June 5, 2026 – eRadio SA – Live from the Garden Route

Western Cape still leads on jobs, with the strongest business confidence in SA

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Western Cape Minister of Agriculture, Economic Development and Tourism, Dr Ivan Meyer, has responded to a parliamentary question from Member N D Nkondlo on the province’s latest employment figures. The quarterly employment contraction observed in Q1 2026 should be interpreted within the broader context of ongoing national economic pressures.

It is also important to note that quarterly labour market indicators are inherently volatile and susceptible to short-term fluctuations.

As such, quarter-on-quarter declines in employment should be treated with caution, as they may reflect transitory disruptions rather than a sustained downturn. Despite this seasonal decline, it is noteworthy that this year, the Western Cape’s employment was 2 883 000, its highest ever recorded employment for the first quarter of any year previously.

The Western Cape continues to outperform all other provinces, by a significant margin, maintaining the lowest unemployment rate in the country. The province recorded a net increase of 22 000 jobs between Q1 2025 and Q1 2026. The provincial unemployment rate also remained stable at 19.6% over this period.

“While we acknowledge the quarterly decline in employment, it is important to emphasise that this forms part of a broader national contraction, with South Africa losing 345 000 jobs over the same period,” said Minister Meyer.

Drivers of job losses are national and structural

Minister Meyer explained that the recent increase in unemployment is driven by a combination of factors rather than a province-specific shock.

These include:

-Global factors and a national economic slowdown, affecting labour demand across all provinces,
-Seasonal employment effects, as temporary festive-season jobs unwind in the first quarter,
-Broad-based job losses across both formal and informal sectors.
-Sector-specific declines, particularly in community and social services, construction, and transport.

In particular, the community and social services sector experienced significant job losses, partly linked to reduced donor and public funding, including global funding constraints affecting healthcare and research programmes.

“These trends point to a challenging labour market environment in which both demand for labour and job sustainability have weakened. Importantly, these dynamics are not unique to the Western Cape,” Meyer said.

Western Cape still leads on recovery trajectory

Despite quarterly volatility, the Western Cape remains the best-performing province in key labour market indicators.
“We remain focused on enabling economic growth and creating an environment where businesses can invest, grow, and create jobs,” Meyer said.

Stronger business confidence underscores provincial resilience

The second quarter 2026 RMB/BER Business Confidence Index (BCI) further reinforces the relative strength of the Western Cape economy.
-The Western Cape BCI increased by 5 points to 55, remaining above the neutral 50 mark,
-By contrast, national business confidence declined sharply to 39,
-The Western Cape is currently the only province above the neutral threshold.

“This improvement in business confidence, even amid a difficult national environment, global challenges and the recent floods, reflects continued investor trust in the Western Cape’s economic fundamentals and governance environment,” Meyer added.

Committed to lowering unemployment

While acknowledging that “there is still much more ground to cover,” Minister Meyer reaffirmed the Western Cape Government’s commitment to its growth strategy.

“As unemployment remains one of South Africa’s most pressing challenges, the Western Cape will continue to implement proven, evidence-based interventions to drive inclusive growth and create more dignified jobs for our residents,” he said.

World Environment Day: Call for SA to be part of climate change response

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As South Africa joins the international community to celebrate World Environment Day, government has called on every South African to be part of the climate response.

“Businesses must accelerate cleaner and more sustainable practices. Communities must protect local ecosystems and reduce environmental harm. Civil society, youth, women, traditional leaders and local institutions must continue to lead practical action where they live and work,” the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment said on Friday.

The department said government will continue to strengthen partnerships that protect people, nature and the economy.

World Environment Day is being celebrated under the theme: “Inspired by Nature. For Climate. For Our Future”.

“This year’s theme serves as a powerful reminder of the urgent need for governments, businesses, communities and individuals to work together in taking meaningful action to protect the environment and address the impacts of climate change.

“For decades, the world has heard the climate story through scientific warnings, global agreements, targets and distant deadlines. Too often, the response has been slowed by delay, distraction and denial,” the department said.

