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President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Monday that economic growth without transformation entrenches exclusion, and that transformation without growth is unsustainable, calling for levers of funding for black-owned businesses to be pulled.

Ramaphosa wrote in his weekly letter to the nation that transformation is not a favour, but a necessity, noting the establishment of the Transformation Fund was created to support emerging, innovative businesses to, in turn, create job opportunities.

Government believes its proposed R100-billion Transformation Fund will help improve the effectiveness of broad-based black economic empowerment (BBBEE) spending as it seeks to aggregate the funding that JSE-listed groups, State-owned enterprises and unlisted private companies spend collectively on enterprise and supplier development, as well as some of the funding multinationals direct towards equity equivalent schemes to secure their BBBEE compliance, without selling shares in their companies.

Ramaphosa said that there was a critical need for black-owned businesses to access funding on affordable terms.

"While much of this funding should come from the development finance institutions, it is the private banks that have the resources to make the greatest impact. They need to review their lending practices to unleash the potential of black business," he said.

He said South Africans must do away with the "false notion" that they must make a choice between growth and transformation.

"The inequality of our past continues to shape the lives of millions of black South Africans. And yet many who continue to benefit from the legacy of exclusion continue to decry black economic empowerment and are even challenging it in our courts," he said.

He highlighted that South Africa was tasked with ensuring that it pursued growth and transformation together, with more vigour and to greater effect.

"That is why we continue to strengthen initiatives like the Black Industrialists Programme, which is building successful, competitive, black-owned enterprises in manufacturing and other sectors," he explained.

Ramaphosa pointed out that through mechanisms such as the Public Procurement Act, government must ensure that businesses owned by women, young people and persons with disabilities enjoy expanding opportunities.

"…we must ensure that transformation reaches into every sector, whether it is mining, construction, energy, IT or agriculture.

"The private sector should use their supply chains far more deliberately to empower many more black-owned businesses, not just to improve their BBBEE scorecard, but to grow and diversify their supplier base," he said.

He highlighted that as South Africa developed its infrastructure, grew new industries such as green hydrogen and electric vehicles, and drove localisation and reindustrialisation, government would continue to ensure that transformation was a guiding principle.

"The transformation we seek is not about ticking boxes. It is about building a resilient, just economy for generations to come. I call on all South Africans, and in particular the private sector, to recommit to economic transformation," said Ramaphosa.

South Africa is building up vaccine stocks and expanding inoculations to fight a worsening foot-and-mouth disease outbreak, the agriculture ministry said, as the country faces threats to beef supplies.

Foot-and-mouth disease is a highly contagious, viral infection of cloven-hoofed animals that may also affect other species. Flare-ups have been reported over the past several months in five of South Africa's nine provinces, with KwaZulu- Natal being the worst affected.

This week, Karan Beef, which operates the country's largest feedlot and one of the world's biggest, reported an outbreak at its facility in Heidelberg, about 50 kilometres southeast of Johannesburg. The quarantine imposed on the feedlot, which slaughters about 2 000 cattle daily, could impact beef supplies.

The government has ordered over 900 000 doses of foot-and-mouth disease vaccines with the first batch expected to arrive next week, the agriculture ministry said in a statement late on Thursday.

"These plans are not only about responding to outbreaks, but also about building permanent infrastructure to manage future risks," it said.

There are growing calls by some cattle producers to declare a "state of disaster" and protect the industry from financial losses. Invoking disaster law gives the government additional powers to intervene in a crisis.

The foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks have resulted in South African beef and related products being banned in markets such as China, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

South Africa's livestock sector is also recovering from its worst avian flu outbreak, which destroyed a third of the national chicken flock in 2023.

On Thursday, the government announced the first ever mass vaccination of poultry to prevent a repeat outbreak of high-pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), a bird flu that spreads rapidly in an infected flock, causing a high death rate.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) said on Friday, while the adoption of a Joint Parliamentary Committee report on farm murders is a step in the right direction, it believes its 10-point plan will restore law and order in rural areas.

Amid debates of farm murder in South Africa receiving special attention, DA Spokesperson on Police Ian Cameron said recognition without action is meaningless, expressing the DA's desire to deal with rural and community safety challenges with "realism, urgency and resolve."

"Reports do not restore lives, and food is not produced in supermarkets, however it is grown by the hands of farmers and farm workers, many of whom live in daily fear. When our farms are under threat, our food security is under threat," he said.

Cameron explained that the party's 10-point plan aims to establish a specialised Rural Safety Unit within the South African Police Services (Saps), with trained and equipped individuals solely focused on rural crime, farm attacks and stock theft.

Cameron said through better data collection, functional networks and "genuine cooperation" with farm watches and traditional leaders, the plan will strengthen rural crime intelligence, also "fix the criminal justice system".

He explained that this will be done by ensuring prosecution-led investigations and real-time intelligence are shared between Saps and the National Prosecuting Authority.

"This is not a plea for special treatment. It is a demand for equal protection for all rural families, farm workers, and farmers. We owe them more than sympathy. We owe them safety," he said.

He pointed to the criminal case surrounding the murder of 81-year-old retired Northern Cape farmer Hendrik Venter, using it as an example of what he believes is systemic failures that deny justice to rural communities.

"Venter was viciously murdered in his home in September 2024, stabbed three times in the head. Within 72 hours, police had detained five suspects. Yet despite this swift initial action, the case was struck off the court roll in May 2025 due to forensic backlogs, incomplete records, and poor prosecution," he highlighted.

He noted that the suspects were released, not because they were found innocent, but because the State was not prepared.

"…to this day, the case has not been re-enrolled, and the family has received no justice. This is not an exception - it is becoming the norm," he said.

Cameron explained that the DA's 10-point plan could rebuild trust between the police and rural communities through transparency, accountability and visible action.

The plan will declare farm attacks and stock theft as priority crimes and equip the Saps with forensic tools and skilled investigators to ensure perpetrators are brought to justice.

Cameron further noted that it will also support emerging farmers through secure land ownership, infrastructure, and financial assistance, while opposing expropriation without compensation, which he said threatens investor confidence, destabilises agriculture and undermines food security.

He claimed that the Venter's case is not just a "tragic failure," but a warning that without "serious and immediate reform," rural communities will continue to suffer in silence, and the South African agriculture will continue to erode.

ActionSA said on Friday it will formally write to Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Mmamoloko Kubayi to demand that Advocate Shamila Batohi be removed as the National Director of Public Prosecutions.

ActionSA wants the removal initiated in terms of Section 12 of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Act.

The party has accused the NPA of becoming a "refuge for the politically connected", alleging regular instances of avoided accountability, delayed justice and collapsed prosecutions.

This comes as a court withdrew charges against former Free State Premier Ace Magashule's former personal assistant Moroadi Cholota in the asbestos corruption case, owing to her unlawful extradition.

"Under Shamila Batohi's leadership, the NPA reels from one scandal to the next. South Africans are left wondering if these failures are merely a result of incompetence or is there a deliberate agenda to protect the corrupt," questioned ActionSA parliamentary leader Athol Trollip.

ActionSA wants a full parliamentary inquiry into the NPA's "ongoing prosecutorial failures" and evidence of political interference.

Trollip said the NPA had exposed its "deep dysfunction, either through incompetence or wilful neglect", adding that this was not an isolated "blunder", but part of what he termed a "disturbing and entrenched pattern".

"Let us be clear that this is not just about one failed case. The pattern is undeniable. From the Phala Phala saga to the collapse of high-profile cases like Timothy Omotoso, Shepherd Bushiri and the Estina Dairy Project, the list of prosecutorial disasters grows longer by the day. Most damning is the NPA's failure to secure the extradition of the Gupta brothers, nearly a decade after the Gupta Leaks shook the nation.

"In the most recent financial year, only six State Capture-related prosecutions were recorded, with a target of just 10 by 2027. This is an insult to the South African people, given the R500-billion in economic damage linked to State Capture. Despite lofty promises, there have been zero convictions connected to the Gupta Leaks revelations," he said.

Trollip pointed out that President Cyril Ramaphosa had the power, through the NPA Act, to provisionally suspend any Director of Public Prosecutions pending an inquiry into their fitness for office.

"His refusal to act is not a procedural matter; it is a failure of political will," stated Trollip.

"For all his talk of fighting corruption, he remains silent as the prosecutorial system collapses and the corrupt walk free. When those tasked with enforcing the law become enablers of lawlessness, the justice system becomes complicit, not just ineffective," he added.

Trade union Solidarity argued that government's April publication of employment equity regulations and sectoral targets contradicted a 2023 settlement between the two parties, as it failed to acknowledge the need for a nuanced approach to implementing affirmative action (AA).

Solidarity announced on Thursday that it had filed an urgent complaint with a UN agency regarding South African government's breach of the terms of its agreement with Solidarity on race laws, calling on the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to urgently intervene in the "racial abuses" in South Africa.

The settlement, ratified by a court order in 2023, agrees that AA must be applied in a nuanced way, that no absolute barrier to employment may be imposed on persons from any group and no terminations of employment may be effected as a consequence of AA.

Solidarity argues that the provisions of this agreement are not reflected in the regulations published by the Department of Employment and Labour in the April Government Gazette.

Solidarity's deputy chief executive Anton van der Bijl said Solidarity had already charged Minister of Employment and Labour Nomakhosazana Meth with contempt of court in relation to the court order, saying it would now also request intervention from the ILO to ensure that the settlement was honoured.

He described government's move with the gazette as "reprehensible", accusing it of abusing human rights.

"…now, even expecting the government to respect signed international treaties, and the settlements concluded under them, is too much to ask," he said.

Van der Bijl noted that this urgent complaint marked the next step in Solidarity's campaign against what it called "the race madness of the South African government".

Solidarity recently announced the establishment of a R7-million legal fund aimed at intensifying pressure - both locally and internationally - to bring an end to the race laws and quotas that it believes are "bringing South Africa and all South Africans to their knees".

Van der Bijl said this move was especially important as South Africa prepared to host the G20 Summit in November.

ActionSA MP Alan Beesley said the revelation from its Government of National Unity (GNU) Performance Tracker that Ministers in the coalition government have racked up more than R200-million in travel expenses since assuming office less than a year ago, paints a damning picture of "executive indulgence" during an "economic crisis".

Beesley explained that the figure of R200-million was revealed in the latest replies to ActionSA's parliamentary questions submitted to every Minister, including the President, Deputy President and the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture.

ActionSA is awaiting updated replies to its questions on the expenditure.

He pointed to what he called "the latest addition to the GNU's globe-trotting saga", the long-overdue reply from Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie, whose department has spent R6.6-million on international travel.

"…not only is this spending exorbitant, but it is riddled with red flags, gaps, and inconsistencies.

"Among the most shocking items is a R164 556 payment for a trip to Burkina Faso that never took place. The public paid for flights and accommodation for an event that was ultimately abandoned, a textbook case of wasteful expenditure, as defined by the Public Finance Management Act," Beesley said.

He wants McKenzie to explain whether the loss was unavoidable and whether all efforts were made to recover the funds, saying it reflected a "serious failure" of financial oversight and internal control if he could not prove so.

Beesley also noted McKenzie's deputy Peace Mabe's trip to the Havana Book Fair, costing over R200 000.

"In the middle of a literacy crisis, the GNU prioritises photo opportunities abroad over real reform at home," he said.

He further noted that no cost breakdowns were provided for Mabe's trip to the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles or her visit to the Creative Africa Nexus event in Algeria.

These omissions raised the question of what else is being hidden, with ActionSA noting that a department that failed to provide basic reporting on travel costs could not be trusted with public money.

Beesley claimed that the reply from McKenzie's office also ignored the request for a full breakdown of domestic and international travel, saying this reflected a broader culture of "selective transparency" that he claimed defined the GNU government.

Furthermore, he noted a reply, which revealed that Deputy President Paul Mashatile and his wife spent over R900 000 on just four nights' accommodation in Japan.

"That's enough to build a decent home for a family in need for each night they spent in luxury. This kind of wasteful expenditure, an extension of African National Congress excesses now rebranded under the GNU, has become business as usual for the world's most bloated executive," he said.

Beesley explained that ActionSA had introduced its first piece of legislation: the Enhanced Cut Cabinet Perks Bill, to tackle the culture of unchecked spending head-on.

He said this Bill sought to slash ministerial perks and restore much-needed fiscal discipline.

In celebration of youth month, Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero on Thursday launched the Joburg Bomb Squad (JBS), the City's specialised unit that aims to tackle crime and enhance service delivery.

Morero was speaking during its launch in Soweto, where he said the unit - which is aligned to the work of the Presidential Support Package for the city - will fight lawlessness, unlock service delivery bottlenecks and accelerate delivery over the next two years.

The JBS will adopt a precinct approach throughout the city, noting that "appropriate implementation" will be developed.

It will also be necessary for the JBS to develop appropriate interaction mechanisms with the City's Service Delivery War Room, Morero said.

He pointed out that the work of the Bomb Squad would be led by former South African Broadcasting Corporation head Snuki Zikalala, with support from the Project Management Office through the leveraging of existing capacity in the City's administration.

He explained that this work became operational on June 1.

He further highlighted that administrative support to the JBS would be provided through the offices of the COO.

Business intelligence gathering will be at the core of the work of the JBS, with meetings with relevant parties to isolate areas of potential land or building invasions, and to propose proactive intervention.

Rapid response teams will respond to service delivery failure hotspots and activate rapid interventions to address lawlessness in the city.

The JBS will execute a minimum programme of high-impact visibility, that includes a pothole programme, a grass cutting programme, and traffic light maintencnce across the city.

Morero promised that the JBS would also eliminate illegal refuse dumps across communities, fix streetlights in townships and on the highways and address sewerage spillages in townships and informal settlements.

It will formalise informal settlements, he added.

"Development cannot thrive where there is lawlessness. Investment cannot take root where safety and order are absent. Dignity cannot be restored where public spaces are overrun by decay. It is only through implementation we will be able to see the Johannesburg we want to see. For us and the community of Kliptown this means deploying dedicated multidisciplinary enforcement teams to address land invasions, protect infrastructure, regulate informal trading, and ensure compliance with urban management standards," he said.

He called on all sectors of society in Johannesburg to partner with the provincial government to make the squad effective, highlighting that the JBS would require financial resources.

Twenty-five survivors and the families of victims of apartheid-era crimes, along with the Foundation for Human Rights (FHR), have expressed support for the establishment of the new judicial commission of inquiry, however, they are unhappy that the commission will not be able to enforce any recommendations.

Last month, President Cyril Ramaphosa signed a proclamation for the establishment of a judicial commission of inquiry to determine whether attempts were made to prevent the investigation and prosecution of apartheid-era crimes, relating to the investigation and prosecution of Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) cases.

The families took government to court over the matter, seeking R167-million in constitutional damages for the government's "gross failure" to adequately investigate and prosecute apartheid-era political crimes following the TRC.

The new commission of inquiry will be chaired by retired Constitutional Court Judge Sisi Khampepe, assisted by retired Northern Cape Judge President Frans Diale Kgomo and Advocate Andrea Gabriel.

The FHR pointed out that the commission of inquiry was purely a fact-finding body and had no power to determine rights and remedies.

"…it can only make a recommendation to the President, who is both a respondent in the litigation and a key party to the commission itself. This creates a clear conflict of interest, as he becomes both a player and a referee in the proceedings," it said.

It further highlighted that the President was not bound to act on any recommendation and that even if he accepted a recommendation to pay constitutional damages, the commission's recommendation were not an enforceable court, arbitration or mediation order.

"Any payment would require the appropriation of public funds through the placing of a Bill before Parliament. The legislative process could take years," it argued.

However, the foundation welcomed the establishment of the inquiry, acknowledging that it was a long overdue step toward uncovering the truth and ensuring accountability.

The FHR committed its assistance in whatever way possible to execute the important mandate.

The Presidency has applied to the court for a stay of the litigation to the case brought against it by the families, pending the outcome of the commission of inquiry, but the FHR said it would oppose it and it intended to proceed with the case.

The stay application will be heard on August 6, separately, while the court will hear an intervention application by former President Thabo Mbeki and former Justice Minister Brigitte Mabandla on July 28.

The families and the FHR have already filed their opposition to this application and will contest it in court.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced that South Africa will organise a side event at the fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4), in pursuit of sustainable funding to back the country's pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The FfD4 will be held between June 30 and July 3, in Spain, under the theme 'Forging a common agenda to achieve debt sustainability in developing economies'.

The conference will address new and emerging issues, and the urgent need to fully implement the SDGs, and support reform of the international financial architecture.

Ramaphosa pointed out that the policy space available to developing countries was significantly constrained by debt servicing obligations and by climate and development financing needs.

He noted that 23 African countries were paying more for debt costs than critical development enablers such as health care and education.

He said South Africa, as G20 President, wanted to advance sustainable solutions to tackle high structural deficits and liquidity challenges and extend debt relief to developing economies.

"South Africa has been consistent that the priorities of its G20 Presidency should complement and support the ambitious objectives of the FfD4. We have placed solidarity, equality and sustainability at the centre of our G20 Presidency, driven by our conviction that global challenges can only be resolved through cooperation, collaboration and partnership," he stated.

Ramaphosa said the FfD4 was a crucial moment for the global community to accelerate its collective efforts, calling for urgency and "far greater ambition".

He pointed out that this event would bring together leading voices from various debt-related initiatives to identify synergies and areas of convergence.

"…it will seek consensus and highlight solutions that enjoy broad support. The Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development is a crucial opportunity to reshape the global financial system in support of the Sustainable Development Goals," he said.

He said countries must emerge from the conference with bold decisions and an ambitious action plan that leaves no country, no community and no person behind.

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana said he is waiting for a report on the country's inflation-targeting dispensation and he hasn't decided whether it should be adjusted.

"I do not have any views at the moment," Godongwana said in an interview in Cape Town on Wednesday. "All I do know is that there is a standing committee between ourselves and the Reserve Bank, and one of the matters they are discussing is the level of the inflation target. In the absence of a report tabled before us, we can't form an opinion."

The central bank's 3% to 6% inflation target hasn't been changed since it was introduced in 2000. Its governor, Lesetja Kganyago, favours shifting to a single-point target and has said that aiming for 3% would lead to lower interest rates than otherwise would be the case.

South Africa's annual inflation rate was less than 3% in March and April, and the central bank last week said expects it to average 3.2% this year and 4.2% in 2026. The bank aims to anchor inflation expectations around the midpoint of its target range

Godongwana didn't specify when he expects the panel that is reviewing the framework to complete its work.

"Once we get that report we will form an opinion and issue the appropriate statement," he said.

S&P Global Ratings Director Ravi Bhatia said a lower target would be good for South Africa's economy and government finances.

"The benefits from a rating point of view would primarily be the cost of government borrowing would go down and the cost of credit in the wider economy would go down, which would mean faster growth and more investment," he said at a conference in Johannesburg on Wednesday. A lower target would also help bring down interest rates over the medium and long term, he added.