Author: Agency

Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Mondli Gungubele has called on the union representing State Information Technology Agency (SITA) workers and the department to find an amicable resolution to the deadlocked wage negotiations. Earlier this week, members of the Public Servants Association (PSA) announced their strike action when wage negotiations had hit a dead end. “The Department of Communications and Digital Technologies has been alerted by SITA of the deadlock with negotiations and the subsequent protest action.  The department acknowledges the rights of employees to embark on such action. “Although the department has noted calls for the Minister to intervene,…

Africa can produce more energy than it requires within the next 30 years if it takes advantage of its natural resources. This is according to Minister in the Presidency for Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, who was delivering a keynote address on Green Hydrogen at the Africa Energy Week held in Cape Town. “We need to have a Pan African view in the exploitation of this energy carrier and our view is that by 2040 Africa can produce up to 50 times more energy from renewables than the world’s estimated demand. “This is as a result of our location advantages. I…

South Africa’s Census 2022 national results has shown an upward trend in ownership of refrigerators, televisions and cellphones.   “The overwhelming majority (92.1%) of households in the country owned a cellphone in working order, a notable increase from the 3.3% in 2001. Just under four-fifths (79%) of households owned televisions compared to the 52.6% in 2001,” Statistician-General Risenga Maluleke said. Furthermore, the data from Census 2022, which he handed over to President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday in Pretoria, shows that the ownership of a refrigerators/freezers increased from 53.8% in 2001 to 83.2% in 2022. “In contrast, households owning a radio…

The National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) Asset Forfeiture Unit has obtained a preservation order against assets related to a PPE matter worth R27 million in the Northern Cape. The order was granted against the assets of well-known Kimberley businessman Somandla Sibisi and his companies Macronym 37 and Aphiwokuhle Holdings. The frozen assets include a residential property bought for some R900 000, a business property – known as Live Café – bought for more than R2 million, kitchen equipment bought for over R300 000 and a 2013 model Audi A1 car bought for R130 000. NPA regional spokesperson, Mojalefa Senokoatsane, explained that…

The National Research Foundation (NRF) and the Energy Mobility Education Trust have concluded a three-year partnership agreement to fund postgraduate students in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and commerce fields. The agreement is said to focus on traditionally marginalised groups and contribute to the transformation of the education landscape, with a specific focus on South Africans who are Black, female or people with a disability. According to the Energy Mobility Education Trust CEO, Vuyo Mwase, the move will promote academic, scientific, and technological cooperation by supporting full-time studies for South African postgraduate students at the Honours level for…

Eskom’s transmission expansion and strengthening will require a “considerable amount of resources” that will require government and the private sector to work together. This is according to Minister in the Presidency for Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, when he was briefing media on the progress of the Energy Action Plan. “We are looking to tap into the liquidity that is available from the private sector to allow us an opportunity to expand the grid so that we are able to accommodate the renewable energy solutions that have been rolled out in the country, and a number of them have not been…

The South African Reserve Bank Governor Lesetja Kganyago has announced that the repo rate will remain unchanged at 8.25%. Kganyago made the announcement in Pretoria on Thursday after a meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC). He said South Africa’s load shedding has increased and prices for commodity exports continue to weaken. In the near term, stronger El Niño conditions threaten the agricultural outlook, while global climatic events present additional risks. “Energy and logistical constraints remain binding on the growth outlook, limiting economic activity and increasing costs,” said the Governor. The GDP growth forecast for 2024 and 2025 is unchanged…

A Vereeniging-based cable manufacturing company aims to create jobs for locals through the expansion of its cable manufacturing facility starting from October 2023 to 2025. M-TEC is one of the companies that made investment pledges at the fifth South African Investment Conference that was hosted by President Cyril Ramaphosa in Johannesburg in April this year. Pledges made at the conference contributed to bringing the total value of investment pledges, over a five-year investment mobilisation period, to R1.51 trillion, thereby exceeding the initial target of R1.2 trillion set by President Ramaphosa. M-TEC made the R70 million investment pledge, and says there…

Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan has welcomed the National Energy Regulator of South Africa’s (NERSA) decision to approve the trading and import/export license applications by the National Transmission Company of South Africa (NTCSA). The NTCSA is wholly owned by Eskom as the state-owned company is being restructured into the generation, transmission and distribution subsidiaries. “This is great news for the people of South Africa. We now have in place all the critical elements for creating a more dynamic, a more responsive and a competitive electricity industry. “The granting of these licences means that the National Transmission Company of South Africa…

Nangamso Matebese has been appointed to the advisory team in the Office of Deputy President Paul Mashatile.  “Ms Matebese is being seconded to the Office by the Development Bank of Southern Africa to serve as economic affairs advisor to the Deputy President,” a statement read on Monday. “Matebese brings critical experience to the Presidency, having been responsible for infrastructure coordination among her many past responsibilities.” Matebese is a qualified Chartered Banker with qualifications from Harvard Business School. She has over 14 years of experience in investment banking, infrastructure and project finance, fund administration and management, and portfolio management. The Office…

South Africa will use its Chairship of the Africa Green Hydrogen Alliance (AGHA) to advance the green hydrogen agenda on the continent and support opportunities for peer-to-peer learning, technology transfer, economic and employment opportunities. This is according to Minister in the Presidency for Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, who was handed Chairship of the AGHA on the sidelines of the Inaugural Africa Climate Summit (ACS), which took place from 04-06 September 2023 in Nairobi Kenya. “Green hydrogen and its associated large scale renewable energy production has the potential to support the expansion of the electricity transmission infrastructure, to add additional renewable energy…

Home Affairs Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, says officials are committed to making the country’s border posts safer, less porous and more efficient in the facilitation and easing of trade, as well as the legitimate movement of people. “The South African government is committed to putting in the latest infrastructure and relevant technology in its efforts to modernise and upgrade our ports to be on par with the current global best practices on border management,” Motsoaledi said. Addressing media in Pretoria on Wednesday, Motsoaledi said the main objective of upgrading border posts is to make it easier for law-abiding people and…

The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DJCOD) is expected to officially launch the Masters’ Deceased Estates Online Registration System in October. In a webinar to inform the public about the new online service, Advocate Kanyane Mathibe, Chief Director for Strategy and Policy in the Office of the Chief Master said the system seeks to enable the Masters’ offices to serve clients in a quicker manner and reduce queues. “We then embarked on a journey to develop an online deceased estates registration system that cuts the time in half that you can now register or report estates in the comfort…

Stats SA has announced that South African real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) expanded by 0.6% in the second quarter of 2023, which measured is from April to June. Six industries on the supply side of the economy grew in the second quarter, with manufacturing and finance driving much of the upward momentum. “On the demand side, the country benefitted from a sharp rise in investments in machinery and equipment, which included products related to renewable energy. Despite a decline in the overall household consumption, consumers continued to spend more on restaurants and hotels,” Stats SA said on Tuesday. The GDP…

President Cyril Ramaphosa has outlined to suspended Public Protector Adv. Busisiwe Mkhwebane the constitutional processes that pertain to her suspension or potential removal from office, which therefore prevent her from reporting for duty. In a letter on Monday, the President set out the conditions preventing Mkhwebane’s return to the office. “The President was responding to a letter he received from Adv. Mkhwebane earlier on the same day in which she expressed her intention to report for duty today, Tuesday, 5 September 2023, until the expiry of her term of office on 14 October 2023 or any lawful removal in terms…

The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) has warned the public of a fake website sent to unsuspecting job seekers informing them of the success of their job application, while requesting a refundable R250 to be paid for background checks. “The website, which may look real to an untrained eye, is illegitimate and fake. PRASA does not have a .org (dot org) domain or a dedicated vacancy website. PRASA does not charge job applicants for background checks, nor does our recruitment process involve payments,” the agency said on Monday. PRASA has advised the public to look out for the…

The 15th BRICS Summit held at the Sandton Convention Centre during August was a success that ‘heralded a new chapter’ for the group. This is according to President Cyril Ramaphosa who addressed the nation on Sunday evening. “It was a historic Summit that heralded a new chapter for BRICS. “The summit was attended by the five BRICS member countries along with representatives of 61 other countries. Forty-six of the countries that attended were from our continent, Africa. This included 20 Heads of State and Government. We were also honoured by the attendance of the United Nations Secretary-General Mr Antonio Guterres.…

The Renewable Energy Independent Power Producers Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) is having a positive socio-economic impact on the industry and the economy. This is according to the Minister in the Presidency for Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, who was speaking during a media briefing on the Energy Action Plan on Saturday. Thus far, some 134 IPPs have been selected as preferred bidders, 11 904MW have been procured with 6180MW already operational and investment of R334.5 billion has been attracted for energy infrastructure. Ramokgopa said that through the programme, “about R85 billion…has been placed in the hands of black business”. “This is significant…

Implementing reforms will serve to enhance the ability of State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) not only to adapt to industry developments but also to serve South Africans into the future. This is according to President Cyril Ramaphosa who met with chairpersons and chief executives of SOEs on Tuesday. “It is quite clear that the success of our economic recovery relies on the effective functioning of state-owned entities. We are implementing reforms to ensure that SOEs are able to adapt to new economic conditions, including rapid developments in technology, their respective operating environments and changing global trends, and to serve the country…

Between April and June this year, at least 135 000 earning opportunities were secured by young people through the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative’s (PYEI) National Pathway Management Network. Some 108 061 of these were accessed through the SA Youth platform with 27 088 opportunities scored through the Department of Employment and Labour’s Employment Services of South Africa (ESSA) website. This was revealed during a media briefing on Monday to update the nation on the progress made by the PYEI. The PYEI was announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa during 2020 as an intervention to rising youth unemployment in South Africa. Speaking…

Minister in the Presidency for Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has emphasised that the agreements signed in the past week with Chinese state owned entities and the donation by the People’s Republic of China are to address this country’s emergency energy solutions. South Africa concluded a significant amount of agreements with Chinese state owned entities (SOEs) with the signing of two overarching memoranda that were witnessed by President Cyril Ramaphosa and President Xi Jinping. South Africa hosted the 15th BRICS Summit last week and the country also hosted President Xi on his fourth State Visit to South Africa ahead of the…

At least 500 public facilities around the country are set to benefit from a donation from China which will allow them to have uninterrupted alternative power supply and shield them from the effects of load shedding. The donation includes generators, power supply vehicles and off grid PV energy storage supply systems. This was announced by Minister in the Presidency for Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, during the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) with eight Chinese entities. The signing ceremony was held on the side lines of the BRICS Summit, currently underway in Johannesburg. “Yesterday we exchanged letters in relation…

The anticipation is over and the stage is set. The much vaunted 15th Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa (BRICS) Summit kicks off at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg today. The Summit is held under the theme: “BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development, and Inclusive Multilateralism” and is expected to last until Thursday. The Summit brings together Heads of State and Government from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa with at least 30 other Heads and of State and Government from Africa and all across the world expected to attend. President Cyril Ramaphosa set…

BRICS countries have been urged to continue to support and invest in the township economy in an effort to reshape the perception of townships, and foster a brighter and inclusive future for all. The Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME), Maropene Ramokgopa, led a first of its kind Township Economy in BRICS Dialogue in Orlando West, Soweto, on Tuesday. Ramokgopa said that BRICS member countries have the capacity to leverage the combined resources, experiences and expertise to support each other in nurturing vibrant township economies. She said joint ventures, investment partnerships, and knowledge-sharing initiatives can bring…

Government is piloting a system in a number of provinces that will enable victims of domestic violence to apply for protection orders online. “The violence perpetrated by men against women and girls is an assault on our common humanity. Women do not feel safe in their homes, on the street, in places of work and study and worship,” President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Wednesday. The President made these remarks during his keynote address at the commemoration of Women’s Day at the Union Buildings in Pretoria. He told South Africans that government has responded to the call for tougher bail conditions for…