MIL Africa Engine

Newly appointed Minister of Social Development Dina Pule says she will not “take lightly” the responsibility entrusted to her by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

In an exclusive interview with the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS), Pule described her appointment as both an honour and an opportunity to serve South Africa’s most vulnerable with humility and integrity.

She expressed her appreciation to President Ramaphosa for appointing her as Minister of Social Development, and for the confidence he has shown in her since her return to public office.

“I am grateful to the President for the honour and the trust he has placed in me through this appointment. I also appreciate the support I have received since my return to public life after being elected as a Member of Parliament in 2024 elections,” Pule said.

Pule expressed appreciation for the support she has received since returning to public life after being elected as a Member of Parliament in the 2024 General Elections. She said serving as Chairperson of Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Agriculture had reaffirmed her commitment to public service.

“The trust and responsibility given to me as Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Agriculture has reaffirmed my commitment to the public service. I do not receive this trust lightly. I receive it with humility, gratitude, and a sober awareness of the weight of responsibility that it carries,” the Minister said.

Pule said that during her years away from public office, she worked on rebuilding trust, strengthening relationships and reflecting on the values required of public representatives.

“Away from the limelight, I have worked to restore much of what I broke: relationships, trust and, above all, my own understanding of what it means to serve.”

Pule said she recognised that being given another opportunity to serve carries significant responsibility, particularly as government seeks to strengthen ethical leadership and rebuild public confidence.

“I do not take this second chance lightly. I know that it carries a price at the very moment when government is renewing its values, and the trust of the people.”

Turning to her new portfolio, Pule said her priority would be to serve those who depend most on government support, including children, older persons and vulnerable households.

“To the people of South Africa, whom I now have the privilege to serve, [including] the poorest and the most vulnerable; the child who depend on a grant; the grandmother who holds a household together; the young person searching for dignity and work, I took an oath of office and will uphold it.”

She said her work as Minister would be guided by the Constitution and a commitment to ethical governance.

“I will be guided to the fullest by the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, which is the supreme law of our land and the compass of all who are called to serve within it.”

Pule described her appointment as an opportunity to demonstrate through action that trust can be rebuilt.

“This appointment, for me, is not a return to comfort. It is a restoration of hope – hope that ours is a nation generous enough to allow redemption and demanding enough to insist that it be earned. I intend to earn it, every single day, through my work and through my conduct,” Pule said. 

She concluded by thanking President Ramaphosa, and South Africans for what she described as a second chance to serve.

“I thank the President, and I thank the people of South Africa for the grace of a second chance, which I shall honour with everything that I have.” – SAnews.gov.za

Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Seiso Mohai, says developing nations cannot achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development alone, even as South Africa continues its work to eradicate poverty, fight inequality and protect the planet.

Mohai was speaking during the General Debate of the United Nations High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development in New York on Tuesday.

He told the international community that South Africa continues to strengthen efforts to reduce poverty, inequality and unemployment, while promoting sustainable industrialisation, climate resilience, food security, energy transition and social protection.

“South Africa remains committed to ensuring that no one is left behind, particularly women, youth, persons with disabilities, rural communities, and other vulnerable groups.

“We also continue to strengthen partnerships with civil society, the private sector, academia, development partners, and international organisations to support inclusive and sustainable development outcomes,” Mohai said.

Despite a challenging global and domestic environment, Mohai said South Africa has made progress in several areas.

“Access to electricity, safe drinking water, sanitation, digital connectivity, and social protection services has improved over the years. Investments in renewable energy and sustainable industrialisation are contributing to a more resilient and inclusive economy. 

“The expansion of broadband infrastructure and digital access is creating new opportunities for innovation, education, and economic participation. At the same time, we acknowledge that significant challenges remain,” he said.

As the SDGs require stronger implementation, partnerships and financing, South Africa continues to prioritise infrastructure investment and maintenance, energy transition initiatives, industrial development, youth employment, skills development and climate resilience.

Mohai stressed that developing countries cannot achieve the SDGs alone.

“The international community must honour commitments related to financing for development, technology transfer, capacity building, debt sustainability, and reform of the global financial architecture. There is an urgent need for scaled-up concessional financing and equitable access to climate finance to support sustainable development priorities in the Global South.

“As we move closer to 2030, we must accelerate implementation through bold leadership, policy coherence, innovation, and strengthened partnerships. 

“South Africa reaffirms the importance of solidarity, inclusive growth, and sustainable development that leaves no one behind,” Mohai said. –SAnews.gov.za

The Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Seiso Mohai, today reaffirmed South Africa’s unwavering commitment to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Mohai was addressing the General Debate of the United Nations High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

The Deputy Minister called for renewed global solidarity and decisive action to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals with only four years remaining before the 2030 deadline.

He emphasised that South Africa’s development agenda remains firmly anchored in the principles of inclusivity, equality, human dignity and sustainable economic transformation.

He highlighted that the Sustainable Development Goals are fully integrated into the implementation of South Africa’s National Development Plan (NDP) Vision 2030 and the Medium-Term Development Plan (MTDP).

“South Africa remains committed to ensuring that no one is left behind, particularly women, youth, persons with disabilities, rural communities and other vulnerable groups,” said Mohai.

The Deputy Minister noted that South Africa continues to strengthen partnerships with civil society, the private sector, academia, development partners and international organisations to advance inclusive and sustainable development.

While acknowledging the country’s progress in expanding access to electricity, safe drinking water, sanitation, digital connectivity and social protection, the Deputy Minister recognised that significant development challenges remain.

He further stressed that stronger implementation, enhanced partnerships and sustainable financing are essential to achieving the SDGs.

He called on the international community to honour commitments on development financing, technology transfer, capacity building, debt sustainability and reform of the global financial architecture, particularly to support developing countries.

Deputy Minister Mohai also congratulated Member States presenting their Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) at this year’s Forum and confirmed that South Africa looks forward to presenting its next VNR in 2027, providing an opportunity to reflect on progress, lessons learnt and actions to accelerate implementation of the SDGs.

Concluding his address, the Deputy Minister reaffirmed South Africa’s commitment to solidarity, inclusive economic growth and sustainable development, while paying tribute to the enduring legacy of Nelson Mandela, whose values continue to inspire efforts towards a more just, peaceful and equitable world. – SAnews.gov.za
 

South Africa and Namibia have been urged to accelerate cooperation in the energy and mining sectors to unlock the economic potential of recent oil and gas discoveries and deepen regional integration.

Delivering opening remarks at the Senior Officials’ Meeting of the Fourth Session of the South Africa–Namibia Bi-National Commission in Pretoria on Tuesday, South African Co-Chair Ambassador Tebogo Seokolo said the two countries must place greater emphasis on strengthening the economic dimension of their bilateral relationship.

“Our principals have made clear the need for greater emphasis on strengthening the economic dimension of our bilateral relations. In this regard, our deliberations should seek to identify a focused set of high-impact priority projects capable of advancing trade, investment, industrial development and shared prosperity,” Seokolo said.

The meeting brings together senior officials from both countries to assess progress made since the Third Session of the Bi-National Commission, held in Namibia in October 2023, and prepare for the fourth session.

Seokolo said the meeting follows a successful Midterm Review held in South Africa in November 2025, which confirmed that while considerable progress had been made in implementing bilateral commitments, more work was needed.

“We must therefore use this meeting to build on the progress achieved, address areas where implementation has been slower than anticipated, and inject greater momentum into our bilateral programme of cooperation,” he said.

He said officials are also expected to identify new and emerging areas of cooperation that could further strengthen the partnership between the two neighbouring countries.

Among the priority areas is cooperation in mineral, petroleum and gas resources, with Seokolo highlighting the vast economic potential of the Orange Basin, which stretches offshore between South Africa and Namibia.

He congratulated Namibia on its recent oil and gas discoveries, noting the country’s exceptional exploration success.

“We congratulate Namibia for its recent oil and gas discoveries. We understand that the exploration of Namibian Orange Basin is among the highest ever recorded in a deepwater frontier basin,” he said.

According to Seokolo, 15 of the 17 wells drilled in Namibia’s Orange Basin between February 2022 and mid-2026 resulted in commercial discoveries, representing a success rate of approximately 88%.

He said the geological formations associated with Namibia’s discoveries extend into South African waters, presenting an opportunity for the two countries to establish a regional energy corridor.

Seokolo also highlighted opportunities for collaboration in the mining sector, noting that the two countries share significant deposits of critical minerals, including rare earth minerals, uranium, copper, lithium, graphite and manganese.

He said finalising a memorandum of understanding on geology and mining would provide a framework for technical cooperation, data sharing and investment promotion.

Seokolo called for accelerated efforts to maximise the potential of the Trans-Kalahari Corridor as a strategic trade and transport route that would improve connectivity, facilitate the movement of goods and services, and expand intra-regional trade.

He said he was confident that the discussions would lay the foundation for a successful Fourth Session of the South Africa–Namibia Bi-National Commission and an even stronger partnership between the two countries. – SAnews.gov.za

Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson has pledged to work with the Nazareth Baptist Church and built-environment stakeholders to strengthen construction practices, improve building safety and help prevent future building collapses following Monday’s wall collapse at the church’s Inanda complex in KwaZulu-Natal.

The Minister made the commitment during a visit to the site on Tuesday, where he also extended his sympathies to those injured in the incident.

Twelve people were injured when a wall at the Nazareth Baptist Church complex collapsed on Monday afternoon. Four of the injured remain in hospital.

Following a meeting with church elders, Macpherson said the church had welcomed a further investigation by the Council for the Built Environment (CBE) into the circumstances surrounding the collapse before construction resumes at the site.

He added that the engagement formed part of ongoing stakeholder consultations on the recently announced Integrated Social Facilitation Framework, which aims to prevent future building collapses in South Africa.

“Having visited the site of the collapse today, I share the belief of the Shembe Church that it is by the grace of God that no lives were lost when the wall collapsed. I am sincerely grateful to the church for welcoming me to the complex this morning.

“I extend my heartfelt thoughts and prayers to those injured in the collapse and will visit them in hospital personally to wish them well in their recovery,” Macpherson said.

The Minister said he had also committed to working with the church, through the Council for the Built Environment, to improve construction practices at the complex and help prevent similar incidents in future.

“This morning, I also committed to the church elders that we would work with the church, through the Council for the Built Environment, to strengthen building practices, prevent future collapses and ensure the safety of buildings at the church and across the country.

“As the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, we are committed to working with all stakeholders to prevent building collapses and improve regulations to ensure that we protect the lives of all South Africans. By working together, we can build a better South Africa,” the Minister said. – SAnews.gov.za