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Kinshasa, DRC – President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Thursday undertake a high-level African Union (AU) solidarity visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), reaffirming Africa’s collective commitment to containing the ongoing Ebola outbreak and strengthening the continent’s preparedness for future public health emergencies.

President Ramaphosa will visit Kinshasa in his capacity as the African Union Champion for Pandemic Preparedness, Prevention and Response (PPPR), where he is expected to hold talks with DRC President Félix Tshisekedi.

The visit comes as the AU intensifies efforts to coordinate a continental response to the Ebola outbreak, with the mission expected to reinforce regional collaboration, strengthen cross-border preparedness, and mobilise greater political, technical and financial support for outbreak containment.

As AU PPPR Champion, President Ramaphosa provides political leadership and oversight of the continental Ebola response, while also championing efforts to replenish the African Epidemic Fund.

African Union Member States have pledged more than US$100 million towards the fund, while global partners have committed more than US$910 million to support the Ebola response. South Africa has committed US$13.5 million.

The solidarity mission also underscores South Africa’s continued leadership in advancing Africa’s health security agenda.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, South Africa played a pivotal role in coordinating the continent’s response, advocating for equitable access to vaccines and medical supplies, and calling for stronger global health governance.

The country’s leadership helped shape Africa’s collective approach to managing one of the world’s biggest public health crises.

Building on that legacy, South Africa is once again taking a leading role in supporting a coordinated African response to a major disease outbreak, reflecting its commitment to strengthening health systems, improving pandemic preparedness and promoting solidarity among AU Member States.

Beyond the immediate public health response, the visit is expected to further strengthen the longstanding bilateral relations between South Africa and the DRC. The two countries enjoy strong diplomatic, political and economic ties and continue to cooperate on peace, security, trade and development initiatives aimed at promoting stability and prosperity in the region.

The DRC remains an important strategic partner for South Africa within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the broader African continent. The two countries have worked closely on regional peacebuilding efforts and continue to collaborate through continental institutions to address shared challenges.

President Ramaphosa will be accompanied by Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Thandi Moraka.

The Presidency said the mission seeks to demonstrate the African Union’s collective support for the Government and people of the Democratic Republic of Congo while strengthening a coordinated continental response that will support outbreak containment.

“The mission will provide high-level political stewardship to strengthen a coordinated continental response to the Ebola outbreak, reinforce regional collaboration and cross-border preparedness, and mobilize political, technical, and financial commitments from African Union Member States and Partners.

“These efforts are intended to support outbreak containment, strengthen public health systems, and enhance resilience against future public health emergencies,” the Presidency said in a statement – SAnews.gov.za

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South Africans have exercised their constitutional rights peacefully and responsibly, with the overwhelming majority doing so within the confines of the law, says National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) Chairperson, Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili.

Addressing the media in Pretoria on Wednesday, Mosikili commended the leadership of the various march organisers for working closely with law enforcement, encouraging supporters to remain peaceful, and ensuring that demonstrators adhered to the Constitution and obeyed the laws of the country.

“On behalf of the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure, we wish to extend our sincere appreciation to the leadership of the various march organisers.

“Your leadership contributed significantly to maintaining public order and ensuring that South Africans were able to exercise their democratic rights safely. We also thank every South African who heeded the call to demonstrate peacefully and responsibly.”

Mosikili said law enforcement officers worked tirelessly throughout the night to ensure that peace, safety and stability prevailed across the country.

She noted that while opportunistic criminal elements attempted to exploit the situation, they were identified and dealt with swiftly and decisively.

“And indeed, while there were opportunistic criminal elements that sought to exploit the situation, they were identified and dealt with swiftly and decisively by law enforcement.

“Their actions did not undermine the overall stability of the country, and our operational readiness ensured that law and order were maintained throughout.

“Law enforcement agencies acted swiftly to stabilise the affected areas, restore order and prevent any further disruption. The situation remains under control, and the areas remain under constant monitoring,” she said.

Mosikili said police confirmed that a total of 120 marches took place nationwide as of this morning.

Of these, 108 marches were peaceful, while only 12 required law enforcement intervention due to incidents of unrest.

The provincial breakdown is as follows:

• Free State (FS): Peaceful – 8 | Unrest – 0
• Eastern Cape (EC): Peaceful – 28 | Unrest – 2
• Gauteng (GP): Peaceful – 12 | Unrest – 1
• KwaZulu-Natal (KZN): Peaceful – 21 | Unrest – 2
• Limpopo (LP): Peaceful – 12 | Unrest – 0
• Mpumalanga (MP): Peaceful – 9 | Unrest – 1
• Northern Cape (NC): Peaceful – 4 | Unrest – 2
• North West (NW): Peaceful – 8 | Unrest – 0
• Western Cape (WC): Peaceful – 6 | Unrest – 4

Mosikili said the peaceful marches were a clear demonstration that the overwhelming majority of South Africans chose peace over disorder.

“While the vast majority of demonstrations remained peaceful, there were individuals who sought to exploit yesterday’s events to commit criminal acts. Unfortunately for them, they quickly discovered that law enforcement was on their heels and ready to act decisively.

“Our members responded swiftly wherever incidents of looting, robbery, public violence and other criminal activities emerged,” she said.

More than 900 people were arrested during yesterday’s operations.

“The majority of those arrested were illegal foreigners and individuals involved in looting, as a result of law enforcement operations conducted alongside the protests. Some were arrested for public violence, some for harbouring illegal immigrants, and others for business robbery at spaza shops,” she said.

Mosikili also praised law enforcement agencies for their professionalism, discipline and unwavering commitment to protecting the people of South Africa.

“You stood firm under challenging circumstances, enforced the law without fear or favour, and ensured that constitutional rights were protected while criminality was dealt with decisively. Your dedication has once again demonstrated the strength of coordinated law enforcement.

“Our operations remain active. Law enforcement will continue to monitor developments in the days ahead. We remain vigilant, we remain prepared, and we will continue to act decisively against anyone who threatens the safety, security and stability of our country.

“We are also intensifying our operations to ensure that all persons who are in the country are in possession of valid documentation and are compliant with the laws of the Republic,” she said. – SAnews.gov.za

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Public Service Commission (PSC) Commissioner Anele Gxoyiya says the non-payment of invoices by government departments within 30 days remains a concern and violates the Public Finance Management Act.

“The non-payment of invoices by government departments is a contributing factor to the lack of sustainability in the small businesses environment,” Gxoyiya said on Wednesday in Pretoria.

The Commissioner was addressing the media in Pretoria, where he attributed the persistent non-payment of invoices in supply chain operations to structural weaknesses, including a lack of consequence management and insufficient monitoring at lower operational levels.

As a result, the cash flow of Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) is compromised, forcing suppliers to borrow money to meet contractual obligations and, in some cases, retrench staff or close their businesses.

According to National Treasury’s 2025/26 third quarter report on Non-Compliance with Payments of Suppliers’ Invoices within 30 days, the number of invoices older than 30 days and not paid by national and provincial departments at the end of the third quarter of the 2025/26 financial year stood at 90 856, with a rand value of R15.5 billion.

“This represents a regression of 25%, or 4 543 invoices, compared to the end of the second quarter of the 2025/26 financial year, which had 95 399 invoices with a rand value amount of R12.4 billion.

“Provincial departments account for 98% of invoices older than 30 days and not paid, and they also account for 98% of the R15.5 billion,” Gxoyiya said.

Gxoyiya said the number of invoices paid after 30 days by national and provincial departments during the third quarter of the 2025/26 financial year stood at 89 499, with a rand value of R10.8 billion.

“Provinces continue to be the highest contributors to the statistics of late payments and unpaid invoices, and interventions must be prioritised at the provincial level. The provincial departments that contributed the highest number of invoices paid late or not paid during the third quarter of the 2025/26 financial year,” he said.

National departments that contributed the most to the late or non-payment of invoices for the third quarter of the 2025/26 financial year were Home Affairs; Land Reform and Rural Development; Water and Sanitation (Trading Account); Public Works and Infrastructure (Trading Account); Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment; and the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development.

The Department of Defence reported the highest number of invoices paid after 30 days during the second quarter, at 15 769, or 80% of invoices, amounting to R450 million.

The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure reported the second highest number of invoices paid after 30 days during the same period, at 1 391 invoices, or 7% of the total number of invoices paid after 30 days by national departments, with a rand value of R216 million.

Gxoyiya said the non-payment of invoices is counterproductive to government’s vision of economic development, job creation and poverty alleviation.

“In the absence of clear accountability frameworks or enforcement mechanisms, delayed or ignored payments often remain unresolved, fostering a culture of complacency,” the Commissioner warned.

He added that weak oversight among junior supply chain staff further contributes to poor tracking of invoice status, ineffective follow-up and limited escalation of outstanding payments.

“These challenges are compounded by inefficient internal controls, fragmented interdepartmental communication, delays in invoice verification and approval, and limited real-time visibility into financial obligations. 

“Capacity constraints, skills gaps, and reliance on manual processes also heighten the risk of errors and extend payment cycles. Collectively, these shortcomings erode supplier confidence, strain business relationships, and undermine the efficiency and long-term sustainability of the supply chain,” the Commissioner said. – SAnews.gov.za

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The Road Traffic Infringement Authority (RTIA) says the implementation of  Phase 2 of the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences Act (AARTO) is continuing as scheduled.

This as RTIA welcomed the order of the Gauteng Division of the High Court in Pretoria on Tuesday. The South African Local Government Association (SALGA) had brought an urgent application to interdict the implementation of Phase 2 of AARTO, which is scheduled to commence on 1 July 2026.

“On 23 June 2026, SALGA instituted an urgent application against the Minister of Transport, RTIA, the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), and the Minister of Finance. SALGA raised concerns on the regulatory framework for the implementation of Phase 2 of AARTO, infrastructure and equipment readiness of issuing authorities, and the financial model for municipalities,” the authority said in a statement.

The purpose of the Act is to promote quality, safety and discipline in road traffic by providing for a scheme to discourage road traffic contraventions; to facilitate the adjudication of road traffic infringements; to support the prosecution of offences in terms of national and provincial laws relating to road traffic, and to implement a points demerit system, among others.

Additionally, SALGA had formally declared an intergovernmental dispute on 19 June 2026, in terms of section 41 of the Constitution and the Intergovernmental Relations Framework Act, seeking to halt the implementation of Phase 2 of AARTO, pending the resolution of the dispute.

SALGA’s application was opposed by the Department of Transport, RTIA, and the South African Post Office (SAPO) on the following grounds:
•    Lack of urgency: SALGA had been aware of the 1 July 2026 implementation date since November 2025 but delayed bringing the application, creating its own urgency.
•    Lack of authority to represent municipalities: SALGA failed to provide evidence that municipalities authorised it to bring the application on their behalf. The Minister served a formal notice in terms of Rule 7 of the Uniform Rules of the High Court, requiring SALGA to produce council resolutions from the affected municipalities. 
•    Presidential proclamation not yet in place at the time of the filing of the application: The implementation of AARTO requires a Presidential Proclamation.
•    Readiness for implementation: RTIA demonstrated that it is fully prepared for Phase 2 rollout. Under Phase 2, there are 62 issuing authorities with 283 combined sites, of which 75% are properly equipped and have received relevant training. This includes the provision of equipment, training of law enforcement officers and back-office personnel and ensuring network connectivity.

Upon hearing the matter, the Court struck the application from the roll, finding that:
•    SALGA failed to establish urgency, as required by the rules of the High Court.
•    SALGA failed to demonstrate that it was authorised to act on behalf of municipalities.
•    Courts should not lightly interfere with government decisions on policy matters and the implementation of legislation.

“The order clears the way for the implementation of AARTO Phase 2, as scheduled on 1 July 2026, the system is now being rolled out across a total of 62 local and metropolitan municipalities, building upon the initial implementation already underway in Johannesburg and Tshwane.

“RTIA remains committed to the successful rollout of AARTO and will continue working with all issuing authorities to ensure effective implementation. Motorists and the public are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the AARTO system through the official channels and resources provided by RTIA,” it said.

Meanwhile, SALGA on Tuesday expressed disappointment at the ruling of the court.

“The ‘for lack of urgency’, reasoning by the court, only means that the merits of the case will have to be argued at a later stage and not on an urgent basis,” it said.

It further added that at the heart of the contention are concerns around the funding model underpinning the Act and its regulations. – SAnews.gov.za

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The Department of Human Settlements, together with the Gauteng Provincial Government, has brought dignity to families of the Rand West City Local Municipality, with the handover of housing units.

The units are part of the Droogeheuwel Mega Project, which is expected to deliver some 5 906 housing opportunities upon completion.

“Today, we have come to restore your dignity. Today, all of you can lift up your house keys and say, ‘I am going to my home’. 

“We are still going to come back and build sports facilities, a community hall and other facilities. 

“We ask that you be the ears and eyes of government here so that others, whose homes are still to be built, can also come in. Protect each other by starting community safety organisations so that there’s no crime. Build your community here, so that your lives may continue peacefully,” Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane told the community.

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi said the new homes represent a “worthy investment” from government into the lives of ordinary people.

“Even the title deed that we are going to give you, you can rest assured that when you pass, your children will have the home that government has given you. So, take care of the home.”

Human Settlements MEC in Gauteng, Tasneem Motara, urged the new homeowners to take pride in their property and warned that renting out the home may result in criminal prosecution.

“We are building new communities, new suburbs, new towns so take pride in your property and your community.

“Don’t rent out the house to anybody else. You are not a landlord; you are a homeowner. We are going to do inspections. If you have rented the house out, we are going to jail you because it’s illegal. You are [also] not allowed to sell this house within eight years. But even after eight years, don’t sell it. Keep it for your children. Your children and grandchild will have a proper home.

“Congratulations and we thank you for being patient,” Motara said. – SAnews.gov.za

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