South Africa readies vaccine rollout infrastructure as TB trial nears completion

South Africa’s government is moving forward with operational readiness for a tuberculosis vaccine still in late-stage clinical trials, according to a Cabinet briefing released Friday. The preparation work includes establishing registration pathways and distribution infrastructure ahead of potential trial success, an early commitment to deployment logistics for what officials describe as a disease-control priority.

Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni told media that Cabinet has been updated on vaccine development progress and has authorized preparatory measures for introduction should trials yield positive results. The government has also formalized a manufacturing partnership with the Serum Institute of India, intended to anchor production capacity for global distribution and support domestic vaccine manufacturing infrastructure.

Meanwhile, the government reported significant operational gains in electricity supply reliability. Eskom, the state power utility, has restored approximately 1.2 million customers to normal service conditions, reducing the proportion of affected customers to 6.8 percent of its total base. The utility achieved load reduction elimination in seven provinces ahead of its October 2026 target date, demonstrating accelerated progress on a core infrastructure challenge that has constrained economic activity for years.

The numbers behind that turnaround are striking. Diesel expenditure fell by more than 83 percent year-on-year, declining from R5.92 billion to R992 million in the comparable period. Open Cycle Gas Turbine usage dropped from 8.67 percent to 1.10 percent, indicating reduced reliance on expensive emergency generation. The Energy Availability Factor reached its highest level since 2020, while unplanned outages fell by nearly 40 percent year-on-year. Together, these operational gains returned approximately 6,100 megawatts of generation capacity to the grid.

South Africa has now operated 467 consecutive days without load shedding since May 16, 2025, Ntshavheni confirmed. The sustained absence of rolling blackouts has provided continuous electricity supply to households and businesses, supporting broader economic functioning.

Cabinet has called for public submissions on a Draft Revised Electricity Pricing Policy currently open for comment. The proposed measures aim to reduce electricity costs while maintaining cost-reflective tariffs and protecting vulnerable households and strategic economic sectors.

On infrastructure development more broadly, South Africa’s hosting of the 5th Sustainable Infrastructure Development Symposium in Cape Town identified 263 projects valued at R1.99 trillion across various stages of development and implementation. Over the past 18 months, 37 projects valued at R69 billion have been completed, the government reported.

Trade and investment developments include the extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act, which maintains preferential access for eligible South African products to the United States market through December 31, 2028. The extension provides market certainty for local producers and exporters. Cabinet also welcomed a bilateral agreement with India to expand treatment options for South African fresh citrus exports following nearly a decade of negotiations. The agreement gives citrus producers greater logistical flexibility and supports increased exports to India. South Africa exported 2.9 million tonnes of citrus in 2025, generating US$2.1 billion in revenue.

The government has launched an Electronic Travel Authorisation platform as part of a broader digital transformation of the visa and immigration system. The ETA replaces manual visa processes with a digital system incorporating biometric verification and advanced technology. Officials stated the system is intended to strengthen border security, improve migration management, and enhance South Africa’s competitiveness as a destination for tourism, business and investment. Whether the platform’s rollout keeps pace with those ambitions will be the practical test that follows.