Category: Politics

Candidates contesting municipal by- elections on 3 August 2022

Four municipal ward by-elections will take place in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo Wednesday, 3 August 2022. The eighteen candidates from nine political parties will contest the by-elections.

Gauteng:

Ward 42 in the City of Tshwane Municipality – TSH will be contested by Tshehofatso Meagan Chauke from the African National Congress (ANC), Shane Maas from the Democratic Alliance (DA), Jozias Ajmal Mahube-Reinecke from the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), Paul Joubert from the Republican Conference of Tshwane (RC), and Daniël Jacobus Laäs from the Vryheidsfront Plus (VF Plus).

The ward was previously represented by the DA and became vacant as a result of the death of a councillor. The voter turnout for this ward in the 2021 municipal elections was 59.46% and the DA candidate won the ward with 71.98% of valid votes.

KwaZulu-Natal

Ward 05 in the uMvoti Municipality – KZN245 will be contested by Melusi Christian Mngadi from the Abantu Batho Congress (ABC), Bongumusa Mthuseni Mbata from the ANC, Mauritius Sifiso Ndlovu from the EFF, Llindokuhle Nu Zondi from the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) and Siyeza Zondi from the National Freedom Party (NFP)

The ward was previously represented by the IFP and became vacant as a result of the death of a councillor. The voter turnout for this ward in the 2021 municipal elections was 54.73% and the IFP candidate won the ward with 48.23% of valid votes.

Ward 03 in the uMfolozi Municipality – KZN281 will be contested by Raymond Thulani Gumede from the ANC, Manqoba Edicious Bulunga from the EFF, Emmah Sibongile Mthethwa from the IFP and Mondli Charles Mncwango from the NFP.

The ward was previously represented by the IFP and became vacant as a result of the death of a councillor. The voter turnout for this ward in the 2021 municipal elections was 58.88% and the IFP candidate won the ward with 57.14% of valid votes.

Limpopo:

Ward 12 in the Modimolle-Mookgophong Municipality – LIM368 will be contested by Thabiso Makanatleng from the ANC, Wiets Lourens Botes from the DA, Dinah Precious Lechelele from the EFF, Mariska Greyling from the VF Plus.

The ward was previously represented by the DA and became vacant as a result of the councillor’s resignation. The voter turnout for this ward in the 2021 municipal elections was 66.84% and the DA candidate won the ward with 71.96% of valid votes.

Source: Government of South Africa

Your Excellency, President Alassane Ouattara,

Ambassadors,

Ministers,

Members of the Media,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

President Ouattara and I, together with our respective delegations, have just concluded very warm and productive discussions.

It is a matter of great significance that President Ouattara has undertaken this visit to South Africa so soon after my State Visit to Côte d’Ivoire in December last year.

It is an indication of our shared commitment to strengthen bilateral relations.

During my visit to Abidjan in December, we signed nine Agreements and Memoranda of Understanding.

Today, we have witnessed the signing of an additional six agreements.

During our discussions, we reviewed the implementation of existing agreements and identified areas for further cooperation.

Together, these agreements signal the broad scope of our cooperation, covering political, economic, cultural, social and military areas.

These agreements cover areas of common interest, such as women’s empowerment and gender equality, youth development, employment, sport, social development and social inclusion.

The agreements will improve cooperation in economic sectors that have been prioritised as part of the Ivorian National Development Plan 2021-2025 and that are important for South Africa’s Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan.

The economic sectors include mining, oil and gas, agriculture, communication and information technology, defence, transport and forestry.

As part of our shared interest in building a capable, developmental state, our respective schools of government have entered into a cooperation agreement.

Trade between our countries is steadily improving.

South African exports to Côte d’Ivoire have recovered after a decline in 2019, and the value of imports from Côte d’Ivoire have doubled over the last five years.

Several South Africa companies operate in Côte d’Ivoire in industries such as telecommunications, broadcasting, banking and insurance.

There are significant opportunities for investment in several other industries, which we will further explore through the bilateral agreements we have signed.

We will also be exploring these opportunities through engagements such as the South Africa-Côte d’Ivoire Business Forum, which President Ouattara and I will be attending this afternoon.

We expect trade, investment and tourism between our two countries to be further enhanced by the commencement of flights by Air Côte d’Ivoire between Johannesburg and Abidjan.

It is likely to contribute to increased traffic not only between the two countries, but also between South and the West Africa region.

We expect the commencement of the African Continental Free Trade Area to provide a further boost to our trade relations.

We also discussed issues of security and stability in our respective regions and across the continent.

We welcomed the important role played by Côte d’Ivoire in contributing to peace and stability in West Africa and pledged our support within the framework of the Defence Cooperation Agreement signed in December 2021.

We noted the importance of multilateralism within the global system of governance.

We agreed to continue to defend and promote the primacy of the United Nations in resolving the challenges facing the international community.

We are united in our determination to work together to build a prosperous Africa based on inclusive growth and sustainable development, good governance, democracy, respect for human rights, justice and the rule of law.

In appreciation of the contribution that His Excellency President Ouattara has made, and continues to make, to the furtherance of the friendship between our two countries, it was my great honour earlier today to bestow on President Ouattara the Order of South Africa.

The Order of South Africa (Gold) is awarded to Heads of State and Government who have distinguished themselves to the President of the Republic of South Africa.

Your Excellency, it has been a great honour to welcome you to our country.

I look forward to deepening our cooperation in the interests of our peoples and in the interests of our continent, Africa.

I thank you.

Source: The Presidency Republic of South Africa

Your Excellency President Ouattara,

Your Excellencies Ambassadors of South Africa and Côte d’Ivoire,

Minister Ebrahim Patel and Minister Souleymane Diarrassouba

Honourable Ministers and Deputy Ministers,

Business and industry leaders from South Africa and Côte d’Ivoire,

Representatives of business organisations,

Distinguished Guests,

Friends,

It is my pleasure to address this South Africa-Côte d’Ivoire Business Forum.

This gathering follows closely on the Ivorian-South African Economic Forum that took place in Abidjan in December last year.

Your Excellency President Ouattara,

The fact that I was accompanied on my first state visit to Côte d’Ivoire by a South African business delegation is an indication of how important commercial ties are to the relationship between our countries.

Today we are honoured to receive you, your official delegation and around 60 businesspeople from Côte d’Ivoire.

This Business Forum is extremely valuable as we intensify our efforts to enhance trade and investment relations between our two countries.

It is also a strong demonstration of our shared commitment to the success of the African Continental Free Trade Area.

It is now just over 18 months since the African Continental Free Trade Area came into force, and it is up to us as African countries to ensure that we seize the opportunities that it presents.

We congratulate Côte d’Ivoire for being selected to host the next Intra-Africa Trade Fair in Abidjan in 2023.

I have no doubt there will be good attendance by South African business, which has demonstrated a keen interest in greater levels of intra-Africa trade and investment.

Every trade mission, every trade fair and every business forum such as this one is another building block towards greater African economic integration.

I want to thank the members of the South African business community who have joined us here today.

You appreciate, as do we, the importance of Cote d’Ivoire as one of the continent’s most dynamic and promising economies.

In 2021, South Africa’s exports to Cote d’Ivoire amounted to R1.63 billion.

This is less than 1% of our total exports to the rest of the world.

I see great opportunity to improve this and strengthen our economic ties.

Opportunities exist for export of products from our food value-chains, such as wines and sugar.

There are also opportunities for the export of machinery, consumer goods, medical products, vehicles, herbicides and insecticides, televisions and paper.

I have no doubt that many business people will see additional opportunities.

While the value of South African imports from Côte d’Ivoire has doubled over the last five years, it has started from a relatively low base.

We see great potential for growth here.

There is opportunity for South Africa to import many more goods from Cote d’Ivoire.

These include petroleum oil for our vehicles, palm oil and palm-oil cakes that are used widely in South African industry.

There is also potential to import cashew nuts, a variety of fresh fruit, skin creams, cocoa and cocoa-paste, and rubber.

We can also combine our strengths to build new industries.

Cote d’Ivoire and South Africa can pioneer high-quality African chocolate-making, bringing together your cocoa, our sugar, milk from within the continent and the production know-how of both countries.

We can use our marketing expertise to brand these chocolates.

Africa should be the centre of global chocolate production and distribution.

South Africa’s investment portfolio in Côte d’Ivoire is expanding.

By way of example, in 2021 the Development Bank of Southern Africa increased its investments in Côte d’Ivoire from R2.17 billion to R3.09 billion.

Two big South African banks, RMB and Nedbank, are financing a number of infrastructure developments in Côte d’Ivoire.

MTN’s footprint in Côte d’Ivoire is growing.

We were pleased to be at the launch of MTN’s new head offices in Abidjan during last year’s state visit.

Multichoice, Sanlam and Investec are among the growing number of South African companies expanding their business in Côte d’Ivoire.

Last month, South Africa’s Department of Trade, Industry and Competition undertook an investment technical visit to Côte d’Ivoire with a group of black industrialists.

Also last month, business leaders from South Africa attended the Africa CEO Forum in Abidjan. We are pleased South African wines are also finding favour in Côte d’Ivoire.

Wesgro, the Western Cape’s trade and investment promotion agency, was in Abidjan in April on an export promotion mission.

Just as there is still a great deal of work to be done to advance bilateral trade growth in terms of value, volume and composition, we need to work harder to facilitate mutual bilateral investments, particularly in infrastructure and manufacturing.

The Memorandum of Understanding on Economic Cooperation that was signed this morning by our respective Trade and Industry Ministers is a positive step towards strengthening our economic relationship.

I understand that both our Ministers will be meeting in Ghana next week on the African Continental Free Trade Area and that they are both committed to securing a high level of African content in automobiles and clothing and textile products.

South Africa can use Ivorian cotton in our spinning mills or buy Ivorian textiles to make clothing here.

Like Côte d’Ivoire, South Africa has identified agriculture, infrastructure, mining, energy, transport and logistics and manufacturing as some of the key growth areas that will aid our economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

We are currently implementing a far-ranging programme of economic reforms that will catalyse greater investment in these sectors.

The opportunities for both private and public investment in our respective countries are immense.

Throughout our interactions, we must promote the principles of mutual benefit and empowerment.

We must focus on industrialisation and using African products and raw materials. We must invest more in our people, particularly women, youth and rural enterprises.

The sustainability of our growth depends on our success in empowering the majority of our population to participate in the economy.

From this Business Forum, I look forward to receiving reports of real commercial deals between our private companies, between our state-owned enterprises and between our development finance institutions.

I look forward to a new era of trade, commerce and investment between South Africa and Côte d’Ivoire.

I thank you.

Source: The Presidency Republic of South Africa

Your Excellency, My Dear Brother, President Alassane Ouattara,

Your Excellency, Ambassador Sakaria Koné, Ambassador of Côte d’Ivoire to South Africa,

Your Excellency, Ambassador Zolani Mtshotshisa, Ambassador of South Africa to Côte d’Ivoire,

Honourable Ministers,

Senior Government Officials,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

On behalf of the Government and the people of the Republic of South Africa, I would like to extend a very warm welcome to you, Mr President, and your delegation.

Let me thank you for honouring our invitation.

Your visit to our shores is evidence of the importance we attach to strengthening our bilateral relations.

I recall with fondness my state visit to Côte d’Ivoire in December last year, which did much to deepen trade and investment relations and build a stronger bond between our peoples.

A new era of cooperation has been established between South Africa and Côte d’Ivoire.

Your visit today is an opportunity to review progress on the implementation of the Agreements and Memoranda of Understanding we signed in December, consider new Agreements to further strengthen bilateral cooperation, and review the implementation of economic projects.

Since my visit to Côte d’Ivoire, much work has been done to implement the agreements.

I have been informed that the departments of our two countries have been engaging each other constantly with a view to deepen our bilateral relations.

I am pleased to note that our Ministers of foreign affairs shared information and exchanged views on matters of mutual interest during their political consultations earlier this month.

It is a signal of our shared commitment and confidence that we will be signing a further six agreements to further strengthen our bilateral relations.

We will be signing Memoranda of Understanding in the areas of Transport, Social Development and Social Inclusion, Forestry and Wildlife, Sports, and Economic Cooperation.

We will also be signing a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between our respective schools of government.

We are encouraged by the fact that despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, bilateral trade between South Africa and Côte d’Ivoire is on an upward trajectory.

Over the last three years, the value of South African exports to Côte d’Ivoire has increased by close on 25 per cent.

The value of South African imports from Côte d’Ivoire has increased by more than 200 per cent over the same period.

While this increase is from a small base, it is clear that there is huge potential to increase bilateral trade between the two countries.

We welcome the commencement of the flights of Air Côte d’Ivoire between Johannesburg and Abidjan on the 1st of July.

This route will contribute to increase traffic between our two countries and between South and the West Africa region.

In turn this will contribute to increased trade, investment, and tourism.

With the entry into force of the Agreement on the African Continental Free Trade Area, I expect the volume of trade to further increase between our countries.

The portfolio of investments in Cote d’Ivoire by South African companies is increasing rapidly.

This includes significant investment and financing by institutions like the Development Bank of Southern Africa, Rand Merchant Bank and Nedbank.

Among others, South African companies are active in the telecommunications, broadcasting, banking and insurance sectors in Côte d’Ivoire.

We believe that there is great opportunity for South African companies – both state owned and privately owned – to support the priority sectors identified in the Ivorian National Development Plan 2021-2025.

These include sectors like agriculture, mining, oil and gas, electricity, transport and logistics, and industry.

In this regard, a South African state entity, Umgeni Water, has expressed an interest in one of the Ivorian National Development Plan projects to supply drinking water to the city of Abidjan.

As Côte d’Ivoire prepares to host the 34th African Cup of Nations in 2023, South Africa is available to collaborate with Côte d’Ivoire on the required infrastructure projects, drawing on our own experience of hosting the FIFA World Cup in 2010.

South African companies could contribute to the ambition of the Ivorian National Development Plan to increase domestic agro-processing to derive greater value from the country’s substantial agricultural resources.

Mr President, we commend the progress Côte d’Ivoire has made under your leadership in nation building and reconciliation.

This makes Côte d’Ivoire a shining beacon for the region and continent on the peaceful resolution of conflict.

We have been closely following the security situation in the West Africa region.

We fully support the decisions of the 61st ECOWAS Summit of Heads of State and Government held on the 3rd of July 2022.

We share ECOWAS’s concerns on the recurrence of terrorist attacks in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Nigeria and the spread of such activities to Benin and Togo.

We support the decisions of ECOWAS on the situations in Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea.

South Africa appreciates the important role played by Côte d’Ivoire in contributing to peace and stability in West African through contributing troops and police to the Stabilisation Mission in Guinea Bissau.

South Africa is ready to provide support to Côte d’Ivoire within the framework of the Defence Cooperation Agreement signed in December 2021.

Our Ministers of Defence must urgently finalise plans on defence industry cooperation, identification of training needs and other possible areas of cooperation.

It is significant that this State Visit takes place as we mark 20 years since the African Union was formed in July 2002 in Durban.

The 20th Anniversary of the African Union presents an opportunity for a reflection on Africa’s path to prosperity and peace, and on the road ahead.

We remain firm in our commitment to unity, solidarity and cohesion as we work for a better Africa and a better world.

We must intensify our efforts to realise the Africa We Want by 2063.

Within the global governance system, South Africa will continue to defend and promote the primacy of the United Nations in resolving the many challenges facing the international community, including in the areas of peace and security, sustainable development and human rights.

Finally, I wish Côte d’Ivoire well in the upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

I also wish Côte d’Ivoire all the best with its preparations to host for the 34th African Cup of Nations in 2023.

I thank you.

Source: The Presidency Republic of South Africa

Committees embark on a joint oversight programme to assess living conditions of farm workers, dwellers and tenants

The Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Rural Development and Land Reform and the Portfolio Committee on Employment and Labour will from Friday, 22 July, embark on a three-day joint oversight programme in the Eastern and Western Cape provinces to assess the living conditions of farm workers, farm dwellers and tenants in selected districts in both provinces.

The joint oversight programme is the implementation of a National Assembly resolution, which was adopted on 10 November 2020, for both committees to assess the legislation and explore opportunities for legislative review.

The joint oversight programme includes engagements with stakeholders, public hearings and farm visits. The Western Cape delegation under Inkosi Zwelivelile Mandela, who is the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Rural Development and Land Reform, will be in the Cape West Coast and Cape Winelands district municipalities.

The Eastern Cape delegation under Ms Lindelwa Dunjwa, who is the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Employment and Labour, will be in the Eastern Cape’s Sara Baartman and Amathole district municipalities.

The delegations will begin the programme in these districts on Friday by holding engagements with stakeholders. These include the Departments of Labour and Agriculture; traditional leaders; the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration; labour unions; farmers’ associations; and associations of farm dwellers and tenants.

Source: Government of South Africa