President Cyril Ramaphosa has described the Joint Working visit between Denmark and Netherlands as very opportune and important for forging closer cooperation, especially in the energy space.
 
Yesterday, 20 June 2023, the President hosted a joint working visit by the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mr Mark Rutte, and the Prime Minister of Denmark, Ms Mette Frederiksen in Pretoria.
 
The visit sought to solidify South Africa’s relationship with the two countries in the areas of green hydrogen, renewable energy and just energy transition.
 
President Ramaphosa said that “Renewable energy forms an increasingly important part of our energy mix and is vital to both the achievement of a just transition and greater energy security. We hope to benefit from closer cooperation with your countries in this regard”.
 
During the joint Official Talks, memorandum of understanding were signed between the Tripartite.
 
The Memorandum of Understanding signed were:
 
• The Memorandum of Understanding in the Field of Green Hydrogen between South Africa and the Netherlands led by signatories Prime Minister Rutte of Netherlands and Acting Minister of Electricity, Mr Mondli Gungubele.
 
• Amended Agreement between South Africa and Denmark regarding Development Cooperation concerning the Energy Partnership Programme 2017 led by signatories Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr Naledi Pandor and Danish Ambassador to South Africa, Mr Tobias Rehfeld.
 
The visit also brought a substantial group of investors to South Africa to reinforce the high levels of cooperation and good relations between South Africa and two important European partners.
 
President and the Prime Ministers participated in a Denmark-Netherlands-South Africa Business Forum hosted by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic).
 
The Business Forum was held under the theme “Green Energy Transition and Green Hydrogen Partnerships for Impact” focusing on key areas in green energy and green hydrogen.
 
The engagements at the forum focussed in the green energy sector, increasing investment as well as partnerships and a social compact emerging from business and labour on skills. These also included roundtables discussions in greening of industry, port development, industrial development support, green mobility, fuel cells and electrolysers, and green energy generation.
 
The business seminar saw announcements on investments and partnerships from business and industry leaders from South Africa, Denmark and the Netherlands to enhance and increase trade and investment relations.
 
The Heads of State and Government witnessed the announcements of investment and partnerships between the three countries, namely:
 
1. The establishment of South Africa’s first dedicated green hydrogen fund. The SA-H2 is an innovative blended finance fund that will facilitate and accelerate the development of a green hydrogen sector and circular economy in South Africa. The $1 billion Fund is supported by Climate Fund Managers and Invest International of Netherlands, Sanlam, the Development Bank of Southern Africa and the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa.
 
2. The Public Infrastructure Fund for Water and Energy: Invest International intends to establish a concessional financing package fund for 300 million euro to finance public infrastructure projects in the water and energy sector. The fund combines loans at 200 million euro and grants of 100 million euro and will contribute to the Just Energy Transition. Jointly it offers a complete financial package to assist South Africa in the delivery of public infrastructure plans in the water and energy sector. After this announcement, concrete steps will be taken to sign an MOU to establish the fund and identify public infrastructure projects.
 
3. Climate Smart Horticulture Demo Facility (Just Energy Transition): The Just Energy Transition is an opportunity to create sustainable 21st century jobs. In addition to contributing to a climate neutral society, it will also pave the way to establish a healthy and sustainable environment for local communities. ESKOM in partnership with the Netherlands, has identified the Grootvlei Power Station and its surrounding areas as potential hubs for horticultural production, processing, packaging and distribution. The agro –hub would be just 100km south east of Johannesburg and Pretoria. Through this partnership with the Netherlands, the partnership will have the ability to produce healthy and affordable food and secure high tech jobs in the climate smart agriculture. The first phase is to establish a facility that demonstrates smart ways of farming that are immune to climate change. This climate smart Horticulture Demonstration facility is a bold first step. It can produce 50 hectares worth of food on just half a hectare of a greenhouse, creating 15-20 permanent jobs per hectare. This facility will be ready in the 4th quarter of this year.
 
4. Expansion of the South African Energy Partnership III (DEPPIII) Government Cooperation The Danish-South Africa Energy Partnership Program (DEPP) was initiated in 2011 with the aim of assisting South Africa in meeting the countries climate goals as set out in the Paris Agreement. The purpose of the bilateral cooperation is to further develop capacity in key energy areas in South Africa and contributions through Danish expertise. It has been decided to expand the current third phase of the government cooperation (DEPPIII) with an overarching structure consisting of three additional focus areas.

• Further development in the wind mapping with a particular focus on Mpumalanga.
• To support the development of offshore wind in South Africa, particularly with the modelling and ocean mapping with the opportunity to build capacity on the development of relevant industry and ports, local value chains in the offshore wind industry.
• Capacity building on electricity market structure, function, regulation, stakeholder roles and responsibilities as well as the unbundling of ESKOM and the expansion of the transmission grid.
• Copenhagen Infrastructure Investment (CIP) investment in Mulilo and the South African sustainable energy development -$200 million.

Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) was founded in 2012 and has developed in to be one of the world’s largest fund manager of green field investments in green energy infrastructure. To date, CIP has raised 10 funds and 19 billion euro from more than 140 international institutional investors worldwide. The fund invests in greenfield renewable energy infrastructure projects. The investment in Mulilo Energy Holdings (Mulilo), a leading South African renewable energy developer based in Cape Town represents CIP New Market Funds first ever investment in South Africa.

5. Labour Market consortium on social dialogue and skills development between the Danish Confederation of Industries, 3 F workers union, NUMSA, NBI, SEIFSA, NUM, BUSA.  The purpose of this compact agreement will be to collaboratively work with the various employer and social partners in establishing a framework and approach to identify the skills that will be required to promote  a socially just and inclusive energy transition in South Africa.
 
President Ramaphosa said that he is enthused by the Netherlands and Denmark to work together with South Africa to strengthen and deepen economic relationships and become key trading partners in the green hydrogen, green energy sectors, skills development, mining and in manufacturing, advanced manufacturing, infrastructure and innovation.
 
The President has welcomed and thanked companies and institutions from the Tripartite for the investment announcements and partnerships; which will translate into economic gains and creating a business environment that is conducive to supporting trade and investment.


Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to President Ramaphosa – +27 82 835 6315

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

Welcome to the Presidency media briefing session and update on the President’s programme of activities over the next two weeks.
 
This is a programme that supports the President’s focus on the issues that concern South Africa the most, and which the President listed as such in the State of the Nation Address on 9 February 2023.
 
Those concerns which shape the programme of the President and government are:
• Load-shedding.
• Unemployment.
• Poverty and the rising cost of living, and
• Crime and corruption
 
The deliberations of the Cabinet meeting chaired by the President just four days ago reflect government’s clarity and urgency in addressing these priorities.
 
President Ramaphosa noted progress in such areas as the opening of a bid window for a 513 megawatts (MW) of battery storage capacity as part of our response to the energy challenge.
 
The President also welcomed a regulatory exemption granted to Eskom by the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Ms Barbara Creecy, that will later this year allow Kusile Power Station to resume generation capacity of 2 100 megawatts (MW) which will reduce South Africa’s exposure to load-shedding by two levels. 
 
The President has praised the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the automotive company Stellantis South Africa, the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) to develop a new vehicle manufacturing facility in South Africa. Stellantis sells Jeep, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Citroën, Opel and Peugeot brands in South Africa.
 
An investment of this nature is an acknowledgment of our country’s world-class manufacturing capacity in the automotive sector; it will deepen the industrialisation of our economy, and, most importantly, it will create more jobs.
 
The President is also encouraged by the export numbers from, Minister Ebrahim Patel when he presented the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition’s Quarter 3 report to Parliament.
 
The Minister reported that as part of the realisation of private sector pledges to invest more than One Trillion Rand in our economy, South Africa achieved R188 billion in manufactured exports in Quarter 3; in other words, close to R60 billion a month or R2 billion daily.
 
