President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared a period of mourning for seven days from Tuesday, 17 January 2023, in honour of Dr Frene Ginwala, the late founding Speaker of South Africa’s democratic Parliament.

Dr Ginwala, an Esteemed Member of the Order of Luthuli, passed away at her at home in Cape Town on Thursday night, 12 January 2023, at the age of 90, following a stroke two weeks earlier.

In 2005, Dr Ginwala was honoured with the Order of Luthuli in Silver for her excellent contribution to the struggle against gender oppression and her tireless contribution to the struggle for a non-sexist, non-racial, just and democratic South Africa.

President Ramaphosa has directed that the National Flag be flown at half-mast at all flag stations around the country until the evening of Tuesday, 24 January 2023.

The Presidency will in the coming days announce details of an official memorial service that will take place in Johannesburg on Tuesday, 24 January. This event will serve as a national tribute to the late Speaker.

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

President Cyril Ramaphosa has welcomed the decision handed down by the South Gauteng High Court Division to interdict the private prosecution brought against him by Former President Jacob Zuma from proceeding until the application to set aside the private prosecution is heard.  

The court affirmed all of the President’s key contentions, namely on jurisdiction of the court to hear the interdict application, the urgency of the matter against a court appearance date based on a prima facie unlawful nolle prosequi. The court further found in the President’s favour on the violation of rights to personal freedom based on a prima facie defective summons.  

The judgement confirms the positon of the President that the private prosecution is motivated by the ulterior purpose based on spurious and unfounded charges, constitutes an abuse of private prosecution provisions and demonstrates flagrant disregard for the law.

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

President Cyril Ramaphosa wishes to announce, with great sadness, that Dr. Frene Ginwala, founding Speaker of South Africa’s democratic Parliament and Esteemed Member of the Order of Luthuli, has passed away.

Dr Ginwala passed away at her at home on Thursday night, 12 January 2023, at the age of 90, following a stroke two weeks ago.

On behalf of the nation and of the legislative, executive and judicial components of the State, the President offers his sincere condolences to Dr. Ginwala’s family, her nephews Cyrus, Sohrab and Zavareh, and their families.

The President extends his condolences to Dr. Ginwala’s friends, colleagues and associates in South Africa and beyond.

Born on 25 April 1932, Frene Noshir Ginwala served the anti-apartheid struggle and South Africa’s democratic dispensation in a diversity of roles as a lawyer, academic, political leader, activist and journalist.

In 2005, she was honoured with the Order of Luthuli in Silver for her excellent contribution to the struggle against gender oppression and her tireless contribution to the struggle for a non-sexist, non-racial, just and democratic South Africa.

President Ramaphosa said: “Today we mourn the passing of a formidable patriot and leader of our nation, and an internationalist to whom justice and democracy around the globe remained an impassioned objective to her last days.

“Among the many roles she adopted in the course of a life she led to the full, we are duty-bound to recall her establishment of our democratic Parliament which exercised the task of undoing decades-old apartheid legislation and fashioning the legislative foundations of the free and democratic South Africa.

“Many of the rights and material benefits South Africans enjoy today have their origins in the legislative programme of the inaugural democratic Parliament under Dr. Ginwala’s leadership, with Nelson Mandela occupying the seat of the first President to be elected by the democratic Parliament.

“Frene Ginwala epitomised the ethos and expectations of our then fledgling Constitution and played an important role in building the capacity of Parliament through the transformation of activists and leaders into lawmakers who were in turn able to transform our country.

“Dr. Ginwala was similarly influential and instrumental in shaping the advancement of democracy and the entrenchment of democratic political processes and fundamental socio-economic rights in the Southern African Development Community and the continent at large.

“Beyond African shores, she positioned our young democracy both as one that had as much to contribute to as it had to learn from global precedents and experience.

“We have lost another giant among a special generation of leaders to whom we owe our freedom and to whom we owe our commitment to keep building the South Africa to which they devoted their all.”

Government respects the family’s wishes for a private funeral.

Details of an official memorial event will be announced in due course.

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

Presidential Economic Advisory Council

On the 11th of January 2023, President Cyril Ramaphosa, chaired the meeting of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC). This was the first meeting of the PEAC for 2023. In his opening remarks, President Ramaphosa acknowledged the difficulties that confront the global economy which invariably impact on South Africa’s growth prospects. 

The President reflected on the IMF’s ‘darkening outlook’ for the global economy in 2023, which is being fuelled by slowdowns in the US, China and EU economies, the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, the residual effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, increases in natural disasters around the globe, persistently high inflation and the global cost of living crisis.

Despite South Africa being snared by its own strong headwinds with devastating floods, the rising cost of living and the energy crisis, there was however encouraging signs of recovery as demonstrated by an increase of economic activity during the third quarter of 2022.

Promising activity in the agricultural, finance, insurance real estate and business services sectors enabled real GDP to expand by 1.6 per cent, and the size of the South African economy now surpasses pre-pandemic levels.

The meeting noted several recovery drivers that need to be sustained going into 2023 and beyond, these are;  

• 1.5 million Jobs were created over the past year, and in the year to the third quarter of 2022 total employment increased by 10.4 per cent.

• The Presidential Employment Stimulus, reached over one million participants.

• The structural reforms aimed at raising growth, attract investment and create more jobs. 

• Key reforms in the energy, IT, ports, rail, water and other sectors that are currently underway which will continue to improve the business operating environment as well as South Africa’s competitiveness as an investment destination. 

• The Just Energy Transition Investment Plan that will pave the way for additional investments into renewable based energy infrastructure.

• The R2 billion blended finance program launched by the Department of Agriculture Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) working collaboratively with the Land Bank. The Blended Finance program is designed to address many challenges emerging farmers face. 

• The Presidential Employment Stimulus Initiative launched as part of the recovery package from Covid-19 shock, enabling subsistence and small-scale farmers to buy the inputs they need (about 100 000 farmers were assisted). This intervention helped to improve household food production.

The Council agreed that all social partners need to work hard on the expansion of areas of economic opportunity and employment and to find practical and sustainable solutions to mitigate load shedding, drawing from international experience and to alleviate poverty.

National Energy Plan update
 
President Ramaphosa deeply regrets the current energy situation which has placed the country into stage 6 load shedding. The President acknowledges the frustration of households, parents and learners who have commenced the school calendar year facing power shortages. The devastation to small businesses and the adverse impact to the economy remains severe for South Africa’s recovering economy. 

On the 15th of December, President Ramaphosa convened a National Energy Crisis Committee comprising of Ministers and various technical work stream leads. Whilst the President acknowledged some of the progress made in the executing elements of the National Energy Plan, he further demanded more urgency and speed in the implementation of all priority areas and actions laid out in the National Energy Plan. 

To date President Ramaphosa remains seized with finding a sustainable solution to the current energy crisis. The President has been regularly briefed on the situation at Eskom and on the roll out of the National Energy Plan. More engagements are scheduled for today and tomorrow for a review of the situation and direction on urgent measures that must be undertaken in order to mitigate against the impact of load shedding. 

Despite the current gloomy state of load shedding the National Energy Crisis Committee work streams continue to make progress on serval areas aimed at ensuring the stability of the grid and finding additional megawatts. Herewith are some of the areas of progress that are noteworthy.

• We have removed the licensing threshold through amendment to Schedule 2 of the Electricity Regulatory Act. This was gazetted on 15th December 2022.

• A dedicated team in the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) has been established to work closely with Eskom Transmission to expedite expropriation and servitudes. The Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure has in the last two months signed notices of intent to expropriate for 27 parcels of private land. 46 servitudes on DPWI land are being processed, of which 22 will be finalized in January 2023.

• Eskom has identified up to 1000 MW of additional power to be imported from Mozambique and other countries in the SADC region, pending negotiations and regulatory approvals. This is in addition to the 300 MW already secured through the Southern African Power Pool.

• Significant potential capacity has already been identified for the standard offer and emergency generation programme (potential of 1600 MW) developed by Eskom – this will be implemented as a matter of urgency by the utility as no NERSA concurrence is required. 

A net billing framework, and later a feed-in tariff, is being developed to credit customers for any surplus energy they are able to feed into the grid, this is targeting residential as well as commercial and industrial installations. Further consultations are planned for the current month of January to finalise arrangements with a broad range of stakeholders.

• Independent team has been assembled to diagnose challenges at power station level (including former Power Station Managers), starting with Duvha, Kusile, Kriel, Tutuka, Hendrina and Matla. This team is working with the management and board of Eskom.

• The process to improve the availability of spare parts & expertise from Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) through more agile procurement is underway to source services from OEMs at Tutuka, Majuba, Kendal and Kusile.

• The process of excluding transmission infrastructure from the requirement to obtain environmental authorisation country wide in areas of low & medium environmental sensitivity has been completed. 

• NATJOINTS is coordinating the work of multiple agencies to address sabotage, theft and fraud at Eskom. Some arrests have been made, with progress driven by increased deployment of private security by Eskom.
  
World Economic Forum – Davos, Switzerland

On Tuesday 17 January 2023, President Ramaphosa will lead a delegation of Ministers and South African captains of industry to Davos, Switzerland, where he will participate at the World Economic Forum (WEF) events, in which he will lead the promotion of South Africa as an investment destination of choice. 

This year’s theme is "Cooperation in a fragmented world”. The President will be accompanied by Ministers Pandor, Gondongwana, Patel, and Kubayi.  

The South African delegation to WEF will add the country’s voice to discussions about global issues, with the overall aim to position the South Africa as a competitive business destination.

President Ramaphosa will participate in the Dialogue on Economics of Women’s Health, the Annual Welcome Dinner hosted Prof Klaus and Hilde Schwab, the dinner brings together heads of state, government and international organizations as well as members of the Board of Trustees, the International Business Council and Strategic Partners.

The President will also form part of the Annual Breakfast Meeting of the African Heads of State/Government entitled Africa Continental Free Trade Area. The AfCFTA is the largest free trade area in the world, by area and number of participating countries. 

Once fully implemented, it will be the fifth-largest economy in the world, with the potential to have a combined GDP of more than $3.4 trillion. The engagement at WEF will explore how public-private partnerships can support the implementation of the AfCFTA. 

The President will also attend the annual meeting on Investing on Infrastructure for Resilience. Details on bilaterla meetings will be provided in due course. 

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

Presidential Spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, will later today, Thursday, 12 January 2023, update the public, through a hybrid media briefing, on the President’s public programme.   
 
The spokesperson also utilises the media briefing to address topical issues of public and media interest. 
 
Members of the media are invited as follows:

Date: Thursday, 12 January 2023
Time: 14h30
Venue: The Union Buildings, Pretoria 

Members of the media will also be able to participate virtually on the following link: https://tinyurl.com/5d29vjh6 
 
RSVP: Media wishing to attend the media briefing physically are requested to submit their details to Terrence Manase – 082 338 6707 / terrence@presidency.gov.za  
 

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria
 

Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Mr Ronald Lamola,
Justices of the Constitutional Court and Supreme Court of Appeal,
Judges President and Judges,
Ministers and Deputy Ministers,
Acting Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, Hon Jomo Nyambi,
Members of the National Assembly and National Council of Provinces,
Heads of Chapter 9 Institutions,
Traditional Leaders,
Chancellor of the University of Venda, Adv Mojanku Gumbi,
Vice Chancellors of Institutions of Higher Learning,
Director General of the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development and other Directors General,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen, 

Thank you for this opportunity to reflect on 25 years of the implementation of our Constitution. 

Our Constitution is the product of long and protracted struggles for freedom, justice, equality, human dignity and a better life for all people. 

It is the product of the struggle against colonialism and apartheid, against oppression, subjugation and dispossession.

In the first certification case of the new Constitution, the Constitutional Court said:

“South Africa’s past has been aptly described as that of ‘a deeply divided society characterised by strife, conflict, untold suffering and injustice’ which ‘generated gross violations of human rights, the transgression of humanitarian principles in violent conflicts and a legacy of hatred, fear, guilt and revenge.”

Our Constitution is therefore more than the supreme law of our land. It is a firm and emphatic rejection of the political, social and economic system that came before it.

Our Constitution, which has now been in operation for over 25 years, constitutes a social compact on how we should relate to each other as a people, how we should relate to other nations as a sovereign state, and how we should govern ourselves and our resources. 

The Preamble to our Constitution gives a powerful sense of the context in which it was written, the past which it sought to correct and the future to which it aspired.

In the Preamble, we the people of South Africa firmly state that the purpose of the Constitution is to: 

- Heal the divisions of the past and establish a society based on democratic values, social justice and fundamental human rights;

- Lay the foundations for a democratic and open society in which government is based on the will of the people and every citizen is equally protected by law;

- Improve the quality of life of all citizens and free the potential of each person; and,

- Build a united and democratic South Africa able to take its rightful place as a sovereign state in the family of nations.

By describing the purpose of the Constitution in these terms, the people of South Africa established the Constitution as an instrument of fundamental political, social and economic transformation.

The Constitution places on all institutions of state a responsibility to take those measures necessary to build a society that is in nearly all respects different from the society that came before.

It places emphasis on the work that must be done to heal the divisions of the past in circumstances where these divisions are manifested in the severe inequality of the present.

It calls for social justice in circumstances where a large proportion of South Africans live in poverty and where, despite substantial progress, many are still unable to access land, housing, water, food, health care and education.

The Constitution correctly recognises that to advance this transformational promise, all spheres of government and all organs of state are required to provide “effective, transparent, accountable and coherent governance”.

To ensure that organs of state execute their constitutional mandates effectively, the legislative branch of government has the power to hold respective executive organs to account and have oversight over the implementation of legislation and the conduct of other organs of state.

Parliament, as a representative of the citizens, has a clear mandate to hold the President, Deputy President and Ministers to account, individually and collectively, for the exercise of their powers and performance of their functions. 

Our legislative branch has over the past 25 years contributed to our constitutional democracy through the enactment of legislation that both transforms society and the relationship between citizens and state. This legislation includes those required to give effect to the provisions of the Constitution, such as the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act, the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act and the Promotion of Access to Information Act. 

The work of the legislative branch in promoting good governance has been complemented by State institutions established to support constitutional democracy. These include the Public Protector, the South African Human Rights Commission, the Commission on Gender Equality, the Electoral Commission and the Auditor-General.

Each of these bodies plays an important role in the viability and sustainability of our constitutional democracy. They help to ensure the state gives effect to the ideals and vision of our Constitution. 

The Judiciary, by upholding the rule of law and protecting human rights, has played a pivotal role in our constitutional democracy. 

The enforcement of laws through the Judiciary is crucial in ensuring the sustainability and viability of our democracy. Laws bond individuals in a society together. 

Without the rule of law, our country is vulnerable to chaos, violence, rampant corruption, violation of human rights, persistent inequality and the collapse of state institutions. 

The Judiciary, led by the Constitutional Court and, in particular, founding members like Arthur Chaskalson and Pius Langa, has played a key role in giving effect to the founding values of the post-apartheid South Africa. 

It has played this role through groundbreaking judgments on many aspects of the Constitution. 

Following its establishment, the Constitutional Court has emerged as a uniquely powerful institution manifesting a moral constitutional authority. 

There is no viable state or effective constitutional democracy without the support and involvement of citizens in the different public formations. 

Apart from paying taxes, observing the law, and contributing to social and economic development, citizens also play an important role in the establishment of our various governance structures and in holding accountable those put in charge to serve the nation. 

Over the past 25 years of our Constitution, a lot of progress has been made in redressing the injustices of the past. 

Some of these measures include the provision of housing, water and sanitation, and social grants for the elderly, persons with disabilities and children. There has been a distinct improvement in access to land, education and health care services.

These are part of ongoing efforts to address economic and social injustices. 

However, despite numerous achievements, there are still many challenges in the realisation of the vision, values and prescripts of our Constitution. 

The persistently high levels of poverty, unemployment, inequality, corruption and violence show that our journey to the promised land is far from over.

The contours of our racist and sexist past still feature in private and public institutions, in business, in access to skills, wealth and opportunity, and in the spatial configuration of our cities, towns and rural areas. 

South Africa’s constitutional project will fail if vast inequalities and existing levels of poverty are not addressed by all levels of government. 

As the courts acknowledged in the case of Soobramoney v Minister of Health:

“We live in a society in which there are great disparities in wealth, millions of people are living in deplorable conditions and in great poverty. There is a high level of unemployment, inadequate social security, and many do not have access to clean water or adequate health services. These conditions already existed when the constitution was adopted and a commitment to address them, and to transform our society into one in which there will be human dignity, freedom and equality, lies at the heart of our new constitutional order. For as long as these conditions continue to exist that aspiration will have a hollow ring.” 

The success of our constitutional democracy will, to a large extent, depend on how these challenges are addressed. 

Therefore, as this Conference reflects on the road ahead, it should reflect on issues such as progress on land restitution and reform, electoral reform and governance, and transformation of the economy. It should also reflect on corruption, crime and national security, and how these issues impact on the exercise and protection of human rights.

It is my sincere belief that this gathering of South Africans in all their diversity will identify actionable measures that will materially contribute towards the achievement of our constitutional goals. 

This conference gives us an opportunity to reflect on the road we must traverse to strengthen our constitutional democracy and address the many challenges around the rule of law, accountability and social and economic justice. 

The strengthening and entrenchment of constitutional democracy requires ethical, committed and effective leadership in all spheres of our society, political will and the support of all our citizens. 

As we prepare to reflect on these issues, we should recall the words of former President Nelson Mandela on the occasion of the signing of the Constitution in Sharpeville on the 10th of December 1996. He said:

“Today we cross a critical threshold.

Let us now, drawing strength from the unity which we have forged, together grasp the opportunities and realise the vision enshrined in this constitution.

Let us give practical recognition to the injustices of the past, by building a future based on equality and social justice.

Let us nurture our national unity by recognising, with respect and joy, the languages, cultures and religions of South Africa in all their diversity.

Let tolerance for one another's views create the peaceful conditions which give space for the best in all of us to find expression and to flourish.

Above all, let us work together in striving to banish homelessness, illiteracy, hunger and disease.” 

These words provide an essential guide as we chart the road ahead.

I wish all delegates well and I look forward over the next three days to the robust and productive engagement from which our constitutional democracy and our nation will surely benefit.

I thank you.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has conveyed a message of condolence to the Government and people of the Republic of Senegal following a bus accident which resulted in the death of about 40 passengers and injuries to 80 travellers.

The accident is reported to have happened in the early hours of Sunday morning, 08 January 2022, when two buses collided in Senegal’s central Kaffrine region.

President Ramaphosa said: “On behalf of the people of South Africa, the Government and myself, I wish to extend our condolences to my dear brother, President Macky Sall, his Government, the bereaved families and the people of Senegal for their tragic loss.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with them during this difficult time of mourning their loved ones.”

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria
 

Programme Director,
His Majesty King Misuzulu kaZwelithini,
Bayede! Hlanga lomhlabathi!
Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, Ms Nomusa Dube-Ncube,
Deputy Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Mr Thabang Makwetla,
Chief of the South African National Defence Force, General Rudzani Maphwanya,
Acting Secretary for Defence, Dr Thobekile Gamede,
The Plenary Defence Staff Council,
Generals and Admirals,
Officers and Warrant Officers,
Non-Commissioned Officers, soldiers, sailors and air men and women on parade,

Fellow South Africans,

I am honoured to be addressing you on this very special day.

Every year we observe Armed Forces Day to recognise and celebrate the immense contribution made by the members of our armed forces in creating a better life for the South African people and for the people of our beloved continent, Africa.

On this day, we remember and pay tribute to all our fallen men and women in uniform who have lost their lives in the line of duty.

Among these, we remember those who tragically lost their lives when the SS Mendi sank on this day 106 years ago in the English Channel during the First World War.

As we mark this day, we appreciate that our armed forces are continuing the pursuit of the ideal for which their departed predecessors lived.

They have picked up the spears of our fallen heroes and heroines and continue the effort to give our people lasting peace, security and stability.

As the Commander-in-Chief, I commend the good work you are doing as men and women in uniform.

As we gather to honour the serving members of our armed forces, those who have served in the past and those who have fallen over the years, we are reminded that we stand on the shoulders of patriots such as Reverend Isaac Wauchope Dyobha who, when confronted with death aboard the SS Mendi, led his countrymen in song.

We are inspired by their bravery as we stand here in the face of grave challenges confronting our society.

We are determined to emerge triumphant from the struggle against poverty, inequality, unemployment, gender-based violence, crime, disease and deprivation.

While our armed forces are always on guard to defend our hard earned sovereignty and constitutional democratic order, they do much more than that.

They actively contribute to the social and economic development of our country.

They are to be found on rescue missions in times of disaster, building bridges where a desperate need exists and rehabilitating rivers from the effects of pollution.

They have time and time again shown that they are a force for good and an integral part of all progressive humanity.

I wish to pay tribute to all members of our armed forces who, at great risk to their own lives, work tirelessly to help maintain law and order in times of crisis.

I commend the highest level of discipline with which they discharge their duties under difficult conditions.

By virtue of their calling and allegiance to the constitution, they act without hesitation whenever called upon to do so, when their country needs them most.

I salute all of you who carry out tasks in times of disaster that literally stand between life and death.

We commend the exemplary selflessness, self-sacrifice and patriotism of our armed forces who, even in the face of great danger, always put the interests of the country first.

From North Africa to Southern Africa, from the Sahel to the Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes region, South Africa depends on the SANDF to support peacebuilding on the continent as part of a mandate from the African Union and the United Nations.

We extend our appreciation and respect to our forces deployed in various missions across the continent.

We mourn all those who have lost their lives in the effort to silence the guns on our continent.

Just two weeks ago, we lost Flight Sergeant Vusi Mabena when his helicopter came under attack in the eastern DRC. We extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.

Unlike the apartheid-era SADF, the democratic South African National Defence Force is committed to forging peace and supporting development.

The primary function of the SANDF is to protect the territorial integrity of this nation’s borders. It is a tough task.

We read of their successes every month, almost every week, as they confront illegal migration and international crime syndicates, working hand in hand with our nation’s law enforcement agencies as part of the long running Operation Corona.

Our soldiers are there to stand guard in times of crisis within our borders, as they did resolutely during Operation Prosper.

Now the SANDF is guarding vital infrastructure against those who would endanger the security of the state to advance their own personal interests.

We called on the SANDF during the initial phases of the COVID-19 lockdown. It was a vital part of our response to the pandemic through Operation Notlela.

This included the work of the South African Military Health Service, which provided support to our public health response.

It is therefore wonderful to witness the launch of Project Owethu to coincide with this year’s Armed Forces Day.

Through Project Owethu, the SANDF is working with government departments to provide access to health care and other social services in communities in KwaZulu-Natal that are remote and marginalised.

Project Owethu can be a great catalyst for change through empowering communities and improving people’s lives.

The SANDF is no stranger to the people of KwaZulu-Natal. Its members have been serving in this province since the devastating floods of last year.

Most of these were members of the SA Army Engineer Corps and medical practitioners from the South African Military Health Service. They have built bridges, fixed roads and purified drinking water.

With the confidence and faith we have in the capabilities of our armed forces, we are reassured as a people that no matter the circumstances, the SANDF will always be there to restore order, maintain calm, support our people and defend the territorial integrity of our Republic.

We salute all our men and women in military uniform on Armed Forces Day, and we thank them for their courageous and tireless service.

May God Bless South Africa and protect its people.

I thank you.

Your Excellency, Sahle-Work Zewde, President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia,
Your Excellency Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal,
Your Excellency Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda,
Your Excellency Umaro Sissoco Embalo, President of the Republic of Guinea- Bissau
Your Excellency Julius Maada Bio, President of the Republic of Sierra Leone
Ministers,
Director of Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr Ahmed Ouma,
Distinguished panellists,
Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

As Africa continues to define its destiny through the New Public Health Order, we are filled with optimism for the future.

A future where every African citizen enjoys a birthright of good health and wellbeing.

I wish to thank the Africa CDC and the government of the Federal Republic of Ethiopia for co-hosting this event.

As the African Union Champion on COVID-19 Response, it is greatly heartening to note that health remains at the forefront of Africa’s political agenda.

Inequities in access to quality health services and products is a blight on the conscience of the world.
 
The onus falls on each Member State to advance the agenda of equitable healthcare for all, and to achieve Universal Health Coverage as aspired to in the UN Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development.

As health emergencies increase in frequency across our continent, our progress towards achieving Universal Health Coverage as well as full pandemic preparedness is being impeded.

We reaffirm our support for the Call to Action contained in the communique of the event on Africa’s New Public Health Order and Rejuvenating the Global Health Security Agenda, that took place on the margins of the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Our learnings from the pandemic must be an opportunity to build more robust health systems, so that we do not continue to be plagued by the same inequities every time we are faced with a health emergency.

The AU COVID-19 Commission is to be commended for investing heavily in Africa’s health agenda.

This panel of health experts from across the sectors, spanning the whole continent, have been exceptional advocates for the New Public Health Order, travelling the world to attract investment, and magnifying the voice of African health interlocutors.

Members have defended the amendments to the Africa CDC statutes that advocate for the Africa CDC to have the power to declare public health emergencies of regional concern.

Our focus is to continue attracting investment into Africa CDC’s growth and sustainability and to ensure a strong network of national public health institutions in every member state that supports it.

As Ministers, you have a key role to play in ensuring this ambition is elevated in our respective countries.

With regards to pharmaceutical manufacturing, you may all recall the meeting of the Bureau in May 2022 where we discussed the serious problem of our nascent manufacturing industry being unable to secure markets.

Several bold demands were made following this meeting.

Firstly, that GAVI, UNICEF and other large procurers of vaccines purchase 30 per cent of the vaccines destined for Africa from African manufacturers.

The Africa CDC, the PAVM secretariat and the AU COVID-19 Commission have done the leg work to ensure that GAVI establishes an Advance Market Commitment facility for African Manufacturers.

Secondly that Africa CDC convenes a working group on pharmaceutical manufacturing.

The working group will be convened by the Africa CDC in due course. I am told that all the Ministers from countries that are manufacturing health products or aspire to do so will have permanent membership. I encourage these Ministers to be part of this critical initiative and renew the momentum of Africa’s quest to attain biotech sovereignty.

Member states have a responsibility to support manufacturers through preferential procurement policies, working in collaboration with their respective finance ministries.

The mRNA spokes must be well supported. Financial support is key to their sustainability. For them to secure loans and other investments, we as Member states must demonstrate a strong will to prioritise African products in our procurement policies.

We continue to make very good progress in the establishment of an AU Health Workforce Task Team. This structure will co-ordinate training, deployment, and the retention of health workers on the continent.

Much of its efforts will be concentrated on supporting Member States to accommodate the growing health workforce by supporting innovative financing for retention of the health workforce.

The pillar of increasing health financing is critical, and we have not made as much progress as we had hoped to under the Abuja Declaration.

The COVID-19 Commission has been inspired by the success of the Africa Leaders Malaria Alliance and is now working on a proposal to establish an Alliance on Health Systems Strengthening.

This alliance will use a scorecard-based visibility and accountability system so that we can all support, incentivize and reward one another for innovatively increasing health spending and manifesting good health outcomes. I heartily encourage full participation when the consultation procedures get underway this year.

I will close by expressing my support for a campaign to replenish the Africa Epidemics Fund, formerly the COVID-19 Relief Fund.

South Africa stands ready to support the AU Commission in ensuring this fund will help African countries to respond to current and emerging health threats. As much as the World Bank’s Pandemic Fund has been invaluable, we must also be able to have our pandemic financing mechanism, as we did with COVID-19.

Thank you for the opportunity. I wish you successful deliberations.

Your Excellency, Nana Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana,
Your Excellency, Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the AU Commission,
Deputy Executive Director of UN Women Ms. Asa Regner,
Your Excellency Madame Bineta Diop, AU Special Envoy on Women, Peace, and Security
Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection of the Republic of Ghana, the Hon. Lariba Zuweira Abudu,
Director of the Women, Gender and Youth Directorate of the AU Commission, Ms. Prudence Ngwenya,
Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Allow me to begin by thanking you, my brother, President Nana Akufo-Addo for convening this important engagement in your capacity as AU Gender Champion.

The 2021 Kinshasa Declaration commits us to provide the necessary resources to end violence against women and girls. The Circle of Champions will lead in amplifying this agenda across our continent.

The aim is to facilitate high-level strategic political engagement at Heads of State and Government level, and to drive accountability towards ending violence against women and girls.

South Africa wholly supports this critical platform. It is encouraging to see Heads of State responding positively to the call for more strategic collaboration to take this agenda forward.

We are grateful for the opportunity to work with successive A.U. chairs in this regard, namely H.E. President Felix Tshisikedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo and H.E. President Macky Sall of the Republic of Senegal.

The Circle of Champions is about firstly, foregrounding the role of male leadership in the agenda of Ending Violence Against Women and Girls across Africa.

Secondly, it is about taking forward the commitments made in the Kinshasa Declaration and foregrounding accountability for delivering on them.

For these reasons, the agenda must be driven at Head of State level.

Beyond being a persistent challenge across the region and the world, violence against women and girls undermines our efforts to realise the aspirations contained in the U.N.’s Agenda 2030 and the A.U.’s Agenda 2063; The Africa We Want.

Achieving gender equality and empowering women and girls was a focus area during South Africa’s term as A.U. Chair in 2020.

Some of the high-level actions I identified at the plenary included:

·       A rapid review of discriminatory laws related to violence against women in all African countries,

·       The development and adoption of an A.U. Convention on Violence Against Women,

·       Advocacy for the ratification of ILO Convention 190 on Violence and Harassment in the World of Work, and

·       Women’s financial inclusion.

Of course, 2020 was the year the COVID-19 pandemic emerged, and we had to rapidly change gear to devote our attention to managing its fallout.

However, we did not let this pivotal issue fall by the wayside.

On reviewing discriminatory laws, through a partnership with the Center for Human Rights at the University of Pretoria, we conducted an initial literature review on laws that perpetuate violence against women and girls in the region.

This was followed by a more in-depth study covering twenty- five countries[1] across diverse geographic, linguistic, and legal systems in Africa.

This work will be an important foundation as we develop and adopt a Convention.

It provides updated information on the status of women’s rights, the status of violence against women in these countries and the legislation in place. It identifies gaps and makes recommendations on how to address them.

The development of an African Union Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls is a priority that we need to move forward with collectively as the Circle of Champions.

Finding ways to engage with Heads of State in different sub-regions and in the respective fora in which we play leadership roles can contribute significantly to this process.

On ILO Convention 190, in December 2021, South Africa became the tenth member state of the ILO to ratify the Convention.

Making the world of work free of violence and harassment will unleash women’s potential and enable other vulnerable workers to enjoy safe and healthy work environments.

Through the Generation Equality Forum, South Africa advocated for preferential procurement and financial inclusion for women. We have introduced and are implementing our own policy that sets aside 40 per cent of public procurement spend for women-owned businesses.

As co-leader of the Action Coalition on Economic Justice and Rights, South Africa believes strongly that the Africa Continental Free Trade Area can play a significant role in closing the gender income gap and in creating opportunities for women-owned businesses.

Since South Africa advocated for adopting the Protocol on Women In Trade by the AU in December 2020, the AfCFTA Secretariat has made steady progress in developing a framework for women’s economic participation. 

Africa-wide consultations were held with women business owners and informal traders. This culminated in the regional conference on women in trade in Tanzania at the end of 2022. 

South Africa is encouraged by the progress that has been made in driving high-level actions across the region. We must build on these collectively.

Ratifying ILO Convention 190 is an integral part of realizing the vision of the current AU Decade on Financial and Economic Inclusion of Women.

It is encouraging that of the twenty-five countries globally that have ratified; six are in our region. Of the ten countries in which it is in force, four are in Africa. So, we hope to see the whole continent ratifying Convention 190.

The A.U. has embarked on a campaign across the region to shift social norms with respect to gender equality and violence against women and girls.

Addressing economic and political practices alongside social norms is critical. Moreover, it is key to understanding how history and current realities shape the manifestations of violence against women and girls in our societies.

Twenty-nine years ago, at the dawn of our democracy, President Nelson Mandela said:

“Freedom cannot be achieved unless women have been emancipated from all forms of oppression. Our endeavors must be about the liberation of the woman, the emancipation of the man and the liberty of the child.”

The Circle of Champions brings together African leaders as a show of the highest political will towards ending the source of violence against women and girls. It is the first time this has happened on our continent.

As President Mandela rightly said, women's liberation must be at the centre of our endeavours to lay claim to being truly free societies.

As the Circle of Champions let us continue to learn from each other, support each other, and most importantly, hold ourselves and each other accountable for bringing about the change we want to see in the world.

I thank you.