The G20 Presidency of South Africa today launched a new “Extraordinary Committee of Independent Experts” – commissioned by the President of South Africa, H.E. Mr Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa, and chaired by Nobel Prize-winning economist Professor Joseph Stiglitz – which will deliver the first ever-report on global inequality to G20 to world leaders since its inception.

The Extraordinary Committee is launched amid macroeconomic fears that global wealth and income inequality, which was already very high, is set to sharply accelerate. 

Recent analysis shows that the world’s richest 1 percent have increased their wealth by more than US$33.9 trillion in real terms since 2015 – more than enough to eliminate annual global poverty 22 times over. 

New shocks to global trade patterns, international financing and critical minerals flows, along with the intensification of problems created by sovereign debt overhang and imbalanced tax regimes, are creating uncertainties for policymakers, consumers and firms, and look likely to deepen the divide.

Inequality of this scale poses a serious systemic risk to global economic, social and political progress.

The six independent experts are Professor Joseph E. Stiglitz (USA); Dr Adriana E. Abdenur (Brazil); Ms Winnie Byanyima (Uganda); Professor Jayati Ghosh (India); Professor Imraan Valodia (South Africa); and Dr Wanga Zembe-Mkabile (South Africa). 

The experts will report on the state of wealth and income inequality, their impacts on growth, poverty, and multilateralism, and present a menu of effective solutions for leaders.

The President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa: 
“People across the world know how extreme inequality undermines their dignity and chance for a better future. They saw the brutal unfairness of vaccine apartheid, where millions in the Global South were denied the vaccines to save them. 

They see the impacts of rising food and energy prices, of debt, of trade wars, all driving this growing gap between the rich and the rest of the world, undermining progress and economic dynamism. A new oligarchy in our global economy is becoming apparent.

“South Africa’s G20 Presidency today is proud to launch an initiative that will target this issue of global wealth inequality – a first for the G20 – and offer a practical way forward. We are honored to host a group of the world’s most respected economic experts, led by Professor Stiglitz, to produce a report that will be being presented to G20 Leaders.

Professor Joseph Stiglitz (USA), Nobel Economics Prize Laureate:
“Inequality has widened to extremes that threaten democracy itself and should be a concern of all of us; the profound rise in the discontents of mismanaged globalisation which in many places has contributed to this growth of inequality is also evident. Inequality was always a choice – and G20 nations have the power to choose a different path, on a range of economic and social policies. I am grateful to President Ramaphosa for placing inequality as central to the G20 agenda.

“The burgeoning body of scholarship on the causes of, and ways of reducing, inequality, can help us to redress the great divide that has grown enormously in recent years. Our task must now be to translate the evidence and public's palpable anger at the great divide into sound, practical and transformative policy proposals for G20 leaders.

Professor Jayati Ghosh (India), Professor, University of Massachusetts at Amherst:
“Policymakers the world over are asking for evidence-based, practicable strategies to reduce inequality – and a new playbook to deal with the fractured and financialised 21st century political economy. 

It is a great privilege to have an opportunity to address this, provided by South Africa’s G20 Presidency.

We must move away from depending on economic orthodoxies that generate business-as-usual strategies rather than grappling with complex and inconvenient truths.

“The longer-term trend of worsening inequality reflects ongoing processes accentuated by shocks, from the 2008 financial crisis to the 2020 pandemic. We now see a “perfect storm” of shocks, from tariffs being weaponised to push for deregulation, to the slashing of life-saving aid, to uncertainty affecting private investment and employment—all in the context of worsening climate change. 

These further increase the wealth of the richest and aggravate poverty and insecurity among the majority. 

This makes our work all the more urgent.”

Experts
Professor Joseph Stiglitz (USA): a Nobel laureate in economics, university professor at Columbia University and chief economist of the Roosevelt Institute.

Dr Adriana E. Abdenur (Brazil): a Brazilian social scientist, former Special Advisor in International Affairs in the office of President Lula of Brazil, co-founder of the Brazilian think tank Plataforma CIPÓ, and current co-President of the Global Fund for a New Economy (GFNE).

Ms Winnie Byanyima (Uganda): Executive Director of UNAIDS and an Under-Secretary General of the United Nations, Convenor of the Global Council on Inequality, AIDS and Pandemics, and co-founder and co-chair of the People’s Medicines Alliance
Professor Jayati Ghosh (India): Professor, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and Co-Chair, International Commission for the Reform of International Corporate Taxation
Professor Imraan Valodia (South Africa): Professor of Economics, Pro Vice-Chancellor: Climate, Sustainability and Inequality, and Director of the Southern Centre for Inequality Studies, University of the Witwatersrand (WITS)
Dr Wanga Zembe-Mkabile (South Africa): Senior Specialist Scientist in the Health Systems Research Unit of the South African Medical Research Council, and an Extraordinary Professor at the UWC School of Public Health.

Notes to editors
The G20 “Extraordinary Committee of Independent Experts on Global Wealth Inequality” is a a special project located in the G20 Sherpa’s Office, in the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) of South Africa. 

The G20 comprises 19 countries including: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Türkiye, United Kingdom, and United States and two regional bodies, namely the European Union and the African Union.

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

 

President Cyril Ramaphosa has received the close-out report of the National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council (NACAC). 

The National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council was set up in September 2022 to guide the implementation of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy and, among other things, to advise on strengthening the state’s anti-corruption architecture. 
The Council has therefore remained a vital element in the fight against corruption. 

In reflecting on the end of the three-year term of the Council, President Ramaphosa said: “While much of our attention is paid to efforts to detect and act against corruption, the success of our efforts relies on our ability to prevent corruption in the first place.

We need to build transparent, accountable and ethical institutions – both public and private – in which corruption is unable to take root. We need to build a society characterised by responsibility and integrity.”

The NACAC close-out report, which will be released publicly, consists of a set of recommendations which amongst others include the establishment of a permanent, independent, overarching anti-corruption body. Strengthening and coordination of law enforcement agencies, the use of Artificial Intelligence to prevent corruption and the establishment of an anti-corruption data sharing framework.

President Ramaphosa appreciated the report and the recommendations, affirming that they will need to be thoroughly reviewed and, where appropriate, be acted upon without any undue delay. 

The President said, “The report, observations and recommendations clearly demonstrate the extensive work and significant thought that NACAC has applied to these challenges. 
NACAC has given full effect to its mandate and has provided a firm, evidence-based foundation to take forward a comprehensive response to corruption.

The observations and recommendations will, as a matter of priority, receive the attention of the National Executive and the relevant institutions.”

The National Executive will process the recommendations of NACAC for tabling and deliberation in Cabinet. 

The final set of recommendations that will be adopted will then be implemented in accordance with the relevant and established statutory provisions and processes. 

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

In his capacity as the Chairperson of the Human Resource Development Council, Deputy President Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile will on Friday, 29 August 2025, together with Higher Education and Training Minister, Buti Manamela, officially launch the Just Energy Transition (JET) Skills Desk, the National JET Skills Advisory Forum and the Multi-Donor Initiative (MDI) supporting the JET Skills Desk, at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Johannesburg, Gauteng Province.

These initiatives represent strategic milestones in advancing South Africa’s transition to a low-carbon, climate-resilient and inclusive economy.

The launch also forms part of the broader JET Skills Portfolio, which underscores the country’s commitment to coordinated, multi-sectoral action involving Government, organised labour, business, civil society and development partners. Inclusion of these structures is for the purposes of ensuring that the energy transition is inclusive, equitable and anchored in a demand-driven approach to skills development.

In this regard then, the event will introduce the following strategic pillars of the JET Skills governance architecture:

1.    The JET Skills Desk, which serves as the central coordination mechanism housed within the Department of Higher Education and Training. It will drive integrated skills planning and implementation aligned with the country’s energy transition goals.

2.    The National JET Skills Advisory Forum, a multi-stakeholder platform that will provide guidance, foster alignment across sectors and promote accountability in delivering the skills required for a just transition.

These structures will support the rollout of Skills Development Zones (SDZs), which are localised hubs for focused training and skills development in areas most affected by the energy transition. The aim of the SDZs will be to equip individuals with relevant, demand-responsive skills, while promoting local economic resilience and inclusion.

Deputy President Mashatile will also on the day launch the Multi-Donor Initiative (MDI) supporting the JET Skills Desk. This initiative in particular is co-financed by the European Union, Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO). It is implemented under BMZ’s flagship Career Path Development for Employment (CPD4E) programme. The MDI exemplifies strong international cooperation and South Africa’s commitment to mobilising global and domestic partnerships that support reskilling, upskilling and workforce development so as to avoid massive job losses.

The official launch also signals South Africa’s readiness to deliver a just, inclusive and demand-responsive energy transition, underpinned by the development of relevant and sustainable skills required by the labour market.

Details of the launch are as follows:

Date: Friday, 29 August 2025
Time: 09h00 (Media to arrive at 08h00)
Venue: Gallagher Convention Centre, Johannesburg, Gauteng Province

Media wishing to attend and cover the launch must please send their RSVPs to Ms Mahlatse Galane (DHET) on 082 803 5732 or Galane.M@dhet.gov.za or register themselves on the link below before the end of today:

https://sgcglobal.flock.events/ep/registration?event=Official-Launch-of-the-Jet-Skills-Desk-01

 

Media enquiries: Mr Keith Khoza, Acting Spokesperson to the Deputy President, on 066 195 8840.

Issued jointly by: The Presidency and the Department of Higher Education and Training
Pretoria

Theme: Beyond Liberation: Is Education a Liberator or an Oppressor in the Struggle for Peace, Gender Equity, and Economic Justice
 
Programme Director,
Vice-Chancellor and leadership of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology,
Members of the Central SRC,
Representatives from Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light,
Distinguished guests,
Members of faculty,
Students – who are our future academics and vice-chancellors,
Members of the media,
Ladies and gentlemen.

Good morning. 

Thank you for the invitation for me to be part of this Critical Conversation on education as a fundamental building block of human society and our pursuit of a better Africa and a better world.

I value this Conversation in the context of our broader National Dialogue process and I believe that the tone and content of today’s deliberation serves as a model for how our national conversation on key questions in our society can unfold.

I want to begin with a story that captures the heart of today’s theme — the question of whether education truly liberates or whether it sometimes reinforces the barriers we claim to dismantle.

Last year, in a rural high school in the Eastern Cape, I met a young woman named Lutho. She was the top student in her class, passionate about mathematics, and dreaming of becoming a civil engineer.

Her school had no library, the science lab had been closed for two years, and the internet was something she could only access when her neighbour’s phone caught a signal.

Yet, with borrowed books and sheer determination, she secured a place at university.

At first, the costs of accommodation, food, and transport threatened to close the very doors she had fought so hard to open.

But through a local mentorship programme, a bursary from a state-owned enterprise, and a refurbished laptop from a community organisation, she not only stayed in school — she thrived.

Today, she is in her third year, leading a student engineering club that tutors high school learners in STEM, and she recently completed an internship designing water infrastructure for rural villages.

Lutho often says the support she received did more than help her survive university — it gave her the confidence to believe she belonged in the world of engineering. 

Her journey reflects both the liberating and limiting realities of education in South Africa.

It shows that while education can open doors, too many of those doors still require extraordinary force to push open.

And that is the challenge before us: to ensure that when we call education a liberator, it is not liberation in name only.

Ladies and gentlemen,

We gather here during Women’s Month, International Youth Day, and the lead-up to World Humanitarian Day. These commemorations are deeply intertwined.

They call on us to think beyond political freedom and to ask whether our society offers real equality, dignity, and opportunity to all.

The theme of this conversation, Beyond Liberation, asks whether education has fulfilled its promise as the great equaliser, or whether, in some ways, it has reinforced the divisions and inequities of our past.

When we won political freedom in 1994, we inherited the work of dismantling structural injustice.

A central part of apartheid’s design was the denial of quality education to black South Africans, as part of undermining our dignity and humanity, and creating a source of manual labour for large and small white-owned and largely male-owned businesses.

With the advent of our democracy, the Constitution promised every child the right to a basic education.

But as we reflect on 30 years of democracy, we must admit that the quality of that education still depends too much on where a child is born, the resources of their family, and the historical privilege or disadvantage of their community.

Education is one of the motive forces in our society.

By motive forces, we mean those groups, systems, and engines of change that can move a nation forward.

In our liberation struggle, the motive forces included workers, the rural poor, women, youth, and progressive intellectuals.

Education strengthens these forces by equipping them with knowledge, skills, and critical consciousness. But if education is inaccessible, unequal, or irrelevant, it can weaken them, leaving inequality entrenched.

The concept of education as a motive force reminds us that it is not neutral.

It can drive transformation when it challenges unjust systems, or it can reinforce oppression when it serves only to reproduce existing hierarchies. This is why our discussion today is urgent: it is about reclaiming education as a force for change.

This is not a new debate.

Cuban–Argentinian revolutionary leader, CheGuevara, reflecting on education in times of revolution, said that learning must be continuous and inseparable from the work of building new values in society

In other words, education cannot simply fill minds with technical skills; it must form citizens who can shape a more humane and just world.

If we take this seriously, it means our education system must evolve with the needs of our people, and must remain connected to the broader social, economic, and moral project of our democracy.

Former President Thabo Mbeki, speaking to the youth in 2008, warned that without purpose, education risks leaving young people as spectators in their own country’s future.

He saw the youth as “Young Lions” whose mission was to use their skills and knowledge to fight poverty, inequality, and underdevelopment.

This is not a task for tomorrow. It is a task for today.

The progress we have made in the past 30 years is significant.

Today, women hold 46 percent of the seats in Parliament, and our Cabinet is evenly split between men and women.

Gender parity has been achieved in school enrolment, and in universities, women graduate in greater numbers than men. Girls outperform boys in several academic areas.

These are real victories.

Yet the 25 Year Review and the 30 Year Review both reveal that parity in numbers does not mean parity in influence or opportunity.

Women remain underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics - fields that are transforming societies and economies around the world hour by hour and day by day.

Women are instead over-represented in low-wage, informal sectors and remain the majority in unpaid care work.

Even with equal or better educational attainment, they face barriers in leadership positions, corporate boardrooms, and political decision-making spaces.

President Ramaphosa, in his Women’s Day address this year, reminded us that women’s emancipation is not complete until they enjoy equal access to resources, opportunities, and leadership roles.

He called on us to dismantle structural barriers that hold women back.

This call is not just for the private sector or government; it is for our universities and schools as well.

This call is also for families who disadvantage girls and young women by expecting them to play domestic and community roles inherited from a patriarchal past.

Liberation begins at home.

Our education system often reflects the economic divides of our society.

Schools in wealthier areas benefit from strong infrastructure, experienced teachers, and robust digital resources.

Schools in rural and township areas still grapple with overcrowded classrooms, insufficient learning materials, and lack of internet access.

This digital divide is more than a technical issue. It is a justice issue.

In the modern economy, digital literacy is as fundamental as traditional reading and writing. 

Students who are excluded from digital tools are excluded from future opportunities.

The 30 Year Review shows that while we have expanded access to higher education, completion rates remain a concern, particularly among students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Many drop out not because they lack ability or interest, but because they lack the financial, emotional, and academic support systems needed to succeed.

The link between education and peace is also critical.

Peace is not simply the absence of war; it is the presence of fairness, dignity, and opportunity.

Education fosters peace when it teaches empathy, respect for diversity, and skills for resolving conflict without violence.

This is at the heart of the Women, Peace and Security agenda first established by UN Security Council Resolution 1325.

Yet, as the latest Security Council Report (August 2025) reminds us, women still make up only 19 percent of negotiators and 6 percent of mediators in major peace processes worldwide.

This under-representation is not just a moral injustice; it is a missed opportunity for lasting peace.

Studies show that when women are meaningfully involved, peace agreements are more likely to be reached and are significantly more durable.

Education is the foundation that enables this participation, giving women the political awareness, negotiation skills, and confidence to take their place at the table.

The UN Women and UNESCO analysis reinforces this point: countries with higher levels of female education tend to have stronger democratic institutions, more inclusive governance, and lower risks of violent conflict.

This tells us that gender-responsive education is not a marginal issue; it is a peace and security strategy. If we are serious about preventing conflict and building resilient societies, then educating girls and women must be a core national security priority.

We have seen this on the African continent.

In Rwanda, post-genocide, education was intentionally reshaped to promote reconciliation.

History curricula were revised, and schools became places for dialogue and healing.

Ladies and gentleman,

In Women’s Month, it is my duty and the duty of all of us to emphasise that dialogue and healing in our world starts with dialogue and healing in our homes and families.

Part of this means that men and boys must take seriously the education and the outrage that frames our fight against gender-based violence.

Men on university campuses, in churches, in corporate offices and boys in schools commit offences against women and girls every day.

This must end.

Our investment in education amounts to little if women of all ages and backgrounds have their dignity and potential cut short through violence.

Our investment in education comes to little if men and boys learn one thing and choose to do another.

While all of us share the responsibility for raising boy children and girls in ways that promote respect and equality, we also share the responsibility to come down hard on suspected or actual abusers and killers.

As we turn to the transformational power of education, our own history shows that student movements have often been at the forefront of social change, from the 1976 Soweto uprising to the #FeesMustFall movement.

Economic justice is equally tied to education. It is not enough to prepare students to enter the economy as it is.

We must prepare them to reshape the economy into one that is inclusive and fair. This means developing entrepreneurs who create jobs, not just job seekers. It means ensuring that research and innovation address the needs of communities, not only the interests of global markets.

This is especially urgent in light of the World Economic Forum’s 2025 Future of Jobs Report, which warns that by the year 2030, more than 40 percent of the skills needed in the workplace will have changed.

Advances in artificial intelligence, the green transition, demographic shifts, and global uncertainty will redefine what it means to be employable.

The report makes it clear: education must evolve from simply imparting foundational knowledge to actively building the capabilities of complex problem-solving, analytical thinking, creativity, technological literacy, adaptability, and emotional intelligence.

Employers are increasingly seeking graduates who can combine technical expertise with human-centred skills like communication, ethical judgment, and collaboration.

This is why our education system must see itself not as a one-time provider of degrees, but as a lifelong partner in learning, giving graduates the ability to upskill and reskill throughout their careers.

And learning needs to be a way of life for all South Africans; it must become part of our cultural fabric.

Learning need not serve the economy alone. Learning raises self-esteem; it satisfies our curiosity about the world around us; and it makes us more confident and better rounded people, who are able to play a positive role in building better communities.Our education system needs to open pathways for women and youth into sectors from which they have been historically excluded, such as mining, energy, technology, and finance.

The Johannesburg Stock Exchange’s own statistics show that women remain underrepresented at executive levels and in board leadership. Education must be the pipeline that changes this reality.

Programme director, transforming education into a true liberator requires deliberate action.

Curricula must reflect African realities and global challenges.

Every student must have access to digital tools and the internet, regardless of geography or income.

Work-based learning, internships, and mentorships must be embedded in every programme. Campuses must be safe, inclusive spaces that actively combat gender-based violence.

When we do this, we do more than strengthen education; we strengthen the motive forces of change in our society.

Workers become more skilled.

Rural communities become more resilient.

Women become more empowered.

Youth become more capable of shaping their future. Progressive intellectuals become more connected to the real needs of the people.

As we mark Women’s Month, we must regard the struggle for gender equity as central to building a peaceful and just society.

As we observe International Youth Day, let us invest in young people as active partners, not passive recipients, of education.

And as we approach World Humanitarian Day, let us ensure that our education system produces citizens who are not only skilled but compassionate, civic-minded and capable of contributing to the common good.

Education will be what we make it.

It is a liberator, breaking down barriers and building bridges to opportunity.

If we don’t leverage education in this way, it will be an oppressor, silently reproducing the inequalities of the past.

The choice is ours. Let us choose liberation.

Let us make education the most powerful of our motive forces, driving peace, gender equity, and economic justice for generations to come.

I thank you.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has today, 23 August 2025, held talks with European leaders on the Russia-Ukraine peace efforts. 

The series of telephone calls held today follows meetings hosted by President Donald Trump with President Vladimir Putin, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and several other European leaders. 

President Ramaphosa spoke to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine, President Emmanuel Macron of France and President Alexandar Stubb of Finland. Additional calls with other European leaders will follow in the coming days and weeks.

President Ramaphosa also appreciated the briefing he received last week from President Vladimir Putin following his meeting with President Trump. 

In all the discussions European leaders openly shared their perspectives, appreciated South Africa's role in engaging with both sides to the conflict and provided President Ramaphosa with a firm commitment to supporting efforts aimed at ending the war between Russia and Ukraine. 

President Ramaphosa stressed the urgency of holding bilateral and trilateral meetings between the leaders of Russia and Ukraine and the United States as key to signal a firm commitment to ending the war. 

President Ramaphosa calls on all parties to seize this moment and  sustain the momentum towards peace between Russia and Ukraine.

 

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

The Deputy Minister in The Presidency, Ms Nonceba Mhlauli, will participate in the 2^nd Annual Critical Conversation: Beyond Liberation, hosted by the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) on Friday 22 August 2025.

The dialogue will be held under the theme: “Is education a liberator or an oppressor in the struggle for peace, gender equality, and economic justice?” This important engagement forms part of the commemoration of Women’s Month, International Youth Day, and World Humanitarian Day.

Deputy Minister Mhlauli will deliver the keynote address, reflecting on the role of education as a catalyst for social transformation, empowerment, and inclusive development. The event will bring together academics, students, civil society, and policymakers to reflect on how education can advance equality, dignity, and justice in society.

Details of the Event:

Date: Friday, 22 August 2025
Time: 09:00 – 15:00
Venue: CPUT Bellville Campus Auditorium
The media are invited to attend and cover the proceedings.
 

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

Deputy President Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile will on Friday, 22 August and Sunday 24 August 2025, attend and deliver remarks at the National Arts and Culture Awards (NACA) and the South African Sports Awards (SASA) scheduled to take place at Sun City Superbowl in the North West Province.

The NACAs, previously known as the Cultural and Creative Industry Awards, shine a national spotlight on the creators, innovators, and visionaries who push boundaries and shape our cultural identity. This year’s nominees reflect the rich diversity, imagination, and resilience that define South Africa’s creative sector.

The SASAs seek to recognise the contribution of sports towards social cohesion and unity, and celebrate courage and excellent performance in the field of sports.

Hosted by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, these awards reaffirm Government’s commitment to supporting the development of South Africa’s creative and sports industries. 

As a champion of social cohesion and nation building initiatives, Deputy President Mashatile is expected to highlight the importance of sports, arts and culture in shaping South Africa’s national identity, fostering social cohesion, and contributing to economic growth. 

Details of the events are as follows:

National Arts and Culture Awards

Date: Friday, 22 August 2025
Time: 20h00
Venue: Sun City Superbowl 

South African Sports Awards

Date: Sunday, 24 August 2025
Time: 20h00
Venue: Sun City Superbowl

 

Media enquiries:  Mr Keith Khoza, Acting Spokesperson to the Deputy President on 066 195 8840

Issued by: The Presidedcy
Pretoria

 

Programme Director;
Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Mr Parks Tau;
Ministers;
Ambassadors;
Business and industry leaders;
Distinguished guests;
Ladies and gentlemen;
 
It is a privilege to deliver these keynote remarks at a forum that heralds the next chapter of the South Africa–Japan partnership.
 
This next chapter is grounded in shared ideals of innovation, resilience and inclusive prosperity.
 
This year marks 115 years of relations between South Africa and Japan. 
 
It is an opportune time to strengthen our long standing economic relationship. 
 
The recent tariff decisions by the United States have tested South Africa’s reliance on historical markets. 
 
Our government has swiftly activated diversification strategies, including the re-establishment of trade offices and assistance desks. 
 
Japan is a key pillar in our outreach.
 
Prime Minister Ishiba’s recent remarks on Japan’s willingness to adjust tariffs for strained partners signal an alignment that could underpin deeper bilateral tariff cooperation.
 
This business forum provides a great opportunity to focus on what we have done so far, the opportunities between both our countries, and how we can tap into the benefits for a deeper partnership going forward.
 
There are immense opportunities for South Africa and Japan to collaborate on integrated supply chains within strategic sectors, such as battery minerals, automotive components, renewable energy equipment and hydrogen technologies.
 
This would enhance mutual resilience to external trade disruptions.
 
Japan is one of South Africa's major economic partners and an important source of investment. 
 
South Africa’s exports to Japan are dominated by minerals such as platinum, coal, manganese, titanium and iron ore. 
 
Japan is South Africa’s most important trading partners in construction, manufacturing and technology. 
 
South African agricultural products currently found in the Japanese market include Rooibos tea, Appletiser juices, citrus, wine, avocados, butternut and maize. 
 
South Africa is a top-tier global agricultural exporter, with strong sanitary and phytosanitary standards and traceability systems, with a growing range of niche, high-value products.
 
Globally, we are ranked the number one exporter of Rooibos tea, the number one exporter of macadamia nuts, the second largest exporter of fresh citrus and the fifth largest exporter by volume of wine.
 
South Africa is a leading global supplier of strategic and industrial minerals used in Japan’s green tech industries.
 
We are world leaders in the supply of platinum group metals and manganese. We are in the top five of vanadium producers and have untapped potential in rare earths.
 
South African exports automotive components to Japanese auto manufacturers across global supply chains, chemicals and polymers, and stainless steel and fabricated metal products.
 
Our products are not only export-ready but uniquely positioned to meet evolving Japanese consumer and industrial demands.
 
Over 270 Japanese companies have a notable presence in the South African economy, sustaining over 200,000 local jobs. 
 
Our strategic position on the African continent, our developed infrastructure and active private sector make South Africa a strong base for regional expansion.
 
We are on a path to revolutionise our energy sector in pursuit of low-carbon, climate resilient development.
 
We are actively seeking investment in the energy sector with a particular focus on renewables and green hydrogen.
 
South Africa is one of the most cost-effective hydrogen producers globally. 
 
We have introduced policies to promote the development of the electric vehicle industry in South Africa.
 
We invite co-investment on manganese, vanadium, platinum group metals and rare earths beneficiation aimed at the clean energy and mobility markets.
 
Investments in AI agriculture, diagnostics, cloud services and pharmaceutical manufacturing will serve both domestic and African demand.
 
South Africa’s economic recovery, renewal and expansion is being driven by a massive rollout of investment in energy, water, road, rail, port, telecommunication, digital and social infrastructure. 
 
Through this, we are expanding economic capacity and improving efficiencies. 
 
We are improving policy certainty and have adequate investment protection mechanisms to reduce risks for prospective investors and existing industry players. 
 
We are committed to taking advantage of intra-Africa trade and financial cooperation through the African Continental Free Trade Area. 
 
Under the African Continental Free Trade Area, South Africa is positioning itself as a continental industrial hub, both in manufacturing and innovation.
 
We invite Japanese companies to co-invest in value chains anchored in South Africa that serve the continental market of 1.4 billion people.
 
South Africa is firmly behind the African Union’s economic priorities, particularly infrastructure connectivity, climate adaptation and industrialisation. 
 
We are also chairing key forums in the G20 and G7 outreach that focus on critical minerals, climate finance and industrial resilience.
 
South Africa and Japan can jointly advocate for rules-based global systems that support fair trade, sustainable investment and value chain integration.
 
Together, we will be able to build industrial corridors in electric vehicles, hydrogen and digital innovation.
 
We should strengthen trading platforms for agricultural products, minerals and health goods.
 
And we should harmonise tariff and regulatory frameworks to incentivise location of high-value manufacturing.
 
We must work to translate our friendship into industrial and human development, with South Africa serving as a gateway to Africa.
 
South Africa is ready to partner with Japan in achieving durable, innovation-driven African economic development.
 
I encourage Japanese businesses to work together to seize the abundant opportunities that South Africa has to offer.
 
I wish you all well in the deliberations going forward.
 
I thank you.

Minister of Higher Education, Buti Manamela;
Host, Gauteng Premier, Panyaza Lesufi;
Ministers and Deputy Ministers;
Premiers and MECs;
Members of the Human Resource Development Council;
Directors- General and senior Government officials;

Good morning!

I would like to extend my congratulations to Mr. Buti Manamela on his appointment as the Minister of Higher Education and Training. We are pleased that you are familiar with the Human Resource Development Council (HRDC) and possess institutional memory regarding our objectives. 

As a former youth and student leader, we appreciate your comprehensive awareness of the concerns of young people in the developmental agenda. We are confident in your capacity to lead this sector and look forward to collaborating closely with you and your team.

Let me also extend a warm welcome to all of you as we gather here today for this Council meeting. We are meeting here today because together we hold a collective wisdom and commitment to increase productivity, and the human resource development needed to successfully transform South Africa into a knowledge economy.

Substantively, we are here because we are all dedicated to improving national economic growth and development through the improved competitiveness of the South African economy.

We are meeting here today after a harsh reality was revealed by Statistics South Africa that the unemployment rate climbed once again to 33.2%, meaning one-third of the workforce is sitting without a job, the majority of whom are youth, women, and marginalised groups. 

We must acknowledge that the crisis of youth unemployment is particularly severe among young people not in employment, education, or training – the NEET cohort. 

According to Statistics South Africa’s first-quarter release of 2025, 34% of all youth aged 15–24 – more than 3.5 million young people – are disconnected from both the labour market and the education system. 

Research by the Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit at the University of Cape Town reminds us that this is not a homogenous group, but rather a heterogeneous mix of young people whose experiences reflect entrenched exclusion, long-term unemployment, and fragile transitions between short-term opportunities.

Alarmingly, more than half of unemployed youth not in employment, education and training have been searching for work for over a year, underscoring the systemic barriers they face in securing a foothold in the labour market.

The HRDC plays a crucial role in addressing this crisis by improving workforce skills, creating jobs, and fostering economic growth. This is indeed an entrenched challenge that directly calls for the Council’s innovation and leadership. The future of the youth of South Africa is in our hands, and we must be radical in securing it!

Among other things, these statistics should prompt us to reconsider our role in mobilising various stakeholders and social partners to develop skills that meet the needs of the South African economy.

We should ask ourselves about the effectiveness of our education and training in responding to the social and economic development agenda. This includes how responsive we are in addressing quality issues in education, the skills development pipeline, and the shortages of skills in priority areas.

We must adopt a proactive stance and address the disparity between labour supply and demand. We must create a labour market that will effectively create employment opportunities for young people, including those with no skills.

We can address unemployment, including among those with limited skills, through a multi-pronged approach focused on education and skills development, entrepreneurship, and public employment programmes.

Improving education, aligning it with market needs, supporting small businesses, and investing in public work programs are key strategies.

It is universally acknowledged that education and skills development are essential for productive employment and economic prosperity. It is imperative to implement a more cohesive strategy between businesses and educational institutions to guarantee the cultivation of skills required for the economy.

Moreover, it is mandatory to encourage job creation by investing in employment-generating sectors, particularly by supporting the growth of small enterprises, which are pivotal to economic expansion. By fostering teamwork and a cohesive effort among government, business, and the training sector, we can effectively reverse the current situation, diminish unemployment, and establish a robust and resilient economy.

Together, we must persist in endorsing strategies and interventions that facilitate our efforts as the HRDC. This involves promoting and contributing to the execution of the Presidential Youth Employment Intervention, a multi-sectoral initiative aimed at tackling South Africa's persistent youth unemployment issue.

We must prioritise the oversight and execution of the Human Resource Development Strategy (HRDS), which seeks to enhance the nation's human capital through education, training, and skills development.

Through the HRDS, which also aligns with the National Development Plan (NDP), we can work together to address skills gaps, enhance employability, and reduce poverty and inequality.

Our nation requires us to have an integrated approach across a variety of sectors and levels, beginning with the development of young children and ending with their entry into the labour market. We need to do this with new energy and determination to build an HRDC that makes a difference in our communities.

As I have mentioned previously, for us to take our country forward, we must focus on the discipline of execution. We have at this stage mastered the art of policy making; however, some of these policies are not coming alive in the areas where they are needed to transform the lives of South Africans and the youth in particular. 

The HRDC must therefore be diligent and quick in implementing its agenda of upskilling young people to respond to the global challenges that confront us!

The HRDC must recognise that, in addition to high unemployment rates, there is a deficiency among individuals possessing advanced skills necessary for economic growth. The school system is having difficulties cultivating the skills required for a globalised, knowledge-driven economy.

Despite initiatives to enhance technical and vocational training and rectify skills deficiencies, a scarcity of skilled educators, together with a discord between existing skills and employer requirements, impedes advancement.

The country is actively working to improve educational outcomes, particularly in foundational learning, and to attract and retain skilled professionals. We need to keep working on making education and skills development a top priority for public sector investment, as well as expanding programmes that get young people involved in the economy.

We must further strengthen and expand the National Youth Service to bridge the school-to-work gap. This means the National Youth Development Agency must be at the forefront of integrating real-world experiences into education, fostering collaboration between educational institutions and employers, and equipping students with relevant skills.

This involves initiatives like workplace-integrated learning, career guidance, and mentorship programs. 

We must further coordinate this at the provincial level to drive skills development and economic growth within respective provinces. Minister Manamela will give more details on this when he does his presentation on the mapping of HRDC Exco members to provincial councils.

Let me also take this opportunity to extend my congratulations to the North West and Mpumalanga provinces for the successful launch of their provincial HRDC. The Provincial Council should concentrate on initiatives that will lead to increased productivity and the development of the necessary skills for our country to transition to a knowledge and skills-based economy. These Provincial Councils play a vital role in the implementation of the HRD Strategy and achieving our objectives.

Ladies and gentlemen,

One of the most significant challenges we face globally is the rapid growth of technology and the digital revolution. As automation and artificial intelligence shape industries, demand for traditional skills decreases, leading to an urgent need for new, technologically driven skills. 

The South African community must become digitally adaptive to ensure digital inclusivity for future generations.

We must refocus our curriculum and skills development programmes to align with industry, economic, and social needs. As technology advances exponentially, today's abilities may become obsolete tomorrow.

Thus, we must encourage active personal and professional development. Whether through workplace training or accessible learning platforms, we must create a learning environment that will prepare our workers for future challenges and opportunities.

The discussion today must encompass the necessity of skills development programmes that cater to the demands of all societal groups. We must reconcile disparities across various socio-economic categories, guaranteeing equitable access to skills development opportunities for everyone.

A robust and proficient workforce is the foundation of a prosperous nation. Consequently, we must collaborate to allocate resources towards skills development to advance South Africa on a path to economic prosperity, innovation, and social progress.

Compatriots and colleagues,

Let me conclude by drawing your attention to the G20 Summit. The G20 Education Working Group (EdWG) provides a chance to develop more inclusive and resilient education systems capable of preparing students for the future. 

As a host country, we have the chance to support emerging market economies' objectives while also promoting the African continent's development agenda within the G20 framework.

The collaborative activities and collaborations formed through this platform have played a key role in advancing education reform, promoting inclusive & quality education, and improving our youth's employability.

As we continue to strive for excellence in human resource development, let us use our partnerships and resources to further our shared goals. 

Together, we can have a long-term impact on our people's lives and contribute to our country's sustainable growth.

Let us work together to create a brighter future for all South Africans and those who live in it.

Thank you.

Excellencies, distinguished Heads of State and Government,
Acting Executive Director of UNFPA, Diene Keita,
Honourable Members of Parliament,
Development partners and agencies,
Partners from civil society,
Friends from the private sector,
 
It is an honour to stand before you as the chair of the Global Leaders Network for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health, alongside fellow members Ethiopia and Nigeria. 
 
The Global Leaders Network is a coalition of heads of state and government united by the conviction that the health, dignity and potential of women, children and adolescents are the cornerstones of a fair, prosperous and peaceful world.
 
The reality that we must confront is that too many women still die in childbirth of preventable causes. 
 
Too many children and adolescents still suffer and die from illnesses we know how to prevent or treat. 
 
These are not inevitable tragedies.
 
Just as every avoidable death is a policy and administrative failure, every life saved is the result of political will.
 
The Global Leaders Network commits at the highest political level to keeping the voices of the most vulnerable alive in the halls of power. 
 
The moral imperative is clear: no woman, child or adolescent should die of preventable causes.
 
We must stand firm against the reversals we are witnessing in sexual and reproductive health and rights. 
 
We believe that every woman has autonomy over her sexuality and reproductive choices. Every adolescent should get comprehensive sexual education. Every person should be free from sexually transmitted diseases. 
 
To translate conviction into action, the Global Leaders Network has identified three priorities for immediate and sustained focus.
 
First, as countries advance universal health coverage, we must place women, children and adolescents at the centre of its design and implementation. 
 
Health services need to be safe, effective, compassionate and responsive to the lived realities of those who need them most. 
 
Our second priority is to increase investment in women’, children’s and adolescents’ health. 
 
As official development assistance is cut, many countries are pursuing domestic resource mobilisation as a sustainable health financing solution. 
 
However, we must continue to foster the principle of solidarity through multilateral financing solutions. This includes the consideration of a gap financing mechanism to address the needs of countries and communities most affected by the withdrawal of official development assistance. 
 
Our third priority is to uphold sexual and reproductive health rights. 
 
The data is clear: a lack of access to safe abortion leads to higher incidents of deaths, costly complications and permanent damage leading to infertility. 
 
I call on governments, financing institutions, development partners, civil society and the private sector to push forward towards 2030 with the following convictions:
 
Firstly, reaffirm and protect funding for women’s, children’s, and adolescents’ health as a core pillar of development cooperation, even amid shifting global priorities.
 
Secondly, integrate health into broader development and climate strategies, recognising that resilient health systems are essential for adaptation, recovery and long-term sustainability.
 
Thirdly, continue to invest in innovation and digital health solutions that bridge gaps in access, particularly for rural and marginalised communities.
 
Finally, ensure accountability, so that commitments translate into measurable improvements in survival, well-being and equity.
 
The cost of inaction on these issues will be counted not only in lives lost, but in futures diminished, communities destabilised and economic opportunities foregone. 
 
But the benefits of bold, coordinated action will build social and economic prosperity for generations.
 
Women, children and adolescents must be our priority, for they represent the future that we are all working so hard to secure.
 
I thank you.