Midrand – The Human Resource Development Council of South Africa (HRDCSA) has adopted the revised Human Resource Development Strategy: Towards 2030 at its 17th meeting held at the Gallagher Convention Centre on Thursday, 30 March 2017.

The Council, chaired by Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, has recommended that the adopted strategy be presented to Cabinet for approval.
 
The revised strategy sets out clear roles for government, labour and business in the development of skills that will match the needs of the   economy and society. The revised draft strategy also sets out clear monitoring and evaluation processes.
 
Building on a call in 2016 by Deputy President Ramaphosa that industry adopt TVET colleges, Council members have undertaken to adopt colleges individually, to offer support and mentorship that will enhance the functioning of such institutions.
 
Council members’ involvement in TVET colleges will provide support in relation to infrastructure, and other resources that are needed for the success of the programmes in the colleges.
 
The HRDCSA is a multi-stakeholder body that creates an enabling, coordinated and intergrated environment to focus on improving the human resource development base and skills of the South African people.
 

Enquires: Brenda Ntombela, Email: Ntombela.B@dhet.gov.za ; Cell:  082 573 3716
 
Issued by: The Human Resource Development Council of South Africa Secretariat

BLOEMFONTEIN - Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, supported by the Minister of Health Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibe, and Members of the Executive Council, will on Friday, 31 March 2017, launch the National Strategic Plan on HIV, TB and STIs (2017-2022) in Mangaung, Free State.

Deputy President Ramaphosa is the Chairperson of the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC), a voluntary association that includes government, civil society and all other stakeholders committed to drive an enhanced country response to HIV, TB and STIs.
 
The launch of the National Strategic Plan (NSP) is one of the highlights of the TB month which is commemorated annually across the globe to raise awareness about Tuberculosis (TB). The NSP is the strategic guide for the national response to HIV, TB and STIs in South Africa. One of the objectives of the Plan is to intensify focus on geographic areas and populations most severely affected by the epidemics.
 
This Plan is usually developed for a period of 5 years, and the current one is coming to an end on 31 March 2017. The slogan of this new NSP is, “Let Our Actions Count” which is a call to action for all South Africans to play a party in achieving the goals of the Plan.
 
This year the government is targeting mainly leaders of society such as Parliamentarians, Members of Provincial Legislatures, Councillors, Traditional leaders, Business leaders, Religious leaders and civil society to commit themselves in the fight against these epidemics and to engage their communities and constituencies.
 
Media is invited to cover as follows:
 
Part 1
Launch of the Multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) 9-month regimen
Time: 08h00 - 09h30
Venue: Pelonomi Hospital, Bloemfontein
           
Part 2
Formal Launch of the NSP and Panel Discussions
Time: 10h00 - 12h00
Venue: Clive Solomon Stadium, Bloemfontein
                       
Part 3
Community Activations/Engagements
Time: 13h00 - 13h40
Venue: Hoffman Square, Bloemfontein

 
For enquiries and accreditation, please contact Sam Bopape on 082 318 5251 or Kanya Ndaki on 0832986100
 

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

Pretoria - The Presidency has noted conflicting media reports and social media commentary on the events surrounding the request for postponement of the Official Memorial Service of the late Mr Ahmed Kathrada. The event was due to take place on Saturday, 01 April 2017 in Soweto.

We wish to place it on record that Deputy President Ramaphosa did not cancel the memorial service but requested a postponement.

The facts are that Deputy President Ramaphosa had been tasked by President Jacob Zuma to lead the government delegation and address the memorial event. Earlier in the week, Deputy President Ramaphosa had led the government delegation to Mr Kathrada’s funeral at the West Park Cemetery, Johannesburg, as delegated by President Jacob Zuma.

Government’s participation in the funeral and at official memorial service was coordinated by the Inter-Ministerial Committee responsible for state and official funerals.

On the eve of the scheduled memorial event, Deputy President Ramaphosa was of the view that inadequate preparations had been made to enable a successful official memorial service and that in view of political developments in the country, a postponement was required to afford South Africans an opportunity to honour Mr Kathrada with the requisite honour and dignity.

Based on this assessment, Deputy President Ramaphosa requested the Director-General in The Presidency, Dr Cassius Lubisi, to convey to the Inter-Ministerial Committee the Deputy President’s suggestion that the memorial service be postponed until the situation is reassessed.

Based on Deputy President Ramaphosa’s recommendations, the Inter-Ministerial Committee responsible for state and official  funerals duly effected the postponement. 

The Presidency then communicated the proposal for a postponement to the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation.

President Jacob Zuma was not involved in these processes.

Government is committed to honouring the late Mr Kathrada at an appropriate time in consultation with the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation and the family. Such consultation is routinely undertaken in instances where distinguished South Africans are honoured with official funerals.

Our thoughts and prayers remain with the family and friends of the late Mr Kathrada who is held in high regard by government and the people of South Africa.

We regret all the confusion, hurt and confusion that has been caused by this postponement. We will make further announcements on the date and nature memorial as soon as details are finalised with all role players.


Enquiries: Ronnie Mamoepa on 082-990-4853
 
Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

MIDRAND – Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa will tomorrow, Friday, 07 April 2017, deliver closing remarks at the 3rd Presidential Local Government Summit at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, Gauteng.

Deputy President Ramaphosa attends the Summit at the invitation of the Minister of Cooperate Governance and Traditional Affairs, Mr Des van Rooyen.

The Summit takes place under the theme, “Transforming Municipal spaces for Radical and Economic Development” and has the following objectives:

· To set a new intergovernmental agenda for ‘Managing Municipal Spaces for Radical Social and Economic Transformation’;
· To strengthen the system of local government in the second phase of the Back to Basics Programme, reflecting on successes, challenges and the developmental role of local government;
· To discuss the centrality of integrated and spatially coherent development planning across sectors and spheres; and
· To provide an opportunity for interaction with leaders in national, provincial and local spheres of government. 
 
Furthermore, as part of the Back to Basics (B2B) second phase priorities, the Summit intends to set a new strategic framework for intergovernmental contributions to meet the objective goal of the National Development Plan (NDP) for transformation of human settlements and the national space economy.

The Summit is being attended by Ministers, members of Parliament, premiers and members of provincial executive councils, the business sector, unions, traditional leaders, members of the state institutions supporting constitutional democracy, and the leadership of the South African Local Government Association.

Media are invited to cover as follows:

Date: Friday, 07 April 2017
Time: 12H30
Venue: Gallagher Convention Centre, Midrand, Gauteng
 

For enquiries and accreditation please contact Sam Bopape on 082 318 5251 or Legadima Leso on 083 378 9495

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

Johannesburg- Nedlac convened a Special Executive Council meeting today, Tuesday, 11 April 2017 to assess and respond to the current challenges facing the country following the recent downgrade of the country’s investment status. The Deputy President, Cyril Ramaphosa, chaired the meeting at the invitation of the social partners.
 
The meeting was attended by Nedlac social partners comprising senior leadership of Labour, Business, Community and Government, including Ministers Malusi Gigaba and Mildred Oliphant and Deputy Minister Sfiso Buthelezi including senior government officials.
 
 The social partners welcomed the Minister and the Deputy Minister of Finance who were attending the NEDLAC Special Executive Council in their new capacities. The social partners also took the opportunity to acknowledge the sterling contribution of the outgoing Director-General Fuzile Lungisa.
 
The meeting expressed the hope that the transition to the appointment of the new Director -General will further contribute to the stability of the Treasury.
 
The meeting received a briefing from the Minister of Finance on government’s assessment of the context in which the two recent sovereign downgrades by Standard & Poor’s and Fitch Ratings occurred including steps that should be undertaken to avoid a further downgrade and a return to investment grade.
 
The meeting expressed concern about the impact the downgrades would have on the economy in general and the quality of life especially for the poor and working class, on job creation, sustainability of business, including small businesses and the ability of big companies to grow and create jobs, infrastructure projects and social reforms.
 
Informed by our past experience in dealing with the 2008 challenges of the global economic crisis, the meeting expressed confidence in the ability of Nedlac social partners to act together and constructively assist the country to mitigate the impact of the downgrade.
 
The Nedlac social partners have agreed to establish a high level task team to be briefed by National Treasury, on an ongoing basis, to co-ordinate our all-round efforts to respond to the current challenges.
 
The meeting agreed on the need for a consistent and confidence-building message that demonstrates South Africa’s commitment to accelerated inclusive growth.

 
Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa at 082-990-4853
 
The Presidency
Pretoria

MORIA - Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa will later today, Sunday, 16 April 2017 join thousands of congregants and church members of the St. Engenas Zion Christian Church (ZCC) in a prayer service at Moria, to celebrate Easter Sunday.
 
The Deputy President is the Patron of the Moral Regeneration Movement aimed at instilling high moral values in our society with particular reference to the youth and as part of contributing to social cohesion and the building of a peaceful, non-racial, non-sexist democratic society.
 
In this regard, the Christian Church and indeed the entire religious formations of our country have and continue to play a major role in efforts aimed at the reconstruction and development of the soul of our South African society and thus assist in laying a firm foundation for a caring society and the creation of a better life for all South Africans.
 
We believe that only working jointly and collectively with various sectors of our society, including religious formations, can we tackle the social ills that are currently afflicting our society. Indeed as South Africa our history is replete with examples of how in acting in unison and collectively we have been able to tackle and triumphed over issues that may have appeared intractable.
 
As Deputy President Ramaphosa joins the St. Engenas ZCC prayer service, his thoughts and prayers will reach out to all other denomination across the country that will equally be joined in spirt in celebrating Easter Sunday.
 
Equally, the Deputy President will take the opportunity to remind those who will be returning home following the Easter holidays to drive carefully, cooperate with the law enforcement agencies, observe the rules of the road and ensure we arrive alive!
 
Other members of the cabinet including President Jacob Zuma joined various church services across the country in celebrating Easter Weekend celebrations.
 
Media is invited as follows:
 
13h00 - Arrival of Deputy President Ramaphosa and courtesy call on the Bishop
14h00 - Church service
16h30 - End of church service
 
* Photo-opportunity
* Doorstop with media by the Deputy President

 
Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa at 082-990-4853

The Presidency
Pretoria

Pretoria- Minister of Finance Malusi Gigaba today, Tuesday 18 April 2017, briefed Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa in Pretoria on his scheduled visit to the United States of America (USA) for the forthcoming International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank Spring Meetings and further interactions with rating agencies. Deputy President Ramaphosa is the Chairperson of the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on reform of state-owned enterprises (SOE).
 
“Well the Minister (Gigaba) is going to the Spring IMF meetings and this (today’s meeting) is a continuous internal government briefings about  what the Minister is going to be doing. We are very very supportive of the Minister and his team as they are going to showcase South Africa to the world”, said Deputy President Ramaphosa
 
“Particularly as the new Minister this is really great and exciting for us because the world will be seeing the new Minister and team that has always handled these matters. This is great and this is what we were talking about’’ concluded Deputy President Ramaphosa
 
The Deputy President and Minister Gigaba reiterated South Africa’s commitment to inclusive growth, poverty alleviation and speedy reform of state owned enterprises.
 
The meeting in Pretoria today follows the recent briefing by Minister Gigaba to domestic investors  as well as the NEDLAC Special Executive Committee chaired by Deputy President Ramaphosa held in Johannesburg.
 
The NEDLAC meeting was held to assess and respond to the current challenges facing South Africa following the recent decisions of two rating agencies to downgrade the country to sub-investment grade.
 
Building upon past experiences particularly in dealing with the 2008 global economic crisis, the NEDLAC meeting expressed confidence in the ability of the social partners – government, business, labour and communities - collectively to act together and constructively assist the country to mitigate the impact of the downgrade.
 
A high level NEDLAC task team to be briefed by National Treasury was established and will meet regularly to co-ordinate South Africa’s all-round efforts to respond to the current challenges.

 
Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa at 082-990-4853
 
The Presidency
Pretoria

SANDTON – Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa will later today, Wednesday 19 April 2017, deliver a keynote address at the Black Business Council (BBC) Drive Economic Recovery Engagement Dinner at the Hilton Hotel in Sandton, Johannesburg.

The event will be attended by black chief executives and captains of industry with the objective of:

 . Developing a detailed action plan for the Black Business Council; and,
 . Pursuing the commitment of business black business to collaborate in driving economic recovery and radical economic transformation.

In this regard, government continues to provide support to Black Industrialists through research and innovation for commercialisation of new technologies, quality standards and productivity support.

Furthermore, government has established the Black Industrialists Programme to enable black industrialists to access strategic and targeted industrial sectors and value chains.

So far, more than 27 black industrialists have been supported in areas such as agro-processing, plastic and pharmaceuticals, electro technical equipment and metals sectors. As a result more jobs were created across the sectors.

Media is invited as follows:

Date: Wednesday, 19 April 2017
Time: 19H00
Venue: Hilton Hotel Sandton, Johannesburg

Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa: 082-990-4853


For enquiries and accreditation please contact, Sam Bopape on 082- 318-5251

The Presidency
Pretoria

President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed members of the Presidential Commission on the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) which will assist government in taking advantage of the opportunities presented by the digital industrial revolution.

The task of the Commission, which will be chaired by the President, is to identify relevant policies, strategies and action plans that will position South Africa as a competitive global player.

The Deputy Chair of the Commission is University of Johannesburg Professor Tshilidzi Marwala, whose expertise spans the theory and application of  artificial intelligence to engineering, computer science, finance, social science and medicine.

In his State of the Nation Address to a Joint Sitting of Parliament on Thursday, 7 February 2019, President Ramaphosa said South Africa had chosen to be a country of the future at a time when the world was changing at a pace and in a manner that was unprecedented in human history.

He said revolutionary advances in technology were reshaping the way people work and live.

“Unless we adapt, unless we understand the nature of the profound change that is reshaping our world, and unless we readily embrace the opportunities it presents, the promise of our nation’s birth will forever remain unfulfilled,” the President said.

In the same Address, the President announced the establishment of a Presidential Commission on 4IR.

In establishing the Commission, a public consultation process was undertaken to attract eminent people who possess relevant skills and knowledge required to drive 4IR. 

The 30-member Commission, Chaired by the President, comprises eminent persons from different sectors of society and reflects a balance in gender, youth, labour and business including digital start-ups as well as digital entrepreneurships.

The commissioners (whose profiles can be viewed in an annexure at https://bit.ly/2ELYzQ8) are:

• Prof Tshilidzi Marwala (Deputy Chair)
• Prof Chris Michael Adendorff
• Ms Beth Arendse
• Mr Thulani Humphrey Dlamini
• Mr Abdul Razak Esakjee
• Dr Bernard Lewis Fanaroff
• Mr Michael Gastrow
• Mr Xolile Christopher George
• Ms Charmaine Houvet
• Dr Prince Senyukelo Jaca
• Mr Tervern Liaan John Jaftha
• Mr Mohamed Shameel Joosub
• Ms Marinda Kellerman
• Ms Nomso Kana
• Mr Baxolile Mabinya
• Mr Rendani Mamphiswana
• Ms Lindiwe Matlali
• Mr Calvo Mawela
• Ms Busisiwe Mbuyisa
• Ms Nomvula Mkhonza
• Mr Vukani Mngxati
• Mr Joseph Ndaba
• Mr Andile Ngcaba
• Dr Nompumelelo Happworth Obokoh
• Mr Rendani Praise Ramabulana
• Mr Leon Desmond Rolls
• Dr Sibongiseni Thotsejane
• Mr Gerhard van Deventer
• Mr Ben Venter, and
• Ms S’onqoba Vuba

Operational support to the Commission will be provided by a secretariat of officials of various national departments, led by the Department of Communications.

President Ramaphosa has wished the Commission well in its endeavours and has expressed his appreciation to commissioners for availing themselves to serve the nation in an important determinant of South Africa’s development trajectory in the coming years and decades.

Minister of Communications Ms Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, who is the coordinator of government’s 4IR programme, is due to convene an induction session with appointed commissioners, after which the Commission will have its inaugural meeting with the President.


Media enquiries: Khusela Diko, Spokesperson to the President on 072 854 5707

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

Empangeni - At the invitation of Prophet Unyazilwezulu Shembe, Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa will tomorrow, Tuesday, 2 May 2017, join thousands of congregants of the Nazareth Baptist Church (Shembe) in Empangeni to celebrate the life and times of its founder leader Prophet Isaiah Shembe at eGibisile Home in Empangeni, KwaZulu-Natal at 8h30.

Details 
Date: Tuesday, 02 May 2017
Time: 08h30
Venue: eGibisile Home, eSikhawini, Empangeni, KwaZulu-Natal province
 
Enquiries: Ronnie Mamoepa 082 990 4853
 

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria