In a statement issued on Friday, after the August 26, 2026 Cabinet meeting, Cabinet said Phase 3 of the Government-Business Partnership will build on progress achieved through previous collaboration between government and the private sector.
Cabinet cited the end of load-shedding, improved rail and port performance, SA’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force grey list, and credit rating upgrades from S&P and Fitch among key achievements already recorded.
The latest phase will focus on expanding energy generation capacity, increasing freight volumes, unlocking major investments and boosting international tourist arrivals by 2027.
Cabinet also received an update on the development of a new tuberculosis vaccine currently undergoing Phase 3 trials. Government is preparing for registration and deployment should the trials prove successful. Cabinet further welcomed an agreement with the Serum Institute of India to produce tuberculosis vaccines for global distribution, a move expected to strengthen SA’s vaccine manufacturing capacity while supporting innovation, economic growth and job creation.
On energy, Cabinet welcomed continued improvements in Eskom’s performance. SA has now gone 467 consecutive days without load-shedding since May 16, 2025.
Eskom has restored about 1.2 million customers to normal electricity supply under a programme aimed at eliminating load reduction. The utility has also cut diesel spending by more than 83%, from about $334 million to around $56 million over a comparable period.
According to Cabinet, Eskom’s Energy Availability Factor has reached the highest level since 2020, while nearly 6 100 megawatts of generation capacity has been returned to the grid. Unplanned outages have also declined by almost 40% year-on-year.
Infrastructure development remained another area of focus. Cabinet welcomed the identification of 263 infrastructure projects valued at about $112 billion at various stages of development and implementation. Over the past 18 months, 37 projects worth roughly $3.9 billion have been completed.
Cabinet also welcomed the extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act until December 31, 2028. The extension preserves preferential access for eligible SA products to the United States market and provides certainty for exporters.
Additional support for exports came through a new agreement with India that expands treatment options for SA citrus exports. Cabinet said the deal follows nearly a decade of negotiations and will provide producers with greater logistical flexibility.
Cabinet further welcomed the launch of SA’s Electronic Travel Authorisation platform, which is expected to modernise visa processing, strengthen border security and support tourism, business activity and investment.
–ChannelAfrica–
