Press Releases

Press Releases

NELSON MANDELA DAY: EMBASSY PARTNERS WITH FEM ORGANIZATION

The South African Mission in Lisbon, Portugal, celebrated International Nelson Mandela Day by partnering with the organization, FEM (Feministas em Movimento / Feminists in Action), which runs the Lisboa+Igualdade (Lisbon+Equality) project, aimed at providing support to victims of domestic violence, both women and men. 

The partnership worked on collecting donations of required items (non-perishable food, hygiene products, used and new clothing, and homeware) and in volunteering staff to organize the large space where the donated items are stored at the organization’s facilities. 

The Mission was able to collect a significant number of donated items, including a donation of hygiene products from a South African-owned shop in northern Portugal called Feito ao Bife.  These items are very useful to the organization as the latter provides support for the first 72 hours after the victims of domestic violence leave their homes.  They often leave with very little in terms of personal belongings and have children in their care.

Of equal importance was the time volunteered by 11 staff members, who on 18 July 2025, helped organize the room where all the donations are stored.  This space was in significant disarray, with items needing to be sorted by size, gender and season.  The organization’s objective was that the space should look like a “charity shop”, although the items are donated and not sold.  The end result was a much more organized space, where people can more easily see and choose what is available for donation.  The organization was particularly pleased with the assistance the Embassy provided as this was a long-awaited project and they had lacked the manpower to carry it out. 

The visit to FEM also provided a greater understanding of the work carried out by the organisation.  Besides running a helpline, in 2024 it supported over 1000 victims of domestic violence.  Its staff also pay visits to schools to sensitise young people to the broader problem of domestic violence.  The effort was also an important team building exercise with the staff having expressed a deep satisfaction at having assisted in turning a disorganized storage space into a functional and welcoming “shop”.

FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT - 21 JULY 2025

 

We are making steady progress on economic reform

Dear Fellow South African, 

Last week, we released a progress report on Operation Vulindlela, a Government-wide initiative to accelerate progress on economic reform.

This report shows that the economic reform programme is making steady progress, opening the way to more rapid, inclusive and sustainable growth and job creation.

We established Operation Vulindlela in the Sixth Administration to remove the binding constraints that have long held back our economy’s growth: an unreliable energy supply, inefficient rail and ports, high data costs, and a visa system that had deterred investors and tourists.

We have made significant progress since then in clearing these obstacles with a clear view to enhance economic growth. The reduction in load shedding over the past year was supported by the reforms that we introduced to unlock private investment in electricity generation, while reforms in the telecommunications sector have brought down the cost of mobile data. We have reduced the turnaround times for approval processes for water use licences and energy projects, made great progress in clearing the visa application backlog, and expanding the eVisa scheme.

In April this year, we commenced the next phase of Operation Vulindlela to build on these successes and initiate a second wave of reform. 

We are moving quickly towards a competitive electricity market, which will introduce greater competition in electricity generation and reduce the chances of experiencing load shedding again.

The reform underway in the energy sector will introduce greater choice for consumers and drive down costs. As part of this process, work is underway to establish an independent Transmission System Operator within the next five years, in line with the Electricity Regulation Act.

We have also made significant progress towards enabling greater investment in our transmission network, including from the private sector, with regulations to govern these investments.

In April, the Rail Infrastructure Manager was established as a separate operating division of Transnet with its own management and reporting structure. It has made capacity available across the freight rail network to private train operating companies and has received 98 requests for access to date.

A revised Network Statement will soon be published and capacity allocated in response to these requests, marking the start of open competition in freight rail. A Private Sector Participation Unit has been established within the Development Bank of Southern Africa to facilitate and fast-track private sector participation in logistics.

A request for information for private sector participation projects in the rail system and ports has received a strong response from the market, and will enable us to mobilise new investment to modernise and expand our logistics infrastructure.

The reform of our visa system is making it much easier for people to visit South Africa and bring much-needed skills and investment while enhancing border security through the Border Management Authority, which we established in the Sixth Administration as part of the reform process. An Electronic Travel Authorisation system has been developed by the Department of Home Affairs and is being prepared to go live in September 2025.

As part of Operation Vulindlela Phase II, we are also reforming the local government system to ensure that basic services such as water and electricity – which are essential for economic growth – are delivered efficiently and reliably.

Several metros have submitted plans for the turnaround of their water and electricity utilities that outline a clear pathway for the ring-fencing of water and electricity services. Progress against these action plans will enable these municipalities to access a new performance-based incentive from National Treasury to drive much greater investment in water and electricity infrastructure.

All of these reforms are designed to boost economic growth and create jobs for South Africans.

The claims by some opposition parties that these reforms represent a form of privatisation are baseless and misguided. The measures we are taking are common sense reforms that will preserve public ownership of key infrastructure while introducing greater competition, dynamism and investment. A number of our peer countries introduced similar reforms, which have powered their economies to higher levels of growth.

Even as the world faces difficult economic headwinds, our economic reform agenda will create the conditions for higher growth and investment, while renewing our infrastructure for generations to come.

With best regards,

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FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT - 14 JULY 2025

We are acting to safeguard the integrity and effectiveness of our police service

Dear Fellow South African, 

Just over a week ago, SAPS KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner Lt Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi held a media briefing at which he made serious allegations that the Minister of Police and other individuals had colluded to interfere with police investigations.

Last night, I announced the establishment of a commission of inquiry headed by Acting Deputy Chief Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga to investigate these allegations.

We have taken this decisive step because we are determined that the important work that has been done to rebuild our law enforcement agencies and security services should not be compromised. 

It is necessary that we establish the facts through an independent, credible and thorough process so that we can safeguard public confidence in the police service. This is particularly important as we seek to put the era of state capture behind us.

As I announced last night, the Commission will investigate allegations relating to the infiltration of law enforcement, intelligence and associated institutions within the criminal justice system by criminal syndicates.

Among the allegations that the Commission may investigate are the facilitation of organised crime; suppression or manipulation of investigations; inducement into criminal actions by law enforcement leadership; commission of any other criminal offences and intimidation, victimisation or targeted removal of whistleblowers or officials resisting criminal influence.

The Commission will investigate the role of current or former senior officials in certain institutions who may have aided or abetted the alleged criminal activity; failed to act on credible intelligence or internal warnings; or benefited financially or politically from a syndicate's operations.

These institutions are the South African Police Service, National Prosecuting Authority, State Security Agency, the Judiciary and Magistracy, and the metropolitan police departments of Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and Tshwane.

The Commission will also investigate whether any members of the National Executive responsible for the criminal justice system, were complicit, aided and abetted, or participated in the acts mentioned above.

The Commission will be asked to report on the effectiveness or failure of oversight mechanisms, and the adequacy of current legislation, policies and institutional arrangements in preventing such infiltration.

It will make findings and recommendations for criminal prosecutions, disciplinary actions and institutional reform.

Once established, the Commission shall consider prima facie evidence relating to the involvement of individuals currently employed within law enforcement or intelligence agencies. 

Where appropriate, the Commission must make recommendations on the employment status of such officials, including whether they should be suspended pending the outcome of further investigations. 

The Commission will have the power to refer matters for immediate criminal investigation and urgent decisions on prosecution, taking into account the nature of the allegations and evidence the Commission will uncover.

In order for the Commission to execute its functions effectively, I have decided to put the Minister of Police Mr Senzo Mchunu on a leave of absence with immediate effect. The Minister has undertaken to give his full cooperation to the Commission to enable it to do its work.

I have decided to appoint Professor Firoz Cachalia as acting Minister of Police. Professor Cachalia is currently a professor of law at the University of the Witwatersrand and is the chairperson of the National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council. He previously served as an MEC of Community Safety in Gauteng.

This Commission is being established against the backdrop of significant progress in rebuilding and strengthening our country’s law enforcement agencies and security services.

In recent years, the South African Police Service, the Special Investigating Unit, the Asset Forfeiture Unit and other bodies have been making important inroads in the fight against organised crime and corruption.

It is essential that we maintain this momentum and that we intensify this work.

We will ensure that the SAPS and other law enforcement agencies continue to function without hindrance as the commission undertakes its work.

I call on all members of our law enforcement agencies and security services to remain steadfast in upholding the rule of law and adhering to their code of conduct.

I call on all South Africans to support the commission in its work and, where appropriate, to provide any information or assistance the commission may require.

In establishing this Commission of Inquiry, we are affirming our commitment to the rule of law, to transparency and accountability, and to building a South Africa in which all people are safe and secure.

With best regards,

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FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT - 7 JULY 2025

Debt sustainability is the key to development

Dear Fellow South African, 

Last week, the world came together at the 4th Financing for Development Conference in Sevilla, Spain, to agree on a set of actions to advance development over the next decade.

This year’s conference took place at a moment of great consequence for humanity. We face more daunting challenges than at any other time, from the growing devastation caused by climate change to persistent levels of poverty in many parts of the world.

To confront these challenges, we need to mobilise funding to tackle climate change, reduce poverty and build infrastructure that enables sustainable and inclusive economic growth.

It is estimated that the world needs an extra $4 trillion dollars a year to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, a gap which can only be closed through more affordable, long-term sustainable financing.

A major contributor to this financing gap is the growing debt burden faced by many developing economies, particularly those in Africa. Around 3.4 billion people now live in countries that are spending more on interest payments to creditors than on health and education.

As the Jubilee Commission appointed by the late Pope Francis notes, while few countries have defaulted on their debt, “they are defaulting on their people, their environment and their future”.

Debt can be a tool for development, if it is affordable and spent efficiently on infrastructure and other investments that support growth. However, a succession of external shocks – including the COVID-19 pandemic, the destabilising effect of various conflicts around the world and tightening financing conditions – has caused the cost of debt to rise rapidly for many developing economies.

At the inception of our G20 Presidency, we appointed an Africa Expert Panel led by Trevor Manuel, our former Minister of Finance, to develop recommendations that the G20 can take forward. We did so because we are convinced that Africa’s development must remain front and centre this year and into the future.

We have since been focusing on practical solutions to achieve debt sustainability, such as improving the G20 Common Framework for debt treatments to enable timely and adequate debt restructuring.

We are also working to expand the use of innovative mechanisms to alleviate the debt burden in times of crisis, such as climate resilient debt clauses, which automatically pause debt payments when a country faces a climate disaster.

Going forward, a key priority is to ensure that more support is available to countries facing financial liquidity challenges, with interventions taking place early enough and providing enough relief to avoid a crisis.

We have shown that this is possible through previous efforts spearheaded by the G20, such as the Debt Service Suspension Initiative, which created fiscal space for low-income countries during the COVID-19 pandemic.

There is no shortage of solutions to address the debt burden. What we need is the political will to translate proposals into action and to do so at a scale that matches the size of the challenge.

Countries committed in Sevilla to “take concrete actions to enhance fiscal space, address debt challenges of developing countries and lower the cost of capital”.

This commitment was reinforced by the Rio de Janeiro Declaration adopted at the BRICS Leaders’s Summit in recent days, which recognised the need to “address in an effective, comprehensive and systematic manner the debt vulnerabilities of both low and middle income countries.”

The world cannot stand by and watch as rising debt service costs crowd out development for a generation or more.

For this reason, South Africa is committed to working together with all countries to confront the debt challenge in a manner that is effective, sustainable and just.

With best regards,

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INTERNATIONAL NELSON MANDELA DAY 2025

This year’s Nelson Mandela International Day on 18 July will be celebrated under the theme: It’s still in our hands to combat poverty and inequity. 

Nelson Mandela, in addressing the scourge of poverty, suffering and deprivation, said: "It is in your hands to make our world a better one for all, especially the poor, vulnerable and marginalised."

These profound words by our global icon and father of our nation are at the heart of our actions this Nelson Mandela Day in tackling poverty, fighting inequality and building a society based on justice.

The day is an opportunity for citizens to recognise their individual power to change the world for the better. We can also play a part by raising awareness and expanding the reach of Mandela’s values which include fighting injustice, helping people in need and advancing reconciliation.

We can restore our nation by helping one person at a time. Every action we take has a knock-on effect, which will soon snowball into rebuilding our nation. It is through this united front that we can build stronger communities and stronger societies.

Government encourages citizens to donate their time to make a difference in their communities this Nelson Mandela Day. Through our actions we can help make sustainable and long-term interventions in combatting climate change and food insecurity.

FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT - 30 JUNE 2025

Sustainable economic empowerment calls for innovative policy solutions 

Dear Fellow South African, 

Amongst the most salient features of our country’s empowerment laws are their practicality, feasibility and responsiveness to economic conditions without deviating from the objective of redressing the economic injustices of exclusion of the past..

This stems from the need to meet two separate but interdependent objectives. 

The first is to achieve substantial change in the racial composition of ownership, control and management of the economy to overcome a history of exclusion. 

The second is to achieve growth that is not only inclusive but sustainable in the long-term, by broadening the economic participation of enterprises owned by black South Africans, women and young people. 

The Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment legal framework applies to all companies wishing to invest in and do business in our economy, whether they are local or foreign. 

Empowerment laws are not unique to South Africa. These laws are often referred to as indigenisation or localisation measures. They exist in various forms in other emerging market economies with similar histories of race-based economic exclusion such as India, Zambia, Indonesia, Nigeria, Malaysia and Brazil.

A number of these jurisdictions compel foreign investors or multinationals who wish to invest in the economies of those countries or in certain sectors of their economy to fully set aside equity stakes in their companies to local entities as a prerequisite for operating in the country. 

This can serve be seen as a barrier to entry for investment in certain environments. 

However we have found that many would be investors do embrace these measures as they enhance inclusiveness, lead to broad acceptance of their companies and tend to grow market share.

South Africa’s empowerment laws are distinct in that our empowerment or indigenisation measures are practical and innovative.  

In addition to having a pure equity participation measure we have introduced the Equity Equivalent Investment Programme (EEIP). 

It was created to accommodate multinationals whose global practices or policies prevent them from complying with the B-BBEE ownership element through the ‘traditional’ sale of equity or shares. It allows multinationals to invest in socio-economic, skills and enterprise development in South Africa without selling equity in their local subsidiaries.

Some in the public space have recently sought to suggest that the EEIP represents a circumvention of B-BBEE laws -and that it is a response to the conditions of a particular company or sector.

Neither are factually correct. Firstly the EEIP is not new and has been in existence for a decade.

It is firmly embedded in our laws and is not a an attempt to ‘water down’ B-BBEE.

Secondly there are stringent requirements for multinationals to participate. 

All EEIP initiatives must be aligned to government’s economic policies and strategic goals. 

There is firm government-backed oversight over EEIP programmes that must be broad-based in terms of impact.

Since its inception, the EEIP has encompassed a broad range of sectors and onboarded some of the world’s leading multinational firms such as Hewlett-Packard, Samsung, JP Morgan, Amazon, IBM and automotive firms such as BMW, Volkswagen, Nissan and Toyota.

By way of example, last year IT giant Microsoft announced a R1,32 billion investment over ten years in skills and supplier and 4IR research and development - under the EEIP.

These firms have leveraged the EEIP to direct investment into local development, to incubate black, youth and women-owned businesses, and to fund skills development. This has in turn assisted government in achieving a number of policy and also infrastructure goals.

Equity Equivalents have been proven to be a practical B-BBEE compliance tool for multinationals operating in South Africa, and we will continue to leverage them in pursuit of economic growth and job creation.

Not only do we have to move away from the perception that we must make a choice between growth and transformation – we also have to shift the mindset that compliance with B-BBEE is punitive or burdensome. 

By supporting firms with compliance they are able to embrace empowerment as a meaningful investment in South African’s long-term economic stability. This is a sound strategy that recognises that a transformed South African economy is one in which their investments are safe and guaranteed. 

Just as our economy has evolved since our B-BBEE laws were first conceptualised, so has the playing field. 

The emergence of new industries, whether it is digital technology, advanced manufacturing, AI or renewable energy - means South Africa must actively position itself to attract greater foreign and domestic investment in these sectors or risk being left behind.

As a country we have had to adapt and evolve in response to these economic trends, and continue to do so. 

We are clear that our empowerment laws remain central to our goal of economic transformation in South Africa and are here to stay. As business and industry, as labour, and indeed as all of society we should remain firmly behind these laws that are integral to undoing the injustices of the past. 

Our focus going forward must remain creating an enabling policy environment, driving key structural reforms, supporting innovation, and reducing regulatory barriers to harness the potential of emerging industries and support existing ones. 

Beyond the spirited and often heated debates currently underway around B-BBEE and the EEIP, the pursuit of inclusive economic growth that creates jobs and improves the lives of our people remains our overriding goal.

With best regards,

Signature

 

FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT - 17 JUNE 2025

Creating work and opportunities for young people

Dear Fellow South African,

Yesterday we observed Youth Day in tribute to the generations of young people who continue to inspire our ongoing pursuit for social justice, equality and opportunity for all.

If we are to live up to the democratic promise for which so many sacrificed and gave their lives, we have to ensure that we invest in today’s generation of young people and unleash their potential.

Like many parts of the world, our country is grappling with high youth unemployment. To overcome this challenge we need an approach that includes investing in education and skills development, fostering youth entrepreneurship and implementing targeted employment programmes focusing on young people.

As part of this work, Government established the Presidential Employment Stimulus and the Presidential Youth Employment Intervention. These initiatives are providing opportunities to hundreds of thousands of young people at a time when not enough jobs are being created to absorb new entrants into the labour market.

Since it began in 2020, the Presidential Employment Stimulus has provided more than two million jobs and livelihood opportunities. Of the participants in the programme to date, 72% are young people and 66% are women.

A vital part of our efforts to empower young people is the SAYouth.mobi platform, which is a single point for unemployed young South Africans to access opportunities for work, training and learning.

There are now over 4.7 million young people registered on the SAYouth platform and the Department of Employment and Labour’s employment services database. Through these platforms, young people have been supported to access over 1.6 million earning opportunities.

Last week in the City of Tshwane, I met with a number of young people who told me excitedly they had been approached by potential employers who had seen their profiles on SA Youth.mobi.

I want to encourage young job-seekers to utilise this trusted recruitment platform – at https://sayouth.mobi/

Registration is free and the app is zero rated, meaning you can access the site and its contents without incurring any data charges.

We have focused on providing workplace experience and on the job training. Young people have often expressed frustration around the onerous experience requirements from employers that effectively serve as a barrier to entry for them.

In 2019, we abolished the work experience requirement for entry level jobs in the public sector. Through the Youth Employment Service, a collaboration with the private sector, tens of thousands of young people have been placed in workplace experience opportunities in a range of economic sectors.

The extent and scale of the youth unemployment crisis means that we should not focus solely on placing more young people in formal, existing jobs, but that we must bolster skills development and foster an entrepreneurial culture.

It is critical that we overcome the mismatch between the skills available in the workforce and market need.

This is why we are investing in vocational training. We have increased funding to Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges and subsidies for the operationalisation of new campuses. Each year, we are placing thousands of learners and graduates into workplace experience opportunities.

Entrepreneurship is a key economic growth driver, but rates of entrepreneurial activity in South Africa are relatively low compared to other countries. We are working to foster an enabling environment that allows more young people to become self-employed.

The Presidential Youth Employment Intervention has been working with the National Youth Development Agency and the Department of Small Business Development to financial and non-financial support to young people for their businesses.

Through all of these initiatives, the state has supported millions of young South Africans with work opportunities, work experience and skills development. However, we can only vastly scale up the employment of young people with greater private sector involvement.

I call on business and other public sector entities to use SAYouth.mobi to provide more pathways for young people to earning and learning. The private sector needs to use all available mechanisms, including the Employee Tax Incentive, to hire young people.

South Africa’s young people deserve to lead lives of dignity. Unemployment is robbing far too many youth of this right. As government and business, let us continue to work together and do all within our means to empower young people to find jobs and create their own opportunities.

With best regards,

Signature

 

YOUTH DAY 2025

The commemoration of Youth Month in South Africa, and particularly Youth Day on 16 June, pays tribute to the 1976 Soweto Uprisings. Youth day serves as a reminder of our nation’s young people who boldly protested against the imposition of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction. Their peaceful demonstration was met with brutal force from the authorities of the apartheid regime, resulting in the tragic loss of lives and thousands exiled.

The month of June has, since the dawn of democracy, been dedicated to honouring the contribution of young people in the liberation struggle. During this time, we reflect on the active role of South African youth in numerous political campaigns and protests as a response to the brutal apartheid regime, including its oppressive education system which treated black people as inferior.

The 2025 National Youth Day and Youth Month will be commemorated under the theme: “Skills for the changing world, empowering youth for meaningful economic participation. This theme, supported by the tagline “Gear Up for Greatness” seeks to promote education and skills development for the youth, linking them with economic opportunities. The day will also address various challenges faced by young people in the country while taking stock of the progress made in advancing their empowerment.

FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT - 9 JUNE 2025

Black empowerment is vital to inclusive economic growth

 

Dear Fellow South African,

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Freedom Charter. We are reminded of its aspiration that the people shall share in the country’s wealth.

Our Constitution reflects the promise we made to one another and to future generations to redress the injustices of our past and realise the full potential of our country.

For this reason, we reaffirm that broad-based black economic empowerment is not just a policy choice but a constitutional imperative. 

In recent months, the world has entered what many now term a “poly-crisis” where global conflict, economic stagnation, mistrust in institutions and environmental degradation are challenging even the most resilient of nations.

These are conditions affecting many countries and South Africa is no exception. It is now imperative that we use the lessons that we have learned over the past three decades to make our empowerment policies more meaningful.

Now is not the time to abandon the measures that we have put in place to drive transformation. To the contrary, it is the time to move forward with greater purpose and raise our ambition.

Since 1994 we have built a robust legislative framework to advance the transformation of our economy, anchored in the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act and the Employment Equity Act.

The progress we have made is undeniable. We have seen real changes in ownership patterns, including more businesses owned by women. We have seen changes in management control, enterprise development and skills development. 

According to Statistics SA, between 2006 and 2023, black African households experienced real income growth of 46%, coloured households of 29% and Indian households of 19%. 

Despite this progress, the average income of white households is still nearly five times higher than that of black African households. This is the gulf we must close through deliberate and sustained efforts to expand opportunity.

Transformation is not a favour. It is a necessity. The inequality of our past continues to shape the lives of millions of black South Africans. And yet many who continue to benefit from the legacy of exclusion continue to decry black economic empowerment and are even challenging it in our courts.

We must dispense with the false notion that we must make a choice between growth and transformation. Economic growth without transformation entrenches exclusion, and transformation without growth is unsustainable.

We also need to challenge the notion that broad-based black economic empowerment is a cost to the economy. It is actually an investment in the economy.

Our task is to ensure that we pursue both growth and transformation in concert, with more vigour and with greater effect. 

That is why we continue to strengthen initiatives like the Black Industrialists Programme, which is building successful, competitive, black-owned enterprises in manufacturing and other sectors. 

That is why we are establishing the Transformation Fund to support a new wave of emerging, innovative businesses that can create work opportunities for our people. 

We must open the levers of funding for black-owned businesses. There is a critical need for black-owned businesses to access funding on affordable terms. While much of this funding should come from the development finance institutions, it is the private banks that have the resources to make the greatest impact. They need to review their lending practices to unleash the potential of black business.

Through mechanisms like the Public Procurement Act, we must ensure that businesses owned by women, young people and persons with disabilities enjoy expanding opportunities. We must ensure that transformation reaches into every sector, whether it is mining, construction, energy, IT or agriculture.

The private sector should use their supply chains far more deliberately to empower many more black-owned businesses, not just to improve their BBBEE scorecard, but to grow and diversify their supplier base.

As we develop our infrastructure, grow new industries like green hydrogen and electric vehicles, and drive localisation and reindustrialisation, we will continue to ensure that transformation is our guiding principle.

The transformation we seek is not about ticking boxes. It is about building a resilient, just economy for generations to come.

I call on all South Africans, and in particular the private sector, to recommit to economic transformation.

Let us move forward with greater urgency, unity and ambition, to build a South Africa where all can truly share in the country’s wealth. 

With best regards,
 

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