Statement on the Special Cabinet Meeting of 10 April 2024

A. Issues from the Environment

1. Economy

1.1. Revenue collection

1.1.1. Cabinet commends the millions of taxpayers who have filed their tax returns to help the South African Revenue Service collect tax revenue of R2.155 trillion for the 2023/24 financial year.

1.1.2. This is R52 billion more than the previous year and demonstrates the robustness of the local economy, despite challenging local and international conditions.

1.1.3. The increased revenue helps government to fund the country’s service-delivery projects and other socio-economic development programmes.

1.2. Infrastructure investment

1.2.1. Cabinet welcomed the opening of a R3,4 billion Newlyn Park Bayhead Rail Terminal project at the Port of Durban, which consists of 640 000 square metres of warehousing, rail sidings and open storage.

1.2.2. The new terminal will facilitate the efficient movement of sea, rail and road cargo through the Port of Durban, and help address the recent challenges experienced in the logistics, infrastructure and network industries.

1.2.3. The investment resulted in 4 013 direct construction jobs and the full-time employment of more than 1 000 people, with this number expected to grow as the facility handles more cargo.

1.2.4. In revitalising our country’s rail network, Cabinet also welcomed the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa’s (PRASA) successful restoration of five crucial Metrorail services across Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape.

1.2.5. PRASA effectively brought 31 of its 40 lines back into partial operation and is working on achieving full operational status. The milestone demonstrates government’s commitment to revitalising passenger rail services and providing an efficient public transport option for South Africans.

1.2.6. In a related development, Cabinet welcomed the announcement by the South African National Roads Agency that it would inject over R50 billion into road infrastructure development in the Eastern Cape. This infrastructure investment is geared towards the construction of new facilities, road improvements and strengthening, and special maintenance of the national road network in the province.

1.3. Investment

1.3.1. Cabinet welcomed the opening of the new Tetra Pak facility in KwaZulu-Natal by President Cyril Ramaphosa, which attracted an investment of R500 million.

1.3.2. The investment forms part of the Presidential Investment Mobilisation Drive where government set the ambitious target in 2018 to attract R1,2 trillion investments over five years.

1.3.3. Last year at the fifth South Africa Investment Conference, which marked end of the first phases of our investment mobilisation cycle, more the R1,5 trillion in investment commitments were raised.

1.3.4. These investments translate into new factories, jobs in communities and greater economic activity around our country. Cabinet is confident that our investment drive will reignite economic growth and uplift our economy.

1.4. Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) Labour Activation Programme (LAP)

1.4.1. Cabinet welcomed the launch of the UIF-LAP, which is a skills training and entrepreneurship programme aimed at benefitting the youth and the unemployed in the country. The programme ensures that youth and work seekers are equipped with the necessary skills to be employable and to establish their own businesses.

1.4.2. The UIF-LAP, which will be rolled out across the country, is expected to create employment opportunities for over 704 000 unemployed people. It will do so by providing training and small enterprise support to 333 projects across the country. About R23.8 billion has been set aside to implement the plan and employment opportunities will run between 12 and 36 months.

2. 30 Years of Freedom and Democracy

2.1. Cabinet welcomed the launch of the commemoration of 30 Years of Freedom and Democracy, which is being held under the theme: “30 years of Democracy, Partnership and Growth”.

2.2. The launch also saw the unveiling of the official 30 Years of Freedom logo, which is a symbol that will unify us as we celebrate this significant milestone in the history of our country.

2.3. Cabinet called on everyone to use the official logo which is available in various formats for ease of use on the GCIS website at: https://www.gcis.gov.za/30-years-of-freedom-toolkit.

2.4. The launch marked the official commencement of the year-long activities to celebrate the remarkable progress we have made since 1994 in establishing a democratic society based on the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa of 1996 and the Bill of Rights. This momentous occasion is also an opportunity to reflect on the challenges that remain and find ways to overcome them and move our country forward.

2.5. We have worked since 1994 to build a society based on unity and togetherness, and while many challenges still remain, conditions have fundamentally improved with each passing day. The great strides we have made since 1994 are reflected in Census 2022 and the 30 Year Review. Both paint a picture of a society on the move and which reflects improvements across most indicators. The findings of the Census and the 30 Year Review conclusively demonstrate that our development is not by chance, but rather by design from government programmes since 1994.

2.6. Cabinet calls on all South Africans and sectors of society to participate in celebrating 30 Years of Freedom and Democracy. South Africans can participate by telling their stories on what it was like to have lived in apartheid South Africa and help us to build on the achievements we have made so far.

3. United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council Resolution

3.1. Cabinet welcomes the UN Human Rights Council resolution calling for Israel to be held accountable for possible war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Gaza. The resolution further “called upon all States to cease the sale, transfer and diversion of arms, munitions and other military equipment to Israel”.

3.2. The adoption of this resolution is historic as it is the very first time that the Human Rights Council has taken action on the unprecedented human tragedy taking place in Gaza, where at least 32 975 Palestinians have been killed, including more than 14 500 children, since Israel launched its onslaught over 180 days ago.

4. 2024 General Elections

4.1. It is all systems go for the 2024 National and Provincial Elections, following the signing of the Electoral Commission’s Code of Conduct by political parties and independent candidates.

4.2. The General Elections will be held on 29 May 2024 and in total 325 political parties will be taking part in this year’s elections. The Electoral Code of Conduct commits all those contesting the elections to abide by the set of rules that are meant to ensure free and fair elections.

4.3. Cabinet is confident that our nation will once again build on our track record of holding regular, credible and free and fair national and local elections since 1994. As the country celebrates 30 Years of Freedom, citizens are encouraged to exercise their democratic right and vote.

5. National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Government Summit

5.1. Rapid advances in AI are a reality and AI is rapidly shaping the world, which necessitates that countries prepare for its impact on citizens and governance systems.

5.2. The National AI Government Summit was convened in Johannesburg on 5 April 2024 for government and the sector to initiate a policy and regulatory framework to guide and leverage advances in AI for human good. AI policies are key to building a strong digital ecosystem in which governments, businesses and individuals can reap the benefits.

5.3. The summit is the first step in charting a clear way forward towards leveraging the power of AI to address some of South Africa’s economic and social challenges.

6. Crime and corruption

6.1. Cabinet welcomed the signing into law of the Judicial Matters Amendment Act, 2023 (Act 15 of 2023). The Act gives effect to the recommendation of the State Capture Commission and creates an additional offence to be included in the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act, 2004 (Act 12 of 2004) by holding individuals criminally liable for failure to prevent corruption.

6.2. The Act further aims to amend a number of Acts which are administered by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development including powers, duties and functions of the Chief Master.  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.

B. Updates to cabinet

1. The status of the Road Accident Fund (RAF)

1.1. Cabinet received a briefing on the implementation of the turnaround strategy for the RAF, aimed at simplifying the funds system while also improving the administration of benefits and payouts to accident victims.

1.2. A key intervention has been the launch of the RAF contact centre, which provides a platform for RAF claimants to have access to their claims information without having to solely rely on their legal representatives. The platform also allows claimants the opportunity to verify the payments made by RAF to their legal representatives.

1.3. The turnaround strategy has resulted in major improvements in the settlements of claims within 120 days, reduced legal costs by 75 percent and has seen a reduction of medical costs from R3.6 billion in the 2019/20 financial year to R2.1 billion in the 2023/24 financial year. The interventions also led to a cumulative legal costs savings of over R23 billion in the three years of implementing the strategy. Moreover, the strategy interventions resulted in the in the reduction of claims paid to claimants/ short term liability to R9.3 billion for the period ending 31 March 2023.

1.4. Cabinet was also updated on legislative amendments to the current RAF Act, which are at an advanced stage. The RAF Amendment Bill will be considered by the seventh administration of government. The bill is aimed at refining the benefits and the payment of certain products in annuities and making it equitable.

C. Cabinet decisions

1. White Paper on Citizenship, Immigration and Refugee Protection

1.1. Cabinet approved the White Paper on Citizenship, Immigration and Refugee Protection for implementation, following a wide consultation process undertaken by the Department of Home Affairs in all nine provinces.

1.2. The policy aims to provide a framework to guide citizenship, immigration and refugee protection, considering the country’s national security interests and in compliance with international agreements and protocols on migration that South Africa is party to. It will also promote South Africa’s economic interests, transformation and job creation efforts.

2. Towards a 30-Year Review of South Africa’s Democracy (1994-2024)

2.1. Cabinet approved the publication of the report “Towards a 30-Year Review of South Africa’s Democracy (1994-2024)”.

2.2. The review report heralds the story of South Africa’s transition into democracy since the historical elections of 27 April 1994. South Africa’s story of transition to democracy continues to inspire hope for many people around the world, and the review report highlights important lessons in the evolution of our democracy.  Over the last 30 years, the country has attained a stable democracy, with strong institutions and a considerable global influence.

2.3. The 30-Year Review Report is structured on 13 thematic areas informed by four important references (1) the 1994 Reconstruction and Development Programme and its five objectives; (2) the 1996 adoption of the Constitution; (3) the 2012 National Development Plan; and (4) the Medium-Term Strategic Framework 2019-2024 to reflect seven priorities of the sixth administration. The review report will be published by the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation and members of society will have an opportunity to engage the report.

D. Upcoming Events

1. 6th Commonwealth Red Cross and Red Crescent Conference on International Humanitarian Law

1.1 South Africa and the International Committee of the Red Cross will co-host the 6th Red Cross and Red Crescent Commonwealth Conference on International Humanitarian Law in South Africa from 15 to 19 April 2024 at the Irene Country Lodge in Pretoria. The conference will bring together representatives of Commonwealth Member States, members of the Red Cross and Red Crescent movement, and other key stakeholders to deliberate on International Human Law.

1.2 The conference seeks to recalibrate and strengthen existing human rights instruments and deepen our knowledge on the importance of International Human Law in an era of increased armed conflicts as well as climate change, food insecurity and growing displacement.

E. Messages

1. Congratulations

Cabinet extended its congratulations and well-wishes to:

• Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla on his appointment to the Global Fund Board effective from 1 May 2024. Dr Phaahla will serve as a representative of the East and Southern Africa region.
• South Africans Muslims as well as those across the globe, especially in Palestine, on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr. Ramadan is also a time of inner reflection, charity and spiritual devotion when Muslims strive towards spiritual growth and self-control. The festival of Eid al-Fitr marks the culmination of the holy month of Ramadan, during which Muslims have fasted daily, and under extreme conditions in Palestine.
• The Competition Commission of South Africa for winning two awards at the 2024 Antitrust Writing Awards held in Washington DC and for being recognised for its leading Online Intermediation Platforms Market Inquiry. It won an award for its final report and decision while the other award was for an academic article on competition dynamics in South Africa’s digital markets for travel and tourism.

2. Condolences

Cabinet expressed condolences to the friends and family of:

• Mr Tony Heard (86), who was a champion of human rights, non-racialism, distinguished journalist, acclaimed editor and former special adviser in The Presidency.
• Cabinet further joins President Ramaphosa in conveying condolences to the Government and people of Botswana following the tragic accident of a bus transporting Easter pilgrims to Moria. On Thursday 11 April 2024, President Cyril Ramaphosa and his Botswana counterpart, President Mokgweetsi Masisi visited the site of a bus accident in Limpopo that claimed the lives of 45 people with the only survivor being an 8-year-old child.
• Mr Luke Fleurs (24), a young, up and coming Kaizer Chiefs defender and former junior international player, who was tragically killed during a hijacking. Cabinet also welcomed the arrest of six suspects in connection with the killing of Luke Fleurs.
• Cabinet joined President Ramaphosa in offering condolences to the Government and people of the Republic of Mozambique following a disaster at sea in which nearly 100 people died.

Enquiries:

Ms Nomonde Mnukwa

Acting Government Spokesperson

Mobile: 083 653 7485

Issued by Government Communications

22 April 2024