South Africa Vision

Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber says automation and digital transformation is necessary to turn Home Affairs into a department that supercharges economic growth, delivers dignified civic services and secures national security.

‘The inefficiency and corruption that has maligned this department can all be traced back to the fact that it still has manual and paper-based processes,’ Schreiber said.

Speaking at the RMB Morgan Stanley Investor Conference, Schreiber said Home Affairs sits at the heart of national security apparatus and has much work to do to restore internal security after decades of neglect and institutional vandalism.

He said securing immigration and civics systems through automation and digital transformation will deliver an immediate boost to confidence in South Africa’s ability to re-establish law and order.

‘But the role of Home Affairs as an economic enabler goes well beyond the realm of national security. In total, it is in the domain of Home Affairs that we have the potential to t
riple or even quadruple this country’s annual economic output.

‘We can do all of this with very little additional demands on the fiscus, which is already overstretched. To achieve this economic impact, we must address both regulation and administration as a matter of urgency,’ the Minister said.

Schreiber said South Africa’s new remote working visa was a game changer.

‘My message to remote workers all around the world is simple: there is just no place like South Africa. And with our new user-friendly remote working visa, there has never been a better time to come and spend your hard-earned salary in a beautiful country whose best days are yet to come.

‘Even more exciting than the remote working visa, is the new points-based work visa. The points-based work visa is going to revolutionise the South African economy.

‘Gone will be the days when highly skilled workers had no pathway to help build this country if their skills happened to not be included in an arbitrary critical skills list,’ the Minister said.

Source: South African Government News Agency

Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George, has extended heartfelt congratulations to the 33 newly-graduated field rangers of the Kruger National Park (KNP).

The graduates completed a rigorous training regimen and were inaugurated as field rangers at a ceremony in Skukuza, earlier this month.

The Minister commended the dedication and resilience of the new recruits.

“I am proud of the commitment and determination each of these individuals has shown throughout their intense six-week training programme. These new field rangers will provide critical support to our conservation efforts, safeguarding one of South Africa’s most treasured natural heritages and playing a vital role in preserving our biodiversity for future generations,” the Minister said on Tuesday.

The rigorous pre-selection and selection process, which took place in July 2024, demanded both physical endurance and mental fortitude from the trainees.

The graduates will now join the ranger corps across various sections of
the KNP, contributing to law enforcement and biodiversity conservation efforts in the park.

“Our field rangers are at the frontline of the fight against poaching and environmental crime. Their work ensures the integrity of our protected areas, and I trust that their contributions will strengthen our collective efforts to protect South Africa’s wildlife,” George said.

The Minister also extended his gratitude to South African National Parks (SANParks) for their continued leadership in conservation and their commitment to maintaining the highest standards in ranger training.

Source: South African Government News Agency

The Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) has enhanced its ability to curb shipping and cargo-handling delays caused by long waves that impact vessels berthed at its ports, thanks to the delivery of six more hydraulic shore tension units destined for the ports of Cape Town and Ngqura.

From the 52 units procured by TNPA in September 2023, this batch brings the total number of mooring units delivered to 12 and adds to the eight that were installed in the Cape Town and Ngqura ports prior to this acquisition.

In a statement on Tuesday, Transnet said the timely delivery solidifies the execution of the Transnet Recovery Plan, which aims to improve operational efficiencies and increase the value of service to customers.

Shipping and cargo handling operations at the Cape Town and Ngqura ports are often impacted by strong winds reaching 35 to 50 knots and high sea swells exceeding 3.5 meters.

Such inclement weather conditions cause operational and safety disruptions leading to delays in vessel movements.

A hy
draulic tension mooring unit is a system placed on the quayside to ensure the safety of docked vessels by mitigating the severity of long-wave effects on vessels. The benefits include minimised downtime and safety incidents during operations.

‘The introduction of the shore tension units at the Port of Cape Town has significantly improved our vessel operations,’ said National Operations Manager at CMA CGM South Africa, Leon Reddy, commenting on the delivery as one of the shipping lines that are benefiting from the installed shore tensions.

‘With the ability to keep our vessels stable and secure alongside the berth, we have seen a notable reduction in vessel movement and ranging.

‘This has resulted in increased container productivity and reduced port stay times, leading to improved overall efficiency and reduced costs. We support TNPA’s initiative to invest in additional shore tension units and look forward to continued cooperation to enhance port operations,” he said.

TNPA has procured 52 shore tension uni
ts with an allocation of 16 units for the Port of Cape Town with six delivered, 14 for the Port of Durban, eight for the Port of Port Elizabeth, six for the Port of Ngqura with all six delivered, four for the Port of Saldanha and four for the Port of Richards Bay.

The phased delivery of the rest of the units will be completed by early 2025.

TNPA is responsible for the safe, effective, and efficient economic functioning of the national port system, which it manages in a landlord capacity.

It provides port infrastructure and marine services at the eight commercial seaports in South Africa – Richards Bay, Durban, Saldanha, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, East London, Mossel Bay and Ngqura.

Source: South African Government News Agency

Minister of Energy and Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, has raised concern about the ‘rising threat’ to global peace and the risk of the threat of nuclear weapons use amidst rising geopolitical tensions.

The Minister raised this while delivering South Africa’s national statement at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) general conference in Austria.

‘South Africa is deeply concerned about the rising threat to international peace and security given the current intensifying geopolitical tensions among nuclear powers. Similarly, the risk of the threat of use of nuclear weapons is gaining traction, which is a serious concern.

‘We remain gravely concerned about the persisting conflicts in Ukraine-Russia, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Sudan and the devastating humanitarian effects these have on civilians, especially women and children,’ he said.

The Minister added that South Africa remains steadfast in its ‘support for advancing nuclear disarmament, non-proliferation and upholding the inali
enable and unconditional right of States to pursue peaceful nuclear energy development’.

‘We remain steadfast in our conviction that nuclear weapons do not guarantee security, but rather detracts from it. Simultaneously, we underscore the central role of the IAEA in strengthening and coordinating the respective nuclear security and safety frameworks globally.

‘Therefore, it remains pivotal that the work of this body is not politicised and that we do not detract from the important and competent technical responsibilities that this Agency is seized with.

‘I reiterate South Africa’s unwavering and continued support for the Agency’s fundamental role in ensuring that nuclear science and technology is used for peaceful purposes, and towards the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the African Union’s Agenda 2063,’ Ramokgopa concluded.

Source: South African Government News Agency