FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT
Monday, 22 November 2021
Dear Fellow South African,
If a nation’s character can be judged by how it treats women and children, then we are falling desperately short.
A week before the launch of the annual 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children, the latest crime statistics released by the South African Police Service (SAPS) show an increase in rapes, domestic violence, and, perhaps most worryingly, in child murders.
In just three months, between July and September 2021, 9,556 people, most of whom were women, were raped. This is 7% more than in the previous reporting period.
Of the nearly 73,000 assault cases reported during this period, more than 13,000 were domestic violence-related. The rate of child murders has climbed by nearly a third compared to the previous reporting period.
These statistics are shameful. We are in the grip of a relentless war being waged on the bodies of women and children that, despite our best efforts, shows no signs of abating.
We have said before that the violence perpetrated by men against women is the second pandemic that our country must confront, and like the COVID-19 pandemic it can be overcome if we all work together.
As government, we have a duty and responsibility to devote the necessary resources to combat crimes of gender-based violence.
Since the launch of the National Strategic Plan to Combat Gender-based Violence and Femicide (NSP) in 2020, there have been a several interventions to respond to GBV. This includes far-reaching legislative reform, support to survivors through the provision of evidence kits at police stations and psycho-social services, the establishment of a GBVF Fund and supporting the network of Thuthuzela and Khuseleka Care Centres.
The SAPS has indicated we are making progress in reducing the significant backlogs in DNA analysis, which is crucial to securing justice for survivors of sex crimes. The SAPS also operates 134 GBV desks at police stations around the country and is in the process of establishing more.
As work continues to implement all the pillars of the NSP, we must ask hard questions of ourselves as a people.
When we hold a mirror up to ourselves, do we see the proud, resilient, peaceful and freedom-loving South Africans we aspire to be?
Every year when November comes around, we make pledges to end violence against women and children. We take part in marches, attend mass mobilisation events, and wear regalia emblazoned with powerful slogans like “Sikwanele: Enough is Enough”.
But what we have observed over the years is that most of those who take part in the 16 Days of Activism are women and children, those most affected by and concerned about GBV. This needs to change.
Gender-based violence is, after all, a problem of male violence. It is predominantly men who are rapists. It is mainly men who are perpetrators of domestic violence.
Because it is men who are the main perpetrators, it should be men taking the lead in speaking out and reporting gender-based violence, in raising awareness, in peer education and in prevention efforts.
It should be men in positions of authority in our educational system, whether as school principals, educators or lecturers, who should be making schools and places of higher learning safe spaces for female learners and students, and never, ever abusing their position of authority to demand sexual favours.
Men should also be playing a more formative and present role in their families, particularly in raising their sons to exhibit healthy, positive masculinity that is respectful of women and children.
Communities and community organisations must work with government to implement interventions that redefine masculinity so that we raise men with empathy, tolerance and respect.
Just as ending gender-based violence cannot be the state’s responsibility alone, the onus cannot be on women and children to end the shocking levels of violence and abuse being visited upon them.
South African men need to play a greater role in preventing GBV. They need to understand what constitutes gender-based violence, especially sexual violence.
The latest crime stats show nearly 4,000 people were raped in their homes or that of the perpetrator, and in 400 reported rape cases the victim and perpetrator had a relationship. This suggests that some men do not understand that sexual activity without explicit consent is a crime.
Men must respect their wives and girlfriends and understand that being in an intimate partner relationship is never a justification for domestic violence.
If each man gathers two men and the three pledge to never rape a woman, never lay a hand on a woman and hold each other accountable to this pledge, we can start to seriously tackle gender-based violence in our country.
This year's 16 Days of Activism campaign aims to shift from awareness to accountability and create an environment for men to play a greater role in GBVF prevention.
It is not enough to intervene only once perpetrators have entered the criminal justice system. We have to prevent gender-based violence before it happens.
I call on all South African men, young and old, city dwellers and rural dwellers, modernists and traditionalists, married and unmarried, to be part of the prevention efforts that are sorely needed in homes and in our communities.
By refusing to condone violence against women and children, by not being party to it yourself and by reporting such acts, you are setting an example to your fellow men, especially to young men and boys.
