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The Oval Office encounter between South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and US President Donald Trump was no ordinary diplomatic engagement. It was a geopolitical theatre — a collision of clashing narratives, one anchored in misinformation, the other focused on sustaining economic opportunities. Yet beneath the theatrics lay deep tectonic shifts in the global order. If …
President Cyril Ramaphosa will tomorrow, Tuesday 10 June 2025, engage with youth beneficiaries of the Presidential Youth Employment Intervention (PYEI) and Presidential Employment Stimulus (PES) flagship programmes in Pretoria. The President will visit three sites: the Sefako Makgatho Primary School in Saulsville; the South African Creative Industries Incubator (SACCI) in Eersterust, and the Foundation for …
Red-handed! A suspect caught at Camden power station by Reserve Force soldiers. The involvement of South African soldiers in safeguarding infrastructure vital to the functioning of the country’s electricity generation, supply and distribution network is ongoing with what is termed a “modest” recovery – R50 000 – of stolen copper cable the latest reported success. …
Malcolm Libera ·10 Jun 2025 Goodyear has confirmed it is closing its manufacturing operations in Nelson Mandela Bay in what worker union NUMSA has called a major blow to employment in the Eastern Cape. The plant, which has been operational since 1947, currently employs around 900 people directly and supports more jobs through its broader …
Sarao’s Adrian Tiplady The explosive growth in the number of low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, from providers like Elon Musk’s Starlink, poses a direct threat to astronomical research facilities the world over, including those in South Africa. The department of science, technology & innovation has already taken measures to protect South African radio astronomy facilities from …
The South Africa Weather Service issued warnings for very cold, wet and windy conditions, including snow in several parts of the country. As icy and snowy weather conditions grip parts of South Africa, roads in the Eastern Cape remain precarious, with the provincial transport department continuing to urge motorists to exercise caution on the roads. …
Last year, the Association of Water and Sanitation Institutions in South Africa (AWSISA) was formed to promote better collaboration with entities that play a role in Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM). Dr. Nndweleni Mphephu, Director at AWSISA, discusses this partnership within the water sector. Comprising seven water boards, various catchment management agencies, the Water Research …
The South African Weather Services (SAWS) has issued level five and six warnings for parts of the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal for Tuesday. It issued an Orange level 6 warning for disruptive snow over the Joe Gqabi District Municipality, Enoch Mgijima and Matatiele Local Municipalities of the Eastern Cape. Snow in Barkley East in Eastern …
The GNU must use the global governance crisis and its chairing of the G20 as a catalyst for the country to reorient its incorporation into global production structures, remodel its economy, ignite social renewal and secure national self-reliance. Despite its success in restoring diplomatic and economic interaction between South Africa and the US, President Cyril …
10 June 2025 – Wits University Dr Paseka Leeuw brings rockface experience from industry and a long academic career to the ambitions of the Wits School of Mining Engineering. Dr Leeuw, who was appointed as Head of School in February this year, has his eye on breaking into the ranks of the top ten mining …
“South Africa is far from perfect, but it belongs to those who believe in justice, dignity, and equality. To Afrikaners committed to that vision: your country needs you. To those who long for a past of domination – go if you must.” So said Kamohelo Chauke in his piece last week. I rather enjoyed reading it. He …
City of Cape Town should work with and not against the building’s residents, say urban researchers
Africa Tech Festival (www.AfricaTechFestival.com), the continent's leading platform for technology innovation and connectivity, is proud to announce the esteemed members of its Leadership Council for 2025. Comprising influential leaders from across Africa's technology, business, and investment sectors, the Leadership Council will play a pivotal role in shaping the festival's agenda, ensuring it remains at the forefront of industry trends, policy discussions, and digital transformation.
The Africa Tech Festival 2025 Leadership Council comprises of:
Bringing together a wealth of expertise, the Leadership Council will provide strategic guidance to ensure Africa Tech Festival continues to address the most pressing issues and opportunities within Africa's digital economy. Their insights will help drive meaningful discussions on connectivity, AI, fintech, cybersecurity, cloud, and the future of digital infrastructure across Africa.
“Africa Tech Festival serves as a platform for connection, collaboration, and innovation across the continent,” said James Williams, Event Director of Africa Tech Festival. “With the guidance of our Leadership Council, we will continue to curate an event that drives impactful conversations, supports industry growth, and fosters Africa's position as a global technology leader.”
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Tech Festival.
Media Contact:
Tori Wilson
Senior Marketing Manager
tori.wilson@informa.com
About Africa Tech Festival 2025:
Now in its 28th edition, Africa Tech Festival 2025 will take place from 11 to 13 November 2025 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), bringing together over 15,000 technology leaders, policymakers, investors, startups, and visionaries. The festival encompasses four anchor events:
With over 500 speakers, 300 exhibitors, and multiple networking opportunities, Africa Tech Festival remains the largest and most influential tech event on the continent.
For more information about Africa Tech Festival 2025 and its Leadership Council, visit www.AfricaTechFestival.com.
e-Panic Button 'making a difference' in communities
More than 51 000 residents of Gauteng have used the province’s e-Panic Button to call for help in emergency situations since the inception of the crime-fighting technology.
According to the province’s e-Government Department, since its launch in April 2024, the Gauteng e-Panic Button has been downloaded more than 100 000 times by residents.
“The most common incidents where people have been assisted include motor vehicle accidents, pedestrian vehicle accidents, assaults, shooting and sexual offences.
“The leading Gauteng regions with the most recorded incidents are Johannesburg with over 21 000 callouts, Ekurhuleni with over 11 000 callouts and Tshwane with over 10 000 callouts. Furthermore, the department has started noticing calls from residents pertaining to missing persons, which refers to cases of kidnapping in Gauteng,” the department said.
Gauteng e-Government MEC Bonginkosi Dhlamini hailed the e-Panic Button as an important tool for helping to fight crime and deal with emergencies for Gauteng residents.
“It is without a doubt that the e-Panic Button is making a difference in our communities. Its effectiveness can only be acknowledged if residents download and use it in a time of need.
“Our team is always ready and fully capable to attend to residents when they call for help. Our turnaround time to deploy ambulances or armed response is between 7 – 10 minutes,” Dhlamini said.
The e-Panic Button can be downloaded from the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.
“Those who have already downloaded are encouraged to use the e-Panic Button in times of emergencies to receive assistance from the command centre,” the department said. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Mon, 03/10/2025 - 10:59
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Government welcomes provisional outcomes of the media market inquiry
Government says it acknowledges and welcomes the provisional outcomes of the Media and Digital Platforms Market Inquiry (MDPMI), led by the Competition Commission of South Africa.
This week, the preliminary report from the commission regarding the MDPMI) garnered attention for its strong recommendation that Google should pay as much as R500 million yearly to compensate South Africa’s news industry.
The commission believes that South Africa should impose a digital tariff of 5% to 10% on major tech companies such as Google, Meta and Microsoft if they fail to fairly compensate media organisations for the content they distribute on their platforms.
The MDPMI began on 17 October 2023 and aims to investigate the characteristics of digital platforms that distribute news media content.
The focus is on identifying features that may hinder, distort, or restrict competition, or that undermine the objectives of the Competition Act.
The Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) has since described the inquiry as a crucial step in ensuring a fair and competitive digital media environment that supports the sustainability of local journalism and promotes media diversity.
“The South African media landscape is evolving rapidly, with digital platforms playing an increasingly dominant role in content distribution and advertising revenue,” a statement from the GCIS on Wednesday read.
Adjunct Faculty Member and Head of the GIBS Media Leadership Think Tank, Michael Markovitz, stated that the report aims to address the root causes of anti-competitive behaviour among big tech companies, and seeks to fundamentally reshape the digital market to foster fairer competitive dynamics.
The inquiry assessed the impact of global digital giants on local media businesses, ensuring that South African publishers, broadcasters and digital content creators can compete on a level playing field.
Government - through the GCIS, in partnership with members of the Print and Digital Media Transformation Steering Committee - said it remains committed to supporting an independent, pluralistic and sustainable media sector, recognising its fundamental role in strengthening democracy and ensuring access to diverse sources of information.
Deputy Minister in the Presidency, Kenny Morolong, said the GCIS will work with all stakeholders, including media houses, digital platforms, advertisers, and the public on the implementation of the final outcomes of the MDPMI.
“We will also contribute to the solutions proposed for addressing the challenges facing the media sector while unlocking opportunities for innovation and growth,” Morolong said.
The GCIS said the inquiry’s provisional outcome supports efforts for media transformation and sustainability, promoting economic participation and safeguarding public interest journalism, which is vital for a fair and diverse media landscape in South Africa.
White paper
Meanwhile, the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Communication and Digital Technologies, Khusela Diko, has welcomed the recommendations of the provisional report.
Diko believes that the recommendations strengthen the committee’s call for an urgent publication of a White Paper on Audio and Audiovisual Media Services and Online Content Safety by the Department of Communication and Digital Technologies (DCDT).
“For a very long time, over-the-top (OTT) digital platforms exploited the regulatory gap in the sector to the detriment of the public broadcaster, the South African Broadcasting Corporation, which operates under stringent regulations. We further welcome the recommendation that media houses be remunerated for the content they produce that gets to be exploited by OTT and digital platforms,” Diko explained.
She further said that the recommendations on Google and YouTube, amongst others, will hopefully serve as a deterrent to everyone that the lack of direct regulation in the sector is not "licencee for unscrupulous business practices". – SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Wed, 02/26/2025 - 15:45
81 views
Aleph Group, a leading global enabler of digital advertising, fintech services and education technology, proudly marks its 20th anniversary with the launch of a bold company manifesto and video campaign, celebrating two decades of innovation, growth, and its mission to make the digital world more accessible for everyone. From its humble beginnings in Miami in …
