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The GOOD Party said former Deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas's appointment as Special Envoy to the US is a choice that reflects integrity and competence, while the African National Congress (ANC) said it was a reaffirmation of the country's strategic intent to deepen bilateral and multilateral relations with mutual respect, shared interests, and inclusive development.

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Monday that Jonas would serve as the official representative for South Africa, amid tension with the US.

GOOD secretary-general Brett Herron said the appointment of a new Special Envoy to the US, following the expulsion of former Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool, was always going to be a significant decision.

"In a time marked by misinformation and polarisation, it is more critical than ever for South Africa to have a credible and principled representative in Washington. Divisive organisations like AfriForum, Solidarity, and the Cape Independence Advocacy Group, along with the Democratic Alliance sending their own envoys, have sought to shape narratives abroad that do not reflect the full picture of South Africa's realities or aspirations," Herron said.

He said some of their claims, such as those around land reform, needed to be addressed.

He believes Jonas's appointment will be an opportunity to restore balance and credibility with the US.

Herron pointed to Jonas's struggle credentials and technical expertise to qualify him for the role.

"…his time as a Deputy Minister, his business background with Ntiso Investment Holdings, and his chairpersonship of the board at MTN are all meaningful experiences which will contribute to his new role," Herron highlighted.

He pointed out that during the State Capture Inquiry, Jonas exemplified "ethical leadership and moral courage".

Herron said Jonas chose to take a principled stand by exposing the corrupt relationship between former President Jacob Zuma and the Gupta brothers, an act, which he said demonstrated integrity in the face of immense pressure.

"He also held the crucial role of Special Envoy on Investment, showing his ability to promote South Africa's interests within the international sphere. The geopolitical landscape, and particularly the dynamics within the United States, have shifted. The White House is no longer the predictable partner it once was," Herron stated.

The GOOD Party is hopeful Jonas will balance measured diplomacy and pragmatic engagement, to rebuild trust and position South Africa as a premier investment destination in Africa.

"We are confident that Mcebisi Jonas has the moral authority, strategic insight, and proven leadership to navigate this critical moment in the US-South Africa relationship," the party added.

Meanwhile, the ANC expressed confidence that Jonas would, in his new role, promote South Africa's priorities of trade, investment, technology exchange, and youth development, and ensure that South Africans had a voice in a global dialogue on peace, equity and sustainability.

ANC national spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri said his appointment came at a time when the world required cooperation over confrontation, dialogue over division.

"We therefore support President Ramaphosa's firm commitment to ensuring that South Africa's foreign policy remains a tool for transformation, development, and peaceful global engagement," said Bhengu-Motsiri.

The party reiterated its belief in progressive multilateralism, international solidarity, and respectful diplomacy.

"As relations between South Africa and the US evolve, we are encouraged by this move to strengthen engagement through principled dialogue and the pursuit of common goals that serve both our nations and the broader African continent," she said.

President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Monday that trade between countries must remain "free, predictable and governed by a rules-based system", particularly for developing economies, many of which he said remain in the lower end of global value chains.

He said the South African government was pursuing a trade policy that used international trade agreements to secure fairer terms, promote market access and facilitate expansion into new markets.

"That is why, as part of our G20 Presidency, South Africa is promoting a trade agenda in which G20 members commit to measures to promote expanded, more inclusive and more sustainable value chains," he explained.

He said South Africa would continue to advocate for a level playing field in global trade and supports the World Trade Organisation's (WTO's) reform process that seeks to address deficiencies in the global trade regime that work against developing economies.

In wishing the WTO well on its thirtieth anniversary, last week, Ramaphosa urged the body to uphold its aims to ensure smooth, predictable and free trade, amid what he described as "challenging and uncertain times".

As the world grappled with flip-flop tariffs, imposed and suspended, by US President Donald Trump, Ramaphosa called for a recalibration of trade rules that ensured policy space for the industrialisation of developing countries.

He described constraints and potential over-reach of trade rules, globally, which he said limited access to key policy tools.

He called on the WTO to provide reform and to be assertive in its mission, as more than 80% of world trade takes place under WTO rules.

He stressed that South Africa is committed to maintaining good relations with existing trade partners and to forging new trade relationships.

"As government, business and labour, we will continue to deepen our collaboration as we navigate a global trade environment that has become increasingly complex. Our goal is to secure favourable trade terms that advance our national interest, drive inclusive growth and create jobs for the South African people," he noted.

Ramaphosa said developing economies, such as South Africa's, were vulnerable to volatility in international trade.

"…this is particularly the case in the face of unilateral actions and coercive measures that undermine multilateral agreements and the global rules-based trading system. We are, therefore, working in different ways to make our domestic industries more resilient," he assured.

To bolster the value of the country's exports, he said government was strengthening the regulatory regime, noting that last month the Plant Health Act was signed into law.

The new law aims to improve domestic biosecurity and ensure greater alignment with international export requirements.

Government is also intensifying its efforts to diversify destinations for South African goods, products and services, with Ramaphosa noting government's access to the Thailand market for apples, for the first time in 16 years. South Africa also exported the country's first container of avocados to Japan.

This month South Africa also gained market access for South African table grapes to the Philippines.

"We are deepening relations with countries and regions with which we have regional and bilateral trade agreements that provide preferential trade terms. These include the Southern African Customs Union and the Southern African Development Community Free Trade Area," he said.

He highlighted that government was working to make effective use of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), saying government had commenced trading under the AfCFTA Agreement.

At last month's EU-South Africa Summit in Cape Town South Africa signed a trade and investment package worth around R90-billion, which will support the export of more South African-made products into the EU.

"We are increasing investment in domestic industries that contribute to exports. The 2025 Budget allocates increased funding to boost manufacturing and a...

President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday announced former deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas as a special envoy to the United States.

Jonas is currently independent non-executive chairman of telecommunications company MTN Group , a role he will continue to hold alongside the envoy position.

"Jonas is entrusted with the responsibility to advance South Africa's diplomatic, trade and bilateral priorities. He will lead negotiations, foster strategic partnerships and engage with US government officials and private-sector leaders to promote our nation's interests," Ramaphosa's office said in a statement.

Relations between South Africa and the US have soured badly since US President Donald Trump's return to the White House in January.

The US has cut financial aid to South Africa, citing disapproval of its land reform policies and its genocide case against Washington's ally Israel at the International Court of Justice, and expelled South Africa's ambassador last month.

Jonas was South Africa's deputy finance minister between 2014 and 2017.

An outspoken critic of corruption during his time in government, he featured prominently in a judicial inquiry into graft and influence-peddling during former president Jacob Zuma's leadership.

Jonas told the inquiry he was offered the finance minister job as well as large sums of money by the Gupta brothers, friends of Zuma. Zuma and the Guptas denied wrongdoing.

In a meeting with African National Congress (ANC) on Friday, Government of National Unity (GNU) partner RISE Mzansi, expressed its commitment to the coalition government but advised that the rules of engagement between GNU parties needed to be strengthened.

The ANC is meeting with parties in and out of the GNU amid tensions in the new government, following the passing of the Budget in March, which will result in a VAT hike from May 1.

The ANC has so far met with ActionSA and the Inkatha Freedom Party and is expected to meet with the Democratic Alliance (DA) this weekend.

The RISE Mzansi delegation that met with the ANC included National Chairperson Vuyiswa Ramokgopa, Chief Organiser Makashule Gana, and Head of Policy Mandla Isaacs.

The party stressed its support for the recently adopted Fiscal Framework, admitting that while it was not "desirable", it was the "best possible outcome".

It blamed the situation on 15 years of corruption, ineffectual leadership and poor decision-making.

"These politically engineered crises must be addressed in a concerted and deliberate manner, as the goodwill of South Africans has been depleted, and that a Budget of this nature for 2026/27 will not be tolerated by the people. Our reading of the response by South Africans, is not entirely about more money leaving their pockets, but rather it is about a government and its leadership that cannot guarantee that this money will be properly spent," the party said.

However, it did note positives in the Budget, which it rallied behind, such as R19.2-billion over the medium-term to upgrade signalling infrastructure at Public Rail Agency of South Africa; R9.3-billion for the employment of unemployed doctors; R156.3-billion for water and sanitation infrastructure; R2.4-billion allocated to the turnaround of services in metros; R500-million for the South African Revenue Services; and R11-billion allocated to reduce the public wage.

"It is worth noting that within the Fiscal Framework, there are R3.6-billion in measures to offset the VAT: R2-billion in the expansion of the basket of VAT-exempt goods, and R1.6-billion in above-inflation increases for social grants," it said, as it said it was committed to a spending review.

Meanwhile, RISE Mzansi urged respect from GNU parties in their engagements with each other and to unite under the banner of government rather than political parties.

It further warned against a "dangerous and narrow narrative" that suggestions that the DA is the only party in the GNU that is able to effect economic growth and end corruption.

"RISE Mzansi remains committed to the GNU, but notes that the rules of engagement need to be strengthened, codified and agreed to by all signatories to the Statement of Intent. All GNU partners, especially those in the Executive need to sing form the same hymn sheet on Executive matters. The petty insults, contradictions and media leaks are not helpful, and do not show the kind of leadership that South Africans seek," it said.

It urged compromised and debate under a "new normal" for the benefit of South Africa.

"…regardless of how the vote went on the Fiscal Framework, the VAT increase was going to kick in on 1 May 2025, our work now is to find the funds that will enable Parliament and the Finance Minister to scrap it," RISE Mzansi said.

In wishing the World Trade Organisation (WTO) well on its thirtieth anniversary, President Cyril Ramaphosa urged the body to uphold its aims to ensure smooth, predictable and free trade, amid what he described as "challenging and uncertain times".

As the world grappled with flip-flop tariffs, imposed and suspended, by US President Donald Trump, Ramaphosa called for a recalibration of trade rules that ensured policy space for the industrialisation of developing countries.

He described constraints and potential over-reach of trade rules, globally, which he said limited access to key policy tools.

He called on the WTO to provide reform and to be assertive in its mission, as more than 80% of world trade takes place under WTO rules.

"We are seeing unilateral and protectionist measures being implemented by some advanced economies that are outside the agreed-upon multilateral framework. It is incumbent on us all to ensure that the multilateral trading system is strengthened, or we risk the encroachment of a global trade regime based on power dynamics. The WTO is called upon to assert its role in ensuring that global trade works for all. WTO reform must be development centric. Consensus-based decision-making in the WTO must remain paramount," Ramaphosa said.

He noted that the fourteenth Ministerial Conference of the WTO, in Cameroon in 2026, provided an opportunity to outline a road to reform.

Ramaphosa gave South Africa's support for WTO director-general Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala's reform initiative and said efforts must be redoubled and that structural transformation must ensure that developing countries were included in global trade, as imbalances persist.

"Developing countries that account for most of the WTO's membership remain locked into the lower end of global value chains. Commodity dependence further exposes these economies to price volatility and macro-economic disruption," he said.

Government of National Unity (GNU) partners the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) and the African National Congress (ANC) held Budget impasse discussions on Thursday, and affirmed their commitment to the coalition government, as well as a view that the May 1 value-added tax (VAT) increase is a "temporary short-term intervention".

The ANC is meeting with parties in and out of the GNU amid tensions in the new government, following the passing of the Budget in March.

The GNU has been rocked by threats of reconstitution, with the ANC, Democratic Alliance (DA) and other parties at loggerheads over the VAT increase proposed in the Budget.

The ANC met with ActionSA on Wednesday, and both parties expressed a commitment to shield South Africans from the May 1 VAT increase and affirmed that there was no discussion about a reconstituted GNU.

Rumours of ActionSA joining the GNU were dismissed by ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba on Tuesday when he said that his party would not give any consideration to the proposal of reconstituting the GNU to include ActionSA until the issues of the VAT increase and income tax bracket creep had been resolved.

The IFP and ANC's meeting was led by IFP leader Velenkosini Hlabisa and ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula, and both parties lent support to the revised Budget that was adopted by Parliament.

"We emphasise that the Budget is fundamentally pro-poor, incorporating robust social safety nets to protect vulnerable families. This includes, among other measures, the expansion of zero-rated VAT items to ease the financial burden on low-income households. The Parties affirm that the VAT increase is a temporary short-term intervention and agreed that the National Treasury must urgently explore alternative revenue-generation strategies to mitigate the impact of this marginal increase on consumers," the IFP said in a statement.

Owing to South Africa's economic challenges, both parties dismissed additional government borrowing as an option and said the current arrangement was the most viable for South Africa's economic stability and long-term development.

The IFP said it was set to meet with the DA on Sunday as part of its aim to strengthen cooperation and consensus-building in the GNU.

South Africa's manufacturing output fell 3.2% year on year in February after falling by a revised 3.2% in January, statistics agency data showed on Thursday.

Factory production rose 0.3% month on month after rising by a revised 0.4% in January.

Government has denied accusations that South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers were deployed to Matatiele, in the Eastern Cape, this week, where protestors demanded justice following the alleged rape of a seven-year-old child.

On Tuesday the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and ActionSA called for transparency on the alleged presence of soldiers at the march.

The EFF and ActionSA said any deployment would have been unconstitutional as no notice was given to Parliament, as is required by law.

"The SANDF has noted with concern reports and allegations of a so-called 'deployment' in Matatiele to monitor a community march against gender-based violence (GBV). The SANDF can confirm that there has been no such deployment. We wish to clarify that SANDF members are currently in the area solely for border safeguarding duties," government said.

It expressed regret for the presence of any soldiers seen during the march against GBV and said the SANDF was a gender-sensitive organisation that supported gender-related programmes.

"We are fully aware of the unacceptably high levels of GBV and the widespread violence against women and children. The SANDF supports all efforts by institutions and citizens aimed at addressing this national crisis," government said.

Lobby group AfriForum on Wednesday made an urgent submission to the National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola to classify farm attacks as a national priority crime.

The submission was made in terms of Section 17(d) of the South African Police Services Act.

In a letter send to Masemola, AfriForum chief spokesperson for community safety Jacques Broodryk maintained that the factual realities of farm attacks necessitate the "seriousness and urgency of prioritisation" and called for the involved of the specialised investigative skills of the Directorate of Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks).

Broodryk argued that farm attacks, owing to the organised nature and national impact of these crimes, required specialised skills, coordination, dedicated investigative capacity and police resources.

"The impact of farm attacks on the stability of the country and the public's confidence in the government's ability to protect human life and property is presented as further justification for AfriForum's application for the urgent prioritisation of farm attacks," he said.

As part of the argument for prioritising farm attacks, AfriForum recommended the establishment of a dedicated Hawks task team to facilitate the development of a strategy for rural crime as well as farm-related crime.

This task team, the organisation said, should also coordinate cooperation with the South African Police Service (Saps) rural safety units, farming associations and private security agencies, ensuring proper recording, tracking and analysis of farm attacks and, where applicable, investigate political incitement in relation to farm attacks.

AfriForum's submission to Masemola emphasised that farm attacks were not "simply an isolated type of crime" but, that it had far-reaching implications for rural communities and South Africa.

"According to AfriForum, farm attacks are characterised by extreme levels of violence; targeted attacks on vulnerable and isolated communities; and contain elements of political incitement that openly encourage violence against farmers. In addition, farm attacks have a significant impact on the local economy, have serious implications for food security and have a significant psychological and social destabilising effect, leading to the depopulation of rural areas, job losses and ultimately economic decline," explained Broodryk.

He said the Saps, during its ongoing first National Policing Summit had the ideal opportunity to address the issue, claiming that farm attacks had been ignored by politicians and Saps leaders, despite the Saps having previously stated that farm attacks required a unique response.

"…now is the time to implement this response. Prioritising farm attacks is the only way to help achieve this objective for the rural community. It is time to stop politicking and take concrete steps in the interest of South Africa and its people," emphasised Broodryk.

President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Wednesday that society should insist that women have more control over their lives and economic independence, which he believes will reduce their vulnerability to violence.

Ramaphosa was speaking during the biennial conference of the International Association of Women Judges in Cape Town, where he said that to apply the law fairly in cases of gender-based violence, the composition of the bench matters, particularly with respect to outlook.

"Of course, one cannot go by perception or assumption. One can have progressive and reform-minded male jurists as much as one can have conservative, anti-reform female jurists. Yet, we strive to ensure there is greater female representation on the bench because it is a transformational imperative," he said.

Ramaphosa noted the profound effects of gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) on women and girls, such as physical injury, long-term mental health problems, and even death.

"It is the result of complex societal, cultural, and structural factors: some of which are the unequal power dynamics between men and women, cultural norms and practices, unemployment, conflict and wars, and patriarchy.

"Furthermore, there is economic violence against women where they are prevented from accessing financial resources and achieving independence, thereby condemning them to poverty," he explained.

He highlighted that South Africa had come a long way from a time when the bench had only three black male judges and not a single black woman.

"Today, about 48% of judges in our superior courts are female and 6 out of our 15 superior courts are led by women, including the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court of Appeal. At the level of the magistracy, more than half of our magistrates are female," he pointed out.

Ramaphosa said female jurists had particularly "strong influence and can shift the broader judicial culture with respect to GBVF".

He welcomed the commendable progress that had come from the inclusion of females, such as improving courtroom procedure to make them more survivor-centric and streamlining the procedures for obtaining protection orders.

LAWS AND LEGAL SYSTEM

However, he noted that a central issue was overcoming the blind spots in the law and the legal system that were working against the rights and interests of survivors.

He explained that for the fight against gender-based violence to be strengthened and to have a measurable and sustainable impact, it was critical that these deficiencies were addressed to bring about change.

He highlighted that in 2022, South Africa passed a trio of laws to strengthen the legal framework and offer greater protection to survivors.

Ramaphosa explained that suspects accused of serious and violent crimes against women were being granted bail and were absconding, and re-offending, and that courts were not applying prescribed minimum sentencing laws for crimes like rape, and serious offenders were receiving light sentences.

He added that survivors of domestic violence were experiencing secondary victimisation by the police and the courts.

"It became clear there was a contradiction at play, with strong laws to advance women's rights on one hand, and stubbornly high levels of gender-based violence on the other. It then became necessary to examine whether the issue was with survivors not achieving justice through our courts, with lack of implementation of the law; or with deficiencies in the laws themselves," he said.

He noted that though these factors all played a role, gaps in the law were identified as a serious challenge contributing to uneven application.

This was found to be widespread across the judicial system, from the magistracy to the lower and higher courts, he explained.

In 2022, following an extensive public consultation process, government amended the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act; the Criminal and Related Matters Amendment Act and the Domestic Violence Act, as part of the...