MIL Africa Engine

Africa’s meaningful participation in the rapidly expanding global space economy will depend not only on technological advancement, but also on strengthening the continent’s legal, policy, regulatory and institutional frameworks for space governance.

This was according to Nomfuneko Majaja, Chief Director of Space Affairs at the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) and Africa Regional Coordinator for the Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition, during the 17th Africa Regional Round of the competition held at Casa Toscana Convention Centre in Pretoria.

Addressing judges, faculty advisors and students from across the continent, Majaja described the competition as a strategic investment in developing Africa’s next generation of space law and governance professionals.

“As we gather here today, we are reminded that Africa’s future in outer space governance will not only depend on technology and infrastructure, but equally on strong legal minds, sound policy frameworks, international cooperation, and visionary leadership.

“This competition therefore, represents far more than a legal exercise. It is an investment in Africa’s future leadership, diplomacy, innovation, governance, and sustainable development within the global space arena,” Majaja said on Monday. 

The annual competition, hosted under the auspices of the International Institute of Space Law (IISL), brings together university law students from South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, and Zimbabwe to argue complex hypothetical disputes before a simulated International Court of Justice.

The first day of the competition coincided with Africa Day celebrations, reinforcing the importance of continental unity and cooperation in advancing Africa’s role in global space governance.

Held under the theme: “Empowering Africa’s Future in Space Governance for Sustainable Space Activities,” the 2026 edition focuses on strengthening Africa’s legal, policy, regulatory, scientific, and institutional capacity to participate meaningfully in the global space economy.

Majaja said the theme underscores the importance of space technologies in addressing socio-economic challenges across the continent, including climate change, agriculture, disaster management, water security, communications, navigation, industrialisation, and environmental sustainability.

She noted that former participants from institutions such as the University of Pretoria, the University of Calabar, and Midlands State University are already contributing meaningfully across various segments of the space economy and governance environment.

“This demonstrates the strategic value of this competition as a long-term investment in Africa’s human capital and future leadership in outer space governance,” Majaja said.

Majaja reaffirmed the dtic’s commitment to supporting responsible and peaceful uses of outer space, strengthening Africa’s participation in international governance processes, and promoting inclusive industrial development and innovation within the sector.

The dtic hosted the competition in partnership with the South African National Space Agency (SANSA) and industry stakeholders.

Participating students will also attend the African Space Policy and Law Conference, to be hosted by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) from 28–29 May 2026, where policymakers, academics, regulators, and industry leaders will deliberate on emerging developments in international space governance and sustainable industrial development. – SAnews.gov.za

Employment and Labour Minister Nomakhosazana Meth has reassured workers and beneficiaries that no Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) applications have been lost following the closure of the legacy employee claims portal.

In a statement issued on Monday, the Department of Employment and Labour said the UIF online platform, launched on 1 April 2025, has improved access to services and accelerated claims processing.

The department said the new system replaced the legacy filing employee claims portal and allows for direct client submissions, real-time tracking of claims and automated communication throughout the claims process.

“The new platform simplifies and accelerates claims processing by enabling direct client submissions, real-time claim tracking and automated communication throughout the claim lifecycle,” the statement read.

The department added that the system also supports a self-service model, removing the need for third-party agents to assist claimants with submissions.

According to the department, the implementation of UIF Online has yielded positive results, with 4 558 971 claims successfully processed and paid by April 2026.

This compares with 4 099 522 claims processed during the same review period in 2023 and 3 547 006 claims in 2024 under the legacy filing system.

“These figures demonstrate the effectiveness of the new platform in improving access to benefits and enhancing service delivery,” the department said.

The department has also rolled out a nationwide communication and stakeholder engagement programme to raise awareness about UIF Online.

The campaign included awareness drives through media platforms, guidance and support at Labour Centres, engagements with stakeholders across all provinces and the deployment of call centre agents to assist clients with the migration to the new platform.

The department clarified that the legacy filing platform consisted of two separate components the employee claims portal and the employer portal.

It said the employee claims portal was officially closed on 20 May 2026 after the successful resolution of legal and contractual disputes linked to the old system and the completion of the required handover process.

“These legal disputes had previously prevented the UIF from decommissioning the employee claims portal,” the statement said.

The department further assured claimants that applications submitted through the old platform remain secure.

“With the closing of the employee claims portal we wish to assure clients that no applications were lost. Applications that were submitted on the filing platform have been stored in a separate database from where they are being analysed, verified against system controls and migrated into the new online platform,” the department said. 

Meanwhile, the employer portal remains operational and continues to handle employer registrations, declarations and contributions.

The department said these services are expected to migrate to UIF Online by August 2026, marking the completion of the transition from the legacy uFiling platform.

Meth also warned against the spread of misinformation relating to the UIF migration process.

“As public representatives, we have a responsibility to ensure that the information we share with the public is accurate, factual and in the interests of nation building. While constructive scrutiny is welcomed, the spread of misinformation and unverified claims can undermine public confidence and cause unnecessary panic,” Meth said. – SAnews.gov.za

Africa is increasingly becoming a producer, innovator, and strategic partner in global healthcare manufacturing, says Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau.

“The expansion of the Biovac end-to-end vaccine manufacturing facility sends a powerful signal to the world: that Africa is increasingly becoming a producer, innovator, and strategic partner in global healthcare manufacturing,” the Minister said on Monday.

The Minister was speaking at the soil-turning ceremony at the Biovac Pharma facility expansion ceremony in Cape Town. Biovac is a South African-based biopharmaceutical company established in 2003, in partnership with government, to build local vaccine manufacturing capability.

According to Tau, the expansion reflects growing confidence in South Africa’s industrial base, innovative capabilities, and long-term economic potential.

“One of the lessons from COVID-19 health and economic pandemic experience is that Africa must build stronger regional pharmaceutical, medical device, In-Device Validation, diagnostic and vaccine manufacturing capabilities to ensure greater health security, resilience, and self-reliance. Despite our challenges and high import dependence, South Africa has both the capability and the responsibility to play a leading role in this continental effort,” said Tau.

Monday’s visit formed part of the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition’s 2026/2027 Pre-Budget Vote stakeholder engagement programme and ongoing efforts to highlight the impact of government supported industrialisation initiatives, localisation efforts, and strategic investments within priority sectors of the economy.

Furthermore, Tau said the Biovac expansion project directly advances the broader industrialisation agenda by deepening local pharmaceutical manufacturing, expanding advanced production capabilities, supporting technology transfer, strengthening innovation ecosystems and creating highly skilled employment opportunities.

“Importantly, this investment aligns strongly with the African Union’s (AU) aspirations for health sovereignty, the Partnerships for African Vaccine Manufacturing initiative, and the African Continental Free Trade Area’s (AfCFTA) objective of building regional value chains and strategic industrial capability across the continent. At its core, this project demonstrates the critical link between industrial development and public health security,” the Minister said.

Tau underscored government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for advanced manufacturing industries through localisation measures, investment support, skills development, innovation incentives, and stronger public-private collaboration.

“We welcome the strong partnership demonstrated by the European Investment Bank, the International Finance Corporation, Proparco, Industrial Development Corporation and the European Commission. We also acknowledge the impact of GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, AVMA (African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator) – a $1.2billion 10-year fund to support African vaccine manufacturers on their journey to sustainability,” he explained.

Dr Morena Makhoana, Chief Executive Officer at Biovac, said the presence of government at the sod turning ceremony is important and symbolic.

“Whilst Biovac works and is being supported by global partners either in developing new products, technology transfers, and innovative financing, there is nothing that can replace home-grown support. This moment that we celebrate with the South African government is truly important to demonstrate that the local ecosystem in South Africa led by our government is equally and truly supportive of our quest to be an end- to- end vaccine manufacturer of equal standing to our international peers, said Dr Makhoana.

The Chairperson of the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, David McAllister said: “I am glad to be in Cape Town today to mark Team Europe’s contribution to Biovac. Our €95 million contribution represents the largest financing package in Biovac’s history and demonstrates concretely the impact of the European Union’s (EU) Global Gateway in Africa’s health security, as well as in building resilience and reducing dependencies.”

McAllister said that beyond financing, it is about transformational impact on skilled jobs, industrial value chains, local beneficiation and EU–Africa private sector partnerships, fully aligned with South Africa’s local manufacturing ambitions.

“These developments mark a promising new phase for Biovac and for Africa’s broader vaccine manufacturing agenda,” said McAllister.

The Cape Town facility will produce vaccines for cholera, polio, pneumonia, and meningitis, with a manufacturing capacity of 30 to 40 million doses annually. It is expected to be completed by 2028 and will create over 340 skilled jobs and 7,000 indirect jobs.

The investment aligns with the African Union’s Vision 2040 goal of achieving 60% local vaccine production and supports several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. It is a flagship project under the EU-South Africa Comprehensive Trade and Investment Partnership and an expression of the dtic’s 3D Industrial Policy. – SAnews.gov.za

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has refuted claims that it suffered a breach of its systems.

This after an alleged hacker group claimed over the weekend that it had breached the revenue service.

“SARS continuously monitors its systems for any suspicious activity and has conducted a thorough investigation in response to these reports. These claims are false and unsubstantiated.

“At this stage, there is no evidence that SARS’s systems have been compromised. SARS wishes to reassure the public regarding the integrity of its systems,” SARS said.

The tax collector emphasised that it treats the “protection of taxpayer information and the security of its digital platforms as sacrosanct and as its core responsibility”.

“This dovetails with SARS’s broader commitment to build a smart, modern institution with unquestionable integrity, and to strengthen public trust and confidence in the tax administration system.

“Members of the public are urged to verify information before sharing and not to circulate unverified claims or rely on information from unofficial sources. SARS will continue to monitor its digital environment and, where necessary, will communicate through its official platforms.

“The public is also reminded to remain vigilant against scams and phishing attempts, particularly where messages claim to be from SARS, and to consult the following link for guidance: https://www.sars.gov.za/targeting-tax-crime/scams-and-phishing/,” SARS said. – SAnews.gov.za

The Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Parks Tau, will this morning host a ministerial post–budget vote media and stakeholder roundtable in Cape Town. 

“The engagement will provide an opportunity to reflect on key budget priorities, outline programme commitments for the year ahead, and engage directly with media representatives, industry stakeholders, and partners in an informal setting,” the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition said in a statement.

The engagement will be preceded by the 2026 Budget Vote speech, which will outline the department’s key achievements during the previous financial year in the execution of its responsibilities, as well as the budget allocations to support the roll-out of the Annual Performance Plan. – SAnews.gov.za

Deputy Minister in the Presidency, Kenny Morolong, has successfully concluded his philanthropic school shoe donation drive at four schools in the Greater Taung Local Municipality, in the North West province. 

The handover ceremony took place on Monday at Mokgareng Secondary School as part of the school shoes donation initiative. The initiative was launched in July 2025 during the commemoration of Nelson Mandela Month.

The Deputy Minister emphasised that partnerships between business and government are essential for youth development. 

The KwaZulu-Natal International Business Association supported the donation through its partnership with Brand South Africa. 

“Sixty percent of the population in Africa is young people; that is why today we have extended a request to business to do its part, because there is a limitation to what government can do,” Morolong said.

“The education of the African child is important for the prosperity of Africa. This partnership with business is indicative of what can be done to uplift the citizens’ lives. This expresses the spirit of humanity, which is being aptly displayed today, on Africa Day,” he said.

The school shoes donation drive forms part of government’s commitment to creating a conducive and dignified learning environment for underprivileged learners, while providing support to those in need in an effort to build a nation that works for all. – SAnews.gov.za