Press Releases

Press Releases

ART&TUR INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL - 3 AWARDS FOR SOUTH AFRICAN FILM PRODUCTIONS

The 18th edition of the Art&Tur International Tourism Film Festival was held in the central town of Fundão, from 9-12 September 2025, with two South African-produced films having picked up three awards.  ‘Lazy Lagoon Island Lodge’, by Nicola Gerrard (Love Africa Marketing based in South Africa)  won Best Wildlife Promotional Film, while ‘Riding the Sardine Run’ by Alan Van Gysen, won two second prizes in the categories of Environment & Ecology as well as in Sport and Leisure Ex-Aequo.  The Embassy’s Charge D’Affairs, Mr Carl le Roux, was on hand to collect the prizes on behalf of the producers, for the two winning films.  Congratulations to both producers for their fine work!

FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT - 15 SEPTEMBER 2025

 

The public service and the people need to work together

Dear Fellow South African,

Once a year, in September, South Africa marks Public Service Month, a time to focus on the essential contribution that the country’s 1.7 million public servants make to meeting the needs of the people. 

It is through public servants that government provides healthcare, education, policing, social services and countless other essential functions that touch every South African's life. When our public service operates at its best, it is a powerful instrument for social and economic development. When it falters, it is often our most vulnerable citizens who bear the brunt.

There are many dedicated public servants who work tirelessly in service of our nation. We thank them for the work they do to improve the lives of South Africans. But our public service faces significant challenges. These include skills gaps, outdated systems and processes, inconsistent service delivery and corruption. In many parts of the state, the values of Batho Pele – putting people first – have been eroded.

That is why we are strengthening the professional foundations of our public service. Through the reforms underway we are working to attract the right skills, implement rigorous performance management and create career pathways that reward merit and excellence. Through the National School of Government we are investing in training and development.

As we work to build a more professional, accountable and capable public service, we need to bring the public service closer to the people they serve. We must challenge the idea that public servants are providers and citizens are mere beneficiaries of goods and services.

The National Dialogue, which was launched in August, provides an opportunity to change the relationship between public servants and the public.

Over the next few months, South Africans will be meeting as communities across the country. They will be discussing the issues that most concern them and will together be forging a vision to take the country forward. These conversations will culminate in a National Convention next year, which will finalise a social compact that outlines clear actions and responsibilities for all sectors of society.

The thousands of public dialogues taking place across the country will also provide an opportunity for communities to address the immediate challenges that they face where they live. These challenges may include anything from electricity cuts to overcrowded schools, a lack of water provision to poorly maintained roads, or an increase in violent crime or drug use.

Through the National Dialogue process, each community is encouraged to work with all relevant stakeholders – ward councillors, municipal officials, civic bodies, community organisations and provincial and national departments – on a common plan to address these challenges.

By working together in an integrated way, drawing together resources from within and outside the state, these stakeholders can find ways to solve local problems. Public servants have a vital role to play in working towards solutions alongside and in cooperation with communities.

This approach is closely aligned with the District Development Model, which is about bringing government closer to the people and ensuring that local needs inform service delivery priorities.

It is about building a public service that listens to citizens, adapts to their needs and continuously improves its services. Such a public service requires the active participation of citizens as partners in development, growth and transformation.

I call on every South African to hold government accountable, to engage constructively with public institutions and to recognise the vital role that a professional public service plays in building the society we all want.

Together, we can build a public service that serves with excellence and integrity and works with South Africans to realise the promise of a better life for all.

With best regards,
 

Signature

 

G20: OPENING ADDRESS BY MINISTER OF TOURISM PATRICIA DE LILLE ON THE OCCASION OF G20 TOURISM INVESTMENT SUMMIT

DATE: 10 September 2025
Venue: Investec Banking Limited, Cape Town, Western Cape

Your Excellency, UN TOURISM Secretary General Zurab Pololikashvili
Honourable Patricia De Lille, Minister of Tourism of South Africa
HH Princess Haifa Al Saud, Vice Minister of Tourism for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
HH Princess Sara Bint Abdulaziz Al Saud, Deputy Minister of Tourism, General Supervisor of the Deputyship of International Affairs of Saudi Arabia
Hon. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism, United Arab Emirates
Hon. Rodney Sikumba, Minister of Tourism, Zambia and Chair of UN Tourism Commission For Africa
Hon. Ana Carla Lopes, Vice Minister of Tourism, Brazil
Excellencies
Global leaders and partners from across the G20 communities
Investment Partners
Colleagues
Members of the Media
Ladies and Gentlemen
All Protocols observed

Good Morning, Goeie môre, Molweni, Salamalekum.

It is no cliché to say South Africa is the most beautiful country in the world. From the meeting of two great oceans to the sweeping Kalahari Desert, from our iconic safaris to our modern skylines, our beauty is undisputed. But the question before us today is not whether South Africa is beautiful. The question is: What more can we offer the world?

This Summit marks the beginning of that answer. This is our inaugural Tourism Investment Summit, a G20 legacy project. Delegates, we have received an overwhelming response from investors and stakeholders like yourselves.

Today, we are putting before you eight flagship, bankable projects. These are projects from both the public and private sector, with strong return on investment and high community impact. And this is just a fraction of what lies in our national pipeline, which is rich, diverse, and growing. We stand here not only as a nation of immense tourism potential, but also as a gateway to Africa.

Our theme “G20 Tourism Investment for Jobs, Growth, and Transformation” reminds us that this is not just about business. This is about livelihoods. This is about reshaping South Africa and positioning Africa as a global tourism powerhouse. Together, through regional collaboration, enabling policies, and smart infrastructure, we can achieve this vision.

Through the Government of National Unity, we have demonstrated that policy shifts unlock growth. As of 1 June 2025, the Amended National Treasury Regulation 16 for Public-Private Partnerships came into effect. These changes allow us to embrace models from Design-Build-Operate partnerships to blended finance and even crowdfunding.

I call on you, our investors in this room and those joining us online, to bring forward your ideas, your models, and your innovations.
Let us build tourism infrastructure that not only attracts visitors but uplifts communities and creates jobs.

Our projects range in size, from God’s Window Skywalk in Mpumalanga which is looking for R200 million ($10.4 million) investment to the Hole in the Wall Resort in the Eastern Cape which requires R141 million ($7.9 million). Together all 8 projects represent nearly R1 billion in investment-ready opportunities.

And while PPPs are one option, the amendments introduced by treasury allow investors to provide us with innovative financing models. With the right mix, we can build infrastructure, create jobs, and uplift communities, all at once.

Tourism contributes at least 8,5% to South Africa’s GDP. In July alone, South Africa welcomed over 880,000 visitors, which is a 26% increase compared to last year. Behind these numbers are livelihoods, families, and communities.

But we cannot stop there. The ground is fertile for shovel-ready infrastructure projects. According to UN Tourism, South African startups attracted over $39 million in venture capital between 2019 and 2024. This is more than half of the continent’s total in tourism solutions.

That is why I am deeply grateful to UN Tourism for their support in crafting the “Tourism Doing Business: Investing in South Africa Guidelines” which will be launched today. This publication is not only a testament to the strength of our collaboration, but also a critical milestone for South Africa’s tourism sector. These guidelines provide clarity, transparency, and confidence to investors.

UN Tourism will also announce 100 scholarships, aligned with demand-led skills development in our country. Because for tourism to thrive, our young people must have the skills the sector needs.

Again, investors, guide us on what the demand-led skills of the future are. What will be the skills that we need in the next 5 to 10 years South Africa’s human capital is one of its strongest assets.

With 56% of the population under the age of 30 and an adult literacy rate of 95%, the country provides a broad and adaptable labour base. Supported by advanced universities and national skills development efforts such as those led by the Culture, Art, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport Sector Education and Training Authority, the tourism workforce is prepared for inclusive, service-oriented growth.

The private sector is already showing confidence. Just yesterday, I witnessed the unveiling of the V&A Waterfront’s R20 billion Granger Bay precinct development. On the other side of the country, in KwaZulu-Natal, ClubMed is building a multi-billion-rand resort along our Indian Ocean coastline. These pioneers will share more about their vision during this Summit.

We are also unlocking access to our destination. Following the launch of the Trusted Tour Operators Scheme in India and China, our Department of Home Affairs will soon, before the end of September roll out the Electronic Travel Authorization system. This will digitalise and automate all short-stay visas, enabling secure and seamless travel for tourists across the globe.

We are also broadening our offerings through sports tourism. Minister Gayton McKenzie is today submitting South Africa’s bid for the Formula 1 rights at Kyalami, in Johannesburg. Next year, we will host the LIV Golf tournament at Steyn City, another first for Africa. Already, the tickets have been sold out. And in 2027, we will once again host the ICC Cricket World Cup.

Colleagues, as a G20 member state, we have committed to four deliverables:

A. An action plan on People-Centred AI and Innovation, with our tourism hackathon challenge winners to be announced this week.
B. An action plan on Tourism Financing and Investment, which this very Summit is laying the foundation for.
C. An action plan for Enhanced Resilience, ensuring inclusive and sustainable tourism.
D. And the G20 Tourism Report on Air Connectivity, paving the way for seamless travel.

This Summit is about jobs, growth, and transformation. Tourism is labour-intensive. Every investment here means jobs for young South Africans. Every Rand or Dollar invested is an opportunity created. And every partnership formed here will help us transform tourism into a driver of inclusive, sustainable prosperity.

South Africa is a nation at work, and we are about action.

Partner with us. Together, we can deliver a bold new chapter in tourism investment, for our country, for Africa, and for the world.

Delegates as I conclude, while you are here, please take advantage of our tourism month, Sho’t left campaign. Where you can get up to 50% discount on our tourism offerings. We have uploaded over 650 deals. Come and enjoy South Africa, with her citizens.

Thank you.

FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT - 8 SEPTEMBER 2025

We must build a society in which corruption cannot take root

Dear Fellow South African, 

Just over a week ago, the National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council (NACAC) handed over its final report at the conclusion of its three-year term. The Council was set up in 2022 to guide the implementation of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy and to strengthen the state’s anti-corruption architecture. 

The report includes a recommendation to establish a permanent, independent, overarching anti-corruption body. The Council recommends that this body be known as the Office of Public Integrity and Anti-Corruption and that its mandate be to prevent, investigate and remedy systemic corruption. The proposed body, which responds to one of the key recommendations of the State Capture Commission, would be expected to both fight corruption and prevent it from happening in the first place. 

The NACAC report also makes recommendations on the strengthening and coordination of law enforcement agencies, enhanced coordination mechanisms among the different law enforcement agencies, the use of Artificial Intelligence to prevent corruption and the establishment of an anti-corruption data sharing framework.

These recommendations will be thoroughly reviewed by the relevant government institutions for tabling and deliberation in Cabinet.

The work of NACAC makes it clear that the fight against corruption is complex, multi-faceted and protracted. This fight requires the dismantling systems of patronage that have become entrenched over many years. It requires strengthening state capacity to handle complex cases and closing regulatory loopholes that have enabled corruption to flourish. 

We need to tackle public and private sector corruption with equal energy. Tax evasion, market manipulation, inflated contracts and tender collusion by businesses significantly harm our economy, yet often receive less attention than corruption in public institutions. 

Amid daily reports of alleged corruption, South Africans want to see action. They want to see more arrests and convictions. 

We should therefore welcome the progress being made by our law enforcement agencies. Last week the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, known as the Hawks, and the Special Investigating Unit briefed Parliament on investigations into the South African Post Office, Postbank and the South African Social Security Agency, financial irregularities at water entities, an allegedly corrupt fuel tender, and graft at a number of municipalities. 

This year has seen a number of arrests linked to alleged corruption in Eskom, the South African Police Service, Transnet and in municipalities. While allegations of corruption within these important institutions are deeply disturbing, it is encouraging that they have been detected and that criminal action is being taken.

In July this year, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Working Group on Bribery noted that South Africa continues to make progress in detecting and investigating foreign bribery cases, and that “the resilience and commitment of individual government and law-enforcement officials, working in a multi-agency approach, has contributed to this progress”. 

We continue to make progress towards the removal of our country from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey-list. In June, FATF noted that South Africa has completed all 22 action plan items to combat money-laundering and the financing of terrorism. Exiting the grey-list is part of the fight against corruption and key to safeguarding the integrity of our financial system. 

Much of this work takes place behind the scenes. While there is a justifiable public expectation that there should be more convictions – including of those implicated in state capture – fighting corruption extends way beyond putting culprits in the dock. 

As the NACAC report points out, we need to pursue institutional reform to address the shortcomings in practices and systems that have enabled corruption to flourish. 

Corruption is much more than the result of the criminal intent of a few individuals be they government officials, elected public representatives or business people. It can become embedded in state institutions or business enterprises and manifest itself in practices and organisational culture. The success of our efforts relies on our ability to prevent corruption in the first place in state institutions, business enterprises or organs of civil society.

That is why we need to build transparent, accountable and ethical institutions – both public and private – in which corruption is unable to take root. We all need to work together to build a society characterised by responsibility and integrity.

With best regards,

Signature

 

UBUNTU NEWS FLASH - 28 AUGUST 2025

To read the Ubuntu News Flash, please click HERE. Highlights include:

STATEMENT ON SOUTH AFRICA’S FOREIGN POLICY ENGAGEMENTS AND DIPLOMATIC ACHIEVEMENTS

DIRCO WARNS YOUTH OF UNVERIFIED FOREIGN JOB OFFERS PROMOTED BY INFLUENCERS

AUSTRALIAN FIRM TO LAUNCH GOLD MINING OPERATIONS IN SOUTH AFRICA

FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT - 18 AUGUST 2025

Let the dialogue begin. Let all voices be heard.
 
Dear Fellow South African,
 
The first National Convention of the much-anticipated National Dialogue concluded on Saturday afternoon with a resounding call for the conversation among South Africans to begin.
 
The convention, which was attended by just over 1,000 delegates from organisations drawn from all sectors of society, was the kick-off for thousands of public dialogues that will take place for the next few months and into the beginning of next year. 
 
The public dialogues will take place at a local level in wards and at a sectoral level. Citizens will also be encouraged to organise their own dialogues, bringing people together to discuss the issues that concern them and to look for solutions to the challenges they face.
 
The outcomes of each of these dialogues will be recorded and collated through a special digital platform. There will also be mechanisms in place to enable those without access to the technology to submit the outcomes of their dialogues.
 
All of these discussions will culminate in a second National Convention to be held during the first half of 2026. It is anticipated that this convention will produce a clear vision for the country and adopt a social compact that outlines the roles and responsibilities of all sections of society, from citizens to the arms of the state, from business, labour, traditional leaders, religious bodies to civil society, activist and civic organisations. The form and content of these outcomes will ultimately be determined by the South African people through their discussions.
 
The first National Convention reflected the great diversity of our country’s people and their enthusiasm to get involved in the debate. Delegates were clear that citizens themselves must determine the issues discussed and must use whatever approaches and methods that suit them and their circumstances. They noted that what might work in a densely-populated city may not work in a rural area where villages are far apart. What might work in a sector that is well organised may not work among people who may not be part of organised formations.
 
There was a strong emphasis at the convention on inclusion and participation, with some delegates expressing concern that important voices were missing from the gathering. There was a firm view that special efforts should be made to reach and include groups and people who were often left out or marginalised.
 
Preparations for the National Dialogue have been underway for many months, drawing together foundations of struggle stalwarts, civil society bodies and the Presidency. They were given the responsibility to organise the first National Convention and lay the basis for the public dialogues that would follow it.
 
The convention was the moment at which the people of South Africa would take over the National Dialogue. Delegates discussed the formation of a Steering Committee, consisting of nominees from all sectors of society, to take the process forward. Each of the sectors held discussions at the convention on how they would select their respective nominee for the Steering Committee by the end of August 2025. They agreed that these processes need to be inclusive and that the Steering Committee needs to be representative.
 
In taking the National Dialogue forward, the Steering Committee would be supported and guided by the Eminent Persons Group, prominent South Africans tasked with championing the dialogue and providing advice. The Eminent Persons Group will also advise the Head of State as the convenor of the National Dialogue to ensure that it is inclusive and credible.
 
There should be no person, no part of society and no institution – either public or private – that is excluded from the conversation. The dialogue should break down the barriers between ‘insiders’ and ‘outsiders’ and challenge notions of ‘us’ and ‘them’. At the same time, we should not seek a form of unity that is based only on sentiment, but a unity that is forged through constructive and honest discussion on the difficult questions our country faces – and an agreed programme of action.
 
We should not be afraid to disagree. Disagreeing is part of engaging in a meaningful and robust dialogue. It is through the expression of different views that we will be able to give full legitimacy and credence to the dialogue. We should therefore make a determined effort to air our differences with a view to finding agreement on the actions we need to take together to build a better society, in which every person has an equal opportunity to prosper.
 
We are about to embark on one of the most important undertakings in the history of our democracy. We all have a responsibility to make it work. Let the dialogue begin and let every voice be heard.
 
With best regards, 
 

Signature

FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT - 11 AUGUST 2025

The National Dialogue must be a place for women to raise their voices
 
Dear Fellow South African,  
 
On 9 August each year, we celebrate Women’s Day, where we commemorate the 1956 Women’s March on the Union Buildings. The march was a political protest against the apartheid-era pass laws, but it was also a powerful assertion of women’s agency.  
 
It signalled that the women of South Africa, who were at that time relegated to the status of perpetual minors by the apartheid regime, would not be passive bystanders as their lives were profoundly affected by policies made about them, without them.
 
On Friday this week, organisations from across South Africa will gather at the National Convention in Pretoria to kickstart the National Dialogue process.  
 
Given the history of women’s struggles in our country, it is therefore to be expected that at this critical moment in our history, women will once again come to the fore and participate actively National Dialogue process.
 
When we announced the National Dialogue we said that it will bring together individuals and organisations from across society to find common ground and new solutions for our country’s many challenges. 
 
Women make up more than half of our country’s population. Women are affected by every political, social and economic issue in the country. Likewise, every crisis, whether it is unemployment, crime or climate change, affects women equally and, in some instances, more than men.
 
Recognising that the lives of women are bound up with the future of the nation as a whole, we are counting on women’s groups and organisations to mobilise around the National Dialogue process.  
 
As government, working in partnership with the various stakeholders, we have committed to ensuring women are equally represented across the structures supporting and guiding the process. 
 
If we are to remain true to our objective of giving all sectors of society a voice as we build the South Africa we want, we have to ensure that all women are represented. This means a concerted effort to mobilise young and old, urban and rural dwellers, women from different ethnic and linguistic communities, women with disabilities, and LGBTQI+ people.  
 
The reality is that women’s struggles are not all the same and we should not assume they are. Although they may be similar in certain respects, the issues and challenges facing rural women and women in traditional communities differ vastly from those of women in urban areas with access to education, resources and public services.  
 
This was one of the points made at last year’s South African Women’s Pre-National Dialogue convened by the Institute of Justice and Reconciliation. It emphasised that the National Dialogue process should focus on all issues affecting and impacting women, and that diverse perspectives and priorities of all South African women must be reflected. 
 
As the Government of National Unity we seek to drive the strategic priorities of inclusive growth and job creation, tackling the effects of poverty and the high cost of living, and building a capable, ethical and developmental state.  
 
We remain committed to ensuring that gender is mainstreamed in all government policy and that a gendered lens is consistently applied to every challenge when developing and implementing solutions. No government decision should be made without due consideration of how it impacts women specifically. 
 
Throughout periods of profound change in the history of South Africa, women have organised to ensure that their voices, consent and participation remained central to all decisions affecting them either directly or indirectly. 
 
The inclusion of the gender equality clauses in the Freedom Charter was heavily influenced by the Federation of South African Women (FEDSAW) formed in 1954. More than three decades later, the Women’s National Coalition, which was formed in 1992, played a formative role in ensuring that these passages were reflected in South Africa’s democratic constitution.  
 
From the protests against the pass laws, to the so-called beer-hall protests of 1959, to the rent boycotts of the 1980s, to the contemporary protest movements against gender-based violence, South African women have a proud history of standing up and being counted.  
 
With the first National Convention taking place during Women’s Month, we call on all sectors of society to come together to ensure the full participation of all women in the National Dialogue. This would be the most fitting and powerful tribute to the legacy of the pioneers of 1956. 
 
With best regards, 

Signature

 

HAPPY WOMEN'S MONTH

Happy Women’s Month!

Every year in August, South Africa celebrates Women’s Day, paying homage to the more than 20 000 women who marched to the Union Buildings on 9 August 1956, to protest against the extension of Pass Laws and the Urban Areas Act.

This year marks the 69th anniversary of the historic march and the 30th anniversary of the first official National Women’s Day. This year’s celebration will be held under the theme: “Building Resilient Economies for All”. The overarching purpose of this commemoration is to promote women’s participation and representation in leadership and the economy.

As we commemorate Women’s Day and Women’s Month, we salute the achievements of women over the years, including their pivotal role in transforming the nation, and contributions to socio-economic development. This celebration is also a clarion call to accelerate the role of women in the economy and empower them as well as tackle the complex barriers, such as poverty, inequality and unemployment, that hinder their development.