The Minister in The Presidency responsible for Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, will on 18-19 April 2024 undertake a two-days Outreach Programme with Business Stakeholders in the Northern Cape (NC) with the Support of the Provincial and Local Government of NC.

The program seeks to forge partnerships between all spheres of Government and organised business/industrialists to achieve the Energy Action Plan’s target of ending load shedding and creating energy security. 

The programme focuses on localised solutions to energy supply to protect local economies and save jobs and livelihoods. 

On Thursday, 18 April 2024, the Minister, joined by the Premier of the Northern Cape, Dr. Zamani Saul, will be part of marking the reaching of commercial operation of one of the largest hybrid solar and energy battery storage facilities, Scatec ASA.

Scatec has now officially commenced producing and supplying electricity to the national grid from their three Kenhardt plants in the NC. 

With an installed solar capacity of 540 MW and a battery storage capacity of 225MW / 1,140MWh, this innovative and large-scale project delivers 150MW of dispatchable power to the grid.
 
This milestone is in fulfilment of the EAP’s pillars of enabling private investment in generation and  fast tracking the procurement of new generation from renewable energy sources, as part of South Africa’s energy mix. 
 
On Friday, 19 April 2024, the Minister, with the support of Provincial and Local Government, will host an interactive engagement with Business Representatives of the Province in Upington. 
 
Members of the media are invited as follows:

Scatec Launch
 
Date: Thursday, 18 April 2024
Time: 11h00
Venue: Scatec, Kenhardt, Northern Cape 

Media wishing to attend need to strictly rsvp with Martin Slabbert on 079 500 1503 / martin@alkemi.global (for Scatec) and Kutlwano Huma on 078 133 1418 by no later than 10h00 on Wednesday, 17 April 2024.
 
Outreach Engagement with NC Business Stakeholders
 
Date: Friday, 19 April 2024
Time: 10h00
Venue: Protea Hotel, Upington
 
Media wishing to attend need to RSVP with Kutlwano Huma on 078 133 1418 by no later than 17h00 on Wednesday, 17 April 2024
 

Media enquires: Tsakane Khambane, Spokesperson in the Ministry of Electricity, on 082 084 5566 / Tsakane@presidency.gov.za

Issued by: The Ministry in The Presidency responsible for Electricity
The Presidency

In February 2024, President Cyril Ramaphosa, accompanied by Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordhan, Minister of Police Bheki Cele, Minister of Water and Sanitation Senzo Mchunu, Minister in the Presidency responsible for Electricity Kgosientsho Ramokgopa and Minister Public Works and Infrastructure Sihle Zikalala, met with the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry and various social partners to discuss service delivery challenges in the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality. 

Challenges raised include interruptions to water supply, poorly maintained and damaged infrastructure due in part to the 2022 floods, a worrying decline in tourism numbers to the city, port efficiency concerns, and crime. The President and Ministers reiterated Government’s commitment to addressing these challenges through a collaborative approach with social partners in eThekwini. 

Following additional engagements with the Municipality, Provincial Government, and social partners including organised labour, the President has announced the establishment of the Presidential eThekwini Working Group 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. 

The Presidential eThekwini Working Group is co-chaired by the Director-General in the Presidency and Secretary of Cabinet, Ms Phindile Baleni and former MEC of Economic Development and Tourism, Mr Mike Mabuyakhulu. The Working Group represents an intergovernmental collaborative approach to addressing challenges in local government, and will include active participation from all levels of government, the private sector, state owned enterprises, organised labour, and civil society. 

On the 8th of April 2024, Director-General Phindile Baleni and  Mr Mike Mabuyakhulu led a series of follow-up engagements with the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, organised labour in eThekwini, and the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry to discuss the Working Group’s eight priority focal areas, namely: 

• Governance and Financial Sustainability  
• Water and Sanitation 
• Safety and Security 
• Tourism Revitalisation 
• Roads, Bridges, and Transport.
• Human Settlements
• Disaster Response
• Communication and Stakeholder  Management 

The focal areas are the outcome of a deliberate consultation process within Government and with social partners in eThekwini. The municipality, organised labour, and the business community expressed their commitment to leverage their expertise to support turnaround strategies across the identified focal areas. 

The Presidential eThekwini Working Group will be responsible for reporting progress on the implementation of turnaround strategies to the President and Minsters every 3 weeks. The intervention will last 24 months and focus on both short-term and long-term interventions.

The learnings and outcomes of the Presidential eThekwini Working Group will inform similar interventions in other municipalities facing service delivery challenges. 
 

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria
 

Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, the Minister of Electricity, was involved in an accident this afternoon, 14 April 2024, while travelling  from the North West Province to Gauteng. 

The accident involved the car the  Minister was being driven in with two protectors, and another vehicle. 

All individuals involved in the accident received prompt medical attention, and after a thorough examination, the Minister has been discharged without hospital admission. 

The Minister is doing well and has expressed his heartfelt and sincere wishes for a speedy and optimal recovery to those injured in the accident. 

He also sends best wishes to all individuals affected by the incident.

Media enquires: Tsakane Khambane, Ministry of Electricity on 082 084 5566 / Tsakane@presidency.gov.za

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria
 

President Cyril Ramaphosa will on 15-16 April 2024, undertake a Working Visit to the Republic of Uganda to meet with HE President Yoweri Museveni. 

The two leaders will discuss regional security and stability, including the situation in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. 

From Kampala, President Ramaphosa will proceed to the Republic of South Sudan. 

The purpose of the visit, from 16-18 April 2024, will be to strengthen the existing bilateral relations between South Africa and South Sudan.  

The President will also use the visit to receive a detailed briefing from President Salva Kiir Mayardit, and all other stakeholders, on the status of implementation of the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS) which was signed on 12 September 2018.

The R-ARCSS is coming to an end on 22 February 2025 and must be preceded by elections scheduled for December 2024.  

It is in this context that President Ramaphosa has designated Deputy President Paul Mashatile, as his Special Envoy, to provide practical and political support to the parties to the R-ARCSS and the Revitalised Transitional Government of National Unity (R-TGoNU), towards achieving the measures set to achieve a democratic and peaceful end to the transitional period.

To this end, Deputy President Mashatile has visited South Sudan and based on his engagements with stakeholders, recommended a follow-up visit by President Ramaphosa.

South Africa has always been walking with South Sudan on its path to reconstruction and development since the dawn of independence in 2011.  

South Africa has participated in various conflict resolution and mediation mechanisms, State building, capacity building of State institutions and programmes for post-conflict reconstruction and development. 

South Africa is also the Chair of the African Union High-Level Ad-hoc Committee for South Sudan (also known as C5), which has been mandated by the African Union to support South Sudan in its transitional process.

South Africa enjoys cordial bilateral relations with South Sudan and the two countries have a long-standing historical relationship that pre-dates South Sudan’s independence on 9 July 2011. 

An agreement establishing official bilateral relations was signed on 24 September 2012. 

Bilateral relations between South Africa and South Sudan are conducted through the General Cooperation Agreement (GCA) which was signed in 2013.

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Monday, 15 April 2024, host His Majesty King Mswati III of the Kingdom of eSwatini for a working visit at Mahlamba Ndlopfu, the President’s Official Residence in Pretoria.

The visit follows a courtesy visit by President Cyril Ramaphosa to His Majesty King Mswati III in Lozitha, eSwatini on Wednesday, 03 April 2024.

South Africa and eSwatini share strong historical bonds as well as mutually beneficial political and trade ties.

Official media will deliver to all media platforms pictures and video footage.

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria
 

Deputy President Paul Mashatile, in his capacity as Chairperson of the Inter-Ministerial Task Team on matters of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders, will on Tuesday, 16 April 2024, participate and deliver a keynote address during a Dialogue convened by the National House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders (the House) at Sefako Makgatho Presidential Guest House, Pretoria.

The Dialogue is a follow-up session to the address by President Ramaphosa during the official opening of the House in February 2024. The Dialogue marks the last engagement with the 6th Administration.

It is expected that during the Dialogue, representatives will discuss the work of the Inter-Ministerial Task Team which was established to address pertinent issues raised by the institution of traditional leadership such as the transfer of land, rural development, tackling substance abuse, the fight against gender-based violence and femicide.

Additionally, the Dialogue presents an opportunity to take stock of the progress of the Institution, to celebrate some of the milestones achieved thus far, to reflect, to account and to chart the way forward.

During his keynote address, Deputy President Mashatile will highlight the significance of the partnership between the House and Government in working together to address the socio-economic challenges facing the country.

Members of the media are invited to cover the Dialogue as follows:
Date: Tuesday, 16 April 2024
Time: 09h00 (Media to arrive at 08h00)
Venue: Sefako Makgatho Presidential Guest House, Union Buildings, Pretoria

Members of the media covering the Dialogue are requested to confirm their attendance for accreditation purposes, with Ms Khanya Ngwenya on khanyan@cogta.gov.za / 082 619 9280 (The House) or Ms Tshiamo Selomo on tshiamo@presidency.gov.za / 066 118 1505 (The Presidency) by Monday 15 April 2024 at 16:00.

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

Deputy President Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile will tomorrow, Friday 12 April 2024, as part of his Delegated Responsibility to intervene in the service delivery hotspots across municipalities, undertake an outreach programme to eThekwini Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal in order to engage the leadership on responses to challenges in the municipality and discuss urgent solutions.
 
The Deputy President will also visit water and sanitation sites in Durban and surrounds as part of providing feedback to the communities on Government's interventions to resolve the water and sanitation challenges being experienced in the municipality.
 
This follows President Cyril Ramaphosa’s mandate to the Deputy President to head the Water Task Team at Cabinet level which is aimed at addressing water challenges in the country.  
 
Details of the outreach visit are as follows: 
Date: Friday, 12 April 2024
Time: 08h00 
 
Venue 1: Northern Wastewater Treatment Works, 01 Johanna Rd, Sea Cowlake, Springfield Park, Durban. 
 
Venue 2: Adams K5 & K6 Water Reservoir, Amanzimtoti, eThekwini Municipality.
Time: 09h30
 
Venue 3: Mpumalanga Stadium, Hammarsdale (eThekwini Draft Budget and IDP Consultation Roadshow)
Time: 10h30
 
Media wishing to cover the visit must please send their RSVPs to Bongani Majola in the Presidency on 082 339 1993 or Simphiwe Dlamini from eThekwini Municipality on 068 149 3550.
 
 
Media enquiries: Mr Keith Khoza, Spokesperson to the Deputy President on 066 195 8840.
 
Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria
 

President Cyril Ramaphosa wishes Muslim communities around South Africa a blessed Eid ul Fitr today, Thursday, 11 April 2024.

The President said: “The Holy Month of Ramadan encompasses spirituality, personal introspection and good deeds that contribute to the wellbeing of Muslims and people other faiths alike.

“At a time when there is so much wrong with the world, at a time when human suffering, hardship and injustice is laid bare, the spirit of Ramadan inspires us all.

“May today be a joyous celebration that will sustain the faithful for another year of devotion and social upliftment.”

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

President Cyril Ramaphosa, the Grand Patron of the National Orders, will later this month, bestow the 2024 National Orders Awards on distinguished citizens and eminent foreign nationals who have contributed towards the advancement of democracy and have made a significant impact on improving the lives of South Africans. 

National Orders are the highest awards that a country, through its President, bestows on its citizens and eminent foreign nationals.

The National Orders will take place at the Sefako Makgatho Presidential Guesthouse in Pretoria

Media Accreditation

Media interested in covering the National Orders ceremony are kindly requested to submit their accreditation details using the provided form, NATIONAL ORDERS MEDIA ACCREDITATION.xls, to hlobisile@presidency.gov.za cc shadi@presidency.gov.za

DEADLINE FOR MEDIA ACCREDITATION Tuesday, 16 April 2024

Please note that no late submissions will be accepted beyond the stated deadline.

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

President Cyril Ramaphosa will along with President Mokgweetsi Masisi of the Republic of Botswana on Thursday, 11 April 2024, visit the bus accident site that tragically claimed 45 citizens of Botswana at the Mmamatlakala Bridge along the R518 in Limpopo Province. 

The Heads of State and Government will commence the visit in Limpopo Province with a closed briefing by officials in Mokopane before visiting the accident scene along the R518. 

President Ramaphosa conveyed condolences on behalf of the government of South Africa to the Republic of Botswana following the tragic accident of a bus transporting Easter pilgrims to Moria. 

The visit to the Limpopo Bus accident site will take place as follows: 

Closed Session Briefing by Expert Officials

Date: Thursday, 11 April 2024
Time: 10h30
Venue: Mokopane, Limpopo Province 

Media Note: Official media to share images of the closed session. 

Visit to the Bus Accident Site by the Heads of State and Government 

Time: 13h00
Venue: Mmamatlakale Bridge, R518 Road, Limpopo Province

Media advised to congregate at the bus accident scene for a possible doorstop media opportunity  following the inspection of the site. 

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria