President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Tuesday, 20 August 2024, attend a farewell dinner held in tribute to Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, who is retiring at the end of August 2024 after a distinguished judicial career spanning 27 years.

The dinner will be hosted at the Marriott Hotel, Melrose Arch in Johannesburg.

The farewell dinner will take place on the eve of a Special Ceremonial Sitting of the Constitutional Court, at which the Judiciary, the Executive, Parliament, and the legal profession will honour Chief Justice Zondo’s contributions to the justice system and the country.

President Ramaphosa appointed Justice Zondo as the Chief Justice of the Republic of South Africa in 2022.

Reflecting on the significance of this role, the President said: “The position of Chief Justice carries a great responsibility in our democracy. As the head of the Judiciary, the Chief Justice is a guardian of our Constitution and the laws adopted by the freely elected representatives of the people. 

“The Chief Justice stands as the champion of the rights of all South Africans and bears responsibility for ensuring equal access to justice.”

During his term, Chief Justice Zondo has been pivotal in advancing the transformation of the judiciary, leading the Labour Appeal Court through significant challenges, and presiding over the State Capture Commission. 

His leadership ensured that the findings and recommendations of the Commission had a lasting impact on South Africa's fight against corruption.

President Ramaphosa will pay tribute to Chief Justice Zondo during the farewell dinner, scheduled as follows:
 
Date: Tuesday, 20 August 2024
Time: 19h00 (media to arrive from 15h00 for set-up)
Venue: Marriot Hotel Melrose Arch, 42 The High Street, Melrose, Johannesburg

Members of the media wishing to cover the event are requested to send their details to Hlobisile Nkosi at hlobisile@presidency.gov.za and copy Patience Mtshali at patience@presidency.gov.za, no later than today, Monday, 19 August 2024 at 15h00.

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

President Cyril Ramaphosa is deeply saddened by the passing of eminent scholar, academic, social policy and heritage expert Prof Muxe Nkondo who has passed away at the age of 83.

President Ramaphosa offers his deep condolences to the family, friends and associates nationally and internationally of the late Prof Nkondo who passed away in the early hours of today, Sunday, 18 August 2024.

Prof Nkondo is survived by his wife, Prof Olga Nkondo; his children, Ntsako, Muxe, Mikateko, Zava, Mbonya and Nkenyezi; grandchildren and a great grandchild.

Prof Nkondo was a former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Venda, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of the North and Harvard Andrew Mellon Fellow in English.

As the chair of varied expert panels and reference groups, he made significant contributions to the development of public policy in areas from tourism, human settlements and public administration to science and technology, and arts and culture.

He lectured extensively at universities in the United States of America and served as a curriculum development and governance advisor to the University of South Africa, the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Tshwane University of Technology, Central University of Technology, and Walter Sisulu University.

Prof Nkondo served on numerous boards and associations on the African continent and elsewhere and led the conceptualisation of the Liberation Heritage Route.

President Ramaphosa said: “Prof Nkondo has left us at the end of a life distinguished by his relentless pursuit - and generation – of knowledge that has made his country, continent and the world a richer, more inclusive place.

“His ideas and their application have impacted on lives and institutions across the globe. They have also a diaspora of academics, leaders and administrators who have benefited from Prof Nkondo’s inexhaustible intellect and interest in the betterment of humanity.

“His legacy is monumental and will continue to ripple through our lives. May he rest in peace after his extraordinary, enriched and enriching life.”

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

President Cyril Ramaphosa has this morning, 17 August 2024, arrived in Harare, in the Republic of Zimbabwe to attend the 44^th Ordinary Summit of the Southern African Community (SADC) Heads of State and Government.
 
The 44^th Ordinary Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government will take place today under the theme: “Promoting Innovation to unlock opportunities for sustained economic growth and development towards an Industrialised SADC”.

As South Africa commemorates the 30^th Anniversary of its democracy and freedom, it will equally marks the 30^th Anniversary of its membership and active participation in SADC, since it joined this regional body in August 1994.

The Summit will provide an opportunity for SADC leaders to assess and review progress made in terms of the region’s flagship integration agenda, the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) 2020-2030, which is about promoting peace and security, good governance, socio-economic development and integration in the region.
 
The President will participate in discussions on the agenda of the Summit that include the Status of Member State Contributions; Regional Food and Nutrition Security, Status of health in the region, Implementation of the SADC Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap as well as candidatures to continental and international organisations.

The President will also sign two SADC legal instruments; the SADC Declaration on Accelerating Action to End AIDS as a Public Health Threat in the Region by 2030 as well as the Agreement Amending the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development.
 
During the Summit, the Republic of Zimbabwe will assume the Chairpersonship of SADC, taking over from the Republic of Angola, which chaired SADC since the previous Summit held in Luanda, in August 2023.  

The Summit is preceded by the SADC Council of Ministers Meeting which took place from 13-14 August 2024.  

A SADC Organ Troika Summit was also held on 16 August 2024.

President Ramaphosa is supported by the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Mr Ronald Lamola and the Minister of Finance, Mr Enoch Godongwana.

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Ms Angie Motshekga to serve as Acting President today, Saturday, 17 August 2024.
 
The appointment has been made in view of the President’s Working Visit today to Harare, Zimbabwe, to participate in the 44^th Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Southern African Development Community.

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

In my role as the African Union (AU) Champion on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness, and Response (PPPR), I have been closely monitoring the evolving Mpox situation, regularly briefed by the Director General of Africa CDC and PPPR Commission. I am deeply concerned by the rapid spread of Mpox across multiple regions within the African Union, with a significant rise in both cases and fatalities, reflecting a concerning shift in the epidemiological pattern.

Since the start of 2024, a total of 17,541 cases (2,822 confirmed and 14,719 suspected) and 517 deaths due to Mpox have been reported across 13 AU Member States. This week, 3 additional countries notified cases under investigation for confirmation. That can bring the total to 16 countries. Alarmingly, the number of reported cases in 2024 has surged by 160% compared to the same period in 2023.

As the PPPR Champion, I was consulted on and fully support the Director General of Africa CDC’s declaration of Mpox as a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security. This crucial decision empowers Africa CDC to lead and coordinate our collective response efforts, strengthening the Mpox response at every level—from community engagement to collaboration with the highest political authorities and our international partners. The declaration will also galvanize political leadership and engagement among AU Heads of State and Government, facilitating the rapid mobilisation of essential financial and technical resources.

I commend the Permanent Representatives Committee for their decisive action in releasing USD 10.4 million from the COVID-19 Fund to support the Mpox outbreak response. I urge the AU policy organs to expedite the finalisation of the framework for operationalising the African Epidemic Fund, as approved by the Heads of State during the 2023 AU Assembly, by the end of August 2024.

I call upon AU Member States to increase domestic resource allocation, lead their national Mpox outbreak responses through a One Health approach, and enhance their capacities, particularly in areas such as capacity building, risk communication, community engagement, case detection, contact tracing, and cross-border surveillance.

I also welcome the World Health Organization's (WHO) declaration of Mpox as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). This PHEIC must be different and correct the unfair treatment from the previous one declared in 2022, where vaccines and therapeutics were developed and made available primarily to Western countries, with little support extended to Africa. I call upon WHO and all partners to collaborate closely with Africa CDC to ensure that this PHEIC unlocks appropriate support from the international community, guaranteeing equitable access to medical countermeasures, including diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines.

I am heartened by the coordinated efforts of Africa CDC, WHO, and UNICEF under the Joint Emergency Preparedness and Response Action Plan (JEAP). I am reassured by the commitment from the Director General of Africa CDC that the JEAP will encompass all relevant partners, ensuring a well-coordinated action led by Africa CDC under a unified African incident management team.

I urge the international community, partners, and organisations to mobilise stockpiles of vaccines and other medical countermeasures for deployment in Africa, utilising the mechanisms established by Africa CDC to ensure equitable distribution, transparency, and coordination. Africa requires robust support in funding, research, and the sharing of technologies, with financial contributions directed to the Africa Epidemic Fund under the leadership of Africa CDC.

This is also an opportunity to call on the international community to finalise a fair and equitable Pandemic Agreement—a duty that must be pursued with urgency and a spirit of equity. By fostering global partnerships, we can accelerate Africa's response and ensure that all nations, regardless of economic status, have fair access to the resources needed to protect their populations.

As the AU Champion, I will continue to work closely with my esteemed colleagues—H.E. Mohamed Ould El-Ghazaouani, President of Mauritania and Chairperson of the African Union, H.E. Moussa Faki, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, and H.E. Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director General of Africa CDC—to ensure adequate political support and fundraising for the continental response to Mpox and to prevent a regional and global pandemic.

Issued by The Presidency of the Republic of South Africa

President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed into law the Electricity Regulation Amendment Act which sets out far-reaching reforms of South Africa’s electricity sector, including the establishment of a competitive electricity market.

The Bill assented to by the President amends the Electricity Regulation Act of 2006 to respond to current realities in the electricity sector and open up pathways to greater competition and reduced energy costs; increase investment in new generation capacity to achieve energy security; establish an independent transmission company as the custodian of the national grid; and impose severe penalties for damage to and sabotage of infrastructure.

The Electricity Regulation Amendment Act provides for the establishment, duties, powers and functions of the Transmission System Operator SOC Ltd (TSO) – which must be established as an independent entity within five years – and for the National Transmission Company of South Africa to act as the TSO in the interim. It also provides for an open market platform that allows for competitive, wholesale or retail buying and selling of electricity.

The Act provides for market operation as a new activity that may be licensed by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA). In addition, it requires the development of a Market Code that will establish rules to govern the future competitive market, and outlines the process through which the code will be approved.

The Act further clarifies the principles that apply to the setting or approval of prices, charges and tariffs, providing, among others, that NERSA must enable an efficient licensee to recover the full cost of the licensed activity, must allow for a reasonable return proportionate to the risk of the licensed activity, and may provide for incentives for continued improvement of technical and economic efficiency.

As it does so, the regulator may consider factors such as security of supply, the diversity of supply and the promotion of renewable energy.

The Act distinguishes between tariffs that must be set or approved by the Regulator, such as network charges, and those which are subject to a direct supply agreement or arise as an outcome of a competitive market.

To ensure a level playing field for competition between multiple electricity generators, the Act provides that the system operator shall not discriminate between different generators or customers in relation to dispatching or balancing the system, except for objectively justifiable and identifiable reasons approved by the Regulator. Access to the transmission and distribution power system must be objective, transparent and non-discriminatory.

These changes are in line with the broader reforms guided by the Energy Action Plan and the Eskom Roadmap, which aim to modernise and transform South Africa’s electricity system to end load shedding and ensure long-term energy security.

It is anticipated that diversity of supply and the promotion of renewables will stimulate a demand for new skills, innovation and technology in the electricity sector, which will generate new industrial activity and in turn mitigate unemployment.

Reinforcing the protection of public infrastructure as part of the fight against crime, the law provides for fines of up to R1 million or five years in prison – or both – for persons who, among other offences, damage, remove or destroy any transmission, distribution or reticulation cable, equipment or infrastructure.

Penalties for persons who unlawfully receive such cables, equipment or infrastructure face fines of up to R5 million or 10 years in prison, or both.

Going forward, the Act will lead to long term energy security, a more competitive energy system, more rapid uptake of renewable energy sources, and ultimately lower energy prices for all South Africans.

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria