The department of trade, industry & competition and the department of agriculture are set jointly to brief the media on the outcomes of the cabinet decisions regarding SA’s response to the 30% tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump last week.
On Thursday last week the presidency said President Cyril Ramaphosa and Trump had spoken on the phone and had undertaken to continue with further engagements “recognising the various trade negotiations the US is currently involved in. Respective trade negotiating teams will take forward more detailed discussions.”
The briefing to be held in Pretoria on Tuesday is set to provide updates on the government’s response to the tariffs and outline the measures being implemented to safeguard national economic interests. The department of trade, industry & competition has set up an export support desk to assist affected companies.
The inquest into the 1993 Highgate Hotel massacre is set to resume at the special tribunal in East London on Monday after two sittings in January and March. The inquest seeks to uncover the truth behind the attack, which claimed five lives and left seven others injured, and was widely attributed to the Azanian People’s Liberation Army (Apla). However, Apla’s former director of operations Letlapa Mphahlele has previously denied the organisation’s involvement.
On Tuesday, the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection (Mistra) is expected to launch the Mistra Coalition Barometer II (2023-25) in Johannesburg. This is part of Mistra’s ongoing analysis of SA’s coalition politics. The launch is set to unpack insight from new research, offering an in-depth account of evolving coalition dynamics between 2023 and early 2025.
DA leader John Steenhuisen will in Johannesburg on Monday outline a set of “urgent, practical and implementable reforms and alternatives, around which the DA will campaign”. These include broad-based BEE, the Employment Equity Act and the Expropriation Act.
Steenhuisen, minister of agriculture in the government of national unity, will be joined by seven other DA ministers and deputy ministers: ministers Solly Malatsi (communications & digital technologies), Leon Schreiber (home affairs), Dean Macpherson (public works) and Siviwe Gwarube (basic education), and deputy ministers Jane Sithole (small business development), Sello Seitlholo (water & sanitation) and Samantha Graham (electricity & energy).
From Friday to Sunday, the country will convene the first national convention set to begin a process of hosting a countrywide national dialogue. The convention will be held at the ZK Matthews Hall at Unisa in Pretoria.
“This historic gathering brings together representatives of all sectors of SA society, including government, political parties, civil society, traditional leaders, youth, religious groups, business, labour [and] academia to reflect on the state of the nation and begin reimagining the future of our democracy,” the government said.
“The national convention serves as the launch pad for an inclusive and people-led dialogue process aimed at carving a shared vision for the country. It is expected to come up with a clear road map to facilitate participation and ensure that citizens have the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the dialogue process.”
The national dialogue is set to cover critical issues blighting SA such as poverty, inequality, job creation, crime, governance and accountability — issues many South Africans are well aware of. The national dialogue will reportedly cost R700m.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.