President Cyril Ramaphosa will tomorrow, Thursday 09 March 2023, engage with the National Assembly on South Africa’s year-long chairing of the BRICS group of countries, combating crime in communities and how government is building the capability of the state in line with the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan.

The President will elaborate on these issues when he replies to questions by Members of Parliament at 14h00 tomorrow.

The President will also outline his approach to the Expropriation Bill, and touch on the reconfiguration of state-owned enterprises.

Questions for Oral Reply is one of the mechanisms Parliament uses to hold the Executive to account and this will be the President’s first questions session following the February 9 State of the Nation Address.

Details of the interaction are as follows:
Date: Thursday, 09 March 2023
Time: 14:00
Venue: Good Hope Chamber, Parliament 

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President – 082 835 6315

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Friday, 10 March 2023, deliver the keynote address and participate in a panel discussion with young Africa leaders at the inaugural international Nelson Mandela Youth Dialogue.
 
Friday will be the first day of this four-day event at the Walter Sisulu University’s Zamokulungisa Campus in Mthatha, Eastern Cape.
 
The Dialogue is hosted by the National Youth Agency in partnership with the Departments of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities; Higher Education and Training, and International Relations and Cooperation; the Eastern Cape Provincial Government; the Insurance and Wholesale and Retail SETAs as well as the Royal House of Mandela.
 
The deliberations will provide platform for youth from around the African continent and elsewhere to engage on pressing socio-economic issues on the continent.
 
The Dialogue brings together young people from about 20 countries including Zimbabwe, Namibia, Mozambique, Malawi, Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Cote d’Ivoire, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Algeria, Egypt, Jamaica and Brazil.
 
Delegates will include leaders from government, business, labour and civil society.
 
The engagement among young leaders from all spheres of society is aimed at fostering the development of ideas, problem-solving and decision-making.
 
The Dialogue will also be a space for reflecting on and strengthening continent-wide plans and agreements such as the African Union Agenda 2063, the African Youth Charter, and the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), through the development of inter-generational leadership.
 
Members of the media wishing to cover the event - and who will be required to be in place earlier in the morning- are requested to RSVP with Bongekile Skosana on 082 269 9246 of the National Youth Development Agency.
 
 
Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President – 082 835 6315.
 
Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

President Cyril Ramaphosa will later today, 07 March 2023, officiate at the swearing-in ceremony of new members of the National Executive.

The ceremony will take place at Tuynhuys in Cape Town. 

The President announced changes to the National Executive on Monday, 06 March 2023, to ensure that Government is properly capacitated to give effect to the commitments made in the State of the Nation Address and the Budget Speech.

Chief Justice Raymond Zondo will preside over the swearing-in ceremony of the newly appointed members of the National Executive. 

Details of the swearing-in ceremony of the National Executive are as follows:

Date: Tuesday, 07 March 2023 
Time: 18h00 (Media to arrive by 16H00)
Venue: Tuynhuys, Cape Town 

Media wishing to cover the ceremony are asked to RSVP to khutjo@presidency.gov.za or 079 898 4621 and Kearabetswe@presidency.gov.za or 066 219 2162 by 13h00 on Tuesday, 07 March 2023. 

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President – 082 835 6315

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

President Cyril Ramaphosa will tonight, 06 March 2023 via a televised address announce the new members of the National Executive in Pretoria.
 
The SABC will provide feed to all media and PresidencyZA will also live stream the proceedings.
 
The announcement will take place at 19h00.
 
 
Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President – 082 835 6315
 
Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

Presidential Spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya will today, 05 March 2023, engage with media on relevant topical issues of public and media interest.
 
Members of the media are invited as follows:
Date: Sunday, 05 March 2023
Time: 12:30 for 13:00
Venue: Union Buildings, Pretoria
 
RSVP: Media wishing to attend the media briefing physically are requested to submit their details to Tsakane Khambane– 082 084 5566/ Tsakane@presidency.gov.za or Naledi Malatji on 078 633 6302.
 
A livestream link will be shared with all media who wish to follow remotely. 
 
 
Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President - +27 82 835 6315
 
Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

PRESIDENT PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMME
 
TELEPHONIC CALL WITH BRAZILIAN PRESIDENT
This afternoon, President Cyril Ramaphosa will be on a telephone call with the 39th President of the Federative Republic of Brazil, His Excellency Mr Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

President Lula da Silva was officially sworn in as the current President of Brazil in early January this year, having served in this capacity even previously as Brazil’s 35th President.

The call and discussions cements the long standing friendship and cooperation between the two states.
 
South Africa and Brazil share a deep strategic partnership, at bilateral, inter-regional and multilateral levels in pursuit of the advancement of the development agenda of the South.

President Ramaphosa looks forward to hosting President Lula da Silva later this year, during the BRICS, wherein South Africa will assume Chairship of the group.  
 

ORAL REPLIES IN THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
The President is scheduled to provide oral replies to questions in the National Assembly in Cape Town on Thursday, 09 March, for the first term of 2023.
 
Among the key issues that the President is expected to respond to, he will outline South Africa’s strategic areas of focus in its role as 2023 BRICS Chair. South Africa will be hosting the BRICS Summit later this year. The President is also expected to address matters concerning the fight against crime, the implementation of the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan (ERRP) and the Expropriation Bill.
 

NELSON MANDELA YOUTH DIALOGUE
On Friday, 10 March 2023, the President will be part of Nelson Mandela Youth Dialogue in Gqeberha where the announcement of fellowship for outstanding Young African Leaders will be made.
 
The President’s appointment of the NYDA Board of Directors coincided with the state visit to West Africa, where he requested the NYDA to develop a concept for a Pan-African Youth Dialogue called the Nelson Mandela Youth Dialogue.
 
The event is as a result of the development of the concept with an intended outcome of a program that will benefit African youth in line with South Africa’s foreign policy.
 

PRESIDENTIAL WORKING GROUP ON DISABILITY
On Tuesday, 14 March, the President will chair the Presidential Working Group on Disability at the Union Buildings. This engagement underscores government's commitment towards the full empowerment of people with disabilities by identifying interventions that will change the lives of people living with disabilities for better.
 

CREDENTIALS
The President will also receive Letters of Credence from Foreign Heads of Mission who have arrived in South Africa to serve in diplomatic missions in the country.
The ceremony will take place on Tuesday afternoon, 14 March 2023.
 
 
Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President - +27 82 835 6315

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

President Cyril Ramaphosa will this month of March 2023, host his Tanzanian counterpart, President Samia Suluhu Hassan for a State Visit scheduled to take place in Pretoria.

The State Visit will simultaneously include the hosting of the Bi-National Commission (BNC) between both countries.

The Principals are also expected to address the South Africa-Tanzania Business Forum.

Members of the media are invited to apply for accreditation separately for the BNC, State Visit and Business Forum using the Accreditation Template provided.

Accreditation application and enquiries should be directed to:

Bi-National Commission: Kgopotso Rapakuana on 073 058 3876 / Rapakuanak@dirco.gov.za

State Visit: Shadi Baloyi on 072 571 6415 / shadi@presidency.gov.za and Naledi Malatji on 078 633 6302 / Naledi@presidency.gov.za 

Business Forum: Phumzile Kotane on 063 114 3704 / PKotane@thedtic.gov.za

NOTE: Deadline for accreditation application is Monday, 06 March 2023 at 16h00. Late applications will not be accepted.

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President – 082 835 6315

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria
Screening and Accreditation Template.xlsx

The Presidency wishes to advise that Deputy President David Mabuza has resigned as a Member of Parliament, ending his term as Deputy President of the country.

This follows his request to President Cyril Ramaphosa to step down from the position of Deputy President, which the President announced in his reply to the State of the Nation Address on 16 February 2023.

On behalf of the Government and people of South Africa, President Ramaphosa has extended gratitude and appreciation to Deputy President Mabuza for his exceptional service to the country over the last five years.

“The Deputy President has undertaken the responsibilities of his office with dedication. I am grateful for the support he has provided to me throughout his term and for the leadership he has provided to the work of Government,” President Ramaphosa said.

“His contribution has been valued by the many constituencies with which he has engaged, including Traditional Leaders, Military Veterans, civil society formations and international bodies. As Leader of Government Business, he has ably managed the relationship between the Executive and Parliament, working to ensure that the transformative legislative programme of this Administration is advanced,” he said.

President Ramaphosa will make an announcement in due course about the appointment of a new Deputy President.

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President - +27 82 835 6315

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria
 

Presidential Spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, will this afternoon, 01 March 2023, update the public, through a hybrid media briefing, on President Cyril Ramaphosa’s public programme.
 
The briefings are an interactive platform with the media, where the Spokesperson provides an update on the President’s public engagements programme  and addresses relevant topical issues of public and media interest.
 
Members of the media are invited as follows:

Date: Wednesday, 01 March 2023
Time: 13h30 for 14h00
Venue: Union Buildings, Pretoria
 
RSVP: Media wishing to attend the media briefing physically are requested to submit their details to Tsakane Khambane at 082 084 5566 / Tsakane@presidency.gov.za or Kearabetswe Mabatle on 066 219 2162.

Members of the media can also participate virtually via this following link: Presidential Spokesperson media briefing: https://youtube.com/live/684VrY1hkHY?feature=share
 

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President - +27 82 835 6315

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

The Presidency is aware of several media reports that have presented a gross misrepresentation of statements made by President Cyril Ramaphosa in an affidavit submitted in a court case, brought by the United Democratic Movement (UDM) and others, in respect of the current electricity crisis.
 
The statement in the affidavit that has been misrepresented relates to the constitutional powers and responsibilities of the President and other Government bodies. It seeks to clarify important legal issues about what is contained in and what is required by the Constitution.
 
This statement does not in any way diminish the commitment of President Ramaphosa and this Government to end load shedding as a matter of urgency.
 
Indeed, since taking office in 2018, President Ramaphosa has undertaken far-reaching measures to resolve an electricity crisis that stretches back more than a decade. These include:
 
- Reviving the renewable energy procurement programme, which has resulted in the addition of over 2,000 MW to the grid to date, and signing project agreements for a further 2,800 MW of projects from bid windows 5 and 6 of the programme.
 
- Removing the licensing threshold for embedded electricity projects and streamlining of regulatory processes, with the result that there are now more than 100 projects in the pipeline worth around 9,000 MW.
 
- Implementing regulatory reforms to allow municipalities to procure power independently.
 
- Driving a turnaround in the performance of Eskom’s power stations through more rigorous maintenance, the recruitment of experienced technical personnel, improving security and law enforcement at power stations, among others.
 
- Providing incentives to businesses and households to invest in rooftop solar and developing mechanisms to enable them to sell surplus power back into the grid.
 
- Undertaking a debt-relief arrangement for Eskom of R254 billion, which will enable the utility to make necessary investments in maintenance and transmission.
 
A National State of Disaster has been declared under the Disaster Management Act. This will enable additional measures to be implemented to mitigate the social and economic effects of load shedding and accelerate the measures necessary to close the shortfall in electricity.
 
These and other measures are clearly outlined in the same affidavit from which certain media outlets have selectively and inaccurately quoted.
 
As recently as the State of the Nation Address (SONA) on 9 February 2023, President Ramaphosa said the most immediate priority of Government is to restore energy security.
 
The intense focus that is being given to resolving this crisis – and the actions that have been taken so far – clearly show that neither the President nor Government has abdicated its responsibility for ending load shedding and setting the country on a path to energy security.

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President - +27 82 835 6315

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria