Category: South Africa Government

President Cyril Ramaphosa says government is expanding youth skills development and workplace exposure programmes through the public service and the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), while also working on long-term solutions to the growing student debt crisis.

Replying to oral questions in the National Assembly on Thursday, President Ramaphosa said government departments are already implementing several programmes aimed at improving youth employability.

“These include learnerships, internships, apprenticeships, graduate recruitment schemes and workplace-based learning opportunities,” the President said.

He said the public service remains an important platform for youth development, with government considering additional initiatives to strengthen workplace exposure.

“Consideration is being given, for example, to strengthening workplace exposure opportunities by assigning youth participants to senior managers as adopted trainees,” he said.

President Ramaphosa said the Department of Public Service and Administration has launched exploratory programmes linked to the African Peer Review Mechanism, while the National School of Government is conducting training programmes for unemployed youth involved in special projects.

The President also highlighted the role of the SANDF in youth development initiatives.

“The SANDF supports the National Rural Youth Service Corps (NARYSEC), which aims to reduce unemployment among young people in rural communities through skills development, leadership training and community service,” he said.

He added that the South African National Service Institute is focused on assisting young people who are not in employment, education or training.

According to the President, 584 matriculants participated in a character-building programme in 2025, with 200 currently enrolled in an artisans programme sponsored by the Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services Sector Education and Training Authority (MerSETA).

“The remaining students will be commencing with Health Promotion Officers training in three months,” he said.

Government working on student debt solutions

Meanwhile, President Ramaphosa acknowledged growing concern over student debt at universities, revealing that debt in the sector reached approximately R23 billion in the 2024 academic year.

He said government had previously intervened to provide debt relief for NSFAS-qualifying students, including a R967 million intervention in 2019.

“The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) supports close to 900 000 students a year from low-income and working-class families in accessing higher education,” the President said.

However, he noted that student debt remains a major challenge, particularly for the so-called “missing middle” students, who do not qualify for NSFAS but still struggle to afford tertiary education.

“This debt is not held by the government, but by public universities themselves,” he said.

President Ramaphosa said work is continuing on a comprehensive student funding model and a possible fee regulatory framework aimed at ensuring affordable and transparent tuition fees across the higher education sector.

The President said government is working with universities to better understand the extent of student debt in order to develop appropriate interventions. – SAnews.gov.za

Eleven suspects arrested earlier this week in connection with the discovery of a multimillion-rand drug manufacturing laboratory on a farm in Swartruggens in the North West will make their first court appearance today.

“Eleven suspects are expected to make their first appearance before the Swartruggens Magistrate’s Court, this morning, on 15 May 2026, facing charges related to drug manufacturing, illegal possession of precious metals, illegal possession of hazardous materials and contravention of the Immigration Act,” the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) said on Friday.

Their arrest follows an intelligence-driven operation conducted by Crime Intelligence Head Office, Organized Crime Head Office, and the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation’s (DPCI) South African Narcotics Enforcement Bureau (SANEB) based at Head Office and other stakeholders.

The 11, who are made up of five Mexican nationals, two Mozambican nationals, one Zimbabwean national, and three South African citizens were nabbed on Wednesday, 13 May.

READ | 11 suspects arrested in major North West drug lab bust

“The operation led to the discovery of a large-scale illegal drug manufacturing facility believed to be involved in the production of methamphetamine. During the operation, law enforcement officers seized tons of equipment and chemicals used in the manufacturing of illegal drugs, as well as three firearms.

“Forensic experts are still processing the crime scene; however, approximately 481 kilograms of methamphetamine with an estimated street value amounting to millions of rands has thus far been confiscated. It is anticipated that the quantity may increase once the entire scene has been thoroughly processed. The estimated value of the illicit drug laboratory exceeds R1 billion,” said the Hawks in a statement.

Preliminary investigations indicate that the discovered laboratory is the fourth drug laboratory in South Africa with alleged Mexican links.

“At this stage, the owners of the property have not yet been located. However, the owner’s son and other relatives were among those arrested. The owners are currently required for questioning as investigations continue.”

The Hawks said that due to the sensitive nature of the ongoing investigation, certain information cannot be divulged at this stage and will be communicated in due course.

“Investigations remain ongoing,” said the Hawks. – SAnews.gov.za

President Cyril Ramaphosa says Operation Prosper is beginning to yield positive results in the fight against organised crime and violent criminal activity, although he cautioned that it is still too early to make definitive conclusions about the operation’s long-term impact.

President Ramaphosa was responding to questions from Members of Parliament on a variety of issues, during a question and answer session in the National Assembly on Thursday.

Responding to a question from the Democratic Alliance’s George Michalakis on whether the nationwide security initiative had succeeded in meeting its objectives, the President said the joint deployment of the South African Police Service and the South African National Defence Force had made “significant progress” in stabilising crime hotspots across the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, North West, Gauteng and the Free State.

“Indicators suggest a reduction in selected crime categories within the operational action areas,” Ramaphosa told the National Assembly.

According to the President, more than 1 000 arrests have been made since the start of the operation. The highest number of arrests were recorded in the Western Cape, with 550 arrests, followed by 238 in the Eastern Cape.

Authorities have focused heavily on dismantling drug trafficking operations, illegal mining syndicates and networks linked to serious violent crime.

President Ramaphosa revealed that law enforcement agencies had carried out more than 38 000 coordinated operational actions, including roadblocks and tracing operations.

These operations resulted in the seizure of 18 firearms, 792 rounds of ammunition and 186 explosives.

The President said these interventions had weakened the operational capabilities of criminal networks operating in affected communities.

He attributed the operation’s coordination to the work of the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure, which oversees integrated planning and daily operational briefings between police and military commanders.

Despite the reported successes, President Ramaphosa acknowledged that policing alone would not solve South Africa’s crime crisis.

“While there is tangible progress toward reclaiming territory, stabilising communities and advancing broader security outcomes, we need a government-wide and society-wide effort to prevent crime and address its social and economic causes,” he said.

The President added that Operation Prosper would need to be reinforced through a broader integrated crime prevention strategy involving all sectors of society and government institutions.

Operation Prosper forms part of government’s intensified efforts to combat organised crime, gang violence, illegal mining and violent criminal activity in key hotspot areas across the country. – SAnews.gov.za

Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie has initiated an investigation into concerns raised by South African athletes participating in the 24th African Athletics Senior Championship in Ghana about conditions at the on-site accommodation, and has taken steps to address the situation.

This follows the circulation on social media of a video by South African athlete Aiden Smith, who raised concerns about the living conditions and catering provided at the accommodation venue.

McKenzie has requested a full report from Athletics South Africa on the conditions experienced by the delegation and the circumstances that gave rise to the complaints.

“The welfare of our athletes is non-negotiable. We need to understand what led to these concerns, and our department will continue to monitor the remaining days of competition. We look forward to welcoming our athletes home after the weekend,” the Minister said on Thursday.

Upon seeing the video and subsequent media reports, the Minister immediately directed the department to arrange alternative hotel accommodation in Accra for Team South Africa, and the offer was communicated to the team.

Smith has been competing at the 24th African Athletics Senior Championships in Accra, Ghana, from 12 to 17 May 2026, where South Africa has fielded a competitive team of 34 athletes.

The tournament brings together more than 1 500 athletes and officials from across the continent. Ghana is hosting the event for the first time.

The athletes have since indicated that their immediate concerns have been addressed, and they have elected to remain at the Championships venue accommodation for the remainder of the competition. 

It is also noted that the 48 countries participating in the African Senior Athletics Championships are staying at the University of Accra in Ghana, where the 2023 African Games were held. —SAnews.gov.za

The Department of Home Affairs has confirmed two additional arrests in separate corruption and fraud operations, bringing the total number of arrests linked to Home Affairs-related cases in May 2026 to six.

The arrests stem from coordinated efforts between the department’s Counter Corruption and Security Services branch and the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, as authorities intensify action against misconduct within immigration and civic services systems.

In the first operation on Tuesday, 12 May 2026, a naturalised foreign national was arrested at the Harrison Home Affairs office in Johannesburg.

Investigators allege the suspect falsely claimed paternity of five foreign children, enabling their fraudulent registration on the National Population Register under a South African identity document.

In a second operation on 11 May 2026, a senior immigration officer was arrested at the White River Home Affairs office in White River following an authorised entrapment operation.

The official is accused of demanding payment in exchange for the return of identity and travel documents belonging to a Mozambican national.

Minister of Home Affairs Leon Schreiber said the latest arrests reflect an accelerating internal cleanup campaign, warning that corrupt officials and complicit members of the public will face consequences.

“We are now securing dismissals, arrests and prosecutions on a near-weekly basis as Home Affairs ramps up our cleanup operation,” Schreiber said.

“Every crooked official and complicit member of the public must know that it is now only a matter of time until their turn arrives.”

He added that the department would continue its efforts to root out corruption through a combination of disciplinary action and criminal prosecutions, saying “the days of sleeping soundly are over for the corrupt”. – SAnews.gov.za
 

South Africa has entered a decisive “year of action” for its youth, as government calls on young people, institutions, and society at large to unite under a bold national programme aimed at reshaping the country’s future.

Delivering a keynote address at the Media launch of the Golden Jubilee commemoration of the 1976 youth uprising, held in Soweto, on Thursday, Minister in the Presidency responsible for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities (DWYPD) declared 2026 a turning point, anchored in the theme “RESET@50 – The Future Calls.”

The Minister said that just as young people organised in May 1976 toward a day of action, today’s generation must organise toward a year of national action.

“This is not just a campaign. It is a call to action: to remember truthfully, not through selective memory, but the full truth of pain, courage, betrayal, resilience and sacrifice,” the Minister said.

Democracy’s gains for young people

The Minister highlighted the significant strides made since 1994, when young South Africans first entered a system promising political freedom, equal citizenship and a renewed social contract.

The adoption of the Constitution in 1996, now marking its 30th anniversary, entrenched rights to dignity, equality and freedom, laying a foundation for expanded opportunities.

Chikunga noted that since then, the government has expanded access to education, student funding, youth development institutions, public participation platforms, skills development and employment pathways.

“Through generations of student activism and progressive deliberate policy choices of the democratic state, enrolment in the public university sector grew from 495 356 students in 1994 to 1 077 768 students in 2022. By 2025, public universities were projected to enrol over 1.15 million students, while TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) colleges were projected to enrol over 587 000 students,” Chikunga said.

The Minister attributed sustained student activism, particularly the #FeesMustFall movement between 2015 and 2017, for accelerating progress toward accessible higher education.

She highlighted that through the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), nearly 3.9 million students benefited from R192 billion in funding between 2019 and 2023.

Government has also strengthened institutional support for youth development. 

The National Youth Development Agency (NYDA), established through legislation in 2008 and recently amended in 2024, continues to play a central coordinating role.

In this financial year, government has allocated R1.8 billion to the NYDA to expand entrepreneurship, employment pathways and skills development, including support for youth-owned enterprises.

The Presidential Youth Employment Intervention has created a large-scale platform linking young people to opportunities, with more than 4.78 million young people registered on the National Pathway Management Network, and over 1.67 million earning opportunities secured by 2025.

The basic education sector has also contributed, with over 320 000 young people gaining work opportunities in approximately 23 000 public schools during the first phase of the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative.

“These gains matter. They show that democracy has created institutions, opened doors, and placed resources behind youth development. But the next phase must be measured by completion, transition, absorption, ownership and dignity,” Chikunga said.

Despite these achievements, the Minister cautioned that access alone is no longer enough. The next phase, she said, must focus on outcomes: completion of education, transition into work, economic participation, and dignity.

The Minister said the RESET@50 initiative calls for closer collaboration between higher education institutions, Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs), and industry.

She said universities and TVET colleges must work with industry to co-create curricula with employers to ensure graduates are equipped for real economic opportunities.

“To the private sector and strategic institutions, your presence must translate into concrete commitments [including] jobs and work experience, support for youth-owned enterprises, and investment in future skills.

Social, political and economic transformation

The Minister emphasised that RESET@50 is not only an economic intervention, but a broader societal transformation.

She said that a social reset is needed to rebuild cohesion and address challenges such as Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF), substance abuse, harmful masculinities, mental health challenges, racism, sexism, ableism, and social fragmentation.

A political reset must strengthen accountability and responsiveness, ensuring that the state listens, implements, and accounts to young people and society at large, while an economic reset must move young people from participation to ownership, and from access to real pathways.

“It must prepare young people for an economy already shaped by artificial intelligence, data, cybersecurity, digital platforms, e-commerce, green technologies, advanced manufacturing and new forms of work. We cannot allow the digital economy to become a new geography of exclusion,” the Minister said. – SAnews.gov.za
 

As the country marks 50 years since the 1976 youth uprising, South African youth have adopted a renewed national pledge under the banner of “RESET@50 – The Future Calls,” committing themselves to action, unity and transformation.

The Youth Pledge, unveiled during the media launch of the Golden Jubilee commemoration of the 1976 youth uprising, on Thursday, positions young people not only as heirs to a legacy of struggle, but as active drivers of South Africa’s future.

The pledge opens by honouring the generation of 1976, whose courage and sacrifice helped secure the freedoms enjoyed today.

“We gather to honour the courageous youth of 1976 — a generation whose sacrifice shaped our nation and secured the right to learn, to dream, and to participate fully in a democratic South Africa,” the pledge reads.

Central to the pledge is a call for today’s generation to move beyond remembrance and take responsibility for shaping the present and future. It emphasises building a country anchored in dignity, justice, opportunity and inclusion.

Young people commit to improving the quality of life for all citizens and unlocking the potential of every individual, while acknowledging that the freedoms gained through democracy must be actively advanced.

Drawing inspiration from the spirit of the 1976 uprising, the pledge outlines a shared national purpose to foster learning and innovation, uphold compassion and integrity, and promote patriotism and nation-building.

It reflects a generation determined to contribute meaningfully to society, while strengthening social cohesion and collective responsibility.

Expanding access and opportunities

A key focus of the pledge is the expansion of access to education, skills development, culture and economic participation.

READ | Education is key to fixing South Africa’s future: Lesufi

It recognises that while democracy has opened doors, significant inequalities remain, particularly for young people from poor and working-class backgrounds, those in rural communities, and young women and persons with disabilities.

The pledge calls for:
•    Equal access to quality education from early childhood through higher education.
•    Stronger support for youth-owned enterprises and economic participation.
•    Bridging the gap between education and employment.
•    Ensuring that no young person is excluded from opportunities due to financial or social barriers.
It also highlights the need to address the growing number of young people not in employment, education or training, stressing that access must translate into meaningful outcomes.

READ | Youth face growing burden of unemployment and inequality

A call to future generations

Under the theme: “The Future Calls,” the pledge commits to opening pathways for generations to come by investing in knowledge, skills and innovation.

It frames youth development as an intergenerational responsibility, ensuring that progress made today creates lasting opportunities for tomorrow.

In a unifying conclusion, the pledge affirms a collective vision rooted in equality, dignity and freedom.

“Freedom lives in every generation,” it declares, reinforcing the idea that each generation must actively defend and deepen the gains of democracy. – SAnews.gov.za