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In his address during the first G20 Foreign Ministers' meeting under a South African G20 Presidency, Cyril Ramaphosa reflected on the interconnected challenges of geopolitical tensions, rising intolerance, conflict, climate change, pandemics and energy and food insecurity, and stressed the importance of inclusive and coordinated responses to meet these challenges.

He noted he significance of holding the G20 Leaders Summit, later this year, in Africa, and said African voices needed to be heard on global issues such as sustainable development, the digital economy and green energy.

In what is seen as a controversial first meeting of foreign ministers under the G20, owing to tension with the US, Ramaphosa said the G20 Summit was an opportunity for greater collaboration between Africa and the rest of the world.

"The nations of the world look to the G20 for leadership on the most pressing issues confronting our world. Just as cooperation supported the progress of early humans, our modern-day challenges can only be resolved through collaboration, partnership and solidarity. That is why South Africa has placed solidarity, equality and sustainability at the centre of our G20 Presidency. We would like our G20 Presidency to be one in which all voices are heard and in which all views count," the South African President said.

He noted a lack of consensus among G20 nations, which make up two-thirds of the global population, on the best responses to global challenges and said decisions taken must reflect the needs of everybody.

Ramaphosa said the G20 needs to lead in the global agenda for "people, planet and prosperity".

"As we strive towards a common purpose, let us remember that cooperation is our greatest strength. Let us seek to find common ground through constructive engagement. Through the G20, let us set the coordinates of a new course for human progress, one that is founded on solidarity, equality and sustainability," Ramaphosa stated.

CONFLICTS

He boldly called for reform in the United Nations (UN), particularly the UN Security Council, which he said must be more globally representative, agile and responsive, as he mentioned the conflicts raging in Russia and Ukraine, in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, in Sudan, in the Sahel and in Gaza.

He pointed to South Africa's own experience with conflict resolution and stressed the need for inclusive dialogue for peace.

"[The conflicts] continue to exact a heavy human toll and heighten global insecurity. South Africa welcomes the ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Hamas as a crucial first step toward ending the severe humanitarian crisis faced by Palestinians in Gaza. This ceasefire must lay the basis for a just and lasting peace in line with UN resolutions, international law and internationally agreed parameters. As the G20, we must continue to advocate for diplomatic solutions," he said.

G20 PRIORITIES

Under a South African Presidency, Ramaphosa outlined the priorities for the G20, with strong focus on climate change, debt-sustainability, just energy transition finance and harnessing critical minerals for inclusive growth and sustainable development.

Specifically, under these priorities, Ramaphosa outlined the need for stronger disaster resilience and response, owing to the effects of climate change, noting that poorer countries face bigger challenges during recovery.

Further, he stated that developing economies are experiencing the highest borrowing costs in nearly two decades, impacting on domestic expenditure and development.

"More than 3.3-billion people live in countries where interest payments on debt exceed education or health spending. The G20 needs to renew its efforts to advance debt sustainability, with a particular emphasis on African countries," Ramaphosa said.

While he acknowledged the responsibility of every country to make efforts to combat climate change, he said those countries most responsible for climate change have a duty and responsibility ...

Donald Trump's axing of aid to South Africa, in response to land reform policies he says will harm its white minority, has raised fears a trade deal may be next, though any such move would hurt the same farmers the US president says he wants to help.

Under the Africa Growth and Opportunities Act, South Africa gets tariff-free quotas on agricultural exports including wine, citrus, soybeans, sugar cane and beef. The Act makes up about a quarter of its $15-billion annual trade with the United States. That compares with under $440-million in US aid, in 2023.

"It is not clear whether the exporters are Black or white; we don't record such data," said Wandile Sihlobo, chief economist of the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa, but only a tenth of farm output is from Black farmers.

"The majority of white farmers (are) likely have a significant exposure into the US market," he said.

Sihlobo said produce shipped to the United States makes up 4% of agricultural exports, equal to about $450-million a year, compared with 19% for the European Union and 38% to the rest of Africa.

But some producers, like those for citrus fruit and wine, are more exposed - the former made $134-million in 2022, 7% of the country's total, while the US is its fourth largest wine market, Sihlobo said.

"It's not industry-ending ... but it's very unfortunate," said Justin Chadwick, Citrus Growers Association president, estimating US-bound exports at 120 000 tonnes.

"We (would have) ... to find another home for that fruit ... and our other markets are pretty full."

'UNWISE'

The Africa Growth and Opportunities Act (Agoa) is up for review in September. Some Republicans want to punish South Africa for land reform, its genocide case against Israel and other actions such as naval exercises with Russia and China.

The US State Department did not respond to a request for comment.

"We urge you to revoke South Africa's preference benefits, under the Act, four congressmen wrote to Trump on February 11, CNBC news reported.

"There's a real likelihood that South Africa is not going to be included in a renewed Agoa," Chatham House senior research fellow Chris Vandome, said. "It's position is really fragile".

Trump singled out a law that President Cyril Ramaphosa signed last month enabling land expropriation - in rare cases without compensation - after decades of voluntary purchases barely dented inequalities between a white minority who own 75% of freehold land and majority Blacks with 4%.

Some farmers say the law violates property rights. Groups defending Afrikaners, descendents of Dutch settlers who make up the largest white ethnic group and own much of privately held land, have lobbied Republican politicians for years.

"It was unwise. They're shooting themselves in the foot," Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola told Reuters in an interview on Monday. "If Agoa is cut, it's a cutting of white farmers."

But Ernst Roets, then-lobbyist for Afrikaner group AfriForum, who travelled to the States in 2018 and brought the land issue to Fox News and some Republican officials - the year Trump first took an interest in it - said he had "no regrets."

"We're hoping for pressure on the South African government to reconsider its destructive policy ideas," Roets, now part of a different lobby group, said.

Not all agribusiness will lose if the Act gets chopped.

Poultry farmers struggling to "compete with dumping" of subsidised U.S. chicken imports under the Act would benefit, said Marthinus Stander, a board member of the South African Poultry Association.

The African National Congress (ANC) has reconfigured its Provincial Executive Committees (PEC) in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, incorporating experienced leaders and veterans as part of plans to reinforce stability and renewal.

The party explained that the leadership in these provinces would focus on inspiring hope, addressing electoral setbacks, and driving transformation and development in line with the ANC's renewal agenda.

Following the electoral losses suffered by the ANC in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal during last year's general elections, the party called for leadership in those provinces to be reconstituted, in terms of the framework of its constitution.

ANC national spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri said the intervention, aligned with the party's constitution, was part of a broader strategy to rebuild the movement and prepare for the 2026 Local Government Elections.

The ANC held engagements with the PECs of Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal on Tuesday to communicate the decision of the party's National Executive Committee (NEC).

She said the next phase included direct engagements with regional structures in both provinces, followed by a comprehensive induction of the reconfigured provincial leadership and strategic planning sessions.

"…these efforts will provide a structured framework for renewal, political education, and the implementation of the 2024 ANC Manifesto," said Bhengu-Motsiri.

Last month, the NEC agreed that unity of the party should be the overriding objective and to achieve this the party must ensure that all its leaders worked together in renewing and building the organisation.

The NEC agreed that the state of the organisation in all provinces required urgent action following the poor electoral outcome.

"…however, the decline suffered in the two key provinces required immediate action as the two provinces were not only the most populous but economic hubs of the country and account significantly for the national vote share," the ANC NEC explained.

In strengthening the ANC, the NEC agreed to ensure that the renewal process continued and that it would also focus on political education.

Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema said the postponement of the 2025 Budget speech rendered Parliament "useless", arguing that there is no authority for its postponement as the Budget must be tabled so that it can be debated and ultimately adopted.

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana was due to table his first Budget under the Government of National Unity (GNU) on Wednesday, but the speaker of Parliament Thoko Didiza was forced to postpone it after Cabinet failed to agree with a two-percentage-point value-added tax (VAT) hike included in the Budget.

The Budget will now be tabled on March 12.

Didiza said the postpoment was an unforeseen and unavoidable situation, noting that the postponement was unprecedented.

"We must all know that this is unprecedented, and this is not a practice that we want to set for this parliament, it is going to be your legacy [Speaker] that during your tenure Parliament could not debate and adopt Budget. We are saying to you are denying this body [MPs] an opportunity to receive Budget, debate it, accept it or reject it," said Malema.

He accused Didiza of subjecting South Africa's Budget to party politics.

"…let the Budget be presented here and let Parliament decide that this is the decision we are taking as Parliament. You can't come here confidently and say parties the executives have agreed," he said.

He stated that there is no government, it has collapsed and that it has no capacity to present a Budget.

"Today we have witnessed a Government of National Unity, grand coalition of DA and African National Congress (ANC) collapsing in front of South Africa, something that we said to all of you that it will not last. We will never agree to increase of 2% on VAT, from 15% to 17% and that is why they are scared to come here, because it will be rejected," Malema noted.

GOVERNMENT FAILURES

Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance (DA) said it "unequivocally" rejected the African National Congress's (ANC's) VAT hike plan.

"The postponement of the Minister of Finance's 2025/26 National Budget Speech today is a victory for the people of South Africa, as it prevents the implementation of a 2% VAT increase that would have broken the back of our economy," said DA leader John Steenhuisen

He claimed that the last minute postponement came about because of the so-called failure by the ANC, and specifically Godongwana, to engage meaningfully with the alternative proposals tabled by the DA.

"Following our defeat of the ANC's plan to hike VAT, we will now fight with the same vigour to introduce a new budget that is anchored in growing the economy, rather than increasing taxes or debt," Steenhuisen said.

The party pointed out that if the VAT hike was included in the Budget, it was prepared to vote it down in Parliament.

Steenhuisen highlighted that the postponement demonstrated the "DA's muscle within the GNU", stating that for the first time ever, the ANC was prevented from tabling an "anti-growth budget".

"…now is the time to replace a failed ANC VAT budget, with a brand new GNU growth budget," he said.

City of Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said on X that the ANC had learnt an "essential lesso"n in coalition government, stating that the DA was clear that it would not support VAT increases as it hurt the poor.

uMkhonto weSizwe Party MP Jimmy Manyi said the postponement is an indication of the crisis that the country is facing.

"This country has got no leadership, this is what we are facing. If we say we have democracy, let democracy come and exercise itself here. This is the theatre of politics. Let the Minister of Finance come and say whatever that he wanted to say. We do not want to hear rumours. We hear very disturbing rumours that the VAT would have been increased by 2%, rumours that the ANC-led government wanted to impoverish our people," noted Manyi.

South Africa's government has drafted an early retirement offer for civil servants, part of an effort to reduce its wage bill, according to people familiar with the matter.

State workers aged between 55 and 60 could be offered two weeks' pay for every year they have worked up to a maximum of 20 years, and one week's pay for every year they have been employed after that, said the people, who asked not to be identified as the information is private. Any penalties usually incurred by those taking early retirement will likely be waived, they said.

The National Treasury is in a closed period until after the presentation of the annual budget on Wednesday and didn't immediately respond to questions.

If adopted, the early retirement plan would be available over the next two years and about 30 000 people could take up the packages, the people said. Priority will be given to applications from staff at government departments confronting more severe budgetary pressures, they added.

Any offer will be tabled at the Public Sector Bargaining Council Chamber, the people said. In October last year, the Treasury said it was setting aside R11-billion to fund early retirement, with more details to be released in the budget.

The government's wage bill accounts for more than a third of its total expenditure, crowding out spending on other priorities. Previous early retirement offers had limited take-up.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) said on Tuesday despite ideological and policy differences in the Government of National Unity (GNU), the DA, and its coalition partners, is dedicated to upholding a "robust and mutually beneficial" partnership with the Trump administration.

Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order to cut US funding to South Africa, citing disapproval of the country's land policy and its genocide case against US ally Israel.

The DA has urged the Department of Health (DoH) to continue engaging with the US government to ensure that health funding services are reinstated, and to report back to the parliamentary health portfolio committee within the next two weeks about the progress of these engagements.

"We remain willing and eager to engage with American policymakers to provide clarity on South Africa's current political context and to advocate for the continuation of vital aid and trade agreements," explained DA deputy spokesperson on Health Dr Karl le Roux.

The party expressed satisfaction with DoH director-general Dr Sandile Buthelezi's clear guidance about how health facilities should continue to provide uninterrupted HIV services in the wake of the abrupt freeze by the US government of PEPFAR-funded programmes in the country.

The department provided clear delineation of critical services that must be maintained, including HIV testing, antiretroviral treatment (ART) initiation, continued viral load testing, same-day ART scripting for patients who re-engage care, the management of advanced HIV disease and the provision of pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP and PrEP).

"We also welcome the guidelines on facility-level task-shifting, so that enrolled nurses, nursing assistants and community health workers can assume responsibilities previously managed by PEPFAR-supported staff; and we further commend the DG for urging facilities to prioritise 3-month ART dispensing for all ART patients and the call to implement 6-month ART dispensing for stable ART clients where sufficient stocks of treatment exist," said Le Roux.

He highlighted that many of these measures would ensure that patients needed to visit facilities less often, help decongest clinics and hospitals, and should be kept in place even if PEPFAR-funded healthcare workers are re-instated in the future.

Meanwhile, he pointed out that the US had been a longstanding and valued partner to South Africa, noting that in 2024 alone, South Africa received $453-million in direct funding under the PEPFAR programme, with a projected $439-million allocated for 2025.

"This funding is vital to sustaining life-saving HIV/AIDS treatment and support services for the most vulnerable members of our society. In addition, millions of US dollars flow into South African NGOs and government departments for humanitarian and environmental programmes that directly benefit our most vulnerable communities," explained Le Roux.

He noted that until the Trump administration's decision to suspend PEPFAR funding, South Africans living with HIV/AIDS had the support of 15 145 PEPFAR-funded HIV/AIDS response staff.

"…the suspension of more than 15 000 jobs in the health care space is a grave concern in a country that already struggles with significant unemployment of healthcare workers, including doctors," he said.

Meanwhile, two promising HIV vaccine trials have halted owing to Trump's decision to dismantle the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The BRILLIANT South African-led HIV vaccine development scheme is funded by a $45-million USAID grant and a decision on if the project could resume is unclear.

South Africa's official unemployment rate fell slightly in the fourth quarter of last year, helped by job gains in the finance and manufacturing sectors.

The second quarterly decline in a row took unemployment to 31.9% in October-December from 32.1% in July-September, data from Statistics South Africa showed.

South Africa's coalition government, formed last year after the African National Congress lost its parliamentary majority, has made job creation one of its priorities.

But it will take time to gauge its success at lowering one of the highest unemployment rates in the world.

Reflecting the scale of the problem, an expanded unemployment rate, which includes those discouraged from seeking work, remained unchanged at 41.9% in the final three months of 2024.

"Despite some positive movement in job creation, the large gap between official and expanded unemployment rates suggests persistent structural challenges," Shaun Murison, senior market analyst at IG, said in a research note.

Black women continue to be the most vulnerable to unemployment, and joblessness among the youth is also a big problem.

On Wednesday Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana will present this year's national budget, laying out the government's spending priorities, revenue collection measures and updated economic forecasts.

ActionSA pointed out on Monday that while it is not opposed to transparency in political party funding, it opposed My Vote Counts' (MVC's) "short-sighted application", which seeks to overhaul the Political Party Funding Act, as amended by the Electoral Matters Amendment Act, to compel parties to fully disclose all donations.

MVC has approached the Western Cape High Court to have the Act declared unconstitutional.

Currently, political parties don't have to disclose donations under R100 000, and individuals can donate up to R15-million a year to a party.

MVC argues that small donations to smaller parties can have significant influence while multiple related companies can make undisclosed donations just below the threshold.

ActionSA national chairperson Michael Beaumont said the application brought by MVC requires opposition because of its "short-sightedness, its unintended throttling of party campaigns" and the serious questions that need to be asked about the intentions of this organisation.

Beaumont noted that any organisation with a practical understanding of the country's political democracy in South Africa, and with good intentions, would understand that this application does not assist the country's democratic project.

He explained that the real fight for transparency in party funding, following the initial gains in the establishment of the Act and the Constitutional Court outcome that occasioned it, is to fight non-compliance.

"Countless cases of clear non-compliance have been reported to the IEC, and publicly, and it has been the IEC's approach to require complainants to prove a case to an absurd evidentiary standard rather than investigate these matters themselves. MVC's approach is to impose more disclosure requirements that, judging by the status quo, will be ignored," he said.

Beaumont highlighted that the relief sought by MVC would have the effect of throttling party funding by small- to medium-sized donors who choose to make donations below the current threshold for fear of political or economic reprisal.

He explained that the reduction in the yearly maximum of donations, currently set at R15-million, would similarly throttle party funding.

"…the economic structure in South Africa, and the willingness of donors to be disclosed, has resulted in a very narrow donor community across all parties. Reducing this threshold would directly reduce funding to campaigns of parties and miss the obvious point - that such donors are being disclosed and, therefore, the constitutional principle of transparency is being achieved," he noted.

Beaumont pointed out that any relief sought which unnecessarily throttles party funding impacts the country's electoral democracy.

"The political choices of South Africans, especially given the prolific failures of established parties, is only as good as the ability of parties to campaign and offer political alternatives - and this requires funding. This is particularly felt by newer parties that have not yet won representation to the national assembly and, therefore, receive no State funding," he added.

He explained that the "bureaucratic nightmare" that will arise from the relief sought by MVC, should it be granted, simply outweighs any further transparency gained.

"Both from the point of views of political parties and the IEC, massive expansions in financial operations will be required to record and report small-scale donations and track down data points from individuals in crowd funding mechanisms. Parties will effectively spend more on the financial operations required behind such disclosures than the donations themselves and based on the absurd notion that two strangers from different parts of the country would conspire with R10 or R20 donations to buy influence in a political party," Beaumont said.

He argued that the assertion that all donors are would-be-corrupters buying political influence to advance their business interests is childish, especially when such donors are making donatio...

Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola told Reuters on Monday that the United States had not responded to attempts to "formally engage" after US President Donald Trump signed an executive order cutting off aid to South Africa.

Trump cut US financial assistance to the country this month, citing disapproval of its land reform policy and of its genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.

South Africa will host the G20 meeting of foreign ministers later this week in Johannesburg, which US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is not attending after he expressed disapproval of South Africa's G20 theme "Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability".

The Democratic Alliance (DA) said on Monday it expects Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana, to focus his budget on accelerating economic reforms that drive investment, create jobs, and reduce debt, while it strongly opposed any tax increases.

Godongwana will on Wednesday table his first Budget under the Government of National Unity (GNU).

DA Spokesperson on Finance Dr Mark Burke said the 2025 Budget must be a turning point for the country's economy and demonstrate a commitment to "serious, fast-tracked" reforms towards growth.

"After a decade of sluggish growth and an unsustainable debt burden, the 2025 budget must be built on the best ideas from within the GNU, as South Africa cannot afford more of the same," he said.

Burke explained that his party expects Godongwana to focus on unlocking infrastructure investment, policy reform that results in private sector job growth, and improve efficiency through structural reforms.

The party wants Godongwana to announce further port concessions in Cape Town, Richards Bay and Port Elizabeth, with clear timelines to improve efficiency and reduce costs.

"Concession specific freight rail lines to private operators to both increase capacity and lower transport costs. Commit to devolving passenger rail services to capable provinces, with a binding implementation timeline," he stated.

Burke pointed out that a definitive date for a competitive energy market must be set to grant private producers full access to the grid and enable market-driven electricity pricing.

A major review of the tariff regime also needs to be completed to drive manufacturing and export growth urgently, while a full review of red tape and regulation across government must be undertaken to eliminate frictional costs to the economy, the DA requested.

Burke said the State needs to move to a system of equity equivalence in key sectors such as ICT to attract stronger FDI inflows and create jobs, while benefitting local communities through upliftment programmes.

Burke said government must conduct a comprehensive spending review to eliminate waste while protecting essential services and also implement meaningful expenditure reforms in the 2025 Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement and the 2026/27 Budget.

The State must commit to a clear process and timeline to implement a fiscal rule that will ensure all future budgets are based on a clearly defined target to contain government debt, he said.

The DA wants government to declare the end of State-owned enterprises (SOEs) bailouts and for them to be self-reliant or face privatisation where they fulfil a critical function, or closure if they do not.

The DA is of the view that South Africa has a spending and growth problem, pointing out that the State needs to act with a duty of care to its citizens by alleviating their financial burdens and by delivering sustainable private sector jobs to the unemployed.

The DA said it strongly opposes any tax increases and does not support increases to personal income tax, corporate income tax and value added tax.

"We are deeply concerned by reports in the Sunday Times that tax increases may be tabled," the party said.

BASIC INCOME GRANT

Meanwhile, the GOOD Party wants implementing a Basic Income Grant (BIG) to be priority number one.

"Some politicians say the country cannot afford it, but GOOD says the reason the country can't afford it is because its budgetary system doesn't enable it. The money is in the system, but it's directed elsewhere. Economic research GOOD conducted nearly two years ago pointed to the country being able to afford a R999 BIG if it changed its approach to budgeting," explained GOOD secretary general Brett Herron.

He said South Africa is Constitutionally obliged and can no longer afford not to implement a BIG of a "quantum sufficient to enable citizens to feed themselves".

"Besides the Constitutional imperative, the Government of National Unity is bound by its Statement of Intent to social justice, redress and equity, the a...