In my role as the African Union (AU) Champion on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness, and Response (PPPR), I have been closely monitoring the evolving Mpox situation, regularly briefed by the Director General of Africa CDC and PPPR Commission. I am deeply concerned by the rapid spread of Mpox across multiple regions within the African Union, with a significant rise in both cases and fatalities, reflecting a concerning shift in the epidemiological pattern.

Since the start of 2024, a total of 17,541 cases (2,822 confirmed and 14,719 suspected) and 517 deaths due to Mpox have been reported across 13 AU Member States. This week, 3 additional countries notified cases under investigation for confirmation. That can bring the total to 16 countries. Alarmingly, the number of reported cases in 2024 has surged by 160% compared to the same period in 2023.

As the PPPR Champion, I was consulted on and fully support the Director General of Africa CDC’s declaration of Mpox as a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security. This crucial decision empowers Africa CDC to lead and coordinate our collective response efforts, strengthening the Mpox response at every level—from community engagement to collaboration with the highest political authorities and our international partners. The declaration will also galvanize political leadership and engagement among AU Heads of State and Government, facilitating the rapid mobilisation of essential financial and technical resources.

I commend the Permanent Representatives Committee for their decisive action in releasing USD 10.4 million from the COVID-19 Fund to support the Mpox outbreak response. I urge the AU policy organs to expedite the finalisation of the framework for operationalising the African Epidemic Fund, as approved by the Heads of State during the 2023 AU Assembly, by the end of August 2024.

I call upon AU Member States to increase domestic resource allocation, lead their national Mpox outbreak responses through a One Health approach, and enhance their capacities, particularly in areas such as capacity building, risk communication, community engagement, case detection, contact tracing, and cross-border surveillance.

I also welcome the World Health Organization's (WHO) declaration of Mpox as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). This PHEIC must be different and correct the unfair treatment from the previous one declared in 2022, where vaccines and therapeutics were developed and made available primarily to Western countries, with little support extended to Africa. I call upon WHO and all partners to collaborate closely with Africa CDC to ensure that this PHEIC unlocks appropriate support from the international community, guaranteeing equitable access to medical countermeasures, including diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines.

I am heartened by the coordinated efforts of Africa CDC, WHO, and UNICEF under the Joint Emergency Preparedness and Response Action Plan (JEAP). I am reassured by the commitment from the Director General of Africa CDC that the JEAP will encompass all relevant partners, ensuring a well-coordinated action led by Africa CDC under a unified African incident management team.

I urge the international community, partners, and organisations to mobilise stockpiles of vaccines and other medical countermeasures for deployment in Africa, utilising the mechanisms established by Africa CDC to ensure equitable distribution, transparency, and coordination. Africa requires robust support in funding, research, and the sharing of technologies, with financial contributions directed to the Africa Epidemic Fund under the leadership of Africa CDC.

This is also an opportunity to call on the international community to finalise a fair and equitable Pandemic Agreement—a duty that must be pursued with urgency and a spirit of equity. By fostering global partnerships, we can accelerate Africa's response and ensure that all nations, regardless of economic status, have fair access to the resources needed to protect their populations.

As the AU Champion, I will continue to work closely with my esteemed colleagues—H.E. Mohamed Ould El-Ghazaouani, President of Mauritania and Chairperson of the African Union, H.E. Moussa Faki, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, and H.E. Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director General of Africa CDC—to ensure adequate political support and fundraising for the continental response to Mpox and to prevent a regional and global pandemic.

Issued by The Presidency of the Republic of South Africa

President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed into law the Electricity Regulation Amendment Act which sets out far-reaching reforms of South Africa’s electricity sector, including the establishment of a competitive electricity market.

The Bill assented to by the President amends the Electricity Regulation Act of 2006 to respond to current realities in the electricity sector and open up pathways to greater competition and reduced energy costs; increase investment in new generation capacity to achieve energy security; establish an independent transmission company as the custodian of the national grid; and impose severe penalties for damage to and sabotage of infrastructure.

The Electricity Regulation Amendment Act provides for the establishment, duties, powers and functions of the Transmission System Operator SOC Ltd (TSO) – which must be established as an independent entity within five years – and for the National Transmission Company of South Africa to act as the TSO in the interim. It also provides for an open market platform that allows for competitive, wholesale or retail buying and selling of electricity.

The Act provides for market operation as a new activity that may be licensed by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA). In addition, it requires the development of a Market Code that will establish rules to govern the future competitive market, and outlines the process through which the code will be approved.

The Act further clarifies the principles that apply to the setting or approval of prices, charges and tariffs, providing, among others, that NERSA must enable an efficient licensee to recover the full cost of the licensed activity, must allow for a reasonable return proportionate to the risk of the licensed activity, and may provide for incentives for continued improvement of technical and economic efficiency.

As it does so, the regulator may consider factors such as security of supply, the diversity of supply and the promotion of renewable energy.

The Act distinguishes between tariffs that must be set or approved by the Regulator, such as network charges, and those which are subject to a direct supply agreement or arise as an outcome of a competitive market.

To ensure a level playing field for competition between multiple electricity generators, the Act provides that the system operator shall not discriminate between different generators or customers in relation to dispatching or balancing the system, except for objectively justifiable and identifiable reasons approved by the Regulator. Access to the transmission and distribution power system must be objective, transparent and non-discriminatory.

These changes are in line with the broader reforms guided by the Energy Action Plan and the Eskom Roadmap, which aim to modernise and transform South Africa’s electricity system to end load shedding and ensure long-term energy security.

It is anticipated that diversity of supply and the promotion of renewables will stimulate a demand for new skills, innovation and technology in the electricity sector, which will generate new industrial activity and in turn mitigate unemployment.

Reinforcing the protection of public infrastructure as part of the fight against crime, the law provides for fines of up to R1 million or five years in prison – or both – for persons who, among other offences, damage, remove or destroy any transmission, distribution or reticulation cable, equipment or infrastructure.

Penalties for persons who unlawfully receive such cables, equipment or infrastructure face fines of up to R5 million or 10 years in prison, or both.

Going forward, the Act will lead to long term energy security, a more competitive energy system, more rapid uptake of renewable energy sources, and ultimately lower energy prices for all South Africans.

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President – media@presidency.gov.za

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria
 

Honourable Chair of the session,

Minister in The Presidency, Honourable Ntshavheni,

Honourable Members of the House,

Distinguished guests joining us virtually and physically,

Fellow South Africans;

It is my honour to support the Minister in The Presidency, Ms Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, on presenting the budget of Statistics South Africa, popularly known as Stats SA today.

I must state that this debate is my maiden speech as a Member of Parliament. Let me therefore take this opportunity to congratulate all members representing the people of South Africa in this 7th Parliament as we work collectively as legislators and the Executive for a united and prosperous South Africa.

Honourable Members, as we enter the unchartered waters of a Government of National Unity comprising of Seven Political Parties 30 years into our democratic dispensation, there is absolutely no way we can talk about democracy without Stats SA being an integral part thereof. Our story as Stats SA dates as far back as 1996 when Stats SA conducted the first census to quench the data thirst that our nation needed for its establishment and survival, for which we are grateful that we are now three decades in the making. When we talk about Stats SA, we are talking about a well-oiled machinery who over the past 30 years continued to inform the nation and will continue to do so in the Government of National Unity. This is indicative of an institution that is functional, independent and revered as one of the best in the world.

Honourable Chairperson,

Upholding the independence of Stats SA is of paramount importance. The independence of our national statistics office must be protected at all costs so that official statistics remain free from any interference on statistical methods, content and timing of statistical releases. This is guaranteed in the Statistics Act (6 of 1999). Such independence ensures that our official numbers have integrity and can be trusted by all. The demand for data and statistics are increasing in all aspects of life. Data has become a major resource globally, offering enormous opportunities for citizens, businesses and governments to make better informed decisions. The world now increasingly relies on data to create new knowledge and insights to better understand the past, the current and to predict the future.

Stats SA is a critical institution in the life of our developmental state in the making. Some of the key products that are used by both the private and public sectors include:

o The Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Gross Domestic Product (GDP), published monthly and quarterly respectively, used by the private and public sectors as well as our ordinary citizens.

o Statistics on poverty, inequality, employment and unemployment that are published by Stats SA equally assist us as policy makers to ensure we address the past imbalances that continue to affect the previously disadvantaged particularly the black African woman who still remains the fact of poverty in South Africa.

Honourable members,

- The year 2024/25 will be the year when the world operates in a transformed digital space. Our vision of ‘Improving lives through data ecosystems’ remains our true loadstar. When all is said and done, data and statistics will tell the story whether the lives of our people have been affected by our policy programmes and decisions.

- As we propel towards this future, it is our mission to evolve the production, coordination and use of statistics through optimisation, partnerships and innovation.

- Collaboration between Stats SA, other organs of state and the private sector is therefore critical as we build the data ecosystem for South Africa. This is evidenced by collaboration and partnerships that were established with key stakeholders such as the South African Revenue Service (SARS), the Department of Home Affairs and Institutions of Higher Learning, to mention a few. The use and appreciation of official statistics in decision-making has become even more critical in the changing data landscape.

Honourable Chairperson, let me come to the operating model of Stats SA.

- The operating model within Stats SA is being reviewed and adapted to fit the needs of an evolving society. Stats SA will continue to deploy and integrate innovative methodologies that were developed over the past years into the operating model. Most importantly, the investment in technology to modernise the statistics value chain will continue to increase our efficiency.

Honourable members, in relation to the strategic priorities,

- Our highest priority as Stats SA is about sustaining and protecting the quality of official statistics and national indicators. Our national statistics agency is committed to continue to deliver its suite of official statistics even amidst a challenging and declining resource environment.

- Stats SA has adopted a change agenda with the strategic goals of –

o harnessing alternative data sources to augment official statistics in the future;
o transforming the skills set and investing in new capabilities such as data science and data analytics;
o creating an agile operating model by modernising and digitalising the statistical value chain to unearth smarter and more sustainable ways to operate; and
o leveraging innovative technologies and methodologies as a building-block for an interconnected statistical system for the entire data ecosystem.

Stats SA should create change that matters, enabled by technology and sustained through capabilities.

Honourable Chairperson,

We are very mindful of the projected budget shortfall attributable to public sector cost of living adjustment (COLA) increases which Stats SA had to absorb. This means that Stats SA’s Compensation of Employees (COE) budget is less than the cost of its filled staff, i.e. warm bodies. Stats SA has to therefore rely on normal staff attrition and retirements savings to fund the filling of critical vacancies.

Whilst National Treasury acknowledges this serious challenge, Stats SA will be considering alternative funding models to limit the potential risk it SA faces to maintain the quality of statistics produced.

As we acknowledge the time of opportunity, let us make sure that we propel ahead, the future requires a culture of innovation, agility and collective leadership that embraces change and diversity in thought and practice. Let us give the necessary support to the Statistician-General, Mr Risenga Maluleke, and the entire workforce of Stats SA. Let us also appreciate the role of the newly appointed South African Statistics Council, under the leadership of Dr. Nompumelelo Nzimande-Mbele, that continues to play their role in safeguarding our official statistics.

Thank you.

Deputy President Paul Mashatile has today, Wednesday, 14 August 2024, commended the Free State Provincial Government, the Kopanong Local Municipality,  as well as the Jagersfontein Development Project, on progress achieved in coordinating support, to address the challenges faced by communities in Jagersfontein, following the collapse of a tailings dam wall on September 11, 2022, resulting in a mud slide which damaged infrastructure and homes in the area.

Deputy President Mashatile has been delegated the responsibility to provide leadership in the implementation of rapid response interventions on service delivery and trouble-shooting in service delivery hotspots in the country, by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

In pursuit of this critical mandate, the Deputy President undertook a service delivery oversight visit to Jagersfontein, last year in May, as part of efforts towards finding a lasting solution to service delivery challenges in the municipality, with specific focus on the efficient and equitable supply of water, and the resettlement of community members affected by the Jagersfontein Development Project dam disaster.

The visit by Deputy President Mashatile brought together various role players such, as government, private sector as well as civil society representatives, to deliberate on various mechanisms aimed at improving the functioning of municipality and in particular, on efforts to address the concerns raised by the community of Jagersfontein.  

In this regard, Deputy President Mashatile has expressed his appreciation to all key role players, on progress achieved and also thanked the management of the Jagersfontein Development project in particular, for delivering on their promise to urgently build houses, for the affected community members.      

“The remarkable progress we continue to make, brings us closer towards restoring better living conditions for the people of Jagersfontein. Such progress bears testimony that working together through partnership between government and the private sector, we can create a better life for all our citizens”, said Deputy President Mashatile.

The Deputy President has further emphasised the importance of expediting the process of addressing all other outstanding critical matters of water supply challenges experienced by residents, agricultural support needed, as well as responding to educational needs of youth in the area. 
 

Media enquiries:  Mr Keith Khoza, Acting Spokesperson to Deputy President Mashatile on 066 195 8840

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

The Presidency wishes to announce the postponement of the signing of the Second Presidential Health Compact.

The event was scheduled for tomorrow, Thursday, 15 August 2024, but has been postponed until next Thursday, 22 August 2024.

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President - media@presidency.gov.za

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

President Cyril Ramaphosa convened a meeting yesterday with members of cabinet and senior business leaders to pave the way for a new era of collaboration under South Africa’s 7th democratic administration, and to strengthen the partnership formed over a year ago to stimulate economic growth and job creation by addressing constraints on growth in energy, transport and logistics, and crime and corruption.

At the meeting, both business and government leaders committed to build upon progress achieved to date and accelerate implementation over the next 12-18 months in line with the strategic priorities of the Government of National Unity (GNU).

President Cyril Ramaphosa said, “The Government of National Unity has reaffirmed its commitment to urgently implement the reform agenda started by the 6th administration and to restore confidence and sentiment—essential drivers of investment, inclusive economic growth, and job creation. We have reaffirmed our commitment to a dynamic partnership between government and business to foster South Africa's economic growth and social advancement. Since the start of the partnership just over a year ago, we have made substantial progress towards stabilising the energy sector, improving the performance of our rail and port system, and strengthening the fight against crime and corruption.”

Adrian Gore, co-convenor of the business delegation, commented: "We welcome President Ramaphosa’s commitment to a new era of partnership at a critical inflection point for the country. In the first phase of our partnership, over 130 CEOs pledged support and business invested more than R260 million and mobilised over 350 experts across the 3 focal areas. This has contributed to the excellent progress made with the reduction in loadshedding being the most visible and pronounced achievement. Continued momentum could mean we are able to achieve 3-5% GDP growth by 2030. We will be launching Phase 2 of our partnership with this ambition in mind.”

The meeting reviewed progress over the past year, as the partnership sought to align on priorities for the next chapter. There was strong consensus on the importance of continuing to address structural challenges, drive reforms and efficiencies, and invest in skills capacitation across all workstreams.

The energy workstream was reported to have had the most impact, achieving a dramatic reduction in load shedding in collaboration with Eskom (over 140 days without load shedding so far this year), and significant grid capacity recovery (with more than 6 GW of new energy generation added) through investment in additional technical support and capacitation from 57 companies investing over 9,000 hours at 5 power stations. The energy availability factor is currently tracking above 60% (vs 54% in 2023). 

However, we still face multiple challenges including rapidly rising electricity costs, unsustainable municipal utilities, complex market reform, a constrained grid with delayed expansion, and stalling investment in new generation. 

Significant investment will be required for energy sector reform over the next 5-10 years and there was strong consensus that it is critical to pave the way now to address the challenges. Business, Eskom and the Presidency have agreed that the priorities of the National Energy Crisis Committee should include a focus on transmission, market reform, municipal utilities and new energy generation. 

The transport and logistics and crime and corruption workstreams which are now fully established have also evidenced impact, albeit not as quickly or extensively as anticipated. 

Business has provided significant technical support and resources to Transnet Freight Rail, including procurement and operations expertise, and port maintenance support for Transnet Port Terminals. The Transnet Board and management team are making progress in implementing the Transnet recovery plan. Despite the significant efforts by the partners, there is broad acknowledgment that Transnet requires substantial interventions to improve performance to meet the needs of its customers and the market demand necessary for sustainable economic growth. 

The meeting agreed that the rapid implementation of structural reforms and strict adherence to the Freight Logistics Roadmap deadlines are crucial to facilitate participation of, and investment by, the private sector to help address our national logistics challenges. This is crucial to ensure that our commodities and manufactured products can be competitively sold into the local market and exported to meet demand. Resolving these issues will promote job retention and job creation.

In the crime and corruption workstream, an immediate joint imperative is to support South Africa’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list, which would improve international confidence in SA as an investment destination. Key to this is demonstrating the law enforcement agencies’ intent and ability to successfully prosecute complex crime and corruption cases and recover assets. Business is providing specialised skills at arm’s length to support this objective. The promulgation of the NPA Amendment Act is key to bolstering IDAC’s ability to effectively deliver on its mandate. 

The meeting acknowledged that economic growth is a pre-requisite for large-scale job creation. For now, unlocking a few key policy, regulatory and funding bottlenecks could accelerate existing short-term interventions across four areas, including new work opportunities in tourism and global business services, skilling that creates new jobs (particularly in digital skills), providing additional public sector first loss funding to crowd in private sector capital to increase affordable debt available for SMMEs, and institutionalizing, expanding and strengthening the SAYouth platform to facilitate access to opportunities for young people. 

Martin Kingston, Chair of the Business for South Africa (B4SA) Steering Committee, commented: “This is a model of collaboration that has shown its merit and is fit for purpose to drive accelerated growth and jobs in the 7th administration. Over the last year significant progress has been made and impact has been achieved, and whilst it has not been as swift or extensive as we would have liked, it has gifted us with a blueprint for success in a new era with the GNU. We are keen that the reforms are implemented with urgency. We are very optimistic about the next phase of the partnership.”

“As we move forward with this partnership, we will intensify our work to address these pressing issues and expand our efforts to drive employment creation. We know that the challenges ahead are formidable. But with our continued partnership, we are well equipped to navigate these complexities and contribute to sustainable growth for South Africa”, concluded President Ramaphosa.

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President – media@presidency.gov.za

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria
 

Today, 13 August 2024, President Cyril Ramaphosa met with members of the Cabinet, senior business leaders, and technical experts from government and business to discuss a new era of collaboration for a partnership launched over a year ago to address barriers to growth in South Africa.
 
Media are invited to attend a virtual briefing on Wednesday, 14 August 2024, hosted by the Presidency and B4SA. Key updates will be provided by Mr James MacKay, CEO of the Energy Council South Africa, Mr Rudi Dicks, Head of the Project Management Office at the Presidency, and Mr Martin Kingston, B4SA Steering Committee Chair.
 
Representatives from the joint initiative and workstream leads will be in attendance to assist with your questions.
 
Media are invited as follows:
Date: Wednesday, 14 August 2024
Time: 08:45 – 10:00
Link: To be shared
 
Please RSVP to: 
Liz Ferreira, Camilla Mseme Instinctif Partners B4SA@instinctif.com 
 
Please note that timing is subject to change based on the President’s diary.
 

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President – media@presidency.gov.za

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria