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As the tourism sector looks ahead to 2026, it is increasingly clear that this is not simply another year of recovery. It is a transition point. Demand is present. Growth signals are visible. South Africa remains a highly desirable destination. At the same time, the environment in which inbound tourism operates has become more interconnected, …
It seems that South Africa is entering a long-overdue period of economic panelbeating, though the current pace of recovery suggests we are in for a painstaking restoration. Data released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) on Tuesday and Wednesday this week paints a picture of an economy that is finally catching its breath. Headline consumer …
Analysis – Artificial intelligence is increasingly moving from experimental projects to core operations in insurance, powering underwriting, customer onboarding, claims […]
The post African Finance Is Now Entering Its AI Era appeared first on Impact Newswire.
Malcolm Libera ·18 Feb 2026 Criminals are increasingly targeting e-hailing drivers in South Africa with the aim of stealing the driver’s cellphone, vehicle, and any cash on hand. E-hailing targets are lured through ordering a lift on the respective apps, and at late hours in the evening and early mornings, making them easy targets. As …
Tuesday, 17 February 2026 The Economic Freedom Fighters notes, with concern, the misleading Quarter 4 (2025) results of the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) report an official unemployment rate of 31.4%, down from 31.9% in Q3. At face value, this 0.5 percentage point decline appears to signal modest improvement. According to the QLFS, the […]
Minister Siviwe Gwarube’s SONA Reply Honourable Speaker, Last week’s SONA reminded us that South Africa has entered a new chapter defined by a shared commitment to delivery, stability, and progress. The GNU is demonstrating that it is possible to work across political lines to stabilise the country, grow the economy, and create jobs. It is …
In the early years of South Africa’s democracy, as the country confronted one of the most devastating public health emergencies in its history, the government turned to an unconventional yet powerful solution: mobilising ordinary citizens to save lives. Community Health Workers (CHWs), also known as Lay Counsellors, were introduced under the leadership of former Health …
Wednesday, 18 February 2026 The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has taken note of the pronounced changes by the Executive Mayor of Ekurhuleni Nkosiphindile Xhakaza to the City’s Mayoral Committee, and his decision to unilaterally to remove two EFF Councillors from the Mayoral Committee. Xhakaza has unilaterally removed EFF Councillor Bridget Thusi as the MMC […]
The Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training today warned universities and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges not to misuse internationalisation as a reason for ignoring South Africa's immigration and labour laws.
The committee held a joint meeting with the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs to discuss the employment of foreign academics in universities and TVET colleges.
The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) briefed the committee on their respective roles, regulations and oversight responsibilities regarding the employment of foreign nationals. Thereafter, committee members raised serious concerns about the lack of accurate and reliable data on foreign academic staff across the post-school education sector.
Members stressed that the employment of foreign nationals must align with the Critical Skills List and address genuine skills shortages. It should not replace capable South Africans. The Minister of Higher Education and Training, Mr Buti Manamela, told the committee that without reliable data, it is difficult to determine whether institutions are complying with the law or bypassing it by employing foreign nationals in roles that are not critical or scarce.
The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Mr Tebogo Letsie, said institutions must respect the country's laws. “When South African students go to other countries, they are expected to follow the laws of those countries. We expect the same from those who come here,” he said.
“Internationalisation is important, but it must not be used as an excuse to ignore immigration laws.” The Chairperson said that if institutions need foreign academics, they must clearly demonstrate that such skills shortages exist. “We are not against foreign academics. We recognise the important contribution many make, especially in critical subjects such as mathematics.”
Members were concerned about weak coordination and oversight that allowed foreign nationals to be employed in positions that are not classified as critical skills. During oversight visits, the committee found that foreign nationals occupied senior management and administrative roles, including principals, Chief Financial Officers and other non-academic posts. The committee also raised concerns about poor vetting processes and recommended that the DHET urgently clean and verify its data, including reviewing the status of at least 67 foreign nationals employed in the TVET sector who are not linked to critical or scarce skills.
Members of the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs reminded institutions that employing foreign nationals without valid work authorisation is a criminal offence. Section 38 of the Immigration Act (Act 13 of 2002) clearly prohibits employers from hiring undocumented foreign nationals. The committee also raised concerns that some institutions may be using the critical skills system without first confirming whether qualified South Africans are available. Members stressed that the system must not disadvantage South Africans.
The committees acknowledged the ongoing review of the White Paper on Citizenship, Immigration and Protection of Refugees. The committees resolved to interact closely once the Bill is tabled in Parliament. The meeting further resolved to meet with the Department of Employment and Labour in the coming weeks to address the issues raised by members.
Mr Letsie said the committee will continue its oversight to ensure compliance. “We have a serious problem in the sector where some universities and TVET colleges hire foreign nationals without following proper processes. This,” he said, “cannot continue at the expense of qualified South Africans. Institutions must comply with the law, improve transparency and ensure that employment practices are fair and lawful.”
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.
TransUnion Africa, a global information and insights company, today announced the appointment of Michael (Mike) Rogers as Vice President (VP) and Chief Product Officer (CPO), effective 15 January 2026.
Rogers brings more than two decades of technology leadership, digital transformation, and product innovation experience across key African markets, including Botswana, Kenya, Rwanda, Namibia, Zambia, eSwatini, South Africa, and Malawi. His appointment underscores TransUnion’s commitment to developing market‑relevant, scalable solutions that enable organisations across Africa to grow responsibly, manage risk, and broaden access to financial services.
Most recently, Rogers served at Mastercard, where he led consulting engagement across the continent, developing new solutions for the payments ecosystem and driving performance for banking, fintech and digital commerce clients.
Prior to Mastercard, Rogers was Chief Executive Officer of Tarsus Technology Solutions, where he integrated multiple technology businesses spanning cybersecurity, infrastructure and networking and led group-wide digital transformation. He spent 18 years at Accenture, building and scaling technology consulting practices in South Africa, and was the first South African to attain Accenture’s Master Technology Architect certification.
In his new role, Rogers will lead TransUnion Africa’s end‑to‑end product strategy, with responsibility for advancing the product portfolio and strengthening sector‑specific solutions across banking, fintech, insurance, retail, automotive, telecommunications and digital commerce. His focus includes enhancing core credit and risk offerings, accelerating the responsible use of alternative data, and expanding fraud, identity and advanced analytics capabilities to meet evolving market needs.
Working closely with regional and global teams, Rogers will ensure TransUnion’s products are locally relevant, compliant and scalable across diverse African regulatory environments. A key priority will be simplifying product adoption and enhancing decisioning outcomes, enabling clients to more effectively acquire, serve and protect consumers in increasingly digital and data‑driven markets, while supporting inclusive growth across the continent.
Lee Naik, CEO and Regional President for TransUnion Africa, commented: “Mike brings an exceptional blend of technology, product and leadership experience, with a deep understanding of how data-driven products create commercial and social impact. His appointment strengthens our ability to market-relevant solutions that help clients manage risk, grow responsibly and extend access to financial services across Africa.”
Rogers added: “TransUnion Africa sits at the intersection of trust, data and technology. My focus is to simplify adoption, improve decisioning quality and deliver products that create tangible value – helping our clients acquire, serve and protect customers in increasingly digital ecosystems. I am excited to partner with our teams and clients to bring the next generation of solutions to market.”
18 February 2026 – Sasol Banyana Banyana got off to a flying start in their Group A opener against Malawi in the 2025 COSAFA Women’s Championship in Polokwane on Wednesday. Two second half goals from captain of the day Sibulele Holweni as well substitute Bonolo Mokoma were enough to see the hosts start their campaign
The post Sasol Banyana off to a flying start in the COSAFA Women’s Championship appeared first on South African Football Association.
Centuries from Jordan Hermann and young JP King helped the Dafabet Warriors finish day one of the 4 Day Series final on an even keel with the DP World Lions at the DP World Wanderers on Wednesday.
The post KING AND HERMANN CENTURIES LEVEL DAY AGAINST THE LIONS first appeared on Cricket South Africa.
The Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation today received a briefing from the Department of International Relations and Cooperation on its election to serve on the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) for the 2026–2028 term and the significance of work on the Council.
The Human Rights Council comprises 47 UN member states. The department reported that South Africa remains firmly committed to multilateralism and plays an active role in the UN system and its specialised agencies. The department works hard to promote the pillars of the UN Charter – peace and security, human rights, sustainable development and international law.
The committee applauded South Africa on being elected to the Council. The committee also noted that South Africa has been a founding member of the HRC in 2006 and played a key role in the transition from the former Commission on Human Rights to the Human Rights Council. South Africa has served on the Council for two consecutive terms, from 2006 to 2010 and again from 2014 to 2019. It was again elected for the 2026 to 2028 term.
Whilst acknowledging the role South Africa plays on the Council, the committee called on the department to strengthen the HRC to enable it to act against member states who do not adhere to international human rights and humanitarian law.
The committee also acknowledged the new US designate ambassador to South Africa, Ambassador Leo Brent Bozell III. The Chairperson of the International Relations and Cooperation portfolio committee, Mr Supra Mahumapelo, has advised that the committee usually meets with new ambassadors and once the designate ambassador has settled in and sends a request to meet, the committee will be available for this meeting.
As South Arica is celebrating the 30-year anniversary of its Constitution, Mr Mahumapelo further asked the department to focus on human rights in its celebration events.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.
Wednesday, 18 February 2026 The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) condemns the mass shooting in Athlone that claimed the lives of two women and a nine-month-old baby girl, and left others wounded, in yet another horrifying act of gun violence on the Cape Flats. The horror of this violence is worsened by the fact that […]
Concern about decision to buy Chinese MRI machine from local company instead of one from Philips
The GOOD Party still holds on to the hope that missing Joshlin Smith will someday be found.
The post TWO YEARS SINCE THE DISAPPEARANCE OF JOSHLIN SMITH appeared first on For Good.
“In our communities we have shebeens that operate 24 hours”
As companies increasingly integrate artificial intelligence into their operations, a critical question emerges: are we, as a society that includes […]
The post OPINION: How to Prepare Kenya’s Youth for an AI-driven Labour Market appeared first on Impact Newswire.
Comfort Solutions Lab research highlights how mattress support plays an unexpected role in hormonal balance and weight management. South Africa’s leading sleep technology retailer, Bed King, has published new research-backed content examining the overlooked link between sleep quality, metabolic health, and mattress support — and the findings may change how health-conscious South Africans think about …
The Portfolio Committee on Agriculture and the Portfolio Committee on Land Reform and Rural Development held a joint meeting with the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Land Reform and Rural Development. The portfolio committees were briefed on the outcome of the split of the former Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development into two departments, focusing on the allocation, distribution and coordination of the Cooperative Enterprise Development (CED) programme, post-settlement support and related areas.
This split arose from the National Macro-Organisation of Government (NMOG) after the 2024 elections, in which the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) was separated into two entities: the Department of Agriculture (DoA) and the Department of Land Reform and Rural Development (DLRRD). The division was finalised on 1 April 2025.
The DoA now focuses solely on agricultural development, food security, farmer support and market access, while the DLRRD focuses on land reform, land administration, restitution and rural development. The start-up organisational structures of the two departments were approved on the 4 January 2025 and were developed in compliance with the NMOG principles. DALRRD was split 60/40, with 60 per cent of posts going to DLRRD and 40 per cent posts going to the DoA.
The committees heard today of challenges with the ECD staff who were transferred from DLLRD to DoA. The DLLRD consulted with the Public Service Coordinating Bargaining Council but, nonetheless, some staff resisted the move, saying that they do not have the relevant qualifications in agriculture and demanding to be returned to DLRRD. The Bargaining Council still has to engage with the respective directors-general of both the departments on the matter. The committees are aware that this delay has resulted in stalled service delivery affecting civil servants under the Cooperative Enterprise Development, cooperatives and small-scale farmers who depend on CED for support.
Both the portfolio committees of Agriculture and of Land Reform and Rural Development have called for this matter to be speedily resolved.
The committees also noted that the creation of fit-for-purpose structures, aligned to the mandate and strategy of each department, is key for enabling them to deliver on their mandates and targets. In terms of the DLRRD's 2025/26 annual performance plan, the Minister is set to approve the department's structure by the end of 2025/26. The department has indicated that there have been no job losses and all staff have been integrated into both departments.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.
GOOD National Chairperson and Chairperson of the Section 79 Finance Committee in the City of Joburg, Matthew Cook, is urging residents across the metro to participate in the upcoming Regional Online Debt Relief Engagements hosted by the City of Johannesburg between 18 February and 12 March 2026.
The post JOHANNESBURG RESIDENTS URGED TO JOIN ONLINE DEBT RELIEF SESSIONS appeared first on For Good.
Johannesburg, Gauteng – Eksekuteurs vir Boedels en Testamente deel belangrike insigte oor hoe ouers finansiële volwassenheid kan bou in hul kinders en hoe jong volwassenes selfbeskikking kan neem oor hul gesinne se toekoms. Die maatskappy beklemtoon dat testament opstel met professionele eksekuteur aanstelling ‘n bemagtigende stap is vir enigiemand wat omgee oor hul geliefdes se …
18 February 2026 – Sasol Banyana Banyana return to action when they face Malawi in the opening match of the COSAFA Women’s Championship at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane, Limpopo, on Wednesday, 18 February 2026. Coach Dr Desiree Ellis and her Malawi counterparts are using the regional tournament as part of their preparations
The post Sasol Banyana player profiles ahead of the COSAFA Women’s Championship appeared first on South African Football Association.
Pretoria commercial law firm addresses how coordinated conveyancing reduces holding costs and improves development project cash flow. PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA – OAK Law has published comprehensive guidance on streamlining property transfer processes for development projects, addressing a challenge that costs Pretoria developers thousands of rand daily in unnecessary holding costs and delayed revenue. Every day …