Honourable Chair of the session,

Minister in The Presidency, Honourable Ntshavheni,

Honourable Members of the House,

Distinguished guests joining us virtually and physically,

Fellow South Africans;

It is my honour to support the Minister in The Presidency, Ms Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, on presenting the budget of Statistics South Africa, popularly known as Stats SA today.

I must state that this debate is my maiden speech as a Member of Parliament. Let me therefore take this opportunity to congratulate all members representing the people of South Africa in this 7th Parliament as we work collectively as legislators and the Executive for a united and prosperous South Africa.

Honourable Members, as we enter the unchartered waters of a Government of National Unity comprising of Seven Political Parties 30 years into our democratic dispensation, there is absolutely no way we can talk about democracy without Stats SA being an integral part thereof. Our story as Stats SA dates as far back as 1996 when Stats SA conducted the first census to quench the data thirst that our nation needed for its establishment and survival, for which we are grateful that we are now three decades in the making. When we talk about Stats SA, we are talking about a well-oiled machinery who over the past 30 years continued to inform the nation and will continue to do so in the Government of National Unity. This is indicative of an institution that is functional, independent and revered as one of the best in the world.

Honourable Chairperson,

Upholding the independence of Stats SA is of paramount importance. The independence of our national statistics office must be protected at all costs so that official statistics remain free from any interference on statistical methods, content and timing of statistical releases. This is guaranteed in the Statistics Act (6 of 1999). Such independence ensures that our official numbers have integrity and can be trusted by all. The demand for data and statistics are increasing in all aspects of life. Data has become a major resource globally, offering enormous opportunities for citizens, businesses and governments to make better informed decisions. The world now increasingly relies on data to create new knowledge and insights to better understand the past, the current and to predict the future.

Stats SA is a critical institution in the life of our developmental state in the making. Some of the key products that are used by both the private and public sectors include:

o The Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Gross Domestic Product (GDP), published monthly and quarterly respectively, used by the private and public sectors as well as our ordinary citizens.

o Statistics on poverty, inequality, employment and unemployment that are published by Stats SA equally assist us as policy makers to ensure we address the past imbalances that continue to affect the previously disadvantaged particularly the black African woman who still remains the fact of poverty in South Africa.

Honourable members,

- The year 2024/25 will be the year when the world operates in a transformed digital space. Our vision of ‘Improving lives through data ecosystems’ remains our true loadstar. When all is said and done, data and statistics will tell the story whether the lives of our people have been affected by our policy programmes and decisions.

- As we propel towards this future, it is our mission to evolve the production, coordination and use of statistics through optimisation, partnerships and innovation.

- Collaboration between Stats SA, other organs of state and the private sector is therefore critical as we build the data ecosystem for South Africa. This is evidenced by collaboration and partnerships that were established with key stakeholders such as the South African Revenue Service (SARS), the Department of Home Affairs and Institutions of Higher Learning, to mention a few. The use and appreciation of official statistics in decision-making has become even more critical in the changing data landscape.

Honourable Chairperson, let me come to the operating model of Stats SA.

- The operating model within Stats SA is being reviewed and adapted to fit the needs of an evolving society. Stats SA will continue to deploy and integrate innovative methodologies that were developed over the past years into the operating model. Most importantly, the investment in technology to modernise the statistics value chain will continue to increase our efficiency.

Honourable members, in relation to the strategic priorities,

- Our highest priority as Stats SA is about sustaining and protecting the quality of official statistics and national indicators. Our national statistics agency is committed to continue to deliver its suite of official statistics even amidst a challenging and declining resource environment.

- Stats SA has adopted a change agenda with the strategic goals of –

o harnessing alternative data sources to augment official statistics in the future;
o transforming the skills set and investing in new capabilities such as data science and data analytics;
o creating an agile operating model by modernising and digitalising the statistical value chain to unearth smarter and more sustainable ways to operate; and
o leveraging innovative technologies and methodologies as a building-block for an interconnected statistical system for the entire data ecosystem.

Stats SA should create change that matters, enabled by technology and sustained through capabilities.

Honourable Chairperson,

We are very mindful of the projected budget shortfall attributable to public sector cost of living adjustment (COLA) increases which Stats SA had to absorb. This means that Stats SA’s Compensation of Employees (COE) budget is less than the cost of its filled staff, i.e. warm bodies. Stats SA has to therefore rely on normal staff attrition and retirements savings to fund the filling of critical vacancies.

Whilst National Treasury acknowledges this serious challenge, Stats SA will be considering alternative funding models to limit the potential risk it SA faces to maintain the quality of statistics produced.

As we acknowledge the time of opportunity, let us make sure that we propel ahead, the future requires a culture of innovation, agility and collective leadership that embraces change and diversity in thought and practice. Let us give the necessary support to the Statistician-General, Mr Risenga Maluleke, and the entire workforce of Stats SA. Let us also appreciate the role of the newly appointed South African Statistics Council, under the leadership of Dr. Nompumelelo Nzimande-Mbele, that continues to play their role in safeguarding our official statistics.

Thank you.

Deputy President Paul Mashatile has today, Wednesday, 14 August 2024, commended the Free State Provincial Government, the Kopanong Local Municipality,  as well as the Jagersfontein Development Project, on progress achieved in coordinating support, to address the challenges faced by communities in Jagersfontein, following the collapse of a tailings dam wall on September 11, 2022, resulting in a mud slide which damaged infrastructure and homes in the area.

Deputy President Mashatile has been delegated the responsibility to provide leadership in the implementation of rapid response interventions on service delivery and trouble-shooting in service delivery hotspots in the country, by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

In pursuit of this critical mandate, the Deputy President undertook a service delivery oversight visit to Jagersfontein, last year in May, as part of efforts towards finding a lasting solution to service delivery challenges in the municipality, with specific focus on the efficient and equitable supply of water, and the resettlement of community members affected by the Jagersfontein Development Project dam disaster.

The visit by Deputy President Mashatile brought together various role players such, as government, private sector as well as civil society representatives, to deliberate on various mechanisms aimed at improving the functioning of municipality and in particular, on efforts to address the concerns raised by the community of Jagersfontein.  

In this regard, Deputy President Mashatile has expressed his appreciation to all key role players, on progress achieved and also thanked the management of the Jagersfontein Development project in particular, for delivering on their promise to urgently build houses, for the affected community members.      

“The remarkable progress we continue to make, brings us closer towards restoring better living conditions for the people of Jagersfontein. Such progress bears testimony that working together through partnership between government and the private sector, we can create a better life for all our citizens”, said Deputy President Mashatile.

The Deputy President has further emphasised the importance of expediting the process of addressing all other outstanding critical matters of water supply challenges experienced by residents, agricultural support needed, as well as responding to educational needs of youth in the area. 
 

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

The Presidency wishes to announce the postponement of the signing of the Second Presidential Health Compact.

The event was scheduled for tomorrow, Thursday, 15 August 2024, but has been postponed until next Thursday, 22 August 2024.

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

President Cyril Ramaphosa convened a meeting yesterday with members of cabinet and senior business leaders to pave the way for a new era of collaboration under South Africa’s 7th democratic administration, and to strengthen the partnership formed over a year ago to stimulate economic growth and job creation by addressing constraints on growth in energy, transport and logistics, and crime and corruption.

At the meeting, both business and government leaders committed to build upon progress achieved to date and accelerate implementation over the next 12-18 months in line with the strategic priorities of the Government of National Unity (GNU).

President Cyril Ramaphosa said, “The Government of National Unity has reaffirmed its commitment to urgently implement the reform agenda started by the 6th administration and to restore confidence and sentiment—essential drivers of investment, inclusive economic growth, and job creation. We have reaffirmed our commitment to a dynamic partnership between government and business to foster South Africa's economic growth and social advancement. Since the start of the partnership just over a year ago, we have made substantial progress towards stabilising the energy sector, improving the performance of our rail and port system, and strengthening the fight against crime and corruption.”

Adrian Gore, co-convenor of the business delegation, commented: "We welcome President Ramaphosa’s commitment to a new era of partnership at a critical inflection point for the country. In the first phase of our partnership, over 130 CEOs pledged support and business invested more than R260 million and mobilised over 350 experts across the 3 focal areas. This has contributed to the excellent progress made with the reduction in loadshedding being the most visible and pronounced achievement. Continued momentum could mean we are able to achieve 3-5% GDP growth by 2030. We will be launching Phase 2 of our partnership with this ambition in mind.”

The meeting reviewed progress over the past year, as the partnership sought to align on priorities for the next chapter. There was strong consensus on the importance of continuing to address structural challenges, drive reforms and efficiencies, and invest in skills capacitation across all workstreams.

The energy workstream was reported to have had the most impact, achieving a dramatic reduction in load shedding in collaboration with Eskom (over 140 days without load shedding so far this year), and significant grid capacity recovery (with more than 6 GW of new energy generation added) through investment in additional technical support and capacitation from 57 companies investing over 9,000 hours at 5 power stations. The energy availability factor is currently tracking above 60% (vs 54% in 2023). 

However, we still face multiple challenges including rapidly rising electricity costs, unsustainable municipal utilities, complex market reform, a constrained grid with delayed expansion, and stalling investment in new generation. 

Significant investment will be required for energy sector reform over the next 5-10 years and there was strong consensus that it is critical to pave the way now to address the challenges. Business, Eskom and the Presidency have agreed that the priorities of the National Energy Crisis Committee should include a focus on transmission, market reform, municipal utilities and new energy generation. 

The transport and logistics and crime and corruption workstreams which are now fully established have also evidenced impact, albeit not as quickly or extensively as anticipated. 

Business has provided significant technical support and resources to Transnet Freight Rail, including procurement and operations expertise, and port maintenance support for Transnet Port Terminals. The Transnet Board and management team are making progress in implementing the Transnet recovery plan. Despite the significant efforts by the partners, there is broad acknowledgment that Transnet requires substantial interventions to improve performance to meet the needs of its customers and the market demand necessary for sustainable economic growth. 

The meeting agreed that the rapid implementation of structural reforms and strict adherence to the Freight Logistics Roadmap deadlines are crucial to facilitate participation of, and investment by, the private sector to help address our national logistics challenges. This is crucial to ensure that our commodities and manufactured products can be competitively sold into the local market and exported to meet demand. Resolving these issues will promote job retention and job creation.

In the crime and corruption workstream, an immediate joint imperative is to support South Africa’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list, which would improve international confidence in SA as an investment destination. Key to this is demonstrating the law enforcement agencies’ intent and ability to successfully prosecute complex crime and corruption cases and recover assets. Business is providing specialised skills at arm’s length to support this objective. The promulgation of the NPA Amendment Act is key to bolstering IDAC’s ability to effectively deliver on its mandate. 

The meeting acknowledged that economic growth is a pre-requisite for large-scale job creation. For now, unlocking a few key policy, regulatory and funding bottlenecks could accelerate existing short-term interventions across four areas, including new work opportunities in tourism and global business services, skilling that creates new jobs (particularly in digital skills), providing additional public sector first loss funding to crowd in private sector capital to increase affordable debt available for SMMEs, and institutionalizing, expanding and strengthening the SAYouth platform to facilitate access to opportunities for young people. 

Martin Kingston, Chair of the Business for South Africa (B4SA) Steering Committee, commented: “This is a model of collaboration that has shown its merit and is fit for purpose to drive accelerated growth and jobs in the 7th administration. Over the last year significant progress has been made and impact has been achieved, and whilst it has not been as swift or extensive as we would have liked, it has gifted us with a blueprint for success in a new era with the GNU. We are keen that the reforms are implemented with urgency. We are very optimistic about the next phase of the partnership.”

“As we move forward with this partnership, we will intensify our work to address these pressing issues and expand our efforts to drive employment creation. We know that the challenges ahead are formidable. But with our continued partnership, we are well equipped to navigate these complexities and contribute to sustainable growth for South Africa”, concluded President Ramaphosa.

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria
 

Today, 13 August 2024, President Cyril Ramaphosa met with members of the Cabinet, senior business leaders, and technical experts from government and business to discuss a new era of collaboration for a partnership launched over a year ago to address barriers to growth in South Africa.
 
Media are invited to attend a virtual briefing on Wednesday, 14 August 2024, hosted by the Presidency and B4SA. Key updates will be provided by Mr James MacKay, CEO of the Energy Council South Africa, Mr Rudi Dicks, Head of the Project Management Office at the Presidency, and Mr Martin Kingston, B4SA Steering Committee Chair.
 
Representatives from the joint initiative and workstream leads will be in attendance to assist with your questions.
 
Media are invited as follows:
Date: Wednesday, 14 August 2024
Time: 08:45 – 10:00
Link: To be shared
 
Please RSVP to: 
Liz Ferreira, Camilla Mseme Instinctif Partners B4SA@instinctif.com 
 
Please note that timing is subject to change based on the President’s diary.
 

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

President Cyril Ramaphosa is leading the call to men across South Africa to take a stand against gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) by signing a virtual pledge at https://www.stateofthenation.gov.za/endGBVF.

President Ramaphosa launched the call to action by signing the pledge alongside men from all sectors of society at Pofadder, Northern Cape, on the occasion of Women's Day on Friday, 09 August 2024. 

Among signatories who joined the President were Northern Cape Premier Dr Zamani Saul, Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Alvin Botes, members of the provincial executive, local government leadership and representatives of community- and faith-based organisations and learners.

The pledge commits men to be allies and part of the solution by maintaining positive behaviour and attitudes and to take responsibility for their actions. 

The pledge commits men to never raise a hand against a woman, to treat women as equals, to respect the rights of women and relate to women with dignity.

President Ramaphosa urges all of society to work together to end gender-based violence and calls on men who live by positive values to assist other men to mend their conduct and to report instances of abuse and related wrongdoing.

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria
 

President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Thursday, 15 August 2024, preside over the signing of the second Presidential Health Compact at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.

The second compact follows the 2023 Presidential Health Summit which built on the inaugural summit of 2018 and brought together government, business, labour, civil society, health professionals, unions, service users, statutory councils, academia, and researchers to develop sustainable and inclusive solutions to challenges in the national health system.

The stakeholders involved in the Presidential Health Compact are integral to supporting the Department of Health in improving the health system.

It initially consisted of nine pillars with a 10th pillar added during last year’s summit. 

These include development of human resources; improving access to medicine, vaccines and health products; upgrading infrastructure; private sector engagement; quality healthcare; public sector financial management improvements; governance and leadership; community engagements; information systems and pandemic preparedness.

The signing of the second Presidential Health Compact will take place as follows:
Date: Thursday, 15 August 2024 
Time: 14h30 (Media to arrive at 13h00) 
Venue: Union Buildings Courtyard, West Wing, Pretoria
 
Members of the media wishing to cover the event are asked to send their details to  Makungu Mbetse on makungu@presidency.gov.za and copy Patience Mtshali on patience@presidency.gov.za not later than today, Tuesday, 13 August 2024 at 17h00.

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

Programme Directors, 
Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Mr Gayton McKenzie,
Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Ms Sindisiwe Chikunga,
Ministers and Deputy Ministers,
Premier of the Northern Cape, Dr Zamani Saul
Executive Mayor of the Namakwa District Municipality, Cllr Mervin Cloete,
Members of Parliament,
MECs and MPLs,
Representatives of political parties,
Religious, traditional and community leaders,
Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Fellow South Africans, 

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

Good Morning. 

Today, I greet all the women of South Africa as your President. 

I greet you also as a son born of a woman, as a brother to a sister, as a husband and as a father of daughters. 

On this Women’s Day, I pay tribute to South Africa’s women.

They are the pillars of our communities. The anchor of the family. The backbone of our nation. Abafazi. Imbokodo. 

Today we stand on the shoulders of giants. The wise, caring, loving, selfless women who raised us, who nurtured us and who led our country to freedom. 

It is my honour to be here in Pofadder in the Khâi-Ma Local Municipality. 

The Northern Cape is the birthplace of many women heroes of the liberation struggle. People like Mama Frances Baard, Mittah Seperepere, Tina Joemat-Pettersson and others. 

The Namakwa District is known for its rich cultural history. It is home to the Nama people. This province is the home of our living legend Mama Katrina Esau, who is fighting to preserve the language and culture of the San people. 

Today we remember all the women of this province and from across South Africa who have played their part in building our country. 

We salute their resilience and their dignity.

Each year on Women’s Day, we commemorate the historic march of more than 20,000 women to the Union Buildings on the 9th of August 1956 to protest against the extension of pass laws to women. 

On that day, those courageous women, from across our country, stood in silence for 30 minutes. And then they sang:

Wathint’abafazi
Wathint’imbokodo, 
Uza kufa! 

[When] you strike the women, 
You strike a rock
You will be crushed! 

In the many years since then, this song has come to represent women’s courage and strength. 

Today, as we celebrate 30 years of freedom and democracy, we should take stock.

We should reflect on how far we have come. And we should deliberate on the challenges that stand in the way of the emancipation of South Africa’s women.

To move forward, we must understand our past.

South Africa remains a highly unequal country.

Poverty still has the face of a black woman.

Black women are more likely to be unemployed, to be poor and to be unskilled. 

Cultural norms and practices – many of these the product of colonialism and apartheid – continue to hold women back. 

Apartheid broke up families. Men were recruited as migrant labourers, leaving women and children behind to fend for themselves.

Young girls were brought up for marriage. They did not go to school. They were confined to the home.

Over 30 years, through the struggles of women, we have done much to improve the status and circumstance of South African women.

We have built on the struggles of many decades.

This year marks 70 years since the historic Women’s Charter was adopted.

It is 30 years since the adoption of the Women’s Charter for Effective Equality.

These charters continue to guide our efforts.

As the Women’s Charter demands, women now have the right to vote.

They have the right to equal work for equal pay.

They have the right to equality before the law.

And we have made great progress in providing for the protection of mother and child.

As the Women’s Charter demands, we have worked to provide proper homes for all. But much is still to be done.

We have, to use the words of the Charter, worked to provide “water, light, transport, sanitation, and other amenities of modern civilisation”.

Women in South Africa enjoy rights and freedoms under our Constitution. They benefit from progressive legislation.

Women today are significantly represented in Parliament, in government and in the judiciary.

Thanks to our affirmative action policies, there are today more women in important positions in the workforce. But more still needs to be done, especially in the private sector.
 
Women in South Africa enjoy the right to quality healthcare, including reproductive health care. 

Millions of South African women are supported every month with social grants to enable them to care for their families and support their children. 

South Africa has one of the highest rates of female literacy in our region. 

There is parity between girls and boys in primary school enrolment. 

Female learners achieve more bachelors passes. Young women make up the majority of students in higher education institutions. 

We have prioritised women and youth in our public employment programmes. 

Around 66 percent of participants in the Presidential Employment Stimulus are women.

Yet, we still have much further to go.

As the Government of National Unity, we are united across the political spectrum by our common commitment to improve the lives of South African women. 

To grow our economy and accelerate development, women must take their rightful place as active participants in the economy. 

Women must be business owners, producers, employers and employees.

To support this effort, in 2021 we launched the Women’s Economic Assembly.

The Assembly aims to secure procurement opportunities for women-owned businesses in different industries.

Through the Women’s Economic Empowerment Programme approximately 8,000 women have been trained to establish and manage businesses.

With funding from government and development finance institutions, we are increasing the support provided to women-owned enterprises.

We are working to ensure more women can own land, especially in rural areas. 

This is so that they can farm and have assets they can use to build and grow businesses.

We are driving initiatives to improve the health outcomes of South African women. 

This is part of our commitment as the chair of the Global Leaders Network for Women, Children and Adolescent Health.

Fellow South Africans,

As we celebrate the gains made during the 30 years of freedom and democracy, our country is deeply traumatised by violence against women and children. 

This violence is a betrayal of our Constitution. It is an affront to our common humanity.

In recent years, we have worked together to fight gender-based violence and femicide.

Guided by our National Strategic Plan, we have introduced new laws that protect survivors of gender-based violence, improve the response of the police, and ensure harsher sentences for perpetrators.

We have opened additional Sexual Offences Courts. We have expanded our network of Thuthuzela Care Centres. 

We have introduced more victim-friendly services at police stations across the country. 

We have just recently passed legislation for the establishment of a Gender-Based Violence and Femicide Council to mobilise and coordinate work across society. 

The Human Sciences Research Council has just completed the first-ever national survey on GBV prevalence in a democratic South Africa.

The results of this ground-breaking survey will help guide our response to gender-based violence. 

The study was undertaken in 2022 based on a random sample of people interviewed at home. 

It measured issues like physical, sexual, emotional and economic abuse, as well as controlling behaviour between intimate partners.

The detailed results of the survey will be released in the coming weeks. 

Among other things, the survey found that around 7 percent of women aged 18 years and older had experienced physical or sexual violence in the past 12 months.

This rate was highest among young women, black women, women who completed secondary education, and women who are unmarried but live with a partner. 

Seven percent may not sound like a lot.

But this figure is the equivalent of 1.5 million women.

So, according to the HSRC survey, over the course of just one year, more than one and a half million women experienced physical or sexual violence in our country.

That is more than the entire population of the Northern Cape.

These are not statistics. These are human beings.

These are women who have endured a trauma that no person should have to experience.

The survey highlights that physical violence starts early, often affecting adolescent girls and young women, and continues through adulthood. 

Around 13 percent of women who had ever been in an intimate relationship reported that they had experienced economic abuse at the hands of their partner.

This is why we need to address the massive inequality in income between men and women. 

On average, women earn a quarter of their income from grants, compared to a far lower percentage for men. 

We must therefore create more jobs and other economic opportunities for women. So they are less vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. 

Significantly, 4 percent of men in the survey reported having perpetrated physical violence against a women in the preceding 12 months. 

This translates to over 600,000 men.

This makes clear what we all know.

Men must change their behaviour. Men must change their attitudes.

That is why we today we call on all South African men to make a pledge to be part of the solution. To take responsibility for their actions. 

To never raise a hand against a women.

To treat women as equals. To respect their rights and to treat them with dignity.

If we are to end gender-based violence, we must work together as a society.

We must work together, both men and women, both young and old.

Fellow South Africans, 

When we call South African women ‘imbokodo’, we use the term they chose to describe themselves. 

The face of poverty in South Africa may be that of a woman.

But it is also the face of resilience. Of determination. Of achievement.

The current generation of imbokodo have been clear. They have said nothing about women without women.

The blood, sweat and tears of South African women secured our freedom.

And it is their labour, their toil and their sacrifice that is building our nation.

They are fighting not just for themselves. 

They are fighting for the dignity, the rights and the wellbeing of us all.

As our mothers, our grandmothers, our great-grandmothers, our aunts, our sisters and our daughters, you are our heroes. We offer you our tribute. 

We thank you for all you are doing to build our country. 

I wish all women and all South Africans a blessed Women’s Day. 

I thank you.
 

President Cyril Ramaphosa has today, Thursday, 08 August 2024 concluded his working visit to the Republic of Angola.

President Ramaphosa was in Luanda, Angola on a one day working visit as a guest of his counterpart President João Lourenço.

The visit covered three key areas of mutual interest which are namely, the strengthening of the bilateral relationship between South Africa and Angola, sharing perspectives on recent developments in South Africa's political landscape that led to the successful formation of a Government of National Unity (GNU), and reflecting on the security situation in the Great Lakes Region, particularly the developments in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

On the recent political developments in South Africa and the formation of the GNU, President Ramaphosa said,  “Angola continues to be interested in  South Africa's political developments just as we are interested in how Angola is progressing because we are two sister countries that continue to share a wonderful relationship”.

On the consolidation of the bilateral relationship between the two countries, President Ramaphosa said the discussions focused on the enhancement of economic and investment ties.  

President Ramaphosa utilised the occasion to extend a State visit invitation to President Lourenço, for which President Lourenço accepted. 

The State visit will affirm the strong and special bond between the two nations.

The two leaders further reflected on the security situation in the Great Lakes Region. President Ramaphosa applauded President Lourenço for his effort in working for peace in the DRC and for achieving a ceasefire between the DRC and the Republic of Rwanda.

The ceasefire agreement between the DRC and Rwanda was recently facilitated by Angola. 

The signing by the respective foreign ministers,  was facilitated by President Lourenço as the mediator of the Luanda Process. Angola will continue to monitor its implementation.

Both South Africa and Angola are signatories to the 2013 Framework Agreement for Peace, Security, and Cooperation in the DRC and the Region, along with several other countries.

The two leaders also committed to continue working together and alongside other leaders in the region to ensure that the ceasefire becomes permanent.

President Ramaphosa was supported by Minister Ronald Lamola of International Relations and Cooperation and Minister Angie Motshekga of Defence.

Media queries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President - media@presidency.gov.za

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria