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South Africa and the Kingdom of the Netherlands have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation to advance the socio-economic empowerment of women, youth and persons with disabilities.

The agreement was signed during an engagement between Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Lydia Chikunga and Ambassador Joanne Doornewaard of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to South Africa, to formalise bilateral relations on women, youth, and persons with disabilities.

The MoU provides a framework for strengthened bilateral collaboration and cooperation. It facilitates opportunities for exchange of expertise and experience on policy-making and implementation aimed at advancing equality, empowerment and participation of women, youth and persons with disabilities.

Speaking at the signing ceremony at High Commissioner’s Official Residence in Pretoria on Monday, Chikunga described the agreement as a significant milestone in the longstanding diplomatic relations between the two countries.

She said the MoU builds on the strong partnership established through the Joint Commission of Cooperation signed in 2015, which provides a solid basis for consultation and further cooperation. It reflects both countries’ shared commitment to constitutional democracy, human rights, sustainable development and multilateral cooperation, which provides a solid basis for consultation and further cooperation.

“In signing this Memorandum of Understanding, we are transforming our historic diplomatic goodwill into tangible socio-economic opportunities for the citizens of both our nations,” the Minister said.

South Africa and the Netherlands enjoy close bilateral ties, with the European nation ranking among South Africa’s major investors and trading partners. The Netherlands is also one of the country’s largest sources of international tourists.

Chikunga thanked the Dutch government for its support during South Africa’s G20 Presidency, particularly its backing of the Empowerment of Women Working Group (EWWG), which South Africa chaired.

She said the cooperation between the two countries will help advance several key legacy projects initiated during the G20 Presidency, including the development of a national Care Economy Strategy aimed at recognising, reducing, and redistributing unpaid care work, while creating employment opportunities in the care sector.

Other priority areas include promoting positive masculinity by engaging men and boys in efforts to combat gender-based violence and femicide, as well as establishing a Disability Inclusion Nerve Centre of Excellence to strengthen the implementation of South Africa’s White Paper on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

The Minister also noted that the signing of the MoU comes during a significant year for South Africa, which marks the 70th anniversary of the 9th of August 1956 Women’s March, the 50th anniversary of the 1976 Youth Uprising, and 30 years since the country’s Constitution became the supreme law of the land.

She said key projects that will emanate from the countries’ continued cooperation will serve to honour the more than 20 000 women, who marched to the Union Buildings in Pretoria to challenge the very foundations of apartheid, and to build a truly inclusive society.

“Fifty years later, the youth empowerment dimension of our MoU should give practical expression to the dreams of the Class of 1976, and to the urgent need to turn skills development into lifelong socio-economic empowerment,” Chikunga said.

Multilateral commitments

The Minister said the agreement also reinforces commitments made by both countries through international platforms, including the United Nations Security Council’s Women, Peace and Security Agenda and the Commission on the Status of Women.

She said South Africa and the Netherlands remain committed to promoting women’s economic empowerment, eliminating gender-based violence, increasing women’s participation in leadership and ensuring that digital transformation creates opportunities rather than widening inequalities.

Chikunga called on officials from both countries to consult and finalise an implementation plan before the end of August to ensure the agreement delivers measurable outcomes.

She highlighted opportunities for collaboration in agriculture, noting that the Netherlands’ expertise as one of the world’s leading agricultural exporters could help strengthen the economic participation of South African women through skills development, technology transfer and market access.

“This MoU cannot and should not gather dust,” Chikunga said. – SAnews.gov.za

Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Andries Nel, has urged law students at the University of Stellenbosch to look to prominent legal minds of the past to guide their careers.

Nel, himself a law graduate, delivered the keynote address at Career Day for Law Students held at the university, under the theme: “The Constitution at 30: Preserving Nelson Mandela’s Legacy of Equality and Justice.”

South Africa’s most prominent legal trailblazers who fought for constitutional and human rights for all South Africans include former President Nelson Mandela, human rights lawyer Advocate Duma Nokwe, anti-apartheid hero Oliver Tambo, Priscilla Jana, former Justice of the Constitutional Court Albie Sachs and human rights lawyers Griffiths and Victoria Mxenge.

“South Africa has a very proud history of lawyers who had devoted themselves to justice. They came from many different backgrounds. In many cases, they came from different paths. But they shared a conviction that the law must serve justice. When the law was used as an instrument of oppression, they reclaimed its moral purpose. When the courts enforced injustice, they used the courtroom as a site of struggle and resistance,” the deputy minister said.

He acknowledged that today’s law practitioners face different challenges from those who practiced during apartheid.

“That tradition of using the courtroom as a site of struggle is far from over. We now have a whole new generation of public interest lawyers who’ve continued in that struggle. The question then, that you need to ask yourselves…is what you, individually and collectively, do with South Africa’s constitution.

“You will answer that question not only through what you believe but what you choose to do with your legal education because the law is not merely a profession, it is a public trust. That public trust is now passing to you,” he emphasised.

This year, South Africa commemorates the 30^th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution, which Nel also had a hand, as a member of the constitutional parliament at the time.

“Thirty years ago, we made a very profound choice as a nation to choose constitutional supremacy over arbitrary power. But constitutions do not defend themselves, rights do not enforce themselves, the rule of law does not preserve itself, people do.

“And it’s people of integrity, people of courage, people with knowledge, people who understand that legal knowledge is not only a source of personal opportunity but a responsibility to society and a responsibility that now belongs to you,” Nel said. – SAnews.gov.za

Three Chapter 9 institutions have announced a joint National Inquiry into South Africa’s criminal justice system response to Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF), with the first phase focusing on survivors’ experiences and the functioning of the justice system before cases go to trial.

The Commission for Gender Equality (CGE), the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) and the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRL Rights Commission) said the inquiry seeks to identify systemic weaknesses in the reporting, investigation and victim support processes, while developing recommendations to strengthen accountability and access to justice.

In a statement, the commissions said South Africa continues to face a severe GBVF crisis despite legislative reforms, policy interventions and institutional efforts to combat violence against women and vulnerable groups.

According to the commissions, survivors continue to experience obstacles in accessing protection, support services and justice, while concerns remain over delays in reporting, inconsistent victim support, fragmented coordination among institutions and weaknesses in pre-trial processes.

The commissions said the inquiry forms part of the constitutional mandate of the Chapter 9 institutions to protect and promote human rights and is aligned with the National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (NSP-GBVF), particularly Pillar 3, which aims to strengthen the criminal justice system’s response.

“The inquiry will be conducted in phases. The first phase will focus on survivor testimony and lived experiences, as well as the functioning and accountability of the criminal justice system during the pre-trial stage,” the commissions said.

During the first phase, the inquiry will examine survivors’ experiences when reporting GBVF cases, access to protection orders, trauma-informed care and psychosocial support, as well as experiences with Thuthuzela Care Centres, hospitals, shelters and victim support services.

The commissions will also consider the experiences of children, persons with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Intersex, and Asexual) persons, migrants and other vulnerable groups, including cases where family members must participate because survivors are deceased or unable to testify.

The inquiry will further assess police responses to GBVF complaints, the quality and timeliness of investigations, the handling of forensic evidence, communication with survivors, case docket management, prosecutorial decision-making, case withdrawals, bail processes and coordination among the South African Police Service, the National Prosecuting Authority, the courts and other support services.

The commissions have invited written and oral submissions from GBVF survivors, families, civil society organisations, non-governmental organisations, community-based organisations, researchers, academics, legal practitioners, service providers, and members of the public with relevant information.

They are particularly seeking evidence relating to survivor support services, policing and reporting experiences, forensic investigations, healthcare responses, shelters, child protection, support for persons with disabilities and marginalised groups, barriers to accessing justice, and recommendations to improve the criminal justice system.

“The inquiry seeks evidence-based submissions that can assist in identifying systemic challenges and developing practical recommendations to strengthen South Africa’s response to GBVF,” the commissions said.

Submissions must include the issues being addressed, the submitter’s contact details, the nature of the submission and any supporting evidence where available. Requests for confidentiality will be considered where necessary because of the sensitive nature of the information.

Submissions should be directed to: Mr Tsietsi Shuping, Head of Legal Department Commission for Gender Equality at Tsietsi@cge.org.za and Advocate Afika Nqeto, Acting Senior Legal Officer, South African Human Rights Commission at  ANqeto@sahrc.org.za  and Advocate Sphezulu Zulu Manager: Investigation & Conflict Resolution Unit CRL Rights Commission at Sphezulu@crlcommission.org.za 

The closing date for submissions is 3 August 2026.

The commissions said details of public hearings, venues and participation arrangements will be announced in due course, with selected individuals and organisations expected to present oral evidence during the inquiry. – SAnews.gov.za
 

Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Prof. Blade Nzimande has reaffirmed South Africa’s commitment to strengthening scientific and technological cooperation with China during a high-level bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai.

Nzimande met with China’s Minister of Science and Technology, Prof. Yin Hejun, where the two leaders explored ways to deepen collaboration in key areas of science, technology and innovation.

The Minister thanked the People’s Republic of China for inviting South Africa to the formal launch of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation (WAICO), of which South Africa is one of the founding members.

He also welcomed the opening address by Chinese President Xi Jinping at the conference, describing it as deeply insightful, and reaffirmed South Africa’s commitment to supporting the operationalisation of WAICO.

The bilateral engagement focused on expanding cooperation in strategic fields, including artificial intelligence, joint research centres and laboratories, space science and astronomy, quantum computing, cybersecurity, public engagement, youth development, and the Young Scientists Exchange Programme.

Nzimande also outlined South Africa’s plans to establish its own national science and technology museum and expressed appreciation to China for designating South Africa as a “Country of Honour” at the 19th Pujiang Innovation Forum, scheduled to take place in China in September 2026.

The Minister further thanked China for its support of South Africa’s G20 Presidency and extended an invitation to the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology to participate in the Science Forum South Africa, Africa’s premier global science gathering, which will be held in December this year. 

WAIC 2026 takes place as South Africa observes National Science Month in July. – SAnews.gov.za