President Cyril Ramaphosa says South Africa has lost a champion of human rights, non-racialism and the role of the media in reflecting and shaping society with the recent passing of former Cape Times Editor Mr Tony Heard.

Mr Heard passed away on 27 March 2024 at the age of 86, following a short illness.

President Ramaphosa offers his deep condolences to Mr Heard’s partner, Ms Jane Porter, his children Vicki, Janet, Pasqua and Dylan and their partners, and all members of the extended family.

Mr Heard was a distinguished journalist who had a long association with the Cape Times newspaper, from his debut as a junior reporter to his appointment as Editor in 1979.

Among his many distinctions, Tony Heard was awarded, in 1985, the Pringle Award by the South African Society of Journalists and the Golden Pen of Freedom Award by the World Association of Newspapers for his publication of a discreetly planned and courageous interview with the then-banned African National Congress leader Oliver Tambo.

The interview led to Tony Heard’s arrest by security police for his alleged contravention of the Internal Security Act. While the state pursued a case against him, he was ultimately presented with a small fine.

Mr Heard was a media consultant to the Rector of the University of the Western Cape, the late Professor Jakes Gerwel, during South Africa’s political transition and under the presidency of Nelson Mandela, he was a special advisor to Kader Asmal, who served as Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry and Minister of Education. 
 
He also served as special adviser in the Presidency until January 2010.

President Ramaphosa said: “Tony Heard was brave in his resistance to apartheid and was an influential thought leader who challenged the conscience and beliefs of South Africans who benefited from apartheid.

He deployed significant newsroom resources to expose the brutality of the apartheid state and to portray the everyday suffering of oppressed and impoverished communities.

In so doing, he mobilised and nurtured a generation of journalists who took a clear stand on critical issues in the country and scurried between typewriters and teargas to give a voice to those whose pleas and outcries were muzzled and repressed by the state.

He inspired quality journalism which enriched the profession and media audiences alike and contributed to the inevitable momentum that led to our freedom. We value the contributions he made as well as a senior advisor to government in his later years.

May his soul rest in peace.”

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

His Excellency President Cyril Ramaphosa has concluded a courtesy visit to the His Majesty King Mswati III in Lozitha, eSwatini. 

On arrival in the Kingdom of Eswatini, the President first paid a brief visit to the Queen Mother, Her Majesty iNdlovukazi, before proceeding to meet with His Majesty the King.

The two leaders affirmed their commitment to strong historical bonds between their two countries, including growing political and trade ties. 

They also highlighted the historical success of collaboration between the two countries, where the two leaders  collaborated to work together for a better future.

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria
 

President Cyril Ramaphosa has assented to the National Veld and Forest Fire Amendment Bill, the Agricultural Product Standards Amendment Bill, 2023 and the Correctional Services Amendment Act.
 
National Veldfire Act
 
The amended National Veld and Forest Fire Act, 1998, will amongst other key provisions;  
 
• Provide for the facilitation of the formation of fire protection associations by a municipality and a traditional council; 
• Compel a municipality, state-owned enterprise, public entity or other organ of state     which owns land to join the fire protection associations; 
• Extend the powers of entry, search, seizure and arrest to peace officers and traditional leaders; 
• Amend the title of the Act to the National Veldfire Act.
 
The Agricultural Product Standards Amendment Act, 2023
 
The amended Act, will amongst other provisions, empower the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development to designate a person, an entity, undertaking, body, institution, association or board, who or which, as the case may be, has particular knowledge of the product concerned, or particular knowledge of the relevant management control systems, with no direct or indirect personal or financial interest, as an assignee to inspect the commodity for quality control and audit management control system. 
  
The Correctional Services Amendment Act
 
The amended Act complies with the 2020 Sonke judgement of the Constitutional Court, in providing for an adequate level of independence of the Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services (JICS).
 
The amendments include changes to section 30(7) to provide for an inmate that is subjected to solitary confinement, to be informed of their right to appeal. 
 
The amended section further provides that the Head of the Correctional or Remand Detention Facility must, upon request provide all relevant information relating to an appeal to the Inspecting Judge within 24 hours of receiving such information. 
 
The amended act further provides for;
 
• The appointment of the Chief Executive Officer of the JICS by the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services instead of the National Commissioner of Correctional Services. 
 
• The expenses incurred by the Judicial Inspectorate will be covered from budgets appropriated by Parliament. These costs were previously covered from the Department of Justice and Correctional Services budget. 
 
• Mandatory reporting obligations by the Department to the Inspecting Judge.
 
 
 
Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President - Media@presidency.gov.za
 
Issued by: The Presidnecy,
Pretoria
 

President Cyril Ramaphosa has assented to the Judicial Matters Amendment Act, 2023. The Judicial Matters Amendment Bills aim to amend numerous Acts which are administered by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development and are intended to address mostly practical and technical changes in various pieces of legislation. 

Some of the notable amendments include amongst others:

•    Amendments which provide for the powers, duties and functions of the Chief Master, some of which were not part of the legislation before. These changes will allow the Chief Master to play a greater supervisory role over the Masters of the High Court and will lead to improved service delivery to the public and to legal practitioners.

•    A provision that allows the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, after due consultation, to determine certain categories of offences which, if the accused pays or has paid an admission of guilt fine, would not result in the accused receiving a criminal record.  

Following the Minister’s determination, persons who already have received a criminal record for the identified categories of offences will have their offences expunged.

•    A provision for the expungement of the criminal record of a person who paid an admission of guilt fine for violating the State of Disaster Regulations which were imposed during the COVID pandemic;

•    A new mechanism to fight corruption, by creating an additional offence to be included in the Prevention and Combatting of Corrupt Activities Act, 2004 (Act No. 12 of 2004) regarding the failure of members of the private sector or state-owned entities to prevent corrupt activities.  This is in line with recommendations made by the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture, Corruption and Fraud in the Public Sector, including Organs of State (Zondo Commission).

•    A provision that  relates to when a person willfully makes a false declaration in support of an application for a protection order in terms of the Domestic Violence Act, 1998 (Act No. 116 of 1998). The new provision penalises the making of such a false declaration and such a person will have committed an offence. The amendment also   enables applications for a protection order to be made without an affidavit.

•    A repeals of common law relating to the crime of defamation. Various international and local stakeholders and interested parties have expressed concerns about the alarming effect of such offences on journalists and have advocated for their abolition. (The crime of crimen injuria and civil remedies for defamation however continue to be applicable.)

Whilst the amendments may appear to be minor and technical in nature, they will significantly improve service delivery and the efficiency and responsiveness of the justice system in the related matters.

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Thursday, 4 April 2024, officially open the Newlyn PX Terminal and the Tetra Pak Manufacturing plant, respectively, in Durban, KwaZulu Natal as part of his investment promotion drive.

These entities made pledges through the South African Investment Conference,an initiative led by President Ramaphosa with an ambitious goal of attracting R1.2 trillion in investments over five years.

The multi modal rail terminal in Bayhead next to the port of Durban pledged R2 billion for the development of the largest multi modal rail terminal in Africa and has completed the last phase of the development exceeding the initial pledge by R2.6 billion.

The entity has over the last 26 years demonstrated its commitment as well as significant financial, technical and human resource development in developing transformational logistics infrastructure along the country’s major trade corridors.

The terminal has also been recognised as flagship development expanding the logistics capacity of the country as well as enhancing global competitiveness as part of the critical NATCOR trade corridor linking Johannesburg to the port of Durban.

The development will further facilitate an integrated ecosystem yielding benefits to freight owners, Transnet and logistics service providers.  This will also accelerate government’s objective of migrating of cargo from road to rail.

In 2022, the Tetra Pak Group invested more than R500 million in the manufacturing plant in KwaZulu-Natal. Tetra Pak is the world’s leading food processing and packaging company with presence in more than 155 countries.

Post the investment, the manufacturing plant is now the only state-of-the-art facility in Africa producing carton asceptic packaging for the domestic market and Africa export; meeting standards of sustainability; supporting a circular economy and propelling industrial growth.

These investments will form a critical industrial base for South Africa’s recent commencement of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), for export opportunities.

The Programme will unfold as follows:

PART 1

Time: 10h30 - 12h30
Venue: Newlyn PX Terminal, Bayhead, Durban
 
PART 2

Time: 14h00 - 16h00
Venue: Tetra Pak Manufacturing Plant, Pinetown, KwaZulu-Natal

MEDIA ACCREDITATION:

For Newlyn Terminal, details using the accreditation form should be send to Moliehi Molekoa on 082 751 0420/ Moliehi.Molekoa@magna-carta.co.za and Shadi Baloyi on 072 571 6415/shadi@presidency.gov.za

For Tetrapak Manufacturing Plant, details using the accreditation form should be send to Tambudzai Jonhera 072 490 8501/tambu@ggisa.com and Shadi Baloyi on 072 571 6415/shadi@presidency.gov.za

MEDIA ACCREDITATION DEADLINE IS ON TUESDAY, 2 APRIL 2024, AT 13H00.
NO LATE SUBMISSIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President – media@presidency.gov.za
 
Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

Accreditation Form - President Ramaphosa to officially open new manufacturing entities

President Cyril Ramaphosa has conveyed his condolences to the Republic of Botswana and to the family and friends of the 45 bus crash victims that died in Limpopo earlier today. 

The bus which was transporting Easter pilgrims from Botswana to Moria was travelling on the R518 road near Mokopane, Limpopo when it crashed. 

President Ramaphosa extended his sympathies in a call to President Mokgweetsi Masisi of Botswana and pledged the continued support of the South African government during this time of need for the people of Botswana. 

President Masisi expressed his gratitude for the cooperation that the government of Botswana has received from the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), as well as from the provincial and local government structures.  

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President – media@presidency.gov.za
 
Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

Dr. Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, the Minister in the Presidency responsible for Electricity, will on 03 April 2024, host an Outreach Engagement with Business Stakeholders in the Eastern Cape with the support of the Eastern Cape Provincial Government and the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality.

The energy sector in South Africa is facing significant challenges, including supply constraints, ageing infrastructure, and the imperative to transition to cleaner and more sustainable energy sources. These challenges have wide-ranging implications for businesses, households, and the economy at large. In response, the Ministry of Electricity is actively engaged in implementing interventions to address these challenges and ensure a reliable and sustainable energy supply for the nation.

The outreach engagement seeks to identify areas of collaboration and partnership between the Ministry and businesses to drive innovation and sustainable solutions to minimise the impact of load shedding and facilitate investments and growth in the energy sector.

The Minister will also visit Dedisa Peaking Power Station.

The power station is a 335 MW greenfield Open Cycle Gas Turbine power plant.  It has been operational since July 2016 as an energy generating facility playing an integral part in helping to improve the electricity supply in South Africa, whilst stimulation long-term economic development in its surrounding areas.

MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA ARE INVITED AS FOLLOWS:

SITE VISIT TO DEDISA POWER STATION

Date: Tuesday, 2 April 2024
Time: 10:00
Venue: Zone 13, Coega SEZ, 1 Dedisa Road, Uitenhage Farms, Gqebeha
Media opportunity: Plant walk about and door stop interviews with Minister of Electricity

Strict requirement: Interested media need to send their details (name, surname, media house, vest size, shoes size) by no later than 31 March 2024 to Kelly Davids on Kelly.davids@engie.com and Kutlwano@presidency.gov.za

STAKEHOLDER ENAGEMENT WITH BUSINESS

Date: Wednesday, 3 April 2024
Time: 13:00 (media to arrive at 12:30)
Venue: Gqeberha City Hall, Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality 

Strict requirement: Interested media need to send their details (name, surname, media house) to Kutlwano@presidency.gov.za/Tabisa Molose on 082 798 8220/Mamela Ndamase on 076 025 4692


Media enquires: Tsakane Khambane, Spokesperson in the Ministry of Electricity on 082 084 5566 / tsakane@presidency.gov.za
 
Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

President Ramaphosa, today, 28 March 2024, held a telephone discussion with the President of the Russian Federation, President Vladimir Putin. The two leaders discussed the ongoing efforts in the search for a peaceful end to the conflict in Ukraine. 

The leaders also discussed broad areas of bilateral cooperation between the two countries. 

President Ramaphosa also expressed his condolences to President Putin and the people of Russia following the recent terrorist attacks that killed 137 people. 
 

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President – media@presidency.gov.za
 
Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

President Ramaphosa chaired the meeting of the National Logistics Crisis Committee (NLCC) on the 28th of March 2024 to receive an update on progress achieved since the establishment of the NLCC in June 2023, and discuss where challenges persist within freight logistics system.

In recent months, The Freight Logistics Roadmap has been approved by Cabinet, enabling urgent reforms in the freight logistics sector. 

A crucial reform is the development of a Network Statement which sets out the process for rail operators to access the network.  A draft statement has been finalised and released for public comment. 

Transnet’s recovery plan is showing significant progress, with an additional 10 million tonnes (Mt) recovered against the pre-recovery trend.

The Durban Port has seen a 73% reduction in the number of vessels at anchorage since November 2023. 

Work is ongoing to improve border crossings on the most critical road corridors, significant progress has been made in recent months in reducing processing times at priority border posts.   

PRASA continues to recover rail services, with 28 out of 40 lines fully operational and functional stations increased from 236 to 256 across the county’s metropolitan areas.

President Ramaphosa welcomed this progress and noted the momentous effort from both Government and Business through the Partnership. 

Despite progress, the meeting noted that significant challenges remain. Rail volumes are projected to be 2% below the recovery plan target for the 2023/2024 financial year. Contributing factors include the condition of the rail network, locomotive reliability, and security incidents. 

The meeting resolved that Government, through the NLCC, will prioritise interventions to deploy additional security personnel to critical rail and port corridors. The meeting also resolved to urgently explore financial mechanisms to address the rail infrastructure backlog. 

President Ramaphosa reaffirmed government’s continued commitment to working with social partners to address challenges in the freight logistics system. 

President Ramaphosa was supported by Ministers of Public Enterprises, Transport, Finance, Presidency, Trade, Industry, and Competition, and Justice & Constitutional Development. 

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President – media@presidency.gov.za
 
Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

 
President Cyril Ramaphosa offers his best wishes to South Africa’s diverse Christian denominations for their Easter observances and wishes the nation a peaceful and safe holiday period.
 
The President said: “The prayers and reflection that define Easter renew the spirit of the nation. This period also allows us to connect with family, friends and the community around us and to explore our most beautiful country.
 
We must, however, remain mindful of and reach out to people in our families and communities who are needy and who will appreciate our support.
 
Let us do our best to make this a safe Easter. Easter does not have to be a time where we sit back and wait to see statistics on tragedy or injuries on our roads or at places where people come together in large numbers.
 
This should be a time where each of us evaluates our own attitudes and behaviours and conduct ourselves in ways that build our society and make the country safe for everyone. This applies especially to our obligation to end violence against women and children.
 
Let us make this a time to exercise our spirituality, enjoy our country and care for everyone around us.”



Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President – media@presidency.gov.za
 
Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria