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South Africa’s pork market has undergone a dramatic reversal in recent months, with fears of shortages giving way to a significant oversupply that is driving wholesale prices sharply lower and bringing relief to consumers. According to Eskort CEO Arnold Prinsloo, wholesale pork prices have fallen from around R40/kg to approximately R30/kg, after earlier outbreaks of …
Statement by Nazley Sharif MP – DA Spokesperson on Social Development: Minister Dina Pule’s first media briefing did little to convince South Africans that she has a credible plan to fix the Department of Social Development or SASSA. While she acknowledged the panic and frustration caused by the ongoing social grant reviews, her briefing was …
Integrated specialist services are emerging as a smarter approach to maintenance and rehabilitation as companies seek to maximise asset performance, extend infrastructure life and reduce operational complexity. Mining and industrial operations are under constant pressure to do more with existing assets. Production targets continue to increase while maintenance windows become shorter, budgets remain constrained and …
More workers, extended office operating hours, and 350,000 beneficiaries targeted for review
3D printing continues to grow as a powerful tool for creativity, problem-solving and innovation across everyday life, education, design, gaming, cosplay, prototyping and more. Creality has become one of the leading names in making 3D printing more accessible globally, with a growing range of printers, scanners, AI-powered solutions and filament systems built for different levels …
SailGP has announced the first results (Focus Area 1) for the 2026 Season Impact League today, with New Zealand’s Black Foils earning top honors for their support of an ambitious campaign to end bottom trawling on seamounts in New Zealand’s waters and the South Pacific high seas. An independent panel of judges recognized the team’s …
By Tshiamo Molanda, Head of Personal Banking South Africa at Standard Bank: South Africa’s persistently low savings rates are frequently framed as a behavioural challenge. For years, the conversation has centred on financial discipline, with repeated calls for consumers to save more, spend less and prioritise the future over the present. Yet despite decades of …
A dynamic event blending sport, style, and social connection Johannesburg, South Africa, 15 June 2026, ellesse, the iconic Italian sportswear brand known for seamlessly merging sport and style, brought its latest campaign, “Find Your Bold: Even in Winter,” to life through an immersive, experience-led event hosted at Balwin Padel, Waterfall City. Designed to celebrate the …
Kaspersky's (www.Kaspersky.co.za) latest global survey shows a change in how people go online: 58% now claim their smartphone is the main device they use to access the Internet, pushing the PC into a secondary role. But as the amount and sensitivity of data stored on these phones keep growing, cybersecurity experts warn that users' security habits aren't keeping up.
According to the survey* almost 60% of respondents consider a smartphone their primary device for accessing the Internet. The most active smartphone users are representatives of Gen Z, with 67% of respondents aged 18-28 choosing a mobile phone as their main device.
With mobiles as the full-fledged rivals of computers in accessing the Internet, the amount of important data stored on them has also increased significantly. Personal photos and videos are leading the pack. Nearly two‑thirds of users store visual memories on their devices. Close behind are contact details (55%), text messages and chats history (46%) and important personal documents such as IDs and passports (41%).
At the same time, a substantial portion of users keep work‑related data on their smartphones (39% emails, 26% calendars and 17% even store access to corporate systems), blurring the line between personal and professional realms. Financial credentials and login details appear on 36% of devices, while emerging categories like AI chat histories (25%) and gaming accounts (24%) signal new types of personal data stored on personal devices.
“Now our smartphones serve as full‑featured assistants that touch every aspect of our lives. The data we entrust to them goes far beyond photos, phone numbers or text messages. Consequently, the main question is no longer “what we store,” but “how we protect it,” requiring security to become as integral to the device as the data it carries,” comments Anton Kivva, cybersecurity expert at Kaspersky.
Three keys to mobile data security
To help users navigate this new digital reality safely, Kaspersky experts have issued a three-step security plan:
1. No data should live on your phone only
A smartphone should never be the sole repository for any type of information. While having everything at your fingertips is convenient, accidental deletions, loss or hardware failure can make recovery impossible without reliable backups or cloud sync.
The most sensitive data like passwords, ID or financial details requires special attention and preferably be kept in a protected format. Use a dedicated security solution like Kaspersky Password Manager (https://apo-opa.co/45cKAzp), which apart from securely keeping credentials and bank cards, has a special secret vault functionality aimed at storing important documents, for example, scanned Passports/IDs and PDF files, addresses and notes. Thanks to the cross-device synchronisation it allows access to the data from any gadget.
2. Create a guard against digital threats
In Q1 2026 (https://apo-opa.co/4b4kLFe) only, more than 2.67 million attacks utilising malware, adware or unwanted mobile software were prevented and more than 306,000 malicious installation packages were discovered.
Mobile devices require the same cyber protection as PCs. Kaspersky experts recommend cybersecurity solutions such as Kaspersky Premium that provide comprehensive protection – starting with scanning apps for potential threats upon installation, and using AI‑driven features to block malicious and phishing links in real time and prevent data or money losses, among many other security layers.
3. The "what if" scenario planning
Phone loss always occurs unexpectedly, but a few proactive steps can dramatically reduce its impact:
“We often underestimate how much valuable information we keep on our mobile devices and how vulnerable that data truly is. Ask yourself: When was the last time I backed up my photos or notes? What's my plan if my phone goes missing? Do I verify links before I click them? While most users automatically think of security software for their computers, phones lag behind. It's time to give your everyday digital companion the same robust cyber‑protection it deserves,” adds Anton Kivva, cybersecurity expert at Kaspersky.
You can download Kaspersky for Android via this link (https://apo-opa.co/3TM9Wl7) and Kaspersky for iOS via this link (https://apo-opa.co/4vGr2hK).
*The study was conducted by Kaspersky's market research center in March 2026. 7200 respondents from 18 countries (Brazil, China, Colombia, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam) took part in the survey.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Kaspersky.
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Nicole Allman
nicole@inkandco.co.za
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About Kaspersky:
Kaspersky is a global cybersecurity and digital privacy company founded in 1997. Innovating the industry with a Cyber Immunity approach, Kaspersky safeguards consumers, businesses, critical infrastructure, and governments from cyberthreats, with over a billion devices protected to date. Kaspersky ensures Cybersecurity True to Business, focusing on providing clear outcomes, protecting revenue, easing workloads and preventing downtime. Kaspersky's deep threat intelligence and security expertise is constantly transforming into innovative solutions and services for organizations of every size, from small businesses to large enterprises, combining proven AI-driven protection technologies with simple management and expert support. Recognized in independent tests and trusted by millions of individuals worldwide and nearly 200,000 organizations, Kaspersky helps detect threats earlier, respond faster and operate with greater confidence and freedom, protecting what matters most to our clients. Learn more at www.Kaspersky.co.za.
The Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) is concerned about the confusion and obscurity surrounding the proposed sale of the Good Hope Centre, a historic and iconic landmark in Cape Town, as well as the conflicting messages appearing in the media. The party is of the view that the City of Cape Town should not sell […]
The post Freedom Front Plus opposed to the sale of the Good Hope Centre in Cape Town appeared first on Freedom Front Plus.
As demand for critical minerals accelerates and governments push to capture more value from their resources, African banks and investors are stepping into larger roles financing the projects that will define the continent's next mining era.
The latest example came in July, when Kropz subsidiary Kropz Elandsfontein secured a R200 million loan from Ubuntu-Botho Investments, the indirect controlling shareholder of African Rainbow Capital, to strengthen its phosphate mining operations in South Africa's Western Cape. The transaction reflects growing confidence among domestic investors in Africa's mining sector and signals a broader trend: regional capital is increasingly moving from the sidelines into the center of mining development.
In an exclusive interview with Energy Capital & Power, organizers of African Mining Week (AMW), Danie Dorfling, Head of Business Development at Moore Infinity – a partner of AMW – said the growing participation of domestic capital marks a fundamental shift in how Africa finances mining projects.
"Domestic capital is no longer an optional supplement to foreign investment. It is becoming a test of whether Africa can convert its mineral wealth into durable domestic financial capacity," he said.
Dorfling pointed to the $700 million financing package secured in April 2026 for Phase 2 of South Africa's Platreef Mine by Nedbank, Absa and France's Société Générale as an example of African financial institutions partnering with global lenders to finance complex, large-scale mining developments.
"The significance is that African banks were not asked to replace international capital; they participated alongside it in a major, complex mining financing. That hybrid model is likely to be more scalable than expecting large projects to be funded exclusively from either domestic or international balance sheets,” said Dorfling.
The trend extends beyond South Africa. As Africa seeks to mobilize its estimated $2 trillion in non-bank domestic capital to finance strategic infrastructure and industrial development, regional financial institutions are expanding their role across the mining value chain.
Tharisa recently secured a R750 million revolving asset finance facility from Nedbank to acquire specialized underground mining equipment for its Apollo Mine in South Africa's Bushveld Complex. Meanwhile, Absa is supporting major projects including Pensana's Longonjo Rare Earth Project in Angola and the Kamoa Copper Mine in the Democratic Republic of the Congo alongside Rawbank and Nigeria's FirstBank.
According to Dorfling, Rawbank's participation demonstrates how domestic African institutions are building the expertise and balance sheet capacity required to participate in increasingly complex regional mining transactions.
Collectively, these developments reflect a broader evolution in Africa's mining finance landscape. Rather than relying solely on international development finance institutions and foreign commercial lenders, projects are increasingly being supported through blended financing structures combining domestic banks, regional financial institutions and global investors. This approach diversifies funding sources, strengthens local capital markets and enables African institutions to capture greater value from the continent's expanding mining industry.
These trends will take center stage at AMW 2026, taking place from October 14–16 in Cape Town under the theme “Mining the Future: Unearthing Africa's Full Mineral Value Chain.” Bringing together regional financiers, international investors, mining companies and market intelligence firms, the event will explore how African capital can be integrated with global financing to accelerate project development and strengthen the continent's mining investment ecosystem.
Financial institutions including Absa, Standard Bank, the Industrial Development Corporation, Africa50, the Africa Finance Corporation, Trade and Development Bank, U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, World Mining Investment and Aperoin Investment Group will join industry experts such as Moore Global to examine financing models capable of unlocking Africa's next generation of mining projects.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.
Rhodes Quality’s Limited Edition 100% Fruit Juice Blend range has been named Product of the Year 2026 in the Fruit Juice Category, following an independent survey of 2,000 consumers conducted by Kantar. Maria Soares, Marketing Executive at Premier Foods, says the award is particularly meaningful because it comes directly from consumers. “At Rhodes Quality, we …
Recognised by AWS for helping customers realise measurable business outcomes from cloud investments 21 July 2026 – SoftwareOne, a global software and cloud solutions provider, today announced that it has achieved the AWS Business Value Realization Competency. This specialisation recognises SoftwareOne as an AWS Partner that helps customers deliver measurable, post-sales business outcomes from their …
Stefan Roets, Product Manager – Collectable Trading Card Games at Solarpop, unpacks the growth of trading card games in South Africa and globally. Trading cards have always been popular, but over the past few years, the hobby has grown into something bigger that incorporates fandom, competitive play and community. Globally, the category has moved far …
Gender-based violence responses must include energy access as a structural intervention, not an add-on.
Independent E&P company Meren Energy will participate at African Energy Week (AEW) 2026 – taking place in Cape Town from October 12–16 – as a Silver Partner, showcasing its evolution into a major independent upstream producer with a balance portfolio spanning high-margin production in Nigeria and world-class exploration opportunities across the Orange Basin. The company arrives at the event following a transformational year marketed by a corporate rebrand, a major portfolio consolidation and a sharpened focus on delivering long-term production growth.
Formerly Africa Oil Corp., Meren Energy completed its corporate rebrand in May 2025, reflecting its transition from an exploration-led company into a full-cycle upstream producer. The transformation accelerated with the completion of its Prime Oil & Gas consolidation in July 2025, which doubled the company's working interest production and reserves while strengthening its cash flow through expanded interests in Nigeria's prolific deepwater assets.
Today, Nigeria represents the cornerstone of Meren's business. Through interests in Prime, the company holds stakes in some of the country's largest offshore producing fields, including Akpo, Egina and Agbami. These assets underpin virtually all of the company's current cash flow, benefitting from premium Brent-linked pricing, low lifting costs and long-life production.
The strategy has translated into a strong financial position. During the first quarter of 2026, Meren reported entitlement production of approximately 31,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (bpd) while maintaining guidance for an average of roughly 30,000 bpd for the year. The company also strengthened its balance sheet by refinancing its reserve-based lending facility, increasing commitments to $600 million with maturity extended to 2032, while continuing to return capital to shareholders through quarterly dividends.
Alongside its producing portfolio, Meren is positioning itself for the next phase of growth through one of the world's most closely watched emerging petroleum provinces: the Orange Basin.
In Namibia, the company retains an effective interest in the giant Venus discovery through its investment in Impact Oil & Gas. Following a corporate restructuring announced in May 2026, Impact has become a streamlined Namibia-focused company dedicated to advancing the Venus development toward final investment decision. The project, led by TotalEnergies, ranks among Africa's largest recent offshore discoveries and is expected to become one of the continent's most significant new sources of oil production later this decade.
While Impact concentrates exclusively on Namibia, Meren continues to directly hold an 18% interest in South Africa's Block 3B/4B in the Orange Basin, where high-impact exploration drilling is anticipated. The company also maintains operated exploration acreage in Equatorial Guinea, providing additional long-term exploration upside alongside its producing assets.
“Meren Energy represents the evolution of Africa's independent upstream sector. By combining strong producing assets with strategic investments in frontier basins like the Orange Basin, the company is demonstrating how African-focused independents can deliver both shareholder value and long-term energy development,” says NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, African Energy Chamber.
At AEW 2026, Meren Energy is expected to engage investors, operators and government stakeholders on opportunities across its diversified portfolio, with particular emphasis on the Venus development, exploration potential in South Africa's Orange Basin and continued investment in Nigeria's offshore sector. As a Silver Partner, the company reinforces its commitment to advancing Africa's next generation of upstream projects while supporting the continent's growing role in global energy supply.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.
One of South Africa’s fastest-growing sports content creators, David Brooke, host of The Biggest Man in Cricket, will join Martin Myers on The Business of Entertainment this Thursday (23 July ) at 9:00pm on CapeTalk. Brooke has spent his entire career in the business of sport, beginning as a sports journalist before moving into the commercial world of media, sponsorship and major …
What began as a life-changing moment for one Jacaranda FM listener became an unforgettable act of generosity when newly crowned millionaire Kamogelo Qolosha chose to share R100,000 of her R1 million prize with fellow finalist Hendrik Lubbe during the dramatic conclusion of Jacaranda FM and Goldrush’s Make Me A Millionaire campaign. The emotional gesture came moments after Kamogelo was revealed as the winner of the R1 million …
Johannesburg, July 21, 2026 – With roughly 85 vehicles reported stolen every day in South Africa, and countless unpowered assets — trailers, generators, plant and bulk-fuel equipment — moving between sites with no eyes on them at all, DigitFMS has launched the Digit D-Pod (Model PB705): a compact, magnetic, self-contained tracking device that deploys in …
Verified data gathered from across Africa's real estate investment landscape reveals that the continent's leading property and hospitality roleplayers completed more than $2.1 billion worth of transactions over the past 18 months, representing one of the most concentrated periods of institutional real estate deal activity in the continent's history.
Download Document: https://apo-opa.co/3TraTiH
The 28 transactions (across nine countries and eight asset classes) were closed by API Summit stakeholders from across the institutional property ecosystem – spanning listed capital markets, commercial, residential, hospitality, logistics and alternatives.
The full African Deals Index report – compiled in collaboration with Broll, the data and insights partner for API Summit 2026 – will be unveiled on the opening day of the event, taking place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on 17 and 18 September.
Talk turning to investment action
The deal-making activity is a signal of the much-spoken-about potential for Africa converting into tangible action, driven by enhanced investor confidence.
“This isn't a forecast - it's a balance sheet. $2.1 billion in completed transactions tells you African real estate has moved past the conversation about potential and into the discipline of execution,” said Malcolm Horne, Group CEO of Broll Property Group.
Horne highlighted several key shifts reflected in the data.
“What's notable is where the conviction is coming from: domestic pension capital acting as a structuring investor, not a passive landlord, and green-linked financing becoming a board-level decision, not a marketing line. At Broll, we see this in our own data every day - across the assets we manage, the cost of capital is increasingly tied to the quality of the asset, not just its location.
“That's the market maturing in real time, and it's exactly the momentum my team and I are looking forward to presenting and unpacking at API this year."
The 17th Annual API Summit takes place under the theme Bold Capital. Real Momentum. and is expected to attract over 600 delegates from more than 30 countries.
Niyi Adeyele, Head of Real Estate Finance, Africa Regions at Standard Bank Group, commented on the evolution of real estate sector funding across Africa.
“It remains interesting to track the resilience and the evolution of activities in the sector, from growing capital market activities, to the rapidly increasing participation of domestic capital sources within the African continent from domestic focused institutional capital sources such as pension funds and family offices to pan-African investor platforms that tend to operate across multiple countries.”
He said that accordingly, sectoral activity levels remain positive, with the “growing pace of green field projects in key markets” providing “early indications of a new growth cycle for the sector”.
Major moves from domestic capital and DFIs
Domestic pension capital has moved decisively beyond its traditional role as a passive landlord, emerging as an active, structuring investor in African real estate - a shift that will be central to discussions at the summit.
The charge was led by South Africa's Government Employees Pension Fund (through the Public Investment Corporation and retail property powerhouse Pareto), which concluded commercial, residential and industrial transactions valued at over $343.5 million since the start of 2025.
“Through the Standard Bank Group's franchise operations across multiple countries, there are observed increase deployment of institutional capital to across key markets driving increased primary and secondary market activities,” said Adeyele, pointing to examples such as Grene Capital's raising of $100 million from Nigerian pension for property investments in Nigeria and beyond.
Sustainability-linked deal leads the way
Sustainability remains a critical factor in real estate financing considerations – evidenced by the largest transaction completed over the past 18 months.
Standard Bank and its African Regions brand Stanbic (along with Rand Merchant Bank) acted as co-lender on a $300 million green financing facility to facilitate Lango's bid to become Africa's first Green Pure Play real estate company, with 90% of its portfolio certified according to international standards.
Amongst several other milestones, the Africa Logistics Property (ALP) Industrial REIT listing on the Nairobi Stock Exchange in March 2026 was notable as East Africa's first listing featuring entirely IFC EDGE-certified green buildings.
Listed capital makes major moves
REIT capital markets were the second largest asset class by value across the period, accounting for $568.5 million of activity, with the action extending well beyond South Africa's established counters.
East Africa welcomed ALP's Industrial REIT (marking the region's first industrial and first USD-denominated security); Centum's TRIFIC Dollar I-REIT (the first green, income-distributing USD-denominated) and Acorn Holdings' build-to-rent D-REIT.
On Zimbabwe's Victoria Falls Stock Exchange, the Pfuma Fund REIT and Eagle REIT both listed, deepening a hard-currency capital market that scarcely existed five years ago.
“Seeing multiple REITs listing on exchanges in one cycle tells you the asset class has crossed from novelty to norm. Investors now have listed, liquid exposure to African real estate, and issuers have a repeatable route to permanent capital,” said Raghav Gandhi, CEO of ALP.
API Summit 2026 – ushering in the next wave of deals
The unprecedented commitment of capital into Africa's real estate sector takes centre stage when the 17th Annual API Summit convenes. Welcoming the investors, developers, financiers and policymakers behind the continent's most prominent deals, this year's event features a new Multifamily Forum alongside the popular Hospitality and Proptech Forums; an impactful main plenary, workshops, deals and meetings rooms and investment showcases, and the 10th edition of the prestigious API Awards.
For more information and to register, visit www.APISummit.co.za
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of API Events.
Enquiries:
Dale Hes
Programmes and Communications Lead
API Events
Tel: +27 (0) 81406 8840
Email: dale@apievents.com
Murray Anderson
Commercial Director
API Events
Tel: +27 (0) 71 890 7739
Email: murray@apievents.com
About API Events:
Africa Property Investments (API) Events is Africa's leading B2B event and thought leadership platform for real estate investment and hotel development. Each year, its conferences, tours and experiences convene the most senior investors, developers, operators and capital providers in African real estate, create meaningful discussions and hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of opportunities for attendees and partners.
The group's high-impact events (across Africa and beyond) span retail, multi-family, mixed-use, commercial and industrial, hospitality and lodging, and emerging asset classes.
Johannesburg, July 21, 2026 – As South Africa records close to 2,000 truck hijackings a year — roughly 30 to 35 every week, with business-owned vehicles far more likely to be targeted than private ones — DigitFMS has launched the Digit D-Cam AD Plus 2.0, an AI video telematics system built on a deliberately different …
South Africa’s transition to new energy vehicles (NEVs) presents one of the most significant industrial shifts facing the country’s automotive sector in decades. Whether that transition results in industrial growth or manufacturing decline will depend on the policy choices and investments made today. To support informed decision-making, the National Association of Automotive Component and Allied …
City of Cape Town blames Beacon Valley construction delays on extortion and crime
New Zealand seam bowler Nathan Smith was on Monday named the ICC Player of the Month for June following superb performances in a Test series in England while England opener Danni Wyatt-Hodge won the award for her outstanding efforts in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. The 28-year-old Smith played a key role in New …