Georgina Alexander @GeorgieAlex25

South Africa urges respect for democracy and sovereignty following latest US statements on domestic policy | @DIRCO_ZA 16 September 2026 The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Mr Ronald Lamola has noted with concern the unilateral visa restrictions announced by his counterpart Secretary Marco Rubio. The announcement once again, aligns with the mischaracterisation of South Africa’s domestic policies by fringe groups who wrongly portray themselves as representatives of “minorities” and Afrikaners in general. We reiterate that Healing the divisions of the past and establishing a society based on democratic values, social justice and fundamental human rights is a constitutional imperative. South Africa remains committed to address the injustices of the past and contemporary challenges as a sovereign people. It is our sovereign right to put in place laws that address the nation’s concern over centuries of racial injustice. Legislation in the democratic era is intended to improve the plight of the people who had been excluded for centuries. This is consistent with other countries who have a similar experience to South Africa. Furthermore, South Africa as part of its commitments to the international convention on the eradication of racial discrimination and the protection of the dignity of all people has enacted the “Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Act 16 of 2023. This legislation sets a stringent legal framework for the eradication of hate speech and the prosecution of hate crimes. This law is binding on both the State and non-state actors. South Africa respects that the United States may hold different views regarding particular measures and their implementation; however, we remain committed to addressing these challenges through our constitutional institutions, democratic processes and the rule of law, with the objective of building a more equal and inclusive society for all South Africans. The people of South Africa respect the right of American people to develop laws to address their conditions. It is our expectation that people of South Africa must be afforded the same respect as sovereignty demands. The South African government remains seized with the challenges of crime in South Africa which affects everyone and not targeting anyone based on their race, colour, or social origin. Therefore, the ongoing South Africa – United States bilateral discussions on these matters demonstrate the importance that both countries attach to finding a lasting solution. The discussions have highlighted the need for any resolution to consider South Africa’s unique circumstances and to respect its democracy, constitution, sovereignty, and the will of its people. We maintain that challenges in our bilateral relations with the USA can only be resolved by constructive engagement through state actors on both sides of the diplomatic channel not unilateral acts. dirco.gov.za/south-africa-u…

A powerful & collaborative initiative for our children’s digital future. The Online Safety Integrated Programme: Training Workshop kicked off in Cape Town, bringing together government, education leaders & tech partners to strengthen the way our schools protect learners online.

Today, Minister @SollyMalatsi officially launched the new CyberLab at Woodlands Secondary School in Mitchell’s Plain in partnership with Software AG. As Mitchell’s Plain marks 50 years, this investment will equip young people with the digital skills they need to innovate. #DCDT

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Today, joined by officials from the Department and representatives of ICASA, I met with a senior delegation from Amazon, led by David Zapolsky, Chief Global Affairs and Legal Officer, to discuss Amazon's continued investment in and commitment to South Africa's digital economy. Present in South Africa since 2004, Amazon continues to make a significant contribution to our economy through its diverse business operations, supporting thousands of South African jobs.

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Today we partnered with the Western Cape Department of Social Development and Cape Town Child Welfare to hand over smart devices to social workers. The team of social workers at the CT Child Welfare are going a great job providing psycho-social support to vulnerable kids and helping them rebuild their lives for better. Yet like their peers every where, they spend an inordinate amount of time on the administrative elements of the job. By equipping them with smart devices, strengthening their digital skills, and supporting the digitisation of their services, we hope to reduce that administrative burden and give them more time to focus on what matters most—providing compassionate, individual support to children and families in need. Technology can never replace the care, empathy, guidance, and encouragement that social workers bring to every interaction. But it can be a powerful tool that strengthens their impact, helping them reach more people, respond more efficiently, and change even more lives for the better. We’re proud to play a small part in supporting those who make such a profound difference every day. #DigitalInclusion #TechnologyForSocialImpact

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Earlier today, I spoke at the #DecodeSocialMediaSummit, where I shared why digital transformation must always put the interest of people first. We must build a digital state that listens to every citizen, closes the digital divide, fights misinformation, and ensures technology brings dignity, opportunity and trust to everyone—not just those already connected. At its best, a reimagined interaction between a citizen and the state should feel completely different from what too many South Africans experience today – faster, simpler, more dignified. Citizens should not have to move from office to office, queue to queue, form to form, and call centre to call centre simply to access something to which they are entitled.

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Join Minister @SollyMalatsi as he delivers a keynote at the #6SocialMediaSummit on how platforms, data and innovation can help rebuild public trust and strengthen digital governance.

📲 Imagine what 1.1 million more smartphones means for South Africa. More entrepreneurs growing their businesses. More people accessing online resources. More opportunities. DA Communications Minister Solly Malatsi is helping make that possible by removing the luxury tax on entry-level smartphones.

South Africa, We have done it! The 2018 SAFE Initiative Backlog of Pit-Toilets has be 100% eradicated! Official Statement Below 👇

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TheWeekThatWas | 22–28 June 2026 Over the past week, our work focused on strengthening governance, growing investment, expanding connectivity and working with partners across government and industry to improve services for South Africans. 🏛️ Parliamentary Accountability Together with the leadership of the Department and our entities, I appeared before the Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies to present the third and fourth quarter performance reports of the South African Broadcasting Corporation, the State Information Technology Agency, Broadband Infraco and SENTECH. The performance reports reflected a mixed picture across the portfolio. The South African Broadcasting Corporation continued to improve its digital offerings but remains under financial pressure. The State Information Technology Agency showed operational improvements while continuing to strengthen governance and service delivery. Broadband Infraco and SENTECH maintained solid operational performance, although both continue to focus on long-term financial sustainability. Across all four entities, the priority remains building financially sustainable institutions that deliver reliable services to South Africans. 📮 Supporting the South African Post Office's Turnaround I convened the inaugural meeting of the newly appointed South African Post Office Board together with the Business Rescue Practitioners to ensure a smooth leadership transition as the organisation moves towards exiting business rescue. The appointment of the new Board is an important milestone in rebuilding governance and restoring confidence in an institution that continues to provide essential services to many South Africans, particularly in underserved communities. 📡 Driving Investment and Connectivity I delivered the keynote address at the Telkom Top 150 Leadership Conference, where I reflected on Telkom's journey from financial difficulty to renewed profitability. Telkom's turnaround demonstrates that with sound leadership, investment and a clear strategic direction, South African institutions can recover, grow and continue delivering value to citizens. I also met with AgriSA, South Africa's largest agricultural organisation, to discuss the connectivity challenges facing farming communities. AgriSA expressed its commitment to working with government and the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa to improve rural connectivity because reliable communications infrastructure is essential for economic growth, food security and access to opportunities. 🎰 Strengthening Cooperation to Combat Illegal Online Gambling I also met with the Western Cape MEC of Finance, Deidré Baartman, to explore closer cooperation between the Western Cape Government, national government and our entities to combat illegal online gambling and strengthen online safety. Tackling online harms requires coordinated action across all spheres of government to better protect South Africans. 🤝 Working Across Government I also engaged with the Minister of Finance on priorities affecting the Communications and Digital Technologies portfolio. Delivering modern, reliable digital services depends on close cooperation across government to remove barriers, improve coordination and make the best use of public resources. Across all these engagements, we remain focussed on building a digital future that expands opportunity, improves public services and delivers meaningful benefits for every South African. Until next week, let's stay connected! sway.cloud.microsoft/gY109VPUdGSkLc…

The FREE Cybersecurity Training for SMMEs is HERE! 29 June – 1 July 2026 | Online | 09:00–12:00 The DCDT & @Huawei are investing in YOUR digital future. Don’t get left behind, register before 13 June 2026 at 16:30!

Capetonians can drop donations for families affected by the #CapeStorm at any fire station in Cape Town 💙🤲

This is a critical intervention by @SollyMalatsi. This is not about @elonmusk or any other person or company. This is about faster, cheaper, reliable internet access for millions of poor people in rural areas, giving them better access to the economy. It’s also about building local supply chains and putting resource into local communities. It is about more empowerment, not less empowerment. It is about growth. It is about jobs. It will help take SA forward. news24.com/business/econo…

Earlier today I was at the relaunch of the @SundayWorldZA in the Western Cape. It’s wonderful to see the reposition of the publication. I later joined the BlackRock Infrastructure Investment Conference, where I was part of a panel discussion focused on the future of the digital sector, the opportunities presented by emerging technologies, and the importance of partnerships that drive innovation, investment, and inclusive economic growth.

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#DCDTBudget2026 Our mission is to unlock faster, reliable, and cheaper internet for all, especially poor South Africans in rural areas, those who need it the most to get jobs and provide for their families. mybroadband.co.za/news/telecoms/…

Response to ICASA’s POSITION on EEIPs in ICT SECTOR

The Budget Vote Debates, starting next week, provide another opportunity for Parliament & the public to interact with the budget. After all the Budget Votes have been debated, both Houses must vote on the whole budget

Minister @SollyMalatsi , hereby invites members of the public to nominate suitably qualified individuals for consideration for appointment as non-executive members of the Board of the Universal Service and Access Agency of South Africa (@usaasa_za).

It’s almost as if DA Ministers and their counterparts in the Western Cape are keen on delivering. Well done @Siviwe_G @DavidMaynier and ShopRite!

Siviwe Gwarube @Siviwe_G

6 months ago

Tomorrow, together with the Shoprite Foundation, we will be launching a new robotics and digital learning lab at the Joe Slovo Engineering High School in Khayelitsha, in the Western Cape. The initiative aims to broaden access to STEM education in underserved communities and

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Statement on the integrity of the Draft National Artificial Intelligence Policy Following revelations that the Draft National Artificial Intelligence Policy published for public comment contains various fictitious sources in its reference list, we initiated internal questions which have now confirmed that this was the case. This failure is not a mere technical issue but has compromised the integrity and credibility of the draft policy. As such, I am withdrawing the Draft National Artificial intelligence Policy. South Africans deserve better. The Department of Communications and Digital Technologies did not deliver on the standard that is acceptable for an institution entrusted with the role to lead South Africa ‘s digital policy environment. The most plausible explanation is that AI-generated citations were included without proper verification. This should not have happened. In fact, this unacceptable lapse proves why vigilant human oversight over the use of artificial intelligence is critical. It’s a lesson we take with humility. I want to reassure the country that we are treating this matter with the gravity it deserves. There will be consequence management for those responsible for drafting and quality assurance. End.