You will be sending a clear sign that neither kinship, friendship or loyalty can be an excuse for not standing up for the rights of women and children.
Let us work together as one to ensure that this year’s 16 Days of Activism campaign is meaningful, that it moves beyond mere words, and that it results in real change in the lives of South Africa’s women and children.
With best regards,
If a nation’s character can be judged by how it treats women and children, then we are falling desperately short.
A week before the launch of the annual 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children, the latest crime statistics released by the South African Police Service (SAPS) show an increase in rapes, domestic violence, and, perhaps most worryingly, in child murders.
In just three months, between July and September 2021, 9,556 people, most of whom were women, were raped. This is 7% more than in the previous reporting period.
Of the nearly 73,000 assault cases reported during this period, more than 13,000 were domestic violence-related. The rate of child murders has climbed by nearly a third compared to the previous reporting period.
These statistics are shameful. We are in the grip of a relentless war being waged on the bodies of women and children that, despite our best efforts, shows no signs of abating.
We have said before that the violence perpetrated by men against women is the second pandemic that our country must confront, and like the COVID-19 pandemic it can be overcome if we all work together.
As government, we have a duty and responsibility to devote the necessary resources to combat crimes of gender-based violence.
Since the launch of the National Strategic Plan to Combat Gender-based Violence and Femicide (NSP) in 2020, there have been a several interventions to respond to GBV. This includes far-reaching legislative reform, support to survivors through the provision of evidence kits at police stations and psycho-social services, the establishment of a GBVF Fund and supporting the network of Thuthuzela and Khuseleka Care Centres.
The SAPS has indicated we are making progress in reducing the significant backlogs in DNA analysis, which is crucial to securing justice for survivors of sex crimes. The SAPS also operates 134 GBV desks at police stations around the country and is in the process of establishing more.
As work continues to implement all the pillars of the NSP, we must ask hard questions of ourselves as a people.
When we hold a mirror up to ourselves, do we see the proud, resilient, peaceful and freedom-loving South Africans we aspire to be?
Every year when November comes around, we make pledges to end violence against women and children. We take part in marches, attend mass mobilisation events, and wear regalia emblazoned with powerful slogans like “Sikwanele: Enough is Enough”.
But what we have observed over the years is that most of those who take part in the 16 Days of Activism are women and children, those most affected by and concerned about GBV. This needs to change.
Gender-based violence is, after all, a problem of male violence. It is predominantly men who are rapists. It is mainly men who are perpetrators of domestic violence.
Because it is men who are the main perpetrators, it should be men taking the lead in speaking out and reporting gender-based violence, in raising awareness, in peer education and in prevention efforts.
It should be men in positions of authority in our educational system, whether as school principals, educators or lecturers, who should be making schools and places of higher learning safe spaces for female learners and students, and never, ever abusing their position of authority to demand sexual favours.
Men should also be playing a more formative and present role in their families, particularly in raising their sons to exhibit healthy, positive masculinity that is respectful of women and children.
Communities and community organisations must work with government to implement interventions that redefine masculinity so that we raise men with empathy, tolerance and respect.
Just as ending gender-based violence cannot be the state’s responsibility alone, the onus cannot be on women and children to end the shocking levels of violence and abuse being visited upon them.
South African men need to play a greater role in preventing GBV. They need to understand what constitutes gender-based violence, especially sexual violence.
The latest crime stats show nearly 4,000 people were raped in their homes or that of the perpetrator, and in 400 reported rape cases the victim and perpetrator had a relationship. This suggests that some men do not understand that sexual activity without explicit consent is a crime.
Men must respect their wives and girlfriends and understand that being in an intimate partner relationship is never a justification for domestic violence.
If each man gathers two men and the three pledge to never rape a woman, never lay a hand on a woman and hold each other accountable to this pledge, we can start to seriously tackle gender-based violence in our country.
This year's 16 Days of Activism campaign aims to shift from awareness to accountability and create an environment for men to play a greater role in GBVF prevention.
It is not enough to intervene only once perpetrators have entered the criminal justice system. We have to prevent gender-based violence before it happens.
I call on all South African men, young and old, city dwellers and rural dwellers, modernists and traditionalists, married and unmarried, to be part of the prevention efforts that are sorely needed in homes and in our communities.
By refusing to condone violence against women and children, by not being party to it yourself and by reporting such acts, you are setting an example to your fellow men, especially to young men and boys.
You will be sending a clear sign that neither kinship, friendship or loyalty can be an excuse for not standing up for the rights of women and children.
Let us work together as one to ensure that this year’s 16 Days of Activism campaign is meaningful, that it moves beyond mere words, and that it results in real change in the lives of South Africa’s women and children.
With best regards,
President Cyril RAMAPHOSA
FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT
Monday, 15 November 2021
Dear Fellow South African,
Just as the COVID-19 pandemic has tested our resolve as a nation and united us as a people, it has also illustrated once more that community-based and civil society organisations are the lifeblood of this country.
Since the earliest days of the pandemic, civil society organisations have played an essential role in supporting the public health response and sustaining livelihoods.
When government embarked on an extensive relief programme to support people in distress, community organisations partnered with us to make it happen. In many ways this was a true expression of the Thuma Mina spirit. Among other things, they helped to expand sheltering services for survivors of gender-based violence and kept community early childhood development centres running. There were many local community kitchens that sprung up to deal with hunger, often supported by local volunteers, restaurant owners, supermarkets and farmers.
And while meeting vital community needs, these organisations are also creating jobs. This is a strength that we want to build on through the new Social Employment Fund, which has just been launched as part of the second phase of the Presidential Employment Stimulus.
Through this fund, non-governmental, community-based and civil society organisations as well as social enterprises will be supported to create jobs while undertaking work that serves the common good and is not for profit.
This could include work that promotes food security, healthcare, education support, greening the environment, better public spaces, community safety and action against gender-based violence.
It is expected that the Social Employment Fund will create around 50,000 work opportunities. A total of R800 million has been allocated to the fund, which is being led by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition and managed by the Industrial Development Corporation.
Applications are now open for organisations to become the fund’s Strategic Implementing Partners. These partners must be able to create work for at least 1,000 participants, and will be expected to reach the employment target within the first quarter of implementation.
No less than 80% of the funds received needs to be spent on wages. This will ensure that the work supported by the Fund is labour intensive, provides meaningful experience and delivers real social value. Social employment is not about work alone, but about creating high-quality assets and services for communities.
Public employment programmes are particularly important when there are not enough jobs being created in the private sector. As our economy starts to recover from the effects of COVID-19, public employment fills a vital gap as companies get back on their feet and start hiring again.
Work opportunities under the Social Employment Fund will be part-time. This means more people can participate and participants can be employed and have a secure income for longer. This gives participants the time to develop the structure, skills and networks associated with participation in work.
Participants will perform an average of two days of work a week, and we want to encourage the private sector and the donor community to support these organisations, which will enable participants to be paid for more workdays a week.
As the International Labour Organization notes, work experience and skills acquired through public employment programmes can improve a person’s chances of being employed, becoming self-employed or starting their own business.
As with the other programmes of the Presidential Employment Stimulus, this fund will have a broader transformative impact by engaging unemployed people to carry out socially valuable activities such as educating our youngest citizens, greening our communities, and providing care and support to society’s most vulnerable.
As we strive to recover and rebuild in the aftermath of the pandemic, the Social Employment Fund will not only create more work opportunities and support more livelihoods, it will also be a critical driver of development and social upliftment.
Through this fund, and the many organisations it will support, government aims to mobilise the abundant energy and capabilities of the wider society to create work for the common good.
With best regards,
Just as the COVID-19 pandemic has tested our resolve as a nation and united us as a people, it has also illustrated once more that community-based and civil society organisations are the lifeblood of this country.
Since the earliest days of the pandemic, civil society organisations have played an essential role in supporting the public health response and sustaining livelihoods.
When government embarked on an extensive relief programme to support people in distress, community organisations partnered with us to make it happen. In many ways this was a true expression of the Thuma Mina spirit. Among other things, they helped to expand sheltering services for survivors of gender-based violence and kept community early childhood development centres running. There were many local community kitchens that sprung up to deal with hunger, often supported by local volunteers, restaurant owners, supermarkets and farmers.
And while meeting vital community needs, these organisations are also creating jobs. This is a strength that we want to build on through the new Social Employment Fund, which has just been launched as part of the second phase of the Presidential Employment Stimulus.
Through this fund, non-governmental, community-based and civil society organisations as well as social enterprises will be supported to create jobs while undertaking work that serves the common good and is not for profit.
This could include work that promotes food security, healthcare, education support, greening the environment, better public spaces, community safety and action against gender-based violence.
It is expected that the Social Employment Fund will create around 50,000 work opportunities. A total of R800 million has been allocated to the fund, which is being led by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition and managed by the Industrial Development Corporation.
Applications are now open for organisations to become the fund’s Strategic Implementing Partners. These partners must be able to create work for at least 1,000 participants, and will be expected to reach the employment target within the first quarter of implementation.
No less than 80% of the funds received needs to be spent on wages. This will ensure that the work supported by the Fund is labour intensive, provides meaningful experience and delivers real social value. Social employment is not about work alone, but about creating high-quality assets and services for communities.
Public employment programmes are particularly important when there are not enough jobs being created in the private sector. As our economy starts to recover from the effects of COVID-19, public employment fills a vital gap as companies get back on their feet and start hiring again.
Work opportunities under the Social Employment Fund will be part-time. This means more people can participate and participants can be employed and have a secure income for longer. This gives participants the time to develop the structure, skills and networks associated with participation in work.
Participants will perform an average of two days of work a week, and we want to encourage the private sector and the donor community to support these organisations, which will enable participants to be paid for more workdays a week.
As the International Labour Organization notes, work experience and skills acquired through public employment programmes can improve a person’s chances of being employed, becoming self-employed or starting their own business.
As with the other programmes of the Presidential Employment Stimulus, this fund will have a broader transformative impact by engaging unemployed people to carry out socially valuable activities such as educating our youngest citizens, greening our communities, and providing care and support to society’s most vulnerable.
As we strive to recover and rebuild in the aftermath of the pandemic, the Social Employment Fund will not only create more work opportunities and support more livelihoods, it will also be a critical driver of development and social upliftment.
Through this fund, and the many organisations it will support, government aims to mobilise the abundant energy and capabilities of the wider society to create work for the common good.
With best regards,
President Cyril RAMAPHOSA
FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT
Monday, 08 November 2021
Dear Fellow South African,
Normally, this is the time of year when we bring together investors from across the country and around the world for the annual South Africa Investment Conference.
We held the first Investment Conference in 2018 as part of our ambitious drive to raise R1.2 trillion in new investment over five years. The conference was attended by over a thousand delegates in 2018 and 2019, and in 2020 was held in a hybrid format due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Together, these conferences raised just over R770 billion in investment commitments across a wide range of economic sectors.
The fourth South Africa Investment Conference would have been held this month, but we decided to move it to March next year due to several other events taking place at this time. These include the local government elections, the COP26 climate conference and the Intra-African Trade Fair, which starts in eThekwini next week. Another important reason for holding it next year is that there will be far greater COVID-19 vaccination coverage by then, making both travelling and gathering easier.
Although the fourth Investment Conference has been held over by a few months, our ambitious investment drive continues. Even in the midst of the challenging economic environment caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which was exacerbated by the violence and destruction that occurred in parts of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng in July, companies continue to make good on their commitments and to look for other investment opportunities in South Africa.
In the last year alone, nearly R120 billion of investment commitments flowed into project construction or expansion. This means that around 38% of the total investment commitments – or R290 billion – have to date flowed into the economy. Some investments have been delayed due to COVID-19, particularly in hard-hit sectors like property development and tourism.
Just two weeks ago, I attended the launch of Toyota’s expanded production line in eThekwini, which will produce South Africa’s first locally-made hybrid car. This investment was the result of a R2.4 billion commitment the company made at the 2019 South Africa Investment Conference. Also in KwaZulu-Natal, Tetra Pak is expanding its operations with an investment of R500 million.
Pharmaceuticals is an exciting new area of growth.
Aspen Pharmacare recently launched its R3.4 billion expansion, which it announced at the 2018 Investment Conference. This investment has turned Aspen’s Gqeberha manufacturing facility into one of largest global manufacturing hubs for general anesthetics and has also provided capacity over 100 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine have been produced under contract.
The World Health Organization also chose South Africa to host an mRNA vaccine manufacturing hub with the Biovac Institute, which is a public-private partnership with government. South African-born Dr Patrick Soon-Shiong and his company NantWorks recently announced an ambitious initiative to build capacity for advanced health care in Africa. In addition to the investments they will bring, these developments will also contribute to our collective ambition for the continent to manufacture 60% of its vaccine needs by 2040.
Energy is another area of growth. The 25 preferred bidders in the fifth round of our Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme are together expected to invest around R50 billion into the economy. The increase of the licensing threshold for embedded generation to 100 megawatts is likely to result in substantial private investment in electricity generation projects.
South Africa has recently secured an initial commitment of around R131 billion to fund a just transition to a low carbon economy by investing in renewable energy, green hydrogen and electric vehicles. This commitment by the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany and the European Union is in line with the Paris Agreement, which obliges wealthier countries to support decarbonisation in the developing world.
These energy investments will help us overcome the debilitating load shedding that the country is currently experiencing, as new electricity generation capacity comes online.
Several new investments in datacentres and undersea cables will not only bring in new investment, but will provide the infrastructure needed for the growth of technology and telecommunications industries.
An important part of our investment drive are the far-reaching structural reforms we are undertaking in areas such as energy, telecommunications, water and ports and rail. These reforms will improve efficiency and competitiveness, bringing down the cost of doing business in South Africa, and encouraging greater private investment in our economic infrastructure.
We now have 13 special economic zones across the country, providing investors with targeted investment incentives, preferential tax rates and export support. These provide an attractive manufacturing base for companies seeking to supply both local and international markets. Their value has increased further with the establishment of the African Continental Free Trade Area, which officially commenced trading at the beginning of the year.
While the rate of investment has slowed due to the effects of the pandemic, and several projects have been delayed, the investment drive is beginning to gather pace once again.
As we make progress with the implementation of the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan – with its focus on infrastructure, industrial development, employment and structural reform – the environment for investment will improve further.
Through the investments that are now underway, through the work that social partners are doing to expand local production and through the progress we are making on key reforms, we are building a firm foundation for the success of the fourth South Africa Investment Conference next year.
Most importantly, we are building a firm foundation for a sustained economic recovery that encourages further investment, creating more jobs and providing new opportunities for emerging businesses.
Normally, this is the time of year when we bring together investors from across the country and around the world for the annual South Africa Investment Conference.
We held the first Investment Conference in 2018 as part of our ambitious drive to raise R1.2 trillion in new investment over five years. The conference was attended by over a thousand delegates in 2018 and 2019, and in 2020 was held in a hybrid format due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Together, these conferences raised just over R770 billion in investment commitments across a wide range of economic sectors.
The fourth South Africa Investment Conference would have been held this month, but we decided to move it to March next year due to several other events taking place at this time. These include the local government elections, the COP26 climate conference and the Intra-African Trade Fair, which starts in eThekwini next week. Another important reason for holding it next year is that there will be far greater COVID-19 vaccination coverage by then, making both travelling and gathering easier.
Although the fourth Investment Conference has been held over by a few months, our ambitious investment drive continues. Even in the midst of the challenging economic environment caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which was exacerbated by the violence and destruction that occurred in parts of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng in July, companies continue to make good on their commitments and to look for other investment opportunities in South Africa.
In the last year alone, nearly R120 billion of investment commitments flowed into project construction or expansion. This means that around 38% of the total investment commitments – or R290 billion – have to date flowed into the economy. Some investments have been delayed due to COVID-19, particularly in hard-hit sectors like property development and tourism.
Just two weeks ago, I attended the launch of Toyota’s expanded production line in eThekwini, which will produce South Africa’s first locally-made hybrid car. This investment was the result of a R2.4 billion commitment the company made at the 2019 South Africa Investment Conference. Also in KwaZulu-Natal, Tetra Pak is expanding its operations with an investment of R500 million.
Pharmaceuticals is an exciting new area of growth.
Aspen Pharmacare recently launched its R3.4 billion expansion, which it announced at the 2018 Investment Conference. This investment has turned Aspen’s Gqeberha manufacturing facility into one of largest global manufacturing hubs for general anesthetics and has also provided capacity over 100 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine have been produced under contract.
The World Health Organization also chose South Africa to host an mRNA vaccine manufacturing hub with the Biovac Institute, which is a public-private partnership with government. South African-born Dr Patrick Soon-Shiong and his company NantWorks recently announced an ambitious initiative to build capacity for advanced health care in Africa. In addition to the investments they will bring, these developments will also contribute to our collective ambition for the continent to manufacture 60% of its vaccine needs by 2040.
Energy is another area of growth. The 25 preferred bidders in the fifth round of our Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme are together expected to invest around R50 billion into the economy. The increase of the licensing threshold for embedded generation to 100 megawatts is likely to result in substantial private investment in electricity generation projects.
South Africa has recently secured an initial commitment of around R131 billion to fund a just transition to a low carbon economy by investing in renewable energy, green hydrogen and electric vehicles. This commitment by the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany and the European Union is in line with the Paris Agreement, which obliges wealthier countries to support decarbonisation in the developing world.
These energy investments will help us overcome the debilitating load shedding that the country is currently experiencing, as new electricity generation capacity comes online.
Several new investments in datacentres and undersea cables will not only bring in new investment, but will provide the infrastructure needed for the growth of technology and telecommunications industries.
An important part of our investment drive are the far-reaching structural reforms we are undertaking in areas such as energy, telecommunications, water and ports and rail. These reforms will improve efficiency and competitiveness, bringing down the cost of doing business in South Africa, and encouraging greater private investment in our economic infrastructure.
We now have 13 special economic zones across the country, providing investors with targeted investment incentives, preferential tax rates and export support. These provide an attractive manufacturing base for companies seeking to supply both local and international markets. Their value has increased further with the establishment of the African Continental Free Trade Area, which officially commenced trading at the beginning of the year.
While the rate of investment has slowed due to the effects of the pandemic, and several projects have been delayed, the investment drive is beginning to gather pace once again.
As we make progress with the implementation of the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan – with its focus on infrastructure, industrial development, employment and structural reform – the environment for investment will improve further.
Through the investments that are now underway, through the work that social partners are doing to expand local production and through the progress we are making on key reforms, we are building a firm foundation for the success of the fourth South Africa Investment Conference next year.
Most importantly, we are building a firm foundation for a sustained economic recovery that encourages further investment, creating more jobs and providing new opportunities for emerging businesses.
With best regards,
President Cyril Rmaphosa
STATEMENT BY PRESIDENT RAMAPHOSA ON THE PASSING OF FOMER DEPUTY PRESIDENT AND FORMER STATE PRESIDENT FW DE KLERK
11 November 2021
I have learned with great sadness of the passing of former Deputy President and former State President Frederik Willem “FW” de Klerk.
The Former Deputy President passed away earlier today, Thursday, 11 November 2021, after an extended period of illness. He was 85 years of age.
I offer my sincerest condolences to his wife, Elita, his children Jan and Susan, and his grandchildren.
My thoughts are also with Mr De Klerk’s friends and associates and the management and staff of the FW de Klerk Foundation.
The then State President De Klerk played a vital role in our transition to democracy in the 1990s, which originated from his first meeting in 1989 with President Nelson Mandela who was a political prisoner at that stage.
He took the courageous decision to unban political parties, release political prisoners and enter into negotiations with the liberation movement amid severe pressure to the contrary from many in his political constituency.
Deputy President was a committed South African who embraced the democratic constitutional dispensation and placed the long-term future of the country ahead of narrow political interests.
Serving as Deputy President from 1994 to 1996, Mr De Klerk played an important role in the Government of National Unity, dedicating himself to the constitutional imperative of healing the divisions and conflict of our past.
Deputy President De Klerk’s passing, weeks before the 25th anniversary of our democratic Constitution, should inspire all of us to reflect on the birth of our democracy and on our shared duty to remain true to the values of our Constitution.
May his soul rest in peace.
The FW de Klerk Foundation will in due course make announcements regarding funeral arrangements.
Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria
The Former Deputy President passed away earlier today, Thursday, 11 November 2021, after an extended period of illness. He was 85 years of age.
I offer my sincerest condolences to his wife, Elita, his children Jan and Susan, and his grandchildren.
My thoughts are also with Mr De Klerk’s friends and associates and the management and staff of the FW de Klerk Foundation.
The then State President De Klerk played a vital role in our transition to democracy in the 1990s, which originated from his first meeting in 1989 with President Nelson Mandela who was a political prisoner at that stage.
He took the courageous decision to unban political parties, release political prisoners and enter into negotiations with the liberation movement amid severe pressure to the contrary from many in his political constituency.
Deputy President was a committed South African who embraced the democratic constitutional dispensation and placed the long-term future of the country ahead of narrow political interests.
Serving as Deputy President from 1994 to 1996, Mr De Klerk played an important role in the Government of National Unity, dedicating himself to the constitutional imperative of healing the divisions and conflict of our past.
Deputy President De Klerk’s passing, weeks before the 25th anniversary of our democratic Constitution, should inspire all of us to reflect on the birth of our democracy and on our shared duty to remain true to the values of our Constitution.
May his soul rest in peace.
The FW de Klerk Foundation will in due course make announcements regarding funeral arrangements.
Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria
FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT
Tuesday, 02 November 2021
Dear Fellow South African,
As South Africans went to the polls yesterday to elect our local government representatives, delegates from across the world were gathering in Glasgow, Scotland for the COP 26 UN Climate Change Conference.
The summit is taking place at a crucial time. Nations of the world urgently need to slow down the rate of global warming and tackle the effects of climate change.
While the discussions taking place on the other side of the world may seem far removed from the issues that matter to voters in our local government elections, the reality is that the agreements reached at the global climate summit affect the daily lives of all our people. They affect many of the issues that featured prominently in this election: electricity, water, jobs and housing, among others.
The extreme weather events that we are experiencing as a result of climate change affect the health, lives and livelihoods of people in every country, including our own.
Adverse weather such as droughts affect our already scare water supplies, making access to water harder and causing widespread crop failure that threatens our food security. Polluted air negatively affects human health. Waterborne diseases are more easily spread when there is frequent flooding.
As a country, we are committed to making our fair contribution to the global climate change effort, and have recently set new and more ambitious greenhouse gas emissions targets.
While we are undertaking national efforts to achieve these targets, it is equally important that we combat climate change through local actions.
At local government level, we need to integrate climate change considerations into service delivery planning. This needs to be in areas such as the design of human settlements, in energy management though solar water heating for low-income households, and in the use of renewable energy in municipal water and wastewater infrastructure.
A number of municipalities, notably in KwaZulu-Natal, are already piloting the use of different renewable energy sources such as landfill gas to electricity, biomass, biogas and small-scale hydro power. Last month the City of Cape Town launched the pilot phase of a floating solar power plant at a wastewater treatment works.
Recent amendments to electricity regulations that allow municipalities to buy and generate their own power are expected to lead to a greater uptake of renewable energy technologies over time.
Beyond energy considerations, we are also working to advance the constitutional right of citizens to a clean and healthy environment.
Air pollution remains a major concern for a number of vulnerable communities, particularly those in close proximity to areas of industrial activity. We have
improved air quality management over the years, putting norms and standards in place to regulate, manage and control air quality.
South Africa’s expectations from COP26 are high.
It is our expectation that as we are playing our part in the global climate change effort and have raised the level of our ambition, other nations should so the same. We will also affirm our position that developed countries have a responsibility to assist developing countries to adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change.
We will continue with our efforts to build resilience in communities, and to harness the potential of the green economy to make a difference in the lives of our citizens and grow our economy.
This includes greater use of renewables in electricity generation and the use of green technologies in water and waste management. We will support the recycling economy by revitalising buy-back centres and integrating waste-pickers into the recycling economy value chain.
Through municipal land-use zoning we are planning to make more land available for agricultural production in communities, including for communal food gardens.
Environmental conservation and climate action have the potential for new business development and to support job creation on a large scale, including through public employment programmes.
Under the first phase of the Presidential Employment Stimulus, we supported thousands of beneficiaries in environmental management, sustainable land management and ecosystems conservation programmes.
Communities that are safer, healthier and climate change resilient are key to our collective future. Even as actions are taken at a national level and decisions made on the global stage, adapting to and mitigating the effects of climate change is our shared responsibility.
We can all make a difference by making responsible decisions, whether it is by recycling our trash, by choosing sustainable food sources, by conserving water, or by keeping our communities clean.
Each of these decisions we make has an impact on our natural world and on the climate crisis that affects us all. Let us all play our part in the fight against climate change, whether in our homes, in our communities, in our country or on the global stage.
With best regards,
As South Africans went to the polls yesterday to elect our local government representatives, delegates from across the world were gathering in Glasgow, Scotland for the COP 26 UN Climate Change Conference.
The summit is taking place at a crucial time. Nations of the world urgently need to slow down the rate of global warming and tackle the effects of climate change.
While the discussions taking place on the other side of the world may seem far removed from the issues that matter to voters in our local government elections, the reality is that the agreements reached at the global climate summit affect the daily lives of all our people. They affect many of the issues that featured prominently in this election: electricity, water, jobs and housing, among others.
The extreme weather events that we are experiencing as a result of climate change affect the health, lives and livelihoods of people in every country, including our own.
Adverse weather such as droughts affect our already scare water supplies, making access to water harder and causing widespread crop failure that threatens our food security. Polluted air negatively affects human health. Waterborne diseases are more easily spread when there is frequent flooding.
As a country, we are committed to making our fair contribution to the global climate change effort, and have recently set new and more ambitious greenhouse gas emissions targets.
While we are undertaking national efforts to achieve these targets, it is equally important that we combat climate change through local actions.
At local government level, we need to integrate climate change considerations into service delivery planning. This needs to be in areas such as the design of human settlements, in energy management though solar water heating for low-income households, and in the use of renewable energy in municipal water and wastewater infrastructure.
A number of municipalities, notably in KwaZulu-Natal, are already piloting the use of different renewable energy sources such as landfill gas to electricity, biomass, biogas and small-scale hydro power. Last month the City of Cape Town launched the pilot phase of a floating solar power plant at a wastewater treatment works.
Recent amendments to electricity regulations that allow municipalities to buy and generate their own power are expected to lead to a greater uptake of renewable energy technologies over time.
Beyond energy considerations, we are also working to advance the constitutional right of citizens to a clean and healthy environment.
Air pollution remains a major concern for a number of vulnerable communities, particularly those in close proximity to areas of industrial activity. We have
improved air quality management over the years, putting norms and standards in place to regulate, manage and control air quality.
South Africa’s expectations from COP26 are high.
It is our expectation that as we are playing our part in the global climate change effort and have raised the level of our ambition, other nations should so the same. We will also affirm our position that developed countries have a responsibility to assist developing countries to adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change.
We will continue with our efforts to build resilience in communities, and to harness the potential of the green economy to make a difference in the lives of our citizens and grow our economy.
This includes greater use of renewables in electricity generation and the use of green technologies in water and waste management. We will support the recycling economy by revitalising buy-back centres and integrating waste-pickers into the recycling economy value chain.
Through municipal land-use zoning we are planning to make more land available for agricultural production in communities, including for communal food gardens.
Environmental conservation and climate action have the potential for new business development and to support job creation on a large scale, including through public employment programmes.
Under the first phase of the Presidential Employment Stimulus, we supported thousands of beneficiaries in environmental management, sustainable land management and ecosystems conservation programmes.
Communities that are safer, healthier and climate change resilient are key to our collective future. Even as actions are taken at a national level and decisions made on the global stage, adapting to and mitigating the effects of climate change is our shared responsibility.
We can all make a difference by making responsible decisions, whether it is by recycling our trash, by choosing sustainable food sources, by conserving water, or by keeping our communities clean.
Each of these decisions we make has an impact on our natural world and on the climate crisis that affects us all. Let us all play our part in the fight against climate change, whether in our homes, in our communities, in our country or on the global stage.
With best regards,
President Cyril RAMAPHOSA