Day: March 5, 2023

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Presidency on schedule and health of President Cyril Ramaphosa

Remarks by Spokesperson on President’s schedule and health

As the Presidency, we wish to address the public discussion, including media coverage, of President Ramaphosa’s schedule and health during the course of this past week.

But we would like to start this session by saying the President is deeply saddened by the passing of Free State MEC for Education, Mr Tate Makgoe and a member of his security detail in a vehicle accident near Winburg in the Free State early today.

The President’s thoughts are with the families, friends and colleagues of the MEC and his protector and we wish the surviving driver a speedy and full recovery.

The President also expresses his condolences to the families of the 19 people who died in incidents on roads in Limpopo on Friday the 3rd of March.

We must all do what we can and need to, to stay safe on our roads.

I would now like to turn to the matter at hand.

At issue is the public discussion around the President’s schedule this past week and the President’s appearance at a Ntaba Nyoni Cattle Stud event on Friday evening, 3 February 2023.

Let me once again emphasise that the President is fully seized with and committed to his oath of office and the day-to-day tasks of leading the nation out of the difficulties we face.

In the State of the Nation Address on 9 February, the President said, “The people of South Africa want action, they want solutions and they want government to work for them.”

This is exactly the President’s attitude as he goes about his work day and night.

This context is important as we look back over the past few days.

Throughout this week, the President has attended to his duties while treating a common cold.

You may recall the President’s discomfort was visible during his public appearances as part of the State Visit by His Excellency President Yoweri Museveni of the Republic of Uganda.

Among the tasks the President undertook this week was continued consultation around forthcoming changes to the National Executive.

But contrary to media coverage and speculation on social platforms, there was no plan for the President to announce changes to Cabinet on Thursday, the 2nd of March.

As a result, there was no postponement or cancellation of such an announcement.

On Friday the 3rd of March, President Ramaphosa honoured an engagement of the Ntaba Nyoni Cattle Stud.

This was a dinner preceding an annual auction. The dates for these events were scheduled a number of months ago.

In view of his discomfort, the President made a brief stop at Friday’s dinner – to greet guests. President Ramaphosa did not attend the auction itself the following day as his cold persisted and required that he should rest.

The accusations and misinformation we have seen around this matter are therefore completely unjustified.

While he is still nursing his common cold, the President is finalising his reconfiguration of the National Executive. Furthermore, there have been parliamentary processes such as the swearing in of certain members of Parliament that the president needed to take account of whilst he is finalising the formation of the executive.

The President appreciates the importance of putting in place a National Executive that will build on the commitments government has made for faster growth through our investment drive, economic reforms, public employment programmes and an expanding infrastructure programme.

Having exercised his constitutional prerogative, the President will announce the new National Executive at 7pm tomorrow, Monday, 6 March 2023.

This will reinforce government’s focus – as the President said in SONA – on those actions that will make a meaningful difference now, that will enable real progress within the next year and that will lay a foundation for a sustained recovery into the future.

I thank you.

Source: Government of South Africa

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Minister Mchunu pleased with progress on Loskop Bulk Water Supply Project

Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu is pleased with the progress on Loskop Bulk Water Supply Project for both Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces.

In a statement on Sunday, Minister Mchunu said that a massive job is currently underway on the Loskop Regional Bulk Water Supply Project to abstract water from the Loskop Dam and to supply water to 21 villages under Thembisile Hani Local Municipality in Mpumalanga Province and to eight villages of Moutse-East under Elias Motsoaledi Local Municipality in the Limpopo Province.

Loskop Bulk Water Supply Project is a cross-boundary project worth R1.67 billion and comprises of five work packages which is mainly of the laying of 30km pipelines from Loskop Dam.

Another part of the project is to construct two water reservoirs, pump stations and Water Treatment Works that will supply 20 megalitres per day to the communities of Thembisile Hani Local Municipality, and three megalitres of water per day to the community of Moutse East in Limpopo.

Minister Mchunu and Deputy Ministers, David Mahlobo and Dikeledi Magadzi conducted an inspection at the construction sites of the project last week Friday in Verena, Mpumalanga.

Minister Mchunu expressed his satisfaction with the progress of three of the five work packages currently taking place concurrently. He said the project is scheduled to be completed before end of 2024.

Following the inspections at the construction sites, the Minister interacted with the communities of both Thembisile Hani Municipality in Mpumalanga and Elias Motsoaledi in Limpopo.

The Minister assured the residents that the Loskop Bulk Water Supply Project will bring them much needed relief.

“As the Department we have noted with concern the water challenges that have been experienced by the communities of both these municipalities for a long time. It is for this reason we have started with this big project that entails a 30-kilometre pipeline work from Loskop Dam.”

“The abstracted water will then be treated and stored, before being taken to the people of Thembisile Hani Municipality and those in Moutse-East in Limpopo. We appeal to you to be patient because a big job has already started, and we hope that it will be completed before the end of next year,” Minister Mchunu said.

The site inspection visits form part of the National Water Month by the Department of Water and Sanitation, commemorated annually between 01 to 31 March.

This commemoration is an expansion from the United Nations (UN)’s annual World Water Day on 22 March.

Source: South African Government News Agency

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President Ramaphosa saddened by MEC Makgoe’s passing

President Cyril Ramaphosa is deeply saddened by the passing of Free State MEC for Education, Tate Makgoe and a member of his security detail in a vehicle accident near Winburg, in the Free State early today.

This was announced by the Presidential Spokesperson Vincent Magwenya during a media engagement on relevant topical issues of public and media interest on Sunday.

“The President’s thoughts are with the families, friends and colleagues of the MEC and his protector and we wish the surviving driver a speedy and full recovery,” Magwenya said.

Makgoe died on the N1 outside Winburg around 01:30am when their motor vehicle collided with two cows. Upon arrival at the scene, the Free State Emergency Services crew found three occupants of the vehicle trapped and they used the Jaws of Life to free the occupants and unfortunately, two were declared dead on the scene.

Makgoe has served as the Free State MEC for Education since May 2009. He was sworn in as a member of the Free State Provincial Legislature in May 1994.

The President also expressed his condolences to the families of the 19 people who died in incidents on roads in Limpopo on Friday the 3rd of March.

Magwenya urged everyone to do what they need to do, to stay safe on the country’s roads.

Source: South African Government News Agency

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President Ramaphosa to announce new Cabinet on Monday

President Cyril Ramaphosa will announce the new National Executive on Monday evening, Presidential Spokesperson Vincent Magwenya has announced.

Magwenya said this on Sunday during an engagement with media addressing the public discussion, including media coverage, of President Ramaphosa’s schedule and health during the course of this past week.

“Having exercised his constitutional prerogative, the President will announce the new National Executive at 7pm tomorrow, Monday, 6 March 2023.

“This will reinforce government’s focus – as the President said in the SONA – on those actions that will make a meaningful difference now, that will enable real progress within the next year and that will lay a foundation for a sustained recovery into the future,” Magwenya said.

Turning to the President’s health, Magwenya said that the President has attended to his duties while treating a common cold, throughout this week.

Magwenya quelled media reports and speculation on social media that the President postponed a Cabinet reshuffle announcement last Thursday due to ill health.

He recalled that the President’s discomfort was visible during his public appearances as part of the State Visit by his Ugandan Counterpart President Yoweri Museveni.

“Among the tasks the President undertook this week was continued consultation around forthcoming changes to the National Executive.

“But contrary to media coverage and speculation on social platforms, there was no plan for the President to announce changes to Cabinet on Thursday, the 2nd of March. As a result, there was no postponement or cancellation of such an announcement,” he said.

Magwenya told the media that on Friday President Ramaphosa honoured an engagement of the Ntaba Nyoni Cattle Stud, a dinner preceding an annual auction.

He said that the dates for these events were scheduled a number of months ago.

“In view of his discomfort, the President made a brief stop at Friday’s dinner – to greet guests. President Ramaphosa did not attend the auction itself the following day as his cold persisted and required that he should rest.

“The accusations and misinformation we have seen around this matter are therefore completely unjustified,” Magwenya said.

While the President is nursing his common cold, Magwenya said that he is finalising his reconfiguration of the National Executive.

Furthermore, he said there have been parliamentary processes such as the swearing in of certain members of Parliament that the President needed to take account of whilst he is finalising the formation of the executive.

“The President appreciates the importance of putting in place a National Executive that will build on the commitments government has made for faster growth through our investment drive, economic reforms, public employment programmes and an expanding infrastructure programme,” he said.

The Presidential spokesperson once again emphasised that the President is fully seized with and committed to his oath of office and the day-to-day tasks of leading the nation out of the difficulties the country faces.

Source: South African Government News Agency