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President Cyril Ramaphosa says although South Africa continues to rank in the top five African countries with the best infrastructure, more can be done to improve its development. The President was addressing the nation through his weekly newsletter on Monday. He highlighted that good infrastructure can be the foundation of greater and faster economic growth and addressing poverty. “However for this world class infrastructure to continue to support our developmental goals, it has to be properly, effectively and efficiently maintained. And decisions on infrastructure investment have to respond to the growing need and upgraded appropriately. “We have good quality infrastructure,…
Government has noted Fitch’s decision to affirm South Africa’s long-term foreign and local currency debt ratings at ‘BB-’ and maintain a stable outlook. According to Fitch, South Africa’s credit rating is constrained by low real gross domestic product (GDP) growth hampered by power shortages, high level of inequality, a high government debt-to-GDP ratio, and a modest path of fiscal consolidation. National Treasury said the ratings are supported by a favourable debt structure with long maturities and denominated mostly in local currency as well as a credible monetary policy framework. “Government is implementing urgent measures to reduce load-shedding in the short…
More than 2 000 cases and arrests have been made in cases linked to criminality at Eskom. This was announced by Minister in the Presidency for Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, during a media briefing on Monday. “Over the period from April 2022 to date, there are 2 147 Eskom cases that have been reported to the South African Police Service (SAPS) and about 1 586 of these are under investigation. Since that period…126 arrests have been made. “In addition to the technical solutions that we are seeking to resolve the issues at Eskom, we are also focused on addressing some…
Minister in the Presidency for Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, has apologised to the nation for Stage 6 load shedding that was implemented on Thursday. The Minister was speaking during a media briefing on Monday. Eskom implemented Stage 6 load shedding last week following breakdowns and delays in returning to service of generating units. “I want to express our sincere and profuse apology for having taken you through a very difficult stage of intensive load shedding. “Firstly, load shedding is unacceptable. The second part is that going to higher stages of load shedding, especially Stage 6, should not become the norm.…
Realising the benefits and opportunities of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) requires proactive collaboration between all levels of government and businesses, says Director of Africa Bilateral Economic Trade at the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, Calvin Phume. Phume was addressing the AfCFTA awareness workshop, which took place in Bloemfontein, in the Free State. The workshop was part of a nationwide series aimed at equipping export-ready South African Small, Micro and Medium Enterprises (SMMEs), private sector, women and youth-owned enterprises with knowledge on the benefits of trading under the AfCFTA, The AfCFTA is a flagship project of the…
President Cyril Ramaphosa on Saturday held a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin following the call President Ramaphosa had with the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, about the ongoing negotiations between Russia and the UN about the Black Sea Grain Initiative. The discussions also revolved around the African Leaders Peace Mission and the need for a permanent and sustainable solution to the movement of grain from Russia and Ukraine to the international markets. As part of ongoing engagements on the conflict in the Ukraine and the Black Sea Grain Initiative , President Ramaphosa also held a telephone discussion with …
President Cyril Ramaphosa will unveil two statues of the Father of the Nation on 18 July 2023 in Mthatha, Eastern Cape, as part of the International Nelson Mandela Month celebrations. The programme spearheaded by the Nelson Mandela Museum is in partnership with the Department of Sport, Arts, and Culture; OR Tambo District Municipality and King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality. According to the statement, the statues will be unveiled at the Nelson Mandela Museum, Bhunga Building in Mthatha and Nelson Mandela Museum Youth and Heritage Centre in Qunu. “The two statues of Nelson Mandela will resemble Nelson Mandela as a Statesman and the…
Human Settlements Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi has challenged estate agents and property managers to improve the ease of doing business through digitisation. “We can’t be doing things manually in this day and age. We need to move all our interactions online — from exams, payments, applications and renewal of Fidelity Fund Certificates (FFC),” Kubayi said. Kubayi made the remarks during a stakeholder engagement with property practitioners and real estate companies in Johannesburg on Tuesday. The engagement aimed at providing a platform between sector stakeholders and government to discuss areas of partnerships and improvements to provide sustainable human settlements. The engagement follows…
Stage 4 load shedding has been implemented immediately with Stage 6 expected to return from 2pm this afternoon (Wednesday). This as state power utility Eskom continues to battle generation unit breakdowns. By Tuesday afternoon, some 16 313MW were offline due to breakdowns with further losses overnight. “Due to the loss of additional generating units overnight, the extensive use of Open Gas Cycle Turbines and the inability to replenish pumped storage dam levels, Stage 4 load shedding will be implemented at 7am [on Wednesday] until 2pm. “Thereafter, Stage 6 load shedding will be implemented from 14:00 today until 05:00 on Thursday.…
The Government of Ireland has invited South Africans interested in pursuing a Master’s degree in Ireland to apply for the Kader Asmal Fellowship Programme to study at Ireland’s world-renowned higher education institutions. The Kader Asmal Fellowship Programme is a flagship programme of the Embassy of Ireland in South Africa offered to South African students. The programme is part of the broader Ireland-Africa Fellowship Programme offered by the Government of Ireland. Through the programme, professional women and men, with leadership potential from South Africa will avail of relevant postgraduate study opportunities in Irish higher education institutions. “The scholarship broadly supports leadership…