The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Mr Velenkosini Hlabisa, will on Thursday, 16 July 2026, address the Cape Town Press Club at an engagement co-hosted by the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference Parliamentary Liaison Office. The Minister’s address will focus on two key reforms that are central to strengthening South Africa’s system

The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Mr. Velenkosini Hlabisa, expresses deep concern over the continued loss of lives and incidents recorded during the 2026 Winter Customary Initiation Season. While customary initiation remains a respected cultural practice that marks the transition to adulthood, Minister Hlabisa has called for this tradition to be practised

MINISTER HLABISA CHAIRS IMC ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Mr Velenkosini Hlabisa, on 10 July 2026, chaired a meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on Preparations for the 2026/27 Local Government Elections at the Union Buildings in Pretoria. The IMC received progress reports from the Electoral Commission

The Ministry of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) wishes to once again alert municipalities, stakeholders and members of the public that fraudulent calls by individuals falsely claiming to be the Deputy Minister of CoGTA, Dr Namane Dickson Masemola, are continuing to occur. Despite a previous public warning issued by the Ministry, reports indicate that