These are important examples among many of how government, social partners and the nation’s labour force are working together for inclusive and sustainable growth.
 
This is the context within which the President’s leadership and coordination plays out and a demonstration of an economy that continues to open up and seek growth.
 
THE PRESIDENT’S PROGRAMME
 
MONDAY 20 MARCH 2023
 
Mondays are normally reserved for the President to attend to his role as President of the governing African National Congress, and tomorrow will be no exception in this regard.
 
TUESDAY 21 MARCH 2023
 
The President will lead the national commemoration of Human Rights Day under the theme “Consolidating and Sustaining Human Rights Culture into the Future”. The history of Human Rights Day is grounded in the Sharpeville Massacre that took place on the 21 of March 1960, where apartheid police killed 69 anti-apartheid protesters. Human Rights Day also honours 35 people who were killed on 21 March 1985 when apartheid police targeted community members after a funeral in Langa, Uitenhage. As part of the democratic dispensation, South Africa observes March as Human Rights Month to promote respect for basic human rights for all and restore and uphold human dignity in line with the Bill of Rights. This period also honours those who fought for liberation, and celebrates the many rights guaranteed under the Constitution, and which are the basis for building a united and inclusive, non-racial, non-sexist and prosperous society. De Aar in the Northern Cape has been selected as the site for the national Human Rights Day commemoration as part of government’s rotation of national days that ensures that communities in all provinces are able to be part of such occasions.
 
WEDNESDAY 22 MARCH 2023
 
On Wednesday, the President will chair a meeting of the National Security Council as part of government’s regular cycle of assessing matters of national and international security.
 
These deliberations allow our security services to take decisions and act in ways that keep us safe in our homes, streets and workplaces, and that allow our economy to move forward in the way we illustrated earlier.
 
Wednesday will also mark the beginning of an historic State Visit with the arrival of His Majesty King Philippe and Her Majesty Queen Mathilda of The Kingdom of Belgium in South Africa.
 
This will be the first State Visit to South Africa by the Belgian monarchy.
 
President Ramaphosa’s invitation to His Majesty and Her Majesty underscores the strong bilateral relations that exist between the two countries. The State Visit will serve to expand and strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries and revitalise economic relations with a focus on trade, foreign direct investment, and tourism. South Africa and Belgium are also pursuing cooperation in renewable energy and in particular, green hydrogen. Belgium is one of South Africa’s most important economic partners and many of South Africa’s exports enter Europe through the Port of Antwerp, which is the second largest in the European Union. South Africa enjoys a healthy trade surplus with Belgium with organic chemicals as the key export, followed closely by diamonds and motor vehicles. Belgian companies are also significant investors in the South African economy. Belgium is traditionally among the 10 major sources of international tourists to South Africa.
 
This bilateral economic activity sustains South African and Belgian enterprises and sustains jobs and livelihoods for thousands of South Africans in sectors that produce goods and services that are of value to Belgian investors and visitors.Relations between South Africa and Belgium are managed through a Joint Commission that meets at the level of Deputy Foreign Ministers. Mr Alvin Botes, the Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation hosted the Fourth Meeting of South Africa – Belgium Joint Commission in Pretoria on 8 November 2022. King Philippe’s delegation will comprise political, economic, and academic leadership including the Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms. Hadja Lahbib, as well as the Ministers and representatives of the five regions of Belgium. The programme of the monarchs will include official engagements with President Ramaphosa and members of government as well as visits to Johannesburg and Cape Town where they will engage with academia, business, and civil society, and visit historical and cultural sites.
 
THURSDAY 23 MARCH 2023
 
The official Welcome Ceremony for the Belgian State Visit will take place at the Union Buildings from 10am on Thursday 23 March 2023, while a South Africa-Belgium Business Forum will take place on the same day at the CSIR in Brummeria, Pretoria.
 
Business forums are platforms where private and public sector leaders and representatives are able to explore mutually beneficial opportunities and where – as the President and Minister Patel always say – businesses are able to advance from contact to contract.
 
The President looks forward to this Visit as an occasion for deepening strong ties between South Africa and Belgium as an important European and global economy.
 
TUESDAY 28 MARCH 2023
 
The President will on Tuesday 28 March address the Localisation Dinner function of the Proudly South African Buy Local Summit and Expo.
 
The Buy Local Summit 2023 highlights sectors that impact positively on the economy and job creation, including furniture, agro-processing, fast-moving consumer goods, clothing, textiles, footwear and leather.
 
At the dinner, the President will interact with CEOs and captains of industry who will report on existing localisation activities and pledge further escalation of localisation within their companies’ procurement choices.
 
THURSDAY 30 MARCH 2023
 
On Thursday, 30 March 2023, the President will brief the National Council of Provinces on issues raised by members in Questions for Oral Reply.
 
CONCLUSION
 
For the purpose of this briefing, we have come to the end of setting out the President’s programme for the period ahead, and I will now take questions.

Presidential Spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya will tomorrow, 19 March 2023, update the public, through a media briefing, on the President’s public programme for the week.  
 
The spokesperson also utilises the media briefing to address topical issues of public and media interest. 
 
Members of the media are invited as follows:
Date: Sunday, 19 March 2023
Time: 12:30 for 13:00
Venue: Union Buildings, Pretoria
 
RSVP: Media wishing to attend the media briefing physically are requested to submit their details to Tsakane Khambane– 082 084 5566 /Tsakane@presidency.gov.za 

A livestream link will be shared with all media who wish to follow remotely at 12:30. 
 

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President - +27 82 835 6315

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Tuesday, 21 March 2023, deliver the keynote address at the 2023 Human Rights Day commemoration to be held in De Aar, in the Northern Cape Province.

The theme for this first commemorative day on the annual national calendar is “Consolidating and Sustaining Human Rights Culture into the Future”.

The history of Human Rights Day is grounded in the Sharpeville Massacre that took place on the 21 of March 1960, where apartheid police killed 69 anti-apartheid protesters.

Human Rights Day also honours 35 people who were killed on 21 March 1985 when apartheid police targeted community members after a funeral at  Uitenhage/Langa.

As part of the democratic dispensation, South Africa observes March as Human Rights Month to promote respect for basic human rights for all and restore and uphold human dignity in line with the Bill of Rights.

This period also honours those who fought for liberation, and celebrates the many rights guaranteed under the Constitution, and which are the basis for building a united and inclusive, non-racial, non-sexist and prosperous society.

Government, social partners and constitutional institutions such as the South African Human Rights Commission are guided by the National Action Plan 
to Combat Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance.

The National Action Plan provides the basis for raising awareness of anti-racism, equality and anti-discrimination issues and developing collective responses.

De Aar in the Northern Cape has been selected as the site for the national Human Rights Day commemoration as part of government’s rotation of national days that ensures that communities in all provinces are able to be part of such occasions.

The Human Rights Day event will take place as follows:
Date: Tuesday, 21 March 2023
Time: 11h00
Venue: De Aar West Stadium, Northern Cape

Media accreditation enquiries should be directed to Mr Madimetja Moleba (DSAC) on 066 301 4675

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President – 082 835 6315

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

The Cannabis and Hemp sector is one of fourteen priority sectors that have been defined in government’s Country Investment Strategy as holding significant potential to secure investment, job creation and support for sustainable rural livelihoods, in recognition of people’s rights.
 
Given the need for more urgent implementation, under the auspices of the Department of Agriculture Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) together with the Presidency, government convened a Phakisa Action Lab from 19 to 23 June 2023.
 
The Phakisa brought together more than 100 participants representing national and provincial government, business, labour, communities, traditional leaders, Rastafari leaders, scientists, legal experts, and other key stakeholders.
 
The purpose of the Phakisa was to secure much-needed policy coherence and agreement on a stronger programme of well-defined, time-bound and assigned activities across multiple government departments working in close collaboration with all stakeholders.
 
In his letter to the Phakisa participants, President Ramaphosa indicated his trust in the process:
“I am confident that the collaborative commitment to work together which characterises our society, will find expression in the Hemp and Cannabis Phakisa, leading to immediate short term regulatory reform, the adoption of a set of foundational policy principles to achieve longer term legislative reform and a detailed plan to achieve inclusive growth and investment.”
 
The Phakisa has secured important resolutions and actions in this regard.
 
Participants have collectively agreed on the regulatory reforms required to better enable the development of the hemp and cannabis sector. These reforms will unlock the potential of cannabis in African traditional medicine; pharmaceutical and complementary medicines; human and animal ingestion; and multiple industrial applications.
 
The regulatory reforms agreed to in the Phakisa include reviewing the schedules to the Medicines Act to further enable cannabis grown for non-medicinal uses, including industrial purposes. In other words, the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) will focus on cannabis grown for medicinal purposes and enable other government departments to regulate cannabis grown for industrial purposes.
 
The Phakisa further resolved to explore mechanisms to fast-track the removal of cannabis from the Drugs Act. This will be a historic achievement through which the cultivation of non-medicinal cannabis will be legal under the terms and conditions of the Plant Improvement Act, which falls under DALRRD.
 
The supply of adult-use cannabis to consumers is not yet legal. A science-based and human rights approach to how and when to do this, especially concerning the need to include Indigenous farmers, will be the subject of a further exploratory process involving all stakeholders. This will determine an optimal regulated adult-use market, based on a set of foundational policy principles, taking into full consideration the imperative to respect rights and lower societal and industry harms occurring in the existing illicit cannabis market. This process will ultimately inform government’s approach to encouraging the successful migration of existing participants from the illicit to the licit cannabis economy.
 
Tony Ehrenreich expressed his support for the outcomes by stating:
“Labour supports these Phakisa outcomes as it will speed up the industrialisation of the industry which will lead to much-needed job creation and decent work.”
 
In addition, the Phakisa resolved to reinforce previous instructions to all South African Police Services (SAPS) members to respect the privacy rights of cannabis cultivators and users, and to ensure the least intrusive measures are used when securing an accused’s court attendance. Further measures will be taken to ensure that SAPS treats cultivators, users and dealers of cannabis with respect for their constitutional rights.
 
Nhlanhla Ndlovu, a community representative supporting the Cannabis and Hemp Master Plan development within the National Economic Development and Labour Council (NEDLAC) also expressed his satisfaction with the outcomes by stating:
“The Phakisa has started the process of liberating the cannabis plant. This freeing of the plant will go a long way in improving the relationship of the state with communities. In particular, the traditional communities, the Rastafari communities, the responsible adult users, the traditional healers and their patients.”
 
Ras Gareth Prince, an activist in the cannabis sector, echoed support for the Phakisa process:
“The Phakisa showed what we can accomplish if we work together in a spirit of recognition and reconciliation. We remain committed to restoring the dignity and economic culture of our community and the rest of society in a renewable and reliable manner. We trust that the government will work with us more progressively and we will hold them to the resolutions of the Phakisa.”
 
Agreement was also reached in the Phakisa for a detailed set of measures, supported by the regulatory reform process, to better enable investment in the sector. This is important as previously constrained investment in the primary agricultural sector has not taken sufficient account of final product market development and demand.
 
The detailed programme of action will therefore include
• Scaling up support for the existing catalytic projects put in place by the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to support and enable private sector investment in product aggregation, processing, and manufacturing technology for end-user demand.
• Securing an optimal financing framework which enables private sector investment with some public sector financing support, targeted at Black farmers and SME entrants in the emerging market and where appropriate, assisting to de-risk private sector investment.
• Deploying a set of pragmatic interventions concerning investment promotion, export support and standards and conformity assessment.
• Working with all provinces to further the activities currently underway and ensure alignment across government.
 
Business representative, Ayanda Bam praised the action of social partners:
“The Phakisa created a platform for the collaboration and co-ordination that has long been missing from the hemp and cannabis sector development and is evidence that when commitments are backed by action, it is possible to progress. What we need now is accountability to ensure that that progress translates to tangible outcomes. Business is committed to being a trusted partner and contributor to prosperity, innovation, and resilient livelihoods.”
 
The General Secretary of CONTRELESA, HRH Zolani Mkiva was also pleased with the progress made in the Phakisa, saying:
“We realise the need for progress in unlocking the potential embedded in the cannabis sector and the Phakisa is a critical step forward in our efforts to harness the unexplored sacred natural resources of our country.”
 
The Phakisa Action Lab has produced a solid and constitutional foundation for more urgent implementation of the Cannabis Master Plan. Most importantly, a programme of detailed, assigned and time-bound activities has been agreed on, with stronger implementing institutional arrangements across National and Provincial government departments and in collaboration with business, labour, communities, traditional leaders, Rastafari leaders, scientists and legal experts.


Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to President Ramaphosa – +27 82 835 6315 or Reggie Ngcobo,Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Devleopment – +27 83 625 3446

Issued by: Government, business, labour, communities, traditional and Rastafari leaders

President Cyril Ramaphosa is deeply saddened by the passing of veteran activist and Esteemed Member of the Order of the Baobab Mam Sally Motlana.

Mrs Motlana passed away on Saturday, 24 June 2023, at the age of 96.

President Ramaphosa offers his deep condolences to the Motlana and Maunye families who share this loss, as well friends and comrades of the late community leader.

Born in Pilgrim’s Rest in the then Eastern Transvaal, Mrs Motlana lived in Sophiatown, Johannesburg, from an early age.

She studied at Fort Hare and - in addition to being elected Secretary of the African National Congress Youth League in 1951 - worked as a teacher until 1954, when she resigned from her post as part of the Defiance Campaign’s rejection of the newly introduced Bantu Education.

She was instrumental in the South African Council of Churches’ adoption of a public stand against apartheid and went on to serve as President of the Black Housewives League for 20 years.

Under Mam Motlana’s leadership the League undertook a number of development projects in education and food security in communities around Limpopo and Soweto.

President Ramaphosa said: “We are mourning the loss of a stalwart whose extended lifetime is a canvas of the history of our Struggle.

“Mam Sally Motlana was a fearless and resolute opponent of oppression, and a deeply spiritual and empathetic builder and organiser of communities who suffered under apartheid.

“Mam Sally endured arrests and harassment from a system that reserved the greatest disadvantage and dehumanisation for black women but remained steadfast in her belief that apartheid would be overcome.

“Today, as we continue to confront the legacy of the system she fought against, we should emulate Mam Motlana’s dedication to building self-sustaining and caring communities.”


Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to President Ramaphosa – +27 82 835 6315

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

Presidential Spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, will tomorrow, 28 June 2023, update the public, through a media briefing, on the President’s public programme for the next two weeks.  

Members of the media are invited as follows:

Date:    Wednesday, 28 June 2023
Time:    10h00 (Media to arrive at 9h30)
Venue:    Room 159, The Union Buildings, Pretoria
 
RSVP: Members of the media wishing to attend the media briefing physically are requested to submit their details to Hlobisile Nkosi – 0799 889 954 / hlobisile@presidency.gov.za

A livestream link will be shared with all media who wish to follow remotely at 10h00. 
 

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President - +27 82 835 6315

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Thursday, 29 June 2023, participate at the 8th Southern Africa Customs Union (SACU) Heads of State and Government Summit in the Kingdom of Eswatini. 

The President‘s working visit at the SACU Heads of State and Government Summit is at the invitation of the current Chair of SACU, His Majesty King Mswati III, and the iNgwenyama of the Kingdom of Eswatini. 

The 8th SACU Heads of State and Government Summit will be preceded by the meeting of the Council of Ministers taking place on 27 – 28 June 2023. The Council of Ministers meeting will reflect and update on the status of the implementation of the SACU Strategic Plan 2022- 2027, of which the Heads of State and Government will provide political and strategic guidance. 

The SACU Strategic Plan 2022- 2027, which will be in its first year of review since being adopted at the 7th SACU Heads of State and Government Summit is centered on six pillars, namely;  Industrialisation, Export and Investment Promotion, Trade Facilitation and Logistics, Implementation and Leveraging of The AFCFTA Opportunities, Trade Relations/Unified Engagement with Third Parties, Finance and Resource Mobilisation and Effectiveness of SACU Institutions.

Established in 1910, SACU is the oldest Customs Union in the world and has since its agreed new dispensation by its five members states (Eswatini, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and South Africa) in 2002 assumed the status of an international organisation which facilitates compliance with the World Trade Organization treaty in pursuit of its goal of regional economic integration. 

President Cyril Ramaphosa will lead a delegation comprising Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Ebrahim Patel; Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, Thoko Didiza; Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana; and the South African Revenue Service Commissioner, Edward Kieswetter. 
 

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President - +27 82 835 6315

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

PUBLIC PROGRAM OF THE PRESIDENT

28 JUNE 2023: INCOMING SOUTH SUDAN WORKING VISIT

President Cyril Ramaphosa will this afternoon, 28 June 2023, host President Salva Kiir Mayardit of the Republic of South Sudan for a working visit in Pretoria.

The two leaders are expected to discuss issues of mutual concern and progress on the implementation of the Revitalized Agreement of the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan(R-ARCSS), and the ongoing conflict in the Republic of Sudan.


29 JUNE 2023: 8th SOUTHERN AFRICA CUSTOMS UNION SUMMIT IN ESWATINI

President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Thursday, 29 June 2023, participate at the 8th Southern Africa Customs Union (SACU) Heads of State and Government Summit in the Kingdom of Eswatini.

The President‘s working visit at the SACU summit is at the invitation of the current Chair of SACU, His Majesty King Mswati III, and the iNgwenyama of the Kingdom of Eswatini.

The 8th SACU Heads of State and Government Summit will be preceded by the meeting of the Council of Ministers taking place on 27 – 28 June 2023. The Council of Ministers meeting will reflect and update on the status of the implementation of the SACU Strategic Plan 2022- 2027, of which the Heads of State and Government will provide political and strategic guidance.

The SACU Strategic Plan 2022- 2027, which will be in its first year of review since being adopted at the 7th SACU Heads of State and Government Summit is centered on six pillars, namely; Industrialisation, Export and Investment Promotion; Trade Facilitation and Logistics; Implementation and Leveraging of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA) Opportunities; Trade Relations/Unified Engagement with Third Parties; Finance and Resource Mobilisation and Effectiveness of SACU Institutions.

Established in 1910, SACU is the oldest Customs Union in the world and has since it’s agreed new dispensation by its five members states (Eswatini, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and South Africa) in 2002 assumed the status of an international organization which facilitates compliance with the World Trade Organization treaty in pursuit of its goal of regional economic integration.


30 JUNE 2023: DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT MODEL 7TH PRESIDENTIAL IMBIZO 

President Cyril Ramaphosa will this Friday, 30 June 2023, forge ahead in fulfilling his February 2022 State of the Nation Address commitment to engage with communities of all provinces, by leading the 7th installment of the District Development Model (DDM) Presidential Imbizo to uThukela District in KwaZulu-Natal.

In the spirit and theme of leaving no one behind in the development of our communities, rebuilding of the economy and service delivery, the President and leaders from all spheres of government will interact with members of communities at the Oqungweni Sports Field at the Alfred Duma Municipality, in Ladysmith. 

This 7th Imbizo follows similar engagements that have taken place in the provinces of the Eastern Cape, North West, Free State, Mpumalanga, Gauteng in Sedibeng, Northern Cape at the ZFM District Municipality and Drakenstein Local Municipality in the Western Cape.

These engagements have been a key and direct platform for communities to voice their concerns and contribute their ideas to lasting solutions.  This has enabled all spheres of government to have a direct appreciation of everyday issues that affect communities and an opportunity to outline and improve plans and programmes that are underway.  


06 July 2023: DRC-SA BI-NATIONAL COMMISSION

At the invitation of President Félix Tshisekedi, President Cyril Ramaphosa will travel to Kinshasa, in the Democratic Republic of Congo to Co-Chair the 12th session of the DRC-South Africa Bi-National Commission (BNC) scheduled to take place on 06 July 2023.

The BNC provides an opportunity to further strengthen the solid ties of friendship and cooperation that exist between the two countries.  This will further improve and strengthen economic relations and increase investment through cooperation in the areas of politics and governance, defence and security, economy, finance and infrastructure, energy and agriculture.

The working visit will also provide an opportunity for the two Presidents to discuss political and economic bilateral issues, as well as regional, continental, and international matters of mutual concern.
 

President Ramaphosa remains engaged and focused on the task at hand 

The Presidency has noted with concern the ongoing narrative that seeks to suggest that President Ramaphosa is not fully engaged with his job and task of leading South Africa. This false assertion is devoid of any facts or evidence. On the contrary, the President remains deeply motivated with leading reforms aimed at resolving the many challenges facing our country, particularly on the economic front. The Presidency rejects this impression as nothing but cheap political point-scoring and an attempt to distract from the difficult task of reforming our economy.  Over the last six months, the President has focused on resolving multiple challenges and advancing the economic growth agenda and these are:

- Investment: The President convened the 5th SA Investment Conference. Exceeded 5-year investment target

- Employment: Established and champions Youth Employment Service (YES) [placed 100,000 youth in 1-year work experience] and Presidential Employment Stimulus [created 1.2 million public employment opportunities since 2020]

- Electricity: President Ramaphosa has taken a hands-on approach to solving the crisis by chairing the National Energy Crisis Committee (NECOM). Reforms have led to a pipeline of over 100 private sector projects totaling 10,000MW. Incentives for rooftop solar. Most significantly, driving fundamental reform of the electricity sector to establish a competitive market.

- Economic Reforms: The President is actively involved in Operation Vulindlela, which has driven reforms in water, electricity, ports, rail, telecommunications and visas. e.g. skills visa system is undergoing a major overhaul.

- Public enterprises: The President convenes the Presidential SOE Council, which is undertaking a major overhaul of the SOE landscape.

- Infrastructure: The President has provided visible support to infrastructure projects like Lesotho Highlands Water project Phase 2, N2 Wild Coast, and renewable energy in Northern Cape.

- Just Transition: President Ramaphosa Chairs the Presidential Climate Commission which has been leading the development of the just transition framework and brought on board experts in the Presidency to develop the Just Energy Transition investment plan.

- Leading government: Met with every Minister over the last two months to define their top 3-5 priorities until the end of the term to ensure focused delivery.

- Working with stakeholders: This week (Tuesday) finalised a partnership with organised business on three joint work streams: electricity; logistics; and crime and corruption. Ongoing interactions with business in different sectors, organised labour, disability sector, etc.


Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

PRESIDENT'S FOCUS & ACTIVITIES JAN - JUNE 2023.pdf

President Cyril Ramaphosa offers his deepest condolences to Premier of Limpopo Province, Chupu Stanley Mathabatha, on the passing of his wife, Mrs Maggie Mathabatha.

Mrs Mathabatha passed away on Wednesday, 28 June, following a short illness.

President Ramaphosa said: “My thoughts and those of the National Executive as well as the nation are with Premier Mathabatha, his family, and the administration of Limpopo in this moment of loss.

“As a community-focused leader, Maggie Mathabatha dedicated herself to the development and dignity of the people of Limpopo through housing opportunities, food security and support to people with disabilities.

“Her involvement with communities was a valued and exemplary complement to the work of Government led by the Premier and the Provincial Executive.

“We join the people of Limpopo in this hour of mourning and in our shared prayer that the soul of Maggie Mathabatha will rest in peace.”


Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President – 082 835 6315

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria