As South Africa gears up for the fourth annual Sustainable Infrastructure Development Symposium South Africa (SIDSSA) in Cape Town this week, Public Works and Infrastructure Minister, Dean Macpherson, has reaffirmed government’s commitment to transforming the country into a hive of construction activity to drive economic recovery, job creation and scale up service delivery.
The Minister was speaking at media briefing on Sunday, ahead of the SIDSSA, which will be held on Monday and Tuesday.
The symposium follows closely on the heels of Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s Budget Speech, in which he announced that government will invest approximately R1 trillion in infrastructure over the medium term.
“This week, government, business, development financiers and technical experts will come together with a singular focus: how do we use infrastructure to drive South Africa’s economic recovery, attract investment and most importantly, create jobs? SIDSSA is not just a conversation. It is a platform for execution,” Macpherson said.
The Minister announced that during the symposium, the second edition of the Construction Book, compiled by Infrastructure South Africa, will be launched.
“This is a live inventory of construction ready projects that are already funded and scheduled to go to the market over the next 12 months. It showcases the real work being done to build roads, expand water supply systems, unlock energy capacity and rehabilitate public infrastructure.
“This year’s construction book includes over 200 funded projects part of the annual procurement plans of State-Owned Enterprises, municipalities and provinces across the country. The goal is clear, we must accelerate delivery, stimulate growth and turn South Africa into a construction site,” the Minister said.
He said the next wave of priority projects will also be announced.
“These include eight nationally significant infrastructure projects that were prioritised at SIDSSA last year. I will also be providing an update on these projects while [President Cyril Ramaphosa] will outline the broader significance of these projects in his keynote address,” he said.
Macpherson emphasised that it is evident that “we are making real progress in the infrastructure space across the length and breadth of South Africa”.
“These projects are no longer aspirational. They are funded, contracted and moving through feasibility and procurement stages with urgency and transparency.
“One of the biggest reforms we’ve made has been to prioritise project preparation funding. Through Infrastructure South Africa, we are ensuring that public sector projects no longer fail at the first hurdle due to weak planning, poor structuring or lack of compliance. Over R600 million has now been committed to prepare strategic infrastructure projects from basic services to catalytic energy and water investments,” he revealed.
For the public good
Macpherson highlighted that the symposium will also provide an opportunity for reflection on “how we use the assets of the state for public good”.
“Over the past year, we have begun repurposing public buildings for public good. We are turbo charging private investment into public properties which will see investment supporting infrastructure.
“For the first time, we are releasing 31 properties nationwide for investment which will allow the public and private sectors to work together on how best they can be utilised. This is the first phase of this programme which we estimate will attract an additional R10 billion in these properties through the private sector and create – between construction and services related jobs – 165 000 opportunities,” he said.
Additionally, vacant properties are being handed over to local and provincial authorities to serve as shelters, youth centres and service delivery points.
“The era of state buildings standing idle while communities go without them must come to an end. Public properties must serve the public and the public purpose,” the Minister said.
He assured that the symposium is “not about making new promises”.
“It’s about reporting back, building momentum and demonstrating that this government is serious about delivery and serious about infrastructure. This week is about showing South Africa what is being built and what is coming up to be built.
“We are ready, the projects are ready and it’s now time for us to deliver,” Macpherson concluded. – SAnews.gov.za
Workers can be seen maintining equipment at the Selemela Solar Park near Lichtenburg in the North West province of South Africa. Picture: Ihsaan Haffejee
Solar power moves virtually from farmland in North West province to factories hundreds of kilometres away. How does it work, and what does it mean for the country’s energy transition?
By NTHUSANG LEFAFA
25 May 2025- The practice of electricity wheeling is gaining momentum in South Africa as a pathway for companies and municipalities to transmit renewable energy using Eskom’s grid. A large-scale solar energy facility about 15km outside the town of Lichtenburg in North West province is reshaping how this virtual transfer works. Developed by a South African company, the SOLA Group, the project is taking place on grazing land leased from two farmers who each earn rental of about R1million a year.
Called the Selemela Solar Park, it supplies renewable energy to factories in KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape via a wheeling agreement with the Eskom transmission network. Katherine Persson, managing director of assets at the SOLA Group, says the Selemela facilities together represent one of the largest electricity wheeling initiatives in South Africa.
The project comprises two solar plants that generate about 200 megawatts per hour for the
Tronox wheeling deal. A third plant still in commissioning phase will supply another 100MW to African Rainbow Minerals.
According to Persson, the scale of the project reflects its significant financial backing.
“We raised about R4.2-billion to construct them, so they are large infrastructure investments,”
she said.
“They were funded by a consortium of banks, including Absa, Standard Bank, Nedbank
and DBSA. Additional equity finance was provided by the SOLA Group and African Rainbow Energy Partners.
Wheeling deal Tronox Mineral Sands, which manufactures products used in paints, plastics and paper, off-takes the electricity via the National Transmission Company South Africa (NTCSA), a recently unbundled division of Eskom responsible for managing transmission infrastructure.
“We engage with NTCSA and Eskom in parallel,” said Persson.
“These projects connect at the Watershed main transmission substation, which is managed by NTCSA. So we have agreements with both NTCSA and Eskom Distribution around the grid connection for the projects.”
Building and connecting private energy projects to the grid, however, is far from simple.
Selemela was constructed under a self-build agreement, where the project company is
responsible for building most of the required grid infrastructure, but collaboration with Eskom
and NTCSA remains essential.
“Even though you’re building most of the stuff yourself, there are still certain points where
there’s interaction with Eskom, where they need to do bits of work on their side,” Persson
explained.
Oxpeckers submitted a set of detailed questions to Eskom on May 7, seeking clarity on wheeling
arrangements, grid readiness, regulatory alignment and infrastructure upgrades. No response was received by the time of publication.
Growing trend
The Selemela project is part of a growing trend in South Africa’s energy landscape. Eskom recently launched its Virtual Wheeling platform as a commercial product, marking a break-through in how renewable energy is transmitted to end-users.
The platform, co-developed with Vodacom subsidiary Mezzanine, simplifies billing and reconciliation for off-takers, making wheeling more accessible for large companies with distributed operations. It forms part of broader reforms unveiled alongside a new national wheeling framework recently approved by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa.
Together, these reforms are widely seen by commentators as a major step toward liberalising the energy market and unlocking large-scale private investment.
Municipal transitions
Nhlanhla Ngidi, head of energy and electricity at the South African Local Government Association (SALGA), said municipalities are joining the virtual trend by slowly transitioning from electricity resellers to facilitators of third party wheeling.
“More than 40 municipalities currently have wheeling contracts with Eskom,” he said.
This is progress since a 2023 #PowerTracker investigation that found only four municipalities had operational wheeling systems at the time: Nelson Mandela Bay, Ekurhuleni, City of Cape Town and George. Ngidi said SALGA had contributed to the national wheeling framework and has provided municipalities with training and guidelines to implement it.
However, Eskom has warned that wheeling through municipal grids is only permitted in areas, where municipalities are up to date with their Eskom payments.
“The concerns are around security of payments for IPPs. Some alternative arrangements such as escrow accounts have been identified as a solution,” Ngidi said.
While SALGA was not involved in the Lichtenburg project under Ditsobotla Local Municipality,
Ngidi said these projects highlight the financial potential of wheeling.
“If the municipality signs the wheeling agreement, it won’t completely lose revenue from the customer receiving the power. There is revenue to be made through wheeling, which will cover the lost income,” he said.
Community benefits
There are direct and indirect benefits that flow into local communities from wheeling projects in
the form of job creation, investments and enterprise development – with the potential to uplift rural communities and support vulnerable groups.
As a private project that was not developed under the government’s Renewable Energy
Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP), Selemela Solar Park does not include a formal community trust. However, the project has implemented various social impact
initiatives.
“The landowners are one of our most critical partners in the project,” Persson said.
“It’s important for us to maintain good relations with them and with all the local community stakeholders.
“About R335-million has gone directly into procuring goods and services in the local community, and in addition to that around R7 million has been spent on community investment,”
she said.
Working through a project liaison committee, the project has provided 305 educational opportunities and established a stakeholder engagement structure to ensure ongoing community
support and dialogue.
“The project liaison committee consists of members of the community and representatives from the provincial government. We focus mostly on healthcare, education and infrastructure,”
explained Janine Bergstedt, economic development administrator at the SOLA Group.
Formal education
Letlhogonolo Mabitso, who lives in the neighbouring community of Grasfontein, about 10km from the solar park, was unemployed and had no hope of receiving formal education. Today, he
is one of 30 adults enrolled in a three-month sewing and fashion design skills course at the
Grasfontein Community Hall — a facility renovated by Selemela’s developer, WBHO, and the
SOLA Group.
Once he and his peers complete the course, they plan to start selling school uniforms to nearby
schools. Mabitso said they’ve already started a five-member cooperative, and the income will
soon begin circulating within their community.
Bergstedt said this is just one of many initiatives. Communities in Ward 16 have benefitted from
school internet installations, nutrition programmes and school supplies such as shoes and bags for learners.
“It’s always important to have a healthy relationship with the communities we work in and know what their needs are in order to do a thorough community needs analysis,” she said.
Tshepo Oliphant, economic development officer at the SOLA Group, said the project created over 800 temporary jobs for community members during construction.
“This was mostly general workers. We also had the workers trained in health and safety,” he said.
Through a partnership with the provincial Department of Economic Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism, local service providers also received mentorship and training.
“Some of the local contractors that continue to benefit from the solar project are those who are
doing solar panel washing and grass cutting. All of the buildings on the site, like the warehouse
and maintenance building, were built by local contractors,” Oliphant said.
Power flows
Tebogo Tong, plant manager at Selemela, explained how power flows from the more than
390,000 bifacial solar panels at the plant to the national grid.
“You get the resource which is your sun getting absorbed by the solar panels, going through
inverters at transformer stations,” he said.
“At the transformer stations, that is where the power is converted from DC (direct current) to AC (alternating current). Then from there, it goes through underground cables to the substation. From the substation, it’s then linked to the Eskom national grid through their transmission lines.”
The solar park is equipped with a metering system that records how much energy is exported,
which is then offset against how much the buyer consumes.
“The buyer has a wheeling agreement with Eskom, and they pay a fee for that. It’s the same as
when you are utilising the road from here to Johannesburg – you’re going to be paying some toll
gates to utilise the road. That is how the power is transmitted,” Tong said.
Questions sent to Tronox on May 9 about its role as the off-taker in the wheeling deal remain unanswered.
Greener energy
As South Africa accelerates its shift towards greener energy, the solar park offers a glimpse into
what the future of electricity could look like — decentralised, decarbonised, and community-
aware. It shows how wheeling can unlock private investment, stimulate rural economies and
chart a path beyond coal.
“The renewable energy industry is quite small, so all the companies know each other. And what
we’re seeing now is that there are other projects who are coming after us,” said Persson.
“Some of them are facing similar challenges to the ones that we faced during the construction and
commissioning of these projects. We’re happy to share our experiences with others.
“Ultimately the whole industry works together. We’re just trying to support each other to deliver
projects,” she said.
NB: This investigation was supported by the African Climate Foundation’s New Economy Hub
25 May 2025- The Republic of South Africa (RSA) president, Cyril Ramaphosa said across the world, countries are having to grapple with their past as they confront the challenges of today. Ramaphosa said the past that countries deal with is often about atrocities that were committed against sections of their people.
He further said dealing with the memory of past atrocities is one of the most difficult and delicate tasks a nation can undertake. Ramaphosa added that this can be a cathartic process, but is vital if a country is committed to enhance national healing, cohesion and unity.
“The way a country remembers its painful past can shape the character of its democracy, the legitimacy of its institutions and the resilience of its people. As a country, we have had to contend with our past in the interests of social cohesion and nation-building.
“We have advanced policies of restitution and redress to both acknowledge and correct the historical injustice of apartheid. We remain equally committed to restoring the dignity of apartheid’s countless victims and to bringing closure to their families,” he said.
Ramaphosa said over the past weekend, they reburied the remains of Advocate Duma Nokwe, a hero of the anti-apartheid struggle and former Secretary-General of the African National Congress, who died in exile in Zambia in 1978. He said Nokwe was the first black advocate to be admitted to the Johannesburg Bar, and both a defendant and a member of the defence team in the treason trial of 1956.
“In recognition of his contribution to the legal fraternity, we conferred him the status of senior counsel posthumously. Duma Nokwe was one of 42 former liberation heroes and heroines who passed away in exile whose remains were repatriated from Zambia and Zimbabwe in September last year.
“We are grateful for the countries that gave our people shelter and support in exile and provided a resting place for those who died before they could return home,” he said.
Ramaphosa said many families in this country lost their loved ones to apartheid brutality and live with these scars. He said the apartheid regime even pursued activists that had fled the country and their whereabouts remain unknown.
“In 1994, we chose a path of national reconciliation. We established the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) to shed light on the atrocities committed during apartheid.
“Even as democratic South Africa attempted to unearth what happened and to hold those accountable to account, many apartheid-era security officials either refused to appear before the TRC or did not fully disclose their actions,” Ramaphosa said.
He said others resorted to delaying tactics and obstruction to evade trial. Ramaphosa said as they recently announced, he is in the process of establishing a judicial commission of inquiry to look into allegations of interference in the investigation and prosecution of apartheid-era crimes referred by TRC.
“As government we remain steadfast in our commitment to restoring the dignity of activists who died and were buried abroad, and to our country men and women who were subjected to indignities in foreign lands.
“This is being done within legal frameworks such as the National Heritage Resources Act. This framework facilitated the repatriation of Sara Baartman’s remains for burial in South Africa in 2002,” he said.
Picture: SANDF allegedly starving horses at military base in Potchefstroom
By REGINALD KANYANE
25 May 2025- The Democratic Alliance (DA) said it welcomes the decision by the North West Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to pursue long-overdue prosecution against the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and its Special Infantry Capability Unit, for the appalling abuse and neglect of military horses in Potchefstroom.
The DA said this prosecution comes seven years after the National Council of SPCAs (NSPCA) uncovered harrowing conditions in which horses were left to starve, suffer and die under the SANDF’s watch.
The DA spokesperson on Defence and Military Veterans, Chris Hattingh, who is also a Member of Parliament (MP), said 25 animals were in such severe condition that they had to be euthanized, while 69 were later removed by the NSPCA to prevent further suffering. Hattingh said despite a formal agreement with the NSPCA and numerous warnings, the SANDF failed to act.
“This dereliction of duty not only highlights a grotesque failure in animal care but also reflects a broader culture of impunity and institutional neglect within the defence establishment.
“The DA stands in full support of the NSPCA’s relentless efforts in seeking justice. We demand that those responsible within the SANDF be held criminally accountable and that systemic reforms be implemented to prevent future abuses,” he said.
Hattingh further said the SANDF’s disregard for animal welfare is an offence against South Africa’s military equestrian history — a tradition marked by discipline, care, and operational excellence.
25 May 2025-Three men from Victoria West aged between 35 and 60 were arrested for extortion on Thursday. It is alleged that on 19 May 2025, the complainant was approached by the three suspects at a construction site at Gama Sub-station, near Victoria West.
The Northern Cape police spokesperson, Sergeant Merapelo Pilane said the suspects allegedly introduced themselves as representatives of a committee from Victoria West and demanded for the removal of current appointed sub-contractors. Pilane said the contractor was also instructed to only employ candidates of their choice.
“The three men continued to threaten the complainant with violence, should he not adhere to their demands. The incident was reported to the police and an extortion case was registered and handed over to the Northern Cape SAPS Provincial Organized Crime Investigation Unit for further investigation.
“The investigations led to the arrests of the suspects, who are expected to appear in the Victoria West Magistrates Court soon. Extortion is deemed as a serious crime, which impacts the economy of the Northern Cape,” he said.
Pilane further said the police encourage the public to report any suspicious criminal activities via the MYSAPS App or the Crime Stop number 08600 10111. He added that, all information reported will be treated confidentially.
25 May 2025- Two men were sentenced to 18 years by the Northern Cape High Court for farm murder in Jan Kempdorp. Three men, Lucky Bohelo (26), Kernels Persent (23) and Maxim Hutama (24), were subsequently arrested, but Bohelo was eventually acquitted of all charges.
The Northern Cape police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Sergio Kock said both Persent and Hutama, were sentenced to 18 years for murder and 5 years for robbery. Kock said the sentences will run concurrently.
“The incident took place on a plot of Renier Adrian Jooste (60), near Jan Kempdorp in 2018. Jooste was severely assaulted and his naked body with a stabbing wound in the chest was discovered by an employee.
“The accused fled with valuables, including bank cards, cell phones, electrical tools and alcoholic beverages of the deceased,” he said.
Kock further said the SAPS Provincial Organized Crime with the assistance of the K9 unit and the SAPS Crime Scene Management Centre, followed up on a tip-off and arrested three men on a chicken farm, near Jan Kempdorp. He added that the police also recovered most of the stolen goods that were robbed from the deceased.
Meanwhile, the Northern Cape Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Koliswa Otola, commended Detective Warrant Officer Patrick Dibebe and his team from Provincial Organized Crime Investigations for their meticulous investigation that led to the outstanding contact crime conviction.
25 May 2025- A man (41) sentenced to five years imprisonment for attempted rape. On 4 December 2022, the victim (12) was walking in the street along with her friends, while the accused was following them.
The Northern Cape police spokesperson, Sergeant Omphile Masegela said the next moment, he grabbed her and pulled her pants down and removed his pants too. Masegela said one of the friends called for help and the accused ran away.
“The mother of the victim was informed. A case of attempted rape was reported to the police and the accused was charged. The Kakamas Regional Court sentenced him to 5 years imprisonment, wholly suspended for a period of 5 years.
“The commendable investigation by Constable Lesego Mokati of Kakamas Family Violence Child Protection and Sexual Offences was applauded by the management,” he said.
Picture: A firearm discovered during raid/Supplied
By OBAKENG MAJE
25 May 2025- The Northern Cape police said the ongoing Operation Shanela remains steadfast and intentional during high density police actions that were executed across all five districts in the province during the past week to address priority crimes in hotspot areas. The police said these disruptive actions were led by the Northern Cape Police Commissioner, the Deputy Provincial Commissioner for Policing, District Commissioners, Provincial Heads and senior officers in the province and district.
The Northern Cape police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Sergio Kock said in the Namakwa District, Otola, together with Besnaar, the Namakwa District Commissioner, Brigadier Schalk Andrews and supported by the Provincial Heads for Corporate Communication and Liaison, Crime Intelligence and the Provincial Operational Command Centre, executed high density operations to address priority crimes as well illicit mining activities in conjunction with the Vala Umgodi teams currently deployed in the Kleinzee, Port Nolloth and Koingnaas areas.
Kock said the multi-disciplinary teams across the province jointly executed 300 arrests, including wanted suspects arrested by detectives who have been evading police.
“Majority of the arrests included possession of dangerous weapons, dealing in drugs, possession of drugs, illegal dealing in liquor, murder, attempted murder, assault GBH, burglary, and malicious damage to property.
“In addition to the 12 907 police actions, several roadblocks, vehicle check points, as well as high visibility patrols were conducted, during which 6148 persons and 2451 vehicles were stopped and searched,” he said.
Kock further said dagga with an estimated street value of R330 000, was seized in Galeshewe Township recently and a female subsequently arrested. He added that compliance inspections were conducted at second-hand goods dealers, firearms dealers, informal businesses, liquor outlets which also resulted in the closure of several unlicensed liquor outlets.
“In an effort to promote rural safety, high visibility patrols were conducted in rural areas where several farms and mines were visited. Disruptive actions resulted in the confiscation of a significant amount of liquor, drugs, dangerous weapons and copper cables.
“Several campaigns including, “Take a girl child to work”, were held across the province and safety awareness and career guidance were offered, while SAPS members also showcased various sections and components, which the police have to offer as a career of choice,” said Kock.
Meanwhile, the Northern Cape Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Otola expressed her gratitude towards all SAPS personnel and relevant stakeholders who contributed towards the successes achieved as well as the communities for their cooperation. Otola also encouraged all role players to continue with police actions and community interactions to ensure safer communities in the province.
Picture: The North West MC for Community Safety and Transport Management, Wessels Morweng/Facebook
By BAKANG MOKOTO
25 May 2025- One of the beneficiaries of 295 Shova Kalula bicycles said they will come in handy and significantly improve their access to education. This comes after the North West MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management, Wessels Morweng donated 295 Shova Kalula bicycles to Mammutla Secondary School in Mammutla village, near Taung recently.
A Grade 10 learner, Olerato Nkosini said the bicycles will reduce their travel time to school as they sometimes arrive late. Nkosini said most learners travel almost 50km before they can reach their school.
“I would honestly like to thank MEC for giving us this chance of making things easier for us, especially to travel from our various villages to school.
“We have been experiencing some challenges and that did not only affect us, but teachers as well because learners will arrive late. So, the bicycles will make our teachers’ jobs easier,” she said.
Nkosini further said bicycles allow learners to travel longer distances, reducing the time and effort required to get to school, particularly in rural areas where public transportation may be limited.
Meanwhile, Morweng said bicycle donation programs can also foster a sense of community and pride, as learners and their families become more involved in their education and development. He added that long distance traveling learners of Mammutla Secondary School could not hide their excitement when they received these bicycles.
“With the furthest distance of 10km to and from school on a daily basis, learners from seven neighbouring villages appreciated the gesture by the department to shorten their travel time to school.
“It is the government’s responsibility to ensure that learners have access to education and provision of transport to those traveling long distances to school,” he said.
Morweng said they are handing over these bicycles to learners who travel between 3 to 5km to school as part of the government’s responsibility to ensure access to education. He said these bicycles are their tools to success and they must use them only for the purpose of going to school.
Picture: Learners involved in a car accident/Facebook
By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI
25 May 2025- Eighty learners from RA Kobue Secondary school in Mooifontein, outside Mahikeng, were involved in a car accident. Thirty learners were taken to the Gelukspan Hospital with slight injuries.
The North West MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management, Wessels Morweng said one learner was taken to the Bophelong Provincial Hospital. Morweng said it is alleged that a taxi carrying learners and teachers to the same school, but privately hired, had just overtaken the bus when stopping abruptly for another teacher.
“As a result it was hit from behind by the bus. The bus which is part of the scholar transport paid for by the department was carrying 65 learners from Goedgevonden and the taxi with 15 passengers was from Mareetsane.
“Alternative transport has been arranged to transport learners so that learning and teaching shouldn’t be adversely affected,” he said.
Morweng further said his department has also arranged transport for learners, who have been taken to the hospital, to be transported home after consultation. He added that they wish speedy recovery to all the injured.
The Guardian 