Programme Director,
Your Excellency Félix Tshisekedi, President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Mr Gwede Mantashe,
Ministers and Deputy Ministers from across the African continent,
Chairman of the Investing in African Mining Indaba, Mr Frans Baleni,
Representatives of industry, labour and civil society,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good Morning. Sanibonani.

Welcome to you all. It is good to be here again this year.

The Investing in African Mining Indaba has become one of the most important platforms for the advancement of this vital industry.

Mining has been the bedrock of African economies for millennia, and it continues to play a pivotal role in development and industrialisation across the continent.

In the global drive towards sustainability, the mining sector has a particularly important role to play, requiring it to be responsible, agile and innovative.

For South Africa, mining continues to be an essential part of our economy.

The mining sector is an important contributor to job creation and retention, accounting for close to half a million direct jobs and close to a million indirect jobs.

Mining revenues enable government to provide services to citizens and drive a concerted programme of economic reconstruction and recovery in the wake of the  COVID-19 pandemic.

As we have heard, mining production in South Africa last year reached a record high of R1.18 trillion, boosting our GDP, exports and revenue.

Despite this achievement, we are far from realising the full potential of our mining industry.

We are determined to remove all impediments and create an environment that will drive sustained growth in mining.

The fact that mineral production contracted by 9 per cent year-on-year in November 2022 – largely due to electricity shortages and inefficiencies in logistics – is indicative of the challenges we need to confront and overcome.

In addition to the energy crisis and problems with port and rail operations, the outlook for the year ahead has been dampened by concerns about safety and security, illegal mining and the pace of our structural reform programme.

These are precisely the issues that government is working to address.

We have a responsibility as government, industry, labour and communities to ensure that our mining industry is able to grow, to become more globally competitive and to be a pioneer in the global drive towards sustainable development.

To realise these objectives, we need to:

Firstly, achieve a secure supply of electricity.

Secondly, accelerate economic reforms to improve the operating environment.

Thirdly, tackle illegal mining and damage to infrastructure.

Fourthly, improve the regulatory environment.

The electricity crisis has had a huge impact on the mining sector.

Six months ago, we announced a National Energy Action Plan to improve the performance of our existing power stations and to add new generation capacity to the grid as quickly as possible.

Eskom has assembled experienced technical teams to improve performance and recover capacity at power stations, with an initial focus on the six least reliable stations.

Through a regional power pool arrangement, we have already imported 300 MW of capacity from neighbouring countries and are working to increase this by an additional 1,000 MW.

The successful renewable energy programme is being strengthened.

In the last six months, we have signed agreements for 25 projects representing 2,800 MW of new capacity. These projects will soon be proceeding to construction.

We are facilitating investment in new generation capacity by private producers by, among other things, removing the licensing threshold for embedded generation projects.

Eskom is looking to purchase surplus power from companies with available generation capacity.

The mining sector has been making significant moves towards generating its own electricity.

According to the Minerals Council of South Africa, since the licensing threshold was lifted, approximately 89 embedded power generation projects have been developed, with a focus on renewable energy solutions like solar, wind and battery storage.

Not only will these projects support mining operations themselves and bring down operating costs, but they will also add much needed power to the country’s overall supply and support South Africa’s decarbonisation process.

Mining is leading the way in developing other new energy technologies.

Last year, I had the privilege to attend the launch by Anglo American of the world’s largest hydrogen-powered mine haul truck.

Anglo is developing an entire hydrogen ecosystem to support its local operations, and the launch of the NUGen truck was the first project for the Green Hydrogen Valley we hope to develop from Limpopo to KwaZulu-Natal.

South Africa has abundant renewable energy resources and about 75 percent of the world’s platinum resources, which puts us in a favourable position to develop such technologies.

The second part of our efforts to develop the mining industry is to accelerate economic reforms to improve the operating environment.

We have been driving a range of structural reforms through Operation Vulindlela, an initiative of the Presidency in partnership with the National Treasury, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy and other key departments.

As part of streamlining regulatory processes, we are reducing the timeframes for environmental authorisations, exempting energy projects from environmental authorisations for certain activities, and speeding up the process of registering new projects and grid connection approvals.

A critical area of reform is in logistics, which is a huge problem for the mining industry.

By way of example, in 2022 coal exports through the Richards Bay Coal Terminal dropped to about 50 million tonnes, the worst performance since 1993.

It is estimated that infrastructure inefficiencies have resulted in a 15 per cent decline in mineral sales.

We therefore welcome the partnership announced late last year between the Minerals Council of South Africa and Transnet to stabilise and restore the operational performance of our rail lines and ports.

The reforms we announced to improve the state of freight rail are moving ahead. One of these – opening key routes to third party operators – will bring much-needed investment for upgrading, maintenance and rehabilitation.

A new policy framework for rail sets out actions to modernise the rail network, enable private investment, improve regulation and restore rail as a competitive mode of both freight and commuter transport.

Similar efforts are underway to enable private investment in our ports and certain container corridors.

The third area of focus is to tackle illegal mining and damage to infrastructure.

The South African Police Service has established multi-disciplinary Economic Infrastructure Task Teams that are operational in 20 identified hotspots. In the last six months, these teams have conducted around hundreds of operations and made a significant number of arrests.

Transnet has developed partnerships with the industry and private security to address cable theft and vandalism on the freight rail network through advanced technologies and additional security personnel.

As industry, law enforcement agencies and government departments we will deepen our cooperation to stamp out illegal mining and other acts of economic sabotage.

The fourth area of work is to improve the regulatory environment.

We will continue working with industry on reducing backlogs in prospecting and mining applications.

I understand that over the past 18 months we have reduced the backlog of applications by 42 per cent and plans are in place to eliminate the backlog in the short to medium term.

The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy has indicated that the process for procuring an off-the-shelf cadastral system, which can be customised to South Africa’s needs, is underway.

This is essential for the operation of a modern mining rights administration system, which in turn is vital for the growth of the industry.

These are some of the efforts we are undertaking as South Africa to improve the business operating environment for a sector that is the lifeblood of our economy and that of the continent.

South Africa is home to some of the most experienced miners in the world, with unparalleled expertise, knowledge and capacity for innovation.

Just as we look to attract investment in mining to grow our economy and create jobs, investors will find South Africa as an attractive destination for miners and associated sectors.

This is particularly the case for companies looking to leverage the opportunities presented by the global green energy transition and the African Continental Free Trade Area.

Just as there can be no development without mining, mining must be at the forefront of social development.

The implementation of Social and Labour Plans must be accelerated and improved.

These plans have an important contribution to make to the provision of housing, schools, sporting facilities, bursaries, health facilities and road infrastructure, among others.

This is a challenging time for mining, both in South Africa and across the continent.

However, we have the means to overcome our difficulties and forge a brighter future for this industry.

As the world changes, mining is changing with it and the industry stands ready to seize the opportunities that the future presents.

I wish you all the best for another successful Investing in African Mining Indaba that places mining firmly at the forefront of the continent’s growth, development and prosperity.

I thank you.

Programme Director,
Minister of Basic Education, Ms Angie Motshekga, 
Ministers and Deputy Ministers, 
MECs and HODs,
Members of national and provincial legislatures, 
Representatives of political parties, 
Representatives of teacher unions, 
Representatives of SGB Associations, higher education institutions, education organisations and civil society, 
Representatives of business, 
Guests, 
Ladies and Gentlemen, 

Good morning. 

It is good to be here again this year. 

The Basic Education Sector Lekgotla is one of the most important events on our calendar. 

It is here that officials, educators, teacher unions, policymakers, the private sector and civil society chart the course for basic education for the next twelve months and beyond. 

Basic education is the foundation of a nation’s development, progress and prosperity. 

The aspiration laid out in our Constitution, to establish a society based on democratic values, social justice and human rights, cannot be achieved without prioritising education. 

Improving the quality of life of all citizens and freeing the potential of each person cannot be realised without education at the centre of our efforts. 

If one can liken our nation to a sturdy tree that is strong enough to weather the worst conditions, basic education forms the roots that nourish the tree and enable it to grow and thrive. 

The stronger and healthier the roots, the stronger and healthier the tree. 

That is why, even though we have many challenges to overcome, we will continue to celebrate achievements in basic education. 

Last year we recorded an 80.1 per cent matric pass rate.

This was a four percent improvement on the year before.

Despite the impact of lockdowns, school closures, learning disruption, curriculum trimming, rotational timetables and numerous hurdles, our learners excelled. 

This year’s results, particularly in the performance of learners from poorer schools, show the deepening impact of education spending and the social wage more broadly.

We congratulate all the learners. 

We also congratulate and thank all those who contributed towards this outcome. 

We congratulate Minister Motshekga, the respective MECs and their teams. 

We thank our parents and caregivers, school administrators and support staff, school governing bodies and the teaching assistants who were deployed to schools as part of the Presidential Employment Stimulus. 

The biggest heroes are our educators. 

Because of their dedication to their profession, our learners got the support they needed to sit these exams and to do well. 

I speak here about the extra hours spent tutoring, the personal time taken to help redraft and amend timetables and curricula, the time spent being part of matric camps, and many other initiatives. 

Many of our educators have their own families and children in school, and yet they provided an extended family to their learners. 

The improved matric results must encourage us as stakeholders in basic education to redouble our efforts to address the extremely serious problem of learner dropout. 

Every year thousands of high school learners leave before sitting their matric exams. 

In many respects the problem of learner dropout makes the theme of this year’s Lekgotla even more relevant.

The theme, which focuses on equipping learners with knowledge and skills for a changing world, raises the important issue of whether all learners who enter the basic education system are able to follow the educational paths that best suit them and their aspirations.

If we can provide learners with more choices and better guidance, we should be able to reduce the proportion of learners that drop out.

The three-stream model is critical if we are to adapt and thrive as a country in the new world of work. 

The skills that our country needs, the jobs that can grow our economy, and importantly, the avenues for entrepreneurship that are so sorely needed, can best be achieved by increasing learner access to technical and vocational subjects. 

I am pleased to hear about the progress that we are making in institutionalising the three-stream model. 

I understand that various Technical Vocational specialisations have already been introduced in more than 550 schools, and a growing number of schools are piloting the subjects in the Technical Occupational stream. 

These subjects include Agriculture, Maritime and Nautical Science, Electrical, Civil and Mechanical Technologies, amongst others. 

These are all vocations our economy sorely needs.

They are the kind of vocations that we need to promote and develop if we are to tackle unemployment. 

The high numbers of unemployed young people is something no country can afford, but it is even worse if they are also not in education or training. 

Inclusive growth and shared prosperity can only be achieved when more people are working. 

A productive workforce cannot be achieved if we do not remake ourselves as a nation committed to lifelong learning in various forms. 

If the economy is not creating enough jobs at scale to support the growing numbers of unemployed, we have to think creatively and innovatively. 

We have to look beyond issues of labour absorption alone, and into what are the best ways to open up new pathways for employment and self-employment. 

This starts with developing skills for a modern and dynamic workforce through basic education. 

It cannot be emphasised enough that the greater the scope of basic education streams, the better our learners’ prospects are for securing employment and for self-employment after school. 

By way of example, we will all be aware of the national effort to transition our economy along a low-carbon, climate change resilient pathway, and our move towards cleaner sources of energy. 

Powering a clean energy revolution and pursuing sustainable development requires artisans, mechanics, green equipment manufacturers and operators, waste entrepreneurs, technicians, sustainable farming practitioners and a host of others. 

Never has the imperative been greater for us to forge ahead with curricula that are responsive to the changing needs of our economy and society.

Beyond reflecting on the issues facing the basic education sector, our expectations are that the collective expertise at this lekgotla will help us consolidate what has been achieved so far to strengthen basic education outcomes into the future. 

The learning losses from the COVID-19 pandemic period will take some time to recoup. 

We have to forge ahead with the comprehensive curriculum recovery plan. 

We need to pay particular attention to the negative impact of the pandemic on early learning because of the serious consequences for learners later.

When learners have difficulty learning because they struggle to read and are not confident with basic numeracy, they are more likely to repeat classes. 

This slows progress through the grades, places greater burdens on teachers and consumes resources which could have been directed to quality improvement.

We have to keep looking at concrete mechanisms to strengthen the use of technology to support curriculum delivery, particularly to learners from disadvantaged communities. 

Care and Support for Teaching and Learning must be institutionalised as a tool to improve learner outcomes and retention rates.

It must mitigate against learner dropouts and contribute to the nation’s overall well-being by investing in young people’s emotional stability. 

We know that education involves more than the skills needed to work; it is also about developing the capabilities needed to participate in a democratic society.

Our schools must become places that are free of corporal punishment, sexual abuse, gender-based violence, racism, substance abuse and other ills. 

Our schools, like our country, must be alert to prevent a resurgence of COVID-19. As educators and stakeholders we must continue to encourage vaccination for those who are eligible. 

Just as education fights inequality and poverty, improves a nation’s health outcomes, and contributes to economic growth, investment in quality education extends beyond learning itself. 

We are working hard to ensure that learners are able to receive education in dignified conditions that support their health and well-being. 

Through the Sanitation Appropriate for Education programme, known as SAFE, we have so far been able to construct 50,000 sanitation facilities at 2,388 schools. 

A further 15,000 appropriate toilets were constructed at 1,047 schools as part of the Accelerated Schools Infrastructure Delivery Initiative - ASIDI. 

The Department of Basic Education assures me that all remaining SAFE sanitation projects at approximately 1,000 schools are scheduled for completion in the next financial year. 

We know that conditions of learning are seriously constrained in many of our schools by high learner-teacher ratios, amongst others. The burden of expectation on our educators to teach, do administration and meet the needs of their learners is stressful. 

The introduction of learning assistants into our classrooms as part of the Presidential Employment Stimulus has been a blessing for many educators and schools. 

The third cohort of participants will be starting early this year and will be providing this much-needed support to our educators. 

This Lekgotla has a full and busy agenda, so let us get to work. 

We have a lot to do and to achieve. 

Building resilience and promoting success in basic education is a firm foundation for economic growth, social progress and tackling inequality.

I look forward to today’s deliberations and to the outcomes of the Lekgotla. 

I thank you.

Programme Directors,
Members of the Ginwala family,
Former President Thabo Mbeki,
Speaker of the National Assembly, Ms Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula,
Former Speaker of the National Assembly, Ms Baleka Mbete,
Premier of Gauteng, Mr Panyaza Lesufi,
Ministers and Deputy Ministers,
Religious, traditional and community leaders,
Members of the Judiciary,
Members of the diplomatic corps,
Leaders and stalwarts of the African National Congress,
Leaders of other political parties present,
Comrades and Friends,
Fellow Mourners,
 
We gather here this morning to celebrate the remarkable life of Frene Ginwala, and to pay tribute to her profound contribution to the cause of freedom, peace and progress.
 
We remember a life that was as rich in experience as it was rich in meaning.
 
Frene Ginwala played many parts. She was a journalist, an author, an academic, a barrister and a Parliamentarian.
 
She was an activist, a feminist, a pan-Africanist and an internationalist.
 
Yet, no roll-call of her many achievements can adequately describe the person she was nor the impact that she made in the course of her life.
 
It is telling that among her earlier political assignments she was called upon to find ways for ANC leaders to clandestinely leave the country.
 
At a time of great uncertainty and danger, she established routes and identified means of passage where before there had been none.
 
Through ingenuity, through courage, through determination and diligence, she forged new paths.
 
Throughout her life she was a pioneer, a pathfinder, a leader in the true sense of the word.
 
She was instrumental in setting up the ANC’s first office in exile, establishing the base from which – over the coming decades – the organisation would forge what was probably the most powerful international solidarity movement of our time.
 
For three decades, she was a vital part of that movement, whether in Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique, the United Kingdom or wherever else her assignments took her.
 
On whatever platform, given whatever opportunity, Frene Ginwala was an eloquent and persuasive champion of the cause of the South African people.
 
With her keen intellect, her measured delivery and her clear articulation of the principles and the purpose of our struggle, she felled many a critic and earned many a friend.
 
Through her writings, whether as a journalist, an academic or an activist, she provided both incisive critique and clear vision.
 
She told us what was wrong with the world and, most importantly, how it could be better.
 
Frene Ginwala will be remembered as a pioneer of women’s rights.
 
At a time when scant attention was given to the many ways in which women were oppressed and exploited, Frene fought for the struggles of women to be recognised.
 
In a political environment in which the dominance of men didn’t even invite comment, Frene Ginwala was one of the few voices that was consistent and insistent that women should occupy their rightful place in the struggle.
 
In this, she can be counted as part of a proud lineage of courageous women that have fought for the freedom of all in this country, men and women, black and white.
 
She can be counted among the ranks of those women who burnt their passes in Bloemfontein in 1913 and among the women who marched on the Union Buildings in 1956.
 
She can be counted among the women who joined the ranks of Umkhonto we Sizwe in the aftermath of the 1976 uprising and those who marched on Parliament in 2019 to call for an end to the murder of women by men.
 
Frene Ginwala was prominent among those within the liberation movement who were instrumental in crafting a vision for a democratic South Africa that was both non-racial and non-sexist.
 
After a difficult and protracted struggle, she was among those that won broad acceptance for the idea that no country can be free for as long as its women are not free.
 
Having won the principle of non-sexism, Frene Ginwala was among those who were determined to give it effect.
 
It is therefore not surprising that after her return to South Africa, Ginwala formed part of the task force to establish the ANC Women's League in the country.
 
She helped to set up and became the convenor of the Women's National Coalition, which brought together women from across the political spectrum to draw up a women's charter.
 
This formation played a critical role in ensuring that the rights of women received proper attention in the negotiations process and were enshrined in the new constitutional order.
 
As we bid farewell to Frene Ginwala, we must recognise that this struggle – for equal rights and opportunities for women – is far from won.
 
As a society, as a state and as a movement, we have yet to give full effect to the principles of non-sexism and gender equality.
 
Despite significant progress, women are still under-represented in positions of authority, responsibility and influence across nearly all areas of public life.
 
And despite the progressive policies we have pursued since the advent of democracy, women are still over-represented among the poor, the unemployed and the vulnerable.
 
As Frene would remind us, until we have achieved equality between men and women in all spheres of life, we will not be free.
 
We will remember Frene Ginwala as a pioneer in building our democracy from the ruins of apartheid.
 
As part of the ANC’s negotiating team, she brought all her legal training, her sharp mind and her political conviction to the task of forging a new constitutional order in South Africa.
 
Yet it was in her role as the first Speaker of a democratically elected National Assembly that she had the greatest and most enduring impact on our young democracy.
 
Over the course of a decade in that position she forged a new institution that reflected the great diversity, the struggles, the aspirations, the culture and the practices of the South African people.
 
With her calm and deliberate determination she forged an institution that stands at the centre of our democracy.
 
It is an institution that continues to this day to fulfil its Constitutional purpose as the representative, the voice, the champion and the instrument of the people.
 
She performed her role as Speaker with diligence, fairness and integrity.
 
She was always mindful that it was her responsibility to serve the people and to do everything within her means to advance their cause.
 
Frene lived, fought and strived as we all should – selflessly, honestly, courageously, driven by a deep and abiding love of humanity.
 
She stood for a South Africa that was united in its diversity.
 
She cherished a society where all may embrace and celebrate their many identities, many cultures, languages and faiths.
 
She stood firm against the abuse of power and corruption.
 
She stood firm against racism, sexism and all forms of intolerance and prejudice.
 
She stood for human rights for all and the rule of law.
 
To defend the aspirations of our Constitution is to honour the memory of Frene Ginwala.
 
To lead lives of integrity, whether as citizens or leaders, is to uphold her legacy.
 
Good thoughts, good words and good deeds.
 
These are the tenets of the Zoroastrian faith into which Frene was born.
 
She lived by them. Her life embodied them.
 
To her family, especially her beloved nephews Zav, Cyrus and Sohrab, we share in your sorrow.
 
May you be comforted by the knowledge that Frene’s spirit, her courage, her wisdom and her generosity will forever be remembered.
 
Hamba kahle Mbokodo.
 
Hamba kahle Qhawekazi.
 
Lala ngoxolo Madam Speaker.
 
I thank you.

President Cyril Ramaphosa joins South African Catholics and adherents globally in mourning the passing of His Holiness Pope Emeritus Benedict XV1.

His Holiness has passed away at the age of 95, close to 10 years after resigning from his role as head of the Catholic Church worldwide.

President Ramaphosa said: “South Africans share the sadness felt by millions of the Catholic faithful worldwide at the passing of the Pope Emeritus.

“In this season of Christian fellowship, the passing of His Holiness is certain to add to the intensity with which Catholic adherents and other communities of faith carried the Pope Emeritus in their prayers in the closing days of his life.

“We reflect with deep regard on the spirit leadership Pope Benedict XV1 provided to his Church and humanity more broadly.

“The prayers and concern expressed by millions for His Holiness in recent weeks and days will now sustain and comfort the faithful in this hour of grief.”


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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

My fellow South Africans,

In a few hours we will ring in a new year.

It is a time for fresh starts in a number of aspects that affect our lives and for making resolutions to do things better.

It is also a time of hope – hope for a better life for ourselves, and for  things to become better for the country that we all love.

2022 has been a difficult year. It is a year during which South Africans continued to endure the hardships that are given rise to by unemployment, poverty and persistent inequality.

On top of all this we have had to deal with the rising cost of living and an energy crisis.

We have also been burdened by the loss of loved ones to a number of tragedies.

There have been devastating tragic events that have destroyed both lives and livelihoods.

These events have included floods, fatal vehicle crashes, deaths in taverns, dam wall collapses, drownings, fires in informal settlements and most recently, the terrible explosion of a fuel tanker in Boksburg in Gauteng that killed at least 34 people.

A number of young men have lost their lives during the summer initiation season, turning what was meant to be a time of joy and celebration into a time of sorrow.

Our thoughts and prayers are with all the bereaved families.

May the Lord embrace and comfort all families who suffered loss as a result of these tragic events.

With all that has happened this past year, we must remain optimistic and have hope. For hope does spring eternal in the human breast.

Much as we are going through a stormy phase in the life of a country, storms do eventually pass.

Two years ago when the Covid-19 pandemic broke out, I said that we would overcome. And we have.

The Covid-19 pandemic no longer determines how we live our lives.

We have been able to shelter society’s most vulnerable from its worst effects.

Our economy is growing again and is now larger than it was before the pandemic.

Over the past year, around 1.5 million new jobs were created.

The Presidential Employment Stimulus, which has provided opportunities to more than a million citizens, is growing and thriving.

We are improving the business operating environment and attracting new investment.

We are undertaking reforms in the operation of our ports and railways, and in our telecommunications, water and electricity sectors.

We are working hard to end the crisis of load shedding.

We are increasing the amount of renewable energy on the grid

The benefits of this work may not be immediately felt, but we should expect that these efforts will steadily reduce the need for load shedding until it is no longer necessary.

Over the last year, there have been milestones in the fight against corruption.

The State Capture Commission handed over its final report and government has set out a plan for the implementation of its recommendations.

There have been several arrests, prosecutions and convictions for corruption and cases related to state capture.

Significant amounts of stolen funds have been recovered by state owned companies like Eskom and Transnet.

Just as the new year is a time for a fresh start in our personal lives, so too must it be for the life of our nation.

South Africans want to see our country’s electricity challenges resolved.

They want to see tougher action against corruption.

They want to lead lives of dignity and to have jobs.

They want to live in safety, freedom and peace.

We must build on the important work that has been done this past year to determine our actions in the next.

We must intensify the fight against poverty and inequality, unemployment, crime and gender-based violence.

This is what South Africans want and deserve.

Even as we face the challenges of today and tomorrow, the people of South Africa still hold fast to the belief in our nation’s greatness.

They are determined to see our country prosper and thrive.

As we look to the year ahead, we pay tribute to the many outstanding South Africans who have served our nation.

We pay tribute to the lifeguards, emergency workers, law-enforcement personnel, fire fighters, nurses, doctors and other health care workers.

We pay tribute to our educators, who have worked so hard to restore our classrooms as places of learning, and to the learners themselves who have given their very best in centres of learning.

We thank the hard working staff, businesses and suppliers who keep our streets clean, who transport commuters, and who provide our homes with various services.

We applaud the farmers and farmworkers who produce our food.

We thank those who opened their hearts to victims of tragedy and helped wherever and however they could.

Our humanity and our unity during times of hardship is what makes us who we are.

Let us enter 2023 with the courage and resilience for which we are known.

Let us keep going and keep on trying, no matter how difficult it gets.

By working together, we can and will rebuild our country., We can and will improve our economy and improve the lives of our people.

Wherever you are at this time, I wish you a happy, prosperous and peaceful new year.

I thank you.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed his sadness at the passing of global football icon and social activist, Pelé.

Edson Arantes do Nascimento has passed away at the age of 82 after an extended illness.

President Ramaphosa offers his deepest sympathy to Pelé’s family and friends and to the Government and people of Brazil.

The President has expressed his condolences in letters to President Jair Bolsonaro as well as incoming President Luis Inácio Lula da Silva.

The only 3 time FIFA World Cup champion, Pelé dazzled both fans and competitors alike with a skillful and entertaining style of play that made him a global star and icon of excellence in football.

He was a campaigner for improved social conditions in his home country and internationally, and served as Minister of Sport in Brazil from January 1995 to April 1998.

Pelé visited South Africa in 1995 and met President Nelson Mandela. The two global figures expressed profound admiration for one another based on their common social and political causes.

President Ramaphosa said: “During the eight decades of his life, Pelé not only filled football stadiums with exhilaration but he filled hearts and homes with hope and the knowledge that adversity was surmountable.

“He was a global inspiration who embodied the best that sport has to offer as an exhibition of physical endeavour and as a means to transform individuals and entire societies from within.

“His endurance and impact on the field of play inspired the resilience with which Pelé worked for peace and justice globally.

“Pelé will be missed by multiple generations of people worldwide who were touched by his life even if they never set foot in a stadium.”
 

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President – 082 835 6315
 
Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

President Cyril Ramaphosa says racism has no place in South Africa and racists must expect harsh consequences in terms of the law.

The President commends the South African Police Service for opening dockets and launching investigations into a reported case of suspected racism at a Free State holiday resort on Christmas Day.

The complaint entails an alleged assault – widely accessible for viewing on social media platforms – on black teenage boys by white adults who appear to argue that the boys are not allowed in a swimming pool reserved for white users.

President Ramaphosa said: “Our Constitution means exactly what it says when it declares that South Africa – and that means all of South Africa – belongs to all who live in it.

“As black and white South Africans, we should be united in condemning all manifestations of racism and attempts to explain or defend such crimes. Racism is not a problem to be fought by black South Africans only.

“We must also be united in ridding our society of the violence we see in the videos of the incident at the Free State resort, whether such violence comes with racism or not.

“It is deplorable that adults dealing with teenagers resort to violence with such disturbing ease, hurting people physically and offending provisions in our Bill of Rights around security of the person, including the right to dignity and being free of violence.

“Under the rule of law, we must let investigations take their course but under the rule of law we can and must also declare that racism has no place in our society and racists have no place to hide.

“We must defend our continuing national mission of ridding our society of the divisions and the hurts of our past.”
 

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President – 082 835 6315
 
Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

President Cyril Ramaphosa is deeply saddened by the continued loss of life following the explosion of a truck near the OR Tambo Memorial Hospital on Saturday, 24 December 2022.
 
To date, 18 people have lost their lives, a significant number have been injured and the hospital and surrounding public infrastructure have suffered extensive damage.
 
The President’s thoughts are with the families and friends of those who have perished in the incident and the President wishes the injured persons speedy and full recovery.
 
President Ramaphosa said: “The nation’s hearts go out to everyone affected by this devastating incident.
 
“Such events take on greater sadness and tragedy when they occur at this time of year when all of us pray for safety and look forward to the togetherness and comfort of extended time with family and friends.
 
“In this instance, the loss of life is rendered more intense because some of the victims were hospital patients, hospital staff and children, while firefighters are counted among the injured.”
 
“While we await the outcome of investigations into this tragedy, this incident does, like so many others, call on all of us to show due care and to avoid risk when we are out on our roads which we share as a public amenity.”
 
The President has expressed his appreciation for for the rescue and recovery efforts by Government agencies and services as well as organisations such as Gift of the Givers.
 
The truck driver has been arrested on suspicion of culpable homicide while the national and provincial departments of health have assessed damage to the hospital.
 
The Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality has begun the process of relocating families whose homes have been destroyed by the blast.
 
The President said: “As Government, we are taking all necessary actions to bring relief to persons affected by the incident and we draw inspiration in our own efforts from the demonstrations of ubuntu we are seeing on the part of communities and community-based organisations.
 
“While these interventions bring us hope and light in our darkest hour, we must always live by the resolve to prevent such catastrophe from taking place in the first place.”
 

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President – 082 835 6315
 
Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

THEME: “National Unity, Healing, and Renewal”.

Fellow South Africans,

Dumelang, Molweni, Sanibonani, Goeie Dag, Thobela, Lotjhani, Ndi masiari, Nhlekanhi.

We will soon be at the end of what has for many been a difficult year.

In our communities, at our places of work and study, and in our homes, South Africans have had to confront many challenges.

We have had to deal with the devastating effects of the COVID pandemic, with rising food and fuel prices, with catastrophic flooding in parts of the country and with ongoing load shedding.

It is therefore particularly distressing that, amidst all these challenges, there have been several incidents of racism and intolerance.

We have witnessed racists acts in our universities, schools and other public places.

While it is deeply disturbing that these attitudes continue in our society, we must take encouragement from the fact that the perpetrators of racism have found neither sympathy nor condonation from broader society.

Time and again, our nation has shown its true character in times of need.

In the darkest days of the pandemic, during last year’s unrest and in the aftermath of the floods earlier this year, South Africans came together.

Communities reached out to each other.

The same can be said for the incidents of racism that took place this year.

Civil society mobilised against the racists.

Pressure was placed on the institutions involved to take swift and appropriate action.

Acts of racism will not be suppressed, buried, or rationalised.

They will be publicised, filmed, and put on full public view for all to see.

This speaks to the energised and conscientised society we have become.

We are a society that stands firmly for justice.

Non-racialism and non-sexism and respect for diversity begins with our Constitution, but it does not end there.

On this Day of Reconciliation, we reaffirm our commitment to live by the values of nonracialism and non-sexism.

No matter how great the difficulties we may be facing, we cannot turn on each other.

It is up to each one of us, whether as families, as parents, as educators or as communities to do more to build bridges of understanding.

It cannot be that bringing about reconciliation should be the responsibility of the formerly oppressed.

Instead of retreating into our cocoons of race, language, ethnicity, and class, let us use today, and indeed every day, as an opportunity to play our part.

The actions we may take may seem small, like learning a South African language we do not know, or they may be significant, like joining the government’s land donation programme.

As much as it is government’s responsibility to promote and advance national reconciliation through progressive policies and education, reconciliation must begin with the individual and with our own attitudes.

While challenges still remain, the South African people want to live alongside each other in peace.

We should not despair at the actions of the few who still cling to the attitudes, behaviour, and language of the past.

The great writer Alan Paton once said that reconciliation is not about forgiving and forgetting as if nothing wrong had ever happened.

It is about forgiving and going forward; about building on the mistakes of the past to create a new future.

Despite the national trauma and great crime that was apartheid, we have come a long way in bringing about reconciliation amongst South Africans.

Today, and every day, let us look to the future with optimism.

It is our collective hope that the new year will bring peace, progress and prosperity for every South African man, woman, and child.

In a society of common prosperity there is no room for prejudice of any kind.

It is the society we must hasten to build, working together.

I wish all South Africans a blessed and peaceful Reconciliation Day.

I thank you for your attention.

President Cyril Ramaphosa rejects with the utmost contempt Mr. Jacob Zuma’s abuse of legal processes and perversion of the ‘nolle prosequi’ (private prosecution) provision.

In accordance with the Criminal Procedure Act, a private prosecution can only be instituted after the individual prosecuting has obtained a certificate of non-prosecution. The certificate serves as a legal confirmation that the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) will not proceed with the prosecution following its consideration of the charges. 

Mr. Zuma has not provided such a certificate with charges in the name of President Ramaphosa. The summon served to the President is hopelessly sub-standard and demonstrate absolute disregard of the law.  

Mr. Zuma charges that President Ramaphosa is an “accessory after the fact” in a criminal offence alleged against Advocate William Downer – the allegation is that Advocate Downer improperly shared information, in terms of the NPA Act. Mr Zuma’s charges are based on an accusation that President Ramaphosa failed to act after Mr. Zuma complained about improper conduct by Advocates Downer and Breitenbach. These charges are completely spurious and unfounded. 

President Ramaphosa promptly responded to Mr Zuma’s letter indicating steps he had taken, including referring the matter to the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Ronald Lamola who bears the oversight responsibility over the NPA. President Ramaphosa requested Minister Lamola to refer complaints of improper conduct against Advocates Downer and Breitenbach to the Legal Practice Council.
 
President Ramaphosa does not interfere in the work of the NPA, nor does he have the power to do so. The President responded to Mr Zuma and took appropriate and legally permissible action. 


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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria