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President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Monday that widespread support for the seventh administration, made up of 11 political parties, and the continued reform agenda, has contributed to the improvement in sentiment of South Africa's trajectory.

In his weekly letter to the nation, he reflected on the Government of National Unity's (GNU's) first 100 days in office and said that the positive sentiment was supported by actual progress in addressing some of the country's most pressing economic and social challenges.

"Nowhere has this been more evident than in the work done to resolve the energy crisis. The country has had more than 200 days without loadshedding. This has made a considerable difference to the lives of citizens and the operations of businesses. This work has also unlocked unprecedented levels of investment in the energy sector," he pointed out.

Ongoing reforms in the logistics sector are also improving the operational performance of port and rail networks, he added, which he said would positively impact export industries and broader economic activity.

He pointed to South Africans across society increasingly rallying around the programme and work of the GNU, saying this was reflected in recent opinion polls, and rising confidence in the country's economic growth prospects by business and local and international investors.

Ramaphosa said improved sentiment had boosted the value of the rand, which reduced the cost of oil and cost of fuel, in turn reducing the cost of living for all South Africans.

The positive sentiment, he said, would benefit the country's fiscus, addeding that the stronger economic outlook would improve South Africa's credit rating, which would, in turn, "facilitate greater access to global capital markets and lower our borrowing costs."

"When we spend less money on debt servicing costs, government has more space to increase its expenditure on building public infrastructure and providing education, healthcare, basic services and social support," Ramaphosa explained.

Increased business confidence would also attract higher levels of private investment in the economy, he noted,

"When investors are more optimistic about their business prospects, they are more likely to invest more capital and expand their existing operations. Improved confidence also encourages the start-up of new businesses," he added.

Ramaphosa said while it was still early days for the GNU, and that the growth of the country's economy was still to pick up pace, "a firm foundation is being laid, our growth prospects are being revised upwards and we are heading in the right direction".

"Our task now is to work together to further encourage hope and optimism by making a real and substantial difference in the lives of all South Africans," he said.

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) said on Friday that while it was dismayed by the National Prosecuting Authority's (NPA's) decision not to pursue prosecutions in the Phala Phala matter, it was not surprised by the decision, claiming that the NPA was shielding President Cyril Ramaphosa from accountability.

The NPA said, based on the evidence in the case, it believed there was no reasonable prospect of a successful prosecution.

Former spy boss Arthur Fraser in June 2022 laid criminal charges against Ramaphosa over the 2020 break-in, on the Phala Phala Farm, in Bela Bela, in Limpopo, which was alleged to have involved significant amounts of foreign currency.

Fraser asked the South African Police Service to investigate Ramaphosa's conduct, as well as that of Major General Wally Rhoode, alleging money laundering and corruption.

Director of Public Prosecutions in Limpopo, advocate Mukhali Ivy Thenga said possible contraventions of the Income Tax Act and Exchange Control Regulation were investigated.

Her decision to not prosecute anybody was made in line with the NPA's Prosecution Policy, which states that a prosecutor, in deciding whether to institute criminal proceedings against an accused person, must assess whether there was sufficient and admissible evidence to provide a reasonable prospect of a successful prosecution.

"The refusal by the NPA to prosecute these crimes is a continuation of a pattern by key State institutions to shield Ramaphosa from accounting for his many crimes. It is akin to how State resources were used to shield and protect former President Jacob Zuma from accounting at the height of his power as President. This is the core of State capture, the use of resources of the State for the advancement of the interests of individuals, to the extent that the basic tenets of the law are violated, time and again, to protect the politically powered," the EFF argued.

The party said it was concerned about the NPA under the leadership of "the hapless" Shamila Batohi, accusing the authority of protecting Ramaphosa and those associated with him.

It also referred to the Public Protector as a "President Protector" and said Ramaphosa succeeded where Zuma had failed.

"The only report that called on Ramaphosa to account for his crime was the Independent Panel Report which was submitted to Parliament as part of the impeachment proceedings against Ramaphosa," the party said.

It believes the panel's report makes a strong prima facie case against Ramaphosa, for allegedly being involved in the commissioning of the so-called crimes.

"The EFF will not rest until Ramaphosa is held to account for Phala Phala, and the matter is set to be heard at the Constitutional Court at the end of the October 2024. Like Zuma, he will have no protection when he is removed from office. In fact, the same institutions that are protecting him from accounting, will be at the forefront to ensure that he is imprisoned when he exits office, as we have seen with Zuma," the party said.

The Director of Public Prosecutions in Limpopo, advocate Mukhali Ivy Thenga has said that there is no reasonable prospect of a successful prosecution in the Phala Phala case, based on evidence contained in the docket, and so the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) will not seek to prosecute anybody in the case.

She said this came after a careful assessment of all the evidence presented to the prosecutors by the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation (DPCI).

Former spy boss Arthur Fraser in June 2022 laid criminal charges against President Cyril Ramaphosa over the 2020 break-in, on the Phala Phala Farm, in Bela Bela, in Limpopo, which was alleged to have involved significant amounts of foreign currency.

Fraser asked the South African Police Service to investigate Ramaphosa's conduct, as well as that of Major General Wally Rhoode, alleging money laundering and corruption.

Thenga pointed out that the investigations also covered any possible contravention of the Income Tax Act and Exchange Control Regulation.

Thenga said she made her decision in line with the Prosecution Policy of the NPA which states that a prosecutor, in deciding whether to institute criminal proceedings against an accused person, must assess whether there was sufficient and admissible evidence to provide a reasonable prospect of a successful prosecution.

"Various factors must be considered when the prosecutor evaluates evidence, notably, the strength of the case for the State, the availability of evidence, whether the State witnesses are likely to be credible, the admissibility of evidence, the reliability of evidence, and the strength of the case for the defence," she explained.

Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen says his party will not, "under any circumstances", agree to the implementation of the National Health Insurance (NHI) Scheme and clauses 4 and 5 of the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill, as he announced key medium-term priorities for the party in the Government of National Unity (GNU).

In marking the GNU's first 100 days in office, Steenhuisen on Friday spoke to the media in Johannesburg, where he said that parts of the BELA Act, in its current form, would deprive children of mother-tongue education in single medium schools, and that the NHI would bankrupt South Africa "without improving healthcare or health outcomes".

Despite some public rejection, and concern over the BELA Bill's constitutionality, President Cyril Ramaphosa signed it into law, however, he placed on hold clauses 4 and 5 of the Bill for three months to find solutions to the concerns around them.

Should no solutions be found, the Bill will be implemented fully, he said.

"We were very clear about BELA, from the beginning of our negotiations, going into the GNU on the Statement of Intent. The reality is, of cause, in a government the ANC needs to understand that it can't get everything they want and so too the DA understands it cannot get everything that we want, but it cannot be a situation where the DA's view and opinions must not be taken into consideration and are not accepted," Steenhuisen said.

He said his party would not form part of a government where clauses of the Constitution would be violated.

"I believe that there are ways for us to find consensus on these issues. But there are issues which we were very clear about going into the negotiations that we said would be non-negotiable for us, as did the ANC, and we have had to respect those and we have had to compromise on those," Steenhuisen said.

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube, who did not attend the BELA Bill signing last month, noted the establishment of a technical committee within the GNU, which aims to resolve issues that were "redlined" during negotiations.

She said 10 different parties governing together was not going be easy, noting that the hallmark of the GNU was its ability to resolve conflict.

"…and not all conflict is bad. Ultimately, we have to be mature enough to have this difficult conversation so that we can arrive at a point where we are placing the interest of South Africans first," she said.

GROWING THE ECONOMY AND JOB CREATION

In laying out the key priorities of the GNU, Steenhuisen said the DA's priorities would be focused on growing the economy and creating jobs, noting that the party was committed to reducing debt-to-GDP to under 70% by the end of the seventh administration.

He touted a comprehensive spending review in which every programme of government was assessed for impact and those that failed to achieve measurable positive outcomes were cut.

He said this was essential to fund priority commitments such as infrastructure, education, health and security.

The party is also committed to the creation of a competitive energy generation market and significant investment into energy transmission infrastructure in Phase 2 of Operation Vulindlela.

Steenhuisen also noted the need for the immediate concessioning of ports in Cape Town and Richards Bay, and the opening of more terminals in Durban's port.

He said opening access to freight rail and concessioning the management of the rail network to competent managers, and the creation of a secondary market for broadband, would drive significant investment in the country.

Furthermore, Steenhuisen said digitising Home Affairs, as Minister Leon Schreiber hoped to do, and reforming South Africa's immigration system to attract remote workers, skilled workers and more tourists, was another priority.

The DA also wants to dramatically expand access to "cheap and reliable" broadband to the poorest South Africans and make smartphones cheaper.

SOE BAILOUTS

Meanwhile, Steenhuisen s...

The Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans said on Thursday a strong defence force is critical for a safe environment that encourages investor confidence, noting the ongoing reductions in funding for the department.

Committee chairperson Dakota Legoete warned that less funding posed a "significant threat to the security and stability of the country" and undermined Section 200 of the Constitution which mandates the defence of the country.

He warned that while underfunding was a major concern, the defence force must also use the funds it received responsibly, a factor, which he said was undermined by increased irregular expenditure in the department.

He said the committee also engaged the Office of the Auditor General on financial and non-financial performance of the department and entities that included Armscor and the Castle Control Board for 2023/24.

National Treasury expressed concerns about the financial strain caused by prolonged and open-ended peacekeeping missions, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and increased domestic deployment requirements.

"It further said since 2017/18, defence has received additional funding amounting to R13-billion and that defence was accommodated in the adjustments budget and the normal medium term expenditure framework processes," said Legoete.

National Treasury said the Department of Defence had been allocated R4-billion over the next three years to conduct border security activities, with a focus on acquiring border safeguarding technology as force multipliers.

However, National Treasury told the committee that the challenges facing the department were not budget-related, but rather stemmed from crippling inefficiencies and underspending.

Legoete pointed out that the defence department was one of the departments with the highest underspending, reaching R260-million in 2023/24.

"The National Treasury said contributing factors to underspending at the Department of Military Veterans were owing to the late promulgation of the military veteran's pension benefits regulations, however, the underspending trends are worsening, and this could affect future budget allocations," he said.

The committee intends to meet with the Standing Committee on Appropriations to look at how the department can be assisted with funding constraints.

Legoete questioned the failure of the department to maintain a healthy and reliable database of its members, saying the defence department must engage the Department of Social Development and South African Social Security Agency to prevent military veterans from double dipping on social assistance services.

South African Reserve Bank Governor Lesetja Kganyago said inflation could fall below 4% in coming months, creating more room for action after officials cut interest rates in September.

'We expect the next two or three prints; that they could have a three handle on them and that provides policy space for us," Kganyago told South African lawmakers in Cape Town on Thursday. "The headline disinflation is mainly supported by petering global supply shocks."

The central bank's forecasts see consumer price growth settling at 3.6% in the last quarter of this year and averaging 4% in 2025.

Official inflation data showed consumer price growth slowed to 4.4% at an annual rate in August, falling back below the midpoint of the bank's 3% to 6% target range where it prefers to peg price expectations.

Cooler inflation encouraged policymakers to cut rates by 25 basis point last month to 8%.

Core inflation, which excludes food and energy costs and slowed to 4.1% in August, suggests that "the disinflation process is now firmly underway," Kganyago said.

South Africa's inflation outlook is benefitting from an upswing in business confidence following the formation of a broad governing coalition after elections in May that included centrist parties, boosting the rand and helping to dampen import prices.

"There is now a positive vibe about South Africa," Kganyago said, adding that the economy probably continued its rebound in the third quarter, after expanding 0.4% the prior three months. "In spite of other emerging-market currencies, the South African rand has been strengthening, that means we have been able to flush out the bulk of the negative news that were actually embedded in South African financial asset prices," he said.

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) will hold its third National People's Assembly to elect new leadership between December 12 and 15, as party leader Julius Malema lauds members' behaviour, calling it a sign of political maturity.

The EFF's National People's Assembly will take place at the Nasrec Expo Centre, with the party's branches preparing to convene meetings to meet the party's October 30th deadline.

"A branch that meets the requirements is a branch that has 100 paid-up members who are registered to vote in their branch and received a minimum of 10% of the votes in the 2024 National and Provincial Elections," he explained.

Malema stated that the party's top brass were satisfied that most EFF members had conducted themselves with "maximum discipline" and in line with the party's guidelines released in July, which he said demonstrated a sign of political maturity and the growth of the organisation, with the exception of minor incidents and disputes, which he said were all positively resolved.

"We want to commend all delegates and encourage all of them to continue with maximum discipline to defend the movement because there will be temptations to provoke us; there will be information peddlers and spies. We must remain vigilant," he said.

Malema said in addition to the consideration of constitutional amendments, the national assembly must review the work of the current leadership against the adopted programme of action by the second National People's Assembly and adopt a new programme of action for the next five years.

"We will appoint an independent, reputable electoral commission, which, as stated in the guidelines, will facilitate nominations and voting for leadership. All nominations and voting for leadership will take place at the Assembly in a transparent and orderly manner, as we have done in the past," he assured.

Malema pointed to an Organisational Character and Re-design Perspective, which he said was an update to previous organic perspectives, with a stronger emphasis on how the organisation can "defend, rebuild, and advance" the struggle for economic freedom.

He said there was a proposal to build "strong, sustainable, and viable" organisational structures starting by increasing the membership requirement for a branch from 100 to 200 members, and a presence in voting districts.

"The perspective also advances that every member must be an activist with direct influence on potential voters. Additionally, it proposes the establishment of a robust membership system that can account for each member and supporter of the EFF in terms of age, gender, and occupation," Malema explained.

Finally, the perspective proposes doing away with the student command and reorganising it into a youth command that unifies all young people into a single structure, encompassing those in schools, universities, at work, and the unemployed.

ISRAEL

Malema said his party rejects the "imperial forces" marking October 7 as the day the Israeli-Palestinian War began, saying it was, in fact, October 9.

So far, more than 43 000 lives have been lost in the onslaught on Palestine, following attacks on Israel by Hamas.

Malema urged the cancellation or suspension of economic relationships, trade agreements, and academic relations with Israel, noting that the EFF supported the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement.

The party once again condemned Israel's ongoing "expansion of violence and illegal occupation" in the Middle East.

"The Iranian missile response to Israel's aggression against Lebanon, Syria, and the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah is a just and necessary defence," the EFF said.

The Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs has encouraged the council of the Umlazi municipality to do "everything possible" to assist communities, by putting in "extra effort" to supply them with water, particularly since some problems date back to the damage caused by the 2023 floods.

The committee concluded the first day of its week-long municipal oversight visit to KwaZulu-Natal, to assess performance on governance, service delivery and financial management issues.

On Tuesday, residents at the Umlazi meeting aired several concerns about service delivery in the area, such as sewerage leaks and water challenges.

Another issue flagged was billing, where several residents told the committee they were still billed despite not having water for a month.

"Others said they do not understand the city's calculations, as a household with one person and one with six people are billed the same amount," said portfolio committee chairperson Dr Zweli Mkhize.

He explained that regarding the six-kilolitre allowance that was given free to residents some years back and is now being charged again, the committee believed it was "unfair" as communities did not make any preparations for this kind of additional charge.

The committee feels that the municipality must review the matter with understanding for the plight of communities.

"Some community members suggested flat rates. The committee urged the municipality to address this and report on every individual's case to the committee," he said.

The committee will conduct monthly follow-ups and request progress reports from the municipality.

The committee noted concerns about vandalism of water infrastructure and the municipality having to resort to water tankers to supply water in some areas.

"We have encouraged the municipality to invest in its infrastructure. It is important to ensure communities get the water, but the municipality must continue to invest in maintenance of water infrastructure," Mkhize stated.

The committee said some challenges would take a long time to resolve.

"We do understand that it is a lot of work to trace water leaks with about 7 000 pipes the municipality has to monitor for water leaks, but we believe the municipality must invest in technology to enable them to identify these leaks early and make refurbishments," Mkhize said.

Meanwhile, the committee noted positive developments, with the eThekwini municipality having no outstanding debt to Eskom or the water boards, also noting the metro's 93% revenue collection rate.

Mkhize said President Cyril Ramaphosa's deployment of a team to eThekwini was indicative of a "serious deterioration" in the City's impact on the region's economy, with a loss in business confidence, declining tourism numbers and people no longer visiting Durban beaches.

The committee said it believed that it was important for this work to be done in a way that encouraged the City to ensure that when the Presidential working team exited, it did not deteriorate again.

South Africa's government published a series of reforms of the nation's work-visa regulations that are aimed at attracting more professionals to its skills-starved economy.

The Department of Home Affairs said details of the remote work visitor visa and the points-based system for work visas were announced in the official Government Gazette on Wednesday, according to a statement published on its website.

"The gazetting of all required elements for the remote work visitor visa and the new points-based system for work visas amounts to the single most progressive and pro-jobs regulatory reform South Africa has seen in decades," Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber said in a statement.

Newly elected Tshwane Mayor Nasiphi Moya assured residents that the anxiety and political instability that has plagued the City is not lost on her, and vowed to place the politics of the past behind and bring stability to the City.

"I am not an ActionSA mayor, or a mayor from any other party for that matter. I am not a mayor for one community or demographic. I am a mayor for all four-million residents of Tshwane, and on that point, I am non-negotiable," said Moya.

Moya, who was the deputy mayor of the City, was elected as mayor on Wednesday with 122 votes, after the Democratic Alliance's (DA's) Cilliers Brink was removed from office when the African National Congress (ANC) and ActionSA joined forces with the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) to vote him out in a motion of no confidence.

Brink was again nominated for the mayorship on Wednesday, but received 86 votes.

Since taking office as deputy mayor under Brink's mayorship, Moya said she had dedicated much of her time to engaging with councillors, officials, and residents across all seven regions of the City.

She acknowledged that many residents were facing significant challenges in accessing basic services and opportunities, and noted the gap between the rich and the poor, which she said was becoming a defining characteristic of the City.

She vowed to "work tirelessly" to bridge the gap and ensure that a just and inclusive City was created.

"The provision of quality basic services to all residents of the city is not a matter of politics, but a matter of principle. As a government, we owe this basic dignity to everyone we serve. The services received in our affluent areas will be the services received by our people in the previously disadvantaged areas. We will not make a choice between one or the other but work to improve services for all," Moya stated and stressed that this will be her focus for the next two years.

She promised financial discipline, balanced with a sense of fairness and duty to fellow residents.

She acknowledged the multi-party coalition in the City and stressed the need for parties to work together,

"So, hear me clearly, esteemed Tshwane residents, I am committed to leading a caring and responsive government, guided by the belief that our residents deserve better. I am here to work; work with me. Let's restore our great capital and set the standard for every other city in our great Republic," Moya said.

PARTY REACTIONS

While the GOOD party expressed optimism with Moya's election, saying it will bring "much-needed stability" to the capital city and improve service delivery, the DA criticised the new coalition in the metro.

GOOD was one of the parties in the opposition benches that voted in favour of ousting Brink, noting that the continued "decline of the City could not be left unchecked."

GOOD City of Tshwane Councillor Sarah Mabotsa claimed that townships have been heavily neglected, and that illegal dumping and sewerage spills have become the norm.

She said her party expected Moya to lead the City with a clear vision, integrity and dedication.

Meanwhile, ousted former mayor Brink claimed that Moya will be in office, however, she will not be in power, saying that "her strings will be pulled" by the ANC's Gauteng factions and the EFF.

"This is not a commentary on her skills or qualifications. She was a capable deputy mayor in the Tshwane multi-party coalition which her party brought to a fall," said Brink.

He said the ANC's choice of governing Tshwane with parties opposed to the Government of National Unity signified a "reunion between the ANC and its former radical economic transformation faction and bodes ill for the financial rescue mission underway in the City of Tshwane."

"To cover what is essentially a Doomsday Pact, the ANC and their chaotic Gauteng factions have installed a proxy mayor from a small party. The proxy mayor model allows the ANC and the EFF to battle for resources while blaming their poor performance on a hapless third party," he sta...