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Motorists will breathe a sigh of relief from Wednesday as fuel prices are set to come down. The fuel price adjustments – which will bring much needed financial relief to consumers – were announced by the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources, on Tuesday. The price adjustments for fuel, paraffin and gas are as follows: •    Petrol 93 (ULP & LRP): 58 cent decrease. •    Petrol 95 (ULP &LRP): 72 cent decrease. •    Diesel (0.05% sulphur: 83 cent decrease. •    Diesel (0.005% sulphur): 85 cent decrease. •    Illuminating Paraffin (wholesale): 81 cent decrease. •    Single Maximum National Retail Price for illuminating paraffin: R1.14 decrease. •    Maximum LPGas…

The Department of Small Business Development has unveiled a digital platform to support spaza shops and other food-handling facilities as well as combat illegal businesses. The new digital platforms went live on Friday, 28 March 2025, following the announcement by Small Business Development Minister, Stella Ndabeni. DSBD Connect is a digital platform designed to geo-map and support spaza shops and other food-handling facilities, while addressing the proliferation of illegal businesses across South Africa The department said DSBD Connect will function as a comprehensive digital platform, offering: •    A verified database of spaza shops and food-handling facilities in the country. •    Robust business…

While many have been looking forward to the long weekend provided by Human Rights Day, its commemoration should not only provide an opportunity to connect with loved ones but should also inspire the nation to reflect on the gains the country has made. “What is important as we’re about to celebrate Human Rights Day is that we should be a proud nation and country given where we come from,” Deputy Director-General for Court Administration at the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DOJ&CD), Lucky Mohalaba told SAnews, in a recent interview with the South African Government news agency. March 2025…

President Cyril Ramaphosa takes a “very strong dim view” of a proposed visit to the United States of America by the Cape Independence Advocacy Group to seek the Western Cape’s secession from South Africa. This according to Presidential Spokesperson Vincent Magwenya who addressed the media on Thursday morning. “Our constitutional democracy that we forged in 1994, created a singular, non-racial state that recognises and protects our unity in diversity. From Musina to Cape Town, we are one democratic society that should never be allowed to fall under the chasm of race divide. “There is no part of our beautiful land…

At least six people are expected to appear in court this week in connection with a fraud scheme at the Kusile Power Station in Mpumalanga. According to Eskom, the six were arrested last week following a “coordinated intelligence-driven operation” and investigation. “[Six] individuals were arrested for their involvement in a fraudulent procurement scheme at Kusile Power Station. Among those apprehended are a former Kusile Procurement Officer and a Procurement Manager. “Investigations revealed that in 2018, a pump was unlawfully procured for R857 977, despite an identical pump with the same serial number having been purchased in 2015 for only R18…

Government will adjust the excise duties on alcohol and tobacco products at above the expected inflation rate in the 2025/26 financial year. According to the 2025 National Treasury Budget Review document, government is proposing to increase excise duties on alcoholic beverages by 6.75%, while the tobacco excise duties are expected to increase by 4.75% for cigarettes, cigarette tobacco, and electronic nicotine and non-nicotine delivery systems (“vaping”). The proposed increase for pipe tobacco and cigars is 6.75%. “To ease the administrative burden of implementing adjustments on Budget Day, in future years, adjustments to excise duties will take effect from 1 April.…

Over the next three years, government spending on economic development will be the fastest-growing function at an annual average rate of 8.1%, driven by higher allocations to infrastructure projects. According to the 2025 National Treasury Budget Review, medium-term spending for economic development will grow from R252.4 billion in 2024/25 to R318.4 billion in 2027/28. The Department of Land Reform and Rural Development will expedite the finalisation of outstanding land claims, prioritising older claims.  The department has been allocated R11.6 billion over the medium-term to settle about 844 land restitution claims, with R3 billion earmarked to allocate 138 000 hectares of…

In light of new and persistent spending pressures in health, education, transport and security, government has decided to raise value-added tax (VAT) by 0.5 percentage points in each of the next two years, which will bring VAT to 16% in the 2026/27 financial year. “These have to do with the government properly fulfilling its service delivery mandate. After careful consideration, the government has decided to fund these. Deferring the funding of these sectors further would compromise the government’s ability to meet its constitutional obligations to the people,” Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana said on Wednesday. The first 0.5 percentage point…

The South African government will spend more than R1 trillion over the next three years on public infrastructure in a show of government’s commitment to driving economic growth. This is according to Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana who delivered the 2025 Budget speech in Parliament on Wednesday. “[Infrastructure] is a key pillar of our growth strategy. It is the bedrock for economic development, a key source of jobs, and an avenue to scale-up service delivery. “This budget reflects that understanding. Allocations towards capital payments are the fastest growing area of spending by economic classification. Public infrastructure spending over the next…

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has been allocated R3.5 billion in the current financial year and an additional R4 billion over the medium term. Tabling the 2025 Budget Speech on Wednesday, Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana said broadening the tax base and improving the administrative efficiency of SARS allows government over time, to spread the tax burden more evenly and equitably. With this budget allocation, SARS will focus on leveraging technology, data science and artificial intelligence to foster efficiency and transparency in tax administration while combating exploitation by criminal syndicates. “By the end of February this year, SARS reported a…

Government has provisionally allocated an additional R19.2 billion over the medium term for the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa’s (PRASA) critical signalling upgrades. Tabling the 2025 Budget Speech on Wednesday, Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana, said the agency was making steady progress towards rebuilding infrastructure to provide affordable commuter rail services. “To sustain this progress, we have provisionally allocated an additional R19.2 billion over the medium term for critical signalling upgrades. This will enable commuters from areas like Mamelodi, Kwa-Mashu, Motherwell and Khayelitsha to catch a train every 10 minutes, to get to and from work and significantly reduce…

South Africa’s economy is projected to grow at an average of some 1.8% from 2025 to 2027, despite sluggish growth over the past decade. This is according to Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana who delivered the Budget Speech in Parliament on Wednesday. “[The] truth is our economy has stagnated for over a decade. In that time, Gross Domestic Product [GDP] growth has averaged less than 2%, far below the level required to meet our expanding list of needs. “In 2024, the economy grew by only 0.6%. Over the medium term, GDP growth is projected to average 1.8%. “To meet our goals…

South Africa requires upwards of R440 billion in the next 10 years to expand its transmission infrastructure, says Minister of Electricity and Energy, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa. Addressing the Africa Energy Indaba in Cape Town on Tuesday, the Minister said the country’s transmission development plans have identified the need to modernise and expand the grid for 14 000 kilometres in the next 10 years. “This is going to require an enormous amount of investment. The fiscus won’t be able to carry that. The Eskom balance sheet is not sufficient, so it is important to find bespoke financing instruments to make this possible,” the…

The Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana and National Treasury are set to finalise the budget and table it before Parliament next week on Wednesday, 12 March 2025. This is according to a Cabinet statement issued by the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) on Tuesday, following a special meeting held by Cabinet on Monday. The meeting was convened to consider inputs by members of the Cabinet into best possible options, under the circumstances, to fund the Budget of 2025/26 financial year and the medium term. “This follows another special Cabinet meeting on Monday, 24 February 2025, that allowed broad discussions…

Small Business Development Minister Stella Ndabeni has announced the creation of a R500 million Spaza Shop Support Fund that aims to enhance market competitiveness to help spaza shops and food handling outlets compete with larger retailers. Addressing media in Pretoria on Sunday, the Minister said the fund will be launched soon and will support township convenience shops, including spaza stores. “The fund will be launched in the next two weeks and a date will be communicated,” she said adding that the fund will comprise of funds from the Department of Small Business Development (R150 million) and the Department of Trade,…

The South African government is committed to reinvigorating the country’s logistics sector as an enabler of economic prosperity. This is according to Transport Minister Barbara Creecy who delivered remarks at the launch of a new World Bank report titled: “Driving Inclusive Growth in South Africa: Quick Wins with Competitive Markets and Efficient Institutions”. “[Government has] established the National Logistics Crisis Committee [NLCC]…comprised of representatives from the Presidency, various government departments and the private sector. “Its work includes securing strategic logistics corridors handling commodities that are essential to the export market and economic growth; addressing backlogs and congestion at strategic border…

In a major step towards cementing South Africa’s position as a global leader in green hydrogen, the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment, Dr Dion George, has overseen the launch of two game-changing environmental planning mechanisms. The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Guideline for green hydrogen projects and the South African Green Hydrogen Potential Atlas will remove regulatory uncertainty, drive investment, and accelerate South Africa’s transition to a green hydrogen economy. Developed in partnership with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), and GFA Consulting Group, these mechanisms will provide critical guidance…

Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Parks Tau, has emphasised the importance of regulating private healthcare costs to guarantee that affordable healthcare remains accessible to the majority of South Africans. “There is a serious concern about access to private healthcare in the country, given the high levels of market concentration and high prices,” he said on Tuesday. The Minister was speaking at a joint media briefing with Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi to share progress on implementing the recommendations from the Health Market Inquiry (HMI) into the private healthcare sector. The HMI, conducted five years ago by the Competition Commission…

The Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) has expressed its strong support for government’s vision to bolster innovation as articulated by President Cyril Ramaphosa in the 2025 State of the Nation Address (SONA). The department said the Innovation Fund will be a key priority for the government in the 2025/26 financial year, with implementation overseen by the DSTI Minister, Professor Blade Nzimande. In his address earlier this month, President Ramaphosa reaffirmed the government’s commitment to advancing the Innovation Fund, which aims to bolster the growth of innovative startups and technology-driven Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). “To build an innovative…

The National Treasury has expressed satisfaction with the progress being made to remove South Africa from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list. This follows an announcement by the FATF on Friday, in which it upgraded four of the six outstanding action items at the conclusion of its latest plenary meetings in Paris, France. The FATF is the international standard-setting body that oversees global compliance with anti-money laundering rules. The FATF grey list refers to the FATF’s practice of publicly identifying countries with strategic AML/CFT deficiencies. The FATF maintains two such lists with one being jurisdictions under “increased monitoring”…

The Minister of Electricity and Energy, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has assured South Africans that the country will overcome the current bout of load shedding crisis by the end of the week. The Minister along with Eskom executives were briefing the media on Sunday to provide an update on the status of South Africa’s electricity generation performance. The briefing follows an announcement by Eskom that it had implemented Stage 6 load shedding as of 1:30 am on Sunday. “I’m confident that by the end of the week, we should be out of this difficult situation. We are confident we’re going to…

The South African Police Service (SAPS) seized more than 70 000 counterfeit items valued at over R90 million in January 2025. The police also arrested 37 suspects of various nationalities during multiple takedown operations conducted in Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal throughout the month of January 2025. The seized counterfeit and illicit goods included cellphones and accessories, pharmaceuticals, cigarettes, toys, clothing and consumables. These operations were led by the National Counterfeit Goods Unit, with the support of the provincial Counterfeit Goods Units, the Department of Home Affairs, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) Customs division and brand protectors. A Mission Action Joint…

The use of drone technology has boosted South Africa’s border security efforts, with operations at ports of entry this festive season having been improved as a result. Speaking at a briefing on Friday on the Border Management Authority (BMA) festive season operations, Home Affairs Minister Dr Leon Schreiber said the use of drones at five ports of entry on a pilot basis made an immediate and visible impact. Schreiber said the piloting of new technology, including drones and body cameras, has demonstrated the power of digital transformation to secure and enhance border management. “It is now time for the BMA…

As the world convened in Davos for the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting recently, South Africa presented its vision for the G20 Presidency this year – outlining a path towards a more equitable and sustainable future. This is according to President Cyril Ramaphosa who addressed the country through his weekly Presidential newsletter on Monday. South Africa’s theme for the Group of Twenty (G20) Presidency is Solidary, Equality, Sustainable Development. “We made the point that it is in the interests of all countries, large and small, wealthy and poor, to reduce global inequality. That is why one of our priorities…

President Cyril Ramaphosa, says South Africa is undergoing a “fundamental transformation” – as it seeks to accelerate inclusive economic growth. President Ramaphosa was speaking at the South Africa Night World Economic Forum (WEF), held at the Garden Hall in Davos Klosters, Switzerland, on Tuesday evening. The event, hosted by Brand South Africa, celebrated the country’s G20 Presidency, an extraordinary opportunity to shape the global agenda for inclusive growth and sustainable development. The event was held on the sidelines of the annual WEF meeting, which is taking place from 20-24 January 2025, under the theme: “Collaboration for the Intelligent Age”. The…