Polity.org.za Audio Articles

President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday reiterated South Africa's call for the silencing of guns across Africa, which he described as a necessary precondition for stability, economic growth and development.

Ramaphosa was hosting Angolan President João Lourenço at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, where he thanked his counterpart for Angolan efforts towards peacebuilding in the Southern African Development Community and the rest of the continent.

"South Africa commends Angola for the constructive role it is playing as President of the International Conference on the Great Lakes, as Facilitator of the Luanda Process, and on the Presidential Ad-Hoc Committee for the Republic of Sudan," Ramaphosa said.

Both countries must continue to deepen collaboration towards resolving the conflict in the Eastern DRC, the civil war in Sudan and the post-electoral crisis in Mozambique, he added.

Further, he reiterated South Africa's call for the reform of global governance institutions, particularly the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), and pointed out that the Global South must have permanent representation and a voice on the UNSC, so that it reflects global demographics and realities.

"As African countries, we must be at the forefront of promoting the peaceful resolution of conflict, particularly at a time when the future of multilateralism is at stake. Israel's war on the people of Gaza and the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine have exposed the limitations and fragilities of international institutions that remain un-representative and unreformed," Ramaphosa pointed out.

He stressed that South Africa was firm in its call for multilateralism to remain at the centre of global affairs, in dealing with conflict and in responding to climate change.

"We reiterate our call for the United Nations Charter to be respected and for the tenets of international law to be upheld. Working with the African Union and fellow African countries will ensure that the issues of strategic importance to Africa and the Global South are highlighted," he said.

TRADE AND INVESTMENT

Meanwhile, Ramaphosa stated that increasing trade and investment between South Africa and Angola remained an objective.

Ramaphosa highlighted that about 20 South African companies already had a presence in Angola, and over the years had been on a concerted drive to explore investment opportunities beyond the oil sector.

He said government wants to see more Angolan companies in South Africa, highlighting that opportunities exist in infrastructure development, agriculture, construction, mining, financial services, telecoms and manufacturing.

South Africa has also prioritised implementing structural economic reforms to improve the business operating environment and investment climate, with which it hopes to attract more Angolan investors.

Ramaphosa wants Angola and South Africa to cooperate on strategies and policies that ensure greater beneficiation of minerals, saying this will become important as global demand grows for critical minerals needed in the energy transition.

Ramaphosa highlighted that South Africa sees the African Continental Trade Agreement as a catalyst for inclusive economic growth, and stressed the need to take advantage of the system of preferential terms provided to signatories.

"As both Angola and South Africa strive to accelerate the pace of industrialisation, we need to build mutually complementary capabilities in manufacturing and value-addition of products," he explained.

Against a challenging backdrop of high - and rising - water demand, illegal connections, nonpayment for water, servitude encroachments and aging infrastructure, Johannesburg Water is happy with the progress it is making on its intervention programmes to ensure the City of Johannesburg's water supply.

Recently, Johannesburg Water has attracted significant public criticism, with many raising concern over the sustainability of the city's water security as residents face frequent water outages, often for days or weeks at a time.

Discussing the turnaround plan underway, the utility's achievements over the past year and its plans for the next year, Johannesburg Water MD Ntshavheni Mukwevho told media at an editors' roundtable on Tuesday that the entity faces many challenges.

These include nonrevenue water of 46.2% - against a target of 35% - which comprises commercial losses of 9.7%, unbilled/unmetered consumption of 11.7% and physical losses of 24.8%.

Further exacerbating the challenges are vandalism and theft of assets, along with illegal connections and significant encroachment on its servitudes, which make it difficult for the utility to access its pipeline in the event of leaks or maintenance. In one such example, Johannesburg Water found 280 residences built over its bulk pipeline in Protea Glen.

A high rate of urban migration and an increase in water demand, along with significantly low payment levels - 76.1% against the sustainable level of 83%, which poses financial risk to the organisation - places strain on the entity's infrastructure.

Johannesburg Water distributes, stores and supplies about 1.75-billion litres a day of potable drinking water through its network of 12 520 km of water pipes, 129 reservoirs and towers and 37 water pump stations to residents of the CoJ.

Since 2001, water demand has increased from 1.1-billion litres a day to 1.8-billion litres a day currently - this needs to be reduced to 1.5-billion litres a day by the end of the year. By September 2025, there will be further reductions.

Another challenge Johannesburg Water is working on is its noncompliance with licence conditions at its wastewater treatment works - 76.10% compliance against a target of 90%, Mukwevho outlined in a presentation to media.

Johannesburg Water collects 819 megalitres of wastewater a day, conveyed through 11 933 km of sewer pipes and 38 sewer pump stations, treating the water at six wastewater treatment plants with a combined capacity of 1 043 megalitres a day.

Further, with a total infrastructure backlog of R26.91-billion and a planned ten-year R32-billion investment strategy, the group, in collaboration with National Treasury and the trading services reform, is also working on solutions to fund its extensive infrastructure programmes.

INTERVENTIONS

Johannesburg Water had tabled several interventions under its water demand management programme, aiming to get the utility back on track and mitigate the increasingly frequent water outages, Mukwevho commented.

This includes a continuous mass disconnection programme, as illegal connections start tapping into bulk water supply, with the bylaw enforcement done in collaboration with the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department.

In the current financial year, Johannesburg Water disconnected 11 752 illegal connections and customer meter bypasses, using internal and external resources.

Also serving as a credit control and revenue enhancement measure, Johannesburg Water is reviewing cash collection improvement options, as well as testing a tamper-proof restricting device.

Johannesburg Water is also repairing and rehabilitating 42 reservoirs, with 22 reservoirs prioritised and issued to consultants for scoping and design.

The procurement of a panel of contractors is in progress with the intention to start repairs in the current financial year, likely in February.

Another intervention is the repair or replacement of zonal bulk meters, with 239 zonal bulk flow meters identified as criti...

ActionSA on Wednesday reiterated its demand for a "lean, effective" Cabinet of no more than 20 ministers, with all deputy minister positions abolished and ministerial perks drastically curtailed.

This is in response to ActionSA's Parliamentary question to Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana, in which the party asked what the total costs are for all new ministries and deputy ministries for the seventh administration.

Godongwana revealed that the salaries, staff, vehicles and related perks for newly appointed ministers and deputy ministers is R239-million over the 2025 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework.

The cost for official vehicles was calculated based on the current threshold of R800 000 inclusive of VAT and security upgrades.

ActionSA Parliamentary leader Athol Trollip highlighted that while austerity measures had reduced critical funding to vital programmes and sectors, it seemed to have "conspicuously failed" to extend to the political establishment.

Trollip said taxpayers were burdened with the costs of the African National Congress-Democratic Alliance (ANC-DA) coalition, which saw the Cabinet expand from 30 to 32 Ministers and from 36 to 43 Deputy Ministers.

"It cannot be that South Africans bear the burden of paying for new ministries and their deputies, created solely to satisfy political egos and alliances. In the face of a stagnant economy, where GDP contracted by 0.3% in the third quarter and annual growth limps along at a mere 0.3%, and with an adjustment budget reflecting a worrying misalignment of this government's priorities, it is nothing short of shameful that, instead of cutting wasteful expenditure on government excesses, the GNU has chosen to increase the allocation to fund luxury perks," pointed out Trollip.

He said ministers were public servants, not royalty, and must live as such.

"The jet-setting GNU's insistence on wasteful spending is a slap in the face of every citizen who is forced to tighten their belt to make it through each month," he added.

South Africa's inflation rate crept up by less-than-expected in November, creating room for the central bank to deliver another cut in borrowing costs next month.

The consumer price index rose 2.9% in November from a year earlier, compared with 2.8% the prior month, Pretoria-based Statistics South Africa said Wednesday. That was slower than the 3.1% median of 15 economists' estimates in a Bloomberg survey.

Forward-rate agreements, used to speculate on borrowing costs, see the South African Reserve Bank lowering its benchmark policy rate by a further 75 basis points over the next 12 months, little changed from earlier. The local currency was slightly stronger at 17.84 rand per dollar.

Food and non-alcoholic beverages inflation helped keep the headline number in check. It witnessed another sharp decline in November, slowing to 2.3% from 3.6% in October, marking its lowest rate since December 2010.

The slight uptick in the headline reading still leaves inflation below the central bank's 3% to 6% target band, and will likely encourage the monetary policy committee to lower its benchmark interest rate by another 25 basis points at its next meeting on January 30. The MPC has cut borrowing costs by 50 basis points to 7.75% since starting to ease policy in September.

Governor Lesetja Kganyago signaled this week that officials will proceed carefully on interest-rate adjustments, given the unpredictable outlook for the global economy. A combination of factors including higher domestic fuel prices, a weaker rand and concerns about US President-elect Donald Trump's trade policies are all adding to a murkier outlook on inflation.

"In an environment of uncertainty, it is very important for the central bank to move with caution and not add to the noise that you have in the data," Kganyago said. "We should not be creating uncertainty by making moves that we would later regret."

Former ActionSA councillor in Tshwane Novina Pillay has moved to the Democratic Alliance (DA), with the party welcoming her contributions to the party at large.

Pillay resigned as a member and public representative of ActionSA, following "longstanding unhappiness" with the direction her former political party has taken.

"Bullying, ostracism, and antagonism by ActionSA leadership, to their public representatives was alleged by Cllr Pillay, and the behaviour of that party after her resignation has substantiated this. In a press statement following her resignation, the ActionSA chairperson insinuates that Cllr Pillay is 'just another councillor' - trying to downplay her significant role as a community leader and campaigner for her communities," said DA Gauteng North regional chairperson Crezane Bosch.

ActionSA, however, took issue with the DA describing Pillay as a "senior leader" of the ActionSA.

ActionSA national chairperson Michael Beaumont said this was a "desperation that has become a daily occurrence as their prolific governance failures in Tshwane are being exposed".

Beaumont explained that Pillay has never held any office in ActionSA and has served only as a Councillor.

"While ActionSA wishes her well in the DA, the claim that Pillay is a senior leader in ActionSA is laughable," he noted.

"Despite the efforts to deceive, today's announcement says more about the DA than ActionSA. Under the leadership of Dr Nasiphi Moya, many residents of Tshwane are realising that the bar of governance had been very low under consecutive DA mayors. This spreading realisation is clearly a source of insecurity for Brink and the DA against which these kinds of stunts are easily contextualised," he said.

Beaumont highlighted that just last week Moya secured Tshwane's energy supply by concluding a settlement with Eskom for the R6.7-billion in debt that former Mayor Cilliers Brink and his DA predecessors allowed to "recklessly balloon" from R2.9-billion to R7.8-billion in just 18 months.

"It is developments like this that are shattering of the myth of good governance under the DA in Tshwane and the resulting insecurity is at the heart of stunts like the one announced today," he added.

He pointed out that while the DA focuses on "stunts", Moya will continue to focus on the delivery backlogs that developed under the DA's leadership in government.

South Africa's business confidence soared to the highest level in nine years last month, suggesting a significant improvement in the economic outlook as businesses take encouragement from the country's new governing alliance.

An index compiled by the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Sacci) jumped to 118.1 in November from 114.2 in October and 110.2 the month before, the chamber said on Tuesday. It's at the highest level since October 2015, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

"The broader political representation in the administration of national government has facilitated a positive assessment of economic prospects by business," Sacci said. "This positive assessment spilled over into the business climate, improving sentiment and stability."

After losing its outright majority in May elections, the African National Congress turned to the centrist Democratic Alliance and eight other smaller parties to form a business-friendly coalition. The so-called government of national unity has made growth and job creation its top priority after years of disappointing economic performance.

South African growth unexpectedly shrank 0.3% in the third quarter after farm output slumped. Overall growth was just 0.4% in the first nine months of the year.

Sacci said this disappointing performance showed the importance of galvanizing cooperation between the private and public sector.

"An efficient and proficient public sector - especially public enterprises and local governments - plays a pivotal role in supporting economic activity," Sacci said, while adding that "the translation of business confidence into investor confidence, economic growth, and job creation will, over time, mark the ultimate success."

The Mpumalanga province has many advantages that can be used to drive growth and development, said President Cyril Ramaphosa during a meeting between the national executive and the Mpumalanga provincial executive council.

He noted that more than half the province's population are living below the lower bound poverty line, and said because of this, inclusive economic growth and job creation needed to be at the forefront of all efforts from government and social partners.

This is the third recent engagement between the national executive and a provincial executive council. The national executive previously met with the provincial leadership of Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal.

Over the next few months it plans to meet with the leadership of all other provinces.

Ramaphosa said the unemployment rate in Mpumalanga was higher the national average, adding that half of all young people were unemployed.

"Like other provinces, Mpumalanga needs to grow faster and the benefits of growth need to reach more of its people," he said.

Ramaphosa highlighted that Mpumalanga was literally South Africa's powerhouse, noting that most of the country's electricity came from the province, fuelled by the abundant coal reserves.

"Mpumalanga will therefore continue to be vital to the social and economic development of the country for many years to come. For this reason, the province will also be at the centre of the just transition to a low-carbon economy," he explained.

He said this presented challenges and opportunities, highlighting that it must be ensured that this transition does not damage livelihoods in the province.

"…rather we must plan and invest in the new technologies, industries and skills that are needed to expand job opportunities and build thriving communities. This is a fertile province, which has the ability to sustain a wide variety of agricultural activities. Mpumalanga is a province of natural splendour. It has long been a destination for visitors from across South Africa and across the world," he highlighted.

Ramaphosa said government was encouraged by the province's determination to invest in infrastructure, saying it is necessary for economic development.

"…whether it is through improving the roads on which mining materials are carried, or the facilities for the marketing of agricultural production, or upgrading tourist sites. This infrastructure is also important for improving the daily lives of the citizens of the province, from bulk water infrastructure to hospitals, clinics and schools. This aligns with the national government's focus on a massive infrastructure investment," he explained.

He said it was vital that government builds linkages between the province and entities like Infrastructure South Africa and the Infrastructure Fund.

Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Police chairperson Ian Cameron says while there has been commendable progress in turning the tide against crime, worrying senior management appointments and challenges facing the crime intelligence unit have the potential to derail the positive efforts to reform the South African Police Service (Saps).

Cameron called on Saps senior management to stop "self-destructive behaviour", which he said would derail the "laudable progress" already achieved to reform the Saps into a potent tool to fight crime.

"…the Saps management must decide if they will contribute to building the country for a better future or are breakers of this beautiful country. The ultimate test will be how the Saps management responds to areas of concern to ensure a safe and secure country. If they can overcome these self-destructive actions, the Saps could be on a route to the necessary recovery needed to combat crime," he stated.

He pointed to the ineffectiveness of the senior management to drive the necessary reforms within the Saps as a major challenge.

"This is now being exacerbated by the appointment of individuals who are unfit for purpose to drive the strategic interventions necessary to fight crime. While we are not saying that all senior managers within Saps are inadequate, the presence of rogue and inept officers weakens the stability of the entire organisation," highlighted Cameron.

He noted Western Cape crime intelligence head major-general Mzwandile Tiyo's dismissal earlier this year following a comprehensive Section 34 inquiry, which was seen as a pivotal moment in restoring credibility within the Saps.

The decision to remove Tiyo was based on allegations of misuse of State resources for personal gain, kidnapping and assault, which Cameron said sent a strong message that misconduct, even at the highest levels, would not be tolerated.

However, he said the recent revocation of this dismissal raises serious concerns about Saps's commitment to accountability.

"Instead of facing the consequences of his actions, Tiyo is being encouraged to take early retirement, a move prohibited under Saps National Instruction 3/2017 for employees with pending cases," he pointed out.

He said this undermined public trust and the morale of ethical officers, as it appeared to shield rogue elements from facing justice.

"Similarly, the irrational appointment of major-general Patrick Mbotho as Divisional Commissioner: National Priority Offences within the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation [,also known as the Hawks,] also reaffirms the perception of untouchables within the service," he said.

Cameron highlighted that while the police committee had noted the commitment and action against mainly junior Saps officers, the commitment to remove unfit and rogue officers within the service must be cross-cutting from senior to junior levels.

"If we enhance trust levels in our officers the Saps will be a step further in creating an environment conducive to fighting the scourge of crime," he said.

Cameron stated that the crime intelligence unit continued to be a concerning "Achilles heel" for the Saps and urgency to resolve its challenges could not be overemphasised.

"The resistance to reforms within the Saps crime intelligence unit is complicating matters further. One major-general has allegedly been off sick since 2017, frustrating disciplinary hearings with delays, changing union representatives, and failing to submit supporting medical documents. Another major-general, reportedly a multimillionaire, has been linked to questionable procurements involving the secret service fund, media smear campaigns against his commander, and allegations of defeating the ends of justice in a cocaine seizure case. Both individuals are part of a faction resisting reform and seem determined to preserve access to the notorious slush fund," he said.

South African Reserve Bank Governor Lesetja Kganyago said policymakers were proceeding with care on adjusting interest rates, to avoid having any future regrets.

"In an environment of uncertainty it is very important for the central bank to move with caution and not add to the noise that you have in the data," Kganyago said in an interview on CNBC Africa broadcast Monday. "We believe that the policy adjustments that we have done were the appropriate ones."

The central bank last month lowered its key interest rate by 25 basis points to 7.75%, even as some analysts called for a bigger cut after South Africa's annual pace of inflation cooled by more than expected to 2.8% in October.

The rand, a bellwether for emerging market currencies, has depreciated almost 3% against the dollar since Donald Trump won the US election on November 5.

Investors are betting that his policies on tariffs and tax cuts may see the Federal Reserve lower rates by less than forecast. That could keep the US currency strong, which is bad news for South Africa as it makes its imports more expensive, adding to domestic price pressures.

"There are so many moving parts and we are not clear about what is going to happen to the global economy as a result of changes in policies that we are not even aware of," Kganyago said.

President Cyril Ramaphosa pointed out on Monday that strengthening local government is the Government of National Unity's (GNU's) key priority, noting disruptions in the supply of electricity and clean water in many districts.

Ramaphosa wrote in his weekly letter to the nation that many local councils are plagued by "poor governance, limited capacity and severe financial constraints", all of which are affecting service delivery.

He reflected on the progress government has made this past year and during the previous administration, which he said showed that it can overcome the difficulties the country is facing.

Ramaphosa pointed out that the country has had over 250 days with no loadshedding, attributing this to a combination of increased maintenance and generation recovery by Eskom.

He said this was also owing to the addition of more capacity to the grid from renewables, and the large-scale uptake of solar and battery energy solutions by households and businesses.

He announced that the National Energy Crisis Committee is working to get more power onto the grid, to expand electricity infrastructure, to diversify the market for the benefit of consumers, and to lay the groundwork for an energy-secure future.

Ramaphosa highlighted that while government is making progress, it has a long way to go, noting the slow pace of the country's economic growth.

"The pace of economic growth is still too slow and not enough jobs are being created. Families still struggle with the high cost of living. While there has been some improvement in the crime statistics and there have been breakthroughs in tackling crime syndicates, crime and violence is still widespread in many communities," he said.

RECOVERY OF FREIGHT RAIL

Meanwhile, Ramaphosa also pointed to a significant recovery of the commuter rail service after theft and vandalism during the Covid-19 pandemic nearly destroyed the network.

He said stations have been refurbished, new state-of-the-art trains are on the tracks, and 31 out of 40 key passenger corridors are now operational.

"There were 40-million commuter rail passengers in the last financial year, up from 15-million passengers the previous year. We are making progress in the recovery of freight rail and dealing with longstanding operational challenges in our ports. We are seeing improvements at the container terminals in Durban and Cape Town, as well as with infrastructure upgrades," he explained.

REDUCING POVERTY

Ramaphosa stated that while unemployment levels remain extremely high, more South Africans are finding jobs.

He noted that consumer inflation is at a four-year low, making essential goods like fuel and most food staples more affordable.

"Over the past 12 months, fuel prices have come down. Around 60% of the national budget is dedicated towards the 'social wage'. These are the measures that reduce poverty and directly improve people's lives. In addition to the provision of grants to vulnerable groups and unemployed people, this social wage includes subsidised housing, free basic services, no-fee schools and school nutrition," he explained.

Ramaphosa highlighted that government has been able to sustain these measures even as public finances are under severe pressure.

However, he said the momentum government has achieved this year was marred by tragedy, pointing to the deaths of children who ate contaminated foodstuffs.

He explained that several stringent measures are in place to prevent such tragedies.

"As government, business, labour and civil society, we can achieve a great deal when working in unison to overcome our common challenges. In the new year, we will embark on a National Dialogue that will draw together all South Africans in crafting a common vision for the country," he explained.