President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Thursday, 7 November 2024, and Friday, 8 November, undertake a visit to KwaZulu-Natal where he will honour the heritage of King Shaka Zulu, hold discussions with the Provincial Executive Committee, and engage with residents of eThekwini.
 
President Ramaphosa will commence his KwaZulu-Natal visit at 09h00 tomorrow, Thursday, 7 November, with the unveiling of a statue of King Shaka Zulu at King Shaka International Airport, Durban.
 
His Majesty King Misuzulu KwaZwelithini and Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli will join the President in officiating this tribute to King Shaka kaSenzangakhona, the founding father of the Zulu nation, whose leadership and military strategy forged one of the most powerful kingdoms in Southern Africa.
 
The unveiling of this statue aims to honour the King’s legacy and preserve his memory for future generations. The monument will serve as a symbol of unity, strength, and pride for the people of KwaZulu-Natal and the entire nation, celebrating King Shaka's contributions to Zulu history, culture, and identity.
 
The unveiling ceremony will be followed by addresses by the President and King Misuzulu KwaZwelithini at a separate venue in the airport precinct.
 
Later in the day, President Ramaphosa will hold discussions with Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli and the Provincial Government Executive.

The President will be accompanied by relevant Ministers and Deputy Ministers in this engagement which is part of a new series of interactions between the President and provinces aimed at enhancing intergovernmental coordination and improving service delivery in line with the priorities of the 7th Administration.

The provincial leadership will present to the President its five-year programme that will respond to the national priorities of securing inclusive economic growth, reducing poverty and building a capable and ethical state.

The meeting will also discuss interventions to improve service delivery at local government level.

Following his engagement with the Provincial Executive, President Ramaphosa will have a meeting of the Presidential eThekwini Working Group where he will be updated on the work being done to support and accelerate efforts by the eThekwini Municipality to improve service delivery, improve business confidence, and reposition eThekwini as an investment and tourism hotspot.

Established in February 2024, the Working Group represents an intergovernmental collaborative approach to addressing challenges in local government, and includes active participation from all levels of Government, the private sector, State-owned enterprises, organised labour, and civil society. 

On Friday, 8 November, President Ramaphosa and members of national, provincial and local government will hear directly from citizens and organised civil society formations during a Presidential District Development Model (DDM) Imbizo under the theme “Leave No One Behind”.

The Imbizo is a platform that allows citizens to make proposals and ventilate problems directly to the leadership who in turn respond to these inputs and set out plans for developing communities and the economy in the area visited by the President.
 
Details of the President’s engagements are as follows:
 
UNVEILING OF KING SHAKA ZULU STATUE
 
Date: Thursday, 07 November 2024
Time:Time: 09h00
Venue:  Domestic Arrival Area, King Shaka International Airport, Durban

Contact: Lindelani Mbatha, Media Liaison Officer, Office of the Premier, on 061 499 0774
 
MEETING WITH PROVINCIAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
 
Date: Thursday, 07 November 2024
Time: 14h00 (media to arrive at 13h00)
Venue: Coastlands Musgrave Hotel, Durban

Media will be able to cover opening remarks by the President and the Premier

Contact: Mr Lindelani Mbatha, Media Liaison Officer, Office of the Premier, on 061 499 0774
 
PRESIDENTIAL DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT MODEL (DDM) IMBIZO

Date: Friday, 08 November 2024
Time: 09h00
Venue: Umnini Sports Field, Umgababa Municipality, eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality

Contact: Mr Lindelani Mbatha, Media Liaison Officer, Office of the Premier, on 061 499 0774

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

Deputy President Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile, in his capacity as Chairperson of the Human Resource Development Council (HRDC) has today, Tuesday, 5 November 2024, chaired a successful inaugural meeting of the newly appointed Human Resource Development Council, for the next five year term.  

The newly appointed HRDC members include representatives from government, organised labour, organised business as well as civil society, and its core strategic mandate is to advise government on efforts towards building the requisite skills to meet the labour market demand.

“We look forward to your invaluable contribution and are convinced that your unique talents, abilities and experiences will further assist and reenergise efforts to realise the strategic goals of the HRDC”, said Deputy President Mashatile, in his opening remarks.

The meeting received presentations on the Reconceptualised HRD Strategy and the Master Skills Plan which will anchor policy documents for all human resource development interventions in the country.  

The plan identifies four (4) strategic outcome-oriented goals as follows:

Goal 1: Improving early learning and schooling outcomes. 
Goal 2: Improving the employability of the youth NEETs. 
Goal 3: Improving the responsiveness of the PSET system to skills demands. 
Goal 4: Improving governance, leadership and management in the public sector. 

Furthermore, the meeting received updates on the establishment of the Just Energy Skills Forum which is aimed at contributing to the transformation of the energy landscape in the country, in line with the dictates of climate change.  This follows the commitment made by government to launch the Just Energy Transition Investment Plan 2023-2027 in November 2022, where President Cyril Ramaphosa mandated the Presidential Climate Commission (PCC) to engage with various key stakeholders in developing common approaches for South Africa.
  
A key element for the implementation of the JET Skills Portfolio is the establishment of a National Skills Advisory Forum, that is planned to be launched at the 5th HRDC Summit scheduled to take place on 21-22 November 2024.

The 5th HRDC Summit will bring together civil society groups, government, labour and business, to deliberate on critical skills challenges facing the country, and will be held under the theme: “Living and working in a changed world: Developing the emotional, intellectual and technical capabilities to succeed”. 

The key focus of the Summit will be the Reconceptualised HRD Strategy, Master Skills Plan as well as the Launch of the JET National Skills Advisory Forum. 

The summit will also discuss building foundations for learning and skills for a transformed economy as well as building a capable state.

In his concluding remarks, Deputy President Mashatile emphasised the need to embark on a new chapter towards 2029, with a renewed sense of hope and determination to drive the Human Resource Development initiatives to urgently address the triple challenges of unemployment, poverty and inequality.   

 

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

At the invitation of His Royal Highness Prince William, the Prince of Wales, and on behalf of President Cyril Ramaphosa and the Government of the Republic of South Africa, His Excellency Deputy President Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile will tomorrow evening, 6 November 2024, attend the 4th Annual Earthshot Prize Awards ceremony, taking place in South Africa for the first time.

The Earthshot Prize is the most prestigious global prize for the environment in history, despite only being in its fourth year. It was launched by Prince William and the Royal Foundation in 2020. 

Since then, said Deputy President Mashatile, “the significant work that Earthshot has done by scaling ingenious solutions to the most pressing challenges facing the world, such as climate change, waste management, cleaning our air, saving our oceans, and saving and restoring nature is remarkable and aligned with South Africa’s priorities towards climate action, environmental protection and restoration, and cleaning the environment.”

Every year, the Earthshot Prize searches the globe for game-changing innovations that will help repair the planet, annually awarding the very best 5 solutions with £1 million to scale their work. The initiative exists to discover, spotlight and help grow innovative solutions that are working to repair and regenerate our planet. 

Last year, Earthshot welcomed its first South African Finalist, ABALOBI, whose technology is making it easier for small fishing communities to monitor fish populations, improve market access, and recognise these communities as stewards for our oceans. 

It is of particular importance that the focus of the Earthshot Prize Awards is on the impact of climate change on Africa and the innovative solutions found on the African Continent to mitigate the impact of climate change and environmental degradation. 

Deputy President Mashatile said that “it is an honour to welcome the Prince of Wales to South Africa, highlighting the unique relationship the Royal Family has with our country. The Prince of Wales continues to show his steadfast support and commitment to campaigning for the environment and advocating for the protection of our planet. These prestigious Awards play a critical role in supporting and celebrating small enterprises that make a huge difference."

The Deputy President will attend the Earthshot Prize Awards as follows:

Date: Wednesday, 6 November 2024
Time: 18h30 (Arrival and Green Carpet Media opportunity)
Venue: The Earthshot Prize Dome (next to Greenpoint Stadium)

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, 05 November 2024, receive a courtesy call from the Prince of Wales, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK) at Genadendal, Official Residence of the President in Cape Town.

The Prince of Wales is in South Africa to host the 4th Annual Earthshot Prize Awards Ceremony, on 6 November 2024. The Earthshot Prize is a remarkable initiative that shines a light on the impact of climate change, environmental degradation and pollution, as well as the creative solutions people and communities across the globe generate.

South Africa is pleased to be the host country for this year’s awards, especially because of the focus this initiative places on the impact climate change and environmental degradation has on the African Continent.

Moreover, the Awards have created local jobs and provided an opportunity for South African artists and designers to showcase their talent.

The President and Prince William will hold discussions on a number of key issues of mutual interest.  The visit is indicative of the strong ties the United Kingdom, including the Royal Family, share with South Africa, and also another step towards the deepening of these historic ties.

NOTE TO MEDIA: The Courtesy call will only be a photo opportunity and a pool arrangement is in place for this meeting.

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

At the invitation of the Soweto Marathon Trust, Deputy President Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile is today Sunday, 3 November 2024, taking part in the African Bank Soweto Marathon 2024, which has an estimated 25 000 participants in various race categories.

The Deputy President will participate in the 10km category, whereas the Soweto Marathon has other categories such as the main marathon (42km) and half marathon (21km). He will later take part in the prize-giving ceremony at the close of the marathon.

Details of the DP’s participation in the marathon are as follows:

Date: Sunday, 3 November 2024
Time: 07h00 (Arrival); 07h30 (Race starts) 09h30 onwards (Prize-giving ceremony)
Venue: Gate 4, NASREC Precinct, Johannesburg, Gauteng Province.

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

Today, 2 November 2024, President Cyril Ramaphosa held a telephone call with President-Elect Duma Boko and offered his warm congratulations to His Excellency and the government and people of the Republic of Botswana on the success of the recently concluded elections. 

President Ramaphosa once again commended the Umbrella for Democratic Change coalition on its success in the election under the leadership of President-Elect Boko. President Ramaphosa welcomed the immediate establishment of transitional plans between the outgoing administration was led by President Mokgweetsi Masisi and the incoming administration of President Boko. 

 “The success of the elections in our sister nation and the seamless transition that is already underway affirms the demonstration of democratic maturity in our region and on our continent.

As South Africa, we look forward to deepening our fraternal relations and cooperation with the Republic of Botswana, with outcomes that will benefit both our nations", said President Ramaphosa.

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

President Cyril Ramaphosa offers his warm congratulations to President-Elect Duma Boko and the government and people of the Republic of Botswana on the success of the recently concluded election in South Africa’s neighbouring nation.

President Ramaphosa commends the Umbrella for Democratic Change coalition on its success in the election under the leadership of President-Elect Boko and welcomes outgoing President Mokgweetsi Masisi’s stated preparations for a transition that follows 58 years of governance by the Botswana Democratic Party.

President Ramaphosa said: “The success of the election in our sister nation is an important and affirming demonstration of democratic maturity in our region and on our continent.

“As South Africa, we look forward to deepening our fraternal relations and cooperation with the Republic of Botswana, with outcomes that will benefit both our nations.”

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

President Cyril Ramaphosa has concluded a productive session with the Limpopo Provincial Government Executive Council. The President expressed confidence in the economic growth potential that lies within the Province that can unlock more opportunities for the people of Limpopo. 
 
“I am pleased to have the opportunity to reflect on the immediate actions that we can take together as national and provincial governments to bring significant changes to the province of Limpopo that will impact on the lives of ordinary citizens. Limpopo remains a fertile ground upon which we can sow South Africa’s growth,” President Ramaphosa said.
 
President Ramaphosa further said there are areas of infrastructure development that will continue to be at the centre of the agenda of his Cabinet, like water provision and roads, until significant progress has been registered and the lives of people of Limpopo are changed for the better.  
 
The meeting agreed on the urgent support from National Departments, in the areas of Energy and Electricity, Land Reform, Water and Sanitation, Transport, COGTA and Public Works and Infrastructure to assist the province accelerate catalytically projects that will deliver sustainable growth. The inter-governmental framework will prioritise projects that require immediate action whilst allowing those that require long-term planning to be mapped accordingly. 
 
President Ramaphosa appreciated the understanding of the residents’ plight and the vision for the province reflected in the presentation delivered by the Premier and the provincial executive. 
 

Media enquiries:

The Presidency - Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President on Media@presidency.gov.za

 - Mr Ndavhe Ramakuela, Limpopo Provincial Government Spokesperson, on 082 200 5357 / 067 267 2063 or ramakuelan@premier.limpopo.gov.za

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

President Cyril Ramaphosa has concluded a productive session with the Limpopo Provincial Government Executive Council. The President expressed confidence in the economic growth potential that lies within the province that can unlock more opportunities for the people of Limpopo. 
 
“I am pleased to have the opportunity to reflect on the immediate actions that we can take together as national and provincial governments to bring significant changes to the province of Limpopo that will impact on the lives of ordinary citizens. Limpopo remains a fertile ground upon which we can sow South Africa’s growth,” President Ramaphosa said.
 
President Ramaphosa further said there are areas of infrastructure development that will continue to be at the centre of the agenda of his cabinet, like water provision and roads, until significant progress has been registered and the lives of people of Limpopo are changed for the better.  
 
The meeting agreed on the urgent support from National Departments, in the areas of Energy and Electricity, Land Reform, Water and Sanitation, Transport, COGTA and Public Works and Infrastructure to assist the province accelerate catalytically projects that will deliver sustainable growth. The inter-governmental framework will prioritise projects that require immediate action whilst allowing those that require long-term planning to be mapped accordingly. 
 
President Ramaphosa appreciated the understanding of the residents’ plight and the vision for the province reflected in the presentation delivered by the Premier and the provincial executive. 
 
For further inquiries, please contact:
Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President on Media@presidency.gov.za
Or 
Limpopo Provincial Government Spokesperson, Mr Ndavhe Ramakuela, on ramakuelan@premier.limpopo.gov.za or 082 200 5357 / 067 267 2063
 
Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

Programme Directors,
Premier of Limpopo, Dr Phophi Ramathuba,
Ministers and Deputy Ministers,
MECs,
Officials,
Ladies and gentlemen, 
 
Thank you to Premier Ramathuba for the warm welcome. 
 
Today’s meeting is significant in a number of respects. 
 
Firstly, it marks the start of a programme by the National Executive to visit all the provinces in the coming months and to engage directly with their leadership. 
 
Secondly, it is the first high-level, bilateral engagement of this nature with provinces under the 7th Administration and the Government of National Unity. 
 
As we strive for greater alignment between the developmental priorities of national and provincial governments, there is a need for Ministers to engage more directly and regularly with their provincial counterparts. 
 
On the one hand, this enables the National Executive to have better line of sight of provincial programmes. On the other hand, it enables provincial executive councils to better align their developmental roadmap with national plans. 
 
This is an imperative mandated by the Constitution. 
 
The Constitution enjoins all spheres of Government and organs of State to provide governance that is effective, transparent, accountable and, importantly, coherent, and that clearly serves the people of South Africa.
 
Section 41 of the Constitution outlines the obligation of different spheres of Government to cooperate with one another, assist one another, coordinate with one another and consult on matters of common interest. 
 
The spheres of Government are to do so while respecting the scope of their respective powers and functions. 
 
The Constitution furthermore provides for the establishment of structures and mechanisms to facilitate intergovernmental relations.
 
It is our expectation that this engagement further opens up the space for more meaningful intergovernmental relations. 
 
This is quite unprecedented. It opens up more opportunities for relations between the spheres of Government, including local government.
 
The achievement of synergy between national, provincial and local development must be the impetus behind the District Development Model, which we introduced in 2019 under the Sixth Democratic Administration. 
 
Although we have seen notable progress under this new way of working, particularly with respect to the One Plan model, we can and must work even better to spread the effectiveness of this model. 
 
The Government of National Unity has identified a set of key priorities for the term of its administration.
 
These are: driving inclusive growth and job creation; reducing poverty and tackling the high cost of living; and building a capable, ethical as well as a developmental state. 
 
Our collective focus now is on marshalling the necessary will and resources to finalise and implement the Medium-Term Development Plan. 
 
Driving economic growth that is inclusive and transformational is at the centre of our national agenda. Provinces have a critical role to play in this effort. 
 
Improving service delivery, accelerating job creation and growing provincial economies are as much a priority for provinces as they are for National Government. 
 
What will be critical in the coming months is a razor-sharp focus on the actions that we all need to take to enable provinces to leverage their respective endowments – be they avocados, minerals or citrus fruit – to ensure that that endowment is more effectively used for economic growth. 
 
Provinces need to use their comparative advantages to drive economic activity.
 
Premier, you have already defined your province as being very good in various areas, such as human capital, youth capability, good education, minerals, agriculture, that should stand you in good stead.
 
We have provinces, for example, with vast tracts of arable land. But because of under-utilisation of that land or slow land reform, their contribution to agricultural output is far below their potential. 
 
The same can be said about areas like tourism, an important and growing economic sector. The natural splendour of many, if not all our provinces, should be attracting far more tourism numbers.
 
Some provinces are extracting large amounts of minerals from the soil, but are not moving to another level. They need to start looking at the second level to beneficiate those minerals. 
 
They need to look at what they need to do to move from primary to secondary to downstream. We need to ask ourselves important questions. That is what has brought us here to have that focused discussion, beyond slogans and ideological precepts, so that we can realise the full value of the endowments that provinces have.
 
This is the potential that we need to focus on.
 
We need to move beyond diagnosis of problems.
 
We need to look at how to overcome the obstacles to provincial endowments being successfully used for development. 
 
It is critical that we understand and work to resolve the structural challenges facing our provinces and local governance that are holding back investment and job creation. 
 
It is important that we ask ourselves: what is holding us back? At a national level, we have identified those obstacles that are holding our national economy back. One of those areas was electricity, and we are glad that load shedding is becoming more and more a thing of past. We have started the reform of our electricity architecture.
 
The logistics sector is holding us back from exporting the products we produce. It affects mining and agriculture. Our farmers, from Limpopo and throughout the country, require a good logistical infrastructure to take their produce to markets. We are working with social partners to address this issue.
 
Another area that has been hamstringing us is water. It is an overarching problem throughout the countries, both for communities and productive activity. We have introduced structural reforms, for example, in speeding up water use licence approvals.
 
The issue of crime has been a major area that requires thoroughgoing reforms.
 
The reforms are now part of the work of the Government of National Unity.
 
As Province, we should look at what is holding back growth in the Province. It requires difficult conversations, and that we harness the various role players in the Province and set up task forces that will look at every niche in the Province. What is it that is holding agriculture back? Is there something the Minister of Agriculture that can help with? Is there something that is holding back the distribution of electricity and water? That is why Ministers are here.
 
We want to set up a mechanism that brings to bear the capabilities at national and provincial level to unlock the energy and capability of our government.
 
We should look at what progress is being made on existing economic development projects and programmes. 
 
I note for example the progress that is being made around the two designated Special Economic Zones in Limpopo – in particular, the investments made and the various cooperation agreements that have been signed. 
 
As a Province, you have identified two mega SEZs. You do need to put pressure so that those SEZs projects are taken to a higher level. You need to identify your role as a Province to unlock private sector investment.
 
We need to go and unlock money in the private sector by creating a bright environment for those with money to invest. We should participate with them through public-private partnerships.
 
Government also has a role to create employment through public employment programmes.
 
These catalytic projects have immense potential to accelerate industrialisation and create more jobs. 
 
We also welcome the plans Limpopo has to revitalise agriculture and agro-processing and to grow value chains. 
 
Some parts of Limpopo are high value when it comes to agriculture, comparable to high productivity parts of the world.
 
We look forward to the presentation from the Limpopo Provincial Government on key priority programmes you have set out for yourselves. 
 
I call on our Ministers and their provincial counterparts to use this as an opportunity to open up channels of communication. 
 
This visit is an opportunity to listen to counterparts at a local level to listen to some of the challenges you have and the vision you have for the Province.
 
This is a forum to identify the interventions needed on the part of National Government for provincial MECs to get the work done. 
 
As The Presidency, we are also here to hear what must be done from our side to resolve bottlenecks and other challenges. 
 
We hope to be able to engage with you on how the ongoing structural reform process, those which we are driving through Operation Vulindlela affects your areas of work. 
 
This first engagement between the National Executive and the Limpopo Executive Council must set the tone and agenda for future cooperation.
 
From here, we will go to KwaZulu-Natal and then to other provinces. Our plan is to go to each province over the course of one year. We engage with provinces on an ongoing basis through MinMecs and other forums, and we engage with people through izimbizo. This is the Government that we want to make more capable and accessible to the people. 
 
We have to set our collective sights on what must be done to ensure provinces economic development plans align with the broader national economic vision. 
 
Limpopo is perfectly positioned to lead the country in a number of key sectors, including in agriculture, tourism, freight and logistics, and also mineral resources. 
 
The Province is set to play a major role in the green economy transition. 
 
Limpopo possesses a number of critical energy transition minerals, including platinum, and has been designated as a site for the proposed hydrogen valley. 
 
We are pleased at the work already underway in this regard.
 
Limpopo, by way of geographical positioning, is South Africa’s gateway to the continent. 
 
This Province is well positioned to strengthen South Africa’s links to the rest of our beloved African continent under the African Continental Free Trade Area. 
 
These are the wider issues we must consider. We must broaden our vision, and lift our ambitions. 
 
We must emerge from this engagement with a clear plan of action. 
 
I would like to see Ministers and MECs pick up the threads and consolidate our places.
 
It must spell out what must be done within the scope and powers of the respective Ministers and their provincial counterparts, to unlock the potential of the Limpopo economy and improve the lives of its people. 
 
Colleagues, there is a great deal of work we must do, and I would like our discussion to revolve around the actions we must take, with clarity on the resources needed for those plans.

I would like us to be much more focused and innovative. We must demonstrate our clarity of thought and innovation. We must craft plan, timelines, resources and execution.
 
Thank you again for the warm welcome and I look forward to our engagement.
 
I thank you.