The effects of climate change are visible in the lives of people whose homes, livelihoods, infrastructure and local economies are increasingly affected by climate-related disasters.

“Rising temperatures, destructive floods, prolonged droughts, heatwaves, wildfires, melting glaciers and rising seas are clear signals that the planet is under increasing pressure,” the department said.

In South Africa, recent flooding and severe weather events have affected several provinces, including Limpopo and Mpumalanga.

This has caused a tragic loss of lives, damage to homes and public infrastructure, disruption to livelihoods, and increased pressure on municipalities that are often the first line of response during climate disasters.

“As climate-related disasters increase in frequency and intensity, government’s response must move beyond recovery after disaster strikes. It must strengthen prevention, preparedness, adaptation and resilience at the local level, where the impacts of climate change are felt most directly,” the department said.

It said it continues to work with provinces, municipalities and other organs of state to support climate change adaptation planning, risk and vulnerability assessments, climate response strategies, disaster risk reduction and the integration of climate considerations into local development planning.

This includes supporting municipalities to better understand their climate risks, strengthen early warning and preparedness measures, identify adaptation priorities, and implement nature-based solutions such as wetland rehabilitation, catchment restoration, urban greening and ecosystem protection.

“These interventions are critical because local government is at the frontline of climate impacts. When floods wash away roads, when heatwaves affect vulnerable households, when drought places pressure on water systems, and when storms damage public infrastructure, municipalities are often the first responders.

“Supporting local government is therefore not an administrative function. It is central to protecting lives, livelihoods and public infrastructure,” the department emphasised.

NCC recalls over 6,500 Toyota and Lexus Vehicles Over Rear-View Camera Fault

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The National Consumer Commission (NCC) has alerted consumers to safety recalls issued by Toyota South Africa Motors (Pty) Ltd and Lexus South Africa Motors (Pty) Ltd, affecting a total of 6,525 vehicles sold nationwide.

The recall includes 4,858 Toyota vehicles and 1,667 Lexus vehicles, all fitted with a Parking Assist Electronic Control Unit (ECU) linked to the Panoramic View Monitor system.

Toyota models affected

The Toyota recall covers the Crown, Land Cruiser 300 (LC300), Land Cruiser Prado, RAV4 and bZ4X models, sold between 2022 and 2025.

According to the supplier, a software issue in the Parking Assist ECU may cause the rear-view camera image to freeze briefly when reverse gear is selected shortly after starting the vehicle. In some cases, the image may fail to display entirely.

Lexus models affected

The Lexus recall includes the ES, GX, LC500, LX500/700, LX600/500d, NX, RX, RZ, and LUX models sold between 2021 and 2025.

The same software fault may cause the rear-view image to freeze or fail when reversing, potentially limiting the driver’s rear visibility and increasing the risk of a collision.

Consumer advisory

The NCC has urged affected vehicle owners to visit any authorised Toyota or Lexus dealership for inspection. A software update or repair will be performed free of charge.

The commission says the recall is a precautionary safety measure to ensure all affected vehicles operate as intended.

Launch of Lenacapavir a game-changer

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It is often said that health is wealth and South Africa’s launch of the game changing Lenacapavir injectable today, Friday, 5 June 2026, provides a shot in the arm that will boost South Africa’s fight against HIV and AIDS.

President Cyril Ramaphosa and Health Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, will launch the injectable at the Lilian Ngoyi Stadium at Secunda, in Mpumalanga.

Making the HIV prevention medicine available to South Africans was one of the commitments the Presdent made in the State of the Nation Address (SONA) in February.

At the time, President Ramaphosa said: “In support of our programme to prevent and ultimately, eliminate HIV, we will be undertaking a massive rollout of Lenacapavir, a six-monthly injection that has proven highly effective in preventing transmission of HIV.”

In an advisory ahead of the launch of the drug, the Presidency said the groundbreaking initiative marks a significant milestone in South Africa’s ongoing efforts to fight against HIV/AIDS and aims to enhance prevention of new HIV infections.

“Lenacapavir is a twice-yearly long-acting injectable option for HIV prevention, and the rollout highlights the collaboration between the government, civil society, and private sector, and development partners amongst the stakeholders committed to ending HIV as a public health threat in South Africa,” it said.

The launch of the medicine comes a few days after the anniversary of the passing of the HIV/AIDS activist Nkosi Johnson on 1 June 2001. Johnson passed away at the age of 12.

The launch is evidence that the country which launched the world’s biggest HIV counselling, testing and treatment campaign in 2010, is making headway in the fight against the disease.

Since the launch of the campaign, the Department of Health (DoH) in its 2026 Budget Vote said that the country has increased life expectancy to 66.9 years, by 2025 from a low of 54 years in 2010 and reduced maternal mortality to 89 deaths per 100 000 live births by 2020, from a high of 240 deaths per 100 000 live births in 2010.

According to Statistics South Africa’s (Stats SA) Mid-Year Population Estimates 2025, an estimated 8.15 million people in South Africa were living with HIV, accounting for approximately 12.9% of the total population. Among adults aged 15 to 49 - the most affected group — the HIV prevalence rate stood at an estimated 18.1%.

“Despite these numbers, South Africa has made progress in reducing deaths linked to HIV and AIDS, thanks to expanded access to treatment and care,” the report which stated that the country’s population stood at an estimated at 63,1 million,”Stats SA noted.

In his Budget Vote delivered last month, Minister Motsoaledi said that stocks of the medicine were being delivered to depots and health facilities ahead of the launch. Government would start with 360 health facilities in “the high burden districts of the country.”

According to the Budget Vote, government has prioritised adolescent girls and young women up to the age 24 years, pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, female sex workers, men-having- sex-with-men, transgender people and injecting drug users in distributing the injectable.

This as the first batch of the 37 920 doses of the medicine, which is a new, long-acting antiretroviral drug - specifically an HIV-1 capsid inhibitor arrived in the country in early April 2026.

New chapter

The South African National AIDS Council (SANAC) which in April welcomed the arrival of the drug, this week said the launch signals a “new chapter in HIV prevention.”

The DoH has previously described the injectable as a preventive medicine, not a vaccine. The medicine has the potential to overcome many of the barriers South Africa has experienced with daily oral PrEP.

This as it offers greater discretion, convenience, and likely better adherence for users, especially for people who struggle with taking a pill every day or making frequent clinic visits.

The launch also comes at a time when the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) is set to hold a High-Level Meeting on AIDS from 22-23 June 2026 in New York.

According to the UNAIDS (Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS), the meeting, which is held every five years since 2001, reinforces the role of the UN as the primary political mechanism for accountability and commitment in the global HIV response.

“This meeting will review progress against HIV since the 2021 High-Level Meeting and produce a new UN Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS. UN Member States will negotiate the text of the 2026 Political Declaration and consider its adoption.”

South Africa is a Member State of the of UN.

Ahead of the launch, UNAIDS South Africa in a post on social media platform, X, said it is “excited” to join President Ramaphosa, the Department of Health and SANAC and other stakeholders for the launch of the drug.

The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) become the first African regulatory authority to approve Lenacapavir on 27 October 2025.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) Guidelines on Lenacapavir for HIV prevention, the organisation recommends offering the injectable as an additional HIV prevention choice.

Among the benefits of the drug is that it need not be discontinued during pregnancy and breastfeeding for HIV-negative women with a high likelihood of exposure to HIV, said the WHO.

Other work done by government to fight HIV/AIDS includes the February 2025 launch of the Close the Gap campaign in partnership with the WHO, UNAIDS and other stakeholders.

“The Close the Gap campaign is a focused, multi-pronged initiative aimed at accelerating South Africa’s response to the HIV epidemic by targeting high-burden districts, communities, and health facilities. The campaign pays special attention to underserved and vulnerable sub-populations, including men, youth, children, and key populations, to improve HIV-related outcomes and close existing service gaps,” SANAC said of the campaign.

The Minister said the country is in a position “where we dare say we can eliminate HIV/AIDS as a public health threat.”

“All we have to do is to work hard and work hard together as South Africans motivated and bound together by a common destiny,” said the Minister.

South Africans are keeping their cars longer – but are they maintaining them properly?

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South Africans are holding onto their vehicles for longer than ever before and, in today’s difficult economic climate, replacing a vehicle is simply not an option for many households. According to research by the Automobile Association (AA), more than 90% of South Africans say economic pressures are forcing them to keep their vehicles longer, with many cars remaining on the road well beyond the 10-year mark. This stat was confirmed by We Buy Cars who also confirmed the majority of the cars sold are 10 years and older.

For the Motor Industry Workshop Association (MIWA), a proud association of the Retail Motor Industry Organisation (RMI), this trend highlights a growing need for motorists to become far more proactive about vehicle maintenance and safety.

“Modern vehicles are built to last much longer than in the past, but longevity is entirely dependent on proper maintenance,” says Dewald Ranft, National Chairman of MIWA. “The reality is that many South Africans are delaying servicing or ignoring minor issues because of financial pressure, but postponing maintenance often leads to far more expensive repairs later on.”

Ranft says the international trend of consumers keeping vehicles for longer is equally relevant in South Africa, where rising living costs, high interest rates, fuel prices and increased insurance costs continue to place pressure on household budgets.

International reports have shown that with proper care and regular servicing, modern vehicles can comfortably exceed 200 000 km and remain reliable for well over a decade. However, this requires motorists to stay disciplined when it comes to preventative maintenance.

“There is a huge difference between ‘keeping a car longer’ and ‘maintaining a car properly for longer’,” says Ranft. “Skipping oil changes, ignoring warning lights or postponing tyre replacements may save money temporarily, but the long-term financial consequences can be severe.”

Ranft says one of the biggest mistakes motorists make is waiting for something to break before taking action.

“Your vehicle gives you warning signs long before a major failure occurs. Strange noises, vibrations, fluid leaks, excessive smoke, poor fuel consumption or dashboard warning lights should never be ignored.”

He says regular servicing remains the single most effective way to extend a vehicle’s lifespan and preserve its resale value.

“Preventative maintenance is always cheaper than major repairs. A relatively inexpensive service can identify wear-and-tear issues early before they become catastrophic failures.”

MIWA advises motorists to focus on several critical maintenance areas if they want to keep their vehicles reliable for longer:
• Stick to the manufacturer’s recommended service schedule
• Replace oil and filters regularly
• Check tyre pressure and wheel alignment frequently
• Monitor brake wear and suspension components
• Pay attention to cooling systems and battery condition
• Attend to warning lights immediately
• Use quality parts, oils and fluids
• Have the vehicle inspected regularly by a reputable accredited workshop

Ranft says road conditions in South Africa are adding further strain to aging vehicles.

“Poor road surfaces, potholes and increasing traffic congestion are accelerating wear and tear on suspension systems, tyres, steering components and brakes. This makes routine inspections even more important.”

He also warns against using inferior replacement parts purely to reduce costs.

“Quality components fitted by qualified technicians ultimately saves money over the longer term.”

Another growing concern is that many motorists no longer have maintenance plans once their vehicles are out of warranty.
“Many vehicle owners are now paying out of pocket for repairs and servicing, which makes budgeting for maintenance critically important,” says Ranft. “Your car should be viewed as a long-term asset that requires ongoing care and planning.”

Ranft says motorists should also not underestimate the safety implications of neglected maintenance.

“A poorly maintained vehicle places not only the driver at risk, but also passengers and other road users. Worn brakes, damaged tyres or neglected suspension components can have deadly consequences, particularly during long-distance travel or adverse weather conditions.”

He says accredited workshops play an increasingly important role in helping motorists manage the longer ownership cycle.

“A good workshop should partner with the customer and help them prioritise maintenance requirements. Not every repair needs to happen immediately, but motorists need honest guidance on what is urgent, what can wait and how to plan financially.”

Ultimately, says Ranft, keeping a vehicle longer is entirely achievable but only if maintenance becomes a priority rather than an afterthought.