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Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela has accepted a series of resignations from the board of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), including the resignation of the interim Chairperson, Dr Mugwena Maluleke, with effect from 27 April 2026.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the department said Maluleke stepped down from both his roles as board member and interim chairperson, citing personal and academic commitments.

“The Minister has expressed appreciation for his contribution during his tenure, particularly in efforts to strengthen governance and support the core mandate of the NSFAS,” the department said.

The Minister also acknowledged the resignation of board member Karabo Mohale, who chaired the Human Resources and Organisational Development Committee.

The department said Mohale’s observations on institutional challenges, including the need for organisational redesign, stronger executive capacity and improved governance systems have been noted as part of the broader assessment of NSFAS.

According to the department, the cumulative effect of these and other resignations has significantly reduced the number of voting members, raising concerns about the board’s ability to remain properly constituted, and fulfil its statutory and fiduciary responsibilities.

The department said the Minister is now assessing the legal and governance implications, including whether the board can continue to exercise effective oversight and decision-making functions, in line with the applicable legislative framework.

As part of this process, Manamela has initiated formal engagements with the remaining board members.

“Individual correspondence has been issued, affording them an opportunity to make representations within a defined timeframe on the current governance position and on any lawful and practical alternatives available to ensure institutional stability.

“The Minister has emphasised that this step is intended to ensure procedural fairness and to allow for a full and considered assessment before any further action is taken,” the department said.

The Department of Higher Education and Training has reassured students, institutions and the public that NSFAS operations will continue without disruption.

“All operational processes, including the disbursement of student funding remain in place and are being closely monitored to ensure continuity and stability.”

The Minister reiterated that NSFAS remains a critical instrument of government policy, central to expanding access to higher education and training for poor and working-class students, and that maintaining its stability is paramount.

The department said it will continue engaging all relevant stakeholders, including Parliament, National Treasury, and oversight bodies as the process unfolds. – SAnews.gov.za

President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for urgent, coordinated action across all three spheres of government to resolve South Africa’s deepening water crisis, warning that poor municipal performance is placing an increasing burden on ordinary citizens. 

Delivering the opening address at an Extended Presidential Coordinating Council (PCC) meeting in Boksburg on Thursday, the President placed the country’s water and sanitation challenges at the centre of government’s priorities, outlining reforms already underway, whilst calling for stronger accountability, improved financial management and technical capacity at local level.

The high-level meeting, held at the Birchwood Hotel and OR Tambo Conference Centre, brought together national, provincial and local government leadership in what President Ramaphosa described as a “historic get-together” aimed at strengthening coordination and delivering concrete solutions.

“This is the first time that the PCC holds an extended meeting that brings together all the mayors and municipal managers of our local government tier of government. You are all participating in a historic get-together,” he said.

WATCH | Extended PCC meeting
 

Water crisis takes centre stage

President Ramaphosa said the deterioration of water services across municipalities has become one of the most immediate and widespread challenges facing the country, despite significant gains since the advent of democracy. 

The meeting takes place as South Africa observes Freedom Month, which marks the country’s transition from the apartheid regime to a free, democratic country. It is in commemoration of the first democratic elections on 27 April 1994.

“There is no doubt that over the three decades of democracy, we have made great progress in extending access to water,” President Ramaphosa said, noting that over 82% of households had access to piped water by 2022, up from 61% in 1996.

However, he warned that reliability has worsened.

“The percentage of households that experienced water interruptions lasting more than two days at a time increased from 24% in 2012 to 34% in 2024,” the President said. 

He attributed the crisis to a combination of ageing infrastructure, illegal connections, weak maintenance, poor revenue collection and institutional instability, adding that metros are losing vast amounts of water before it can even be billed.

“Our eight metropolitan municipalities are collectively losing an average of 34% of all water purchased before it can be billed. Some metros are approaching 50%,” he said. 

Coordinated national response underway

The President pointed to ongoing reforms under Operation Vulindlela and confirmed that government has already begun implementing structural interventions in the water sector. 

These include the establishment of the National Water Resource Infrastructure Agency, improvements in water-use licensing, and the reinstatement of key monitoring reports to track municipal performance.

READ our feature: Taking practical steps to protect SA’s water resources

He also highlighted the Metro Trading Services Reform programme aimed at restoring financial sustainability and unlocking investment in municipal services.

In response to the crisis, President Ramaphosa reiterated the establishment of the National Water Crisis Committee announced earlier this year at the during the State of the Nation Address (SoNA), which will oversee the implementation of a National Water Action Plan. 

“As we did to great effect in overcoming load shedding, the Water Crisis Committee will oversee the implementation of a National Water Action Plan,” he said. 

Five principles to guide action 

President Ramaphosa outlined five key principles to guide government’s response, stressing the need for urgency and discipline in execution. 

“First, accountability must be restored. Every institution represented here must be clear about its role, obligations and timelines. The people of South Africa are entitled to know who is responsible if commitments are not met. 

“Second, the financial integrity of water services must be protected. Revenue generated from water services must be ring-fenced to support the operation, maintenance, upgrading and long-term sustainability of those services,” he said.

The President warned that if infrastructure is allowed to deteriorate while revenues are diverted to other functions, the water crisis will only deepen.  

“Third, technical and professional capability must be strengthened. Municipal water and sanitation systems require qualified engineers, plant operators, project managers, technicians and financial experts. 

“Without the right people in the right posts, even the best plans will remain unimplemented. Fourth, there must be consequence management,” the President said.

The President emphasised that where there is underperformance, it must be corrected, and where there is persistent failure, there must be swift intervention. 

“There must be no space for corruption, criminality or sabotage,” he said. 

Lastly, the President emphasised that cooperative governance must be made practical. 

“We are three spheres of government, but we are one State serving one people. We need to be aligned around a shared purpose and disciplined execution,” President Ramaphosa said. 

Fixing local government at the core 

Beyond the water crisis, President Ramaphosa acknowledged broader systemic weaknesses in municipalities, including limited revenue bases, skills shortages and governance instability.

“This results in poor service delivery. Water and electricity disruptions are common. Roads and other infrastructure are not maintained. It is ordinary South Africans who bear the costs of this. 

“Our task in this meeting is not to repeat the catalogue of shortcomings and weaknesses in local government, but to focus on the solutions,” the President said. 

He said the forthcoming White Paper on Local Government will be critical in “reimagining” how municipalities function, while efforts to cut red tape and professionalise the public service are essential to unlock economic growth. 

“Bureaucratic delays are driving investment away and shutting out the very entrepreneurs we need to grow our local economies,” he said. 

Call for political will

President Ramaphosa emphasised that while plans and structures are in place, success will depend on political commitment and cooperation across all spheres of government.

“The water crisis puts that mandate to the test. The National Water Crisis Committee provides the means of coordination. The National Water Action Plan provides the roadmap. What this meeting must provide is the political commitment across all three spheres to make both of them work,” he said. 

The President concluded with a call for decisive action. 

“The country is looking to us to secure an uninterrupted supply of water to all citizens, businesses and institutions, now and into the future. We have the means to do this. Let us demonstrate that we have the will,” the President said. – SAnews.gov.za 

Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane and Defence and Military Veterans Minister Angie Motshekga have committed to eradicate the housing backlog affecting military veterans by 2029.

The undertaking was made during a recent engagement with community members and housing beneficiaries, including military veterans, the elderly, destitute and child-headed household in the uMshwathi Local Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal.

The visit formed part of government’s service delivery programme, which included the handover of houses to military veterans and title deeds to beneficiaries of fully subsidised housing.

In her address, Motshekga acknowledged delays in delivering houses to military veterans. She informed the community that President Cyril Ramaphosa has urged Ministers to prioritise the completion of existing projects, particularly the military veterans’ housing backlog.

The Ministers have directed provinces to verify all bona fide military veterans in need of housing. In KwaZulu-Natal, 490 veterans have so far been confirmed as requiring housing, with processes underway to expedite delivery.

“Together with Minister Simelane, we shall endeavour to do our best to finish what we can during this term of office. Military veterans sacrificed their lives and families so that we can have a free and democratic South Africa, and they should be honoured,” Motshekga said.

The community engagement took place as South Africa commemorates Freedom Month, which marks the country’s transition from the apartheid regime to a free, democratic country. It is in commemoration of the first democratic elections on 27 April 1994.

At the event, the Ministers handed over houses to military veterans and 500 title deeds to qualifying beneficiaries.

The houses form part of the uMshwathi Integrated Residential Development Programme (IRDP), which isexpected to deliver 2 922 housing units. The development includes Breaking New Ground (BNG) houses, First Home Finance opportunities, social housing and units dedicated to military veterans.

To date, 744 units have been completed and handed over.

The Ministers were accompanied by KwaZulu-Natal Transport and Human Settlements MEC Siboniso Duma, uMshwathi Local Municipality Executive Mayor Mandla Zondi, and uMgungundlovu District Municipality Executive Mayor Mzi Zuma.

eThekwini commended for flood recovery housing efforts

Meanwhile, Simelane commended the provincial government and the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality for their concerted efforts in providing permanent housing to victims of the devastating 2022 KwaZulu-Natal floods.

During a visit to Cornubia, under Operation Siyahlola, the Minister said 113 housing units are nearing completion and expected to be handed over to the beneficiaries in May 2026.

“I take comfort [in the fact] that the procurement process to appoint contractors to build 976 units is at an advanced stage. We challenge those appointed to deliver on time, within budget and quality,” Simelane said.

A total of 1 200 families are expected to benefit from the project, which is scheduled for completion in June this year. – SAnews.gov.za 
 

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued a Yellow Level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms over the northern half of the Northern Cape, as well as the central and western parts of the North West and the northern Free State.

These storms, according to SAWS, will be associated with strong, damaging winds, hail and heavy downpours, which may lead to localised flooding and damage to susceptible formal and informal settlements, as well as critical infrastructure.

SAWS said the conditions are expected to intensify today, with widespread rainfall spreading to the Free State and Eastern Cape, reaching up to 90mm in places.

“An Orange Level 6 warning, along with a Yellow Level 4 warning for severe thunderstorms has been issued for most parts of the Northern Cape, North West and Free State, with similar impacts as mentioned above. Temperatures are also expected to drop over the affected provinces,” SAWS said in a statement.

SAWS said a cut-off low (COL) is currently situated to the west of the country, which was earlier expected to make landfall over the western interior of South Africa. A COL is a slow-moving or stationary low-pressure system that develops in the upper atmosphere, which can linger over an area for several days, often bringing severe weather.

The COL will gradually move eastwards and is forecasted to exit the country by Friday, 1 May. 

Thereafter, conditions will begin to clear, leaving behind isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers in places over the North West, Free State, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape until late afternoon.

Members of the public are advised to exercise caution by observing driving safety precautions and reducing speed where necessary, avoiding flooded roads and low-lying areas, and refraining from seeking shelter under trees or tall objects during storms. 

SAWS says it will continue to monitor conditions closely and will issue updates as necessary. – SAnews.gov.za

As pressure mounts on the country’s water systems, government is turning its focus below the surface – introducing measures to better protect and manage this critical resource that sustains millions in the country.

The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has taken a significant step in this direction with the draft National Water Act Regulations: Protection and Management of Groundwater Resources, aimed at safeguarding South Africa’s long-term water security, whilst also ensuring that the basic human right of access to water for all South Africans is met.

“The draft regulations were developed to strengthen the protection, management and sustainable utilisation of groundwater resources in South Africa. Groundwater plays a critical role in the country’s water security, particularly in rural areas and during periods of drought,” the DWS spokesperson, Wisane Mavasa, told SAnews.gov.za.

In an interview with SAnews, Mavasa said the draft regulations, which were put out for public comment until 2 March, aim to introduce clearer standards, improve monitoring and accountability, and ensure that groundwater resources are developed and managed in a sustainable manner. 

“The proposed regulations also aim to improve data and information management through the registration of geosites (boreholes) for all existing and new groundwater users, and the systematic capturing of borehole drilling, geosites, and geohydrological information and reports,” Mavasa explained.

Asked about whether South Africa is doing enough to protect its groundwater, Mavasa said South Africa has made significant progress in strengthening water resource management through legislative frameworks, such as the National Water Act and various national strategies. 

“However, as more households turn to groundwater as an alternative water supply, additional strain is being put on South Africa’s aquifers. These water resources are also under threat from factors such as climate variability, population growth and economic development, meaning that continued improvements are necessary to protect our valuable resources, and therefore the need for these regulations.”

Aquifers are underground layers of water-bearing, permeable rock, gravel, sand or silt that store and transmit groundwater.

Prior to the draft regulations, which appeared in the Government Gazette dated 10 December 2025, South Africa did not have groundwater regulations.

“There are currently no groundwater regulations in place. While the National Water Act (NWA), 1998, provides the overarching legal framework for water resource management, the department identified a need for more specific regulatory provisions. The proposed regulations seek to fill the gaps currently, which have been identified in the NWA,” Mavasa said.

The regulations aim to standardise borehole drilling and management, given that the standardisation of these varies.

“While industry bodies and professional associations have developed guidelines and best practice guidelines, the level of standardisation across the country varies, often being enforced through municipal by-laws. The proposed regulations aim to introduce a more uniform regulatory framework that will improve accountability, ensure minimum construction standards, and protect aquifers from contamination or overexploitation.” 

The draft regulations also speak to groundwater protection, where municipalities must develop a groundwater protection scheme within five years of the promulgation of the regulations. Currently, municipalities don’t have groundwater protection schemes in place.  Groundwater is often governed through by-laws and management strategies but how this is done varies from municipality to municipality. 

On just how much of an impact drought plays in the future of the country’s groundwater, the DWS considered this to be “significant”.

“Groundwater plays a particularly important role during periods of drought, as it can provide a more reliable source of water when surface water resources are under stress. Drought, climate uncertainty and climate variability will lead more households to utilise groundwater as an alternative source of water supply,” Mavasa said.

Comments 

The DWS has received numerous comments since the closure of the public opinion period.

“The regulations published on the 10th of December were draft regulations. We have already received numerous comments, each of which the department will process and respond to. Once all comments have been processed and responded to, all relevant and appropriate comments will be incorporated into the final draft regulations. The final draft regulations will then be gazetted for implementation,” she said.

Recently, parts of South Africa experienced water shortages that led to President Cyril Ramamphosa announcing the establishment of the National Water Crisis Committee, which he would chair. Announced at the State of the Nation Address in February, the committee will deploy technical experts and resources from national government to municipalities facing water challenges.

Infrastructure and constitutional mandate 

Asked whether municipalities across the country are looking after their water infrastructure and if they take advice from the department in running their water affairs, Mavasa said municipalities have a constitutional mandate to provide water and sanitation services and are responsible for the operation and maintenance of water infrastructure within their jurisdictions. 

“The Department of Water and Sanitation plays an oversight and support role, providing guidance, regulatory oversight and technical assistance where required. The Blue, Green and No Drop assessments of the performance of municipal drinking water and wastewater systems provide evidence that many municipalities are not looking after their water infrastructure. Sometimes municipalities take advice from DWS, sometimes they do not.”

As South Africa this year commemorates the 30th anniversary of the Constitution, which speaks to water being a human right, the DWS remains committed to ensuring access to water for its citizens.

“[The year] 2026 coincides with the 30-year anniversary of the Constitution. As per the Constitution, access to sufficient water is recognised as a human right. The Department of Water and Sanitation remains committed to ensuring that all South Africans have access to safe and reliable water services,” she said. – SAnews.gov.za

Small, medium and micro-sized enterprises (SMMEs) in the eThekwini Municipality have only a few hours remaining to submit applications for the 2026 Lions’ Den Business Plan Competition, with the deadline set for 30 April.

The eThekwini Municipality has opened entries for the annual programme, which aims to support local entrepreneurs and co-operatives with innovative business ideas. The initiative offers participants access to mentorship, business development support, funding opportunities, and connecting with partners and investors.

The competition is designed to promote sustainable entrepreneurship and strengthen competitiveness across the city. It features three categories, including emerging businesses with an annual turnover of under R100 000; established businesses with a turnover between R100 000 and R500 000, and high-performing enterprises with a turnover exceeding R500 000.

Application forms are available online at https://tinyurl.com/397eth77 or on the municipality’s website or www.durban.gov.za under the Business tab. Forms can also be accessed at all Sizakala Centres, Durban Small Enterprise Development Agency offices, and the city’s SMME Development offices at 199 Anton Lembede Street.

Applicants may also request forms via email at yanga.nyakeni@durban.gov.za. Completed applications must be submitted before the close of business on Thursday, 30 April.

Chairperson of the city’s Economic Development and Planning Committee, Thembo Ntuli, said the competition continues to play a vital role in empowering local entrepreneurs.

“Over the years, the programme has supported entrepreneurs to grow, create jobs and access networks. It remains a powerful platform for turning ideas into thriving businesses,” Ntuli said.

Previous winner Kwanele Mngoma, founder of KIK Refrigerator Rentals, said the competition’s funding expanded his capacity and sharpened his business skills, preparing the company for growth and exposure.

“The R40 000 cash prize allowed us to acquire 10 additional refrigerator units, significantly increasing our capacity. Before this, the main constraint was not demand but the availability of units.

“With the new refrigerators, we have reached more customers, boosted revenue and strengthened operations. Today, KIK Refrigerator Rentals employs 10 people, creating more opportunities for our team.

“The exposure and networking with other entrepreneurs were invaluable, opening doors for learning and collaboration,” Mngoma said, adding that the competition also helped sharpen his business skills through pitching sessions, masterclasses and mentorship.

For enquiries on the competition, contact 031 309 8280. – SAnews.gov.za