Programme Director, Ms Nozipho Tshabalala; 

Honourable Premier of Gauteng, Mr Panyaza Lesufi; 

Ministers and Deputy Ministers present; 

Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg, Mr Dada Morero; 

MEC for Economic Development, Ms Vuyiswa Ramakgopa; 

MEC for Education, Sports and Culture, Mr Lebogang Maile,

CEOs of State-Owned Enterprises, from national government and the province;

Members of the Diplomatic Corps; 

Leaders of Business, Finance, Labour, and Civil Society; 

Distinguished Guests; 

Ladies and Gentlemen;

Good Morning, Dumelang, Avuxeni.
 
It is an honour to return once again to address this prestigious gathering, following the inaugural Gauteng Investment Conference in 2025.

This Conference takes place at a defining moment for our country and our economy. Just over a week ago, South Africa successfully hosted the Sixth South African Investment Conference, where government, business, and our international partners secured record investment commitments of approximately R890 billion in a single day.

These are the largest pledges achieved since the investment drive began in 2018, lifting cumulative commitments well beyond R1.5 trillion, and prompting government to set a new national investment ambition of R3 trillion over the period ahead.

The significance of the South African Investment Conference lies not only in the scale of these commitments, but in what they represent: a firm vote of confidence in South Africa’s reform trajectory, policy certainty, and in our constitutional democracy anchored by the rule of law.

However, investment conferences are not ends in themselves. 
Their true value lies in delivery, in translating commitments into projects on the ground, into factories, infrastructure, energy capacity, and above all, jobs.

It is precisely at this point of delivery that Gauteng assumes its central role. As the economic heartland of South Africa, contributing the largest share to our national GDP, and serving as a gateway to regional and global markets, Gauteng stands as the primary platform through which many of these national investment commitments will be implemented, expanded, and scaled.

The South African Investment Conference set the national direction. The Gauteng Investment Conference takes that work forward by localising investment, accelerating execution, and removing obstacles at project level. This ensure that the national vision is not only articulated, but lived, in the daily realities of growth, opportunity, and jobs. 

Many of the commitments announced at SAIC, across advanced manufacturing, the energy transition, logistics, digital services, infrastructure, and industrial localisation align directly with Gauteng’s competitive strengths: its industrial base, financial system, skilled workforce, research institutions, and world‑class connectivity.

This Conference therefore serves a distinct and complementary purpose. It moves us:
· from national pledges to provincial pipelines;
· from policy certainty to site readiness; and
· from investor intent to operational delivery.

In doing so, it transforms national ambition into provincial action, ensuring that Gauteng stands as the proving ground where investment becomes impact, and where the story of South Africa’s growth is written in the lived experience of its people.

Through the Gauteng Investment Conference, we are saying clearly to investors: South Africa is open for business and Gauteng is ready for execution.

We are determined that Gauteng will lead by example in shortening regulatory timelines, coordinating across spheres of government, crowding in private capital, and supporting investors across the full project lifecycle so that commitments translate into measurable economic impact and inclusive growth.

Consequently, Gauteng will not only advance the outcomes of the South African Investment Conference but will give concrete expression to our national objective of investment‑led growth, job creation, and economic transformation.

As we reflect on the theme “Re‑industrialising Africa’s Gateway through Investment, Innovation, and Integrated Growth,” we are reminded that we must exploit the engines of industry, channel the lifeblood of investment, and ignite the spark of innovation.

Gauteng’s role as Africa’s gateway should not only be defined by economic weight, but by its ability to create opportunity for all our people.

Re‑industrialisation is a practical, forward‑looking strategy. It recognises that productive capacity is the foundation of sustained growth. 

It must result in technology‑driven factories, expanded industrial output, revitalised industrial parks and Special Economic Zones, strengthened local supply chains, and dignified jobs at scale.

But let us be clear the industrialisation we pursue today is not the industrialisation of yesterday. It is a new industrialisation, built on four critical pillars.

First: Without reliable energy, efficient logistics, water security, and modern digital infrastructure, industrialisation cannot take place. That is why government continues to invest in stabilising and expanding energy supply, improving rail and port systems, and strengthening water and logistics infrastructure. These are the foundations of industrial growth.

Second: The future of industrialisation is as digital as it is physical. Data centres, artificial intelligence, fintech, cloud infrastructure, and digital public platforms are now the backbone of modern economies. Gauteng is uniquely positioned to lead in this space—and we must leverage this advantage to build globally competitive digital industries.

Third: Africa remains resource‑rich but value‑chain poor. We export raw materials and import finished goods. We are connected to global markets, yet insufficiently integrated within our own continent.

The African Continental Free Trade Area gives us a platform to change this—to build regional value chains, expand intra‑African trade, and industrialise at scale. Its success depends on improved cross‑border infrastructure, reduced trade barriers, aligned standards, and strong support for African businesses.

Through platforms such as this Conference, Gauteng is positioning itself as a continental execution hub, a place where AfCFTA moves from agreement to implementation.

Fourth: Industrial growth must not be exclusionary. It must unlock opportunities for young people, township economies, and small and emerging enterprises ensuring that growth translates into shared prosperity.

Equally, industrialisation does not happen without investment. Investment must translate into production. Production must translate into jobs. And jobs must translate into improved livelihoods.

This is why the Gauteng Investment Conference has evolved beyond a traditional platform. It is becoming a full investment lifecycle mechanism—from deal origination and project preparation, to financing, implementation, and delivery.

Government’s responsibility in this process is clear:
· To de‑risk investment through policy certainty, regulatory efficiency, and coordination across spheres of government;
· To crowd in private capital alongside development finance institutions and commercial lenders; and
· To ensure delivery, accountability, and project tracking.

Credibility is built not on what we announce, but on what we deliver. 

And government cannot do this alone.
We need a strong partnership with businesses that invest in skills, support localisation, integrate small enterprises into value chains, and commit to long‑term resilience.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Gauteng is a region where investors can find both returns and resilience. It offers a vibrant workforce, a commitment to enterprise development, and world‑class infrastructure.

Investment here is not a risky endeavour, it is a collaborative one, where each rand invested multiplies opportunity, strengthens communities, and builds secure futures.

As I conclude, let me issue a clear call to action:

To Investors: South Africa and Gauteng in particular is open for business and open for partnership. Africa is not a risk story; it is a long‑term growth and return story.

To Business: You are not passive participants; you are co‑architects of our industrial future. Work with us to build industries and develop skills.

To Government: We must act with urgency, coordination, and accountability, removing barriers and accelerating delivery.

And to Africa: This is our moment, not to extract, not to import, but to produce, innovate, and lead.

Let this Conference mark a turning point: from commitments to implementation; towards integrated growth that is inclusive, sustainable, and transformative.

I thank you. Ke a leboga. Inkomu.
 

Ambassadors and High Commissioners,
Directors-General in the Presidency and the Department of International Relations and Cooperation,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen, 
 
Good morning. 
 
It is my pleasure to welcome you as you begin your tenure as representatives of your respective countries to the Republic of South Africa. 
 
This is an auspicious year for South Africa, as we mark 30 years since the adoption of our democratic Constitution.
 
Our Constitution reflects the painful history from which we emerged three decades ago and the values we now cherish: human dignity, equality and freedom. 
 
It commits all South Africans, not just the state, to safeguarding our democracy, to upholding the rule of law and to protecting human rights. 
 
These principles are neither transient nor negotiable. They are enduring and binding. 
 
They shape the manner in which we govern ourselves and they shape how we engage with the world. 
 
Our international relations outlook reflects the founding principles of our Constitution. 
 
As a nation that emerged from a painful past of injustice and inequality, we seek a more just and equitable world order.
 
We seek a global order defined by peace and friendship amongst all the nations of the world.
 
We seek a world order where the gulf of inequality between and amongst nations is narrowed – where nations of the world stand united against racism, colonialism, subjugation and all forms of oppression and intolerance.
 
We strive to ensure that global peace and security is secured through dialogue and negotiation and not through force of arms – where international laws, treaties and agreements are upheld and respected.

Above all, we seek a world order that brings sustainable development and shared prosperity for all and not the few.
 
Your presence here today reflects that these are shared aspirations.
 
And in South Africa you will find a ready, willing, able and capable partner for trade, development, progress and peace. 
 
You begin your tours of duty in South Africa at a time when our economy is in the throes of recovery. 
 
The structural reform agenda we embarked on in 2018 to overcome longstanding constraints to investment and growth continues to gain momentum.
 
South Africa’s sovereign credit rating has improved, public debt has stabilised and our economy is creating more jobs. 
 
Last week we held our sixth South Africa Investment Conference, where we secured R889 billion in cumulative investment commitments. 
 
This has encouraged us to set a goal of securing R3 trillion in new investment commitments over the next three years. 
 
The state itself is at the forefront of this new, ambitious drive. 
 
We have embarked on the largest infrastructure build in our country’s history. 
 
We will be investing approximately R1 trillion over the next three years to build roads, dams, schools, hospitals and other public infrastructure.
 
A debilitating energy crisis is behind us, and we have embarked on a range of far-reaching reforms to overcome challenges in the water sector and in logistics. 
 
Our policy and regulatory environment has proven to be resilient, offering certainty to investors looking to South Africa as a favourable destination to invest and do business in.
 
As we pursue our apex priority of inclusive growth and job creation, we are firmly committed to deepen our cooperation and collaboration with all countries.
 
We hope that your time in South Africa will contribute to building meaningful, sustainable economic partnerships.
 
As South Africa celebrates thirty years of advancing peace and friendship, we further look forward to engaging with you on global matters of mutual concern.
 
Our world has become increasingly complex. Multilateral diplomacy and respect for the multilateral system has become all the more crucial. 
 
In a world beset by profound and interconnected challenges – whether they be conflicts, the climate crisis or the proliferation of poverty and inequality – we know that global solidarity and deepening cooperation are our surest means to overcome them.
 
We note the current initiatives and ongoing efforts aimed at achieving a comprehensive end to the conflict in the Middle East.
 
We welcome the announcement of a ceasefire and are hopeful that it will lay the basis for a permanent resolution of the conflict.
 
South Africa once again calls for dialogue and mediation to prevent further loss of life and destruction of property, and to ensure a just, sustainable and lasting peace. 
 
We further call on all countries to respect international law and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations.
 
Your Excellencies,
 
We thank you for your enduring commitment to South Africa and her people.
 
Where many of your respective countries once stood in solidarity with us in our struggle for liberation, today you continue to renew that commitment through trade, investment and development.
 
It was the English poet John Donne who wrote that no man is an island entire of itself, but a piece of the continent, a part of the main. 
 
So too is the fellowship of nations. 
 
I welcome you to South Africa to extend this fellowship as you represent your government and your people. 
 
Just as your Head of State has welcomed South Africa’s Ambassador or High Commissioner in your country, I extend the same warm welcome to you and wish you well in your mandate of representing your country.
 
As President, whenever I appoint Ambassadors and High Commissioners to your country I expect them to respect your country’s sovereignty and promote good relations between our two nations. I expect them to promote trade and investment opportunities in our respective countries. 
 
I also expect them to promote South Africa’s culture and value system and strengthen people-to-people relations.
 
I expect South Africa’s Ambassadors and High Commissioners to your country to exercise diplomatic tact and discretion and desist from interfering in the internal affairs of your country.
 
If they have any manner of concern, they should raise those concerns directly with officials in your country’s foreign affairs department and engage in quiet diplomacy. 
 
This I believe is what the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations promotes.
 
Whenever I send our Ambassadors and High Commissioners to various countries I always make it a point to inform them that they should never criticise their host countries publicly and in a confrontational manner but should always seek to raise issues privately and constructively.
 
They should always seek to build relationships with various stakeholders in the host country. They should always choose to preserve dignity and partnership between our respective countries.
 
It is this approach that I believe builds strong relationships between nations and helps to advance the interests of our respective countries based on mutual respect.
 
South Africa’s interest is to advance a better, more peaceful, more equal world, anchored in human rights and with respect for the dignity of all. 
 
Our Ambassadors and High Commissioners to various countries in the world are expected to advance this national objective.
 
By deepening our cooperation and strengthening our ties, I am confident that we can achieve such a world as you represent your country in South Africa. 
 
Once again I extend my warm welcome on behalf of the people of South Africa to you all. 
 
I wish you all the best as you execute your mission of representing your country and your people in South Africa.
 
I thank you.
 

President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Friday, 10 April 2026, visit Eskom’s Kusile Power Station in Nkangala District Municipality, Mpumalanga.

The President will be accompanied by Minister of Electricity and Energy, Dr. Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, and Eskom management. 

This visit allows the President to witness progress made in restoring the nation's energy security.

The President will be provided with a comprehensive operational briefing from Eskom’s leadership and technical teams.

The briefing will highlight the tangible advancements towards enhanced generation capacity. 

The President's visit will affirm the dedication shown by the engineers, technicians, and workers at Kusile Power Station who were instrumental in the Eskom generation recovery efforts.

The President will interact with all Eskom Power Station General Managers at the event.

Details of the visit are as follows:

Date: Friday, 10 April 2026
Time: 10h00
Venue: Kusile Power Station, Nkangala District, Mpumalanga

NB: Note that all media related queries MUST be directed at Eskom and not The Presidency.

Media Accreditation details:

Media representatives interested in covering the President's visit are invited to submit their details (Full Name, Media House, ID/Passport Number) to Eskom Media Desk at mediadesk@eskom.co.za. Deadline for Accreditation is Thursday, 9 April 2026 at 12h00.

Note to Editors:

As Kusile Power Station is designated as a National Key Point, strict safety and security protocols will be enforced. All media personnel are required to wear safety shoes or flat, closed-toe shoes. Hard hats and reflective vests will be supplied on-site.

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

Deputy President Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile will tomorrow, Thursday 09 April 2026, deliver a keynote address at the Gauteng Investment Conference 2026 (GIC 2026), a flagship provincial platform aimed at mobilisng investment, advancing industrialisation and accelerating inclusive economic growth. 

This year's conference builds on the success of the inaugural conference held in 2025, which secured R312 billion in investment pledges. It forms part of Gauteng's strategy to attract R800 billion in new investments over a three year period.

GIC 2026 will bring together global investors, African governments, municipal leaders, development finance institutions, banks and the private sector with the aim of enhancing Gauteng's position as Africa's leading investment hub.

Members of the media are invited to attend and cover the conference as follows:
Date: Thursday, 09 April 
Time: 08h30
Venue: The Marriott Hotel, Melrose Arch 

Members of the media who wish to attend are requested to RSVP to Lerato Sewpersad: leratos@ggda.co.za / 072 909 4463 or Siphiwe Hlope: siphiwe.hlope@gauteng.gov.za.

Media enquiries: Mr Keith Khoza, Acting Spokesperson to the Deputy President on 066 195 8840 or Sabelo Ndlangisa, Senior Communications Manager at GDED on 066 4860 444

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

Deputy President Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile will on Friday, 10 April 2026, officiate the Title Deed Handover Ceremony to mark the official restoration of land to the Sebilong Communal Property Association (CPA) in Thabazimbi, Waterberg District, Limpopo Province.

The Deputy President serves as Chairperson of the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on Land Reform and Agriculture, which was established to oversee and accelerate the implementation of Government’s land reform programme and related interventions.

This landmark ceremony represents a significant milestone in advancing land reform efforts aimed at redressing the injustices of historical land dispossession and restoring land rights to rightful beneficiaries. 

Through the Department of Land Reform and Rural Development, under the leadership of Minister Mzwanele Nyhontso, more than 340 000 hectares of land have been restored to the Sebilong community. This community comprises 89 originally dispossessed households, amounting to a total of 1 071 verified beneficiaries.

To date, the Department has settled over 83 721 land claims nationally, resulting in the transfer of approximately 3 916 733 hectares of land. 

This progress underscores Government’s continued commitment to resolving land claims and facilitating equitable land ownership among affected communities.

As South Africa commemorates Chris Hani on 10 April, as one of the country’s foremost struggle heroes, the Title Deed Handover Ceremony further demonstrates Government’s commitment to advancing human dignity, freedom, and inclusive economic participation grounded in spatial justice.

The Deputy President will be accompanied by members of the IMC on Land Reform and Agriculture; the Premier of Limpopo, Dr Phophi Ramathuba; Members of the Limpopo Provincial Executive Council (PEC); leadership of the Waterberg District Municipality and Thabazimbi Local Municipality; as well as representatives of the Commission on Restitution of Land Rights.

The ceremony will take place as follows:

Date: Friday, 10 April 2026
Time: 09h00
Venue: Portion 27 of the Farm Zwartkop 369 KQ, Thabazimbi, Limpopo Province

Media Programme

• 08h30 – Photo opportunity: Arrival of the Deputy President and delegation at Portion 21 of Farm Zwartkop 369 KQ (Boardroom) 
• 10h00 – Media in attendance: Guided walkabout at Zwartkop Farm 
• 11h00 – Main programme (media in attendance) 
• 12h00 – Keynote address by Deputy President Mashatile 
• 13h00 – Media doorstop 

Media Accreditation

Members of the media are requested to complete the attached accreditation form (SSA SCREENING TEMPLATE - MEDIA.xlsx) and submit it to Sam Bopape on Matome@presidency.gov.za or Ishmael Selemale on Ishmael@gcis.gov.za 

Media enquiries: 

The Presidency - Mr Keith Khoza, Spokesperson to the Deputy President, on 066 195 8840
Department of Land Reform and Rural Development - Ms Linda Page, Chief Director: Strategic Communication, on Linda.Page@dlrrd.gov.za / 071 334 3479
Eviction Toll-Free Number: 0800 007 095

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria