All eyes are on the National Assembly as the Government of National Unity faces its biggest test: the vote on the 2025 Budget. Globally, President Trump’s tariff salvo intensifies international trade tensions.
Monday 31 March
Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie will host a ministerial dinner with boxing legends in Pretoria as part of the 30 Years of Democracy celebrations.
Employment and Labour Minister Nomakhosazana Meth will hand over contracts worth R460 million to 15 Labour Activation Programme partner companies in Mpumalanga.
Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa will announce provincial disaster funding allocations at a media briefing in Pretoria.
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams will brief the media after returning from a nine-month mission aboard the International Space Station – an odyssey extended by technical failures with Boeing’s Starliner capsule.
A French court will deliver its ruling in the embezzlement trial of far-right leader Marine Le Pen. A guilty verdict could derail her 2027 presidential bid.
G5+ foreign ministers from France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and Spain – along with counterparts from the UK, Ukraine, and the EU – will meet in Madrid to coordinate Europe’s response to the Ukraine conflict.
Tuesday 1 April
SARS Commissioner Edward Kieswetter will announce preliminary revenue collection figures for the 2024/25 financial year. This will inform budget planning and influence fiscal policy decisions in the months ahead.
Parliament’s finance committees will meet in a joint sitting to adopt the 2025 Fiscal Framework – a prerequisite for the tabling and consideration of the national budget.
The Portfolio Committee on Police and the Select Committee on Security and Justice will hold a joint dialogue on Western Cape on gang-related violence and extortion.
The Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies will receive a progress report on the country’s satellite space programme.
The Portfolio Committees on Trade and Industry and Transport will meet jointly to consider competition issues in the budget airline sector, amid concerns about pricing and market dominance.
The Portfolio Committee on Basic Education will engage the Department on the proposal to make History a compulsory subject.
The Portfolio Committee on Agriculture will assess South Africa’s readiness for the African Continental Free Trade Area and scrutinise implementation of the Agriculture and Agroprocessing Master Plan.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will host Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Moscow to discuss bilateral cooperation and global security issues.
Wednesday 2 April
The National Assembly will debate and vote on the 2025 Fiscal Framework and Revenue Proposals – a key test for the Government of National Unity amid coalition tensions over the ANC’s proposed VAT increase. Failure to secure majority support would stall the budget process and expose fractures in the governing alliance.
The Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry will be briefed by the Department on progress with red tape reduction and the rollout of provincial One-Stop-Shops.
The Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements will engage the Cities of Tshwane, Ekurhuleni, Johannesburg, and Cape Town on their use of the Urban Settlements Development Grant.
The Centre for Development and Enterprise will launch its latest report on Special Economic Zones, with executive director Ann Bernstein outlining proposals to harness the private sector for job creation. Business leaders Saki Macozoma and Tumelo Chipfupa will join the discussion.
Under South Africa’s G20 presidency, the Second Sherpa Meeting will convene to advance preparations for the 2025 G20 Leaders’ Summit to take place in Johannesburg.
EU defence ministers will convene in Warsaw for a two-day meeting to discuss military aid to Ukraine and strategies to enhance European security.
US President Donald Trump has declared 2 April as “Liberation Day” marking the implementation of new reciprocal tariffs aimed at addressing what he describes as unfair trade practices by other nations. This includes a 25% tariff on all imported automobiles and certain auto parts.
The UN will mark World Autism Awareness Day with a global virtual event themed “Advancing Neurodiversity and the UN Sustainable Development Goals”.
Thursday 3 April
President Cyril Ramaphosa will host Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema on a working visit to South Africa.
The National Assembly will hold an oral questions session with ministers in the economic cluster, which includes finance, trade and industry, employment and labour, mineral resources and energy, tourism, and small business development.
Former US President Barack Obama will deliver remarks at Hamilton College in New York as part of its prestigious Sacerdote Great Names Series. Obama joins an illustrious roster of past speakers that includes Archbishop Desmond Tutu, former Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Protesters, led by groups such as the ANSWER Coalition, are expected to march in Washington, D.C., calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and an end to US military support for Israel.
Outgoing German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will host Jordan’s King Abdullah II for talks in Berlin, focusing on Middle East peace efforts and bilateral relations.
UNCTAD will release its Technology and Innovation Report 2025, titled Inclusive Artificial Intelligence for Development.
The US Census Bureau and the Bureau of Economic Analysis will release international trade figures for February 2025, providing insights into its trade balance, export, and import activities.
Friday 4 April
The Department of Employment and Labour will partner with the Federated Hospitality Association of South Africa (FEDHASA) for a breakfast session in Kempton Park to promote labour law compliance in the hospitality sector, with a focus on the employment of foreign nationals amid rising worker complaints.
The Portfolio Committees on Basic Education and Communications and Digital Technologies will meet jointly to receive an update on school connectivity.
Today is the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action, observed annually to highlight the ongoing threat of landmines and explosive remnants of war.
The European Union will meet with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan in Samarkand for the inaugural EU-Central Asia Summit.
Paul Simon will kick off his A Quiet Celebration tour in New Orleans. On the same day, Elton John and Brandi Carlile will release their collaborative album Who Believes in Angels?
Saturday 5 April
Banyana Banyana, South Africa’s reigning Women’s Africa Cup of Nations champions, will face Malawi in a friendly at Lucas Moripe Stadium as they prepare to defend their continental title in July.
Sunday 6 April
The Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix will take place at Suzuka Circuit, marking the third race of the 2025 season.
If you would like an event to be considered for this newsletter, please email: observer@ockhamcommunications.com
Ockham Communications relies on a range of sources to compile the Ockham Observer and cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies or omissions.