President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Thursday, 1 October 2026, address the 26th National Teaching Awards (NTAs) at the Birchwood Hotel and Conference Centre in Benoni, Gauteng Province.

The National Teaching Awards will be held under the theme: “Uniting for Excellence: Elevating Achievement, Empowering Educators to Shape South Africa’s Future.”

The NTAs are hosted annually by the Department of Basic Education to recognise and celebrate educators whose dedication, innovation and leadership continue to strengthen teaching and learning across South Africa’s diverse schooling system.

The awards aim to focus public attention on the positive aspects of basic education, enhance the public image of the teaching profession, and recognise, appreciate and promote excellence in teaching performance.

Finalists from across the country will be recognised in a range of categories, including Excellence in Grade R Teaching; Excellence in Primary School Teaching; Excellence in Primary School Leadership; Excellence in Teaching Mathematics (FET); Excellence in Secondary School Teaching; Excellence in Secondary School Leadership; the Kader Asmal Lifetime Achievement Award; and the National Best Teacher Award.

The Ceremony will take place as follows:

Date: Thursday, 01 October 2026 
Time: 10h00
Venue: Birchwood Hotel and Conference Centre, Gauteng Province

NOTE TO MEDIA: Members of the media  interested to cover the event must fill the Accreditation Form on link https://tinyurl.com/National-Teaching-Awards by 30 September 2026 at 16h00. Accreditation enquiries should be directed to Boitumelo Mashigo on Mashigo.b@dbe.gov.za

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President, on media@presidency.gov.za or Terence Khala (Department of Basic Education) on khala.t@dbe.gov.za / 081 758 1546

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

President Cyril Ramaphosa will tomorrow, Tuesday, 29 September 2026, in his capacity as Chairperson of the African Union High-Level Ad Hoc Committee on South Sudan (C5), convene a virtual meeting of the C5 and Member States of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).

The meeting will follow up on the outcomes of the C5 Plus Summit held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on 15 February 2026, take stock of developments since the Summit, and assess the situation in South Sudan ahead of the elections scheduled for 22 December 2026.

The C5 comprises South Africa, Algeria, Chad, Nigeria and Rwanda. The meeting will also consider recent engagements, including the C5 Ministerial Visit to Juba in July 2026, the April visit by the AU Peace and Security Council, and the August visits by the AU High Representative for the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea, Dr Jakaya Kikwete, and the AU Technical Assessment Team.

The meeting will assess progress towards the implementation of commitments arising from these engagements and identify areas requiring further regional and continental support in advancing peace, stability and the political transition in South Sudan.

President Ramaphosa will continue to lead efforts through the C5, in coordination with the AU, IGAD and other regional and international partners, to support an inclusive, peaceful and credible political process in South Sudan.

MEDIA ARRANGEMENTS

Opening Session

Date: Tuesday, 29 September 2026
Time: 14h30
Venue: Virtual

NB: Members of the media will be permitted to join and cover the open session of the virtual meeting. Following the conclusion of the open session, media will be requested to exit the virtual meeting as the proceedings continue in closed session.

Closing session

Date: Tuesday, 29 September 2026
Time: 16h00
Venue: Virtual

NB: Members of the media will be permitted to re-join the virtual meeting for the reading of the Communiqué at the conclusion of the proceedings.

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

The Deputy Minister in The Presidency, Nonceba Mhlauli, will release the Presidential Youth Employment Intervention (PYEI) Quarterly Progress report for the first quarter of the 2026/27 financial year, covering the period April to June 2026.

The release will provide an update on the progress made in expanding pathways for young people to transition from learning to earning, as well as key achievements recorded across the various components of the PYEI during the first quarter of the financial year.

Details of the Event are as follows:

Date: Wednesday, 30 September 2026
Time: 10h00
Venue: GCIS Media Centre, 1035 Francis Baard, Hatfield, Pretoria

Media enquiries: Mandisa Mbele, Office of the Deputy Minister in The Presidency, on 082 580 2213 or mandisam@presidency.gov.za

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria