Simangazo Mokale

South Africa will witness yet another milestone during the G20 Summit as we draw thousands of global leaders, media, and delegates, providing both a diplomatic milestone and a major opportunity to showcase our country’s tourism offerings.

The gathering of world leaders and delegates is an opportunity for us to showcase our unique tourism offerings. We have also worked to ensure that economic opportunities associated with the Summit and the many lead up meetings are extended to small and micro enterprises (SMMEs).

Since the advent of democracy, South Africa has gone through various changes. While we have made notable progress, the persistent scourge of poverty continues to threaten our development and exacerbates inequality. This Nelson Mandela Month as we honour the legacy of our beloved icon, we are called upon to challenge poverty under the theme: “It is still in our hands to combat poverty and inequity”.

With the cold months once again upon us this is typically a time for wrapping up warmly and staying indoors, with the comfort of a cup of tea, a warm meal or a hot shower.  These seemingly simple things are often replicated in millions of households across the country, and this drives up the demand for electricity.

Water is the one thing we cannot do without, and this precious life-giving source must be protected. South Africa is a water scarce country, and this resource is under threat from factors such as climate change, population growth and rapid urbanisation. It is therefore crucial that we all work towards ensuring water security by protecting and managing our nation’s water resources carefully.

During the recently concluded National Water Week from 20 - 26 March 2025, and especially on World Water Day on 22 March 2025, we paused to reflect on the central nature of water to all life.

For years we have been told that South Africa is a water scarce country. However, this warning often goes unheeded, and people continue with their daily lives, totally unconcerned about water use. The reality only hits home when communities are directly impacted as in the case right now in Gauteng.

In August last year, President Cyril Ramaphosa met chairpersons and chief executives of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) to discuss accelerating the implementation of measures to ensure that these entities perform optimally and meet their constitutional mandate.

During the meeting, the President was upfront about the crucial role of SOEs in growing the economy, along with the importance of stabilising their finances and promoting good governance.

When a baby is born parents anticipate that their child will live a long happy life, but this is not always the case. Sometimes there are conditions that are not evident at birth but are discovered as the child grows up.

Very few people think of TB as a major health concern.  Yet TB continues to be the top infectious killer worldwide, claiming over 1.5 million lives per year, and despite significant progress over the past few decades, it is still a major problem in South Africa.

Women are an integral part of communities and they are the foundation of society, therefore investing in them to accelerate progress is vital.

Just 30 years ago most women in South Africa were denied the right to vote and work. Many of the basic rights that we now take for granted were also denied to the majority of the people of this country. Many of the challenges faced by women prior to our democratic change in 1994, continue to impact women around the world today. Vast numbers of women have no voice or just simply continue to suffer in silence.

The world has come a long way since we first heard of HIV and Aids in the early eighties when the mysterious new disease emerged which quickly spread across the globe. It claimed many lives and became the leading cause of death in many areas.