President Cyril Ramaphosa has this morning, Saturday 1 March 2025 arrived in Windhoek, Namibia where he will join the Nujoma family, the people and government of Namibia and other Heads of State and Government, to bid farewell to the late former President of the Republic of Namibia, Dr Samuel Shafishuna Nujoma.

The former President Nujoma passed away on 11 February 2025 while receiving medical attention in Windhoek at the age of 95.

Dr Nujoma became involved in anticolonial politics during the1950's and was the founding member and the first President of the Southwest Africa People’s Organization (SWAPO) in 1960. 

President Ramaphosa reiterates, on behalf of the government and people of South Africa, his deep condolences to the government and people of Namibia.

South Africa and Namibia enjoy excellent bilateral relations due to the fraternal and historical relations cemented during the fight against colonialism and apartheid. The two countries established diplomatic ties in March 1990. 
 

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President - media@presidency.gov.za
 
Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

Programme Director,
Minister of Basic Education, Ms Siviwe Gwarube,
Deputy Minister of Basic Education, Dr Reginah Mhaule,
Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education, Hon Joy Maimela,
Chairperson of the Select Committee on Education, Sciences and Creative Industries, Hon Makhi Feni,
Director General of Basic Education, Mr Mathanzima Mweli,
MECs, 
Members of national and provincial legislatures, 
Representatives of political parties, 
Representatives of teacher unions, 
Representatives of SGB Associations, higher education institutions, education organisations and civil society, 
Representatives of business, 
Guests, 
Ladies and gentlemen, 

Good morning.

It is wonderful to be here with the women and men whose work is shaping our nation’s future. 

Education is the bedrock upon which societies are built and on which they thrive. 

Education enables development. It is a catalyst of progress for individuals, communities, countries and economies. 

Basic education in particular is the most crucial determinant of whether an education system succeeds, falls short or fails. 

We therefore regard the annual Basic Education Lekgotla as one of the most important events on the national calendar. 

To put this into perspective, in its recent South Africa Economic Update, the World Bank singled out basic education as one of three sectors with the greatest potential to drive inclusive growth and transform South Africa into a high-income country. 

What is greatly encouraging is that the reforms proposed by the World Bank, such as prioritising foundational years, are very much aligned to the Department’s vision. 

Early Childhood Development, numeracy and early grade reading are just some of the focus areas highlighted in the World Bank report. 

Last year, in 2024, we achieved the highest matriculation pass rate in our country’s history. 

The achievements of the Class of 2024 reinforce our commitment to developing our nation’s most valuable resource, our young people. 

This achievement shows that we are steadily undoing apartheid’s legacy of intergenerational poverty, disadvantage and indignity.

Our learners, teachers, parents and caregivers deserve our appreciation, alongside school governing bodies and partners in business, trade unions and academia. 

However, these impressive outcomes stand in stark contrast to what we see in the early years of education. 

We are all aware of the 2021 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study that showed that more than 80 percent of Grade 4 learners in South Africa cannot read for meaning in any language, including their home language. 

South Africa also ranked low in a recently published study on Trends in International Mathematics and Science, which surveys capabilities in Grades 4 and 8. 

Not having mastered basic skills in reading and maths at foundation level sets the tone for how a learner will perform in high school and beyond. 

So correcting these shortcomings is the most urgent of tasks.

It must be front and centre of our efforts in basic education. 

This is the first Basic Education Sector Lekgotla convened under a Government of National Unity.

It is taking place at the confluence of a number of developments key to our nation’s progress. 

The first of these is that we are now in the implementation phase of the Medium Term Development Plan, government’s strategic framework for the next five years. 

The second is that we are now in the five-year countdown towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, in particular SDG 4 on “ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all”.

The third key development is South Africa’s G20 Presidency, with its theme of solidarity, equality and sustainability. 

As the host of the G20 Education Working Group, we have a unique opportunity to drive a progressive agenda for inclusive and equitable education within the framework of the G20. 

The theme of this year’s lekgotla – ‘Strengthening Foundations for a Resilient, Future-Fit Education System’ – is therefore most appropriate and timely. 

Globalisation, open knowledge flows and advancing technology are rapidly changing the world of work. 

The World Economic Forum’s 2025 Future of Jobs Report shows the world’s fastest growing and fastest declining jobs. 

At the top of the pyramid – the jobs that are growing fastest – are big data specialists, User Interface and User Experience engineers, data warehousing specialists and renewable energy engineers. 

At the bottom of the pyramid, some of the jobs that are in decline include bank tellers, data entry clerks, cashiers, admin assistants, book-keeping and payroll clerks, and telemarketers, among others. 

Many of these occupations that are in decline are entry level positions for young people entering the job market after school. 

Artificial intelligence and large language models are cutting a swathe across many types of work. 

One of these applications, ChatGPT, has an estimated 300 million weekly active users globally. 

The share of students using ChatGPT to assist them with school assignments has doubled between 2023 and 2024 in the United States alone. 

The first generation to grow up with the internet, Gen Z, are already in their thirties. Generation Alpha, the first fully digital generation, are now in high school. 

The babies born this year are the start of Generation Beta, and will begin school in 2030. 

These Generation Beta children will be mastering the use of AI tools for schoolwork, problem solving and life advice before they even reach high school. 

This is to say nothing of their future career paths. There are now tools that can build a website in 10 seconds and compile a fully referenced research paper in about a minute. 

So when we speak of equipping our young people with the skills for a changing world, we are not only talking about the structure of education needing to be transformed, but its methods of delivery as well. 

I am pleased that this is an issue that is prioritised at the Basic Education Lekgotla.

We have to adapt to this new reality or risk the consequences of last century methods that cannot deliver new century outcomes. 

As impressive as technological advances have been, technology is but a complement to human endeavour. 

There is no substitute for solid foundational education led by committed and capable educators that sets the stage for a more effective and equitable educational system. 

At a foundational level, learners develop essential skills in literacy and numeracy, reducing pre-existing learning gaps, and form the building blocks for lifelong learning. 

Early childhood development plays a critical role. It is a strong social equaliser, with children from disadvantaged families benefiting most. 

We need to improve foundational numeracy and literacy using the Mother-tongue based Bilingual Education approach. 

We are encouraged by the Department’s efforts to review and realign our existing curriculum, including assessment, learning and teaching support material and teacher development programmes.

Equality and access must guide everything we do.

We have a special obligation to promote access to quality education for learners that are blind, deaf or who have other disabilities. 

This is both a human rights issue and economic and social imperative. For our country to develop, we need to ensure that every person is able to realise their potential.

We therefore welcome the inclusion of Deaf SA and Blind SA in this lekgotla programme. 

Our hard-working educators are the backbone of the sector. We welcome the ongoing provision of teacher support and development programmes focused on skills, pedagogy and methodology, among others. 

The alignment of the national curriculum and the schooling system with South Africa’s economic imperatives must be an apex priority for this lekgotla. 

Entrepreneurship plays a key role in economic growth, particularly when the labour market is constrained. 

As we prepare young people for employment, we must also support pathways for them to self-employment. 

Our education system needs to be responsive to the evolving skills needs of the economy. 

One of the most important ways of doing this is through structured technical and vocational education pathways in the schooling system that run parallel to the general academic education pathway. 

The diversification into academic, technical and vocational pathways provides learners with greater choices based on their interests, abilities and aptitudes.

It enables them to choose the right careers and achieve greater success. 

We need to be more assertive in marketing these pathways to learners, including through life orientation and career guidance classes. 

As stakeholders in the sector we need to work together to address the prevalent bias towards general academic education, and even the stigma that exists around choosing vocational occupations.

Vocational training should not be seen as a fall-back option for learners who have been identified as unlikely to obtain the marks needed for university entry. 

It should be seen as an attractive proposition for all learners. 

One looks at a highly industrialised country like Germany, for instance, where 47 percent of the workforce has a vocational qualification compared to 17 percent with higher education degrees. 

I look forward to the outcomes of this year’s lekgotla, which is happening at such a critical time in the life of our nation. 

The Basic Education Sector Lekgotla brings together political and administrative heads in education, and representatives of teachers, parents and learner organisations.

It brings together local and international academics, experts from the post-school education sectors, and industry leaders specialising in human resources. 

In other words, we have in this room the full complement of those who have it within their means to transform the basic education landscape for the better and, most importantly, for the future. 

I thank you.

Minister in The Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, will brief members of the media on the outcomes of the Cabinet meeting held on Wednesday, 26 February 2025.

The media briefing will take place as follows:  
Date: Thursday, 27 February 2025
Time: 11h00
Venue: Imbizo Media Centre, 120 Plein Street, Parliament, Cape Town.  

Live Streaming details:
Facebook: http://facebook.com/GovernmentZA 
Twitter: http://twitter.com/GovernmentZA 
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/GovernmentZA 

Media enquiries: Nomonde Mnukwa - Acting Government Spokesperson on 083 653 7485

Issued by: The Presidency and Government Communication and Information System
Pretoria
 

President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Thursday, 27 February 2025, participate in the Goldman Sachs 2025 South Africa Conference at the Four Seasons Westcliff Hotel in Johannesburg.
 
The President will participate in a dialogue session moderated by Vice Chairman of Goldman Sachs, Mr Richard Gnodde.  The interactive session will focus on various issues on economic growth and structural reforms, and highlight government’s plans to further unlock the country’s growth potential.
 
It will also focus on South Africa’s G20 Presidency as an opportunity for the country to advance efforts towards greater global economic growth and sustainable development.
 
Goldman Sachs is a leading global investment banking, securities and investment management firm that provides a wide range of financial services to a substantial and diversified client base that includes corporations, financial institutions, governments and individuals.
 
The conference will bring together chief executive officers, chief information officers, chief financial officers and chairpersons of leading companies and financial institutions across all industry sectors from South Africa and other parts of the continent.
 
The dialogue will commence at 08h30 and will be live streamed on PresidencyZA social media platforms.
 

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President - media@presidency.gov.za
 
Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Thursday, 27 February 2025, deliver a keynote address at the Basic Education Sector Lekgotla at Birchwood Hotel, in Boksburg.

The theme for the annual Lekgotla is “Strengthening foundations for learning for a resilient future fit education system”.

Deliberations at this year’s Lekgotla are directed towards strengthening early childhood development for improved learning in later years; improving foundational skills of numeracy and literacy, especially reading and the use of Mother Tongue Based Bilingual Education, and providing support and development programmes to equip educators with skills, pedagogy and methodology that will help them nurture young and growing minds.

The Department of Basic Education has aligned the 2025 G20 Education and the 2025 Basic Education Lekgotla agenda in line with the call by President Ramaphosa to take the G20 to the people.

It is envisaged that this will promote wider sector participation and cultivate a G20 Education Working Group Presidency that reflects the voices and aspirations of the entire basic education sector.

It is expected that this historic interface of the G20 and Basic Education Lekgotla agenda will enrich South Africa’s policy reflections during the 2025 Basic Education Lekgotla, and far beyond.

South Africa’s G20 Education Agenda draws heavily on national plans of the 7th Administration to prioritise strengthening Early Childhood Development, Literacy, Numeracy, and Mother Tongue Based Bilingual Education; as well as Skills and Competencies for a Changing World.

Members of the media are invited to attend the Basic Education Sector Lekgotla as follows:

Date: ​​Thursday, 27 February 2025
Time: ​​09h00
Venue: ​Birchwood Hotel, Boksburg

 

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

Minister of Finance of the Republic of South Africa, Mr Enoch Godongwana,
Governor of the South African Reserve Bank, Mr Lesetja Kganyago,
President of the Swiss Confederation, Her Excellency Karin Keller-Sutter,
Distinguished Ministers of Finance and Central Bank Governors of G20 Member States and Invited Guest Countries,
Representatives of International Organisations and Regional Economic Communities,
Heads of Delegation,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,

Welcome to this first Finance Ministers’ and Central Bank Governors’ meeting under South Africa’s G20 Presidency.

Just under a week ago, G20 Foreign Ministers met in Johannesburg to share perspectives on the global geopolitical environment and outline the priorities and tasks of the G20 Sherpa Track for 2025.

The meeting of foreign ministers reaffirmed the role of the G20 as the premier forum for international economic cooperation.

It underscored the collective responsibility of the G20 for the effective stewardship of the global economy, fostering the conditions for sustainable, resilient and inclusive global growth, as a critical element of the broader multilateral system.

This meeting today of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors will provide further substance and strategic direction in advancing this collective responsibility.

The G20 Finance Track has been playing this vital role for 25 years. 

At crucial points in our recent history, it has been able to galvanise actions with significant impact.

It was this forum that in 2008 engineered the world’s response to the global financial crisis and mobilised the necessary financial support to enable the recovery. 

The G20 played an important part in responding to the Eurozone crisis and in maintaining global financial support and stability during and in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

This is a forum which has created the current global financial safety net, with the IMF at its core, and whose stewardship has proved critical to global stability for a quarter of a century.

This meeting of G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors, like those that have come before, carries a weighty responsibility.

It needs to forge consensus on the actions we must take collectively to build a global economy that is more resilient, more sustainable and more equal.

As it has done in the past, it needs to raise its level of ambition to achieve specific, concrete and impactful outcomes with lasting consequences.

In undertaking this task, the Finance Track needs to work in concert with the Sherpa Track.

The success of the G20 over the years has relied on alignment and collaboration between the two tracks. 

While each track may have specific areas of focus and expertise and their own working arrangements, they share a common mission: to enable sustainable, resilient and inclusive global growth.

The G20 was founded on the principle of cooperation.

At this time of global uncertainty and escalating tension, it is now more important than ever that the members of the G20 work together.

The erosion of multilateralism presents a threat to global growth and stability.

We know from the experience of past decades that a fair, transparent and inclusive rules-based international order is an essential requirement for economic stability and for sustained growth.

At this time of heightened geopolitical contestation, a rules-based order is particularly important as a mechanism for managing disputes and resolving conflict.

It is vital to ensuring that the rights and interests of the vulnerable are not trampled beneath the ambitions of the powerful.

Multilateral cooperation is our only hope of overcoming unprecedented challenges, including slow and uneven growth, rising debt burdens, persistent poverty and inequality, and the existential threat of climate change.

We are not moving quickly enough or boldly enough to address these global challenges. 

We must collectively target a step-change in our efforts to improve the lives of all of our people and to protect future generations.

One of the greatest impediments to growth, development and stability is the persistence of inequality within and between countries.

The pursuit of the UN Sustainable Development Goal on reducing inequality is as much of an economic imperative as a social imperative. 

As the G20 we need deliberate and coordinated efforts to focus on inclusive growth based on responsive trade and investment to grow the incomes of poor nations and the poorest in society.

We need to ensure equal access to opportunities, especially for women and young people.

For nations to flourish, equality and prosperity must be available to everyone – regardless of gender, race, religious beliefs or economic status.

The pursuit of equality is an imperative for wealthy and poor countries alike.

That is why South Africa has placed solidarity, equality and sustainability at the centre of its G20 Presidency. 

In line with the original mandate of the G20 to promote strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth, South Africa has identified four priorities for its G20 Presidency.

Our first priority is to take action to strengthen disaster resilience and response.

The increasing rate of climate-induced natural disasters is disproportionately affecting countries that can least afford the costs of recovery and rebuilding.

When repeated disasters lead to widespread damage of infrastructure, economic activity is disrupted and livelihoods are destroyed.

Innovative financing and insurance mechanisms must be put in place by the global community – including international financial institutions, development banks and the private sector – to scale up funding for disaster prevention and post-disaster reconstruction.

Our second priority is to ensure debt sustainability for developing economies.

In recent years, low- and middle-income countries have seen their levels of sovereign debt and the cost of servicing that debt rise substantially.

The combined external debt stock of low-income countries more than doubled in the decade to 2022.

Debt service costs are increasingly crowding out spending on education, healthcare and other social services, as well as infrastructure needed for economic development.

The work of the International Financial Architecture Working Group and other working groups will be particularly important in improving the Common Framework for Debt Treatment, accelerating the reform of multilateral development banks, and strengthening capital flows to emerging markets.

Our G20 Presidency will be addressing the high cost of capital faced by developing economies as one of the main barriers to sustainable growth. 

Yesterday I had the honour of meeting seven former African Heads of State and Government who have started the African Leaders Debt Relief Initiative.

This initiative focuses on the challenges that many African countries are facing in servicing their national debt. 

They would like to see greater urgency in addressing the debt and solvency challenges many countries face, and determine clear solutions to mobilise low-cost financing for development.

I welcome and support their endeavours.

The G20 must show leadership in addressing the imbalances that persist in the global economy and filling the significant gap in funding required to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

The upcoming Financing for Development Conference in Spain this June will be an important opportunity to advance this agenda.

The third priority of South Africa’s G20 Presidency is to mobilise finance for a just energy transition. 

Significantly more funding is required to limit global temperature rise in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement, and to do so in a manner that is equitable and just.

South Africa has pioneered the use of country platforms to coordinate funding through the Just Energy Transition Partnership.

We continue to advocate for greater concessional and grant funding to support the energy transition in developing economies.

G20 member countries should lead the way in demonstrating ambition on climate action in the lead-up to COP30 in Brazil later this year.

The need to rapidly scale up adaptation funding is particularly important, as those countries which have contributed the least to climate change are now most vulnerable to its effects.

We must also scale up the use of innovative financing instruments, improve coordination among funders, and unlock the potential of carbon markets to create new and diverse sources of funding.
 
The fourth priority of our G20 Presidency is to harness critical minerals for inclusive growth and sustainable development. 

We need a G20 framework on green industrialisation and investment that promotes value addition to critical minerals close to the source of extraction. 

We need to promote the development of low-carbon manufacturing value chains which can support decarbonisation while promoting growth. 

As minerals extraction accelerates to match the needs of the energy transition, the countries and local communities endowed with these resources must be the ones to benefit the most.

In undertaking the work of the Finance Track, we seek to ensure continuity with past G20 Presidencies. 

We rely on the deep expertise of the Working Groups and our experienced co-chairs. 

We encourage innovation and openness in finding solutions to our most complex challenges.

In the context of our broader review of the G20 at the end of its first cycle, I have asked South Africa’s Minister of Finance to initiate efforts to strengthen the effectiveness and efficiency of working arrangements in the Finance Track. 

As we work collectively to build on the progress made in previous years, we must continue to advance our shared goals.

As the world navigates rapid technological changes, climate change and pressing development needs, the Finance Track must once again rise to the occasion.

For the first time, the G20 is being hosted on the African continent.

This highlights the growing importance of the continent in global economic and political discussions.

Africa is home to some of the world’s fastest-growing economies.

It has a young and rapidly expanding population that is embracing technology and innovation.

At the same time, Africa faces several challenges, such as the effects of climate change, widespread poverty and high levels of debt.

The Summit's location underscores the need for African voices to be heard on critical global issues like sustainable growth, the digital economy and green industrialisation. 

We must focus the world’s attention on the opportunities for more rapid, inclusive and sustainable growth in Africa.

In doing so, let us raise our ambition. Let us lift our gaze to deliver on the promise of growth and prosperity for all countries and for all people across the world.

I thank you.

Deputy President Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile has today, 25 February 2025, received a courtesy visit from the newly appointed Ambassador of Japan to South Africa, His Excellency Mr. Fumio Shimizu, at his Tuynhuys office in Parliament, Cape Town.

Ambassador Shimizu is hosting a high-powered Japanese delegation in South Africa to attend the G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting and the meeting of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors, alongside a number of G20 work-stream meetings.

Deputy President Mashatile and Ambassador Shimizu both remarked on the long-standing friendship and collaboration between Japan and South Africa as an essential factor in the advancement of peace, prosperity, and mutual understanding. In particular, the Deputy President appreciated the continued strengthening of South Africa-Japan cooperation in several sectors including politics, trade and investment, science and innovation, education, energy and development cooperation.

The two leaders undertook to explore additional local manufacturing and job-creating investments in South Africa.

“Because of our strong economic relations, we consider Japanese companies as our traditional investors given their long history of investing in South Africa. In Japan, we see the potential for the increase of an already sizeable investment in our economy especially in the automotive industry, technology & skills development, commercialisation & manufacturing as well as machinery for mining & mineral beneficiation, which are among the key economic drivers in South Africa,” said the Deputy President.

South Africa looks forward to the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) to be held in Yokohama, Japan in August this year. 

Deputy President Mashatile will undertake a Working Visit to Japan next month to further strengthen trade relations and increase investments.

Media enquiries: Ms. Itumeleng Mafatshe, Acting Head of Communications: Office of the Deputy President, on 079 547 4469.

Issued by: The Presidency
Cape Town

Deputy President Paul Mashatile, will be visiting Bethlehem in the Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality, Free State Province, on Thursday 27 February 2025. The visit aims to commemorate the Harvest Day at the Remmoho Investment in Agriculture Farm.  Significant milestones in agricultural development will be celebrated to further demonstrate government’s commitment to growing an inclusive agricultural sector while creating job opportunities.

As the Chairperson of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Agriculture and Land Reform, the Deputy President will engage with approximately 400 local farmers, agricultural stakeholders and commodity groups, to discuss strategies for expanding the agricultural sector, driving economic growth, and supporting job creation in the province. During his visit, the Deputy President will witness first-hand the investments in apple export and processing facilities in the province, which showcases the innovative efforts to enhance agricultural production and support local farmers, especially black farmers, in growing production.

The visit will also highlight the role of Remmoho Investment in Agriculture, which contributes to government’s vision enshrined in the Agriculture and Agro-processing Master Plan (AAMP) of growing an inclusive agricultural sector. The company’s investments in the agricultural space are playing a pivotal role in breaking new frontiers to create employment opportunities and achieve food security in South Africa.

The event will also be a celebration of agricultural success stories, as well as an opportunity to underscore how such initiatives align with government efforts to foster economic development and food security.

Deputy President Mashatile will be accompanied by Mr John Steenhuisen, Minister of Agriculture and Mr Mzwanele Nyhontso, Minister of Land Reform and Rural Development. The Deputy President will be received by the Premier of the Free State Provincial Government, Ms Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae and the Executive Mayor of Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municiplaity, Cllr Conny Msibi. 

The media is invited to cover this important event.

For more information about the programme, please contact Matshepo Seedat on 082 679 9473 or Moliehi Moeng on 073 260 5173.

Media enquiries: Keith Khoza Acting Spokesperson to the Deputy President on 066 195 8840 OR Spokesperson to the Premier, Matshediso Setai on 076 630 3345/078 363 3631

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria
 

Chairperson of the National House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders, Kgosi Seatlholo: Rapulana!
Deputy Chairperson of the National House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders, Nkosi Langa Mavuso: Ah! Zwelidumile
Your Majesties, Kings and Queens,
Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, Ms Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane,
Speaker of the National Assembly, Ms Thoko Didiza,
Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Mr Velenkosini Hlabisa,
Ministers and Deputy Ministers,
Premiers,
Chairpersons and Deputy Chairpersons of Provincial Houses of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders,
The President and Deputy Presidents of Contralesa and Rolesa,
Chairperson of the National Khoi-San Council, Mr Cecil le Fleur,
Members of the Commission on Khoi-San Matters,
Leaders of political parties,
Representatives of Chapter 9 Institutions,
Directors-General and officials,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,
 
It is an honour and a privilege to address the first opening of the National House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders under the Government of National Unity. 
 
As traditional leaders – izingonyama zethu – you owe your positions to your bloodline. 
 
You are representatives of your forebears and leaders of your people. 
 
History has assigned you your positions and responsibilities. 
 
You are vital to the progress of our country and the development of its people.
 
Traditional leaders support the administration of many of our rural and peri-urban communities. 
 
These are communities that bear the brunt of poverty, inequality and underdevelopment.
 
They are increasingly bearing the brunt of the devastating impacts of climate change. 
 
The recent floods in parts of KwaZulu-Natal have led to loss of life, damage to farming land, and the destruction of property and infrastructure. 
 
Our thoughts and prayers are with all the affected communities. 
 
I want to use this opportunity to call on you as Amakhosi to work with the disaster management response teams in our provinces, and support the work that is being done to protect our rural communities against extreme weather. 
 
One of the ongoing campaigns by the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs for example is to discourage people from building houses in low-lying areas and near major water sources. 
 
Let me take this opportunity to strongly condemn the rise in killings of traditional leaders. That is an affront to our nation. 
 
Already, this year, in Mpumalanga, Contralesa NEC member and Chairperson of the Ndzundza-Fene Traditional Council, Kosi Thugwana was assassinated at Tweefontein near KwaMhlanga.
 
Even one killing is one too many.
 
On behalf of government, I pass our deepest condolences to the families for the loss of their loved ones and to you for the loss of your colleagues. 
 
Be assured that our law enforcement agencies are working around the clock to ensure that the perpetrators of these heinous crime are brought to book. 
 
As representatives of different communities, your voices should not and must not be silenced by criminals with hidden agendas. 
 
In the recent State of the Nation Address, I made a call for us to speak of the nation we want.
 
I said that we should speak of the work we must do – and the work we are doing – to build that nation.

As I did during the State of the Nation Address, I reiterate our commitment as government to work with traditional and Khoi-San leaders to build this nation.
 
Under your leadership and wisdom, we worked together to overcome apartheid, a crime against humanity. 
 
Together, we brought peace and democracy to our country.
 
As we prepare for the National Dialogue, in which South Africans are called upon to chart a new path for our country, we will rely on your guidance to rally our people towards a future of shared prosperity and inclusivity.
 
We seek a National Dialogue that involves all sections of society, all formations and all citizens. It must be a space where the voices of all South Africans are heard and where they can come together to forge a shared vision and a common programme of action.
 
This conversation must involve people living in rural areas. It must reach every corner of the country, every town, village, farm and homestead.
 
It will be important that traditional leaders and the communities they lead participate in the National Dialogue so that the process produces a plan that reflects the interests and aspirations of everyone.

The Medium Term Development Plan that we have adopted as the Government of National Unity intends to advance three strategic priorities: 
 
Firstly, to drive inclusive growth and job creation. 
 
Secondly, to reduce poverty and tackle the high cost of living. 
 
Thirdly, to build a capable, ethical and developmental state. 
 
We seek to be a nation at work, a nation driven by hope and a shared belief in our ability to thrive even in the face of adversity. 
 
This requires bold leadership and collaboration, especially with the institution of traditional and Khoi-San leadership. 
 
The democratic and traditional governance systems need to work in an integrated manner that ultimately serves the needs of the people.
 
To give effect to this commitment, we are undertaking an extensive consultation to review the White Paper on Local Government to outline a modern and fit-for-purpose local government system.

The Ministry of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs is coordinating this process and is already putting mechanisms in place to ensure that Amakhosi participate in the review.
 
I have mandated the Deputy President to facilitate a dialogue with Amakhosi that will be a valuable platform for engagement in line with the founding purpose of the Inter-Ministerial Task Team on Traditional Leadership Matters. 
 
The Deputy President has formally communicated with the newly appointed convenors regarding their responsibilities as part of this collective to address matters of concern to the institution of traditional and Khoi-San leadership. 
 
Following the Constitutional Court ruling which declared the Traditional and Khoi-San Leadership Act unconstitutional, concrete steps have been taken to ensure that a Bill can be reintroduced in Parliament.
 
The institution of traditional and Khoi-San leadership is urged to participate in the consultation processes that have ensued. 
 
The finalisation of this piece of legislation has particular significance for Khoi-San communities because for the first time in history it makes provision for the recognition of Khoi-San leaders and communities. 
 
As we affirm the role of traditional leadership, we need to restore the standing and integrity of our traditional cultural practices.
 
The deaths and injuries that result from customary initiation practices, especially in the Eastern Cape, remain a matter of serious concern. 
 
The Minister of COGTA has convened a series of focused engagements with Kings, selected Chapter 9 Institutions, senior traditional leaders, headmen and the Eastern Cape provincial government. 
 
These engagements should mobilise all the relevant stakeholders to work together to end initiation deaths.
 
Government has gazetted Customary Initiation Act regulations for public comment.
 
I have been advised that work towards the development of draft regulations on the fees charged in customary initiation schools is also at an advanced stage.
 
This is an important development if we are to address the commercialisation and abuse of customary initiation. 
 
We are also concerned about traditional leadership disputes. 
 
We should continue to invest in the development of genealogies and customary laws of succession.

I am pleased to note that the Department of Traditional Affairs has to date helped 16 royal families to develop their customary laws of succession. 
 
We call on Amakhosi to be more involved in the fight against gender-based violence and femicide. 
 
We appreciate the programmes that the House is implementing to fight this scourge. 
 
Amakhosi should not allow anyone to abuse women and children claiming that this is permissible in African culture. 
 
We know that such violence is not part of any culture.
 
Violence against women and children is not part of the nation we want to build.
 
Your Majesties,
 
In keeping with our culture of cooperation and the spirit of the Freedom Charter, adopted 70 years ago at the Congress of the People, we are committed to the vision of a country in which the land is shared among those who work it.

The passage into law of the Expropriation Act is part of our determination that the land issue will be addressed in our lifetime. 
 
Government is continuing with the work that we have previously discussed with the House regarding the important matter of communal land tenure. 
 
The Department of Land Reform and Rural Development has completed its work on the Communal Land Tenure Bill and will now engage in public consultations. 
 
We are pleased that the Department of Land Reform and Rural Development has announced the next intake of young people in the National Rural Youth Service Corps – or NARYSEC. 
 
This programme is an important part of the work underway to tackle youth unemployment and to foster development in rural areas. 
 
I encourage the House to work with government and encourage young people in traditional communities to take up this opportunity. 
 
We are a nation that is founded on meaningful dialogue and fruitful engagement. 
 
I am pleased that the Forum of South Africa’s Majesties has been launched, with His Majesty King Makhosonke II elected as the Chairperson.

We now have a platform to serve as an interface with Kings, Queens and Principal Traditional Leaders as a collective. 
 
I have been advised that steps have already been taken to similarly create a platform for our Queens and look forward to its establishment.
 
Government is working hard to support economic growth in rural communities, and one of ways in which we are doing this is through infrastructure development.
 
The Welisizwe Rural Bridges programme connects rural communities with each other and with vital facilities and services. 
 
Forty bridges have now been completed. 
 
Heritage tourism is an area of economic activity in our rural areas that has great potential, and which government is supporting. 
 
We therefore welcome the recognition of the Great Place of Mqhekezweni as a World Heritage Site. 
 
The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture has developed a concept document to guide the stakeholders in the process of identification, documentation and recognition of Great Places as heritage sites. 
 
It is critical that rural communities benefit more from our country’s natural wealth.
 
Having noted the concerns of Amakhosi about inadequate mining benefits to their communities, we have in our previous engagements encouraged partnerships between the House and the Ministry of Mineral Resources. 
 
As part of taking this forward, the House has engaged with the Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources and these engagements were followed by the House being invited to and participating in the recent Mining Indaba. 
 
Let us build on the networks established through the Indaba and continue to cement this relationship for the benefit of traditional communities.
 
This year, the meeting of the G20 group of countries will take place on African soil for the first time. 
 
We call on Amakhosi to harness this opportunity to showcase our diverse cultural traditions and natural splendour.
 
One of the most important instruments for growth and development in any country is the national budget.
 
Amakhosi would know that the presentation of the Budget Speech by the Minister of Finance was postponed last week. 
 
The decision to postpone the Budget Speech was to allow more time for discussion on areas in the budget on which there was not agreement.
 
This is the first time that the Government of National Unity – consisting of 10 different parties – has produced the national budget. It should be expected that there would be different views and approaches.
 
In the interests of consensus-building, we are undertaking further discussions so that we can arrive at a budget that everyone can have confidence in – a budget that promotes inclusive growth, supports job creation and that tackles poverty and inequality.
 
Even as we have many challenges, we know that through cooperation and partnership, we can build a better South Africa in which all enjoy equal opportunity and can lead lives of dignity.
 
As the Government of National Unity I once again call on Amakhosi to join hands with us as we embark on a new, glorious future for South Africa and its people.
 
Morena boloka setjhaba sa rona. May God bless our nation.

I thank you.

President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Wednesday, 26 February 2025, open the first meeting of Group of 20 (G20) Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors under South Africa’s Presidency.

This engagement will take place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.

The G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting is hosted by Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana and Governor of the South African Reserve Bank Lesetja Kganyago under South Africa’s G20 Presidency theme of Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability. 

The Finance Ministers meeting is preceded by the 2nd meeting of the Finance and Central Bank Deputies which took place on 24 and 25 February 2025. 

South Africa’s G20 Presidency commenced in December 2024, and the Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors’ meeting is part of a series of 23 ministerial and approximately 130 working groups meetings that will take place during the course of 2025.

The year-long deliberations will culminate in a G20 Leaders Summit in November 2025.

The G20 was originally established as a meeting of Finance Ministers in response to the Asian financial crisis of 1997-99, with the aim of coordinating policies to promote international financial stability’.

This initiative was elevated to a Heads of State and Government Leaders Meeting in 2008 after the global financial crisis of 2007.

The first G20 Finance Meeting  and Central Bank Governors Meeting in South Africa  will focus on the thematic areas of Global Economy, Debt, Infrastructure, Joint Finance and Health Task Force, International Taxation, Finance sector Issues, and Sustainable Finance.

President Ramaphosa will address the opening of the Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting as follows: 
Date: Wednesday, 26 February 2025 
Time: 08h00
Venue: Cape Town International Convention Centre

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria