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President Donald Trump has now kicked us out of the G20, at least for the next year, while the United States chairs the group. The US has left an opening for us to rejoin, but this will require “tough decisions” by SA, says US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. SA’s place will be taken by …
From frozen treats to shady retreats, the sanctuary ensures rescued lions, tigers and leopards thrive during South Africa’s hottest months. As the South African summer turns up the heat, temperatures in the Free State can soar, making life challenging for wildlife. At LIONSROCK Big Cat Sanctuary, caring for rescued big cats goes beyond providing safety, …
Tensions have been running high between the U.S. and South Africa, the continent’s most developed economy, after Washington boycotted a summit of leaders from the Group of 20 major economies hosted by Pretoria last month. In addition, the U.S. said it would exclude South Africa from the G20 summit in Miami next year. Table Mountain: …
APO Group (www.APO-opa.com), the leading award-winning, pan-African communications consultancy and press release distribution service, is proud to announce the appointment of Nicholas Cull as the new Head of Human Resources for its Volunteer Programme supporting the governing body of the Roman Catholic Church in Africa, the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM).
Nicholas Cull joins the organization on a volunteer basis, bringing a wealth of executive-level experience from the corporate world to enhance the structure and support for APO Group's dedicated global network of volunteers assisting SECAM.
Nicholas Cull's appointment comes at a crucial time as APO Group scales its support for SECAM's operations. He steps into this volunteer leadership role following a distinguished career as an HR Director at several multinational corporations, including McAfee, GoPro, and Allianz. His extensive background in strategic HR management, talent development, and organizational scaling will be invaluable in optimizing the volunteer experience, recruitment, and retention within the program.
"We are incredibly fortunate to welcome Nicholas Cull to our team," said Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard (www.Pompigne-Mognard.com), Founder and Chairman of APO Group. "His decision to dedicate his expertise, honed at world class companies like McAfee, GoPro, and Allianz, is a testament to his commitment to our mission and our support for the Roman Catholic Church in Africa. This high calibre professional insight will be transformative in helping us build the best possible environment for our volunteers who are the backbone of our work."
In his new role, Nicholas Cull will oversee all HR functions for the APO Group volunteer program, focusing on developing scalable processes, improving volunteer satisfaction, and ensuring compliance across international operations in support of SECAM.
"I am thrilled to join APO Group and contribute to its important mission of supporting the Roman Catholic Church in Africa," said Nicholas Cull. "The work done by the volunteers is truly inspiring. I look forward to applying the strategic HR knowledge gained throughout my career to support and empower this global community, ensuring we attract, develop, and retain the passionate talent needed to drive meaningful change for SECAM."
The Catholic Church operates 82,235 Catholic Schools in Africa, educating 30,629,476 pupils. Its extensive network of care includes 13,880 facilities such as hospitals, clinics, dispensaries, leprosy centres, homes for the elderly and chronically ill, centres for disabled people, orphanages, kindergartens, and marriage counselling centres.
According to recent data from the Vatican, there are 1.39 billion Catholics worldwide, representing around 18% of the world's population. Africa's 236 million Catholics already make up about 20% of the global Catholic population, but they are also the fastest-growing region in the world. By 2050, the World Christian Database estimates that African Catholics will make up 32% of the global Catholic population.
According to the United Nations' 2022 State of the World's Volunteerism Report, there are an estimated 862.4 million volunteers globally. Engaging in volunteerism offers individuals a unique opportunity to gain practical, hands-on experience, enhance their professional profiles, and develop valuable skills through impactful service.
More information about APO Group's volunteer programme supporting the Roman Catholic Church in Africa: https://apo-opa.co/4q0Cr9D
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of APO Group.
Media contact:
marie@apo-opa.com
About APO Group:
Founded in 2007, APO Group (www.APO-opa.com) is the leading award-winning pan-African communications consultancy and press release distribution service. Renowned for our deep-rooted African expertise and expansive global perspective, we specialise in elevating the reputation and brand equity of private and public organisations across Africa. As a trusted partner, our mission is to harness the power of media, crafting bespoke strategies that drive tangible, measurable impact both on the continent and globally.
Our commitment to excellence and innovation has been recognised with multiple prestigious awards, including a Provoke Media Global SABRE Award and multiple Provoke Media Africa SABRE Awards. In 2023, we were named the Leading Public Relations Firm Africa and the Leading Pan-African Communications Consultancy Africa in the World Business Outlook Awards, and the Best Public Relations and Media Consultancy of the Year South Africa in 2024 in the same awards. In 2025, Brands Review Magazine acknowledged us as the Leading Communications Consultancy in Africa for the second consecutive year. They also named us the Best PR Agency and the Leading Press Release Distribution Platform in Africa in 2024. Additionally, in 2025, the Davos Communications Awards 2025 awarded us the Gold Award for Best PR Campaign and the Bronze Award for Special Event.
APO Group's esteemed clientele, which includes global giants such as Emirates, Canon, Nestlé, Western Union, the UNDP, Network International, African Energy Chamber, Mercy Ships, Marriott, Africa's Business Heroes, and Liquid Intelligent Technologies, reflects our unparalleled ability to navigate the complex African media landscape. With a multicultural team across Africa, we offer unmatched, truly pan-African insights, expertise, and reach across the continent. APO Group is dedicated to reshaping narratives about Africa, challenging stereotypes, and bringing inspiring African stories to global audiences, with our expertise in developing and supporting public relations campaigns worldwide uniquely positioning us to amplify brand messaging, enhance reputations, and connect effectively with target audiences.
UCT’s Little Theatre hosted the South African debut of ‘1–2–3 As One’, a groundbreaking Japanese–South African Butoh collaboration that also marked the launch of the School for Intimate Imaginings. The event marked a milestone not only for contemporary performance practice in South Africa, but also for cultural exchange and scholarly collaboration between UCT and Japan. …
A. Issues In the Environment1. Economy 1.1. Eskom Turnaround gains momentum 1.1.1. Cabinet welcomed continuing improvement in Eskom’s financial and operational performance for the first six months ending September 2025. Eskom recorded a profit of R24.3 billion after tax, which is 37% higher than the same period in 2024. 1.1.2. In the same period, Eskom delivered consistent energy supply with only four …
The South African Post Office (Sapo) says its digital eRegistered Messaging service could be used to deliver traffic fines in the country, as it has the same legal status as registered mail. However, its use by traffic authorities will depend on the applicable law and how fines or summons are to be served. The Post …
This week the Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus), together with the DA and the Patriotic Alliance, played a decisive role in removing the Speaker of Kou-Kamma Local Municipality, Dudley Maasdorp. Video footage of him allegedly pointing a firearm at residents and threatening them compelled the Council to act. Such conduct directly undermines the core values […]
The post Freedom Front Plus brings stability to Kou-Kamma after removing speaker appeared first on Freedom Front Plus.
West Coast small-scale fishers demand answers from fisheries department
The Democratic Alliance reiterates our call for urgent accountability as the continued loss and theft of state-owned firearms fuels violent crime across the country. More concerning is the scale of these failures. A DA parliamentary question revealed that a total of 170 SAPS-owned firearms were reported as lost or stolen from police armouries over the …
HORIZON SHOPPING CENTRE CELEBRATES THE FESTIVE SEASON WITH EXTENDED TRADING HOURS, GIFT WRAPPING & LIVE CHRISTMAS CAROLS Johannesburg, South Africa, December 2025 Horizon Shopping Centre is bringing festive cheer to the community this December with extended trading hours, a special gift-wrapping activation, and live Christmas carols to create a joyful holiday shopping experience for all. …
South Africa has no manufacturing capacity for solar PV panels, despite the government requiring independent power producers (IPPs) to procure a substantial portion of these devices from local firms. This issue was recently highlighted by the South African Photovoltaic Industry Association (Sapvia) during a presentation to the media regarding localisation of the local solar PV …
The Municipal Demarcation Board (MDB) has increased the number of wards in South Africa by 20, rising from 4,468 in 2021 to 4,488 this year. The board officially handed over its final report, which outlines the country’s new ward and municipal boundary lines, to the Electoral Commission (IEC) today. The handover ceremony took place at …
South Africa’s fight against corruption made significant progress at the Department of Public Service and Administration’s International Anti-Corruption Day event in Sandton, Johannesburg, where the Head of the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), Advocate Andy Mothibi, emphasised the increasing importance of citizen empowerment, cross-sector collaboration, and risk-based prevention. Addressing delegates, Adv Mothibi emphasised that corruption cannot …
The Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) warns that businesses forming the economic heartbeat of the Dipaleseng Local Municipality (Balfour, Grootvlei and Greylingstad) are on the brink of bankruptcy due to frequent power outages, a lack of maintenance and poor emergency repairs. Businesses often have no electricity supply for hours on end, forcing them to purchase […]
The post Dipaleseng businesses on the brink of bankruptcy due to power outages appeared first on Freedom Front Plus.
Hollywood’s favourite love story makes its SA stage debut in 2026 Local theatre fans, it’s time to fall in love again – with a classic ‘90s story (the famous film starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere), brilliant music (from rock superstar Bryan Adams and his longtime songwriting partner Jim Vallance, as well as the title …
Another year has come and gone, which means that several new Chinese car brands have launched in South Africa. New names from the People’s Republic have been coming to South Africa in droves over the past few years, and 2025 was no different with six different manufacturers making their debut. The first of these is …
Africa’s ‘new consumer class’ isn’t new; in the 1800s the continent called the tune for European factories.
The Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) urged the Gauteng Department of Education to establish a dedicated school infrastructure task team to streamline the construction of new schools and catch up on backlogged maintenance. The task team should consist of representatives from, among others, the Gauteng Department of Education, the Department of Infrastructure Development and the […]
The post Gautengse onderwysdepartement moet spesiale taakspan saamstel om nuwe skole vinniger te bou appeared first on Freedom Front Plus.
The Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) demands that action be taken in response to the forensic report on the Govan Mbeki Local Municipality (Secunda, Bethal, Evander, Embalenhle, Kinross, Leandra, Trichardt, Charl Cilliers) that was tabled at the latest council meeting. The investigation by Peyper Forensics revealed widespread and wilful corruption, with more than 16 000 […]
The post Freedom Front Plus demands action following forensic report on Govan Mbeki Municipality appeared first on Freedom Front Plus.
JAC has confirmed that the T9 plug-in hybrid (PHEV) bakkie is coming to South Africa. The PHEV version of the T9 double cab has been in the pipeline for our market for three years, as it was first announced all the way back in December 2022. It was initially expected to launch in South Africa …
Local theatre fans, it’s time to fall in love again – with a classic ‘90s story (the famous film starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere), brilliant music (from rock superstar Bryan Adams and his longtime songwriting partner Jim Vallance, as well as the title track “Oh, Pretty Woman”, the hit by Roy Orbison and Bill Dee) …
“Sometimes by the 15th of the month, the groceries are all done,” says 61-year-old Noah Libbie
The Western Cape Minister of Agriculture, Economic Development and Tourism, Dr Ivan Meyer, this week celebrated a landmark achievement in South Africa’s wine industry—the official opening of Klein Goederust Wine Cellar, the country’s first Black-owned wine cellar, located in Franschhoek. Speaking at the event, Minister Meyer hailed the opening as “a triumph for real transformation …