banks.

The previous manual system had expanded to only 30 branches over a decade.

More than 127 000 South Africans have already used the new digital Smart ID replacement service, with applications now taking as little as five minutes at participating branches.

The Minister said the department had increased its target to make Smart ID replacement services available at 750 bank branches by the end of 2026, with a focus on rural and underserved communities.

The upgraded system eliminates paperwork, prior bookings and long queues by relying on biometric verification technology.

The department also plans to expand the digital platform to include first-time ID applications, passport applications and doorstep delivery of documents.

An upgraded online booking system has also been introduced after the previous platform was allegedly exploited by individuals who blocked and sold appointment slots to citizens.

Schreiber said the new booking system had been secured against such abuses and was expected to stabilise fully within weeks.

Home Affairs is also developing a Digital Identity system, which the Minister described as “foundational national infrastructure” for the digital economy.

Draft regulations under the Identification Act have already been published for public comment, with submissions closing on 6 June.

The proposed Digital ID system will allow citizens to securely access Home Affairs services and documents on smartphones while enabling remote authentication.

The Minister also linked the department’s digital transformation drive to efforts to strengthen national security.

He said the expanded Smart ID rollout would help phase out the Green ID book, which he described as one of the most defrauded documents on the continent and a major source of identity theft and illegal immigration.

Last year, the department issued a record four million Smart IDs.

The department’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system, launched in October last year for tourists from China, India, Indonesia and Mexico, was also highlighted as a major security initiative.

The ETA system records biometric data for foreigners entering South Africa and uses machine learning and facial recognition technology to verify travel documents and identities.

According to the Minister, the system has already denied visas to more than 4 500 applicants through document verification and facial recognition checks.

The ETA will be expanded to cover more countries and additional visa categories in the coming weeks.

The Minister said the BMA had announced selected bidders for a R12.5 billion public-private partnership project to rebuild South Africa’s six busiest land ports of entry, which account for 80% of border traffic.

READ | BMA announces successful bidders for major border overhaul

The new infrastructure will incorporate digital border systems and implement the One-Stop Border Post concept recently approved by Parliament.

The Minister’s speech also positioned Home Affairs as an economic enabler, particularly through tourism and international investment. The ETA system now allows qualifying tourists to obtain visas digitally within 24 hours and apply online for visa extensions.

The Minister said inefficient visa processes had previously cost the tourism sector billions of rand and that the new system would help unlock new tourism markets and create jobs. – SAnews.gov.za 

Recipients of the 2026 National Orders have described the recognition as a deeply emotional and humbling milestone, saying the honours affirm their lifelong contribution to South Africa’s arts, culture and social development.

President Cyril Ramaphosa, the Grand Patron of the National Orders, bestows the 2026 National Orders Awards on distinguished citizens and eminent foreign nationals who have contributed towards the advancement of democracy and have made a significant impact on improving the lives of South Africans.

Speaking to SAnews at the Sefako Makgatho Presidential Guest House in Tshwane on Tuesday, recipients of the Order of Ikhamanga in Silver reflected on their journeys, their impact, and what national recognition means at this stage of their lives.

Internationally acclaimed musician Jonathan Kenneth Butler was honoured for his contribution to music as a jazz, R&B and gospel artist, songwriter and producer. 

From humble beginnings in Athlone, Cape Town, he rose to international prominence as a teen performer and built a global career spanning decades.

Speaking after receiving the Order of Ikhamanga in Silver, Butler said the moment marked a personal and national milestone.

“I feel humbled and honoured in this moment. I feel in this season of my life to be recognised in my country is the greatest blessing anyone could ever ask for,” Butler said. 

He thanked the Presidency and South Africans who have supported his journey, saying the award carries deep emotional significance at this stage of his career.

Activist Andiswa Precious Gebashe was recognised for her work in advancing South African Sign Language and advocating for greater inclusion of the Deaf community in arts, media and education.

She has been at the forefront of efforts to ensure accessibility and representation, including work in theatre productions performed in South African Sign Language.

Gebashe emphasised the importance of recognising South African Sign Language as a fully developed language rather than a disability-related tool, saying change requires collective responsibility from institutions and decision-makers.

Reflecting on the honour, Gebashe said the moment was still surreal for her. 

“It’s a huge honour, I don’t think I’ve fully processed it yet. I’m extremely humbled,” she said, adding that while progress has been made, more work is needed to ensure accessibility is embedded across all sectors, including media and education.

Veteran DJ, producer and kwaito pioneer Oscar “Oskido” Mdlongwa was also acknowledged for his contribution to music and for developing and mentoring generations of South African artists.

A key figure in the rise of kwaito and the Kalawa Jazmee legacy, Oskido has played a central role in shaping the country’s modern music industry.

He said the award reflected a shared journey with collaborators, artists and fans who have supported his work over the years.

“I’m really thrilled. It shows that what we’ve built over the years is being recognised at this level. It shows what we have planted and the seed is germinating and these are the fruits,” he said. 

He described the honour as a collective achievement rather than an individual one, crediting his team, fellow pioneers and the broader music community.

“This is a journey which I haven’t walked alone, it’s for all the people I’ve worked with, especially the Kalawa family, the pioneers of Kwaito like Mdu and Arthur and all the artists and the fans who have always been there, my family and the Almighty God,” the Kwaito legend said. 

Looking ahead, Oskido said the recognition marked a new chapter rather than a conclusion.

“Someone might think this award is the end for me, but this is a new journey,” he said. 

He also noted the evolving nature of the music industry, highlighting new technologies and global genres such as amapiano and Afro house as part of its continued growth.

“For our work to be recognised at this level, it shows that opening doors for other people is going to open other doors for you, and for me, this award is not mine alone,” he said. 

Read I National Orders recipients honoured for shaping democratic South Africa

Speaking moments before the presentation of the country’s highest honours, the President said the recipients had, through their work and activism, become pillars of the nation. 

“We have gathered here this morning to honour those among us who, in many diverse ways, have shaped the country that we call home,” President Ramaphosa said. – SAnews.gov.za

A young black woman in Roodepoort now manufactures soap for Boxer Super Stores. Another holds the title deed to a hotel in Mahikeng she could never have entered without transformation.

These are the faces behind the Department of Small Business Development’s (DSBD) R3.036 billion Budget Vote tabled in Parliament today, a budget the Minister Stella Ndabeni says is rewriting who owns South Africa’s economy.

Ndabeni anchored the allocation in the Constitutional guarantee of economic freedom and the lived reality of entrepreneurs the department serves.

“Budget Vote 36 gives practical expression to Section 22 of the Constitution which guarantees freedom of trade, occupation, and profession.

“It is about expanding opportunity, restoring dignity, and building an economy in which every South African – regardless of geography, gender, age, or social background – can add value and participate meaningfully.

“The National Development Plan [NDP] is clear that growth and jobs will come from small enterprises – just under 90% of new jobs and upward of 60% of new economic value. The evidence is clear: small enterprises are the largest employer in this economy. They are the entry point into economic participation for the majority of South Africans. They are where first-generation entrepreneurs build generational wealth. They are where transformation happens,” she said.

In this regard, the department has set a target of supporting at least one million Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and co-operatives over the tenure of the seventh administration. 

“We are on track. During the past financial year we supported 288 123 MSMEs, with 117 134 enterprises receiving financial backing and 170 989 enterprises benefitting from non-financial intervention and development,” she said.

More than just numbers

Ndabeni told Parliament that although the Budget Vote speaks to the department’s plans and achievements, “behind each of these numbers is a South African entrepreneur”.

She told the story of businesswoman Mahapa Raisibe Matlhako who runs a wholly black, youth and woman-owned manufacturing company in Roodepoort, Gauteng.

With the department’s support, Matlhako is now a private label manufacturer for Boxer Super Stores producing three types of soap.

“But fulfilling a contract at national retail scale requires capital that a young Black woman manufacturer, however talented, could not access. SEDFA [Small Enterprise Development and Finance Agency] stepped in through its Small Enterprise Manufacturing Support Programme, providing R13.8 million. This created 32 new jobs. 

“That is not just enterprise development. That is supply chain transformation. And this is what a young woman in Roodepoort is delivering – with SEDFA behind her,” Ndabeni said.

Another beneficiary of the department’s work is Thenjiwe Tsabedze, a black woman who acquired the Protea Hotel in Mahikeng and renamed it Indalo.

She was also backed by SEDFA and other financial institutions to the tune of some R80 million.

“This is not a small moment. A Black woman now holds the title deed to a property that, under a different political order, she could never have entered through the front door. Now she signs the contracts. Now she sets the vision. Now she employs the staff and shapes the guest experience,” Ndabeni told the House.

Building rural economies

The minister highlighted that the department’s budget will also prioritise building the township and rural enterprise.

Ndabeni added that the department has now developed the Township and Rural Economic Development and Revitalisation Policy. 

“We will also be scaling our offerings as the DSBD portfolio for township and rural enterprises, building on the successes of 2025/26 where we disbursed more than R829 million to over 111 000 MSMEs through the Township and Rural Entrepreneurship Programme.

“The funding limit of TREP has now been increased from R1 million to R3 million to broaden access and deepen impact. This year we have allocated R710 million,” she said.

The grant-based Asset Assist Programme supported at least 938 MSMEs to the value of R190 million.

A further R215 million has been allocated to “provide a minimum of 860 MSMEs with productive assets that enhance their capacity, productivity, and competitiveness”.

“Our Spaza Shop Support Fund, which we implement together with the DTIC, supports spaza shops with stock acquisition, formalisation, compliance, and operational sustainability. To date 1316 have been approved for funding through the fund to the value of R79.6 million,” she said.

The allocation

The department’s budget for the 2026/27 financial year amounting to R3.036 billion will be allocated as follows:

• R2.154 billion is allocated to transfers and subsidies.
• R277.1 million is allocated to compensation of employees.
• R597.2 million is allocated to goods and services; and
• R7.8 million is allocated to capital expenditure.

SEDFA will receive some R1.899 billion of the transfers and subsidies allocation.

“This Budget Vote reflects our commitment to measurable impact, ensuring that public resources translate into more supported businesses, more jobs created, and a transformed economy with higher levels of inclusion,” Ndabeni concluded. – SAnews.gov.za

The North West Provincial Treasury and the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) have secured a multi-stakeholder commitment to support nine municipalities currently under mandatory intervention, as part of efforts to restore financial stability and improve service delivery.

The agreement was reached during an intergovernmental engagement held in Klerksdorp on Monday, which brought together the Dr Kenneth Kaunda, Dr Segomotsi Mompati and Dr Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipalities, alongside key sector partners.

Stakeholders in attendance included the South African Local Government Association (SALGA), Eskom, the Department of Water and Sanitation, the Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent (MISA), and Midvaal Water Company.

Held under the theme: “Strengthening Intergovernmental Relations and the Implementation of Financial Recovery Plans and Service Delivery”, the engagement aimed to shift municipalities from prolonged financial distress to a more stable and sustainable fiscal position through the Revised Financial Recovery Plan (FRP) strategy.

During the meeting, delegates discussed the revised mandatory interventions and the implementation of Financial Recovery Plans across the nine municipalities under intervention.

A key outcome of the meeting was the signing of an intergovernmental collaboration commitment, binding all stakeholders to a coordinated and structured approach to municipal recovery.

The commitment is aligned with the principles of cooperative governance outlined in Chapter 3 of the Constitution and supports mandatory interventions in terms of Section 139(5)(a) and (c), read together with the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA) of 2003.

It is expected to guide efforts to stabilise municipalities and restore functionality across critical areas, including governance, financial management, institutional performance, and service delivery.

Under the agreement, each signatory will contribute within its legislative mandate.

The Provincial Treasury will provide budget support, implement revenue enhancement strategies, and monitor financial performance, while Eskom and Midvaal Water Company will assist with improving billing systems, reducing losses and restructuring municipal debt.

MISA will deploy technical expertise to support infrastructure and operational improvements, and the Department of Water and Sanitation will assist with water services planning and infrastructure grant applications.

North West Finance MEC Kenetswe Mosenogi said the Provincial Treasury would now work with all signatories to translate the commitment into coordinated support on the ground, with progress tracked through the agreed monitoring mechanisms.

“This commitment affirms our collective accountability to restore the financial health, functionality, and service delivery capacity of municipalities under intervention. Recovery is only possible when every sphere of government and every partner institution pulls in the same direction,” Mosenogi said. – SAnews.gov.za
 

The South African government is accelerating reforms in the water sector, including plans to establish an independent economic regulator and a national infrastructure agency, Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation David Mahlobo said on Tuesday.

Speaking at the Africa Water Supply and Sanitation Regulators Conference in Cape Town on Tuesday, Mahlobo said the reforms are aligned to the National Development Plan 2030, the National Infrastructure Plan 2050, Operation Vulindlela and broader State reform initiatives aimed at strengthening institutional capability and infrastructure delivery.

Among the key reforms is the establishment of an Independent Economic Regulator for the water sector, which is currently underway.

The regulator is expected to strengthen tariff oversight, improve transparency and accountability, support evidence-based benchmarking, enhance investor confidence, and promote long-term sustainability across the sector.

“The objective is not simply to regulate prices, [but] create a fair, credible and predictable regulatory environment capable of balancing affordability for consumers with the financial sustainability required to maintain and expand infrastructure,” Mahlobo said.

Mahlobo acknowledged that institutional reform is inherently complex, as it requires policy coherence, technical expertise, stakeholder alignment and continuous learning — a significant role the Eastern and Southern Africa Water and Sanitation Regulators’ Association (ESAWAS) continues to play.

He commended ESAWAS, the conference convenor, for promoting regulatory cooperation across Africa, and its investment in professional capacity-building, technical skills development and institutional learning.

The Deputy Minister noted that regulation demands specialised competencies across engineering, economics, governance, finance, law, environmental management, and public policy.

“By investing in training programmes, benchmarking systems and peer learning platforms, ESAWAS is helping to build the next generation of African regulatory professionals and strengthening the institutional architecture necessary for effective governance.

“South Africa itself has benefited meaningfully from this partnership through technical exchanges, benchmarking initiatives and knowledge-sharing engagements with fellow African countries,” the Deputy Minister said.

Another major reform underway is the establishment of the National Water Resources Infrastructure Agency, aimed at strengthening the country’s capacity to finance, develop, manage, operate, and maintain strategic national water infrastructure.

“This reform is critical because infrastructure remains the backbone of water security. Without adequate investment in bulk water infrastructure, storage capacity, treatment systems, conveyance networks and maintenance programmes, neither economic growth nor universal access can be sustainably achieved,” Mahlobo said.

He said infrastructure investment remains critical to achieving water security and expanding access, warning that without it, economic growth and universal service delivery cannot be sustained.

Mahlobo also noted legislative reforms currently being pursued through amendments to the National Water Act and the Water Services Act.

He said the amendments seek to strengthen equitable water allocation, improve governance arrangements, enhance resource protection, reinforce accountability mechanisms, and improve institutional performance across the water value chain.

“The reforms introduce operating licences for water services providers. This represents a significant regulatory shift. It ensures that institutions responsible for delivering water and sanitation services possess the technical, financial, governance and operational capabilities necessary to fulfil their mandates effectively.

“At the same time, operating licences strengthen enforcement capacity by ensuring that persistent non-compliance, maladministration and institutional failure can no longer continue without consequence,” Mahlobo said. – SAnews.gov.za

Water and Sanitation Deputy Minister David Mahlobo has called for stronger and more responsive regulation across Africa, warning that mounting environmental and economic pressures are straining the continent’s water systems.

Mahlobo was speaking at the 4th Africa Water Supply and Sanitation Regulators’ Conference currently underway at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.

Delivering the opening address on Tuesday, Mahlobo warned that climate change, population growth and ageing infrastructure are placing increasing strain on the continent’s water systems.

He stressed that effective regulation is now “indispensable” to ensuring water security, economic development and public health.

The three-day conference, running from 19 – 21 May 2026, has brought together policymakers, regulators, and development partners from across Africa. It is convened by the Eastern and Southern Africa Water and Sanitation Regulators Association (ESAWAS).

Held under the theme, “Regulatory Requirements to Accelerate and Sustain Sector Progress”, the conference aims to address the enablers that need to be in place for regulators to catalyse continuous improvements in the access, quality and sustainability of services, while creating confidence in the sector for increased investment.

Mahlobo said the key question facing the continent is no longer whether water regulation is necessary, but whether existing systems are sufficiently capable, transformative, developmental and resilient to confront the realities of the 21st century.

“Those realities include intensifying climate change, rapid urbanisation, population growth, deteriorating infrastructure, growing inequality, financing constraints, rising energy costs, ecological degradation, and increasing competition over limited water resources,” he said.

He added that regulation must move beyond administrative compliance to become “an instrument of justice, sustainability, accountability and inclusive development”.

The Deputy Minister emphasised that in South Africa, access to water is enshrined as a fundamental human right under Section 27 of the Constitution, placing a clear obligation on the State to take reasonable legislative and other measures, within available resources, to progressively realise this right.

This constitutional obligation is further reinforced through the National Water Act of 1998 and the Water Services Act of 1997, both of which fundamentally transformed the governance philosophy of the water sector after apartheid.

At the centre of this framework, Mahlobo highlighted the principle of “water justice”, which seeks to ensure equitable access regardless of geography, race, income, class or historical privilege.

“It requires that rural communities, informal settlements, small towns, and historically disadvantaged populations enjoy the same dignity and developmental opportunities as affluent urban centres. Water justice further requires that regulation must balance economic sustainability with social equity,” Mahlobo said.

While water institutions must remain financially viable and operationally efficient, the Deputy Minister argued that no society can claim developmental progress when millions remain vulnerable to unreliable water supply, unsafe sanitation and infrastructure collapse.

South Africa, classified as a water-scarce country, faces growing pressure on its limited water resources. Average annual rainfall remains significantly below the global average, while demand for water continues to rise due to urbanisation, industrialisation, mining, agriculture, energy generation and the ongoing imperative to expand access to underserved communities.

Mahlobo said this reality means that effective regulation is essential to allocate water equitably, monitor performance, enforce compliance, protect consumers, improve efficiency, reduce non-revenue water, strengthen financial sustainability, and create certainty for long-term infrastructure investment.

“Importantly, regulation also creates the conditions necessary for public trust. Communities must have confidence that water institutions are transparent, accountable, and capable of delivering services consistently and sustainably,” the Deputy Minister said.

Across Africa, Mahlobo acknowledged persistent challenges, including ageing infrastructure, limited financing, weak municipal capacity, high levels of non-revenue water, pollution, rapid urbanisation and climate vulnerability.

However, he said these challenges also present opportunities to modernise infrastructure, adopt new technologies and strengthen regional cooperation.

“Africa cannot achieve Agenda 2063, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) or meaningful industrial development without securing sustainable water and sanitation systems. Water is not peripheral to development. Water is development,” the Deputy Minister said. – SAnews.gov.za
 

President Cyril Ramaphosa has hailed the recipients of the 2026 National Orders as men and women whose contributions have helped shape a democratic South Africa founded on equality, justice and dignity for all.

Jubilation, applause and a celebratory atmosphere marked the occasion at the Sefako Makgatho Presidential Guest House in Tshwane on Tuesday, as recipients, their families, dignitaries and guests gathered to witness the country’s highest honours being bestowed.

The venue was filled with excitement as moments of pride and emotion punctuated the formal proceedings.

Speaking moments before the presentation of the country’s highest honours, the President said the recipients had, through their work and activism, become pillars of the nation. 

“We have gathered here this morning to honour those among us who, in many diverse ways, have shaped the country that we call home,” President Ramaphosa said.

The National Orders are the highest awards bestowed by the President on South African citizens and eminent foreign nationals who have made exceptional contributions to the country and humanity.

President Ramaphosa said the recipients represented generations of patriots whose sacrifices and achievements helped give life to the dream of a free and just South Africa.

“Their activism has extended to music, politics, sports, literature, culture, medicine, science, education and the advancement of human rights. In their many fields of endeavour, they have made an invaluable contribution to our national life,” the President said.

Read I The Presidency announces recipients of National Orders 

The President conferred the Order of Ikhamanga, the Order of the Baobab, the Order of Luthuli, the Order of Mapungubwe and the Order of the Companions of OR Tambo.

Speaking on the Order of Ikhamanga, which recognises excellence in arts, culture, literature, music, journalism and sport, President Ramaphosa said this year’s recipients reflected the enduring power of sports, arts and culture to capture the hopes and triumphs of the nation.

“It is a testimony also to the diversity and richness of the South African experience and the many ways in which the life of our nation is interpreted and expressed,” he said.

On the Order of Mapungubwe, which recognises South Africans who have attained excellence and exceptional achievement for the benefit of the country and beyond, the President said the achievements of this year’s recipients demonstrated South Africa’s growing international standing in science and medicine.

“Their achievements remind us that scientific endeavour is inseparable from the pursuit of human progress and well-being.

“We seek knowledge not for its own sake, but to protect lives, to improve health and to build a better life for all,” he said.

The President said recipients of the Order of the Baobab had made their mark in fields that became the building blocks of modern South African society.

Meanwhile, recipients of the Order of Luthuli were recognised for their dedication to a non-racial, non-sexist and democratic South Africa.

“It recognises the men and women whose activism lit the path to our freedom and to those who continue to keep that flame burning,” the President said.

He emphasised the importance of honouring liberation struggle veterans and stalwarts while they are still alive to share their stories and preserve the country’s living history.

“Though the passage of time has robbed us of many of the brave men and women who were at the forefront of the struggle for liberation, we celebrate those who are still here: to tell their stories and to impart a living legacy to the next generation,” he said.

President Ramaphosa also paid tribute to foreign nationals honoured with the Order of the Companions of OR Tambo for their friendship and solidarity with South Africa during the struggle against apartheid.

“We did not win our freedom alone. We were carried by a great tide of human solidarity that stretched across our continent and the globe,” he said.

The President thanked the families of recipients for supporting and sharing these distinguished South Africans with the nation.

“I would like to acknowledge the families present here today and thank them on behalf of all South Africans for lending us these great sons and daughters of the soil,” he said.

President Ramaphosa said the recipients reflected the same values of dignity, equality and freedom that underpin the Constitution.

“In a land of innumerable heroes and heroines, the South African people have decided that it is these men and women they will lift to the sky. This is the greatest honour,” the President said.

He officially conferred the National Orders under powers vested in him by the Constitution, declaring the recipients esteemed Members of the Orders.

“The people of South Africa salute them all,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za