The 2026 Public Economics Conference (PEC) will officially open on 7 July with a pre-recorded address by the Minister of Finance, Mr Enoch Godongwana, setting the stage for three days of discussion on one of South Africa’s most pressing challenges – youth unemployment.

Held under the theme “Counting the Crisis: Data, Evidence and Solutions for Youth Unemployment in South Africa,” the conference will bring together policymakers, researchers, economists and practitioners to explore how better data, stronger evidence and more effective implementation can help connect young people to meaningful economic opportunities.

Following the Minister’s opening message, National Treasury Director-General Dr Duncan Pieterse and South African Revenue Service (SARS) Commissioner Dr Johnstone Makhubu will participate in a high-level discussion on the role of public finance and policy in addressing the youth unemployment crisis. The opening session will conclude with a keynote address by leading economist Dr Haroon Bhorat.

The discussions come at a critical time. Statistics South Africa’s first quarter 2026 labour market data shows that the national unemployment rate stands at 32.7%, while unemployment among 15–24-year-olds is 60.9% and 40.6% among those aged 25–34. More than four in ten young people aged 15–34 are currently not in employment, education or training.

Over three days, the conference will examine how improving the way South Africa measures, understands and responds to youth unemployment can help shape more effective policies and better outcomes for young people.

Read more about the programme and register to attend the conference here. 

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) hereby provides advance notice of its intention to launch a competitive procurement process for a Tourism Public-Private Partnership (PPP) relating to the development of a mixed use precinct including hotel and associated facilities to be located alongside the CSIR International Convention Centre (ICC) located on the CSIR Scientia Campus, Meiring Naude Road, Pretoria.

The proposed PPP project will comprise a long-term concession under which the successful private sector partner will be responsible for the design, financing, development, operation, management, and maintenance of the hotel and associated facilities.

Strategic Objectives
• Mobilise private sector investment for the development of hotel and associated infrastructure at the CSIR ICC precinct;
• Enhance the attractiveness and competitiveness of the CSIR ICC by providing integrated short, and medium-term, overnight accommodation facilities to support conferences, events, and tourism-related activities;
• Enhance the availability of overnight accommodation for business travelers to the Meiring Naude innovation corridor precinct and surrounding areas.
• Leverage private sector expertise to achieve operational excellence and sustainable service delivery; and
• Promote economic development through investment, job creation, and broader socio-economic benefits.

Anticipated Scope of the PPP
The forthcoming Request for Qualifications (RFQ), followed by a Request for Proposals (RFP), is expected to require the appointed private party to:
• Design and develop overnight accommodation and related facilities and associated infrastructure;
• Finance the project through the mobilisation of capital and assumption of agreed demand, operational, and commercial risks;
• Operate and manage the facilities throughout the concession period; and
• Maintain the infrastructure to specified performance and lifecycle contract standards.

Market Engagement and Next Steps
This notice is issued to enable prospective bidders, investors, financiers, operators, and consortiums to undertake preliminary market assessments and due diligence in advance of the formal procurement process.

The official tender documentation, including the RFQ and applicable evaluation criteria, will be advertised following the completion of the necessary approvals. The procurement opportunity will be published on the CSIR website
• The National Treasury eTenders Portal: eTenders Portal
• The GTAC PPP Tender Platform: PPP tenders – GTAC
• Any other platform the CSIR deems appropriate

Prospective bidders will be required to demonstrate compliance with the qualification requirements set out in the procurement documents, which include B-BBEE objectives, minimum financial capacity thresholds, and relevant operational and technical experience.

Disclaimer
This Advance Market Notice is provided for information purposes only and does not constitute an invitation to tender, an offer, or a commitment by CSIR to proceed with the proposed procurement. The CSIR reserves the right to amend, suspend, or terminate the process at any stage without incurring any liability.

For further information and to register your organisation’s interest in future bidder briefing sessions, please complete the registration form accessible via the link below: Notice of Imminent Tourism Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Opportunity – Fill out form

On 16 April 2026, the National Treasury published the draft General Public Procurement Regulations, 2026  for public comment in terms of section 63(1) of the Public Procurement Act, 2024 (Act No. 28 of 2024), in Government Gazette Number 54528. The date for the submission of the comments was 60 days from the date of publication.

However, due to requests for the extension of this timeframe and recognising the complexities of these regulations, the Minister of Finance has determined it appropriate to allow for an extended period of a further 30 days to afford the public to submit comment and input. The revised due date for submissions is 15 July 2026 as per the attached Notice in Government Gazette Number 54827.

Written comments on the draft General Public Procurement Regulations, 2026 must be submitted to: DraftGeneralProcurementRegulations@treasury.gov.za.

As South Africa continues to grapple with persistently high unemployment and widening inequality, the National Treasury’s Jobs Fund has officially opened its 13th Funding Round, calling for bold, innovative solutions that can unlock scalable, sustainable employment. Under the theme ‘Catalysing Demand-Led Growth in the Green and Informal Economy’, the new funding round will be open from 18 May to 30 June 2026. The Fund seeks to partner with experienced intermediaries across the private, public, and non-profit sectors to accelerate job creation in high-potential areas of the economy, with a strong focus on the green and informal sectors.

South Africa’s labour market remains under significant strain. As of Q1 2026, the Quarterly Labour Force Survey showed the unemployment rate stood at 32.7%. Youth and women continue to face the highest barriers to entry, reinforcing the urgent need for targeted, scalable interventions that can absorb labour and stimulate inclusive growth. The Jobs Fund’s 13th Funding Round is a catalytic response to these challenges. By leveraging the match-funding model, the Fund aims to crowd in private and non-profit sector investment, de-risk innovation, and support solutions that can deliver measurable employment outcomes at scale.

Since its inception in 2011, the Jobs Fund has committed R7.7 billion in public funding, leveraging an additional R15.7 billion in matched contributions from partners. This collaborative approach has supported over 180 projects across 12 funding rounds, resulting in more than 343,000 jobs and internships created, and over 418,000 work-seekers and entrepreneurs trained. Notably, 66% of programme participants have been youth and 58% women, with 98% from previously disadvantaged backgrounds.

The 13th Funding Round builds on this track record by targeting sectors with strong labour absorption potential and long-term sustainability. In particular, the green economy presents a significant opportunity to drive job creation while advancing South Africa’s transition to a more sustainable, low-carbon future. At the same time, the informal economy, which employs over 5.7 million people, remains underdeveloped relative to other emerging markets, highlighting the need for innovative approaches to unlock its full potential.

Despite these opportunities, both sectors face structural barriers, including limited access to finance, skills shortages, regulatory constraints, and market access challenges. The Jobs Fund is therefore seeking proposals that directly address these constraints through innovative, scalable, and implementable solutions.

“The scale of South Africa’s unemployment challenge requires a fundamentally different approach, one that moves beyond traditional interventions and actively catalyses new markets, new industries, and new ways of working. Through the 13th Funding Round, we are looking to partner with organisations that are responding to today’s employment challenges and are actively shaping the future of work in South Africa. This is about unlocking investment, enabling innovation, and delivering sustainable impact at scale,” said Najwah Allie-Edries, Head of the Jobs Fund.

Applications for the 13th Funding Round are open to sector intermediaries with a proven track record of implementation and the ability to deliver measurable results within a three-year period. All proposals must demonstrate innovation, financial sustainability, and a clear pathway to job creation, with a requirement for matched funding to ensure shared commitment and impact. The minimum grant to be allocated for successful applicants is R5 million.

The funding round will operate on a competitive basis, with only the most impactful and feasible proposals selected for support. While there is a strong focus on the green and informal economies, the Jobs Fund remains open to high-quality proposals from other sectors that demonstrate significant job creation potential.

Applications close on 30 June 2026 at 15h00.

For more information on the application process and eligibility criteria, or to submit a proposal, applicants are encouraged to visit the Jobs Fund website or contact jobsfund@treasury.gov.za.

As South Africa looks to accelerate economic recovery and build a more inclusive future, the 13th Funding Round represents a critical opportunity to harness innovation, mobilise investment, and create meaningful employment at scale.

The Jobs Fund will soon open its 13th Call for Proposals under the theme: Catalysing Demand-Led Growth in the Green and Informal Economy. We are inviting applications that unlock job creation at scale.

This funding round is focused on addressing structural and market barriers that constrain enterprise growth and employment absorption. Priority will be given to initiatives operating within:

• the green economy
• micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs)
• the informal economy

The Jobs Fund remains open to proposals from other labour-absorptive sectors with strong employment potential, such as the tourism sector.

Further details, including application guidelines, timelines and briefing sessions, will be published closer to the official opening of the call.

If you have not already, please email jobsfund@treasury.gov.za to be added to the Jobs Fund mailing list.

Are we truly tapping into the potential of Africa’s best innovators? In a thought-provoking article by Geci Karuri-Sebina and Amy Mutua, they factually and metaphorically illustrate how a majority of Africa’s civic tech initiatives (which are mainly concentrated in Southern Africa) are focused on monitoring government accountability and effectiveness.

Meanwhile, pressing real-life challenges like energy, food security, health, and climate take a back seat.

Come join us this Friday as Ms Geci Karuri-Sebina (Associate Professor at the Wits School of Governance) and Ms Amy Mutua (Researcher at the Wits School of Governance) share insights on the importance of shifting our focus on all sides (governments, funders, and innovators).

Hope to see you there!

Date: Friday, 21 July 2023
Time: 14:00 to 15:15
Webinar link: Click here to join the meeting (Microsoft Teams)

The PEPA Savings@Work Conference is taking place on 2 and 3 November 2022. The Conference is convened under the theme “Acting on what we now know”. The virtual conference will be an opportunity for officials that have received training on the spending review methodology to share what they have done to implement spending reviews in their respective departments and sectors. Success stories, challenges will be discussed and participants will discuss how they can use spending reviews to achieve their goals.

Watch this video for more on what you can expect over the two days and why you won’t want to miss this conference.

On 12 May 2020 the National Treasury, the South African Reserve Bank and the Banking Association South Africa (BASA) launched the Loan Guarantee Scheme (LGS), designed to support small businesses that were experiencing financial distress as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

By 27 March 2021, almost one year later, 14 827 loans to the value of R18,16 billion were approved.

The end of the Availability Period (the period for draw down of loans) was 11 April 2021 for most participating banks under the guarantee scheme. But after consultation it was agreed to extend the deadline by three months to 11 July 2021, and in the process to harmonise this deadline for all participating banks. The guarantee scheme will continue to service all loans advanced up to the extended date, for up to five years.

Read more in the media statement