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Parly champions coordinated regional strategy for migration governance, expansion of legislative dialogue

Parliament must move beyond reactive measures and lead the charge in building robust governance systems, driving evidence-based policies, and leveraging parliamentary diplomacy to address the complex realities of continental migration.

This according to Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation chairperson Supra Mahumapelo, following the conclusion of a multi-stakeholder workshop on migration governance and parliamentary diplomacy.

The workshop, hosted with the International Organisation for Migration and the Wits School of Governance, brought together lawmakers and experts to dissect shifting migration trends.

Participants firmly rejected isolated interventions, concluding that migration is a "multidimensional phenomenon" requiring deep coordination between government and civil society.

Mahumapelo stressed that the phenomenon is a permanent global and continental reality.

The State's responsibility lies in strengthening institutional and administrative systems, deepening regional and international cooperation, promoting social cohesion across host and migrant communities and addressing the fundamental socioeconomic root causes of displacement, he said.

The discussions identified labour mobility, economic disparities, and Africa's rapidly growing youth demographic as the primary drivers of migration across borders.

To counter irregular migration, the committee noted that African governments must urgently prioritise creating sustainable domestic economic opportunities.

By empowering young people within their own nations, countries can mitigate the economic pressures that force citizens to migrate, the discussions concluded.

Furthermore, the committee stressed that South Africa's management of migration must remain anchored within the framework of the Constitution, the rule of law, and its broader international human rights obligations.

A breakthrough at the workshop was the proposed expansion of legislative dialogue. Lawmakers agreed that unilateral policies are insufficient for shared border dynamics.

Mahumapelo revealed plans to scale up communication channels directly with neighbouring parliaments whose citizens are highly impacted by migration.

The long-term strategy involves elevating these bilateral talks to continental bodies such as the Pan-African Parliament to harmonise regional frameworks and support broader African integration.

To convert the workshop's insights into actionable governance, the committee outlined several urgent policy recommendations, urging for the overhauling of current migration laws to fit modern geopolitical realities, eliminating bureaucratic silos between State departments and upgrading municipal infrastructure to handle shifting populations.

Mahumapelo also called for the rolling out of initiatives to counter misinformation and xenophobia and to institutionalise regular forums to monitor policy progress.

He said Parliament has pledged to utilise its legislative and oversight powers to ensure these integration, development, and social cohesion targets are actively met.

DA wants Parly hearing after scathing SCA ruling on Kusile pollution

The DA has requested an urgent joint oversight hearing in Parliament following a landmark Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) judgment regarding ongoing pollution at Eskom's Kusile power station.

The party describes the ruling as a damning indictment of the power utility and the regulatory bodies tasked with monitoring it.

The SCA overturned a 2024 High Court dismissal, ruling that Eskom failed in its legal duty to control, minimise, and rectify water pollution flowing from Kusile into downstream water resources and neighbouring farmlands.

The court found Eskom in breach of its 2008 environmental authorisations, the National Environmental Management Act, the National Water Act and Section 24 of the South African Constitution.

DA spokesperson on Electricity and Energy Kevin Mileham confirmed the party wants an urgent joint hearing involving the Electricity and Energy, Water and Sanitation, Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment committees.

The DA wants Eskom's board, executive management, and relevant departmental directors-general to appear before Parliament to table a comprehensive corrective action plan, pollution monitoring data and enforcement records, environmental and social conditions linked to Kusile's financing and disclosures of lender notifications, waivers, and independent environmental reviews.

Mileham highlighted that the costly Kusile was funded by taxpayers, yet suffered years of unaddressed pollution limits and weak regulatory enforcement.

The judgment raises critical questions about what Eskom communicated to its international and domestic lenders, he added.

Eskom's own financial statements show that environmental performance previously impacted its loan agreements.

During previous temporary-stack arrangements, Eskom had to engage three lenders to avoid breaching loan conditions, while two lenders mandated independent environmental reviews.

Parliament must now establish whether these newly identified pollution failures triggered financial exposure clauses, whether lenders were formally notified, and if the National Treasury was advised of potential fiscal risks, Mileham said.

The SCA has placed tight timelines on the State entities: Eskom must file a sworn corrective action plan within 30 days and report on implementation within 60 days and directors-general have 75 days to explain what enforcement action will follow.

The DA maintains that since the public has already "paid heavily" for Kusile's cost overruns and delays, Parliament must ensure environmental failures do not create further financial ruin.

The party wants Eskom and its regulators to now be held strictly accountable to the deadlines imposed by the court.

South Africa consumer inflation slows more than expected in July

South Africa's inflation rate slowed for the first time in five months in July, partly due to a steep drop in fuel costs, but analysts said it could soon climb again as renewed US-Iran hostilities had since driven global oil prices higher.

Headline inflation in Africa's largest economy eased to 4.3% year-on-year, lower than the 4.5% predicted by economists polled by Reuters and June's 5.0% reading, Statistics South Africa data showed on Wednesday.

The agency attributed the slowdown to three main factors: softer food inflation, lower municipal tariff increases and a decline in fuel prices.

Food and non-alcoholic beverage inflation fell to its lowest level in more than 16 years, reaching 0.9% in annual terms, largely due to cereals and meat.

Municipalities implement tariff increases in July each year, and most categories saw smaller increases than in 2025.

Petrol prices decreased by 7.1% and diesel by 11.7% between June and July, pulling the annual rate for fuel down to 20.6% from 34.3% in June.

Inflation remains above the central bank's 3% target.

August's inflation reading comes out on the same day as the bank's next monetary policy announcement on September 23.

The central bank surprised investors and economists by keeping rates unchanged in July, saying its policy was restrictive enough to return inflation to its target within two years.

Ramaphosa objects to Thandazani Madonsela as Impeachment Committee evidence leader

President Cyril Ramaphosa has formally objected to the appointment of advocate Thandazani Madonsela as the Chief Evidence Leader for the upcoming parliamentary impeachment inquiry, claiming conflicts of interest.

The objection has forced the Section 89 Impeachment Committee to halt proceedings and seek urgent independent legal opinion.

Ramaphosa argued that Madonsela has "clear conflicts of interest". And in his submissions, the President pointed out that he removed Madonsela from the Judicial Service Commission in 2022. This history creates a risk of a personal grievance, Ramaphosa argued.

He also said that the ANC noted that Madonsela previously advised the party on matters tied to this exact impeachment inquiry.

Ramaphosa made the submissions under rule 167, which allows interested persons to submit concerns to the National Assembly and its committees, section 54, which gives the President the right to speak in the assembly and section 41(1)(h), which requires State organs to share information and try to avoid legal battles.

ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula explained that party representatives abstained from voting on advocate Madonsela.

The party is concerned that a legal expert who advised a client on a case should not act in a neutral or decision-making role on that same matter later.

The President believes this appointment breaks core conflict-of-interest rules and should not go forward.

"I am not aware of the nature or extent of the information disclosed to Adv. Madonsela SC, nor of the nature or extent of the legal advice he provided. I understand, however, that the ANC has addressed a letter to the Honourable Speaker of the National Assembly raising concerns regarding Adv. Madonsela SC's recommendation based on the legal advice which he previously provided.

"Ordinarily, a legal practitioner ought not to act in a matter that is substantially the same as one in which he or she previously advised a former client who is involved in that matter, particularly where confidential or privileged information may have been disclosed," said Ramaphosa.

He noted that a person should not assume a decision-making or quasi-adjudicative role in proceedings concerning a matter in which they previously acted for, or advised, a party who is to be directly or indirectly affected by those proceedings.

Following a heated debate and a subsequent vote, the committee resolved to refer Ramaphosa's objection to Parliament's Legal Services Office to assess their available options.

Committee chairperson Makashule Gana confirmed that the committee will also use this pause to finalise its framework.

Members have until Wednesday to submit written feedback on the draft terms of reference.

The committee will officially reconvene on September 1 to review these submissions and chart the path forward based on the incoming legal opinion.

DA removes Mark Burke from finance committee amid SARB probe

The DA has removed Mark Burke from Parliament's finance committee and his role as the party's finance spokesperson following a South African Reserve Bank (SARB) investigation into a company, Kastelo Proprietary Limited, with which he is linked.

While the party maintains a "strict stance on accountability" and awaits formal findings, it said it acted to avoid conflicts of interest, appointing Kingsley Wakelin as the new finance spokesperson.

On Tuesday the party affirmed its commitment to due process and the independence of State institutions.

DA Federal Council chairperson Ashor Sarupen stated that the party will not interfere with or prejudge the ongoing central bank probe, adding the party maintains a "strict stance on accountability" but emphasised that decisions must be guided by "verified legal outcomes rather than premature assumptions".

The party vowed to not treat Burke as guilty without formal findings and that it will "act appropriately" if any "competent authority" proves wrongdoing.

Responding to media reporting on Tuesday, Burke expressed his "full respect" for the SARB's investigation into potential exchange control contraventions but urged accurate factual reporting.

Burke clarified that he is not the chairperson of Kastelo Proprietary Limited and he holds no operational involvement in the investigated company.

Burke said he previously chaired the broader Kastelo Group but exited that role in February 2026.

He added that he originally resigned from Kastelo in 2024 to pursue his political career.

Addressing the recent legal setback, Burke noted that the High Court judgment was strictly procedural.

Burke maintained that he has consistently acted ethically, taking extensive proactive steps since entering Parliament to avoid any potential conflicts of interest regarding his former business ties.

He revealed that he formally notified the DA leadership and the parliamentary finance committee secretary that he must be entirely recused from any matters involving the SARB.

POLITICAL BACKLASH

The GOOD Party said Burke is unfit to serve on Parliament's Standing Committees on Finance and Appropriations and Public Accounts.

"What is alarming about the Burke case is not only the scale of the alleged contraventions by his company, Kastelo, but also the modus operandi manipulating the modest wealth of relatively poor people to maximise financial benefits to the privileged," said GOOD Secretary-General Brett Herron.

While the DA can choose whoever it wishes to speak about finance on its behalf, Herron said it besmirches parliament's integrity for Burke to have continued serving as a parliamentary financial watchdog.

DA stands by 'due process' as MP Mark Burke addresses SARB probe

The DA has affirmed its commitment to due process and the independence of State institutions following reports of a South African Reserve Bank (SARB) investigation into financial services company Kastelo Proprietary Limited, and which involves DA MP and party federal finance chairperson Mark Burke.

DA Federal Council Chairperson Ashor Sarupen stated that the party will not interfere with or prejudge the ongoing central bank probe, adding the party maintains a "strict stance on accountability" but emphasised that decisions must be guided by "verified legal outcomes rather than premature assumptions".

The SARB probe is investigating exchange control contraventions relating to the company, Katselo, which was founded by Burke.

The party said it will not treat Burke as guilty without formal findings and that it will "act appropriately" if any "competent authority" proves wrongdoing.

The party highlighted its belief in the independence of regulatory bodies.

"There is no finding of wrongdoing against Burke that would justify the DA treating him as though such a finding had already been made," Sarupen explained, stressing that this stance applies to all party representatives.

Responding to the recent media reporting on Tuesday, Burke expressed his "full respect" for the SARB's investigation into potential exchange control contraventions but urged for accurate factual reporting.

Burke clarified that he is not the chairperson of Kastelo Proprietary Limited and he holds no operational involvement in the investigated company.

Burke said he previously chaired the broader Kastelo Group but exited that role in February 2026.

He added that he originally resigned from Kastelo in 2024 to pursue his political career.

Addressing the recent legal setback, Burke noted that the High Court judgment was strictly procedural.

The court ruled only that the Reserve Bank had sufficient grounds to maintain a temporary blocking order while its inquiry continues.

"The High Court judgment does not make any finding of wrongdoing against Kastelo, nor myself," Burke said. "Nor does the judgment constitute a finding that exchange control contraventions have been proven."

Burke maintained that he has consistently acted ethically, taking extensive proactive steps since entering parliament to avoid any potential conflicts of interest regarding his former business ties.

He revealed that he formally notified the DA leadership and the parliamentary finance committee secretary that he must be entirely recused from any matters involving the SARB.

"The record of recusal is very clear," Burke said. "I did this to maintain strong ethical boundaries and will continue to do so."

Furthermore, the MP confirmed that all required financial disclosures were submitted "timeously and accurately" to the parliamentary Register of Members' Interests.

Burke emphasised that he remains confident the completed SARB inquiry will vindicate him, noting that no personal allegations of misconduct or investigations have been directed against him.

Nene appointed Financial and Fiscal Commission chair

President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Nhlanhla Nene as chairperson of the Financial and Fiscal Commission (FFC) and Malijeng Ngqaleni as its deputy chairperson.

Additionally, Bulelwa Nqadolo, Neo Tsholanku, Andrew Donaldson and Astrid Ludin have been appointed as members of the commission.

The appointments are for a period of five years. The chairperson serves as a full-time member, while the deputy chairperson and the other members serve on a part-time basis, the Presidency says.

The FFC's primary objective is to make recommendations to Parliament, the provincial legislatures, local government and other organs of State on financial and fiscal matters as envisaged in the Constitution and other national legislation.

Nene is a former Finance Minister and has served as a Member of Parliament, as Finance Deputy Minister and as a member of the Local Organising Committee for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Ngqaleni is currently a member of the FFC. She formerly served as National Treasury Intergovernmental Relations deputy director-general, as well as Provincial and Local Government Infrastructure chief director and Provincial Budget and Policy Analysis director.

Nqadolo previously served as Eastern Cape Provincial Treasury Municipal Financial Governance deputy director-general, CFO and chief director, as well as Eastern Cape Financial Administration director.

Further, Tsholanku serves as South African Revenue Service (SARS) Legal Services Head of Corporate. He previously served as SARS Head of Criminal Investigations, and as State-owned utility Eskom Legal and Compliance GM, chief legal adviser and legal team manager.

Tsholanku has served as South African Broadcasting Corporation senior legal adviser, was a practising advocate and has also served as Public Prosecutor.

Donaldson is a University of Cape Town Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit senior research associate. He is a former National Treasury deputy director-general responsible for the Budget Office and Public Finance, and served as Government Technical Advisory Centre acting head.

Ludin is president of the International Organisation of Pension Supervisors.

She was a deputy commissioner of regulator the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA), where she was responsible for oversight over financial markets and retirement fund supervision, as well as the digital transformation of the FSCA.

Additionally, Ludin served as Companies and Intellectual Property Commission Commissioner, as Department of Trade, Industry and Competition deputy director-general, as Competition Commission deputy commissioner and as senior adviser at regulator the Prudential Authority.

Ramaphosa thanked former FFC chairperson Dr Patience Nombeko Mbava for her dedication and expertise during her term of office.

Joburg collapse guarantees national failure, warns CDE report

Preventing the total collapse of Johannesburg must become an urgent national priority. This is the warning issued by Centre for Development and Enterprise (CDE) director Ann Bernstein, following the release of the organisation's report, 'Johannesburg Matters: Fixing South Africa's Growth Engine'.

Bernstein emphasised that Johannesburg is the single municipality whose failure guarantees national failure. If South Africa's principal economic gateway cannot be saved, the entire country's growth and development are in jeopardy, she said.

The CDE report outlines a failure across every core dimension of the municipality's mandate and indicates that structural decay is evidenced by alarming financial and operational metrics.

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana revealed the city owes creditors R25.2-billion, while holding just R3.9-billion in cash.

Johannesburg Water faces an infrastructure backlog of R26.6-billion. At current spending rates, replacing the city's aging pipes will take nearly 200 years.

The city has an electricity infrastructure backlog of R44-billion, resulting in a staggering 54 132 power outages between July and December 2025 alone.

In the second quarter of 2026, Johannesburg recorded the highest official unemployment rate among South African metros at 35.9%. The city lost 90 000 jobs between April 2025 and June 2026, while Cape Town gained 57 000.

The CDE warned that these crises are not isolated and form a "destructive feedback loop".

"Poor governance destroys municipal finances, which halts infrastructure maintenance. Consequently, businesses and skilled professionals flee, eroding the tax base and leaving fewer resources to fix the city," the organisation pointed out.

The root of Johannesburg's decay is political instability, the CDE states. Since 2016, the city has cycled through nine different mayors and eight fragile coalitions.

The total absence of a mayor completing a full five-year term has destroyed stable, long-term planning.

According to Bernstein, continuing down this road of "dysfunctional, unstable coalitions" means an accelerated decline.

She said weak leadership will remain incapable of making hard decisions, appointing skilled professionals, or attracting vital investment.

The upcoming local government elections present a stark choice for voters, Bernstein said, adding that the city's crisis is political, not technical, and requires a clean break from unstable coalitions.

"Johannesburg can recover," Bernstein insisted. "This is only possible if the elections produce stable, honest political leadership."

However, new leadership cannot fix the metro in isolation. Reversing the decline will require the incoming government to actively mobilise outside experts and forge deep partnerships with Johannesburg's private sector, financial markets, academic institutions, and civic organisations.

https://www.polity.org.za/article/johannesburg-matters-joburg-in-jeopardy-2026-08-18

South Africa takes over regional economic bloc as trade falters

South Africa is taking over leadership of the Southern African Development Community with a push to deepen regional commerce, as the bloc's own assessment shows it faces tepid economic growth, persistent trade barriers and declining industrialisation.

Pretoria's ascendancy to the chairmanship of the 16-member bloc this month follows protests against undocumented migrants in South Africa that forced tens of thousands of people, mainly from Zimbabwe and Malawi, to leave the country.

President Cyril Ramaphosa sought to address that issue directly before SADC leaders began a summit on Monday, saying South Africa was "deeply concerned and ashamed" that nationals of other countries had recently faced discrimination and ill-treatment. "We cannot preach integration at summits and practice exclusion in our streets," he said.

SADC's State of the Region report, scheduled to be adopted at the summit in the eastern port city of Durban on Monday, shows intra-bloc trade remains below pre-pandemic levels, with manufacturing losing ground and growth too weak to meet its job-creation and economic development targets.

Intra-regional trade grew to 20% in 2025, according to the report. Nine long-standing non-tariff barriers remain unresolved, while recurring trade disputes, import restrictions and surcharges continue to increase the cost of doing business across borders.

Regional growth increased to 3.4% last year and is forecast at 3.9% in 2026. Yet Zimbabwe was the only SADC member to meet its 7% growth target in 2025, and none are projected to reach it this year. Manufacturing's contribution to regional gross domestic product fell to 10.9% in 2025, well short of the bloc's target of 30% by 2030.

Remittance Flows

South Africa exported $28.3-billion of goods to SADC in 2024 and imported $6.8-billion, data compiled by the Stellenbosch, South Africa-based Trade Law Centre shows. The bloc accounted for 91% of South Africa's intra-African exports, with the country supplying neighbours with industrial goods, machinery, food and consumer products.

The imbalance is also reflected in remittances.

More than R112-billion was remitted from South Africa to SADC countries between 2016 and 2024, according to South African Reserve Bank data. Remittances to the region rose to R19.3-billion in 2024, with Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Malawi accounting for 90% of payments. Remittance inflows from SADC countries to South Africa totalled R25.6-billion over the period, leaving an R87-billion difference.

South Africa's yearlong chairmanship of the bloc will focus on promoting industrialisation, regional value chains and infrastructure, with the government seeking greater processing of critical minerals and agricultural products within the region.

The bloc's Regional Development Fund is also expected to feature prominently as SADC seeks to mobilise capital for industrial projects and infrastructure. Its 2026-27 corporate plan calls for implementation of a revised roadmap for the fund.

Ramaphosa calls for common market in SADC to develop industries

The 16 Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries, with a combined population of nearly 400-million people, have abundant natural resources, a youthful population and the means to produce everything that its people need, says South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

SADC needs to create a dynamic common market in which countries trade. No country in the region can build an integrated power system, develop cross-border corridors, manage shared water resources or withstand the full force of climate change on its own.

"We need to remove the costs that we have imposed on ourselves, from reducing the price of phone calls and money transfers to reducing waiting times at our borders and harmonising customs procedures. However, this must not be limited to only increasing trade with each other.

"We must produce goods and services together. We must assemble cars in one SADC country from parts manufactured in another, using materials produced in a third," he states in a weekly letter to the nation.

Southern Africa has abundant energy resources, minerals and land, skills, technology, industrial capabilities and strong financial institutions.

However, the region imports much of the goods and services it needs. Trade among SADC countries accounts for only about 20% of their combined total trade.

"Our region holds much of the world's critical minerals, yet we export the ore and import the battery. We are supplying an industrial revolution taking place elsewhere and buying back its products at a price set by others," he says.

SADC countries must link their economies through corridors of goods, services and industry. The Maputo, North-South, Trans-Kalahari, Beira and Lobito corridors are being developed, but the region needs to do more so that they become living arteries of commerce, carrying freight, electricity, data and people, Ramaphosa says.

Further, the region has the Southern African Power Pool, which means that electricity generated in one country powers businesses and lights homes in another. The task now is to widen that pool to ensure all parts of Southern Africa have a reliable supply of affordable energy, he adds.

SADC must similarly develop its shared water resources so that every country has the water it needs to supply its industries and its people in a sustainable manner.

Meanwhile, SADC needs to invest in infrastructure and industry. However, the region's most precious asset is its people. More than half of SADC's population is under the age of 30.

To realise this demographic dividend, SADC must ensure every young person is given the best foundation for success in life.

"As a region, we should work together to ensure every child has sufficient food and water, that they have quality healthcare and can access early childhood development. To realise their potential, we need to invest in our schools, universities, technical and vocational colleges and research institutions."

These are some of the actions that this SADC Summit will consider as South Africa works to achieve SADC's Vision 2050 for an integrated, productive and prosperous region.

South Africa hosted the forty-sixth Summit of SADC, in eThekwini, KwaZulu-Natal, on August 17, starting the country's turn as chair of SADC.

South Africa's focus is on the practical steps needed to further integrate the economies of SADC and build a dynamic regional market, which is becoming increasingly important in the context of growing turbulence in the global economy.

South Africa's membership of SADC is about the creation of jobs and improving the quality of life of South Africans, growth of its industries, the development of its infrastructure and the health and well-being of its people.

"South Africa's prosperity is bound to that of our neighbours. All of us must now turn the enormous potential that our region has into growth, development and jobs," says Ramaphosa.