MIL Africa Engine

South Africa will use the upcoming 2026 BRICS Sports Ministers’ Meeting in India to strengthen sport cooperation and identify practical areas of collaboration that advance the shared priorities of BRICS partners.

“Sport transcends borders. It brings nations and people together, builds lasting friendships, and promotes mutual understanding and cultural exchange. Through coordinated efforts, BRICS countries can harness the power of sport to advance the development and well-being of their people,” Deputy Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Peace Mabe said in a statement on Wednesday.

The Deputy Minister will participate in the 2026 BRICS Sports Ministers’ Meeting on behalf of the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, from 22 to 23 August 2026, in Visakhapatnam, India.

The meeting will be held under the theme: “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.”

Mabe said BRICS cooperation must help strengthen sports development across the African continent and the broader Global South.

“Our participation must contribute to tangible outcomes that bring sport closer to communities and strengthen development pathways, from grassroots participation to the highest levels of competition.

“We look forward to working with our BRICS partners to advance sport as an instrument of unity, resilience and sustainable development,” the Deputy Minister said.

Hosted by India’s Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, the meeting will bring together ministers and representatives from BRICS member countries for high-level deliberations on strengthening cooperation in sport.

The meeting will provide a strategic platform for participating countries to engage on identified priority areas and consider how these can be translated into practical, actionable outcomes.

It will also recognise the important role of sport in fostering lasting friendship, mutual understanding and cultural exchange among nations.

The ministerial meeting will be preceded by a meeting of senior officials, who will finalise the Joint Ministerial Declaration.

The ministers will seek to adopt the declaration, marking the culmination of the participating countries’ collective efforts. –SAnews.gov.za

The North West Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) has made significant progress in its ongoing efforts to control Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) in the province, with more than 1.3 million animals vaccinated since the launch of the mass vaccination campaign in March 2026.

The vaccination campaign forms part of the broader national response to FMD, and is aimed at protecting the livestock industry, supporting food security, and safeguarding the livelihoods of farmers who depend on livestock production.

The vaccination programme is being implemented in collaboration with livestock farmers, veterinary services, Animal Health Technicians and other industry stakeholders, as part of efforts to contain the spread of the disease and protect the province’s livestock herd.

The department highlighted that to date, the province has received 1 570 100 doses of FMD vaccine, and has successfully vaccinated 1 315 401 animals, achieving more than 80% coverage of the provincial target herd of 1.4 million animals.

As of 14 August 2026, the province has recorded 479 confirmed FMD cases across all four districts. The Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District remains the most affected area, with 213 confirmed cases, followed by Ngaka Modiri Molema District with 93 cases, Dr Kenneth Kaunda District with 92 cases, and Bojanala District with 81 cases.

Of the 479 confirmed cases, 333 remain active and are being monitored and managed by veterinary teams, while 146 cases have been closed.

“The closure of cases has been recorded in areas including Molopo, Rustenburg and Mahikeng, which is an encouraging indication of progress in managing the outbreak. This progress reflects the combined efforts of vaccination, disease surveillance and other control measures being implemented across the province,” the department said.

While welcoming the progress made, Agriculture and Rural Development MEC Madoda Sambatha has warned farmers against becoming complacent and urged livestock owners to continue working closely with veterinary teams on the ground.

“The progress we are making in the fight against Foot-and-Mouth Disease is encouraging, but we cannot afford to become complacent. I urge all livestock farmers to continue cooperating with our veterinary officials on the ground and to comply with the disease control and biosecurity measures that are in place.

“To those farmers we are still to reach, I appeal for patience and continued cooperation. Our teams are working around the clock to reach every farmer and ensure that livestock are vaccinated and that the necessary disease control measures are implemented,” Sambatha said.

The MEC acknowledged the concerns of farmers who are still waiting to be reached and assured them that the teams are working tirelessly to reach every affected area.

Sambatha also encouraged farmers to continue practising good biosecurity, controlling the movement of their animals, and reporting any suspected cases without delay.

“The success of this programme depends on all of us. Government will continue doing its part, but we need the cooperation of every livestock owner to bring this outbreak under control,” he said.

The department reiterated that vaccination must be supported by strict biosecurity, responsible animal movement and compliance with veterinary regulations to prevent further spread of FMD.

Livestock owners have been urged to remain vigilant, maintain proper traceability of their animals, and report any suspected cases immediately to their nearest State Veterinarian, Private Veterinarian, Animal Health Technician or Extension Officer. – SAnews.gov.za
 

Transport Minister Barbara Creecy has extended the notice period for the retrenchment of employees at the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) to allow the Ministerial Task Team more time to explore alternatives.

Of the 580 affected employees, 43 have accepted early retirement packages, while 102 have been matched and placed in identified vacancies across PRASA divisions and departments.

A further 208 Protection Services employees have been ring-fenced pending the conclusion of engagements with Transnet on the transfer of stations and related assets.

The Department of Transport said a formal notice for the transfer of assets has been issued and that the parties are working to conclude the process as soon as possible.

“Creecy has extended the Section 189 notice period until the end of August 2026 to allow the Task Team to explore alternatives for the remaining 227 employees,” the department said in a statement on Wednesday.

The Task Team was appointed on 2 June 2026 and comprises representatives from the Department of Transport, organised labour and PRASA management.

“PRASA initiated a consultation process in terms of Sections 189 and 189A of the Labour Relations Act in November 2025, following a business decision to address excess staffing levels within its Long-Distance Passenger Services.

“The consultation process was facilitated by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) and included formal engagements with the United National Transport Union (UNTU) and the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU),” the department said. – SAnews.gov.za

Government and the pharmaceutical sector have committed to working together to resolve challenges facing the sector.

This after the Department of Health (DoH), led by Acting Director-General Professor Nicholas Crisp, met with sector leaders on Tuesday.

The meeting also included senior officials from the Departments of Trade, Industry and Competition; Science, Technology and Innovation; National Treasury; and the Presidency; as well as the Competition Commission; the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) and the Medicines Pricing Committee.

“The meeting provided an opportunity for a frank and constructive exchange on the pressures facing the sector, including heightened global geopolitical uncertainty and global supply-chain disruptions. Industry outlined the practical impact of current conditions, while government shared the broad direction of its evolving localisation roadmap.

“Participants recognised that, while the medium- and longer-term elements of the roadmap are being finalised and appropriate funding identified, several urgent matters require immediate attention and resolution. Government undertook to consider an extraordinary single exit price [SEP] adjustment, in line with existing domestic and geopolitical pricing pressures,” the DoH said in a statement.

Furthermore, an agreement was reached to form a structured, institutionalised engagement mechanism which will meet regularly.

Priority areas identified for further engagement include:
•    A fair, transparent and predictable single exit price adjustment (SEPA) mechanism that balances medicine affordability with sustainable supply, including joint review of the applicable SEPA regulations;
•    Continued strengthening of SAHPRA and structured engagement with industry on regulatory requirements and their practical implications for business operations, trade, medicine supply, investment and competitiveness. Early joint planning will help to minimise operational disruption and costs, support economic growth and export competitiveness, and ensure timely access to safe, effective and quality medicines;
•    Capital-investment support and export incentives to encourage greater investment in South Africa’s own pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity and to assist the sector’s export ambitions. This should include the distressed contract manufacturing subsector;
•    Transparent, predictable and consistent public-sector procurement rules that support localisation, reliable medicine supply and enable better long-term planning and potentially longer-term contracts;
•    Exploration of alternative reimbursement models (ARMs) that could improve the affordability of selected medicines;
•    Removal of unnecessary red tape and measures to reduce the cost of doing business, helping to support investment and more efficient and sustainable medicine supply; and
•    A broader package of appropriate incentives to sustain existing capacity, attract new investment and strengthen local production and medicine security.

“Government underscored its commitment and readiness to work closely with industry to build a stronger pharmaceutical future across the public and private sectors, in the best interests of patients and the country’s healthcare system.

“The engagement reflects a shared recognition of the pharmaceutical sector’s importance to patient access, sustained medicine supply, public health, investment, employment and South Africa’s industrial-development objectives,” the statement noted. – SAnews.gov.za

The remains of two Namibian political prisoners who died while incarcerated on Robben Island during the apartheid era were formally handed over to the Government of the Republic of Namibia at a repatriation ceremony.

The repatriation also included ancestral remains, grave goods and body casts that hold deep cultural, spiritual and historical significance for the people of Namibia.

“This is not simply the return of human remains. It is an act of restorative justice, dignity and healing, giving families and communities the opportunity to honour their ancestors on their own soil. 

“We cannot change the past, but we can correct its injustices. We choose justice, we choose dignity, and we choose to honour those who came before us by ensuring that their memory and sacrifice are never forgotten,” said Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie on Wednesday.

The Minister made these remarks during a significant repatriation ceremony hosted by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC), together with representatives of the Government of the Republic of Namibia, at the Iziko South African Museum in Cape Town. 

The ceremony marked another important milestone in advancing restorative justice and confronting the enduring legacy of colonialism and apartheid in Southern Africa. 

“For too many years, the remains of our freedom fighters and ancestors were kept far from the land they called home. This was an injustice to them, their families and their communities.

“By bringing these political heroes and ancestors home, representing the Ovambo, Himba, San, Nama, Damara and Herero peoples, we restore their dignity, identity and rightful place in their homeland,” McKenzie said.

The department said the handover is a deeply symbolic act of respect for the descendants and Indigenous communities affected by historical dispossession and displacement. 

“It reinforces the fundamental importance of honouring ancestral heritage, preserving human dignity and ensuring that those who were denied the right to rest in their homeland are finally afforded the respect and recognition they deserve.

“Through this act of repatriation, South Africa and Namibia continue their shared journey towards confronting historical injustices, strengthening cultural ties and restoring dignity and closure to families and communities across generations.

“The department remains committed to advancing cultural restitution and repatriation as important instruments of restorative justice, nation-building and social cohesion,” the department said. –SAnews.gov.za

Minister Buti Manamela has requested a team from the Department of Higher Education and Training’s University Education Branch to work with the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) to facilitate urgent engagement between the university’s management, council and student leadership.

The intervention follows the shutdown of the university after an arson attack at its Bellville Campus, which has caused significant disruption to learning, teaching and other essential institutional operations.

The shutdown comes amid concerns raised by students over the proposed 2027 financial plan, historical student debt, registration requirements, residence fees and conditions, academic records, and other issues contained in memoranda submitted to the university.

The Ministry of Higher Education and Training has condemned the destruction of university property, violence, intimidation and any conduct that places students, staff and other members of the university community at risk.

Manamela urged students to use legitimate channels to raise concerns relating to access to higher education, affordability, and living and learning conditions.

The departmental team has been mandated to facilitate structured and constructive engagement between the parties; establish the verified facts underlying the respective grievances; identify matters that can be resolved immediately; and assist the parties to agree to a clear and time-bound process for addressing outstanding matters.

The team will also support urgent efforts to restore learning, teaching and essential university services.

“The immediate priority is to bring the parties around the table, establish the facts and find a way forward that allows the academic programme to resume.”

Manamela said students have a right to raise legitimate concerns about their access to higher education, and that such concerns must be heard and addressed through constructive engagement.

“Equally, no student or staff member should have to fear for their safety or be prevented from exercising their right to study or work. We cannot allow an impasse to become a permanent disruption to the academic year. We need responsible leadership from all sides and a commitment to resolving these matters through dialogue rather than confrontation.”

Withdrawal of draft financial plan

The Minister also welcomed the withdrawal of the draft financial plan, describing it as an important opportunity for the university and student leadership to reset their engagement and address outstanding issues in good faith.

He said the withdrawal of the plan creates an opportunity to reset the relationship between the parties, emphasising a need to use that opportunity responsibly.

“The focus must be on what can be resolved immediately; what requires further consideration, and what process will be followed to deal with the remaining matters.

“Leadership at the university and among students carries a responsibility to find solutions. Public statements and actions that inflame tensions will not assist us in resolving the issues before us,” Manamela said.

Manamela has called on CPUT management, council and student leaders to cooperate fully with the departmental team and to participate in the engagement process in good faith.

The Minister will remain engaged with CPUT, its council, student leadership and other relevant stakeholders as the process unfolds, with the immediate objective of establishing a credible roadmap towards the restoration of learning, teaching and normal university operations. – SAnews.gov.za