12 April 2023 – Engagement with CEO’s

President Cyril Ramaphosa hosted a virtual meeting this morning, with several business leaders representing key sectors of the economy, to discuss ongoing interventions to maximise inclusive economic growth, inspire confidence and create jobs. The meeting focused on consolidating collaboration between government and business. This cooperation between government and business builds on a strong partnership foundation that saw a successful vaccine roll out during the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as the establishment of the Resource Mobilisation Fund aimed at providing support to government’s Energy Action Plan. The President has agreed with business that there’s need for an acceleration to the resolution of challenges impacting key economic enablers, namely, Energy, Transport and Logistics and Crime and Corruption.  On the eve of the 5th South African Investment conference, President Ramaphosa is highly enthused by the collaborative spirit that continues to guide the engagements between government and business and more importantly, the commitment shown by business to take collective responsibility in resolving some of the challenges that are facing the country and our economy.

12 April 2023 – Meeting with organised labour on ports and rail

President Ramaphosa will host a meeting this afternoon, with representatives of organised labour on national ports and rail, to discuss the state of the country’s logistics system and the important role that it plays in our economy. The meeting follows an interaction on Wednesday evening, on 5 April 2023, with South Africa’s largest exporters who are reliant on the country’s road, rail and ports infrastructure.  The meeting with large exporters was preceded by an engagement the President held with members of the Transnet board and executive management at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, on 28 March 2023, which discussed challenges facing the country’s logistics system, including the declining performance of the freight rail network.

Following these engagements the President has been considering a set of measures that will add impetus to the work that is currently underway to improve rail and port efficiencies and in line with the government policy direction for the freight transport sector in the White Paper on National Rail Policy and in legislation such as the National Ports Act and the Economic Regulation of Transport Bill that is currently before Parliament.

The President’s meeting with organised labour representatives will further concretise a collaborative effort that will be coordinated from the Presidency.

12 April 2023 Dinner with Investors

President Ramaphosa will attend a dinner tonight with investors who will be part of the South African Investment Conference. The dinner is an opportunity for investors to engage with the President over a wide range of issues and opportunities related to investing in South Africa.   

13 April 2023 South African Investment Conference

President Ramaphosa will open and address the South African Investment Conference, which attracts delegates from varying industries in South Africa and across the globe. Over the last four years the investment conference has realised about R 1, 14 trillion in investment commitments. The 5th edition of the conference is expected to meet and exceed the investment target of R1, 2 trillion that was set by the President at inception of the 5 year investment cycle.  In his opening address the President will reflect on the goal he set in April 2018 and the progress achieved thus far. President Ramaphosa will also brief investors on the steps that are being taken by government in addressing the visa, transport and logistics, crime and corruption and energy challenges.   

14 April 2023— Meeting with Directors General

In line with his stated commitment to lead government’s re-building of a capable state and to ensure improved service delivery, President Ramaphosa will meet with the Directors General from across all national government departments. The meeting will discuss work underway at capacitating various levels of leadership, management and critical areas of government service delivery. The acceleration of the President’s priorities as outlined in his 2023 SONA address will also form part of the discussions.

16 April 2023 — Address to the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA) in Cape Town

President Ramaphosa will deliver the key note address at the AfCTA Business Forum 2023, which will be held in Cape Town under the theme: Acceleration of the implementation of the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement.

The AfCFTA Business Forum is intended to raise awareness about potential trade and investment opportunities that the African market presents in a range of labour intensive and industrial sectors such as agriculture, automotive, pharmaceuticals and transport and logistics, amongst others.

 The Forum will discuss a number of themes such as the economic potential of the “One African Market,” the challenges, and especially the opportunities for trade. How do we increase intra – Africa trade to accelerate economic growth through industrialization and job creation?

The forum will also explore the kind of policy tools that are required to establish or grow Africa’s manufacturing and industrialisation to increase value-addition in the AfCFTA focused value chains such as agriculture, pharmaceuticals, textile and clothing, mining, among others.

18 April 2023 – Meeting with the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (SEIFSA) – Union Buildings

In line with the President’s SONA 2023 commitment to hold a series of sectorial engagements, President Ramaphosa will meet with the leadership of the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (SEIFSA). The purpose of the meeting is to open channels of dialogue between the President’s Office and this strategic sector of the economy. It is the first direct engagement between a South African Head of State and this sector since SEIFSA’s formation almost 80 years ago.

President Ramaphosa appreciates the metals and engineering sector is an integral part of the global and domestic economy. The sector is a vital supplier of inputs into major sectors such as mining, the automotive sector, construction and other manufacturing sub industries. SEIFSA as a Federation represents 18 Employer Organisations, who collectively represent in excess of 1 250 companies and employ approximately 170 000 employees in the sector.

18 April 2023 – Meeting with SMME award winners – Union Buildings

President Ramaphosa will host the winners of the Presidential SMME and Cooperatives Awards. To encourage public and private partnership, the Department of Small Business Development hosted the Inaugural National Presidential SMME and Cooperatives Awards and the SMME and Cooperative Summit, in November last year with the aim of cultivating an enabling environment for the development; and nurturing of innovative ideas and best practice across the whole spectrum of small business development in the country.

More than 8,073 submissions were received and there were over 4,286 confirmed nominations. A total of 13 winners were awarded.

19 April 2023 — Meeting with the Presidential Climate Commission

President Ramaphosa will meet the Presidential Climate Commission during a special sitting of the Commission, attended by all its Commissioners, including government Ministers that are deployed to the Commission. The commission will present its recommendations to the President following consultations on the electricity plan and JET-IP.  In November last year, President Ramaphosa briefed the Presidential Climate Commission on the Just Energy Transition Investment Plan (JET-IP) and requested the Commission to consult stakeholders on the plan and prepare recommendations that will be considered by the President and the government. The Commission has consulted widely with stakeholders and prepared recommendations on how to factor the carbon constraint into electricity planning, including short-term measures to address the power generation crisis.

FOR DIARY PLANNING MORE INFORMATION TO BE PROVIDED CLOSE TO THE TIME ON THE EVENTS BELOW.

20 April 2023 – Incoming Namibian State visit

25 April 2023 — Official Visit by the President of the Republic of FInland, H.E. President SV Niinisto

27 April 2023 – Freedom day celebrations, Klerksdorp North West Province

28 April 2023 – National Orders Sefako Makgatho Presidential Guesthouse

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed into law the Employment Equity Amendment Bill of 2020. The Amendment Bill seeks to advance transformation of South Africa’s workforce by setting equity targets for economic sectors and geographical regions, and requiring enterprises to develop transformation plans.

The Bill amends the Employment Equity Act of 1998 (Act No 55 of 1998) with new measures to promote diversity and equality in the workplace.

Among its key provisions, the Amendment Bill empowers the Minister of Employment and Labour to set employment-equity targets for economic sectors, as well as regions where transformation is lagging. The amendment Bill also empowers the Minister of Employment and Labour to regulate compliance criteria to issue Compliance Certificates as per Section 53 of the Employment Equity Act.

The amended Act allows the Minister of Employment and Labour to set regional targets given that racial diversity in South Africa often has regional differences.

The law requires employers with more than 50 employees to submit employment equity plans for their companies, spelling out how they will achieve these targets. Employers are then required to submit annual reports to the Department of Employment and Labour.

In the area of remuneration, the law requires employers to pay workers equal pay for equal work. The Bill provides clear definitions of discrimination and sets out what workers can do when facing such discrimination - including lodging grievances with the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration, or the Labour Courts.

Companies seeking to do business with the state will be required to submit a certificate from the Department confirming that they are in compliance with the Employment Equity Act and its objectives, and that they do not pay their employees less than the national minimum wage.

As part of ensuring the employment equity objectives become reality, the law now compels labour inspectors to inspect workplaces and to issue employers with compliance orders. The Department of Employment and Labour has committed to increase the number of labour inspectors and health and safety inspectors who will enforce compliance.

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

Presidential Spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, will tomorrow, 12 April 2023, update the public, through a media briefing, on the President’s public programme for the week.

Members of the media are invited as follows:

Date: Wednesday, 12 April 2023
Time: 13h00
Venue: Room 159 , The Union Buildings, Pretoria
 
RSVP: Media wishing to attend the media briefing physically are requested to submit their details to Shadi Baloyi – 072 571 6415 / shadi@presidency.gov.za 

A livestream link will be shared with all media who wish to follow remotely at 12h30. 
 

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

President Cyril Ramaphosa will open and address the South Africa Investment Conference on Thursday, 13 April 2023. 

South Africa Investment Conference (SAIC) is attended by delegates from varying industries in South Africa and across the world and will take place at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg.

In its 5th year since inception, President Ramaphosa convened the South Africa Investment Conference with an objective of achieving R1.2 trillion in investments targets. Investors heeding the call, have over the last four conferences, declared R1.14 trillion in investment commitments.

Of the 152 investment announcements made previously, 45 projects have already been completed, while a further 57 projects are currently under construction. These investments have resulted in new factories, call centres, solar power plants, undersea fibre optic cables, expansion of production lines and the adoption of new technologies.

Importantly, the new investments also significantly contribute to South Africa’ national goals of socio-economic development to create sustainable jobs, reduce poverty and drive back inequality. These investments have also contributed to a substantial increase in local production and encouraged efforts to buy local.

President Ramaphosa will address the opening of the South Africa Investment Conference on the Thursday morning and also take part in the panel discussion on “South Africa: Resolving the Energy Crisis”. Companies' significant investments will be pronounced in the opening session . 

Delegates at the conference will be treated to an a la carte of breakaway sessions ranging from discussions on: Digital opportunities in SA: stories from the tech ecosystem; Agriculture: new products and markets; Infrastructure: Investment opportunities through the investment fund; Tourism, Digital and Creative Economy; Capital markets: facilitating investment in SA and providing access to capital; The Just Energy Transition in South Africa; Mining: A new partnership for growth; Manufacturing: deepening supply chains and building regional value chains and Local growth strategies – a provincial focus.

The breakaway sessions, taking place simultaneously, are open to all media and will have Ministers of Government and leading industry experts partake. 

In the afternoon, President Ramaphosa will officiate at the closing and announcement ceremony of the 5th South Africa Investment Conference. The 4th SAIC raised R367 billion in investment commitments, bringing the five-year investment target firmly into sight. Later, the President will host a business and awards dinner in honour of investors and companies participating at the SAIC. 

MEDIA PROGRAMME  

SOUTH AFRICA INVESTMENT CONFERENCE 

Date: Thursday, 13 April 2023 
Venue : Sandton  Convention Centre 

Opening and Address by President Cyril Ramaphosa at the 5th South Africa Investment Conference 

Time: 08h30 

Panel Discussion:” South Africa: Resolving the energy crisis”

Time: 09h30

Investments announcements

Time: 10h50 – 11h30

Breakaway panel discussions: Session A

Time: 11h00

Breakaway panel discussions: Session B 

Time: 13h00

Breakaway panel discussions: Session C 

Time: 14h20 

President Ramaphosa to address the Closing Ceremony and officiate at the Investments Announcements

Time: 16h00

Business and Awards Dinner hosted by President Cyril Ramaphosa 

Time: 18h30 
 

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

President Ramaphosa has today, 18 June 2023, concluded a two-days working visit to the Ukraine and the Russian Federation where African leaders proposed a path for peace to the 16 month long conflict between the two countries. 

The proposal presented by African leaders on a mission to Ukraine and Russia has created a foundation for future engagements that will contribute to a road to peace and resolution to the devastating conflict. 

The African Heads of States and Government asserted several key elements that are vital in starting a path to peace. 

Some of the elements include the de-escalation of the conflict; release of the prisoners of war and children, adherence to the principle of the UN Charter on Sovereignty; ensuring that there is humanitarian support for those in need and post war reconstruction amongst others .

The Peace  Mission to Ukraine and Russia has wrapped up its first round of engagements with both warring parties to the conflict. 

President Ramaphosa is encouraged by the warm reception that the delegation received from the Presidents of Ukraine and Russia. 

The President will further reflect on the engagements by the African Peace Mission on his weekly newsletter on Monday. 


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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

President Cyril Ramaphosa wishes the South African Jewish Community a Chag Pesach Kasher v'Sameach as they celebrate the festival of Pesach, which began yesterday, 5 April 2023, and continues today. 

The President said: “This week, three important religious holidays – Easter, Pesach and Ramadan – are being celebrated simultaneously across our country. This is a reminder of the cultural richness and diversity that is among our society’s greatest strengths. I extend my best wishes to the Jewish community as they mark this celebration of freedom.”  

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed into law the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Amendment Bill, which extends coverage for occupational injuries and diseases to previously excluded vulnerable workers, and improves compensation benefits to employees.

The Bill effects a range of amendments to the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act (Act No 130 of 1993) which governs compensation for disablement caused by occupational injuries or diseases sustained or contracted by employees, or for death resulting from injuries or diseases.

The new provisions enacted by the President include one that gives effect to a Constitutional Court judgment in the matter of Mahlangu and Another v Minister of Labour and Others in which the Court declared parts of the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act unconstitutional.

The unconstitutionality related to the exclusion of domestic workers employed in private households from the definition of “employee” and the effective denial of compensation to such workers who contracted diseases or suffered disablement, injuries or death in the course of their employment.

The amended legislation also protects the livelihoods of workers affected by occupational injuries or diseases by introducing a multi-disciplinary employee-based process of rehabilitation and reintegration of injured employees or employees who contracted occupational diseases.

This requires employers to exhaust all rehabilitation and reintegration processes before laying off an employee.

In turn, employers will be incentivised for full compliance with the provisions.

The new law also addresses institutional arrangements, such as the appointment of members of the Compensation Board.

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

President Cyril Ramaphosa hosted a virtual meeting on Wednesday evening, 5 April 2023, with chief executives from key exporting economic sectors such as mining and minerals, the agricultural and forestry sectors, as well as the automotive and freight forwarding industry representatives. 

The sectors represent South Africa’s largest exporters who are reliant on the country’s road, rail and ports infrastructure.  

President Cyril Ramaphosa has welcomed the proposals presented during the meeting, which are aimed at improving the state of South Africa’s national rail and ports.  

“We need to take urgent measures to resolve the logistics backlog that continues to undermine economic growth. I deeply appreciate the constructive manner in which all the impacted sectors have approached the resolution of this crisis. Government will consider some of the proposals presented and act on them quickly in order to unlock much needed investments into the economy,” says President Ramaphosa.

The interaction with large exporters follows a meeting the President held with members of the Transnet board and executive management at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, on 28 March 2023, which discussed challenges facing the country’s logistics system, including the declining performance of the freight rail network. 

President Ramaphosa directed Transnet to implement reforms swiftly and completely to turn around the crisis in South Africa’s logistics system.

Over the course of the coming weeks, Government will consider and announce a set of measures that will add impetus to the work that is currently underway to improve rail and port efficiencies, and in line with the Government policy direction for the freight transport sector in the White Paper on National Rail Policy and in legislation such as the National Ports Act and the Economic Regulation of Transport Bill that is currently before Parliament. 

The President will soon meet with organised labour representatives to concretise a collaborative effort that will be coordinated from The Presidency.

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

President Cyril Ramaphosa wishes South Africa’s diverse Christian denominations a prayerful and peaceful Easter and celebration of the Resurrection of Christ.

The President extends his wishes to the Muslim community who are approaching the mid-point of the Holy Month of Ramadan, as well as the Jewish community who are observing Passover.

The President calls on the nation to observe this weekend with care and consideration for families and communities affected by natural disasters and incidents of violent crime.

President Ramaphosa said: “It is good for the soul of our nation that so many communities are engaging in prayerful devotion and family-centred activities at this time.

“May this Easter bring us together as families and as a nation to ease some of the challenges that have affected communities and families in recent weeks, including incidents of violent crime and carnage on our roads.

“As we travel around our beautiful country during this period, let us take good care of one another. Our roads aren’t dangerous; it’s our behaviour that’s dangerous: behaviour such as drinking and driving, overtaking on solid lines and blind rises in the road, not taking breaks when we are tired, or overloading vehicles with people or goods.

“We can all play our part by reporting risky behaviour or criminal activity, by moderating the way we socialise with alcohol, and by avoiding conflict within our families or circles of friends.

“Let us enjoy this time and make it possible for our law enforcement authorities and emergency services personnel to enjoy it too, and let us come back refreshed to continue building a better South Africa.”

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

President Cyril Ramaphosa offers his deep condolences to the family and friends of the late United States human rights activist and lawyer Randall Robinson who has passed away at the age of 81.
 
Mr Robinson was an Esteemed Member of South Africa’s National Order of the Companions of OR Tambo, with which he was honoured in 2012.
 
He received this honour for being an integral part of the anti-apartheid movement; for his exceptional contribution to the struggle against apartheid through the Free South Africa Movement, and for the creation of a free, non-racial, non-sexist and democratic South Africa.
 
President Ramaphosa said: “On behalf of our nation, I offer our deepest condolences to the family, friends and associates of Randall Robinson whose humanity and tireless pursuit of justice and freedom has made the world a better place.
 
“From serving the civil rights movement in his own country, to fighting for the isolation of the apartheid state and economy, to seeking justice in Haiti, Randall Robinson was an internationalist who placed grave injustices and excesses on the agenda of the global community.
 
“Through TransAfrica and the Free South Africa Movement, Randall Robinson fought for a free South Africa in which all South Africans would enjoy democratic rights, and a South Africa that could take its rightful place in international forums and in the world economy.
 
“As we mourn his passing, we are comforted by his own anticipation of this moment in his novel, Makeda, in which the eponymous matriarch implores: ‘You won't need to talk to my headstone in order to talk to me. I won't be there. I'll be in the air and the Earth. I'll be in the stars that light the African heavens. I'll be watchin' over you and your family. My spirit will always be close enough to touch and protect you all. So, do not grieve for me. My body will die, but my soul will live on. For my soul cannot die. Always remember that my soul is the spark of God in me’.
 
“The African heavens are indeed illuminated with Randall Robinson’s indelible legacy.”
 

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria