South African parliament speaker says budget postponed
Didiza told lawmakers that there was no agreement yet on the budget.
(Reporting by Kopano Gumbi and Wendell Roelf in Cape Town, and Tannur Anders, Sfundo Parakozov and Olivia Kumwenda-Mtambo in Pretoria; Writing by Bhargav Acharya; Editing by Alexander Winning)
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Zawya
2 days ago
- Zawya
UAE, Senegal strengthen partnership on water investment in Africa
Today at the Africa Water Investment Summit, the United Arab Emirates and the Republic of Senegal, as co-hosts of the 2026 UN Water Conference, in partnership with AUDA-NEPAD, Children Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), Global Water Partnership (GWP) and the Global Climate Finance Centre (GCFC), co-hosted the high-level session 'Financing Africa's Water Future: Catalysing Investment and Partnerships on the Road to the 2026 UN Water Conference'. From 13th to15th August, Heads of State, ministers, development finance institutions, private investors, project developers and civil society representatives convened in Cape Town to tackle the US$6.7 trillion investment gap to 2030 and the US$22.6 trillion gap to 2050 for climate-resilient water infrastructure globally. Africa mobilises just $10–19 billion annually against its $30 billion target for water infrastructure, an opportunity for innovative financing models and public–private–philanthropic partnerships to bridge the gap. Against this backdrop, and within the context of its G20 Presidency, South Africa hosted the AU-AIP Africa Water Investment Summit to mobilise climate-resilient water and sanitation investments that advance water security, economic growth, and sustainable development across the continent. The summit represents a key milestone on the road to the 2026 UN Water Conference, following last months adoption of its six interactive dialogue themes, by consensus. The themes place a particular emphasis on 'Investments for water: Financing, technology and innovation, and capacity building', positioning the Summit in Cape Town as a critical input to the preparatory process. The session started by the co-hosts highlighting the political will needed to accelerate water investments in Africa and globally. Abdulla Balalaa, UAE Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Energy and Sustainability, said, 'With all 193 Member States having just agreed last month, by consensus, on the themes for the 2026 UN Water Conference, the AU-AIP Africa Water Investment Summit comes at exactly the right moment. It is a vital platform to advance one of those priorities — 'Investments for Water' — by driving the financing, innovation, and partnerships needed to deliver results for Africa and the world.' Setting the stage for Africa's future prosperity, AUDA-NEPAD's leader underscored water's foundational role. 'Affordable and reliable water access is the foundation upon which Africa's prosperity will be built,' said Nardos Bekele-Thomas, CEO of AUDA-NEPAD. 'At AUDA-NEPAD, we see every investment in water as an investment in health, stability, and economic growth. We continue building strong partnerships and unlocking innovative finance, to turn Africa's vast demand and potential into tangible solutions that safeguard communities today and create sustainable futures for generations to come,' he added. Participants then turned to four core themes, exploring concrete solutions: • Showcasing scalable financing models such as blended finance, concessional loans and guarantees tailored for water infrastructure. • Identifying policy, regulatory and technical barriers hindering private investment and exploring solutions to de-risk projects. • Improving bankability and pipeline readiness through standardised metrics, data transparency and aggregation platforms. • Shaping the 'Investments for Water' theme for the 2026 UN Water Conference interactive dialogue on financing, technology and capacity-building. Turning to the design of financing mechanisms, CIFF emphasised partnership with governments. 'To close the water financing gap in Africa, it is essential that we design investment mechanisms alongside African governments,' said Richard Matikanya, Deputy Executive Director of CIFF Africa. He added, 'When national priorities shape the agenda from the outset, capital flows to the projects with the greatest need and the strongest local support. This is how we ensure lasting impact.' Finally, Mercedes Vela Monserrate, CEO of GCFC, looked ahead to the 2026 UN Water Conference, saying, 'GCFC is honoured to be supporting on the water finance track for the 2026 UN Water Conference.' 'In the lead-up to the Conference, we will translate today's dialogue into actionable steps that mobilise private and philanthropic capital and deliver water solutions across Africa and other emerging markets,' he noted. As part of their inclusive, transparent, and extensive consultation process, the UAE and Senegal also used this plenary session to gather stakeholder perspectives on tangible recommendations and deliverables to accelerate water investments in Africa, with the aim of showcasing these at the 2026 UN Water Conference.


Zawya
2 days ago
- Zawya
South Africa: Western Cape court halts TotalEnergies' offshore drilling over EIA failings
The Western Cape High Court has overturned the government's approval of TotalEnergies' Block 5/6/7 offshore drilling plans, ruling that the environmental impact assessment (EIA) failed to address key risks, legal requirements, and public participation. Reuters reports that the court ordered that TotalEnergies should be allowed to rectify deficiencies identified, including a failure to properly assess the potential socio-economic impacts of any oil spills or consider climate change. The court has now returned the matter to the Department of Minerals and Petroleum, requiring fresh assessments, additional information, and public participation. In a statement, a TotalEnergies spokesperson acknowledged the court's decision and said its local unit and partners had complied with all necessary local regulations. "TotalEnergies E&P South Africa, along with its joint venture partners, will now legally assess the judgment in more detail and decide on the course of action," the spokesperson said. While the authorisation was initially granted to TotalEnergies EP South Africa, it intends to transfer the environmental authorisation to Shell to conduct the drilling. Shahil Singh, legal advisor to The Green Connection, said the court found the EIA failed to assess the full impact of a major oil spill on local and neighbouring coastal communities, ignored coastal protection laws, and omitted crucial climate and fairness considerations. 'Oil spill and blowout contingency plans were kept from the public until after approval, denying communities a chance to comment. 'The minister must now restart the process, publish the spill response plans for public input, and properly assess both coastal and cross-border risks before any decision is made. 'This is a big win for transparency, precaution, and the rights of coastal communities and small-scale fishers,' Singh said. Natural Justice, defending rights programme manager, Melissa Groenink-Groves, says: 'This judgment is a victory in the growing opposition to oil and gas exploration in our country. 'Recently, a number of oil and gas projects have been given environmental authorisation, but this judgment again confirms that companies must follow due process, undertake comprehensive assessments and provide communities with an opportunity to have their voices heard, in respect of all relevant information. 'It confirms that our fight for our environmental rights is strong, and that we must continue for the future for our children. 'Where necessary, we will continue to turn to our courts to not only stop the takers who parade under the guise of growth and development, but to ensure that impacts of oil and gas exploration and production are properly scrutinised and that our people and our resources are not exploited.' All rights reserved. © 2022. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (

Zawya
3 days ago
- Zawya
Home Affairs Chairperson Calls for Prosecution Against Those Responsible for Germiston Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Fire
The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs, Mr Mosa Chabane, has learned with despair of the fire at the Department of Home Affairs' Germiston office. Mr Chabane called for a speedy investigation that will lead to prosecution, as the damage is not only infrastructural but will impact negatively on users' ability to access home affairs services. 'The burning of public infrastructure during a protest is regressive and robs citizens of accessing the necessary services from the DHA. This trend also puts more pressure on an already stretched fiscus as more resources would have to be found to establish a new office,' Mr Chabane said. The South African Police Service must move with speed to investigate and arrest whoever is involved in the incident. 'The South African Constitution recognises and protects the right to protest, but that must be done within the confines of the law. The lawlessness that resulted in the burning of the DHA office must not be tolerated,' Mr Chabane emphasised. Meanwhile, the Chairperson welcomed the swift action by the DHA in making available mobile trucks to ensure that innocent clients are not deprived of DHA services while investigations are underway. In addition, the activation of additional nearby offices will ensure that citizens who rely on the Germiston offices are not adversely affected. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.