Category: South Africa Government

Source: Government of South Africa

Monday, November 3, 2025

Source: Government of South Africa

South Africa and Switzerland have signed a Joint Declaration of Cooperation on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), reaffirming their shared intention to elevate the quality and impact of vocational education through stronger public-private collaboration.

The declaration was signed by Higher Education and Training, Buti Manamela, during President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State Visit to Switzerland, held from 29 to 30 October 2025.

The State Visit, described as highly successful, deepened bilateral relations between the two countries, focusing on enhancing vocational education, advancing research collaboration, and affirming South Africa’s commitment to cultural restitution and educational transformation.

Supporting young researchers in Switzerland

During the visit, Manamela met with a group of South African doctoral and postdoctoral students, currently based in Switzerland through the Department of Higher Education and Training’s International Scholarship Programme.

The engagement provided a space for students to reflect on their experiences and offer proposals on improving the scholarship platform, particularly in the areas of accessibility, mentorship, and long-term academic support.

The students also had the opportunity to engage with President Ramaphosa, expressing their hopes to contribute meaningfully to South Africa’s scientific and intellectual development.

Manamela reaffirmed government’s commitment to building a globally competitive, research-intensive post-school education system, noting that the scholarships form part of the Presidential PhD Programme, supported by the National Skills Fund and the Department of Science and Innovation.

According to the department, Switzerland is fast becoming an increasingly important partner in this programme. Over time, the number of South African scholars supported in Swiss institutions is expected to increase, as government works to expand postgraduate training opportunities and build stronger international research networks that benefit both individual scholars and their home institutions in South Africa.

Manamela highlighted that the new agreement aims to expand Swiss private-sector participation in South Africa’s dual apprenticeship model, combining structured work-based learning with theoretical instruction.

“This aligns closely with South Africa’s own TVET transformation agenda and efforts to strengthen industry alignment across priority sectors. There is room for many more companies, especially in manufacturing, agri-processing, engineering, and pharmaceuticals, to play a bigger role in skills development, both through direct training and curriculum support,” the Minister said.

President Ramaphosa and Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter endorsed the initiative with a joint visit to the Vocational and Further Education Training Centre in Wil-Uzwil, where they witnessed the effectiveness of the Swiss model in bridging the gap between education and the labour market.

Expanding research cooperation and promoting knowledge sovereignty

Manamela also visited the University of Bern, where he held high-level discussions with university leadership and researchers.

The meeting highlighted ongoing partnerships in public health, environmental science, big data ethics, and doctoral training. Special emphasis was placed on strengthening cooperation with South African universities, particularly those that have historically lacked access to global networks of research funding and infrastructure.

The Minister stressed the importance of research sovereignty in a world where knowledge is increasingly commodified and concentrated.

Both South Africa and Switzerland acknowledged the need to defend and grow public research capacity in the face of rising commercial pressures. This includes investing in local innovation ecosystems, building joint doctoral programmes, and co-developing knowledge that responds to social needs, rather than just market demand.

Progress was also made on the proposal to establish a South Africa–Switzerland University Forum, which will serve as a long-term platform for faculty exchange, joint research, and institutional partnerships across disciplines.

Cultural restitution and return of the Shiluvana artefacts

Meanwhile, in his capacity as Acting Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Manamela officiated at the historic return of ancestral spiritual artefacts to the Shiluvana Royal Family from the Neuchâtel Museum of Ethnography.

The artefacts — a walking staff, a set of divining bones in a woven basket, and a bull’s foot bone, were taken more than a century ago by Swiss missionary Pastor Henry-Alexandre Junod from Prince Mugevisa Shiluvana.

The handover ceremony, attended by descendants of both the Shiluvana and Junod families, as well as Swiss cultural leaders, was described as a deeply symbolic act of restitution. It affirms South Africa’s call for museums and collecting institutions around the world to return dispossessed heritage to rightful custodians.

A Memorandum of Understanding was also signed to expand cultural cooperation and promote joint research on heritage and memory.

“This restitution offers us a glimpse of what a decolonised future might look like, one where museums return what was taken, and history is written with dignity and justice… we carry with us hope for a future where heritage is not commodified, but cherished, and where restitution is not exceptional, but expected,” Manamela said.

Throughout the state visit, South Africa and Switzerland recommitted themselves to an ambitious partnership rooted in mutual respect, innovation, and people-to-people exchange.

From strengthening TVET cooperation to building new research ecosystems and the return of dispossessed cultural artefacts, the visit underscored the power of education, science, and heritage in shaping a more just and sovereign future.

Manamela concluded the visit by reaffirming his department’s commitment to strengthening international partnerships, leveraging global academic and vocational expertise, and expanding opportunities for young South Africans to succeed in a rapidly changing world. – SAnews.gov.za
 

Source: Government of South Africa

Several suspects are due to appear in court for various crimes, the South African Police Service (SAPS) has said, due to the 
Nelson Mandela Bay District in the Eastern Cape’s continued  relentless fight against crime over the weekend through, Operation Shanela II.

The operation yielded significant successes, including the recovery of stolen property, firearms, and ammunition.
“These results reflect the South African Police Service’s ongoing commitment to restoring safety, maintaining order and ensuring that offenders are brought to justice,” said the police in a statement.

On Thursday 30 October 2025, stop-and-search operations in Wells Estate, resulted in the arrest of four suspects. This as a complainant identified his stolen VW Polo, two Samsung cell phones (A30 and A31) and an undisclosed amount of cash which were found in the suspects’ possession. 

Upon further inspection, police also discovered three firearms in the vehicle, however, it was later established that the rifle and both 9mm pistols were blank firearms. 

“Following information provided by the arrested suspects, police were led to a shop in NU29 in Motherwell where they had allegedly left the real firearm used during the crime. 

“Members proceeded to the Motherwell and found an Ethiopian male (32) unlawfully in possession of the firearm. The four suspects were detained on possession of dangerous weapons, possession of suspected stolen property,” the police said.

In another unrelated success, on Friday 31 October 2025, the Nelson Mandela Bay District Crime combatting unit followed up on information related to an abduction and hijacking case that occurred in the Gelvandale policing precinct.

A white VW Polo linked to the incident was stopped in Avenue C, New Brighton, and the driver was escorted to Swartkops SAPS for a search. The suspect was found in possession of 20 live rounds of ammunition and a black Nasty Vape, matching the items stolen during the Gelvandale hijacking. 

The suspect was arrested, and further investigation led to the recovery of stolen stock valued at approximately R150,000, which had been hidden by the suspect in New Brighton. The suspect was arrested on charges of unlawful possession of ammunition and possession of suspected stolen property.

On Saturday 01 November 2025, the Nelson Mandela Bay District Crime combatting unit received information about a kidnapping in Somerset East involving two vehicles, a silver/grey VW Polo and a white Mazda CX5 belonging to the victim travelling at high speed toward Uitenhage via the R75. 

Acting swiftly, members set up a roadblock at the entrance to Kariega. The grey Polo later crashed, and its occupant was arrested. 
The Mazda, carrying the kidnapped victim, evaded the initial road block, but police pursued it along the R75 until it overturned near the Daniel Pienaar off-ramp. 

Three suspects exited the vehicle, and two opened fire at the SAPS members. During the exchange, one suspect was fatally shot, one was arrested and the third fled into nearby bushes, evading capture despite an extensive search with the assistance of Kariega K9 Unit. 

The victim, a 40-year-old Ethiopian male, was rescued unharmed, and the scene was secured for further investigation. 

The suspects were arrested on charges of kidnapping, attempted murder of police officials, unlawful possession of firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition and reckless or negligent driving.

“During all these arrests the following was confiscated, one 9mm Norinco, one magazine with 5 live rounds, three blank firearms, cash, cell phones, VW Polo, 20 live rounds of ammunition, 120 loose vapes, 18 boxes of Nasty Vapes containing 5 each and two big boxes of Nasty Vapes containing 10 each, VW Polo Vivo, 9mm glock Gen with 10 live rounds and a white Mazda CX5.

Nelson Mandela Bay District Commissioner, Major General Vuyisile Ncata, commended the Crime Combatting Units for their dedication and bravery.

He praised their professionalism and teamwork, emphasising that the successes reflect SAPS’s commitment to ensuring the safety of all communities and sending a clear message that criminals have no place to hide in Nelson Mandela Bay. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: Government of South Africa

Monday, November 3, 2025

Source: Government of South Africa

The Department of Health, in collaboration with the London School of Economics and Political Science and the Clinton Health Access Initiative, will host a public panel discussion on accelerating Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and health security in South Africa on Monday, 3 November 2025.

“UCH and health security are two of the most urgent priorities in global health today, and achieving them simultaneously will enable countries like South Africa to improve health outcomes, protect their populations from future pandemics, generate economic growth, and reduce entrenched inequalities in society,” the department’s advisory read.

The country continues with efforts to achieve UHC, despite several challenges, including legal threats against the National Health Insurance (NHI).

This public event will bring together four leading voices in global health to engage South African policymakers, practitioners, academics, students, civil society, and the wider public in a dynamic discussion on how UHC and health security can be advanced together.

Some of the internationally recognised thought leaders to participate in the debate include Professor Alistair McGuire from the London School of Economics and Political Science, Dr Makoto Tobe from Japan International Cooperation Agency, Professor David McCoy from the United Nations University, Dr Finn McGuire from the University of York, and Professor Nicolas Crisp from the department’s NHI Deputy Director-General. 

The session will be led by Professor Robert Yates from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

The seminar will provide a platform to exchange ideas, inspire collaboration, and chart a way forward for South Africa in its pursuit to ensure every citizen can access the full range of quality health services they need, when and where they need them, without financial hardship.

The event will take place at the Future Africa Campus of the University of Pretoria at 6 pm. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: Government of South Africa

Sunday, November 2, 2025

Source: Government of South Africa

South Africa has now experienced 168 consecutive days without load shedding, Eskom has announced.

The power utility said there was only 26 hours of load shedding recorded in April and May during this financial year.

To ensure continued reliability, Eskom said it will return 2 400MW of generation capacity ahead of the evening peak on Monday, 3 November 2025, supporting a stable electricity supply throughout the week. 

Eskom published the Summer Outlook on 5 September 2025, covering the period 1 September 2025 to 31 March 2026, which projected no load shedding due to sustained improvements in plant performance from the Generation Recovery Plan.

Key performance highlights

Eskom said year-to-date, the Unplanned Capability Loss Factor (UCLF) reduced to 25.16%, reflecting a week-on-week improvement of approximately 0.23% and remaining below last year’s 25.36%.

Planned maintenance averaged 5 312MW, accounting for 11.32% of total generation capacity, slightly lower than the previous week but 0.18% higher than the same period last year.

Between 1 April and 30 October 2025, Eskom generated 1 023.67GWh from Open Cycle Gas Turbine (OCGT) plants, with diesel expenditure totalling R6.074 billion, compared to 947.34GWh generated last year.

The year-to-date OCGT load factor decreased to 5.87%, a 0.19% improvement from the previous week, but remains slightly above the 5.43% recorded during the same period last year.

“While system stability continues to improve, illegal connections and meter tampering remain a concern, damaging infrastructure and posing serious safety risks. Load reduction remains a temporary measure in high-risk areas to protect communities and infrastructure,” Eskom.

Eskom aims to eliminate load reduction by 2027. “Approximately 1.69 million of Eskom’s 7.2 million customers across 971 feeders, mainly in Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and KwaZulu-Natal, will benefit from this initiative,” Eskom said.

Key interventions include expanding free basic electricity to more households and installing 577 000 smart meters by 2026, with full completion by 2027, to enhance demand management and grid stability.

Eskom called on communities to support these initiatives by reporting illegal connections, using electricity responsibly, and protecting infrastructure. 

Through technology, infrastructure upgrades, and public cooperation, Eskom is building a safer, smarter, and more reliable power system for all South Africans.

Any illegal activity affecting Eskom’s infrastructure can be reported to the Eskom Crime Line at 0800 112 722 or via WhatsApp at 081 333 3323. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: Government of South Africa

Eskom says the power system continues to operate reliably, meeting South Africa’s electricity demand effectively. 

“The ongoing implementation of the Generation Recovery Plan is strengthening grid stability, improving operational efficiencies and providing energy security. The Open-Cycle Gas Turbine (OCGT) load factor decreased further to 0.0001%, from 0.23% in the preceding week. This reflects sustained efficiency gains,” Eskom said in a statement.

The year-to-date Energy Availability Factor (EAF) rose to 63.06%, compared to last year’s 63.02% for the same period.

According to Eskom, from 1 to 30 October 2025, the EAF increased to 65.9%, up from 62.24% in the same period last year, a notable 3.66% improvement driven by fewer unplanned outages and additional generation capacity.

“Koeberg Nuclear Power Station Unit 1 was reconnected to the national grid on Wednesday following major scheduled maintenance, strengthening 24/7 baseload capacity and improving both the EAF and overall energy security. 

“Both units at Koeberg are online, with Unit 1 ramping up and Unit 2 producing 941MW. Once at full output, the nuclear power station will generate over 1 860MW, reinforcing Eskom’s commitment to safe, reliable, and efficient nuclear operations,” Eskom said.

During the past week, diesel expenditure was R0.005 million, down from R7.84 million during the same week last year. This reflects a sharp reduction in reliance on diesel generation, signalling a shift toward more cost-effective primary energy sources.

Year-to-date, diesel expenditure remains consistently below budget.

From 1 to 30 October 2025, the Unplanned Capability Loss Factor (UCLF) which measures the percentage of generation capacity lost due to unplanned outages reduced to 21.78%, a significant 2.73% improvement from 24.51% recorded during the same period last year.

The Planned Capacity Loss Factor (PCLF) stands at 12.01%, slightly lower than the 12.87% recorded last year. This planned maintenance aligns with Eskom’s long-term maintenance schedule and ongoing efforts to enhance plant reliability and operational consistency.

Between 24 and 30 October 2025, Eskom recorded an average of 8 768MW in unplanned outages—an improvement from 9 837MW during the same period last year. 

This year-on-year reduction of 1 069MW in breakdowns highlights the growing reliability and resilience of the generation fleet. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: Government of South Africa

Public Works and Infrastructure Deputy Minister, Sihle Zikalala, on Friday launched the first phase of a landmark programme to build new small harbours in neglected coastal towns. 

“This bold, inclusive infrastructure initiative launched in Port Shepstone in the South Coast of KwaZulu-Natal, marks a watershed moment, the first small harbours to be built by a democratic government in post-apartheid South Africa,” the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure said in a statement.

Across the country existing harbours were built before 1994 with many located in the Western Cape. The new programme redefines coastal access and economic opportunity for underserved communities.

Zikalala handed over the Spatial Economic Development Frameworks (SEDFs), designating areas and sites for this expansive port infrastructure investment and signalling a turning point for inclusive and sustainable economic development for coastal communities.

“The framework recommends that the first new small harbour should be constructed in Port Shepstone. Two other sites identified to have an economic impact are in Port Edward and Hibberdene. 

“The department has already submitted the SEDF for Port St Johns in the Eastern Cape. Port Nolloth in the Northern Cape will be next to receive its SEDF,” the department said.

The Port Shepstone harbour site is located less than 1km southeast of the town’s central business district and the Oribi Plaza shopping centre, placing it at the heart of local commerce and transport networks.

The implementation will follow a triple -stage delivery framework which includes a feasibility study; planning and concept stage and design and construction stage.

The economic impact during construction will add approximately R4.41 billion in added business sales. Approximately R1.85 billion in added gross domestic product (GDP) and around 5 808 jobs anticipated within the KwaZulu-Natal economy.

“This phase-one launch signals a turning point for the people of Ugu and Port Shepstone, underscoring government commitments to job creation, regional economic development, and inclusive access to maritime infrastructure. 

“The initiative aligns with national priorities to redress past inequities through tangible, investment in infrastructure in neglected towns and cities,” the department said. 

It complements broader coastal development efforts, including the Smart City Development and demonstrates a sustained commitment to inclusive growth and sustainable coastal economies. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: Government of South Africa

The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has teamed up with Rand Water and Brandscapers Africa to promote water conservation in Orlando West, in Soweto. 

This was part of the Drop-by-Drop Outreach Programme held at Uncle Tom’s Community Centre on Thursday. 

The collaboration underscores the department’s commitment to working with key stakeholders to raise awareness about the importance of saving water and reporting leaks, which remain critical to ensuring sustainable water supply for all. 

The outreach programme took place in Soweto, one of Johannesburg’s most affected areas when it comes to water shortages. 

Johannesburg has been experiencing repeated water supply challenges, often resulting in service delivery protests. 

“Bringing the outreach programme to Soweto is a proactive and prompt effort to engage with residents directly on issues of water conservation, infrastructure maintenance, and leak reporting – empowering communities to be part of the solution to the city’s water challenges,” the Department of Water and Sanitation said in a statement. 

On Friday, the team carried out a river clean-up activity along the Klip River as part of efforts to promote environmental stewardship and to protect local water resources. 

In addition to the clean-up, the team conducted a door-to-door campaign engaging directly with residents of Orlando West to raise awareness about water conservation and the responsible use of water. 

During these visits, residents were also requested to respond to a questionnaire designed to identify water-related challenges they face in their communities. 

According to the department, the information gathered will assist Rand Water Water-Wise Team in developing targeted interventions and strengthening future community support initiatives. 

Department of Water and Sanitation Gauteng Provincial Head, Justice Maluleke, addressed the community of Orlando West, emphasising the critical need to repair and report water leakages and to use water sparingly. 

Maluleke said the engagement served as an important platform to empower residents with practical knowledge on saving water and encouraging collective responsibility in safeguarding water, as well as water infrastructure. 

“South Africa does not have enough water, in fact, it is one of the driest countries in the world. Our pattern of rainfall far differs from what other countries are getting, and it is becoming worse due to climate change. It calls of us to rethink how we use water,” he said.

He explained that in South Africa people use about 300 litres of water per person per day, while the global average is about 173 litres per person per day. 

Maluleke explained that the high use of water as compared to the global average is due to water lost through leaks and irresponsible water use. 

“DWS will always support initiatives like this, because if we implement what we are discussing here we are going to solve future problems and ensure sustainable water supply for all. The core of what we need to go out and do, as individuals, as institutions, is to try and manage our water use, especially by fixing the leaks, or getting those who know to assist us to fix water leaks. This does not assist in saving water, but it also has economic value because the water bill goes down,” he said.   

Maluleke expressed his concern about residents who are not paying for their water as indigents or those who are living in informal settlements. He pleaded with all who are getting free water to use it sparingly. 

Maluleke issued a stern warning to those who bypass water meters or connect illegally to water infrastructures. 

“The Department of Water and Sanitation together with its entities pleads with residents to be responsible water users,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za