President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Adv Dinkie Portia Dube as Deputy Public Protector of the Republic of South Africa for a term of seven years, effective from 1 February 2026.

The President has made this appointment in terms of section 2A(1) of the Public Protector Act, 1994 (Act 23 of 1994), on the recommendation of the National Assembly.

Adv Dube has more than 20 years of experience in the public sector with expertise in oversight, complaints management and investigation.

She is currently the Director-General of the Public Service Commission, before which she served as the Chief Director: Operations in the Office of the Military Ombudsman.

Between 2011 and 2014, Adv Dube was the provincial director of the Gauteng Office of the Public Protector South Africa.

Her professional experience includes complaints resolution in the then Department of Trade and Industry’s Office of Consumer Protection and a tenure as a legal officer in the South African Human Rights Commission.

President Ramaphosa wishes Adv Dube well in her new role in the Public Protector as a supreme administrative oversight body with the power to investigate, report on and remedy improper conduct in all matters of the State.

 

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria
 

Programme Director,
Minister of Basic Education, Ms Siviwe Gwarube,
Deputy Minister of Basic Education, Dr Reginah Mhaule,
Minister of Higher Education and Training, Mr Buti Manamela,
Deputy Minister of Science and Innovation, Dr Nomalungelo Gina,
Director-General of Basic Education, Mr Mathanzima Mweli,
Director-General for Higher Education and Training, Dr Nkosinathi Sishi,
President of Education International, Dr Mugwena Maluleke,
MECs and Members of Parliament,
Representatives of Teacher Unions,
Representatives of SGB Associations,
Representatives of COSAS,
Representatives of higher education institutions, education organisations, civil society and business,
Ladies and gentlemen,

Ndi matsheloni. Molweni. Avuxeni. 

As we gather here, our nation is consumed by sorrow.

Two days ago, 14 children lost their lives on their way to school in a most horrific accident.

We mourn this loss deeply and extend our condolences to the families, teachers and classmates of the children who lost their lives. We wish those who were injured in the crash a speedy recovery.

We cannot accept that young lives are put at risk as they seek the growth and enrichment that an education provides.

We cannot let this tragedy pass. We need to act now and we need to act together to ensure that scholar transport is safe and reliable.

I ask that we stand to observe a moment’s silence in memory of the young lives lost.

I am deeply honoured to once again be part of the Basic Education Sector Lekgotla. 

Education is the engine of development.

Through education we lift our people out of poverty and we overcome inequality. 

The National Development Plan (NDP) envisages an education system in which all learners are equipped with strong foundational skills in literacy, numeracy and science.

This enables them to succeed in later years of schooling and to participate meaningfully in the economy and in society. 

As a country, our commitment to a resilient and capable education system must begin where it matters most: in the early grades, where the foundations for all future learning are laid. 

Strengthening early grade reading and numeracy is a national priority and moral imperative. 

When children do not learn to read for meaning or to work confidently with numbers by the end of the Foundation Phase, the cost is borne by the entire education system.

Unless we get it right at the outset, learners spend the rest of their school careers trying to catch up. 

We see this in repetition, dropout, weak progression and the tragic loss of human potential. 

For this reason, we are intensifying our focus on evidence-based teaching of literacy and numeracy. 

We are working to ensure that every classroom is supported by a coherent curriculum and well-trained teachers.

And that every classroom has high-quality, age-appropriate, grade-specific and culturally relevant learning and teaching support materials.

By investing in foundational learning, we are building a resilient education system that can sustain learning, adapt to shocks and equip every child with the skills needed to thrive in a rapidly changing world. 

There is much we can learn and achieve through collaboration with other countries.

We are delighted to be part of the Head of States Network on Foundational Learning, which was formed during the recent G20 Education meetings, and brings together India, Brazil and South Africa. 

We also stand to benefit immensely from the lessons of our BRICS partners, enabling us to confront shared challenges and advance our common mission to strengthen foundational learning. 

The National Senior Certificate results of 2025 reinforce our view that without strong foundations in the early years, inequality re-emerges later in the schooling system. 

Over the past 30 years, the Department has achieved a remarkable turnaround. 

Three decades ago, only around half of learners obtained a matric certificate.

Last year, 88 percent of learners attained the National Senior Certificate. 

Even more encouraging is that over the past decade the education sector has doubled the number of learners qualifying for admission to Bachelor Studies.

Perhaps the most profound achievement of the Class of 2025 is what I would describe as a silent revolution. Over 66 percent of learners who qualified for admission to bachelor studies came from no-fee schools. 

This means we are making great advances in our struggle against poverty. 

It means that over 200,000 learners from the poorest households now have access to higher education and the possibilities it presents. 

Over half a million learners who are social grant recipients attained the National Senior Certification. Of these, 250,000 qualified for admission to Bachelor Studies.

We are encouraged by the fact that 90 percent of learners with special education needs passed matric and 52 percent achieved bachelor passes, both higher than the national average.

This underscores the importance of sustaining Government’s commitment to supporting marginalised learners and creating equal opportunities for success.

While we applaud these achievements, we must be concerned about the slow pace of growth in vocational and occupational education. 

Vocational and occupational education plays a vital role in preparing people, especially the youth, for the world of work, enhancing economic growth and promoting social equity. 

By focusing on practical skills the economy needs, it contributes to building capable and adaptable workers who meet the demands of a rapidly changing economy.

Our economy urgently needs these skills to drive our country’s growth. 

Basic education must play a stronger role in preparing learners for a skills revolution . 

We must intensify our efforts to partner with various sectors of the economy to strengthen our collective contribution to vocational education. 

As we strive to improve the quality of our matric results, we must work harder to ensure that more children complete their schooling.

It is distressing that nearly half a million children who entered grade one in 2014 left school before reaching their matric year in 2025. 

Most of these learners dropped out between grades 10 and 12.

We call on the department, teachers, parents and communities to counsel learners who are contemplating leaving and to work together to ensure that learners complete their schooling.

We need to pay attention to the reasons learners drop out – from financial pressure to poor academic performance to increasing domestic responsibilities – and provide psychosocial support to those facing challenges in their home situation. 

While there is much focus on matric results, solid foundations in early learning – from birth to nine years – is essential. 

It provides the foundational knowledge, skills and attitudes required for successful onward learning and for lifelong development.

Early learning must be firmly anchored at the core of our education system. 

Early learning lays the groundwork for cognitive, social and emotional development. Children who receive quality early education are better prepared for future learning experiences.

Establishing early learning as a core component of the education system is essential for nurturing well-rounded, capable young people who can thrive academically, socially and economically. 

By investing in early childhood education, our country can foster stronger communities, support equitable access to education and promote lifelong success for all children.

We must prioritise real-time programmes on reading and literacy so that we do not wait five years to understand whether we are making progress. 

This demands a bold shift in approach: to rethink and reimagine early learning, to embed it within the basic education system, and to ensure that early childhood development is treated as a core pillar of educational success.

If we invest early, we invest wisely. 

And so today, I call on all partners – Government, civil society, the private sector and communities – to join hands in this mission. 

Let us make foundational learning the heartbeat of our education system. 

Together, we can ensure that every child in South Africa is ready for the future.

Quality education is impossible without safe and healthy learning environments. 

Schools must be free of violence. They must be nurturing and supportive. 

We must invest in safety, health, nutrition and psychosocial support. 

We must build on the success of the National School Nutrition Programme. 

Today, it nourishes the minds and bodies of close to 10 million learners across our country. 

Good nutrition strengthens punctuality, attendance, concentration, resilience and overall well-being.

We must work to ensure that no child’s learning is compromised by preventable illness, hunger or neglect of their well-being.

In line with the commitments made during the 2025 State of the Nation Address, we gather here to reaffirm our collective resolve to quality and inclusive education. 

Central to this mission is the strengthening of foundational learning through the continued and expanded rollout of Mother Tongue-Based Bilingual Education across all provinces.

Globally, strong literacy and numeracy outcomes are rooted in learners’ mother tongues. 

Our own data confirms the historical advantage that this approach has afforded English and Afrikaans learners. 

Since 1996, our Constitution has enshrined multilingualism as a social, educational and economic norm.

By the end of 2025, nearly 12,000 schools had access to Mother Tongue-Based Bilingual Education. 

The Department is working to expand teacher training in appropriate methodologies, ensuring curriculum and assessment alignment, and integrating language development across literacy and numeracy.

Mother Tongue-Based Bilingual Education faces many challenges, from resource constraints to negative attitudes to African languages.

But these can be overcome through sustained advocacy and mobilisation across society.

Underpinning our quest for quality education is the central role of teachers. 

We must do more to prepare and support our teachers to work effectively in an evolving school environment, while at the same time safeguarding their well-being and professional dignity.

We must plan with teachers. Support them to deliver.

Teachers must have access to high-quality professional development that equips them for a rapidly changing world.

In that way, we can ensure that there is a competent teacher in front of every learner.

The education portfolio is vast, complex and diverse. 

No single institution or department can succeed alone. 

Partnership and collaboration are essential.

We must seek out partners that can guide, challenge and support us in delivering the quality and impact that our nation expects.

The Department of Basic Education must continue to mobilise resources through government channels and strategic partnerships to ensure sustainable implementation from early childhood development through the entire schooling system.

By confronting the literacy crisis, restoring the dignity and value of all home languages, strengthening foundational learning, and investing in teachers and enabling environments, we are laying a firmer foundation for learner success.

In doing so, we are not only transforming education. 

We are building a resilient, inclusive and future-ready education system worthy of all the children of South Africa.

I thank you.

Statistician General, Risenga Maluleke,
Leadership of Statistics South Africa,
Colleagues,

As we begin a new year and prepare for the new financial cycle ahead, I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your families a productive, healthy, and successful year. May 2026 be a year of clarity, impact, and renewed purpose in the important work that you do.

I am honoured to join you today as you finalise your preparations and plans for the new financial year, commencing in April. These planning sessions are critical moments where reflection meets foresight, and where evidence is translated into action.

As we begin this planning cycle, it is important to situate our work within the broader policy architecture of Government. All our plans, programmes, and priorities are anchored in the Medium-Term Development Plan, the MTDP, which serves as the central strategic framework guiding the work of the 7th Administration.

The MTDP is not an abstract policy instrument. It is a practical roadmap that translates electoral mandates into measurable outcomes, sets national priorities, and provides the basis for accountability across Government. It is therefore essential that the Integrated Business Planning of Statistics South Africa is fully aligned to the MTDP, ensuring that the data we produce directly supports national planning, monitoring, and evaluation.

In this regard, Statistics South Africa occupies a unique and indispensable position. The MTDP relies on credible, timely, and high-quality statistics to track progress, identify risks early, and enable corrective action where implementation falls short. Without reliable data, the MTDP cannot succeed, and without Stats SA, evidence-led governance cannot be realised.

The importance of Statistics South Africa cannot be overstated. Every sector of our economy and society relies on credible, scientific evidence to create clarity and enable informed, responsible decision-making. In many respects, the work you do forms the backbone of effective governance, economic planning, and social development.

We are living in profoundly VUCA times. Volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity define our global and national context. The pace of change is relentless, risks are increasingly interconnected, and shocks are no longer isolated events. The Global Risks Report released this week by the World Economic Forum reminds us that climate instability, geopolitical tensions, economic fragility, technological disruption, and misinformation are converging in ways that continue to test institutions and leadership worldwide.

In such an environment, now more than ever, decision-making must be anchored in scientific, informed, and credible data. Intuition alone is no longer sufficient. Opinion is no substitute for evidence. Policy, planning, and investment choices that are not data-driven risk being ineffective at best and harmful at worst.

In a world overflowing with information and changing daily, it is you, the statisticians, data scientists, analysts, administrators, and researchers, who transform complexity into understanding and uncertainty into direction.

Statistics is not simply about numbers. It is the language of progress. It is the foundation of accountability. It is the compass that guides industries, institutions, and communities toward better choices. Every dataset you clean, every model you test, every trend you uncover contributes to something far greater than a report or a spreadsheet. It contributes to trust, something our country needs now more than ever.

It is this trust that gives Statistics South Africa a competitive and strategic advantage within the broader data ecosystem. This is an important position to hold and one that comes with both responsibility and influence.

We live in an era where evidence must compete with opinion, where misinformation spreads faster than insight, and where narratives can overshadow facts. Yet time and again, your work lights the path forward. You help government allocate resources more fairly and competently. You help us plan for a more resilient future. You enable businesses to innovate more intelligently. You support academic institutions in re-skilling the next generation of leaders. Ultimately, you help society understand itself accurately, honestly, and with precision.

But our work is far from finished.

The realities we face today demand even more from us. Global and national climate patterns are shifting dramatically. We see this clearly in the recent flooding in Limpopo and Mpumalanga, where lives have tragically been lost. At the same time, we continue to grapple with persistent challenges such as the school placement crisis, where many children remain without access to education despite the availability of data that should guide effective planning and early intervention.

SG Maluleke and fellow colleagues, while we celebrate the critical role that Statistics South Africa plays, we must also speak honestly about the challenges that continue to surface in Parliament and oversight forums.

Members of Parliament have consistently raised concerns regarding the vacancy rate within Statistics South Africa. Capacity constraints, particularly in specialised and technical areas, place real pressure on the institution’s ability to deliver on its expanding mandate. A strong statistical system requires skilled people, institutional memory, and stability.

Funding constraints have also been a recurring issue. Parliament has repeatedly emphasised that the sustainability of the national statistical system cannot be taken for granted. Underfunding does not only affect outputs. It affects data quality, innovation, responsiveness, and the ability of Stats SA to keep pace with emerging demands such as big data, predictive analytics, and integrated data systems.

In addition, the implementation of the Statistics Amendment Act remains a matter of keen interest to Parliament. The Act strengthens the coordination of official statistics across the state and reinforces the authority of the Statistician-General. Effective implementation is therefore essential to reduce duplication, improve coherence, and build a truly integrated national statistical system.

These are not criticisms for their own sake. They are signals from Parliament that Statistics South Africa matters, that expectations are high, and that the institution is seen as a cornerstone of a capable and developmental state.

As the Executive, we take these matters seriously. Addressing capacity, funding sustainability, and legislative implementation is not optional. It is fundamental to ensuring that Stats SA can continue to serve Cabinet, Parliament, and the people of South Africa with credibility and excellence.

Colleagues, the priorities of the 7th Administration are clear and deliberate. Cabinet has committed itself to accelerating inclusive economic growth, reducing poverty and inequality, strengthening state capability, improving service delivery, and restoring public trust in institutions.

Central to these priorities is the ability of the State to plan effectively, allocate resources strategically, and measure impact honestly. This is where Statistics South Africa becomes a strategic partner to Cabinet, not merely a technical institution.

Whether we are focusing on employment creation, infrastructure development, social protection, education outcomes, health systems, or spatial inequality, Cabinet decisions are only as good as the data that informs them. Stats SA provides the evidence base that allows Cabinet to prioritise correctly, intervene decisively, and assess whether policy choices are delivering real change in people’s lives.

As the 7th Administration intensifies its focus on implementation, impact, and accountability, the demand for high-quality, disaggregated, and timely data will only grow. Your work is therefore not peripheral to the Cabinet agenda. It is central to it.

This raises important questions for all of us.

What is the role of Statistics South Africa in ensuring that data does not simply exist, but meaningfully informs planning and decision-making? Should we, as a country, be leveraging our statistical capabilities more assertively in predictive analytics and scenario planning to anticipate risks, allocate resources proactively, and strengthen long-term resilience?

As technology accelerates, as challenges become more interconnected, and as citizens rightly demand transparency and accountability, the role of the statistics community becomes not just relevant but indispensable.

We must continue to push boundaries.
We must strengthen ethical standards.
We must embrace innovation.
And we must deliberately cultivate the next generation of experts who will carry this mission forward.

Let us be creative.
Let us innovate boldly.
Let us be relentless in our pursuit of truth.
And let us serve the citizens of this country with respect, integrity, and excellence.
When data is respected, democracy is strengthened.

When decisions are informed, lives are improved.

You are not merely working with numbers. You are shaping the future of this country.

Every insight you produce is a building block toward a more just, more strategic, and more resilient South Africa.

I wish you every success in the year ahead.

Thank you for the work you do.
Thank you for your excellence.
And thank you for your unwavering commitment to truth.

Your industry matters.
Your contribution matters.
And your future has never been more important.

I thank you.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has made a determination to increase, with effect 1 April 2026, the salary of public office-bearers.

The Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office-Bearers recommended 4.1% salary increment for all public office bearers.

Having considered the Commission’s recommendations and its impact on the fiscus, the President, however, decided to increase the salary of public office-bearers by 4.1% and 3.8% in different categories.

The increase of 4.1% applies to judges, magistrates, traditional leaders and members of independent constitutional institutions.

The increase of 3.8% applies to Members of the National Executive, Members of Parliament, members of provincial executive councils and members of provincial legislatures.

President Ramaphosa’s determination follows his consideration of recommendations by the Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office-Bearers.

The Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office-Bearers is mandated in terms of section 219(1), (2) and (5) of the Constitution, read with section 8(4) of the Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office-Bearers Act, 1997 (Act No. 92 of 1997), to make annual recommendations relating to the salaries and/or the upper limits of the salaries, allowances, and benefits of the public office-bearers.

In arriving at its decision, the Independent Commission is required in terms of section 8(6) of the Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office-Bearers Act, 1997, to consider the following:

- The role, status, duties, functions and responsibilities of the office-bearers concerned;

- Affordability of different levels of remuneration of public office-bearers;

- Current principles and levels of remuneration, particularly in respect of organs of state;

- Inflation;

- Available resources of the State; and

- Public Service remuneration levels.

President Ramaphosa appreciates the diligence and integrity with which the Commission developed its recommendations.

 

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Wednesday, 21 January 2026, deliver a keynote address at the 2026 Basic Education Sector Lekgotla. The event will take place at the Birchwood Hotel and Conference Centre in Benoni, Gauteng.

Hosted by the Department of Basic Education (DBE), the annual event takes place from 20 to 22 January 2026 under the theme “Strengthening Foundations for a Resilient and Future-Ready Education System.” The sector Lekgotla serves as an annual strategic platform for reflection, dialogue and planning.

The gathering brings together senior education officials, policymakers, provincial education departments, development partners and sector experts to review progress, interrogate system- wide challenges, and collectively shape priorities aimed at improving learner outcomes across the education value chain.

Building on policy momentum from previous makgotla, including the 2025 Basic Education Sector Lekgotla, the 2026 Lekgotla will continue to advance sector priorities focused on:

- Improving access to and quality of Early Childhood Development (ECD);

- Strengthening literacy and numeracy across all schooling phases, with particular emphasis on the Foundation Phase (Grades R – 3);

- Improving access to and quality of inclusive education.

- Enhancing training and professional development opportunities for educators and School Management Teams, and 

- Improving the safety, functionality and quality of schooling environments.

This continuity reflects the Department’s deliberate effort to ensure that Lekgotla outcomes translate into sustained system reform, policy coherence and measurable improvements in learning and teaching.

President Ramaphosa will address the Lekgotla as follows:

Date: Wednesday, 21 January 2026
Time: 10h00
Venue:  Birchwood Hotel and Conference Centre, Benoni, Gauteng Province.

Media accreditation enquiries should be directed to Terence Khala on 081 758 1546 or Lukhanyo Vangqa on 066 302 1533 (Department of Basic Education).

 

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria