President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Monday, 23 March 2026, officiate the reburial ceremony of Khoi & San ancestral human remains to be held at Kinderlê Monument, Steinkopf, Northern Cape Province.

The ancestral remains of those to be reburied total 63, following repatriation over successive periods from museums in Europe. 

These remains are a small group of thousands of illegally removed remains of indigenous people during the late 19th century and the early 20th century. 

After they were illegally dug from their graves, the remains would be traded or donated to newly established museums and universities.

For the San & Khoi people, these violations did not begin in the modern apartheid era but date back centuries with colonial conquest, land dispossession, cultural erasure, removal, race-based scientific research, and the exploitation of ancestral remains. 

The process of repatriation and reburial of these human remains has been jointly facilitated by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC) and its entities: the South African Heritage Resources Agency and Iziko Museums.

The Northern Cape Task Team, a representative body of various Khoi and San cultural groupings, has provided the necessary cultural guidance and oversight.

This repatriation programme forms part of a broader national commitment to honour those who sacrificed their lives in the fight for freedom, ensuring that they are returned to their homeland with the dignity and respect they deserve. 

The reburial is deeply significant and resonates with the commemorative spirit of Human Rights Month. Human Rights Day commemorates the struggle against dispossession, violence and the denial of dignity. 

The reburial ceremony will take place as follows:
Date: Monday, 23 March 2026
Time: 10h00
Venue: Kinderlê Monument, Steinkopf, Northern Cape

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria
 

Programme Directors,
Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Mr Gayton McKenzie,
Premier of Northern Cape, Dr Zamani Saul,
Ministers and Deputy Ministers,
Justices of the Constitutional Court and other courts,
Heads and representatives of constitutional bodies,
Mayors and Councillors,
Leaders of political formations,
Members of the Diplomatic Corps,
Leaders of civil society formations,
Guests,
Fellow South Africans, 

Good Morning.

Goeie môre.

Dumelang. Sanibonani. Molweni. Avuxeni. Ndi Matsheloni. Lotjhani. 

I greet all people across our land on this Human Rights Day.

This is when we celebrate how far we have come together in building a united, non-racial, non-sexist democratic and prosperous South Africa.

In our different languages we greet one another, affirming a simple but profound truth: that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, united in our diversity.

This Human Rights Day takes place in the year that we mark 30 years since our democratic Constitution was signed into law.

It is significant that President Nelson Mandela chose to sign the Constitution into law in Sharpeville, the site of one of the apartheid regime’s worst acts of brutality.

Today, on the anniversary of the Sharpeville Massacre of the 21st of March 1960, we honour the memories of all those who were killed in the struggle for human rights.

It is fitting that the place that had known so much suffering and tears should be the site from which a new South Africa would rise.

Signing the Constitution into law was the most significant act of our democratic era. 

It was a clear moral commitment to build a society rooted in equality, freedom and human dignity.

Our Constitution is more than the supreme law of the land. 

It set the coordinates for a journey towards a just, inclusive and united future for all South Africans. This is a journey that we remain on to this day. 

The Constitution is our greatest source of national pride not only because of what it contains, but because of how it was written.

The constitution-making process was the most extensive public participation exercise to ever take place in our country.

The Constitutional Assembly was determined that ours should be a homegrown Constitution with broad legitimacy and acceptable to all South Africans.

For nearly a year and a half, we travelled through cities and villages, suburbs and townships, factories and farms to gather people’s contributions to the Constitution.

We engaged with men and women, and with black, white, Indian and coloured South Africans alike. We met with young people with little experience of apartheid and with older people who still carried its painful wounds. 

We listened to the hopes, dreams and fears of middle class and working class South Africans, with the employed and the unemployed.

We held community meetings, met with people at their places of work and study, and shared their views, concerns and proposals on the airwaves. 

Everyone who took part in these discussions had a deep understanding of why human rights mattered. In many cases, their views were born of their own personal experiences of injustice. 

Today we have a People’s Constitution, which every South African citizen of the time had a hand in writing.

This places a particular responsibility on us as a country to uphold the fundamental rights of all people.

 We have a special responsibility to protect and advance the human dignity of all.

The Constitution obliges us to restore what was lost or taken.

Since the adoption of the Constitution, we have worked together to restore the dignity of all those who were denied this fundamental right.

We have done this in many ways.

More than 9 million learners in schools across this country are being fed through the National School Nutrition Programme. 

More than 29 million indigent, unemployed and vulnerable South Africans are receiving old age, disability and child support grants and other forms of social assistance.

More than 80 percent of the population now have access to clean water and adequate sanitation, and more than 2 million poor households across this country receive free basic services.

Our commitment to advancing the right to dignity enabled more than 800,000 students from low-income households to study for free at universities and colleges across the country last year alone.

Here, in the Northern Cape, in schools in Kuboes and Riemvasmaak in the Richtersveld, dignity is being restored to the Nama people, with young children being taught in their native tongue. 

This is a language that nearly died out after the apartheid regime actively suppressed it, and the colonial authorities before them effectively banned people from speaking.

There can be no doubt that over the past 30 years, we have done much to restore the dignity of millions of South Africans as we emerged from the shadow of apartheid. 

But restitution is the unfinished business of our democracy 

There can be no peace, no progress without justice.

There are some who will say bygones should be bygones. 

There are some who say that there is no longer a need for affirmative action and employment equity targets, for land reform and restitution.

Yet we say that restitution is not merely about compensation or redress. 

It is central to building a just society that upholds human dignity. 

If we are to give effect to the promise of our Constitution, we must continue to pursue policies of restitution and redress until our workplaces, our economy and the ownership of this country’s land truly reflects the diversity of the people of this country. 

We must continue until we fully deliver the social justice our people deserve.

The progress we have made across the country bears witness to the fruits of our efforts.

Here in the Northern Cape, black South Africans own, manage and operate farms and mines, businesses and factories. 

Here, in the Northern Cape, a province poised to lead South Africa’s clean energy revolution, black-owned businesses hold majority stakes in massive energy projects that will power the country and someday the continent. 

Here in Kimberley, a black woman, Justice Violet Phatshoane is the Deputy Judge President of the Northern Cape High Court. 

She is one of more than 100 female judges in our superior court that are members of a judiciary headed by a woman, Chief Justice Mandisa Maya.

These gains are not the product of chance. They are not a reflection of the inevitable march of time or incidental outcomes.

These gains are the direct and deliberate expression of the promise of our Constitution, which has placed human dignity at the centre of our democratic project. 

The advances we have made – be they in education, healthcare, gender equality or other areas of life – have been made possible because of our constitutional architecture. 

Our Constitution is a covenant for dignity. 

It is the foundational instrument that has over the last 30 years shaped, guided and compelled progress.

Yet we know that the benefits of constitutional democracy have not been equally experienced by all.

Far too many of our citizens live in conditions of poverty. Far too many are unemployed and lack access to economic opportunities. Far too many do not have basic services. 

Many of the developmental challenges we face today are the remnants of a skewed, discriminatory system intended to impoverish generations of black South Africans. 

It is a system whose devastating effects linger to this day.

Corruption, administrative weaknesses and resource constraints have slowed the pace at which constitutional commitments have been translated into tangible improvements in people’s lives.

These shortcomings have contributed to us not being as far along the journey as we had hoped to be. 

Economic inequality challenges the promise of restoring the dignity of all. 

As the Government of National Unity, we have set ourselves the priorities of driving inclusive growth and job creation, reducing poverty and the high cost of living, and building a capable, ethical, developmental state. 

If we are to level the playing field so that all South Africans can reap the benefits of a more prosperous economy, we must pursue growth and redress with equal determination. 

It does not have to be one or the other. 

When the economy is more inclusive, when its benefits are more equitably shared, there is true social justice. 

Addressing the gap between constitutional promise and lived reality is central to the legitimacy and vitality of South Africa’s democracy.

Government cannot do this alone. 

We need to deepen partnerships between government, business, labour and civil society to create more jobs, uplift people from poverty and improve their material conditions. 

We must work together to combat social ills like gender-based violence, criminality and substance abuse. 

We need civil servants who are loyal to the constitution and treat people with dignity. 

Everyone in society needs to cooperate with law-enforcement authorities to root out corruption, which is depriving our people of the goods and services that are their due. 

Those who choose a career in public life must critically consider their motives: do they truly want to serve the South African people or is public office simply a means to self-enrichment. 

Each and every one of us must be the champions of the Constitution. 

We must participate in public hearings, contribute to the making of laws and be part of deciding the priorities for our municipalities. We must make use of the Chapter 9 institutions to hold leaders accountable and to enforce our rights.

Over the course of the next year, we should all be part of the shaping the future of our country through the National Dialogue.

Dialogues will be taking place in every community, in schools, universities and colleges, in clubs and organisations, wherever South Africans gather.

These dialogues will form the basis of a social compact – the promise that we make to ourselves and with each other to strive together to achieve dignity for all.

Constitutional democracy depends on active and informed citizens.

The Constitution’s future will depend not only on state institutions, but on our collective commitment to uphold its values.

Thirty years ago, South Africans chose One Law for One Nation. That choice positioned the Constitution as the cornerstone of our democratic order. 

The task of the next thirty years is to deepen that transformation through restoration, redress and restitution. 

Our task is to ensure that the rights and freedoms contained in the Constitution are not only protected in law but experienced in the daily lives of all South Africans.

Our Constitution is our moral compass. 

It does not change direction for individuals. It does not move for political parties or for the government of the day. 

No matter how turbulent the journey, advancing human dignity is the Constitution’s true north. 

In 1996, when the Constitution became law, we made a break with a divided past. Today we work for a shared future. We have not yet reached the end of that journey.

On this Human Rights Day, I call on each of us to rededicate ourselves to fulfilling the promise of the Constitution in action, thought, word and deed. 

The faith that moved the drafters of the Constitution – the people of South Africa – lives on today. 

Let us continue along our journey, one and all, towards a South Africa of true equality where the dignity of all is not an aspiration, but a reality.

I thank you.
 

Programme Director,
Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Mr Gayton McKenzie,
Ministers and Deputy Ministers,
Social partners,
Educators and parents,
Learners,
Guests,
 
Good Morning. 
 
It is wonderful to be here with our young citizens from Re Tlameng School. 
 
I am so proud of you all. 
 
It is not easy to be a young person finding your way in the world.
 
And yet you have not let your challenges hold you back.
 
You are pursuing your education with determination so that you can someday fulfil your dreams. 
 
I want to salute our parents and the dedicated educators at the school. 
 
These young people rely on you and you continue to make a big difference in their lives with your patience, your kindness and your support. 
 
You are an inspiration to other parents and families in our communities who have children with special needs. 
 
Many of these families are struggling and don’t know who to approach for help. 
 
Many young people with special needs face stigma and discrimination. 
 
That is why I am glad we have our friends from the media here, to publicise the good work being done here and to let struggling families know they are not alone. 
 
This year we celebrate 30 years since our democratic Constitution was signed into law by President Nelson Mandela. 
 
The Constitution commits all of us to work together for a shared future that upholds the rights and dignity of every South African. 
 
This school is a testament to that enduring commitment. 
 
For 33 years, Re Tlameng Special Needs School has been serving and supporting visual and hearing-impaired learners to receive a dignified, quality education. 
 
President Mandela said that there can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.
 
Madiba recognised, as we do now, that equipping our young people for their future calls for partnerships between government, business, labour and civil society. 
 
In this regard, I would like to thank all the partners who continue to support the school’s work. 
 
This support has made the impressive upgrades that we have seen today possible, including a multi-purpose combi court and upgrades to the library and computer laboratory. 
 
We welcome the donation of books in English and Setswana and laptops to support digital learning.
 
We call on those who have made these contributions to remain involved with the school and to continue to help where needed. 
 
This initiative is a powerful demonstration of what it means to translate constitutional values into real change in the lives of people. 
 
The Bill of Rights protects the rights of children. 
 
The Constitution obliges the state to ensure there is access to education by providing adequate infrastructure and trained teachers. 
 
However, we still have far to go to ensure access to education for children with special needs. 
 
According to Statistics South Africa, between 500,000 and 900,000 children with special needs remain out of formal education. 
 
There are not enough facilities to meet the need. This goes beyond physical infrastructure to include the support services needed for learning and development. 
 
That is why partnerships are so vital. When government, the private sector and public institutions work together, we are able to unlock resources, innovation and solutions that no single entity can achieve alone. 
 
This school is a beacon of hope for the community, for the province and for the country. 
 
It is an example of what is possible with the support of all our social partners.
 
With these partners, with the teachers and educators – and most importantly, with these remarkable learners – I am certain that Re Tlameng will continue to grow from strength to strength. 
 
I thank you.
 

President Cyril Ramaphosa wishes South Africa’s Muslim community Eid Mubarak in the celebration of Eid-ul-Fitr at the end of the Holy Month of Ramadaan.

President Ramaphosa wishes individuals, families, and communities a joyous and reflective time of prayer, gratitude, unity and sharing.

The President also invites the Muslim community to reflect, on Human Rights Day, on the constitutional provisions that pertain to religious and cultural practices.

President Ramaphosa said: “Our nation shares in this celebration of Eid, in the spirit of goodwill and appreciation of our diversity.

“For most Muslims, this is a time of faith, family, festivity and bringing joy to less fortunate members of our communities.

“Sadly, this is not the case for all Muslims around the world as some are engulfed in devastating conflict and unending wars.

“May the spirit of Ramadaan and Eid prevail and bring peace, security and a hopeful future for all of humanity.”

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria
 

The Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa, H.E. Mr Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile, has today, 20 March 2026, successfully concluded a bilateral meeting with H.E. President Salva Kiir Mayardit, President of the Republic of South Sudan, at the Menlyn Maine Hotel in Pretoria, South Africa.

Deputy President Mashatile is a Special Envoy of the Republic of South Africa to South Sudan and met President Salva Kiir Mayardit on his Working Visit to South Africa, where, amongst others, he met His Excellency President Cyril Ramaphosa at his Official Residence, Mahlambandlopfu, yesterday.

Deputy President Mashatile welcomed President Salva Kiir, with his delegation and indicated that the meeting was convened to discuss strengthening bilateral cooperation, progress on peace and political processes in South Sudan, and follow-up actions from the recent C5 engagements. 

Strengthening Economic Cooperation
The two leaders agreed to deepen cooperation in key economic sectors, including mining, transport, and tourism. In this regard, both parties committed to jointly hosting a South Africa–South Sudan Business and Investment Conference, with the first leg scheduled to take place in Juba between May and June 2026. The initiative aims to unlock investment opportunities and promote trade between the two countries.

Advancing Mobility and Connectivity
The meeting also noted progress regarding ongoing engagements toward the possible introduction of a visa-free travel regime between South Africa and South Sudan. Relevant departments are currently assessing feasibility, with recommendations expected by the end of April 2026. 

In addition, both countries underscored the importance of enhancing air connectivity, including efforts to establish direct flights between South Africa and Juba, with  engagements with airlines reportedly underway, and a comprehensive aviation cooperation plan being expected in the coming months.

Support for Peace and Political Processes in South Sudan
President Kiir expressed appreciation for South Africa’s continued support in the implementation of the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS). The two Leaders discussed key priority areas emerging from recent C5 engagements, including: Support for inclusive political participation and civil society engagement in the lead-up to elections; Provision of technical assistance for electoral processes, including potential support from South Africa’s Electoral Commission (IEC); Progress on disarmament initiatives; and Preparations for South Sudan’s National Dialogue, scheduled for April 2026.

South Africa has already committed to providing facilitators for the National Dialogue and to sharing its own experiences in national dialogue processes.

Judicial Processes and Political Developments
The meeting also addressed recent political and judicial developments in South Sudan, including matters relating to Dr Riek Machar. Both parties emphasised the importance of respecting judicial processes and maintaining stability during this critical period. South Africa reiterated its commitment to the outcomes of the C5 engagements and to continued dialogue with all relevant stakeholders.

Deepening Strategic Engagement
Deputy President Mashatile further reaffirmed South Africa’s intention to maintain a sustained presence in South Sudan to support ongoing peace and political processes. He further encouraged South African businesses to explore investment opportunities in South Sudan. 

Cooperation in the OR Tambo School of Leadership
As the two Leaders concluded the meeting, they both reaffirmed their shared commitment to strengthening bilateral relations, promoting economic cooperation, and supporting lasting peace and stability in South Sudan. 

"South Africa remains steadfast in its support for the people of South Sudan as they advance toward sustainable peace, democratic governance, and inclusive development," said Deputy President Mashatile.

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria
 

Deputy President Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile will on Sunday, 22 March 2026, address the Annual NEDLAC Organised Labour School, taking place at Kievits Kroon Gauteng Wine Estate in Pretoria.

The NEDLAC Organised Labour School is held annually to take stock of the state of the labour market and the challenges facing workers in the country. 

This year’s gathering will be held under the theme "Building Trade Union Activism for better wages and better working conditions".

The Annual Labour School brings together delegations from the Federations together with invited guests from the International Labour Organisation and Government Departments.

Members of the media are invited to cover the Deputy President’s address as follows:
Date: Sunday, 22 March 2026
Time: 10:00 (Media to arrive at 9:00)
Venue: Kievits Kroon, Plot 41, Reier Road, Kameeldrift, Pretoria.

Members of the media are requested to RSVP to Ms Linah Ledwaba on 066 240 7635.

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria
 

Programme Director,
Minister of Land Reform and Rural Development, Mr Mzwanele Nyhontso,
Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, Mr Thami Ntuli,
Chief Land Claims Commissioner, Ms Nomfundo Ntloko,
Mayor of the Harry Gwala District Municipality, Cllr Zamokwakhe Nxumalo,
Mayor of the Umzimkhulu Local Municipality, Cllr Jabulile Mzizi Msiya,
Chairperson of the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders, Nkosi Sifiso Shinga,
Amakhosi bethu,
Members of the St Paul, Ngunjini and Ndzimankulu-Vierkant communities,
Members of the Lawrence family,
Representatives of the respective Communal Property Associations,
Representatives of Merensky, Singisi Forestry Products and the Singilanga Directorate Trust,
Representatives of the Eastern Cape Development Corporation,
Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen, 

Good afternoon,

Today is a day for celebration. It is the culmination of a long journey. 

The wait has been long, but the day has finally come when the Lawrence family and the communities of St Paul, Ngunjini and Ndzimankulu-Vierkant are handed back their land. 

We know that some of the original claimants are no longer with us. But we are honoured to have their descendants present here today. 

I want to thank you all for having faith in the democratic processes that culminated in your respective claims being successful. 

We salute your resilience and unity as communities in your fight to reclaim what is rightfully yours. 

Today we are gathered not just to give you the title deeds to your ancestral land; we are here to restore the dignity and belonging that was taken from you through a great injustice and suffering. 

This great injustice was most starkly exemplified in 1913 Natives Land Act, which dispossessed black South Africans of their land, their livelihoods and their birthright. 

Millions of people were forced off their farms to make way for white settlement. Their livestock was plundered. 

In his book, Native Life in South Africa, Sol Plaatje describes meeting with the victims of this inhumane, deeply unjust law. 

One person told him: 

“The Baas came to the native tenants with the story that a new law had been passed, under which all my oxen and cows must belong to him, and my family to work for 2 pounds a month, failing which he gave me four days to leave the farm.” 

The systematic dispossession of people’s land, which began way before 1913, was the original sin that has caused suffering for generations. 

It stripped families of their livelihoods. They lost their livestock, their crops and their homes. They were stripped of their dignity, rendered pariahs in the land of their birth. 

Today, we are handing over title deeds for a total of 18, 000 hectares of land. 

Approximately 2 800 beneficiaries are covered under these four claims. 

Five hundred and seventy-one female headed households across these four claims are now owners of their ancestral land. 

This title deeds handover is taking place in the year that we celebrate 30 years since the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa was signed into law. 

Our Constitution recognises the right to redress of people who were deprived of their land as a result of past racially discriminatory practices.

Clause 25 of the Bill of Rights directs the state to take reasonable legislative and other measures, within its available resources, to foster conditions which enable citizens to gain access to land on an equitable basis. 

Among the measures the state may take is the acquisition of land for restitution purposes or redistributing state-owned land. 

The land that has been restituted has been under long-term lease from the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment to Singisi Forestry Products, for commercial forestry use. 

The land will continue to be maintained and utilised for commercial forestry, but the claimant communities are now the legal owners and will receive rental income from the use of their land. This income is key in improving the living conditions in the communities.

We are pleased to be joined today by representatives from Hans Merensky Holdings, Singisi Forestry Products and the Singilanga Directorate Trust as well as from the Eastern Cape Development Corporation. We wish to thank you for your cooperation in ensuring that the communities having their rights restored. 

This is a fine example not only of positive collaboration in pursuit of our shared national goals, but also of sustainable and ethical business practice. 

This represents the kind of stewardship we expect from responsible companies that recognise that the prosperity and success of their businesses is inseparable from the wellbeing of the communities that sustain them. 

By supporting this restitution journey, companies are investing in the dignity, livelihoods and future of communities. 

This restituted land will now benefit not just the original claimants but also their descendants for generations to come. 

I call on companies – here and elsewhere in the country – to deepen their partnerships with beneficiary communities, and enable them to participate in the commercial value chain, access economic opportunities, and be part of decision-making structures. 

The business community across our country should forge partnerships that help ensure that our land reform and rural economic initiatives bear fruits and improve the lives of our communities. 

Restored land must translate to sustainable development. 

It must be a vehicle for upliftment, for poverty alleviation and for job creation. 

We call on the Communal Property Associations to use the financial benefits from this land restitution to develop their communities and to ensure that this prosperity is shared by all. 

The handover of these title deeds on the eve of Human Rights Day reminds us that achieving our freedom was about far more than rights on paper. 

It was and remains about advancing human dignity and building an economy and society that benefits all. 

Land reform remains central to the promise of our democracy. Correcting historical land ownership injustice is a fundamental part of fulfilling that promise. 

Since 1994, we have worked hard to reverse the painful legacy of land dispossession under colonialism and apartheid. 

We have done this by working within the rule of law to ensure continued productivity of the land, while speeding up the process of redress for those affected. 

To date, government has settled approximately 16,900 land claims across this province, KwaZulu-Natal. 

Within the Harry Gwala District alone we have invested more than R376 million for land acquisition, financial compensation and development grants for communities that have been restituted. 

Government’s land reform programme is designed to ensure that land restitution yields tangible benefits not just for communities but for the country’s economy. 

As such, we continue to incentivise agricultural production and investments back into productive land. 

We continue to strike a balance between the need to accelerate transformation in the agricultural sector with ensuring that we remain a food secure country. 

Maintaining the balance between restorative justice and economic growth is key in our efforts to accelerate land reform.

The land reform process must help us in addressing the challenges the country continues to confront: low growth, high unemployment, poverty and inequality. 

Land reform is essentially aimed at growing the pool of commercial farmers and at the same time creating jobs and growing the economy. We want to ensure that the rural economy remains vibrant and inclusive. 

In support of this we are helping emerging farmers, new-entrant commercial farmers, and land claimants to use the land productively for poverty alleviation, job creation and grow the rural economy. 

It is for this reason that we continue to highlight post transfer support as an essential part of land reform, which the Department of Land Reform and Rural Development will outline in the coming months. 

Our democracy was founded on the promise that the injustices of the past would not define the future. 

The title deeds being handed over today represent legal certainty, economic opportunity and generational security. 

When we return land, we return identity and heritage. Most importantly, we restore hope.

This process has not been without challenges. 

There are some in the community who are frustrated with the pace of land reform. Some people feel that their voices have not been heard or they have been left out. 

Due to administrative hurdles, some properties are still in the process of being transferred.

We are committed to engaging on all these challenges and ensuring that the proper processes are concluded without undue delay.

We remain committed to ensuring that neighbouring villages understand how they can participate in the broader land reform and rural development programme of government.

Across our country, we will accelerate the process of tittle deeds transfer on restituted land and on the land under the Proactive Land Acquisition Strategy. 

Over the years, the state has acquired over two million hectares of land in this programme, and we are making a concerted effort to transfer it with title deeds. 

Such transfer is key to boosting rural growth, inclusivity, job creation and addressing poverty. We will outline such steps as we proceed with these important efforts to restore dignity to the people of South Africa. 

Today, the soil of Umzimkhulu bears witness to rebirth and restoration.  

May this returned land continue be a source of dignity, prosperity, and opportunity for you all, and for generations to come. 

I thank you.
 

The Chairperson of the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC), Deputy President Paul Mashatile, will on Tuesday, 24 March 2026, deliver the keynote address at the national World TB Day commemorative event at Caledon Sports Grounds, Ian Toerin Way, Overberg District, Western Cape Province.

World TB Day is commemorated each year on March 24, to build public awareness about the global epidemic of tuberculosis and profile efforts to eliminate the disease. This day is also designated to highlight the devastating health, social and economic impact of TB. South Africa remains one of the hardest hit countries by TB, which has remained the leading cause of death claiming an estimated 56 000 lives a year, more than half (54%) of which are people living with HIV.

This year’s official country theme for World TB Day is ‘Yes! You and I Can End TB’, a clarion call for leaders to champion TB efforts in their respective constituencies, as well as to encourage individual action from all South Africans to contribute to the national effort against TB. 

The 2026 World TB Day commemoration will support the implementation of the National TB Strategic Plan, with a particular focus on amplifying the End TB Campaign, which aims to test 5 million people annually through expanded testing, integrated healthcare services, effective communication, community engagement, collaborative partnerships, and increased funding for prevention, treatment, and research.

Deputy President Mashatile will be joined by the Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi; Premier of the Western Cape, Mr Alan Winde; SANAC Civil Society Chairperson, Mr Solly Nduku; Chairperson of the SANAC Private Sector Forum, Ms Mpumi Zikalala; SANAC CEO, Dr Thembi Xulu, as well as representatives from development partners inclusive of United Nations Agencies, research entities, civil society movements and the private sector.

Members of the media are invited to attend and cover the commemoration as follows:
Date: Tuesday, 24 March 2026
Time: 09h00 (please make prior arrangements for OB Vans)
Venue: Caledon Sports Grounds, Ian Toerin Way, Caledon, Western Cape Province (1h 20min from Cape Town)

For media interviews and logistics, please contact: 
1. The Presidency – Sthembiso Sithole Sthembiso@presidency.gov.za or 078 356 4355
2. SANAC – Nelson Dlamini: nelson@sanac.org.za or 078 731 0313
3. Department of Health – Foster Mohale: foster.mohale@health.gov.za or 072 432 3792

Members of the media are kindly requested to RSVP with their full name, designation, media house and ID numbers to Simangaliso Motsepe (SANAC): simangaliso@sanac.org.za by Friday, 20 March 2026.
 

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

Issued jointly by: The Presidency, National Department of Health and the South African National Aids Council
 

Deputy President Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile will on Saturday, 21 March 2026, participate in the Alex 10K race in Alexandra Township, Gauteng Province. 

The Alex 10K race entered its second year in 2025, following Adreach Group's three-year partnership with Run Alex Athletics Club. This collaboration is aimed not only to revive road running events in Alexandra but to promote local tourism under the theme "Explore Alex on Foot." 

The purpose for the race is to fund grassroots operations for the Run Alex Athletics Club and support the Read Alex Project, a Saturday programme aimed at improving literacy and educational outcomes for local children.

The 2025 event saw the participation numbers increase by 58%, from 1400 starters in 2024 to 2220 starters in 2025. 

Over 3000 participants are expected to partake in this year’s race as they will explore Alexandra’s rich history. 

Details of the race are as follows:
Date: Saturday, 21 March 2026
Time: 07h00 (Media to arrive at 06:00)
Prize-giving ceremony - 09:30
Venue: Altrec Sports Complex, Alexandra, Gauteng Province 

Members of the media who wish to cover the race should RSVP to Sthembiso Sithole on 078 356 4355.

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

President Cyril Ramaphosa will tomorrow, Saturday, 21 March 2026, deliver the keynote address at the 2026 National Commemoration of Human Rights Day.

The occasion will take place at AR Abass Stadium, Kimberley, Northern Cape Province.

Human Rights Month 2026 is commemorated under the theme: “A Legacy of Courage: Protecting Rights, Preserving Humanity”.

Observed annually on 21 March since the advent of democracy, Human Rights Day marks South Africa's progressive trajectory toward an equal, free, and open democratic society.  

This observance holds particular significance for historically marginalised and subjugated communities, and pays solemn tribute to the activists and supporters who sacrificed their lives or made various contributions to the struggle for freedom.

The national day reaffirms the moral urgency and importance of protecting human dignity and achieving equality in all aspects of our lives.

The theme for 2026 celebrates 30 years since the adoption of South Africa's  Constitution.

The objectives of Human Rights Month are:
•To honour and commemorate the courageous individuals and collective efforts who fought and continue to fight for human rights in South Africa. 
•Reflect on the lasting impact of the liberation struggle, especially the Sharpeville Massacre.
•Create awareness of the human rights enshrined in the Constitution to encourage active protection, promotion, and fulfillment of these rights.
•To reinforce the Constitution as a living document and mandate for ongoing collective responsibility, and courageous action in protecting human rights. 
•To inspire ongoing commitment to overcoming persistent systemic inequalities from apartheid past, towards a just, equitable, and rights-respecting society.

Human Rights Month has been leveraged as a vehicle to foster social cohesion, nation building, national identity, socio-economic development and to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and all related intolerances.

The President will visit the Re Tlameleng Special Needs School ahead of the formal proceedings, to unveil the 2026 Human Rights Day legacy project that demonstrates government’s commitment to inclusive development and disability empowerment.

President Cyril Ramaphosa will deliver the keynote address at the Human Rights Day as follows :
Date: Saturday, 21 March 2026
Time: 12h00
Venue: AR Abass Stadium, Kimberley, Northern Cape.

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria