Cape Town

Karavan Press, an independent publisher based in Cape Town, South Africa is the winner of the 2025 edition of the CANEX Book Factory Prize for Publishing in Africa that celebrates and recognises outstanding contributions of African publishers and authors to the literary world.

Karavan Press was recognised for its book In Silence My Heart Speaks by Thobeka Yose, winning the $20,000 top prize. The Prize was presented by Algeria's Minister of Culture and Arts Azzedine Mihoubi during an award ceremony held during the ongoing Intra-African Trade Fair 2025 (IATF2025) in Algiers. Finalists received $2,000 each.

The Prize is a joint initiative of the Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX), an intervention by African Export–Import Bank (Afreximbank) in partnership with Narrative Landscape Press Limited. It aims to showcase the literary and publishing value chain in Africa and developing literary talent across the continent and the Diaspora.

“Through the CANEX Book Factory Prize for Publishing in Africa, we continue to strengthen Africa's creative economy by elevating publishers and amplifying African narratives to global audiences. Besides the Prize, we deliver a Pan-African writing workshop, and e-newsletter highlighting African literature, to spotlight and elevate the African book value chain,” said Afreximbank's Director for Intra African Trade and Export Development (Creatives and Diaspora), Temwa Gondwe.

Now in its second year, the Prize attracted over 80 submissions from across the continent, reflecting the diversity and vitality of African storytelling. Publishers submitted trade books published for a general audience and widely available through libraries and bookstores. The entries spanned fiction, non-fiction, and poetry, in hardcover and paperback, with an emphasis on works printed and published on the continent and written in indigenous languages. Entries could be in one or more of the official languages of the African Union: Arabic, English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Swahili, and any other African language. Submissions were judged on the quality of writing, editing and production.

The jury comprised Dr. Boukenna Abdelaziz, Professor of History at Algiers University; Lavaille Lavette, President of JVL Media; and Prof. Egara Kabaji, Professor of Literary Communication at Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology. The jury lauded the outstanding quality of writing, editing, and production.

The Prize is one of the activities under the CANEX Book Factory, an annual programme of events under Afreximbank's CANEX initiative culminating in the awards ceremony. Last year, Cassava Republic Press (Nigeria) won the top prize during the inaugural edition of the CANEX Book Factory Prize for Publishing in Africa for the book Female Fear Factory: Unveiling Patriarchy's Culture of Violence by Pumla Dineo Gqola.

CANEX at IATF is billed as the largest gathering of creatives from Africa and the Diaspora across value chains of diverse creative and cultural industries from film, music, and fashion to culinary arts, sports, and visual arts amongst others. The weeklong summit has convened continental and global players to showcase and exhibit their goods and services, and to explore business and investment opportunities within the rapidly expanding creative economy. It is being held as part of IATF2025, hosted by the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria and co-convened by Afreximbank, the African Union Commission and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat. The weeklong event is projected to facilitate trade and investment deals worth over US$44 billion.

IATF is a platform for businesses to showcase their goods and services to visitors and buyers while exploring opportunities and exchanging information. IATF aims to tap into opportunities from AfCFTA's single market of over 1.4 billion people and GDP of over US$3.5 trillion. The ongoing IATF2025 is its fourth edition with the last three editions of IATF cumulatively generating over $118 billion in trade and investment deals and attracting more than 70,000 visitors and 4,500 exhibitors.

For more information, please visit www.IntrAfricanTradeFair.com.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.

Media contact: 
media@intrafricatradefair.com 
press@afreximbank.com

About the Intra-African Trade Fair:
Organised by African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), African Union Commission (AUC) and African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) is intended to provide a unique platform for facilitating trade and investment information exchange in support of increased intra-African trade and investment, especially in the context of implementing the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA). IATF brings together continental and global players to showcase and exhibit their goods and services and to explore business and investment opportunities in the continent. It also provides a platform to share trade, investment and market information with stakeholders and allows participants to discuss and identify solutions to the challenges confronting intra-African trade and investment. In addition to African participants, the Trade Fair is also open to businesses and investors from non-African countries interested in doing business in Africa and in supporting the continent's transformation through industrialisation and export development.

Download logo

The Minister of Tourism of Tourism, Patricia de Lille on behalf of Deputy President Paul Mashatile, today joined the community of Overstrand in a clean-up initiative that highlights the importance of collective responsibility in building cleaner and healthier living spaces.

The Department congratulates Overstrand Municipality on receiving first place in the Western Cape Municipal Waste Management Recognition Programme last month, awarded by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning. This accolade recognises Overstrand as the top-performing municipality in the province for its innovative waste management systems, recycling efforts, and compliance with environmental regulations.

Despite challenges such as low recycling rates and illegal dumping in certain areas, Overstrand has continued to prioritise community education, with particular emphasis on engaging young people. These efforts are essential in fostering long-term behavioural change and ensuring that future generations grow up with a sense of environmental responsibility.

Clean cities, towns, and villages are not merely about aesthetics, but are also about public health, environmental sustainability, and economic growth. Cleaner environments attract visitors and investors, reduce pollution, safeguard natural resources, and ensure that communities live in safe and healthy surroundings.

Tourism is directly linked to the state of our cities and towns. The Department of Tourism has, therefore, implemented initiatives such as the Green Tourism Incentive Programme, which supports private sector tourism enterprises in adopting sustainable practices. Cleaner, more sustainable communities are not only more attractive to tourists but also help preserve biodiversity and natural attractions that form the backbone of South Africa's eco-tourism offering.

The Clean Cities and Towns Campaign is part of the government's District Development Model (DDM), which promotes collaboration, coordination, and community involvement in improving service delivery. Through activities such as clean-up drives, waste management initiatives, and infrastructure repairs, the campaign demonstrates government's commitment to working with citizens to build sustainable communities.

The Department of Tourism reaffirms its dedication to the goals of the 7th Administration under the Government of National Unity, which include strengthening service delivery, promoting inclusive growth, and ensuring a healthier environment for all. Citizens are called upon to take pride in their neighbourhoods, hold one another accountable, and work with government to enhance the cleanliness and beauty of South Africa. Together, we can create a sustainable future that all South Africans deserve.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of South African Government.

Download logo

The upcoming African Mining Week (AMW) 2025 – Africa's premier gathering for mining stakeholders, scheduled for October 1–3, 2025 in Cape Town – will feature representatives from the continent's top gold-producing countries and companies. Collectively, these stakeholders account for the majority of Africa's gold output and are expected to showcase strategies, policies and projects strengthening the continent's economic growth, industrialization agenda and position in the global market.

Ghana

Ghana - Africa's largest gold producer and the world's sixth largest – will be represented by Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, in the Ministerial Forum. Minister Buah is anticipated to highlight policies transforming gold extraction, beneficiation and investment attraction, anchored by the ministry's six-pillar strategy. Ghana's gold output reached 130 tons in 2024, with exports rising 53.2% to $11.64 billion.

The country's artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector will also feature at AMW. Kwaku Nsiah-Asare, CEO of Typhoon Greenfield Development – Ghana's first ASM company compliant with London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) standards – will speak in the ASM Regulation: Balancing Formalization and Livelihood Protection panel, where he is expected to showcase ASM sector's contribution to industry growth.

Mali

Africa's second-largest gold producer, Mali - which recorded output of 67.7 tons in 2024 - will be represented by the Chamber of Mines of Mali. CEO Fousseni Togola will participate in the Gold Economy: Value, Processing and Global Market Positioning panel, where he is expected to showcase investment opportunities as the country strengthens cooperation with global partners and modernizes its sector under the new Mining Code.

South Africa

As one of the continent's most established gold producers, South Africa will be represented by Thabiso Sekano, Head of Mining and Metals at the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC). Sekano will join the Investor Perspective: Financing Africa's Minerals Industrialization panel, where he is expected to discuss IDC's strategy to revitalize South Africa's mining sector and unlock new opportunities in gold production.

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe - Africa's eighth-largest gold producer with 49 tons of output in 2024 - will be representated by Winston Chitando, Minister of Mines and Mining Development, alongside representatives from the Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe. Minister Chitando will participate in the Ministerial Forum, where he is expected to emphasize investment prospects within Zimbabwe's gold value chain.

Namibia

Representing Namibia, B2Gold Namibia will participate in discussions on the future of gold mining in Africa. John Ross, the company's Country Manager, will feature in the Africa's Gold Economy panel, where he is expected to present expansion strategies for the company's operations, including the Otjikoto Mine - Namibia's second-largest gold mine.

Emerging Producers

AMW will also spotlight measures adopted by emerging gold producers – including Nigeria, Egypt and Uganda - to unlock large-scale gold production. Egypt will be represented by Karim Badawi, Minister of Petroleum Resources and Mineral Resources while Nigeria will be represented by Oladele Alake, Minister of Solid Minerals Development and Uganda by Humphrey Asiimwe, CEO of the Uganda Chamber of Energy and Mines.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

About African Mining Week (AMW) 2025​:
AMW serves as a premier platform for exploring the full spectrum of mining opportunities across Africa. The event is held alongside the African Energy Week: Invest in African Energies 2025 conference from October 1-3 in Cape Town. Sponsors, exhibitors and delegates can learn more by contacting sales@energycapitalpower.com.