Chairman of the CCPIT, Mr Ren Hongbin;
Chinese Leaders, here present;
Secretary-General of the International Chamber of Commerce, Mr John Denton;
Chairman of CITIC Group, Mr Hua Xiguo;
Honourable Ministers and Deputy Ministers here Present;
Leaders of Industry and Commerce;
Distinguished Guests;

Good Morning, 

I am honoured to address this distinguished gathering at the China International Supply Chain Expo at a time when global supply chains, trade patterns and industrial cooperation are undergoing profound transformation.

On behalf of the Government and people of the Republic of South Africa, I extend our sincere appreciation to the Government of the People's Republic of China and the CCPIT for the gracious invitation to participate in this year's Expo.

Our presence here today reflects South Africa's unwavering commitment to deepening our comprehensive economic partnership with China, aimed at advancing trade, investment, and long-term industrial cooperation.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We meet at a defining moment in the global economy. Geopolitical shifts, technological advancements, climate imperatives, and changing patterns of production are reshaping the architecture of global commerce. At the same time, countries and businesses are seeking greater resilience, diversification, decarbonisation and sustainability within global supply chains.

In this context, the China International Supply Chain Expo serves as an important platform to strengthen partnerships, rebuild confidence in global trade systems and promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth.

South Africa and China enjoy a deep and enduring Comprehensive Strategic Partnership founded on mutual respect, solidarity, and a shared vision for development. Our cooperation continues to expand through strong trade and investment ties, as well as through platforms such as BRICS, the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and other multilateral engagements.

As we navigate this evolving global landscape, South Africa offers a compelling value proposition within international supply chains.

First, South Africa is an attractive investment destination, supported by sophisticated industrial capabilities, a world-class financial sector, and well-established logistics infrastructure. We remain committed to reforms aimed at improving the ease of doing business, accelerating infrastructure development, and strengthening industrial competitiveness, through the use of Artificial Intelligence (Al).

Second, South Africa is a reliable source of high-value products and critical inputs required for modern industries and the global energy transition. We are endowed with significant mineral resources, including platinum group metals, manganese, and chromium, while also offering world-class agricultural products, advanced manufacturing capabilities and growing strengths in services and digital trade.

A key objective of our engagement in Beijing is to expand the range and value of South African exports entering the Chinese market and to shift our trade relationship increasingly towards value-added manufactured goods.

Third, South Africa serves as a gateway to the African continent. Through the African Continental Free Trade Area, investors located in South Africa gain access to a market of more than 1.3 billion people. This presents significant opportunities for regional value chain development and industrial expansion across Africa.

We invite Chinese and international partners to work with us in positioning Africa not merely as a consumer market, but as a competitive production base, a sourcing destination, and an important node within global supply chains.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

An important pillar of our engagement is the implementation of the Framework Agreement on Economic Partnership for Shared Prosperity, or CADEPA, signed earlier this year by our respective trade ministers.

Its implementation is complemented by the zero-tariff preference scheme that came into effect on 1 May 2026, allowing qualifying South African exports to enter the Chinese market duty-free.

South Africa is therefore positioning itself as a reliable supply base for critical inputs, a destination for industrial beneficiation and an ideal partner for co-production. 

We see significant opportunities for collaboration in three priority areas:

Firstly, agriculture and food systems. South Africa produces high-quality citrus, avocados, stone fruits, wines, and macadamia nuts, which now benefit from zero customs duties under the CADEPA framework. We encourage Chinese importers and distributors to establish long-term sourcing partnerships with South African producers.

Secondly, critical minerals and the green economy. South Africa possesses substantial reserves of platinum group metals and other strategic minerals required for fuel cells, renewable energy technologies, and energy storage solutions. We invite Chinese enterprises to explore opportunities for joint ventures, local beneficiation, and downstream manufacturing in South Africa.

Thirdly, advanced manufacturing, logistics and automotive value chains. South Africa's industrial base offers attractive opportunities for component manufacturing, machinery production and export-oriented partnerships serving both domestic and African markets.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

As we shape the future of global supply chains, we must ensure that our partnerships remain inclusive and sustainable. Economic cooperation should contribute to job creation, skills development, industrial growth, environmental sustainability, and deliver tangible benefits for our people.

South Africa reaffirms its commitment to strengthening economic cooperation with China. We are determined to position our country as both a preferred destination for investment and a reliable source of value within global supply chains.

We are confident that this Expo will contribute to a new phase of practical cooperation, deeper industrial integration, and shared prosperity for all people.

I thank you, Xièxie.
 

Deputy President Paul Mashatile has hailed the religious leader, social and political activist, Charlotte Maxeke, as living proof that education is not just a ladder for the individual but also a torch for the collective. 

Deputy President Mashatile delivered the message virtually at the 125th Graduation Anniversary Memorial Lecture held at the CSIR in Pretoria on 20 June 2026. 

The lecture honoured the extraordinary legacy of Mama Charlotte Maxeke. 

This year marks 125 years since Maxeke became the first Black woman in Southern Africa to obtain a university degree, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree from Wilberforce University in Ohio, United States of America, on 20 June 1901. 

Her groundbreaking achievement opened doors for generations of Africans and laid the foundation for a lifelong legacy of educational advancement, women's empowerment, social justice, institution building, and African development. 

"When colonialism tried to suppress African voices, when patriarchy tried to confine African women, and when poverty tried to limit African dreams, she defied them all. She brought her learning and experience back to South Africa, founded schools, led women's organisations , and was in the vanguard of the liberation struggle," said Deputy President Mashatile. 

Deputy President Mashatile emphasised that Mama Maxeke's life teaches many that education is more than parchment and degrees. 

"She taught us that learning must uplift the underprivileged, give voice to the voiceless , and open doors where walls once stood. She whispered to us across time that, ' If you rise, bring someone with you.'" 

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Women's March of 1956. 

Deputy President Mashatile said South Africa is reminded that the liberation of women is the liberation of nations , and that education remains the most powerful weapon against despair, corruption, and violence. 

"Therefore, as we reflect on the towering legacy of Mama Charlotte Maxeke and the rich history of our country, it rests upon our shoulders to safeguard our incredible inheritance of resilience and the championing of equality. It is now in our hands to eliminate Gender-Based Violence and Femicide, to dismantle economic exclusion, and to uproot all forms of discrimination that continue to weigh upon women and girls," said Deputy President Mashatile. 

Deputy President Mashatile said Maxeke's voice remains relevant today, emphasising that progress without humanity is meaningless , and innovation without compassion is hollow. Deputy Mashatile urged the youth to take over the torch and preserve her legacy. 

"In these contemporary times of AI, technology , and digitalisation, her legacy advocates for technology that promotes inclusivity and shared knowledge, where each graduate illuminates the path for others, fostering a human-centred approach to technology. Where AI should serve as a tool to enhance opportunities rather than exacerbate exclusion. This enables young people to contribute to the economy and instil a sense of responsibility and excellence in the youth. Indeed, education should serve as a tool for empowerment, guiding future leaders to make impactful changes within their communities and the broader economic landscape," said Deputy President Mashatile. 

Charlotte Mannya-Maxeke Institute (CMMI) continues to keep her legacy alive through programmes in education, agriculture, skills development, and women's empowerment. 

For more information contact: Sthembiso Sithole (The Presidency) on 0783564355.

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria
 

Deputy President Paul Mashatile has today, Saturday, 20 June 2026, arrived in the People's Republic of China on a Working Visit scheduled to take place from 20 to 26 June 2026.

Building on the successful outcomes of the South Africa-China Bi-National Commission held in Cape Town in March 2026, and co-chaired by Deputy President Mashatile and Vice President Han Zheng of the People's Republic of China, the visit seeks to further advance cooperation between the two countries in areas of mutual interest.

During the Working Visit, the Deputy President will participate in the Fourth China International Supply Chain Expo (CISCE), at the invitation of the Chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), Mr Ren Hongbin.

This will be the Deputy President's second participation in the Expo, following his attendance at the Third CISCE in July 2025, where he advanced the South Africa-China All-Round Strategic Cooperative Partnership in the New Era and reinforced South Africa's position as a gateway to Sub-Saharan Africa for trade, investment and industrial cooperation.

The Deputy President will also hold a bilateral meeting with His Excellency Mr Han Zheng, Vice President of the People's Republic of China.

As part of efforts to strengthen economic ties and explore opportunities for investment and industrial cooperation, the Deputy President will engage with leading Chinese companies, including China Communications Construction Company, Geely Auto, Green Minerals and Metals, Beijing GeoEnviron Engineering, China State Construction Engineering Corporation, Chery and SANY Group. The engagements will focus on infrastructure development, advanced manufacturing, technology innovation, industrialisation and sustainable economic growth.

The Deputy President will thereafter travel to Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, from 25 to 26 June 2026, to build on the outcomes of the 2024 Shenzhen Presidential Business Forum. 

During the Shenzhen leg of the visit, the Deputy President will continue engagements with business leaders, to reflect South Africa's commitment to building sustainable partnerships with Chinese private and state-linked enterprises.

The Deputy President is accompanied by the Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Mr Zuko Godlimpi as well as senior government officials. 

Media enquiries: Mr Keith Khoza, Acting Spokesperson to Deputy President Mashatile on +27 66 195 8840

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

Good morning, members of the media, partners, and colleagues. 

Thank you for joining us today as we reflect on the progress made through the Presidential Youth Employment Intervention (PYEI) in the fourth quarter of the 2025/2026 financial year, covering the period from January to March 2026. 

The PYEI is South Africa's most comprehensive flagship strategy designed to address the chronic youth unemployment crisis. Launched in 2020 by President Cyril Ramaphosa, the PYEI acts as a multi-sector action plan aimed at transitioning young people from "learning to earning". Rather than replacing existing systems, it coordinates, accelerates, and enhances national efforts across government departments, the private sector, and civil society.

Today’s progress report comes at a seminal moment as we commemorate the strides made by the youth of 1976 exactly 50 years ago. Let their steadfast courage and sacrifice be a reminder to all young people of South Africa that change only comes about though action. The youth of 1976 stood up and acted for the future of this country and it is not the time for this generation to carry the baton forward by participating in our democratic processes as a first step. 

We therefore want to encourage all young people to make use of this upcoming open voter registration weekend of the IEC to register to vote. By registering to vote, young people affirm their voice, strengthen our democracy and contribute to building a South Africa that reflects their aspirations, hopes and dreams. 

Ladies and gentlemen, 

As we report on the progress of the PYEI for the end of the 2025/2026 financial year, I am pleased to report that the intervention continues to show sustained progress across its core delivery components to transition young people from learning to earning. Our latest quarterly report confirms the massive scale of the National Pathway Management Network (NPMN). Currently, over 5.9 million young people are registered on SA Youth, and over 5.36 million are registered on the Employment Services of South Africa (ESSA). 

Since its inception in 2020, the PYEI has facilitated access to over 2.5 million temporary earning opportunities through SA Youth and an additional 422,667 opportunities through ESSA. Notably, the PYEI continues to successfully drive systems change and close equity gaps in the labour market, with over 70% of opportunities on SA Youth being accessed by young women. 

Key Achievements and Highlights from Quarter 4
In Q4 alone, young people secured a total of 155,161 new earning opportunities through the network, marking a steady increase since the previous quarter. This includes:   through the SA Youth platform. 
• 20,152 earning and learning opportunities secured via ESSA. 

Our core implementation portfolios and partnerships have delivered exceptional momentum this quarter:
• Workplace Experience: The private-sector-led Youth Employment Service (YES) placed 18,310 young people into workplace experience opportunities. Concurrently, the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) SETA placements delivered 5,005 work-integrated learning opportunities for TVET learners and graduates; more than doubling the placements secured in Q3. 
• Enterprise Support: The National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) provided 6,085 financial and non-financial enterprise opportunities (5,553 non-financial and 532 financial) to support young entrepreneurs in building their businesses. 
• National Youth Service (NYS): Phase 4 of the Revitalised NYS recruited an additional 5,272 young people into its final cohort, bringing total paid service opportunities to 138,056 since inception. Looking forward, Phase 5 is set to recruit an additional 100,000 young people across South Africa next quarter to serve their communities while gaining valuable skills. 

Spotlight on Innovation: Jobs Boost & Rural Pathways
The Jobs Boost Outcomes Fund Pilot Conclusion

Quarter 4 marked the conclusion of implementation for the Jobs Boost Outcomes Fund Pilot; one of the largest government-funded formal-sector employment outcomes funds globally. This R300 million pay-for-performance mechanism requires implementing partners to achieve verified, sustained employment before receiving 80% of their funding. 

As of 30 March 2026, the pilot achieved extraordinary success: 
• 9,174 young people were enrolled, reaching 110% of the enrolment target. 
• 7,044 job placements were secured, exceeding the initial target by 54%. 
• 5,211 three-month sustained jobs have already been verified, with 3,795 sustained to six months as final verifications continue. 

Most importantly, it proved that outcomes-based financing successfully supports the most disadvantaged, with youth from Quintile 1 schools achieving higher retention rates. Based on these lessons, we are preparing to scale this fund to R1 billion to deliver 20,000 high-quality job placements through a public-private partnership approach. 

Additionally, under our Local Ecosystem Enablement pillar, the NPMN Innovation Fund; led by the Department of Employment and Labour and administered by the IDC; is successfully unlocking rural pathways. Our partner spotlight, HPSA Southern Africa, has enrolled 1,800 young people in KwaZulu-Natal to deliver critical agricultural and animal health services. Already, 678 of these young people are actively generating income, recording R1.4 million in collective sales and proving how targeted innovation can build sustainable self-employment where formal jobs are scarce. 

The Way Forward
Heading into the 2026/27 financial year, and as we enter Youth Month, our focus remains clear: scaling quality work placements, advancing outcomes-based public service delivery, and continuing to centre the ambitions of South Africa’s young people. 

The success of this entire ecosystem relies heavily on coordinated, demand-led action driven by the Presidency’s Project Management Office, our national departments, and our diverse implementation partners. 

Detailed data, tracking updates, and insights remain transparently available on the PYEI dashboard. We also continue to encourage our youth to log onto and register with SA Youth to access these pathways. 

We look forward to sharing more detailed insights during the upcoming interaction, and I will now hand over to my colleagues to provide a comprehensive breakdown of the Quarter 4 results. 

I thank you. 

Programme Director,
Minister of Finance, Mr Enoch Godongwana,
Governor of the South African Reserve Bank, Mr Lesetja Kganyago,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,

It is a great privilege to join you for the launch of the South African Reserve Bank Museum. This is a proud day, not only for the Reserve Bank, but for our country.

We are opening the doors of an institution whose work shapes the lives of every South African. Even today, the work of a central bank is not widely understood or appreciated.

Monetary policy, financial stability and the management of our currency can seem distant from the daily concerns of ordinary people.

Yet the work of this institution has a profound impact on the value of the money in our pockets and the stability of the banks that hold our savings.

It gives businesses – both large and small – the confidence to plan, to invest and to grow. We congratulate the Reserve Bank for establishing this museum.

It will inform and educate the public about the role and the history of the Bank.Through its exhibitions and its dedicated schools outreach programme, we expect the museum to deepen financial and economic literacy in society.

Our young people will be able to walk through these halls and understand how an economy works, how money holds its value and why the institutions that safeguard it matter. To build a capable and confident nation, we must equip our citizens with knowledge and understanding.

In devising this museum, the Reserve Bank reminds us that the wealth of our country cannot be counted in Rands alone. The wealth of our country resides in the creativity and ingenuity of our people.

As Governor Kganyago has mentioned, the Reserve Bank has a long and proud history of supporting South African artists, having procured thousands of artworks over many years.

Until now, much of that collection has been seen by relatively few people.

Through this museum, the Bank is giving the public an opportunity to view its extensive art collection in an accessible way.

In doing so, it showcases the richness and diversity of our artistic heritage.

Our artists hold up a mirror to our society. They record our history and give voice to our struggles and our hopes. They imagine the country we are still becoming.

By placing this collection within reach of the public, the Reserve Bank is affirming that our cultural heritage belongs to all of us – that our treasures must not be locked away in a vault.

This museum invites us to reflect on the role the Reserve Bank plays in building a stable, sustainable and inclusive economy.

A stable currency and a sound financial system are the foundations on which our economy grows, jobs are created and families plan for the future.

When inflation is kept in check, it is the poorest who are protected most. It is they who suffer the most when prices spiral and savings erode.

When our banks are sound and well regulated, the hard-earned money of working people is safe.

The Reserve Bank's pursuit of price stability and financial stability is, at its heart, the pursuit of fairness.

The Reserve Bank, working alongside Government and the broader society, has a vital part to play in laying the conditions for economic growth that is inclusive.

We want growth that reaches every community, that draws in those who have been left at the margins and that creates opportunity for the many.

On the 30th anniversary of the adoption of our democratic Constitution, it is important that we reaffirm the constitutional role of the Reserve Bank: to protect the value of the currency in the interest of balanced and sustainable economic growth.

The Constitution requires the Bank to perform its functions independently and without fear, favour or prejudice, while consulting regularly with Government.

This independence is a safeguard for the people.

It ensures that our monetary affairs are managed with discipline and credibility.

We must cherish and defend the integrity and independence of the Reserve Bank for it is a national asset built up over many years and trusted around the world.

The high regard in which this institution is held is the result of the work of many dedicated men and women.

Today, I wish to pay tribute in particular to those who have led this institution since the dawn of our democracy: to Dr Chris Stals, Dr Tito Mboweni, Ms Gill Marcus and to the current Governor Mr Lesetja Kganyago, who carries forward this proud tradition of stewardship with such distinction.

To each of them, on behalf of the people of South Africa, we say thank you.

This museum will stand as a place of learning, heritage and pride.

It tells the story of a venerable institution and in doing so it tells a part of the story of our democratic nation.

It is my honour to declare the South African Reserve Bank Museum officially open.

I thank you.

His Excellency, the Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa, Mr Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile, will undertake a Working Visit to the People's Republic of China from 20 to 26 June 2026.

The visit follows an invitation extended by the Chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), Mr Ren Hongbin, for the Deputy President to participate in the 4th China International Supply Chain Expo (CISCE) in Beijing, as well as other economic diplomacy engagements.

CISCE is the world's first national-level expo dedicated to global supply chains, hosted under the auspices of the Chinese Government and organised by the CCPIT.

This will be the Deputy President's second participation in the Expo, following his attendance at the 3rd CISCE in July 2025.

The Working Visit will further strengthen South Africa-China relations, with a particular focus on political cooperation, industrial investment, trade facilitation and economic collaboration.

Building on the successful outcomes of the 9th South Africa-China Bi-National Commission (BNC) held in Cape Town in March 2026, and co-chaired by Deputy President Mashatile and Vice President Han Zheng of the People's Republic of China, the visit seeks to further advance cooperation between the two countries in areas of mutual interest.

The Deputy President will also undertake high-level engagements with selected Chinese investors in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, reflecting the depth and breadth of South Africa's economic partnership with China.

The Deputy President will be accompanied by the Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Mr Zuko Godlimpi, as well as senior government officials. 

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria
 

President Cyril Ramaphosa will this morning, Friday 19 June 2026 attend the launch of the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) Museum at the institution’s Head Office Campus in Pretoria. 
 
The museum forms part of the SARB’s commitment to transparency and accountability, opening its work to the public to enhance understanding of the central bank’s role in the economy. This will further serve to bring the institution closer to the public, fostering greater engagement and trust. 
 
It will have a dedicated school outreach programme, deepening financial and economic literacy in the country alongside the SARB’s flagship Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) Schools Challenge. This programme is aimed at inspiring learners to pursue careers in economics and central banking by challenging them to write and present their own MPC statements. 
 
The SARB Museum traces the country’s economic heritage, exploring how ideas of money, value, trust and institution-building have evolved over time – from early forms of exchange to the central bank’s establishment in 1921 and its role in a democratic South Africa. 
 
The museum houses archaeological items dating back 75 000 years, a numismatic collection spanning over 300 years and South Africa’s first minting press from 1891. 

Alongside specialised exhibitions, the SARB Museum also features two art galleries showcasing the institution’s extensive collection. 
 
The museum will have rotating exhibitions, making the collection of more than 1 200 artworks accessible to the public for the first time since the SARB’s establishment. It will also feature permanent installations by legendary South African artists Esther Mahlangu, Helen Sebidi and Mary Sibande, commissioned by the SARB. 
 
The launch of the SARB Museum coincides with Youth Month, which was marked by the release of a new R2 circulation coin commemorating 50 years since the 1976 Youth Uprising. 
 
The coin is part of a 2026 commemorative series centred around education. In August, the SARB will release a R2 commemorative coin celebrating the 125th anniversary of Charlotte Maxeke becoming the first black South African woman to graduate with a university degree. 

To mark 30 years since the country’s Constitution was signed into law, the SARB will release another R2 coin celebrating the right to education enshrined in the Constitution. The SARB will also release a R5 education tribute coin, which will feature the concepts of all three R2 coins: the Youth Uprising, Charlotte Maxeke and the Constitution. 
 
The Launch will take place as follows:
Date: Friday,19 June 2026
Time: 10H00
Venue: South African Reserve Bank Campus, Pretoria 

Accreditation enquiries: Media@resbank.co.za.

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria